Page 90 of So I Dared a Dragon

Aarix

I rose from my seat, and the humans at the other tables started screaming at me.

“Hey, stretch, you’re blocking my view of the Hunks!”

“Maybe he’s gonna get on stage.” From the cheers, the other humans seemed to like that option.

Their wish was about to come true. Calista grabbed my hand, but I shook her off. I wouldn’t let the Night God think for another second that he could continue to intimidate me, my mate, or anyone I cared about.

“Wait, does he have scales?” someone asked.

“This ends tonight. Right here.” I wasn’t familiar with the source material, but it had become obvious that the show was a thinly veiled metaphor to deliver the Night God’s message. But I was the one who’d write the ending to this script.

It took everything I had not to breathe fire. These buildings were huge and filled with innocent humans, caught in the middle of an ancient dispute they couldn’t begin to understand.

“He’s going on stage!” someone from the crowd exclaimed.

Security beat me to the stage. They were big, muscular human men, but no match for me.

“Aarix, no!” Calista cried, but there was no more playing nice or waiting until the end of the show so we could film the rest of our date.

“Aarix.” Luca stood in front of me. “He wasn’t really here. Only we could see him.”

“Impossible.”

Luca pointed at the stage. “Look. The unicorns are in the middle of their next number. I know it seemed real and solid but he’s playing with magic that’s not available to the rest of us.”

“Where is he getting the power?” Were there more dragons in captivity here? The city was surrounded by mountains smaller than the Rockies, but there was no telling who could be trapped there.

“It’s Sin City. The options are endless.” Luca shrugged. “In my research I’ve found evidence of an underground prison, in the pipes below the city. Seems like a ripe opportunity.”

“He must be stopped.”

I turned to my mate. Her eyes were wide, her body tense. Ready for action. “Sunshine, I promise to bring you back here for a no-holds-barred weekend of your dreams.”

“Where are we going?” Calista asked.

“To recover the Guardian Stone.”

“You can’t go alone.” Bibi came between us.

“No. You’re not going at all. It’s too dangerous.” Hugo shook his head at his mate. “You’re still healing from the last fight.”

“We’re in the middle of filming the date. How do we edit it if it ends in an epic dragon battle?” Bibi asked.

“Film Darcy and Luca,” Calista suggested, giving her friend a sly smile. “Am I the only one who’s noticed they’re getting awfully cozy at the end of the table?”

“We’re coming with you,” Darcy said.

“No. This is a fight between me and the Night God.” And it was beyond time for it to be over. “I need Calista’s powers.”

“She’s inexperienced,” Luca said, but I waved my hand.

“That’s exactly what he wants all of us to think. It’s time for all of us to stop underestimating her.” I slipped my hand in hers. “Are you ready, sunshine?”

“I was born ready.”

But her body was tense, temperature rising, and her breathing had quickened as we left the theater.

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