Page 124 of Mate of a Monster

“Mine.”

The Nightkin chuckles approvingly in the back of my mind. “Fucking finally.”

His mouth presses to mine in a hard, hungry kiss and then the roof really is ripped from the room.

We break apart on a gasp, attention shooting to the sky. Debris flies all around us, someone’s magic catching and flicking it away before it can take us out. Angry roars fill the air above us and instantly, my hackles rise.

Suddenly, not one, but no less than ten dragons rage overhead.

They scream and cry, fire shooting from their nostrils and into the open air.

I jerk from Legend staring up at them. “What’s happened?”

“It’s the ward!” Creed reminds everyone, but I stay focused on the green beast above.

It’s London’s old best friend, Ben.

He doesn’t answer me with words even though he can. He roars into the air, the sound a cry of pain that my mind seems to understand.

My face falls. “No.”

“What is it?” Legend yanks me closer.

A sharp gasp escapes me as I bend at the waist as pain flares through my ribs. Black ribbons sweep through the air, stuffing themselves down my throat.

Heat simmers inside me, a pressure building until my head snaps back and fire bursts from my life.

The black flame shoots straight up and before dissolving, leaves behind a floating red ruby in its wake. A ruby the exact shape and size as what I used to know as the forbidden gems.

Now I know better.

My eyes snap to Creed.

His features crumble. “The soul of a fallen dragon.”

I swallow.

The gem lowers until it’s just before my face. Slowly, it dims until it fades from sight. The red gem at my temple throbs and my power jolts.

Just as it does, the prettiest blue scales flash through my mind before fading.

“Thyrix,” I breathe, looking over at Legend. “He’s…dead.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Legend

Thyrix is dead.

The images running through my head strongly capture him as her favorite little fire-breather.

I wish I knew that. I wish I knew him.

My chest caves in, grief, sadness—it all feels the fucking same. I pull her under my arm, kissing the top of her head. “We need to find Arabella.”

Haide doesn’t answer, and that alone terrifies the shit out of me. When does she ever not answer? When she’s fucking hurt beyond repair.

“And I’m gonna kill her.”