Page 75 of Burned

I look at him with wide eyes. “H-how?”

Lake taps my chest. “The bond. Use it. Call him back to you.”

Nodding and breathing heavily, I close my eyes to focus on the bond, plucking at it to get his attention. I focus again when Lord swings his tail, knocking down several trees in the process. The sound of his angry roar mixed with crackling fire vibrates through me. He scoops my dad off the ground, gripping him in his claws. My dad looks so tiny, but his expression is nothing but defiance.

Lord. Come back to me.

He doesn’t react, but then I remember his dragon. That’s who’s in charge right now.

Balriss.

Lord freezes, tilting his head in my direction.

Balriss, my love. Come back to me.

Lord drops my dad, who lands with anoof. The other brothers, now back in their human forms and as naked as the mage, scramble forward to hold my dad back. Digby is surrounded by the mates.

Lord shifts back, his human body drained from the adrenaline and anger he experienced. He falls to his knees, and I crawl to him, wrapping my arms around him and kissing the top of his head as he curls into me.

Xanthis steps forward, her face full of irritation, as she focuses on my dad. “You had to make it harder, didn’t ye?”

I watch as she straddles my dad, grabs his chin and blows air into him. He struggles against her, but he’s no match for her apparent strength. With her lips only a breath away from his, she seems to inhale, drawing the air from his body.

The pained groan he releases rattles my nerves, and I hold Lord a little closer.

“What are you doing to him?” Digby asks. “Is she killing him?”

“You’re next, buttercup,” Montrose says, kicking my brother’s foot.

“It’s just a good cleanse and detox,” Lake says, airily. “We’re not mindless killers. Unlike some people.”

“Even though you’ve given us a damn good reason to end you,” Draydon says. “You’re lucky your brothers are better people than you are. They saved your lives today.”

Digby’s eyes meet mine, and once again, I see the hint of regret in them. “I didn’t have a choice,” he says.

“Yeah, you fucking did,” Viggo growls. His breath is shaky as he leans against me. “You know what brave is, Digs? Brave is Alrick. We should look up tohim.”

My attention shifts back to Xanthis and my dad as he shakes and trembles like a rag doll under her ministrations. Her body flashes with light as the tattoos scrawled on her flesh illuminate like strobe lights.

Dahlia has her hands on the mage’s shoulders, and apparently, that’s doing something to her as her body jerks and her hair sticks out like she’s been struck by lightning.

Xanthis throws her head back and deep blue veins in her neck thicken and pulse.

“Fuck,” Dahlia groans. “She found something.”

Lord lifts his head, gazing at the scene with tired eyes.

My eyes go wide as the hazy gray mist coming out of my dad turns black and inky. It’s thick, like oily sludge, and I’m shocked as Xanthis sucks it from his mouth into hers.

Dahlia is thrown backward. Arson darts forward to catch her as Xanthis rises from the ground, bringing my dad with her as they levitate high above us.

“Whoa,” Dempsey whispers.

The black sludge fades, becoming clear and then disappearing entirely as Xanthis gently descends back to earth. She gets to her feet, then bends over, vomiting the black sludge onto the earth.

Dahlia hurries to her side, holding her hand over the area where the pool of nastiness swirls like a whirlpool. The ground opens up, and Montrose jumps into Tino’s arms with a yelp. Black claws rise, surrounded by flames, and drag the black liquid down with them as the ground closes and they disappear.

My dad lies lifeless on the ground, and Xanthis turns to Digby. He attempts to break free, but he’s no match for Nico and Hemingway.

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