Ran nodded. “Let’s go.”
Draven growled and caught his arm. “You’ve got to be joking. You can’t.”
Ran shrugged. “I can’t let them hurt Quill. He’s important right now. We don’t have time for him to be reborn. And besides, he’s my friend. What’s the point to this life if I can’t protect my friends?” He gave Draven a hard glare, and Draven released his arm.
Drake looked back at Melissa. “What about her?”
“She comes with,” Draven said. “I’ll keep her in my dragon shield. Quill too, when we find him.”
Drake nodded. “I’ll fight alongside Ran. His dragon fire can’t hurt me.” He winked at Melissa. “Basically nothing can.”
Her jaw dropped. “What?”
“The red dragon,” Draven said. “Never-ending cockiness and huge durability.”
“And strength,” Drake added smugly.
“Why does he need us, then?” she asked, wiping the smirk off his face as he turned to glare at her.
“It’s Ran,” Draven said. “If there are enough shifters, if they’re healing too quickly, even a dragon can’t take them down. When it’s a large group, it’s always us. If it’s one really extreme opponent, that’s more his area.” He jerked his head at Drake.
“All right,” Ran said. “Let’s hurry before they hurt Quill.”
Drake’s face took on a strained expression again, and Ran put an arm around his shoulders, laughing as Drake growled and shook it off.
“Fine,” Draven said, putting his arm out for her to take as he followed the others. “But if something happens to Ran during this, I’m holding you all responsible.”
Drake let out a bitter laugh, and Ran said nothing.
Melissa didn’t know if she should be grateful she’d been granted a reprieve while figuring out what to do about Ran and Draven and the mating, or if she was worried about the danger they were walking into.
Regardless, she knew Draven would protect her. But who would protect Ran?
* * *
Melissa rode in Draven’s dragon claws again as they went to the location where was being held. As usual, wolves preferred somewhat remote, abandoned settings, and Draven was grateful they could use their dragon fire without assuming full dragon form if needed.
He landed quietly in a field outside a giant, abandoned warehouse, and Drake and Ran followed. Ran’s breathing was slightly labored, and Draven hated the sound of it.
Draven hated every bit of Ran’s plan. Just like Ran to do something like that, find a mate just for him because he was the one who chased away the other mate.
Why couldn’t Ran have been born with the regular ruthlessness the black dragon usually possessed? Draven shifted back and helped Melissa up, noting she still seemed slightly shaken by everything that’d happened.
This whole time, she’d accepted everything with an almost unearthly calm, but the news about Ran and about her having to risk death to be with both of them seemed to hit her limit of accepting things calmly.
Still, she hadn’t run yet, and that had to mean something.
Maybe they had a shot at this after all. Maybe they could just spend a little more time figuring out whether she was dragon-hearted, and whether that helped her chances with Ran’s poisonous blood.
Ran looked up at the warehouse, rolling back the sleeves of his black sweater. Ran always looked good in black, with his tanned skin and golden hair.
Draven never had more respect for Ran than when they were on a mission. His easy, lighthearted friend quickly became a badass of the first order.
“We’ll have to go in our human forms,” Ran said. I can’t sense Quill, so he’s probably unconscious.”
“Do you think they want dragon blood?” Drake asked, and Melissa looked over curiously.
“It’s part of why dragons travel in pairs,” Draven said. “Our blood has odd qualities and is considered valuable.” He turned to Drake. “I don’t know.”
Drake cracked his knuckles. “If they’ve touched him, they’re dead.”
“They’re dead either way,” Ran said. “Kidnapping is a Forbidden.”
Draven nodded. “All right. Let’s head in. Drake will take the lead, in case of a sneak attack, since he’s the toughest.”
Drake grinned.
Draven continued. “Ran will be next, and I’ll take up the back with Melissa. I’ll resist putting up a shield until the last minute, because the glowing could give us away. And when I see Quill, I’ll try to get to him with a shield as well. When I’m ready, I’ll give the signal, and you can fire on the rest.”