His heated blood turned to ice.
He crossed the small office in three quick strides to the window, pressing his palms against the reinforced glass. The view overlooked the main landing platform, and what he saw there made his vision go red around the edges.
Mercy was being dragged across the tarmac by two pirates he recognized from their captivity. Her hands were bound in front of her, and she fought their grip with the fierce determination he'd come to know so well. But she was outnumbered, overpowered by men twice her size.
Captain Horris walked beside them, his scarred face split by a satisfied grin. And there, bringing up the rear like this was perfectly normal business, was Myles Judd.
The betrayal raked over Zane like enemy fire. Mercy had trusted Judd. Had called him friend. Had walked into his office believing she was safe.
Instead, she'd been sold out.
Rage exploded through Zane's chest, dragon fire racing along his nerves. The window glass cracked under his grip, hairline fractures spreading outward from his fingers. Heat poured off his skin in waves, and he could taste smoke on the back of his tongue.
They had his mate. They were taking her to that ship where they'd drain every drop of blood from her body for some treasure map encoded in her DNA.
Not happening.
Zane turned and ran. Through the office, down the corridor, out the nearest exit that led to the landing platform. His feet barely touched the ground as he sprinted across the tarmac, closing the distance between him and the group of pirates.
One of the pirates noticed him coming and shouted a warning. Horris spun around, his expression shifting from satisfaction to alarm as he took in Zane's approach. The man was smart enough to recognize a dragon in full protective fury.
Smart enough to be afraid.
Twenty yards between them. Close enough.
Zane launched himself into the air, his body already shifting before he reached the apex of his jump. Bones stretched and reformed. Scales erupted across his skin in waves of gold and red. Wings unfurled as he completed the transformation, casting a shadow across the entire landing platform.
His roar shook the air itself, a sound of pure rage that sent smaller creatures scurrying for cover. Below him, the pirates scattered like insects, abandoning their captive as they dove for whatever cover they could find.
Except for Horris, who was apparently too stupid to run.
The pirate captain produced a massive blaster and began firing plasma bolts at Zane's exposed belly. The shots sizzled past, close enough that Zane could feel their heat. One connected with his left wing, sending pain lancing through the membrane. He rolled right, diving toward the platform with claws extended.
More weapons fire erupted from the pirate ship itself. Someone inside had activated the vessel's defensive systems, and energy beams sliced through the air where Zane had been moments before.
Those could do real damage if they connected. Could potentially kill him if they hit something vital.
He pulled up sharply, wings straining against the sudden change in direction. The ship's gunner tracked his movement, spraying fire across his flight path. Zane rolled left, then right, staying ahead of the targeting system through pure speed and agility.
But he couldn't keep this up forever. And every second he spent dodging gave them more time to secure Mercy.
Below, he caught sight of her breaking free from the chaos. She'd somehow gotten loose from her restraints and was running toward a cluster of maintenance equipment.
Good. His mate was getting herself to safety while he dealt with the immediate threats.
Then one of the pirates on the platform swung his weapon toward her fleeing form.
The sight of a blaster aimed at Mercy triggered something primal in Zane's hindbrain. Something that cared nothing for strategy or consequences or his own safety. His mate was threatened. Everything else became secondary.
He folded his wings and dove.
Dragon fire erupted from his throat in a torrent of superheated plasma. The first blast caught the pirate targeting Mercy, reducing him to ash before he could pull the trigger. The second engulfed two more pirates who'd been foolish enough to remain on the platform. The third turned a section of tarmac to molten slag.
The ship's defensive systems swiveled toward his new position. Zane tried to pull up, tried to regain altitude before they could lock onto him. He almost made it.
The laser caught him along his left side, searing through scales and into the muscle beneath. Agony exploded along his flank, white-hot pain that disrupted his flight rhythm. His wing folded involuntarily, and suddenly, he was falling rather than flying.
The impact with the platform drove the breath from his lungs and sent fresh waves of pain through his injured side. He tried to maintain dragon form, tried to keep the advantage of size and natural weapons. But the damage was too severe. His body reverted to human shape without his conscious control, leaving him bleeding on the scorched tarmac.
