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“She’s right,” Eldon said. “Give them over.”
Bash vaguely watched them, but his gaze was all about finding Spooky. As he stared in the direction he and the dragon had fallen, his chest squeezed as the familiar came out of the dust. He raced forward, his long black wings flapping behind him as he raced over toward them.
“Can you shift?” Gamble asked her.
Mya shook her head. “It won’t work with the children, especially with them out of it like this. They won’t be able to hold on.”
“Bash, I need you to run them to wherever the safe zone is,” Eldon ordered.
The bear glanced at him and growled.No way in hell.He wasn’t about to lose his men after he’d just found them!
“Donotargue with me,” Eldon snapped. “Go, now!”
Bash wanted to stay and fight, but it would only waste precious time. Instead, he moved down and allowed Mya to climb onto him. She situated the children in front of her and wrapped her arms around them tightly before her knees pressed into his sides.
“Spooky, hover above this spot so Bash can find us again. Can you do that?”
The familiar shot off into the sky, but he didn’t exactly stay still. Instead, he went after another dragon.
Eldon groaned. “Good enough.” He grabbed Bash’s face and placed a quick kiss on his snout. “Get back here, quickly. And Bash?”
The bear grunted.
Eldon’s eyes softened. “And come back to me in one piece. This thing isn’t over. We need you.Ineed you.”
Renewed fervor grew in Bash’s gut. He turned and shot off into the darkness. The only thing in his mind was get there, get there, get there and get back. If he focused on those two tasks he didn’t give a damn who or what was in his way.
“That way!” Mya called over the commotion. “You see that gap in the trees? There’s a small bunker through there. Trust me, dragons have been fighting shit from the dawn of time. We’re used to it.”
Bash appreciated the steely tone of her voice. She wasn’t shrinking or trying to run. Nor was she fighting. She was just trying to get people to a safe space.Like Gamble. That’s who she reminds me of.
He could see the gap but as he reached the edge, Bash went flying. The sound of screaming echoed around him and he shot up to his feet. Mya and the children had been tossed onto the grass, but she still had her arms wrapped around them. Bash shifted and threw himself in front of them just as a lioness opened her jaw and lunged for them.
Bash shoved his arm into her mouth. She bit down, fangs pierced his flesh and his eyesight went dark as bile rose in his throat. Bash had felt pain before in his life, but nothing like this. He shook his arm and she snarled and growled in response, her jaw locking down harder.
“Go!” Bash yelled at Mya.
“What about you?”
“My mate wanted those kids safe so get them safe,” he snapped. “And don’t come back out here!”
The woman didn’t argue and Bash thanked every deity above that she simply co-operated. He couldn’t focus on her, the children, and himself without one or all of them dying. Bash balled up his fist and let his hand shift before he crashed it into the lion’s mouth.
She reeled back, blood dripping from her sharp teeth before she lunged again. Bash didn’t have enough time to shift. Every time he shook her off, she was right back on top of him again. And every time she got ahold of him, another chunk of his flesh was ripped from his body.
Shit, I’m gonna die.
The realization came out of the blue. And Bash rejected it. If he had to haul himself back to them in pieces, that was exactly what he was going to do. They were back there fighting, trying to stay alive and he wasn’t going to lie there and accept his fucking fate. All the universe had ever given him was pain and loneliness, but Arden and the others had given him life.
And he would keep going until he couldn’t move anymore.
Even as his vision darkened, he panted and forced himself back to his feet. He tried to shift, but she was back at him again. Bash watched as she barreled toward him, his heart in his throat. More than likely, that was exactly where she was probably aiming. Once she bit into his throat, it would be lights out.
“Fuck off,” Anaya hissed. Her dress was torn and her hair was a mess, but she stood there, bleeding and limping, but without wavering. She shoved a sword at the lioness. “Come on, come on!”
As soon as the lion tried to retreat, Anaya took off after it. Bash plopped down to the ground as his heart finally resumed beating. Sweat rolled off of him mixed with blood. All he could imagine was all of them tucked into a big tub somewhere, soaking, and holding each other. Bash’s lids started to close and he felt himself being lifted. When he opened his eyes, Ezra was frowning down at him.
“It’s okay,” he said. “I’m taking you to safety.”
