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  Griffin barely has time to look at me before I take off, and I just hope he’s right about none of the bears wanting to be out while the black dragon is around.

  9

  My feet crunch over pine needles, and I try to enjoy the fresh morning scent, thinking it might be like camping.

  But it’s not. There’s an odd acridity to the air, like I just don’t want to inhale it.

  “That’s Seth,” Lee says, his face floating along the ground like he’s on his back in a pool as I walk back to the cabin.

  “The smell?” I say as I lock the cabin door behind me and let out a sigh of relief. In a world this crazy, sometimes it’s nice to be inside and safe.

  “It’s not so much a smell.” Lee corrects. “He gives off an aura that warns others to stay away.”

  “Why is he so dangerous?” I fold my arms as I sit on the bed. “Why didn’t you tell me about any of this before I went through your portal?”

  “Would you have gone?”

  I shake my head, then pause. “I don’t know.”

  “Exactly. And now you’re here, and it works for everyone.”

  “How? Lee, I’m not even sure what I’m doing here.”

  “I know, and I won’t be able to help you for much longer,” Lee says, lifting out of the ground and coming to rest on top of the dresser, his head nearly touching the ceiling.

  “How can you possibly help me?” I ask, throwing my hands in the air in exasperation.

  Lee, as always, remains calm. “What do you think about Griffin so far?”

  “He’s a jerk and an idiot,” I say tersely. “He’s going to sell me, and he didn’t help me last night when I was being attacked.”

  Lee’s eyes narrow. “He didn’t?”

  “No,” I say. “A bunch of wind just knocked a beam loose on the guys’ head, and—”

  “It’s a bit odd, a beam just falling like that,” Lee says, slanting me a patient, expectant look.

  I frown. “There was no one in that cabin.”

  “Dragons can cloak,” Lee says. “One of our many abilities.”

  “Right. And read minds and fly,” I say sarcastically, ticking them off on my hands.

  “And save people,” Lee says quietly. “Have you considered that he might have saved you?”

  I think about the window that blew open and then the door. I suppose he could have snuck in there, dropped the beam, and headed out. “Why wouldn’t he let anyone see him do it?”

  “Think about his place in this world,” Lee says. “Any kindness here is weakness. I would just remember that when dealing with Griffin. He is a dragon that, above all, hates feeling weak.”

  “Like he ever feels that way,” I say.

  “Oh, there are other ways to feel weak than physically. But yes, he’s stronger than most things in this place. He will make a good protector. I would trust him over Seth.”

  “But what am I supposed to be doing here?” I ask, frustrated.

  “I only came to make sure things were fine with you and Griffin. I have to go again soon.”

  Footsteps from outside are getting closer, shaking the ground, and Lee’s face gets fainter.

  “I sent you to Griffin on purpose. Trust him.” He gets fainter still, and I can’t help but panic. I need more information.

  “But not Seth?”

  “Seth is not a bad person, but he’s desperate. You can never trust desperate.”

  Says the person who sent me here because I was desperate.

  “It’s different,” Lee says, reading my thoughts even as he’s disappearing. “Be careful, dragon heart.”

  Dragon heart?

  But before I can ask him about it, he’s gone.

  I hate the idea of being dependent on someone, but I guess I’ll have to be for this to work.

  I resolve myself to trying to get along with Griffin.

  A little more kissing might not hurt.

  I flush at that comment, wondering where it came from.

  I bet food will calm me down. Being hungry never solved anything.

  I find bread and some bologna in the small fridge and put a sandwich together, feeling myself calm down as I chew.

  I walk over to the window of the cabin and look out to see Seth propped up against a tree and looking tired.

  I glance at the bread and meat and then sigh as I start making a couple more sandwiches.

  There’s just something about these dragons that makes me worry about them when I’m the only one I should be worrying about.

  I’m just finishing up two messy sandwiches when the door to the cabin swings open, revealing a flushed, sweaty Griffin.

