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I could smell fire and I started running as Abeloth circled overhead and landed on the far side of the pond. There were bodies littered in the forest and on the footpath as I ran screaming Megan’s name. I stopped for a second as someone grabbed my leg.
“I’m sorry little Ryder,” Tank said and closed his eyes as he died.
“Tank,” I said and shook his shoulders. His head rolled from side to side and the anger bubbled to the surface.
I pulled my gun out and took the gun that lay next to Tank as well and I started creeping forwards. I heard the roar of dragons and more screaming as men died. I shut my mind off and ran straight into the midst of fire, smoke and blood as I shot anything that moved.
“Megan!” I yelled.
I had killed over ten men and Abeloth had taken care of the ones that had tried to escape by air. The cabins had been burnt to the ground and I could smell the putrid scent of burnt flesh. I found Ava five minutes later, her dead eyes staring up into the night.
“Rest in peace Ava,” I said and closed her eyes. I hadn’t gone five steps as sobs racked through me as I found Felix with his head decapitated. His face was covered in blood and so were his claws. He had fought bravely, of that much I was sure.
“Megan!” I yelled again as I came across Jack’s body. He had deep claw marks all over his chest, dragon claw marks and he lay naked on his side, changed from his wolf form the moment he had died.
Abeloth landed close to me and I closed my eyes. “Ryder,” I heard her strangled breath coming from the trees and I started running.
Kaida was on her side with her wings covering Megan. Her breathing was shallow and she lifted her head as Abeloth rubbed his against hers. I lifted Kaida’s wing that she folded back and I knelt next to Megan. She was lying on her back and a thin rivulet of blood ran from her mouth.
“Where’s Wynter?” I asked her.
“I told him to run,” she said.
“I’m so sorry,” I said as I brushed her hair away from her face.
“You have to get her out,” Megan said and coughed up blood.
“You’ll die,” I said as tears streamed down my face.
“We’ll both die if you don’t,” she said.
“I can get you to the clinic,” I said.
“There’s no time, Kaida’s bleeding out, she’ll die soon and I won’t heal from this,” she said.
“I love you too much to let you go,” I sobbed out.
“Don’t let our little girl die,” she said and more blood ran from her mouth. “I love you Ryder, every day.”
“Megan! No!” I yelled as her eyes closed and her heart rate slowed and I felt our bond break as the stabbing pain went straight through my soul.
Abeloth was roaring as Kaida died and he held on to her until she started to shimmer. I pulled the knife from the sheath in my boot and cut Megan’s stomach open as more blood escaped the wound. I was crying so much that I could barely see what I was doing.
I cut her uterus open and stuck my hands inside as I pulled our baby out gently, laying her on Megan’s lap. I tore a piece of cloth off from my t-shirt and tied it around the umbilical cord and cut it. The baby just lay there as I used my t-shirt to wipe her face and released the breath I’d been holding when she started to cry.
“I’m so sorry baby,” I said and cried freely as I took my t-shirt off and wrapped her in it and held her close to me.
“Find Wynter,” I said to Abeloth as I stood up and started walking out of the small forest.
Abeloth took off into the night and his sorrowful roar pierced through my heart. “Wynter!” I yelled as I kept walking knowing that he was still alive but not knowing where he was.
“Daddy!” Wynter yelled as Abeloth circled the air above me and Echo landed with a thud.
“Wynter,” I said and hugged him tightly.
“Mommy told Echo to take us away,” Wynter said and I turned as Milo slid down Abeloth’s back.
“Milo,” I grabbed him into a hug too and I started to cry again.
“Are they all dead?” Milo asked. “I saw them killing my mommy.”
“I’m so sorry Milo,” I said as tears rolled down his cheeks.
“Mommy!” Wynter yelled.
“Wynter, Mommy …. I’m sorry buddy,” I said as we all stood there crying while I held them.
We flew over to the mainland on Abeloth’s back and I was surprised to see that the house was still intact. I used the spare key under the flower pot and unlocked the front door. I picked the landline up and made my first phone call.
“I need you, they’re all dead,” I said when he answered the phone.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” he said and ended the call.
I dialed the second number from memory and waited for her to answer. “Chief Ryder?”
“Bethany, I need diapers and formula and … stuff,” I said.
