“Whatever you two decide.” Aelindor soundedalmost amused. “Besides, as you said—respect the lady’s wish.”
He’d been like a big brother to the dragon since the dark days. After Drakken watched his father’s beheading in the public square and found himself next in line for execution, Aelindor had risked everything and lost a lot of his men to pull the young dragon from the executioner’s block. Despite their bond, Aelindor played no favorites. He ruled with fairness and ancient wisdom, never tolerating any of us stepping out of line.
“I say we don’t volunteer the information.” I made the call. “Let the broody dragon figure it out himself. He thinks he’s smarter than everyone else anyway. Good test of his observation skills.”
“Then you’ll need to start calling her ‘he’ instead of ‘she.’” Definite amusement threaded Aelindor’s voice now. He hadn’t looked this entertained in a long time. “One slip, and Drakken will know.”
Our elite teamwaited by three Jeep Wranglers powered by spellworks. Relief flickered across their faces as we approached, but no one relaxed. Hands stayed on weapons. Eyes scanned the horizon.
An hour to reach the nearest post. Then the magic-powered bullet train would take us back to base.
“Call it in,” I ordered Marco, my senior vampire officer. “Secure room.”
Marco pressed the radio button. The light flashed green. Static shifted to a tentative connection.The Q-bomb had obliterated every satellite—debris in orbit, ash in the atmosphere. Phones and radios worked only within local range now, even powered by the strongest spells. Modern electricity, mortal engines, were relics. Magic batteries drained fast.
“It’s Mercy Killer from Team Wraith.” Marco’s voice was crisp, efficient. “Do you copy?”
Instead of an operator’s voice, Drakken’s deep, grating voice came through the speaker, impatient and demanding. “This is Storm Breaker. You got the one?”
Marco looked at me.
I took the radio.
“Blood Reaper here.” I let the taunt slide through my voice. “Desperation isn’t attractive, dragon.”
The growl that came back was mean.
“We’re coming in. Get a healer standing by. We have an injured…boy.”
I cut the radio before he could growl again or demand answers.
I watched Caspian lay the tall girl carefully in the backseat. She’d be a thorn in my side. I could feel it, and I didn’t mind at all.
5
MAX
Ihad a fever dream.
In the tormented haze, the demon kept updating me like some deranged sports commentator who couldn’t shut up.
The trio is utterly fuckable,it said, its voice seductive and jaded all at once.Not sure if I have a favorite yet. The redhead has wild beast energy. The red-eyed one watches you like you’re the last meal he’ll ever have. And the blue-eyed one…mmm, he’s like winter and starlight. And don’t worry, Max dearest. They decided not to reveal that you’re a large woman with no dick.
I didn’t know what to do with that information. They shouldn’t have found out in the first place. If I hadn’t passed out…if that man hadn’t grabbed my?—
The red-eyed one isn’t carrying you, but he’s definitely checking out your ass.
What a creep!
We don’t mind creeps.The demon nodded at me, perking up at my mental protest like it fed on mydiscomfort.You can’t lie to me. I know you better than you know yourself. I know what makes your pulse race, what makes you bite your lip when?—
I’d meant the demon itself had a creepy personality, but then I remembered the rules: Don’t engage. Don’t respond. Don’t give it power. So I went mute again, retreating into silence like I’d done since I was a child when it first appeared.
Shit. Not only did I have a demon in me—now the three predators were taking me somewhere unknown. I hadn’t exactly gotten a good look at them when I’d briefly woken up. Just fragmented impressions. But the red-eyed one in my limited field of vision had been too easy on the eyes to be a monster. Sharp cheekbones. Sensual lips. Remarkable, well-kept features that shouldn’t exist in this broken world.
He’d also fondled my breasts quite thoroughly while I was passed out, which made him a monster regardless of his beautiful face. Who gropes a half-dead girl’s chest in the middle of nowhere?
A fucking pervert and a psychopath, that’s who.