“Do it!” she roared, and I could see the match was going to blow out soon if I didn’t. It was all or nothing. I was all in on this running away thing. I took in one deep breath, and in that moment I was reminded of when my dragon was in heat and Logan had put me in the deep sleep. The way his breath felt on my neck, the way hesmelled…
I pushed the past down and blew; a puff of bright yellow smoke wafted up to my face. Against every instinct I had, against my dragon’s cries from within me, I inhaled the smoke. The second it hit my lungs, I broke into a fit of coughing as it burned my throat with its acrid scent. With a grin, Jeanine pulled her cup back and I felt a tingling working down myarms.
Jeanine walked over to the phone on her desk and picked it up. “I’m ready for my next client.” Her eyes stayed on me the entire time shespoke.
I finally got my coughing under control and asked her in a raspy voice if it wasdone.
She nodded and scooped up the five hundred bucks. “Yes. You may gonow.”
She didn’t have to tell me twice. I wanted to get in my car and get the hell out of here. I nodded to her and grabbed my purse, walking briskly to the door. As I was reaching out, with my hand on the knob, her voice came from behindme.
“Oh, Stacey?” she called out. I froze, not bothering to look back, everything within me telling me torun.
“Hmm?” Ireplied.
Her response made terror flush through my system faster than a bullet train. “I know what you are,” shecrooned.
My legs went weak with adrenaline and I spun the knob, ready to run my out-of-shape ass out of there. But the second I threw the door wide, I came face to face with Steven, the powerful druid who had chucked Keegan across the room. Gone were his minions; it was just him and his greedy gaze staring down atme.
I shrieked as he reached for me. I threw my right arm out, pushing with everything I had, pushing my magic, my dragon, my sense of self preservation. I just pushed. It felt like electricity had ignited along my spine, and then a blinding purple fire shot out of my palm and threw Steven back into the wall. The druid crashed halfway through the drywall, getting stuck inside. Holy shit. I heard Jeanine gasp behind me and then I ran. Instinct pushed me to run left, away from the club entrance and theguards.
“Get her!” the druid roared to Jeanine from his place in thewall.
Oh hell no. I ran a few more feet and was then relieved when I looked up and saw an emergency exit sign hanging over a dark metal door. I risked a glance behind me and saw Jeanine running rather slowly after me, yellow magic crackling in herhands.
Bitch, I want my moneyback.
I reached the door in record time and with one kick it burst open. I jumped through and took a quick scan of my surroundings. I was in a side alley; there was a heavy metal dumpster to my right. With all the adrenaline running through me, and the fact that I was in fact part dragon, and part druid for that matter, I decided to try and move the trash can over the door, trapping these assholesinside.
“Ahhhhh!” I screamed as I used every ounce of strength I had. The moment it slid over the door, I heard a loud thwack as Jeanine flew againstit.
“Quick thinking,” the Irish druid’s voice came frombehindme.
I paled and probably peed myself a little as I turned around and facedSteven.
“How did you…?” I was in shock, and he was blocking the damn street opening, so I was against a brick wall. Trapped. My dragon was smashing against my restraints and I let my guard down. Screw it. Let her come. Maybe I could fight him and fly my way out ofhere.
I felt the familiar tingle and saw a few scales push up on my skin, but then they went flat. Whatthe...?
The druid smiled, rolling out his neck. “Can’t have you flying off now, canwe?”
My dragon fell like a stone in my stomach as dread came over me. That sorcerer … she did something to mydragon.
Oh, Sloane, of all the stupid things you’ve done, this topsit.
Steven pulled a red glowing blade from behind his back and I knew this was it. I couldn’t fly or fight my way out of this. The last thing I had in my arsenal was talking my wayout.
“Do you know what I am? Really know? I’m half druid. I’m part you. I can join yourside.”
I was lying about joining his side obviously but desperate times called for desperatelies.
I was expecting him to be surprised or to show some consideration of my terms. Instead he just tipped his head back and laughed. “You’re pollution on the bloodline of my people, and I will wipe you out and take your power as an offering to the greatArdan.”
Well, if I was going down, I might as well do so with gusto. “That douchebag? I heard he was too lazy to kill dragons himself. Makes all of his bitches do the dirtywork.”
That’s right, bud. I just called you a bitch.I grinned for effect. Screw these racistjerks.
In one blinding move he jumped forward, face contorted in rage, arm raised high. And that’s when I heard the cry of a falcon overheard. I covered my face and looked to the ground to protect my neck, preparing for the slice of a knife on my skin. But the pain nevercame.
