Why wasn’t the dragon heading for the trees?
The eagle couldn’t snatch them there.
She wrenched her gaze from impending doom to study their surroundings.Where was this dragon going?Where was he taking her?
They sprinted around a huge rock, and she gasped.
A spaceship.
Ah, that made sense.But they’d be no match for the eagle.The ship was of a size suitable for travel to Dalcon or a neighboring planet, but not for distance space travel.
They reached the spaceship with the eagle shrieking its anger from above.Lord, the bird was huge.Although he might quail at a dragon, he’d scoop her up in a comfortable beak full.
The dragon deposited her right next to the door and shunted her in encouragement when she hesitated.A tremble seized her hand as she reached for the door control.
The eagle screamed in frustration as a blast of heat prickled against her back.Finally, she coordinated her actions and struck the release.The door whizzed upward.
“Hurry, before the eagle attacks the ship.”
Impatient hands seized her by the waist and thrust her inside.The dragon-man entered and shut the door in one swift action.He deposited her in a seat on the bridge of what amounted to a cargo ship.He took possession of the other seat and pushed buttons and controls with quick efficiency.
The ship roared and lifted off.The eagle rushed them, talons extended.A visible jolt struck the bird as if it was under fire.
Her brothers.
She spied them near the trees, focusing their attack on the bird.They shrank as did the trees and the hungry eagle.Their ship blasted through the atmosphere, a bump and jolt before the view turned black and the planet of Tiraq, a pale pink from this distance, grew smaller.
Scarlett wilted in her seat, adrenaline seeping from her to leave anger and a flood of concern.Her feline liked this stupid dragon-man, although Scarlett couldn’t fathom why.He might have a hard, muscular body, but his manners were lacking.She straightened and let her temper soar free.
“What the hell?You can’t abduct me from my home.If you think I’ll fall into your arms and accept this capture, you’re deluded,” she spat.
“Capture?”
Scarlett skewered him with her glare.“Isn’t that what you’re doing right now?Kidnapping me?You researched the family business and decided to punish me for stealing precious stones from your land.Do I have it right?”
He slid her a sideways glance, and that one trifling move grabbed her attention, made her recall he wore not a stitch of clothing.With a snarl, she averted her gaze from his sexy hide.
“It’s not right, that’s all.”Instead of him, she focused on the pink planet as it diminished, and with it, her chance of rescue.
“What’s your name?”
“Can’t you cover up?”She gestured at his groin with a sniff.Unwillingly, a part of her noted the tiny scales on his cock.Her intrigued feline purred.“You go first.Your name?”
“Ransom Drake.I’m not kidnapping you.”
“Let me see.”She counted on her fingers.“You dragged me from hotel reception against my will.At our last meeting, you accused me of theft.How was I to know the stones belonged to you?You should have a sign informing visitors they’re trespassing.”
A fleeting smile curved his lips before he turned solemn and aggravating again.“I saved you from the big bird.”
Scarlett snorted.“If you hadn’t dragged me from the resort, I wouldn’t have been in danger.”
“Name?”
“Please.”Scarlett folded her arms over her chest.
He sighed.“Please tell me your name.”
“Scarlett Mitchell.If you’re not abducting me, then why the frying fungus am I on this spaceship?My brothers will come for me.They’ll hold you down while I kick your dragon butt.”
