Page 69 of Flirting with Death

As soon as the thought occurred, the Leyak strolled through the doorway like he owned the place. His hands clasped behind his back. He lazily cast his gaze around, landing on Raiden.

The mage lifted an eyebrow. "I have come to collect on our deal."

Raiden scoffed. "And you think blowing in my door will make me just hand it over?"

"You've had it for a while without bringing it to me. It makes me wonder if you were going back on our deal to keep your hunter safe." He flicked his gaze to Samantha, and she struggled harder against the hold.

The charm around the vamp's neck must give him more than immunity from me, because there is no way she wouldn't be able to take a single vampire out, even without weapons. I've seen her fight against greater odds.

Raiden's jaw worked, and his lips flattened as he came to a decision. "This is pretty close to breaking our deal on your end. If you hadn’t already." He gestured at the vampire holding Sam by her neck.

He chuckled. "Oh, but that is not me. But I can stop him. Just hand over the ruby."

"No, Rai, no," Samantha pleaded.

The mage lifted the corner of his mouth in a crooked smile as he glanced between them. "What will it be? A useless gem or your mate?"

A swallow worked his throat as a bead of blood rolled down her neck. I wasn't sure what I wanted him to do. And in his position, I would have fought with myself, followed the plan or saved the girl. Not a situation I ever thought I'd be in. Saving people wasn't really my thing.

Raiden ran his palm over the jewel in his pocket, as if he were wiping off damp hands. Lex and Alastor shifted on their heels as if they shared a brain. They were ready to fight. Maybe it was the demon in Raiden and I that made us lean toward the deal. I felt the moment he made the choice.

He slid his fingers into his pocket and stepped toward the Leyak. The breath froze in my chest as I waited for him to pull out the ruby.

"Fine. But you need to let her go. Let us all go."

"No! He's lying! Rai!" The trail got stronger as another nail pierced her flesh. The vampire gripped her arm as she fought him.

Raiden lifted watery eyes to Samantha. "I have to, Sammy, please forgive me."

He tugged on the chain; the necklace dangled in his fingers. The mage's gaze locked on the ruby, and he held his hand out for it. Raiden hesitated, and the Lekay nodded at the vampire.

Samantha cried out in pain. "I am going to remove each one of your fingers from your body, and then I'm going to pull your teeth from your mouth and watch you starve," she growled.

"You'll have to find me first."

My eyes dropped to the floor where Dodger was coiling onto the cement. If anyone looked down, they would see her ready to strike. Maybe fighting was the way out of this.

Raiden didn't see it, and he lifted his hand, holding out the gem for the mage. The Leyak stepped forward, an evil smile spreading across his face. I tried to send another mental message, to tell the dragon to stop, tell the others there was another way.

The snake struck, sinking her teeth into the vampire's leg, but his hold didn't loosen as the shadow wrapped around him. Lex's other shadows burst from him and lunged for the mage, Cerberus followed. The Leyak threw out his hand, and a pulse of magic hit the shadows, making them disappear, then Cer dropped to the ground out cold. Then it hit us, the world going black as the floor came up to greet us.

CHAPTER 39

Samantha

I could only describe it as horror as I watched Raiden pull the ruby from his pocket and hold it out for the mage. The vampire was at my back. I knew he didn't want me dead, because if he did, I already would have been. Still, I struggled against his hold. Raiden's intention firmed his jaw, the tendon popping out as he clenched his teeth together and brought his eyes up to mine.

"Rai, no!" I shouted for the third time. My heart slammed against my ribcage, bruising me from the inside as my blood roared through my ears. "Don't!"

It was too late. The demon reached out for the offered necklace, wrapping his fingers around it tightly. My breath stuttered to a stop inside my lungs. Then he grinned over at me and dropped it to the ground, grinding it beneath his heel.

A trail of red magic flowed out of it, creeping over the broken cement below my feet, reaching its fingers out for all five of us. My stomach hardened as my body tensed even further. My aunt had looked for this gem to do the same thing, destroy it. An uncontrollable shudder swept through my entire body the closer it got. I focused on my breathing, trying to gain even a little of control back.

The blood red magic hit Raiden first. His eyes flashed the golden color they were when he was a dragon as he dropped his head, and a puff of smoke flowed from his nostrils. Then he lifted his eyes to me, and there was nothing there, none of the love I knew he felt moments ago. It was as if it never existed.

"Rai—" I whispered. But there was no recognition in his regard.

"Raiden of the Dragon-kin, take care of our prisoner," the mage commanded as he flicked his eyes to me.

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