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

F ury

I navigate the rented black SUV through the streets, which are still surprisingly busy even at this time of night.

Shadow sits in the passenger seat, her posture rigid, hands clasped tightly in her lap.

We’ve been driving in silence since I finally managed to convince her to leave the bar with me. The minutes slowly tick by, and she grows more and more tense.

“You can relax, Shadow,” I tell her. “You’ll like what I have in mind, I promise.”

“Where exactly are you taking me?” she asks for the umpteenth time since we left the bar. There’s an edge to her voice that wasn’t there before, nervousness bleeding through her usually cool composure.

I can’t really blame her since she doesn’t know me. Since I’m her enemy and all. For all she knows, I’m driving her somewhere remote to finish what we started in my apartment.

Instead of answering her question, I glance sideways at her profile. “How long has it been since you last shifted?”

She turns to look at me, those pretty eyes narrowing slightly. “Why?”

“Just answer the question, please.”

She’s quiet for a moment, and I watch her jaw work as she considers whether to tell me. Finally, she sighs. “It will be exactly three weeks tomorrow.”

I nearly swerve into the next lane.

Three fucking weeks?

“Jesus Christ,” I breathe, gripping the wheel tighter. “No wonder you’re struggling so badly.”

She stiffens. “I’m not struggling. I’m fine.”

“Bullshit. I can practically feel your dragon trying to claw its way out of your skin from here.” I shake my head, genuinely shocked. “How are you so controlled? I’ve never gone that long before. I’m not sure I’d be capable.”

Her laugh is quick. “That’s because you’re a Red. I’m fine. I swear.”

I study her face at the next red light. Her skin has a pale, almost translucent quality, and there are dark circles under her eyes that weren’t there yesterday.

She’s fine?

I think not.

She looks at me. “There is something that has crossed my mind a few times since meeting you.” She narrows her eyes on me.

“I thought Reds were more feral,” she says quietly, turning to face me fully.

“I mean, we knew based on recent information that you were more in control than we initially realized, but still… You’re not what I expected. That’s all. It’s messing with my mind.”

The light turns green, and I press the accelerator. “Reds are far more in control than Draigers could ever be. We don’t need dragon riders to control our beasts. We have full control even when we’re in our scales.”

She stares at me like I’ve just told her the sky is purple. “That’s impossible.” She snorts.

“Is it?”

“Yes!” Her voice rises. “The Draigers have been tasked with keeping the Reds in line. It’s how it’s been for centuries.

We make sure you stay on Mistveil. We keep you from crossing the mist around the island and getting to the Mainland to wreak havoc.

Why would that be the case if you were in control?

Why would the Mainland send us Tributes every year to make it happen?

Why? What you are saying makes no sense. ”

“That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? And it’s one of the reasons why Reds hate Draigers so much. We’re being suppressed by people who are far inferior to us.”

“Inferior?” she growls the word, looking flabbergasted. “Are you being serious right now?”

“You believe yourselves to be superior to us? Don’t you? Don’t even try to deny it.”

“I won’t because we are.”

I choke out a humorless laugh.

“Well, forgive us for feeling the same way. Except the only difference is…” I pull into a parking space and switch off the vehicle, “…we are superior, because we’re more controlled than you are. That’s the bottom line.”

“Inwood Hill Park,” Shadow reads the sign. “What is this? What are we doing here?” She looks around. “We’re in the middle of nowhere.”

“Inwood Hill Park is as far north as you can get in Manhattan while still being in the city.”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” she says.

The park stretches out before us, dense with trees and rocky outcroppings that should provide enough cover for what I have in mind. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best option we have without driving for hours.

“What are we doing here?” Shadow asks again, but I’m already getting out of the SUV.

She follows me as I start walking toward the tree line, her footsteps quick behind me. “Fury, answer me. What the hell are we doing out here?”

I push a button to lock the vehicle. “I thought you would have guessed.”

