Page 147 of Phoenix Burn

Two of the men I loved were in the hands of that damned underworld Dragona—I wouldn’t deliver the third to her. The thought gave me pause. Did I love Talakai? What I felt for him was strong, but for Matt, there was no doubt. And what about Sebastian?

Matt.My heart twisted. I swore I would find my way back to him. But whenever I reached for him through our newborn link, all I sensed was darkness.

I had to keep Sebastian away. I pushed him out of my mind.

Something flashed by overhead, and I focused on putting one foot in front of the other. A task that became more difficult with every step. If it wasn’t for the tree trunks, I doubted I could stay upright. I could barely hold on to my sword, and when I dropped it once, I sheathed it rather than risk losing it.

My mind spun, and I struggled to keep my focus. I had to lead the Dragons away from Jacques, and then, somehow, find Matt and Talakai.

With a shower of branches, something crashed through from overhead to land with a thump in front of me.

The big bronze Dragon, half shifted to human. He grinned at me through his sharp teeth.

“Hellos, little humans. Shalls wes haves a goods time?”

As he bent to pick up his tailspike, I bolted into the forest. He taunted me as he followed, his voice becoming more human as he finished his shift.

“You little bitch. For what you did to my friend, I shall strip you naked and use you until you bleed.”

My breath came in tortured gasps as I rebounded off tree trunks. He’d left his wings arched over his shoulders, and he flicked them to snap aside branches as he strode after me.

I spun off one trunk. I needed both hands to stay upright—no way I could draw and hold my sword, let alone fight with it. I’d barely managed to kill the other one with my talent, and I had nothing left for another go.

I’d lost sight of him in the heavy bush. I wasn’t even sure where I was—I could be going in circles...

He came at me from the side, his fist sinking into my hair to wrench me back to him. I spun on him like an angry cat and fastened both hands on his face.

His eyes glowed bronze at me as his fingers closed around my upper arms, and he slammed me against a tree trunk, hard enough I feared he’d break my back on the scabbard.

“How did you do it?” he demanded. “There wasn’t a sharding mark on him.” His eyes drilled into me.

I trembled with weakness. His life essence was there. I could feel it, but I couldn’t reach it. He lifted me and slammed me again, so hard my ribs cracked. I gasped as the pain lanced through me.

A third slam had me swimming in darkness, struggling to remain conscious. If I lost it, I knew he’d use me and kill me. My being aware wasn’t necessary to the process.

He grinned and pushed into me, getting off on my pain. I reached for my sword, but he grasped my wrist with one hand while the talons of the other grabbed at my shirt. Trapped as it was by the sword harness, it hurt as he ripped it away. I heaved against him, but he was so effing strong. He ran his talons down my chest, digging the razor-sharp tips into my skin and almost slicing my bra in two. Blood dripped onto my belly.

I tried to kick him, my leg arcing around to rebound off his arm, but he just laughed at my efforts.

“Nice try,” he said. “At least you’re a looker. Not essential, but adds to the experience.” He spun me around, flattening me against the tree trunk, and hooked talons in the waistband of my leggings. “I’d apologize for my size. If I cared one bit about it.”

Suddenly, we were engulfed in frantically beating leathery wings. My little batlike friends raked their tiny claws over his face and eyes.

He batted at them, and I twisted wildly, my hand dropping to the knife strapped to my thigh. It flashed in the moonlight as it whipped around, slicing cleanly along his cheek.

He bellowed, his fingernails—still in talon form—digging into my shoulder as I ripped free. I bolted through the trees.

He cursed and followed, the winged avengers swirling around him, making little twittering sounds. One flitted ahead of me, and I followed it.

I had no idea where it was taking me, but I had few other options.

The underbrush grew thicker, making it harder to move. I pushed through, slashing at it with the knife as I gasped for breath. I left a clear blood trail in my wake. But ahead of me, my little friends chirped encouragement.

Another huge shadow passed overhead—my pursuer wasn’t alone. There was no way to get away from them. I was only prolonging the inevitable.

Then I realized the forest was no longer silent—it was filled with a rushing, rustling, bubbling sound.

The river.

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