  He sinks back against the door, then pins me with a glare. His lashes are so long. His perfect lips flatten into a line. “Don’t disappear on me like that. Ever.”

  “I didn’t disappear. I told you I was going back to the cabin.”

  “I know, but don’t go without me.”

  I bite my lower lip and notice his eyes dart to study the movement. “All right, I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.” Unless I have to.

  “Fine then,” he says, calming slightly as he locks the door.

  He turns around just as I’m holding out a sandwich, and in a defensive maneuver so fast I can barely see it, he knocks the sandwich out of my hands, sending it onto the floor.

  I take a step back, shocked, as his eyes slowly lower to stare at the sandwich, trying to make sense of it. His eyes move back to me. “You made me a sandwich?”

  “Sorry,” I say, stammering. “I didn’t know you hated them.”

  “I don’t,” he says, bending down to swipe the sandwich up, brushing dust off of it. “I didn’t see what you were handing me. I thought—”

  “What could you have possibly thought that would make you attack a sandwich?”

  “I thought maybe you were going to knife me,” he says frankly, taking a bite of the dirty sandwich before I can stop him.

  “What?” My jaw drops. “Knife you?”

  He shrugs a shoulder. “As likely as anything that happens here.”

  “Don’t eat that,” I say, blushing. “It was on the ground.” I reach for it, but Griffin shakes his head, moving back.

  “It’s delicious.” He guards it from my grasp, looking over at the other sandwich I made that is sitting on the counter. “Is that for Seth?”

  I nod, then gasp as Griffin reaches out and steals it with a lightning-quick movement, taking a bite, now holding a sandwich in each hand and looking pleased with himself.

  Well, I guess I know the way to this dragon’s heart.

  “It’s not that delicious,” I say hesitantly.

  “I’ve never had someone cook for me,” Griffin says.

  “Never?”

  He shakes his head, eating a bite from each sandwich alternately. “In this world, it’s every man for himself. Or every monster. I guess the bears share carcasses sometimes.”

  I wince. “Not the same.”

  “No.” He finishes one of the sandwiches and looks at the sole survivor like he’s sad that will soon be gone too.

  “What about in the other world?”

  He pauses, lowering his sandwich. “In the other world, I wasn’t someone anyone would cook for.”

  Finishing the sandwich in two bites, he turns to head out of the cabin. “I need to go check on Seth again. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  “Why?” I fold my arms. “So you can sell me?”

  His eyes are defiant, but the little tick in his jaw tells me he’s unsure how to answer. “Probably.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I need money,” Griffin says. “Because you’re a complication I don’t need. Because you’d probably be better off with someone else to protect you.” He shoves a hand through his sweaty hair. “Because you drive me crazy.”

  I can feel something between us, something that’s drawing us closer, getting tighter every time our eyes lock.

  “Why did you kiss me?” I
can’t help asking.

  His lips firm into a line. “I don’t know. I was born to be attracted to someone like you. That’s all.”

  I grin crookedly. “I think you like me.”

  “I don’t,” he says a little too quickly. For such a big guy, he gets nervous easily.

  “You pulled me away from Seth,” I say, taking a step forward. “And you helped me last night with Clive, right? Even though you didn’t want me to know it was you.”

  He huffs, trying a little too hard to look annoyed with me. “Why would I do anything about that?”

  A warmth in me begins to grow as I feel like I’m seeing him somewhat accurately for the first time. Perhaps Lee is right. Perhaps I can trust him.

  “I don’t know. I must have been mistaken,” I say. “I just thought that with your invisibility, it would have made sense.”

  He’s genuinely flushed now, and he avoids my gaze as he unlocks the door to the cabin. “Think what you want. I don’t care.”

  “Should I make Seth another sandwich?”

  “No,” Griffin says, a little too quickly. “He wouldn’t want it.”