“The only explanation is too crazy for words, so I’ll ask you again, what are we doing here?”

“We’re going to shift,” I say without slowing down.

She stops dead in her tracks. “Are you insane?”

I keep walking, pushing through the underbrush toward the more secluded interior of the park. “Not at all.”

“Fury!” She jogs to catch up with me, grabbing my arm. “We can’t shift. I’ve been banned from shifting while on the Mainland and with good cause. It’s too dangerous. You can’t do this.”

I carefully remove her hand from my arm and continue deeper into the woods. “I’m doing it. You are too.”

“You’re mad. Completely out of your mind.” She’s following me again, but I can hear the panic in her voice. “We cannot shift. We’ll be putting humans at risk. We’ll expose our presence on the Mainland and get ourselves killed.”

“Only if we are spotted, and we won’t be.”

The trees grow denser as we move deeper into the park, their canopy blocking out most of the city lights. Perfect.

“I’m in full control in my dragon form,” I tell her, pushing aside a low-hanging branch. “I’m much bigger and stronger than you are. I’ll keep you contained. I’ll keep you from doing anything to expose us or get us killed. You have my word.”

We emerge into a small clearing surrounded by thick trees. It’s perfect because it’s secluded, covered, and large enough for what we need to do.

“It’s a pity that your word doesn’t mean much, Red.”

I ignore that she said that.

“This is the spot,” I announce, already reaching for the hem of my shirt.

Shadow stands at the edge of the clearing, her arms wrapped around herself. “Tell me, have you shifted since arriving here?”

I pause in pulling my shirt over my head. “No.”

Her eyes widen. “That’s what I thought. How do you know you’ll be in control? This is dangerous. Far too damned dangerous.”

“Because I am always in control.” I drop my shirt to the ground and start working on my belt. “Get undressed. We’re doing this here and now. You need this. Don’t even deny it.”

“I…” She shakes her head, taking a step back. “I can’t. This is nuts.”

“You’re putting yourself and others in danger because you haven’t shifted.

You need to do this.” I toe off my boots, then shove my jeans down my legs.

“Each time you wait this long, you’re at more risk of your dragon exploding from you.

It could happen when we’re in public, around humans. It could happen at any time.”

“It’s not that bad. I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine.”

She’s staring at me now, her chest rising and falling rapidly. I can see the want in her eyes, the desperate need warring with her fear.

“I promise you’re safe with me,” I continue, standing in just my briefs now.

“I can help you. We’ll shift together, stay in our dragon forms for a few minutes, then change back.

My dragon will be dominant. I’ll keep you contained and force you to change back, if necessary.

We won’t fly, but at least we’ll be in our scales.

We can even stretch our wings a little, as long as we stay in this clearing.

That will be enough for now. It’ll get you to next week. ”

She rubs her arms, hugging herself tighter. “My dragon is going crazy inside me. She wants out so badly, but I’m afraid.” She shakes her head.

I move closer to her, slowly, like she’s a wild animal that might bolt. “Shadow, look at me.”

Her eyes meet mine, and I see the fear there, but also the desperate need.

“You’re safe with me,” I repeat, reaching out to take her hands. They’re trembling. “I’ve got you. I won’t let anything happen.”

For a long moment, we just stand there, her hands in mine, the weight of the decision hanging between us.

Finally, she nods. “Okay. But if this goes wrong…”

“It won’t.” I squeeze her hands, then release them and step back.

“Fine.” She takes a shaky breath and steps out of her shoes. Then, she pulls her dress over her head. Fuck me! I force myself to look away as she reveals a black lace bra set.

Nudity is normal among shifters, but this…this is anything but normal.

I hook my thumbs in the waistband of my briefs and push them down, adding them to the pile of clothes on the ground. When I look back, Shadow is standing in just her panties, her arms crossed over her chest.

Holy smokes!

