Hidden Fate

10

“Wait,” Theron shouted, turning toward us with his back to the enemy. “It’s Edna. I recognize the dragon. It’s not the others.”

Others.

Warriors.

I exhaled, and my shoulders slumped. I’d been so sure that the enemy had found us. Why would Edna do this when she knew we were coming to her house? Was this a warning or scare tactic to ensure we knew she was in control? As if we weren’t already aware. That was the only possibility I could fathom.

Some of the tension in our connection ebbed, relieving the pressure in my chest. Thorn’s scowl was firmly in place, and he swung his door open, marching past the hood of our vehicle right toward them.

We were all tired and stressed, and this scare had pushed Thorn over the edge. I hopped out, then looked back at Saphira.

She yawned and blinked, trying to get her bearings. “What happened?”

That was the question of the hour…literally. “Not sure. But I need to go with Thorn. Keep an eye on Peter, and make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.”

Peter hmphed, and I didn’t need to see him to picture the scowl on his face.

“Dad, come on,” Elliott chastised. “You’ve been knocked out twice, threatened more than I can count, and just got punched in the jaw. I’m with Everly. The possibility of you doing something stupid is high, and you accuse me of losing my short-term memory. All it would’ve taken was one punch for me to learn my lesson.”

Mashing her lips together, Eva smiled timidly.

“I’ll handle him.” Saphira nodded, giving me the go-ahead to leave.

Pivoting on my heels, I hurried to catch up to Thorn. Vlad was beside him, and they both reached Theron.

“What the hell was that?” Thorn’s chest heaved. “I thought the warriors had found us. Is this a sick game she’s playing?”

Theron put his hands in his jeans pockets. “I’m sure it’s not. She must have her reasons.” He glanced at the dragon.

I followed his gaze, having to tilt my head all the way up to see her face. My eyes locked with her intelligent stormy gray ones. I paused by the passenger door of Vlad’s Suburban. Her attention was on me, not Thorn.

A chill ran down my spine, and unease filtered through our bond as Thorn noticed.

Get back in the vehicle, he connected as he moved in front of me, blocking me from the dragon’s view. His back pressed against my chest, and my skin sizzled.

I placed a hand against his back and replied, No, we’re in this together.

His muscles tensed, but before he could say anything, Edna tapped the end of her long wing against her scaly chest, then flicked her head in the direction of the bridge.

“What?” Theron removed his cell phone from his back pocket and glanced at the screen. “I plugged in the address you gave me.”

If he was expecting an answer, he’d be sorely disappointed. She was in dragon form. I opened my mouth to say that, then shut it. That comment was something Elliott would say, which meant I would be taken as a smartass. Now wasn’t the time for that.

She fluttered her wings and flipped one back in that direction again.

“You do trust her, right?” Vlad raised his eyebrows. “I just want to confirm. I’m with Thorn—this doesn’t feel right.”

Edna growled low and bared her teeth.

“That’s not helping matters.” Thorn puffed out his chest and reached behind him to place a hand on my waist.

Cursing, Theron put his phone back into his pocket. “Yes, I trust her. There has to be a reason for this.”

The dragon nodded and hovered off the ground.

Everyone went back to their vehicles. Thorn and I buckled in, and he put the vehicle into reverse again.

Eva leaned forward and asked, “What’s going on?”

“We aren’t sure.” Thorn clenched his jaw. “Saphira, Tyson, and Everly, I need you three to tap into your dragons and see if you sense any danger. This whole situation feels off.”

Soon, we found an outlet to the dirt road with enough room for us to turn around. Thorn did so, the wheels squealing despite the dirt from how fast he was driving. My body jerked from side to side until we were heading back the way we’d come. Vlad and Theron followed suit, and I realized what had happened.

Thorn and I were in the lead. If there was an attack, we’d be the first ones hit. My stomach soured, and Thorn’s hands tightened on the wheel, blanching his knuckles.

Nothing will happen to you, he connected and darted a look at me just as the red covered bridge came into view. I swear. I’ll die before I let anything happen.

That’s the problem. I was his weak spot, and I hated that. I know you would, and just as much as you don’t want something to happen to me, I feel the exact same way about you. We would both gladly give our lives for each other. This was the sort of love that so many people coveted, but there was a reason I hadn’t felt the sensations as strongly when I was human. I hadn’t been strong enough to handle them. I was barely able to in dragon form. It was agonizing at times.

How about this? We stick beside each other and make sure neither of us gets into trouble.

My heart skipped a beat. Times like this reminded me that he saw us as equals. He was so protective because I was his fated mate and so precious to him. I like the sound of that.

He winked, though the usual warmth in his gorgeous eyes was missing. Me, too.

Edna took a right over the treetops just as a gravel road appeared.

Thorn slowed and coasted into the turn. “Do you sense anything?” His pupils slitted as his dragon surged forward.

My chest burned as my dragon surfaced and brushed against my mind. Though I couldn’t sense things as well as when I was in full dragon form, my vision was enhanced. A mile away, a fox ran through the trees, and nearby, some bunnies were stirring. The only large things I could sense were Edna and a house two miles in the distance. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Same,” Saphira answered.

“I do.” Tyson coughed, and Thorn and I tensed. Tyson continued, “Elliott just farted, and it smells like rotten eggs.”

The horrible stench hit me, and it was so strong, I could taste it. I gagged.

“Holy s**t,” Elliott gasped. “I swear, you smelled it before it even completely left my butthole. That is so f*****g cool.”