“You’re not going in there.”
“Yes, I am.”
Arlo invaded her personal space until they were standing toe to toe. Juniper wasn’t going to back down, despite the way her heart raced at his closeness. She could feel his breath disturbing her hair. His hand slid up her arms and rested on her shoulders. “Please. I’m begging you not to do this.”
There was that look in his eyes again, the one she couldn’t decipher. “I have to.” She wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him down until their lips met. She kissed him like her life depended on it. For all she knew, this could be the last kiss she ever had. Juniper wanted to remember it. Wanted to make sure it was with Arlo.
Their tongues met as he backed her against the wall and pulled her closer.
Holy dragons, she wanted him. Despite the hard press of his muscles against her chest, she had to focus. There was something deadly on the other side of this wall that needed to be stopped. Despite Arlo’s plea, she had to make sure she helped make that happen.
Gently pushing Arlo away, she ran her hands through her hair, deliberately not meeting his eyes, then turned and entered the room.
Heath looked up in surprise as Juniper arrived, followed by Arlo. “Is there a problem?”
“We’ve got an idea,” said Juniper. “If you’ll let us assist.”
The commander sneered. “Are you going to let one of your hybrid lackeys take a shot at me? Are you afraid you’ll fail?”
“I don’t care how we get the information we need,” said Heath, not wasting a glance on the commander. “So long as we find out what you’re up to and put a stop to it.”
“And you think she’s going to be able to do that?”
Heath extended a hand and moved away from the table. “Do whatever you need to. I’m getting nowhere.”
The sick feeling in Juniper’s stomach intensified, and a cold sweat broke out across her forehead. Maybe the commander would be stronger than she was. He’d almost broken her the last time they tangled. She hadn’t been prepared for him then. She would be this time.
Arlo’s hand drifted down her back. His presence reassured her. She could do this.
Taking a breath, annoyed at herself when it came out shaky, Juniper opened her ability.
The commander twitched in his seat and his eyes narrowed. “Keep your filthy tricks away from me.”
“There’s no use fighting me,” said Juniper. She rolled her shoulders and blocked out all distractions. It was just her and the commander.
She blinked as she got the flash of an image of a large stone building, a dragon’s egg, and some maps.
An ache began behind her eyes, but she ignored it. “Tell us about the stone building. The place you’re holding the egg.”
“There is no...” The commander’s voice trailed off, and his jaw went slack.
Juniper risked a smile. She had him.
She repeated her question. “Where are you holding the egg?”
The commander twitched in his seat. “Alpha Zone five.”
“Whereabouts in that particular zone?”
The commander jumped as if he’d received an electric shock. “There are hills.”
“Show me on the map,” said Juniper. “I have an image of a map in your head. Pinpoint the place.”
“It’s not for you.” His words came out slow and stilted.
“Yes, it is. What are you going to do with the egg?”
“Breed from it.”
“You want your own dragon?”
“Yes. A dragon.”
“What are you going to do when you have one?”
“Make it serve.”
“Serve the State?” asked Juniper. “You want dragons to do your bidding?”
“They will be our slaves.”
Juniper swiped a hand across her nose, feeling the familiar hot trickle of blood on her flesh.
“You should take a break,” said Arlo.
She shook her head slightly. “We’re fine. I’m connected to him now. It would do me more harm to break the connection before I have all the information.”
“Nothing more for you,” snarled the commander as Juniper’s distraction allowed him a modicum of control. “We’ll take everything that belongs to us.”
“This planet and the people on it do not belong to you,” said Juniper.
She heard Heath and Arlo exchange words, but she was so deep in her connection with the commander that she couldn’t make them out.
“We belong here,” said the commander. “You are the ones who are the mistakes.”
“The only mistake we made was to let you take control,” said Juniper. “Tell me everything about the egg.”
The commander shifted in his seat, and his head dropped to his chest. She could feel how hard he was fighting the connection, feel the throbbing ache behind her eyes grow by the second.
“Juniper, you need to stop,” said Arlo, his voice low and full of concern.
“No. Hold him down,” said Juniper. “If we make physical contact, it will be easier for me to influence him.”
“Don’t come near me,” growled the commander as Heath and Arlo restrained him against the chair.
Despite every fiber of her being telling her not to get any closer, she placed her hands on either side of the commander’s head.
He snapped his teeth at her, but Juniper held on.
As her connection strengthened, so did the agony inside her head. This was all she needed. He couldn’t stop her from seeing his thoughts. What she saw made her blood run cold.
“Show me where the egg is,” she said.
“It is not for you.”
“It definitely isn’t for you,” muttered Heath. “Show Juniper what she needs.”
She barely heard Heath. A darkness slid over her as the full truth of what the State were was revealed. She’d been right all along. Ever since that first skin-crawling touch by the tower. Her doubts were wiped away as their connection to each other grew. He wasn’t human or dragon. He was something worse. Something primitive and much more dangerous.
“How did you get to be here?” The words fell out of her mouth as her gaze locked with the commander.
“We have always been here.” The commander’s hate-filled eyes focused only on Juniper. “And we’ll be here long after your kind has gone.”
