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Connor scrambled onto a high pinnacle and waved down at me. “Mommy! I’m up here!”
I waved back at him and leaned against another rock to watch him and Wilcox clambering all over the place.
The sun and wind started to thaw the cold in my heart. Maybe if I came out here every day, I would start to relax. I could finally let go of the tension holding me a prisoner.
I turned my face up to the sun and shut my eyes. The kids’ laughter rang off the cliffs. They all sounded so happy and why shouldn’t they be? They had everything kids could possibly want—safety, support, family, education, a promising future…..
What about me? I had everything I could possibly want, too. I didn’t realize it before, but working in the computer lab put the last puzzle piece in place. I had a skill I could use to help this Clan. I was part of this Clan at last.
A deafening shriek snapped my eyes open in an instant. Connor and Wilcox were back on the deck with the other kids, but they didn’t play or run around anymore. They gaped up at the sky.
I didn’t see what they were looking at until an enormous black shadow covered the sun. It chilled the platform and Wilcox dove sideways to tackle Connor out of the way. “Look out!!”
The two boys somersaulted clear just as a gigantic blue dragon plunged out of nowhere. Its massive talons slammed down on the platform right where Connor and Wilcox had just been standing.
I stared in flabbergasted shock at the creature pumping its huge wings. The giant monster covered the entire deck. The kids had to cower against the rocks just to keep clear of its wings.
Its head bobbed on the end of a long, snake-like neck. The creature cocked its head from side to side and glared in all directions with crystal, ice-blue eyes.
Its tail whipped back and forth cracking the air. The dragon turned to scan the platform and its heavy claws shook the deck when its foot down. I wasn’t hallucinating or imagining this. It really was a dragon—a gigantic one.
It scanned the area and spotted Connor and Wilcox huddled against the mountainside. The dragon turned in their direction and its tail nearly decapitated three girls across the platform.
They screamed and darted out of the way, but the dragon paid no attention to them. It locked its eyes on the two boys. It completely ignored the other kids.
The creature took one menacing step toward the boys, coiled back its neck, and darted its razor head at them. The creature’s wicked eyes locked on Connor. This monster didn’t give a shit about Wilcox. It wanted to kill my son.
I spent too many years defending Connor’s life to stand by and watch this. Its head dwarfed my whole body, but I didn’t even think about the danger.
My hands flew to my waistband behind my back, but I didn’t find my pistol there. I stopped carrying it once I entered this stronghold. I thought Connor and I would be safe here. That was my first and last mistake.
I didn’t have a gun, but that didn’t make me helpless. I charged the thing and collided with its head. I slammed into it just hard enough to make its nose hit the rock a few feet away from Connor and Wilcox.
Both boys screamed, hung onto each other, and huddled against the rock. The other kids bolted for the corridor leading back inside the stronghold, but Connor and Wilcox couldn’t get away or reach any exit from here. They were trapped.
The dragon wound back its neck again and fixed its sharp eyes on me now, but at least it wasn’t looking at Connor anymore.
The creature cracked its mouth open to reveal dozens of needle fangs. It hissed and then roared in fury, but I refused to budge. No way in hell would I let this fiend get near my son.
The creature darted at me so fast I never saw the blow coming. The dragon’s nose punched into my sternum and toppled me backward against the rock. I sprawled right on top of the boys and they screamed again. My body alone stood between Connor and certain death.
My arms flew out to bang against the rock and the impact of my fall knocked loose a bunch of rubble from the cliff face. A few shards pattered around my head and my brain shifted gears.
I snatched a random fragment and the sharp edges bit into my palm and fingers. That feeling spiked me into a murderous rage and I stabbed the pointed end into the dragon’s face.
I aimed for its eye, but I missed and wound up slashing from its lower eyelid down to its cheek. Its scales protected it from any serious damage, but it bellowed in pain anyway.
It lunged away and I sprang off the rock wielding my rock in a rage. “Run, Connor! Get out of here, Wilcox! Run now!”
The boys screamed again and streaked away to safety. The dragon’s head snapped around watching them flee. I had to take its attention off them.
I struck out again and again slashing at the creature’s face. I had to keep its attention on me just long enough for Connor and Wilcox to get inside the stronghold. Nothing else mattered.
The dragon roared one more time and swiped its head sideways this time. It slammed me off my feet and I flew across the platform to crash down hard on the stone floor.
I winced in pain and flipped over just as the creature took one deadly, stalking step nearer. It snarled deep in its massive chest, lowered its head, and bared its fangs. This monster was going to kill me right now, but at least Connor would be all right.
I groped at the deck trying to find my rock, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the thing. Something in its ice-cold blue eyes looked……familiar.
