Page 99 of Sight of Fate

Now or never. I take a running leap and catch his neck, quickly scrambling up the remaining ten feet. He opens his mouth, and I throw back my arm and stab his tongue as hard as possible. The needle slides in, and I press the plunger.

Roaring again, he shakes his neck, sending me flying. Ames curses at the small crater my body makes in the pavement when I slam into it. Mavros opens his mouth and lets loose a stream of flames. Standing up, I continue counting, letting the fire wash over me. Twenty seconds. I blink. Is that screaming? Thirty seconds. Damn, I don’t think it’s working.

Chapter Forty

CHARLI

All I can see is Macklin engulfed by fire, and I scream and scream as I yank on the hands holding me back. Furious, I turn on Andros. “Why aren’t you helping him?”

Andros brushes my hair back with a cool hand. “Charli, he’s okay. I know it looks bad, but I promise you. Dragon fire doesn’t hurt him. It’s not born of magic.”

“I can’t see him,” I reply in a voice hoarse from screaming. I squint, trying desperately to peer through the flames. “Are you sure?”

“Positive. Just wait,” he says, his jaw clenches as he stares at the fire.

Mavros roars, and Ames pulls hard on the chain to keep him on the ground; then he yells at MacKenzie, ordering her to toss another syringe to Macklin.

Teague appears, his magnificent wings beating back the fire, giving me a glimpse of Macklin. My knees buckle when I see his sweaty, unharmed gargoyle face.

Andros holds me up. “See. All safe.”

Macklin points to Mavros and lifts his fist in the air. My stomach drops as I watch Teague shift into a full gargoyle. Same elongated fangs as Macklin, the stone of his skin a slightly darker grey, but for the most part, they’re pretty similar. Teague swoops in and grabs Macklin. The two of them shoot upward to Mavros’ teeth-lined mouth. Macklin injects him for the second time, then they retreat. Fire rains down on them both, and I tighten my grip on Andros.

It’s okay, sweetheart. We’re fine.

“They’re okay,” I relay to Andros. The tension in his jaw eases, and I try to release his hand, but he refuses to let me. “Sorry. I totally forgot I could reach out to them through our connection.”

He expels a long breath. “It’s fine.”

Forty seconds later, the sedative kicks in, and Mavros tumbles down to the pavement. The ground shakes. His body shrinks little by little until all that’s left is a large, gaunt man with long black hair. I press a fist to my mouth as I take in his sharp ribs and hollowed stomach, making me wonder how long they held him captive.

Ames drops the chain and rubs his biceps.

I jerk my hands from Andros’. “I need to touch him. Make sure he’s not hurt.”

Reluctantly, he lets go, and I run full force toward Macklin.

He catches me in his arms and places his hand on the back of my head. “I’ve got you, love. It’s okay. Dragon fire doesn’t hurt me.”

I sob, the past and present colliding in my own personal hell, and Macklin sweeps me off my feet and takes a few steps away from everyone. Holding me tightly, he murmurs nonsense until my tears and the shaking subside.

“You really can’t burn? Neither of you?”

“Only Fae and Elemental fire can burn us,” he replies, wiping my face with his thumb.

Teague pulls me from Macklin’s arms, and I worriedly skim his body for any sign of injuries or burns, but find nothing except the scars he told me were there. The ones I couldn’t see in his human form. “Wow, you weren’t kidding. Your body looks like it’s been through war.” I brush my hand down his hard chest, feeling the bumps and grooves. “And…” I wrinkle my nose. “I really didn’t believe you, but you’re not the least bit handsome in your gargoyle form.”

Teague flashes his long fangs. “Watch it. We’re fearsome creatures, you daft bean.”

“Did you call me ban?” I muse.

He grins and sets me down. “Irish word. Means woman. Spelled b-e-a-n but pronounced ban.”

Changing back into his human form, he pulls the pack from his back and slides into a pair of shorts, then tosses a second pair to Macklin.

“If you’re going to get answers, this is your only shot. His body will burn through the sedative pretty quickly,” Ames huffs.

With both Teague and Macklin at my side, I walk over and squat down next to the man, who’s now covered with a blanket. “Mavros, I’m Charli. A friend of Raine’s. Do you remember Raine? She came to you in the facility. Whispered something in your ear. What was it?”