Hate by K.A Knight
Ifly to my car, change back into my human form, and get back in, starting the engine and heading back the way I came—to the witches. I wonder what I will owe them now, but it is worth it to save my mate. I would do it and worse.
A buzzing comes and I realise my phone is ringing, so I snatch it from the passenger seat as it goes off, making me grumble. I spot the many notifications as it starts to ring, Jean Paul’s name coming up. I swipe to accept it.
“Hello?” I call, driving as I do.
I can hear him speaking in a tiny voice, so I glance down at the phone. “Fucking machines hate me. I can’t hear you, speak up!” I scream, and I hear miniature laughter. Pulling over, I put it to my ear to hear him still laughing.
“Sire, press the speaker button.” I move the phone away and examine it, pushing buttons while I swear until I finally hear him speaking loudly.
“Magic.” I sigh. “Jean Paul, is everything okay?”
“Yes, sire, I wanted to check on you. Have you found your mate?” he asks, and I sigh.
“Not yet, there are some complications, nothing I can’t handle. How is everything there?”
“All fine, sire…” He trails off, and I can hear something in his voice which makes me grip the wheel tighter.
“Jean Paul,” I command.
“I didn’t want to tell you...I have heard some rumours, a rumbling if you will,” he hedges and sighs. “There has been another dragon sighting, not far from the town you stopped in for the night.”
“You think he is coming for me?” I frown. Why would a dragon be here? We don’t leave the realm…well, they don’t.
“I don’t know, sire, I couldn’t say. He was last spotted there about fifty minutes from the boat you went to and hasn’t been seen since. Would you like me to send you the location?”
“Yes,” I reply distractedly.
“Very good. Good luck, sire, ring me if you need anything else.” I hang up and toss the phone away. A dragon here...now? It’s too big of a coincidence, it has to be for me. I can’t lead them to Dawn, so as much as I hate it, I will have to see what he wants before I find the sleeping council.
I pull back onto the road, rolling down my window and roaring at someone as they honk their horn and flip me off. They soon drive away, speeding no doubt. Sheep.
I restart my journey back to the witches. I will stop after and find the dragon. I just hope it doesn’t take too long and that my mate doesn’t need me in the meantime. I am feeling antsy to meet her in reality now.
* * *
I findtheir location with ease this time, not needing the little phone magician to direct me, thank God. It does take a few hours though, and when I step back onto the ship, I shiver at the feeling that passes over me. Something, or someone, is here. I debate waiting until they leave, but Dawn needs me, so I go inside anyway. Luckily, it leads me to where they are.
I stop when I see them. All three witches turn to face me, but that isn’t what makes my blood cold, it is the men...or more aptly ghosts, standing behind them.
Ghosts are usually sad, mopey bastards left in this world after a tragic death, or when someone still clings to the living, they stay here, stuck between worlds. Over time they seem to fade unless they feed on power, then they can even move objects and that’s how rumours of hauntings come around, some even possess people…but these? These don’t look like any ghosts I have ever seen. Of course I haven’t seen many, they are miserable bastards and keep mostly to their selves, but these men? These ghosts?
They are something different…I can sense their power, their age from here, and when their gazes focus on me, my dragon roars to the forefront of my mind to try and protect me from their unnaturalness. I can feel it now, the witches’ power flowing through them, keeping them here and strong and almost human.
If it wasn’t for the slightly grey pallor of their skin, and the mist seeming to surround them, I wouldn’t even know what they were. Loxley steps forward first. “Dragon, did we not give you what you seek?”
My eyes track the three male ghosts. One is really tall with a long, unkempt brown beard, bright green eyes, an old-style hat on his head, and a leather vest and jeans. He almost looks like a cowboy. The second is smaller and leaner, wearing what looks like a tux and a top hat, his lips curled up in a sneer, his eyes showing such rage and hate. The third? He appears normal, but his eyes…I shiver from the look, the intelligence, and just what I see there, as if I stare too long I might not come back out alive. He is wearing jeans and a shirt, and his brown hair is swept back to reveal a boyish face. He is almost unforgettable and disarming, but I know better.
Chloe is next, watching me closely. “Dragon, you seek something else now, something much more dangerous…”
“He does,” Mercy concludes. I watch the ghosts encircle them.
The cowboy stands with Mercy, the brown-haired, normal one with Chloe, and the sneering one with Loxley.
“We told you one day you would meet our men, but this is sooner than expected, yet you need them, don’t you?” Loxley inquires, her eyes far away as her hand goes out to stroke the man at her side, but he slaps it away and grabs her neck, dragging her closer. She sucks in a breath, wearing a grin on her face as he controls her movements.
