Drake smoothed her hair back from her face. "That's not going to happen."
"He thinks I have the idol. The real one, not just the pendant."
"Shhh," he encouraged, "just take it easy. We'll figure it all out once this fiasco is over." He glanced back to see Colton still fighting the creatures. "I need to go help him."
She gave him a nod. "I'm just going to wait right here. I don't think I could make it far." She reached up to touch his face. "Be careful."
He leaned down and kissed her lips. "I'll be right back."
She rested her head on her elbow where she had her arm tucked up under her head. "Okay. I love...Drake, look out!" She pointed behind him.
Percy was approaching when he turned to see what she was pointing at. He and his two henchmen were flying directly toward him, and Drake quickly moved away from Joey and shifted. He was done with Percy and his bullshit, and it was going to end now, one way or another.
And he had limited time to get it done because Joey needed medical help as soon as he could get her somewhere.
The trio spread out so they could attack from different directions. Percy stayed further back and let his two minions get close first. One of them broke their concentration to look at the other one, and Drake grabbed it when it ventured a little too close. He squeezed it in half with his massive claws, and he felt a slight prickly heat as it exploded.
The second one flew up onto his back and latched on. Drake could feel its talons digging into his scales, but he couldn't shake it. He lifted off the ground and flew toward a huge oak tree off to the side of the property. Just as he reached it, he rolled to his side so that his back slammed into the massive trunk. With a sickening crunch, the creature on his back incinerated into a cloud of sparks.
That left Percy.
As he headed back, Drake checked on Colton, who seemed to be holding his own.Where the hell are all these things coming from?For every one they destroyed, there seemed to be two more.
Percy flew at him, but at the last second, he spun in mid-air and knocked Drake across the face with his spiny tail. The blow was enough to knock him off course a little bit but not enough to take him out. Drake roared and flew toward him again.
Percy hovered in place as he waited for the attack. He ducked and weaved, but he wasn't able to get another blow at Drake. Like a cat with a mouse, Drake allowed him to expend his energy by dodging out of the way.
When Percy seemed to slow down in his attack, Drake moved in for the kill shot. A huge leg reached down and talons closed around Percy's head. The creature that had been her boss screeched as he was lifted off the ground. His wings beat frantically, but he couldn't get himself loose.
Drake reached over with his other got and grabbed Percy's lower half. Like he was tearing a dinner roll in half, he pulled Percy apart. With one final scream, Percy disappeared in a cloud of sparks.
Colton had followed suit and unleashed his fury on the remaining creatures. A few stragglers appeared from the far barn, but they were no match for two angry dragons.
When there were no further signs of winged bat-like creatures, Drake shifted and ran back to Joey. He scooped her and motioned to the door. "Let's get her inside."
Colton held the door while he carried Joey into one of the bedrooms. He laid her gently on the bed, almost panicking at her pasty skin and lack of response to him. "We need to get her to a hospital."
"She won't make it." Colton wasn't emotional, he was simply stating a fact. Drake knew in his heart that his brother was right.
Drake ran to the bathroom and grabbed a towel so he could wipe Joey's forehead. "Come on, you. It can't end here."
She smiled wanly at him, but then her head fell to the side.
"You're going to have to do it, Drake."
"What do you mean? Heal her?"
"Exactly."
Drake wasn't even aware that it was possible. "How am I supposed to do that?"
"You'll learn that when you're with your true mate, things will unlock that you never dreamed of."
"What am I supposed to do?"
"Focus," Colton answered. "How do you heal yourself?"
"I just think about it. How do I think about it for her?"