“You’ve been hidden away for all this time?”
“What are you talking about?” asked Arlo, his voice so distant he sounded like he was in another room. “What is he?”
Juniper ignored Arlo’s question as she continued to probe the commander’s mind. She opened her mouth to ask another question, but an inhuman scream had her flinching. She dropped her hold on the commander’s head and backed away.
The commander was foaming at the mouth, his limbs spasming as Arlo and Heath continued to hold him.
She clamped her hands over her ears as the commander continued to scream. His head flopped to one side and his eyes went blank.
“No.” The word came out as a whisper as everything she believed in shifted. This was too much. She could feel herself shutting down, feel her dragon hibernation mode kicking in, desperate to keep her safe and protect her.
The last sensation Juniper had was of Arlo wrapping his arms around her.
Chapter 12
It was late in the afternoon. Arlo was drifting in and out of sleep, despite promising himself he’d stay awake. He was curled around Juniper, who was tucked in beside him on his single bed.
After she’d collapsed, he’d rushed her to the medical bay to be grudgingly checked over by Sophia.
But he’d already known what was wrong with her. Her hibernation mode had kicked in again.
After Sophia had checked her out and confirmed what had happened, Arlo had insisted on taking Juniper to his room. He could take care of her. He wanted to. In fact, Arlo wanted her to stay in his room forever. He would not put her in that kind of danger ever again. The look of horror on Juniper’s fa
ce when she’d been exposed to the commander had been too much to bear.
Whatever he’d shown her, it had shocked Juniper so deeply that she’d turned in on herself to recover. And as much as he wanted to find out what she’d learned, Arlo had insisted she rest and stay with him. She needed time to process whatever information she’d uncovered.
Whatever she’d experienced had almost killed her. The answers would have to wait just a little longer.
He pulled her tight against his chest. He loved seeing her in his bed. For once, she looked so peaceful and calm. It was a look she rarely wore when awake, always seeming to be on the lookout and alert for trouble. It was her default position, although he wished it wasn’t. He wished Juniper could feel safe and happy. He wanted that for her. He hoped she could find that at the base. If she couldn’t, she would leave and he would lose her again.
His fingers traced over the iridescent purple and green scales that ran the length of her arm. They were so beautiful, so smooth to the touch. They warmed slightly under his fingers as he continued to trace the whirls of color that shifted in the low light of his room.
It wasn’t just her scales that were beautiful. Juniper’s features were striking. She had sharp cheekbones and a straight nose and narrow chin. He knew not to be deceived by the slightness of her figure. She was all muscle, not curvy and full figured like the women Lincoln enjoyed. Juniper was born and bred a fighter, made to do battle.
She had her own feminine charms, though. She had a neat waist and a pert chest. He let his gaze linger on her chest for a few seconds before looking away. He felt himself stir but kept his emotions in check. It helped that he was still furious with her, angry that she’d risked herself once again.
A small smile slid across his face. Juniper reminded him a lot of himself, risking being blown up to protect his brothers and this place. Protecting the cause they fought for no matter the cost to himself. She could be as reckless as he could be, always putting herself in harm’s way to make sure other people weren’t hurt. Perhaps that was something they both needed to work on.
The door to his quarters pinged an alert that someone was outside.
Sliding quietly off the bed, Arlo unlocked the door to find Heath outside. He stepped out into the corridor, and the door slid shut behind him.
“I thought you’d appreciate an update,” said Heath. “Sophia’s taken a look at the commander. Juniper using her ability on him wasn’t the reason he died.”
“What killed him?” Arlo ran his hands over his cropped hair.
“There was a poison pill inside his mouth. He must have had it there the whole time and broke it when Juniper intruded into his thoughts too much.”
Arlo let out a relieved sigh. “One less State commander is only a good thing.”
Heath nodded. “Sophia and Clarissa will do an autopsy, see what they can find out.” He glanced at the closed door. “How’s Juniper doing?”
“She’s still asleep. Hasn’t stirred since I brought her here.”
“She’s not said anything about what she learned from her connection with the commander?”
Arlo shook his head. “I’m trying to make sense of it myself. Juniper was talking as if he weren’t human.”
“That’s what I heard as well,” said Heath. “If he wasn’t human, then what the hell was he, and what does that mean for the rest of the commanders?”
“As soon as she’s awake, we’ll find out,” said Arlo. He could see Heath wanted to talk to Juniper, find out everything she knew, but Arlo knew he wouldn’t press her. Heath knew how important it was for dragon hybrids to regain their strength after using their abilities.
“Let me know when she wakes up,” said Heath. “We’re going to have a lot of work ahead of us if the information is as useful as I think it will be.”
Arlo nodded and watched as Heath walked away before turning and going back into his quarters.
Juniper lay on the bed, her eyes open, watching him as he walked toward her. He felt a stir of longing inside him but pushed it away as he saw the worry in her eyes.
He stopped by the edge of the bed. “How are you feeling?”
“I can’t worry about how I feel.” Juniper struggled onto her elbows. “I need to tell you something. I know who the State really are.”
