Embers (Scales 'N' Spells 4)

“—the entire ward is taken down with it,” Cameron finished, and the evil in his smile was clear for all to see.

The ward catastrophically failed, one generator after the next, the power surges taking out its neighbor without any failsafe to catch it. Precisely as designed. Gunter would kiss Cameron for his brilliance, but later.

As soon as the ward in front of him failed, he lunged forward, but Thomas was faster than expected. He shoved aside both the men holding Nikki and wrapped one meaty hand around their throat as he pulled them in front of his body as a shield. Nikki managed only a strangled yelp before they were silenced.

Gunter roared, slicing through one man with his talons and tossing him aside. He was vaguely aware of the man slamming like a ragdoll against the side of a building. The other man was snatched up by one of Gunter’s clanmates, his terrified screams silenced in an instant. Gunter didn’t care. His eyes were locked on Thomas as they backpedaled into the town.

Alric let loose a war cry from his long throat. It was a wordless, keening howl, a demand for blood and revenge. The sound of it reverberated in Gunter’s bones, calling to his instincts for violence and fire.

And all three hundred dragons answered.

The cry was like nothing else the world had ever experienced, not since the Dragon War. It echoed through the air, a tidal wave of sound rich with the promise of destruction. On instinct, every human in the vicinity cried out in panic and immediately turned to run, desperate for cover, or escape.

Except for Thomas Jaeggi.

He stood facing Gunter with an obstinate expression as he clung to Nikki like they were the only shield in existence that could keep him alive. And maybe so. At least until Gunter figured out how to pry his mate loose while at the same time eating the bastard.

“You think you’re going to kill me?” Thomas raged, his face turning a bright shade of red. He laughed, the ugly sound taking on a maniacal frantic edge. “You touch me and I will kill your mate.” Thomas squeezed Nikki’s throat tighter and Nikki gasped, clawing at Thomas’s hand with both of theirs.

Nikki’s pain and raw anger poured through Gunter. “Jaeggi scum! Release them! Release my mate!”

“How long can a dragon last after his mate has died?”

“Long enough to see every last Jaeggi wiped from the face of the Earth,” Gunter snarled.

“Thomas!”

Gunter reluctantly tore his gaze away from the leader of the Jaeggi to see a half dozen Jaeggi mages running toward them, offering support. He drew in a breath to release another roar of dragon fire at them, but one mage was already casting. He’d acted too late, and now he was trapped in the cage that had trapped them when Alric had raced to Cameron.

Electricity sizzled through scales and sliced into his wings. He roared in pain, and an answering scream rang out from Nikki. The more Gunter struggled, the more the cage cut into him.

“I’ve got him!” Cameron shouted from close by, and Gunter nearly wept with relief.

Mages from Burkhard and the other clans fired back spells and hammered at the Jaeggi as Cameron untangled the nasty weave of magic caging Gunter.

It took only a moment for the last of the spell to fall away, but that moment was long enough to push his Nikki over the edge. The mage slammed their elbow as hard as they could into Thomas’s stomach. The head mage grunted and hunched over, loosening their hold enough for Nikki to break free. Twisting, the mage kicked him as hard as they could square in the dick, sending Thomas howling to his knees.

With a wild grin, Nikki ran toward Gunter. “Now!” they shouted before dropping into an impressive slide that carried their slim body into cover under Gunter’s. He didn’t hesitate. Gunter let lose another roar of dragon fire that hammered the six mages and Thomas Jaeggi. Beside him, Alric joined in, enveloping the small group in fire so hot it blazed bright white.

Five of the six mages got their magic shield up in time, wrapping it around Thomas to protect him. The poor soul who was a shade too slow was reduced to a black smudge on the scorched earth.

Nikki flung both arms around Gunter’s neck, holding on tightly. “I’m alright, I’m alright.”

Gunter folded his wings around them, wincing against the fresh wounds created by the damn cage. It didn’t matter. He had his Nikki back, and he was never letting them out of his sight again. “You might be, but I’m not,” Gunter growled back. “You are never doing something like this again.”

“Not going to argue with you there.” Nikki grinned. “Thomas?”

“Alive, unfortunately.” But it wouldn’t be for much longer. The leader of the Jaeggi had no escape. His only hope was to take out as many mages and dragons with him as he could.