Marked Prince - Michelle M. Pillow Page 0,12

the stronghold’s door seconds before Grier burst through with two women in tow. The man landed on the ground and lay unconscious. Jaxx stretched his wings, ready to join any battle. As far as signs went, this wasn’t subtle. The people below were oblivious to what happened on the clifftop.

Grier didn’t hesitate as he ran, gripping each woman by a wrist, forcing them with him as he leaped off the side of the cliff. A faint scream sounded as they plummeted toward the ground. An outcropping blocked them from being seen by the people of Shelter City.

Jaxx flexed his wings, ready to surge from the watchtower rooftop. The women would not survive such a fall, but he trusted his cousin to protect them.

Before Jaxx could take flight, Grier transformed mid-fall and corrected his trajectory. Hands became talons. His wings flapped with force as he lifted the women into the safety of air. Though, knowing humans, Jaxx doubted they would be feeling too safe right now. Their legs kicked, and they both scrambled with their free hand to hold on to the talon wrapped around their wrists. Their bodies twisted against the dim sky as Grier dove, looping along the edge of the city as fast as he could fly. With any luck, no one would see what the crown prince was holding, at least not clearly, and it wasn’t as if any of them could do anything to stop him.

Grier came to a jerking stop near the top of the watchtower and met Jaxx’s gaze. Jaxx recognized Salena. She’d changed her clothes into a white tunic and pants. The other woman wore the morphing ring and looked as Salena had going into the facility.

Grier lowered the women gently to the earth.

Jaxx jumped off the tower to meet them. When his feet hit the ground, he shifted into his human form. Confining the size of the dragon into the body of a man was a painful process, but it didn’t last long, and after decades he’d become used to it.

Jaxx ran to where the others had landed. Grier released the women before dropping to his feet next to them. He, too, shifted into his human form.

The morphed woman swayed on her feet, stumbling toward him. His vision shifted, taking in every movement as if it were imperative that he memorized the moment. The reaction was involuntary. Her green eyes met his briefly before she collapsed.

Jaxx caught the unconscious woman’s limp body against his chest. A shiver of awareness worked over his naked form at the contact. Her dark auburn hair clung to his skin as he scooped his arm under her legs to lift her from the ground. He felt his body responding to the intimate press.

“I can’t believe we did it.” Salena made a weak noise as she held her stomach. She dropped to her knees next to Jaxx and looked at the woman in his arms.

“Wait…” Jaxx adjusted the unconscious woman as he tried to get Salena’s attention. What was he supposed to do with her? His breathing deepened, and he tried to force his heartbeat to slow. “Salena…?”

Salena glanced at him, saying, “I’d like you to meet my sister,” as she reached to take the morphing ring off her sister’s dangling hand.

The woman in his arms transformed as he held her. The auburn color of her hair lost some of its red. Her face thinned, the cheeks sinking as dark circles formed under her eyes. Her lips paled. She looked like Salena when Jaxx had first found her hiding in a cave near this very watchtower.

Salena had appeared just as ill-treated, weak, and had been starved near death. Anger boiled inside him. After seeing the rations the Cysgodians received, it was no surprise that the Federation starved their prisoners as a way to control them.

Things could not go on like this.

Before Jaxx could act on his growing rage, Grier said, “Jaxx, help me get them back to the dragon palace before Fiora regains consciousness. I’m afraid I gave her a terrifying ride.”

Jaxx nodded and lowered Fiora gently to the ground. Something about her stirred the protective instincts in him, but he dismissed the deep emotions. Of course, he felt sorry for her and wanted to protect her. One look at her and he could see her human frailty. He didn’t allow himself to read anything more into his feelings.

This was not the first time he’d be acting on the edge of the law. It wasn’t even the first