Shred of Darkness (Dragons in the Wind Book 2), page 1
© 2022 J. Kearston
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No part of this work may be duplicated, reproduced, or transferred by any means, without the written approval of the author. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual people (living or dead), places, or events is purely coincidental.
Please note: This series is meant for adults and contains descriptive sexual scenes (all consensual), flashbacks of physical abuse, graphic violence (our heroes aren’t exactly saints) and stalker themes. While I would love for you to read my work, never do so at the risk of your mental health.
*Cover by Nichole Witholder at Rainy Day Artwork*
Table of Contents
Copyright Page
Shred of Darkness | Dragons in the Wind Book 2
Recap of Spark of Desire
Chapter 1 | Amara
Chapter 2 | Kodiak
Chapter 3 | Amara
Chapter 4 | Amara
Chapter 5 | Amara
Chapter 6 | Amara
Chapter 7 | Raiden
Chapter 8 | Amara
Chapter 9 | Amara
Chapter 10 | Amara
Chapter 11 | Stone
Chapter 12 | Amara
Chapter 13 | Kodiak
Chapter 14 | Stone
Chapter 15 | Raiden
Chapter 16 | Amara
Chapter 17 | Amara
Chapter 18 | Kodiak
Chapter 19 | Raiden
Chapter 20 | Amara
Chapter 21 | Amara
Chapter 22 | Stone
Chapter 23 | Amara
Shred of Darkness
Dragons in the Wind Book 2
Recap of Spark of Desire
Amara, a dragon shifter that can’t shift and has barely any abilities to speak of, has been on the run from her abusive stalker for nearly a decade. (He’s convinced they’re fated to be together and carved homemade mate marks into her skin/ tattooed her, but she burned over it.)
A robbery gone awry puts her in the hospital where she meets Stone, gains 1/3 of a mate mark, and from there she meets Raiden and Kodiak. After some more running and a car bomb, she finally accepts their help and moves in with them, where they work on breeching her defenses and showing her that not everyone is out to hurt or take advantage of her.
Raiden and Kodiak get marked, the latter her choice as she comes around to the idea of a legion and actually having a life with them as her mates.
Stone gives her a belly button ring with a gem infused with his blood to help amplify her abilities (Huge deal because the last time he gave a girl one of his creations, she imprisoned every demon either underground or in the nearest human vessel, resulting in the creation of shifters.)
The four of them went to help some wolves, and came face to face with her stalker.
-deep breath-
Aaaaaaaaand here we go!
Chapter 1
Amara
Blood coats my fingertips, growing hotter by the second. Burning, branding me with every drop as my heart threatens to beat out of my chest. Even with adrenaline battering against my muscles, I can’t make a single one respond, can’t so much as a draw in a breath.
Not when I'm face to face with the monster nightmares are made of.
“Don’t worry, darling, we’ll find her together.” Another slice of the blade tearing through my skin. “You’re a dragon, my dragon. We just need to dig a little deeper.” An eternity later, wild green eyes look down on me in sympathy before Malcolm turns the blade on himself, replicating every wound he inflicted. “Don’t be discouraged. Every time we try, it brings us closer together, see? Someone only needs to glance at the two of us to see that we were made for each other; a perfect match.”
“Amara?” Stone’s soft breath skims over the shell of my ear, startling me out of my internal spiral, and my legs nearly give out beneath me. Only his arm banded around my stomach keeps me upright, his hold tightening even as I sink my nails deeper into his skin.
My lips part, but nothing comes out. Not a whimper, not so much as an exhale. I’m caught in the emerald gaze of the man standing a stone’s throw away, the one that’s haunted me for nearly a decade, suffocating as icy terror freezes my lungs.
Malcolm’s smirk drops into a concerned frown, flicking his attention above my head to Stone. “It's a bit hypocritical to come out here criticizing how men treat their mates when the woman in your arms is afraid to even speak, don’t you think?”
