Prologue

“Neo!” His witch, Kady, screamed, pain tearing through her so harshly that Percy lost her his breath. His connection with his witch was deep and she was in such pain it sent her to her knees. And he could feel every bit of it.

The Dragon Warrior whod made her fall in love with him had been attacked by these awful soul stealers. Neo’s body dropped to the ground, shimmering back into the form of a man. He lay unmoving in the dirt and grass.

Percy didnt know what to do to help. What could he do? He was just a hedgehog. Sure he had some inherent magic in his familiar nature, but it was just there for his witch to draw upon.

This was a whole heck of a battle, just like in the war movies. A helicopter swooped away, having snatching up the unbelievably bad man, cult leader guy. Other dragons in the sky sent blasts of fire, striking the metal, attacking the helicopter with fervor.

The ship returned fire which looked useless, but then a dozen soul stealers surrounded it. The bad man was getting away and the Dragons were blocked from following by a wall of soul demons.

They didnt attack but when a Dragon tried to fly past them to follow the helicopter, they flew in the Dragons flight path, until he had to retreat or get his soul stolen too.

Without Kady to use her magic to protect them, the dragons couldnt do anything. Within seconds the helicopter was gone, out of reach and across the sky.

The soul demon that had stolen Neo’s soul, drifted into the air following the path of the chopper.

A really big black Dragon sent a shot of fire toward the soul stealer, and stayed air born, slowly following it as they moved in the same direction as the escaping asshole.

The other Dragons landed and surrounded Kady and Neo, not even noticing Percy. Why would they? He was little and insignificant. The Dragon named Ace shifted back into his human form and pulled out his tablet. Im signaling the rest of the brotherhood to have them try to intercept that helicopter. Kur-jerkwad is going to track them as far as he can. Theyre already out over the ocean with no sign of a place to land.

Kady pulled herself up off the ground and Percy had to scramble as she rushed to Neo’s side, dropping beside him, throwing her arms neck. His chest moved up and down, Percy could see he was alive, but there was no light in his eyes, no spark of his soul connecting with hers.

Where was Neo’s soul, or the soul demon it had become? Kady blinked, holding back the tears, and Percy wanted only to comfort her. But he didnt know how. A dark smoky shape appeared, hovering above her, pulsing as it grew, a mass of unformed liquid shadow.

“No no no no no no no. Neo, you come back to me right now. You cannot do this. You cannot leave me alone.” Kady raised her voice to the sky, seeking to connect with the stolen soul. It shimmered, growing less translucent and more shadowy by the second.

This was bad. This was unbelievably bad. Like The Death Star blowing up Alderaan bad.

“Neo,” she shouted at the shadow forming before her eyes. “Don’t do this. You are mine and I am yours. Please, Neo, please come back.”

Percy felt the devastation in Kadys soul so keenly. Couldnt she see or feel that he was still there for her too? They werent fated mates like she and Neo were, or... had been, but they loved each other in the way that family did. Because Kady was his only family.

Kady pulled Neos slack body into her arms and rocked his form, crying out his name, pleading with the shadow soul to return over and over.

His poor Kady been abandoned by everyone who should have been important in her life, wounded and scarred by the missing connections, stolen from her before she could even remember. She’d survived on her own, building a lonely independence around herself. She hadn’t thrived, no matter how much Percy tried to help her. Not until Neo.

“Please, Universe. Please don’t take him from me now.”

The new shadow soul screeched like a hurt animal lashing out. Percy watched her try to call up her magic, wrap it around him, soothe him in her light. He closed his eyes and pushed every big of magic he had to help her.All she could manage was a warm glow across her skin, that she wrapped gently around Neo’s body.

The new shadow soul screeched again, louder this time, and dove toward her.

Oh no. Not his Kady, not his witch, not his whole life. They couldnt take her. But what could he do to help? He couldnt. He was helpless. A hedgehog, even a magical one, couldnt do what it had to if he wanted to keep her safe.

Where were the stars to wish upon when he needed them. Hed wish to be a warrior that could keep his witch safe.

“Kady, look out.” Fallyn shot a steady stream of magic at the shadow warrior.

