They watch as I push myself up, getting to my knees before them.
“She’s stubborn,” the big guard comments and laughs. “That will come in handy. It’s more fun when they fight.” He nudges the other man as he snaps out his leg and kicks me in the ribs. I hear a crack before I gurgle on my own blood again. Grabbing the floor in front of me as I fall, I make sure to throw it up on his boots and I hear his disgusted gag, even through the ringing in my ears.
A booted foot hits me square in the face, sending me flying to my back. I can’t even scream, I’m too busy choking on blood and sick, but when they stand over me, I squint at them with a bloody smile curling my lips. At least they are hurting me and not him. I can’t stand by and let someone I love to be hurt, or worse...killed again. I just can’t.
I twist my face at the last second as his boot kicks for me again and hits the side of my face. It feels like being smashed into a cement wall. I must black out again, because when I come to, my eyes are fuzzy and I can’t hear anything, my breathing is laboured, and each breath is agony and filled with liquid. I spit something out and try to cry when I spot the gleaming white covered in blood—one of my fangs.
Dabria, free me!
I don’t know how long he has been shouting in my head, but it finally cuts through the chaos as I feel my body flipped so I’m face down. One of them snaps my ankle to the side when I uselessly kick out at him with it, and an agonized scream leaves my throat as I feel it snap.
Free me now!
I don’t know how, I cry in my head, and he roars again but a wave of blackness and pain washes away his words until I’m alone in my head. I can’t even see Mishal anymore. God, I wish I could. Just one more time so I can thank him for saving me, for teaching me to love and trust again. This will kill him, I know that, but at least I got to spend some time with him before my death. I don’t regret that, even if it led here.
I’m sorry, I try to push the thought to him. I love you both.
My legs are kicked apart from behind as I stare at the stone wall in front of me, I can’t even feel from the neck down, which is probably a good thing. Tears squeeze out of my eyes, knowing what they are going to do to my body even as I die. God, I wish Nyre was here. I wish I figured out how to break him free.
Mi cielo, he whispers, and it cuts through the chaos.
I float towards it, happy to leave my body.
Mi cielo, that’s it. Come to me, let me feel it all.
I offer it all on a silver platter, feeding him my pain, anger, humiliation, and regret until he roars louder than ever, almost popping my head. Oh wait, that isn’t in my head. I feel their hands leave my body as they scream and my head flops to the side to see a dragon in the cell where Mishal once was. He’s beautiful, like I knew he would be, all green and black scales with bright golden eyes. The very edges of his sharp scales glitter golden as he roars, his tail flicking behind him. He has to curl up to fit in here, but I watch in amusement as he snaps those big jaws near me. I don’t flinch, knowing he will never hurt me.
I did it, I freed him.
My eyes start to shut as I watch him eat those two guards before golden eyes fill my vision.
Hold on, mi cielo, we are here, hold on.
He scoops me up with his claw, holding me to his giant chest, my body flopping uselessly in his grasp. He roars again and pushes up until he breaks through the ceiling. My eyes slip closed and I must lose some time, because I hear screaming and smell smoke, but I can’t seem to open them again. The next thing I feel is a breeze brushing my face and the feeling of moving very fast, but it soon fades again.
Mi cielo, you have to feed, a growl states.
Feed? How?
In the dark, I start to slip away again, but he grabs me and keeps me here, demanding me, ordering me, owning me. Mate, Nyre, Mishal.
Yes, mi cielo, feed now, he orders.
Something wet is pressed against my lips, but I can’t seem to move them. He roars again, and I feel a claw scrape against my skin as my mouth is opened and that sweet-smelling liquid is poured down my throat. I should choke, but as it hits me, I feel it healing until I can swallow. Mouthful after mouthful, that fire liquid runs through my broken body, fixing everything. Like after a storm, everything is brand new until I sit up with a gasp, my eyes popping open to meet Nyre’s golden ones. He has his...claw to my mouth, as he lies curled on the ground protecting me. I spot trees to the left and right, but all I can think about is getting more of his blood. I need it all. God, I feel like I haven’t had anything to drink in years, my mouth is parched and my body dry.
That’s it, mi cielo, take it all, it’s all yours.
I test my hands and realise they work, so I yank his claw to me, not thinking about the fact his scales are touching my face as I suck more blood from him. He purrs, his body vibrating around me as I do.
That’s it, mi cielo, more.
I tear my mouth away with a pained gasp when I feel my fang push back through my gums, and I watch as one second Nyre is there and the next Mishal is. He scoops me to his chest and I pounce, unable to help myself. He rubs my back in soothing circles as I rip into his throat, none too gently. I drain him, drop after drop, and somehow through my bloodlust I remember what happened and start to panic at where we are.
“Shh, little one, we are safe. We are far from that facility in the woods, no one can find us here. I burned the whole place down,” he says softly. Tears come to my eyes and I can’t help but feel relieved, even knowing he killed everyone.
Eventually I pull away, licking my lips and the drops of blood that come from his neck. I wince at the mess there, but as I watch it heals.
“Little one, I am a god. Did you really think you could drain me?” He laughs and I look up into his black eyes.
There isn’t a mark on him, he’s healed from all of it. Sobs break free and I fling myself against his chest. He holds me again, whispering to me as he kisses along my shoulder.
“You’re okay, you’re safe, no one will ever hurt you again or me, or Nyre will barbeque them.” I laugh but pull back and cup his face.
“It’s not me I’m crying for, you big idiot. I thought I had lost you. I—” My voice cracks and I swallow the sobs. “I thought they had killed you, fuck, I thought you were dead. I don’t want to live in a world where you aren’t,” I cry.
His eyes pop open in shock. “You-you’re crying for me?” he asks.
I slap his chest. “Of course I am! I thought I had lost you!” I scream.
His grin is slow and sexy as hell, but it pisses me off. I cross my arms, wiggling in his grip, trying to get down but he growls, keeping me against him. “Little one, like you could ever escape me. I knew you would get us out of there,” he states with such confidence, my anger falters and I look back at him.
“I didn’t, you did,” I point out.
He snorts, laughing. “No, little one, I didn’t. You broke us free. Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to. Don’t you see, Dabria? Without you, I am living a life in chains.”
Holy mother of—and this man says he isn’t romantic. I swear, if I was wearing panties they would have just exploded, and my heart is so full I start crying again, and he growls looking pained.
“Little one, please stop, I promise we are safe,” he begs, this dragon god brought to his knees from my tears.