Dragon Knight-Commander (A Cullen Rutherford Shapeshifter Romance)

Chapter 24

All the dragons were equal in size and ferocity, but Cullen was outnumbered and the black dragons cornered him against one side of the mountain. Cullen fought with teeth, fire and claws. The angels used magic, attacking him with pulses of invisible force that smashed him against the rock wall. The roars of the dragons echoed around us. We put our hands over our ears but I couldn't take my eyes off them. Cullen become more and more furious. His movements sped up and he managed to dodge their spells. He lunged back feet first at both dragons, speared them with his claws, held one in each foot and shook them.

'Stop him. If he destroys the angels I can't get you home,' screamed Elena.

Cullen's dragon snaked his head around at her words. He arrowed towards us and he transformed back into a crouch as he hit the tunnel entrance.

Elena produced a shimmering glass-like screen that stretched across cutting us off from the void. It deflected a bolt of power from one of the dragons but the impact rattled the ground we stood on.

'I have only come here to protect what's mine. I mean you no harm. I'm travelling back with them to Inger Land,' Cullen shouted at the dragons who were changing back into their angel form. He turned to me and rubbed the back of his neck. 'If you'll permit me? You no longer have to make a choice.' He swallowed and looked at me. 'Come here, kitten.' He pulled me into his arms.

I closed my eyes, rested my head on his chest and listened to his velvety, deep voice. 'You can have me and your family,' he said. 'Me and Inger Land, if that is something you, er, if that would make you happy. Maker. Say something kitten. Can I come with you?'

I hugged him tighter and said, 'The Inquisition?'

Cullen kissed the top of my head. 'The Inquisition serves Thedas. Lord Cullen Montlake does not serve the Inquisition. I pledge my troth to you. A dragon always puts his mate first.'

My eyes prickled with tears.

Elena's mouth dropped open and her hand covered her mouth, hiding a smile as her eyes crinkled.

Damon made a sound in the back of his throat like he was being sick. 'This spell isn't an all you can eat buffet. You don't have a twin flame on Earth, dragon. You won't make it. And you're part-angel, so that's a no-no. The best part by the looks of it,' he said looking between Cullen's thighs.

'Did you say your name is Montlake?' said Stefan

Cullen nodded.

The angels exchanged uneasy looks.

'Explains his strength,' muttered Damon. 'Thought we'd lost our touch.'

'We know your sire,' said Stefan.

'My sire?'

'The angel in your ancestry,' Stefan said.

'The fallen were banished from this world thousands of years ago,' said Cullen. 'Why are you here now?'

'We don't refer to ourselves as fallen. Why does everyone still keep calling us fallen?' said Damon.

Elena set her blood triangle on fire again. 'Let's do this, boys. Get back on your horses. Sorry, Cullen, nice offer but it sounds like it won't work. Cat, it's now or never.'

'I'm staying,' I said, looking up at Cullen. 'I'd like to be claimed by you,' I said a little breathily. 'As soon as possible.'

'Thank the Maker.' He tipped his head back for a moment, closed his eyes, pulled me in tighter against him and shook with laughter. 'As soon as possible can be arranged.'

'Grab Elena. She's decided to stay. Let's go now while we still can,' I said and turned to run back through the tunnel.

'If you stay in this dimension, Elena, my accord with your twin flame passes to you,' said Stefan.

'Elena. Make no deals with the fallen,' growled Cullen.

Stefan laid his hands out, palms down and dropped Elena's screen. Cullen pulled me directly behind him.

Stefan said, 'Agree to mask our presence in this dimension, witch and I will take you now to the place in Thedas where your other sister came through the tear. She may be there still. Or not far from there. Take the accord and we will help you find your other sister.'

'Are you sure this is a good idea, brother?' said Damon.

'Do you remember ale? Do you remember beef? Do you remember humans?'

'I remember having a penchant for naughty little elves,' he replied.

Elena licked her lips. 'And you will help send all of us home at the next equinox?'

Stefan held out his hand to Elena and beckoned her across the glowing bridge. 'If you're still with us.'

Elena grabbed me, hauled me into her arms and said, 'Love you darling. See you back at the Inquisition when I've found Angela, or leave me a message there to know where to find you.' She whispered, 'I take it all back. Cullen's a keeper.'

She walked onto the bridge, waved her hand and put up the wall of light again. This time to stop us from following her. Through the shimmer we saw two black dragons take off and fly up through the mountain. Presumably she'd gone with them. Bloody Elena. A last straw erupted in flames in my head.

'Thought you said your youngest sister was the drama queen,' said Cullen. He looked down into the bottom of the void. 'And I think Aurora might have underestimated Eden's darkspawn problem.'