"What plan is that, baby girl?" he asked, anticipation coiling inside of him.
"You'll just have to wait and find out," she said and lowered her voice to a husky purr. "Now show me what I missed when I was in the ice. I want to see all of you."
A shiver swept over Valentine's skin. "Please, don't make me get hard on top of everything else today."
"You had better start undoing that binding then, or I am going to start telling you in detail exactly what I want to do to you."
Valentine laughed softly. "And people think I'm the evil one."
"I'm not evil." Yelena made her eyes go big, and she gave him the sweetest baby girl look he had ever seen. "I am impatient, though."
"Okay, okay, I'm going. Fuck," Valentine grumbled, but he was feeling better.
"Look at that. He can smile," Avallach called out, and Valentine flipped him off.
"You've got this, Valentine. I'm right here," Yelena said, and he believed her. She wouldn't let him hurt anyone, not even himself.
Valentine rolled his neck and shook out his hands. He walked further out onto the stone platform to give himself plenty of space. He stared at the mountain range in front of him and let the wind drown out all the other noise around him.
"Please don't hurt them," he begged his dragon. He got no reply.
Valentine blew out a long breath and crouched down. He placed his hand on the firm stone of the mountain, using it to ground him, and let his magic rise within him.
Scarlet and black threads danced out of his skin. There was no silver amongst it, and he found he missed the sight of it. The binding was all his magic and had none of Yelena's silvery influence.
The threads of his magic reached his chest, and the tattoo began to shiver. He groaned as the rings began to move. There were parts of it that had been shredded since his last shift, but now he finally surrendered to the pain. The bindings tore free, and he screamed. Ink and blood and magic poured out of his skin and down his arm to smear against the stone.
At last, we will be free, his dragon roared, making him clutch at his head.
Valentine screamed again as the beast tore away the last of the bindings around it, and there was nothing he could do but let it drag him under.
24
Pure power burst over the launching platform, smashing the breath from Yelena's body. She could only stare as the black dragon roared its way out of Valentine's body.
"Yelena! Get back!" Taranis called out in fear for her.
She held up a hand to him. "No, he won't hurt me. He needs me."
The dragon roared again. It had bone spikes down its spine and tail. Two larger scales sat at the base of his neck. The dragon scratched at them, and a thrill of fear and awe shot through Yelena's veins.
"He's not done," she said, turning to the others. "He's not done!"
They were all staring up at the creature before them, faces pale. Owain and Emyr looked grim, and they had seen him before, but everyone was staring slack-jawed.
Yelena turned back to the dragon. Its head whirled toward her, scarlet eyes burning.
"Do it, Valentine! I'm here. Let it out!" she shouted at him.
The dragon made a frustrated whining sound, and threads of scarlet magic appeared around its throat.
"I see it. I can get them. Let me help," Yelena said, stepping toward it. It keened softly and lowered its head down to smell her. "It's okay, Valentine. I'm here. I'll get it for you. Hold still,a stór."
Yelena's magic danced in silver gray and threaded around his. The dragon shivered and snorted. It was like a bird caught in a fishing line, and she handled it like the hurt creature it was.
"There now. I'll get it. Please don't be mad at him. He didn't know what he was doing when he made this, and he was so scared."
She knew that the dragon was listening and that it was unhappy. Her magic tightened around the last bind, and she tugged. Silver cut through scarlet, and the dragon reared back like she had slapped it. The scales on his neck shuddered, and flesh tore. Two more long serpentine heads ripped free.
