Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 86059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“Is that what all of us are in your group program for? We’re supposed to mate with dragons?”
“Is that so terrible? I give you my protection and feed you and clothe you. I keep you safe.”
“You steal our damn panties!”
Another flash of irritation crosses his face. “They are used as scent lures to try and bring other male dragons toward the fort. The drakoni are a race driven by scent and mental touch. If you cannot reach out to them with your mind, we must use scent. And we must have as many drakoni restored to themselves before—” He cuts himself off abruptly and gets to his feet.
“Before what?” I ask, sitting up straighter.
“I have already said too much.”
“Well you can’t leave it at that now!” When he continues to glare down at me, I prompt him again. “Before what?”
He lets out a sound of pure aggravation before he continues. “Before something worse happens.”
That confession helps me none. I snort. “Hate to break it to you, but I don’t know if it can get much worse than this.” I gesture at our surroundings. Maybe to him this isn’t awful, but I remember the Before.
“I’ve already said too much,” Azar says. “You must trust me.”
That makes me explode. “Trust you? You want me to fuck a dragon!”
He leans in, his face inches away from mine, his eyes wild and flaring to black. “What are your options, little human? Do you want to leave the safety of my protection? I am happy to release you back onto the streets of Fort Dallas. How long do you think you will be safe if the dragon keeps returning to our home, looking for you? How long before others realize that he returns over and over again because of you?” He stabs a finger toward me. “He has your scent in his nose. He thinks you are his mate. It does not matter if you want to go down this path or not. It has already been decided. The only choice you get is how hard you fight before you give in.”
I lean forward, too, getting in his face just as much as he’s in mine. “I don’t care anything about this fort or your stupid program!”
“You may not,” he says with a cruel smile on his lips. “But do your friends feel the same? Your roommates? Do they wish to leave my protection?”
“They might once they hear they have to lure a dragon,” I mutter. But I don’t like the way this conversation is heading. Both Jenny and Manda have confessed that they’re low on options. That this program was the only thing keeping them from being forced into the same line of work that most of the unmarried, unprotected women of the fort have—whoring.
“Then we can skip all these games,” Azar says, straightening. “I will just hand them over to my soldiers tonight and tell them to do as they please. The females can find their own meals and clothing, and I’m sure they can barter for somewhere to sleep. Not alone, of course, but—”
“All right,” I grit out. “You’ve made your fucking point.” I shouldn’t be surprised that he’s using Jenny and Manda against me. It’s cold-hearted and awful, but of course he would. I knew that making friends would make me vulnerable, but…it’s so hard to be alone. “Just leave Manda and Jenny alone and I’ll do what you want, okay? I’ll go play house with your dragon.”
“Starting tomorrow.”
“Starting tomorrow,” I agree.
“I’ll send my soldiers out with you and give them instructions to remain a safe distance back—”
“Wait, no,” I blurt. The visual of Brady’s destroyed body flying through the air and landing with a hard splat on the car ripples through my mind. “I don’t think he wants me to have company. He killed Brady. He might be…jealous. I should go alone.”
Azar gives me an imperious look. “How can I trust you to come back?”
I explode, flinging my hands out wide. “Where the fuck am I going to go?”
He remains impassive, staring at me. Eventually, he answers. “If you wish for your friends to remain under my protection, you will come back.”
“I hear you loud and clear,” I tell him. “Loud and clear.”
13
RACHEL
Melina makes me stay in the clinic overnight. I don't mind it, because I'm tired and weak and also shamelessly hoping she'll get more of her delicious food and share it with me. There's a bigger reason I don't protest when she tells me to stay, though. I don't want to face Jenny and Manda. Or Kristi, though she won't say shit to me. But Jenny and Manda are good friends, and they care. They’ll wonder about my bruises, or why I’m being singled out from the program. They'll want to know what's going on.
I'm not sure I'm ready to tell them yet. I'm not sure I'm ready to tell anyone just yet. I'm not sure I understand it entirely myself.