“What’s going on?” Max asked as he took the phone from her.
“They’re all dead Max, I’m at Elio’s house with the boys and the baby,” I said.
“I’m on my way,” he said and the line went dead.
The boys were in the living room where I’d put the television on. I could still hear them crying as they sat holding each other. My whole world was falling apart as I sat down on the barstool by the kitchen counter.
“I don’t know how to do this,” I said to Abeloth.
“Neither do I but we have to,” he said and retreated.
I tensed when I saw the headlights and pulled the gun from the back of my jeans and pointed it at the door. I lowered it when the door swung open and Max held his hands up. “It’s just us,” he said and stepped aside to let Bethany in.
“Let me take her Chief,” she said once she had handed Braxton to Max.
She disappeared upstairs with the baby and a large bag and I put the gun on top of the fridge where the boys couldn’t reach it.
“I brought some of Wynter’s clothes that were still at our house,” Max said and put the other bag on the counter.
“They’re all dead Max,” I said not looking at him.
“Boys, go find Bethany upstairs so she can get you cleaned up,” Max said and gave Wynter the bag. He waited until they had gone upstairs and we heard them talk to Bethany.
“What the hell happened?” Max asked me.
“The attack was almost over by the time I reached them. Megan died last and I had to get the baby out,” I said.
“What attack? Who attacked us?” he asked angrily.
“The King’s warriors,” I said.
“I’ll gather the tribe,” he said.
“No, nobody else is dying,” I said.
I picked up the phone again and Max gave me a look as he joined Bethany upstairs. I knew it had to be done no matter how hard this would be.
“Hello Ryder, are you back from your little holiday in France?” Elio asked me with a laugh.
“Where are you guys?” I asked him.
“We’ve actually just climbed into our car at the airport, we’ll be home in an hour,” he said and I heard Marlo laugh at something.
“You need to get back, the island was attacked,” I said.
“Where’s my brother Ryder?” he asked me his tone very serious.
“I’m sorry Elio, just get back,” I said and ended the call.
Forty minutes later I had only splashed some water on my face and washed my hands as I sat at the kitchen counter holding the baby. Megan had wanted to give her a unique name like Wynter had but so far we hadn’t decided on one so I had no idea what to name her.
The sun was starting to rise and we had all sat in the living room crying after Elio and Marlo had returned. I’d told them everything I knew and mixed emotions were apparent on everyone’s faces. The boys had fallen asleep and the baby was also sleeping on the couch in between pillows.
“Why would the dragon King send his warriors to attack the island? What did you do Ryder?” Elio yelled at me.
“I don’t know why!” I yelled back at him.
We were standing on the dock, back on the island, and it was barely six am. I understood Elio blaming me and wanting answers, but it was answers that I couldn’t give him. I didn’t know why he’d do this, we had parted on good terms.
“He’s a dead King, that’s all I can tell you for sure,” Elio said.
“How easy is it to kill the Vampire King?” I asked him.
“Nearly impossible, what’s the Vampire King got to do with this?” he asked me.
“It’s just as impossible to kill the Dragon King,” I said as I looked at him.
“I don’t blame you Ryder, I’m just fucking pissed off,” he said loudly.
“Don’t you think I am too? I watched my wife die!” I said angrily.
“Felix died as he lived, fighting,” he said softly.
“I’m going to burn Megan, do whatever you want,” I said and walked away from him.
I gently took off Megan’s wedding ring and put it in my pocket. I sat down on the grass next to her and held her hand. She was ice cold and I knew that soon her body would start to bloat and smell. Tears ran unchecked down my face and I buried it in my hands.
“I can’t do this without you,” I said out loud as Abeloth separated from me.
“Kaida spoke to me before she died,” Abeloth said as I looked up at him. “They died at peace knowing we were here to save our daughter.”
“We should’ve been here to protect them,” I said.
“They loved us completely and Megan’s last request was that you shouldn’t mourn her, that you go on with your life and be happy as you raise your children.”
“She was my everything,” I said as I stood and picked Megan’s body up.
“As Kaida was mine, we have a duty to fulfill now and that’s to give our children the best life that we can,” Abeloth said softly as he breathed fire onto Megan’s body after I put her down in the open field.
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