And they would go down fighting. She didn't care if these things could stomp her flatter than a pancake; she would fight them to the death. At least it would be a quick death.
Cole stopped changing as he led her through the dragons and toward the dais. She yearned to say so much to him, but the words remained trapped behind her lips.
She should have put up a fight when they came for her, but worried about Cole, she let them lead her out of the human realm and into this place. She was scared that if she resisted, they’d take it out on him.
Instead, she allowed them to take her away. Despite her willingness to go with them, they tore her shirt when they pushed her onto one of their horses. As they came around the last dragon, she tugged her sleeve up to her shoulder.
When her gaze settled on Malakai, he smiled smugly at her. She gritted her teeth as she resisted giving him the finger.
She had no idea what was happening here, but it couldn’t be good, and Malakai had a role in it.
Chapter Sixty-Four
“I toldyou to stay where you were,” the Lord said as his red eyes bored into Cole.
Cole didn’t respond; he’d known he was risking the Lord’s wrath when he disobeyed his command. But there was no way he was going to leave Lexi out there alone with the dragons.
“I am sorry, milord,” Cole said.
The apology grated on Cole’s nerves, and the words were a bitter acid on his tongue, but if he were to have any chance of saving Lexi’s life, he had to play nice. He had to act like he considered the Lord his boss and respected him.
But if there were no dragons here, he’d slaughter this man in a heartbeat.
And they both knew it.
“I couldn’t leave her out there alone,” Cole said.
“You could, but youchosenot to.”
“She’s my mate, milord; I could not leave her out there alone.”
The malicious glee in the Lord's eyes set Cole’s teeth on edge.Thisis exactly what he’d hoped to avoid revealing to this man, but he had no other choice.
And he suspected the Lord already knew. Lexi wouldn’t be here if the Lord didn’t already believe she was something he could use against him.
“Is she now?” the Lord purred. “Let her go, Cole.”
Cole’s fingers tightened on her arm before he peeled them away. The Lord needed him to keep the dark fae in line and to hunt his brothers, so he might be able to disobey this man once; he wouldn’t get a second chance.
And he wouldn’t be the one who paid for his disobedience; Lexi would.
* * *
The Lord crookedhis finger and beckoned to her. “Come here, honey.”
Lexi bristled over being called honey, but now wasn’t the time to get all pissy about an endearment this man hadn’t earned the right to give her. When she stepped closer, the Lord beckoned her onward until she stood only a few feet away from the steps.
When she stopped, he tilted his head to study her. Lexi forced herself not to shift and twitch beneath his scrutiny.
“Ahh,” the Lord murmured after a minute.
Something was wrong with the Lord’s eyes, and it wasn’t just their solid, ruby red color. No, it was the madness churning behind those eyes that made them so off. There wasn’t any morality or compassion in the man’s gaze.
He didn’t possess oneounceof kindness. He might have at one time, but that time was gone.
The dragons’ claws scraped the ground as they shifted behind her. She chanced a glance back at Cole as the creatures closed around him again. The stony mask of his face didn’t change. He had to be aware they were approaching, but he didn’t show any sign of it.
“You’re a beautiful woman,” the Lord murmured, drawing her attention back to him. “I received word of your presence at the king’s side throughout his father’s funeral and coronation, but they underestimated your beauty. No wonder these men seek to claim you.”
