Page 89 of Captured By the Dragon Warlord
“I will do what I need to do,” I respond and beat out my wings, rising up over the neutral sector.
I have to get to Scarlett before our new enemy does. No one takes my mate from me. Not now, not ever.
Scarlett is my beginning, and I’m ready to do whatever I need to do to keep her and my sarkarnlings from harm.
SCARLETT
Ithought Dexx was behind me, but it’s only when I reach the airlock into Darax’s sector I see he is not there, only a worried and confused Darax.
“Where’s Dexx?”
“He went after his warrior, the one Dante exploded.”
I release an expletive. “I need to go back.”
“If you are with young, Dexx will never forgive me if I let you go alone,” Darax says.
I shouldn’t be alone. He should be here with me.
“Come and be with my mate and the other females,” Darax exhorts me.
I know he wants to get to Kerra and I am stopping him. I hate it. He should be with her and she with him in the same way I should be with my Dexx.
Only there is no Dexx to be seen.
I need to know he is okay, but I also need to be sure my friends are safe and informed.
“Go,” I tell Darax. “Let them know what’s happening. I’ll wait here for Dexx.”
Darax opens his mouth. I hold up a hand. “You have warriors you trust here, don’t you? I’ll be safe. If anything comes for me, I just have to walk into your sector.”
The big warlord says nothing, nodding instead as he dives through the airlock with a frantic energy he’s been trying to hide. He needs to get to Kerra in the same way I need Dexx.
A missing Dexx.
Involuntarily, I put my hand over my stomach. If all of this is true, if I am really carrying his twins, then I’m going to need him more than ever.
But that’s not why I want him here. I can’t imagine not having Dexx in my life. For a long moment, I contemplate what to do, to go back into the maze which is the neutral sector or stay at the airlock.
Which is when I hear the slow, steady beat of wings and look up to see Dexx’s Sarkarnii form flying low overhead. He turns, as if on a pivot, and his great dinosaur head looks down on me.
I hope he can read my thoughts in this instance. I want him to know how happy I am he is here, how much I love him and want to be with him. How I care not what his body looks like, only that I get to be his mate and he gets to be mine.
There is a glint in his eye which I recognize as his mouth opens, and I see the start of a fireball. Without even thinking, I fling myself to one side as the heat of his flame sears over the airlock behind me. I hear the crackle and for a second I think I’m on fire, until the smell hits me.
Burning garbage, acrid and choking. I risk a look out from my hiding place as Dexx lands with a thump, his lips drawn back from his vicious teeth. But there is nothing there. Nothing but a ghost of a burnt shadow on the wall opposite.
“Dexx?” I hesitantly take a step towards him.
“Scarlett,” he growls. “Wait.”
But it’s too late. I take another step and something dark envelops me, invading my mouth and my lungs, making me scream without sound, my vision disappearing. I grasp out for Dexx until I feel his warm scales under my fingers. I clutch at him, desperately.
“You don’t get to leave me, little ember.” His voice reverberates into my head. I can’t tell if he is speaking or not, but either way, I hold on with everything I can.
“It’s time to end this.”
With a wrench, I’m jerked free of the dark. Pain courses through my body as my lungs come back to life. I cough on the cold floor while above me, Dexx battles with the swirling shadow mist and I twist myself into a fetal position with all my limbs screaming at me.
