Page 74 of Dragon’s Rogue

The witch gave a mirthless laugh. “I sure as hell stole it from them. I used to be part of that coven—I was born into it. Silas—the sorcerer who was working through the animation spell—used the idol to destroy it. It took over everyone I cared about and either killed them, or turned them into monsters. My family. My parents. Do you have any idea what that’s like, to lose everyone you care about?”

Rebel glanced over at Tempest. She knew. They both knew. They’d lost their parents, and Rebel would die before she let anyone hurt Tempest.

McKenna wasn’t waiting for an answer. “I took the idol and ran. So yeah, by coven law I’m a rogue. Ask me if I care.”

Rebel was starting to have a little more respect for the McKenna woman—assuming she was telling the truth.

Blaze said, “Look, we need to find those Seals. I don’t know if everything in the story is true, but the three of us did show up just as Vyrkos was awakening. The Rogue, the Rebel and the Storm.” She gestured to each of them in turn. “Would it kill you to try to help us?”

Rebel said, “You know the fact that we’re clueless about the Seals is a big hole in this theory, don’t you?”

McKenna rolled her eyes. “We’re not idiots, of course we do. But that’s not a reason to stop looking.” She paused, then added, “They can pay.”

Now that was the first thing she’d heard today that made sense. Rebel said, “I thought they were supposed to seduce us into working for free.” She saw McKenna’s eyes wander to Zane, who was now out in the yard trying to talk some sense into the crazy dragon. Who was still looking at Rebel, his whirling red eyes reminding her of Jack’s boss. Turner.

It should have been creepy, if not downright terrifying. But she found herself feeling almost sorry for the damned dragon.

She crushed that feeling right down. Soft-heartedness towards crazy guys—dragon or not—never led anywhere good. She’d had a moment of soft-heartedness for Jack Harper, and look where that had landed her.

McKenna was watching the guys too, but her eyes were on the man. Zane. Damn, the witch had feelings for him. It was all over her face. “You know he could be using some kind of mind-altering magic to suck you in, don’t you?” she said.

McKenna jerked her gaze back to Rebel. She said, “Look, can you just come to the lair and see the evidence? Whether or not the Destined Mates story is true, we have to find some way to stop Vyrkos from rising, and to break the link between the coven and the idol. Knowing what they’re doing, you can’t still be on their side.”

Rebel crushed her guilt down, right beside the dragon-pity. For all she knew, this woman was no better. “I’m not on anybody’s side,” she said. “I was getting paid.” And she was protecting her family. She hadn’t heard anything from Turner since last night, and she prayed that he considered their transaction done.

“Dragons have hoards of gold,” McKenna said. “I’m sure you can work something out.”

“I thought that was just a myth.”

“Come to the lair and see.”

Dragons had immunity to most magic and the ability to breathe fire, too. Maybe, if it came down to it, they could protect Tempest from the coven.

And pay.

“I’ll think about it,” she said. “Just get that fucking insane dragon out of my yard before I have to explain to my landlord how all the trees got knocked down.”

McKenna sighed, looking exhausted again. “I’m not sure it’s as easy as that. He’s—he believes he’s your mate. He may not be capable of leaving you.”

“Please tell me he doesn’t think he’s going to have sex with me in the backyard—or anywhere. Especially if he can’t even turn into a guy. Because that would be a ‘hell no’ to the giant dragon dick.”

Zane went back up on the porch, running his hands through his hair in frustration. “His dragon’s still in control,” he said to Tyr. “I don’t know what the fuck to do with him.”

Tempest, who had been writing in her notebook in between sidelong glances at Tyr, looked up from her writing. “I do.”

“What?” Tyr asked. Rebel wished he’d stop looking at Tempest like she was a fairy princess. It was bordering on creepy.

Tempest said calmly, “Rebel has to kiss him.”

Rebel walked back to the porch, staring at her sister. “No fucking way. He’s drooling smoke, and he just tried to kidnap me.”

Tempest blinked at her. “Well, I don’t mind if he stays in the backyard, but he’s stuck in dragon form and he’s very upset. It seems mean to leave him like that.”

“I’m not kissing him.”

“That’s how it works in all the stories. The fair maiden kisses the dragon so he can turn back into a prince. Like Beauty and the Beast, only with wings and scales.”

Tyr said slowly, “It might work.”