“Again!” Xilon yelled. “Hit them with the fire again.” The horde below them was fading out. But he couldn’t leave any of the Tryns alive. They’d return with reinforcements. And now that these ones knew the Renjerian’s hideout, they’d never be safe.

“Clear on my side,” Kohl answered. His wings wobbled slightly against the current. He too had given blood to the others that wanted to leave.

“Taurian?” Xilon asked, then fired at five stragglers. Below him, the mountain burned hot with their dragon-fire.

“Done,” his brother answered. “I think that’s the last of them.”

“Yeah. But why didn’t they send the big guns besides the two we took out early?” He turned to his brother Kohl as they landed on a nearby mountain peek to watch the flames and ensure there were no more Tryns alive. “You said they said there were a lot more of the smarter, larger Tryns so why only send a few after us if they knew our location?”

“I don’t know. To flush us out?” Kohl shrugged.

A sinking sensation hit Xilon’s gut. “Or to distract us.” Ash! He’d sent her away thinking to keep her safe, but what if he hadn’t? What if the safest place for her was by his side? How could he have been so stupid?

“Do you and the others have this?” Xilon asked, already flapping his wings to leave.

“Sure. But where are you going?” Taurian frowned.

“I’ve got to go get my woman.” Ensure himself that she was fuming and pissed at him, but okay. He launched himself into the air and took off toward dark clouds in the distant horizon. Inside panic swelled in his chest. Once he saw her, held her, the weight pressing down on his heart would ease. She’d laugh at him being so worried. Then they’d make love again. As amazing of an image he painted, his heart twisted with unease. No, something was wrong. Ash would not have gone willingly like she did unless she’d planned on returning somehow. She was just too stubborn to let him believe that he was right about sending her away.

Her sword. She said it had melted with a large Tryn. Her agreement to go back must have been to get more weapons. But she’d have been back by now. Something had to be wrong.

“Xilon,” Taurian shouted behind him. “Wait up.”

“Stay with the others. There might be some Tryns we missed.”

Taurian twisted his long serpentine neck behind him to the burning mountain, then shook his head. “I seriously doubt it. Listen, I think you’re right about Ash.”

“Oh?” Xilon pumped his wings harder.

“Yeah. I gave her a comlink to call me when she ready to come back. She said she’d call me in a few hours, but I was so busy with the Tryns, I didn’t realize how much time had passed.” He grimaced. “It’s been over six hours.”

Xilon swallowed the acid coating the back of his throat. If something happened to her, he’d never forgive himself.

Reaching the storm, Xilon grasped ahold of the first lightning bolt and felt Taurian do the same. They rolled across the grass in human form and naked. Not waiting, he tore into a run. At least it was nighttime wherever they had landed. He forced his body back into dragon form, Taurian following suit.

For hours they flew until they reached the Louisiana coast then he dropped down outside Grams’ house. The stench of Tryn hung heavy in the air.

“Go, find her,” Taurian said changing back into human form, his breaths panting from the recent shifts. “I’ll see about everyone else.”

Not changing out of his Renjerian body, Xilon took to the sky. He’d find Ash and flay the Tryn who dared to take her.

He followed her scent, using the overcast clouds and early morning fog as cover. Near a grassy lake, he spotted her struggling against one of the giant Tryns. Xilon dove, ramming his head into the monster’s side.

“Wondered when you’d show up.” The Tryn stood. “Seems as if you’ve claimed what is mine, so I’ve got to deal with you, then my bride.”

“I’m no one’s bride or woman or anything!” Ash kicked the demon in his shin, but he didn’t flinch.

“Now it’s time you died, you and all Renjerians like you,” Tryn spat. “After I mate with this human, her offspring will be able to travel at will between Earth and Renjer and wipe out the pathetic race that has tried to stop us from conquering both your planets for ages.”

“Too much talk, not enough fighting.” Xilon tucked his wings to his body and clipped the demon on his shoulder. “Ash, get out of here.”

“Not a chance!” She stood her ground and he couldn’t have been more proud. But without a weapon, she wouldn’t survive if the monster turned on her.

Xilon smacked into the creature again, this time knocking him off his feet. The Tryn merely laughed and at the third attack, he jumped into the air. Higher than Xilon would’ve thought possible and yanked on Xilon’s wing.

“No!” Ash screamed and raced to help. Her fist plummeting the demon’s head. “Let him go.”

Pain seared his back as the Tryn tore part of Xilon’s wing. He crumpled to the ground, his breaths burning in his lungs.

“And now you die!”

“Taurian!” Xilon called for his brother. He hated asking for help, but he couldn’t fight this creature with Ash here. Once she was out of the line of fire, he could release his fire and roast the bastard.

“More Renjerians?” The Tryn tapped his chin with his clawed hand. “Let me see, oh yes, I left her brother possessed back home and included two more of my kind to wait in case you showed up at the house. Doubtful anyone in that shack is still alive.”

“No!” Ash raced back in the direction of Grams’ house, but the Tryn leaped after her, slamming her into the ground.

“I’ve other plans for you, pet.” It licked her cheek.

“Don’t touch her!” Rage boiled in Xilon’s blood and he struggled across the ground to reach them. The pain of his torn wing cascading through him. He couldn’t fight like this. But he lacked the energy to shift into a human.

“Try and stop me.” The Tryn held Ash down with one hand, her stomach sinking in the quagmire, while he tugged at her pants with the other. “Want to know how my kind is made, Renjerian? Like this.”

“No!” Xilon roared dashing forward with all his speed. Before he could stop himself, his dragonfire soared out of his mouth, hitting both the Tryn and Ash at the same time. His body shifting while he ran and he collapsed in a heap outside of the ring of fire. No, no, no. Not my sweet Ash.

His heart turned to bitter coal as his muscles spasmed from transforming so many times. Smoke billowed up from the ground, drying even the mud to parched dirt. His love was gone and he’d never find love again.