Page 73 of The Accidental Dragon Baby

“Pterodactyls suck!” Raptor said.

“I can confirm that pterodactyls suck,” Mav said dryly.

“We didn’t need to know that,” Bruiser said.

“Ew,” Raptor said.

“Aww, Mavvie-chicken,” Telos crooned.

“I regret everything,” Mav said.

“I think I liked it better when they were butting heads,” Ace said, but he was lying. Everyone was happy that Telos and Mav had finally gotten together.

“Have you fucked like this, though?” Crush asked. “As a dragon and a pterodactyl.”

Mav and Telos exchanged a look. “Not yet.”

“Keep it in your pants while the mission is in progress,” Duke growled.

“You’re the only one wearing pants right now.” Telos cackled.

Duke gave a long-suffering sigh.

“You’re just jealous that you don’t have anyone to knot,” Raptor said.

“Can it. We’re getting close,” Duke ordered.

At once, all of them fell silent. The forest loomed below them in the growing dark. Dragons had no enhanced night vision, so they were relying on Crush to scan for threats.

“Approaching,” Crush murmured. “We’re two hundred yards out.”

“Split up,” Duke said.

They broke into groups of two to circle the hideout. Ivo was shivering; Ace patted his basket with his too-short paws, unable to comfort him much right now.

Below, guards patrolled the electric fence. The team had to stay high in the air so the flapping of their wings wouldn’t be heard.

Then an alarm screeched.

“Fuck,” Ace hissed. Had a shape shifter or wolf heard them? Telos hadn’t seen any on his scouting mission.

“Plan B,” Duke said tersely.

A series of “Roger”s filled the comms channel. The others fell back.

Ace made his descent to the bare ground in front of the holding shacks. He whispered to Ivo, “We’ve got this.”

He stayed in his dragon shape, tracking the sounds around them. Most of the noises came from people in the buildings, but there were also several guards running over.

Ivo chattered worriedly, his snout pushing through the holes in his basket.

Noise burst from the largest building. The front door slammed open. Guards poured out with their guns blazing, bullets bouncing off Ace’s hide.

Ace kept his wings tucked in to minimize the damage. He unleashed a stream of fire at the poachers, until they screamed and their clothes caught fire. The men tried to put out the flames; more of them ran over.

It sent a thrill through Ace to see them fall. The people who had hurt Ivo were getting what they deserved.

Someone yelled angrily in the holding shacks.

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