Chapter 17

The mountainous region that Feno spoke of came into view, and Vander wasn't sure he would really call it a mountain region. More like hills and valleys. It was nothing like the massive mountain his castle sat on.

"I'm going to shift and land. He'll hear us coming if we stay in dragon form," Vander announced. If they were to rescue Faye, the only way he would be able to find her in the hills would be in human form. She had yet to see him in his dragon form, and he wouldn't want to scare her off.

"Jodos, shift with him. I'll stay in my dragon form and patrol the air," Feno instructed.

"Will do," Jodos replied.

They circled around the land.

Vander's dragon descended toward land. He shifted midair, dropping a few hundred yards to the ground. He stood and glanced down at his naked self. With a wave of his hand, he was fully clothed with jeans, a T-shirt, and hiking boots.

"Which way first?" Jodos asked, coming to stand next to Vander.

He turned to his longtime friend and found him dressed similarly. He glanced around but didn't see much. The land was not plush and thriving as it probably should have been.

The trees were dying. Where there should have been rows of vibrant greenery, were rows of trees, spotted with brown leaves. They looked like naked skeletons and were past saving. The land was sick, and it wouldn't survive long. Vander knew the source of the destruction of the land.

Gamair.

"Let's go up. There are a lot of hiding places in this area." Vander closed his eyes and tried to place Faye. He sensed she was near.

They began the hike up the hills, through the dense woods. No words were needed in their search for Faye. Vander tried to focus on her and the pendant. He just needed her to call on it again as she had before.

If only he would have explained the pendant to her. It was a way to link a human mate to their dragon shifter; a way to communicate between mates. The pendant would show any other dragon shifter who the human belonged to. But, more importantly, it acted as a beacon to allow him to find her.

As soon as they found her and got her to safety, he would lay it all on the line and tell her she was his mate.

"Come on, Faye, speak to me," he murmured.

They came to a clearing.

"Over there." Jodos pointed.

Vander's eyes turned to where his friend indicated, and he saw a little cave. He doubted that Gamair would hide in such a small area, but it was worth a shot.

His heart sped up with the thought that she would be stashed in the cave opening, cold and alone. He jogged over to the opening and peered inside.

* * *

Faye grimaced and tried to move her arm again. Gamair had taken her immobile body and stashed her inside a dark, drafty cave. Her clothes, hardening as they dried on her, itched her skin and just about drove her insane. Her hand rested a couple of millimeters from where her leg itched. She let loose a curse.

It still wouldn't budge.

What type of magic is this? she groaned to herself. Doesn't it wear off?

She grunted, her head falling back against the rock wall in defeat. She swore the minute she was free, no one would stop her from taking a shower and scrubbing the muck off. She just prayed she lived long enough to get that shower. She glanced around the empty cave and could see the sunlight fading.

Gamair had left her alone, and she hoped Vander would kick his ass and free her. She had faith in her dragon warrior. He would come for her. Her head fell forward, and her chin rested on her chest. The pendant beneath her shirt lay beneath her chin.

"Vander," she whispered, rubbing her chin on the hidden pendant. Warmth radiated from beneath her shirt and against her chin. Again, calmness came over her. She just knew everything would be all right.

Vander was near.

She gasped at a shadow at the opening of the cave. She looked up, and all hope was dashed. Gamair strode into the musty cavern toward her. Her heart sped up at his narrowed look. Was this how she would meet her end? Her entire life seemed to flash before her eyes. Snippets of her life raced in front of her as he approached her.

"Change of plans," he snapped, grabbing her by her arm.

Immediately, she felt the release of her limbs. She breathed a sigh of relief at regaining control of her body. He dragged her to her feet.

"What's going on?" she squealed.

He pulled her behind him.

"Your boyfriend and his band of warriors are too close," he announced.

They left the hideaway. She glanced behind them, and he led her up, higher into the wooded hill.

She knew Vander would come for her.

He didn't let her down.

She grunted; her foot hit a stone hidden in the dirt, and she almost crashed to the ground. Gamair growled and snatched her arm. She yelped at the sharp tug.

"You're going to pull my arm out of the socket," she snapped, trying to wrench her arm back.

"That's going to be the least of your worries," he growled. He tugged harder and continued to rush up the path.

She couldn't let him get to the top of the hill. She was sure if he shifted and took off with her, she would never see Vander again. She glanced behind her into the woods and knew what she would have to do.

Scream.

"Vander!" She screamed as loud as her lungs would allow her to. Her voice echoed through the air.

"Bitch!" Gamair bit out.

Swinging his arm at her, he caught her on the side of her face. She tumbled back, falling on her ass. Her cheek stung from the slap. She turned and found him glaring down at her. He approached her. She grinned through the pain, sure that Vander heard her.

If Gamair was going to take her, she would have to put up a fight, long enough for Vander to reach her.

Her smile faded. The ground rumbled beneath her. She glanced around, thinking it would open up and swallow her, but everything around her trembled. She found Gamair staring at the sky.

"See what you've done?" He sneered at her. "Now I must kill your mate in front of you." He took off running up the path and disappeared into the woods.

Through the trees she saw a massive shadow flying overhead.

My mate?

Is that why Vander was going above and beyond for a woman he'd just met? Was she his mate ?

"Vander," she whispered, her heart pounding. She'd never seen his dragon but knew deep down it was him.

The roar of a dragon filled the air, the ground rumbling again.

She scrambled to her feet and almost fell again. The ground shook beneath her. She regained her footing and took off running in the direction that Gamair had disappeared. A second dragon's roar filled the air. This one's was so powerful, the wind blew the trees back and knocked her back a few steps. She had to be close, so she pushed forward, keeping her eyes on the sky.

The trees finally thinned out, and she came to a halt at the edge of the woods. At the top of the hill was a large clearing that held two dragons circling each other. Her eyes widened, taking in the black dragon, but it was the newcomer that held her attention. He looked just like his statue, but even more fierce, much larger, and more dangerous.

A deafening screech grabbed her attention. The black dragon attacked Vander. With nowhere else to go, she slid behind a wide tree, her heart all but jumping in her throat.

The battle began.