Chapter 75

Lukas
He landed silently in front of the Dragão Clan castle. It was 4 a. m. and he was absolutely exhausted. It had taken entirely too long to delegate responsibilities in his kingdom. He rubbed his eyes as he climbed the stairs sleepily. The castle was quiet and he hated it. How could everyone be asleep while Sasha was gone? If it had been Lily- Lily! He looked up at the window that he knew was her room. It was dark and he started to wonder if she was asleep or anxiously waiting for today's outcome. The door opened and Aiden stood there with a gang of people around him. He looked defeated and exhausted. Lukas stepped inside and was immediately forced back a step when someone threw themself at him. Sparks rushed over him and his arms went around her. She started trembling and he put his cheek on the top of her head.
“Shhh, Lily. It’s going to be okay. I promise, we are going to get her back.”
She looked up at him and the tears on her face solidified his resolve to kill every last mother fucking one of the people involved in his sister’s disappearance. Now, add to that his beautiful mate was in tears. Oh yeah, they were gonna burn, both metaphorically and literally. He wiped her tears away and pulled her back to his chest. He met Aiden’s eyes.
“When do we leave?”
“In three hours. We were just waiting for you.”
Lukas gave a sharp nod, before gesturing over his shoulder.
“Dad will stay with Kalani and Lily.”
“No,” Lily cried out. “Don’t leave me here, please.”
He took a deep breath and cupped her face. “Lilianna, I know you are young, but I need you to be grown right now. I can not stay and.... we can’t have you there. It will distract us and pose more of a danger to us if we are worried about you. Kalani will be here with you. Promise me, you will stay here where it’s safe.”
She gripped his wrists in panic, but nodded. He hugged her and forced himself to take a step back.
“We should all get a few hours of sleep.”
Raven frowned. “We’ll sleep when she’s back safe here with us.”
Lukas narrowed his eyes at her. “Aiden, whose all going?”
He threw his hands up in frustration. “Me, my beta, my gamma, you, Ana, Emile, Jo, Ethan, Raven, Sherri and Melissa.”
“Absolutely not,” Lukas growled.
“Look, asshole, try to keep us away and it won’t end well for you! Sasha may be your sister and his queen, but she was always our leader, our sister! We are going, so wrap your mind around it,” Raven yelled in his face.
“I SAID NO! I KNOW KAL HAS GIVEN TWO OF YOU DRAGONS SO THAT MEANS I CAN ORDER YOU TO STAY! DON’T MAKE ME! I WILL SO FUCKING DO IT!,” Lukas roared.
Sherri and Raven glared at him.
“Team Soma,” was whispered behind him.
He spun to glare at his younger sister. “What did you say?”
Kalani stepped in the middle of the girls and put her hand out. The other three laid their hands on hers.
“I said, brother, TEAM MOTHERFUCKING SOMA!”
“TEAM SOMA!,” they all hollered and threw their hands in the air.
Lukas groaned. He was not going to win this, not with Kal on their side. “Fine, but we will not come to your aid. If you die, you die. Now, get to bed!,” he snapped.
They all quickly dispersed, leaving the royal family in the foyer. Lukas and Jo led Lily away. As they neared her room, she slowed. They slowed with her.
“Can you sleep with me tonight?,” she asked nervously. “I’m afraid.”
As soon as she spoke, she looked into his eyes and the doe eyed look he saw there made the words he was going to say die on his tongue. All he could do was nod and take her hand.
‘Keep your dick in your pants, Gideon,’ Jo warned, earning a growl.
Lily jumped and he draped his arm over her shoulder.
“Come on, Lils. Let’s sleep.”
He shut the door in Jo’s face.
‘I mean it, Luke. Control your beast or it won’t be him you have to worry about.’
‘Shut up, Jo.’
He watched her climb into bed, before getting in next to her. She immediately scooted back against him and he breathed in her scent from her hair as he wrapped her up in his arms. He curled his body around hers and she lifted her head. He slid his arm under it and she ran her fingers over his skin, setting off fireworks along it. He took in a deep breath.