“No. Stop.” Kady raised her hand, and Percy felt the tug on his own magic. Kady was pulling from the depths of her being to call up the magic that had been there only moments before.

Her hand glowed a deep red, but the magic wouldn’t go, it wouldn’t do her bidding.

The shadow soul weaved around Fallyn’s magic, bearing down on Kady. Another witch, Zara added her amber light to the battle, deflecting the shadow a fraction of a second before it could hit.

It recoiled, and dove at the witches, two, three, four times. Fallyn and Zara formed a shield over the top and around her. Ninsy reinforced the shield with a new ward.

Still, the shadow warrior beat down, frantic to get to her.

And never did any of them notice that Percy was there. He had to figure out a way to use that to his advantage, because he couldnt allow anything to happen to his witch.

“Neo.” Kady reached up, holding his body in one arm, grasping for his soul with her other.

He wanted her soul. He wouldn’t have to steal it, she’d readily give it to him. And thats what Percy was afraid of.

She lay his head and shoulders down, touched her fingers to her lips, and then to his. Standing forced the shields around her to expand. They fluctuated and thinned. As if Neo’s shadow soul understood her intentions, it doubled its efforts to get to her, shattering the ward.

Percy had to do something now. Right now. Please stars above help me. Help me keep her safe.

Kady pushed her fingertips through the open edges of the ward, touching Fallyn and Zara’s magic.

They yelled, but Kady pushed through the swirls of red and amber light.

The shadow of Neo grabbed her hand, burning her from the inside out. The pain ripped through her, tearing through Percys own soul. Please, stars. Her body dangled in the air, held aloft by the grip Neo’s dark soul had on her.

A silver flash of light crashed through Percy and gave him the power and strength he needed to help his witch. He ran a full speed to save her.

“Kaden,” he yelled out, reaching through the blackness and tackling her from the side. They hurtled through the air, torn away from the grasp of the shadow soul.

They crashed into the ground, her glasses falling into the dirt by her head. But she was out of harm’s way.The shadow of Neos soul drifted away like smoke on the wind.

“Kaden, m’lady, are you all right?” Words, real words came out of his mouth. He was sprawled out on top of her, running his hands over her arms, face, and hands to make sure she was okay.

“Get off me.”

Two men grabbed the Percy by his shoulders and yanked him to his feet. But Fallyn and Zara didn’t move toward him at all.

Kady rolled away, grabbing her glasses in the process and shoved them on her face.She looked him up and down, avoiding his lower half. He hoped he recognized him, whatever it was he looked like now. He was definitely a whole lot bigger. And muscles. He had a lot. He was strong.

“I’m not a threat,” he said to the men holding him, “Kaden is my mistress. I was only trying to save her.”

Match looked to Fallyn who nodded, her mouth hanging open wide. They released him, and he reached his hand down, in offer to help Kady to her feet.

She shook her head and he sat on the ground beside her. “Don’t cry, sweet Kaden. You can rub my belly if it will make you feel better.”

She looked at him like he was a booger.

“Percy?”

“At your service, m’lady.” Percy winked and dipped his head in a bow.

She looked at her hands as if she thought shed changed him. She couldn’t have done this, it wasnt her element to do something as big as this. Both Fallyn and Zara shook their heads when she asked them with a glance.

“But... you’re a hedgehog.”

“When you needed me to be your companion, yes. I am your familiar, I am whatever you need me to be. Now you need a Spock to your Kirk, a Chewie to your Han, an R2 to your D2.”

He spoke passionately and raised a weapon he found on the ground into the air.

“Be careful with that.”

“I was kind of hoping it was a lightsaber.” He lifted the dagger over their heads and pushed a button, but nothing happened. He sighed and let the weapon fall to the ground. “I always wanted to be a Jedi, ever since the first time you played the Star Wars movies for me and fed me popcorn.”

Kady wrapped her arms around herself. “That’s funny. I always wished I were a Jedi too. But now I have powers just as badass as the Force, and they didn’t do me a damn bit of good.”

“But, m’lady, what do you mean? This is the moment you’ve been waiting for your entire life. You have to rescue your Han from the evil clutches of Jabba.”

