Page 81 of Dragon's Code

My dragon is exhausted, my wings battered and bruised. So I charge down the street, swiping at people shooting at me.

Just as I’m about to completely fry them all alive, another dozen dragons appear in the sky above me. They dive down and start taking out as many hostile people as they can with their fire, their tails, their claws.

It’s then I recognize my family. Ash and his mate, Finley. Henrik and his mate, Quinn. Levi and his mate, Isabelle. Declan and Malcolm at the lead. There’s a few others, including the Opal Prince Tristian.

Ash, Grey’s here, I call to him as I charge toward Athena.

Ash roars.Where?

The roof of Dragon’s Lair. He’s killing Athena.

Ash takes off up to the rooftop while I shift back into my human form just in time to run over glass and debris in the lobby. I charge up the stairs going as fast as I can.

I reach the top breathless. I’ve used almost every ounce of my strength. I’m leaving a trail of blood behind me. I don’t care.

I charge out onto the rooftop where Ash stands over Athena. I try to run, but my legs hardly walk as I stumble over to them. I drop to my knees by Athena’s lifeless looking body.

I kneel next to her. Her breathing is labored. Her eyes open. Her pupils are blown, her eyes glassy and unseeing.

“Athena,” I say. “Can you hear me?”

I’m here, she says in my head.But it’s dark.

The sight of the puncture marks in her neck, torn wide from chewing into her like he was a fucking animal and she was his prey. My dragon and I roar in fury.

Before I can even think about it, I bite over Grey’s marks. I tear into her neck knowing that when she is reborn, her wounds will be healed. Hopefully my marks will override his, but I know better. I know that when vampires rise, they rise completely clean of mortal wounds, disease, and even with clear complexions, a glow of beauty. Their ethereal shine gives them an edge when hunting their favorite prey. Humans are always more receptive to pretty things.

“Just know that I’ll be here when you rise again. I love you now and I’ll love you when you awake again.”

Exhaustion claims me and I fall into the black.

ChapterTwenty-Three

KRYSTANA

By the time the battle ends, the Las Vegas strip looks like an apocalypse blew through town. The palm trees that are left standing are mostly on fire. Many of the hotels have gaping holes in them or just crumbled to the ground. The Bellagio Fountains have to work around two upside down tanks as they do their hourly scheduled show. Cars are flattened, blown up, riddled with bullet holes and strangely a few are left without a scratch.

A pack of wolf shifters herd the last of the militia into the cages they brought to handle the supernatural creatures they found. Dragons and shifters came from all over the United States to help out with this fight. They came in waves and we managed to take the city like I planned.

A limousine escorted by four police officers on motorcycles and six black SUVs that look like the secret service to me roll onto Las Vegas Boulevard from one of the side streets.

“Who’s that?” Anya asks next to me.

“I think we’re about to find out.”

The limousine stops a few feet from us. The driver gets out and opens the back door. I’m standing stark naked on the side of the road. The one little hang up with being a shifter in the human world, they’re not so used to the nudity.

Mayor Danica Smith gets out of the backseat and approaches me. She’s got fiery red hair, bright amber colored eyes, like the yellow in tiger’s eye. She’s tall and willowy with a fierce expression.

“Miss Wystan.”

“Mayor Smith,” I reply.

She reaches out her hand and we shake hands. “It’s a pleasure to see you again.”

“I’m sorry we destroyed your city in the process.”

“Nonsense, we didn’t ask for this fight, we just ended it. I’m glad my backup arrived in the nick of time.”

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