Free Her Mad Dragon (Dragon Guard Series Book 15) by Julia Mills Page A

at two years old. The sad part was, Kyra’s description was spot
on. Aggie’s expression always looked as if she’d just smelled rotten fish. Her
long thin nose was crinkled as tightly as her old leathery skin would allow.
Her lips, painted a deep blood red at all times, were pursed so hard Calysta
was sure if Agatha held a lump of coal between them for any length of time the
old bitty would spit out a diamond. But the facial feature that had made grown
men quake and lesser witches cry were Aggie’s beady black eyes. She highlighted
them with bright blue shadow and thick black eyeliner with wings that nearly
touched her heavily painted-on eyebrows. She looked both surprised and full of
condemnation all at the same time. To top it off, Agatha Montage was the oldest
and most backward of all the Wiccan Elders in her beliefs and customs. There
were times Calysta wondered if the ancient pain-in-the-bum really did still
turn naughty children into toads in her younger days. There was no doubt she
was the inspiration for the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tale villainess.
    Answering over Della’s laughter, the Priestess confirmed,
“Yes, Kyra, Agatha will be here and so will Bedelia, Eden, Fianna, Vareck,
Odgar, and of course, Della.” She patted her sister’s arm. “There has to be a
full council for the mating ceremony to be official. It would just make ole
Aggie’s day to be able to deny Maddox his privileges and magic as my mate
because of a technicality.” She huffed as her temper from earlier returned.
“That, along with several other issues we will discuss as soon as he opens his
eyes, is why I cannot believe he chose now to go after Kyran…and alone .”
    She stomped the last few steps as they approached the
entrance to the clinic. Her hand had just touched the handle when the sound of
dragon wings reached her ears and three large shadows darkened the sky above
them. Anxiety, as real and palpable as she’d ever felt it, filled the air
around them and combined with the magic of the dragons returning to their human
form.
    “Come quick, help me get Maddox out of these restraints,”
Rian bellowed as he and Rory tugged at the straps holding her mate to the
gurney that were still attached to Royce’s dragon’s talon.
    Running to them, she almost lost her footing when Rory
roared, “His breathing is labored and he had a seizure while we were in the
air. Something is very wrong.”
    Pulling at the thick fabric, Calysta screamed through their
mating link just as Maddox’s back bowed off the stretcher and his body
convulsed. “Don’t you die on me, you stupid old mule-headed dragon. Not
after I finally found you. You promised we were in this together forever and
I’m holding you to it. Do you hear me, Maddox MacQueen?” She moved out of
the way as Rian grabbed her still seizing mate and sped towards the clinic.
    Hot on the Dragon Leader’s heels, magic touched her skin as
Royce returned to human form, but she couldn’t worry about her daughter’s mate.
Right now she had to focus on her own. Praying to any Heavenly being who would
listen, Calysta put all her anger aside and focused on her burning need to have
her dragon healthy and whole and grumpy as she begged, “Dear Goddess of All
and the Universe to whom we owe everything, please keep him safe. I know he’s a
pain in the bum, but he’s my pain in the bum and I love him more than I can
ever say…”  

 
     
    Chapter Five
     
    Waking up after a near death experience was not nearly as
exciting as it sounded. He’d seen several of his brethren open their eyes and
bounce right out of bed or, at the very least, have their mate waiting by their
bedside with open arms. Hell, one of the times Claire was even kissing Rory.
Unfortunately, Maddox was not as lucky.
    He was groggy and grumpy and wanted to go home. He wanted to
spend time with his mate and explain what had happened. He wanted to be
welcomed back to the world with open arms and at least a hug…but