Page 2 of The Dragon's Mate Proposal

“I don’t know,” Rita breathed. “But if it did, nobody will care. Not when they see this.”

The news flicked on, and all the elation drained out of me.

On the screen were photos and videos of scenes on the East Coast. In them, buildings burned. People fled. In one shot, several tanks began firing.

Moments later, huge blasts of lightning ripped down from the heavens, striking the armored behemoths. One exploded, flipping the other on its side. The screen went black.

More footage rolled. Balls of fire exploded, shattering glass and driving soldiers back. Those that still lived, at least.

“No,” I moaned, staring in horror.

“It’s terrible, isn’t it, sir?” Rita sobbed. “They’re terrifying.”

“Yes,” I said numbly, watching everything fall apart. The deal. My life among the humans. My fortune.

It was all gone.

Because above all the carnage, flights of dragons swooped and wheeled, diving in highly coordinated attacks as they came ashore.

WAR, the banner on the television read. With Dragons.

Chapter Two

Samantha

Eight months later.

The door to my office flew open.

I looked up from my computer screen, the firm rebuke about knocking first dying on my lips as I took in the new intern’s expression.

“What is it?” The words came out almost like a bark, cutting off whatever apology the petite brunette may have prepared. It was obvious we didn’t have time for that.

The intern was all but trembling. “She needs to see you. She said it was—”

“Details,” I ordered, snatching up my laptop and stuffing it in a bag before grabbing a notebook as well. In five seconds or less, I was out the door, blowing past the intern who scrambled to keep up.

When the Secretary of State called, you didn’t walk, you ran. The intern wasn’t picking up on that, but I had no time to waste thinking about her future. Life working in the White House was too fast-paced for most.

“She didn’t provide any,” the intern said. “But from how she was tossing out orders, I’d say it was urgent.”

That could mean anything. With the dragons currently tearing up the East Coast, there was a new disaster every day. New York, Boston, Philly, they were all gone. Part of the “Occupied Territories” as they’d come to be known unofficially. The beasts were currently pressing down on Baltimore, and if it fell, Washington would be next.

I stopped outside Secretary Sandra Levison’s office, knocking firmly as I prepared myself for the worst. If we had to evacuate, that would mean things were truly lost.

“Come!”

The door was halfway open before she’d even finished speaking.

“You wanted to see me, ma’am?” I said, not bothering to sit. Judging by the packing she was doing, we were going on the move.

“Are you ready?”

I arched an eyebrow as Secretary Levison breezed past me into the hall, heading deeper into the maze of hallways.

“Ready for what, ma’am? I’m not aware of anything going on.”

Levison shot me a frown. “You haven’t heard?”

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