Lion Conquers All by Krystal Shannan

24

CONNIE

“Tell me again.”

Connie took a deep breath and frowned. “It won’t change what you saw. These people are special. Powerful. And they are not human.”

“It was a dragon. There was a dragon. He was…huge.”

“Yep.” Connie stared through the windshield at the white-grey sky. The snow had let up a little, and visibility was improving a little. She could see the peak of Denali in the distance now. She hoped that would help the search go quicker for the Reyleans.

“How long have you known? You act like this is old hat. No big deal.” Sarah Roberts was gripping the steering wheel so tight her knuckles were white. She kept twisting her hands on the leather-covered wheel. “That’s how he was so sure he could find the kids. Because he’s some kind of magickal creature?”

“Yes.”

“Is the deputy a dragon too?”

“No. He’s—” She cut herself off. His story wasn’t hers to tell. And maybe they could hide some people. Maybe Sarah would believe Col was the only one that could shift into something else.

“He’s what? They’re different aren’t they?”

Connie nodded, keeping her gaze glued to the sky. She could’ve sworn she saw a flare in the distance. But it was so fast. Barely a flash of light and then gone, hidden by the storm again.

“He showed me his eyes, there was a flicker of flame or something in them, but I didn’t think dragon. I don’t know what I thought. Maybe that he had special abilities like a super hero or something. Like those people my son and husband watch TV shows about. He’s strong or fast or something…but I didn’t think dragon was an option.”

“You promised to protect them. They are risking everything to find your kids. If people see them.”

“No. I get it. I see why they were so hesitant now. And I stand at my word. My husband and I will move heaven and earth to protect them. No matter how many dragons there are.” Sarah turned to look at Connie. “Are they dangerous?”

“Dragons? Yeah, I would imagine so. Big teeth. Breathing fire.”

“What?” Sarah’s face whitened to match her straining knuckles.

“They are quite lucid even in animal form. They won’t hurt the kids.”

“You can talk to him when he’s a dragon?”

“Yes, Naomi said they can understand you perfectly.”

“His wife, right?” Sarah looked back through the windshield at the sky. “What is he carrying?” She pointed ahead and Connie’s heart stopped in mid-beat. Col was returning to the cabin and there were human legs dangling from one of his claws and a lion’s tail from another.

No. No. No.

“Please drive.” She banged on the dash. “Please. Somebody is hurt.”

Sarah gunned the vehicle and it sprang into action. They were in front of the cabins in five minutes. Col had already landed. People were swarming everywhere. Almost everyone in the Tribe’s pick-up truck were parked in a line a little to the left of Col’s cabin. Doors were open on all of them. Bags were stacked next to them. Inside them. Coolers were sitting out.

What the fuck?

Connie leapt from the vehicle as soon as Sarah slowed to an almost stop. She flung open the back door, grabbed her red medical kit from the back seat, and took off toward the lion.

Please don’t let it be Aarav. Please.

Tear streamed down her cheeks. They burned her skin in contrast to the icy wind. “Aarav.” His name came from her lips like a prayer. In that moment she knew she wanted everything he could ever give her. She wanted him with her. Touching her always.

She ran right by Col’s massive head, ignoring the fact that there were people-sized teeth in his mouth. She slid to a stop next to the very still lion and put her hands on him, digging through the fur for the wound.

“Where is he hurt? What happened?” She turned and shouted at Col.

The dragon rumbled a growl and then shook his head before launching himself back into the air.

“No. Wait!”

“Connie!” Naomi was headed toward her with two of the women who’d been rescued from the Ka’lagh lion Tribe.

Tears blurred Connie’s vision. She couldn’t see well. She couldn’t think. She couldn’t find the damn pulse on this massive animal.

Naomi’s hands were on her shoulders a moment later. “It’s not Aarav. Connie. It’s not him. This is his brother Raj.”

“W-what?” Connie half sobbed half moaned in relief. She wasn’t glad it was Raj laying there instead of Aarav, but she couldn’t help but feel relieved. “How can you tell?”

Naomi tapped her nose.

“You could tell too, give yourself a minute to feel.”

Connie shook her head and wiped away more tears. “All I could think about was that I’d lost him and it was too late. That I’d never be able to tell him how much I care about him.”

Naomi squeezed Connie’s shoulders and smiled. “That man will be over the moon when he gets back from the mountain. Come on inside. Dyna and Mira are going to work on these two guys. We’ve got to figure out who the human is and what he saw.”

Connie whirled and glanced over at the human she’d completely ignored. “Is he injured too?”

“Just unconscious. Penny has the guys packing tranq guns.”

“That was smart.” Connie watched for a moment as the two women who’d come out with Naomi knelt next to the motionless lion. White light glowed beneath their hands and threads of it swirled around their bodies and Raj’s body. It was like nothing she’d ever seen before. Like computer generated effects from a fantasy movie.

“What are they doing?”

“Healing him. They are magick-benders.”

Connie stood with Naomi pulling on her shoulders. The woman gave off enough heat that the snow on the ground around them had already melted. She always forgot that the tiny Latina woman was a dragon too, like her husband.