JUNIPER WATCHED AS Arlo lowered himself onto the bed, his gaze steady. “So, who are they?”
She ran her tongue across her teeth, not believing what she was about to say. The second time she’d connected with the State commander, she knew her fears were true. “He’s a Dinnorm.”
Arlo’s mouth opened and then snapped shut. “A Dinnorm? Isn’t that a type of dragon?”
Juniper’s eyes closed. A heavy feeling descended upon her. She would love to go back to sleep and imagine this was a nightmare. “The first time I touched him, I got a sense something was horribly wrong. I didn’t want to believe it, so that’s why I kept it to myself.”
“Hold on a second,” said Arlo. “You’re telling me a type of dragon is now ruling the planet. They killed off all the other dragons and are holding the human population as slaves?”
Juniper let out a sigh and opened her eyes. “Pretty much that’s exactly what’s happening. Dinnorms aren’t like the dragons you know. They’re not kind or benevolent. They’re predatory and parasitic. They wipe out anything and anyone who stands in their way.”
Arlo jumped to his feet and paced across the room. “We need to tell everyone.”
“We do.” Just watching Arlo pacing was exhausting. “Did the commander survive his fit? I could speak to him again. See if I can get more information.”
“No. He’s dead. He poisoned himself.”
Juniper wasn’t sorry to hear that. That was one less monster to go up against.
“Holy shit! Now we know what we’re up against.” Arlo raised his wrist comm. “Heath. Are you there?”
“I’m here. Is everything okay?”
“Juniper’s awake. She’s got something extraordinary to tell us. Can you get everyone together in the briefing room?”
There was a short silence as if Heath wanted to know more. “I’ll see you both there in twenty minutes.”
Arlo lowered his hand, his gaze not having left Juniper the whole time he talked. “Are you up to this?”
“I’ll have to be,” said Juniper. Despite feeling like she’d gone ten rounds with a mutant wolf and lost the battle, she needed to tell everyone what they were up against. The news wasn’t good, but at least they knew who their enemy was.
“Don’t move,” said Arlo, already heading toward the door. “I’ll bring you the strongest coffee I can find.”
Juniper gave him a weary nod of thanks as he left the room. Her gaze drifted around his small quarters. There wasn’t much in there, other than the bed she sat on, a small kitchenette in one corner, a closet, and a closed door that must lead to a shower. She’d give a lot to sink into a hot bath right now. Every muscle ached. The throb behind her eyes was still there, although it was more of a dull, prodding sensation, making her want to squeeze her eyes shut.
Dinnorms! She’d thought they’d died out long ago. She knew her dragon history and remembered reading about battles between the Dinnorms and Dragons. But she never, not for a single second, imagined they’d been hiding from everyone, biding their time until they showed themselves and took what they thought was theirs.
Whatever the reason they were here, they had to be stopped. Dinnorms couldn’t be reasoned with. There was only ever one course of action to stop them. That was to take them out. They only ever responded to violence.
The door to Arlo’s quarters opened and he hurried in, thrusting a large mug of strong coffee into her hands. Juniper took a sip and grimaced. It was too sweet for her liking.
He grinned at her. “The sugar will give you a buzz and keep you awake at the briefing. I imagine there will be a lot of questions. People will be extremely interested in what you’ve found out.”
J
uniper repressed another grimace and swallowed a mouthful of coffee. “I didn’t get all the answers. But I’ve got a good idea of where they’re hiding the dragon egg.”
“At least we’ve found out something useful,” said Arlo, beginning his pacing of the room again. “Jude’s miserable because blowing up the tower hasn’t loosened the hypnotic shackles people are under.”
“I thought he said it would take a while to have an effect.”
“People are still acting like mindless slaves. Maybe we need to knock out all the signals. That’s beyond us right now.”
“We messed up their main communication hub. That’s got to be a right bitch to fix.”
“We did that.” Arlo slowed and looked at Juniper. “And this egg...”
“It’s out there. I’m sure of it.”
“We’ll find it.” Arlo’s eyes narrowed. “You need to take some time out after this latest adventure.”
“I can’t stay here knowing there’s a dragon egg out there.” Juniper shook her head. “There’s no way I’m going to do that. You need me to tell you where to search.”
“I knew you’d say that.”
“So why bother trying to keep me here?”
“I have to attempt to stop you from going on a suicide mission. But, since that’s how it’s going to be, you will have to get used to me being around. I’m not leaving your side after what happened to you.”
She stared at her coffee. “I guess that would be okay.”
“And you must learn to trust me. Make use of me as your partner when we’re in the field. I can keep you safe, but only if I know what you’re doing.”
“We’re partners?” A smile traced across Juniper’s lips. She wouldn’t mind being Arlo’s partner. In every respect. He’d done nothing but look out for her ever since she’d got to the base. She’d repaid him by disobeying orders, going out on her own, and defying him at every opportunity. She was amazed he hadn’t kicked her out himself, told her if she wanted to be alone then that’s what she could be. For whatever reason, Arlo was still here, still looking out for her. Juniper felt a sliver of pleasure at the thought of Arlo being by her side.
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