“What does he seek, sisters?” Mercy whispers, coming to circle around me, her cowboy trailing after her. The cold gust of wind from him nearly knocks me back, so I snarl and he laughs, stepping away.
“I need the sleeping council’s location,” I declare, wanting to be gone from this place as quickly as I can. These men are not natural or sane, I can feel it. The hate they carry fuels them, yet the witches seem to thrive on it.
“That will cost you,” Chloe tells me, leaning against her man who wraps his arm around her, watching me closely.
“I will pay it, whatever it is,” I reply straightaway, knowing I will do anything for Dawn.
They glance at each other and have some form of silent communication before all looking at me and speaking at the same time. “You are powerful, the cost is high. Let our men feed on you and we will get you the location.”
“Witches,” I hiss, and they ignore me.
“Not enough to drain you or make you weak, a taste is all,” Mercy clarifies.
“That means they will be able to track me anywhere in the world, forever,” I counter, and they grin, knowing that. I debate my options, but what choice do I have? I need that location. They must sense my hesitation though.
“They will not harm you, dragon, they are loyal to us, but we need to be paid. Finding the location will not be easy for them.”
“Them?” I repeat, confused, and Loxley nods.
“They will find it. Only the dead can walk among the sleeping court and survive.”
Grinding my teeth, I jerk my head in a nod. “Fine, one may feed before, the others after I have my information.”
The witches grin. “Accepted.”
Chloe turns to her man and strokes his face lovingly. “Edward, my love, feed.”
The one in the tux snarls and jerks, but Loxley leans back against him and he settles down even as he glares, watching Edward coming towards me with malicious intent, his eyes alive and filled with hunger as he takes me in and the power pouring from me. It is against a dragon’s nature to share it, to share our power or let another take it or feed from it. It means we are weak, exposed, but I have no choice.
For her, I remind myself.
He steps close enough for me to feel the ice-cold touch of his form, and I have to refrain from ripping him to pieces. He flashes me a grin as if he knows my thoughts.
“This will hurt,” he informs me, seemingly happy about that before his hands dart out and grip either side of my face.
I growl as the chill penetrates my cheeks and glides into my blood, freezing the vessels and making me sluggish as it pumps through my body. He closes his eyes with a groan, his face lax in pleasure as the warmth leaks from me to him, my heat replaced by ice inside me.
“Enough,” I snarl, ripping his hands away after a few minutes. He laughs, stepping back with a stumble, drunk from the power.
“So powerful,” he whispers with wide eyes. “So filled with it, I could eat it all up.”
The other two step forward, but I narrow my gaze, my body shifting slightly until I’m larger, my scales starting to cover my arms. “Enough, dragon,” Loxley shouts, and looks at the ghosts. “Go, find the location.”
The man in the tux grips her chin harshly and kisses her. She moans and leans against him, and then suddenly he is gone, and I glance around to see the others do the same. I relax slightly when they leave and cross my arms, glaring at the witches who watch me curiously.
“Why do you need the sleeping council?” Chloe asks inquisitively.
“Enough, I have paid your price, you will not get my secrets from me,” I growl, and they titter with laughter.
“Oh, dragon, we could rip them from you if we wanted to, but we don’t. You are a friend. Did you not notice we stopped our men from stealing your soul and warmth to survive on? A little appreciation, dragon, or we will start to think we are not friends after all,” Mercy warns.
I grind my teeth, but I still need them, so I have to play nice. “Fine, thank you.’’ Each word is like glass on my tongue.
“Better.” Loxley grins. “I’m guessing it has something to do with his mate. Did you find her?”
“Not yet,” I offer and they nod.
“Soon, she has a destiny after all,” they murmur in unison. I shift, feeling annoyed and wanting to be on the road. The sooner I leave, the sooner I can find Dawn.
The witches must notice because they step closer and all focus turns to me. Their eyes hold far too much knowledge, they see too much, and it makes me wonder what they see when they look at me.
Never mind, I don’t have time, I have to get that location.
“They will be back soon, dragon, but do not be in so much haste. Are you so ready to throw your life away?” Mercy questions.
“The sleeping council is a secret for a reason. They are our most powerful brethren, well, apart from the gods. They intentionally live in solace, because they are too strong to be around us. They will kill you with nothing but a thought for going before them. What will they do to your mate? Tread carefully,” Loxley adds.
“They are locked away for a reason, dragon, do you really wish to disturb that?” Chloe challenges.
I want to say no. Dragons survive because we are smart, and this, this isn’t smart, but I am learning love makes you do crazy things.
For her I would do all the crazy, stupid things it takes to keep her with me.
