Page 25 of Hot for the Dragon

They moved painfully slow toward the café, the woman leaning heavily on both Daphne and her cane. Each step felt like an eternity as dragons wheeled overhead.

"Almost there," Daphne encouraged, though her heart pounded in her chest. Twenty more feet to Nina's protective barrier. Fifteen. Ten.

The ground shook beneath their feet. A massive dragon landed before them, blocking their path to the café. Its scales gleamed like polished bronze in the sunlight, and its eyes fixed on them with predatory focus.

"Oh no," Daphne muttered, positioning herself between the dragon and the elderly woman.

The dragon's chest expanded as it drew in its breath, its jaw unhinging to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth. Heat shimmed the air around its mouth.

Daphne's fingers twitched, ready to try something – anything – with the scraggly plants nearby. She might not be able to stop a dragon, but she wasn't going down without trying.

"If you're going to eat us," she called out, surprised by how steady her voice sounded, "you should know I probably taste terrible. All that plant magic, you know? Very bitter."

Daphne could hear her pulse in her ears. Her thoughts suddenly drifted to Archer's mansion on the outskirts of town. Could dragon hearing pick up the chaos from there? The elderly woman's grip tightened on her arm, trembling.

"Come on, Archer," she whispered under her breath, the words barely audible over the crackle of nearby flames. "I know you're probably brooding over your wood carvings right now, but I could really use some backup here."

12

ARCHER

Archer's chisel slipped on the delicate wood carving as acrid smoke drifted through his workshop windows. His nostrils flared at the familiar scent of dragon fire. Dropping his tools, he rushed outside, muscles tensing as he spotted multiple dragon forms circling above the town center.

"Damn it, Carmen."

His transformation was instant, scales rippling across his skin as his massive red dragon form emerged. With powerful wing beats, he launched into the sky, the wind whipping past as he raced toward the chaos below.

Come to join the fun, Hawke?A younger dragon's telepathic taunt rang in his mind.

Archer barrel-rolled, avoiding a blast of flame before slamming his tail into the cocky dragon's wing.You call this fun? I call it amateur hour.

Two more dragons dove at him. Archer twisted mid-air, his larger form giving him the advantage as he caught one with his claws and used the momentum to throw them into their companion. They tumbled through the air, wings tangled.

Getting slow in your old age?Another dragon swooped past.

Still fast enough to teach you some manners.Archer shot after them, his powerful wings carrying him higher. He counted at least twenty dragons - twice what Carmen brought last time. The town's defensive spells flickered under the continued assault.

A blast of fire nearly singed his wing. Archer spun to face three more dragons closing in.What's wrong? Need backup to take on one old timer?

He dove between them, forcing them to scatter or collide. These younger dragons might have numbers, but they lacked experience. Their attacks were predictable, uncoordinated.

Banking hard around a building, Archer caught sight of City Hall still standing. At least Hugo had managed to keep that protected. But Carmen was nowhere in sight - this was just a distraction. The question was, from what?

Getting tired yet?A dragon with green scales taunted.

Archer snapped his jaws, catching their tail.I could do this all day. Though I'd rather be working on my model ships.

The sounds of battle filled the air as Archer continued to engage multiple opponents, keeping them occupied and away from the buildings below. He might prefer his solitude, but he'd be damned if he let these upstarts destroy the town.

Through the chaos of battle, Archer's keen dragon eyes caught a flash of movement below. His heart lurched as he spotted Daphne - foolish, brave Daphne - helping an elderly woman limp across the street. A massive bronze dragon swooped down, jaws opening wide with flames building in its throat.

Oh no you don't.

Archer tucked his wings and dove, the wind screaming past his scales. The bronze dragon never saw him coming. He slammed into its side with enough force to send them both rolling across the cobblestones, well away from Daphne and her charge.

Get inside!he roared mentally at Daphne hoping she could somehow understand him, while pinning the struggling bronze dragon beneath his larger bulk.

The bronze dragon snapped at his throat.The great Archer Hawke, playing hero?

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