Page 13 of Dragon Enchanted (Secret Kingdoms: The Draquonir #1)

CHAPTER 12

T he hum of the limo was smooth and nearly silent, save for the occasional sound of the city passing outside. Raven’s pulse thrummed beneath her skin as she shifted in the plush leather seat, her senses heightened by the complete darkness of the silk blindfold covering her eyes.

Vector’s hand enclosed hers, warm and firm, grounding her. “Nervous?” he asked, amusement lacing his tone.

She exhaled slowly, willing herself to relax. “Should I be?”

His thumb traced lazy circles against the inside of her wrist. “Not at all. You trust me, don’t you?”

She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. “Yes.” The admission was soft, but undeniable.

Vector’s grip tightened slightly, his approval a palpable thing. “Good.”

A thrill shot through her, settling deep in her belly. She felt the shift of his body as he leaned in, the heat of him brushing against her. Then,the press of his lips against the side of her necksent a shudder rippling down her spine.

“You’re exquisite when you surrender,” he murmured, his breath warm against her skin. “I could keep you blindfolded all night just to see how you respond to me.”

A shaky exhale escaped her, her body aching with the need to be closer to him.She had fallen for him, completely, irreversibly, and she wasn’t even sure when it had happened.

The limo slowed, then stopped. Vector helped her out of the car then lifted her in his arms, carried her cradled against his chest like precious cargo.

After what felt like an eternity, he set her on her feet. His fingers slid under the silk, gently untying the blindfold. “We’re here.”

The fabric slipped away, and Raven blinked, her vision adjusting to the golden glow of streetlights illuminating the front of anornate, historic jewelry store. The name engraved on the glass familiar. But she didn’t even need to see the name. She could tell by the sheer elegance of the building that this wasn’t just any retailer—it wasone of the most exclusive jewelers in London.

Her pulse jumped. “Vector… what is this?”

He smirked but said nothing, guiding her inside.

The moment they stepped in, the world outside melted away. The boutique was utterly silent, devoid of customers, the only sound the faint hum of soft instrumental music playing through unseen speakers.The air was thick with the scent of polished wood, velvet, and the faint, tantalizing glimmer of something more—something ancient and powerful.

Vector led her to one of the display cases, where a poised saleswoman stood waiting behind the glass, her hands delicately folded in front of her.

Raven’s breath hitched as she looked down.

Every single piece in the case was a diamond solitaire.

Her vision blurred with unshed tears as she turned to Vector. “Are you… serious?”

“You did say yes. Don’t you remember?” He smiled, slow and certain, before tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Then, withthe softest press of his lips against hers, he whispered, “I have never been more serious about anything in my life.”

Raven’s fingers trembled as she reached out, hovering over the rings. “I don’t even know where to start.”

“Then let’s start together.”

She selected a simple, elegant ring, but Vector chuckled, shaking his head. “No. I meant what I said—you can have anything.”

The saleswoman, sensing the opportunity of the moment, retrieved another tray, revealing a ring so stunning Raven’s breath left her in a rush.

Amassive, flawless, cushion-cut diamond sat nestled in an intricate setting of woven platinum and diamond inlays, the band subtly engraved withancient symbols she didn’t recognize. The gemstone shimmered under the boutique lights, its brilliance almost hypnotic.

“It’s… perfect,” she whispered.

Vector took the ring, sliding it onto her finger.It fit perfectly.

Just as the saleswoman finished processing the payment,the lights went out.

A hush fell over the boutique, the kind of silence that was too thick. Wrong. Then came the sound ofmetal striking metal, the subtle rustling of fabric, the weight of something dangerous filling the space.

Raven’s breath caught as she saw them—twelve figures, masked and dressed in black, emerging from the shadows like ghosts.

They moved withunnatural precision, their presence exuding somethingother than mere violence, something ruthless.Cruel. Each of them carriednot just guns, but weapons that pulsed with eerie, glowing energy—nets woven from some kind of metallic thread, runes that seemed to vibrate with unseen power.

Vector moved before she could even think,his body shielding hers, his stance shifting into something lethal and terrifying.

A deep voice, distorted by the attacker’s mask, cut through the darkness. “Dragon.”