Kodiak and Raiden turn to face me as a dangerous rumble escapes Stone at my back, echoing around the clearing. Voice dripping with disdain, Stone growls, “And who do you think she’s afraid of, Malcolm?”
It couldn’t have been hard for him to put together between my death grip at the appearance of the blonde haired, green eyed stranger, but the other two look genuinely surprised. Slowly, realization dawns, and Kodiak’s face contorts with rage, while Raiden reins in his anger, emotions carefully concealed once more. Only the rigid set of his jaw and the volatile storm in his eyes prove he’s affected at all.
As Kodi takes a step in my direction, though, Raiden snaps out a hand and grips his shoulder, pulling him to a stop. Turning to Malcolm, he drawls, “Mason, what are you doing here?”
He knows him. He works with the guy that drugged me in Khalida, and is on a first name basis with the bane of my existence.
It’s never been so abundantly clear that I hardly know the men the Fates signed my life over to.
Malcolm -Mason- cocks his head with a frown, attention rapt on me. “I was passing through and heard the commotion, so thought I’d swing by to see if I could help. Good thing, too. I’d heard some nasty rumors about what was really happening to the women you’d ‘saved’ in that playground of yours that I didn’t want to believe, but, well...” Beneath the facade of sympathy is a flash of anger, and he’s sure to let the condemnation be heard as he raises his voice to carry across the crowd. “The Amara I remember had a smile that could light up a room. Tell me, Raiden. Has she said a single word since you’ve been here, or did you only bring her as a pretty showpiece to flaunt in these men’s faces?”
Kodi jerks out of Raiden’s grip. “You motherfucking-”
Malcolm shakes his head in disappointment, dismissing Kodiak entirely as he turns to Raiden with a glare. “And you have the audacity to come out here and rip these mens’ mate away from them?” He scoffs in disgust. “Your legion has gotten drunk on the power you slaughtered the elder council for. The rest of us keep to ourselves now; you should too.”
The wolves swivel their attention onto me now, assessing, and several men narrow their eyes. Dozens of shifters watching the way I tremble like prey, listening to my rapidly beating heart, and smelling the fear rolling off of me in waves. Lack of oxygen has my head spinning, and I finally suck down air, a headache splitting my skull with the sudden rush. Retracting my nails from Stone’s arm, his blood trickles down my fingers to my palms, and my stomach lurches violently.
“Amara,” he rumbles behind me, and another spike of adrenaline slams into my system as he tightens his hold.
Electricity flares across my skin in a brief, harsh jolt, but it’s enough to shock him into letting go. With a strangled sound, I stumble forward, barely remaining upright without his support.
Watching Raiden stop Kodi from hurting Malcolm when he’s finally right there, the hostility in the air so thick my anxiety is choking on it, and all of the predatory looks from wolves sizing me up, seeing an opportunity? It’s just... too much.
Sucking down a deep breath, I turn on my heel, sprinting as fast as my legs will carry me.
Chapter 2
Kodiak
“I’ve got her, meet back at the car,” I bark, not even giving Raiden a chance to reply before hanging up.
Pocketing my phone, I draw my wings in as I land. They meld back into my body smoothly, the skin between my shoulder blades healing almost instantly once they’re fully retracted. It was far too easy to track her, the taste of her fear leaving an even bigger trail than her sweet scent, and that was my biggest delay. Too many wolves jumped at the chance to go after Amara when she ran, and it slowed me down.
All an unmated wolf needs is a female shifter to give them a claiming bite to release their inner beast from its cage. Their lives aren’t bound once marked, but their darkest instincts flare to life, jealousy and pride driving them to keep their women as a status symbol, even if they don’t truly want a mate, just access to their wolf. After Raiden stopped me from killing that son of a bitch, leaving a bloody trail in my wake did nothing to take the edge off, just gave me more time to grow increasingly pissed off.
