Page 108 of Primal Dragon

“Excuse you,” she snapped, trying to pull away from him.

“Don’t flatter yourself. I would never take a human female as a mate. Or even a lover.”

He checked her ankles.

Quinn realized he was checking for the heartstone. She cleared her mind, focusing on him and what he was doing. She didn’t want him to read her mind.

“All right, drink up.”

“What is it?”

“It’s Dragon Fire. It’s good for you.”

Quinn made a face. “Do I have a choice?”

“Yes, you do. You can drink it like you’re told, or I can enthrall you to drink it or if I’m feeling less charitable, I can grab you by the neck and shove it down your fucking throat like a stubborn bitch who won’t take her medicine.”

Quinn flinched. “I’ll take door number one, Bob.” She downed the liquid like a shot and dropped the glass back in his hand. “Happy?”

“Thrilled.”

There was no flavor, no burn at the back of her throat, no anything. What was Dragon Fire? She’d heard them talk about it at the safe house, but she never got a clear picture of what it did or how it worked.

Grey turned back to Tabitha.

“We’re ready,” she said.

Quinn glanced at Drake. He stood there staring into space as if he weren’t even present.

“Drake, hold Quinn steady please. I don’t need her trying to interrupt.”

Drake moved and grabbed Quinn by the arms and held her in place. His grip was secure no matter how much she squirmed and yanked to free herself.

“Tabitha, don’t do this. He’s going to turn his back on you. He’s only out for himself. He doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process,” Quinn pleaded.

The witch shot her a scathing glare, but she didn’t say anything.

Quinn couldn’t stop the ritual as they stood in the center of the circle. Tabitha did her magic bit. She couldn’t even hear them properly. She scanned the room trying to find some way to stop everything. She wasn’t ready to fail.

At least she’d gotten James out, but at the expense of the bigger mission, which was to stop Grey. Not only did she not stop Grey, she gave him exactly what he needed to complete one of his mastermind plans.

Grey was the villain. The villain you wanted to hate, but all you could do was appreciate his intelligence. He was better than any Bond villain.

Tabitha handed Grey the Fire Stone and stepped back. The stone rumbled in the palm of his hand and then smoke surrounded it. It swirled up into the air. The rock grew bright orangish red like lava and then it liquified. Grey dropped to his knees, screaming in pain as the Fire Stone lava seeped into his skin, making his veins light up bright orange. Grey’s screams never stopped.

Quinn wasn’t struggling against Drake; she was watching in horror as the glow faded and Grey’s body grew limp. He sagged on the floor for a long time. She waited with bated breath that whatever he’d done, it was too much, and it had killed him.

No such luck.

Grey’s shoulders drew back, and he lifted his head.

Tabitha had been on the outskirts of the circle, watching with wide eyes and shallow breath as well. She smiled at Grey.

Quinn hated that she couldn’t see more of what was going on. She couldn’t see what horror waited for them now.

Grey stood. “Let’s see if it truly worked.” He moved to the first woman chained to the wall. All the women had been quiet. They were standing, staring much like Drake. They were either already ghouls or possibly it was something else. Something worse.

The vampire turned and met her gaze. “Would you like a better view?”

---