Audrey Wright

I made myself and Patrice a sandwich, and we ate together without talking. It was comfortable almost, and I wished I could trust her enough to release her from the chair at least. I did undo her feet shackles and asked if she had to go to the bathroom. She said no, which worried me. I did not want her to become dehydrated.

When I said as much to her, she laughed. “I am a dragon,” she said. “Water and fire don’t mix the best.”

“Oh.” I felt ignorant. Maybe that was why the guys tended to drink so much liquor. “Do you want something else to drink?”

“For now, this is fine.” She hesitated. “Thank you.”

“If you need anything, holler.”

I could feel Patrice watch me as I left the room. The rest of the day was uneventful, and I went to bed that night, alone, trying not to think, to worry, to fret.

The next morning, I changed clothes. I’m not sure who had gotten me some, but there was a wide assortment, and I changed into tight jeans and a tight-fitting, V-neck black shirt that showed off my boobs. Then, I grabbed the dragon claw from underneath my bed.

During the flight over to the safe house, I had brought along the claw I had cut off. I’d hoped the dragon doctors or scientists could look it over, but now, I planned on using it as a weapon. I brought it outside behind the cabin and tried to familiarize myself with the claw, using it as a short sword. Gripping it was awkward as it was so perfectly smooth. Maybe I should try to use a nail and hammer to cut some grooves into it.

Once my arms grew weary, I grabbed some recyclables and some guns and set up practice shots. I hardly missed the dragons when I fired at them, but I needed to have more precision. I couldn’t just hit them. I had to aim for their eyes. Maybe their mouths. Their hides were too tough for a bullet to puncture.

Eventually, I realized someone else was outside with me, and I glanced over to see Damon. He was observing me without comment, arms crossed. He was massive, all muscles on his six-feet, seven-inches tall frame. With dark hair and eyes, he was mesmerizing.

Seeing him there made my heart ache. From the start, we had a special connection, him and I. It had been from the blood he gave me so that I might live. My first contact with dragons had almost killed me.

But Francesco had saved me, and Damon had given me his blood to cure me. As a result, we had been bonded.

That connection had been severed when the Fanged Serpents had tortured me and coated me in acid or bile and then charred me to destroy my scent. As much as Jeremy had wanted the leaders to find me, he had also made it difficult for them. Why”

Maybe he was just a psychopath with no rhyme or reason for what he did.

Despite the loss of that extra bond with Damon, I still loved him, but I also mourned that closeness. I had been given blood since, but that initial connection had never be re-established.

“Are you all right?” I asked him.

“I am, thanks to you.”

I smiled shyly and fired off another shot. The can flew off the fence.

“You’re a good shot,” he remarked, coming to a halt beside me.

“My father taught me how to shoot when I was five.”

“That’s super young.”

“His parents had been murdered. He’s huge into self-defense. He always wanted me to take karate, but I never bothered. I liked shooting. How couldn’t I? I was raised on it, but kicking and punching… I’m tall for a woman, but I won’t have been able to match a man pound for pound. Brute strength would win.”

“If your technique is perfect,” he started.

"Wouldn't matter against a dragon now, would it?"

“No,” he allowed, “but humans can be threats.”

“And guns work on humans.”

He pointed to the claw. “I’m glad you brought that.”

“Me too.”

It hadn’t been the easiest for him to carry me and me bring the claw, but we had managed. We had even managed to make love, but that wasn’t something to think about right now.

To change the subject, I asked, “How was the blade able to cut the claw off?”

“It had been forged from dragon’s claw. It’s the only weapon of its kind as far as I know.”

“Wow,” I murmured. “I should’ve brought that too.”

“Miguel did.”

I blinked, surprised. “There isn’t much he didn’t bring.”

Damon laughed. “There wasn’t,” he agreed. “I just wish…”

“Wish what?” I asked. When he didn’t say anything, I blasted off two more cans before eyeing him. “Well?”

“I wish we hadn’t sent away the guards. Normally, we have guards at our mansion.”

“Why were they sent away?”

“Because we thought we needed more dragons to patrol the city, to keep a broader eye out. We were wrong.”

“If you had guards there, they might have sent more dragons. More might have died, perhaps some on our side. Do not worry about that.”

“But you—”

“I’m fine.”

His lips quirked into a slow smile. “You are fine.”

I just shook my head. “You’ve been spending too much time with Francesco and Miguel,” I teased.

“Are you saying I can’t flirt?”

“I’m saying that was a little cheesy coming from you.”

“It’s not cheesy if it’s the truth.”

Embarrassed, I grinned shyly. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

I tucked the gun into my waistband. “Damon, everything will work out, won’t it?”

“I hope so. I really do.”

He held out his arms, and I laid my head on his chest. Hope was powerful, but was it strong enough to help overcome an overwhelming horde of dragons led by an insane phoenix?