Pretty Painful

by K. A Knight

  Everything happens for a reason.

  Whatever that reason may be, I am beyond thankful it brought me to Dabria, my little mate.

  My second chance, my love.

  Dabria

  A flash of heat surges through my body, making me groan and flutter open my eyes. I didn’t feed last night, a point my body is reminding me of as hunger races through my body. I’m salivating at the smell of Mishal’s blood under his skin. I can almost taste it, and my fangs throb and drop down automatically, begging me to take a bite out of him and drink him deeply.

  “Good morning, little one,” he greets softly, and I glance up from his chest and into his eyes.

  The black flares before it smoulders, and a cocky smile curls at his lips, his mouth opening to say something, but the door bangs and has us both jumping to our feet with Mishal standing in front of me. I peek around his broad shoulders to see the door opening and three guards stream in, faces all grim and set in anger. Oh shit, this isn’t going to be good. One stays by the door, keeping it slightly open as he crosses his arms and his eyes lock on me with a sneer. He’s big, huge for a human, and I shrink back before remembering myself.

  The two others step into the cell with what look like cattle prods held in their hands. One laughs, slapping it against his other palm as they circle us, one to the left and one to the right. “It seems freak here needs to be reminded of who’s in charge, isn’t that right, boys?” the one to the right taunts, and my eyes swing to him before going back to the man on the left as he inches closer.

  “I think so, maybe the bitch too. Seems he hasn’t killed her yet, maybe he likes this toy. I wonder if he’ll let us play with her?” He grins, flashing his teeth at me as he darts forward but scurries back with a laugh as Mishal snaps at him.

  Placing my hand on his back, I feel Nyre surging underneath, rippling his skin as he seems to grow. The chains clank as Mishel’s head swivels to keep them in view, but he can’t shift. He can’t protect us both, I know that. He might be stronger and faster than a human, but even for him, he can’t keep his eye on me and take them all down…something has to give.

  The man to the right lunges and Mishal turns to him, grunting as the cattle prod hits his chest. He roars, snapping at the man. I hear the movement a second too late and a scream freezes in my throat as my body convulses, my eyes locking on the cattle prod pressed to my shoulder. The man uses it to drag me away, out of Mishal’s reach as my body spasms, not responding to me. Mishal turns toward me, his eyes gold and green mixed with black, his chest heaving with a red mark from the prod. A roar splits his face when he sees us and he jumps at us, but the man behind him sticks him with the prod again, keeping it against his skin as I’m dragged away.

  Once I’m out of reach of his chains, the man steps back and lets Mishal recover. My body has finally stopped spasming and tears wet my cheeks, but I feel weak and shaky. I was already weak from not feeding and now I’m regretting that. I try to spin but the prod hits my skin again, making me cry out and Mishal roar.

  “Now, now. None of that. I will stop touching her, but you can’t fight back, understand me, dragon?” the man holding me sneers.

  Mishal freezes, his eyes going to me, and I try to shake my head, knowing he will do it for me. He nods, spreading his hands wide and keeping his gazes on me as the two men, including the man from the door, step towards him. I try to scream, I try to kill the bastard holding me, but the volts are still working through my system and I’m helpless, trapped inside my spasming body as they advance on him and he makes no move to protect himself…because of me.

  Close your eyes, mi cielo, you do not want to see this, Nyre tells me, his voice soft, but I can hear the helplessness and anger underneath and I feel the same way.

  We are both trapped, watching as they hurt him. The big man steps up first, punching his stomach. Mishal winces, bending slightly before straightening, his eyes still on me like I’m his strength to endure this, or maybe his reminder. I try to thrash, but only a weak noise escapes my throat.

  The big man pummels Mishal, hitting his face, stomach, side, back, and anywhere he can get a hold off. The other man starts pressing him with the prod, again and again until I can actually see the volts racing through his body. Not once does he cry out, not even when he falls to his knees with blood pouring from his face, and his body thrashing from the electrical current.

  “Do you like watching? Oh, but you are pretty, maybe we will have our fun with you while he’s passed out,” the man whispers in my ear, laughing as I cringe.

