Chapter 29
TWENTY-NINE
T wo more beasts lunged in tandem. Ren’s wings swept them back as dragon fire erupted from his maw in a concentrated inferno. The creatures shrieked, their shadowy forms burning away under the onslaught of pure magic.
Inside, Sabine slammed her palm against the barrier. Magic crackled, orange sparks flying where her power met the dark runes. Her frustrated growl carried through the glass. The tiger in her eyes burned fierce and bright, fighting the binding spell.
The largest shadow beast used Ren’s distraction to strike. Claws raked down his armored shoulder, drawing lines of molten gold—dragon’s blood. Ren snapped massive jaws, catching the creature’s leg. One sharp twist sent it flying into a lamppost.
“Behind you!” Eiji’s warning came a heartbeat before crackling lightning intercepted another beast mid-pounce.
Working in sync, dragon and mage created a perimeter of fire and protective magic. Ren’s wings spread wide, casting shadows larger than the shop itself as he channeled pure dragon fire. The battle stretched eternal yet lasted mere minutes.
When the last shadow beast dissolved into smoke, Ren shifted back to human form. His clothes were scorched beyond repair, and five parallel gashes across his shoulder slowly knitted closed. Eiji sported a shallow cut on one cheek, but his grin remained intact.
“Been ages since I’ve seen you go full dragon in town,” Eiji said, brushing debris from his designer jeans. “Though maybe save some magic for dispelling these runes? Your mate looks ready to claw through the walls.”
Ren knelt beside one of the dark runes, careful not to touch the malevolent symbols. Dragon sight revealed layers of complex spellwork designed specifically to trap shifters in their human form. A muscle ticked in his jaw. This was far beyond simple sabotage.
“Can you break it?” Sabine emerged from the shop once Eiji dismantled enough of the barrier to let her through. Power sparked at her fingertips, her tiger essence still straining against its magical cage. “I couldn’t shift, couldn’t even summon half my strength?—”
“These aren’t modern spells.” Ren’s voice carried echoes of his dragon’s fury. The need to shelter her from this darkness, to wrap her in his protection, surged through him. “This is forbidden magic from a darker age.”
“Like, suspiciously archaic?” Her fingers brushed his torn sleeve, lingering near the already-healing gashes. The simple touch sent awareness dancing across his skin. “The kind that shouldn’t exist anymore?”
“Precisely.” Ren forced himself to step back before he gave in to the dragon’s demand to gather her close. “Someone wants you vulnerable. Powerless.”
Her eyes flashed amber, tiger spirit visible despite the binding. “I’m never powerless.”
“I know.” His thumb traced small circles on her wrist, an unconscious gesture of comfort. “That’s not why?—”
“Quite the spectacle.” Linus’s voice cut through the morning air. He materialized at the edge of the scorched pavement, pristine in his tailored suit despite the destruction around him. His gaze lingered on the dark runes with an ancient hunger that set Ren’s teeth on edge. “A dragon unleashed in town. How... primitive.”
Dragon essence stirred beneath Ren’s skin, too close to the surface. Every protective instinct roared to life at the way Linus studied Sabine—like a predator assessing its prey.
“Such a shame about your shifter abilities, Miss Katz.” Linus’s smile held too many teeth. “These old magics can be so unpredictable. Almost as if they were crafted for a specific purpose.”
“The situation is handled.” Ren moved between them, voice carrying thunder.
“For now.” Linus’s attention flickered between the dark runes and Sabine. “But binding spells have a way of growing stronger. Of taking root. History does love its patterns, doesn’t it? Though sometimes—” his lips curved with cruel satisfaction, “—the players change roles.”
Before Ren could respond, his phone buzzed. A text from Kaito: Emergency meeting. Your sanctuary. Now.
“Eiji, stay with Sabine.” Ren squeezed her wrist once before releasing it. “I’ll be back soon.”
“But—”
“Please.” He met her eyes, letting her see past his walls to the fear beneath. “Trust me.”
Her expression softened. “I do.”