Chapter 4: Avani

I’m flying over my forest, having been gone for nearly a month. This is the longest I’ve ever been away from the forest. First, because Kenna was worried about her mother being gone so long. She had called me to help find her, which ended up being unnecessary when she returned, having been claimed by the Lycan. And then I’d spent a couple weeks with Zephyr making sure her egg was properly fertilized before heading home. My body is relaxed in a way it hasn’t been in a long time, my dragon calm after weeks of sexual release.

But now, it’s time to get back to work. I’ve taken on the role of protector of this forest. Where Tana enjoys being in a busy city, working with humans and supernaturals, I prefer the forest. Maybe it’s the difference in our elements or perhaps it’s the difference in our genders. Zephyr and Kaylani don’t seem to have a problem integrating with others, or being in busy environments. But for me, the noise and scents of the human cities are overwhelming, so I prefer to stay here in the forest.

There are a lot of supernaturals that live here and in the neighboring forests and cities. Which is why, in the last decade, the hunters have started searching this forest in particular, kidnapping and killing the supes that live here. I take my role as protector very seriously. As a dragon, it’s our duty to protect. Even if we don’t like all of the supernaturals, that Lycan who claimed Tana currently being my least favorite, we are still bound to protect them.

It is our sacred duty as dragons. This is why I’ve been working with the Lycan, Tana and Ishir, the Bengal tiger, to eliminate the arenas. The hunters and even some supernaturals have enslaved our kind, creating the modern day fighting ring. It feels good to know I’ve helped so many escape and that I do my duty to keep them from getting captured in the first place by protecting the forests.

So, I am flying over the forest, listening to the sounds of the animals and the creatures that live here, and that’s when I hear it. I tilt my head to the side, trying to hear the sounds more clearly. Someone is running through the forest, breathing heavily, crying, if I’m not mistaken.

I fly closer, wanting to see if this is just someone upset or if they need help. As soon as I hear the gunshot, I know the person is in trouble. I fly to where she is running. I can tell now that it’s a woman. She is crashing through the woods, no longer trying to be quiet.

From up here in the sky, even though it’s the middle of the night, I can see the forest clearly, as if it was day time. Based on the sound of her running, she will be entering the clearing in a couple of minutes. Once she does, she will be open to the hunters that are chasing her.

I begin making my descent, judging the distance so that the woman can race pass me as I land, creating a barrier between her and the hunters. I’m hovering over the clearing as she races out of the forest. The scent of a spring meadow, full of fresh flowers in the morning sunlight hits my nose, distracting me momentarily.

I shake my head, looking at her again. Oh, no. I know what this means. For a split second, I’m tempted to let the hunters have her, but I can’t. Not only will my dragon not let his mate be killed front of us, but I am the Dark Protector for a reason. I protect those who need it. And right now, my mate needs my protection.

As the first hunter leaves the forest line, taking aim at my mate, I reach down, scooping him up with my teeth and flipping him in the air before catching him again and swallowing him whole. Tana, Zephyr and Kaylani all think it’s disgusting, but I think humans taste like chicken. Humans may think they are at the top of the food chain, but any that do, haven’t met me yet.

The second one comes out of the forest, his gun aimed up at me. He must have seen me snatch his fellow hunter off the ground. He fires, but his bullets ricochet off my scales, leaving me unharmed. This time, I reach out with my talons, slicing him to pieces where he stands.

I can hear the others, at least five of them, spreading out to try and surround me. While they move, I shift, landing on two feet in the middle of their circle.

“What are you?” One of them asks, stepping out and aiming his gun at me.

“They call me The Dark Protector, and you are about to die.”

I don’t think so, freak.” The hunter says to me.

I open my hands, face down toward the earth, calling on my element. As the earth begins to rumble under their feet, they stumble around, trying not to fall. I tear the earth open around them, leaving a circle of calm around me.

Magma rises from the center of the earth to the surface, turning to molten lava. The hunters scream as the heat from the earth's core begins to melt their skin from their bodies, the lava rushing over them like waves, pushing them into the center of the earth.

As the last one falls into the earth, I pull the land back together, sealing it with my power.

“Welcome to hell, boys.” I say, before turning to find my mate.

I see her on the other side of the clearing, leaning against a large rock formation. She had stopped and watched as I took out her would-be captors.

I stride to her, my nose suddenly catching the scent of her blood. When I get closer, I can see that she has broken shackles on her ankles and wrists. So, she escaped them, and they were chasing her down. The blood is coming from all different parts of her body where she was scratched from trees and bushes of the forest to other injuries that look remarkably similar to knife wounds.

“Dragon.” She says softly as I approach. She drops to her knees, as if by me killing her captors, all of her adrenaline has left her body and she can no longer hold herself up.

I reach down, scooping her into my arms, her head falling against my chest.

“You smell good.” She says before passing out in my arms.