by Zoey Harper
It's a little too late for that, she thought.
While she was in the back of the van, the blue-eyed man had pricked her with a needle, before reaching for Zara's breast. Before she passed out, she leaned into him and kneed him in the stomach. Despite Kira's advice, Zara couldn't see herself reacting any other way.
She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. "You'll have to release my legs if I'm going to be able to put on the jeans."
The dark-eyed man smiled at her and leaned down. "I'm Peros, by the way. What's your name?"
Zara pursed her lips and did her best to keep her gaze focused on Peros, who placed a hand on her knee, no doubt in a bid to intimidate her. Zara had been through a lot and come out on the other side. She was not going to let Peros win the battle by intimidating her at the first contest. She would do whatever it took to keep herself away from him, and, if push came to shove, then she'd go down swinging.
Better dead than broken, Zara thought.
Peros leaned back and laughed. "A contest of wills, I see. It doesn't matter, I'm a patient man, and you'll learn to beg for me and my protection, once we release you into the general population."
Zara stood and walked around Peros to the bed where he had thrown her clothes. She picked the clothes up and shook them out to buy time. What did he mean by the general population? Peros was a shifter, and the idea that the place was full of more of them had her stomach in knots. How would she protect herself? Zara turned around and folded her arms, forcing as much strength into her voice as she could.
"I need you to leave before I change."
Peros stood gracefully and prowled toward her, his footsteps silent, his eyes locked on hers. He lifted a hand and stroked her hair gently.
"Okay. I'll leave for now, but I'll be back to check on you. We're at the beginning of a lovely journey, you and I."
Zara's skin crawled, but she didn't drop her gaze. Peros smiled and left the cell, locking it behind him. Zara collapsed onto the bed and held her head in her hands. It was all too much. One guard tried to beat her to death, for apparently insulting his shifter pride, and the other wanted to rape her. Oh, and to make matters worse, the prison-type hole she found herself in was full of shifters.
Zara, as a half-breed dragon, had always been stronger and faster than girls her age. She never understood why, but Kira found her a few months ago and explained things to her. The only benefit of her dragon heritage was a better than average physical ability. The major pitfall was the magic she carried within her.
She couldn't shift or use her magic in any way, but she felt it deep within her. And it was this magic that several shifters had hunted her kind for over the years, according to Kira. Zara hated the fact that she couldn't unlock the potential within her and that it left her vulnerable.
Then she thought of her mother, who probably wouldn't miss her. Zara knew that her disappearance or possible death wouldn't affect her mother one way or another. Tears threatened to take over once more, but Zara steeled herself. She'd gotten through life, taking care of her mother for as long as she could. The same strength she had then was in her now, and she would use it.
Zara quickly changed her clothes in the cold cell, then called out. "Hello. Is anyone there?"
"Shut up, little girl. Some of us are trying to sleep in here," a gruff voice called.
"The girl's just trying to find her bearings," a male voice answered.
"Shut up, panther."
Zara heard a growl and recoiled when she heard a deeper, answering one. It boomed, and the metal door of her cell vibrated.
The story continues in...
NARCHIS DRAGON
Shadow Squad, Book 1
Grab it here!
Also by Zoey Harper
Shadow Squad Series:
NARCHIS DRAGON
NARCHIS DRAGON, sees the Shadow Squad rescue a female half-breed (half dragon, half human) from a Gleonite breeding program. But Gleon is hell-bent on manufacturing creatures that can stand up to dragons and will break every rule from decades-old peace treaties, to get the young woman back...
Get Narchis Dragon here:
Book 1: Narchis Dragon
CIMMERIS DRAGON
CIMMERIS DRAGON, sees the team rescue a Brevian diplomat captured on a secret mission to Earth. But this diplomat is feisty, and staying safe and sound at the base, is not her cup of tea!
Get Cimmeris Dragon here:
Book 2: Cimmeris Dragon
CORRUS DRAGON
CORRUS DRAGON, sees the team protect a single mother who gets attacked by a mysterious dragon. The rescue is swift, but this mysterious dragon won't give up. His interest in the young mother and son runs deep...
Get Corrus Dragon here:
Book 3: Corrus Dragon
PENUM DRAGON
PENUM DRAGON, sees the team rescue a powerful female half-breed from a months-long stay in a maximum security Gleonite prison. But this woman is anything but a damsel in distress, and her checkered past will catch up to her quickly and prove that...
Get Penum Dragon here:
Book 4: Penum Dragon
VEILIOS DRAGON
VEILIOS DRAGON, sees a female dragon seek refuge at the team's base. Two powerful enemies are hot on her heels, and the Shadow Squad will need to throw everything they have at her attackers if she's going to walk out of their base alive...
Get Veilios Dragon here:
Book 5: Veilios Dragon
About the Author
Zoey Harper is a lover of fantasy, romance, and action. Alpha males who melt around their mates, and fierce females who hold their own, are what she loves to write. She’s got a lot of wonderful stories to tell, so make sure you follow her on one of these platforms to be the first to know when she has a knew book out.