seams audibly protested. He’d be a laughingstock. A Dragon joke. He might just paddle her when he got his hands on her little bottom again. Despite his worry, Levi and the man still with him appeared grim when he tore into the courtyard a few moments later.
“You have a strong-willed woman,” Levi commented as they shifted for flight. “The marking and the mating drive should have worn her out. Her strength will serve her well as the mate of an elder.”
“If I don’t kill her,” Janos muttered. He pushed away the terror that their enemies would get to her first and he’d find pieces of her if he found anything at all. He had no time for fear.
“Do you have any idea where she’s gone?” Jonah asked. Since it was broad daylight, this needed to be a pinpoint and strike mission, or they’d terrorize the people of New York. While pandemonium could momentarily serve them, the Ghenton and Cruentus Clans would no longer need to worry about extinction. The council would see them exterminated for exposing the Dragons to the world.
“She wanted to see her cousin before leaving. She mentioned a church, but she could be at her cousin’s apartment.”
“Well, at least we know the needle is still in the haystack. My scion, Riordan,” Levi indicated the red and black Dragon beside him, “is one of the few who has old magic. His sight can guide us.”
“She was heading uptown. We were at the Madison Square stop when I forced her off the subway. The Djinni attacked us near Thirty-fourth street and Fifth avenue.”
Riordan nodded, knelt then rapidly drew in the dirt with his clawed finger. The design quickly took on the shape of the city, and he sectioned it into a search grid then allowed his hand to hover over it.
Janos paced, wanting Riordan to hurry so they could start now. Jonah placed a hand on Janos’ shoulder.
Calm down. We can’t rush him.
I know. I’m just—Jonah if anything happens to her… Janos gut clenched in protest to his thought. Scarlett had to be safe. Though he’d been with her less than a day, their souls had united so completely it would kill him if his enemies cut her down—not because of some magical link, but because he knew he couldn’t exist without her, his true mate. His spirit would wither and die because her light would have been taken from him. She’ll be fine. She’s obviously resourceful and we’ll find her in time. Then we’ll take your Velree home where you can lock her away until you change her. Not that I think that will go over well with her.
Janos heard Jonah chuckle in his head.
I think you’re gonna have your hands full, Jonah continued. Janos smiled at that. Yeah…
“She’s in this area,” Riordan said. He’d circled an area in east upper Manhattan. “It’s only a few blocks. I’ll guide us to the area then we can split up and search using our senses.”
* * * *
Exhausted from the trip into the city, Scarlett slipped into the dim narthex of the church where Athena’s wedding would be later in the week. According to the itinerary Athena had emailed before Scarlett’s trip, she was working on final decorating details. Scarlett opened the hoodie and let the fresh air cool her now that she didn’t have to hide. She’d been fortunate to find a tour bus heading into the city a half mile or so from the compound. The driver had taken pity on her when she’d given a sob story about her boyfriend deserting her. Of course, the two hundreds she’d flashed him might have softened his heart. She didn’t care. She’d gotten a cushy ride into town without having to find a cab that might or might not have taken the fare.
Across from her, two closed double doors led to the sanctuary. Through a small window in one door, she saw Athena flitting around. A man Scarlett assumed was Athena’s fiancé sat on the carpeted steps leading up to the altar and leaned indolently back on his elbows. His lids had drooped to half-mast, and he didn’t bother to follow
“You have a strong-willed woman,” Levi commented as they shifted for flight. “The marking and the mating drive should have worn her out. Her strength will serve her well as the mate of an elder.”
“If I don’t kill her,” Janos muttered. He pushed away the terror that their enemies would get to her first and he’d find pieces of her if he found anything at all. He had no time for fear.
“Do you have any idea where she’s gone?” Jonah asked. Since it was broad daylight, this needed to be a pinpoint and strike mission, or they’d terrorize the people of New York. While pandemonium could momentarily serve them, the Ghenton and Cruentus Clans would no longer need to worry about extinction. The council would see them exterminated for exposing the Dragons to the world.
“She wanted to see her cousin before leaving. She mentioned a church, but she could be at her cousin’s apartment.”
“Well, at least we know the needle is still in the haystack. My scion, Riordan,” Levi indicated the red and black Dragon beside him, “is one of the few who has old magic. His sight can guide us.”
“She was heading uptown. We were at the Madison Square stop when I forced her off the subway. The Djinni attacked us near Thirty-fourth street and Fifth avenue.”
Riordan nodded, knelt then rapidly drew in the dirt with his clawed finger. The design quickly took on the shape of the city, and he sectioned it into a search grid then allowed his hand to hover over it.
Janos paced, wanting Riordan to hurry so they could start now. Jonah placed a hand on Janos’ shoulder.
Calm down. We can’t rush him.
I know. I’m just—Jonah if anything happens to her… Janos gut clenched in protest to his thought. Scarlett had to be safe. Though he’d been with her less than a day, their souls had united so completely it would kill him if his enemies cut her down—not because of some magical link, but because he knew he couldn’t exist without her, his true mate. His spirit would wither and die because her light would have been taken from him. She’ll be fine. She’s obviously resourceful and we’ll find her in time. Then we’ll take your Velree home where you can lock her away until you change her. Not that I think that will go over well with her.
Janos heard Jonah chuckle in his head.
I think you’re gonna have your hands full, Jonah continued. Janos smiled at that. Yeah…
“She’s in this area,” Riordan said. He’d circled an area in east upper Manhattan. “It’s only a few blocks. I’ll guide us to the area then we can split up and search using our senses.”
* * * *
Exhausted from the trip into the city, Scarlett slipped into the dim narthex of the church where Athena’s wedding would be later in the week. According to the itinerary Athena had emailed before Scarlett’s trip, she was working on final decorating details. Scarlett opened the hoodie and let the fresh air cool her now that she didn’t have to hide. She’d been fortunate to find a tour bus heading into the city a half mile or so from the compound. The driver had taken pity on her when she’d given a sob story about her boyfriend deserting her. Of course, the two hundreds she’d flashed him might have softened his heart. She didn’t care. She’d gotten a cushy ride into town without having to find a cab that might or might not have taken the fare.
Across from her, two closed double doors led to the sanctuary. Through a small window in one door, she saw Athena flitting around. A man Scarlett assumed was Athena’s fiancé sat on the carpeted steps leading up to the altar and leaned indolently back on his elbows. His lids had drooped to half-mast, and he didn’t bother to follow
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