Page 24 of Siren Sins
“That’s our cue,” I said, and stood. Luke finally released me and needles tingled in my fingers as blood rushed back into them.
I half-expected Derek to be waiting for us at the elevator, or to have at least disabled it, but the keycard was waiting for me, perched neatly on the panel’s shelf.
With a frown, I ushered Luke and Jet in behind me before inserting the card to go back up to the top level. Something inside of me warned that, once again, we’d played right into Derek’s plans.
The sense of unease that made me want to run was validated the moment we stepped out onto the streets.
Jin and a hoard of dragons waited for us. Each with flexing scale-covered muscles and dangerous reptilian irises flashing their warning.
“So, you’ve finally discovered your true heritage,” Jin boomed.
Jet shoved me behind him. “It seems you’ve been lying to me, brother.”
Jin grinned, his Sabertooth fangs making his lips strain at the motion. “Your mother was queen of the Hugh Modali, the last of the clan before our father killed her.” He snarled. “Your clan was the reason we’ve been trapped in Shanghai for thousands of years. Father was mad not to have killed you too the moment you were born.” His eyes narrowed. “He never could give up the idea that he could suck the power of the Hugh Modali from your marrow.”
I wasn’t one to pin Jet with “daddy issues,” but the air around him sizzled with hints of flame. I remained where I was, just a hair’s breadth from touching his flexing frame. Jet and I had become one, and where he had dragonfire, I had an inferno inside of me. Even without the Blood Stone on my chest, I still felt its heat beating against my chest.
Luke’s grip on my wrist brought me back from the edge. “Sonya. We shouldn’t be here for this.”
There wasn’t fear in his voice, simply an acknowledgment that we didn’t belong in the dragon’s world.
“Then you go,” I snapped. “I belong at Jet’s side just as much as I belong at yours.” He might not have dragonfire in him, but I did, and this was now my fight too.
He flinched as if I’d physically slapped him. “Very well,” he said and stubbornly shoved a cell in my hands. “Call me when you’re ready. I’ll be at the airport making sure you can still leave.” His gaze flashed to mine with unhidden hope. “Jet will protect you, but you can’t stay here. I’ll be waiting for you.”
Before I could fathom how Luke got his hands on a cell phone, or what it was he wanted from me, he disappeared into the shadows of Shanghai’s streets.
Stretching of skin and beast-like snarls brought me back to the problem at hand. Jin was growing into his true form and now there was a full-sized dragon snarling in the middle of the street. He spread leathery wings and human screams filled the air.
I cursed under my breath and brushed Jet’s shoulder. “The Demonspawn were supposed to be a distraction. Jin thinks they’re here.” The only thing that’s going to be on the news tonight is a Sabertooth dragon.
He grinned at me over his shoulder. “Then we have the advantage.”
Scales and heat shifted under my touch and I snatched my hand away as Jet transformed. I staggered back as my jaw fell agape to see Jet become a dragon. His scales glimmered with pure emerald hues. Green fire licked around his elongated snout and even though he’d become a beast of nightmares, his reptilian eyes still held a soul I recognized.
He turned from me, the sweeping waves of his wings sending a warm blast that slapped my hair away from my face.
Out of instinct, I raised my hands to aid him and a familiar ruby red filtered through my fingertips.
“What is this?” I asked under my breath.
The answer came from within.
You’ve unleashed me.
I froze.
The Blood Stone might have shattered, but its power was now inside of me, and it was sentient.
Jin, a wretched beast with twisted horns, roared and sent the air steaming with his breath. Jet didn’t hesitate and launched into the sky, his own emerald flames licking the air.
Once Jet was clear, I pushed my power to the dragon who snarled. A blast of ruby magic sent him sprawling into his scaled men. When bones cracked under his weight and cries of agony filled the air, I realized that only royalty could fully transform into the mythical beasts.
A grin overtook my face as Jet followed my power with a blast of his own. Jin snapped at him and sharp, serrated fangs found Jet’s neck. He roared with agony as steaming blood fell to the streets.
“No!” I cried, and pushed my power again into the brawling dragons that filled the sky. My panic took form of a magical rope and wrapped around Jin’s legs, yanking him hard.
The surprise of the attack made him unlatch his maw. Jet roared as a fresh splatter of steaming blood hit the ground. Terror swept through me when Jin redirected his attack. The vile dragon was coming straight for me.
