Page 79 of Dragon's Code

We’re going to take this city and there’s not going to be anything left of it.

Maybe not anything left of us either.

I think about Athena. I have to get out of this for her. I have to get out of this to make sure she’s safe.

I push again, willing my wings to be able to get leverage to push some stuff off of my back, to give me some room to get out of here. Just as I feel things shift, Captain Towns appear right before my muzzle. She’s holding a grenade launcher and aiming it right at my head.

I quickly build a fire in my chest, and open my mouth. Fire rains down on her just as she releases the explosive right at me. It hits me hard, shoving me backward, and the entire building starts to come down right on me.

ChapterTwenty-One

ATHENA

My breath is lodged in my chest. I can’t breathe. I’m not sure I want to breathe. I’m leaning over the edge of the rooftop of The Dragon’s Lair trying to see if Kashton is still alive.

There’s so much fire and the hotel keeps falling to pieces on top of him. I can’t see any part of Kash’s dragon. He’s buried alive right now.

Inside my chest, where my heart beats, I feel that he’s still alive. That he’s still there.

I pull back from the edge and try to figure out a plan. I can’t just charge over there. There’s dozens of people with guns between me and Kashton.

“This is the measly human who tricked you?” The dark voice behind me takes me by surprise.

I spin around and find Raphael standing with a man I’ve never seen before. “What’s going on, Raph?”

“You fucked me over, Athena.” Raphael’s expression is dark and hard, like he’s blocking out any affection he might’ve had for me at one point.

“What do you mean?” I play dumb trying to figure a way out of this.

Raphael takes an angry step toward me. “You know exactly what I mean. You didn’t do what you were supposed to. You send the wrong files.”

“Did I?” I say, trying to take on my ditziest sounding voice. “All those files in there and you didn’t think I wasn’t going to go through every single one of them?”

“Enough,” the other man shouts. “You may have foiled this plan, but it’s hardly the only one I have. I’ve been planning for a long time and I won’t be thwarted by some pathetic human wannabe dragon.”

My eyes widen. “You’re Grey.”

He grins. “Has your mate been singing my praises?” His tone is anything but pleasant. There’s a ferocious edge to his voice, like he’s straining to hold himself back or something.

“You won’t win,” I say. “The humans will understand that we’re not the bad guys.”

Grey tilts his head. “You’re not a dragon yet. Your silly little mate hasn’t claimed you yet.”

A chill claims my entire body causing me to shiver, even in the desert heat.

“Yet being the operative word.”

Grey grins, showing his sharp fangs and his malicious intent. His eyes reflect off the fire and lights like he’s an animal. Then in a blur of movement, he’s standing right in front of me.

He strikes like a snake, his hand latching around my throat. I wrap my hands around his wrist, trying to get him off me. He’s like a mountain of strength and I can’t even get him to budge.

“You know unlike the myths, shifters can’t bite just anyone to create another dragon. It has to be their mate. Vampires can turn anyone they want to. Anyone they want to give immortality to. Most of us can’t stand anyone long enough to actually turn them.” He leans in until all I can smell is him, like copper and death. “But I think I’ll enjoy watching your mate bond be destroyed. Maybe you can prove to me what a great servant you’ll be in my paradise and I’ll let you live. But all your dragon friends will be ash and I’ll mount your mate’s head in my throne room for all to enjoy.”

I kick at him, dig my nails into his skin, trying to hurt him. He doesn’t even flinch. He spins me in his arms so we’re both facing Raphael.

“Don’t do this, Grey. She’s innocent.”

Grey laughs in my ear, it’s a menacing sound that sends another round of shivers through my body.

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