Page 32 of Medusa

Wait a minute!

I met Maddie at a singles speed dating event!

There’s no way she’d be with this guy and go to that.

Finally, what Typhon had said sank in. “You met her tonight? For the first time?”

“What of it?” Typhon snarled. “The sparks flew. She was mine the instant I laid eyes on her.”

“Wow. Women are not property. But if they were, she’d be mine.” Jaden grinned, showing all his teeth. Not quite as intimidating as when he was in dragon form, but he’d take what he could get. “I met her two weeks ago.”

“I saw no mating bite. She didn’t have your scent on her,” Typhon exclaimed.

“You’re a shifter?” Jaden asked. “And what makes you think I am?”

“I’m a dragon shifter. One of the first.” Typhon sniffed the air around Jaden and spat in his face. “I know the scent of one of my kind, even if you’re one of the lesser shifters, breeding withmortals,” he grimaced at the word. “How do you think I knew to lace the knockout drug with an inhibitor?”

Makes sense.

He’d known that there were other dragon shifters, obviously, but hadn’t met any since he’d woken up.

“Are the other two shifters as well?” He nodded toward the door to indicate the lackeys.

Typhon sneered. “As if. No, those two are human. They don’t know what we are, only that I exude power and I sometimes let them share in it.”

“Good setup for you,” Jaden said thoughtfully. “Like a mafia boss. What sort of things are you into?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” Typhon growled. “Well, you’ll find out soon enough. Right now, we’re discussing Ruby. I know where she lives. I’ll deal with her after I deal with you.”

The first twinge of fear tickled at Jaden’s heart. He couldn’t protect Maddie from inside a box. The only solace he took from that was that she was second. He couldn’t break, because she’d be next. Pretending she meant nothing to him might actually save her life. Jaden stared up into Typhon’s black eyes and cocked an eyebrow. “Deal with her all you like. I was getting bored anyway,” he said and yawned. “Are you going to show me to my room? A five-star establishment like this probably has king-sized beds. My double back home was getting old.”

Typhon punched him again, this time unexpectedly.

The chair skidded sideways before toppling over again, pinning Jaden to the ground.

Fuck that hurts.

Jaden checked his teeth with his tongue. One of the back molars felt a little loose and he mentally cursed Typhon in every language he knew.

“Didn’t I tell you not to piss me off?” Typhon growled, hauling him upright again. “You haveno ideawhat I’m capable of.” He walked over to the door and knocked on it twice. It opened immediately.

“Yes, Boss?” one of the lackeys asked.

Typhon muttered something too quietly for Jaden to hear, and then the door closed again.

“Arranging for my meal? I like my steak medium-rare, just a little bloody, you know?” Jaden said.

“Laugh all you like, little mutt. You’ll be singing a different tune soon enough.” Typhon seemed amused by the thought.

The door opened again, and a lackey came in with a thick syringe of clear liquid.

“A little drug of my own concoction,” Typhon said with a grin. “It heightenseverysensation. You’ll love it.”

“You’re not really my type,” Jaden bit out.

“Don’t worry, you won’t care about that once I get started.” Typhon stuck the needle in Jaden’s neck.

Jaden instantly felt the cool sensation of the liquid in the syringe working its way through his bloodstream. He could feel every molecule of air in the room, his clothing felt too restrictive and rough on his skin. His chest rose and fell with each breath he took, his heart pumping loudly in his ears.

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