“What are you guys doing?” Connie tipped her head toward the line of truck and people walking back and forth from the cabin filling them with bags.

“Getting ready in case we need to leave suddenly.” Naomi’s voice held so much sadness and defeat.

“This is your home. You’re not leaving it.” Sarah’s voice cut through the silent moment. “What’s going on with those people and the giant lion. Holy shit. Some of them are other animals. That’s what you wouldn’t say in the car, isn’t it? Not everyone is a dragon. Some are other things.”

Naomi turned to Sarah. “Yes, there are a number of different predators in our Tribe. Connie, why did you bring another human with you?” Her tone held judgement and sadness rolled into one giant guilt trip.

“She insisted and she had the 4-wheel drive and Col sorta already showed her a little magick.”

Naomi chuffed out a growl—a very non-human growl. Heat flared from her body like a tsunami, melting the snow a good ten feet all around her.

“Look, I get how scared you are, because of all this, but my husband and I have a lot of clout in this town. I told Col we would protect you, even if that means removing my brother as sheriff. I can do that with one phone call. We can put Aarav in that position. Your husband said he could find the children. Find my son.”

Naomi narrowed her eyes at the woman. “This isn’t just about the sheriff. If one person talks to one person and it somehow gets out. The government will lock us away and throw out the key.”

“Then we strategically tell enough people, so that there’s always someone in town to protect you.”

“What!” The word came out of Connie like a choked scream. Her lungs felt like bricks. Her stomach felt like a rock. “We can’t tell more people.”

Sarah nodded. “Yes, we can. You’re telling me there aren’t any other humans in town that either already know or are suspicious that something is up with you guys? It would be better to have them fully in the know. Then they can actively discourage anyone else from pursuing the truth.”

“You’re talking about telling more of the town. That’s risky. We don’t know how people would react. It could ruin everything.” Naomi waved her hand at the hunter laying at her feet dressed in winter-camo. “He might ruin everything all by himself. I don’t know this man. I don’t know what he saw, but he obviously shot Raj.”

Sarah straightened, refusing to cave to Naomi. “Well we can ask him. He’s waking up.”

“Fuck.” The curse came angrily from Naomi’s lips. “Ryder, come carry this man inside so we can try to talk to him away from Raj and Magick-Benders. How is Raj?” She focused on the two women chanting to themselves over the body of the lion.

“He will recover. The bullet missed his heart but damaged his lung significantly. We need time to heal him, but he will be well soon.”

“Thank you.”

Ryder jogged over and lifted the man from the ground. “Mahadhri?”

“Inside, please. We’ll see what he has to say.”

Sarah trailed after Naomi and Ryder toward the cabin and Connie followed a few paces behind them. She looked back at the mountain again before stepping inside out of the snow and wind. Her brain still wasn’t processing normally yet.

The warmth of the inside of the cabin was a welcome change. She rubbed her hands together and dropped her bag inside to the right of the door near a pile of boots. She hadn’t realized how cold she’d gotten out there.

“Katherine, would you make us some coffee.”

“Of course.” Katherine’s familiar voice called back from the kitchen. Connie couldn’t see her yet.

Ryder flopped the man onto the couch. “He’s starting to rouse. His heartbeat is rising slightly.”

Connie went to the man’s side to check on him. “You didn’t have to throw him.”

“He shot, Raj. He’s lucky all I did was drop him on the couch.” Ryder’s eyes flashed at Connie. He curled his lip like he was going to growl, but he didn’t scare her. She knew he was upset and worried about Raj. And he hadn’t meant to hurt the man, he just hadn’t been careful with him.

“Thank you, Ryder,” Naomi said, halting their confrontation.

“I’ll stay close?” He asked her, looking away from Connie.

“No, he’ll be less intimidated by women, I’m sure. We’ll call you if we need you.”

“Yes, Mahadhri.” Ryder left the living room and went back to helping the others carry bags out to the trucks.

“He threw him.”

Naomi face split into a small grin. “He’s fine and you know it. He isn’t injured. The couch is soft. Ryder used the circumstances to his advantage to get a little bit of frustration out. Can you blame him?”

“No. Not really.”

“Do you know this guy? I don’t recognize him. He has to be new in town.”

Connie stared at the man’s sleeping face. A little tanned. Scruffy salt and pepper hair and beard. Obviously an avid hunter since he was wearing winter-camo clothing. His boots were worn in too, so he was outside a lot. His hair was pulled back into a short ponytail.

“Maybe Liam or Harrison know him? He looks closer to Liam’s age.”

“Katherine?” Naomi looked toward the kitchen.

“On it. Just wanted to finish up these coffees for you first. I think they are over at Penny’s. I’ll go find them.” Katherine set down two mugs on the coffee table and then peered down at the man sprawled on the couch. “He does look familiar, but I can’t place him. If he’s been in the Watering Hole, Liam will know who he is for sure. Be right back.”

Katherine left and Connie and Naomi settled into a couple of chairs opposite the unconscious man to wait.