Maya lifted her torch.
"That wasn't smart, bitch."
Ah, so she wasn't his "love" anymore, huh? Too damn bad. "What can I say?" She asked. "I've got a shitload of darkness in me and I just live to kill-kill-kill." Maya smiled. "And for the record, I choose option three, the one where I don't have to f**k you, but I do get to send you to hell."
He lifted his hand, pointed one blistered finger at her. "Bleed her dry."
A growl of hunger swept through the crowd. Fangs glistened.
"And bring me the dragon-I need to-"
A howl echoed from upstairs. Followed by another, another-
About time.
Her knees trembled as relief swept through her. Now if Lucas would just hurry his ass up and get the pack down there-
"What the f**k is that?" Nassor snarled.
Her smile widened. "My backup plan." Her fingers were locked tight around the base of the torch.
"Upstairs!" He screamed the order to Torrence. "Kill any damn wolf you find."
Torrence jerked his hand up, and half the vampires ran ahead of him, charging for the stairs.
Good little soldiers. They'd make great prey for the wolves.
And suddenly, her odds were much better.
"You could have been a goddess," Nassor grated. "Now you're going to die, begging."
"Ah, and here I thought you knew me so well." Maya took a step forward. "I never, ever beg."
"You will," he breathed the words-then he shot forward and the other vampires attacked.
Lucas stared up at Torrence, muscles quivering, fangs ready. He could all but feel the vampire's neck between his teeth.
The blond vamp is mine. He sent the mental order through his pack.
Growls answered him.
Then the pack charged.
And blood soon filled the hallways.
Her right arm was burned, scored with blisters and red flesh. They had her pinned on the ground, and their hungry breath battered her skin.
Nassor stood above her, a satisfied smile on his no-longer-perfect face. "Ready to beg?"
One of the vampires bit her, his teeth tearing across her wrist.
Pain lanced her. "N-no."
"Fool." He bent and his fingers wrapped around her throat. "You could have ruled at my side, now you'll die at my feet."
Her lips trembled. She tried to smile as another vampire sank his teeth into her shoulder. "B-
behind…y-you…ass…hole…"
His eyes narrowed and it seemed to take a moment for her words to register, then he released her and spun around.
She craned her neck, still wrestling with the others, and fought to see-
The two vampires who'd had the sense to stay back and guard Adam lay on the ground, completely still, and Adam, he was-
Huge.
Dark green, with a body covered in thick scales. His claws-no, talons –were longer than her hands, and sharper than knives. His legs were as large as tree trunks. Hell, maybe bigger. Tall, thick spikes began at the back of his head and lined his backbone, ending at his swirling, powerful, and distinctly pointed, tail.
His wings-batlike, with piercing talons on the tips-had spread wide, touching the tall, cavernous ceiling and the dirt floor.
His head looked like a serpent's and his teeth seemed to explode from his mouth-just as sharp as those talons. His eyes blazed with green fire and his fist-sized nostrils flared, sending puffs of smoke billowing around him.
Oh, shit.
The vamps were gonna die.
Her smile rose fully. Her eyes stayed locked on his. "A-Adam…"
When his mouth opened in a roar, and the scent of brimstone filled the room, she knew the battle was over.
The vampires ran, fighting each other as they fled for the door.
He snarled. His tail slapped against them, the sharp tip piercing straight through two vamps and ripping out their hearts.
Fire scorched three more, a blaze that blasted from his mouth. Then his tongue, notched in two like a snake's, licked across his lips.
The room was hot now, as fire chased up the walls.
Sweat coated her skin. Maya tried to push to her feet. Adam could stand the heat, no question, but she couldn't say the same for herself.
Nassor grabbed her, jerking her against him and holding tight. His body shook against her and she could smell his fear, even over the flames and death.
"H-he won't hurt you," he said and his claws were around her neck, again.
Maya dug her own claws into his arm.
"Stay away from me!" Nassor shouted to the dragon.
She wasn't sure the beast understood. Was the man gone completely, and only the dragon remained? If so, then if she didn't get out of there, fast, she would join the dead vamps on the floor.
The dragon's wings flapped, sending the air whipping around them and making the flames dance higher.
"Back away. I'll kill her if you don't-"
The dragon's mouth opened, teeth dripping with saliva.
Wow. Maya's heart thudded furiously against her chest. Adam was sure as hell amazing in his dragon form. Not beautiful. More like damn scary, but she'd never realized the raw power and fury that the man held in check.
As the dragon's hot breath fanned over her, she fully understood just how much he'd been holding back from her.
The man had immense control.
Did the beast? Nassor began to creep toward the door, using her body as a shield. The others fled, screaming as if they'd seen the devil.
Or a very pissed-off dragon.
And Nassor had thought he'd be able to control Adam. Idiot.
They'd almost made it to the door when the dragon lunged forward. Its powerful tail snaked behind them and blocked the exit. Then the dragon crouched over them, its wings curling forward.
"I-I'll kill her!" Nassor screamed.
Maya stared at the dragon, gazing as best she could into its glowing eyes.
The dragon's mouth opened.
She drew in a breath. Tasted fire.
Knew what was coming.
Nassor shrieked, jerking her in his fury and fear.
She closed her eyes, and trusted the beast as she trusted the man.
His fiery breath danced across her skin and a scream of pain and horror echoed in her mind.
When she opened her eyes, she was on the ground, her body covered in ash. Maya shook her head, rose slowly and swept her gaze around the room.
The fire crawled up the walls, bright, hungry orange flames that crackled and seemed to laugh as they destroyed everything in their path. Smoke billowed around her and the heat lanced her skin.
Skin that Adam's fire had never touched. The dragon had been in control. Just like the man. She and Nassor had fallen to the floor, and the flames, they'd gone straight to Nassor.