That was some kinda juice.
Xumi laughed, more of a chuckle with distinctly sinister undertones. “See, I need pheromones for a Dire. They are so effective for Dragons. But as such a thing doesn’t exist, I have come up with another idea.”
She gestured, and the two male Dragons approached me. Both were clearly excited by what was to come. Brock gnashed his teeth. “Let me.”
“No,” his mother licked her lips. “I want to make Talakai do it.”
I had a very bad feeling about this. “Do what?”
She smiled. I had never seen one so evil. “I’d like to run a little experiment.”
No way.I fought to keep my expression calm. “I ain’t no bloody guinea pig, lady.”
Her eyes gleamed. “I don’t know what that is. But I have a special interest in creating things. You have presented me with an opportunity I cannot pass up.” She went to a podium platform with a variety of switches on it and threw a couple. Instantly, the chains holding my arms moved.
Dietrik grabbed me and swung me away from the pit I hung over. The second the pressure was off my arms, I was in renewed agony through my chest and shoulders. But when my feet touched the floor, I tried to spin and kick. Managed to nail the scaly bogan right between the legs.
He hissed and doubled over while his bronze mate snarled and slammed his fist into my jaw. I saw stars.
With my arms still chained, there was little more I could do. Xumi activated another control, and it dragged me along a channel in the ceiling. Toward Talakai. And with gut-twisting certainty, I knew what she planned.
Something within me snapped as the mechanism winched me toward the captive Dragon. I’d braced myself for torture. This was different. I fought the chains like a demon. Twisting, thrashing, lashing out with my feet. Of course, it was all pointless. And unfortunately, my panic pulsed from me.
Suddenly, I wasn’t alone in my head.
Matt!Dammit, what is she doing to you?
Her mental touch, frantic as it was, gave me the anchor I needed. I stopped struggling and let the chains drag me.S’alright Angel.I just had a moment there.
Are you okay?
Yep. Good.
You have to hold on.I sensed the advice was as much for her as me. But then she added,Do you know where you are?
Not yet. Gotta go. I need to focus here.I pushed her firmly out of my mind. She went, but she was suspicious as hell, and if she’d had any idea what was about to happen, she wouldn’t have gone at all.
I had little doubt that if she wanted to, she’d blast right through the barriers I threw up. But she couldn’t do anything to help this situation.
Talakai watched my progress with his unfathomable metallic gaze. “I won’t do it,” Talakai hissed at Xumi.
“You will do it,” she said. “Or I will. Either way, he is going to have Dragon virus in him.” Her eyes gleamed, and one hand toyed with a breast, tweaking the nipple. Every time she did so, her eyes flared.
My nose told me she was getting off on this—on forcing him to do something against his will. Like flogging in public was her thing.
It probably was.
The two sons each took an arm and spun me around until my back was to Talakai. Struggling was pointless. They were stronger than me, and I was chained to boot. Dietrik rubbed himself along my thigh like a bloody dog humping my leg, only slower.
I gritted my teeth and did my best to ignore him. Then I said what needed to be said. “Do it, Talakai.”
I sensed his horror through his denial. “No. You can’t want this.”
“And you’d be right,” I agreed. “But take a look around, mate. My options here are you, or dumb and dumber and the ruthless bitch.”
Brock growled, but Xumi snorted and curled a lip back over a long canine. “Ruthless bitch is acceptable. It almost makes me want to bite you.”
Strewth, no. I wanted her teeth in me least of all. She leaned close to Talakai and poured another vial of pheromones over his head.
