Dragon's Healing

Dragon's Healing

Terry Compton

Published by Terry Compton at Smashwords

Copyright 2012 Terry Compton

Cover images courtesy of Paula Stanley, Algol & Dreamstime.com

Cover by Terry Compton

A wounded dragon from another dimension shows up in Mac McGuiness' hunting spot. He could forgive that but not bringing the disgusting other creatures with him, especially when those brutes kidnap his grandson. Can Mac and the dragon form a partnership to run the monsters back into their own dimension and get Kelly back? Will either survive?

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. All characters or incidents are a figment of the author's imagination and any resemblance to any incident or any person living or dead is purely coincidental.

Chapter 1

Lane 'Mac' McGuiness sat with his head in his hands. He didn't notice the late October sunshine, the fresh dusting of snow nor the beautiful scenery surrounding him. He was so heartsick that even the hunting trip and being in the outdoors didn't help. One shot from his rifle could end his pain forever.

There was the noise again. It was a little louder this time. Mac had first heard it fifteen minutes ago. He had planned to hunt for deer or elk on Strawberry Creek here in the mountains of northwest Montana because he thought it might help ease the pain. Other hunts had helped erase troubles that had come his way. Could that sound be deer or elk fighting? When the moan came again, he thought, That sounds just like I feel. He almost got up to go check it out but the moans stopped so he settled back into his lethargy of pain.

He thought again of all the times he and Kate, his wife, had been out to enjoy the fall season in the mountains. Now it would never happen again. Even the thought of his kids and grandkids didn't help. His son had offered to come with him but he needed to be by himself to work this out. It was wrong to think about ending his life but could he go on?

The breeze blowing through the trees reminded him of her gentle mirth. When she became really tickled, she had a unique laugh that made you feel good all over. He had loved to make her giggle but that wouldn't happen anymore.

The noise came again from up on that rocky ledge. He had hunted up there before and knew that some big muley bucks sometimes laid up there but there wasn't room for any fighting on that ridge. What's that sound? Not any deer or elk I've ever heard. What made that noise?

The moan stopped before he got up. Flashes of Kate's memory moved through his mind. Pictures of her in the early days of their marriage. The horrible moan came again. He pictured her with their first child. The moan became worse.

With another moan fresh in his ears, his anger rose. Someone had to be mocking him. The moans came at each of his most poignant memories. His anger forced him to stand up and do something. He tried to slip quietly through the woods to get closer.

The birds and squirrels were even strangely silent. That should have been a warning but Mac was too intent on finding the source of that noise. He missed that important clue. He didn't find any fresh tracks either. That sank into his consciousness and puzzled him. There were always deer tracks around here and sometimes elk. The moan came again. Seems closer. Where can it be?

Mac moved higher on the ridge looking for any clues. His anger cooled as he moved up the ridge. The mountainside around him lay in absolute stillness except for the sigh of a breeze through the trees. In the distance, he could hear ravens cawing. He slipped through the forest toward the place he thought the sound came from. He stopped and leaned against a boulder.

When he looked around, he remembered standing right here with Kate watching their son shoot his first deer. He felt a huge pang as he remembered her laughter at the sight of their son dancing around, jumping up and down as he yelled, I got it. I got it. The moan came back increasing in intensity and mournfulness.

Mac's anger returned as he knew someone now mocked his every pang. He would put a stop to this mockery. He quickly climbed higher looking for the source of the moans but he couldn't see anything. Another two hundred yards and he would be in the clearings where he could see much farther.

His lungs burned from the climb as he pushed to the opening in the trees. He was moving much faster than he normally hunted but he wanted this mocker. Reaching the edge of the trees, he stopped to survey the area ahead. No tracks marred the hillside and no birds flew through the sky. What would cause that?

The path along the edge of the trees made a perfect way to advance. He crept along sweeping the way ahead with a piercing eye. A fallen log lay beside the path. He remembered having Kate lean against it to sight in on the monster buck five, no six years ago. He grinned at the memory of her wiggling to get comfortable and then concentrating on sighting her rifle. When she shot and the buck dropped, she left the rifle on the log and jumped into his arms. She was so excited because her deer looked much bigger than the one he had shot earlier.

The wave of pain that swept over him almost dropped him to his knees. He had to lean against a tree to stay upright. The moan came with such intensity, he could feel the vibrations in his body. Each tremor echoed with his own feelings of pain.

