Page 45 of Red Fire

“Let’s make for the open plains. We’ll explain the situation to all when we get there,” Tank says. “If we can’t convince enough of them, the female will probably be killed.”

“That would not be ideal,” the other guy says.

Not ideal?

Not ideal at all. I hate that they are still speaking about me like I’m a pair of shoes. Tank shifts and picks me up. It happens so fast that I barely have time to even register. Then he is flying above the trees with me dangling in his claws. Three dragons surround us, followed by another two, then another five.

They screech and grunt and rumble. I think they are talking. More and more dragons join. When one attacks, I watch as it is taken down. Limbs are torn away, including both wings, and the dragon falls in a bloody rush that ends in a crash through the canopy. I’m sure it must be dead.

They’re vicious and unpredictable. All the stories are true; they’re bloodthirsty.

What have I done?

I’ve bought myself time…and then what?

I try not to think about it as I am carted off to some unknown destination. The sky is turning black there are so many dragons.

They’re all going to fight over me. One of them will win me.

I haven’t seen Creed. I’m starting to suspect the worst. My eyes sting, but I refuse to cry.

16

Creed

My teeth crunch through muscle, sinew, and bone. The dragon beneath me lets out a shuddering breath before lying still. Its scales are blackened and burned on one side where I charred his flesh.

I look up and step forward toward the two remaining males. Then I growl as I shift back into my human form.

“Why are you listening to the male?” I bark. Tank told them to contain me while he went after Octavia, and they actually obeyed him. “You do realize that he is going to claim her for himself?”

It’s probably happened already. My blood runs cold. Everything in me tightens with a possessiveness I have never felt before.

Mine!

Keep!

Find!

Octavia.

My dragon surges to the fore, railing against me. He wants me to go after her immediately. My hands start to turn to claws. I feel scales pop up all over my body. I hold him back. I have to. Right now, I need clarity.

“The male promised we could share her,” one of the two says.

“He lies!” I snarl. “Do you really think a male like Tank will share anything?”

The one male looks at the other. I see doubt on their faces.

Good!

“A dominant male like Tank won’t share! I can tell you that now,” I bark out, my hands fisting at my sides. Why are they being such idiots? The answer comes to me right away. Because they’re desperate. That’s why.

The three remaining dragons cornered me and contained me, just like Tank asked them to. Eventually, I was forced to act. I shifted and fought one, taking him down.

“I am leaving now. You can try to stop me, but I will retaliate and kill you both.” I’m posturing. Tank broke a couple of my ribs on my right side. I have a thick, bleeding gash along my thigh that hurts like a bitch. We were neck and neck when that male took Octavia. Truth be told, I was probably slightly on the back foot.

I’m very much on the back foot right now, but they can’t know that. I have to act like I am at full strength, even if it hurts with every breath I take.