Page 61 of Claim the Dragon
“I think we’re both appreciating it right now.”
They definitely were, until a flashing blue light from the dashboard of the truck illuminated the interior and shined brightly on them as they stood in the night air.
“Another signal?”she asked.
He nodded.“The private signal is to be heard while in Drakon form.Secondary calls will go through our communicators.”The one he’d been wearing was programmed to disintegrate the moment composition of his human arm changed.He bent forward and put on his shoes, then returned to the back to fish out the backup communicator he kept there.A second backup could be found in the glove compartment.
“The watch I saw you talking to at the senator’s house,” she said and reached up to close the back hatch while he fastened the communicator onto his wrist.
“Yeah,” he replied but she was already walking around to the passenger side of the truck.
Steele moved to the driver’s side, climbing in just as the phone inside began ringing.He closed the door and started the engine before answering the call.
“Hey, Isla, I’m on my way.”
“Good, because we’ve got a situation that I don’t think any of us were prepared for,” Isla said through the secured line.
“Great,” he replied, “another one.”
Ravyn didn’t ask as many questions as he’d thought she would on the drive back and he took that time to think about what was going to happen next.He wasn’t taking her back to the Office, so Theo could be glad about that.But they were heading back into downtown Burgess, to the Towers building where he knew Magnum and Reese had taken Enes.He’d only instructed them to take the scumbag Vertis with them when he’d left Robles’s house with Ravyn, but he didn’t know what else the team may have done or found out in that time.His priority had been Ravyn and now that he was certain she was alright, he could shift gears and think of a way to get her friend back safely and get rid of Temptra.
“This is the building where the Legion really is,” she said when they turned the corner and were in front of the Towers.
“Yeah, we occupy a few floors in the building and then rent out the others.I’m going to go around back and then into the parking garage.We’ll take an elevator up to the offices and then I’ll probably have to leave you.”
“No.”Her reply came so fast he turned to look at her.
Reaching a hand over, he touched hers where it rested on her thigh.“You’ll be safe here.We’ve updated all our security in the last few months so getting in uninvited is damn near impossible.And I’ll ask Isla if you can go to her rooms so you’ll be more comfortable.I think there’re some other rooms there just for staff who may work late and don’t want to get on the road to travel if they’re too tired.”
“No.”She was shaking her head this time.“I’m not afraid to be alone.I just don’t want to be left out.If you’re going to be discussing Cree and how we’re going to get him back then I want to be there.”
Steele took a deep breath and turned into the garage.He circled around three levels until he reached the top and found his reserved spot near the back wall of the building.When he switched off the engine, he lifted her hand to his lips, kissing the back of her fingers.
“I’m going to do everything in my power to keep you safe, Ravyn.I need you to trust and believe that.”
The interior of the truck was dark, but he could see her face clearly.Her high cheekbones lifted as she smiled and leaned in to kiss him lightly on the lips.
“I trust you, Steele.It’s the rest of your crew I’m not so sure about.”
“They’re a good crew.”
“They just don’t like me, I get it.I’m not everybody’s cup of tea,” she said in a tone that he didn’t like.
He was certain it was supposed to be a confident, nonchalant tone, but instead he’d heard the undertones of sadness.
“Let’s go,” he said and kissed her one more time before climbing out of the truck.
They rode the elevator to the sixty-first floor where Theo’s office and the conference rooms were located.He walked down the familiar hallway knowing he was definitely in unchartered territory as he held Ravyn’s hand.He was about to say something meant to keep them both calm and collected for what was about to come, but the sound of voices stopped him.
“What did you tell them?”Steele knew that voice.It was Ziva and it was coming from one of the smaller conference rooms that were along one side of the wall, while the two larger ones were on the other side.
The door just in front of where he and Ravyn had stopped was ajar but there were no lights on inside.
“I told them what they needed to know about Temptra.”The other voice was vaguely familiar to him, only because he’d just recently heard it.
“Enes, I’m not playing games here.This is my job.It’s my life.I don’t have time for you playing some immature game to try and get back at me.”
“Why would I want to get back at you, Ziva.You were pretty clear when you gave me your terms, and when I couldn’t meet them, you bounced.I would’ve done the same if I were in your position.”
