Read Online Dragon's Blood by Brynn Paulin - Free Book Online Page B

remains into a whirlwind and, with a flick, sent it screaming toward Scarlett and Athena like a freight train. The two women dove into the side aisle. Looking over her shoulder, Scarlett saw Jonah and Janos back to back, breathing fire and staving off their enemies’ attacks with magical force she hadn’t known they possessed. As if sharing the same brain, their movements mirrored one another. Together, they jumped and their landing sent a shockwave rippling across the floor. Scarlett hugged her body against Athena’s as the surge sent them slamming into a marble wall. Woozily, she saw it knocked Tyler and his comrade off their feet as well. The Dragons separated and advanced on the pair as they struggled upright, but Tyler and the woman couldn’t move fast enough. Both Dragons shoved their hands in front of themselves and roared, pushing them wide. The enemies screamed, but the sound was cut to a mere echo as their extremities pulled from their bodies and thudded to the floor. Following suit, Scarlett thudded as well…in one piece.
    * * * *
    Scarlett woke with a scream, and Janos tightened his arms around her, sure she’d struggle until she realized where she was—in his arms, flying above the clouds.
    “Hush, love. You’re safe. I have you.”
    “Thank God,” she whispered without fighting. She wrapped her arms as far around him as she could and pressed her cheek to his chest. He could barely feel it through his armor. But it warmed him none the less.
    He nuzzled her hair with his chin, so thankful she was alive and unharmed. His heart had nearly stopped when he’d heard the explosions in the church. He and Jonah had broken through the roof, both fearing they’d be avenging Scarlett rather than saving her. But his brave Velree had held her own against an impossible foe.
    “You killed them,” she murmured after a moment.
    “We are at war,” he replied simply.
    “Is Athena okay? She wasn’t moving after she was slammed into the wall.”
    “Yes. Jonah has her. She’s a Dragon mate and under our protection.”
    “But we’re not related by blood,” Scarlett protested. “How is that possible?”
    “The marker runs through many, of the same blood or not. We are fortunate that you’re so obstinate or we would never have found her—not in time. Do not do that again.”
    “I won’t. I just had to see her…”
    He sighed. This case was a no-win argument. She’d disobeyed, but if she hadn’t,

    some Dragon would have lost his mate. “I know, Velree . Your punishment will be lighter for that.”
    “Punishment?”
    “You disobeyed your elder. You purposefully sought to undermine my authority.”
    She made a disgusted sound and withdrew her arms from around him. Turning slightly in his embrace, she stared at the clouds they passed rather than facing him. “You were being unreasonable.”
    “Says the mate who was almost killed. Again.” He nudged her shoulder playfully with his chin though a part of him still raged from the terror of her near death. “This would be three times. How many will it take?”
    “I think I’m done. Can you maybe get me pregnant and change me so I can get on with life? I’ll be a good mom, and I’ll try to do that Velree thing, but I’d like to get back to my career, too. At least, for a while.”
    But she wouldn’t love him or care for him. It didn’t escape him that she’d left that out. Lust was one thing. Affection was another. “We’ll see,” he said. “I’m all for the first part, but I don’t want you away from me. I can promise you a pampered life—”
    “I’m not proposing to be away. I’m suggesting occasional appearances, recording records, that sort of thing. Doing a tour certainly isn’t on my agenda. Besides, I seem to want you every minute.”
    “It will lessen. Some.”
    “I don’t think it will be enough for me to want to be away from you. Unless, well, you didn’t raise a glamour or something to make me need you, did you?”
    He