Scorched (16 page)

The thunder came first. Then a sharp wind, scraping her face and stealing her breath. Her eyes flew open, a screech of surprise tumbling from her lips, as the world shot back into focus.

She was flying—or riding at least—on the back of a mighty dragon.

“Oh my God!” she cried, throwing herself against the creature’s back, terror surging through her. Her arms flailed, seeking handholds around the dragon’s thick neck as her thighs squeezed its midsection, desperate to hang on.

Please
don’t let me fall. Please don’t let me fall.

She dared, for a split second, to look down, and her stomach rolled as the earth seemed to weave dizzyingly in and out of focus miles below her.

Please
don’t let me fall. Please don’t—

You
okay?

She opened her eyes in surprise at the voice. In her initial panic of waking up on the back of a dragon, she’d all but forgotten she’d come to this nightmare of her own free will. With Caleb holding her hand. He pulled up alongside her, astride his own dragon, flashing a cocky grin. He was wearing black leather pants that molded to his thighs and a black T-shirt that couldn’t disguise his strong, flat abs. He looked confident and happy and, well, pretty damn hot, she had to admit, despite herself. Something about a guy on a dragon… And the dragon herself, Fred, was as beautiful and majestic as he’d promised, despite her silly name. Her massive wings steadily beat the air currents into submission—leather cracking, membranes stretching—as an elegant tail flapped lazily behind her, serving as rudder.

Caleb lifted a hand, offering a casual salute, a teasing smile playing at his lips. Trin gritted her teeth, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her frightened. Instead, she forced herself to straighten and her shoulders to drop, as if she were on some casual bike ride—no big deal.

We
couldn’t have started this out on the ground?
she sent, realizing it was the only way to communicate over the thunderous flapping of dragons’ wings.

He shrugged playfully.
Why
waste
time
walking
when
we
can
fly?

Gee, I don’t know. So I could learn to steer?

She couldn’t hear his laugh but she could see the amusement dance across his face and it made her hackles rise. So this was a big joke to him? He thought it was funny? What if she fell? What if she careened to her death? If you died here, in this Nether place, did you die in real life? She remembered her real-life burn from the last time she’d visited and shuddered.

Just
tell
Emmy
where
you
want
to
go
.
She’ll get you there.

Emmy?
Trinity’s gaze shot down to the dragon beneath her, eyes widening in realization. This was Emmy? But she was so big! And besides her green scales, she looked so different than the dragon she’d met dying in her cage. This dragon wasn’t sad and defeated and wounded—she was gorgeous, alive—with emerald scales that snared the very sun and reflected the rays back tenfold.

In
the
Nether
I
can
be
anything
I
want
to
be, look any way I want to look,
Emmy broke in, her voice unmistakable. The beast turned her giant head, acknowledging Trin with a quick nod. It was then that she recognized the dragon’s eyes. Such pretty eyes—all blues and golds swimming together in the depths of the deepest sea.
And
so
can
you.

Can
I
be
someone
who
isn’t afraid of heights?
Trin winced as she accidentally looked down again. Maybe if she just stared straight ahead, the nausea would go away.

Emmy’s laugh was rich and affectionate.

You
can
trust
me, Fire Kissed. I’d never let you fall.

Trust. It had never been one of Trinity’s strong points. Not when so many people in her life had let her down. Her own mother even—with all her promises that they’d be a family again. Promises as empty as the shotgun barrel she’d left behind. And then there was Connor, who’d promised to keep her safe while secretly planning to kill her. No, it was better in the long run not to trust anyone in this world.

But
I’m not just anyone. I’m your dragon.

Emmy’s words sent a shiver down her spine, as if she could feel them as well as hear them. And strangely, suddenly, she found herself wanting to trust those feelings, to let herself go. To feel what it would be like to soar through the skies. To understand what it really meant to be Fire Kissed. To become one with a dragon.

She shook her head.
Okay, where had that thought come from?

Let
yourself
go, Trinity. Trust me.

On impulse, she reached down to stroke the dragon, surprised to find the creature’s scales soft and satiny to the touch. As her fingers tripped down the beast’s neck, Emmy wiggled appreciatively and made throaty noises that reminded Trin of her cat purring. She drew in a shaky breath.

“Okay, fine,” she declared, squaring her shoulders. “What the hell. Let’s do this.”

You
won’t be sorry!

And with that, Emmy took off, soaring through the heavens at top speed. Trinity squealed and grabbed on tight, her pulse skyrocketing and her heart lodging in her throat. It was as if she was on some living, breathing rollercoaster, rolling and dipping across the sky, and it was hard to believe a creature so big and gangly looking could be so graceful. Soon as they whirled and swirled in their dragon dance along the horizon, she found herself laughing out loud—an unguarded, joyous laugh. This was actually fun!

Faster!
she cried to Emmy.
Go
faster!

Emmy tossed her head excitedly, then turned her snout to the sky. Higher and higher she pushed, chasing the currents of wind, gaining more altitude every second, until Trinity half wondered if they’d collide with the sun. Finally, the dragon stopped, hovering in midair, turning to face her, a challenging look on her face.

Are
you
ready?
she asked teasingly.

Trin gulped but somehow managed to nod. No sooner had she finished than Emmy turned her nose down, dive-bombing the ground, fast and furious. Trinity screamed in a mixture of delight and fear, white-knuckling the dragon’s neck as the earth rushed to meet them at frightening speed.

Trust
her. Trust Emmy. You can trust her.

Emmy stopped on a dime, practically throwing Trin from her back with the sudden halt of momentum. She gasped as she realized they were hovering only a few yards off the ground. Had they really been so close to colliding? Emmy snorted excitedly, then shot back up into the air again, the wind pounding at Trin’s face, drawing tears from her eyes. She laughed and shook her head.

