Savior Page 4
“Alpha! I’m here,” I called back.
He came crashing through the trees and when he saw me, he grabbed me roughly by my arms.
“You’ve been gone so long. I thought the dragons had surely killed you!”
I was just about to answer when he pressed his lips to mine, taking me by surprise.
His kiss was forceful and almost violent and yet at that moment, it was just what I needed. I kissed him back, matching his passion and surprising myself at the same time. Two days ago, I wouldn’t have believed anyone who told me I’d be kissing someone other than Xander, much less enjoying it, and yet kissing Xander had never felt this right. Maybe because Xander was never really mine in the first place.
The kissing was fierce and yet when he finally pulled away, he had nothing but tenderness in his eyes. He truly cared about me.
“That was unexpected,” I finally managed to say once I’d gotten my breath back. We both broke out laughing.
Of course, I’d seen him before and yet after our kiss, I really saw him. His eyes were beautiful. The light grey sparkled when the sun hit them. They were like mirrors and looking at him was almost like looking at myself. His hair was the same grey but with streaks of light brown and his body was to die for. How had I not noticed those muscles before?
“You have the sword.”
I held it up for him to see.
“And you are not hurt?”
“I’m fine. Not a scratch on me. The worst part was that I forgot to take water.”
“You shouldn’t have gone without me. You could have been hurt.”
“I could yes, but I told you I was a slayer. Slayers know how to defend themselves against dragons.”
“So, I see.” He was impressed. I felt like a fraud.
“You are truly a wonder. How many did you kill?”
I swallowed. I didn’t like lying to him before that kiss, but now it felt even worse. The kiss had meant something and I knew I wanted more. And yet, not lying to him meant death, to the dragons, to the wolfren, maybe even to him. It was the only way.
I took his hand and began to walk with him back to the wolfren village. Even though he must have known this forest like the back of his hand, it was me that led him along the path.
“You told me that the dragons ate all the food,” I started, deliberately ignoring his last question. “Is that the full truth?”
“We can find food. We don’t have to eat dragons. It’s just I’d rather eat them than they eat us. The animals that live deeper in the forest are harmless. There are deer, squirrels, rabbits. None of those fight back.”
“So, if the dragons were gone, no one would starve?”
“That’s right. Now don’t tell me you killed them all.”
“Not exactly, but I have stopped them from being able to come into the forest.”
He stopped in his tracks. “How could you do that? Are they all injured?”
Now was the time. I was going to lie to him. I hated myself, but I uttered the words nonetheless.
“No. I used up some magic I was carrying with me. I’m not a sorcerer, but magic is something you can buy if you know where to get it and have enough gold to pay for it. It just so happens that I had a little left. I used it to create an invisible barrier between the forest and the mountains. The dragons will not be able to come down here and hunt for you and you will not be able to hunt them.”
“An invisible barrier?” He sounded unconvinced. I never was a good liar, which was probably why my relationship with Xander didn’t work out. I wasn’t sneaky enough and Rocco caught us.
“The forest is yours again and as long as I am alive, the dragons will not be able to hurt any of us.”
“So, you retrieved your sword before setting up the barrier?”
Crap! I’d forgotten about the sword. I wracked my brains to come up with something quickly.
“I found the sword lying on the ground. The dragon must have dropped it.” My lie made me realize that I’d not seen the dragon I hit in the eye. I had never felt more terrible in my life. I was a liar and a murderer. From now on, I vowed to be a better person. No more cheating, no more lying and one day, when the time was right, I’d avenge the dragons on the Triad Mountains. Today was not that day though. Today was a day for getting to know Alpha. Deep in my heart I knew he was connected to my future. I gripped his hand harder and pulled him round to face me. I kissed him again. This time it was a kiss of promise. Even though he didn’t know it, that kiss meant I‘d never lie to him again. I hoped somehow, he understood what I was trying to say to him in that tender embrace.
It accomplished something. When we finally broke apart, he didn’t ask me another question about the dragons or the magic barrier.
“I barely know you and yet I feel as though I’ve been searching for you my whole life.”
“I feel the same way, too.”
He held me close, pulling me into his arms. I’d never felt so safe in my whole life.
“You have saved my people, and more than that, you have saved me.”
“I only did what I promised to do.”
“You are the bravest warrior I have ever known. I want you to stay.”
“In the village?”
“With me.”
As we walked back to the village, I knew I’d found my new home. I was one of the pack!
The End
* * *
Continue the Dragon Tamer Series with book 1, Slayer.
https://www.jaculican.com/dragon-tamer/
* * *
About J.A. Culican
About J.A. Culican
USA Today bestselling author, J.A. Culican is a teacher by day and a writer by night. She lives in New Jersey with her husband of eleven years and their four young children.
J.A. Culican’s inspiration to start writing came from her children and their love for all things magical. Bedtime stories turned to reality after her oldest daughter begged her for the book from which her stories of dragons came from. In turn, the series The Keeper of Dragons was born.
Read More from J.A. Culican
www.jaculican.com
About J.A. Armitage
About J.A. Armitage
Born in a small town, J.A. Armitage longed for adventure and travel.
Age 20 she moved to Dublin, then to San Diego, then Sydney and back to California where she did a brief stint working at Universal Studios being a minder to Sponge Bob.
Once back in Britain she got married, had babies and decided to write about the adventure she was now missing out on. She works full time, is a mum to three kids and has had a surrogate baby.
She has skydived twice (and survived), climbed Kilimanjaro and hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. She has also worked as a professional clown and banana picker amongst other jobs.
Somehow she finds time to write.
Read More from J.A. Armitage
www.jaarmitage.com
Books by J.A. Culican
Novels
The Prince Returns-Keeper of Dragons book 1
The Elven Alliance-Keeper of Dragons book 2
The Mere Treaty-Keeper of Dragons book 3
The Crowns’ Accord-Keeper of Dragons book 4
Second Sight-Hollows Ground book 1
Slayer-Dragon Tamer book 1
Warrior-Dragon Tamer book 2
Protector-Dragon Tamer book 3
Sword of Fire-Through the Ashes book 1
Embers of Darkness-Through the Ashes book 2
Blaze of Magic-Through the Ashes book 3
Spark of War-Through the Ashes prequel
Short Stories
The Golden Dragon-Keeper of Dragons short story
Jericho-Keeper of Dragons short story
Phoenix-Hollows Ground short story
Savior-Dragon Tamer short story
Books by J.A. Armitage
The Labyrinthians
When Kimberley's father loses his job and it looks like her whole family will be home
less, a mysterious old benefactor saves them by leaving his 'mansion' to them in his will. However, their new house, with its history of spooky happenings and disappearances, is not all it seems. When Kim's little brother goes missing, it's up to Kim and her new friend, Nate, to find him. The problem is... When they do - who will find them?
The first in a new YA series, The Labyrinthians begins a story of adventure and of terror and finding yourself when everything else seems lost.
Endless Winter, Book 1 in the Guardians of the Light Series
Imagine falling in love for the first time, the adrenaline, the flutters. Now imagine being told you had to have a baby with somebody else...
Trapped in an unfamiliar room with no way out, Anais has no idea just how much her life is about to change. A locked door stands between her and freedom but as she is just about to find out, the door is the least of her problems.
Anais had never believed in demons and vampires so when she is transported into a dark world that she doesn’t understand she is forced to realise that humans can be the most terrifying monsters of all. Yet in the shade of her new life she finds light in the most unexpected place of all.
In this occult paranormal romance, follow Anais into the realm of The Guardians of The Light and into a mystery saga filled with temptation, loss, fear and above all love.