Page 4 of Monster

The scent amid the trees was earthier, heavy with the scent of a recent rain and soft mosses. Things scurried around them in the dark, making them realize they were not completely alone out here in no man’s land.

He heard the beast before he saw him, shattering the silence of the trees.

“I don’t know why you’re so adamant in carrying that creature back with you,” Drake murmured. “He’s going to get us caught with all that noise he makes.”

“I told you. I have my reasons.He comes.Period,” Deacon spat. The dragon turned to face Drake. “You’re welcome to come back with me—I promised you a safe place to land. And we could damned sight use men like you with us. But if you fear being caught, you and Jaeger can find your own path.”

Drake stiffened. A part of him screamed to do just that—to grab Jaeger and find a hole they could both hunker down in until the storm had passed. But he sensed his destiny awaited him if he followed Deacon.

The dragon hadn’t left them behind. He wouldn’t leave Deacon behind with that thing to be captured, either.

“We’ll follow you,” he mumbled.

Deacon nodded before turning back and forging ahead. Drake trailed the dragon shifter, still slightly shocked to have found another like him. Coming across Jaeger in the prison had been intriguing.

Finding a third dragon was damned near miraculous.

But it had also been heartbreaking. Deacon could still shift. Drake had stood in awe of the beast Deacon became. He’d been mighty in his wrath, leaving a trail of fire in his wake.

Drake had felt the clench of pain at losing his omnipotence.

For so long, he’d thought himself impervious. What was that human song? Something about being ten feet tall and bulletproof? That had been him, thinking nothing could bring him down, especially not a band of worthless humans.

His ego had brought him down.

Now, here he was, scrambling to run from a bunch of humans carrying guns.

Fear. It was still new to him. It humbled him.

And he hated it.

When they finally arrived at the source of the noise, Drake met his friend’s irritated stare. Jaeger hunkered near the cage the beast fought within, his face just as weary as Deacon’s.

“You find something?” Jaeger asked.

“Yeah,” Drake answered, stopping at the edge of the cage.“Just need to load this… beast.”

“Goodie,” Jaeger grumbled, rising to his full height.He stretched, a wince coming to his face, and Drake understood it.

Drake felt it each time he stretched his body, as well. Lore’s reach was far and would never truly leave them.

Deacon knelt at the head of the cage, shoving his hands under the metal. Drake and Jaeger followed suit.

Before they could lift, Drake heard the sound of helicopter rotors in the distance.

“Wait,” Deacon said, holding out a hand.He crept forward, his stare going up through the canopy.

Jaeger tossed a huge branch over the cage and ducked back into the shadows, as did Drake.

They couldn’t be caught again.

He felt his heart pounding again at the thought. It grew as the sound of the blades rose. Drake sucked in a breath as it hovered overhead, its searchlight piercing the trees. Deacon slipped back into the shadows, his body coiled tight.

Finally the machine moved on, pausing again around the spot where the truck had been left.Eventually, it left the area and Drake’s heart slowed some.

“Do you think they realized the truck was ours?” Drake asked.

“Possibly, but we don’t have much other option at this point,” Deacon said.He moved back to the cage and knelt. Drake and Jaeger did, as well.

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