Dragon Blood

Chapter 53

Zesstra looked down at her hand and shivered. It stung a lot more than she expected when she ran the knife over her palm to activate the spell. The bandage was completely soaked with her blood and streaming down her fingers. She hadn't expected it to have completely healed, but she wasn't expecting it to still be bleeding an hour later.

There was a lot she hadn't expected from the spell. The pleasure she felt from revealing the spell was nothing compared to what she felt the moment her blood dripped onto the pages. She had gone lightheaded and could hear her own moans breaking the silence of the forest. It left her breathless and shaking, and her dragonkin guardian had flushed bright red and had quickly agreed that they would never talk about it.

The spell had directly affected Eos, rather than showing Zesstra exactly where to go. The familiar had grown to the size of a jaguar and her fur tinged to a bright crimson. She had immediately turned onto a dark path and led them through the trees in what they could only hope was towards Zenith.

She could feel the connection between herself and her brother, and she didn't like it. After binding to him, she could feel the madness tugging at the corners of her mind, pushing her to look deeper in the book tucked in the bag slung over her shoulder. More than once she had to stop to close her eyes and breathe deeply to stop her head from spinning and focus herself on the situation.

Zesstra looked up from the wound and found the dragonkin female looking at her with concern lacing her silver eyes. "We should go back." she said quietly.

"No!" Zesstra gasped and looked wildly at Eos. "It is working. We can find him."

The dragonkin looked up to the sky, the worry in her eyes spreading to the rest of her face. "There is something wrong with this place." She muttered. "There are no birds. No wildlife at all."

Zesstra looked around and strained her ears. She was right. The only thing she could hear was her own rapid heartbeat. The air was getting thin too, but they weren't high enough in the mountains for that. It was like some evil presence was sucking the air and warmth out of the area. "Can you sense anyone?" she asked quietly. "Atticus and his shifters? Or... anyone?"

She shook her head and took a few steps back. "I am going to scout the area. Do not wander."

Without another word, she shifted into a beautiful black and silver amphiptere. She coiled her body like a snake before launching herself into the air and spreading her wings. In a second, she broke through the canopy of trees, leaving Zesstra alone with Eos in the silence.

The cat was beginning to circle her, ears twitching in clear irritation. Zesstra pulled the cellphone out of her bag and scrolled to open the contact information Atticus had given her. She held the phone up to her ear and looked at the wound again.

"This is- hold on one second," Atticus answered on the third ring before pulling the phone away and she could hear him shouting; "Mrs. Kincaid, please! We are just trying to help, stop hitting my people." Then back to her; "Atticus Shaw."

"It's me." Zesstra said nervously. "You found Rhia's mother?"

"Hey," his voice immediately brightened, and she felt her face go hot. "Yeah, after we lost the brother, we were able to track her. I've seen shifter females get protective over their cubs, but they've got nothing on Madeline Kincaid. What about you? Could you find anything?"

"I am tracking Zenith now. I think I am close, but there is something wrong."

"Wait," Atticus's voice cracked like a whip, and she flinched. "Tracking him where? Where are you? Are you alone?!"

"Tahoe National Forest." she said meekly. "I am with a dragonkin."

He must have pulled the phone away and she heard him sucking in a deep breath. "Where exactly?" his voice was short and clipped.