Chapter 181
The crowds gathered at the edge of a massive cliff where they’d all take off. She moved around people, leaving Charlotte behind, and went in search of Drayken. She found him at the front, speaking to a group of men. She smiled when she caught his attention and motioned for him to come closer.
“Rebecca, I’m so glad you could make it. You’ll love the view from my dragon.”
She pursed her lips and started talking.
“I’m sorry, Drayken. I didn’t know the ritual of having a woman fly from your grasp or on your back meant she was special to you. Or that she would be your partner.”
She took a breath and went on.
“I think you’re a nice guy, but I don’t like you like that.”
Cold fury sparked in his eyes.
“I see.”
She’d tried to speak softly, so they weren’t overheard.
“I’m sorry.”
Without saying anything else, she rushed through the crowd toward Charlotte, but too many people started to shift, tearing out of their clothes and keeping her rooted to the spot. She watched in awe as every color dragon she could have ever imagined took to the skies. Instead of going back to Charlotte, she ran to the edge of the cliff to watch them fly as a group.
Greens, purples, oranges, reds, browns, yellows, blacks—so many hues and sizes, she had trouble keeping track. She smiled wide, watching the group fly off together.
She noticed a red dragon turn around, headed back to the cliff. That person must’ve forgotten something.
She searched for Charlotte, spotting her off to the side. An expression of terror twisted Char’s face. A shadow fell over Rebecca, taking away the sun’s warmth.
She whipped around to see the dragon swoop down, much too close.
She ran, but was whisked up into the air, caged in massive talons.
“Becca!” Charlotte screamed from the cliff.
Rebecca didn’t attempt anything as stupid as trying to get out of the dragon’s claws. They were really high, and she was already hyperventilating from knowing she could be let loose and fall to her death. She curled her arms around one of the talons and hugged it for dear life, her eyes closed.
It was ironic that she’d been dying to see Dragosland from the skies, and now that she was getting the chance, she couldn’t open her eyes. The dragon vibrated, and she swore she was going to lose her breakfast.
With a sudden dive, the dragon lowered until she was on top of a tower. She had no idea where, but she wouldn’t be able to get down until he let her.
He loosened his grip on her, shaking her off when she clung to his claw.
She glanced around the little space and then back at the dragon.
“You son of a bitch! Get me down from here.”
His reply was to shoot a burst of fire right above her head—not low enough to burn, but enough for her to feel the heat. Great warning.
She didn’t know what to do. There were no cell phones in Aurora. She couldn’t call Charlotte and tell her where she was—not that she knew. There was no GPS, and if there were, she wouldn’t know how to figure it out.
A loud roar sounded behind her. The golden dragon with angry eyes she’d come to know was Vikter. He shot forward above her head and charged Drayken.
Vikter bit Drayken’s wing. Drayken pulled away, snapping his teeth at Vikter’s dragon.
They fought overhead, slamming into trees. Cracking and crashing sounds of trunks going down exploded around them.
Vikter bit Drayken’s claw. They tumbled through the air, wings flapping noisily in the wind. Vikter slammed his tail into Drayken’s side, the giant thorns slashing long gouges into the smaller dragon.
She gripped the stones making up the tower. Her heart pumped hard in her chest. She might be pissed as hell at Vikter, but she didn’t want him hurt.
Vikter opened his massive mouth and bit down on Drayken’s foot.
Drayken tried to shake him off. They whirled in circles, making Becca dizzy with fear. Drayken thrashed in his assault on Vikter. It was horrible, but she wanted Vikter to win.
Drayken swung his tail around, bashing Vikter’s head repeatedly until he released Drayken’s foot.
The massive dragon shot forward, slamming Drayken into the side of a hill. The ground shook. She watched in horror as Drayken pounded his tail into Vikter’s side.
Vikter let out an angry roar and snapped scores of teeth on Drayken’s shoulder, striking his tail hard against Drayken’s wings. Vik pummeled again and again, tearing a hole through one of Drayken’s wings.
Drayken braced on the side of the mountain, then shoved Vikter off.
The golden dragon’s wing caught in a jumble of trees, keeping him stuck long enough for Drayken to make a getaway.
That rat bastard.
She watched him struggle to fly with the hole in his wing. She swung her gaze to where Vikter struggled to get loose. It took a few tries and a lot of growling, but he freed himself.
Settling on the tower, he lowered his head for her to climb.
After a few slips and slides, she held tightly, gripping his horns as best as she could.
He kept the ride smooth. Although she was scared shitless—no seatbelts on a dragon—she managed to keep it together.
Once they arrived at his castle, he set her down in a clearing leading inside. She slid off and watched him shift out of his dragon.
She bit her lip to stop herself from gaping. She had a very clear memory of his naked body, but under the light of the sun, his skin sparkled with perspiration.
Muscles corded with tension flexed and held her entranced.
“Thank you,” she said.
He gave a sharp nod and turned to the castle.
She followed after him, trying unsuccessfully not to stare at his sexy ass. She wanted so badly to slap his cheeks that she heard the stinging smack in her mind.
They walked through the door, and a man—who she swore appeared out of thin air—handed Vikter a robe. She glared at the idiot who gave him the material to cover his amazing body.
He continued down a hallway, and she still followed. Why? She had no clue. He’d saved her, and that meant something.
He entered a room, and she went in. Too late, she realized it was his bedroom.
She stopped a few feet inside. He didn’t. He continued to a massive wall of glass revealing the outdoors.
She bit her lip and watched the robe come off. That’s when she noticed the scratches on his back. She’d been so focused on his ass, she hadn’t seen them.
Taking quiet steps, she shut the door behind her and made her way
across the room to where he stood.
“Thank you,” she whispered, wanting badly to reach out and touch him.