Page 68 of Dragon's Code

I meet his gaze and there’s something in his ice blue eyes. I take his word on that. “I’ve seen some pretty bad stuff.”

“What you went through was awful. Humans did that to a little girl. Can you imagine what they would do to a creature they didn’t understand?”

“All too well.”

We sit in silence, the heaviness of our conversation weighing on both of us.

“You’re not going to help me finish this willingly, are you?” he asks in a low, solemn voice.

“I can’t. I can’t help Grey or the human race get their hands on information that would lead to more people getting hurt. It’s not right.” I twist in my seat so I’m facing him. “But I will help you get your brother back.”

Raphael shakes his head. “Grey isn’t even in the country right now. I have no idea where my brother is being kept. All I know is that if this virus doesn’t go out in an hour, my brother is dead.”

“How are you supposed to prove that you sent the virus?” I ask.

Raphael cocks an eyebrow. “We’re not going to trick Grey. You don’t know him and what he’s capable of.”

I grab the USB drive sitting by the mouse and shove it into a port. I double click on the folder when it pops up. I start sorting through the information on the USB.

“I know you’re not afraid of death, but I will make sure that every dragon in that hotel, including your boyfriend, is grabbed by the military and taken away from you forever.”

“Raphael–”

“I mean it, Athena. Do it or your dragon buddies are done for.”

I growl at him and turn back to the files. There’s a lot on this drive. A ton of files with names, addresses, and species from what I can tell. Dragon shifters, wolf shifters, tigers, bears, oh my. Witches. Potential mates for all of them. There’s files with thousands of names and then more files after that.

“How did he get all of this information?”

“He’s been around for a very long time. He’s probably one of the eldest vampires and supernatural creatures altogether. I know he’s seen at least two millenia. He has unlimited resources. He’s got a witch and some other things up his sleeve.” He points at the folder I’m scanning through. “All I need you to do is create a delivery system. I’ll get you into every system and program needed, you deliver the information into the program and system and it’s done.”

“It’s done and the world leaders can start to gather all of us and put us into concentration camps or something, right? How long before they start killing? How long before they find one of your doorways, and try to take the fae realm too?”

“You can always come with me.”

“I’m not going to desert those I love to save my own skin. Kashton and I haven’t even fully mated. I haven’t turned into a dragon. I’m not leaving him. For the first time in my life, everything makes sense and it’s the craziest it’s ever been.”

“Time is ticking, Athena. Get to work.”

As I start to create a delivery system, I try to think how the hell I’m going to get out of this alive without selling anyone else down the river and hopefully saving Raphael and his brother’s life in the process too.

Guess I have my work cut out for me.

ChapterEighteen

KASHTON

Iknow immediately that I’m not in my bed and that Athena isn’t with me. I try to jerk into a sitting position, but I’m restrained. My eyes strain against the light, trying to figure out what’s got me tied down.

I’m chained to a bed in Jerrick’s stronghold beneath the hotel.

“What the actual fuck?”

“We needed to restrain you and make sure that you cannot shift.” Jerrick’s voice floats down to me, it sounds like he’s across a large room or something.

When I take in the space around me, I realize it’s like a giant warehouse sized room. Big enough for a dragon.

“What is going on?” I snarl, struggling against my bindings.

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