Chapter 20

TWENTY

Samantha

We're in the air again and the desire to be mated by him is overwhelming. Every time he flies too close to me, every time he tries to approach me from behind, I talk to him in his mind. I remind him that he's human, and it seems to snap him out of his instinctual desire to possess me, even though it's an effort for me. Some small part of me loves the idea of just letting my dragon take over, following her instincts, instead of worrying.

But when I think of Aydan and Granger, the desire fades, and I'm all human.

He's circling behind me again.

"Evander ."

"Sam." My name is filled with desire.

" It's getting dark. Do you think we'll be okay fighting in the dark?" I ask.

"It's not ideal. Not with us inexperienced as dragons. Not when he probably wants you as badly as I do. Your scent… it's intoxicating. It's like a drug. I don't know how I'll stop him from coming after you without killing him."

A shudder rolls through me. He's back to flying at my side, but I can feel desire radiating off of him almost as intensely as my own desire. "Then, what should we do?"

He's quiet for a moment, and then says, "See that cabin up ahead? Should we stop and see if it's empty? We could stay there for the night and go into town when it's light out."

The truth is, I'm tired. I want to crawl into bed and sleep off this long day. If it wasn't for Aydan and Granger, I think I already would have. But it's better to go in rested and in the best situation possible.

" Yeah, let's stop."

So, we do. We fly over Mile Marker 64, soar over a dirt road just after it, and land not far from the cabin before shifting into our human forms. He has me hang back, checks out the cabin, and comes back to tell me that it's clear. We head for it together, and he sticks closely at my side.

When we're nearly at the cabin, his hand catches mine. He doesn't look at me, doesn't say a word. He just holds my hand lightly, giving me the option to pull away, but I don't. Instead, my gaze moves to the light bruises all over his throat from my sucking, and I wonder if my marks look the same way.

Hopefully, they'll fade quickly. I mean, I did heal from that dragon attack quickly, so these bruises should be nothing. The idea of Aydan seeing them makes my face burn.

There's only a hint of gray light above the horizon as Evander kneels down at the door. He takes a small flashlight out of his vest, putting it in his mouth, and then a little black package, which turns out to be a pack of lock picks. In what feels like seconds, he manages to unlock the door, then puts his tools away, and moves his flashlight into his hand, grinning at me.

"I wish I could do that," I tell him honestly. It seems like a good skill to have.

"Stick with me, and I'll teach you all kinds of things." His words start out friendly, and then turn strangely seductive.

I glance away from him and push into the cabin. Apparently, the electricity comes from a generator, which Evander gets started, and then dim lights illuminate the one room cabin, save for a tiny bathroom tucked in one corner. He locks up the door behind us and then makes me stand with the locked door at my back and prowls the whole place again before motioning for me to come in.

"Worried about angry racoons?" I ask, smirking.

"Worried about keeping you safe," he says, no humor in his voice, then goes to start a fire in the fireplace.

My gaze slides to the counter and my heart rate picks up. There's a signal booster. The guys and I have stayed at a few cabins with signal boosters. Basically, they allow us to be able to use our cellphones while near the cabin. So I should be able to call the guys here.

I pat my back pocket, relieved to find the cellphone still there. As soon as I can find a quiet second, I'm going to get a hold of them and make sure they're safe. They better be safe.

"Want to take a shower?" he asks, his focus on getting a spark started.

A moan slips from my lips. "A shower sounds amazing ."

He stiffens beside the fireplace and looks back at me with such desire that I actually take a step toward him. To my surprise, he rises and takes a step toward me, too. A weird pulling urges me to come closer to him, but the strength of it is enough to send me sprinting away to the bathroom.

It's a small room, but I don't care. Just closing the door between us makes it easier to breathe. And harder. I miss him. The pulling feeling inside of me grows more intense, and I grit my teeth, trying to ignore it.

I start stripping, then turn on the water. It's freezing cold, but I step eagerly beneath the spray. It hits me like chunks of ice, and my teeth instantly start chattering. I've never liked the cold.

The water warms with time. Not very much, but enough to make it more bearable, and I take advantage of the shampoo and conditioner and scrub my hair and my body until I start to feel clean for the first time in what feels like a lifetime. No doubt the standard products will make my hair even frizzier and more wild than usual, but I can't bring myself to care about it.

I also unbind the bandages on my leg. To my surprise, the wound is gone. All the little wounds, too. I'm starting to think something about shifting helps us heal. Why? I don't have a clue.

