Page 37 of Defy Me

"Annie who now?"

The sound of a sword being pulled from its sheath filled the car. Cage moved slowly and deliberately, preparing for battle. "One of the seven judges of the underworld and Ereshkigal's personal guard. But what the fuck it's doing here, I don't know. They aren't supposed to be able to leave hell."

Jett opened his senses to the Annunaki demon and was struck by a familiar scent. Here in the land of the living, she didn't smell the same as in the underworld. That's why he hadn't recognized her. He did now. She'd been in the town near the Green Wyvern's villa, she'd been at the field where they'd crashed the car, she'd been on the rooftops, she'd been at the pub.

She was the creature hunting Yvaine.

But why? A thousand and one razor sharp fears struck him directly in the gut. She would be here if she sensed the changes Yvaine had caused in Jett, in his power. What the Annunaki knew, Erishkigal knew. What the Black Witch knew, the Black Dragon could use to incapacitate Jett. They had sent her after Yvaine.

The Annunaki drifted closer, her robes flowing around her to hide the darkness beneath the clothing. Her arm raised up and she pointed a bony finger at Yvaine.

"Why is it pointing it's finger at me? I do not like that. Not even a little big." She pointed her finger back and shook it. Jett grabbed her arm and pushed it down.

Cage shoved the driver's side door open and held his golden sword aloft in front of him. Jett and Cage had fought the Annunaki before. They'd lost. The only reason they were still alive was because of Azy and Fallyn, the Black Dragon's daughter. There wasn't anyone here to save them now. "Take your mate and go, Jett. Find the unicorn."

Jett got out of the car and joined the Gold Dragon. He didn't have a fancy weapon like Cage, but he did have the element of shadow surprise. "You can't fight the Annunaki alone. She will kill you and you still owe me a damned favor."

Not to mention if the leader of the dragon warriors was killed while helping Jett and Yvaine, the rest of the dragon warriors wouldn't be inclined to ally with him again. He did not need more enemies. He'd thought he had to fight his battles on his own. He never even considered asking for help. Until now.

"Don't you worry your pretty little head over me. I'm like a Girl Scout. Always prepared." Cage punched at the watch on his wrist. "Move in."

Two more SUVs, big black ones like in the movies, screeched in from opposite sides. The doors popped open and the dragon muscle squad swarmed out like it was a clown car. Jett didn't recognize any of them personally, but he inherently knew they represented every Wyr. The two reds shifted immediately and didn't take their eyes off the Annunaki. Which was probably good because Jett was only about a step above pond scum to them.

A shimmer of sunshine signaled Cage's shift into his dragon form. The sword shifted with him and became a deadly metal spike in his tail.Don't disappear on me this time, rogue. The fate of my children lie with you.

No pressure there. The fate of the entire fucking world pressed down on Jett. Save his brethren, defeat the Black Dragon, keep Yvaine safe, don't let the dragon babies get screwed in the fight between good and evil. He wasn't strong enough to bare it, not without Yvaine and the dragon warriors. Damn it. He needed them as much as they needed him. Duck a ducking duck.

If he stayed he could use his new control over shadow to help them capture her. He couldn't stand the thought of letting her get anywhere even close to Yvaine though. Yvaine would never even see an entrance to hell of he could help it. Fuck. He couldn't risk it. The dragon warriors had this under control. Sort of. His priority had to be her and getting to the unicorn. If Cage died, Jett would spend the rest of his days making sure Azy and the babies were taken care of. If Yvaine died, he would spend those same days burning down the world. "Yvaine, get out of the car very slowly. Don't make any sudden moves that will draw its attention back to you."

She slid out of the back seat and crept over to him. "Jett? Why is that thing here? Is it after you? I can try to use my disappearing act and get us out of here. Just trap us somewhere, like one of those shipping containers. Oh. But I don't know if I can transport all of the dragons too. I have better control over it now, but I think I can only do you and me."

"No, love. If you were going to turn me into dragon form, this would be a good time." He kept his voice cool and calm for her. "We can not stay and fight, and these dragon warriors would be pretty pissed if you zapped them all away to safety. They were born and bred to fight demons. You were born to find a unicorn. So let's go do that."

Yvaine glanced over at the dragons circling the Annunaki. She barely noticed their presence. She only had eyes for Yvaine. "Crudmuffins. Okay."

She closed her eyes and wrinkled up her nose and forehead. Nothing happened. Jett had a feeling that might happen. More than his newfound affinity for controlling the shadow had changed inside of him when he'd claimed her.

One more try. "Come on, babe. Don't make me tell you there's a spider on your shoulder."

"Ack." She peeked one eye open. "There is not."

The Annunaki moved forward and the dragon warriors closed their circle. It wouldn't be long until the demon noticed them and decided to kick their asses. "Babe. Try again."

She scrunched up her face tighter and clenched her fists so tight her arms shook. "I am trying. Nothing's happening."

Cage struck at the demon but only to hold her attack back. From behind her more Gold dragons appeared, flying in from nearby rooftops. They were joined by a handful of blue dragons who floated right up out of the water. They sprayed the Annunaki with their icy breath, freezing her in place. She burst out of the trap almost immediately. The attack hadn't broken her line of sight on Yvaine.

Yvaine grabbed his arm. "I can't change you. I swear I'm scared out of my ever loving mind right now and you're still you. What are we going to do?"

Jett reached inside of himself, searching for the touch of magic that had always allowed him to shift from man to dragon and back again. It was there, stronger than ever before. Stronger, yet different. The magic was... more a part of him and less some sort of spell he had access to. No wonder he missed it. He let the dragon explode from him and flapped his wings, filling the area underneath them with shadow. He shaped the darkness into a sphere and pushed it at the Annunaki. She who had raised him, who had saved him from Erishkigal's curse, and who had helped him escape from hell.

He roared out a warning.

Stay away from her, mother.

The Annunaki finally took notice of him, raised her arm and shoved a burst of shadow at him. It knocked him back, pushing him away from Yvaine and the oncoming battle for her. She was within striking distance of Yvaine and Jett had to play the card he'd been holding close to the vest.Cage, I can command the shadow. I will trap her in path that repeats back on itself. If you surround that with your sunlight, she will not be able to escape, either to hell or to follow me and Yvaine.

Cage looked at Jett surprised. Shadow was an element outside of the realm of dragon warriors scope of powers. Only those born of hell would understand. Cage was the only one who might get it. His element was sky, which encompassed sun. Light and Dark. Heaven and Hell. Where there was one, there must be the other.

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