Page 41 of Galadon
Pain shot through her as she jarred her crushed legs. She used that distraction to remember how Galadon held her whenever he flew her somewhere. It didn’t matter if he was annoyed because it always felt right and possessive, as if he was claiming her for himself, even though he’d never admit it. She’d felt the special connection between them each time they flew, and she suspected he did as well. It likely drove him crazy. Despite that, he always handled her like a fragile doll, no matter how much she taunted him. It was part of what endeared him to her. He was the strongest and bravest man she knew, and when he let go of his control that one day almost six months ago, he’d been impressive and passionate.
She shuddered. The rage took over once more, and Rayna scooted another few inches. In her mind, she saw an enemy. She had to kill him and any other dragon she could find, no matter how broken her body felt. It was her single purpose in life.
Rayna accidentally cut her other arm with the blade she gripped. The fresh pain brought her situation back into focus, and she conjured more memories. The next image in her mind was of his soft kisses and caresses the day they’d slept together. She’d never had a man worship her the way he had so that his hands and mouth didn’t miss a single part of her. No matter what he said, his actions that day didn’t reflect a person who saw her as an adversary but rather as a lover. He’d burrowed into her heart, and she couldn’t get him out no matter how hard she tried.
Tears streamed down her face as she caught him stirring. Finally, he would wake up, and then he could fight back. She didn’t know how much longer she could keep subverting her instincts.
“Galadon,” Rayna said, her voice coming out raspy. She’d screamed a lot last night while they were breaking her.
He turned his head her way and ran his gaze across her body, noting everything, including the dagger. His gaze narrowed. “Where did you get that weapon?”
Her body shook as she fought to keep her killing instincts at bay, and tears filled her eyes. “It was lying next to me when I woke up. I think this was his plan all along…torture us until we are too weak to escape and then use my slayer instincts to force us into a fight. Whatever they’ve added to my water has only made the urge twice as bad.”
“I’m going to kill him when he gets close enough,” Galadon swore, eyes blazing with fury.
As if that was a possibility when neither of them could walk. She was in full killer slayer mode, and it was taking ages to crawl to him for an attack. Sure, she was resisting the urge with all her might, but her injuries still slowed her down more than her willpower. If she could have leaped at him, the blade would have been in his throat ten minutes ago.
Rayna glanced toward several figures on a nearby hill, standing still and watching them. They’d appeared while she was crawling a few minutes ago, but she’d hardly noticed them through her focus on Galadon. Astaroth was no doubt waiting to see who killed the other. The sick bastard.
She trembled as she pulled herself forward a few more inches. “He’s too smart for that.”
The need to slay was overcoming her again like an addict wanting their next fix.
“Can you resist?” he asked, though he had to see the intense gleam in her eyes.
“I’m trying, far more than you can possibly imagine.” She dragged herself a few inches closer to him, hating herself that she couldn’t stop for more than a few moments. “But this is the worst I’ve ever felt. If you were any other dragon, I would have slaughtered you before you woke. They timed it, so I was up almost fifteen minutes before you.”
“But you’ve been fighting it?”
She drew a deep breath. “Every time my instincts take over and I start to move, I remember all our times together. The way you hold me when we fly somewhere, how you saved my life, and that day we…you know.”
She’d promised not to talk about it.
“That…helps?” he asked, gaze softening a little.
Rayna nodded. “It distracts me for a little while, but the rage always takes back over, and I find myself moving again. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Now you understand why it could never work between us,” he said, remorse in his tone.
Even his words—heartbreakingly true at that moment—didn’t stop Rayna from crawling closer as her need to kill surged once more. She was only four feet away now. Dammit, why couldn’t she fight harder? Of course, the answer was obvious. She was too weak from injuries and hunger, and driven by whatever they put in that potion. It made it next to impossible to resist.
Rayna clenched her eyes shut, and her hand trembled where she held the dagger. “I think I can toss you the blade if you promise to kill me with it.”
“No.” He grunted as he rolled onto his side. “We can find a way for both of us to live.”
Her throat constricted. There was a time when he might have gladly done as she requested. The fact that he didn’t proved that he wasn’t immune to what lay between them.
“I wish you could feel what I feel right now, and then you’d understand,” she said, then she slowly and painfully rolled onto her back. Both of her legs were disfigured, swollen, and discolored by bruises and blood. Changing positions hurt like hell, but Galadon had left her without any other options if she wanted to save him.
Strangled sobs shook her frame as she focused on what she must do.
“Stay still and breathe,” he ordered.
Rayna turned her head to stare into his eyes, rageful as they were at their circumstances, they also held deep concern for her. He didn’t understand how close she was to losing all control.
“I’ve considered all the possibilities,” she whispered, glancing toward the distant sorcerers. “There is no way we both survive this.”
“You can’t know that for certain,” he argued, scooting a little closer to her like a fool. His gaze fell on the dagger, and she knew there was no time left.