When I'm done, I dry myself with the towel, then step in front of the mirror and stare in shock. Shifting the necklace from the professor around, I stare at the marks on my neck. They're dark. Far darker than I ever imagined. And they're quite obviously caused by someone's mouth. I feel embarrassed as I turn around and see the bite mark on my back. It wasn't quite enough to break the skin, but it's definitely going to be sticking around for a while.

Unless my shifter abilities hide it. But it seems the marks aren't seen as an injury to my shifter body. Damn weird dragon physiology.

I don't know what to do. Looking at my crumpled pile of clothes, I loathe the idea of putting them back on. There has to be some clothes here.

Picking up the pile, I open the door and head out. I forget, if only for a moment, about Evander. Unfortunately, the instant I step out of the door, I smell him, stronger than ever before. He smells like himself, but also like sex, and me. It's so strong, and so obvious, that I feel a wave of embarrassment.

His gaze finds me as he sits by the fire, apparently having built it up to roaring flames. He unfolds himself from the floor and rises, walking toward me. That pulling feeling intensifies, and I feel a flash of anger that my instinctual desires seem to be warring with what I actually want.

"How long do you think it'll take for these marks to fade?" I ask, pointing to my neck.

He frowns. "Why would you want them to fade?" He seems to read me like a book. "The non-boyfriend?" I can see his mind working. "Are either of these ‘friends' we're going to save your non-boyfriend?"

I want to say something clever. Instead, my mouth opens and nothing comes out.

And, oh man, he's pissed. "Figures. Fucking figures." There's a flash of something dangerous in his gaze. "If we save these assholes, you better bet that neither of them are touching you."

What the hell gives him the right…? "You don't get to tell me anything."

His jaw tics. "You're a dragon. A dragon who is probably going to keep being hunted by that green dragon unless we get help from Specter Inc. and find a way to dull your scent. What possible future do you think you have with this man? He's a human. He can't be a part of your future. You have to understand that, right?"

"You don't understand anything." He's my family.

He draws himself up taller. "Specter Inc. is a good place in every way. It's actually beautiful. The compound is huge, overlooking the ocean. And there's this incredible beach you can walk on nearby. You'd like it. It'd make a nice home."

"Sounds lovely," I tell him dryly.

He runs his hand angrily through his hair. "Is your problem with Specter Inc. or me?"

"Both," I admit without hesitation.

I don't trust the company, and I don't trust him.

"Well, this might be hard to hear, but you don't have a lot of choice on either front. Not only did you give your word to return to Specter Inc with me, it's the only place with the knowledge and resources to help you."

"The Phoenix Institute could help." I didn't think before I spoke, but now I wonder why I hadn't thought of this before. Dragons aren't their specialty, but they're geniuses. They could help me with this.

Maybe.

He smirks, and I get the feeling I'm not going to like what he has to say. "Specter Inc. funds the Phoenix Institute. Working with them is basically working with Specter Inc."

I'm shocked. "They do? I don't remember ever seeing their name on any of the paperwork I signed when joining their summer program."

His eyes widen and sweep over me. "You're one of their nerdy scientist students. I wouldn't have figured that."

I cross my arms in front of my chest and lift my chin. "Damn right I am. Not that any of that matters."

His gaze holds mine. "You're right. No matter who you are, we need to go to Specter Inc. That's that. And as far as you and I… you're a female dragon. I'm a male dragon. We can't possibly have other partners now that we know what we are. Besides all that, we clearly want to be together, so you're fighting this just to cling onto a life you no longer have."

Frustration grows inside me. "What we have is… chemical. Biological. Instinctual. We don't even know each other. This isn't real. "

"We could get to know each other," he tells me, his voice softening.

He walks closer, and I leap backward.

"Go take your shower."

His hesitation is painful, but then his mouth pulls into a thin line, and he marches to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. Instantly, I walk to the small bed in the room and collapse onto the edge. How the hell am I supposed to handle this? I don't know Evander. I don't trust Evander. We can't have this powerful, overwhelming connection when Aydan holds my heart. So what the hell do I do?

Sighing, I realize that I only have so long before Evander will be out of the shower, and I have to do everything I can to create some distance between us. The first thing I do is find an oversized men's t-shirt in a dresser and a pair of sweatpants I think I can draw tight enough to fit. I put them on, then hide my cell phone behind a picture on a little table by the bathroom. I don't want him finding my phone and destroying it out of jealousy. I go to the sink and wash out my other clothes, pinning them near the fire to let them dry.

