Page 41 (2/2)

"Why would you agree to meet me if you think it’s a trap?" And ould he even think I was trying to trap hi like that, and she’d had the full spectruon powers But she’d also had a lot one through growing up

Angus’s se "You ask that, two days after a serious accident that landed you in hospital and left your best friend dead?" He shook his head "You’d be better off walking away right now, little draht I knew that, even if I had no intention of ever doing it "I can’t"

"Even knowing you could be risking your life? These people aren’t the type to let anyone off easily We both bear the scars to prove that"

"What they’ve done has only strengthened my determination to track them down" Tears welled and I blinked the the mantra that had become a theme for me this last day and a bit Don’t think, don’t feel Not until it was all over, one way or another "And if you’ve got scars, where the hell are they?"

Angus shoved an arm across the table and pushed up the sleeve of his shirt His leathery skin was crisscrossed with a myriad of thickly healed wounds "My whole body bears the evidence of their attack They’re not going to get a second shot"

My gaze julint of determination and fury there And suddenly, I knehy he’d chosen this bar Not because it was a refuge for would-be sea dogs, but because it was close to the sea Which was his to call, like fire was for dragons He’d drown everyone if he thought I was in any way here to trap him

I blew out a breath, then said, "What do you want me to do?"

"If you are who you say you are, show me your stain and prove it"

The stain was a leathery, luminescent strip of skin that swirled around the spines of all dragons, whether they were of the air, sea, or a half-breed like e, but usually involved a myriad of iridescent colors I’d never been able to shift shape and attain dragon for brown

But there were only a few people who could know that - past lovers, my ive out personal information like that, so that left past lovers And while I could na all but in getting back at me in any way possible, both of them had left the clique a couple of years before Rainey and I had and, as far as I knew, had disappeared

"I’ in public just to prove who I am" Especially not in a bar filled with shadowy men who maybe weren’t less-than-savory types, but ere still unknowns all the same

And you never trusted an unknown It was aup, and I wasn’t about to abandon it now, no us studied me for a moment, then said, voice still flat, "Then dance fire across your fingertips I’m told you have extraordinary control"

I frowned I didn’t like using dragon skills in public - in fact, not using them anywhere humans were likely to see theht be no hu the moment "Why is this so important to you?"

"It’s iht unaware before and have paid the price for it" Bleakness flared in his eyes, and his soly with sadness A sadness that tore at my heart, andBut I very much doubted he’d answer that question when he didn’t even trustto pay hione and he took another sip of beer before adding, in a voice that was edgy and sharp,

"And I’ve discovered the hard way that lies and entrapliest"

"Well, I hope I fall into the forroup rather than the latter," I said, a little alar was very off, but I wasn’t sure what Then aze flicked to his arm Maybe his fierceness was understandable With scars like those, survival on who could heal far better than any human

"Do it," he said, "or I walk out of here now and you’ll never get your answers"

I looked around the roo any undue interest That iven what I was about to do, but there wasn’t much I could do about that Not if I wanted uy could provide answers and wasn’t just yanking iven us this lead had been oddly familiar, and that alone had raised questions But Rainey had convinced et so to a stranger who ht well be here to trap me - the one who had escaped from their little "accident"

And while Leith and his people were doing the background check on Angus, I simply didn’t have the time to sit back and wait for the answers Hence the reason I was here, taking this godawful chance

I had no other choice if I wanted to save Rainey

I pushed the Coke back then held up a hand, keeping it close to my chest so that there was less likelihood of everyone else noticing

Then I reached deep down into that place inforward in answer, heating le But she was all fla throughit, until it was little ertips

Few dragons could do that with their fire Most had full flaaze "Satisfied?"

He nodded, but oddly he didn’t see his shoulders and arms seemed worse than ever

"So tell s"

He laced his fingers together, then leaned forward "I knohere the bodies are"