Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75539 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75539 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“He makes me happy,” I said. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. “I didn’t think I’d find someone who got me to open up and trust again, to be honest. I wasn’t even looking for it.”
“That’s when it tends to happen, huh?”
“Seriously.”
Cassius leaned back, hands on the stone steps. The desert air was cool now that the sun wasn’t baking the beige rocks and packed dirt. “You deserve it. And you two make the cutest fucking couple. I knew it was going to happen, especially without how bumbly and awkward you were when you first met him. I could tell the butterflies kicked up. And the way he looked at you that first day only confirmed it for me.”
“Really? Why didn’t you say anything?”
He shrugged. “I didn’t want to ruin anything. I felt like I was watching one of those nature documentaries, where they just observe the rare mating rituals of the animals through binoculars.” He chuckled. “Not that I want to see you mating, obviously,” he quickly amended.
My cheeks heated as the scalding hot memory of Xavier taking my virginity rushed back to me. We’d had sex quite a few more times since then, and each time was somehow better than the last. It felt like I’d discovered an entirely new continent, with something fun and new around every corner. A new sensation, a new position, a new sound, new scent, new words. I never wanted the discovery to end.
“Just make sure I’m your best man at the wedding,” Cassius said.
“Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves there.” Although, if I were being truthful, it definitely was something that had crossed through my daydreams, especially lately. But there were way more things to worry about than wedding bells and first songs.
Mainly the end of the world as we knew it.
Cassius gave a stretch and a yawn. It was getting late. The yawn spread to me. We had a long couple of days ahead, so it was best we got some rest.
Plus, I was excited to climb into bed and cuddle with my golden dragon.
“Let’s call it a night,” I said. Cassius nodded and stood. I held his elbow, looking into my best friend’s pained eyes. “It’s going to be okay. Somehow, someway, it’ll turn out okay.”
“I hope so,” he said. He looked back out to the horizon. I could see the tension and fear coiled in his shoulders, wrapping around him like a deadly python.
“Wait… What is that?” Cassius asked, suddenly sounding concerned.
“What?”
“That,” he said, pointing up at the sky. I followed his gaze. At first, I didn’t see anything but a star-blotted black sky. But then, movement caught my eye. Two—no, three… four—dark shadows were cutting through the night sky. Moving incredibly fast.
Too fast.
“Holy shit.” My legs almost gave out from underneath me. A deafening roar split through the air. “Dragons.”
These weren’t regular dragons, though. I could see their inky-black scales, could see tendrils of something hanging off their wings and jaws. They had bright red eyes that glowed menacingly against the midnight curtain behind them.
Shades mixed with dragons.
Nightmares in physical form.
The battle for our lives had finally begun.
Chapter 30
How It Ends
Xavier
The roar shook the house. I jumped from the bed and ran out, wearing just a pair of shorts. Dawn and Warrick met me in the hall, Claire bursting out behind Dawn.
“What the fuck was that?” Dawn asked.
“Dragons,” Damien said, coming out of his room with Robby. We ran down the hallway, meeting Maddox and Caleb along the way. Fuck. Robby outpaced us, using his vampire agility to disappear down the stairs.
Good. He could protect Blake and Cassius from whatever had made that sound.
Maybe it was a false alarm. Maybe it was someone nearby trying to scare their neighbors. Maybe, maybe, maybe…
“Oh no,” Claire said as we turned the corner in a messy group. The front door was flung open. Blake and Cassius stood behind Robby. He looked so tiny, so frail, compared to the four massive dragons that were poised before them. They had rows and rows of teeth, saliva dripping off their black jaws like oil spills, pooling on the ground and making it sizzle. Tendrils moved on their own accord, reaching out for Robby as if they were going to grab him and stuff him down their maws.
I only ever felt true fear once in my life—when I was facing the mortality of my mother. That had been a fear that felt as solid and icy as a dagger being twisted into my heart, over and over and over again.
Seeing these Shade dragons stabbed me just the same. My mouth went dry, my heart beating so fast I was sure it would burst.
It didn’t stop me from moving. Didn’t stop me from getting to Blake’s side. I reached for his hand. One of the dragons snapped at the other. There was a low and persistent growl coming from all of them. Each had two riders on their backs.