As though he were speaking them in my ear, I felt his words. I felt his possession. His drive to protect what was his.
Mine, I knew he thought, his cock branding me, his teeth moving over my mark and biting down, claiming me again. And again. Mine!
I came so hard that I lost my senses for a moment, confusing reality with this waking dream, losing myself to the pleasure of the moment. As I floated, not wanting to drift back to my body, I swore I could hear, I love you, my little dragon.
“Here we go again,” Vemar called out the next afternoon, sitting where he always did, idling the time away. “Party time.”
Everyone pushed to standing and, sure enough, the sound of boots drifted into the space. Those boots appeared a moment later, followed by the bodies they belonged to, appearing beyond the lip of the low-hanging ceiling. Govam was in the lead, like always, with Denski right behind him. He walked down the center of the cells, eyes on me for a long moment before they found Micah. Denski kept going, coming for me. Apparently they hadn’t named another new captain yet.
“Captain,” Denski said, slowing by Hannon’s cell.
“Stop,” Govam said. The guards who’d been filing in slowed and then did as instructed, studying the cells to see what might have triggered Govam. By now they all knew that his word was law. To ignore it would be to die like all the others.
He joined Denski outside of Hannon’s cell, and I pushed closer to the bars.
“Who’s this?” Govam asked, his voice raised so everyone could hear. “I don’t know him.”
“Losing your faculties, Govam?” Vemar said in a bored voice. “He’s always been there. Ol’ fire crotch, we call him.”
“Ew,” Lucille said. “It’s not cute when you know there’s a dick hiding in that fire crotch. Kinda taints the palette.”
“Speaking of taint…” Vemar started laughing.
Govam glanced back at Micah, then to me, his eyes boring into mine, and turned to face me.
“Who is this?” he demanded. “Why wasn’t I alerted to his presence?”
“Are you under the impression I run this place or something?” I quirked an eyebrow at him.
His eyes narrowed.
“He’s in rough shape,” Denski said. “Should we get him up anyway?”
“No.” The words were out of my mouth before I knew I’d thought them. “As you said, he’s in no position to go. Leave him here.”
Govam tilted his head a little. He didn’t smile, his eyes didn’t twinkle, but I knew I’d revealed my hand.
“Get him up,” he said, still eying me. “He’s handsome—he’ll fetch a good price.”
The power within me coiled to the point of pain as the rest of the guards burst into action, lining up in front of the cells of the shifters they’d be escorting to the baths. I heard someone bark for me to back up to the bars, and I did. Then I followed the guard’s direction to step around so I could be let out. I didn’t flinch when they unlocked the cell and rushed in to grab me. Didn’t resist when they led me past Hannon, his expression screwed up in intense pain as he allowed them to manhandle him, ripping open his wounds so that they bled down his back.
I didn’t act out, because I was waiting…
Waiting for when Micah slowed things down, as he always did.
Waiting for him to taunt Govam, as he always did.
Waiting for when he burst into movement, jamming the rest of them up behind him…
When it happened, the power within me exploded, white hot. Strength bled through my limbs in a way that was new and fucking amazing. Searing agony ripped down my back, my dragon wanting to come out, but I was in complete control of the situation this time. I had to be. Hannon depended on it.
I flexed and yanked my hands apart, breaking out of Denski’s hold and the metal cuffs that couldn’t contain me. In a flash, I grabbed Govam from behind and threw him to the right, against the bars of the nearest cell. Taller than him, stronger, fucking angrier, I grabbed his throat with one hand and shoved everyone else away, creating a bubble of power around us with the sheer force of my will. Nyfain flooded me with magic, fortifying me in this space with Govam, where no one could reach us.
Where no one could save him.
“If you force that man upstairs,” I ground out, “I will do what no other dragon has ever done. I will fucking end you.”
His eyes widened and a glimmer of fear sparkled within their slate-gray depths.
“You asked who he is?” I went on, my tone deathly quiet. The guards beat at my will, no more effective than a cloud of gnats. “He’s my flesh and blood. I will burn this whole place to the ground, starting with you, if he is taken up to those parasites.” I spat the last word, pausing for a moment to let that sink in. “Do you want to live or die, Govam? Decide right now.”