Page 44 of Samuel
“Samuel,” Davidson’s gravelly voice came through the line, pulling my attention back. His tone was grim, and I could already feel the tension setting in.
Davidson continued, “You need to get down to the outskirts, now. A local roadhouse burned to the ground just before dawn.”
“What happened?” I asked, though I already suspected the answer.
Davidson took a shaky breath, and I heard a muffled sound, like he was covering the phone for a moment.
“No one saw anything, but this isn’t any ordinary fire, Samuel. The entire building was cinders by the time we got there. Too clean, too fast. You know what I mean.”
“Supernatural?” I replied, though it wasn’t really a question.
I knew exactly what he was hinting at.
He paused, then continued in a softer tone. “Look, Samuel, I need you and Blake out here. With your hunter knowledge… you might have a better shot at identifying what did this.”
I closed my eyes, frustration building. This rogue dragon wasn’t just some mindless beast—it was cunning, purposeful.
If I had acted sooner, we might not be in this mess, but with the mating bond fresh between Blake and me, I’d been wary of drawing attention to him.
A rogue of this magnitude could cause far more damage than anyone realized, and now it seemed that hesitation had cost us dearly.
“I understand, Sheriff. I’ll head out there right away,” I replied, glancing over at Blake. “I’ll need more details when I arrive.”
“Of course,” he replied, sounding relieved. “I’ll brief you when you’re here.”
The line went dead, and I shoved the phone back into my pocket, bracing myself before turning back to Blake and Finn.
As I approached, Blake immediately caught my gaze, his expression worried.
“What’s wrong? Who called?” he asked, stepping closer, searching my expression.
“It was Davidson,” I said, casting a wary glance at Finn. “Another incident. A roadhouse burned to the ground just outside of town. He thinks it’s tied to the rogue.”
Blake’s eyes narrowed, his hand tightening around mine. “Are there…more victims?” he asked, his tone tense.
I swallowed, nodding. “Yeah. More bodies. Davidson didn’t give me the details over the phone. He’ll brief me in person.”
“I’m heading out alone,” I said firmly, my eyes lingering on Blake’s face.
I knew he’d argue, but the last thing I wanted was to drag him or Finn into this mess.
The rogue wasn’t just any dragon—it was powerful, dangerous, and cunning.
And if I walked into a trap, I’d have a hell of a time protecting both of them.
“No,” Blake said immediately, his brow furrowing. “We’re coming with you.”
“Blake,” I replied, placing a hand on his shoulder, “I need you to stay here and look after Finn. He’s still recovering, and I can’t afford to be distracted if things go south.”
Blake clenched his jaw, about to argue, but Finn spoke up.
“Samuel’s right. I’m banged up, and if something happens, I won’t be able to keep up. I’ll only slow you down,” Finn said.
Blake turned to him, his expression torn, but then he nodded, reluctantly accepting the logic.
His eyes met mine, intense and fierce.
“Are you sure you don’t want backup?” Blake asked.
