Diamond Dragon (Awakened Dragons Book 4) (2 page)

She reached for it, trying to pull it back to cover herself, but he grabbed both of her arms and pinned her hands above her head, immobilizing her.

“Human bitch,” he growled. “Thinking you’re too good for us when you’re actually far below us.”

His hand reached up, threatening to grope her, but stopped when she flinched.

“That’s right.” He snarled, leaning in close, almost lip to lip. “Scared of me, aren’t you? You should be.”

She turned her head, desperate to avoid his kiss, which would have been her first, and his teeth grazed her neck threateningly.

She gasped again and wriggled, but her hands were well and truly caught.

His palm wandered down to the button of her jeans, and she realized with a dull, dawning horror what his true intentions were.

She started to scream, but he clapped one beefy hand over her mouth, keeping the other on her wrists.

“You scream and I’ll hit you,” he said. “I don’t want to do that. I’m going to be rough with you, but I’d like you to at least survive. So I can do it again and again and again—”

A low growl sounded from the dragon’s direction, and she tried to look, her eyes desperate over the fingers fastened on her mouth.

B
ridget saw
the dragon standing slowly, walking forward to put his hands on the bars, long fingers curling around them angrily.

“Stop it,” he said, staring at them with pure fury.

She was honestly surprised he cared. Then again, maybe he just saw his only chance at escape fading.

Her heart pounded as if it were going to explode as the wolf turned his attention to the dragon with a smirk. “Aw, were you falling in love with her, dragon?” He turned back to her, eyes darkening. “Were you giving him more than food when you came down here?”

She shook her head wildly, and he looked as if he believed her.

“One-sided, then,” he said. “That just makes this more enjoyable. Glad you have a good view, dragon.”

“Let. Her. Go.”

The wolf just grinned and went back to grazing her neck with his teeth as she struggled. He thrust up against her, and her only solace was he couldn’t get her pants any farther open while pinning both her hands and her mouth.

Still, she hated the feel of him on her neck. Hated it. Hated him touching her anywhere.

Hated that the dragon was watching.

She looked over at him and willed him to turn away.

But something was happening in his cell.

His white hair began to lift around him as he paced slowly in front of the bars, watching her. A kind of energy radiated around him, distorting the air, almost like some kind of illusion.

She heard a growl from the cat, like he could sense something was odd, too.

The wolf cursed to himself and removed his hand from her mouth so he could work again on the zipper of her jeans.

She opened her mouth to scream, but he slammed her hands into the wall, knocking her head back and stunning her.

Just then, she heard a loud crash, iron on stone, as she saw a huge door of metal bars go flying against the wall and onto the ground.

The wolf whipped around to see the dragon stalking toward them, collar glowing, hair floating up around him, looking menacing and evil as anything she’d ever seen.

No, more menacing.

His eyes assessed her, noting Galen’s hands on her wrists, his other hand reaching for her zipper, the glazed look in his eyes. She saw the dragon’s eyes go totally red.

“I’m going to kill you,” he said, storming forward faster than any human could move.

In a second, he was in front of her, holding Galen in the air by his neck. It happened so fast she didn’t even realize she’d been released until she tumbled back against the wall.

The dragon walked away from her, holding Galen aloft, staring at him, fury radiating off him along with some kind of purple waves.

“I was already going to kill you. Now I’m going to fucking filet you.”

Galen struggled, eyes bulging, hands grasping at the dragon’s hand that imprisoned him.

“How dare you?” the dragon said. “That is
mine
. Do you know anything about dragons?”

Galen shook his head, terrified. Despite the horror still in Bridget’s heart, it was satisfying to see he now looked more scared than even she had been a moment ago.

“Then you shouldn’t have fucking done something like that in front of me,” he said, reaching the wall at the opposite end of the prison and shoving Galen into it.

“What should I do with you?” the dragon asked in a low voice. “So many options.” She could hear the grin in his voice.

“Why isn’t your collar working?” the wolf croaked out.

“I don’t know. I don’t care. In a few moments, you won’t either.”

