Dragon Mystics: Supernatural Prison 2(13)

Braxton spun around with me still cradled in his arms. Gah! The red dragon was like a fucking inch away. My heart literally stopped beating. Then as I came face to face with it, the dragon’s roar began to taper off and this strange purring-hum noise started deep in the heavily scaled red chest. It vibrated up through to the masses of razor sharp teeth which were far too close to my face for comfort.

Just as I was about to insist Braxton get-me-the-heck-away, heat unfurled from inside of me. Tingles started on my back and I could feel that my dragon mark was reacting to this wild creature. Without stopping to think about it, I reached for him. Somehow I knew it was a male.

“Jess…” Braxton’s voice was low. I could tell that he was trying not to set off the beast, but I heard the warning.

And yet, I still couldn’t stop myself from placing both hands onto his scaled nose. A puff of smoke emerged, coating the air in the scent of sulfur. Then the dragon closed its eyes, the large black domes disappearing under scaled lids.

I don’t know how long we stayed like this, but eventually the dragon pulled its snout back, gave me an odd head bob, and strode off back into the desert land it called home. As it moved further away, I started to come back to myself. I don’t know where I’d gone during those moments of connection with the dragon, but it had been red deserts, ice lands, oceans of blue and green plains. Masses of dragons ruling the land and air.

I had to blink rapidly in an attempt to clear my head, regain composure.

“Did that just seriously happen?” Mischa’s voice had me focusing on her tiny person. At some point everyone had moved closer.

Jacob and Tyson didn’t look as calm and collected as usual. The wizard had yellow threading his eyes. He’d been pulling magic in case something went wrong. Maximus cut off my view as he stepped to Braxton’s side, lowering his face to meet mine. His eyes were black, fangs partially descended. Come to think of it, he was probably getting a bit blood hungry.

“What is wrong with you, Jess? Do you have a death wish?” Maximus snarled, his tone harsher than he generally used with me. “A child listens more than you.”

His anger awoke my own, clearing the last of the melodic song which the dragon had created inside of me. I struggled against Braxton, needing to stand on my own feet.

Once I was down, I stalked into the vamp’s personal space. He didn’t back away. I only came up to his pectoral muscles, but calling on my wolf brought forth my alpha energy. I was still dominant enough to challenge him.

“Talk to me like that again, Max, and the next conversation we have will be with fang and claws.” Each word rumbled out through bared teeth.

He leaned into me, using his height as a domination tactic. “You’re so frustrating. I goddamn love your stubborn, stupid ass and I can’t stand by and watch you destroy yourself. I don’t know what’s happening to you, but it has to stop.”

He was talking about more than this moment. It was still between us, me lying about the mark and taking off into Vanguard on my own. Some of my anger faded out.

“Max…” It was a warning from Braxton. The vampire snapped his head to the side and locked on his brother.

“You of all supernaturals must agree with me,” Maximus growled.

Braxton’s eyes caressed my features. I noticed the tension in his body, but otherwise he seemed composed. He turned those calm eyes on all of his brothers, but mostly Maximus.

“Jessa wears a dragon mark,” he said. “She’s special. When beings are chosen for something greater than the ordinary … well, there are always risks. We are her pack, we must support her.” He softened his tone. “You fight against change, Max, you always have. But adaption is what we need now. We can still protect her, we just have to identify the new enemy.”

Jacob shook back his white-blond hair. “She just patted a dragon. Where exactly do we draw the line on dangerous activities?”

I threw my hands in the air, annoyance flooding in again. “One: you don’t draw any lines, I do. Two: since when are dragons the enemy? That one wasn’t even dangerous.”

Gerard cleared his throat. “She has a point. As long as we steer clear of their territory, we do not have trouble from the dragons. Although they don’t like being challenged.”

I smirked at Braxton. “Dragons don’t like to be challenged … shocker,” I drawled, my sarcasm alive and well.

The quads exchanged looks, commiserating mostly, but I was used to that. There was no more arguing. The fight was done. Although judging by their resigned expressions, we’d probably revisit this conversation at some point.