The Dragon dove. It was a risky landing in the alley, he didn’t have room to use his wings to decelerate. So he braked right above the buildings, and then dropped like a stone to the ground.
He landed with a thump, and through his eyes, I saw the cloaked figure slide to a halt. The hood flung back, and the long, gray hair reflected the moonlight as the Bellati brandished his spiral sword at Talakai.
“What do you want, Dragon?” he demanded.
Talakai clacked his jaws. “You,” he said.
The Bellati crouched just as Sebastian and Matt came around the corner of the alley, and stopped. Mari and I jogged up behind them.
Hold here,I ordered them.
Sebastian growled through the link, but he and Matt spread out to block the target’s escape. The Bellati had turned, putting his back to the wall while keeping his spiral sword pointed at Talakai.
When Sebastian lowered his hood, the rogue Bellati hissed at him. “Traitor. You have more lives than a sardding Targardian cat. How is it that you keep popping up?”
“You callmetraitor?” Through the link, I sensed how hard Sebastian worked not to fly at the rogue. The fingers gripping his spiral sword had turned white. He wasn’t alone in his rage. Matt’s hands had sprouted wicked talons, and Talakai’s Dragon eyes glowed metallic indigo.
Steady,I coached all three of my men.
The rogue’s eyes fastened on me. “Who are you?”
I straightened, and pushed past Sebastian and Matt. Both went to move with me, but I blasted them with an alpha order.Stay,I commanded, waving Mari and Trix back as well. If we wanted information from this Bellati, there was only one good way to get it.
I am not a dog, Angel,Matt complained.
Then listen to me, Toothless. I know what I’m doing.
The Bellati watched me come. There wasn’t much breeze in the alley, but enough. And I was upwind. I saw his nostrils flare, and sensed the subtle shift in his energy.
All three of my men were wound tight.He’s Bellati, Anna,Sebastian reminded me.
He’s male. That’s all I need.
Behind the rogue, Talakai coiled his tail alongside him, like a snake. It could strike in an instant if need be, faster than his talons could shred. Unfortunately, the Bellati’s spiral sword could as well. I paused just out of strike range, and let my scent do its work.
His pupils expanded within the silver irises. “Who are you?” he repeated, but now his tone was softer. The arm holding his spiral sword dropped ever so slightly.
“My name is Anna. And I am Galeran’s daughter.”
His eyes widened, and he stared at Sebastian.
“He serves me, now,” I said.
“He is a traitor,” the rogue snapped.
“He won’t betray me,” I purred. “I own him.”
Sebastian vibrated through the link, and his teeth ground together. I ignored him, keeping my focus on the rogue as I took a small, swaying step toward him.
He tilted his head. “Your energy feels like Galeran’s.”
I stifled my automatic reaction to that.
He be looking for a connection,Sebastian snarled through my mind.
Good. That’s exactly what I need.I took another step, and the rogue’s eyes dropped to my breasts. My scent was working, his interest was obvious beneath his hair clothes.
Scales are superior,Talakai stated, but it was more of a growl. The Dragon wanted to shred the guy. His talons contracted, digging trenches in the alley floor.
