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“What’s happening?” I couldn’t stop pulling at the strands that had encircled Reed. It must have attacked him because he’d cut the hair.
A sudden hiss echoed in the air, and I shuddered, glancing behind me. Dread wove into my soul as I studied Faye and Leon, both stone gargoyles, their stony eyes on me.
“Fuck! No!” I shuddered. The spell had been broken… The shifters’ controlling collars had broken. Yet these two moved toward me. My connection to the gargoyle remained? It had to be because of Faye’s magic inside the creatures. I retreated alongside Reed, who was now completely cocooned in hair, and his moans muffled. “Reed!” I yelled as I pulled at the hair, circling him, searching for any kind of give.
Faye and Leon approached, slower at first, but soon speeding up.
Kahlo arrived, already in human form and naked, his breaths heaving, his face bloody.
“Help me! Reed is inside the hair,” I cried and retreated toward the tower, letting Kahlo rescue his friend.
If the gargoyles were taking me, I couldn’t let them injure anyone else. So I’d lead them away. Sweat drenched my skin, and my pulse throbbed through my veins.
But when a roar thundered overhead, I flinched. Every fucking sound had me jumping, so what now?
Gold gleamed in the sunlight as a colossal shadow passed over us. A stream of fire burst free from the flying creatures, but as I squinted, I realized what I was looking at.
“Gage?” Excitement riddled through me. Green and yellow scales glinted across his long, serpentine body, wings spanning out, claws tips dipped in gold. He was incredible, and I gasped in awe. Smoke poured from his nostrils. But at once he curled toward us, his wings tucked in tight, and swooped in closer.
The gargoyles charged toward me. Terror shook me at the core.
At once, Gage stormed lower and snatched up both creatures in his enormous mouth in one go. The swish of wind from his momentum crashed into me, sending me into the shrubs, where I stumbled and fell. My mouth fell open as Gage beat his wings like the furious pounding of my pulse.
He landed in the middle of the field, the ground shuddering under his weight. The stone creatures struggled, desperately trying to escape. But Gage sank his fangs into their bodies, crunching them as if they were pork rinds. Rocks fell from his teeth as he chewed on the monsters. A beam of light exploded from his mouth, then vanished just as quick. The spell vanquished.
I exhaled long and loud, but it wasn’t time to rest. Not yet. I spun and half-ran, half-stumbled toward Reed.
From within the cocoon of hair, a growl came. Kahlo pushed me behind him, standing in front of me. I adored his protectiveness, but this was Reed in danger. He’d risk his life for me, so I would do the same for him.
The hair bundle shifted, expanding, growing. When at once, a golden lion burst free. I jumped into Kahlo, who held me close.
Reed landed several feet away, tilting his chin back, roaring so loud, the sound pierced my ears. In the distance, Gage unleashed a fireball into the air and rushed toward us. But his body shrunk, pulling inward. And Reed’s did the same. Before long, three naked men surrounded me.
“Oh, shit! I think we pulled this off,” I said, hugging myself, still unable to believe we’d all survived.
“You’re free,” Kahlo said.
“And I’m a fucking dragon. Did you see that?” His hands flayed in the air, and I burst out laughing, joy flooding me because for the first time in too long, I didn’t fear what would happen next. I didn’t understand where to go from here, but as long as we were together, I’d be fine.
I turned toward Reed, my insides beaming. “You got your lion back.”
His smile touched his ears. “But I don’t understand how.”
Reaching for his hand, I intertwined my fingers with his, while Kahlo cradled against my back, and Reed clasped my other arm. “Faye had said the albino lion had given up his life to save her. And that my hair had not only fed him energy but helped him regrow the mane he lost. My cursed hair was connected to his mane, so when you cut it, you unleashed the magic. I’m guessing it must have chosen you to transfer the lion shifter ability because you’d touched it last.”
“All I care about is that I’m back, and I have you in my life.” He kissed my knuckles gently, and I melted at his tenderness. My smile burst from within. I was no longer being worn by worries or obligations.
Reed bathed my arm in smooches. “You finally admitted your love, and my dragon evolved. I knew you were the one for me.”
“I’m sorry it took so long.”
Kahlo wrapped his arms around my stomach and rested his chin on my shoulder, his lips on my cheek. “I finally have a family thanks to you.”
Just hearing the joy in their words had me choking for a response. Maybe I didn’t need to say anything, but being held by my three men, there wasn’t a single place I’d rather be. Who cared that we were bloody, injured—some of us naked. Kahlo was right. I’d found my family too.
Reed broke free. “I need to check on my sister and pride.” He took off and we all followed, ready to do what was needed.
