Surge of Storms (Dragon Bonds #4)

Chapter 25

TWENTY-FIVE

Samantha

“So, Kek, what will you do now that you have a mate?”

He tracks my every movement with his eyes. He’s only a couple steps behind me. His scent of old meat washes over me, nearly making me gag.

“We will build a home here. We will show Malikay and Balor that we can be in charge, and then they can join us, completing our harem. When that is done, we will keep you locked away, so no other dragon can take you from us. Soon, you will be swollen with child and ours forever.”

Eyeing the glass doors, I briefly consider just shifting and bursting through them, but remember why I haven’t already done it. I’d bring the whole building down on me, and probably end up injured and trapped, which wouldn’t help me in the least bit.

So, it’s Plan B.

As he talks, I make it to a little table just beside the glass doors. There’s a beautiful vase sitting on it that looks solidly built. Than will be down any second with the jewels. This is my chance.

Grabbing hold of the vase, I turn and smash it as hard as I can over Kek’s head. He crumples to the floor, not having had time to brace himself. I grab hold of the door, but no matter how much strength I use, it won’t budge. Panicked, knowing Kek will be on his feet in seconds and Than will be down the stairs, I move back, then charge, coming crashing through the glass.

I feel the shards slicing into my flesh and warm blood begin to flow. More shards cover my skin and hair, but none of it matters. I’m outside. I’m free.

Rushing toward the pool, I shift and launch into the air, knowing that every second counts right now. I look back to see Kek come stumbling outside before shifting too, and Than is right behind him. I have to move. I have to fly like my life depends on it, because it does. All I need to do is reach the base, and I’ll be safe.

I follow my instincts on which direction to go in and fly as hard and as fast as I can. But just as I think I might be tasting freedom, a terrible scent washes over me. It smells like a dead whale that’s been cooking under the sun’s rays, combined with another scent of rotten flesh. Balor and Malikay.

My stomach turns. I don’t see them, but I know they’re close. I’m flying as fast as I can, but some part of me knows it doesn’t matter if there’s four of them against just me.

And then… they emerge from the clouds in front of me. Malikay and fucking Balor, looking cocky as fuck now that I don’t have my four alpha male dragons with me.

I turn to avoid them, switching direction, and find Than and Kek behind me. I swoop low, trying to get around them, but they’re all around me. I try instead to fly straight up, but again, they’re in every direction.

I’m caught.

So, this is where you two have been? Malikay’s voice holds cruelty and contempt. I imagine him as a man and can easily picture him slicing someone’s throat in a dark alley.

How did someone so evil get rewarded with the gift to shift into a dragon? He doesn’t need this power. He already had too much power as a man.

There’s a tremble in Kek’s voice as he says, We had an idea about another way to get the female.

And you didn’t think to share that idea with me? Malikay asks, a threat in his voice.

We didn’t want to fail you, Than explains. We thought we’d try it, and if it didn’t work, you didn’t need to know.

That is not what you do when I am the one leading the pack. You do as I say and nothing else. Do you understand?

Before they can respond, Balor cuts in, They need to be punished for this. If they aren’t, they’ll never learn.

Oh, they’ll be punished. Believe me, they’ll be punished.

But we got the female, Kek says, fear in his voice.

That reason alone is why you’ll be allowed to live , Malikay tells him coldly.

Suddenly, Malikay’s big head swings in my direction. And what do we have here? The female who thought she was too good for us? The one who believed she was too good for us every lifetime.

Frustration boils inside of me. You’re human, like me. You don’t have any memories of past lifetimes. You also know that women can’t just be owned and taken by whoever wants them. Why are you allowing this?

I know why. He’d made himself clear last time, but I need to buy myself time, as much time as possible. The guys are looking for me even now. If I distract them for long enough, I just might survive this.

Malikay laughs. You seem to be under the impression that I respected women as a human. You’d be wrong in that regard.

Asshole.

His tone is biting. When they told me that you have made a fool of me every lifetime, that you always choose other men over me, I knew I had to teach you a lesson. I knew I would be the one to finally get you to understand that there’s no one better than me.

What about the three dragons with you? They’re part of your pack. All you seem to care about is yourself.

He laughs again. Oh, Sam, you’re not going to divide us, and you’re not very clever in trying to do it either. They know damn well that they’ll have a turn with you when I’m done with you.

How very kind of you, I grit out. But you know you won’t keep me for long. My dragons will find you, and despite all your talk, they’re bigger, stronger, and better than you in every way.

Your dragons, he hisses out, are not nearly as powerful as they think they are. We have found the best place possible to hide you, and they will spend all their time searching for you, without a chance of ever seeing you again. It’ll be oh so sad.

You’re forgetting about satellite imaging, people who will report seeing us, government technology, and everything else. They’re going to find you, and when they do, you’ll be dead meat.

I can hear the smile in his voice. We’re not worried. But you should be. You’re about to lose your wings, and then you’ll belong to us. Forever.

No , I say.

The dragons fly closer. My heart moves into my throat and fear, true fear, races through my veins like ice. This time, I’m not going to be able to escape.