Buried inside his dragon’s form, pride at his dragon’s power made him smile. Dragon was not amused.
You kill us.
We can’t survive without a mate. You’re in pain. Let us end this.
Dragon bellowed in rage and denial, both in his mind and with a roar that would be heard for miles.No! Take all down with us! Kill!
Dragon fought their attackers and Vector’s iron will.
“Erik, I can no longer control him. You must finish this now.”That was a lie. Vector was simply…tired. He’d been alone for centuries, protecting his family, keeping his brother sane, every moment an agony of burning, fiery pain as dragonfire builtand accumulated power within him. Consumed him. Burned his soul alive from the inside out.
Vector let Dragon fight. Just enough to keep them coming. Just enough to make them believe he was truly lost. If he ever truly relinquished control, nothing would stop his dragon. Nothing. Not even dragon chains. His beast was too old. Too powerful. Dragon’s will was nearly as strong as Vector’s. One breach in the wall of Vector’s iron control and all would be lost. He would hunt and kill without remorse. Dragon was intelligent and cunning. Devious. Thousands of innocents would die before his fellow Draquonir managed to stop him. Dragons would die. Vampires. Elves. Humans. No one would be safe.
We will kill Ryker and take his mate. Kill them all.
No!This was why he was here, why he’d written his Death Decree in blood and sought King Erik’s help. Dragon was not thinking logically. There was only one true mate for any dragon, and Ryker’s mate, Katy, was of no interest to Vector or his dragon. Dragon was being unreasonable. Vector’s grip on the beast weakened with each passing moment, the demands his dragon made becoming more twisted and violent. It was their nature to go mad if they did not find their mate, a female to gift with dragonfire, a channel for their magic and a light to their darkness.
Vector’s dragon was more than darkness. He was madness and death. Pure predator. A killer without conscience or remorse.
A third dragon’s golden form streaked overhead, a blur of flame and rage.
Fire seared across Vector’s already-bloodied scales. But fire alone could not kill a dragon.
Fool! I am fire!Dragon mentally screamed at the attacker as he turned, a column of fire pouring from his maw in an unending storm of power and destruction. They would melt the stonesfrom beneath their dragons’ feet. Destroy King Erik’s cliffside castle.
Vector didn’t give a shit.Yes. More. Finish it!
Erik landed last, his silver form hitting the ground with the force of a falling comet. His power crackled in the air—an aura of raw, ancient strength.
Vector launched forward, fangs bared. Not to kill. Just to force Erik to react.
He did.
He met the attack head-on, claws raking across Vector’s chest. His throat.
The white and silver dragon’s claws cut deep. Too deep.
It was enough.
Vector staggered. His vision blurred as dragon blood flowed like a river onto the ancient stone. Dragon tried to fly away. Escape. Vector held fast, fought with every cell in his body to force dragon to stay. Bleed. Grow weaker.
Dragon’s wings flapped. Failed. His legs buckled. Dragon staggered. Blood pooled in the fractured stone beneath him.
Finally.
Kael went for the finishing strike—his talons gleaming, deadly.
Vector didn’t move. Didn’t block. Didn’t flinch.
But before the final blow could land?—
Dragon retreated beneath the icy resolve of Vector’s will.
The massive red dragon vanished. Only the man remained.
His knees hit the stone first. Then his hands. The world blurred, darkened, tipped?—
Erik’s voice reached him through the static in his head. “Vector. God dammit. Let us help you.”
