His friend’s skin had always been pale, but at that, it went white. “Oh, that is just what I need. If my power’s misfiring —”
“Then you should stay!” Shane caught his friend’s arm. “I’ll help you. We’ll all help you!”
The dark-eyed man extracted his arm from Shane’s grip. “I’m fine. But your teammate needs you. Stay with him.”
With that, he vanished into the shadows. Shane took a step after him, then visibly forced himself to stop. Speaking more to himself than to anyone else, he muttered, “He’s not fine. He looks like he hasn’t slept or eaten in weeks.”
“So did you, when you joined the team,” Nick said. “You got better.”
“That’s because I joined the team.” Shane’s whole body was tense with frustration. “He won’t take my help. And he’s got nobody else.”
“Who is he, Shane?” Raluca asked.
“I can’t say. It’s his secret. I hope some day he’ll come in from the cold and tell you all himself.” Shane shook his head, as if forcing himself to focus, and settled back down beside Nick. “Never mind. Hang in there, Nick. We’ll get you out of here once the fighting’s over. It shouldn’t be long. I think everyone’s done but Lucas.”
He was right. All had gone quiet except for the sound of approaching footsteps. Hal and Rafa and Destiny came running up. Destiny’s arm was bitten, Rafa was limping, and Hal’s face was bruised, but none of them seemed seriously hurt. They crouched down around Nick.
“Nick!” Destiny exclaimed. “I’m so sorry! We were trying to protect you. I have no idea how Price got past us.”
“Price is good at that,” Nick said, then corrected himself. “Was.”
Rafa looked worried, but tried to put on a joking tone. “I let you out of my sight for one minute...”
Hal said, “Ellie and Catalina are waiting out of the danger zone in an ambulance they... uh... borrowed.” Before Nick could protest, Hal added, “Just to take you to Protection, Inc. I’ll call them in as soon as it’s safe.”
“Isn’t it safe now?” Nick asked, frowning.
“I don’t know. Lucas is still up there... I think.” Hal shaded his eyes, peering up at the sky. Raluca followed his gaze. Lucas and Grigor still appeared to be fighting, but they were so far up that Raluca couldn’t see any details. Hal didn’t seem able to see them at all. “Wish we had someone else who could fly.”
He does, hissed Raluca’s dragon.
“You do,” she said.
Nick stiffened in her arms. “Raluca —”
Hal shook his head. “No. You’re not a fighter. It’s too risky.”
“Nick needs help.” Raluca had spoken impulsively before, but as she went on, she knew the truth of her words. “Lucas may also. And if Grigor escapes him and dives to attack you, none of you will even be able to see him coming. Nick saved me, and all of you helped me. I wish to help you now.”
Hal frowned. Raluca could see that he agreed with her reasoning, but was reluctant to let her risk herself.
“I am a free woman now. My choices are my own.” Then Raluca turned to Nick. “But if you wish me to stay with you, I will.”
Nick took a deep breath, then squeezed her hand. “I’ll be fine. Kick his sorry ass right out of the sky. You know you want to.”
“You really are two of a kind,” Hal said. “All right. Go for it.”
Shane took Raluca’s place, both moving carefully so they didn’t jar Nick. Raluca bent to give him a light kiss, then stepped away from them all.
She let her heart fill with the pure desires of a dragon.
Honor.
Gold.
The open sky.
And vengeance, her dragon hissed.