Chapter 22
Twenty-Two
Sebastian
A gut feeling was a sixth sense that either you were overthinking something or something was very wrong.
In my case, my gut was so fucking late.
Between my thoughts still lost on Isabella’s body as she came for me, and the disturbance outside with the dragons, which was weird as hell itself, I left her alone to get dressed while I checked outside. Putting on clothes only took a couple of minutes and then she’d be with me again.
The dragons were restlessly flying overhead. Something wasn’t right about it, but when they started butting heads and tearing into each other with their teeth, it had my full attention.
The breed of dragons that roamed our skies could be vicious creatures, but it wasn’t often that they went at each other, unless it was mating season. But it wasn’t males against males, or males chasing females, it was all against all.
“River!” I yelled at one of the twin dragons when he bit into Ruby’s neck, who was his twin. She squawked at him, then her reptilian eyes slid over to me and she called out. I couldn’t understand her, but I recognized her distress. Something was wrong with a good portion of the dragons.
I rushed to them, knowing this wasn’t typical behavior for River.
“Get the fuck off your sister!” I hissed at him as I gripped him by the scales on his side and tried pulling him away from her.
Even with slightly inhuman strength, dragons were too big for that to go smoothly.
River was twice the size of me. Any other given day you could get the giant beast to flop on his back so you could pet his belly.
But today, he turned around and snapped at me.
Materializing my scythe, I pointed it toward his neck.
The moment the blue essence swirling around my blade hit his eyes, he shook his head and tilted it at me, then looked down at his sister who he pinned to the ground.
He stepped off her chest and did a full body shake.
“What’s wrong with you?” I said harshly. When River tipped his nose down, I knew whatever had been wrong was clearly over. The giant dragon sat on his butt and hunkered down completely. Ruby moved close and nuzzled his face, checking on him.
What the fuck just happened?
The sound of ongoing fights throughout the air had me looking up.
What the fuck was still going on?
I needed to call Payne. He had a way with the dragons, unlike anyone I’d ever seen. The asshole could also understand them. Granted, the dragons adored all of us, but I’d seen them do some weird shit every time Payne was around them.
Then that gut feeling hit me really fucking hard.
I glanced back at my house. How long had it been?
Too long. The way Isabella had been clinging to me since the incident at the cave, I thought for sure she’d already be out here.
She didn’t want to be alone, and I didn’t want to leave her alone.
Being right outside didn’t count as being gone, did it, though?
Then Ruby started squawking toward the house, then full-on roaring as she took off in the air and landed on the top of my house.
Fucking hell. She was going to fall through as big as she was.
I never thought I needed a big place until looking at her resting on it as she roared.
She had her brother doing the same thing.
I didn’t run. I faded into the bathroom. A bathroom that was empty. Water covered the floor, but the water in the tub was completely black. Ice filled my veins.
“Izzie!” I yelled, slipping in and out of the bedrooms. “Isabella!”
I thought to check the bedroom she was using, only to find that the portal chip was missing. Her clothes were still lying on the floor of the bathroom where I went back and stood in stony silence.
She wasn’t here.
I pulled at my Reaper senses in search of her, and the ice in my veins hit me straight in the heart. I couldn’t feel her. I couldn’t sense her. She was gone.
And, I didn’t even know the first place to find her.
Finding Harvest was a problem already…
But, he was the only explanation.
I punched the wall and screamed in fury. How did I let him take her? Why did I leave her alone, even for just a second?
I’ll feel better if I stay with you.
Why couldn’t I wait another two minutes to walk outside so that she could get dressed? I could have fucking materialized clothes on her for fuck’s sake!
“Shit, shit,” I murmured. “This was him. All fucking him!”
I played right into what he wanted. Outside, the dragons still clashed and fought.
He wanted her away from me. How many times had she told me that?
Don’t let me go.
My heart fractured at the thought of letting her down.