When I'm done, I hit the kitchen. I down one bottle of water and start another before I even look for food. There's not much, just a bunch of canned food, but I get to work putting a couple cans of chicken noodle soup onto a pot on the stove. I rinse off two bowls and spoons and set them by the cooking soup, then start pacing.

"How the hell am I supposed to resist him?"

A minute later his deep voice rumbles through my mind. " You don't."

Damn it. " Get out of my head."

"Get out of my head."

"Fine. Asshole."

I thump my hand down on the table, angry that he'd heard me. It's bad enough that he can sense how I'm feeling. Does he have to hear my stronger thoughts too? I need a game plan.

My gaze flicks to the tiny bed that we'll be sharing tonight, and my teeth clench together. Having sex with Evander feels like cheating on Aydan, but it's not. Not really. It does, however, complicate everything. I don't know what the future holds for Evander and I, despite my promise to return to Specter Inc. I mean, I've never broken a promise before, but I hadn't given it sure that I would fulfill it. All I know is that my future involves Aydan and Granger, and getting them to safety. That's all I can focus on.

Going to the bed, I sit down, glancing at the spot I'd concealed my phone. Evander wouldn't like me calling the guys, I know that for sure. I also know I'm going to be calling them tonight.

The shower turns off. I stiffen, gaze locked on the door. Time ticks by, and then he emerges. Completely naked. Trickles of water slip down his chest and belly. His cock is huge, hanging between his legs like a third leg. And the marks on his neck? The marks I left? They're a turn on for reasons I don't understand.

"Should I stay still, so you can finish staring?"

I leap from the bed, my cheeks hot. "I made some soup."

Ignoring him, I hurry past him, but he catches my arm and pulls me up against him.

My heart hammers in my chest, and my thoughts go wild. "The shampoo and conditioner were flowery. Pretty strong. Did it help with my scent?"

It wasn't an invitation. It was nervous mumbling, but he took it as an invitation. Leaning down, he inhales near my neck and responds with a groan. "No. Nope. Oh, fuck."

Jerking out of his grip, I race to the kitchen, which is not far enough away in the tiny space, and say, "We don't want to burn it."

It's bubbling, ready to be taken off. Lucky for me. I ignore him, pouring the soup into the bowls and setting everything up nicely on the table. It seems to take him a painfully long time before he gets dressed. When he goes to add another log to the fireplace, I chance a glance over and see that he's wearing gray sweatpants.

Gray sweatpants are supposed to be ugly. They're supposed to be that thing a guy wears to workout in that you don't even want to look at. But the guy these pants belonged to was not nearly as big as Evander, and couldn't have possibly had as big a dick, because the damn thing looks painted on, like he's smuggling a python in his pants. It's amazing, really, that he doesn't get lightheaded when he gets an erection with the amount of blood it must need.

God help me.

He's back on his feet. I keep the table between us and sit down, gripping my spoon like it's a weapon. The way he moves is slow, deliberate, but I try not to watch him as he drags the chair out across from me and sits down to eat.

My gaze moves to his tattooed arms, and I spot the gray dragon. "That's ironic."

"What?" he asks.

I point to it. The gray dragon, like all his tattoos, is a piece of art. Whoever did them was skilled. At any other time, I might just admire a man with muscles as big as my head, covered with sexy tattoos, but right now, the presence of the dragon seems like too much of a coincidence to ignore.

He glances down and a little smile plays across his lips. "You know, it is. In the military, my nickname was Gray Dragon, so I got it tattooed on my arm. Now it feels like fate."

"Maybe it is," I say.

"Maybe all of this is," he says, casting me a curious look.

Danger. Danger. It's a trap. The warning flares through my mind, and I focus on my food.

We eat slowly, blowing on our soup, taking careful bites. Tension sings between us.

"Are we going to talk?" he asks.

"About what?" I ask innocently.

I can feel him considering me. "You know, I'm good at reading people."

My gaze finally meets his dark one. "So am I."

He cocks a brow. "Go on then, read me. What am I thinking about you?"

"Not a clue."

His spoon drops in his bowl. "I think that you know as well as I do that there's something between us on a biological level that can't be ignored. It's a part of us from this point forward, but you're fighting it with every ounce of your being."

I stare, feeling angry. "Let's say I accept all that biological crap, even though we're humans, and not animals. Are you really telling me you're okay with all of this? You're just accepting what this," I gesture between us, "is?"

