The heavy doors screeched open and Cao tensed, hoping they came for him first.

Two bulky males marched inside and headed straight for Ling.

Fuck.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Cao taunted toward one guard. “What, no kiss hello?” If he heckled them enough, they might go after him instead.

Dragon guard one, the male wearing a steel breastplate, spun toward him. “Wait your turn, asshole. We’ll have fun later, I promise.”

“Let’s get her down,” the second guard barked, unlocking one of Ling’s manacles.

To hell with this. “Ling, feeling wooly?”

She perused him, mouth drawn tight. “Yeah, I am.”

The dragons might not be aware of Sheep. The cloaking would be the distraction he’d require.

The second her other hand was free, Ling cloaked Sheep, throwing the guards off. One smacked into Taelen, who snared his legs around the guard’s neck, locked them tight, and twisted, snapping the dragon’s neck.

The other staggered toward Cao, but regained his balance before Cao reached him. He snorted and blew a gust of indigo dragon fire, singeing Sheep’s wool.

“Argh!” Ling cried, leaping backward.

Cao wrenched on his manacles, struggling to get free and help her.

Sheep’s incandescent white orbs roved within its head, wild, panicking.

Dammit.

Ling couldn’t free her dragon, but this dickhead might.

“Hey, motherfucker. That all you got?” He taunted the guard, seeking his transformation. This cell was pretty tiny, after all.

His smack talk did the trick. The guard veered toward him, face flushed with anger, and chest heaving. He huffed and puffed and turned into a fucking dragon.

Cao just smirked. Taelen whistled from across the room. “Hey, dragon dragon.”

That got the beast to spin in this tight, crammed space, and forget about his tail. Cao hadn’t. He secured the spiked tip between his feet and wrenched. The dragon howled and pulled back on his tail, then smacked it toward Cao. He ducked out of the spearhead’s path, directing it to the chain binding his right manacle. The spiky tip sliced right through the metal, freeing his arm.

The dragon whipped his head around, its eyes growing wide.

That’s right. You’re fucked. Cao latched on to the dragon’s tail and thwacked it against his other wrist, chopping through the chain. Now, he was free. He leapt onto the dragon’s back, riding the buckling animal and crawling along its plumed spine, dodging the ramming spiked tail.

Time for the fun part.

He wound his hands through the dragon’s plumage, anchoring them like reins, and yanked harder and tighter until he’d ridden the beast into submission. “Do you yield? Or would you like to join your friend?”

The dragon collapsed to the ground, unable to twitch its head unless Cao gave him permission.

“Free Taelen,” he grunted to Ling.

She uncloaked Sheep and dashed around the subdued beast to unlock Taelen’s bindings. “What do we do with him?” She cast Cao a round-eyed stare.

“Turn into your human shape,” he commanded the guard.

Emitting a muttered growl, the guard obeyed.

Cao and Taelen wrestled him to his feet and shoved him to the wall where Taelen had been bound. They closed the manacles around his wrists, securing him.

“Consider yourself lucky.” Cao knocked him on the side of the head, to ensure he’d be unconscious and wouldn’t call for help.

Ling snatched their clothes from the far table, tossing him his, and donning hers, while Taelen stripped the guard and tugged on too-baggy jeans.

After Cao dressed, Ling crashed into his arms. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and regarded Taelen. “Thanks for your help.”

“Thanks for yours.” The male shifted his attention to Ling.

She eased back and smiled. “It’s nice to officially meet you.” She stepped forward and slid her arms around Taelen’s waist. “Brother.”

“Sister,” he murmured, closing his arms around her in awkward hesitation, as though he didn’t have much experience with this whole familial affection thing.

After a moment, they broke apart and Ling glanced at Cao. “What do we do now?”

“Now, we escape.” Cao nodded at Taelen. “Together.”

“How?” Ling frowned at him. “The entry I came in was underwater. A sizeable distance underwater. You wouldn’t be able to hold your breath for that far.”

He cocked one brow at her. “I’m immortal, remember? I don’t have to hold my breath. I just have to trust you’ll bring me to the surface.”