  Mishal roars, the sound forced and broken, and his eyes dart to the man behind me, warning him, but it only makes the man laugh again. The current in my body finally stops and I hang limp. Cries leave my throat as Mishal falls to the floor and they kick and punch him. I hear a bone break and scream for him, thrashing as much as my weak body allows in the guard’s grip.

  Instead of tazing him with the prod, the man starts beating him with it, and I scream harder, anger racing through me as I fight in the guard’s grip. I manage to turn around and my weight drags us down with me on top of him. He grins up at me, flipping me before I can react, and I freeze. He is stronger than a human…how? Is he like us? That strange glowing from under his shirt catches my attention again, but when he licks my throat I gag and start to fight. The sound of bones being broken and flesh tearing only makes me fight harder.

  No, no, no, no, I chant in my head. It even blocks the sound of Nyre’s infuriated roars as the man’s hand traps mine to the floor and he roams my body with his other one, touching, feeling, and pinching. I dart my head forward, head-butting him, and he screams as I hear his nose crunch. Blood gushes down onto me from it, but he keeps his grip on me so I turn to the side and rip out a chunk of his arm with my teeth.

  The guard backhands me hard, my head smashing into the concrete and ringing, but I refuse to be beaten again, I refuse to be raped again. I refuse to lie here as they hurt the man I love again and again. No more. I turn to face the guard and he flinches at whatever he sees in my gaze, his hand stilling on my breast. Lunging forward, I knock him back as I tear out his throat, pushing my body through the agony to try and move.

  Blood spurts into my mouth, but I quickly turn to the side and spit as much out as I can, ignoring the gurgling of the dying man underneath me. Getting to my wobbly feet, I kick his body and turn to the others to see them still beating Mishal, but all I can make out is a bloody body on the floor that’s no longer moving. I let out all my rage, all my pain, hopelessness, and grief, and scream. I scream long and ragged, and the two men freeze and turn to me, blinking when they spot the guard on the floor.

  My scream cuts off and I growl at them, gnashing fangs. “Who’s next?” I yell.

  “The fuck?” the big one asks.

  “Kill her!” the other one screams, as they both rush at me.

  I notice a flash of movement from Mishal and look towards him to see his eyes flicker open—completely golden and green. Nyre. My grumpy dragon.

  The big guy hits me like a linebacker, throwing me back into the wall, and I groan at the crash, my bones rattling in my body, but I refuse to go down without fighting. I charge forward, head low, and throw him back and dodge the incoming lashes from the prod, moving as fast as I can, but I can feel myself slowing down. Slowing from the lack of my mate’s blood and the poison I can feel racing through my body.

  I’m a fraction too slow, and a prod hits me in the back then a punch hits me square in the face and I go down hard, convulsing on the floor from the volts as bile comes from my mouth, black and red from the blood eating away at my insides.

  Dabria! I hear both of them scream my name in my head, but I can’t even blink or think, trapped in the cycle of pain and fire.

  Eventually, the volts stop and only then do I realise I have closed my eyes, they slit open to see the big guy’s fist coming straight for my face again. It hits me hard and I black out for a second before I choke on my own blood, my head t
urning to the side as I spit it out, my stomach refuses to let anything stay down.

  They watch as I push myself up, getting to my knees before them.

  “She’s stubborn,” the big guard comments and laughs. “That will come in handy. It’s more fun when they fight.” He nudges the other man as he snaps out his leg and kicks me in the ribs. I hear a crack before I gurgle on my own blood again. Grabbing the floor in front of me as I fall, I make sure to throw it up on his boots and I hear his disgusted gag, even through the ringing in my ears.

  A booted foot hits me square in the face, sending me flying to my back. I can’t even scream, I’m too busy choking on blood and sick, but when they stand over me, I squint at them with a bloody smile curling my lips. At least they are hurting me and not him. I can’t stand by and let someone I love to be hurt, or worse...killed again. I just can’t.

