As Quiksilva raced along the pavement my mind kept wandering back to my talk with Shadow Booster and at first I didn't hear my dragon snort. When he slowed down and looked up at me I finally realized he had been trying to get my attention.
"Sorry 'silva. What's wrong?" I asked him and he rolled his eyes at me before he came to a stop and nudged my gauntlet and I giggled. "Okay fine I was distracted but the Shadow Booster is a pretty impressive booster." Unable to be understood Quiksilva growled instead and I caught the meaning blushing a little as I knew he was annoyed with me. This time I focused on my upcoming race and not a possible crush and as I saw the stables ahead I grinned relieved to be back.
But as I jumped down and approached the stables, Quiksilva by my side, I heard a yell and something slammed into me. Landing with a thud on my rear I glared, momentarily dazed, as Lance picked himself up and that's when I heard Artha's voice. As I stood Lance suddenly ducked behind me and I glanced down at him just as Artha, with a bucket on his head for some weird reason, stormed over and giving me a quick nod glared at his brother.
"Okay what's going on?" I asked shaking my head to clear it and Artha took a deep breath as he removed the bucket and dropped it on the ground. "And why are you yelling? Does this have something to do with the bucket? Or is it a new fashion style I'm not aware of." I added and Artha actually grinned and Lance quickly whispered a thank you.
"Scales. Okay I asked Lance to hold the chair while I grabbed some gear from the shelf above me. But he wasn't holding the chair, too busy playing his vidgames, and that's why there's a bucket on my head. Or was anyway." He explained and I giggled as Quiksilva chuckled. In seconds we were all laughing and when I finally managed to stop I asked him where everyone had gone. "Parmon and Kitt are meeting us here. Though they should have been here by now. Hey what happened to you anyway?"
"Well I ended up getting attacked by wraiths. I swear that Word Paynn has it in for me or something. Wonder if he wants his gauntlet back?" I replied a grin on my face though I was a little worried about the constant attacks and it must have shown on my face because Quiksilva nudged my hand. "Yeah I know I'm stronger than I look but still..." I didn't get to finish as Parmon and Kitt hurried over on their dragons.
"Guys where were you?" Artha asked as Parmon jumped down and judging from the worried look on his face something was wrong.
"The Dragon Crews are stealing dragons again. We just stopped them on our way here." He said as Kitt climbed down from Wyldfir's back and rushed over. "Hey when did you and Quiksilva get here, Rayne?" He asked and I shrugged more interested in what the other crew were up to.
"A few minutes ago. Anyway they won't get far. Let's go, 'silva! Unlock the light!" I called out as I slipped the medallion into my gauntlet and with a brillant flash of light we changed. Before Quiksilva could mag me Artha set a hand on my shoulder and I raised an eyebrow at him, not sure why he was stopping me.
"Wait for us, okay?" He said and I grinned before he took the medallion from around his neck. "Release the dragon!" He yelled and after he transformed Beau roared as he changed from his red and blue form to the dragon of legend. No matter how many times I saw his transformation it was still very cool and Artha laughed at the expression of wonder on my face. "Are you coming or what?" He asked as Beau magged him and they rushed away, leaving Quiksilva to mag me and race after them. By the time we caught up I saw Beau give us a grin before he leapt across the broken pavement and Quiksilva followed grinning back and as I held on I wondered, once again, why I'd left my saddle behind. So I kept my arms wrapped around his neck and hoped that I didn't end up falling off like I seem prone to do. A few minutes later Beau slowed and I saw why as Cain and Moordryd were prodding a dragon into a trailer they'd parked in the middle of the street and my eyes narrowed as I watched. Before Artha could stop me I whispered something to Quiksilva who immediately leapt towards them and knocked Rancydd, who had been keeping watch, off his dragon and onto the pavement. The second they heard the thud they looked up and Quiksilva roared ketting them know they were in for a fight. Hearing his roar the dragons already in the trailer rushed out and instantly fled into the night, hopefully returning to their owners and I heard Moordryd growl something. Instantly Decepshun magged him and as he rushed over he stopped suddenly surprised to see the Light Booster as I glared at him.
