Something caught my attention. A black dragon was barreling toward me. The expression on his huge head was ferocious. I’d never seen Braxton look so feral; he was beyond a nightmare, especially with the blue flames. I should have been deathly afraid, but I was pretty sure fear wasn’t an emotion dragons felt. And, like the very first time, the flames called to my dragon. I strode across to him, the heavy tail thumping behind me.
Would the flames burn me? Before I could even contemplate the complexities of what might happen – and trust me, the dragon brain seemed to be capable of calculating pretty much every variable of a situation – Braxton shot his head forward and wrapped his long neck around mine, intertwining us in a sort of dragon hug. A strange humming sensation started low in my chest, the vibrations weak to begin with but gathering strength, and pretty soon I was thrumming loudly. Braxton’s dragon returned the motion, moving his body even closer. The flames did no more than warm the fur and scales covering my hide, despite the fact I expected to scent burning hair.
I sensed the creatures surrounding us before I saw them, a mixture of bear-monkeys, water dragons, harpies, eagle flyers, and another massive looking octopus animal. I eyed the newest freak-show: the octopus. It had a large spear-like tentacle scattered throughout its other appendages, and I guessed this was the culprit for the sharp pain I’d felt through my thigh.
Fucker.
I pulled back from Braxton, rolling floods of anger ripping through my dragon self. These Faerie creatures had tried to kill us. Now we were going to return the sentiment.
Our dragons fell in back-to-back. The fey-land inhabitants hesitated. I guess after seeing what Braxton’s dragon was capable of, they were afraid to face two of us. Which they should be.
Sure, I was pretty useless, lacking the years of training that dragons required to master control of their beast. But I was still dragon and dragons had no equal.
I was delighted that my beast and I seemed to be thinking in sync, even more than the last time I’d shifted. In the prison my dragon had wrested control from me; this time it was still me, even more than when I was in my wolf form.
Lifting my head, I freed the growling howl which had been building in my body. Flames followed, and I was both impressed and astonished, since I hadn’t called for fire. Maybe that buildup I’d felt had been fire?
The creatures still weren’t attacking. Their caution was clear, although I could see in the distance they continued to fight each other. I was sick of waiting for something to happen. I was going to make it happen. I lunged forward, and even with my lack of knowledge – and some would say coordination – I was a weapon. My dragon claws sliced through bear-monkeys like a hand through air, and my teeth had no problem snapping the water dragons in half. Although, I soon learned to avoid this, they tasted like moldy ass.
Braxton and I were just finding our groove, carving a path of destruction, when a shout drew our attention.
“You two about done?”
I recognized that voice. Lifting my snout familiar scents floated on the air particles toward me.
Jacob and Louis. Family. Pack. They were here.
Their shouts had drawn the attention of the other fey creatures, but Louis just lazily waved his hand, murmured some sort of spell, and faerie-freaks blasted off in all directions.
Damn that sorcerer, his power would have come in handy before now.
“It will be easier if you shift back into your human forms,” Louis said. They were pretty much at our feet now. “I’ll clothe you.”
Jacob looked hesitant, but also fascinated as his eyes flicked between me and his brother. My dragon didn’t fight me at all, she simply slid away and I was Jessa again. I slumped forward onto the sand. Jacob had me in his arms so fast I barely even hit the ground. There was no pain. My previous injuries seemed to be healed, although I felt sore and feverish. Strong arms tightened around my shoulders in a hug, leaf-green eyes bore down into me.
Jacob’s voice was a strangled whisper. “I can’t believe I’m looking at you again. Are you okay, Jessa babe? We’ve been going out of our minds.” I could hear the anguish in his soft words. “We didn’t know if the Four had found you…”
He trailed off.
My poor family. I knew when I’d gone missing they would have contemplated the possibility that the Four had me and had locked me under the sea.
“How did you know we were in Faerie?” My voice was hoarse, the words scratching over my throat.
Louis crowded up behind me, and despite the growls from Braxton’s dragon, and Jacob, he didn’t hesitate to touch my shoulder. In an instant clothing covered me, jeans and a white shirt. Underwear also, perfectly fitted by the feel. Magic could kiss my ass … it was way too awesome and I wanted some.
“Tyson couldn’t sense you or Brax,” Jacob said. “We were dealing with the mystics, trying to get answers, when Louis and your parents arrived.”
My head shot up. “Dad and Lienda are in the sanctuary?” I turned around to find Louis. “Thank you.”
He gave me a nod. “No problem. I needed to get them away, the Four are not above using leverage.”