with the power of his dragon.
“That’s it?” Char reached to grab his arm. “That’s the plan?”
Baine tried to shake off the male’s restraining grasp. “You want more? How about I kill anyone who gets in my way?”
Char held on tight. “Baine, that’s a terrible plan,” he muttered.
A low, warning growl rumbled in Baine’s chest, the stone melting beneath his feet.
“She’s mine.”
“Yeah, I got that,” Char hastily agreed. “She’s yours. But if you go charging in there they might kill her before we can get her back.”
Baine hissed, nearly combusting at the mere mention of Tayla being harmed.
He would raze the earth if they harmed her.
With an effort, he forced himself to concentrate on his companion.
“Do you have a better idea?”
“Yeah.” Char pointed toward the sky that was painted with the brilliant colors of dusk. “You distract them and I’ll sneak in and rescue her.”
The earth trembled beneath their feet. It was his female who needed rescuing.
He wanted to be the hero.
“Why don’t I rescue her?” he snapped.
Char glanced toward the large crevice that had split open just behind them, smiling with wry amusement.
“Because you’re a bigger distraction.”
Okay. He couldn’t argue with Char’s logic. There were few things more distracting than a full-grown dragon preparing to cause utter destruction.
He reached out to lay a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I’m depending on you, Char.”
“I’ll get her,” the younger man said in somber tones. “I swear.”
With no choice but to depend on his servant, Baine rose to his feet and jumped off the edge of the mountain. The wind rushed past him as he spread his arms, and with one burst of magic he released the beast inside him.
###
Tayla swallowed a scream as she took a hasty step backward. There was an unnerving emptiness in the male’s crimson eyes that sent a chill racing through her.
This was not a nice man.
And whatever reason he’d lured her to this castle couldn’t be a good one.
In fact, she was sure it was very, very bad.
“Who are you?” she rasped, instinctively shoving Levet behind her.
He stepped forward, towering over her in the cramped tunnel.
“Craven.”
She tilted her chin, pretending she wasn’t afraid. A wasted effort, of course. The male had enough demon blood to smell the terror that pounded through her.
Still, she had her pride.
“Should I recognize the name?”
“Good god, I hope not,” he drawled, sounding remarkably polished considering his heritage.
She’d bet her favorite scone recipe that he hadn’t been educated by his troll relatives. The nasty demons tended to communicate with grunts, growls, and head-butts.
“I devote a considerable effort to remaining in the shadows,” he continued, his gaze sweeping down her tense body. “We do, however, have a mutual friend.”
“Who is that?” she demanded.
“Skragg.”
Tayla hissed in disgust. She would never, ever forget the revolting creature. He’d not only kidnapped her and sold her to Baine’s father, but he’d clearly taken enjoyment in her distress.
“That vile troll isn’t my friend.”
“Now that’s a little harsh, my dear,” Craven mocked. “You made quite an impression on him.”
“I can’t imagine why.” She felt Levet pinch the back of her leg. Was he offering a painful warning not to say anything stupid? Or was he trying to pass along some hidden message? “I’m just one of thousands of slaves he’s traded.”
Craven shook his head, his smile widening. Yikes.
“No, you’re not just one of the crowd, my dear,” he assured her. “You have very unique talents.”
“You want me to bake you a teacake?” She winced as Levet gave her another pinch.
Dang it. She was going to be black and blue.
“Perhaps later.” The male studied her with an unnerving intensity. “First you’re going to open a portal for me.”
Oh. Tayla frowned. That didn’t seem so bad.
Certainly better than being roasted over a hot fire.
Or raped.
“That’s it?” she demanded, certain there had to be a catch.
“It’s a very special portal.” Craven’s chuckle made Tayla shudder. It sounded…evil. “Or should I say, it goes to a very special place.”
“Where?” she forced herself to ask.
“A dragon hoard,” he answered in smooth tones.
Yep. There was the catch.
She didn’t need Levet’s pinches to warn her that she had to be careful. Really, really careful.
“That’s impossible,” she said.
“So I assumed.” The crimson eyes narrowed. “Until Skragg was telling a tavern full of drunken demons about a pretty young imp who’d managed to escape from the mighty Synge’s lair.”
Damn that Skragg. Someday she hoped that he was…well, she wasn’t sure what would be an appropriate punishment, but it needed to be painful.
And slow.
“It was an accident,” she attempted to