  We stare at each other, and my eyes trace every angle of his face in the morning light. The hard panes of his cheeks, the expressive gray of his eyes, the long lashes.

  The slight flush that accentuates his hair color, so rich and russet and thick.

  That tall, almost unbelievably muscular body, shoulders and arms wide enough to fold me away from the world.

  Oh my God, why am I thinking that?

  “I’m going back to check on him,” Griffin says again. “You stay here.”

  “Is he going to be okay?” I ask, staring out the window at Seth, who is coughing, huddled against the tree.

  “It’s not your problem,” Griffin says quickly. “It’s best if you just leave both of our lives as soon as possible, no matter what Seth says.”

  “What would he say?”

  “It doesn’t matter. It’s bullshit. Just don’t trust him,” Griffin says protectively. “At all.”

  “He’s a liar?”

  “No,” Griffin says. “He’s worse. He believes his own bullshit.”

  “What bullshit?”

  Griffin just shakes his head. “Just don’t be with him alone.”

  “Ever?”

  “Until we sell you.”

  My stomach clenches at hearing that after the moment we shared. I thought we were making progress.

  I can’t react until he’s almost out of the cabin.

  “Wait, Griffin.”

  “What?”

  “You aren’t…” I fidget with my hands in front of me. “You wouldn’t really sell me? You’re just saying that to scare me, right?”

  He leaves the door open and takes a step toward me, glaring. “I would.”

  “Why? I didn’t do anything to you.” I take a nervous step backward, sensing that I’m in dangerous territory.

  His eyes burn at me. “You do everything to me.”

  He takes another step forward, and I take another one back.

  “I’m not—” I’m cut off by his huge forefinger landing lightly on my lower lip, caressing gently.

  He pushes me back until my legs hit the bed and I fall over it, and then he props one knee next to me and a hand on either side of my face so we’re both mostly horizontal.

  “I’m losing my ability to think straight.”

  “Me too.” I gasp.

  “I used to understand this world and its cruel rules. It used to be perfect for a bully like me. Now I’m doubting myself, and that’s dangerous.”

  I can barely breathe having him so close to me I can inhale his fragrance, musk and cinnamon, and I’m so tempted to run my hands up his strong forearms, grip his shoulders, and pull him down for a kiss.

  Even though I know it’s stupid.

  “Why is it dangerous?” I can’t help asking.

  He swallows thickly. “Because you’re everything I’ve ever wanted. Because it’s like parading a thick steak in front of a starving, chained dog who doesn’t even know how to digest meat anymore.”

  “But—”

  He shakes his head, and the hopelessness in his eyes pains me. “It’s too late for some kind of happy ending. I’m too far gone now. You make me remember that there is more than this gray, awful world.” He pushes off me slowly, looking as reluctant to separate as I am. “I don’t want to remember. Not at all.”

  He stops when he’s at the cabin door. “Find another monster to protect you once we reach the market. I won’t sell you to just anyone. I’ll… try to find the right buyer.”

  I shake my head. “I don’t want to be sold. I want to stay with you.”

  “Find someone looking for redemption,” Griffin says, walking out the door, filling the frame with his wide shoulders. “It’s far too late for me.”

  Then he leaves, shutting the door behind him.

  10

  Seth

  Seth’s insides were raging, the pain almost worse after the short relief he’d had when he’d been holding the girl.

  The human.

  All he could think about was the way the poison seemed to abate as he’d held her close.

  He wasn’t sure if it would always be like that, but his body ached to find out.

  He heard footsteps approaching but couldn’t be bothered to care who it was at that moment.

  “I have a vial.” The voice was Griffin’s.

  Seth opened his clenched eyes, glaring at Griffin. “I thought you said you hadn’t bought any.”

  “I haven’t, but I always keep one around for emergencies.” Griffin said, uncapping the tube and easily clipping it into Seth’s system. “I didn’t realize it had gotten so bad.”

  Seth let out a sigh and relaxed into the ground as he felt the poison start to abate.

