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“It’s been years since I saw him. I don’t know how powerful he is now. I... I don’t know if it’s safer for you to be in your dragon form. You’re less squishy that way, but so much more valuable. Like a trophy he can bring home.”

“Aww, sweetheart. You’re worried about me.” Bruiser’s heart swelled.

Uriel scowled over his shoulder. “Well, you’re my ride home!”

“Quite literally.” Bruiser coughed, his cock jerking inside Uriel.

“Oh gods.” Uriel facepalmed. “I can’t believe we’re about to face down a slimy fucker and you’re thinking about your knot inside me.”

“You keep clenching around it. I can feel how tense you are.”

Uriel frowned harder. He was adorable really, all frowny and scowly. And all hot and tight inside. Bruiser nuzzled his neck.

“As long as you don’t get yourself vaporized, I think I’ll be fine,” Bruiser said. “Since you’re my meat shield right now.”

Uriel elbowed him.

“Oof! Feisty.” Bruiser leered.

Uriel elbowed him again.

Bruiser grinned. Then he sobered, pressing a kiss to Uriel’s ear. “In any case, no matter how this fight turns out, please know that I admire you greatly.”

Uriel shot him a suspicious look. “This better not be one of those Last Words speeches.”

“Aww, will you miss me?”

“No dying!” Uriel hissed. But Bruiser thought he heard Uriel’s heart speed up.

“You’re great,” Bruiser murmured. “You should know that I—”

Before he could finish his sentence, a dark, murky shape appeared out of thin air.

“Uriel,” an oily voice sang. “Come out, come out, wherever you are!”

Uriel grew tense, his heart pounding. Even Bruiser was creeped out. He curled himself around Uriel protectively, trying not to imagine what this fucker had done to Uriel while he was imprisoned.

He lowered his hand to cover Uriel’s crotch, and slid his other arm over Uriel’s nipples. So at least Uriel was a little more presentable right now. Fuck, at least Uriel had the sense to put on some panties.

“Back away,” Uriel murmured. “He’s—”

The murky shape resolved into a wizened old alpha, with cold, cruel eyes and a greedy smile. Bruiser hated that man on sight.

“Let me roast him into ashes,” Bruiser growled.

“He’ll see you coming,” Uriel said under his breath. “Keep flying. Don’t stay in one spot.”

Bruiser put some distance between them and Xenowen, dropping a few feet and flying around to make it harder for the mage to target them.

Xenowen didn’t seem bothered by their changing positions, though. Uriel was already writing out a long, complex spell, but maybe they didn’t have time for that.

Could Xenowen see through Uriel’s invisibility spell? Fuck, that would be bad. Under Bruiser’s arm, Uriel’s heart pounded.

“I wish I had time to prep better spells,” Uriel growled.

“Can you do the ones without runes?”

“They don’t always work,” Uriel muttered. “I’ve never done anything complex without runes before.”