Chapter Nine - word count 2139 - Download PDF
9.
      After his last cryptic statement about natural disasters, Seth had grabbed his shirt off the floor, asked Selphie where and taken off at one hell of a speed, pulling his shirt on as he ran.  Drew struggled to keep up with him.  
      She slammed into Seth’s back as he skidded to a halt in the doorway of the conference room. Selphie stopped just in time behind Drew, preventing a three person pile-up and paced up and down wringing her hands.  Drew felt Seth stiffen and peeked around him to see what was wrong.  
      Drew stifled an involuntary gasp, as she took the seen in with a glance.  Then looked around the room again to make sure her eyes weren’t deceiving her.  Each of their people stood toe to toe with a newcomer, the table and chairs in the conference room ignored.  Tension burned in the air.  She could barely breath; the sense of imminent violence was so thick.  Through the door she could see Gabriel standing at the end of the room, he’s stance was relaxed, legs slightly apart as if he was balancing on the deck of a ship.  Arms held loosely at his side.  He was dressed again like a goth god and she wondered briefly if the man owned any jeans, he seemed to be very fond of leather.  Standing in front of Gabriel, was a huge man, he’s back to the door, he stood easily six foot six in his boots.  His hair was long flowing down his back to his hips, over the ankle length coat he wore.  It was the color of his hair that amazed her, it could only be described as silver, but not the blue silver you’d expect.  His hair shimmered green when he moved, like mother of pearl.  Then she noticed his hands.  Held out from his side’s palms up as if in supplication, but in the center of each palm danced a ball of flame.  Burning with the same green light his hair reflected.    
      Darius was closest to Gabriel, another large man stood face to face with him.  Dark hair cut short and again, the ankle length coat.  Marcus faced off with yet another of the big men.
      Ross was on Gabriel’s left, and facing him was a small woman with long dark hair.
      Drew didn’t have a chance to examine the scene further, Seth chose that moment to move into the room and she felt her stomach lurch because he was walking straight into a dangerous situation.  She started to follow him but Selphie grabbed her arm holding her back.  When Drew looked at Selphie questioningly the nymph shook her head.  
      Seth stalked over to Gabriel, rage punctuation his every move.  How dare they come here and threaten his people.  Gabe had warned them that Namara’s family wasn’t happy, but to come here and openly threaten was bad manners.  The warning Ross had sent let him know that this situation was going to get hairy before it calmed down.    
      Gabriel acknowledged his presence with a nod.  
      “Seth, glad you could join us to welcome our guests.” He smiled.  
      Did nothing faze this angel?  What the hell, Seth was pissed off enough for both of them.  Even more so because the newest drama had interrupted him, when he damn well didn’t want to be interrupted.  
      Gabriel waved a hand to introduce Seth.  
      “Seth this is Dragonselen, Namara’s brother.”  
      “Lord Dragonselen,” the big man corrected Gabriel “and you will call my sister Lady Namara.”  
      Gabriel bowed his head an indulgent smile playing across his lips.  
      “Lord Dragonselen, this is Seth, leader of the group who rescued,” Gabriel emphasized the ‘rescued’ “your sister from Sandamar.”  
      Dragonselen just looked Seth up and down as if he was beneath his notice.  
      Gabriel continued the introductions
      “These are Lord Dragonselen’s men.  I’d introduce you but I haven’t been introduced to them myself.  You know Jade though, she’s spent enough time at the compound.”  
      Seth nodded, he knew Jade, and she hadn’t changed a bit since the last time he’d seen her.  She was one of the most beautiful women he knew.  Short and well built.  With her straight dark hair and slightly upturned dark eyes that fluctuated between hazel and forest green with her moods.  She looked like she belonged on the set of an Egyptian epic.  Her beauty was otherworldly, as if someone god wanted to make the perfect face and Jade’s had been the result.  
      She was also one of the most dangerous people he knew.  If you were looking for trouble you better hope you didn’t find it if it was named Jade.  
      “Strange company you are keeping these days Jade?”  He nodded in Dragonselen’s direction.  
      The dark-haired woman gave him a stunning smile.
      “No stranger than when we hung out.”
      “Enough of this idle talk!” Dragonselen roared.
      “Where is Lady Namara?  May all the gods help you if she is unwell.”  
      Seth felt his animal roar to the front of his mind, as he lost his temper.  
      The sheer arrogance of this prick was going to make him burst a vein. He tried to calm himself, but it was just one insult too many, considering what the Du’call and this compound had done for the dragon’s family.  
      “You know you’ve got one hell of an attitude.” He took a step towards Dragonselen only to find Jade, suddenly in front of him with a gun muzzle pressed in deep under his chin.  
      “Come now Kitty-Cat, don’t make Jade be the big bad.”  She smiled sweetly at him.
      At the door Drew clenched her fists and started to walk into the room. Selphie grabbed the back of Drew’s shirt and held on.  Drew turned glaring at Selphie.  
      “Let me go.” She said with soft menace.  
      “No,” Selphie refused, “she wont hurt Seth, and I’m not going to let you get yourself killed.”  
      Ross spoke up to try and defuse the situation.
      “Come on Bast, you wouldn’t want to hurt a cat now would you?”
      Seth watched Jade casually reach to the small of her back with her left hand, draw another gun and point it at Ross without ever taking her eyes off Seth.
      “Ross, Angel-Kitten,” her voice was syrup sweet “I swear to Ra, if you call me that again I’ll blow your sexy kitten ass straight to the underworld.”  
      Ross opened his mouth to say something.
      “Aw, common pussy-cat you think I’m stupid?” She grinned still looking straight at Seth  “These beauties are 45’s and they are loaded with silver bullets my furry love… silver bullets.”  
      Dragonselen scowled blackly at Jade
      “I do not need you to fight my battles for me woman.” He said ‘woman’ as if it was a dirty word.  “Let the lycos come.  I would damage him far more than a mere woman could.  You have no ability to compete with dragon wrath.”
      The room suddenly glowed with power, it climbed and spiraled into every crevice.   Like thick smoke it eddied making breathing difficult.  Seth looked down at Jade, she’d lowered her guns and was turning to look and Dragonselen.  
      Jade’s eyes blazed and her hair frizzed out with the power poring off of her.  
      Seth cursed, the damn moron had just gone and pissed her off.  The shit was about to hit the fan.  Seth suspected Dragonselen didn’t have a clue who Jade really was.  He was pretty sure that she’d been asked by someone else to travel with the dragons on this trip.  
      Seth felt his cat respond to Bast’s building power, purring and moving like liquid fire deep inside him.  Her power was forcing him to change.  
      He bit down clenching his jaw, closed his eyes and fought the metamorphosis.  
      I am in control not the animal.
      He repeated the words over and over in his mind.  He felt his claws extend and groaned trying to keep the beast at bay.  
      He heard the soft growl as Marcus gave in and allowed himself to transform.  Cracking his eyes open he saw the cheetah that was Marcus’s other form standing where Marcus had been.  The man who’d been standing toe to toe with Marcus jumped back as if he’d be burned.  Seth almost grinned, he’d probably have had the same reaction if he were suddenly faced with that cheetah.  Marcus’s cat form was much larger than a cheetah in the wild and at this moment in time he was one pissed off cat.  
      Seth felt Darius shift and did grin, a cheetah was one thing but a big ass lion would make them all step back.  The lions roar filled the room.  The only ones still holding were Seth and Ross.
      Seth turned his head, Ross was down on his knee, his hand splayed on the floor for balance, sweat beading his brow.  
      “Bast, stop, you’ve proven your point.”  Seth gritted through clenched teeth.  
      He stood straight making his spine lock.  Using every ounce of willpower to stay in human form.  
      She snapped her head around and glared at Seth.  
      “This dragon thinks he is superior.  I will rip him limb from limb.”  
      Dragonselen was pale, the flames in his hands extinguished as he stared at her in awe.  
      Gabriel stepped forward, even his skin was pale with the power swirling through the room.  
      “We know you’d be able to do it in a heart-beat, but right now the only people you are hurting are the cats.  Look at Ross Jade, he is in pain.”  
      “He’s fighting me.” She stated looking over at Ross.  
      He grimaced and glared at her, gritting out.  “I’m not your pet Bast.”
      
