Page 105 of Red Fury

I smile because I’m so glad to feel him, even if he is still muted.

I stand, immediately noticing how much stronger I feel.

I try to summon him properly.

“You good?”

“Yeah.” I nod. “I’m definitely stronger but not quite where I need to be.” It’s much better, though. So much better. The small holes from the darts are gone. I feel stronger…more alive. “I feel my dragon, but I can’t…I…” I huff out a breath. “I must still have that drug in my system because I’m still more human than shifter.”

Shadow stands too. She closes her eyes and takes in a deep breath. I watch as scales suddenly pop up all over her skin. She opens her eyes with a gasp. She laughs as they recede.

“Whoooo hooo!” She stares down at her arms in wonder. “I can feel her again. Really feel her. It worked, Fury,” she says under her breath. “I could probably manage a full shift…not that I will do it,” she quickly adds, still smiling. “It must be because I was given that drug a few hours before you. Although I’m prettysure they gave me some sort of sedative, too. I was out for a long time while they transported me. Anyway, she’s back. My dragon is back,” she whispers.

The joy on her face makes something warm bloom in my chest. I love seeing her happy, love watching that fierce light return to her eyes.

“Do you think you can break us out of here?” I ask, nodding toward the heavy door. “Quietly? I’m not strong enough yet, but I don’t want to wait. Kozlov might change his mind about allowing us to be together.”

“I don’t want to wait either.” She examines the door frame, running her fingers along the metal reinforcements. “I’ll give it a try. It’s going to take some effort, but I think I can do it.”

Shadow reaches down for her dress on the floor and pulls it over her head, wincing.

“You okay?” I ask.

She laughs, a flush creeping up her cheeks. “Just a little achy between my legs. In a good way, though. I’m not exactly used to this much…um…action.”

Despite everything we’ve been through, my cock hardens again at her words. I look down at myself in amazement, pressing a hand over my very obvious arousal.

“Apparently, neither am I,” I mutter, shaking my head. “And I clearly like it. A lot. My cock wants more.”

We both start laughing. It’s part amusement, part nervous energy from our ordeal. It feels good to laugh, even in this nightmare situation.

“We can’t do it again, though,” she states the obvious.

Disappointment still slams into me even though I know she’s right. Especially now that I…that I have feelings for this female. It complicates things. “Of course not, we need to get you back to Draig. You missed your flight. Then we continue with this mission.”

“I know. By now, my Council will be shitting bricks.”

“Let’s get out of here, and you can call them.”

“You make it sound so simple.” She smiles and then licks her lips. “I’m so thirsty.”

“Me, too,” I grumble.

Our gazes drift to the water bottles and sandwiches the guard left earlier. “We can’t risk it, can we? They might contain more drugs.”

“They might,” I agree, much as I hate it. “We can’t trust anything they’ve given us. Again, we get out of here and we’ll be fine. This is our one chance.”

Shadow rolls her eyes and snort-laughs. “No pressure. You know exactly how to make a person brim with confidence.”

“What do you mean? I have every confidence in you,” I tell her.

She looks at me for a few long seconds and then nods. “Okay, then,” she groans. “I guess I’ll make quick work of the door, being silent while I do it,” she jokes.

I chuckle as I grab one of the blankets from the mattress and wrap it around my waist, tying it securely. It’s not much, but it’ll have to do.

“You can do it,” I tell her.

Shadow moves to the door, pressing her hands against the frame. Her muscles strain as she pushes, scales flickering along her arms as she calls on her dragon’s strength. The metal groans softly, but she keeps the pressure steady, working to push the door from its frame without making too much noise.