Show
off,
she admonished her dragon.

Oh, you liked it
, Emmy shot back. And Trinity had to agree.

And so they kept going, dipping and diving, soaring and seeking, skimming trees and ponds, then shooting high into the atmosphere, teasing the sun. Emmy even attempted a few clumsy barrel rolls that made Trinity’s stomach lurch. But through it all, she couldn’t help the big grin spreading across her face. For the first time in her life, she felt free. Absolutely, one hundred percent free.

What
do
you
think?
Caleb asked, leading his own dragon up beside her.
Is
Emmy
taking
good
care
of
you?

Oh
my
God!
she cried.
This
is, like, the best thing ever!

I
told
you,
he teased.
Now
come
on. Race me to that ledge!

Before she could respond, he urged his dragon forward, diving down toward the craggy cliffside before them at top speed. Trinity stared after him with amused outrage.

“Cheater!” she cried out after him.
Go, Emmy! Don’t let them get away!

The dragon shifted position, diving after Caleb and his mount. Trinity cheered her on as the wind thundered in her ears. It wasn’t long before the two beasts were neck and neck again, beads of dew sparkling on Emmy’s shining scales as her muscles rippled beneath her thighs. The boy and his dragon may have stolen a head start, but it was obvious to Trin who really ruled the skies.

Yeah, baby!
she taunted Caleb.
Wingspan
definitely
matters.

Oh, you think so?
he replied without missing a beat. He gave her a cocky grin.
Watch
and
learn, princess.

Trinity glanced over just in time to see Caleb waving his hand in the air. To her surprise, a piece of raw meat, dripping with blood, seemed to appear out of thin air. He grabbed it in his hands, then tossed it in the direction of her dragon.

The meat flew temptingly through the sky, causing Emmy to stop short, her eyes locking onto the bloody snack. Before Trinity could protest, the dragon was suddenly dive-bombing for her dinner, the race all but forgotten.

No, Emmy!
Trinity tried.
Go
back!

But the dragon either couldn’t hear her or chose not to answer. A moment later she caught up to the meat, snapping it into her massive jaws. Trinity sighed as she watched Caleb and Fred come in for a triumphant landing on the ledge above. First by more than a snout.

“Cheater!” she yelled up at them, shaking her fist. But Caleb only laughed, sliding down his dragon’s wing in a graceful dismount.

“The first rule of the Nether,” he yelled back. “There are no rules in the Nether.”

“Now you tell me,” she muttered as Emmy finished her meal and headed up to join Caleb and Fred on the ledge. Once she’d landed, Trinity attempted a graceful dismount, but only managed to land painfully on her butt.

“Better luck next time,” Caleb teased, holding out his hand. She refused it and stuck out her tongue at him—childish but pretty satisfying all the same.

She looked around, taking in their surroundings; they’d landed on the edge of a rocky cliff face, with an overhang that created a small cave. As she watched, Caleb started gathering a few chunks of wood and branches that the wind had blown their way, creating a makeshift fire pit. When Trin looked at him questioningly, he shrugged. “I don’t know about you, but I’m freezing.”

She nodded, letting out an involuntary shiver as the icy wind pricked at her skin. It was strange—she hadn’t felt the least bit cold when she was riding Emmy. Maybe it was the adrenaline. Or maybe dragons were just hot-blooded. Whatever the case, she hastened to help Caleb with the wood.

When they had finished, she stepped back, regarding the fire pit with critical eyes. “Do you have a match?” she asked.

Caleb laughed. “Are you kidding? Watch and learn!” He turned to Fred. “Light my fire, baby!” he crowed to the mighty beast. Fred cheerfully obliged, puffing out a small fireball in the direction of their woodpile.

Trinity smiled. “I should have known.”

As the fire crackled to life, she settled down on a nearby log, holding out her hands to warm them by the flames. A moment later, Emmy curled up by her side, contentedly snorting a few puffs of smoke from her snout before closing her large blue eyes. Trin reached over and stroked the dragon’s nose, thanking her for the amazing ride.

But
next
time, no lunch breaks!
she scolded her gently.
And
no
letting
them
win. They’re already too cocky as it is.

She heard a loud snort and glanced up to find Fred looking at Caleb expectantly, her golden eyes shining with eagerness and a large splotch of drool dripping from the corner of her mouth. Caleb rolled his eyes and waved his hands in the air. Once again, a piece of meat appeared, even more bloody than the one Emmy had devoured if that were possible.

“Okay, okay, I guess you deserve this,” he said grudgingly. “I’m still in shock you let the other one go.” The meat dropped to the ground with a bloody plop and Fred dug in with gusto. When she had finished, she looked up, her mouth smeared with blood like some crazy clown lipstick, batting her eyelashes at Caleb, obviously hungry for more. Trinity giggled. She was worse than a Labrador Retriever.

“No more!” Caleb cried, playfully shoving her huge snout away. He turned to Trin. “Lesson one when raising dragons: they’re all complete gluttons. They’d eat until they exploded if you let them.” He gave Fred a scolding look. “Now settle down and go to sleep. You’re not getting anything else from me today.”

Fred hmphed her disapproval but eventually gave up, settling down beside Emmy. A moment later, her eyes drifted closed and she started snoring like a buzz saw. Caleb groaned. “Gotta love dragons,” he said derisively, poking the beast with his boot to get her to quiet down. Then he settled in front of the fire himself, closing his eyes and holding out his hands, as if he were meditating. Trin was about to ask what he was doing, but before she could speak, a bag of marshmallows dropped from the sky, out of thin air, just like the meat. Two large toasting sticks soon followed.

“Wow,” she breathed. “How are you doing that?”