Page 64 of Dragon Exposed

Levi would be by my side.

Once my hair was secure and pulled back from my face, Levi went back to our unwelcome package.

He picked up the box, and then gestured for me to stand next to him, tucked into his side. “You promise you’re not afraid of my dragon form anymore?”

I nodded. “I don’t think I could be scared of you for anything.”

He set the box in the sink, and as his eyes swirled purple and green, he breathed out a thin line of fire, aimed directly at the wooden surface of the lid.

I watched in wonder as the box smoked but didn’t catch fire. Instead, it started glowing purple, almost sparkling in a mist of color.

“Levi, stop.” I gripped his arm as words started to fill the lid.

The flame died out, and we both leaned in closer to read what had appeared.

The clock is ticking down, now, for the stitches that make up the fabric of time. The four faces will be splattered with her blood, unless a beast who shifts solves the riddle and the key. Every second you waste brings the sharp blade of fate closer.

“What does any of that mean?” Levi growled, his eyes still more purple than green.

I read through it, again and again, until it started to make sense. The key, the clock, four faces. It had to be Grand Central Station. “They’re going to kill someone at Grand Central Station, unless you can save her.” I frowned. “The key has to go to a locker there.”

Levi reached over and cupped my cheek. “This isn’t going to be a carriage ride through Central Park, mate. I know I can’t make you stay behind, but I have to beg you to please do what you can to stay safe. These vampires are making bold moves, bigger than we could’ve predicted, and I don’t want you getting caught in the crossfire.”

I cupped his cheek and rose up on my toes to brush my lips against his. “Then I know you won’t leave me without someone watching my back. I wouldn’t expect you to go into this alone, so let’s do this. His message was to the both of us. I have a feeling we’re both going to be needed to make it out of this safely. Whatever he’s got planned, whatever he intends for us to do that will prove that dragons are dangerous, I won’t let you go up against it alone.”

Levi nodded once, and then he pulled away and grabbed the key. “Then let’s go.”

“Shouldn’t we… I don’t know, arm ourselves?”

“The car that’s coming to pick us up will be stocked with mortal weapons and wooden stakes. Beyond that, I imagine I’ll need claws and teeth.” He looked resigned, like going forward with this was just another nail in the coffin that was closing in around all dragons.

I had to figure out a way to keep him from shifting, if at all possible. It was bad enough that his whole presence was noticeable, from the long hair and broad shoulders to the fact that he just didn’t hold himself like he was a mortal man. We didn’t need to draw more attention by breathing fire or destroying things with a massive wingspan and wicked tail.

The car ride to the train station was tense, as Levi unloaded and reloaded guns, strapped knives to both our bodies, and wrapped a holster fit for thick wooden stakes to my thigh.

“If anyone with fangs comes toward you, don’t hesitate. They wouldn’t hesitate to take you from me, and I won’t let them.” He kissed my neck, right over where the scars from my last major vampire run-in sat. “They’ve taken enough blood from you for lifetimes.”

I nodded, gripping one of the stakes tightly. “Trust me, they’re going to have to kill me before I let them feed on me again.”

I just really hoped I wouldn’t have to.

25

Grand Central Horrors

LEVI

Heading into Grand Central Station felt like an ominous cloud was hanging over us. The jackets we wore, too warm for the day, barely covered the weapons strapped to our bodies. The serious, focused look in Izobelle’s eyes and the way she kept checking her forearm for the knife I strapped there, made me nervous. Not because I didn’t think she could do it. Because I was afraid that she would have to.

The four-faced clock in the middle of the station glowed like a beacon, but a quick circle of it didn’t reveal whoever the unfortunate potential victim would be. Whatever tricks Grey had in store, I had a feeling we needed to find the locker, use the key, before the pieces would click into place.

Izobelle pointed at a bank of metal shelves along the wall. It was exposed, no cover, and way too many vantage points around the room where vampires or thralled humans could be watching for us.

“Watch my back. If anything looks out of the ordinary, if anyone looks suspicious, just whisper my name, and I’ll take care of it.” I led the way, hating that she’d be on the outside, unprotected by my body, if someone attacked. Sharp shooters could be nestled out of sight, just waiting for us. “What’s the number on the key?”

“Three-oh-nine.” She said it immediately, like she’d memorized every detail she could about the riddle, about this whole shitty situation.

It didn’t take me to find the right locker, or to recognize the shimmer of magic protecting it. No wonder the clue said it had to be a shifter. The damned thing had been spelled.

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