Page 12 of The Dragon King's Curse
The thought was enough to fill me with panic and dread. Somehow, we had to get out of here. Miranda and I had to escape.
Not knowing how much time had passed since we’d come here was going to make me crazy all on its own. There was no way of seeing the coming of day and night from inside. Only the delivery of food marked some kind of schedule here. It seemed to be twice a day, though I couldn’t be sure.
I saw only one potential way out. When the door opened for the food delivery, or when a prisoner was being brought in or out. Perhaps if we rushed the guards. If we somehow took them by surprise.
There was no way of knowing if that would work. I only knew that I would have to try something. I refused to accept that this was my fate. Even though I hoped that my father would send a team to fetch me, Atlas anticipated such a move. He may prevent the team from ever reaching me. There were no guarantees. I couldn’t simply sit back and wait for a rescue. It wasn’t in my nature.
My eyes grew heavy. Despite my continuous blinking and efforts to stay awake, I found myself falling into slumber. Escaping into sleep was my only release from this place. I embraced the precious moments, knowing they wouldn’t last long.
I dreamed of the Earth Realm. Being back home in the castle gardens, surrounded by flowers and an array of beautiful foliage. The sweet scent tickling my nose as I sat beneath the sun. There was no better place to be.
A loud shriek jerked me awake. The vampire was on top of Miranda, fighting to get to her throat while she did her best to protect herself. Adrenaline chased the fog from my mind. Suddenly on my feet, I threw myself at the vampire, knocking him off my friend.
I landed a punch in his face, cutting my knuckles on his fangs. As soon as my blood spilled from the cuts, the vampire became ravenous and wild. Making animalistic noises, he threw me to the floor, climbing on top of me.
I managed to jab a finger into his eye, but it did nothing to slow him down. He was too deeply lost to bloodlust. Miranda grabbed his hair, trying to drag him off me. He backhanded her away like she weighed nothing.
The sleeping guard was undisturbed. The commotion wasn’t enough to rouse him. The damn fool would sleep right through our murder.
The vampire’s breath was hot on my face as he pressed closer. Inches from sinking fangs into my neck and bleeding me. Since I failed to get him off me, I instead tried my best to protect my throat. His undead strength made it all too easy for him to pry my hands away.
In my mind, I uttered prayers to the gods, begging for their mercy. I braced for the moment I would feel his fangs. Then he was gone.
It took me a moment to realize that Noxx had pulled the vampire off me. His fist was a blur as he pounded the vampire’s face repeatedly. Throwing the vampire against the wall, Noxx held him in place with one hand. He slashed wildly with the other hand, his fingers tipped in deadly claws.
Noxx slashed the vampire’s throat wide open. A gaping wound so deep it severed his spinal cord. Grabbing hold of the vampire’s head, Noxx ripped the rest of it from his body. Blood and ashes hit the floor as the vampire’s body dissolved into ash. All that remained of him.
I gaped at the scene before me. It had all happened so fast. Noxx spun around to face me, blood drops flying from his fingertips.
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking that I did this for any reason other than that I need you alive. You can’t very well break my curse if you’re dead.” Leaving those words hanging between us, Noxx sat against the opposite wall, the place the vampire had previously occupied.
It put him directly across from Miranda and me. Uncomfortable to say the least.
Although I understood that he’d only done it for himself, I never thought my life would be saved by the Dragon King. Having him come to my aid left me with a bitter taste in my mouth.
He was the enemy of my people. He’d brought the curse upon himself. I would not forget that.
CHAPTER SEVEN
NOXX
Killing that godsforsaken vampire felt too fucking good. Since waking up locked in this prison, I’d been aching to unleash some of the violence pent up within me. Unfortunately, it had only scratched the surface of my need.
I itched for a good fight. A real battle. That’s what I was made for. A dragon in confinement was a dragon who would soon descend into utter madness. Surely Atlas Rein knew that as well. Perhaps that’s what he wanted. To push me to my breaking point. Then he would have me right where he wanted me. Desperate and in despair.
I would not be manipulated by him. I would rather die than give in to his pathetic whims.
When the door opened and two guards entered to find the current guard fast asleep, they immediately set to work giving him a beating. Understandable. The man had practically abandoned his post. The princess would have been killed if it weren’t for me. I wasn’t sure why Atlas wanted her alive, though I had reasons of my own.
She sat huddled with her friend on the other side of the room. A mere fifteen feet or less separated us. I could smell her. The sweet perfume of her hair. Perspiration from battle. Blood from her most recent wound.
Despite not being a blood drinker, part of me wanted to taste her. To savor her, the life force and the magick within her blood. To devour her in every way.
Already my mind ran away with me. Surely these were the thoughts of a madman. I wondered what she looked like out of the warrior attire. Her body was lithe but strong. Her breasts full and her legs lean. For a split second, I imagined myself between them.
She might’ve been beautiful but she belonged to those who’d stolen my ability to shift. Those who caged my dragon within me where all it could do was prowl around and claw up my insides.
When I got out of this place, I would be taking her with me. Nothing would stop me from breaking my curse. Not even Atlas motherfucking Rein.
