Deo would need to risk it. He would do whatever he had to to find his mate. He would do whatever it took to save this innocent female too. He would not leave her behind.
“We will have to risk it. I can’t reach my brothers within this cell and perhaps whatever guards us may not be everywhere. We will need to hope and pray to the goddess.”
She trembled but did as he asked. “Goddess?” Jenn asked as she slipped an arm through the shirt sleeve.
“The one who blessed us,” he said. Stepping back, he tried to smile reassuringly. “When I shift, climb on my back, stay down, close your eyes, and hold on.”
Jenn nodded. Habit had him sniffing the air, and he knew in one quick gulp of air, that she was terrified. Hopefully, it wasn’t of his dragon, because that would make this much more difficult.
With that last thought, he shifted. Turning, his dragon patiently waited for her. She approached with caution, and his dragon tried to hide his impatience. As she got closer, he put an arm out to allow her easier access.
His dragon rolled his eyes as if she was the only thing between him and his mate. Which wasn’t the case, but Deo couldn’t reason with the damn beast some days.
A quick wiggle check to not only see that she was seated, but for something else and Deo wanted to slap the damn creature. Deo knew his dragon was proving a point that she wasn’t meant to be there for long. Fucking dragons.
Heading to the door, he eyed it and blew a steady stream of fire against the metal. Jenn whimpered, but he hoped she was smart enough to do as he asked and keep her head down. He didn’t have time to worry. She either did as asked, or perhaps she would be nursing a few more injuries. At least she would be alive.
Stopping the steady attack on the metal, the door glowed red as he punched his clawed foot toward it. The thing gave way, warping and opening.
He wouldn’t fit through the door in this form, but he didn’t care. Pushing through hot metal wasn’t a concern as the wall tore to accommodate his massive shoulders.
He snuffed as the acrid scent of demons. It was everywhere. Good thing his dragon was ready. They used their other senses to find the exit. Sounds took on a unique design as he waited to understand what the air's motion did around these creatures. He waited for them to become something other than air and shadow, anything to help him see them versus the area around them.
Deo’s dragon moved in the direction of calmer air for now, assuming he would either end up with a better chance to reach his brothers or there was a way out.
Jenn squeezed tighter on his back. It took another moment before he could feel the effects of the demonic magic.
Pushing himself, they moved quickly, trying to push away the nightmares playing at the edge of his mind. He knew what the fear was from. He could reason through it, as long as he focused on his mate and the hope that nothing was as it seemed.
He took a deep breath as they moved between the fear demons and something new. Anger burned through him. He needed something to fight as the labyrinth of tricks was growing frustrating.
His senses told him they weren’t alone, but he also didn’t know what they were fighting. Looking up, it was clear they were in a basement without hope of a window. Wonderful.
Reaching out for his brothers, there was still nothing.
Jenn squeezed his sides harder, and he pressed on, knowing whatever was in this part of the basement was getting to her far sooner than it got to him.
He moved quickly, stopping as a voice called to him.
“Deo. Come to me, Deo.”
No. This was not real. Right?
He turned, following the voice. “Deo. Come to me, Deo.”
It was Aisha’s voice; he wanted to follow. Was she here? Had she come for him? As they moved closer, his dragon froze. The scent was wrong.
“Deo. Come to me, Deo.”
He snarled as something lashed out in a white fog.
He backed away as the sense of danger sunk in.
Jenn screamed somewhere off in the distance. No wait.
Shaking his head thoroughly, he realized it was Jenn on his back.
Looking around, Deo took in the corridor. Shit. They had gotten sucked in.
Something lashed out again, tentacle-like arms reached out of the fog. No.
Not today, demon.
His dragon reared up, turning them around. Jenn slipped, but as he slammed back down, he felt her sink her heels into his sides. They needed to get out of here.
He tried to get back to listening. Using senses other than his eyes. All around them was fog, but if he concentrated hard, the magic thinned to the right of him. He followed.
The building was a mix of demon decay and sour fear from Jenn. He tried to hurry. Finally, as they rounded another corner and through an area of old rusted pipes, he found stairs.
They paused in wait for the trap. It didn’t take long for one to manifest. The room moved and shivered around them. The stairwell moved even though they stood still. He could see the shimmer of the black magic as near invisible creatures circled round and round, waiting to strike. It was doubtful that Deo could get through the stairs as his beast, but what of Jenn. She’d fit, but could she do it? Could she get through this hoard of demons? He wasn’t sure and didn’t want to risk it.
A quick moment passed as he formed his plan. Reaching around in a quick jerk, he pulled her pants by his teeth. She let out a yelp of surprise. The whites of her eyes were red. The apparent suffering within her burdened him more than he wanted.
She stood still as he reached his tongue out and lapped at her. She didn’t scream; and he was grateful. He coated her
