Page 18 of Consumed By Fire
Please!
I have to get away.
I have to!
Then I hear it. An angry roar. I don’t have to look back to know who is behind me. It’s him! It’s Octane. He’s caught up with me faster than I anticipated. At first, I fly in a frantic panic, and then, I finally risk a glance, and it is him. My heart plummets. He’s just as majestic and powerful as I remembered him, his black and gold scales glinting in the sunlight. I push my wings harder, determined to stay ahead, but Octane’s larger size gives him the advantage. His roars of rage echo through the jungle, causing birds to scatter from the trees in fear.
No!
He’s gaining on me. Of course he is. Not for the first time, I curse my small size.
It isn’t long before I can feel his hot breath on my tail as he closes in; his determination is almost palpable. Despite my fear, I refuse to give up. I dip and weave through the thick canopy, trying to lose him in the maze of trees below. I know it’s futile, but I have to try.
As expected, Octane is relentless in his pursuit. His claws swipe dangerously close to me, and his furious growls grow louder with each passing moment. Panic sets in as I realize there’s no way I can outfly him.
Dammit!
With a burst of speed, Octane surges forward and blocks my path, forcing me to come to a screeching halt by flapping backward lest I crash into him.
No!
Noooooooo!
My heart sinks faster than a rock into the depths of the dark, cold ocean.
He growls, baring his teeth. I’m outweighed by a mile. It’s no use. He forces me to fly lower. He wants me to land and uses his huge body to make that happen.
I descend, huffing out a breath of utter frustration. Kim will get into trouble for nothing. All I needed was two or three more minutes, and I would have been home free.
Dammit all to hell!
I should’ve shifted sooner. Should’ve foregone goodbyes. Should’ve. Could’ve. Would’ve. Why did I come here?
We land, and he growls right in my face, his chest knocking gently against mine. I don’t feel afraid. I don’t think that he will hurt me, but it is clear that he wants me to shift. With reluctance, I do it, feeling the familiar sensation of my body transforming back into human form, the weight of my dragon form lifting off me easily. Far more easily than the other way around. Octane watches me intently, his golden eyes ablaze with anger. His look of disapproval doesn’t change as he shifts. If anything, it intensifies as scales become skin. I look down before meeting his eyes once again. I refuse to apologize. My only regret is that I didn’t get away.
“What were you thinking?” His voice is gruff. I didn’t expect any different.
I don’t answer because it isn’t really a question.
“I told you not to run.” Octane’s voice is low and rough. “I told you I would catch you.”
“You might not have.” I lift my brows.
He grabs my upper arms, pulling me toward him.
I suck in a breath.
“I told you there would be consequences,” he growls.
7
Octane
I’m vibrating with anger. My whole body is brimming with it. I want to shake her.
“What consequences? Are you going to hurt me? Kill me?” she yells.
I narrow my eyes. She still thinks so little of me, but I guess I can’t blame her since I haven’t given her much reason to trust me. “No! I might be a lot of things, but I won’t hurt a tiny female, even if she is my enemy. Not even after you pulled something as stupid as this.”