      The seconds this had taken to unfold had be utter hell for Drew, the power had reached her and the pain had started, she’d been fighting it but it felt like she was burning, cooking from the inside out.  Like her organs were melting and turning into lava.  Did it have something to do with Jade’s power?  Or was it turning pain as well? Her thoughts were muddled. Fading in and out. All she wanted was for the pain to end.  
      She bit her lip to keep from screaming and felt her teeth slice through the skin.  Selphie laid her hand on Drew’s back.  The soft touch caused so much pain it sent Drew over the edge and she screamed as agony ripped through her body slamming her down to her knees.  
      Seth heard Drew’s scream and felt his blood turn to ice.  His head snapped towards the door, as she collapsed.
      He drew in a breath and smelled her scent lased with agony.  Seth roared, a sound filled with the pain he knew she was feeling.   
      He started moving, when someone got in his way he just slammed who ever it was out of the way, desperate to get to Drew.  
      Jade landed on her backside as Seth ploughed past her, she had still been reaching out to him to ask what was wrong when he shoved her out the way.  She looked up at him bewildered, and watched him drop to his knees in front of a small woman by the door.  What the hell? Jade got up and walked over to them.
      
      “Drew?”  His whole being was focused on her, he didn’t even notice the power in the room ebb.  
      She was on her knees her head bent forward, he could hear her keening softly in pain.
      Selphie was on the ground next to Drew, her face distraught.  
      “What’s wrong with her?”  
      Seth felt the others move up behind him.  He heard Jade gasp
      “Oh gods, why didn’t anyone tell me there was a newly turned near?  I’m so sorry.”  
      He could hear she meant the words.  Right now he didn’t give a damn, he wanted to rip her guts out for the pain she’d caused Drew.  
      When Drew still hadn’t answered Seth, he reached out a hand to touch her.  
      “Don’t touch her, it hurts her.” Selphie warned him, but his hand was already on her cheek. Drew leaned into his touch.  
      Gabriel bent forward and took Drew’s arm to help her up, she screamed in fresh pain the minute he touched her.  He pulled his hand back so fast it was a blur.  Gabe looked down at Seth who was still touching her.  
      “How is it Seth’s touch doesn’t cause her pain but ours does?” he mused out loud.  
      When Seth removed his hand from Drew’s cheek she moaned in protest.  He stood and scooped her up into his arms.  
      “I’m taking her to Jesse.”  He stated and started off carrying her like a small child.  
      “Wait!” Gabriel commanded.  Seth stopped and turned to look at Gabriel.  
      “I’ve called Jesse, he says to take her to her room he’ll meet you there.”  
      Seth nodded curtly and started up the stairs.
 
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