Page 80 of Destiny of the Dragons

Part of him felt like a failure, setting aside his ambitions.

“I have to see how to get out.”

Mia wrinkled her face. “Your Mother won’t let you leave either.”

“No.” He rubbed his chin. Tikka jumped into his lap, demanding pets, so he stroked the griffin. “I’m going to need leverage too.”

Smoke and Mia both frowned.

Jace waved his hand. “That’s a problem for later. Mother was…odd the other day.”

He frowned. He’d tried so hard to get back into the clan and now he was going to try and leave it.

He looked at Mia and Smoke. But they were worth it. And honestly, he thought he would have the respect of his elders when he earned his place back. Instead, they just acted like he was a glorified errand boy.

Question was, how did he get enough dirt on his mother to force her to let him leave? If he just disappeared she would hunt him to the ends of the earth.

Obviously, something terrible was happening in the clan, but it would be nearly impossible to find out what.

Mia leaned over and kissed his cheek. “We’ll figure it out.”

“We will.” He kissed her back. “First, your spellbook. And I’ll see what dirt I can dig up.”

Smoke watched him. “You’re sure about this? You wanted this for a long time.”

“I wanted us to be safe. And yeah, I wanted to prove them wrong.” He shrugged. “But I’d rather be happy with my Treasure than miserable without you.”

Jace looked at the two people he loved best in the world. They would figure it out together.

In a dark bar, Cross waited.

The Troll Market was busy, always busy no matter what time of day. He tried to watch for his contact, but there would be no telling when he showed up.

Cross grit his teeth. Vampires were a pain in the ass, a necessary evil. Soon, with Mia twisted around his finger, he would have the control he needed. Turn the tables.

Cross swirled his drink, the dark bar hiding all sorts of sins.

He felt it the instant the vampire entered the room.

Conversations drew to a halt before starting up nervously.

He supposed the vampire was good-looking, but most women looked at him and looked away quickly.

Cassius closed the distance between them, and the animal part of Cross’s brain told him he was being hunted by a predator.

Cross shoved the fear away, angry. He wasn’t being hunted, he was the hunter. He’d watched people beg for their lives before he watched the light die in their eyes. He’s taken people apart, piece by piece, just to see how they worked.

This vampire didn’t scare him.

Cassius took a seat with a grin. The waitress came over, eying him and then Cassius. “What will you have?”

“You.” Cassius looked at her. “But first, I’ll have a White Russian.”

She laughed weakly, before walking back to the bar.

Cross grinned. “Things are going well.”

Cassius arched an eyebrow. “What, no small talk? Asking me how I’m doing?”

---