I started walking, and it wasn’t back to the tent or the road that’d lead me out of the campgrounds. It was to the forest, to the darkness…and to the monster that waited for me.
Because I knew in my heart, he did wait for me.
“Where the fuck are you going!” Michael roared.
“Away,” I replied, and kept on walking, lengthening my strides. “To someone who wants me.”
This was stupid. It was absolutely fucking insane. Still, I walked faster, plunging headlong through the trees and toward something I wanted.
“I’m here!” I cried out, hurrying between the trees and toward that bluff. “I’m right here!”
But the forest was silent…
Darkness moved as I plunged headlong through the trees. “Dregon! DREGON!” I screamed for my monster.
But there was no answer.
No growl.
No flutter of mammoth wings.
Panic filled me for a second. My pulse boomed as I ran, desperate to get back to him.
“Violet!” Michael screamed my name. “Where are you going?”
Only I didn’t stop at the call. Instead, I ran faster, driving myself forward until twigs snapped under my boots and the ground shifted, making me slip against slick leaves.
I threw my arms out, windmilling them until big, firm hands grabbed me, lifting me from the ground. “Female, you are going to break your damn neck.”
I threw my arms around his neck and buried my face against his skin. drawing in that heady scene that was branded on my soul and in a second the world stood still. There was only us…only this. Only the realisation that I’d…lost my goddamn mind and I was loving it.
“I thought you were gone.”
“And miss watching you test the fragility of your existence? Never.”
My lips curled in a smile before I pulled away and gave him a swat against his mammoth shoulders. “Asshole.”
His grin widened, before that smile fell.
Footsteps crashed through the trees and the blinding glare of a flashlight hit us. My arms tightened as that glare bounced off big black eyes. Dregon unleashed a roar, his hold around me slipping for a second as his wings expanded and swept around us, shielding us from piercing beam.
“What…the fuck?” Michael barked.
I scurried from Dregon’s hold, pushing out of his grasp.
“No,” my protector growled.
I shook my head and lifted my gaze, finding that deep, eerie stare.
“Violet, get the fuck away from that thing,” Michael demanded.
Voices followed from the others in the campground behind me, calls of, “JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!” And “What the fuck is that?”
I pushed gently, slipping out from around his shield. The brilliant blinding me instantly.
Sparks danced in my eyes. I lifted my hand to shield my face. “Lower the fucking torch, Michael!”
“G-get the fuck away from that th-thing, V!” he roared, lunging forward.