Page 54 of Here Be Dragons

I scrambled out of my chair and backed away.

She snorted. “A human mate. You’re every bit as pathetic as I imagined.”

Eamon was suddenly in between us. “Get away from her!”

The demon’s ability to dematerialize and pop in and out of existence sure was handy. I hadn’t even realized he’d been there.

Gillisandra just laughed. “What are you going to do, demon? Fight a dragon, a witch,anda wizard all by yourself?”

I glanced around but saw no one else nearby. Down the beach, there was a couple holding hands and walking by the shore, but they didn’t look to be paying attention to us.

Without warning, I was being lifted up into the air. I shrieked, my legs kicking at nothing, as an invisible force dragged me toward her.

Gillisandra cackled. “Too late. She’s already mine.”

Eamon reached for me but encountered a shield; the second he touched it, he was thrown back. He sailed through the air and landed in a palm tree.

Gillisandra turned to me, and in the blink of an eye, she was behind the shield with me, her hands around my neck. “Where is the compass?” she hissed.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Pathetic. Foolish. Don’t lie to me. I can smell lies.”

“I don’t have it.” That, at least, was the truth. I’d placed it in the safe inside the master bedroom at the villa.

A little wisp of smoke emanated from the she-dragon’s nostrils, much like happened with Desmon when he was frustrated.

“Demon. Go find your master and bring him here.”

“There’s no need for that, Gillisandra.”

Desmon!

“Just the dragon I wanted to see. Let’s make a little trade. The compass for the girl.”

When Desmon didn’t immediately hand over the compass, she squeezed my neck until I was clawing at her hands for air. “Or I could always set her on fire, and we can both watch her burn.”

“I’ll get it. Don’t you dare harm a hair on her body while I’m gone.”

Gillisandra released me, and I gasped for air. “I’m glad we have an understanding.”

Minutes later, the compass was in Gillisandra’s possession. She laughed as she tossed me at Desmon.

“I always knew you were weak, just like that useless brother of yours.” She glanced down at the compass before looking out at the ocean, grinning with all her teeth.

Then she transformed into a green and black dragon and, with a flap of her wings that sent sand into my eyes, leapt into the sky.

“Liam. Eamon. Do everything you can to prevent her from reaching the artifact, but do not risk your own survival.” Desmon eyed the two severely. “I mean it. Don’t get yourself into trouble that I can’t get you out of.”

Both demons nodded solemnly.

Then, holding me in his arms, Desmon opened a portal to his cave.

Once we were inside it, he didn’t set me down until we were right at the two chests covered by the sheet. I cringed, not wanting to face that terror again. But he ripped off the sheet and positioned me directly in front of the smaller metal one.

“Open it. You deserve to know all of the story.”

“I don’t want to.” I backed up like I was afraid the chest would burn me, only to bump into Desmon.

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