Page 58 of Dragon Unhinged

In a blink, she disappears again, and I get the distinct feeling that she’s leaving a lot faster than I could.

Great. I don’t have any other way to help Declan, or any of them, and now I’m just expected to go to bed like a good girl and wait for Ellie to come back with everything she needs.

Chapter

Twenty-Five

DECLAN

“Ineed more time to discuss your offer with my mate. I need time to think.” I’ve spent a lot of time with a couple of vampires who are helping against Grey. I’ve learned to keep my heartrate under control and careful to not give any body clues of deceit or plotting. It’s not easy, but of my brothers I was the best at it. Krystana always killed it. I don’t know how much of Grey’s abilities work when he’s only possessing a mind, but I refuse to give him any sort of leg up if I can help it. “I don’t think you’d want me to jump into this lightly. It’s a big decision, one that affects more than just me, more than just my mate. If you want me to do this, you should want me all in.”

His empty eyes study me with a calculating but intrigued expression. He cuts another bite of steak off, but before he puts it in his mouth, he says, “Take the night. I’ll come back to check on you in the morning. I’m sure your little mate will sneak down for sex. You can talk it over with her then.”

Gods, how much does he know? How does he know so much? Being a human’s prisoner certainly hasn’t made me feel safe, but knowing that Grey knows so much makes me feel even more vulnerable. Not to mention, how much more vulnerable itmakes Brianna. It takes every ounce of control I have to not lose my shit, and more importantly to not have my dragon lose his shit inside of me. He can’t come out, but he might try ripping through me to do it just the same.

I take a few slow, deep breaths, and manage to get some control over my rage and fear. Something I’ve become better at over the last few months.

There’s no indication our meal has been paid, but Grey gets up, and I have no doubt I’m supposed to follow him like a good little slave.

I do, but only because I still can’t stomach the idea of Brianna getting hurt, of her getting killed, because I defied Grey’s orders. She’s far too precious, and even if I have to make a deal with the devil himself, I’d do it to keep her safe.

When we’re back in the town car, he looks over at me and says with a stern expression, “Be a good dragon and go right back to your cell when we get back. I’ll know if you don’t, and I will make sure you and your mate both suffer for it.”

A prickle of irritation rolls over my skin. I want to question, demand, to determine where this is coming from, but before I can even ask him, Brianna’s father seems to fall into a deep sleep, and the car starts to roll forward, back toward her house.

Back to my imprisonment. My helplessness. My ineffectiveness.

I don’t like the idea that he might have the whole home wired, including visuals on everything that happens within the cells. Or are the servants part of his hordes? Should I warn Brianna, should I tell her to not let her friend try anything? Would it do any good at this point, if Brianna’s so certain they’re close to a solution, a chance at freedom that doesn’t come at the cost of getting into bed with Grey?

When the car pulls to a stop in front of the house, I expect her father to wake up again, but he just stays where he is, eyesclosed, looking downright peaceful compared to all the turmoil roiling through me.

I glance at the stairs to the second floor, certain it would take next to no time to find Brianna’s room, to scent her space amongst all the rest of the house.

But Grey told me to go right back to my cell, and no matter how much I want to just pull Brianna into my arms, to give her the chance to sleep next to her mate in a real bed, not just a concrete slab, I can’t risk her life just for a few moments of comfort.

It doesn’t matter though, because just as I start for the basement stairs, I can feel her behind me.

“Holy shit.” She blinks a couple times before a huge grin breaks out over her face. “You clean up good.”

I catch her as she jumps into my arms, breathing in her scent, wanting to just bathe in her. “You shouldn’t be out here. I think Grey has the house wired.” I hate saying it, and even though my words push her away, I don’t let her go.

“If he already knows we’re mates, I doubt seeing us hug in the foyer is going to be a big deal.” She snuggles into my chest, and it takes all my self-control to not whisk her out of the house and runaway from everything, including the war with Grey.

“I should get back downstairs.”

“Take me with you.” She looks up at me, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. “I don’t want to be alone. I don’t want to wait for morning to be close to you.”

I ache for that too, and Greydidsay that I should discuss things with my mate.

With a smirk, I carry her down to my cell, intent on making sure we’re so close, there’s hardly room to breathe without touching each other. It would be so easy to just stay outside of the spelled door, to be just outside the cell, without the oppressive walls closing in around us. But Grey’s command wasclear, and until we can get completely free from this house, I can’t risk disobeying, even slightly.

Brianna doesn’t seem to mind, though, as she peppers kisses along my jawline, sliding her hands up into my hair.

I take a deep breath, breathing in her scent, breathing in my mate.

And I freeze. Her scent is different. She smells like her, but there’s something different. I tuck my nose into her neck and inhale deeply. I’ve only smelled this a couple of times in my life, but I recognize the shift.

“Brianna…” I swallow hard, my hands tighten around her. “Are you…?”

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