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many dragons and their mighty gifts, straightened, stretching his neck high above the man. A dark cold swirled in Marcus’s heart. It grew, swirling faster and faster at the mention of Davies’s name. Marcus stood deathly still, like a statue, and then his tail twitched. It swung so fast the man only got off one shot before being smacked in the side by something the size of a fallen redwood. Automatic fire rang up through the trees and into the sky, and then fell silent, his body slamming into a nearby tree and slumping to the ground.
    “Hurry to the Den. Yeah, now.” The voice was a mere whisper from deep within the cab.
    Marcus’s lips peeled back, exposing ready-to-kill teeth. All his attention was now focused on the remaining man. The mousy human inside the truck sending men to his Den. He’d heard too much. Was giving away too much information. Marcus turned and swung. The dragon’s tail flattened the cab. All went silent.  
    He chuffed, blew dark thickets of angry smoke, and thumped his tail upon the hard asphalt road. The little truck hadn’t been much to behold before, but now Marcus couldn’t pull his gaze from the mangled heap.  
    Someone cleared their throat behind him. He swung around, wings extended, teeth exposed. Darren, the driver, stood next to the dark sedan, a small phone clutched firmly in his grip. “The men are assembled, sir,” he said, a mild tremor in his voice.  
    With a swing of his tail that countered the shake of his head, Marcus advanced on the car. Darren stumbled back into the safety of the driver’s seat and closed the door. By the time Marcus reached the car he was once again a man, having shed his dragon shape for the time being. Still burning with adrenaline, he didn’t feel the rough asphalt against his bare feet.  
    Marcus slipped into the backseat and stretched his back, combing both hands through his hair. “Darren, get ahold of Rick. Tell him there has been a change. We’re moving to plan B now.”
    “Yes, sir.” The car engine came to life with a gentle purr, and within a minute they were in motion.
    “Feel better?” Leila handed Marcus a flask. He took it without hesitation, then paused before bringing it to his lips. He stared at the item in his hand and narrowed his gaze. Leila groaned, snatched it back, and took a swig of the liquid. “Satisfied?”  
    Marcus smirked. “A man in my position can never be too careful.”
    “If I wanted you dead, I would be much more original in the execution. Poison is so ordinary.” She twirled a lock of her hair around her index finger and allowed her gaze to wander along the length of his naked body. “A species of your fine stature has far too much energy worth harvesting. It would be a waste to snuff it out in such a mundane manner.”
    Marcus’s face hardened. He knew what she was inferring, and he would not fall victim to any Mara. She would never suck his life force. Death would befall her long before she got the chance to even try. Maybe he’d kill her with some of her own medicine because, damn, she oozed of sex and longing, and the fires of passion raged through his blood after his little confrontation. She might be the perfect outlet for his current state of vexation. He dropped the flask on the floor.
    “Eyes front, Darren,” Marcus said and grabbed Leila, throwing her down against the seat.
    “My lord.” Her voice was breathless.
    “Do your Mara thing. Make yourself resemble Kyra.”
    “As you wish.” Leila’s dark hair faded to red and her bone structure shifted.  
    “Good.” Marcus ripped open her robe, let his gaze soak in every detail. “Exceptional.” Threading his fingers through her hair, he yanked her head to the side and grazed his lips along the curve of her neck, pausing at the base of her ear. “This means nothing.” He thrust inside of her, fueled by all his frustration and rage.  
    Leila screamed.
    Marcus’s phone rang.

5

    CAROUSEL RIDERS

    Kyra

    Kyra’s gaze was fixed on