He shrugs. "I know that I've been trying to fight this feeling since the first time I smelled you as a dragon, maybe even before that, and I can't, so why fight what I can't? It seems you're going to be a part of this new life I'm facing. And to be honest, being linked to you doesn't seem all that bad."

I keep eating, thinking. He makes this all sound so simple. Like I'm the only fool fighting against the current and tiring myself out. Maybe it's stupid, but I'm not ready to give up on my old life the way Evander seems to be willing to so easily. For some reason, I still see a world where I escape the green dragon, slip back into my life at the Institute with Granger and Aydan at my side, and continue on, trying to get a job at the Phoenix Institute after graduation.

And this pulling… this feeling between Evander and I, maybe it'll get better with some distance and time. All I have to do is get back to my best friends, and they'll be able to help me figure out what to do. They're my family. My rocks. Evander is just a stranger. That's all.

"You're not happy with my answer," he says, continuing to eat. "You think you'll be able to get your old life back after the dust settles?"

My spine stiffens, but I force myself to keep eating. "So what?"

"Trust me, that's a foolish way of thinking. It's never going to work out like that."

The food is starting to lose its flavor. "Why should I trust you? The only things I know about you I don't like."

Surprise flashes across his face for the briefest moment before he conceals it. "If you want to know more about me, just ask."

I laugh. "It's that easy?"

He spreads his arms out. "It's that easy."

First, I think I should ignore him, but then I start to think. This is a moment to ask him questions. To figure him out. If I can, the ball will be in my court.

I lean back in my chair. "Family. Childhood. Career."

He gives me a look, and for a second I think he won't answer, but then he starts talking, his tone nonchalant. "I'm an only child raised in a home with a working mother and a father who stayed home. My father was an abusive piece of crap. My mom didn't care because he was good to her. The second I turned eighteen, I enlisted as a way to get out of that house. Fighting, killing, and strategizing came easily, so I climbed the ranks fast, though I can't talk about that much, but when I was finished in the military, I immediately started with Specter Inc. with a role that I couldn't refuse, and the rest is history." Then he gives a little smile that makes my blood heat up. "Your turn."

My turn? I hadn't thought about this being a two-way street, but the truth is that giving him a little information wouldn't hurt. If only a little. "I'm an only child to two amazing parents, although I grew up with my best friends, so I was never lonely. My dad passed away around my eighteenth birthday. I graduated high school and went to university, then attended this program at the Phoenix Institute."

"Best friends? Are these the ones we're going to save?" he asks, a touch of jealousy in his voice.

"Yes."

"Tell me about them."

"No."

He cocks a brow. "You're protective of them."

"So what?" I finish my soup and go to clean my bowl.

"I'm sorry about your dad." His voice is soft, gentle.

My hands still on the bowl. "Thanks."

"I get it. Both my parents are dead now."

I glance back at him, and there's no emotion on his face. "Sorry."

He shrugs.

I focus back on washing my bowl out when he's suddenly behind me, washing his bowl, arms around me. My heart hammers. "Why do you think the green dragon didn't keep coming for me?"

He's closer, breathing in my neck. "Honestly? Since the moment we were together, you've smelled more like me than you."

It's hard to think. "Wh-what do you mean?"

"Even now, you still smell like me and my cum. Even beneath that flowery shampoo and conditioner." His nose rubs against my neck. "You smell like… mine."

He turns off the sink and sets our bowls on the counter. He dries my hands, then his. When he's done, he doesn't move, and I'm forced to turn around and look at him. The pulling inside me is stronger, stronger than the pulling of a river with a powerful current. It urges me to be with him. Be close to him. Even though my head is saying this is a mistake.

Instead of kissing me, he trails his fingers over the marks on my neck. "It must be a dragon thing, but I like seeing the way I marked you."

I shiver under his touch. "It's a dragon thing."

He lifts a brow. "Do you like the marks on my neck too?" As if to test his theory, he offers his neck to me.

It's a trap. I know it is. But I lift my hand and touch each one, all along one side of his neck, then along the other. Before I can stop myself, my mouth follows the same trail as my fingers, and I suck him, biting him here and there. I love the rumble that comes from his chest, the one that means he's enjoying everything I'm doing.

He undoes the knot I'd tied in the drawstring of my pants, and they fall to the floor with no effort at all. His fingers part me, and a gasp slips from my lips against his throat as his fingers press into my hot core.

"You're wet," he whispers. "Always so fucking wet. You're going to soak that bed, you know?"

