Page 78 of Red Captive

“What does he want?” Steel asks. He swipes to answer. “General. What can I do for you?”

Then he listens to whatever the general is saying.

“Yes, that is correct, the crown prince was just here. He left a few short minutes ago.”

There’s more talking from the general. Steel goes on to fill him in on what happened with Frost.

The general barks something I can’t quite make out.

“Yes, Miss Harris made it clear that she is happy to continue in line with the current plan.” He locks eyes with me.

The general says something else and then puts down the phone. Steel looks at his cell phone screen. “Goodbye to you too,” he mutters.

“I take it he isn’t happy.” I roll my eyes.

“Ice doesn’t like his toes being stepped on. Even if the one doing the stepping is the king. He likes to be the one pulling all of the strings. Also, I’d say that he’s afraid you’re going to back out.”

I wish I could.

I wish so badly that things could be different.

I plaster a smile on my face. “Not happening.”

26

Steel

I sit up in bed. The sheets pool at my hips. I’m on full alert, adrenaline coursing through me. I heard something. I know I did. It’s dark, the middle of the night and all is silent. I hold my breath.

No…it’s not completely quiet. There’s the sound of air being displaced. The sound of… I’m out of bed and running for Jen’s room in the next split second.

The air being displaced is wings flapping. Jen is in trouble. I know for a fact that she isn’t trying to run away. She isn’t going anywhere willingly. Which means that she’s being abducted.

Fuck!

Why did I take the boards down? I shouldn’t have done that. She isn’t a flight risk, but she is precious. She’s a fertile female in her prime. Every hot-blooded, single male on the island will be vying for her. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. The rumors are all around the palace about her being here. They’re all around the island, too.

The door smashes against the wall as I throw it open in my haste to get to her. To save her. The drapes billow through the gaping window. As expected, the bed is rumpled, and there is no sign of Jen. I don’t think; there isn’t any time. Instead, I run and throw myself from the window, shifting as I fall. It happens quickly. Scales rip through my skin. My wings erupt, too. It happens in less than a second, and I am in my dragon form. My eyes scan the area. There are two dragons flying hard. The one in the lead has Jen. She’s silent, which worries me.

I roar, going after them, hoping to alert the guards in the hallway outside the apartment so that they can sound the alarm.

I don’t look back. There isn’t any time. They can’t get away.

Mine!

Save!

Kill!

The sense of urgency coursing through me is insane. I have to work at keeping my dragon calm and, in so doing, keeping a level head.

I redirect my energy and chase after them with all my might, my wings beating the air in a frenzy. The two dragons are swerving and dipping in an attempt to evade me, but I’m quicker and far more determined.

My jaws clamp down on the trailing dragon’s tail, biting deep and causing it to roar in pain. The creature tries to shake me off, but my grip is firm, my teeth sinking in deeper. The lead dragon doesn’t falter; if anything, he flies faster. I need to finish this beast and then get Jen back. I only pray that I don’t injure her in the process. Or worse. I can’t think about that now.

I shake my head and then let the creature go, snapping at his wing. I catch the edge, which crunches between my teeth. The dragon drops; its injury is enough to slow it down but not enough to put it fully out of action. I blow a stream of flame, charring its right side. Again, it isn’t enough to kill, but it will putthe male out of commission. The beast howls as it falls, its wings flapping. It’s losing ground fast and won’t be able to catch up.

My eyes are already back on the second dragon. It’s gotten ahead, but not nearly enough. It looks back, realizing that it isn’t going to outrun me. Suddenly, the beast drops like a stone; it looks like it’s thinking of landing below in an attempt to evade me. Perhaps it is also afraid of something happening to the female if there is a scuffle in the air. They obviously want Jen to remain unharmed, which I will use to my advantage. I close my wings and free fall. I push myself to hold on till the very last second before extending my wings and pulling up. It means that I slam into the ground in a tumble. I shift as I roll, finding my feet and leaping up.

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