"What are you doing here?" He asked and I grinned at him as Quiksilva growled at his dragon. "This doesn't concern you." He added and I shook my head at him.
"It does when you're trying to take something, in this case dragons, who don't belong to you. What, is your father planning on making more wraiths? If so we're going to stop him." I shot back just as Artha and Beau leapt down cutting off their escape.
"You'll regret interferring." Moordryd growled at me and I just laughed enjoying having the upperhand and as he ordered Cain to escape he threw something at us and just for a second I caught a glimpse of it before it exploded. The sudden blast caught me by surprise and Quiksilva reared up throwing me as he roared and distracted Cain and Moordryd managed to escape. Coughing as he jumped down Artha rushed over and offered me his hand and I took it as he helped me to my feet.
"Scales he got away. Again." Artha growled as Beau magged him but before they could rush after the dragon thief Quiksilva magged me and in seconds we were just a dust cloud. "Rayne wait for us!" He yelled but I ignored him too intent on catching Moordryd and as we rushed after him I focused on finding my ex-friend. To my amazement Quiksilva began to glow and as I watched his legs became a blur as he raced after Decepshun and to both mine and Moordryd's shock he caught up and suddenly we were standing in front of them. Letting out a surpised growl Decepshun skidded to a halt and Moordryd blinked as Quiksilva lowered his head and growled.
"How did you...never mind. This ends now." He growled at me and holding up his hand he fired green trapping gear at Quiksilva. In response I focused on my dragon's mag energy and with a yell I fired, a mag-blast slamming into the gear and sending it back at its owner. With a yell Moordryd dodged and it just missed him before Decepshun chose that moment to fire a mag-blast at me. I leapt high into the air and as the energy missed me Quiksilva magged me at Moordryd. But he Decepshun magged him moments later at me and as we attacked I threw a punch that Moordryd blocked and he kicked at my leg. Of course I had had some training and I blocked it but before I had time to fire a mag-blast his way Decepshun slammed into Quiksilva and knocked him flying. Instantly I found myself falling and that's when the Dragon Booster caught me in his arms.
"Nice catch." I told him as he gently set me down and handing over my Jack stick I thanked him before I rushed towards Moordryd only to find that he vanished and I growled. "Oh that's just great. Man I can't catch a break." I complained and Quiksilva laughed at me.
"Don't sweat it, Rayne. We could go after him or..." Quiksilva said just as everyone heard a weird gurgling noise and I blushed under my helmet. "Or maybe get something to eat." He added with a chuckle and I rolled my eyes at both my dragon and Artha. After Quiksilva magged me we set out for the Penn Stables not realizing that we were being watched from a distance by the Shadow Booster and as we spot past he grinned before he shot a Balck energy whip at Beau who roared in pain as his mag energy was drained from him and as I shot towards the Shadow Booster, ignoring Artha's warning, something hit me and I cried out as my mag energy and Quiksilva's was forcibly ripped from us. I screamed then as he roared and in seconds I collapsed to the pavement. That's right when I heard a snap and I cried out again before my vision began to fade.
I must have passed out at some point because the next thing I knew the Shadow Booster was kneeling over me and I tried to move away only to gasp as the full extent of my injuries became clear.
"Try not to move. You're ankle's broken." The Shadow Booster told me and despite that I tried to move again only for a sudden and intense pain to shoot through my leg and I cried out. "What did I just say?" He asked as I groaned in pain and almost passed out on the spot. Rolling his eyes at me, not sure how he did under that helmet, he reached over and being very careful touched the leg. Again I gasped and he sighed realizing that it was worse than he thought. "Change back to your street clothes." He told me and after hesitating I gave him a brief nod and in seconds I gasped as the energy from my gauntlet vanished leaving me woozy.
Wordlessly the Shadow Booster reached down again and with one motion slid the helm of my pants up and I cringed as I saw the blood and the way my ankle was at a weird angle. "This is gonna hurt." He said just as he gripped the bone and in one swift motion he snapped it back into place. And that's when I did two things I'm not proud of; I screamed and fainted slumping to the ground. Hours passed and when I finally showed signs of life the Shadow Booster sat next to me as I slowly opened my eyes. "Welcome to the land of the living." He commented and as my eyes focused on him I tried to sit up, only to whimper as my leg flared and he rolled his eyes at me. "Stay still or it won't heal right." He said and I growled at him feeling both pain and anger and he chuckled at my failed glare.
