Page 31 of Red Fury (The Dragon Tributes #8)

F ury

I park my vehicle across the street from Kozlov’s building. It’s twenty stories that stretch toward the Chicago skyline.

Right now, my dragon wants to rescue Shadow. He also wants to burn the place to the ground. I can’t blame him. I feel the same way, but I need to keep a cool head.

I sit in the driver’s seat for a moment, studying the fortress up ahead.

Two security guards patrol the front entrance. There’s a private entrance around the side with its own dedicated elevator – probably goes straight to the penthouse without stopping. More security there, too; at least three men I can see from this angle.

The smart play would be to plan this properly instead of charging in like some fucking berserker.

But Shadow is up there. Every minute I waste sitting here is another minute she could be suffering at that bastard’s hands.

What does he want with her? Every answer I come up with is worse than the last.

I force myself to breathe, to think tactically. Even with my superior strength and ability to shift, this isn’t going to be easy. Kozlov clearly has resources, connections, and enough security to make this a potential suicide mission.

I don’t care. I’m going in.

But first, there is something important I need to do. I pull out my burner phone, scrolling to Steel’s number. He answers on the second ring.

“About fucking time,” his voice crackles through the encrypted connection. “I was starting to think you’d gone completely dark on me. Where the hell have you been? What is going on?”

“Steel, I need to tell you something,” I start, then pause. How do I even begin to explain this clusterfuck?

“That sounds ominous. Please tell me you haven’t blown your cover.”

“Not exactly.” I run a hand through my hair, staring up at the twentieth floor where I know Shadow is being held. At least, I pray to god she’s still here. “I haven’t been completely honest with you, and it’s time to come clean.”

The silence on the other end of the line stretches for several long seconds.

“Go on,” Steel says finally, his voice taking on that dangerous edge.

“I made contact with the Draiger when I first arrived on the Mainland,” I admit. “I should have told you sooner. I’m sorry.”

“You made contact?” Steel’s voice rises slightly. “When was this? Why the hell didn’t you tell us? What made you keep such a thing a secret? How long have you known about the Draiger?” he throws question after question at me, and I can’t say I blame him.

I sigh. “I’ve known from the beginning. She’s Secretary Harrison’s Personal Assistant. Goes by Claire Douglas, but her real name is Shadow.”

“And you’ve been sitting on this information for how long exactly?” I’m pretty sure the question is rhetorical since I already told him, but I answer anyway.

“Since I first got here.”

The explosion I’m expecting doesn’t come. Instead, there’s just heavy breathing on the other end of the line.

“Why?” Steel asks finally. “Why didn’t you report this immediately? What the fuck have you been doing over there, Fury? I’m sure you have an excellent explanation, and I’d like to hear it now. It had better be fucking good.”

Here goes nothing.

“Part of my assignment was to neutralize the Draiger if I deemed her a threat to our people,” I explain. “When I first found her, she was just that. She hadn’t shifted in weeks, was barely maintaining control. Her dragon was about to explode out of her in public.”

“So, you put her down, which would have been the right thing to do.”

“No. Killing Claire Douglas, PA to the Secretary, could have raised suspicion.”

“Not if you made it look like an accident,” he says, sounding calm. Too calm. “I know it isn’t a nice thing to have to do, but—”

“Hear me out, please. I made the decision not to neutralize her because I needed her. We needed her.” The words come out in a rush.

“She has access to intelligence I couldn’t get on my own.

She’s positioned perfectly to gather information about their plans.

I knew you would order me to handle it…to put her down, but I didn’t want to take that route.

I knew I could manage it…manage her, and so I did that instead. ”

“You should have said something. We would have trusted your instincts.” He sighs. “How did you manage her?”

“I helped her shift.”

I can practically hear Steel processing this information. I’m sure I hear him grind his teeth.

“You helped her shift,” he repeats. “You do know that Draigers are feral as shit in their dragon forms. That’s why they need riders.”

“Or another dragon who is in control. That’s me, Steel. I took a calculated risk, and it paid off.”

“It was risky. I don’t like it, but go on. Tell me the rest. I’m hoping it gets better.”

“We formed a truce. We’ve been working together toward the same goal – figuring out what the humans are really planning. It’s been working well. She is privy to far more information than I am.”

“You formed a truce with a Draiger. And you didn’t think this was worth mentioning to your superior? My ass is also on the line here, Fury.”

