Page 87 of Dragon Unhinged

I feel the tip of the needle pressing against the tight skin of my stomach, and I hold my breath, not wanting to breathe, not wanting to think about anything right now, other than the sweet image my dreams brought.

Of my dragon.

Of my new family.

“What the fuck?” The nurse’s voice startles me, nearly an octave higher than normal.

I look down to where the needle… isn’t going in. The skin isn’t broken. The metal has crumpled like a fucking accordion.

“What did you do to it?” She stares at me, her eyes wide. A layer of actual fear there, underneath the shock.

“What did I do?” I shake my head, reaching out for her hand. “You can’t blame me for this. You can’t tell Grey this happened.” Not that I even understand what the hell just happened.

I have no idea what the vampire might do if he finds out, but I really don’t want to learn the hard way.

Donna examines the broken needle with interest and looks back down at my stomach. “I have to tell him. He has to know what is happening at all times. Plus, he’ll be interested in this turn of events for sure.”

“No, you don’t.” I squeeze her hand, holding on tight as I try to will her to listen to me. “Please, you must know the danger there will be if he finds out something like this happened. Not just to me, but you too.”

She tenses, and it’s almost like I can see a veil dropping behind her eyes. “He’s already done so much.” Tears start to bubble up along her waterline, and her bottom lip trembles. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. I have to do this. I have to serve him.”

“Why?” I swallow hard around the lump in my throat, worried I’m poking at a bear. I don’t want to find out all the damage she can do with her super strength. “I mean, I’ve seen you. You’re powerful. You’re insanely strong. He lets you do what you want, yeah? You’re free. You don’t have to do his bidding.”

“You don’t understand. If it were just me, if defying him, if leaving here, would only put me at risk, I’d try. I’d try to walk away, even though he’s in my head, even though he could be listening in on us right now.” She shakes her head, more tears falling. “I don’t get how I’m even able to talk to you about this. I’m usually spouting off the bullshit he puts in my head daily, sometimes hourly.”

Eager to keep her talking while the real Donna is present, I keep pressing with more questions. “What does he have on you? What’s keeping you here?”

“My little sister.” Tears are streaming down her face, and she’s squeezing my hands, like she’s clinging to me, to whatever clarity she’s feeling right now. “He gave me a choice. Work for him, accept his ‘gift’ of dragon’s breath, or watch him turn her into a monster instead. And that was after the months of torture, the months of being held captive. He wanted a fucking doctor. He wanted someone who could do what I’m here to do with you. I’m one of the leading neonatal surgeons in the country. He wanted a specialist who would be able to handle any complications with your pregnancy.”

I shake my head once before taking a chance and pulling her into my arms, hugging her close. “We’ll get out of here. We’ll find her, and we’ll save you both.”

Donna let’s out a sob and a laugh border-lining on hysteria. “You can’t promise that. After everything I’ve done, after bringing you here, putting you through this, why would you even want to help me?” She buries her face in my shoulder, and I can feel her tears soaking through my shirt. “I’m sorry you’re here. I’m sorry it’s my fault.”

I want to tell her that I don’t blame her, that I know it was all Grey.

But I don’t know if I can actually believe that. What if this is all an act, all a ploy to get me to trust her?

“I have to go back to him. I have to tell him something.”

“Tell him what you have to. I can’t stop you from talking. But I’m not letting you anywhere near my baby with a fucking giant needle.”

“I can’t blame you on that. It would seem your baby doesn’t want it anywhere near her either.” She wipes her eyes and slowly pulls away. “It might kill me, but I don’t want you or your babyto fall into that monster’s hands. I took an oath to do no harm, and God help me, I don’t want to help him harm either of you anymore.”

I almost want to believe her, even just to have a friend in this place, someone I could trust. It’s scary to even have a shred of hope after feeling like the end is inevitable.

Then she hands me another dose of those fucking pills.

Chapter

Thirty-Seven

MALCOLM

Shit.

Declan’s gone.

Ash is going to fucking kill me.

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