Page 62 of Dragon King's Cursed Mate

Dain

Dain’s gut twisted. Something was wrong.

“Jasmine, have you seen Seraphina?”

“Not since this morning. I think she went to the clearing.”

He took a few steps toward the forest when he felt Seraphina’s scream ripping through his soul. The sound took his breath away and made him stumble.

Dain put his hand out against the wall to steady himself. The image of Seraphina chained to an iron chair as her back arched in pain flashed through his mind. He heard Malakar say, “All you have to do is tell me where Dain is. This will all stop.”

“Like hell.” She spat a mouthful of blood on the floor. “You’ll just kill me then.”

Kael rushed up to him. “What’s wrong?”

“Malakar has Seraphina. He’s torturing her,” Dain panted his voice full of anguish and anger.

“Where?”

The image formed in his mind, and he looked around as though he was seeing the room through Seraphina’s eyes.

“Gravenholt.”

Kael sent a telepathic message to the rest of the brotherhood.Malakar has Seraphina at Gravenholt. He’s torturing her.

A minute later the other seven members of the brotherhood rushed up to them.

“Shall we get others?” Kade asked.

“No time. We do this alone,” Dain said.

He didn’t bother undressing—he shredded his clothes as he shifted into his dragon form. The others did the same and launched themselves into the sky, heading north toward the ancient kingdom that should have been completely destroyed years ago. It was so infested with evil magic, death, torture, and destruction that even the soil was tainted.

Dain’s fury grew as they flew to the ruins. It overshadowed any hint of the darkness that might be trying to control him. All he could think of was saving Seraphina and killing Malakar.

Hurry, before there’s nothing left of me to save.

It was as though she was screaming the message in his ear.

I’m coming.

They landed in the courtyard and demolished the front wall of the temple.

Malakar’s whip landed on Seraphina’s bloody back. “Where is he?” Malakar roared.

“Behind you,” she whispered.

She hung limply from the chains, barely alive.

Something uncoiled inside of his stomach. It was more powerful than the darkness that had taken over his mind. This was something much older.

His body began to change, but this wasn’t like the normal shifting. He felt as though he was being torn apart from the inside. This was more violent.

Dain realized that something ancient that had been buried inside of him was coming alive.

His bones split and reformed while his muscles stretched so tightly that they ripped and then fused themselves together again, stronger than before. Pain shot through his body as his scales split and reshaped into obsidian, razor-edged scales marked with ancient runes.

Dain’s horns lengthened, covered in ancient etchings that pulsated with power. His senses sharpened, each sound and scent becoming distinct.

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