Rogue, Page 31

  There was a ripple of movement above me, a shadow darting from other shadows. I tensed, craning my neck up, wary for an attack from above. For the indigo dragon to suddenly pounce from the ceiling. I had used that tactic many times my—

  A blur of motion from the side, and something hit my front leg, tearing through scales and skin to the muscle beneath. I snarled, fangs bared, but all I caught was a brief glimpse of a long, slinky tail vanishing around a corner. Already gone.

  Wincing, I glanced at my shoulder. Four straight, narrow gashes cut through my scales, already starting to well with blood. They weren’t very deep; my armor had absorbed a good bit of the attack, but they still hurt like hell.

  A scraping sound came from the corner Faith had vanished around and I whirled, ready for the attack. It came from a different direction altogether, talons ripping into my flank. Roaring, I loosed a blast of flame that seared the container behind me, leaving a black spot in the metal, but Faith had already vanished.

  Growling, I turned in a slow circle, trying to watch every angle at once. “Is this what Lilith taught you?” I challenged, feeling hot blood trickle down my shoulder and back leg, dripping to the cement. Both wounds throbbed, but I refused to show pain. “How to hit someone in the back? What’s the matter, scared I’ll kick your ass if you face me head-on?”

  A sibilant chuckle echoed from the darkness around me. “I don’t know what they saw in you,” the disembodied voice stated. Impossible to pinpoint which direction it came from. “For the life of me, I can’t imagine why Talon chose Lilith to be your instructor. What a terrible waste of her time and talent. It’s certainly not her fault you were completely unsuited to be a Viper. No discipline, no killer instinct at all.” A disgusted sniff followed, though I still had no idea from where. “I heard the Elder Wyrm was hoping to ingrain some of Lilith’s ruthlessness into you, that’s why she was chosen as your teacher,” Faith continued, “but then you went rogue and disappointed everyone. Your brother is much more salvageable, I hear.”

  “Where’s Dante?” I snarled, my voice echoing through the warehouse. “I don’t believe he set this up, he wouldn’t do that do me. You’re lying.”

  Another soft laugh. “I suppose the hatchling in the meeting with Mr. Roth—the one who looked just like you—was just there to discuss politics,” the voice said, finally resolving itself in a direction, directly in front of me. “Of course, you could always ask him yourself. If you survive tonight!”

  I spun around with fangs and claws bared to face the dragon charging in from behind. With a triumphant snarl, I lunged, thinking I had her. Quick as a snake, she changed direction, leaped over my head and soared up to land on the container aisle behind me.

  Dammit, she’s fast. Hold still already.

  Growling, I sprang after her, using a shove from my wings to launch myself off the ground. This time, the other dragon didn’t run away but smiled as I landed on the edge of the container. Somewhere in the labyrinth, a flurry of gunshots rang off the rafters; Garret and the remaining Talon agents still going at it. I hoped he was okay, but I couldn’t help him now.

  “No more games,” I said, glaring at Faith, who watched me with her tail curled around herself, that insufferably smug grin still plastered across her muzzle. She was faster than me, and she knew it, but I wasn’t going to let her get the upper hand. “That’s twice now that someone has mentioned the Elder Wyrm,” I went on. “What does the CEO of Talon, the most powerful dragon in existence, want with us? And how does Dante fit into all of this?”

  Faith sneered. “You think they’d tell me? If you’re so very curious, go back to Talon and ask him yourself. Or better yet, I can call him right now and ask him.” She jerked her slender muzzle at the ground, smiling. “I left my phone right over there when I changed. There’s only one number on it. Call him yourself and see what your precious twin has been doing.”

  Without thinking, I glanced in the direction she pointed.

  And Faith lunged.

  I jerked up, realizing what she was doing at the last second, and the other dragon slammed into me, knocking me off the edge. I tumbled to the floor, hitting the cement on my side, the impact driving the breath from me. Gasping, I struggled upright as Faith hit the ground a few yards away, landing as lightly as a cat. Her grin was cruel as she turned to face me, lashing a slinky tail against her flanks.