She’s absolutely breathtaking. Smooth skin and lean muscle, curves in exactly the right places. Her breasts are perfect, just the right size for my hands, her ripe nipples are tight and so fucking pink. Those long legs… Holy shit… They’re perfect for wrapping around a male.

I force myself to look away before I do something stupid.

“I’ve got you. You can do this. You can trust me to keep you safe,” I tell her again, then let my dragon surge forward.

The shift is always intense, but thankfully quick.

My bones elongate, muscles stretch, scales burst through my skin.

There’s pain, but there’s also pleasure in a strange kind of way.

It’s also a relief, like finally being able to breathe after holding your breath underwater.

My dragon is massive, with scales the color of midnight and deep red markings that seem to glow faintly in the darkness.

Shadow pulls in a deep breath as she takes me in.

I turn toward her, rumbling softly to encourage her to join me. She doesn’t, she just stands there. I rumble again, but she shakes her head.

“I can’t. I just…” She shakes her head again.

Then she starts getting dressed in hurried movements.

What the fuck?

I shift back to my human form, the change happening so smoothly that it barely takes a few seconds. Shadow is pulling her shoes on, her hands shaking slightly.

“Shadow?” I step toward her, not caring that I’m still naked. “What are you doing?”

She looks up at me, her eyes wide with shock.

“Your control… How? I don’t understand. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen.

Is everything we’ve been told on Draig Island a lie?

You shouldn’t be so controlled, Fury. Not in your human form and certainly not in your dragon form.

How? I’ve spent my whole life containing a species of dragon on an island because they were out of control.

That this isn’t the case in your human form, I can understand.

I can accept. But that you’re so constrained in your dragon form…

It…it makes me question everything I’ve been made to believe. ”

I can see she’s shaken, and I understand why. Everything she’s been raised to believe about Reds being feral monsters just got turned on its head.

“I couldn’t do it,” she says. “I don’t trust myself. I don’t trust my dragon. She’ll be wild, unlike yours.” Her eyes glisten with unshed tears, but she blinks them away. “Also, I have to follow my directives. The main one is that I may not shift.”

“You’re making a mistake.” I start reaching for my own clothes, frustration building in my chest. “I understand that you’re freaked out, but—”

“No buts… I’m headed back to Draig soon enough,” she says, not meeting my eyes. “I can wait until then.”

“Can you?” I ask.

“Yes. I can.”

I nod once, pulling my briefs on.

“And?” There’s the hint of a smile playing at her lips.

“And what?” I can’t help but smile back at her.

“Was shifting better than sex?”

I laugh because that’s the last thing I expected her to ask me. “Not even close. Not for me because it hasn’t been that long since my last shift, but for you…”

She closes her eyes and bites her lip, and I’m not sure if she’s thinking about shifting or about sex. Probably better if I don’t know the answer to that question.

“Are you sure you don’t want to shift?” I ask her again. “We still have time.”

She opens her eyes and shakes her head. “It doesn’t matter what I want.

I’m already breaking every rule just by interacting with you.

And the truce, we won’t even talk about that.

” Something flares in her eyes that I can’t quite get a read on.

“I can’t afford to break any more than I already have.

” She straightens her shoulders. “I’ll be fine. It’s not your job to worry about me.”

“It is if you get us exposed.”

“I won’t.”

I finish getting dressed, hyperaware of her gaze on me as I pull my shirt over my head. When I catch her staring, there’s a look in her eyes that makes my cock twitch.

I really can’t go there. I have a job to do, one that could include ending her life if necessary. I hope it doesn’t come to that, because she’s growing on me. And that right there is a problem in itself.

A big fucking problem.

“We should get back to the hotel,” I say, my voice gruff.

“Yep…we have an early start tomorrow.”

I wish she’d just trust me enough to shift, but she doesn’t. I fully understand why that is. Hell, I can’t trust her, either. I can’t afford to let my guard down. Not for a second. Not with this female. Not ever!