Chapter 38

THE DRAGON

Fucking useless kid. If he hadn’t gotten us through yet, it wasn’t going to fucking happen. Maya would have to face the motherfucking monster alone.

“If you don’t figure it the fuck out, witch, I’m going to pull your spine out from your throat,” I snarled.

“You’re just scaring him into freezing, Enzo,” Tanner hissed, but he didn’t fool me. His pacing grated on my nerves too.

Fuck what Tanner said. Time was of the essence, and based on what the panthera mentioned, Maya would face Osmodus soon.

Sweat beaded on the male witch’s forehead. He raked his hands across his face, the spell he recited falling quiet. It had been like this every time. He’d get started, and the air would begin to charge with electricity—then nothing.

I neared as close to the barrier as I could without touching it. Lowering my head, I narrowed my gaze on his.

“I’ll come after everything you love—no, I won’t give you that. I will go after everything you care about. If you like some bitch, I’ll kill her right in front of you.” A muscle in his neck tightened the barest inch. I smiled evilly. I’d gotten his tick. “I’ll show you how ruthless I can be to her, or him, whatever floats your boat, Dingo. You will not like it.”

“It’s Dinko,” Tanner drawled.

I speared him with a glare.

Focus thinned Dinko’s mouth, and the chant resumed. The titling words exited with force, and the hair on my arms lifted. Each gritted syllable elevated the intensity in the air. An incandescent ripple shifted across the barrier. The thick barrier became easier to see with each word flowing from the witch’s mouth.

Yes. Yes.

When the wall rippled again, I dove through. This time, my body didn’t ricochet off it; I rolled with the momentum.

“Quite dramatic,” Elliot muttered.

“Fuck off,” I hissed and shook my head to remove the leaves that stuck in my hair.

“Guys!” Helen screamed, and the male holding her in his arms dashed toward us. He breathed hard, sweat beading his forehead. He stumbled to a stop and dropped to his knees. She rolled out of his arms while he fell forward and pressed his forehead to the floor.

“Adrien,” she gasped and clasped his face. His chest arched and he groaned. “What’s wrong?”

Veins bulged in his neck.

“He’s maturing,” Tanner said.

“B-but I thought he was older. Past the age of maturing.” Her hands flitted over him. “When’s your birthday, Adrien?” Helen asked, rushed.

“March.” He coughed and winced.

“I don’t think so,” Tanner commented, crouching next to them. “He’s definitely maturing.”

Helen blinked. “She could have lied,” she breathed. “She lied about everything else, of course she lied about this.” He shuddered and Helen pulled his head on her lap. “Shit.” Her round eyes settled on me. “We were caught. Maya and Claudia were dragged to Osmodus. They’re using Claudia to keep her in line. They should be in the Administration building.”

Tanner jerked as if hit in the chest. After a beat, he disappeared.

I shifted into my dragon form mid-run. My wings grazed the surrounding trees, splintering their top branches as I took to the sky.

Sudden pressure drooped my tail. Dildo Dinko had latched on. I roared and swung my tail, but the little fucker wouldn’t detach. I puffed smoke from my nose and beat my wings to get to Maya, taking the witch along for the ride. With my wingspan, I easily matched Tanner’s speed. The top of the buildings grazed the skyline, and I angled nose-down, diving toward the ground.

Shaking my tail in a swift jerk, the witch finally released and went flying to who knew where. I hit the ground, and cement cracked in a jagged line all the way to the building’s entrance. Tanner already strode in front of me. The glass doors swung open, and two figures barreled out. I pulled my dragon form back and remained half shifted as I rushed toward the chaos.

Tanner’s sibling yanked free of the purple-haired girl’s grip and dashed toward her brother. “You’re here,” Claudia sobbed, clutching Tanner.

The purple-haired girl lunged at Claudia, her movements mechanical. Tanner slammed his palm into her chest and forced her to the ground.

“She’s not herself. Maya used her creepy demon ability to force her to get me out of there.”

Tanner lifted his heel from the middle of the female’s spine.

As all that happened, I didn’t stop my stride. I left them behind, slamming through the door. Glass rained around me and crunched beneath my bare feet.

Maya would be fine. She was fine. I understood her strength and knew she could protect herself, but the fucking ball in my throat wouldn’t lessen.

Blood and screams guided me. Osmodus and Maya danced around each other. He came at her, and Maya ducked, side-stepping him. Each time he swiped, it cut too close.

On her next attack, he avoided her. Fuck, how had he already gotten a read on her. Maya was a damn good fighter, but she thought too much. She analyzed the potentials, and it made it easier to catch her off guard.

Her small body slammed onto the ground. It would have hurt me less if it had happened to me. Fucking bastard.

I bum rushed through everything in my way, stepping on bones, and carcasses. My feet slapped over the wet carpet and at the base of the rise, and just as Osmodus struck his fist into her face the second time, I slammed into the fucker.

Gripping him hard, I let my shift ripple over my skin, my wings slamming into chairs, sending them flying. Fortunately for everyone in here, the auditorium was massive enough for me to take flight. His hiss echoed, but I didn’t let a moment pass as I beat my wings. The tips pulverized the walls.

My goal was to pull him apart, piece by piece, with my claws. I dug them into his skin and flesh gave way just a bit. A searing bite sank into my claw above the talon, ripping a roar from my throat.

Fucker tried to remove my limb. My wing slammed into the wall, and it jostled me mid-flight. My grip loosened, and he twisted away. The momentum of my flight staggered, and I careened toward the ground.

Some chick screamed as my wing whacked her to the side. I shoved my dragon back down as I landed and rolled to my feet.

I scanned the chaotic auditorium. Where had he gone?

“Let us out,” a whisper cracked. It came from one of the four behind the electrical barrier.

I spun around to find Osmodus back on Maya.

My chest seized, making it difficult to breathe. Deep, violent fear I’d never experienced before Maya clutched onto my soul, threatening to shred it to pieces.

I froze mid-step . . . without my permission. What the fuck? That witch who used to follow Andrea around stared at me. Cunt. I swiped my arm out but couldn’t reach her.

“Release me,” I snapped. Her eyes didn’t register. The pupils remained enlarged. Before I chewed through my legs to get free, Tanner slammed his foot into her. She went flying, her body hitting the wall like a toy, but she quickly got back up.

A male rushed at Tanner, but I focused on the female.

Time to take a witch out.