Page 13 of Fated by Fire (Dragonblood Dynasty #1)

Chapter 13

E lena

It’s been hours. At least, I think it has; I’ve lost track of time. Pain shoots through my wrists as I pull against the bindings holding me to a chair. The ropes bite into my skin like sharp teeth; I stop struggling.

I’ve been in worse situations—or at least, that’s what I tell myself. This is just another job gone sideways. Another asshole who thinks tying me up is going to get them answers they don’t deserve.

The room is poorly lit, the air thick with the scent of mildew and old wood. Shadows dance across the walls, their shapes shifting with the flickering light of a single bulb hanging from the ceiling. My chair is bolted to the floor, its cold metal frame pressing into my back. I’m not in the vault anymore. That much is clear. But where I am—and who dragged me here—is still a mystery.

The door creaks open, and my head snaps up. For a moment, I anticipate Caleb Craven. But what steps into the room isn’t the CEO of Craven Industries.

It’s the man from the vault. He was tall when he faced me there, but now that I’m tied to this chair, it’s like looking up at a giant. His pale blue eyes lock onto mine, filled with cold calculation. He steps closer, his movements deliberate, like a shark circling its next meal.

“You’ve stopped struggling,” he says, his voice a low monotone that chills me far more effectively than if he’d been yelling. “Good. I was wondering how long it would take.”

I force my voice to stay steady. “You’re making a mistake. I just got lost in the building. Let me go, and I’ll forget this ever happened.”

He tilts his head, his smile widening. “Lost? In a secured vault? With multiple bio-access control mechanisms? You’re either a terrible liar or a very brave woman. Either way, you’re incredibly stupid.”

Yep. There’s that.

He eyes me thoughtfully, and the silence stretches until I think my nerves are going to snap. “So, are you going to be a good girl and tell me what you’re up to?”

I swallow hard. “Look, I’m a private investigator. I was hired to look into some irregularities at Craven Industries. That’s it. I’m not a threat to you or whatever you’re hiding.”

He circles me slowly, his footsteps echoing in the silence. “Irregularities. How quaint. And who hired you?”

I shake my head. “I’m not at liberty to say. Client confidentiality is sacred in my line of work.”

He snorts. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re not a psychiatrist. Or a priest. Give me the name.”

“Nope.” I shake my head. He’s probably right, but I don’t have any other leverage right now. I pinch my lips together.

He stops in front of me, leaning down so his face is inches from mine. His breath is hot, almost unnaturally so, and it makes me recoil. “You think this is about client confidentiality? You have no idea what you’ve stumbled into.”

I lift my chin, meeting his gaze head-on. “Then enlighten me. Because right now, all I see is a thug who’s making empty threats.”

His eyes narrow, and for a moment, I think he’s going to hit me. Instead, he straightens and steps back, his expression unreadable. “You’re in no position to make demands. But I’ll give you one chance. Tell me who hired you, and I might let you walk out of here alive.”

Alive?

Shit!

I clench my jaw. “And if I don’t?”

His smile returns, colder than before. “Then you’ll learn just how deep the rabbit hole goes.”

“Rabbit hole?” I grin. “I didn’t realize I’d stumbled into a petting zoo.”

The back of his hand hits my face before I realize what’s happening. My head snaps sideways, and I grunt, my teeth tearing into the inside of my cheek. Warm copper floods my mouth.

Shit!

I blink a few times, trying to clear my head. My ears are ringing, my cheek flaming where his thick hand connected with it. I swallow down blood, fear flaring hot and alive in my gut.

“Would you like to try that again?” he smirks.

“It’s just… just a consulting company,” I choke out, all pretense of defiance abandoned. I’m no coward, but I know better than to poke the bear.

“What consulting company?” he barks. “What’s their name?” He raises his hand and I flinch.

Before I can respond, a violent crash echoes from the hallway, followed by the sound of running footsteps. The man’s head swivels toward the door, his body tense as a rattlesnake. He turns back to me, his expression darkening. “This conversation isn’t over.”

The door bursts open, and Caleb storms into the room. His usually immaculate suit is disheveled, his dark hair mussed as if he’s been running. His golden eyes are blazing with fury, and the air around him feels charged, like a storm about to break.

“Release her,” he growls. The edge to his voice makes the hair stand on my arms.

The man—my captor—lets out a low chuckle. “Oh, look who’s here to save the day. I was wondering when you’d show up.”

Caleb’s gaze flicks to me, and for a moment, the fury in his eyes softens. “Are you hurt?”

I shake my head, though the pain in my cheek begs to differ. “I’m fine. Just get me out of here.”

Caleb turns back to the man, his expression hardening. “You’ve made a grave mistake, Steele. She’s under my protection.”

I am?

My eyes widen, but I keep my mouth shut. Who am I to question the guy when he seems to be here to save me?

The man called Steele smirks. “Protection? When did this happen, Craven?”

“That’s none of your concern.” Caleb makes as if to move around Steele, but the older man blocks his path.

“I knew there was something different about this girl when I saw you drooling over her photo. And now here she is. With you oblivious while the Heartstone is in danger.”

“Get out of my way,” Caleb snaps. He takes a step forward, his hands clenched into fists. “You don’t know what you’re dealing with.”