His hand tightened on Galen’s throat, and the other man went more and more purple. Choking, fighting, struggling.

“So many things I could do to you, but I like this. I like the helplessness of it. The fear in your eyes.”

Then, just as Galen was about to pass out, the dragon dropped him.

He made a choking noise and tried to struggle to his feet, but the dragon just waved a pale hand, and Galen went flying through the air into the wall next to them, crashing into it and falling to the ground, only to be swiftly lifted and flung into the other wall.

Over and over he was thrown and smashed, thrown and smashed, until he didn’t even groan anymore.

Bridget finally got her bearings when she heard noises above and realized someone was up and moving.

She hurried forward, realizing if anyone came down, things would get rough.

She stopped just behind the dragon as he whirled to look at her, surprised.

“You should know better than to bug me when I’m playing with my food.”

She blanched. “You don’t really eat humans, or shifters, do you?”

He glared at the wolf in front of him. “I’m thinking of making an exception.”

“We have to go,” she said. “They’re up. At least, someone is upstairs, moving.”

His eyes narrowed and he listened. “You’re right. Fine. Well, it takes too long to kill a wolf shifter anyway. I’ll just let him die when I burn the place down, now that I’ve got my powers back.”

She looked around. “How are we getting out?”

“Stand back,” he said, looking at the wall behind his cell. “I’ll break this down.”

But as he put his hands out and focused on the wall, she felt the energy in the room fade.

No matter how he concentrated, the wall wasn’t moving. He looked down at his hands and at the room around him and cursed, grabbing the collar at his throat.

“Dammit, it’s back on again. I haven’t the slightest idea how it works.” He looked at her. “You’ll just have to help me, then.”

“Why should I?” she asked.

“Because I helped you avoid becoming wolf meat.”

She frowned. “You chose to do what you wanted to do. I don’t owe you anything.”

He threw back his head and laughed. “I like you. You’re something. Nearly raped and sitting here arguing with me while your would-be rapist lies on the ground over there.”

She frowned. It was true; he had saved her. But then he’d showed his brutal nature. Could she trust him? She got the feeling he did what he wanted when he wanted and didn’t care about anyone but himself.

So yes, he’d saved her, but only so she could still help him in the future.

“I have to find the head scientist,” he said. “Get him to tell me how to take off the collar.”

“How will you do that?” she asked, following him as he crept up the stairs. “You don’t have your powers.”

“I’m still strong,” he said. “There’s a reason they keep me chained.”

He heard a little mew, and they both realized Scrangey was following them. He groaned. “Fine. Okay, do you know a safe place to hide?”

She nodded.

“Go there, take the cat, and if I don’t find you in a few minutes, leave without me.”

She nodded again, and he raised an eyebrow at her apparent willingness to leave him behind.

She just shrugged. There was one person in the world who meant more than anything to her, and she had to make it out of here so she could see her again.

He stared at her. “Interesting. A friend. So is that why you didn’t want to leave this place?”

She nodded. “And now it’s all ruined. You ruined it.”

“Galen ruined it,” he said, shaking his head. “Now go.”

She grabbed Scrangey in her arms, and when she peeked out and saw the coast was clear, she made a run for it.

She heard the dragon creep off toward the northwest staircase.

* * *

A
listair was completely baffled
by the direction events had taken.

He still didn’t understand the utter fury he’d felt when the wolf laid hands on Bridget. It was none of his business. Nothing he could do anyway.

But as he paced, thinking of all the injustices done to him since he’d been imprisoned, it occurred to him this was the thing that made him angriest of all. This was the turning point, the thing he couldn’t stand. The breaking moment.

And then it was like all his rage had empowered him, and he’d saved her.

Which was odd. He was nobody’s hero.

He cared about his own creature comforts, and that was that.

He didn’t know why he was even bringing Scrangey with them, except he couldn’t allow himself to leave him behind.

For a bright, shining moment, it had seemed he would just be able to fly out of there, drop Bridget somewhere safe, and soar off to find other dragons.

But despite him still feeling homicidal rage toward the people who had imprisoned him, his powers had faded, locked behind that blasted collar.

