Page 67 of Surge of Heat

The dragon is on me in an instant. I feel one of its claws catch my wing, and there’s a terrible tearing. The other claw digs into my back, slicing past my scales, and I scream inside my head.

Both Aydan and Evander are shouting for me in my mind. I stop flying, and suddenly we’re plummeting. He has to adjust tomake his wings work, to keep us from falling into the ocean, and I take the opportunity to snap out of his grip.

Heart in my throat, I dive up into the clouds.I need to keep fighting. I can’t let him get on my back again.

I will have you, female.His voice is grating in my head.

You will never have me.

When I shred your wings, you’ll have no choice.

Even with my wings shredded, I won’t let you touch me.Ancient words flow through my mind.You’re an unworthy male. You don’t deserve a female like me. I’d sooner burn than carry your young.

Sam! Where are you?Aydan’s voice is frantic in my mind.

Sam, just stay safe. We’ll reach you as soon as we’re done with this asshole. We’re trying, Sam. We’re coming,Evander shouts into my mind.

Unworthy?the green dragon says, his voice like an angry snake.If I am unworthy, then all males are unworthy of you.

He slams into me from above, but instead of trying to shred my wings, he puts all his weight on me. We’re hurtling toward the ocean, far too close to the icy lands, and I’m trying to use my wings to slow us down, but it’s nothing against his weight.

The ocean rises up in front of me, and then we go slamming into it. Freezing water strikes my scales, fills my mouth, and I struggle to free myself but can’t. We continue to sink like a rock in the ocean as darkness closes in around us and the air is stolen from my lungs.

A cold, cruel thought enters my mind.I think I might die.

TWENTY-FIVE

Samantha

Help!Please help me!I scream in my mind.

I can sense my men. They’re frantic. But for some reason, they seem far away.

Darkness wraps me in its cool embrace, and I hit the earth beneath the water, being shoved along the ground by the massive dragon on my back. Fear unlike anything I’ve felt in my life awakens inside of me. I struggle. I fight to shake him off, but nothing works.

Am I still unworthy now?he hisses in my mind.Will you still dare to insult me here?

I continue struggling, fighting against him, twisting and turning, but he digs his claws in deeper.

You did this. You chose this. You could have chosen me.

He has to run out of air at the same time I do, right? That’s when I’ll be able to escape. That precious moment. Unless… he’s built to endure water better than I can. Then I’m going to die.

There’s no escape, female. Agree to be mine or die.

Unable to help myself, I shout back.If you have to threaten a female with death to have her, you don’t deserve her!

His claws tighten deeper, drawing a whimper from me. I’m running out of air, what little I had. He’s got me pinned. There’s no way out.

I open my lips and a strange wail leaves them. It’s loud. Louder than I would’ve thought possible underwater. There’s a unique sound unlike anything I’ve even imagined. It goes on and on, seeming to fill the water with the sound.

When I’m done, nothing has changed. I’m still stuck. I’m still dying.

And then, I realize there’s something I can do. Something dangerous. Something that’s probably stupid, but I’m left with no other choice.

Closing my eyes, I will myself to shift back into my human self.

It happens in an instant, and then I’m kicking my feet to reach the surface. It takes a lifetime as my lungs burn and my body aches. The tears from the green dragon’s claws feel large and deep, but I just keep kicking.

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