Page 70 of Dark Dragon’s Wolf

Kira was off to the side, her body providing cover for Flynn, Tank, Sloan, Xander and Caitlyn as Flynn prepared a dimensional rift to take them to safety. Now that the complex’s spell defenses were down, they could do it right here.

If they didn’t get shot first.

Blaze and Rebel ran for Kira, casting protective spells as they went, but one of the Gen-X security teams was closing in. Mayah sent a blast of lightning their way, scattering them.

Flynn shouted, “Go! Go! Go!” and his team vanished through the rift, Flynn bringing up the rear. Kira grabbed Blaze and Rebel and took flight, sounding off for the count.

One of the security team launched a grenade at them, but Zakerek dove down and whacked it away from them with his tail, so it exploded harmlessly in the air. Carrying three terrified wolves, he climbed steeply and sounded off, then cloaked himself and vanished.

But she still couldn’t find Tristan.

And then Mayah saw him, running to help a woman who was trying to move part of a wall over near where the cells had been. There was someone trapped under the rubble.

Tristan was using his mind to blast guards out of the way, but there were too many of them, and they were closing in.

With a might leap and a beat of her wings, she was at his side, breathing fire and lightning at the guards. She used her body, with its tough hide, as a shield for the trapped prisoners, and ripped the section of wall away from the man’s leg.

Put the woman on my back, Mayah said. I’ll carry the man.

Tristan grabbed the woman to boost her up on Mayah’s back, and she cried out in shock. “Tristan?”

Tristan looked stunned. “Ma,” he whispered.

Later! said Mayah.

Tristan’s mother climbed up on Mayah’s back, with Tristan behind her. Mayah gently picked up the male wolf—Tristan’s father—in her claws.

Then, with a great roar and a blast of fire to clear the way, she launched herself into the air, and flew away into the night.

Chapter 34

They flew back to the hidden cabin, the dragons spiraling in one by one and setting down their passengers before Changing to human and getting out of the way for the next group.

Zane was the only one who didn’t stop more than a minute, setting down his passengers, collecting Blaze and Rebel, and flying straight back to the Wild Dragons’ lair with the magically protected computer servers.

Now that the rush of the escape was over, the white wolves were disoriented, and overawed by everything—being surrounded by dragons, being free, being outside.

They’d all been in captivity for years. Some of the little ones had never been outdoors, except for the bare asphalt of the Gen-X exercise yard.

They’d never even seen a tree.

It nearly broke Mayah’s heart. She was glad Emon had agreed to let them settle in his domain. They’d be safer there than anywhere on Earth, with plenty of territory to roam in, and a chance to heal.

Thorne and Tempest were sorting them out, triaging anyone who needed medical attention so that Trish and Tyr could attend to them, handing out blankets and hot drinks to the rest, and conjuring warm clothes for anyone who needed them.

Tristan and Mayah had been the last to land, and Mayah gently held onto Tristan’s dad until Tristan could round up a stretcher and stretcher bearers for him. He squeezed both his mom’s and his dad’s hands before Cazbek and Mikah carried his dad away.

“Go ahead with Dad and the dragons to see the healer,” he told his mother. “She’s a personal friend of mine, so tell her I said to take good care of you. I’ll be along in a sec.”

He stood staring after them as they were carried away. To Mayah, he still glowed with the power of their bond—and the power that had been in him all along.

Amazingly strong. Incredibly brave. A man who kept his promises.

He’d saved her, just like he said he would.

Tristan turned around as soon as he felt the rush of air that accompanied Mayah’s Change, and opened his arms. She threw herself into them, and he lifted her up and whirled her around before kissing her with all the passion and relief in his heart.

Their minds were totally open to each other, emotion moving back and forth between them in waves. They started to pull apart, but then had to kiss each other again. And again.