Page 94 of Dragon's Honor

“He seems like he’s keeping his head on straight,” Syrena said to Gavin.

“Not yet. I don’t trust it right now.”

“How long was I out?”

Syrena cringed. “About ten hours.”

Ash thrashed against his bindings. “Let me up right now.”

Gavin grumbled but finally nodded to Syrena.

Another incantation and a loud clap, and he was free. He pushed himself onto his feet from the floor.

“I’m sorry for losing it earlier. I’ll keep my head on straight from now on, I swear.”

Gavin scoffed, “It’s your dragon’s head you need to be worried about.”

They headed out of the back office into the main part of Sea Glass. There were a lot more dragons milling about, drinking, talking.

Tristian was standing in the middle of it all, with Finley in his arms. She was pressed against his front side smiling maliciously.

“What the fuck is this?” Ash snarled.

Gavin and Syrena flanked him.

Tristian’s tight grin grew until he was showing pointed teeth. “I’m going to take your mate,” he said.

“Remember, he’s not himself,” Gavin muttered.

Ash’s eyes flickered from Tristian to Finley.

“Oh fuck. I’m such an idiot.”

“I tend to agree, but why now?”

“He got to Finley. She wasn’t wearing her heartstone.”

Finley threw her head back and laughed. “I thought for sure you’d know right away. I’ve never been so happy to be proven wrong.”

Ash’s gut twisted. “Gavin…”

“Yeah, this isn’t good.”

All the dragons in Sea Glass seemed to pick up on the brooding showdown happening in the middle of the bar.

“You dragons are all pathetic,” Finley said. “If the humans knew about you, they’d all hunt you down and kill you. I miss the days of the dragon slayers. Seeing your heads mounted on walls of the finest knights. Controlled by a beast inside of you. Told who to mate and when. Vampires aren’t held back by such ridiculous notions.”

Cillian appeared by Ash’s side. “Aren’t we though, Grey?”

“What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to stick around just in case someone needed me,” Cillian said.

Ash felt a sense of relief. He wasn’t alone. There were plenty of people who would stand by his side and help him fight this darkness.

Even if his mate was in the middle of it.

Fuck. He couldn’t have messed this up more if he tried.

---