Page 54 of The Breeding Cave

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

YEOSIN

Flames licked at my skin as I huddled behind a crumbling wall, clutching my belly. Out of all the fucking times that the dragons could attack, why did it have to be now?! The scent of charred wood filled the air, the smoke nearly choking me.

I held a hand over my mouth and nose in a measly attempt to block it from entering my body.

My mind was racing, but my anger burned hotter than any dragon fire.

Luciano had already shifted into his beast form, standing a few feet from me and throwing a fallen beam away from me.

His canines were lengthened, and parts of his fur were burning.

Wings sprouted from Gideon’s back, and he took flight to chase down the dragon spurting fire from his mouth. They raced through the air, flying in circles so quickly that even down here, I could feel the wind from their speed.

Gideon’s shriek pierced through the darkness, as the dragon had taken a chunk of meat off his abdomen. My eyes widened, and I kept myself hidden behind the wall, not knowing what to do.

I didn’t want to stay hidden. I wanted to fight.

But I knew it wasn’t smart. I knew they were here for me. Maybe for my baby.

“Come with me!” Luciano shouted.

After peering around the wall, I caught Luciano holding back his hand for me. My heart pounded in terror as a dragon who had been hiding suddenly swooped in through the broken roof, spreading fire all inside the kitchen.

“Luciano!” I screamed, my voice raw. “Watch out!”

Luciano dragged his claws against the dragon’s underbelly, opening it up. Blood and guts rained down upon us, and the dragon lost balance and dived headfirst into the living room beside me. I screamed and backed up into the wall.

Before the dragon could regain control, Luciano leaped at him, his howl sending shivers down my spine. He ripped the beast to literal meat pieces, throwing them back in the living room until nothing was left, except bare wings and a carcass.

As Luciano finished him off, another dragon swooped low and snatched me with its talons. I dived out of the way, the sharp claws cutting into my ribs, and shrieked out in pain, grasping the open wounds.

I couldn’t let them take me. I … I wouldn’t. I’d promised myself I’d have Luciano’s child.

Gideon swooped down toward the packhouse, blocking the dragon he had been fighting from breathing fire down onto Luciano. His wings ignited into flames, yet he didn’t seem to be in pain.

“Get out of here!” he shouted at me. “Both of you.”

Luciano snatched my hand and pulled me through the rooms toward an exit on the opposite side of the house. Fire crackled and popped above us, and the roof caved in, falling inches from me. We hurried out the door and into the woods.

“We need to get you to safety,” he said.

I grabbed his hand tightly. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”

“Yeosin,” he snarled, tugging me through the woods, “it isn’t an option.”

“I won’t run from them, not while you’re fighting to keep me alive.”

“I’m fighting to keep you alive because you’re my mate,” he said. “It’s what I was made to do. To protect you. To protect our family and the baby inside your belly. I’m not allowing you to argue with me this time.”

We began moving so fast that the forest became a blur of shadows and flames as Luciano and I darted between the trees, the roar of dragons echoing right behind us. They were on our tails, almost quite literally.

My breath came in ragged gasps, my heart pounding so loudly that I could hear it in my ears. Luciano tightened his grasp on my hand, but my legs couldn’t move that much faster.

“Keep moving, Yeosin! We need to find shelter.”

Move faster, Yeosin. If not for your life, then for your baby’s!

Suddenly, a deafening roar filled the air, and a massive shadow loomed above us. I peered up in time to watch a dragon swoop down with its talons outstretched. Before I could react, Luciano pushed me aside, taking the brunt of the attack, sprawling to the ground.

The dragon landed right on his back, his talons sunk deep in his muscle.

“Luciano!” I cried, reaching out helplessly.

“Run, Yeosin!” he shouted. “Don’t let them take you!”

I wanted to run to protect our family, but my legs and my heart … couldn’t make me. I struggled to my feet, but I had twisted my ankle on the fall down. Alvin descended, his massive wings beating the air around me and his talons circling around my belly.

He lifted me off the ground. I kicked. I screamed. I tried to escape.

Yet the world tilted around me, and I found myself staring down at my mate. At the father of my unborn baby. At the man I loved.

“Luciano!” I shouted with all my might, reaching out for him as if he could change all of this, as if he could … make all my problems go away. He had always done it for me before. “Luciano!”

Alvin pulled me higher into the air, then suddenly, the treetops became a blur of dark green and fire underneath me as we flew quickly.

Alvin nestled me closer to his body. “I have you now, Yeosin. You’re all mine.”