by Rinelle Grey
To give her credit, Rita did pause for a moment.
Then she put her hands on her hips. “Don’t you think Mungaloo deserves to know the truth? How many people have had animals mysteriously go missing? How many people have seen something they couldn’t explain? They deserve to know they weren’t imagining it.”
“More than the dragons deserve to live their lives without being hunted?” Lisa challenged. “Don’t you think they’re dealing with enough already?” She waved her hand to where Verrian and the Trima dragon were still locked in battle, blood dripping down both silver and purple scales.
Lisa couldn’t believe Rita couldn’t see it. She’d always been passionate about the truth and sharing knowledge, but didn’t she get that some things were just private?
That sometimes, the truth was going to hurt someone?
But it wasn’t going to hurt her, was it? This story would be the biggest story of the century. It could make Rita famous.
It could get her out of a boring, dead end job in a tiny country town.
She wasn’t going to give that up.
Lisa could even understand a little.
Before she’d really gotten to know the dragons, it had crossed her mind what a story this could make, and how much she could sell it for.
Now that she knew them, that idea seemed blatantly wrong.
Since when did she get all noble? Lisa bit back a laugh at the thought.
This wasn’t about being noble. The truth was, the experiences she’d had with the dragons were worth far more than any amount of money.
It wasn’t like you could buy an experience like this.
Rita wasn’t immune either. When she glanced over where Lisa pointed, her eyes lit up. But was she thinking how glorious the dragons were, or what a great article they’d make?
Lisa had to admit, the sight wasn’t a pretty one. Verrian’s win would be at a cost. The wounds he bore showed that.
Lisa winced at the blood running down his scales. He would probably need healing after this.
Her body warmed at the thought. Well, it wasn’t like anyone else was around to do it, was it?
And it wasn’t like she deserved it. That reminder was a bucket of cold water over any desire she felt.
This mess was all her fault, and she hadn’t even done anything to help Verrian in his fight. She certainly didn’t deserve to get the honour of healing him. She hadn’t even deserved to wake him. If the others had known what she was really like, she wouldn’t have.
But she wasn’t going to fail again. She wasn’t going to let Rita get these photos and expose the dragons. Protecting them from that might, in some small way, make up for talking Verrian into leaving the protection of the town.
Chapter 20
The crunch of the Trima dragon’s scales under Verrian’s teeth felt good. Even better was the moment when the other dragon’s body sagged in defeat.
Verrian released his bite as his enemy dropped to the ground. The Trima dragon dropped his dragon form too, loudly proclaiming his surrender.
Beaten.
He’d won.
Not that he couldn’t really claim this victory for his own.
If not for Lisa’s brave actions in fighting Rita for the camera, and causing the distraction that had allowed him to get a good attack on the Trima dragon, he would have been fried.
It was unlikely he could have recovered from that. This wasn’t even Ultrima, and still he hadn’t stood a chance by himself.
So much for being cunning. He’d been too busy fighting to even have a chance to think of any clever way to defeat the dragon.
Some dragon prince he was.
Verrian glanced over to where Lisa and the reporter were glaring at each other. Lisa held the woman’s camera in her arms, but Rita had grabbed hold of the strap and wasn’t letting go.
The camera held damning evidence of the existence of the dragons. He couldn’t afford to let that evidence get out. His whole family would pay the price if he did.
Lisa would take care of it though. He could trust in her.
She could take on one of her own kind without any worries. She didn’t need his help.
Verrian glanced down at his enemy. Blood poured out of the side of his neck, matting his silver hair. He didn’t move, but his eyes were open, and he was glaring at Verrian. If he turned his back, the other dragon would be on him, rules of engagement or no.
The sensible solution would be to kill him now, while he had the upper hand.
But Verrian couldn’t bring himself to do it. The Trima clan had once been part of his clan, and though he blamed them for supporting Ultrima, it wasn’t enough for him to kill one of them. It was their leader he was after, not them. This young dragon wouldn’t have even been born when this battle had begun.
“You’re not worth it. Get out of here,” he said roughly. “Before I change my mind.”
The dragon glared back at him, but his body was too battered to fight, even if his eyes showed he wanted to. He limped a few steps, then used the last of his power to transform before lifting into the air.
Verrian watched him to be sure, but in a few moments, he was gone.
Verrian turned back to the two women and the camera.
“My job is to make sure people are informed, not to control what they do with that information,” Rita said to Lisa. “Do you really think it’s right to keep something like this a secret? What if one of those dragons kills someone? They’re certainly violent enough to do so.”
She gave Verrian a sideways look that was equal parts fascination and revulsion.
He probably looked a right mess. He could feel the blood dripping down his body, and his wing still hurt like crazy. But he didn’t think it was broken.
Right now, he didn’t care. Adrenaline was still flooding his body, and he had to deal with the fact that this reporter had the potential to be an even bigger problem.
One he needed to solve quickly.
The Trima dragon had been quite clear that Ultrima knew their location. Verrian didn’t think he’d been bluffing. The more powerful dragon could be here any minute. When he arrived, no amount of distraction was going to defeat him. They needed to not be here.