Vector didn’t even flinch. “Hunter. Leave now and I’ll let you live.”

Raven’s stomach plummeted. Did Vector know these men? And why the weird names? Was Dragon his nickname? Like a street name? And Hunter? What kind of hunter? These assholes weren’t hunting deer. They were hunting her man.

Suddenly Vector’s security, his staff of bodyguards, made more sense.

The leader of the intruders tilted his head slightly. “Did you think you could hide from us forever?”

Vector’s entire frame tensed, the muscles in his shoulders bunching as his fingers flexed at his sides. “I wasn’t hiding.” His voice was a low growl, edged with something feral.

The leader exhaled slowly, his gloved fingers brushing over the hilt of acurved blade carved with runes. “Good. That makes this easier.”

Before Raven could process what was happening, one of the figures lashed out—a net crackling with golden energy shot forward, aimed straight for Vector.

He moved,unnatural speed carrying him out of the way just in time.

The glass cases shattered as the force of the attack sent shards flying, a storm of diamonds spilling onto the marble floor.

“Stay behind me,” Vector commanded, voice rough with authority.

Raven’s heart slammed against her ribs, but shedidn’t argue.

The attackers shifted, tightening their formation, their weapons pulsing with energy that made the air hum with power. Where was Talon? Or the others? Had these guys killed them already?

“Vector,” Raven breathed. “Who are they?”

His jaw clenched. “Dead men.”

Her blood ran cold.

Raven’s mind spun, her breath coming fast. "Why did they call you dragon?" she whispered, her fingers curling into the fabric of his sleeve.

Vector didn’t look at her, his focus locked onto the hunters, his stance poised, ready. "It doesn’t matter.They're insane.Long-time enemies of my people, and they have weapons you’ve never seen before.”

Their attackers fanned out attempting to surround them. Her entire body went rigid.She wanted to scream. She wanted to run.But then—the crackle of energy from the hunters' weapons reminded her of the danger they were in.

She clenched her fists.Now wasn’t the time to fall apart.

Her voice came out steadier than she expected. “Tell me what to do."

Vectorshoved Raven behind him, his stance going lethal. “Stay low. Don’t move until I tell you.”

The lead hunter’s voice sliced through the dark. “Take them all down.”

The command was met with swift movement, the hunters advancing withmilitary precision, their footfalls eerily silent. Their weapons pulsed with energy, glowing nets crackling, ready to ensnare their prey.

Raven’s pulse thundered in her ears asthe first strike came—one of the hunters lunged, aiming a net at Vector’s head. He dodgedunnaturally fast, pivoting as the golden strands of the netcrackled and burned through the airwhere he had just been.

Shattering glass erupted around themas Talon and the other Guardians finally appeared. They arrived like a tidal wave of destruction to engage the attackers, the sound ofweapons clashing, and grunts of exertion,filling the store.Displays toppled, shattered glass and diamonds scattered across the floor like an ocean of fallen stars.

The woman who’d been helping them screamed. A handful of people were crawling along the floor, desperate to escape, while others huddled against counters, frozen in terror.

A guard to Vector’s left took down one hunter witha precise strike to the throat, spinning just in time to block another attacker’s blade with his forearm guard.

Vector moved withdeadly grace, his fist slamming into the masked jaw of one of the hunters. The force sent the mancrashing backward into a glass case, the impact sending more shards raining to the floor.

Three more hunters ran into the battle, fresh weapons at their sides. One of them zeroed in on Raven, his intent clear.

“Raven, go!” Vector’s voiceroared above the chaos.

She dropped all the way to the floor as ordered, her hands and knees landing on sharp fragments of broken glass. Pain lanced through her palms, but she barely felt it through the haze of adrenaline.Crawling toward the exit, she tried to block out the destruction around her.

Then—a hand seized her ankle.

She gasped, twisting to see one of the hunterslooming over her, his grip vise-tight, yanking her back toward him.

“No!”

Before the hunter could lift her,Vector was there.

Withferal speed, he caught the man by the throat andslammed him against the nearest wallso hard the drywall cracked.The hunter struggled, kicking, but Vector was relentless.His emerald eyes burned ashis free hand shifted, scales rippling over his knuckles just before heplunged his claws into the man’s chest.

