Page 58 of Surge of Storms

I grin. “Not when it counts.”

Granger shakes his head, laughing.

“Where’s Sam?” I ask.

Evander releases a deep breath. “She’s having coffee with Dahlia.”

We look at him in alarm.What the fuck? That can’t be a good idea.

He lifts a hand. “It’s a two minute flight from here, and I sent Zane with her. He’ll die before he lets anyone hurt her.”

“Still…” I say, hating the way my stomach flips at the thought of her out there with just Zane.

“She’s been satisfied recently, so her scent shouldn’t draw anyone to her, and Malikay and his gang are hours away.” He looks a little tired. “We can’t guard her every second of the day, or she’ll start to resent us. She’ll start to wonder if we’re any better than those jackasses who want to take her prisoner.”

“You’re right.” Granger looks like he’s coming to terms with it himself. “Sam is a wild card. If she doesn’t have some space, she’ll go nuts. This is a safe way for her to have some freedom.”

Evander surprises me by looking at me. “What do you think?”

I hate having to admit it. “I don’t like it.”

Evander nods. “So, maybe the three of us should head into town and just hang around. There’s a little cafe across from the coffee shop…”

I instantly feel better. “Let’s go.”

We head for the parking lot at a brisk pace, nodding at betas along the way. It’s not that I think something bad will, or has, happened to Sam, it’s just that I’ll feel better if we’re closer to her. Especially if we’re keeping an eye on her and she doesn’t know it. Then she’ll get her freedom and stay safe.

Evander’s phone rings. He stops walking, looks at it, and his expression instantly hardens. “Hello?” There’s a long pause. “How long ago?”

My pulse picks up. This is bad, obviously bad, but it doesn’t mean Sam has anything to do with this. It could be something completely unrelated.

Then, why do I feel sick to my stomach?

Clicking off the phone, he looks at us, terror in his eyes. “A dragon took Sam.”

TWENTY-THREE

Samantha

I awaken,a terrible pounding in the back of my head. Opening my eyes, I wince at the brightness. It takes a moment for me to realize that I’m staring out massive doors to a balcony that looks out at the biggest swimming pool I’ve ever seen in my life. Large white curtains surround the doors, and expensive-looking paintings line the walls.

Where am I? What the hell happened?

Lifting my hand, I touch my swollen face, wincing at the pain. My heart starts to race and memories come back to me. I slowly glance around the room until I spot the strange man who’d punched me sitting in a chair, watching me.He’s the same blond man I saw at the base.His gaze burns into my own with such intensity that I want to run screaming from the room, but somehow, I know that if I look away now, he’ll see it as a weakness.

I wonder how long I was knocked out. Do the guys even know I’m missing?The thought makes a chill roll down my spine.I need to act as if I’m all alone in getting out of here. It’s the only chance I have.

Slowly, cautiously, I sit up. Then, I carefully touch my pocket, looking for my cell phone, but find it gone. I don’t know if they took it, or if I lost it when they kidnapped me, but it can’t help me now.

He doesn’t move. Just watches me. At least, to my relief, he’s dressed.

As we eye each other, a second man walks in. I instantly recognize him as Kek, the salmon dragon.So, this must be Than, the brown dragon.Kek carries a tray over and approaches me. I flinch away, and he sets the tray on the bed. On one half of it there’s charred meat, and on the other there is a pile of jewelry that shimmers and shines, calling to me, but I don’t move.

“What am I doing here?”

Kek cocks his head. “You made it clear that what we were doing was not working, so we changed the way we approached you.”

“You attacked me in human form and kidnapped me.”

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