Battle Bond: An Urban Fantasy Dragon Series (Death Before Dragons #2) - Lindsay Buroker Page 0,32
came from the other people in the class. I sprinted up, grabbed the grenade, and threw it back out through the hole it had made in the window.
An explosion roared out in the street, fiery orange light flashing, and the windows shook under the force. The already-broken window shattered inward, glass tinkling across the hard floor. Women screamed and ran for the changing rooms. I ran and jumped out the window, grimacing as glass cut my bare feet.
Not only did I not have shoes, but my weapons were all in the Jeep. Fortunately, I wore my charm necklace and could call Sindari if needed.
The explosion faded as I landed on the sidewalk, crouching behind a mailbox for cover and looking for who had thrown the grenade. Tires squealed at a nearby intersection, and I glimpsed a truck peeling out of sight around the corner. That truck looked a lot like the white one that had been in the Pardus brothers’ driveway.
I was tempted to run after it—horns honked, promising plenty of traffic that would slow down their getaway—but I saw someone walking toward me wearing slippers and a black robe that wouldn’t fit in anywhere except maybe a fantasy gaming convention.
The power of Zav’s aura buffeted me like a strong wind, and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t sensed him sooner. Maybe he’d been flying nearby, spotted the explosion and landed immediately, turning into his human form so he wouldn’t attract attention.
“What are you doing here?” I blurted as soon as he was close enough to speak with over the honks of horns and shouts of people on the opposite side of the street. Already, a siren wailed, the police and maybe the fire department heading this way. Nothing was burning—thankfully, the grenade had exploded in the air over the street. “I know you didn’t come to get your chakras aligned.”
“That is not the proper way to greet a dragon.” Zav looked me up and down, his gaze lingering on my bloody feet. “Nor is this appropriate attire for battling criminals.”
“I’m not battling criminals. I’m exercising and contorting my throat to do ocean breathing.”
His forehead creased. “You must always be prepared to battle criminals. They are attracted to you. That is why I keep telling you that I will use you as bait.”
“No kidding.” A police car turned onto the street, and some of the yoga students were peering out the broken window and the front door. “Look, I’ve got a message for you. Let’s go over there.” I pointed to an alley.
I hurried to it. Zav considered his surroundings before clasping his hands behind his back and strolling after me.
“You leave blood on the ground as you walk.” He pointed to a spot. “This will make it easy for enemies to track you. Do you wish me to heal your injuries?”
“No, I don’t want anything from you.” Owing Zav a favor would be even worse than owing Zoltan a favor. I waved for him to keep following me, so I could go to the parking lot in the back where I’d left the Jeep. “But there’s a dragon who does. You know a Dob-something-or-other? Big silver dragon, likes to kidnap children?”
Zav’s face grew frosty. “I know Dobsaurin and am aware that he is in this world.”
“Did you know that he’s been trying to get your attention?”
“I do not know his reason for coming, but I have sensed him here. I have been far to the east and south, capturing rogue djinn in a hot desert region.”
“What brings you back? You missed me?”
He regarded me blandly again. “You do make it easier to locate criminals. They are drawn to you like a vylorni to a flame.”
“I’ve noticed.” I waved in the direction of the soot-stained sidewalk and broken window. My first yoga class, and I’d endangered all the students there. How had those idiot brothers guessed I would be there? They couldn’t have tracked me by scent in a city so large, could they have? “But you attract irate dragons who don’t like your current criminal-capturing gig.”
“Dobsaurin’s family does not like anything that my family does. We are rivals.”
“Yeah, I guessed.” I walked across the parking lot to my Jeep. Nobody else from the class had come out the back yet. Maybe they were waiting for the police to question them. I would need to go get my shoes and bag eventually, but I hadn’t locked my door, so at least I could grab a towel out of the back and