Page 72 of A Dragon's Miracle (Fires of Fate)
That was all it took for me to finally lash out. I even hit the bastard too! Left a nasty gash on his cheek. I got the feeling my eyes widened just as much as his and I felt his scales tear under my claws.
So this is what violence feels like.
The second's distraction cost me. Suddenly, something cold hit my right wing. And ithurt.
What the...?
No time to wonder, though. My wing felt heavier than before, and the new weight dragged me to the ground.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
There wasiceon my wing. How hadthathappened? Frantically, I shout a bout of fire on the ice to melt it. I managed not to crash to the ground. But while I was struggling, Jin used the time to wrap his snake-like body around me until he had me in a death grip.
“You use ice instead of fire?” I snapped. “What kind of dragonareyou?”
“The kind that's going to win this fight,” he rumbled, and then hebitme. Just underneath my neck. Like a freaking vampire.
I roared. But I couldn't free myself from his grip so easily. I was trapped. How had I let myself get trapped so quickly? Damn, I should have listened to Ryan when he'd said I wasn't made for this.
No, I couldn't give up so easily. Too much at stake.
But what was I going to do?
Focus, Finn.
Again, I tried to break free. Again to no avail.
I groaned when Jin finally pulled his teeth out of me, wishing I could put my hand over the wound. I was losing blood now. I knew if I lostenoughblood, my body would force me to shift back, and Jin would be declared the winner of this fight.
But that couldn't happen. I couldn'tletthat happen. Not after everything.
“Bet you're getting desperate about now, aren't you?” Jin murmured, sounding more than pleased with himself. “Look how quickly I've defeated you. You were no challenge at all. But I knew you were a weakling from the moment I first saw you. No thirst for blood in you. You're not really a dragon at all, are you? Couldn't beat me on your own home turf. And that is why you're going to be my bitch.” Jin laughed and the sound grated on my nerves. I wanted to throw a ball of fire at him, but his scales would have protected him from that.
“This fight's not over yet,” I pressed out, even though I was getting kind of dizzy.
“Oh please, we both know it's over. I'm sure even Ryan's realized by now that he's picked the wrong dragon.”
I growled low in my throat, because Ryan hadnotpicked the wrong dragon. How dare he even imply that?
“You can't protect him,” Jin hissed. “You can't give him what he needs. Not the way I could.”
“Like you could?” I barked, seeing red, seeing images of Ryan with his body covered in bruises. Knowing how much guilt he still carried around with him because of the things Jin had made him do just to survive.
My instincts took over. I wrenched one of my arms out of Jin's grip and used it to claw at his throat and drew blood. He bit me again. I roared. And then I punched the back of his head so hard that something in his jaw cracked as his teeth connected with my bone.
The bite hurt. At least, I'm pretty sure that it did, but I didn't register the pain. All I knew was that Jin finally let go of me. And like him before me, I didn't give him a second to breathe once he showed weakness. Oh no. I was out to kill.
Jin spew another bout of ice at me. I dodged it, and finally knew what I had to do.
I flew right at Jin. He opened his mouth again. I was on him before he could unload more ice, and holding his mouth open, I breathed fire down his throat.
He went still and fell.
My fire had hit him in the center of his ice magic, depleting it and sending his system into shock. He was easy prey now.
I dove after him, held his body to the ground and punched, sinking my claws into him.
And by the Gods did that feel good.