* * *

Drown?” Ling sputtered. “You’re going to drown, and you’re okay with that?”

“Yeah.” He shrugged, so nonchalant. “I have no doubt you’ll resuscitate me.” The wink he sent her was pure smugness, mixed with a pinch of wickedness.

“I don’t like it.” She stamped her foot, but the two males grinned at each other.

Ugh.

“We’re going to run away and hide?” What would stop her grandfather from coming after them again? What about Ry?

“It’s the best plan,” Cao insisted. “Unless you can think of a better one?”

She regrettably shook her head.

“Let’s go before they miss the guards.” Taelen jerked his chin toward the door. “I don’t know where the exit is. I sure hope you do.”

“I can find it.” Ling set her shoulders and stole to the door, tugging it open a crack. The torch-lit hallway was empty, so she snuck into the corridor, the two men behind her. She closed her eyes for a moment, sensing the direction of the exit, and found it, toward her right.

But then, another sound drifted from her left, from another cell.

A feminine whimpering. The voice familiar. Ry.

Before the men questioned her, she raced to the cell door and peered inside. A nude Ry sprawled on the stone floor, one ankle bound by a long chain to the wall. The cell was empty except for her.

“Ry?” Ling whispered through the doorway.

The sniffling stopped and Ry tilted her head. “Ling?”

Her eyes were sunken, puffy and red, her skin pale, and her features drawn in sadness.

Ling didn’t wait for the others. She shoved open the door and darted to Ry’s side, clawing open the manacle. “I’m getting you out of this place.”

“Why? What does it matter?” Ry collapsed against the floor again, uncooperative.

“Why would you want to stay? Come on, let’s go.”

“No.” Ry trailed her fingertips along the stone beside her face. “He should have killed me instead. Not them.”

Oh, no. Dread sank like a weight into her gut. “Who? Who did he kill?” She already perceived who, though. Ling pressed her hand over her mouth, fighting a sob. “I’m so sorry, Ry.”

“Ling, we have to go,” Cao hissed from the doorway. “Now, or it will be too late.”

The shock slapped her across the face, but Cao’s warning jolted her harder. “Help me carry her.” She grabbed Ry’s clothes from the steel table and helped Ry into them.

Taelen was too weak—he hobbled through the hallways—but Cao sprinted to her side and hefted Ry onto his shoulder.

They continued their escape, winding through narrow rock tunnels until they emerged near the dressing room Ry had taken her to. It was a short dash from there to the underwater entrance.

Just before diving under, she spun to Cao and placed a hand on his chest. “Are you sure about this?”

“Deathly so,” he teased, plucked off her fingers, and pressed kisses to each of them. “I trust you.”

She swallowed hard and hoped like hell his trust wasn’t misplaced.

He’s immortal; he can’t die.

Still, trepidation spiraled through her blood.

Cao seized in a huge gulp of air, the plan being for him to swim as far as he was able, so they wouldn’t have to drag him the entire way. He dove into the pool with Ry, Taelen after them, and Ling last.

Kicking hard, she focused on the underwater waterfall forming the security field. She caught up with Cao and slipped her hand into his as they passed.

A sizzling jolt of electricity zapped him, but fizzled as it tried to pass through her, too. Cao’s body buckled, and he swallowed, inhaling water, causing his body to jerk and twist.

Gods, he’s drowning. She stamped down her heartache at his suffering.

His fingers gave one last tiny squeeze as his lungs stopped working. Then, his body went limp.

Quick. Have to be quick.

Ling clasped his hand tight and towed him along the pathway. Taelen snared his other arm and wrapped it around his shoulders, while Ry swam ahead and led the way.

Agonizingly long moments passed where Cao wasn’t breathing. Neither dead nor alive.

If she didn’t get him to the surface, he’d remain unconscious forever. She steeled her resolve, flushing away the panic, and kicked harder, swimming with every ounce of her strength.

At last, the dock’s shadow appeared above them. The notion of safety drove her onward, and they breached the surface. With Taelen and Ry’s help, she hoisted Cao onto the dock. Ling kneeled beside him, hands ready to resuscitate him. A second later, he choked and spewed the water from his lungs, rolling onto his side.