The hunter choked on a gasp, eyes going wide in terror.

Vector leaned in, his voice a growl. “You touched what’s mine.”

With a finalsickening crunch, he flung the man aside, letting his lifeless body collapse onto the glass-strewn floor.

Raven stared, breathless. Her heartslammed against her ribs, but it wasn’t just from fear. Scales? Claws? Was she hallucinating?

She looked again. Vector’s hand was covered in blood, but it was normal.

Human.

Vector turned to her,his pupils blown wide, his chest rising and falling with rapid breaths.He’d never truly feared anything in his life, until now, until he turned to find Raven’s stunned face looking at him like he was a monster.

Fuck. Would she reject him now? Hate him for lying to her? For hiding the truth? He’d hoped to have her legally bound to him in human marriage before he was forced to confess his sins.

The hunters had ruined everything. They’d threatened his mate.

His magic crackled around him; an unseen force that made the very air feel charged.

“You have to keep going,” he urged, his voicehoarse but commanding.

“I don’t want to leave you!” she blurted out,her body betraying her mind.

Relief coursed through him as his fingers brushed over her cheek—a touch too gentle for the chaos raging around them. “I’ll find you,” he swore.“Now go.”

Talon was suddenly there,grabbing Raven’s wrist and dragging her toward the emergency exitas the fight raged behind them.

The last thing she saw before Talon shoved her through the door wasVector, standing amidst the destruction, his eyes burning with primal fury. With fire.

Dragon. That man had called him Dragon.

The door snapped shut and suddenly Raven was alone with Talon. Outside. Where it was quiet. Too quiet. Her pulse was racing, and she couldn’t catch her breath. Fear clawed at her. Vector was inside.

Tears tracked down her cheeks.

She couldn’t stay out here.She had to get back inside.She had to help Vector.

She loved him. She’d rather die than see him get hurt.

The realization hit her like a blow to the chest, stealing her breath. She couldn’t lose him. Not like this. She didn’t care what he was or wasn’t. He was hers.

She turned, bolted toward the door. Talon grabbed her arm, held her back. “No, Raven. You can’t go back in there.”

“I have to help him.”

Talon’s grin made her spitting mad. “He doesn’t need your help. He needs you safe.”

“No. Let. Me. Go!” She tried to shove him, but he was just as brutish, as impossibly strong as Vector. She shoved. Kicked. He didn’t even adjust his stance.

“Are you finished?”

“Let me go.”

“You are not to go inside. Do you understand.”

Reluctantly, she agreed. What could she do anyway? Kick one of those hunters in the shins? She didn’t have a weapon, or training, or the muscle to fight even one of them on her own. God dammit. She was going to sign up for karate or something as soon as this was over.

Talon released her and stepped back. She was still rubbing her arm—which didn’t hurt nearly as much as her wounded pride—when tires screeched against the pavement. A white van sped toward them. Panic surged through her as the side door slid open, and before she could react,four masked men jumped out.

They shot Talon in the chest with what looked like a large shotgun. He crumpled to the ground with a shout. She turned to try to help him, but someone grabbed her from behind.

“No—”

The man’s grip was like a vice as he hauled her back toward the van.

Talon was back up on one knee, head up, looking for her.

She kicked out, struggled, but another masked figure moved in, shoved something sharp against the side of her neck. A knife?

No. A needle. A burning sensation. Then…crackling along her nerve endings.

A static filled haze blossomed in her skull.Her vision blurred, darkened.

Through the haze of fading consciousness, she heard voices—muffled, distorted. Another shot from the gun. Talon shouting. Rough hands shoving her to the side so hard her head bounced off something solid. A boot? The seat? Her eyes were open, but she couldn’t see a thing.

The man who’d hauled her into the van had a calm voice, a soldier calling in a report. “We’ve got it’s mate.”

A second voice, colder, more calculating, responded from somewhere below her feet. “Can’t be.She’s human.”

A beat of silence. Then, a third voice answered, his tone younger, filled with something close to disgust.“We’re screwed if they start breeding with humans.”

“Shut the fuck up and get us out of here before more of them show up.”

The van door slammed closed, and Raven closed her eyes as the van moved, every turn of the wheels taking her farther away from Vector.