  He was used to this, had felt this pain his whole life, but it was getting worse the longer he went without the healing power of the blue dragon that should have been on his team.

  But it was Seth’s fault the blue dragon wasn’t there.

  Not that Seth had wanted a work partner. He’d always been alone for the most part, and he liked it like that.

  But the poison… He’d give anything to not have to deal with it anymore.

  He wanted the human. Oh yes, he wanted her more than he wanted his next breath. More than he wanted wings to traverse the mountains. More than he wanted to eat or drink.

  But Griffin… Griffin was a problem.

  Seth snuck a glance at him, noting he was staring at the cabin where the woman was.

  “What’s her name?” Seth asked, pushing himself carefully into a better sitting position against the tree, feeling his strength slowly returning. The pain was abating as it always did when he’d taken a vial.

  “Anna,” Griffin said, quickly jerking his gaze back to Seth. “But it doesn’t matter. We’re going to sell her.”

  Seth sucked on his cheek thoughtfully. Griffin was acting odd.

  He had his quirks and his soft spots, but usually, he was just a blowhard bully and it was weird for him to be so insistent on any one thing.

  “Why wouldn’t you want to pair up and claim her like I suggested?” Seth asked coolly. “Seems like it would be worth it, even for the chance of her being what I think she is.”

  Griffin let out an aggrieved sigh. “Because I have a life here. Because that kind of thing just doesn’t work out for us. Because we still don’t even know who sent her or what her real motives are.”

  “We could figure more of that out once we get to the market.”

  Griffin shook his head. “There’s no point since she’ll be sold.”

  Seth knew they had reached a point where they wouldn’t be able to come to any sort of arrangement, and though he knew he was betraying someone who had been good to him, he still wanted to live.

  “I’m not selling her,” Seth said, standing slowly. “She’s more valuable than any serum. I’ll just have to find
another dragon to pair with. Unless I can find someone who can tell me if there really needs to be two of us.”

  Griffin sputtered. “First off, who is going to know anything about that? Second, no, you’re not. I found her, and she’s mine.” He frowned. “At least for now. And I say she needs to be sold.”

  Seth hated when Griffin got stubborn. He could be as fiery as his hair sometimes, and his huge size and strength meant any fight would expend a lot of energy.

  But this woman—this chance—was worth fighting for.

  Seth dropped his jacket to the ground, getting ready to shift if he had to. “I’m not letting you sell her, not for any price. I’ll take her from you by force if I have to.”

  “I’d like to see you try,” Griffin snarled, pushing up his flannel sleeves, showing bulging forearms. “You aren’t some kind of hero. You just want her for yourself.”

  Seth’s grin turned up on one side. “Got me.”

  “Fine,” Griffin said, jaw tightening. “I could use a good fight.”

  “I’ll kill you to get to her,” Seth said softly. “You always say it’s survival of the fittest. Well, I mean to survive.”

  Griffin’s fists tightened. “This is what got us in trouble in the first place. Fighting, being selfish. If we don’t get rid of that woman, it’s only going to get worse.”

  “How does it get worse than dying of poison taking over your entire body?” Seth asked viciously.

  Griffin just stared in response. “I’ve already made up my mind. You’ll have to kill me if you want to take her away. She’s mine.”

  Seth slowly lowered his guard. “You want her.”

  Griffin’s gray eyes were fiery. “Of course I want her! I want her so badly I can’t see straight. Every other dragon here will as well. But we aren’t the type who can mate. That’s why we’re in this world.”

  “Then why is she here?” Seth asked. “Don’t you think it means something?”

  “It could mean a trap. It could be our downfall.”

  “We’ve already fallen,” Seth said quietly. “Don’t you see this could be a way out?”

  “How?”

  “I don’t know,” Seth said. “But she’s here, and if you just sell her, we’ll never know what could have happened. Besides, she makes the poison abate.”