“Cut the chain,” I growled. “We cannot shift form in here, anyway. The manacles will not matter.”
She glanced at me, climbed another step, and moved the cutter to the chain instead. Away from the worry of slicing into my flesh, she was able to turn the tool up to full. The links turned red-hot immediately.
I looked away again, but now her breasts were at eye height… combined with the slight jiggle her movement was causing, it was an admirable distraction from the increased noises on the other side of the door.
“Shaaaftz,” drawled Xandros. The English interpretation of a Drakonian curse, the clipped consonants added emphasis when spoken aloud. I cast him a look to see that he was riveted on her breasts as well. Hanging as we were, there was no disguising her effect on us.
“You smell like chocolate, sweet cheeks,” he purred, showing not one hint of embarrassment about his condition.
She did smell amazing, and Xandros had a particular fondness for the sweet human concoction. As well as for females of any description. But this one—this one was special.
“Keep staring and you’ll discover my less-than-sweet side,” Princess Jazmin said without looking at him. “I didn’t give you permission to sniff.”
He inhaled. “It is kind of hard to not.” he said,waggling his brows.
From his other side, the Drolgok uttered a satisfied sound. There was a snap, and one of Xandros’s chains gave way. All his weight dropped to be suspended from one arm. He gritted his teeth, and grabbed hold of it with the one now free, trying to take some of the load.
A moment later, I joined him as Princess Jazmin got through one of mine.
The storage bay door creaked, and then, slid open, just an inch. A glowing bronze eye stared through it, and the Tazier roared.
Shaftz.
Princess Jazmin flinched, but focused hard on lasering the last chain. There was another snap from Xandros’s, and his feet dropped to the mesh below. He staggered a little, rolling his massive shoulders.
As the sounds from the other side of the bay door increased in their frenzy, the Drolgok hurriedly moved her ladder closer to a growling Rhodes. The lean muscles of his arms bulged, as he yanked on the chains.
I was in agony as I hung by one arm, but the rage within me begged for release. Days of being tortured by these Taziers had me frothing to tear into them. However, we had to consider another dynamic, now.
Princess Jazmin.
She was in the middle of this. My intense desire to keep her safe only confirmed my suspicions that she was meant for us. It swelled within me, and set fire to my rage. By the look in Xandros’s eyes as he pushed through the cage door and sprouted long talons from his fingertips, he felt exactly the same way.
My second chain gave way. As I dropped to the grate, my shoulders were on fire. I shook the muscles loose and caught Princess Jazmin’s gaze.
She had just climbed off the ladder, and for an instant, I saw both fear and determination in her eyes. But she met my eyes fully, before moving the ladder over beside the Drolgok’s to work on Rhodes.
Brave. She was brave.
With a metallic shriek, the Taziers wrenched the bay door open. As I connected with the copper eyes of the first through it, I let the rage loose. Rage at what they had done to my brothers. At what they planned to do with Princess Jazmin.
Xandros and I lunged toward them.
My wings thrashed against the metal mesh encasing them, trying to spread wide. I closed one fist on the short length of chain still attached to my wrist manacles as the Taziers poured into the storage bay.
My other hand sprouted wicked eight-inch talons. I met the bronze-eyed Drake’s gaze, and I smiled.
Then another one came through the door, and raised not a phaser pistol, but a more powerful rifle to point directly at me.
It would have merely scorched my dragon’s scales, but it could do serious damage in this humanoid form. I ducked the first blast. As I kept coming at him, he lined me up for a second?—
I stepped sideways, and Xandros leaped from behind me. It would take nerves of steel to hold steady with that juggernaut coming at you—the blast scorched across Xandros’s shoulder. He tore the laser from the Drake’s grasp, and threw it across the room…
8
Jaz
I gritted my teeth as I climbed the ladder, trying very hard not to look at the battle behind me.
