Page 120 of Love Bites Extra Hard

“Ready?” Clem asked, looking at me.

I nodded.

Talon tensed, but didn’t disagree.

“Give us a minute to take down the shields,” Stella said. I felt her magic and Talon’s both flood the room as they undid the protections they’d placed. There had been more of them since my near-death experience, but that didn’t matter.

When they gave us the nod, Clementine and I both stepped up to the cell’s barred window.

Sylvester’s attention snapped to us immediately, now that he could see through it for the first time.

“Hi again,” I said, giving him a small smile.

He crossed the room quickly, reaching for the bars. We stepped back as he shoved his scaled hands through, trying to touch us.

“I’ve missed you,” he said, smiling in a way that made me shiver. “And you brought a friend?”

“A sister, actually.” I pushed my magic into the air, and his eyes shuttered as it washed over him.

His entire body shuddered when I increased it.

None of the men must’ve responded to it—thank you, mate bonds—because Talon didn’t snarl at anyone for once.

“Come closer so we can get a better look at you,” Clementine purred, and I could feel the magic she wove into the air around us.

He slammed his face into the bars, and we both flinched.

His scaled nose jutted through them, and his eyes were dilated.

That was a good sign.

“Your scales are so gorgeous.” Clem acted as if she was reaching toward him. Her hand collided with a forcefield, courtesy of one of the dragons around us.

She pouted her lips, easing up on her magic. “I want to feel them, but the dragons won’t let us in unless you shift.”

His lips twisted in a snarl. “I can’t.”

“Please?”

“I can’t,” he repeated, his voice a little more desperate.

“Please?” she said again, and finally laced her voice with power once more.

I saw in his eyes as his willpower cracked just a little.

“They’ll kill me,” he said.

“You’re too fast for that. They haven’t managed it yet. Why would they be able to do it now?”

His expression relaxed with the question, satisfaction relaxing his shoulders. “Iamfast. And strong.”

“So strong,” Clem reached toward him again, pressing her palm to the forcefield.

I could practically feel the tension of the dragons behind us.

If he shifted back just for a moment, we would have him. With the intensity of the dragons’ magic, Talon and Stella could take him out in a heartbeat.

“It took them so long to catch you,” she purred. “You’re smart, too.”

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