“Are you okay?” She ran her hands over him, not quite sure she believed he was alive.

He stopped hacking and tipped his face to send her a smirk. “Now, I am.”

* * *

She saved me. Cao slid his hands around Ling’s neck and pulled her mouth onto his. A quick kiss. No time for more.

He drew away and nodded at Ry and Taelen. “Thank you.”

Ry patted his shoulder, treaded to the other side of the dock, and sank to her knees.

“What happened, Ry?” Ling perched beside her.

“He killed them.” Ry sniffled, her voice cracking on a sob. “My den mates. He killed them.”

Ling gasped and flung her arms around Ry. “Why?”

“To punish me.” The woman steadied her voice and clenched her hands. Anger seeped through her tone. “He killed them to punish me. They were innocent.”

Ling bowed her head. “And to punish me. I’m so sorry, Ry.”

“It’s not your fault, Ling.” The other woman tossed her head. “I should have known better. I should’ve anticipated his brutality.”

Taelen sighed and plopped onto the dock beside Ry. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thanks Tae.” She rested her head against his shoulder. “I had no clue where you were. He kept you prisoner, all these years?”

“Yeah.” Taelen’s right fist clamped.

Ry grabbed his left in both of hers and patted it. “That stinks.”

“What do we do?” Cao took a seat next to Ling. “They’ll be tracking us any minute. There’s no helicopter. I’m not even sure where we could hide, or for how long.”

“We don’t need a helicopter,” Ry hummed. “You strong enough to shift, Tae?”

He inclined his head. “I can manage.”

“Good. You’ll take Ling.” The female leaned back to peer at him. “You ride with me, Immortal.”

He tensed, but Ry was right. They had perfect transportation. “Where to?”

“We’re fugitives.” Ry kicked her feet in the water. “So, we’ll go where outcasts do. To the Floating Islands.”

“They’re not real.” He scowled at the useless suggestion.

She snorted. “Says the legendary Eight Immortal who ate a magic peach.”

He flinched at the jibe. “Okay, so say they are real. Where are they?”

“I know a guy who might know a guy,” Ry hedged.

“I can,” Ling bleated. “I can locate them.”

The three of them gaped at Ling. “How would you be able to do that?” Ry demanded.

“Uh, you’re looking at the girl who finds things for a living, remember?” she huffed. “You can bet I’ve had more than one request about the Floating Islands.”

“Okay, spill.” Ry released Tae’s hand and crossed her arms.

“Head to the diamond-shaped cluster of islands in the South Sea, then straight toward the sun. They never stay in the same place, except once, at sunset.” She surveyed the noon sky. “If we can reach it by dusk, we’ll be okay.”

They leapt to their feet. Taelen and Ry transformed into their dragonly selves.

He jerked back at the sight of Taelen’s dragon form. Unlike Ry, he wasn’t a blend of shades of blue. Instead, streaks of deep brown swirled in with darker shades of cobalt. Where Ry had glinting scales covering her body, interlocking plates like segmented armor shielded his. As a male, he was bigger than Ry, his serpentine body bulkier. Whereas Ry’s tail ended in a wide and flat spiked tip, several fang-shaped horns protruded from Taelen’s narrow tail.

However, he did also possess wings. He was unlike any dragon Cao had heard of. “Hey mate, what…are you?”

Taelen angled his head. “My father was Dilong. Which makes me not only an enigma, but heresy, too.” He opened and flapped his wings. “Got these from our mother. Dilong are earth dragons, don’t have wings.”

Crazy. He’d never seen a blended dragon before. Traditional dragons didn’t believe in inter-breeding.

“Well, I think you look cool.” Ling stepped forward, beaming at Taelen.

“Thanks, sis. Climb on.” He jerked his chin toward his back. Ling waved at Cao once before leaping atop Taelen’s back.

Ry flicked out her forked tongue at him. “Hop aboard.”

Cao grudgingly climbed onto Ry’s back and she took off into the sky.

The two dragons flapped their mighty wings, beating them hard, then glided through the clouds. They headed straight for the horizon, following Ling’s directions.

Toward the sunset.

And freedom.