Free DreamKeeper by Storm Savage Page B

act.”
    He let out a sardonic laugh. “You’ve been in the heat too long. I’ve no dealings with the wench. What are you doing way out here so far from home, Sage?”
    “I saw you. And I saw Ciara sneaking around the back of Savaant’s house while you went inside. You lying bastard!” Sage kicked sand at him. “I wasn’t going to let you get away with your evil scheme.”
    “I’m not going to stand here and argue with you.” Blade cast a guarded look behind him as if expecting someone. “C’mon.” He grabbed their arms and began dragging them down the beach.
    Angel kicked and flailed in an attempt to break free but he had a vise-like grip on her.
    Sage shot her an admonishing glance. It will do no good fighting him this way. Conserve your energy. Clear your mind.
    The fact that she received Sage’s thoughts took her off guard. Recalling what Savaant had taught her about fear and anger blocking her telepathy, she ceased thrashing, then cast Sage a confused look. Why can’t you take him down like the others?
    A sad expression flooded Sage’s eyes as she again communicated silently. Blade is a blood-dragon. The others were mere mortal men seeking a high. I cannot physically overpower Blade. I must try and catch him off guard. We must use our wits, not our bodies, to defeat him.
    Blade didn’t say a word as he pushed them along in front of him. They stumbled through the dark for quite some time before coming to a dense area of foliage and tropical trees. He forced them into the jungle-like sector and continued onward.
    To her surprise and by the shocked expression on Sage’s face to her surprise as well, they arrived at a secluded cabin hidden deep within the maze of thicket. She wondered if they were at all close to home as Sage had thought. She felt as if they’d been walking toward nowhere the entire day. Now night had fallen and they found themselves trapped in another unrecognizable territory on Dunalino.
    She eyed the adobe cottage with its thatched roof. Small, one story, as if built specifically to house captives or perhaps even a place to perform rituals. Rituals! Oh no! He brought us here to take my blood and steal Savaant’s power! She pondered what method of madness Blade had in mind to coerce them into such a traitorous act.
    He shoved them inside from behind, then bolted the door. Angel looked around furtively in the dark while he roamed about lighting candles. Only one room existed inside the small house and it appeared to be every bit a ceremonial-type setup. One bed was set up against the far wall. White candles everywhere. Strange art covered the walls, paintings of things Angel couldn’t distinguish like some type of tribal symbolism. The wooden floor was bare except for one plush area rug in the center. She didn’t see a bathroom or anything that indicated one could live in the cabin with modern conveniences and there didn’t appear to be electricity or running water.
    “What are you going to do?” Sage snapped. Her green eyes flickered with fury in the candle-lit room.
    “What I set out to do before you got in the way.” Blade gave her an insolent smirk. “Worked out rather well, I’d say. I needed a witness anyway, better you than Ciara. Your account will hold more weight with Savaant than hers would have.”
    “I’ll lie!”
    He laughed sadistically. “You can’t. You’re bound by blood to tell the truth—unless you want everyone on the island to know exactly what you are.”
    As if he’d thrown ice water on her, Sage slunk back against the wall. Blade loomed over her in a menacing stance.
    “Yes…I know all about your intent to leave me. Have you already persuaded Angel to take you in? Have you forgotten that your potent blood gave me telepathy? You did not do well hiding your thoughts. Would it be so bad bound to me? I am the bandleader after all.”
    Sage wrinkled her nose in disgust. “I could never willingly be bound to a man who whores around.” Then her tone