“Lily, please.”
“Sorry.. I just…”
He tucked her hair behind her ear and kissed her cheek. “Sleep, Lily.”
She ran her finger down his arm again and he shivered.
“Will you wake me before you go?,” she whispered.
He pulled her back against him tighter. “I promise.”
She linked their fingers together and nuzzled into his arm.
“I love you and I don’t want you to get hurt. I love Sasha and now she’s gone.”
Her guilt hit him hard. She didn’t think this was her fault did she? He waited until she was breathing softly and her eyelids fluttered to sit up to look down at her. He traced her facial features slowly, memorizing her face. He was going to end them all and they would all know that it was in her name and Sasha’s, but mostly for making her cry.

Jo shook him awake a few hours later and he sat up straight with his heart pounding.
“Lily! Where’s-”
A hand landed on his arm and he relaxed when the telltale electricity coursed through his system. Her fingers moved down his arm and his eyes followed them to a leather black bracelet around his wrist. He reached for it and she put her hands around it to keep him from pulling it off.
“Please, don’t,” she begged.
“Lily?”
“I made it for you.”
He lifted his wrist and studied the bracelet. Silver, white pieces of hair were intricately woven into it. He touched it and sparks danced on his skin. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but he couldn’t. He looked at her.
She traced her fingers over it. “It’s for good luck,” she murmured. A tear fell from her eye. “I want you to come back safe with Sasha.”
Jo put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a little squeeze. ‘We have to go, Luke.’
He cupped her face and leaned his forehead against hers. “Lily…”
He closed his eyes as emotions overwhelmed him. He pressed his lips against hers and breathed Gideon’s fire into her. He lingered there for a second, before pulling back. He got up and she stood on the bed to wrap her arms around his neck. She hugged him tight and her hot tears almost burned his skin. He buried his face in her neck before letting her go.
“Lils, I have to go, but I promise I will come back.”
“With Sasha?”
He nodded. “With Sasha,” he promised.
He just hoped he wouldn’t have to break that promise. Kalani and their father walked in. Kalani took Lily’s hand and nodded her head to the door.
“Go on, brother. I have her.”
He stopped at the door to look back at his mate. His jaw clenched. By dusk they were all going to be ash. He followed Jo out of the room and down to the foyer where the small party waited anxiously. He walked past them to take a running leap into the sky, effortlessly shifting.
‘Keep up,’ he linked them all.
He let Aiden take the lead heading towards Tursum. Halfway there, Lukas slowed as a bad feeling grew in his stomach. He stopped in the air, turning back in the direction of the Dragão Clan. Lily. He hesitated and then it hit him. Pain. He fell out of the sky. Isla angled down and caught him before he hit the ground. He took off of her, shooting back the way he came. His wings flapped so fast they were a blur. Dad. Another wave of pain. Gideon powered through it. A few miles out, the smell of blood filled his nose. No!
‘Faster, Gideon!’
A half a mile from the castle, he started his descent. He landed in front of what looked to be a recently deceased dragon.
‘No, no, no,’ he chanted in his head.
Gideon rolled it over and his heart shattered in his chest. He shifted and sprinted up the stairs. His heart pounded wildly. He flung open the door to Lily’s room and the putrid odor of urine and her fear assaulted his nose. He ran back outside and felt his father’s chest. A slow barely there heartbeat. His head dropped back and Gideon let out an earth shattering cry, followed by a burst of fire. Lily was gone. His father was dying. And his Lily was gone.
“Lily.”
Aiden and the others landed around him. Gregory took off into the castle, coming back moments later to let out a deadly roar. His eyes were fully orange red as he stormed back to them.
“Don’t tell me not to kill them, Aiden. They have it coming,” Gregory said.
Lukas stood up and walked over to his brothers.
“They are living on borrowed time. They just don’t know it yet, but they will!”