Sidling towards the SUV and my sweet mate in the backseat, I make sure to make my presence known with a few scuffed steps, and approach from the front. She’s hunched over, gripping her middle and sucking down ragged gasps, shoulders shaking, and doesn’t notice. Gently rapping my knuckles on her window, I swallow, nearly choking on the taste of her abject misery.
“Hey there, firefly.”
Tensing, she slowly releases a shaky breath and swipes at her face with her shirt sleeve. Without looking, she fumbles at the door, the sound of it unlocking following a few seconds later. She scoots over without saying a word, and my eyes close briefly with a wave of relief so strong, it threatens to bring me to my knees.
“Color me impressed, you gave those wolves a run for their money. Maybe that piercing Stone gifted you is already working,” I murmur, slowly sliding into her vacated seat and softly closing the door behind me.
Sweat has her clothes clinging to her body, and her eyes are red and swollen from crying. My instincts take over completely at the sight of my mate in such distress, and I let my other half have control without a fight. I trust the demonic dragon writhing restlessly beneath my skin with Amara implicitly; he’d never do anything to hurt her. We may both want to hold her close to assure ourselves she’s safe, but he’d be the first to cut off our own hand if touching our mate would bring her any more pain.
My vision shifts, everything becoming sharper in clarity. Colors are more pronounced, and the finer details stand out a little more. I can feel my dragon’s effort to slow his movements, the underlying fear as he carefully reaches over to pick Amara up and drag her onto our lap. When she doesn’t flinch away from our touch, there’s a shudder of contentment, and he wastes no time burying our nose in the crook of her neck.
“Do you want to know a secret?”
“That Raiden’s on a first name basis with Malcolm, and stopped you from gouging his eyes out?” she replies dryly, slumping against me as all of the remaining fight leaves her body. “Hate to burst your bubble, but the cat’s out of the bag on that one.”
A low rumble vibrates my chest as I bite back the urge to hotwire the car and leave the others behind to fucking walk. “Close.” Against the side of her throat, I whisper, “I knew exactly where you’d run to, but sent Raiden five miles south of here anyway, claimed you might be laying a false trail and riding the river to the next town.”
I’m not even sure if she realizes she’s doing it, but with her weary exhale, she snuggles closer, unperturbed by the fact that I’m shirtless. If anything, it’s like she’s seeking more skin to skin contact. “Why?”
Switching our positions, I lay her head on my shoulder and palm the back of her head to keep her in place. As I rest my cheek on top of her head and nuzzle her hair, her sweet, stormy scent fills my nose, and a low, contented rumble emanates from my chest. “Because he deserved a little extra time to panic. And if our mate was forced to put in so much physical effort today, he should, too.”
“Should have made it fifty,” she snaps. Sighing heavily in resignation, she wraps her arms around her stomach. “How’d you know I’d be here?”
“Because you know damn well I’d never let anything happen to you. If I thought Raiden or Stone were a threat, I’d steal you away and the two of us would live our best lives without either of them. But in no reality would I ever betray you, and even faced with your worst fear, deep down, you knew that. I’m a good judge of character and trust Raiden, so you’d assume there must be a reason to explain what went down out there. You were just overwhelmed and hurt, and needed to escape the situation, not us. Does that about sum it up?”
A dark, watery chuckle escapes her, and she swipes at her face again before shifting closer, curling in on herself and hiding out from the world in my arms for a little while longer. “Remind me never to bet against you.”
“But think of how much fun it could be when I came to collect.”
Nuzzling her temple, I huff in annoyance when there’s a thud outside signaling Stone’s arrival, and a few moments later, Raiden’s. They give us a semblance of privacy, watching our surroundings and stewing in their volatile emotions while I console our girl, because apparently I’m the only one of her mates without his head firmly lodged up his own ass.
They think I’m convincing her to come back home, but she was never going to leave. We make her happy, and that’s fucking terrifying to someone that’s never been allowed to love anything without it being ripped away.
When she’s pulled herself together enough to keep her voice steady, she rasps, “We should probably get out of here.”