"You...hurt me." I growled before I slowly sat up and despite feeling woozy I frowned at him. "This...is your fault." I mumbled before I almost passed out again and he wrapped an arm around my shoulders keeping me upright. "Let...go."
"If I do you'll hit the ground. Anyway I wasn't trying to break your ankle." He explained and I sighed gritting my teeth against the pain as I tried, and failed, at a witty comeback.
"Then what were you trying to do?" I managed and he gave me a grin before he moved forward and as he pressed his lips against mine I almost gasped. But I wanted this, wanted him ever since he first kissed me and soon I wrapped an arm around his shoulder. When I didn't pull away he slipped his tongue into my mouth and I groaned, shocked but soon I forgot all about the pain as he made out with me. In seconds my grip on him tightened as his tongue pressed against mine briefly before it wrapped around mine and I groaned into his mouth, torn between wanting to shove him away after accidently injurying me and to move even closer. The latter soon won out as his hand tugged the helm of my shirt and as it slipped underneath I didn't move though as soon as he found my bra I gasped as he cupped my chest. "Oh...drac..." I mumbled my words barely coherant and he somehow managed a chuckle before his tongue slipped from my mouth and as he massaged my breast thorugh the material I groaned eyes rolling back.
"Huh you didn't want this before. What changed?" He asked pausing with his hand still on my bra and I opened my eyes, face flushed to stare into his eyes.
"I...really like you. Even...after you...kidnapped me...and hurt me. I dodn't know...why." I answered my breath coming out as a gasp and he smiled suddenly before his lips found my throat and I groaned again as he trailed soft kisses along it as his hand reeturned to massaging me. But before we could go any further I began to feel faint and I gasped as the world began to grow dark. When I shuddered the Shadow Booster stopped and as he stared at me my face went white and I fell backwards, eyes closing. Moments later I had passed out and he stared at me at first annoyed that he had been interrupted then worried when I didn't respond to his repeated attempts to wake me. I can't remember what happened after that but when I groaned the Shadow Booster hurried over to me and as he knelt I began to stir eyes opening and when I blinked he sighed.
"For dragon's sake don't do that ever again." He grumbled and I managed a weak smile as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and helped me upright. Noticing my puzzled expression he chuckled. "You fainted right when we having fun." He explained and I blushed furiously at that image.
"I...don't know why...I passed out." I whispered as I rubbed my forehead and he gave me a smile before his dragon wandered over. To my shock his dragon nuzzled me and I stared though that didn't stop me from giving it a pat on the snout. "Cool dragon by the way." I commented as it nudged me and that's when I saw my Jack Stick in a bag on its side. "Hey I think that's mine." I said as the Shadow Booster handed it to me.
"Yeah I found it lying on the ground and thought it looked familar." Shadow Booster told me as I set it down wincing a little as my ankle throbbed. "You need to rest your ankle and the rest of you if you want it to heal. Want something to drink?" He asked and I gave him a nod before he handed me a cup and water from the same bag. Carefully holding it out to me I gave him a smile before I took a sip and once I was done I sighed.
"Feeling woozy." I said as I rubbed my eyes and he pointed out that I had a deep laceration on my ankle where I'd smashed it into the pavement. "Oh so I was bleeding?" I asked and he seemed pretty impressed by my matter-of fact question.
"Yeah a little but I bound the cut. It should have stopped bleeding but you can't walk on it right now. Just stay here and I'll get you something to eat." He told me and I pressed my palm against the ground keeping myself steady as he stood and walked over to his bag. As he did I wondered where the Dragon Booster had disappeared to. Then I realized Quiksilva was missing and as soon as he saw the way I was biting my lip and the barely controlled tears he walked back and knelt. "Your dragon will find you." He told me and I gave me a slow nod though I wasn't as convinced. As he handed me a candy bar he tried not to laugh at the confused expression on my face. Though I did try it and decided that I really liked candy right there and then.