Page 14 of Dragon Enchanted (Secret Kingdoms: The Draquonir #1)
CHAPTER 13
T he Guild Stronghold
Pain.
It crept in slowly, threading through her skull like fine needles. A dull, throbbing ache. A sluggish weight pressing down on her limbs. A thick, chemical fog clinging to the edges of her thoughts, curling around her mind like a slow-moving tide.
What…?
Her pulse kicked up. Something was wrong.
Memories slammed into her, sharp and fast.
Vector’s growl of warning— Run!
The masked men inside the store. The flash of silver nets. The explosion of gunfire. Running outside. The van. The burn of an injection in her neck before everything went black.
Her breath hitched. Vector. Where is he?
Was he hurt? Was he even?—
Her eyes snapped open.
The world was dim and unfamiliar. A haze blurred her vision, but she registered the scent first—old wood, aged whiskey, expensive cigars. Underneath it, something fresher. Not flowers. Earth. Grass.
A window.
She turned her head, her body sluggish, and barely made out the shape of thick iron bars stretching across the glass. Beyond them, a sprawling garden—manicured hedges, a stone fountain glowing under the soft flicker of lantern light. The scenery was beautiful, pristine.
But she wasn’t fooled.
She was underground. A basement.
A prison.
Her wrists ached. Heavy leather straps bound them together in front of her, digging into her skin. A matching restraint circled her ankles, restricting her movements just enough to make standing difficult.
Her stomach twisted, cold fear knotting beneath her ribs, but she shoved it down. Focus. Assess. Get out.
A shift in the air.
Two men stood near the door, dressed in black tactical gear, their faces carved from stone. They were lean, sharp-eyed, their stillness unsettling—too controlled, too measured. Not ordinary muscle. Not amateurs.
Killers.
Her throat was dry, her voice rough. But she forced out the words anyway. “Where is Vector?”
Neither of them answered.
She struggled against the restraints, testing, feeling the way, they resisted her every move. Move. Function. Every part of her felt wrong, like her body wasn’t entirely her own, but she gritted her teeth and forced herself upright anyway.
The taller guard shifted slightly, his fingers flexing near his weapon.
She took a step forward—or tried to. The restraints around her ankles forced her into an awkward shuffle. Her jaw tightened. “Where is he?”
Nothing.
The silence grated, sharp and cold. Her jaw clenched. “You just kidnapped me off the street, drugged me, and dragged me here, and you think I’m just going to sit here and be quiet?” Her voice rose, pulse hammering against her ribs. “You think I’m going to play the helpless victim?”
A smirk ghosted across the shorter man’s face. “No, actually. We were warned you might be a problem.”
Damn right.
She crossed her arms as best as she could with her bound wrists, ignoring the faint tremble in her fingers. “Then answer me. Where is Vector?”
The taller man exhaled, slow and deliberate. “Be quiet, human. You’re bait.”
Bait.
The word slithered through her skull, oily and cold. Her stomach clenched, dread sinking deep into her bones. Not a hostage. Not leverage. Bait.
Which meant?—
Vector was still free.
Still coming.
Her nails dug into her palms, pressing into the leather straps. “Bait for what?”
Silence.
A slow, creeping chill slid down her spine. He’ll come––because of me.
She lifted her chin, her voice cold, defiant. “Whatever you’re thinking, you’re wrong. He won’t come for me. We barely know each other.”
The taller man met her gaze, something unreadable flickering across his face. Not fear. Not amusement.
Expectation.
“Oh, he will.”
The certainty in his tone sent a chill through her veins.
Her gaze darted to the locked door. The barred window. The weapons strapped to their belts. The restraints biting into her skin. “You know what? You’re probably right. He’s on his way, and he’s bringing the authorities. You’ll be arrested. Is that what you want? To spend the rest of your lives in prison for kidnapping?”
The shorter guard smirked again. “Prison? Is that what you think your lover will do? Put us in prison?” He snorted. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Her breath shuddered out. These men weren’t ordinary criminals. They had taken Vector by surprise. They had drugged her. Planned this. Coordinated it.
Who the hell were they?
They weren’t just waiting. They were prepared.
Which meant Vector was walking into a trap. I have to find a way to break free. Warn him.
Her voice was steady despite the fear curling in her gut. “Oh, I know exactly what I’m talking about.” She thought for a moment, trying to determine what might intimidate goons like these two, then added dramatically, “You don’t want to mess with a man like Vector. You have no idea who he is. He’ll kill you just for fun. He’ll make you pay, in blood, just for insulting him. Imagine what he’ll do to you for attacking him.”
A chuckle. Dark. Amused. “Oh, sweetheart,” he murmured. “I think you’re the one who doesn’t know. He hasn’t told you yet, has he?”
The taller one—grumpy and sharp-eyed—let out a low, humorless laugh. “She really doesn’t, does she?”
Raven’s nails dug into her palms. “I know enough. I know that when he gets here, none of you are walking away from this.”
The smirk widened. “You don’t know what you fell in love with.”
The words struck deep, like a blade slipping between her ribs.
She scoffed. “I know exactly who he is.”
The grumpy one exhaled. “It’s not the who you need to be worried about. It’s the what .”
The shorter one leaned in, his grin slow and cruel. “Your fiancé is a fucking monster.”
Her breath caught. They were lying. They had to be.
And yet?—
“You think he’s just some charming billionaire with a dark past?” the man continued. “Or maybe a criminal? He’s not. He’s not even human.”
Ice slid down her spine.
“You’re insane.”
The grumpy one’s expression was stone-cold. “We’re The Guild. We hunt things like him. All of them. The nightmares you thought were just stories? Vampires, werewolves, elves, fairies—every fairy tale and nightmare you’ve ever heard? It’s all true.”
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
No.
No, that’s impossible.
…Wasn’t it?
The heat of Vector’s touch. The way he moved—faster than any man should. The power that had crackled through her veins when he kissed her. The eerie, shadowed figure at the hospital—the one who had felt wrong.
She swallowed hard, forcing herself to glare at them. “You’re lying.”
The shorter man shrugged. “Believe whatever you want. Doesn’t change the facts. These supernaturals are real and they’re fucking evil. Abominations. Every last one of them.”
She clenched her fists, her nails biting into her skin. Vector is not evil.
A crash echoed down the hallway.
All three of them snapped toward the door.
Footsteps. Heavy. Rapid.
A third guard burst into the room, his face pale. “We’ve got inbound.”
The grumpy one straightened. “How many?”
The guard’s voice was clipped. “At least twelve dragons. Plus vehicles.”
A slow, terrible silence stretched between them.
Raven’s breath stalled. Her heart hammered in her chest.
Vector was coming. Vector and twelve dragons ?!
The air seemed to thicken, charged with an unseen force. The walls held their breath. A faint tremor ran beneath the floor, so subtle it could have been imagined—except she knew better. It was him. The scent of ozone curled into the stale air, sharp and electric. A shift, an omen, a warning.
Something primal inside her whispered: Run.
The world was about to burn.