Dragon Roar Chapter 3

Shoshanna

Though I’d known the order to level the military complex was a possibility, one they fully prepared me to execute, it still shocked me when I received the communication. According to Demaris, the King had never ordered any attacks on Aurumden territory other than the assaults on the Amber Sky Compounds. General Langley had his meeting with Spencer last night, for which he’d annoyingly called me in for and today he was on his way to one of the northern bases for some reason I hadn’t been aware of but now knew. He was expecting some type of retaliation and hiding.

I made the excuse to my coworkers that my cousin wasn’t feeling well, which was one hundred percent true, even if Jordan wasn’t actually my cousin. I was going to meet him back at the condo. Not only did we have to execute our mission, I wanted to find out what hurt him so badly. Not just wanted, needed, and also a deep need to do something to make him feel better. I barely waited for her nod of understanding before I grabbed my purse and briefcase along with anything personal and left the complex, contacting the rest of the team. They needed to clear out their offices and apartments and erase their existence in Jackson City in a little over an hour. We would meet back here five minutes before the hour warning given to Aurumden's leadership would expire, which could come soon. The one who contacted me with the go ahead would also deliver the anonymous tip to the news stations and he had given me fifteen minutes to get my team out before he sent it. Which was a good plan, as they would most likely put the compound on lock down. Once it aired, the countdown would begin.

As I hurried toward the apartment, I couldn’t really focus on the list of things I needed to get done before I left. The main priority right now was to check on Jordan. Through whatever bond was forming, I could feel his anger and his anguish and grief, though he tried to shut it away from me. And despite my repeated queries, he wouldn’t tell me what the cause of it was.

He was sitting on the couch, leaned forward, elbows on his knees with his head down, when I walked through the door. He must have run here, with dragon speed. I considered reprimanding him for that lapse, but what did it matter? Within two hours, all our covers would be blown anyway. The TV was on one of the news stations and Mark Walker was at the anchor desk, rehashing the same information repeatedly. I found it a little hard to breathe in the face of the emotions bleeding off of Jordan, but the need to comfort him was even greater. I edged closer, feeling like I was approaching a wild animal that might bolt at any moment. “Jor . . . JT?”

“The bastards killed one of my sons.” He chose telepathy to communicate, which was good, but he didn’t look at me.

“One of?” Wait, why was I shocked? Hadn’t he mentioned his adopted children before? How could I have forgotten that? I took a few more steps toward the couch.

“The orphanage was mine . . . mine and Miri’s. Dimitri didn’t want to leave when Gabriel asked us to evacuate. He wouldn’t believe—” his words choked off, and a shudder went through him.

I sat next to him, wanting to wrap him in my arms and never let go. Somehow I knew, if I did he would completely break down in tears and there was no time to mourn the dead now. We would send Dimitri pallbearers to guide him to the Other Realms. I would make time to hold Jordan as he cried or screamed out his grief when we returned to Kaldona. Instead, I leaned my shoulder into his, knowing he would understand that I wasn’t callously ignoring his pain. “I’m so sorry for the pain his death is causing you,” I said, “but we have our orders and most won’t leave the building. There will be significantly more than your pound of flesh in the rubble. We will send him pallbearers.”

He pressed back against me and turned his head to look me in the eye. That insistent humming pull was back. I quickly lowered my gaze to his chin. The mission wasn’t over. We still had to execute the destruction of the complex. As much as I wanted to look into those deep amber pools and drown, we had work to do. “I’m guessing within a half an hour there will be a broadcast. The King’s warning that Aurumden will have one hour to clear the complex.”

His lips turned upward in a smile of savage joy that sent a shiver through me. I’d never seen any hints of this level of savagery from him, but he was from the Morrigan Aerie, and Demaris was his grandmother. Also, dragons were extremely protective of family. Seemed Jordan was more than willing to exact vengeance for his family, than others. “Then we level it with whoever is too stupid to heed the warning inside.”

I could see his thoughts. He hoped none would leave. That the walls would crumble with all inside. He was ready to inflict his pain on the ones who ordered the attack. Then he frowned. “What is it?” I asked, giving in to the need to touch him by running a hand down his forearm.

“Just . . . Gabriel’s never given an attack order like this before. Aurumden won’t let it go unanswered. Even if it is retaliation for something they’ve done. It means actual war again.”

I nodded and then stood, holding my hand out to him. “We have work to do. Nothing of Shoshanna or Jordan can remain here. Particularly your impressive notes.”

He looked at my hand for a long moment and then took it. His touch was warmth and strength, sending goosebumps up my arm. When he stood, he pulled me closer, his nose and forehead touching mine. “When we get back to Kaldona . . . we need to talk more. I need you, my precious Shanna. I need you like I need air to breathe.”

His words and the thoughts blasting into my mind made my heart skip and my breath catch. I just nodded as best I could with his head against mine as it was. I’d had no idea the bond could be like this. Grandmother Iona had drilled it into us it was nothing more than fairy tales and it wasn’t real. None of the females of my aerie went among the humans or male dragons, except for mating, and none seemed to have any drive to do so to find their anam cara. Willow and I often joked that maybe the reason we were the oddballs of the aerie was because we liked males. Now, I was better than halfway to agreeing with her. I didn’t have an issue with it, but it sure as hell explained a lot. If I wasn’t careful, it would bury me under this mountain of emotion and need, but Nemian help me. I wanted it. Jordan stepped back. “Let’s wipe ourselves from this horrid country and go home.”

I couldn’t agree with him more and headed to my room. Once I scrubbed it, I called the realtor I had used to buy the condo and had them list it for sale, telling her that any money left over, after paying off the mortgage, was to be divided among the orphanages. When she asked why, I just told her a friend had died and he grew up in one. It was the least I could do for Jordan’s adopted son.