  “You wanted me out in the open, Viper,” she taunted, as I growled and staggered forward, trying to ignore the dull ache in my side. “You wanted to face me one-on-one. Well, here I am. Are you ready?” She gave a weird little sidestep, her lithe body rippling like ink across the cement. “Here I come.”

  And she surged forward, a dark blur over the floor. I barely had time to register she had moved when something hit my shoulder and sent a flare of pain up my leg. I snarled and lashed out with my claws, but Faith was already gone, skipping back out of reach, then darting in again. I managed to dodge the blow to my neck, feeling the tips of her claws rake along my scales, and sprang forward to sink my fangs into her throat. She sidled away, quick as a shadow, and slashed me across the face, rocking my head to the side. I stumbled, disoriented, felt something hook my front leg and yank it sideways. I lost my footing and crashed to the floor again, a breathless grunt escaping me as my chin struck the unforgiving concrete.

  Ow. Crap, I’m getting my ass kicked here. Panting, I clawed myself upright, searching for the other dragon. She stood a few yards away, watching me with that amused smile across her narrow face, making my temper spike. She was toying with me, just like Lilith had.

  “What’s the matter, Ember?” Faith asked, cocking her head like a curious dog. “I thought this was what you wanted. Are you saying you expected to be able to take on a Viper without finishing your training? If you had only stayed with Lil­ith, you might actually have had a chance.” She shook her head, narrowing her yellow eyes at me. “Are you ready to stop this, kill the soldier and return to Talon? Or am I going to have to tear you apart bit by bit?”

  Dammit, she’s so fast. How do I counter it? Angrily, I thought back to the fight with Lilith, trying to think of anything that I could use. She’s quick, but she’s relying on speed to keep her out of danger. If I could get close, I might have a shot. I took a deep breath, bracing myself. Okay, then. Let’s do it. This is gonna hurt.

  Raising my head, I met the other dragon’s smug grin with one of my own. “You’re making the same mistake she did,” I told her, making her blink. “She thought I was beaten, too. Overconfidence must run in the family.” Faith’s smile faded, and I bared my fangs defiantly. “Talon’s best Viper did her best to drag me back to the organization, and I’m still here. What makes you think her slimy little apprentice will do any better?”

  Faith slitted her eyes. “You know what?” she said, gliding closer, her body nearly invisible in the shadows. “I think I’m done playing with you. It was fun, seeing you and the soldier stumble about, completely oblivious. It was highly amusing, watching the pair of you dance around each other like skittish goats.” Her muzzle curled back, showing rows of needle-sharp teeth. “But you crossed the line. You have feelings for that human, that soldier of St. George, and that’s something no true dragon would ever allow.” She sank into a crouch, her lean body coiled like a snake, ready to strike. “You’re a disgrace to Talon,” Faith spat, lashing her tail. “An embarrassment to us all. And I think Lilith would congratulate me for getting rid of you!”

  She lunged, a streak of darkness over the cement. I snarled and leaped forward to meet her, lashing out with my claws as she got close. Like quicksilver, she sidled away, leaving a stinging gash along my neck as she did. I turned, lowered my head and plowed forward, pursuing her across the floor. She dodged and twisted away, slashing me with her talons, trying to fall back. I took the blows, gritting my teeth with every gash and cut ripped across my scales, and slammed into her
like a bull.

  My horns struck her chest, bowling her over with a startled gasp. She hit the floor on her back and instantly kicked out with her back legs, catching me in the stomach and ribs with her back claws as I pounced, tearing me open. I ignored the pain and went for her throat. Snarling, we rolled across the floor, tails and wings lashing, trying to pin the other down.

  Shrieking with fury, we rolled into a pair of steel drums in the corner, tipping them over with a crash. Liquid spilled everywhere, sharp and acrid, stinging my nose and burning my eyes. I was instantly drenched, choking on the fumes that rose around us, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the Viper beneath me. As the drums clanged to the concrete, there was a split-second hiss…

  …and a firestorm erupted around us. Flames shot into the air, running up my back, spreading over my wings. It engulfed the Viper, surrounding her with fire, until she looked like a snarling, bat-winged demon from the pits of hell. Shrieking, she raked her claws down my neck, then slapped me across the muzzle with a flame-wreathed talon. Before, the gashes had merely stung; now it felt like a hot poker was being jammed up beneath my scales, then doused with acid. Pain exploded behind my eyes, snapping the final threads of clear thought, and I roared.