I whimper, spreading my legs wider. He takes advantage, plunging a finger inside me. I grab his shoulders, trying to stop myself from falling, and he rocks his finger in and out of me. The sounds of my wetness fill the room, evidence of my arousal neither of us can ignore.

When his finger pulls out of me, I almost protest, but he grabs my hips and lifts me onto the counter, like I weigh nothing at all. He spreads my legs with firm hands and grins. "Fucking beautiful."

I try to close my legs, embarrassed, but he keeps his grip firm and shakes his head. "Leave them open."

Despite a deep desire to refuse him, I do exactly that.

"Good girl," he murmurs, which sends a thrill down my spine. Then he lowers his head and his mouth pushes into me. And the man is a fucking animal. I've had men go down on me, but nothing like this. It's like he's devouring a feast after being starved, like all he's ever wanted in his life is my pussy. My entire body goes back on the counter, my hair spread out around me, my hands reaching out to grip something, finding nothing.

"Fuck!" I shout, tossing my head.

He lifts his head, licks me hard, and growls, "Say. My. Goddamn. Name."

Then he's back to my pussy, and his name tears from my lips. "Evander." He licks harder and harder, thrusting his long tongue deep inside, then sucks on my clit, sucking it into his mouth, and repeats, eating me out like a goddamn champion. "Evander! Evander!" I can't stop. His name becomes a chant, and I say it over and over again. He licks me in all the right places, and then I'm coming and coming, shouting his name as I come crashing so hard over the edge that I actually think my heart stops for a second.

When I come back to myself, he's still feasting on me, seemingly content to spend his life with his head between my thighs, but the feeling is too much as my nerves go from sending sparks of pleasure shooting through my body to becoming painfully sensitive. Reaching down, I tug on his hair to get him to stop, but it takes me a full minute before he sighs against my pussy and pulls back.

"You smell… you taste so damn good," he tells me, dark eyes locked onto mine. Then he stands up tall and undoes his pants, his massive cock springing free. "You're a very good girl, Samantha. I like the way you say my name. I asked for it once, and you gave it to me over and over again, didn't you?"

I don't know what to say. "Did your dick get bigger when you became a dragon?"

He raises a brow and glances down before shaking his head. "No, why?"

I lick my lips. "I've never seen such a big cock before."

A shudder rolls over him. "Want to taste it?"

The thing is, I really, really do. "Come here."

He's eager, so eager that I think he might fall, springing onto the counter. In an instant, he's climbing on top of me, that huge erection in my face. His gaze is dark, locked on my mouth, and his cock bobs eagerly.

I lean up just a little and take hold of his balls. "Like this?"

He throws his head back.

Shifting closer, I start to lick his balls, and then I take one in my mouth and suck. He swears and bucks, so I do the same to the other one. Then I start to run my tongue along one side of his erection, then along the other. He's thrusting, frustrated, and I'm enjoying every bit of teasing him.

"Samantha." My name is a warning.

"Yes?" I ask, popping his head into my mouth and giving a hard suck that makes him buck.

He grabs the back of my head and pulls me off. "I'm going to fuck your mouth now. Really hard. Is that okay?"

Goosebumps erupt across my body, and I nod.

"Good girl," he whispers, and then he scoots higher on me and shoves his cock deep into my mouth until I'm choking around him. His tip presses into the back of my throat as I gasp around him. He keeps a hand tightly in my hair and starts to fuck my mouth the way he fucks my pussy, and I'm so fucking turned on by it. I'm soaking the countertop, aching for his dick to fill all my holes.

But he's busy.

His head is thrown back. His fist is tight in my hair, and every time he thrusts I'm choking around him until his speed picks up, and then he's coming in my mouth. And he tastes… amazing, like syrup. Like some new sweet that I can never get enough of.

When he releases my hair and pulls back a little, I shift to keep licking him until I've cleaned every inch of his cock and balls. He watches me with hooded eyes as I do so, then says, "Such a good girl."

He reaches down, pushes up my shirt, and grips my nipples, pinching them hard, and I moan. He swears, closing his eyes. "You're going to be the fucking end of me. You know that?"

I don't know what to say. "I think I might be addicted to your cum." His eyes widen, and I continue before I can lose my nerve. "You taste so good. Sweet. Like candy. And I love it. I love your cum in my mouth. I love it in my pussy. It feels… so good."

To my surprise, he climbs off the counter. I don't know what he's going to do before he grabs me and tosses me over his back. A shriek of surprise explodes from my lips, and then I'm tossed on the bed.

"Shirt off."

I obey.

