Page 28 of Phoenix Burn

“Hello, sweetheart.” I looked at the hands that had just killed a man—and then back at the cub. She was furred, like Trix—but just in case, I wrapped the cloth around her when I picked her up, leash and all. She clung to me as I pushed the door open enough to peek through.

Caty scampered through the crack and reared up, trying to climb up my leg. I scooped her up, tucking her into the cloth with her sister. Together, they were almost too heavy, but there was no way I was putting them down again.

The woman crashed through the door, knocking us into the wall.

She gave me one wide-eyed, terrified look before lunging past and down the stairs, jumping straight over the body of her boss, and continuing on.

“Grievan’s down!” she shouted, and footsteps pounded on the stairs.

Damn.My temporary safe haven was more temporary than I’d assumed. The twins felt like lead weights as I shoved through the door and onto the hotel roof.

I emerged into chaos.

Ahead of me was a wall of scales, with huge green wings arched over a back lined with spikes. A fully shifted Dragon, slashing at something with its talons. From between his legs, I caught a glimpse of flying silver hair and flashing pale eyes...

The roof was littered with blue-skinned bodies that would never move again. But the Dragons were no longer human, and they surrounded the Bellati, their metallic eyes shining.

“You fucking bitch.”

The words were snarled from the shed’s shadows, and Darius’s eyes glowed bronze with hate. I noticed he had his priorities in order—he still clutched the leather satchel. Which explained why he was still human.

“Grievan will tear you to shreds,” he hissed.

“Grievan is dead,” I said as I eased the cubs down in the shadows of the chimney.

“Stay there,” I told them gently. They cast me reluctant looks as they huddled together. They were so terrified every strand of fur stood on end.

The sight only fed my inner rage. When I straightened, Darius sneered at me. “Yeah, right. I suppose you killed him.”

“Yes. I killed that bastard.”

I saw the merest glimmer of doubt in his gaze. “You’re so full of it, Babydoll.” He stepped away from the shed. “But nice of you to retrieve the cubs. She can sell them twice now.”

My heart twisted. “Who helped you with this, Darius? Who set all this up?”

He laughed. “You are so out of your league, you and your little academy. The underlords are the true power in the realms.”

“Is that who helped you? An underlord?”

His lips curled. “Underworld Dragona’s got bigger balls than anyone I know. She planned it all, from the donation to get me recruited, to getting all the heavy hitters out of the way so we could pull off this little caper. It will please her to have the cubs to resell. The bidding on them will make us both even richer. And I can start my own underworld empire with style.”

So it had all been planned, right from the beginning. My gut twisted as I asked what I most wanted to know. “And Talakai?”

Darius snorted. “He was just a bonus.”

A bonus? Before I could process just what he meant, Darius took another step closer. “Now hand over the cubs, Babydoll. And while you’re at it, you are coming with me. I should never have sent that idiot Aaron to get you. You’re all mine, and it’s time you learned what a real man can do.”

If he could have glimpsed what I held bottled within me, he would have bolted in terror. But I firmly held it as I walked forward. Slowly, with a sway to my hips. “You calling yourself a real man?”

His eyes ignited. “You bet, Babydoll.”

A Dragon roared in pain. Sebastian—I had to get the girls away. Only then could he flee a fight he surely couldn’t win.

For a moment, I almost lost control, but I gritted my teeth and locked my gaze with Darius. And then I walked right up to him.

He growled low in his throat and grabbed me. Pulled my body against his, and mashed his lips onto mine.

I unleashed the beast.

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