  I twist my face at the last second as his boot kicks for me again and hits the side of my face. It feels like being smashed into a cement wall. I must black out again, because when I come to, my eyes are fuzzy and I can’t hear anything, my breathing is laboured, and each breath is agony and filled with liquid. I spit something out and try to cry when I spot the gleaming white covered in blood—one of my fangs.

  Dabria, free me!

  I don’t know how long he has been shouting in my head, but it finally cuts through the chaos as I feel my body flipped so I’m face down. One of them snaps my ankle to the side when I uselessly kick out at him with it, and an agonized scream leaves my throat as I feel it snap.

  Free me now!

  I don’t know how, I cry in my head, and he roars again but a wave of blackness and pain washes away his words until I’m alone in my head. I can’t even see Mishal anymore. God, I wish I could. Just one more time so I can thank him for saving me, for teaching me to love and trust again. This will kill him, I know that, but at least I got to spend some time with him before my death. I don’t regret that, even if it led here.

  I’m sorry, I try to push the thought to him. I love you both.

  My legs are kicked apart from behind as I stare at the stone wall in front of me, I can’t even feel from the neck down, which is probably a good thing. Tears squeeze out of my eyes, knowing what they are going to do to my body even as I die. God, I wish Nyre was here. I wish I figured out how to break him free.

  Mi cielo, he whispers, and it cuts through the chaos.

  I float towards it, happy to leave my body.

  Mi cielo, that’s it. Come to me, let me feel it all.

  I offer it all on a silver platter, feeding him my pain, anger, humiliation, and regret until he roars louder than ever, almost popping my head. Oh wait, that isn’t in my head. I feel their hands leave my body as they scream and my head flops to the side to see a dragon in the cell where Mishal once was. He’s beautiful, like I knew he would be, all green and black scales with bright golden eyes. The very edges of his sharp scales glitter golden as he roars, his tail flicking behind him. He has to curl up to fit in here, but I watch in amusement as he snaps those big jaws near me. I don’t flinch, knowing he will never hurt me.

  I did it, I freed him.

  My eyes start to shut as I watch him eat those two guards before golden eyes fill my vision.

  Hold on, mi cielo, we are here, hold on.

  He scoops me up with his claw, holding me to his giant chest, my body flopping uselessly in his grasp. He roars again and pushes up until he breaks through the ceiling. My eyes slip closed and I must lose some time, because I hear screaming and smell smoke, but I can’t seem to open them again. The next thing I feel is a breeze brushing my face and the feeling of moving very fast, but it soon fades again.

  Mi cielo, you have to feed, a growl states.

  Feed? How?

  In the dark, I start to slip away again, but he grabs me and keeps me here, demanding me, ordering me, owning me. Mate, Nyre, Mishal.

  Yes, mi cielo, feed now, he orders.

  Something wet is pressed against my lips, but I can’t seem to move them. He roars again, and I feel a claw scrape against my skin as my mouth is opened and that sweet-smelling liquid is poured down my throat. I should choke, but as it hits me, I feel it healing until I can swallow. Mouthful after mouthful, that fire liquid runs through my broken body, fixing everything. Like after a storm, everything is brand new until I sit up with a gasp, my eyes popping open to meet Nyre’s golden ones. He has his...claw to my mouth, as he lies curled on the ground protecting me. I spot trees to the left and right, but all I can think about is getting more of his blood. I need it all. God, I feel like I haven’t had anything to drink in years, my mouth is parched and my body dry.

  That’s it, mi cielo, take it all, it’s all yours.

  I test my hands and realise they work, so I yank his claw to me, not thinking about the fact his scales are touching my face as I suck more blood from him. He purrs, his body vibrating around me as I do.

  That’s it, mi cielo, more.

  I tear my mouth away with a pained gasp when I feel my fang push back through my gums, and I watch as one second Nyre is there and the next Mishal is. He scoops me to his chest and I pounce, unable to help myself. He rubs my back in soothing circles as I rip into his throat, none too gently. I drain him, drop after drop, and somehow through my bloodlust I remember what happened and start to panic at where we are.

