My shock didn’t stop me from sinking them in as deeply as I could, and then yanking them sideways for a few inches before ripping them free.
His green eyes went wide, and he hissed in pain. I went at him with both hands, tearing and gouging straight through his scales.
No claw could achieve this damage. What extended from my fingers did not belong on any Dire.
And at the moment, they were saving my furry hide.
18
Anna
As Lucas worked on Talakai’s old manacles, my mind brought up images of the blueprints. “Those stairs are our only way out.”
“They don’t build dungeons with multiple exits,” Lucas agreed under his breath. “We have another problem—Aria says they haven’t found Xumi. Her sons were the ones conducting business. One’s down, one’s run for it.” He spoke through clenched teeth, and a muscle jumped in his jaw.
Which I totally got. The situation was devolving. Xumi in the wind was all kinds of bad news. And we needed our Dragon component to fight what was coming down the stairs.
Then Talakai said, “Xumi has a private entrance.”
I shot him a look. “It’s not on the blueprints. Where is it?”
He gestured with his chin. “Behind that metal—the apparatus along that far wall. There’s a panel that slides if you push on the wall sconce.”
I ran toward it as Lucas freed one of Talakai’s arm manacles and pulled it off, along with the scaled glove. He moved to the one on the other wrist.
I slowed as I approached the wall, my eyes tracing the device located near it. Bolted to the floor, it consisted of welded bits of metal—unlike anything I’d ever seen. There were restraints attached to various extensions, and my mind struggled to put it into context. My stomach twisted when it all snapped into focus. And then I noticed the stains—
As I stood there, frozen in horror, stone slid on stone. The secret door opened, and a Dragona stepped through it. Her eyes gleamed at me—one glance into their murky depths, and I knew who she was.
Talakai snarled and lunged, sending Lucas flying as he surged up against the one remaining chain. His wings burst free from his shoulders. His eyes, and his energy, were wild with rage and fear.
“Anna, run,” he roared.
Xumi was much taller than I expected, her fierce beauty like a blow as she stalked through the opening.
“Well, now,” she growled, ignoring Talakai’s commotion as she focused on me. “You must be the reason my castle is under siege. What some bitches will do to get themselves a man.”
“The only bitch here,” I hissed as I backed away, “is you.”
My surge of dismay reached Matt.Angel?I sensed the flurry of slashing claws.
I clamped down on my fear.I’m good. Just clearing us a way out. I’ll keep you posted.
Xumi’s gaze slid to Talakai, lunging against his chain, and Lucas, who stood just out of range of the slashing talons. Her pink tongue extended to lick her lips. “Nice to see you’ve brought me a new tasty morsel. He is scrumptious.” Her eyes raked over the Morph, pausing between his thighs, where the Ranti’s bulky pants hung off him. “Neither he nor my pretty blue Dragon are going anywhere,” she stated in her husky voice. “Since my blond beauty has run off, these two belong to me.”
I backed away from both her and the device bolted to the floor. Had Talakai been strapped to it while this sadistic Dragona tortured him? I welcomed the cold rage flooding through me as I faced Xumi.
I drew the sword and reached into the cracks and crevices around us. Calling for reinforcements. “Talakai is not yours,” I said. “He ismine.”
Lunging against the chains, wings whistling as he beat against the restraint. Talakai was losing his mind. His reversion to beast added fuel to my rage.
Xumi’s eyes met mine, and she peeled her lips back from lengthening teeth. “I so do adore a bitchfest. Boys are ruled by their dicks. Perhaps I’ll add you to my little zoo.”
Her wings sprang free from her shoulders, spreading out above her as her scales expanded to cover her chest and throat. Even her cheeks had them. And she raised her hands, now glittering with talons.
I countered by brandishing Talakai’s sword.
“Are you going to poke me with your little stick?” she asked. “I am usually the one doing the poking, but this could be fun.”