“I knew you might struggle with the idea. Hell, I’ve struggled with the idea myself, but I’ve been trusting my gut here.”

“You should have trusted me.”

“I’m sorry. And that’s the best I have for you.” I sound defeated. “I was afraid of what you might command me to do.”

“Bottom line, you didn’t have the balls to tell me about all of it!” Steel explodes. “What else are you holding back from me?”

“Nothing. Although there has been a new development. I had planned on telling you as soon as I got back to DC.”

“You mentioned last night, something about a major threat to both islands. Then nothing until now,” Steel says.

“I was hoping to gather more intel before disclosing. I wanted to be sure of a few things first. We’ve reached a point where you need to know what’s going on.”

“I’d say,” he pushes out.

“An arms dealer by the name of Kozlov is securing nuclear weapons for the Mainland as we speak,” I tell him. “They’re talking about targeting two small countries, Steel. Two small countries that sound suspiciously like our islands.”

The line goes quiet again.

“Holy fuck!” Steel whispers almost to himself.

“I was there when the order was placed. It sounds like they’re planning genocide, Steel. Complete annihilation of both dragon populations.”

“Fuck.” Steel snarls. “Are you certain?”

“That’s just it. I’m not certain. The islands weren’t specifically named, but the order went in at the same time a biological threats meeting was being held.

We were definitely on the agenda. Which is why I needed Shadow’s help.

She’s the only one positioned to gather intel from Harrison’s inner circle.

The only one who might be able to find out exactly when and how they’re planning to strike.

We need that information in order to act.

We need her to dig up further information. ”

“That makes sense. Not that I’m letting you off the hook here because I’m not. Where is she now?” Steel asks. “Can she get us more details?”

My jaw clenches so tight.

“That’s the other problem. Kozlov – the arms dealer – has her.”

“What do you mean, he has her?”

“I mean, he had her kidnapped from the airport parking garage this morning. She’s being held in his penthouse right now.” I glance up at the building again, my dragon roaring for blood. “I’m going to get her back myself.”

“Why has he taken her? This isn’t making any sense.”

“I don’t know why, and quite frankly, I don’t give a shit. I’m going in tonight…right after I end this call.”

“Fury, no. Stand down immediately.”

“Like hell I will.”

“That’s an order!” Steel barks. “You will not engage Kozlov without backup. We’ll coordinate a proper extraction. We’ll—”

“There’s no time for that. Every minute we waste talking is another minute she could be—” I can’t finish the sentence. The thought of what Kozlov might be doing to her makes me see red.

“She’s a Draiger, Fury. She’s not even one of us, not really. Why are you willing to risk your career, your life, to save her? You’re putting your own people on the line.”

“It doesn’t matter that she’s a Draiger.

She’s my partner in this. I have to save her just like I would run in to save you.

It’s as simple as that,” I say through gritted teeth.

“We’re working together to save both our islands.

She doesn’t deserve whatever that sick fuck has planned for her.

I’m going in now and, with all due respect, nothing you can say will stop me. ”

“Why are you so damned emotional about this? You’re not being rational, Fury. You’re acting completely out of character here.” There is a long pause. “Fucking hell! Fuck no! What the actual… Please tell me you’re not sleeping with her.”

I don’t answer immediately, which is answer enough.

“Jesus Christ, Fury. You’re fucking one of them…a Draiger.” It’s not a question this time. “Do you have feelings for this female? Because it would seem to me that you do.”

“No,” I snap. “It’s not like that. It was just—”

“Just what? A casual hookup?” Steel’s voice is getting louder with each word. “It’s safe to say you’ve gone rogue here. That you’re in over your head and not thinking clearly.”

“Steel—”

“If you think for one second that she’s interested in you for any reason other than to use you, you’re delusional. Draigers don’t form attachments to Reds, Fury. They hate us. They’ve been suppressing us for centuries.”

“What about Octane and—?”

“That’s different. That’s completely left field. Not a normal situation. This Draiger is using you and—”

“It isn’t like that. I—”

“It absolutely is like that!” Steel roars.

“You’re in over your head. You’re thinking with your dick instead of your brain, and you’re about to throw everything away – your career, your life, possibly expose our entire species – for a female who sees you as nothing more than a useful tool. A fucking chump.”

At this point, my hands are shaking with rage.