Page 175 of Demons Dig Donuts

“No.”

Mr. Heiss stood a few yards off from the dragon, calling out, “Dragon! Hear me! I am Mr. Heiss, a ruler of this city and—”

“I know who and what you are, demon.” The dragon sighed, its voice deep and thick as the asphalt beneath its feet. “I am Murray Moore. Trust that I want nothing more than to leave this place—”

“But not quite yet,” Mr. Mitternacht’s voice snapped. “There’s still work to do.”

Mr. Heiss whirled around with a snarl as Mr. Mitternacht and Nyp appeared behind him. “You.”

“Yeah, so.” Nyp grinned sheepishly as he waved. “Surprise?”

“Told you!” Indy shouted. “I fucking told you!”

“Would love to chat, but we’re a little busy.” Mr. Mitternacht smiled darkly and snapped his fingers.

The chains around Murray’s legs glowed red, and he roared in pain. He glared hatefully at Mr. Mitternacht, snarling, “What?”

Mr. Mitternacht pointed at Mr. Heiss and the others. “Kill them all and bring the flesh bag to me. There’s a little something I’d like to pick off his corpse. Only then will I release you.”

Murray sighed again. “As you wish.”

“Wait—” Mr. Heiss held up a hand.

Murray opened his mouth, and there was a brilliant light beaming in the back of his throat.

It took Indy several seconds to register why it was so bright.

Right.

Dragon.

And dragons breathed fire.

The flames erupted from Murray’s mouth in a thick column, beautiful and deadly, and struck Mr. Heiss dead-on. Even from a distance, the heat was unmistakable, as was the foul smell of something burning—plastic, bone, hair.

The flames vanished, but Indy couldn’t see what had happened to Mr. Heiss.

“Raph!” Indy screamed. “Dill—”

Dill grew so fast and so big that Indy was soon like a toy in his hand. He set Indy down by the edge of the trees, his brow furrowed. “Grow.”

Indy pointed urgently. “Grow over there and kick Puff’s ass!”

Dill nodded once and then took off, the ground shaking with his every step.

Indy ran toward where he’d last seen Mr. Heiss by the wreckage of the old pumps, cursing as his shoes stuck to the pavement. It was so hot that the rubber soles were melting and sticking with every step, and his stomach churned as he saw a black lump on the ground. “Mr. Heiss? Raph? Whatever your goddamn name is, you better not be fucking dead!”

The blackness shifted and then flapped—it was Mr. Heiss’s wings, and he’d wrapped them around himself like a shield to resist the fire. He stood and growled low. “Indy?”

“Don’t you start.” Indy grabbed his face and kissed him firmly.

Mr. Heiss growled again but kissed him back. “There. Yay. Now go and—”

Murray roared, angry and loud, as Dill jumped on his back and grabbed his neck. Thick vines curled all around Murray’s body, and Murray roared again as he tried to buck and throw Dill off. He let out another blast of fire, but he couldn’t turn his head far enough to properly aim it at Dill.

Instead, part of the nearby trees caught fire and sent coils of black smoke up into the sky.

“Go. Now.” Mr. Heiss pointed back at the club. “Find somewhere to hide—” His eyes widened and he snarled, shoving Indy out of the way right as a clawed hand swiped at him.