The Vampire Queen's Dragon Lord

She made certain they didn't have bodies to bury. Hatred and rage weighed down Declan Bishop's shoulders, already heavy from his newfound responsibility as King. Since the news of his parents' deaths hit the lair, the only thought in Declan's mind was that he had not been able to bring back their bodies for a proper burial. Every dragon in their flock had gathered around their mountain to say goodbye to the King and Queen and usher him in as their new ruler. But the vampire Queen had ensured their ancient order and traditions would not be upheld. They didn't have bodies to bury. That was the only thought running through Declan's mind. That and revenge. Declan stood at the lip of the cliff, staring through the darkness at the churning sea a hundred feet below. Moonlight and night winds caressed his bare chest, carrying a scent right to him. The salty ocean air masked the stench of death blanketing the beach. Most humans would not even take notice. But the animal within Declan sensed it lingering in the undertones of the sea air. Blood. Declan crouched low. The tip of his booted foot dangled over the ledge, sending a handful of pebbles tumbling into the water. Undaunted, he leaned further and c****d his head. She was down there. He could not see her, but he could smell her. Powerful. Evil. His sharp eyes zeroed in on the ragged cliffs and caverns below, searching for an opening. He always thought it ironic that the warring clans both chose the comfort of caves as their dwellings. Vampires inhabited the ground beneath the earth, while the dragons lived high above to avoid the increasingly astute human population. The security and protection a cave offered also appealed to his species. Only one entrance meant that they would always know their foes were coming and could block the cave to keep out attacks. Much like his dragon kin's lair, the vampire catacombs below were, no doubt, elaborate and full of surprises. He'd have to be careful. Declan fingered the brown satchel in his hands and stood. Despite his reservations, he knew he must do what his parents had died trying to do. What she had killed them for. Someone yanked the bag from his grip. He whipped around. At the sight of a small female with violet eyes, the frown he'd worn all evening deepened. "Talia, get back to the lair," he said, swiping his arm out. She shifted her hold, keeping the bag just out of his reach. Declan rolled his eyes. They were not hatchlings playing keep-away anymore. "I'm coming with you." "Like hell you are," he seethed, easily snatching the satchel from her hands and turning his back to her. He slid the straps over his broad shoulders, making sure the bag hung low enough that his wings would not rip through the fabric when he shifted into his dragon form. "They were my parents too, Declan." At her words, he drew in a breath, releasing it slowly. "Talia, please. I'm not getting into this again. You were there when I told the council. I'm going alone." A firm hand cupped his shoulder, forcing him around. "The Queen will capture and torture you like she did them, and then what? Then where will our flock be?" "No closer to extinction than we already are." Fire flickered behind her eyes. For a moment, he thought she might strike him. Hell, the dejection in his voice made him want to smack himself. However, she did not lash out. That was not her way. Instead, tenderness he neither earned nor deserved replaced her anger. "We need you, Declan. Without you leading us, all of our kind would be lost." "No," he said through clenched teeth. "We will be lost if that b***h gets her hands on the Dragon Crystal. You were there when Doc translated the scroll. The power to rule all or destroy one," he quoted from memory. "You know what that means? If they harness the energy from that stone, the Queen will bend us all to her will, and we will become slaves, like the olden days. Or worse, she will decimate us. And it's down there," he said, pointing to the caverns, "waiting for her to use it." "The scroll's torn, Declan. We can't even be certain that's what it means...." "They died getting that scroll to us," he shouted, his words clipped with emotion. "If Mom and Dad believed the prophecy enough to sacrifice themselves, that's good enough for me. As their successor, it is my duty to look after our kind. I'm flying down there to the horde's catacombs and retrieving that crystal. "Fine. Then I'm coming with you." Declan released a frustrated groan and raked a hand through his hair. It was pointless to keep fighting. He knew Talia. She was a warrior and a fighter. She would not give up until he granted her request. Not that he could blame her. He would have done the same thing. "Do you swear to do what I say, when I say it, no questions asked?" "Of course, brother." Her lips quirked in a victorious smile before she launched into the air. Declan watched her transform in a burst of iridescent pinks and purples and shook his head. "Fools and dragons," he murmured, leaping after her.