  Pinning the Viper to the floor, ignoring the claws that slashed at me, I bared my teeth and aimed for that slender neck. My jaws clamped shut on the dragon’s throat, right below her chin, and Faith screamed, thrashing wildly. All four talons beat and slashed at me, back legs kicking my stomach, front claws trying to shove me off. I closed my eyes, braced myself and began to squeeze.

  “Stop!”

  I paused, jaws still clamped around the slender throat, as the dragon’s frenzied cry rang out, echoing off the rafters. “Wait, please!” Faith went on, her voice strangled. “Don’t kill me! Stop!”

  Relief, swift and sudden, spread through me, making my legs tremble. I hadn’t really been planning to kill her, not like this. Viper or no, I couldn’t stand here and ever-so-casually tear someone’s throat out. No matter what Talon said, I was not Lilith, and I never would be.

  I eased up a bit, though not enough to let go. “Why not?” I growled through my teeth. “Why should I trust anything you say?”

  She writhed helplessly, tail beating frantically against my legs. “Because I’ll tell you about Dante,” she wheezed. “I’ll tell you whatever you want to know, just let me live.” She swallowed hard, wings trembling. “Let me Shift back to human form,” she offered. “I can’t hurt you like that, right? And I won’t be able to run. I’ll Shift, and then I’ll tell you whatever you want. Your brother, Mist, Riley. Anything.”

  I thumped my tail, as if I was considering a moment longer, then sighed. “All right,” I muttered, and carefully opened my jaws, letting her slump to the concrete. I needed that information on Riley and my brother, and I didn’t have the will for any more fighting. Not that I would’ve killed her anyway, but it was getting hard to move without sharp stabs of pain shooting all up my body. Turned out fire in open wounds was a bad idea. If she ran now, I didn’t think I could catch her, even as a human.

  Faith crawled out from under me and, as the flames around us burned low, started to shrink. Tail and neck retracted, scales disappeared and wings pulled into her body, until only a human in a black Viper suit remained sitting on the floor. She hugged herself and gazed up at me, looking like that scared, innocent girl I’d first met, though I knew better now. I folded my wings and sat down, clenching my jaw to keep from hissing in pain. No showing weakness in front of the trained Viper assassin. The last of the flames had finally flickered out, burning off with whatever flammable goo was in those drums, and now that the adrenaline was gone, I ached. Badly. The outside of a dragon might’ve been fireproof, but the numerous gashes I’d taken blazed with agony, burned and seared around the edges.

  Great. I’m probably the only dragon in history who will ever suffer from third-degree burns.

  “Riley,” I said, my voice a low, dangerous growl. “Where is he? Why were you sent for us? Tell me everything you know.”

  Faith took a deep, shaky breath and exhaled slowly. “Mist and I were commissioned by Talon to find you and the rogue,” she began. “My orders were to bring you back alive and kill anyone else involved. Mist was to go after Cobalt, extract certain information from him and then dispose of him. Divide and conquer, then return to Talon with our objectives, that was the plan.”

  I felt ill, but tried not to show it. “What information do they want from Riley?”

  “I wasn’t privy to that part of the assignment,” Faith replied, and shrank back as I curled a lip at her. “Mist was the only one with that information,” she added quickly. “I had my orders. That’s all I was required to know.”

  “So you have no idea where Riley is right now. Or what Mist is doing to him.”

  “No.”

  I growled in frustration, scraping my talons across the cement. The girl flinched, but I ignored her. Still no information on Riley, where he was, if he was still alive. We were no closer to finding him than we were when we left the hotel. Mist and Faith had set us up perfectly.

  And then, I remembered something else.

  “Where is Dante?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at the other dragon. “You said you had his number on your phone. Or was that another lie?”

