Page 51 of Creatures of Chaos

“Besides,” I continue, “the way I figure it, now we’re even.”

Talon quirks a brow. “How do you figure?”

“I was holding back last night. I basically let you win.”

I expect him to scoff, but he doesn’t. “I could tell,” he says without boasting that he was holding back as well, because I know he was. “You’re a wicked fighter. Thanks for doing me a solid,” he says with a straight face.

It warms me a little that Talon recognizes my skills.

“Well, just don’t expect me to bail you out a second time,” I say jokingly. “It was a one-off. Shadow Striker is my meal ticket, and I don’t plan on just handing it over to you.”

“Freckles, with you I’m learning to expect the unexpected.” His gaze connects with mine and an electric charge seems to pass between us. It’s confusing.

We reach the exit to the hallway closest to the parking lot and Talon reaches in front of me to open the door for me, and then steps back to let me pass. It’s a narrow space and my shoulderbrushes up against his chest as I slide in front of him. I hear him take a quick breath, but when I look back he doesn’t look affected in the least.

“What are you doing?” a voice bellows, and I spin to find Becks standing there, his hands clenched and the scent of smoke and ash lingering in the air.

“Becks, I was just—” I sense Talon come up behind me. Becks’ eyes flare and go slitted. Reaching out, he clamps his hands on my arms and hauls me toward him.

“Take another step forward and I’ll show you what it’s like to fight a dragon shifter. I promise I won’t go easy on you like she did last night.”

“Becks!” I shove out of his embrace, glaring at him, but Becks doesn’t even notice because his gaze is fastened on Talon.

When I look over at Talon I expect to see mischief in his eyes. He seems to love revving Becks up, but all I read on him is wary resignation.

“Look—” he starts, but Becks doesn’t let him get any further than that before dropping a shoulder and rushing him.

“Becks, no!” I scream as my friend plows into Talon, slamming him back against the closed door we just emerged from. The wood behind Talon groans and a crack appears.

Before I can reach them, Becks buries a fist in Talon’s gut that doubles him over before releasing him to step back.

“You think you can talk to her after what you did?” Becks says, his voice filled with barely contained rage.

What’s happening right now?This isn’t Becks. He doesn’t lose it like this. Becks is the most controlled creature I know.

Talon coughs once and then rights himself, his gaze flicking to me before returning to my best friend. “I get what she means to you, so I’ll let you have that one. But you need to back off. I don’t want to fight you, but if you come at me again you won’t like how this ends.”

There aren’t many students left in the halls, but the ones who are around come running to check out the commotion. I don’t take my eyes off Becks or Talon to figure out who’s watching.

Becks takes an aggressive step toward Talon, but Talon doesn’t even flinch.

“I mean it,” Talon says, and his voice has gone deadly calm.

Becks points a finger in Talon’s face, inches from touching him. “You don’ttalkto her, you don’tlookat her, you don’tbreathein her direction.”

I gasp. What does he think he’s doing?

Stomping forward, I stop next to the two of them as they face off against each other.

“Becks, stop!” I order, but he doesn’t even acknowledge me, and that makes me furious. “You don’t get to decide that for me,” I say through clenched teeth, quiet enough so that my voice doesn’t carry, but strong enough that I know they both hear me. “Talon was just playing the game. He wasn’t trying to hurt me on purpose.”

Becks’ nostrils flare and he looks down at me. “All that matters is that hedidhurt you, and for that he has to pay.”

I rear back.What is going on right now?I’ve been hurt both physically and emotionally by plenty of creatures over the years. Becks was always upset about it, even furious at times, but he never reacted like this. This reaction is extreme, and bringing out a side of him I didn’t even know existed.

Whatever is going on with him, I’m not going to just roll over because he’s flexing his muscles. I’ve told Becks time and time again I need to start fighting my own battles, and if that includes standing up to him, so be it.

“Talon’s my friend,” I say, stretching the truth. I wouldn’t actually consider him a friend, more of a reluctant acquaintance, but that doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as well. “I won’t have you going all macho dragon heir on him. We’re in a competition.Creatures are going to get hurt. You need to deal with the fact that you can’t protect me from the world.”

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