A scattering of trees stretched down the slope, leading to a drilling rig and buildings around it.
As she scanned the area, a flash of color on the largest oil rig caught her attention.
Keeping to the tree line for cover, she reached the bottom and ran cross the open space, dropping down behind a building. She scanned the place ahead, listening for any movement. There was nothing.
It didn't feel right. Her dragon rustled against her skin, pushing all her senses on alert.
Just then, a low scream echoed through the space, cut off as if someone had been silenced.
Freya! It had to be her.
Adrenaline pumping, all senses on alert, Hope raced across the short distance to the oil platform.
She raced up the steps.
Her dragon was close to the surface. She let its claws rip through her flesh, let its energy pulse through her.
When she reached the top, she was a dragoness in human form. Above her the sun shone down on the platform of the open rig.
The last thing she expected was to see a table set for a meal.
Seated on one side was Freya, dressed in a red dress, a scarlet scarf draped around her neck.
The woman looked straight at her with no flicker of recognition on her face.
The man next to her leaned back in his chair, his fingers playing with a coin on the table in front of him.
His shirt was a spotless white, slacks tailored. His jacket fit his frame. His body was relaxed. He was expecting her.
The man pocketed the coin and rose to his feet in a fluid move. "Hello, Hope. Care to join us?"
Her mouth went dry. Hope sensed she'd walked into a trap, but it was too late. Best to play along and find out more of his intentions.
Without missing a beat, she walked toward him. He looked familiar, but where had she seen him before?
The man pulled out the chair for her. When he leaned close, she got a whiff of his scent: metallic and tinged with something dark…like a layer of thick greasy smoke had curled around him. His eyes flashed.
She realized who he reminded her of. "You are related to Zach." She dropped into the chair, making sure to keep enough distance between them that she didn't risk touching him.
A flicker of surprise raced across his face. "Beautiful and smart." One side of his lips pulled back in a smile. "I am Tibor, Zach's half-brother. It seems I've hunted the wrong dragon shifter all along. It was you I should have sought."
Anger flared through her. "You kidnapped Mira." Her lips flattened.
"And you rescued her with Zach's help."
A flash of insight had her straightening. "What have you done to Zach?"
"My brother is no longer a threat." As he turned to walk back to his own chair, Tibor’s hand brushed her arm. He'd done it on purpose.
A wave of repulsion jolted her. She refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her pull away.
She focused on the woman sitting opposite her.
Freya didn't meet her gaze. Her head hung as she shrunk back against the chair. She was scared of this man.
Hope's throat closed.
Had he hurt her like he'd hurt Mira? She had to find a way to get Freya out of here.
Taking the bottle of champagne from the bucket, Tibor poured Hope a glass. "To new friendships." He clinked her glass.
Unbelievable! The man was behaving like they were out at a dinner party. Her nerves jangled. She sensed he had a surprise up his sleeve. "What do you want?" Her muscles thrummed with tension. Her dragon pushed against her skin, wanting to break free as she waited for him to make the next move.
"My, but you do come to the point, don't you? It's quite a turn on." Those dark eyes glinted, even as the scent of metal around him deepened.
The whiff of bitter almonds had her stomach churning.
He wasn't lying. He was aroused.
Swallowing down the bile that rose to her mouth, Hope met his gaze steadily. She refused to be cowed down by him.
Tibor took another sip of the champagne before placing the glass back on the table. "It's simple. Your life for hers. You submit yourself to me, and I'll let her go. You have my word."
"Doesn't mean I have to do what you say."
"Oh, yeah?" Hope simply dropped into herself. She let her soul sync with the dragon fire inside before it sank into her blood, pulsing through her veins. Her essence, more dragon than human, slammed against her skin and stopped.
Pain racked her as her dragon tried to break free. She wanted to transform, to let her dragon out. She shoved at her dragon energy, forcing it to flow through her blood, and hit a block.
Her shoulders shook. Her lips trembled.
It was as if there was a weight on her chest, holding her down. She tried to shift into her dragon form and found she couldn't.
Feeling light-headed, she gripped her neck, trying to draw in a breath and failing. She raised her eyes long enough to notice that the darkness of his irises had bled into the whites of his eyes.
He tilted his head.
Her dragon writhed. The back of her eyeballs burned. Her throat closed. "Stop." She coughed. "What are you doing?" Sweat ran down her forehead.
Her breath came in short gasps.
Tibor's smile widened. "I am controlling your dragon."
42
Aaron
It was early evening by the time Aaron wrapped up the session. He set off toward Hope's apartment. His steps quickened as he neared her block.
Entering the building, he ran up the steps, until he reached her flat.
The door was unlocked.
Shoving it open, he stepped inside...and knew at once she wasn't in.
Where could she be?
He focused his mind, letting himself think like her. Where would he go if he was Hope? Where?
For the first time since he'd poured his energy into Hope, he allowed his senses to open.
Body, mind, and soul. It was as if his psychic senses had just been waiting for this, for he found himself dropping deep into his body, and then the light flared out from his heart, his fingertips, arrowing in straight through the mating bond to Hope.
The images came in flashes.
Emotions, colors, and textures…enough to tell him where she was.
She was not in the apartment; he sensed that already.
She'd learned about the Elysians' hide out and had gone to rescue Freya on her own.
Aaron knew Hope didn't want him along.
She wanted to protect him at all cost. She'd even pledged herself away to keep him safe from the mating bond. He had no doubt she wanted to put him out of temptation's way, too, making sure her dragon didn’t reach for him and mate with him.
Damn that woman for caring so much, for being everything he wanted. And damned if he was going to sit back while she headed straight into danger.
Even as his gut twisted with fear, he turned and ran out. He knew where he would find her.
Aaron only prayed he wouldn't be too late.
His mate was in danger. Her dragon was calling to him. Whether Hope liked it or not, he was going to help her.
Peeling out of the complex in his truck, he reached the harbor. He raced his boat in the direction of Reunion.
In less than half an hour the island came into view. He nosed his cruiser as close to shore as possible.
When he couldn't go any further, Aaron cut the motor.
Diving into the sea, he swam to the beach. Even as his foot hit the sand, he began running.