Page 39 of Surge of Ice

“Fuck,” she groans.

“Are you safe?” I ask, reaching for her.

She pulls away, nodding. “I’m fine. I’m fine. Now, see this handle? This is what you’ll pull on when you’re ready to get out. But don’t do it while we’re driving. Okay?”

I do not care about the handle. I just care about her. “Yes.”

She closes the door and walks around to the other side. It opens too, and she climbs in next to me. I am glad. I like having her this close to me, even if her scent has me hard and frustrated, especially mixed with the fire dragons’ obvious scents.It is difficult. They can have her, but I cannot.

“Do the others really know where we are going?” I ask.

She sighs. “If I told Aydan and Evander now, they would stop me. But Granger will know probably around the time they finish the news conference, so everyone will know in case we run into trouble. It’s the best I can do.”

“Understood,” I say, feeling a little uneasy with our deception.

“Now, let’s go get my friend!”

After adjusting a few things in the car, we are suddenly speeding off. I cling to the sides of the metal contraption, heart racing. “I wish we were flying.”

She turns and grins. “Give me a minute, and we will be.”

But the thing is, I do not trust that grin of hers at all.

FIFTEEN

Samantha

“Whoa,”I murmur as I stare at the road in front of us and the chaos in every direction.

Zane and I had started driving in one of the company cars nearly an hour ago, and we still hadn’t made it to the restaurant. Part of that was simply due to the fact that this city was huge, and the restaurant was on the opposite end of the city from Specter Inc., but part of it was that the entire city had lost its mind.

And all because of those damn dragons.

Smoke curls up in the sky like a threatening omen, always just ahead of us. Fire crews and police officers race by us at random, using their lights to get through traffic. Cars are everywhere, but luckily for us, most of the people are headed in the opposite direction. You know, away from the burning buildings and the riots.

Over the radio, the reporter continues to give updates.The dragon appears to have moved on to the next town. With it gone, the fire crews are working tirelessly to get the fires undercontrol. Unfortunately, before leaving, the dragon tore open the store fronts on dozens of shops in that same area, which has led to rioting. Rioting combined with panicked citizens means all hands on deck with the police. The one glimmer of hope is the news conference with Evander Pierce, which we’re told will shed some light on the dragon situation.And on and on.

I turn the radio down, listening just in case of danger, but feeling more relaxed now that I have the most important information. The skies are clear of enemy dragons. We can handle the rest.

“The world has changed so much from when I last walked the earth. I think, perhaps, dragons slept too long this time.”

I glance at Zane. He’s literally on the edge of his seat, staring out at the buildings, cars, and lights. I try to imagine what all of this must look like to him, and I figure it must be overwhelming. Heck, I’m from this time period, and it’s a bit overwhelming.

“Mankind developed specific technologies, like the light bulb, the things you see that glow in our buildings, and those inventions, and others, helped us to grow leaps and bounds as a society.”

His pale blue eyes swing to me. “Were you also able to cure all injuries and illnesses? Were you able to stop murder and cruelty?”

For some reason, I can’t handle the weight of his gaze. I look back to the road, tightening my hands on the steering wheel. “Our doctors have made incredible discoveries that have helped to heal a lot of injuries and illnesses that used to result in death, but we haven’t found a way to heal everyone. Not yet. And as for murder and cruelty? I’m afraid those monsters still haunt every society on earth.”

“Hum,” he leans back in his chair, “that is disappointing. But perhaps in the next lifetime.”

I smile. “You’re a cup half full kind of guy, aren’t you?”

“Cup half full?” he asks, quirking his lips.

“It means you see the bright side of things. That you see the good in everything.”

He reaches over and tucks my hair behind my ear, sending goosebumps racing across my skin. “When I have you in my life, everything is good.”

---