Page 78 of Payne's Envy

If that Harvest immortal was making those creatures, he’d gotten better.

The dragon’s eyes scoured the hole, then me, tail smacking restlessly behind him.

“Don’t even think about it.” I shot a fireball at the dragon in warning.

He ignored me and jumped for the opening above Joy’s room.I attacked him with a roar, biting his neck and shaking vigorously.His foul blood filled my mouth as I pushed him.

As if I’d let him get near her.

The beast staggered backward, unable to find balance as I clawed at his chest. He howled right as we toppled over the castle walls. My wings smacked against his. I rammed my fist into his face. The momentum threw him against the wall. Blood burst from his mouth and eyes. Digging my left-hand claws into the stone to find purchase, I pinned him there. I gripped the back of his head with my free hand and slammed his snout into the stone over and over. Bones crunched and blood splattered. Despite his completely mangled face, the beast still breathed!

When I heard the flapping of wings above me, I spat the dragon’s blood out and let go. His body dropped, and I looked up.Fucking hell.Three more dragons dived toward Joy’s room. I raced up the castle walls, jumped, and crashed into one midair.

“Smells divine,”one of them groaned.

Another roared before saying,“She’s mine.”

“Quiet!”I shouted and bit into one’s neck before tossing him aside and going after another.

The other two dragons collided. Their teeth and claws nipped and tore at each other as they fell near the giant hole. The roof collapsed, and the creatures dropped with heavy thuds. My heart felt like it would burst from my chest as I flew above the wreckage.

“Joy!” What if she got caught in the debris? I had to make sure no dragons got near her.

“I’m fine,” she answered. “But they’re all in here with me.”

I dived. Clawed hands wrapped around my neck as something heavy slammed into my back. The newcomer knocked us into a wall. Stones scattered as we tore through it. The dragon roared, clawing at my scales. Reaching back, I grabbed hold of his arm and blew fire at it. He squawked as his arm disintegrated. Spinning around, I opened my mouth to destroy him, but the dragon had retreated.

I had to get to Joy!

There was no way of telling where Joy’s room used to be. They had torn the second floor wide open. Two dragons fought and rolled around the debris. I spotted Joy nearby. She was far too close to them. Stones continued to break off and fall.

The newcomer swooped back in, plunging straight for Joy.

My flames danced across my scales, burning brighter.

“Don’t you dare!”I warned him.

The beast didn’t acknowledge me.

“I got him, I got him,” Joy chanted. I didn’t know if she tried to assure me or herself. She met the dragon head on. Her teeth sank into his throat as he gripped her shoulders. She wrapped her lithe body around his neck to strangle, but my spine prickled. I didn’t like her having to touch the dragon at all.

My claws caught against the rubble as I rushed to my mate. “Let go, Joy. I got him.”

She saw me approaching and untangled herself from his neck. As soon as she released him, I grabbed the beast’s tail and yanked. He clawed at the ground to find purchase. I didn’t think so. With a grunt, I grabbed his neck, then tail, and threw him as hard as I could.

I should have thought it through more. Another stone wall shattered as the dragon went through it. Huge rocks and debris cracked and rolled onto the floor.

I turned my focus to Joy until I heard the hissing.

Looking up, I saw three more dragons peering down at us from what they left of the roof.

“Heat.”

“Mate.”

“Mine.”One spat a flame at Joy, and it clung to her scales.

She patted her shoulder where the fire lingered. “It doesn’t hurt, but it’s not going away.”

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