Page 55 of Dying in Flames (Reborn 4)
“No?” He chuckled. “Well Maya, the others here are for breeding purposes.”
“Breeding?” I could feel the vomit building.
“Yes. This is one of many reasons that you would have been far safer with me back in Louisiana…” He sighed and shook his head. “Sure, I needed your magic, but I would have allowed you to stay alone in that basement without interruption. Now, though, you are trapped here and under a Master who has been capturing phoenixes and dragons for years to create more. Create more and more, so many more, all for the means to have more power. Isn’t that right, demon?”
I met the gaze ofMr. I Put Kittens In Danger,and besides the cool mask he was trying to put on, I could feel the pain radiating from him. I realized with a start that he hated this, all of this, and my eyes moved down to the cuffs. Hadn’t Malcolm just said he was stuck here? Maybe he would want to help us escape, then. He could come with me, and I would forgive him for putting Bella in danger.
Maybe.
“Sometimes they take children away from their families and force them to stay here only for the purpose of procreating once older. Isn’t that horrible?” Malcolm’s voice was almost sad. “At least I saved you when you were shot down from the sky.”
What?I tried to turn to look at him, but he kicked my chair so that I was further turned away from him, causing me to wince.
“What happens after they mate?” I asked, feeling a sense of fury build up inside of my chest, thinking about the little ones in the cages back in the other room.
“Apparently they move them to a new place with whoever their designated mate becomes.” He shrugged. “Then once the children are weaned, they put them in cages so their parents will continue to behave and breed. You can understand just how the ‘Master’ of this place has become so powerful, right?”
Understatement. This entire place seemed to be set up to drain magic and power…
“Why am I here?” I directed my attention toMr. I Put Kittens In Danger.
“You are a Blue Phoenix,” he responded quietly, making me realize they were well aware of who I was, his eyes flashing with something dark. “One that just completed the mate bonds. The Master wants to siphon the energy that comes off of you once you go into heat and then also make sure that you produce a child so that you will do it next time as well. The chances for success are better the more children you have.”
I blinked and exhaled slowly. “He wants me to produce a child with my mates?”
Never in this place. Absolutely never.
“No, he wants you to go through heat with one of them.” He clenched his jaw. “And he plans to join. He wants to have his own line of phoenixes and dragons.”
“He’s a dragon?” I ignored the tears welling in my eyes as he snapped his head away, seemingly in pain over my question.
“Something like that.”
“So you need to choose one of your mates,” Malcolm explained happily. “The rest will be terminated, of course.”
I felt numb with fear. “Terminated?”
“Oh, of course. It would be dumb to just let six adult male dragons stay here in captivity,” Malcolm bit out, and I felt like it was directed towardMr. I Put Kittens In Danger.“Besides, they are already mated, so they are useless for breeding anymore.”
Oh.
“Are you done?”Demon—that was a bit easier thanMr. I Put Kittens In Danger, and considering he seemed to condone all of this, was far more fitting—asked Pastor Malcolm.
“For now,” he said happily and walked towards the door with my blood. “You will take care of her, won’t you? After all, it’s your Master who wants her safe.”
The door slammed shut, leaving me with Demon.
