Fireblood Dragon: Fire In His Blood Part 15

I roar my outrage, bellowing my fury to the skies. I flash into battle form and launch myself into the air, ignoring the crumble of the ceiling as I push my way through it and the way rocks fall to the ground far below. It does not matter if I destroy the entire building. All that matters is getting to my mate.

I climb higher into the skies, my wings beating furiously. There is no other dragon nearby, no sense of her scent, but instinct guides my mind. With the mating bond between us, I can lock on to her mental tether and find her. I close my eyes and let it guide me.

Claudia will come back to me, no matter how many I must attack to free her.

She is mine to protect.

19.

CLAUDIA.

My head hurts. I rub at my temples, squinting at the bright lights overhead. The hard plastic seat I sit on feels a little too rough against my sensitive skin, but complaining will get me nowhere. My captors-because I can't call the mayor or the captain anything but that at this point-aren't interested in me or my comfort. I didn't think they'd let me just waltz out of here with Amy, but I also didn't think I'd be grilled endlessly, either. They want to know more about dragons. How they eat. How they sleep. How they talk. No matter what I tell them, they have more questions. I've been here for hours on end. Maybe even all night.

And still, no one has brought me my sister.

I'm exhausted. I haven't slept in forever, I'm tired, smelly, and feverish. My head is pounding something fierce, and these lights s.h.i.+ning in my face are just making everything worse. "I want my sister," I tell them for what feels like the millionth time. "I need to see her."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible until-"

Claudia!

The call is so strong that I jerk to my feet, startled. "Kael?" His voice is so clear it sounds as if he's in the room with me.

"Miss Jones?" the captain says, giving me a puzzled look. It takes me a moment to realize I'm still standing in the tiny barracks room with the mayor and the captain.

Yet Kael's voice was so clear... I rub my temples again. "Sorry. I think I'm just tired."

"We'd really like to know more-"

Claudia! Possessive triumph coats his voice, rich and syrupy sweet, and I stare at the walls. I don't see him...but I can hear him. How is this possible? "Wh-what?"

I am coming for you.

"Um. Do you guys hear that?" My voice is shaking. I think I'm losing my mind. I'm actually holding a conversation with Kael and imagining him coming for me. I've officially snapped.

They exchange a look. "Hear what?"

"Nothing. I think."

Your thoughts are delicious, purrs Kael in my mind. Bright and pure. I am glad you are my mate, Claudia. You fill my soul with joy.

It's weird, but it actually sounds like he's coming closer. I press a hand to one ear, then the other, checking for listening devices or something. There's nothing, though. His voice is coming from inside my head. I glance at the ceiling anyhow, as if it might somehow reveal a big golden dragon hovering over my shoulder. "How is it that I can hear you?"

"The dragon?" the captain asks, voice rising in alarm. "Where is he?"

You are mine, Kael says inside my head. We are linked now that we have mated and I have claimed you.

The f.u.c.k? Linked? I don't want to be linked. No one asked me if I had an opinion on being linked.

You're unhappy. I do not like that. Why are you displeased?

Uh, because you didn't ask me? s.h.i.+t, now I'm responding in my head.

I asked you. I said your name and you responded by putting your mouth on me and- That's not the same thing! That wasn't asking for permission to open a channel in my head! I don't know at this point if I'm saying the words in my mind or saying them aloud. Things are blurring together.

How was I to ask for permission if we could not speak? But now we can. Satisfaction rolls through his mind. Now you can share your thoughts with me all day and all night.

Yeah. Great. I don't want to share anything at the moment, though. I'm still mad.

The mayor shouts something at me, and additional soldiers file into the room, guns in hand. I clutch my head, distracted between the sound of Kael's insistent voice and whatever the mayor's shouting at me. "Can you be quiet for a second? I can't think!"

I am coming to the human hive to get you.

Oh s.h.i.+t. My eyes go wide. "You're coming here?"

"He's coming here?" the captain roars, panicked. "Sound the alarm. Ready the bunkers! Go go go!"

A klaxon goes up-the dragon siren.

"How is she talking to him?" the mayor asks. "Is she bugged somehow?"

"He's in my head," I tell them, pus.h.i.+ng my hands against my scalp as if that will stop my brain from freaking out. The blare of the siren is mingling with Kael's heavy thoughts, and it's all pressing in on me. "I can't think with all this noise-"

"What's he saying?" the captain demands. He moves to stand inches away from my face, his eyes intent. "We need you to tell us exactly what he's saying."

The siren blares, long and loud, and I can hear the stomp of feet overhead as the militia readies. Kael's going to walk right into an army, and I'm leading him to it. I don't know what to do. I need to stop him before he gets too close, because I don't want him to die.

I've never wanted that.

You are upset. Kael's thoughts cut through the chaos in my mind like a knife, slicing away the outside world. I hear the siren. Shall I make it stop?

"You're close enough to hear the siren?" I choke.

"He's right overhead," the captain roars. "Take action!"

Claudia. My Claudia. Do not worry. I am close.

"How close?"

Very close. I am coming for you.

"Why? You need to leave me here."

I cannot. You are my mate.

