Page 57 of Ensnared

“We’re here to warn you,” the man at the front says. “In three days’ time, we’re going to bomb this entire area off the face of the earth. We’re using nukes. Nothing will survive.”

Are they serious? Will the United States really nuke its own people just to take out the dragons?

Actually, now that I’ve thought that question, I realize that it’s ridiculously naive. I’m a little surprised they’ve waited this long. Now that the man has delivered his message, the man opens fire on the blue dragon. His troops follow suit, all except one. The guy on the farthest side peels away from the others and sneaks around the corner. He appears to be hiding, which is good. Because moments later, the dragons have—ignoring the gunfire—killed all eleven of the other men.

No one else appears to have noticed that one man snuck off. Or if they did, they must not find him to be much of a threat. After all, his gun can’t do much, and if he fires and kills some of their slave humans, oh well. Plenty more where they came from.

It occurs to me for the first time that if I enslaved him, I could just march him into my pods and no one would notice or care.

I could save his life.

Once the dragons are distracted with talking to one another, I dart after the escapee. Saving someone who would otherwise be killed is admirable, right? I’d have finally done something good. I could save someone who might have died if I hadn’t been here.

It takes me a few minutes of searching to figure out where he went. He’s moving away from me quickly, but finally I’m close enough to an unfamiliar mind to reach for his consciousness.

I tug, and he slows.

I doubt he even realizes he’s doing it. He probably thinks he’s tired, but I slow him enough that I can catch him. Bizarrely, he’s headed in the general direction of where we’re staying, which will make my job easier. I won’t have nearly as much time in which I could be discovered and punished after I take hold of his mind.

A little closer, and I’ll do it.

Only, when I do get close enough, he feels familiar somehow. Like he’s a movie I’ve already seen, or a pair of shoes I’ve broken in some time in the past. Instead of taking over his brain, I wait, creeping closer still. Close enough to see his face, if only he’d remove the helmet. Thanks to that bizarre feeling of familiarity, I feel worse than ever about forcing him to pull his helmet off, but I do it anyway.

And then I gasp, because he’s Gideon. My Gideon. Special forces Gideon.

He turns toward the sound of my exhale and our eyes lock.

“Liz!” Gideon shouts.

Then Axel, in his golden dragon form, crashes around the corner, snarling. Before I can even think about stopping him, Gideon raises his weapon and opens fire.

Axel roars even louder, and I realize he’s here to protect me. He probably felt my adrenaline rush, sensed my movements, and raced over to keep me safe.

From my, well, from my almost boyfriend.

“Wait!” I shout. “Don’t kill him.”

Both Axel and Gideon freeze and turn toward me slowly.

“Why not?”

He’s attacking me.

Great. They both think I’m talking to them. But then I remember the promise Axel made to me. “You promised me five humans,” I say. “Remember?”

The golden dragon frowns, the corners of his mouth turning pointedly down.

“I have three living with me, but my mother you claim you can’t help. I haven’t even seen her.”

He snorts.

“This is my friend, my dear friend, Gideon. He’s come to try and rescue me, not knowing that you were already keeping me safe.” I hold up a hand, trying to make a soothing gesture. “He’s number four.”

Axel blinks.

“We aren’t using all the rooms in the house. He can have one.” I pause and check whether he’s calmed down at all. “Yes?”

The golden dragon sniffs.