Page 43 of Captured By the Dragon Warlord (Fated Mates of the Sarkarnii Warlords #2)

I f I had any doubts Dexx might have lost interest, or indeed if his rut was over, following our discovery I am pregnant, I was wrong.

He plunders me like I am a hoard to be stolen, taking me to new heights over and over. My beastly dragon is insatiable, and he cannot get enough of me.

When the pad-device chimes it has completed its task, I’ve almost forgotten where we were when we started.

“I will have to let you check it.” Dexx extends a huge claw. “I am indisposed.”

I pick the pad up and look at the screen.

“I’m not sure if this is correct.” I peer at it.

It feels like Dexx is holding his breath. He doesn’t want any of his crew to be the ones who are setting the explosives, even if the original scan has ruled out it being anyone else.

“The only warrior who has been in any of the same places at the same time as the devices is…”

Before I can say another word, the door to Dexx’s quarters caves in, and a veritable flood of the horrible Veseli pour in.

I yelp in alarm, Dexx rising from the floor and tucking me behind him as he releases a sheet of flame which lights up the interior, searing itself on my eyes, now so accustomed to the lower light.

There are terrible shrieks as the Veseli are boiled in their shell casings, but still more come and still Dexx flames. But even with all of this, with the sound of alarms blaring everywhere, the Veseli manage to get behind us, and I’m dragged from him, screaming out his name.

I see my proud mate rearing up, Veseli clinging to every part of him as he attempts to shake them off, his flame still escaping as I yell his name, the pincers of the Veseli digging into my flesh.

And the worst thing is I know exactly how they got in here. The only thing I don’t know is why.

A white powder is puffed into my face, and despite my best efforts not to inhale, I can’t help but snuff some of it up my nose.

There is instant, unwelcome oblivion.

I come to with a rush that knocks me sick, my stomach heaving as I sit upright, absolutely certain I’m about to lose my lunch.

“Little mate.” Dexx’s voice rumbles out of the darkness. “Are you unharmed?”

I don’t know whether to be relieved he is here or not because presumably it means we’re both incarcerated.

The sound of a huge body moving, scales rasping over the floor, means I hear Dexx before I feel his thick tail curl around me.

“Where are we?”

“I do not know,” Dexx says in the dark. “I was given more paraxio. I do not recall what happened after the Veseli invaded our quarters.”

“It’s Dalsor,” I say quietly.

“Dalsor?”

“He’s the only one who visited all of the places explosives were found or went off.”

“Dalsor, my second in command?” Dexx rasps above me, the tone in his voice unbelieving. “I have known him since he was a youngling. He was the nephew of a great general, Draxx.”

“I don’t think any of that matters, Dexx. He is the only one who was in all the same places. If it was a coincidence, the numbers wouldn’t have worked out.”

“Dalsor.” I hear Dexx scratch at his huge head. “But why?”

I shake mine. “It’s not a question I can answer. Did you not get anything from his thoughts?”

“No,” Dexx shakes his head, “but then he knows me, and has more likely than not become adept in keeping his thoughts to himself.”

My heart is in my boots. I hate this for Dexx so much.

After meeting Drex, I can see how much they mean to him and he means to them.

To discover a traitor in his midst, a traitor with an agenda which doesn’t make any sense, blowing up random parts of the various warlords’ sectors, is hard enough.

But to find the traitor is his second in command…

All I want to do is comfort my huge Sarkarnii. Dexx is so large in his shift, I have to wrap my arms around his tail, the only part of him I can get hold of. I lean my head on his cool scales.

“What do you think they want with us?”

“No matter what it is, little ember, they will not touch a hair on your head again.” Dexx growls in the darkness. “I know how they operate. They revealed too much in our taking.”

I feel safe next to my big beast, even if everything else in my head is a whirl of emotions. But as long as I have Dexx by my side, I feel like I can take on anything, even yet another abduction.