Page 76 of Her Dragon Daddy Disaster
They expected violence from me.
Which could only mean that whatever their purpose was, it wasn’t good. The way Malakai had brought up Jakub was more than enough, but that just confirmed it. He wasn’t there just to threaten me with anIf you betray mescenario.
Malakai was there to ensure I could do no such thing.
“This won’t end the way you want,” I told him.
“Yes, it will. You will come with me and stay out of the way while I finish whatwestarted. It pains me you’re too much of a coward to see it through, but I promise you I’m not. I’m strong enough to succeed where you fail.”
They weren’t there to kill us. That was good news. Still, what use would they have for keeping us around? It was probably only a sentimental thing. Once Malakai had what he wanted, it seemed unlikely he would let us go.
“Don’t try it,” Malakai warned as I tensed. “You’re outnumbered, Levi. You can’t win.”
Scales the color of arterial blood glittered in the moonlight as they covered me from head to toe.
“If you think I’m going to let you have them without a fight, old friend, then you never really knew me at all.” I inhaled. “SARAH. RUN!”
Malakai laughed. “And if you think the only men I brought are up here on the roof,old friend, then you never knew me either.”
Shit.
I spun, scales disappearing as I dove for the stairs and unlocked door.
“Get him!” Malakai shouted, and his men rushed in pursuit.
Racing down the stairs, I flung the door open, swinging it shut. The fingers of my right hand morphed into dragon claws,and I shoved them into the holes on the door and turned, throwing the latches shut. The heavy metal bracersclunkedas they locked into place.
A moment later, the first of Malaka’s men reached the door and pounded on it.
“Levi!”
I raced down the hallway at Sarah’s panicked cry. A dark form was about to kick down the door to the guestroom that had been given to Jakub.
Once more, scales covered me from head to toe, appearing from under my skin as I ran, silent as death.
The other dragon turned at the last second, so focused on his mission that he failed to notice me coming. I lowered my shoulder and hit him hard in the side. Several ribs gave way as we hurtled down the hallway. I landed with all my weight on him, bounced up and over in a front flip, then donkey-kicked backward, catching him in the jaw as he started to rise.
Something snapped, and the intruder’s eyes rolled up into his head as he slumped to the floor. For a moment, I feared he was dead, but a quick check showed he was merely unconscious.
“It’s me,” I announced as I knocked on the door.
Sarah flung it open, and I gathered her into my arms and carried her to the bed where Jakub waited, his eyes open in alarm.
“Come on. We’re leaving. I’ll explain later,” I ordered, not leaving any room for argument.
Sarah’s training had already kicked into gear, and she scooped up Jakub and started toward the door. I snagged her by the shoulder.
“Not that way. There are more of them out there.”
“Mommy, what’s going on?” Jakub asked, clutching to her tightly.
“Hush, baby. We’ll tell you once we get there, okay? Right now, though, I need you to be quiet. Can you do that for Mommy? Be a big boy?”
Jakub nodded.
“We’re going out the window,” I said to Sarah, pointing. “It’s the only way.”
She looked unhappy but nodded. I lifted the window wide, and then tore the screen out, glancing down as I did. The street below was empty—for now. We could make it.
