Page 2 of The Heart of the Dragon

“Isaac!” Kitra called, rounding the nose of the vehicle while glaring at her mate. "Don't!"

If I could take a breath without pain shooting through my entire body, I would laugh at the withering look she gave us both. It didn't matter what realm we were in, his mate took no shit.

Of course, when you had blood magic to back up your words…

However, seeing her flooded my mind with memories I couldn't shake. Years of blood and destruction haunted me, flashing before my eyes in vivid, sickening detail.

The screams of the innocent, the acrid smell of burning flesh, and the weight of countless lives lost by my own claws—all threatening to drown me in a sea of guilt and regret. I struggled to push the images away, but they clung to me like a second skin, a constant reminder of the monster I truly was.

And after three months in this modern hellhole, I still couldn’t take control of my own mind. I was teetering on the edge as time continued to run out.

As usual, the dragon was already pressing against my skin, pushing for his freedom, and would soon burst free.

Three long months of unleashed rage that refused to go away.

“Magnus?” She looked over at me with wide, fearful eyes. “Are you okay?”

“You shouldn’t be here,” I rasped. "It's not safe."

"Is that some kind of threat against my mate?" Isaac's dragon flashed in his eyes again and across his skin in the form of black scales. "You must have a death wish."

My beast was far from pleased, its fury bubbling just beneath the skin. It would gladly accept his challenge if that's what he desired, but in reality, I craved respite. This unrelenting urge toincinerate and demolish was wearing me down. I couldn't take much more.

"Everyone just relax," Kitra interrupted again. "Magnus, please. I know you're struggling, but we need to work together. We can help you." I could see the concern in her eyes and feel her blood magic reaching out to me, and I wanted no part of it.

"No!" I roared in her direction, fighting with the beast inside me who wanted to attack. "Stay away from me." I didn't want her anymore involved in this disaster than she already was. And I certainly didn't need anything fromhim.

“We’re not here to hurt you,” Kitra whispered gently. Thanks to acute dragon hearing, I caught every cautious word, but my mind was giving way to the dragon, whether I liked it or not.

“Speak for yourself. I’m tired of chasing him down. This has to end. Even if that means?—”

"Isaac, you're not helping."

"Can you blame me? Can't you see he's lost the ability to control his dragon? He can barely speak. We can't have a feral dragon roaming the earth out here. He's going to get us all killed."

"I can still talk," I growled, my voice rougher than ever. Although I wasn't going to admit to him what a struggle it had become.

Kitra tentatively reached for me again, and I sidestepped away from her.

"Good. Then tell us what you need. What can we do? You're putting all of our kind at risk."

"That's for sure," Isaac said. "Every time we clean up behind you, it's getting harder and harder to mask the truth. Even Kitra's magic has its limitations."

I wasn't sure what he wanted me to say. I could barely think past the pain since I'd been pulled through the portal. That night, something had snapped in me, and it had been almost relentless ever since.

"Magnus, you have to help us help you. Tell us what's going on. I've never seen you like this before."

"Send me back." I wanted to go home.

"No can do," Isaac answered. "That portal is closed for a reason, and it has to stay that way. We can't risk any more breaches. Dealing with one out-of-control dragon is enough."

"You don't want to go back. The King would take control of you again. He's still strong there. Even now I can feel it. There has to be something else we can do. If we can fix whatever the problem is, you can be free here."

Kitra had more kindness in her than anyone deserved, but especially me. I'd done horrible things to her in the name of our King. And she wasn't the only one. It truly was a wonder that Isaac hadn't fought harder to kill me by now. He was well within his rights.

My stomach twisted at the memories of the past, and the dragon roared in my head. He didn’t like the pain, but I was tired of him using that as an excuse to steal my control.

I looked over at the man who by blood was my brother, and yet I felt absolutely no connection to. I'd known his arrival inthe fae realm those months ago did not bode well. However, I'd underestimated how dire the consequences would actually be.

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