  “Shh, little one, we are safe. We are far from that facility in the woods, no one can find us here. I burned the whole place down,” he says softly. Tears come to my eyes and I can’t help but feel relieved, even knowing he killed everyone.

  Eventually I pull away, licking my lips and the drops of blood that come from his neck. I wince at the mess there, but as I watch it heals.

  “Little one, I am a god. Did you really think you could drain me?” He laughs and I look up into his black eyes.

  There isn’t a mark on him, he’s healed from all of it. Sobs break free and I fling myself against his chest. He holds me again, whispering to me as he kisses along my shoulder.

  “You’re okay, you’re safe, no one will ever hurt you again or me, or Nyre will barbeque them.” I laugh but pull back and cup his face.

  “It’s not me I’m crying for, you big idiot. I thought I had lost you. I—” My voice cracks and I swallow the sobs. “I thought they had killed you, fuck, I thought you were dead. I don’t want to live in a world where you aren’t,” I cry.

  His eyes pop open in shock. “You-you’re crying for me?” he asks.

  I slap his chest. “Of course I am! I thought I had lost you!” I scream.

  His grin is slow and sexy as hell, but it pisses me off. I cross my arms, wiggling in his grip, trying to get down but he growls, keeping me against him. “Little one, like you could ever escape me. I knew you would get us out of there,” he states with such confidence, my anger falters and I look back at him.

  “I didn’t, you did,” I point out.

  He snorts, laughing. “No, little one, I didn’t. You broke us free. Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to. Don’t you see, Dabria? Without you, I am living a life in chains.”

  Holy mother of—and this man says he isn’t romantic. I swear, if I was wearing panties they would have just exploded, and my heart is so full I start crying again, and he growls looking pained.

  “Little one, please stop, I promise we are safe,” he begs, this dragon god brought to his knees from my tears.

  “Ok-ay,” I hiccup, trying to stop because I know it stresses him, but I honestly thought we would die in there. I thought I’d never get to hold him again, never see his smile or hear Nyre’s growl, never feel his touch and kisses.

  “Maybe I need to prove it to you?” he growls, his hand gripping the nape of my neck, no doubt hearing my thoughts.

  “Yes, yes, God, please help me forget. Replace it all with nothing but you and me under these stars,” I implore, needing to feel him in me, needing to feel him alive. Some people might think that crazy after what just almost ha
ppened, but it’s how I know we are alive and safe, and I won’t calm down until I feel him between my thighs, holding my body to his as he marks me all over again, proving to everyone we are here and safe. We are mates.

  “Please, Mishal,” I plead.

  “You never beg for anything, little one. I am yours, as is my body. Whatever you need,” he vows, sealing it with a soft kiss, and wiping away the taste of them and that foul blood with sin, fire, and smoke, until I’m groaning in his arms.

  “Yes, always. You’re mine.” I nod, my head dropping back to look at the sky as he kisses along my throat.

  “Yours,” he agrees against my skin. “Let me show you how much.”

  Mishal

  My mate’s eyes blow wide with desire as she licks her lips still stained with my blood. I can’t begin to explain to her the utter panic and heartbreak I felt when she stood up to those guards or when I saw her fall.

  Grief like I’ve never known before had coursed through me when Nyre had picked up her broken body, and her chest barely rose and fell. I had hardly felt the touch of her mind. It had killed a part of me and now if I lose her, I will tear this world apart for hurting her before I join in her death. I haven’t spent nearly long enough with my mate, and when faced with her almost dying, I had decided not even three lifetimes would be enough with her.

  Watching her grow in confidence, in strength, watching her become the woman I see every day, sharing our love and passion, soaring with her through the skies and watching her grow with our child, our family, growing old together—I want it all and I refuse to let that not happen. I had seen it, the life we might have had, in that second, as we flew from the facility Nyre torched as we flew away. I had watched the love die in her eyes and I knew…nothing in this world, no crown, no worshippers, family, life, money…it could never compare to her. I would rather spend my days in chains in that cell with her by my side than face a life of freedom without her.