Before anyone could stop me, I’d moved away from Darian and Asher, and I was shifting. My clothes tore and fell to the ground as my body grew, scales bursting from my skin as my dragon took over, my chest expanding and my large claws digging into the dirt. My dragon shook its head, enjoying the sense of freedom after being caged for so long. For a moment, all I could do was stare like a prisoner in my own mind, controlled by my animalistic instincts as my dragon roared, but then I remembered what Kade had taught me. That I needed to accept my dragon was a part of me now. Taking a mental breath, I calmed my mind and tried to see the situation for what it was. I was still me, just a larger, much scalier, extremely frustrated version of me. It took a few long moments, but slowly I cooled my fury, and before long, I was in control as I blinked large eyes, staring at the world around me that was now colored in shades of green.
And then I was charging forward. The flapping of wings sounded to my right, but I didn’t need to turn my head to know my vampire was flying beside me as I trampled bushes and pushed past trees. To my right, Kade ran in his wolf form, his shaggy body faster than my dragon on the ground, and Asher and Darian were somewhere behind us.
I already knew I was going to hear about this later, but I didn’t care. The wind was magic as it brushed against my scales, and power rippled through my muscles making another satisfied roar burst from me.
Blue flames shot from my mouth incinerating a decayed tree that had fallen long ago, and I enjoyed the taste of smoke on my tongue.
The individual that we’d detected moved further away from us, the pitiful creature likely startled by my roars, but they were within sight in a matter of seconds.
The fae scout stared with wide eyes as the five of us burst from the trees, entering the clearing, but he didn’t stop what he was doing. His hands moved through the air as he whispered something to himself, and a ring of blue fire appeared before him.
All right, Raine, you can do this. Don’t burn the innocent fae. We just want to talk to him.
I opened my massive maw as I ran, intent on snatching him away from the portal rather than devouring him, but he slipped through before we could reach him, the ring of fire disappearing a moment later.
Fuck.I dug my talons into the dirt, tearing up the grass as I came to an abrupt halt right where the portal had been. Kade circled us, sniffing the air as if he was trying to detect if there were any other fae around, and Locke’s onyx eyes fixed on me as he folded his wings.
Kade shifted back, naked as he stalked toward me, and Asher and Darian sheathed their weapons.
“Guessin’ Raine didn’t like your idea to keep her behind again,” Asher commented, giving Kade a lop-sided grin.
I wasn’t surprised he was all cheery about it. Like me, Asher had hated waiting while Darian had gone to talk to the sirens without us.
Kade’s golden eyes remained on me, and I got the distinct feeling he was trying to anticipate my next move. Luckily for him, now that I had more control, and my creature had identified them as my mates, I’d do anything to protect them, even while in this form. But I still wasn’t entirely sure what would happen next.
“We need to get back to Lyr and the camp. If the fae are sending scouts, things are moving much faster than we anticipated,” Locke said, though he was watching me as carefully as the others.
It didn’t escape my notice that they’d circled me now, almost as if they thought I was a threat. Not that I blamed them.
I flicked my tail playfully, and Asher moved back just enough that it avoided smacking into his chest. My demon grinned, his lips twisting as he eyed me like he was about to grab hold.Oh, just you try…
“Are you ready to go, lovely?” Darian asked me with an amused smile.
I snorted out smoke. I was definitelynotready to shift back again just yet. If I couldn’t capture the fae, and I couldn’t mark my mates, I needed to do something else.
“In the early days when I was getting used to my wolf form, I’d get times like these,” Kade growled, his deep voice making my dragon want to grab him and haul his ass back to that cave we’d been in not too long ago. “My creature demanded release, so I’d have to either fight, fuck or…” Kade said.
“I’ll stop you right there,” Darian said holding up a finger. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but none of us happen to have a dragon form.”
“Or run,” Kade finished, ignoring the siren. “In her case, I’d say flying would work best, but we can’t afford to draw more attention than we already have. Run with me, Mahare. Run until the trees thicken and your beast is soothed by the burn in her limbs.”
I blinked, still hung up on his second suggestion, but as Kade shifted back to his animal form, his majestic brown wolf sprinting into the trees, I didn’t hesitate to follow him. And as my paws pounded on the ground, my muscles stretching and contracting with my movements, I knew Kade had been right. I longed to stretch out my wings, to feel the frigid air above the clouds, but for now, this would have to do.
This time, Kade didn’t keep pace with me. He ran ahead just enough that I could always glimpse his furry tail and his back paws as if he were goading me to move faster. I relished the challenge, careful not to knock down the trees at my sides and create more of a disturbance in the forest. My head was just shorter than the tallest branches, and with any luck, the monsters that were sleeping the day away hadn’t been awoken by my antics.
We ran for a good while, Locke, Asher, and Darian following behind us until my legs began to burn. Flying, I suspected, I would be able to do for a significant time without tiring, but my large body was heavy, and eventually, I slowed, smoke puffing from my mouth as I panted. Kade noticed I’d fallen back, and he curved around, coming to stop by my side as he stared at me again with those golden eyes. I knew what he was waiting for, and this time, my dragon side didn’t fight it.
The change happened quickly, my body shrinking and shifting until I was in my human form, covered in sweat and dirt, and completely butt-naked. Kade followed my lead, changing back as quickly as I had, and I beamed up at him.
“Thanks,” I gasped, my chest still heaving. “I needed that.”
He nodded. “Like I said: fight, fuck, or run.”
Right.I sure hoped next time we’d get to go with the second option.
CHAPTER 15
~ Raine ~