"Now, I'm going to need to hear all that about my cum again. When I'm inside of you." He climbs on top of me, hovering over me. "And your pussy tastes sweet too, just like you smell, like marshmallows and caramel."

"Really?"

He nods.

I run my hand along his chest.

He catches it, then pins both my hands over my head. "You're going to tell me about how I make you feel, how much you like my cum, and I'm going to keep my cock deep inside you while I mark you as my own. Okay?"

A shiver rolls down my spine. "Yes."

He leans so that his mouth is close to my ear. "Good girl."

I take a deep breath. "Your cum is so–" He shoves his cock deep inside of me, and I cry out in shock. The words come tumbling from my mouth, "You're so big. Fuck. Evander. You're so big and so hard. I don't even know–"

"And you don't want anyone else?" he growls as he sucks and bites his way down my mouth.

I'm shaking. "I don't want anyone else."

He keeps his cock firmly inside of me while I spew out things I don't even hear, and he sucks every inch of my neck, and then my breasts. He finally pulls his cock free when he marks my hips, my thighs, and the mound above my pussy. Every action only drives my desire higher, and by the time he starts fucking me, I'm orgasming over and over, having completely lost my mind.

When he's finished, he seems to swell inside me until I'm choking on my own breath.

"What… what is that?" It happened last time too.

He shakes his head, kissing my throat. "I don't know. I don't think I can pull out until we're done."

As if it prove it, he puts my legs over his shoulders and starts to fuck me again. My hands tangle into the bedsheets, and it's over and over again. Every time he comes, he stays hard and starts fucking me again. It isn't until the fifth or sixth time that he collapses on top of me, and his dick seems to soften.

We're both breathing hard, tangled together for a while. It's then that I realize the bed is broken. Destroyed from the strength of our fucking, but I don't even care.

This, this isn't good , I realize. Something is changing between us. It's not just about the sex. This is something deeper.

Something scary.

He kisses the space under my ear and chuckles. "You soaked the bed. Just like I thought you would."

My face feels hot. "It's not just me. That was like a bucket of cum!"

He shifts so that we're looking into each other's faces. "My cum. Which you love."

I swat his shoulder.

He laughs and pushes a finger and rubs inside me, just a little, which causes me to gasp. "Go to the bathroom, but don't fucking clean my cum off of you. I'll change the bed."

Getting up, I head for the bathroom, while he goes to rummage through some drawers. I watch his back, grab my phone, and hurry into the bathroom, feeling like I'm betraying Evander in some strange way.

When the door is closed, I'm still breathing hard. I feel alive, like every nerve in my body is in tune with his.

Then, I glance down at my phone and my stomach flips. Why does it feel like I just betrayed Aydan? I don't know. We had one drunken fumble, a mistake. At least that's all it was to him. I don't owe him anything. Yet, I can't shake the feeling that I'm doing something wrong.

It doesn't matter what you did or who you did it with, it only matters that they're okay.

Swiping my phone, I realize it's only got thirty percent battery left and decide to start turning it off in between using it. Taking a deep breath, I check that the volume is off and start texting.

Are you guys alright? I managed to escape the green dragon. I stole a truck and tried to escape the mountain, but things got complicated. I'm trying to come back and get you. Where are you?

Holding my breath, I remind myself that there's only a connection in a few places on this mountain, so even if they don't respond, it doesn't mean they're not okay, but then my phone vibrates, and I nearly jump.

Where are you? We're okay. We're in a car in town, trying to find you.

My fingers are flying. We're in a cabin just off of mile marker 64. But, listen, I don't know what to do. The green dragon is a male dragon. It can track my scent. It finds me… irresistible. Some kind of mating urge. I don't think I'm safe on this mountain. Evander says that his base, a place run by Specter Inc., knows everything about dragons and can keep me safe from the green dragon. I'm not sure if I should go there, but I know I'm not safe here.

It's another minute of waiting before their response comes. Don't trust him. We're coming for you. We'll get you off this mountain and find a safe place the green dragon can't find you.

I'm about to respond when another message comes in. The radio is saying there's a red dragon and a gray dragon too. They've been seen flying together…

My breath catches. I hesitate. The red dragon is me. The gray dragon is Evander. The guy that wants me to go to Specter.

He's a dragon too? The question comes almost immediately.

Yes.

Then how does he resist you?

Fuck. I type. Erase. Type again. He hasn't hurt me.

Time passes. Just hold on. We're coming for you.

I think about them out there with that dragon. Be careful. The green dragon is out there. And he's angry.