“Oh, I know exactly what I’m dealing with: a pathetic pup who could never fill his father’s shoes in a thousand lifetimes.”

“Leave my father out of this,” Caleb snarls. His hand is on Steele’s shoulder.

The man shrugs away. “You think you can win, Craven? You have no idea what’s coming.”

“And what is that supposed to mean?”

“It means we’ve been watching you. For years. And we have found you lacking. The time for change is coming.”

Caleb’s lip curls, the expression on his face making my blood run cold. “Don’t play games, old man. You don’t have the power you think you do.”

“What do you know about power?” Steel spits. “I saw half a dozen kings come and go before you were even born. Centuries of guiding the rulers of this clan. And you… You think you’re different. Better.”

Half a dozen kings? Rulers of this clan?

I blink in confusion, my face still throbbing.

What the hell is he talking about?

“This has nothing to do with clan politics, Malakai,” Caleb says. “The woman made a mistake. I will deal with it.” He shoves around the big guy and strides toward me, his eyes flicking to mine briefly before he begins to work on my bonds. In seconds, my wrists are free, and I rub them to get the blood flowing.

Oh, thank God. I might make it out of here.

“You dare defy me, boy?” Malakai Steele yells from across the room. “Get away from her!”

Or maybe not…

Caleb steps in front of me, shielding me from the other man. His body is tense, his muscles coiled. “Don’t fight me on this,” he warns Malakai.

Malakai ignores him, charging across the room with surprising speed, despite his ungainly gait. He crashes into Caleb’s chest with such force that he almost stumbles backward onto me. Before he loses his footing, though, he’s shoved the guy back.

“Enough!” he barks. “We will deal with this later.”

“Deal with this?” Malakai’s voice has grown lower, deeper. Almost a growl now. It makes me shudder.

“Free yourself,” Caleb murmurs. It’s an instruction I don’t need; I’m already working on the ropes around my ankles. “Stay behind me,” he adds. That’s an order I find harder to obey because I’m hearing something that I can’t ignore.

I hear growls, animalistic ones, and then there’s a sound—a wet, tearing noise that makes my stomach churn. Staggering to my feet, I peer around Caleb’s shoulder… and stop breathing.

The other man’s body is contorting, his limbs elongating unnaturally, his skin rippling with scales. His clothes tear as his body expands, his human features distorting into something monstrous. His eyes glow with an otherworldly light, and his mouth stretches into a snarl filled with sharp, glistening teeth.

“What—?” My voice is choked by the terror clawing at my chest.

Caleb pushes me behind him. “Don’t look.”

But I can’t look away. The transformation is impossible, horrifying—and yet, I can’t tear my eyes from it. The man—no, the thing—before us is barely human. His body has torn through the fabric of his clothes, and his eyes gleam snakelike from a face that’s covered in… scales.

This is impossible!

The creature lets out a slavering snarl, the sound vibrating through my bones. It lunges forward, its claws scraping against the concrete floor as it charges toward us like a bull.

“What the fuck!” I gasp, backpedaling as fast as my legs will carry me. But Caleb doesn’t back away. Instead, I look on in horror as he lunges toward the monster.

My back hits the wall as I watch Caleb meet the creature head-on. Their bodies collide with a sound like bones cracking, and I cover my ears against the deafening roar that fills the room. The beast—Malakai—swipes at Caleb with claws that glint like blades in the dim light.

But Caleb moves with impossible speed. He ducks under those lethal claws, driving his fist into the creature’s scaled belly. The impact sends shockwaves through the air—I feel them ripple across my skin.

The monster staggers back, hitting the far wall with enough force to crack it. It’s only then that I notice that the beast’s lumbering gait is caused by a leg that’s missing the lower half. Still, he’s regained his balance with terrifying speed.

I scream out a warning but Caleb is already pressing his advantage. He grabs Malakai’s arm, twisting it with brutal efficiency. The sickening snap of bone echoes through the room, followed by an earth-shaking howl of pain.

“Stay down,” Caleb commands, his voice deeper than I’ve ever heard it.

The creature answers with another roar, lunging forward with its good arm. But Caleb is ready. He steps inside the beast’s reach and drives his knee up into its jaw. The crack of impact makes me flinch.

Blood sprays across the floor—dark and viscous. The monster stumbles, its movements becoming sluggish. Caleb doesn’t hesitate. He grabs the creature by its throat and slams it into the ground. The concrete splinters beneath the impact.

The beast’s eyes roll back, its massive form going limp. As I watch, trembling, the scales begin to recede. Within moments, Malakai lies unconscious on the floor, human once more.

My God. Oh, my fucking God!

What the hell did I just see?

Caleb stands over him, his chest heaving. His suit is torn, revealing glimpses of rippling muscle. Muscle that seemed to be shimmering with scales.

No. That’s nuts. It’s a tattoo.

But now, in the aftermath of what I’ve just witnessed, I have to wonder what I’m seeing.

Caleb turns to me, his expression grim. “We need to go. Now.”

“B- but wh- what-?” I stutter.

“Now!” he snarls.

I nod quickly, my mind reeling. My world has shattered, everything I thought I knew evaporating into flashbacks of scales and claws. But I don’t have time to process it. Not yet.

“Come with me!”

Caleb grabs my hand, and we run.