She shook her head. The tears she’d held back earlier pooled at the edges of her eyes. “The only way to save Neo is to free his soul by killing his body. I can’t do that.”

Percy tsked. “Now is no time to let your fear turn you to the Dark side. Look where that got Anni and Amidala.”

She turned away from Percy. She wanted only to hide from the world again. “Get your head out of your butt. This isn’t a movie.”

Percy stood, towering over her. He pointed and shook his finger at her. “No, you get your head out of your butt. You are a witch, descendent of a powerful line of Romani witches. They died defending you and your sisters, so that you might live and fulfill your destiny. You are a warrior. Be one now.”

She shook her head, ignoring his words. “I’m no warrior.”

A special being named Ninsy came over, patted Percy on the butt and joined Kady on the ground. Good. He could use some back up right now. “Your name, Kaden, means warrior. It is who you are. There’s power in names, so whether you believe it or not, you are a warrior.”

Kady shook her head. “A name a family I’ve never even met gave me. It has no meaning, and I certainly don’t have any power, with or without it.”

Fallyn joined them, making them into a small circle of women. He liked that for the first time since hed been sent to her as a child that he had a group of friends that could be there for her. “You have more power than you know. I didn’t put it together when Ninsy said your name, when we met, but now I know who you are. You come from a long line of witches, your mother was a witch.”

Kady shook her head. “Did you know my mother? Because, I didn’t, and she didn’t give me anything but an abandonment complex.”

Yes, I knew her. Fallyn said. A long time ago. She gave many Dragons of the Red Wyr their soul shards. Your heritage is very clear now that Percy has revealed it. My own mother used to tell tale of the Ejderha sisters. You’ve been lost to us until now.”

Kady looked up at him, with a lot of shock flashing through her eyes.“Percy? My family died? I have sisters?”

He scoffed. “Of course, you do.” He just hadnt ever been able to tell her about them. In fact, he wasnt quite sure how he knew about them. He just... did.

“Was my father a witch too? I guess, does that make him a wizard, a warlock?” Kady seemed fried at this point. He could relate. Everything had changed today. Everything.

Ninsy shook her head. “Your father was a dragon.”

Percy interjected. “You’re a dragons daughter.”

Whoa. Where had that come from? It was just there in his mind, but he hadnt realized it until hed said it out loud.

Ninsy continued, “The Romani witches were mates to dragons since the beginning of time. One of the first witches of your line was the mate to the first son of the First Dragon. That’s where you get your easy use of Soul Magic, and of course, your name. Ejderhan?nkizi, which means dragons daughter.”

“Does that mean Neo and I are related? Ew.”

“Of course not. Ninsy smiled, although it was sad. Only in the sense that all dragons come from the First Dragon, just as all humans descend from one mother. Do you want to know more about your family?

“It doesn’t matter. I dont care and dont have any power without Neo by my side.”

Percy couldnt take the despair in her, so he pushed his way into the witches’ circle and sat on Kady’s lap. “Even if you weren’t a witch, you’re still the only person who can save Neo’s soul. His is crying out for you. Go to him, bring him back.”

She pushed Percy off, then stood and backed away from them all.“I can’t,” she screamed, all her sadness, frustration, and fear pouring out with her tears.

Percy followed her, prodding her in the chest with his hand. “Kaden Ejderhan?nkizi, I was created to be your companion, your familiar and stand with you in times of strife. I watched and waited for you to realize your powers and did a god-damned happy dance when that crazy dragon showed up in your life.”

She backed away from him, frantic to find an escape, to get away, hide from the world, from the magic, from the grief. He understood. He didnt remember anything before the day he became a hedgehog familiar for Kady, but there was some kind of grief in his past. Hed become particularly good at hiding from it, but he couldnt let Kady do the same.

Percy didn’t relent. “Don’t think for one magical minute I am going to stand idly by poking you with my spines while you wallow around crying for the soul only you can save.”

“Percy. Dammit. I can’t save him. He’s gone, my magic is gone. It doesn’t matter where I came from or what any of you thought I could do. Don’t you understand? I am back to being nothing.”

“Nothing?” Percy’s voice boomed, echoing off the leaves. “You wield the strongest magic of all. The Universe bows to your will. The power was always there, your soulmate awakened it. You were born to be a warrior. Be one, dammit.”

