“Put me down,” I pleaded, all thoughts of arousal gone as those sharp fangs hovered only inches above my neck. The gold in Ronan’s eyes flashed, then there was a blast of air and he was gone, leaving a stinging sensation on my chest. Kieran ploughed into him, throwing his body across the room. I gasped as I saw four red lines opened along my neck and chest, starting as a small sting then blossoming into a sharp pain. Kieran crouched protectively in front of me. Across the room Ronan hissed and growled, circling to try and find an opening around Kieran to get back to me.
I sat up carefully, one hand pressed to my chest. I was quickly covered in blood, which ran freely down my chest and ruined my dress. I looked up, and both drakens were frozen, their hungry eyes locked onto me.
“Come on, not again.”
I didn’t know what to do. Should I try to get away? Move slowly?
“Kieran, Ronan, don’t.”
They circled around me, hissing at each other but never once breaking their gaze from my bleeding chest. I had never been more terrified in my entire existence, and for the first time in my life I gave into the instinctive need to scream for help.
The sound that left my body was otherworldly; a long, loud screech that shook the walls of stone and physically knocked Kieran and Ronan on their asses. Kieran and Ronan shook their heads, then advanced on me again. They never got the chance to pounce, because three drakens roared into the room, clashing immediately with Kieran and Ronan. Then four more came, and then more, and suddenly it was a melee as drakens fell upon each other, viciously battling for dominance.
I tried to crawl away and found myself picked up and thrown. My arm broke as I landed awkwardly, barely managing to whimper as white-hot pain engulfed me. A large talon stepped on my leg and I screamed in agony, making that same animalistic, desperate screech. A draken with bright blue scales turned and grabbed me by my broken arm, ignoring my screams and lifting me high in front of him. His fangs descended towards my neck and I grabbed the dagger from my sheath with my good arm, the blade catching him across the face. The draken shrieked and dropped me, breaking a few ribs when I met the unyielding ground, unable to brace myself with my broken arm. I screeched again in desperation, unable to see as the fighting escalated all around me. Another distressed, warble pushed itself from my throat, and I felt an answering consciousness rumble back to me. I couldn’t explain it, but suddenly I knew that real help was coming. There was a swirl of darkness before me and quite suddenly, Benedict was there, tearing into each draken he could get his hands on. His wounds still looked fresh, but it didn’t stop him as he viciously cleared a path in front of me.
“It’ll be over soon.”
D’Arcy was there as well, positioning himself in front of me. He faced outwards and shielded me from the other drakens with his massive turquoise wings. I curled up into a ball, just wishing it would end. The shrieks and cries of the other drakens lessened, until all I could hear was Benedict’s deep growl. D’Arcy lowered his wings, and everyone was gone except for him, Benedict, Kieran, and Ronan’s unconscious body.
“We’re sorry. We just wanted to teach her—"
“You utter MORONS! Did you not think she would bleed while training? Had you already forgotten how this one had already proved he couldn’t handle her spilled blood?”
Benedict’s anger was a tangible force that kept me pressed down to the floor in fear. Kieran’s mouth wavered, but he offered no defense.
“You will stay away from her.”
Kieran bristled, shooting an indignant look to D’Arcy.
“If she chooses—”
“GET OUT!”
Kieran’s lips thinned into a straight line, but he didn’t say anything else. He bent down to grasp Ronan’s body, and he lifted him easily over his shoulders. He left through the same archway he’d brought me.
D’Arcy stepped forward. For as angry as Benedict looked, D’Arcy was exuberant.
“This would have made a great task—"
“Leave.”
Benedict turned his furious glare on D’Arcy, who visibly deflated.
“But I thought—"
“NOW!”
D’Arcy jerked, then spun on the spot and disappeared. I started to hyperventilate, realizing that anyone who cared about me was gone, and I was alone with an angry, raging draken who hated me. It didn’t matter that he’d saved me twice now; all I could feel was the raging current of emotions pouring from him. I curled tighter into myself, praying none of it would be directed at me. He sighed, and it was an odd, regretful sound that made me peek at him warily.
“I am not angry with you. For once.” His eyes blazed with an amethyst fire. “Though to be fair, you are quickly becoming the biggest pain in my ass.”
I flinched as he moved towards me, but he only knelt beside me, gently supporting my back as he took in my injuries. Not all men will hurt you. Not all men cause pain.
“Ah,” I slurred back with bravado, “you notice a pain in your ass, at least.”
An amused grunt burst from his lips, then it was gone. “Everyone can’t help but notice you; that seems to be our main problem.”
All I cared about was making some of the pain stop. My head flopped to the side as the wound on my chest continued to bleed, and I doubted my arm was supposed to be at that angle.
“You gonna lick me again? ‘Cause it hurts.” A snort was his only reply, even as his lips hovered above my chest.
“Just to be clear, I’m only doing this because you asked me to.”
I didn’t give
