Chapter 192

Dean

Dean had lost track of how many of the enemy warriors had fallen at his hand. It seemed for every warrior he shredded, another arrived to take his place. It felt like this battle was endless. His body seems to be on auto pilot and he was almost mindless as he removed head after head.

A sharp pain to his arm brought him back to the moment. He turned and noticed a huge claw mark running down his shoulder where a rogue had just clawed him from the side. He turned and grabbed the rogue by the throat with an angry roar. He snapped the wolf’s neck.

Out of the corner of his eye, Dean saw David and Daniel fall out of the sky and crash into the ground. “No,” Dean yelled as he began pushing the enemy aside to clear a path towards his friend and his mate.

Dean didn’t know how to explain it, but he could feel his magic being drained away. The bond that held him, Drew, Damian, David and Stormy was becoming weaker.

She needs us, he yelled through the link between them.

He heard Damian respond that he was on his way. He had turned over the human contingency plan to Shawna, who was now leading Dean’s human allies to help take out the remaining shadow warriors. The people from the deaf school and some of the wolf trading partners had been happy to act as the secret weapon after the shadow army attacked their harbor. They had sent an army of their own under David’s command. The Kindred had decided to keep it in reserves, just in case.

Dean also heard Drew answer, telling her that he was on his way. He hoped that Drew would get there in time to heal David but from the sinking feeling in his gut he knew he wouldn’t. He could literally feel David dying. The sensation was mingled with Stormy’s panic and his own grief.

He felt like he was running in quick sand as he struggled to get to David and Stormy. When he finally fought his way through the last wave of attackers, he found David barely hanging on. Teary eyed Stormy was trying desperately to use her magic to heal him.

Dean hit his knees and reached for David’s snout. “Don’t you dare leave us!” He demanded as he held David’s face between his hands.

In Dean’s mind he kept hearing David saying, a bond of brothers, to heal all others. He was desperate to understand what the dragon was trying to tell him. He knew it was the last of the prophecy but it didn’t make sense.

David’s brother was dead. His body was a crumpled heap, not three feet from where they stood. Dean couldn’t fathom how Daniel could possibly do anything to heal David now.

I’m losing my magic, Stormy said in the back of Dean’s mind. Her voice sounded weak and he knew that the loss of David was likely the cause. He was also struggling with the same problem. Since Damian and Drew had yet to arrive, he expected they were also suffering the effects of the breaking bond.

Dean once again looked down at David. He thought about all the things that the two of them had been through together. He thought about how they had playful fought. He remembered every moment that the two of them had shared pleasuring their mate. More than anything he remembered that David had become the best friend her ever had. They were even closer than he and his Beta.

Dean choked back a sob. David’s heart was barely beating and he had already lost consciousness. Stormy was crying hysterically as she clung to David’s lifeless body.

“David, I should have told you before, but I love you. You are my best friend and I need you. Stormy needs you. You are my brother, and I cannot lose you.” Dean said as he placed his forehead against David’s.

You, Drew, and Damian are my brothers. You are my family. Dean said over the link that the Kindred had gained when the pendant was complete.

As soon as he accepted the words he said as truth, Dean began to feel a tingling in his fingertips. Soon it spread so it was running up his arms and across his chest. The blue lightning of his lycan abilities that had all but disappeared began to crackle. He felt the bond snap back into place and he pulled his face back to look at David.

A rainbow of light began to pour out of Stormy’s hand as she placed it over the wound on David’s chest. Dean could feel David’s stalled heart thump. At first the beats felt far apart but they seemed to be slowly speeding up.

Dean felt Drew land near the tangle of dragon bodies. He immediately began to shine his healing light all over David’s body. The more magic David and Stormy poured into David the faster his pulse became. The steady rhythm of David's heart felt like music to Dean’s ears.

Damian was absolutely covered in blood when he finally arrived in the scene. When David had fallen, Dean knew that Damian was all the way on the other side of the battle field. With their magic interrupted, the vampire would have had no choice but the fight his way across the field to get to them. His blood-soaked clothes was a testimony to his determination to aid David and Stormy in the time of need. As soon as he surveyed the scene, Damian began to patrol the area around the dragon bodies so no one could use Stormy’s distraction to their advantage.

After what felt like an eternity, Dean felt Stormy begin to relax. David’s eyes fluttered open and looked at Dean. “Hello, Brother,” David said quietly.

Dean sighed. He was emotionally spent. The battle, feeling the love of his life being injured by her former mate, and watching his new blood brother almost die had simply been too much. He didn’t think he could handle one more thing. He was about to curl up on the ground in a heap when he heard David cry out.

“Stormy watch out!”