Page 47 of Blazing Reactions

“Seriously? Talon!”

“Hey, we can’t change it. Besides, your ass is mine. It’s kind of perfect.”

She laughed and pulled him down for another kiss. He loved how perfectly she fit his life.

FORTY-THREE

The attack on the family gathering had confirmed their worst fears - Dimitri’s forces were growing bolder and more sophisticated. Analysis of the debris had revealed advanced cloaking technology with traces of corrupted dragon magic, pointing to a hidden research facility.

“The energy signatures are unique,” Asher explained to the assembled war council the following morning, gesturing to complex data streams flowing across the briefing room’s screens. “We’ve tracked similar patterns to a supposed pharmaceutical research center outside the city. It’s on a large plot of woods away from everything.”

Talon studied the facility schematics with narrowed eyes. “Heavy security, restricted access. Getting a team in would trigger immediate alerts.”

“But a single researcher with the right credentials...” Asher let the suggestion hang in the air.

“Absolutely not,” Talon’s response was immediate, his dragon stirring restlessly beneath the surface.

“I’ve already established a fake identity through legitimate scientific channels,” she pressed on. “One person can get inand out without raising alarms. A team would be detected immediately.”

The logic was sound, though it made his dragon howl in protest. Around the table, both families exchanged worried glances, but no one could deny the plan’s strategic merit.

“We’ll need exceptional security protocols,” Levi noted, already pulling up building layouts. Beside him, Lori’s fingers tapped away as she began crafting digital safeguards.

“And a foolproof extraction plan,” Everett added, protective brother instincts in full force.

Their mothers shared a knowing look that suggested they’d already anticipated this development, while their fathers immediately dove into discussing theoretical applications of quantum entanglement for secure communications.

That night in their quarters, Talon traced the faint scars from her cold iron injury, his touch featherlight against her shoulder which for some reason refused to completely heal. She sensed his carefully controlled fear warring with pride in her strength.

“I hate that you’ll be out of reach,” he admitted, pulling her closer. “The dragon... we’re not good at letting you face danger alone.”

Asher turned in his arms, electricity crackling softly where their skin met. “You know why it has to be me.”

“You’re the only one who can work the damn device you made. But knowing doesn’t make it easier.” His kiss held desperate intensity. “If anything happens...”

“Hey.” She cupped his face, making him meet her eyes. “Remember who you’re mated to. The woman who rewrote genetic code just to meet you properly.”

His laugh rumbled against her chest. “My incredibly reckless mate.”

FORTY-FOUR

The next morning, Asher adjusted her pristine lab coat as she approached the security checkpoint of Dimitri’s research facility. The stark fluorescent lighting cast harsh shadows across the sterile corridors, highlighting the clinical precision of the space. Her borrowed identification badge felt heavy against her chest, a constant reminder of the precarious nature of her mission.

The security guard barely glanced at her credentials before waving her through. His disinterest should have been reassuring – her cover as a visiting researcher remained intact – but the ease of infiltration only heightened her unease. Either Dimitri’s arrogance made him careless, or this was a trap.

Her dragon stirred restlessly within her, protesting the distance from Talon. The mate bond stretched between them like an elastic band pulled taut, creating a persistent ache in her chest. The cold iron infused into the facility’s architecture didn’t help, its presence grating against her supernatural senses like sandpaper on raw skin. Her injured shoulder throbbed.

She sensed Talon’s protective instincts surge, his dragon fighting the urge to storm the facility. She sent back waves of reassurance, though her own heart ached at the separation.They’d known this would be difficult, but experiencing it was another matter entirely.

“Doctor Trahan?” A young lab assistant materialized at her elbow, using her fake name. “I’m here to show you to the primary research wing.”

Asher forced her face into pleasant neutrality, ignoring the way her dragon bristled at the assistant’s proximity. “Perfect timing. I’m particularly interested in your latest cellular regeneration studies.”

The assistant – her badge read “Sarah” – beamed with pride as she led the way through a maze of corridors. “Dr. Draker’s contributions to the field have been revolutionary. The way he’s managed to stabilize the transformation sequence...”

Asher’s stomach churned at Dimitri’s honorific, but she maintained her interested expression. “The published results are fascinating. Though I admit, I’m curious about the methodology.”

“Oh, you’ll love our setup,” Sarah gushed, scanning them through another security door. “We’ve combined traditional sequencing equipment with some proprietary technology that Dr. Draker developed himself.”

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