Page 42 of Marked Dragon

Thorn’s attacker’s scales were vanishing, and the dragon was human size again. Blonde hair appeared, as well as a human female’s face. She was naked. He wasn’t doing anything wrong, but my dragon didn’t care, and a deep growl rumbled in my chest.

The female warrior dropped, her head smashing into the ground. Her eyes rolled back as she passed out on impact.

The navy dragon swooped down, and Cassidy turned, aiming her gun, but when she pulled the trigger, it didn’t fire.

It was jammed.

The navy dragon’s gigantic mouth opened to bite her, but Thorn spun around and punched the dragon in the eye, seconds before it could lock down on Cassidy’s arm.

Head jerking back, the dragon snarled, its teeth grazing Cassidy’s upper arm. Blood oozed from the scratches.

Now that Thorn was helping her, I’d help Vlad.

Turning my attention back to him, I watched as the lemon dragon circled the clearing and barreled back toward Vlad. Vlad raised the knife in his hand, not the gun, and I wanted to scream at him to shoot the dragon. When Cassidy had, it had slowed the dragon down for a minute.

The lemon dragon had all four sets of talons extended. Smoke trickled out of its nose as it homed in on Vlad. He crouched, and I realized the dragon’s strategy would work.

When I was less than ten feet from Vlad’s back, the lemon dragon struck him as the swirl of Thorn’s magic surged through our connection—Thorn was taking the navy dragon’s dragon.

Vlad swiped at the lemon dragon’s front talons as the back ones dug into his sides. The dragon flapped its wings, lifting Vlad off the ground.

Vlad groaned and dropped his weapons. The knife fell at my feet, missing my big toe by a foot, and the gun fell farther away from me.

I bent, swiped up the closest weapon—the knife—and jumped, barely catching Vlad’s feet.

Warm liquid hit my face as Vlad grunted from carrying my weight. I hated to make his injury worse, but I didn’t know what else to do. I didn’t feel comfortable shooting a gun and didn’t want to risk hitting Vlad accidentally. The knife had seemed like the smartest choice. Now I was having second thoughts.

“I’m sorry,” I said and tried to climb Vlad’s body.

My dress flapped in the breeze, tangling around my legs, and I couldn’t use my hands to climb him because of the damn knife. Every second, we lifted higher, my dress tangling around me even more.

Instead of helping, I was making matters worse, and we were about ten feet off the ground.

Everly!Thorn connected below, the cold tendrils of his fear gripping me.What are you doing?

Trying to save Vlad,I replied as the wind hit my face, splattering Vlad’s blood all over me.But it’s not going so well.

I see that, Thorn growled. “Cassidy, get to the car.”

I had no idea what was going on down there. Vlad gritted his teeth as he leaned down, face twisted in agony, and extended a hand to me. I turned the knife so the blade rested in my palm and gripped the handle so I could hand it to him without stabbing him.

The lemon dragon roared and rocked forward, heading toward the ground. My body lurched as our momentum changed, giving me enough of a boost to use my arms. I got the butt of the knife into Vlad’s hand.

The sound of additional wings weighed my limbs.Thorn!

It’s just me,Thorn replied as his plum scales came into view. His front talons gently grabbed my sides as the lemon dragon jerked and shrieked.

Thorn’s talon’s dug into my side a little as he connected,Release Vlad. I’ve got you.

Sides protesting, I obeyed, trusting my mate. Thorn lifted me to one shoulder, where I grabbed onto his scales and hoisted myself onto his back. My skin buzzed from our touch despite us being in two different forms.

The lemon dragon flew upward to get away.

Thorn flapped his wings, soaring toward the dragon as Vlad shoved the knife into one of the talons that held him. The dragon shrieked and threw its head back in agony. The talons retracted from Vlad’s side, and blood poured from the wound. I wouldn’t have known he was injured if I’d been watching him, because Vlad didn’t pause as he sliced into the other talon.

The dragon dropped him just as Thorn swooped below, catching Vlad in his talons. The lemon dragon soared away. Backup would be here soon.

I didn’t even think about shifting.I should’ve shifted at the first sign of an attack, but I’d dumbly stayed in human form.

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