Page 42 of Prison Moon

She closed her eyes again until she heard what sounded like a coin hitting rock. Her eyes snapped opened the same moment a rattling growl rumbled in Toren’s chest. His arms tightened around her a second later. The shadows she thought she’d seen earlier moved again, the sound of feet shuffling against stone floors loud in the stillness.

Toren twisted, laying her on her back so quick, her head swam as she saw him jump to his feet. That low growl turned into something so fierce it echoed off the stone walls.

As if they materialized out of thin air, three hulking shapes appeared at the rear of the chamber. The shadows were heavy along that back wall but she could see enough to know they were at least humanoid in shape. Had she not known better, she would have thought they were human men. The one in the middle stepped forward, the light from one of the disks refracting light glinting off something shiny on his body. The others stepped forward and as one, all reached for something at their side and lifted it. If she had to guess, she’d say it was a weapon of some kind.

She had no idea if there was enough room for Toren to shift with her so close so she shuffled back toward the stairs. Whoever these men were, they weren’t here for a lovely chat. With the weapons they were pointing in their direction, she’d say those orbs she thought they’d outrun had found them anyway and from the growls filling the chamber, things were about to get ugly.

* * *

Three wyvern in their weaker form were at the back of the chamber pointing something at them. A weapon of some kind if Toren had to guess. The fact they were here was enough to bring the dragon to the surface. He could feel it under his skin clawing to be set free. If Sarra weren’t so close, he’d let it out and destroy them in a blink of an eye. Steady thumps of multiple heartbeats left him disoriented. He couldn’t tell how many were here or where they all were. All he saw was the three in front of him and he didn’t want to chance looking away to see if any others lingered nearby.

The wyvern in the middle shifted on his feet, the other two flanking him still as death. He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t heard them enter the ruins but the fact they did made him wonder if his senses weren’t as keen as they should be. Sarra inhaled a deep breath behind him. Maybe she was the reason. He was so focused on her most of the time, it was possible he’d not paid close enough attention. That mistake would cost them. There were only three wyvern here now but he wasn’t fool enough to think there weren’t more outside.

He could hear Sarra’s quick intake of breath behind him, the sour odor of fear dripping from her pores. His first instinct was to attack those who endangered his mate but common sense told him to grab her and flee. That as long as she was in his arms, he could protect her, that he’d protect her with his life if he had to. One way or another, he’d leave this place with Sarra or not at all.

The thought had barely entered his mind when Sarra screamed. He spun on his heel, reaching out to grab her when something slammed into his chest. The air was knocked from his lungs, his legs flew out from under him, and every nerve in his body fired at once, his muscles contracting to bow his back, his limbs locking into place as a scream was ripped from his throat.

Sarra was still screaming, the sound a dull echo in his head. Movement around him grew cloudy, shapes moving in and out of focus as every nerve in his body pulsed in pain. Sarra was in front of him the next moment, the wyvern holding her arms smiling down at him, his lips moving as he spoke. He heard nothing but Sarra crying as they started to drag her away and all he could do was lay there and watch.