"Mate?" I gasp out, horrified at the thought. Not only am I mind-linked to a crazy dragon, but he thinks I'm his mate? "I don't want to be your mate."

Something cold and hard presses to my temple. I freeze as the gun c.o.c.ks, the sound loud in the deafening silence of the room. "If he thinks you're his mate," the captain tells me, "I'm going to need to use you as leverage. I'm sorry."

He's got a gun on me, I tell Kael. Back off. Please! I don't want to die.

What is a gun?

There's no time to explain. Can't you please just go?

They took you away.

I don't mention the fact that I ran off. Kael, just go, please. I need to find my sister, and I'm not going to get anywhere with you flying overhead. The gun bites into my temple, and I s.h.i.+ver. In my argument with Kael, I forgot that someone's got a gun to my head.

Kael picks up on my fear, though. His thoughts grow wild, darker. I can feel them growing darker, and it's terrifying. Why are you afraid? Why is my mate afraid?

It will kill me! Don't come here!

Overhead, a dragon roars so loudly that the entire building shakes. Lights flicker, and a cloud of dust falls from the ceiling.

"He doesn't like that you're threatening me," I whisper, trying to pull away from the gun.

The captain's mouth presses into a thin line as he looks me in the eye. "You tell him if he wants his mate alive and unharmed, he needs to back off of the city. He's putting everyone at risk."

I'm running out of time, and I still need to save my sister. "Just give me Amy and I'll call him off," I bluff, even as another roar shakes the building.

"It doesn't sound like that's going to work," the captain says and shakes his head slowly, pressing the gun harder against my temple. "I'm sorry, but the safety of the entire fort depends on this. You need to make him leave. Right now."

I realize I'm not going to have a rescuer in this moment. Or, rather, I do, but he's a vicious dragon and I'm not entirely sure he's a good guy. Either I get shot by the guards and never see Amy again, or I get kidnapped by a dragon and never see Amy again. I'm screwed either way.

He...he says he'll kill me if you don't back off, Kael. My thoughts seem to tremble nearly as much as my body does. Please don't hurt anyone.

Kael's return thoughts are so dark and furious that I wince as they blast into my mind. You are my mate! He is holding you from me. If he hurts you, I will tear him limb from limb and let the crows devour his bones!

Well, that's...creative. I swallow hard and look the captain in the eye. "He's not happy that you're scaring me."

"I'm not happy that he's flying over the city," the captain says in a tight voice.

Yes, but if he leaves, I'm not sure what'll happen to me. I try to mentally play out what will happen if Kael leaves me behind, and I realize with a sick sensation that I'm trapped. Every dragon attack, the mayor and the captain are going to trot me out and try to use me as a hostage. I'm not getting free of this, ever again.

My only path lies with Kael, he of the hot kisses and terrifying bites. I try to compose myself. Be calm, Claudia. If this is my path, find a way forward. So I decide to make things sound pretty grim. If they want to threaten me, I'll threaten right back. "He's not leaving me here. He says if you hurt me, it's going to be ugly."

"I don't plan on hurting you," the captain says. "You and I, we're going to bargain. If he leaves the city alone, I'll give you to him. Tell him that."

"He says you need to give me my sister."

"You think she's safe with him?" As if to punctuate this, Kael roars again, and the captain tilts his head as if to say, see?

I hate that he's right. I hate that I don't know that answer. "I don't think she's safe with you, either."

"He's not attacking, sir," one of the men calls over the radio. "He's settled on the roof of the building and is waiting for something. Your orders?"

The captain glances at the radio at his waist, then at me.

"My sister," I warn him. "Now."

The captain exchanges a look with the mayor. Then he hits a b.u.t.ton on the radio. "We're going to be giving the prisoner to the dragon. Stand by."

"Not without my sister-"

"We're not waiting for your sister to be brought to the barracks. Get that dragon out of here now. The life of one does not outweigh the needs of many."

"If you send me off with him, there's nothing that's stopping me from telling him to come back and burn this place to the ground. He listens to me. If I tell him I want you dead, he'll kill you."

"Which is why I need to keep your sister as leverage. You go with him and he gets what he wants. Your sister stays with us as incentive for him to leave us alone." The look on his face is almost one of regret. Almost.

That b.a.s.t.a.r.d. Everyone gets what they want but me and Amy? "You think I won't come back to get her? With an army of dragons?"

The captain's look of regret turns to one of anger. "You'd murder every last person here?"

I say nothing. I wouldn't destroy Fort Dallas, no, but I won't take back the threat, either.

"All the more reason for us to keep your sister."

I hesitate, then open my mind to Kael again. They're going to give me to you if you promise to leave the city alone.

I will not harm them if they have not harmed you. I just want my mate. Are you well?

I'm fine, I tell him. For now. But I feel as if my heart is breaking. Oh, Amy. "He just wants me. As long as I'm safe, he'll leave."

The captain nods. "I'm very sorry, Miss Jones. I know you don't like this, but we're left with very little choice here. My advice for you is to see what you can do to tame that dragon and get him to leave this area entirely."

Fat chance of that happening. I'm not leaving, not with Amy and Sasha here. And Kael's not going anywhere without me, I suspect. "Let me tell him that we're coming up."

20.