  “It wasn’t.” Faith rubbed her arm. “Dante…is the one in charge of this operation. He and the rest of the board are standing by. I’m supposed to check in with him as soon as I take care of you, one way or another.”

  My stomach dropped to the pads of my toes. “I don’t believe you.”

  “Believe what you want.” Faith’s gaze didn’t waver. “But Dante was the one who set this whole thing up. This was part of his test, coming up with the plan to bring you back to the organization.”

  My throat was suddenly dry. “And if I refused to come?”

  “Then I had orders to kill you.”

  Reeling, I shook my head, still unwilling to believe. Dante had truly done this? My own brother had sent a Viper after us, with orders to kill me if I didn’t return? That couldn’t be right. He wouldn’t do that to me. We might’ve argued, fought, disagreed on a lot of things, but Dante wouldn’t give the order to take me out if I refused to cooperate.

  Or would he? Was he so invested in Talon’s doctrine that he’d really believe he was doing the right thing? I remembered something Riley had told me once, and it made my stomach twist. Talon has him now. He’ll betray his own blood if they give the order.

  Faith curled an arm around her side, her face creasing with pain. “What are you going to do with me?” she asked in a tight voice.

  I stood up, wincing as the movement pulled at the charred, blackened cuts on my body. The Viper flinched, as if expecting a sudden attack, but I was just about done with this. My mind was spinning, I ached and I felt nauseous in more ways than one. “Take a message back to Talon,” I growled at the Viper. “And Dante. Tell them to stop sending people after me. They’re just wasting their time. I’m not coming back.” Faith still eyed me warily, like I might pounce on her as soon as she moved, and I bared my fangs. “Get out of here!”

  She scrambled to her feet, holding her side, and staggered into the darkness. I watched until she slipped down an aisle and vanished, then I slumped to the cool cement.

  “Ow,” I whimpered, wishing I could just lie here and not move for a few minutes. I hurt all over, but at least I had won. I’d actually won a fight with a trained Viper. A small Viper, but a Viper nonetheless. I guess I should be thankful I was alive; Lilith’s prize student certainly wouldn’t have spared me if the situation were reversed. She didn’t know how close she’d come to beating me, that I wouldn’t have been able to kill her if she hadn’t surrendered. I guess I’ll never be a proper Viper after all, I thought, and felt nothing but relief at that notion. And if F
aith had realized that, I don’t think I would’ve won. But I didn’t have to worry about her now. My bluff had worked. She was gone.

  Though Mist was still out there. And Riley.

  My stomach turned over. Setting my jaw, I pushed myself upright and started to limp back down the aisle. Find Garret, find Riley, deal with Dante. Those were the items I had to focus on now, in that order. And not passing out before we could leave; that was on the list, too.

  A sibilant chuckle behind me froze me in my tracks.

  “Oh, Ember,” Faith crooned, as the ripple of a Shift went through the air. “Haven’t you learned anything? What did Lilith teach you about showing mercy to your enemies?”

  I spun painfully, knowing I wouldn’t be fast enough. The Viper was already in midleap, jaws gaping, talons fully extended to tear me apart.

  A shot rang out, slamming the dragon aside. The Viper collapsed to the cement and rolled into a pile of crates, screeching in pain as she came to a halt. Heart pounding, I looked over to see Garret, pistol raised, step out of the shadows between aisles, keeping the dragon in his sights. His eyes were hard and dangerous, his expression a flinty mask as he aimed the gun at the fallen Viper.

  Faith screamed in rage and defiance. Tail thrashing, she tried clawing herself upright, but a second shot followed the first, jerking her to the side. The Viper struck the crates and crumpled to the floor, leaving a bright crimson smear across the wood. Her wings twitched, frantically at first, then growing slower and slower, as a trickle of red seeped over the floor from her body. Her jaws gaped, gasping for breath. Her eyes glazed over in pain and fear.

  “No,” I heard her whisper. “Not yet. Not like this. I can’t die…like this.”

  I felt sick. My legs wobbled, and it was uncertain whether they could hold me up much longer, but I gritted my teeth and staggered toward the dying dragon. She was a Viper, she’d been sent to kill us, but she was still part of my race, someone who had been just like me, once.