It took a few minutes before he could move again. These moans weren't mocking him but echoing his feelings. Whatever or whoever was doing it felt his anguish. He had to find them and see why.

As he moved closer to the source of the moans, he had to block all thoughts of Kate from his mind. The feelings of pain were so intense here they almost made him sick physically. He had to find those moans and find out how they could have such sympathy with him.

A wave of dizziness swept over him as he felt like he had dropped down the big hill on a roller coaster. His gut tightened as his body felt it rapidly climb back up the hill. The flash of sunlit plains below leaped into his mind. Mac staggered to a tree and hung on. Scene after scene flashed through his mind. Where are these images coming from? Who's seeing these sights?

The feel of the rough tree bark against his face brought him back to the present. He had the feeling that he had flown over mountains and plains on the back of some sort of creature. The two of them had flown for miles. The feeling had been more exhilarating than anything he had ever known. Maybe that experience would help relieve my pain. Wait, don't think of my pain. I'm too close to the source and it hurts so badly.

He ducked as the swish of a sword flashed over his head. Thrust with your own sword. Ugly dark creatures charged at him and he swung the sword for all he was worth. His life depended on it. Don't think of danger. Hack, thrust then parry. Mac couldn't move and didn't dare drop to the ground. Were these images real or were they in his head?

He thought of Kate again just to clear the other images out. He remembered the day he held her as she sobbed over the death of a friend. The smell of her hair and the heat of her body seemed so real he had to blink to make sure she wasn't right there. The moan rose to a keen.

Mac held his hands over his ears to block it but the sound didn't diminish. Soul wrenching agony touched him. He had never known anything like this. He let the pain of his loss lash out and tried to aim it at the source of the noise.

The moan swelled to an almost unbearable level and then stopped. He charged up to the rocky ledge. At the end of it he saw a cave. Strange, he didn't remember any cave there before. He had hunted up here for years and years. A cloud of vapor came out of the cave and disappeared in the mountain air. This must be the source. Without thinking, he slipped his rifle off of his shoulder and moved forward. His thumb rested on the safety, ready to slide it into the firing position.

As he came to the entrance of the cave, he could hear the sound of labored breathing. Something inside transmitted pain. The sound of the breathing just amplified the feeling of it. Mac tightened his grip on the rifle. What could be inside that cave?

He looked at the fresh snow in front of the entrance but there were no tracks. How long had the -- Thing? -- Person? -- Creature? been in there? Is it dangerous? What a silly thought. Minutes ago I contemplated using the rifle on myself. Why should I be afraid?

He slipped just inside the opening in the cliff and moved against the wall. He listened intently as his eyes adjusted to the dark. Something lay to the rear of the cave. This cavern appeared to be much too big to have been missed on all his hunting trips. Surely he or his kids would have spotted it.

His eyes adjusted a little to the dark and he could see a black shape toward the back. It was still too dark to distinguish any features but he felt it must be huge. He held his rifle at hip level, ready to fire.

After several moments, he slid a little further into the cave. The labored breathing didn't change. Mac couldn't tell where the breathing came from. He strained his eyes trying to see what the bulk might be. He slowly moved his feet another step or two.

Suddenly, the vision of a tall, ugly black creature came at him from his right. The creature had long arms that almost dragged the ground and its head looked like it sat directly on its shoulders with no neck. Its nose looked like it had been smashed on its face and smeared to one side. He almost fired but at the last second held back.

The vision disappeared and a deep voice came from the rear of the cave, I see you are not afraid of images of your fellow Gratuit. Did the Dark Prince, Julunder, send you to finish me off? I had hoped to kill him but I must not have.

The voice gave Mac a start. He gruffly replied, I don't know what you are talking about. Come out here where I can see you or I'll send a shot back there.

Very brave words for someone sending such feelings of pain and then sending images of peace and happiness.

I didn't send anything. I came up here to – never mind. Why I came up here is my business. I told you to step out where I can see you.

A huge horned, triangular-shaped head suddenly appeared only feet from him. Great yellow eyes stared directly into his. Mac didn't know why he didn't drop the rifle or fire it. He just stood staring.

The head said, You don't look like a Gratuit. Prince Julunder must be getting better at making your kind.

What are you talking about and what are you?