Dragon's Second Chance Romance - Riley Storm Page 0,56

better than going back with you.”

Pete laughed. “You have no idea what’s coming for you, Claire. You have no idea what they’re going to do to you. But you will soon enough. And you’ll scream. But I won’t be around to hear it. And you know what? Neither will that new loser of yours, will he? Because I don’t see him around. You’re alone, Claire. Where is he, hmmm?”

Pietro rose to his full height.

“Well, if that’s not an opening,” he said, striding out from the shadowy hallway. “I don’t know what is.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Pietro

“Hi, Pete,” he said, as the occupants of the room turned to look at him. “I’m right here.”

Pietro glared at the ex-boyfriend, waiting to see his face turn white and fill with terror. So when instead Pete began to grin and turned to the other man, he felt abruptly wary.

“He’s all your problem now, Father,” Pete said, clasping the third occupant on the shoulder. “I did what I needed to do.”

Bag in one hand, Pete waved at both of them and headed for the back of the room where an opening in the wall indicated another exit. He disappeared beyond, footsteps sounding as he ascended some stairs that were hidden from view.

More concerned with his mate, Pietro turned to face the other two people in the room. He started to speak, but his attention was ripped back to the other exit as he heard something that sounded like a yelp echo down, but it was too distorted for him to be sure.

“This is officially getting weird,” he growled. “You need to go now. Before you get hurt.”

“He is come among us,” the other man said, turning slowly to face Pietro. He was indeed wearing a robe. It was deep crimson, rich, and full of color. The hood was pulled up over his head, but he lowered it now, revealing a bald head on top of his tall frame.

It was his eyes that made Pietro’s breath catch in his throat. They were dark. So dark they were almost black, but they were filled with an intensity that made him almost take an involuntary step back.

The hatred Pietro saw within was astonishing in its depths, and all of it was directed at him.

“Though he looks like one of us, he is not. He is evil, sent from thy lord of fire and hell!”

The religious rhetoric the tall, thin man was spouting cleared up a few things, as did the choice of his robe.

“You’re a member of the Church of the Anti-Wyrm,” Pietro said quietly.

“I am their shepherd,” the man corrected. “They are my flock. I guide them into the light and keep them safe from the demons such as you. Stay back, evil one!”

“What the hell are you doing?” Pietro snarled as the preacher took a step toward Claire.

“Saving her,” the tall man said devoutly. “From your evil clutches. It’s not too late yet. There is still time for her to renounce her ways.”

“Kidnapping her and bringing her here, just to try and save her soul? Why would she ever take your side after that sort of treatment?” Pietro asked, completely puzzled.

The preacher grinned. “No one ever said that Satan’s spawn were devoid of intelligence. No! They are smart. But God’s chosen are smarter. We realized that we could not convince her to leave you with simple words. We tried that with another, but she too rejected us.”

“You should have learned,” Pietro growled, taking a step forward.

“We did,” the preacher said, his eyes going wide. “We found a way to get you both out of the way. So that the plan may succeed!”

“So far it looks like your plan is failing,” Pietro said. “Miserably.”

“Does it?” the preacher asked. “Tell me, my fine-eared friend. What can you hear?”

Pietro frowned, opening his dragon senses fully, taking in all the sounds that reached him. Then, he filtered them out, one by one, forcing himself to hear what else was there. Far in the background, he thought he heard something. Beyond the machinery and distorted by the echoing hallway.

Sirens.

“The police are coming,” he said. “You called them.”

The Church priest, or whatever title his cult gave him, smiled, revealing brilliant white teeth. “You can’t corrupt her if she’s out of your reach.”

“I don’t get it,” Claire said from where she sat, still tied to a chair.

“They’re trying to send you to jail,” Pietro said, striding forward to free her, wishing he’d done it earlier.

“I know,” Claire said. “But…you just tell them that this idiot here