The Dragon's Mate

Chapter 65

Emerald yells out, "NO!." Cole soars low over Emerald's hometown and opens his deadly maw before spraying his horrific purple dragonflame over the town; the town explodes and the screams that follow shatter Emerald's heart as she says, "God,no, Please, no!." Hot, angry tears streak down her cheeks as she sees small children running in fear from burning buildings. Hunter growls before the immense beat of his wings are all he needs to tell her what he craves, vengeance. Cole flies high above, his draconian rumble like taunting laughter as Emerald feels her blood boil with renewed rage. Emerald says, "you are not going to get away with this, Cole! Let's go, Hunter." Vengeance flows through her veins like Dragonfire all her own; Emerald holds Hunter's neck and urges him up towards Cole as they climb higher and higher towards the mass of Cole's crimson body then at the last second, she leans to the left urging Hunter to roll onto his back saying, "trust me", with all the trust in the world Hunter burst upward, flips onto his back and Emerald swings onto his stomach when Cole dives for her, he isn't expecting her to be in this position. She says, "Take this, asshole!," she drags one of Hunter's immense sword- sharp talons over Cole's belly slicing him open. Cole with a painful cry shrieks along with a spray of blood as he thrashes into the clouds, out of sight as Emerald flips onto Hunter's back. Emerald kisses Hunter saying, "take me to the town, I need to help them." 

Hunter nods and dives for the town as he swoops low to the ground, Emerald jumps off into the town square completely engulfed in purple flames with men, woman, children, and animals all sprinting past her, some on fire, others choking from the smoke as her chest tightens. Emerald says, "how can I help the most people? I will try to lead them to safety." She yells, "EVERYONE! FOLLOW ME!." She begins to get the attention of many overwhelmed townspeople as they rush over to her as Emerald wonders, 'we just need to get to shelter, perhaps the old barn? Or-.' Her thought is cut short when the ground beneath her quakes, Cole lands right in front of her blocking the path. Hunter dives behind Emerald as a burst of purple flames sends Hunter falling backwards. Emerald turns saying, "Hunter." She tries to run for him but Cole's massive claw flies through the air heading straight for her as Emerald thinks with a worried expression, 'he is trying to kill me.' Emerald dives through the town square dodging his claws and purple torching flame however he does not hold back. As Emerald continues to run she realises that she is not helping anyone and making the surrounding even more deadly with her presence; ducking low she soon runs into the fields beyond the town as Cole comes in front of her with a barrage of flames which soon light the field on fire as she says, "Cole! You're nothing but pathetic and a vile murderer!," Cole roars in anger as Emerald knows she has hit the spot insulting him, but she knows she needs to keep moving. Cole further tries to crush and torch Emerald who dives out of the way as best as she can, quickly losing stamina. She soon reaches a dead corner as she says, "one wrong move and I-." Cole then hits her with his tail as Emerald falls to the ground in pain as he comes over and is about to attack her,but she feels no fear saying, "do your worst!." 

Cole roars as he attempts to spread his poison on her arm with his venom when suddenly Emerald sees Hunter approaching as he roars protectively, diving on top of Cole. They both fight bitterly, with roars and purple flames as Cole pins Hunter's thrashing body as Emerald thinks, 'hunter is not going to give up, he's protecting me, but Cole is much stronger now and this is a suicide mission!.' Hunter fights hard beneath Cole's massive nail but to no avail, Cole gathers a huge ball of purple flame in his jaw as Emerald sees that Cole is going to kill Hunter. Emerald says, "I wish there was something I could do... there has to be a solution", suddenly the familiar weight of the dagger forms in her hand as she thinks, 'I have to do this... Rowan warned me to use this dagger on Hunter and Cole, to stop the power of their curse but I am the source of the curse's power, I am the heart'. Emerald wraps her fingers tight around the hilt of the dagger, the answer so clear. She raises the knife high over her head and brings it down into her stomach as she screams, "Nngh!." A shock-wave bursts forth from her mortally wounded body, knocking the twin Dragons off-balance. Cole's Dragon mark slowly disappears from Emerald's arm as she falls to her knees, locking eyes with Hunter across the field. Hunter roars as Emerald still shaking and weak by the blow finds the strength to smile. She says, "it's OK, Hunter I am-." Emerald coughs and blood splatters in the dirt, Hunter shifts sprinting for her at a speed which she has never seen him reach. Hunter says, "Emerald!." He catches her as she falls, panic and fear churning in his eyes but a new sound cuts in an anguished cry from Cole. He twists, bellows from the purple light of his eyes flickering to another, he shifts back into his human form drained of his newfound power.