Page 21 of Cage Me

“When I say go, point that mirror right at the Black Dragon’s eyes. Jett, when she does, hit him with everything you've got and then grab us. We'll have only an instant to get by him and back on the run.”

Neither of them had time to agree to his plan because just then, the Black Dragon showed up.

Its huge body filled the only exit and it sauntered in like it owned the place, which it did.

Cage held his sword out with one hand, keeping the demon dragons at bay and cupped his other hand, concentrated every shred of the sunlight inside of him into a dense ball. When he opened his fist, the light filled the area around the dead end in a blinding flash.

“Go, love. Hit him with the light.”

The initial explosion of light diminished and Azynsa was right there with the mirror manipulating the reflected beam directly at the Black Dragon's face like a laser.

The Black Dragon growled and recoiled. Azynsa had to adjust and maneuver so that the light continued to hit him. She found exactly the sweet spot and drilled that beam of light directly into his black eyeball. When she did, Jett blasted the Black Dragon with a burst of flames and threw his own body at its chest.

The distraction of sunlight in this bleak underground hell and the fact that Black Dragon must not have expected them to put up much of a fight, because, even though Jett's body was half the size, they tumbled backward into the wall behind. The cave all around them shook and rocks tumbled from the ceiling.

Jett thrashed and pounded at his opponent, not following through with grabbing the two of them and flying out of there.

Azynsa could no longer focus the mirror with Jett and the Black Dragon fighting each other. Cage pulled the power of the sun back inside himself.

Good, he’d have some energy for later.

He slashed at the demon dragons nearest them who disappeared, not into the black puffs of ash and smoke with their death, but teleported across the room.

Each time he struck one of them, the sword hit flesh and bone, but then glided through it like a puff of wind. They reappeared around the Black Dragon.

Great. Another new trick to fight against. At least they weren’t able to get to Azynsa and her mirror.

Jett hit the Black Dragon again with his tail, but it ducked, and the spikes on Jett's tail hit the wall, causing more of a cave in. Jett did not relent, which was not the plan. Cage could see there would be no reaching the rogue in his current state of mind. If ever there was a berserker dragon, Jett was it.

He was out for the Black Dragon’s blood. Cage should have guessed this was Jett’s original intent.

The Black Dragon retaliated with a swipe of its own tail which caught Jett in the shoulder. He cracked against the wall and a fissure snaked its way up the rock. Cage glimpsed the tiniest bit of light leaking through that crack. Wherever was on the other side of that wall, was the only escape route.

The ground shook like an earthquake under the force of the dragon’s battle. It wouldn’t be long now.

Cage pressed his mouth to Azynsa ear, which might have been necessary for her to hear him over the din, but it was certainly no hardship. The scent of rain over the ocean enveloped him and he would never forget it. Damn it, he needed to concentrate on getting her to safety not on how he couldn’t wait to taste her. “On his next hit, run.”

“Where?”

Jett didn't miss a beat and rolled with the next hit using the Black Dragon's momentum to yank it up and into the air. It hit the wall hard enough to not only expand the crack like Cage had thought it would, but broke right through and into a huge cavern lit by pools of lava.

“There, go, go, go.” He pushed Azynsa forward, she was off and running without his help.

Azynsa continued to hold the mirror in front of her which he couldn’t blame her for seeing as she had no other weapon anymore. Cage slashed at more demon dragons, who this time appeared in the open cavern as he struck them. Slick bastards.

Jett flew at the Black Dragon, who was still pulling himself up from the floor of the larger cavern it had fallen into. The Black Dragon twisted at the last moment and tossed Jett over and passed him. Jett used his wings to slow himself down, but it was too quick for him to expand them fully and he skidded to the edge of a pool of lava.

“I know where we are now, and I think I can get us to my hiding place.” Azynsa pointed to a tunnel not far from them. If Jett continue to battle the Black Dragon, they could probably slip away unnoticed. Cage gritted his teeth. The rogue might be a total dickhead, he didn't deserve this fate.

Damn, Cage needed his dragon now. Together the two of them might be able to injure the Black Dragon at least, and at best capture him. But, Cage didn't have his dragon.

“Ready to try that trick again?”

Before she could agree Jett yelled into their heads. “Get her the fuck out of here. I will find you for that favor later.”

There was no time for an argument. If the rogue thought he could take care of himself, Cage had to believe it. His number one priority was Azynsa. Together the two of them would figure out a way out of hell, with or without Jett. The Black Dragon hurdled himself at Jett again and this was the perfect opportunity to get away. Cage kept them both close to the wall and worked his way over to the tunnel she had indicated. He ducked inside to make sure the coast was clear and expecting her to come in right behind him. She stood frozen at the entryway.

“Azynsa, come on. The coast is clear. Only you know the way.”

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