She shook her head, sucking in gasps of breath, staving back Percy’s claims. “I don’t even know how to use the magic without Neo.”

“Your souls are already intertwined. Even in his twisted state, he is still yours and you are his. All you have to do is feel it inside. He’s there.” Percy laid his hand over her heart.

She closed her eyes, and Percy could feel her searching for the magic that wasnt there. Neos magic was gone, and Percys wasnt the same, wasnt enough. It was never meant to be. The tears bubbled over and streaked down her face. She couldn’t feel him, only her broken heart.

Percy lowered his voice and spoke from his core to hers. “You’ve hidden from the world, let it beat you down, told yourself the flaws were within. They aren’t. Greatness is in you. Find the magic inside, Kaden. Search your heart, your soul, your very being. Become who you truly are.”

Kady nodded and took Neo’s hand, she held it tight. He looked at her, at their hands, and back. The closest to an expression on his face was maybe confusion.

She folded his fingers around her own, closing his hand. That he seemed to understand, because when she let go of his fingers, they remained gripping hers.

“I know you don’t understand me right now, my love, but I promise I’m going to do everything I can to get your soul back.

Good, she was going to fight for her mate. Percy did a little happy dance.

“Can somebody please put some clothes on Percy?” A wolf shifter named Nico held his hand out blocking one of the wolftresss view from Percy’s mid-section.

“Aw, that would be such a shame.” Zara snuggled into Nico’s side, teasing him. Probably.

Kady flicked her hand and all of a sudden Percy had on tight jeans, a sleeveless western style plaid shirt, a cowboy hat, and boots.

Oh, my, holy, Cheetos. He was a bona fide cowboy. Yeehaw.

“Hey, Kaden, look at me, I’m Bronco Billy, no wait, the outlaw Josey Wales.” Percy laughed and danced around in the dirt, grabbing Ninsy up and singing to her. “Throw your arms ‘round this honky tonk man.”

“What is he yammering about?” Match asked.

“Hey Sara, need a couple of mules? I’ve got a fistful of dollars.”

Kady smiled. It didnt reach her eyes. But it was a start. “He thinks he’s Clint Eastwood. We may have watched a few old Westerns together.”

A lot. That and Star Wars, which was just westerns in space, were his favorite movies to watch. The men were heroes, and the women were powerful in their own rights. Exactly as it should be.

“Ha ha. For a few dollars more, I’ll paint your wagon.”

Before Percy could come up with his next cheesy line a big gold dragon swooped down into the canyon. It blew dust and debris everywhere as it landed and Percy thought it was probably on purpose.

The Dragons and the witches argued, but Percy didnt really understand most of what they were mad about. Kady would save Neos soul. What didnt they get about that? Dumb Dragons.

It took a little convincing, but finally they Dragons got on board with his smart and savvy witch and they all came up with a plan.

He was ready to ride at dawn.

“Hey, take Herbie with you, you might need him.” Ninsy placed Herbie, in broom form in Kady’s hand. “We’ll watch after Percy for you.”

Percy didn’t like that idea at all. “I can help. I’ll get a .44 Magnum and those owl cult guys can make my day.”

Kady took Percy aside. “Perce, I don’t know what’s going to happen tonight, and I’m scared. I’m doing my best to pretend I’m not, but I am.”

Percy nodded gravely. “Even more reason I should go with you.”

“Everything you said today, about who I am, and who I was meant to be… well, I don’t think I would have believed, or even listened to anyone else besides you.” Kady was about to ask him to do a hard thing. Hed always do anything for her.

She took his hand, so soft and smooth like his little hedgehog belly. “Which is why I need you to stay.”

Percy stood little bit taller. “You need me to be Bill Munny.”

“Yeah, because if I don’t come back, I need you to make those cult bad guys Unforgiven.”

“I will, Kaden. Well, I guess they have it comin. Anybody who don’t wanna get killed better head on out the back.”

She kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

Kady flew off into the night, and she did indeed save Neos soul, and together they started a whole new exciting life together.

It was their happy ever after. Kady and Neos.

But it wasnt Percys.