Her Dragon's Soul (Dragon Guard Series Book 9) Read Free Page A

spill. What the
hell’s going on now?”
    Liam would’ve laughed aloud, but the look on the older
Guardsman’s face told him laughter of any kind would most definitely end with extra
training and more than a little ridicule, not to mention a smack to the back of
the head that would leave him seeing stars. Instead, he began explaining and
ended with, “So now you know everything we do.” He paused, hoping one of them
would comment instead of sitting there with their brows furrowed.
    When nothing happened, Liam stood and paced, only speaking
as he made his third loop around the living room. “Is there anything you can do
to help?” He looked at Kyra, one of the most powerful white witches he’d ever
encountered and daughter of the Grand Priestess.
    Nodding, she answered with her usual unwavering
determination and enthusiasm. “What the hell do you think we’re doing here? Of
course I can help.” Jumping to her feet, she grabbed the bag she’d dropped at
her feet when they entered and headed to the kitchen, talking over her shoulder
as she went. “Come on, Mel, let’s see if all your training is paying off. I bet
we find out what’s wrong with Hannah before these big lugs can even round up
the rest of the troops.”
    Kyra’s confidence was just the boost Liam needed. With more
than he’d felt in the last few hours, he asked, “You want everyone to come
here? Or the Great Hall? Or the Meadow?”
    “Slow down, young’un.” Royce chuckled. “Why don’t you head
over and check on Hannah? Stay with her until we know what’s up. Make sure
nothing else happens while Kyra and Melanie get our game plan worked out. Jace
and I’ll go to the training pit and explain what’s happening to the rest of the
guys.”
    Saying goodbye as he headed out the door and scolding
himself for not thinking of watching over Hannah before being told to do so by
Royce, Liam made his way through the dense forest surrounding the Blue Thunder
Clan’s lair. He started to use his enhanced speed but stopped almost as soon as
he started. Getting to his mate was his priority. Making sure whatever was
trying to take her from him was held at bay was at the forefront of his mind,
but he also had to come up with a reasonable explanation for why he was popping
up in the middle of the day. Hannah wasn’t gullible and her suspicious nature
wouldn’t be dulled by his mere presence alone. She would ask questions, and if
whatever was inside her was also listening, Liam needed a damn good cover
story.
    Lost in thought, he missed the scent of sulfur in the air
and the sound of footsteps crunching the fallen leaves on the forest floor
until it was too late. A sharp blow to the back of his head had him falling
forward as the world around him faded to black.
    What fresh hell is happening now?
     

 
    CHAPTER
TWO
    Where am I? How did I get here? What the hell is going
on?
    For the fourth time in as many days, Hannah awakened unsure
of where she was, not sure how she’d gotten there, and with a hangover bigger
than Texas. But it was the feeling of doom that left a boulder-sized pit in her
stomach.
    Oh joy!
    This time, she was a few miles behind the lair of the Blue
Dragons, sitting atop the cliffs, inside a quickly dissipating salt circle,
with half burnt candles and sachets of herbs beside her.  The sea breeze left
little scent other than a salty brine in its wake, so the only clues she had
concerning what had happened were those in front of her.
    The three candles were black, which meant little on their
own. Black candles were used for many things magical, some good and some bad.
Unfortunately, coupled with the Dandelion root, Dragon’s Blood, and crushed
Elderberries she found when she opened the sachet, along with the Blackthorn
blossoms she saw skittering across the rocky ledge, it was hard not to imagine
the worst. There was only one spell that came to mind and just the thought of
it made Hannah’s blood run cold. The Invocation of Lost Souls was