“Verrian is only violent when he has to be, and in this case, he was defending you,” Lisa insisted. “Would you have rather he let the other dragon attack you?”
Her words made Verrian happy for a few moments. She was impressed by his attack. Pity he hadn’t been able to capitalise on it.
For the first time, the reporter looked uncertain. “I didn’t say that.”
Without warning, exhaustion overwhelmed Verrian. The fight had drained him more than he realised, even though he hadn’t used any dragon magic. Every step was a monumental effort.
The strain of maintaining his dragon form with the injuries he’d sustained was too much. And now that the enemy dragon was gone, he didn’t have to. Despite the fact that he’d be stark naked, Verrian let his body transform back into human form as he stepped forwards.
Tyres spinning behind him distracted him before he could say anything.
He swung around just in time to see Rita’s little yellow car swing around and take off, away from the ruined building.
Rita glared after Paul. “I can’t believe he’s run off with my car.” She put one hand on her hip. The other didn’t leave the camera strap.
Lisa smirked. “You should have known better than to trust my brother after he leaked where we were.”
“The question is, how did he know where we were?” Verrian said darkly.
Both women turned to look at him. Rita averted her eyes just as quickly. Lisa though, scanned his body. Her expression indicated she was cataloguing wounds rather than admiring.
“Not that it matters right now. We need to get out of here,” Verrian said firmly. “Ultrima knows where we are, and he could be here any minute.”
“I’m not going anywhere without my camera,” Rita shot back. She tugged at the str
ap, but Lisa didn’t budge. “Besides,” she added, “your brother took my car.”
“Don’t blame me,” Lisa said. “You were the one who trusted him.”
Did they not get it? None of that would matter if Ultrima showed up. “Get in the car, both of you,” Verrian said, wishing he could drive. “We can sort this out later. You don't want to be standing here when Ultrima arrives, do you?”
Rita opened her mouth to say something, then shut it. She stared at Lisa, waiting for her response.
“Not a chance. Let’s get out of here.” Lisa tugged on the camera strap, glaring at Rita.
The reporter sighed, and let it go.
Were they going to start moving now?
Verrian glanced up at the sky. He could see no sign of Ultrima, but that could change in an instant.
He was relieved when Lisa slung the camera over her shoulder and headed for Paul’s four-wheel drive. Rita was only a step behind.
Verrian followed too.
Lisa was just reaching for the door handle when a screech from behind him raised all Verrian’s hair on end.
He swung around automatically, but he didn’t even need to look up to know what he would see.
Ultrima flew straight at them at full speed.
“Get in the car,” Verrian shouted, hoping they could hear him over the pounding of his heart.
Lisa fumbled for the door, needing no encouragement to scramble in as quickly as she could.
Rita though, stared up at the sky, her jaw dropping. “Another one?”
For a moment, just a moment, Verrian debated leaving her standing there. It would solve quite a few of his problems.
But that wasn’t the way he wanted to solve them.
Fighting another dragon, especially one who’s clan had declared war on his, was one thing, leaving a defenceless human to face Ultrima? Not even remotely the same.
He ripped open the door and shoved Rita into the back seat. She scrambled over to the other side quickly enough when he crawled in after her. In the front seat, Lisa was scrambling across to the driver’s side.
Verrian pulled the door shut behind them just as the lightning bolt hit.
Verrian held his breath as it crackled across the metal. Lisa had said the car would protect them. Was that true?
Rita’s scream drowned out the crackling, almost deafening him.
Lisa didn’t make a sound, just pulled her legs up onto the seat and curled herself around the camera.
When the ringing in his ears stopped, the crackling was gone.
The vehicle had, indeed, blocked the lightning. That was great. Except for one thing.
“Can we still drive?” he asked.
Lisa uncurled herself enough to peer out the front window. “Where has he gone?”
“He’s circling around for another attack,” Verrian confirmed.
Taking a deep breath, Lisa said, “I can try.” She reached forwards to turn the key and Verrian was relieved when the engine spluttered to life. At least something was going their way today.
Lisa pulled out, still craning her neck, trying to see where Ultrima was.
Verrian was doing the same.
“There,” he pointed. The Trima dragon was coming straight at them and as Verrian watched, another bolt flew from his claws.
Lisa gasped and pulled her hands and feet up again. The car swerved across the road, and miraculously the lightning missed. With great presence of mind, Lisa grabbed the wheel again, straightened the car, and increased her speed.
“Can we outrun him?” Rita asked.
“We can try,” Lisa said grimly. “Karla said her ute was faster than him. Paul’s four-wheel drive is newer, and hopefully faster. All we have to do is stay ahead of him. Once we get near Mungaloo, he won’t dare chase us in dragon form.”
Verrian hoped she was right. She had to be, didn’t she? The Trima dragon didn’t want to be discovered by humans any more than he did.
They just had to make it to the edge of the town.
