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CHAPTEREIGHT
“Gunther will be back soon with your kids, lion. What do you think about that?”
Rylan didn’t bother to look at the woman he’d nicknamed Queen Bitch as she sauntered across the room, stopping in front of his cage. He already knew the dragon didn’t have his children. Hell, he’d seen the entire thing unfold as if watching it on a movie screen. His woman had kicked Gunther’s ass. Gunther might be on his way back, but he would arrive empty handed, and minus all of the men he took with him. Rylan couldn’t wait to see what happened then.
“That fox next to you… I found her down in Texas last week. Stole her right out from under her family. Just twenty years old. The leopard, I found in Montana just a couple of days later. He was traveling alone, and wasn’t on my list to acquire, but I’m glad I found him.” Vanessa paused, a slow smile crossing her face. “Now, I have you.” She stepped even closer to his cage, squatting down to look inside. “Soon, I will have your children and a female dragon too. Do you know how rare female dragons are? I can’t wait to study her.”
Rylan stayed quiet, letting the stupid woman get closer and closer.
“I wonder if your son shifted yet to help heal his broken arm.” Tapping a finger to her chin, the dark red of her nail a sharp contrast to her pale white skin, she cocked her head to the side as her green eyes narrowed. “I hope not. I want to see how long it takes a shifter to heal in human form. Then, maybe I will break his sister’s arm and force her to change, so I can compare the timeframe with shifting versus non-shifting. Could be fun.”
Deciding she was close enough, Rylan struck, slamming into the side of the cage and reaching through the bars to slash his sharp claws into her skin. Unfortunately, she moved in time to miss the deadly blow he tried to land, and instead of slicing open her throat, he ended up leaving a shallow gash over her chest. He lashed out again, managing to slice through her cheek, before she got back far enough that he was unable to get to her again.
“Fuck!” she screamed, one hand on her stomach and the other hovering over the skin on her face, not quite touching it. The laceration was deep, and part of her flesh was hanging down, peeled back from her cheekbone. Tears flowed down her face, and her chest heaved with each painful breath she took. “You will die for that, you son of a bitch!”
Rylan turned away from her, walking to the back of the small cell, deep satisfaction running through him at the agony he’d caused the Queen Bitch. The only thing that would be better, was if he’d gotten her throat on the first try. This would work for now, though. That cut on her cheek was not pretty. It was going to leave a huge scar. For as long as she survived, anyway.
“You are dead. Your kids are dead. Everyone you love… dead!” Her voice was a loud squeal that hurt his ears, but Rylan didn’t acknowledge her presence. He turned in a circle three times, laid down, and started grooming himself. Licking at his fur, he ignored Vanessa, acting as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
The door opened, and he heard a tentative voice ask, “Dr. Lake, are you okay?”
“No, I am not okay!” Vanessa screamed. “Do I look like I am fucking okay?”
“I…”
“Get me to the hospital!” Vanessa screeched.
“Yes, Ma’am.”
By now, Vanessa was on the other side of the room, removing a blue hand towel from where it hung by a small sink. She moaned when she looked in the mirror, swaying on her feet as she gasped, “Fucking lion. He’s dead.”
Folding the towel, she placed it gently on her face, crying out in pain when she made contact with the ripped flesh.
If she were a shifter, she would be able to heal that mess on her face, leaving just a small scar, his lion said in amusement. Wonder if she could come up with something in that lab of hers to help fix it.
Rylan shrugged his powerful shoulders, and resumed his grooming. Maybe, but nothing will help when you are ugly on the inside.
True.
“Maybe you should clean it some before we go,” the young male suggested, taking a quick step back when she turned her livid gaze on him. Holding his hands up, he took another step away from Vanessa. “Why don’t I get Gunther for you?”
“Because Gunther isn’t here,” Queen Bitch snarled as she wobbled over to a cabinet in the corner. “You are, so you can take me.” Rylan feigned disinterest when she opened it and removed a gun, then turned his way, hatred gleaming in her eyes. “But first, I’m going to show the lion some of the pain he’s shown me.”
Shit.
Rylan continued to act as if he were ignoring her, but it was difficult to when she stopped in front of his cage and raised the gun in an unsteady grip.
“Two shots. One for each mark you gave me,” Vanessa snapped, as she pulled the trigger.
Rylan felt the first bullet enter his shoulder, and he had to bite back a roar of agony. The next went into his back flank. This wasn’t the tranq gun she was using. They was real fucking bullets, and they hurt like hell.
A deep moan fell from Vanessa’s lips as she shoved the gun at the young man. “Put that away. It’s time to go.”
He rushed to do what he was told, but his gaze kept going back to Rylan. “But, what about the lion?”
“We shall see. He will either live, or he will be gone when we get back. The bastard can die for all I care.”
“But…”
Vanessa stalked from the room on unsteady feet, holding the towel to her face, an arm wrapped around her waist. Rylan couldn’t hear her response, but at that moment he didn’t care. Sharp, fiery pain swamped him, and his breaths started coming in short pants. He tried to rise, but fell back down, struck by dizziness.
Groaning, he rested his chin on his leg, forcing himself to stay as still as possible. He hoped the calvary showed up soon, or he was screwed. He was in pain now, but it was really going to hurt like a bitch when they had to reopen his wounds to take out the bullets that were lodged in deep.
Need mate.
Yeah, he agreed with his lion. He needed his mate. To rescue him, and to stand by his side as they eliminated the threat to their family. A part of him wondered if maybe he should at least meet her before claiming her like he was, but another part scoffed at the idea. A shifter’s mate was chosen by Fate, and She didn’t make mistakes. Amira was his, and he was keeping her.