I tighten my grip, the dual sensations of my dragon being in control of my actions while I speak a mind trip that makes it hard to discern who’s doing what since we both want the same thing; her. “I could carry you, you know. If you aren’t ready to talk to him yet.”
She contemplates it for a minute before shaking her head, sliding off of my lap and into her seat. “No, I want to know. Need to know.” Finally facing me, her golden eyes shine with unshed tears and a fierce determination that has me wanting to tear my heart out of my chest and throw it at her feet in offering, if only she’ll smile again. “But if it’s a piss-poor excuse, wanna steal his wallet and run away with me? Wouldn’t hurt to have a doctor on speed dial with my run of bad luck, so Stone can come too, I suppose.”
I cup her cheek, resting my forehead against hers. “Mo chroi, we can do that any day of the week, no excuse necessary. I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth and happily hold your hand while you Sparta-kick everyone that’s ever wronged you over the edge.”
With a watery laugh, she nods, rapidly blinking back tears and sucking down a few more deep breaths to center herself. Sifting through the myriad of emotions she’s projecting, I wait until there aren’t any sudden spikes of anxiety or anger, but the undercurrent of hurt holds steady. Once she’s composed herself as much as she’s going to be able to, I take one last lungful of my mate’s scent for the road and reluctantly open the door.
“You know, the car keys would be pretty useful in getting us home,” I call out, both of them immediately turning around.
It probably shouldn’t make me so happy to see the head of our legion sporting a black eye and wicked bruise on his jaw, but a smile breaks out on my face all the same.
Raiden narrows his eyes in my direction, but wisely says nothing. His gaze shifts to Amara and instantly softens, regret and trepidation clear as day on his face, and that has my smile faltering. Outside of the house, Raiden doesn’t show emotion; ever. He’s renowned for his level head, diplomatic approaches, and being one of the most disciplined dragons to ever walk the earth. Defending his mate’s honor in the clearing was one thing, but to let his guard drop out here, where we know there are likely wolves lurking, watching from the shadows?
Her voice cracks as she whispers, “We can talk on the way home, but I’d like to get out of here, now. Please.”
It snaps him out of it, and he closes the distance in a few long strides. “Of course.” Once he slides into the driver’s seat, Raiden turns the key, using the rearview mirror to check her over discreetly.
Stone’s more of a wreck than I realized, climbing into the back with us. One knee on the bench, he palms Amara’s cheek, turning her to face him as he inspects her for injuries. A low growl fills the air as he takes in the state of her, carefully plucking a twig out of her hair. When he gets down to her legs, his eyes flutter shut with a shuddering sigh of relief. Lifting one leg onto his lap as he takes a seat, it puts the hole ripped in the knee of her leggings on display. She must have fallen at one point on her sprint through the forest, but the scrape on her knee has already begun to scab over.
“It really is helping your healing,” Stone breathes, gently caressing the side of her knee.
She offers him a sad smile. “Demonic jewelry for the win. And only a few murderous thoughts to go with it, but I don’t think the bloodstone is to blame for those.”
Raiden pulls out of the woods and back onto the road, his voice gravelly. “Thank you for giving me the chance to explain, for trusting us instead of disappearing.”
I pull her away from Stone enough to get her seatbelt fastened. She doesn’t fight me, but she does stiffen with coiled tension. “I’m not stupid. Malcolm's delusional and obsessed. If he's trying to pit me against you and paint you as the bad guys, I'm exactly where I should be. That doesn't mean I can't be pissed off that you know him and stopped Kodi from tearing his throat out like you've been going on about for weeks.”
She combs a hand through her snarled, dark mass of tangled hair and grimaces. “I just... I couldn't be there anymore. With everyone staring at me expectantly, knowing whatever came out of my mouth would make things worse.” Giving it up as a lost cause, her hands settle on her thighs, fingertips digging into the black fabric. “With Malcolm staring at me in pity.”