An achievement that looked like it could be out of reach. Two more bolts of lightning hit the vehicle in quick succession, each one making Lisa pull back from the wheel and sending them out of control.
Lisa did admirably, recovering quickly each time and regaining control of the vehicle before they veered too far off course.
But progress was agonisingly slow, and with each hit, Verrian thought the car was going to stop for good.
He was even more worried when the lightning bolts stopped coming.
He stared up at the sky, trying to see Ultrima without touching the exterior of the car.
What was the Trima dragon up to? It couldn’t be good.
The sound of claws across metal set his teeth on edge, and when the car rocked perilously he couldn’t help grasping at the door handle.
“Is he attacking the car?” Lisa demanded.
As though he had more idea than she did.
“I think so,” Rita said, her voice shaking.
“Can he get through?” Lisa asked.
“I don’t know,” Verrian admitted. Since the lightning dragon was this close, he wasn’t going to use his lightning power, so Verrian risked getting his face as close to the window as possible. He still couldn’t see Ultrima.
His presence though, as the car rocked from side to side, was unmistakable.
“He must be hanging on to the roof of the car,” he said. “How heavy is it?”
Lisa shrugged. “How would I know? A tonne? Maybe two?”
Verrian frowned. A tonne might have changed slightly since he’d last heard it, but it must still be a great weight. Ultrima wouldn’t be able to pick them up then. But, as the car lurched wildly to one side, Verrian wondered if it would be enough to tip them.
“Hang on,” Lisa said. Seconds later, the car decelerated so quickly Verrian and Rita were thrown forwards against the seats in front, despite the warning.
Sounds of scrambling came from the roof, and one of Ultrima’s feet hit the bonnet.
Rita squealed again.
Verrian was glad Lisa wasn’t a squealer. He didn’t think he could handle this all the time.
He heard the sound of air rushing past the car as Ultrima took off again.
The car sped up, racing towards the first of the buildings on the edge of town that appeared on the horizon. Not long now…
No more lightning bolts came, and nothing landed on the roof.
Had they made it?
Chapter 21
When she saw the buildings up ahead, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief. Ultrima surely wouldn’t follow them into Mungaloo?
The lack of lightning bolts or claws scraping on the roof seemed to back up this assumption.
She didn’t relax though, until they reached the edge of town without further incident.
Even then only a little. They still had to figure out what they were going to do now.
“You can drop me and my camera off at my place,” Rita said firmly. “While this has been fun, I think I’ve had enough excitement for one day.”
“I’m more than happy to drop you off,” Lisa retorted. “But you’re going to have to live without your camera.”
“That’s theft,” Rita shot back. “Do you have any idea how much that camera cost?”
Lisa scooped the camera out of her lap and fiddled with one hand, pulling out the memory card, and slipping it into her bra. Then she pulled the strap off her neck and swung the camera over the back of the seat towards Rita. “Fine, have the camera, but not the pictures.”
She couldn’t even take another picture now without the memory card.
Rita grabbed the camera and glared at Lisa. “The images are mine too. I have the right to photograph whatever I want. You can’t stop me.”
“I think she just did,” Verrian said softly.
Lisa could see Rita turning her glare on him in the rear-view mirror, then averting her gaze just as quickly. She bit back a giggle. Apparently Rita couldn’t handle Verrian�
��s nakedness.
She had no problem with it. Under normal circumstances, she’d even take the time to stare. But not right now. Right now, she was concerned about his wounds. They were enough to have a normal human heading straight for the hospital.
How long could Verrian go without healing?
“I’ll call the police,” Rita shot back.
As if summoned by her words, Lisa heard a faint siren in the distance.
Rita kept talking. “And it won’t be my problem if they arrest both of you. That will give me even more evidence.” She folded her arms and glared at Lisa.
“Shh,” Lisa demanded. “Can you hear that?”
When Rita stopped talking, the siren was unmistakable.
Damn Paul. Lisa had forgotten about his phone call.
Well, at least they weren’t still at the ruined house. The police would be heading there. Thank goodness, for once, that it took them so long to respond.
There was silence in the car, as everyone listened to the siren. Lisa expected a snide remark from Rita, but to Lisa’s surprise, she looked as concerned as Lisa felt.
In the silence, they could quite clearly hear the siren growing louder. It wasn’t heading towards the ruined house. It was heading for them.
Lisa’s heart beat sped up.
“What is that sound?” Verrian demanded, his voice far from calm.
Lisa didn’t blame him.
“It’s the police,” she said grimly. “And they’re coming this way.”
How were the police tracking them?
Had Paul given them enough information to guess where they were heading? How could he know when she didn’t? Lisa had just been heading away from Ultrima, she didn’t care where they ended up, so long as it was in town.
How could anyone have guessed where they were going?
Maybe the sirens had nothing to do with them at all? Maybe they were chasing someone else?
Somehow, she didn’t believe that.
The sirens were louder now, and the impulse to put her foot down was strong. She was already doing about ten kilometres over the speed limit. Any faster and she’d only draw more attention to them.