Page 75 of Brock’s Mate

“Negotiation team, on the move,” Brandon said into his mic. He looked at Flynn, Kira, Colt, Remy, Titan, Kitty and Emon. “Let’s do this.”

They walked out into the clearing in front of the house, in full combat gear. Hopefully that would give the dark warriors something to think about. Emon kept them cloaked with his dragon magic until they cleared the trees, then dropped the cover.

The guards in front of the house were taken completely by surprise.

They moved for their weapons. “Don’t,” Brandon advised them. They looked around the half-circle of hostile faces and cocked weapons and dropped their guns.

Brandon raised his voice. It boomed out, amplified by a kickass spell Emon had done for him.

“This is Brandon Fierro, alpha of the Wild Blood Crew, and Emon Al-Maddeiri, king of the Al-Maddeiri Draken clan. We have you surrounded. You are outnumbered, and outgunned. Your transport vehicle is no longer coming. We know you are holding three prisoners, members of my crew and his clan. You will turn them over immediately.”

“Or what?” one of the guards growled, not noticeably cowed.

Brandon gave him a feral grin. “What the hell do you think? We’ll fucking kill you, and come in there and take them.”

DB was still out when Brock and Desi heard Brandon’s booming voice from outside, giving the bad guys their ultimatum.

“They’re too early,” Brock muttered. “I hope like hell he can buy some time.”

Brandon did—he bought as much as he could. They couldn’t hear what the sorcerer was saying back to him, but apparently the threats of death were going both ways. After a while Brandon went from threatening the sorcerer to demanding to see proof of life, so he was obviously trying to drag this out.

DB was starting to stir and he was breathing better, but he still wasn’t awake. And when Desi tried to get up and go over to him again—hopefully to give him the second vial—the guard threatened to shoot her kneecap out.

Finally, the basement door opened, and the creepy sorcerer came down with four of the dark warriors. “Your alpha is irritatingly persistent,” he said. “But no matter. I know how to change his mind.”

The guards trained their guns on Brock and Desi. The sorcerer opened the cell door, and they were marched out at gunpoint. As Brock passed the mattress, he saw DB’s eyelids flutter.

He was waking up. Hopefully he’d have the sense to drink the second vial.

They went up the stairs and out onto the porch. The cold air felt like a slap in the face, but it was a relief to see their friends standing there, ready to defend them, and to know more of them were hiding in the woods.

But DB was still down in the cell, at the wolves’ mercy. Brock would never forgive himself if he and Desi were rescued, and DB was killed, or taken into captivity.

DB had saved the lives of more than one of the crew. He deserved better.

The sorcerer said to Brandon, “You’ve given me no choice. Since you have not done as I wish and brought our transport, to give us safe passage with our prisoners, I will have to show you how serious I am.”

He pushed back his hood—and Brock could immediately see why he wore it. He was some kind of hybrid—human-shaped, but with a reptilian face and scaly purple skin. There was a red jewel in the center of his forehead, and it now began to glow, the same color as the wolves’ eyes.

The worst pain Brock had ever experienced lanced into his brain. His knees threatened to buckle with the force of it.

Faintly, he heard the growls from Brandon’s squad, felt the surge as they took half a step forward.

Inside his head, he heard a voice. Emon’s dragon.

Yes, Brock said, hoping he was telling the truth. He had to be.

His wolf said, We can do this. We must not give up. If they attack now, the dark wolves will hurt the dragon.

He’s right, Brock said to the Darkwing Dragon. Don’t attack yet. We gave DB the first vial, but the guard interfered before we could give him the second. We left it with him. He was just waking up when we came out.

the dragon said.

And his presence was gone.

Brock hoped like hell they hurried, and got DB out before this fucker exploded his brain.

Downstairs, DB surfaced out of a sea of darkness, trying to figure out where he was.