Baited~ Book 2

51

"Your leg is looking much better." Elvire beamed as Roman hobbled into the living room laughing.

"Yeah, it does... I still can hardly walk though. The toxins really messed with my muscle control." Roman plopped onto to couch and groaned as he stared into the fireplace. "I have to better. I have to get stronger. I..." Roman winced as he held his head hearing the laughter of his insanity roaring through his head calling him weak as if he didn't already know. "They need me and I'm just stuck."

"If you leave now you will only fail." Roman deflated as he nodded and looked away.

"I know." Elvire smiled sadly as he waved his hand diming the flame a bit and making Roman's eyes narrow in confusion.

"Why do you want to run off so badly?" Roman just shot the demon a sideways glare making him laugh and repeat himself. "Why are you so quick to jump into the fray?"

"The love of my life, my sibling, AND their mate were kidnapped right out of our castle. Virgil... He was so scared. He didn't want to leave. He was going to fight but... I told him not to. I told him to go because I was going to bring him back." Roman leaned back against the couch and just started off as he tried to focus on their rider's bond. He could hardly feel anything at all. It was muted and faded... as if it was being suppressed and Roman didn't like that. If he couldn't feel Virgil than... Virgil wouldn't be able to feel him. "I'm supposed to be Virgil's shield. He's my dragon and I'm his rider. I'm supposed to keep him safe just as he's done so much for me. I can't stand not being there with him. I hate it so much."

"You mentioned your sibling?" 

"Yeah, Remus. They're a demon." Elvire's eyes narrowed as Roman shrugged. "I think it's a partnership... Remus and the demon he hosts are equally in control. When Remus let the demon in... it didn't push him aside. So they work together in keeping each other happy and healthy. Janus and them are actually mates. Janus's the projector."

"He's a basilisk?" Roman nodded as his eyes darkened a bit. "The queen of Almira and the King of Ceit basically just took all three of them and... I had to do something."

"You will do something but... I worry that injury of yours damaged a bit too much." Roman crashed as his eyes shot up over to see the demon with this sad look in his eyes. "I'm fading, as I've said. I don't have the power anymore to just fix everything. At this point... I'm no stronger than the average Salamander demon. The toxins damaged a lot and then the act of burning it all away..."

"Are you saying... I won't be able to help them?" Roman could feel the voice in his head getting louder and he started to panic. "No... No. No. I have to. I have to save them. They're my family. My friend... my sibling... MY DRAGON! I HAVE TO!"

"Roman!" Roman froze up instantly as Elvire took his hands and let off this comforting warmth that soothed his frantic nerves just as fast. "Everything will be ok. I will help you."

"What?"

"I will help you." Elvire smiled as he squeezed Roman's hands more adding just a bit more support. "You can't win this on your own and in this state you're in too much danger leaving this place... So I will accompany you and provide whatever support I can. I made an oath to protect my kind and you just said three of them were being held captive in Almira. As a prince of demons just as you're dragon is, I cannot just stand idle and allow that to happen."

"But... you're fading. Wouldn't this be too draining?" Elvire just chuckled as his smile softened.

"If this mission should be my last then I would be proud to say I helped the Prince of Dragon's like I've wanted to do for so long now."

"Virgil?" Remus jumped up the moment he noticed the dragon's eyes were open. "Virgil, are you ok?"

"I can't feel him." Remus froze stock still as Virgil weakly pushed himself up in bed with a hiss. "Roman... I can't feel him."

"Janus says he's ok."

"Janus is a liar." Remus flinched as Virgil sighed sadly. "I'm sorry. I just... He's more than just my rider, Remus. I love him. He's..."

"He's your mate?" Virgil's eyes went wide as they shot over to the demon who just smiled. "We understand the feeling."

"I can't feel him, Remus. I can't feel Roman." Remus nodded as they slowly sat down letting the dragon lean against them for support. "I can't even tell if that's because he's dead or not. I just... can't feel him."

"We understand. We're scared too but... Janus said that Roman wouldn't just let himself die when he has all of us to save." Virgil smiled slightly before frowning and looking around in confusion.

"Ray... where... Where is Janus?" Remus flinched as they looked away and shook their head.

"He was called away by his father." Virgil's eyes went wide as Remus tensed up feeling his mates worry through their bond. "Apparently, he's getting Kuro back."

"Ah, my son." Janus stood there as still as he could be as the King beamed over at him. "I'm very proud of you..."

"Where is my dragon?" Janus clenched his fists tightly to keep himself grounded as he watched that smile fall just as fast from his 'fathers' lips.

"Bring her over." The snake tensed ready for anything as he stood there waiting. He could hear the weak footsteps of very heavy feet and his heart just dropped. He watched as several guards with large sword practically dragged his poor dragon over by a chained leash. His blood flared seeing the defeated and pained look in her eyes. His dragon... his baby girl. 

"Kuro." Kuro limply lifted her head, eyes shimmering in recognition as her tail wagged. His poor poor baby girl... "What did he do to you?" Janus smiled sadly as he walked over and placed a hand to her mouth laughing lightly as she tried to give him kisses. "My loving baby girl..."

"As you can see, I was not lying about finding her." Janus's eyes flashed a bright pissed off yellow as he glared over at his 'father'. 

"And what... perchance 'Father'... happened to her wings?"