Cody met my gaze. “Hold that in reserve. We don’t need you wiped physically this early in the game. And it’s of limited use if something fights back.”
I set my jaw, but nodded. To be honest, I’d prefer another goal for the beast coiled inside me.
No, Angel. Let Tyrez, Dani, and Aria handle Xumi. That isn’t your job.
Yeah, I knew that. According to Jacques, Xumi would be, at this moment, holding court in her upper-level chambers. But man, did I want to lay my hands on her—
It takes a Dragon to kill a Dragon.
Matt was right, of course. The Dragons were our aces in the hole. I hoped they’d put an end to the sadistic underlord, although our Dragons were seriously outnumbered.
“Move out,” Cody whispered, and we followed him around the corner.
He stayed right up with Lucas, with the two focused on their respective targets. Logan moved up with them too, and I saw Maddy frown as she struggled to keep us all hidden from the guards.
The closer we got, the bigger the Dragon guard looked. He wasn’t as big as Tyrez, but he was easily twice Lucas’s size. Maybe three times.
Lucas was, however, one long, lean muscle, and he moved like a wildcat, controlled yet graceful. Cody was also in full-stalk mode, his eyes gleaming copper, moving on the balls of his feet, every movement loose and ready for action. And, of course, Logan was a werewolf.
Dire, Angel. Quit with the werewolf.
Maddy’s face was rigid with concentration as she and I followed them. I kept light contact with the bugs, just in case. A few erroneous stings were infinitely better than getting shot.
The two guards were cradling their weapons as they gazed out toward the wall. Both stood on a raised stone patio edged in a broad concrete rail. Cody broke from the group to arc around behind the Ranti guard. Maddy stretched a hand out, attempting to keep Cody blocked from view, but I saw the Ranti’s eyes narrow—he was tracking something. Scent? Or movement?
Then the Dragon lifted his head and turned toward us.
He was standing along the stone rail, and Lucas leaped onto it, landing behind the big shifter. Striking like a snake, he rammed his finger needle into the Dragon.
He yanked it out so fast—how he’d managed to inject the poison? The guard twisted, slapping at his neck.
Which was when Cody launched himself on the Ranti. I saw his hand shoot around from behind to grab the broad chin, and in a motion too fast to follow, he wrenched the head around.
There was a snap, and the creature collapsed. The Dragon shifter spun and raised his weapon, but he swayed. And then, his eyes rolled up in his head, and he folded to the stone.
Lucas met Cody’s eye. “Which one?”
“The Dragons probably know each other. But I’m sure they won’t know all the Rantis. So I say the Ranti.”
“I have the Ranti from the exercise. I’ll use him, but my clothes won’t work.”
Cody got to work stripping off the Ranti’s clothes. I got an eyeful of realmian-creature junk and ripped my eyes away.
Meanwhile, Lucas took off his own clothes. Another eye aversion required, only this time, a little more difficult—he was a very good-looking young man. And his body showed signs that he was finding the mission stimulating.
Hey. What am I, chopped liver?
You are there, and he is here,I teased. Besides, he’s mated.
I don’t think you’d accept either of those ‘scuses from me.
Point taken.
Lucas closed his eyes, and his muscles and bones began to shift beneath his skin. A growl sounded through my mind.Quit eyeing him up. I’m interested to see him shift form.
When I get you alone after this—
You’ll what?I teased.
