Page 64 of The Mating Quest

Lucas grimaced. “Her stomach is. When they hatch, they’ll eat her from the insideout.”

“It didn’t have her in its grip for long,” Chloe said hopefully. “Maybe it didn’t havetime?”

Ethan looked at Ilana’s gray face and the pain etched there and knew his sister was wrong. “It had time to do enough damage. Can you helpher?”

Lucas shook his head. “This is beyond my magick. I’ll shift into dragon and fly her outside and then we can call on Drust to save her. If she lives thatlong.”

She’d feltlike crap before, but never this bad. Ilana tried to bite back a moan. Her stomach felt as if a dozen tiny knives stabbed her over andagain.

Poison seeped through her body. She knewit.

Ilana struggled against succumbing. She needed to complete this quest, and only then would she finally obtain the peace shesought.

If she surrendered to the pain and her heart stopped, she would fall into a deep sleep and not awaken for 100 years. She must fightthis!

She felt herself placed on the back of a dragon, Ethan holding her in his arms. They flew through the cavern. A cool breeze ruffled her hair, but provided no solace, for she was icycold.

Finally light beamed from the cave’s entrance. Ilana struggled to see as the dragon landed and Ethan slid off his back, carrying her in his arms. He gently set her down on the ground. So gentle. She liked the feel of being held by him. It warmedher.

“Drust’s dragon magick has worn off, Ilana. We have to get off this mountain.” Ethan shivered. “Rest here while I talk with theothers.”

Her senses were dulled, but the murmuring voices changed in pitch. Ilana managed to open her eyes to thelight.

The enormous dragon gray-green dragon guarding the cave entrance had let them pass outside, but now it spread its wings, and showed itsteeth.

“Give me the dragon scale or you and your friends will die,” herumbled.

It wasn’tover.

Chapter 19

“Now what Lucas?!”Ethanyelled.

His back to Ethan, Lucas growled. “Dude, we’re on our own. None of the wizards may render aid until the dragon scale is safely off themountain.”

Lucas went to the dragon and squinted. “Uncle George? You know the sacred dragon scale is forbidden from anyone exceptChloe.”

“Out of the way, youngling. I have guarded this cave for two centuries and it is time for my reward. Give it to me,” Georgedemanded.

He had not paid attention to the dragon at the entrance, for that dragon seemed the least threat. Now Ethan saw the pointed scales, the enormous wingspan, the sheerstrength.

Heard the bellowing deep in the dragon’slungs.

George blew a line of fire at them. Though not burned, Ethan felt the heat and knew they were introuble.

“Watch it, everyone,” he called out, backing away. “The pills are wearingoff.”

Not only did they face dragon fire that could scorch them, but they were vulnerable to the cold and the thinner air. If they didn’t get off this damn mountain soon, they’ddie.

They might be able to shift into their dragon forms, but Chloe could not risk it with the dragon scale. And Ethan knew they could not fight George. He was too large, too strong compared to their smaller, weaker dragonforms.

Lucas shifted into his dragon, spread his wings to shield them as George released another line of dragon fire. This time the fire was lesser and he knew the elderly dragon could not summon fire continuously. George had to wait to recharge his magick. Still the dragon could killthem.

Running out from the protection of Lucas’ wings, Ethan jumped on George’s back, stabbed the dragon, but its scales seemed impenetrable. It ignored him much as an elephant ignored anant.

His target wasChloe.

Lucas put himself between the dragon and Chloe, and bravely fought, biting the much larger dragon in the neck. Blood spurted. The dragon roared. It batted a claw and Lucas yelped in pain, his left wing broken and left dangling. Still Lucas tried to shield Chloe and Dakota with one wing. Ryan shifted into his wolf form and snarling, charged George from the rear, biting his tail. The dragon flicked his tail, flinging Ryan. The Lupine landed against the rock wall, fellunconscious.