Page 37

“Can’t do that . . .” I wheezed, trying to pry my hands under my chest wiggle by wiggle. “Made a vow.”

A huge hand slammed into the back of my head and the beast’s hot breath blasted my cheek. “Break it.”

“That’s enough!” I bucked, flung my head back, and threw the beast off, then flipped around to get a look at my attacker. But it was fast and had already vanished into the mist again, leaving smoky gray swirls behind.

“Adam?!”

“Stay there!” I told Zee. “I’ve got this!” This beast had beaten Victor badly. If anyone was going to get hurt again, it had to be me. I could shake off cuts and broken bones, but Zee wasn’t as robust.

I flicked out my hands, freeing long black claws, and let some of the dragon filter through my sweet, innocent camouflage. “Hello, boys.” Two could play the shifter game. But mine were bigger.

“I’m not sitting this out, Kitten!” The location of Zee’s voice had moved, coming from the bank on my left, not ahead of me like it had moments ago.

I couldn’t look out for him and track the beast. “Zee, I’ve got this! Stay with Zander!”

“You really got this?”

The direction his voice came from had moved again. He was either searching for me, or the mist was playing tricks on all of us.

“Yeah!”

“If you die, the trauma will destroy Fancy Fangs. Just sayin’!”

A rustling sounded behind me. Turning away from the sound of Zee’s voice, I zeroed in on it and stalked forward. “Not gonna die, Zee. I got this.”

Finally, Zee was quiet, leaving just me and the loup-garou out here. “What’s the time, Mr. Wolf . . .” I growled, letting more dragon rumble through my voice. I could hear the beast’s breathing, sense its closeness. It was watching me, waiting for a mistake that wouldn’t come.

“Come out and maybe I won’t eat you.” My true self had my voice now, turning it deeper than my sweet and innocent exterior could pull off. My words bubbled up, deep and dark and rich with threat.

The bush rustled some more.

It should be afraid.

Just under half of me wanted to tear into the beast, rip it limb from limb and devour all its best bits—it would solve our murder problem—but even as dragon, I could be reasonable. Maybe this loup-garou had a good reason for being mean? “Come out. Let’s talk. You get one chance.”

The bush the creature hid in was closer now, but the mist was so thick it obscured all detail. Time for some scare tactics. I freed a deep warning growl and sprang, slicing through the spiky brush at⁠—

“Zee!”

Zee screamed, and leaped out of the bush, wings and tail flapping. “Fucccccckk!” He eyed my savage claws and recoiled.

“I almost gutted you!” I yanked my hands back, hiding my claws behind my back.

He blinked. “Fuck, you’re scary.”

“I thought you were the loup-garou.” My claws retracted with a snick. I growled and turned on the spot. I’d been stalking Zee this whole time? Where was the beast now? “You’re supposed to be back there with Zander.”

“Yeah, but I don’t love him, do I? I fuckin’ love you.” He flicked his hair. “And there’s no way I’m leaving you out here alone with Mr. Murder Mittens.”

“Ugh . . .” Why didn’t they trust me to handle these things? Zee and Victor were the ones who needed protection, not me. “We need to get back to Zander.” I picked a direction and marched into the mist, hoping it took me to something familiar so I could find the way back.

“Are you mad at me?” Zee said, following a few steps behind.

“Yes.”

“Mad enough for make-up sex later?”

“No sex.”