Page 2 of The Dragon's Mate

Jeff grunted with surprise when Tylernearly wiggled out of his grip.

“Let me go! He’s hurt!” Tyler shouted.

Jeff tightened his grip until Tylergagged. “It’s not bad enough that you’re fucking a dude, but he’s a paranormaltoo? What is wrong with you?”

Tyler, his face going purple from lack ofoxygen, reached for Corey. He had to get to him, he had to help him. Heclawed again at Jeff’s muscular arm as black roses bloomed in his vision.

“Let him go.”

The voice was soft, but there was hardsteel in its tone. Jeff dropped his arm from Tyler’s neck and stood up. Tylerlaid on the ground, gagging and gasping in air as Jeff scowled at the womanstanding a few feet away.

“Get out of here, bitch. This isn’t any ofyour business.” Jeff wiped the blood from his nose with the heel of his hand.

“You’re trespassing on my land. That makesit my business,” the woman replied. She was wearing a long dark blue cloakwith a hood, and she pushed the hood back to reveal her face as she glanced atthe fox lying on the ground.

Tyler stared at the woman. She was tall,he guessed close to six feet, and she had long dark hair with streaks of bluewoven throughout it. Her skin was pale and, as he squinted at her face, her eyesseemed to glow in the growing dusk.

“Fuck off!” Jeff clenched his ham-likehands into fists. “I’m not into hurting women, but I’m willing to make anexception for you.”

“Lucky me,” the woman replied. She eyed theothers before shifting her gaze back to Jeff. “Go on. You and your littlefriends scurry off like the ugly rodents that you are. I grow tired of you.”

“Bitch! You’ll pay for that,” Jeff huffedagain. He glanced at the three other boys and Tyler gave a hoarse shout ofwarning as Jeff suddenly rushed forward and his friends followed.

The woman sighed loudly, and Tyler watchedin stunned silence as she beat the shit out of his classmates.

* * *

The woman, she wasn’t even breathing hard,bent and picked up the unconscious fox, cradling him in one arm. She gatheredCorey’s clothes in her other hand. Scattered around her, Jeff and his friendswere lying on the ground moaning softly, but she completely ignored them.

Tyler staggered to his feet and lurchedafter the woman as she walked into the woods.

“Wait!” He grabbed her arm and coughedhoarsely into the crook of his elbow. “He needs to go to the hospital.”

“We can’t take him like this. The hospitalwon’t treat him until he shifts to his human form, and he’s not going to shiftwhile he’s unconscious,” the woman replied.

“Wh-where are you taking him?” Tyler squeezedher arm.

“To get him help.” The woman frowned asshe stared at his hand. The knuckles were bruised and swollen. “Is your handbroken?”

“I don’t know.”

He glanced behind them at Jeff and theothers. “What about them?”

“Leave them,” she said dismissively.“They’ll crawl home and lick their wounds.”

She started walking again and, not knowingwhat else to do, Tyler followed her.

“Who are you?” he panted. The woman wassetting a brisk pace and he could barely keep up with her long strides.

“My name is Kaida.”

“I’m Tyler. That – that’s Corey.”

The woman nodded and Tyler lapsed intosilence as he followed her into the trees. He could barely wrap his headaround what had just happened. Corey was a shifter, and the woman carrying himin her arms had just beat up four teenage football players like it was nothing.

“Where did you learn to fight like that?”he asked.

“My grandmother.”

---