Page 67 of Charming the Dragon
However, before he could chase down the children, he needed to update Hayley. So he went to the opening and shouted, “Hold on tight, Hayley! I’m going to get you out soon, I promise. I need to get some help first, though, love.”
Straining his ears, Nathan wondered if she’d heard him. The thought of her alone down there, thinking he’d abandoned her, made his stomach churn.
Then her faint reply came. “I trust you, Nathan.”
Her words warmed his heart.
His dragon spoke up.Hurry up. You can think about how much you fancy her later. Our priority is getting her out of there.
I know that, dragon.
Nathan slowly rose, ignoring his ribs, and just as he finally stood upright, Joey Carter and Elliott Wells burst through the foliage. They skidded to a halt right in front of him and blinked.
Elliott spoke first. “Nathan! You’re here! But you were missing. Where were you?”
“It’s a long story, and I can share it later. However, Hayley is still down that hole there and needs our help. Is your dad here?”
“Yes, and so is Mr. MacLeod and Sebastian. Do you want me to get them?”
Sebastian Randall was one of Stonefire’s younger Protectors.
Despite telling Hayley he needed to find help, he was torn about leaving her. However, there was another possibility. “Do either of you have your mobile phone with you?”
They both shook their heads, and Elliott replied, “No. I lost mine, and Dad wouldn’t replace it. Joey doesn’t have one yet, but Mark does.”
He nearly swore, but held back. “Right, well, I don’t want to leave Hayley. So, do you two think you can fetch some help?” The boys nodded, and he continued, “Find your dad, Elliott, as well as Sebastian and anyone else who’s strong and can help pull the human female up out of a really deep hole. And when you find them, you need to tell them about where she is and to bring supplies. Can you do all that?”
Elliott’s pupils flashed to slits and back before he replied, “My dragon will help me remember all that, and I’ll get help.”
Joey jumped in. “And I’ve been training with Hudson to not get lost, so I can remember the way back here.”
“Good lads. Hurry as fast as you can. And if you get a little lost, shout and I’ll answer.”
Elliott replied, “Okay, Nathan. We’ll be real quick, I promise.”
The boys ran, and Nathan sat next to the hole again, willing Hayley to know he hadn’t left her.
Hayley huggedherself as she stared at the tiny hole in the ceiling. Nathan had made it through, and she should be happy about it. However, with each passing minute, she felt the space and dimness closing in.
She’d known Nathan’s presence had calmed her, but now she recognized just how much. He was strong and clever and dependable. Quite the catch, honestly.
And yet, she still swore there had to be some true mate dragon-shifter magic no one knew about to make her trust him so easily.
Smiling, she imagined teasing Nathan about it again later, which helped chase away her anxiety for a few minutes.
But then the soft drips from the stalactites reminded her of where she was. The only saving grace was the space was a lot larger than the trunk she’d been trapped inside as a child.
Hugging herself tighter, she debated shouting up again to see if Nathan would respond when his faint voice came through the hole. “Hayley! Help’s arrived. Shout if you’re still there, love.”
Maybe later she’d ponder him calling her love in front of others. For the moment, she had one goal—getting out of her own personal hell. “I’m here and waiting!”
“Right, give us a few more minutes. As soon as the sling comes down, sit down and hold on.”
“Okay! I’m more than ready!”
“I know, love. It’ll be over soon, I promise.”
She swore she heard shuffling, but had probably just imagined it. But then someone’s voice rang down loudly, as if through a bullhorn—it was Sarah Carter-Wells. “Hayley! We’re all here for you and won’t leave until we get you out, lass.”