As he took the stairs two at a time, he cursed whoever had made the thing.

He knew where the head scientist slept, scenting him. It was a scent he knew well, whenever they came to get him for a blood draw. The evil bastard seemed to enjoy taking his blood, where the others just appeared to be doing their jobs.

Well, Alistair would get info on the collar from him, and then he’d make sure the last thing the scientist saw was his eyes.

He threw open the door to the scientist’s bedroom, which was in the top tower, and saw the man jolt up in bed as Alistair strode across the room angrily.

He was on the man before he could make a sound, his claws pressing down threateningly, making it clear just how easily he could kill him if he wanted to.

The man stared up, cowardly eyes white and wide in the darkness.

“How did you get out?” he squeaked.

“I’ll ask the questions.” Alistair didn’t know how exactly he could still access small parts of his dragon self, but he was grateful for it at this moment, knowing with his strength and the blade-like talons on his fingers, he could end the man a dozen different ways without even getting winded.

Yet, while he should have been enjoying himself, he felt an annoying sense of worry for Bridget and the mangy cat, who were waiting for him.

Well, he could get his info and kill the man later, when he got his powers back and could burn down the entire castle.

He stroked the nail across the man’s neck, drawing blood as he let out another squeak.

“Stop! What do you want?” he gasped out.

“Tell me about the collar,” Alistair ordered. “I want it off.”

The scientist let out a strangled, hysterical laugh. “I don’t even know how it works. We got it when we found you. Stole it from the people holding you before.” He flinched as Alistair drew his claw lightly over the scratch, deepening it. Alistair watched, fascinated, as the man’s blood trickled down over his collar.

After all the blood he’d taken from Alistair, it was only fitting he gave up a little of his own.

Alistair heard movement downstairs, and as much as he wanted to play with the man in front of him, he could read his thoughts and see he was telling the truth.

They’d only known the collar was the same one used on other dragons by the people who’d been holding him.

So if he found the other dragons that had presumably been awakened, they would be able to tell him how to get free.

He released the scientist, let him be relieved for a second, and then bashed his head into the wall, knocking him out so he couldn’t yell and wake anyone else.

Then he crept down the stairs, hating the worry building in him the longer he was away from Bridget and the cat.

It was probably just that he was used to them. He’d been in the basement too long and bonded when he shouldn’t have. As soon as he recovered from this, he’d probably go back to being his usual, selfish self. Admired. Rich. Beautiful. Powerful.

Alone.

Which suited him fine.

He sought out Bridget’s thoughts until he found her hiding in a closet in a darkened hallway.

The castle creaked—more footsteps, somewhere not too far away. He opened the door, heard her gasp, and covered her mouth as he pulled her out of the closet.

Scrangey at least seemed to know to stay quiet, and as the three of them ran to the front door and then outside, they managed to not attract any more attention than they already had.

But who knew how long it would take for someone to find Galen or the scientist he’d knocked out?

“Your car,” he said, “I think that’s what people call them. You must have one. Where is it?”

She nodded. “It’s over there.” She ran toward a large lot filled with shiny vehicles and then stopped. She stared at the castle, wide-eyed, seeming frozen in time.

Scrangey tightened against Alistair with a little mew.

“We don’t have time for this,” he said. “Let’s go.”

She frowned. “I could still go back in there, couldn’t I? I could blame you. Say you attacked him.” She bit her lip. “Maybe they would take me back.”

His jaw dropped. “Trust me. You don’t want to be back there.”

She took a step toward the castle, and he grabbed her with his free arm around her waist. She was soft, giving, but firm in her resolve as she fought him.

There was something in the way she struggled, a near-hysteric desperation that made him pause and look down at her. “What is it that means so much to you?”

“They took my friend,” she said. “I don’t know where they sent her. I have to find her.”

“This friend, are you sure she’s even alive?”

Tears bit Bridget’s eyes, but she gave him a stubborn glare. “I know she is. Look, I’ve put up with these assholes for months, and if I walk away now, it’s all for nothing.”