She spun around, looking for Nassor. Where was-
"He's gone." Adam's voice, sounding slightly hoarse.
She stilled, then gazed over her shoulder.
Man, not beast. Tall, muscled, naked , he stood in the middle of the fire, his tanned skin unmarred by the flames.
Maya ran to him, throwing her arms around him and holding on tight.
Adam was stiff within her grasp, his body too tense. Her head lifted, "Adam, wh-what's-"
Part of the ceiling fell down, the wood giving way with a shriek.
They jumped back, barely dodging the flames.
Maya coughed as the smoke filled her lungs. "We've…got…to…go." Now.
Adam took her hand and they ran for the door.
They raced up the stairs, toward the screams and howls that shook the fortress even as the fire greedily chased at their heels.
When they reached the first floor and shoved open the thick door, they walked into a war.
Wolves. Vampires. Clawing. Biting. Dying.
Adam grabbed the vampire in front of him, drove his claws into the guy's chest.
The fight was on.
The smoke drifted through the doorway, sneaking into the hall and through the fortress like a thief-and she knew the flames would soon follow.
Automatically, Maya fought the vampire that grabbed her from behind, raking him with her claws, pounding with her fists-and then she heard the humans.
Their screams were weaker. Broken.
Prey.
Still trapped, wherever Torrence had caged them. Helpless against the fire that would soon sweep over the entire fortress.
Maya grabbed a chair that had fallen onto the ground, a thin, spindly chair that looked like it was about two hundred years old.
She snapped the legs in two. Reaching for the broken wood, she bared her teeth at the vamp who lunged for her.
She staked him in midair, driving the wood into his heart and watching his eyes widen in an understanding that came too late.
Before he hit the ground, she was already searching through the fighters.
There.
The bastard who'd first led her into Nassor's lovely home. Trying to slink away.
Not gonna happen.
Casting one last glance toward Adam-he was more than holding his own-she ran for the vampire she should have killed on first sight.
Adam fought to hold on to his control. Once unleashed, the dragon had been nearly impossible to cage.
The death around him, the screams and the blood, they called to the Wyvern.
Destroy.
Burn.
He shuddered and fought another ass**le who grabbed him. The fire was spreading. He could hear the flames now, the hungry crackles coming ever closer.
The beautiful fire.
They needed to get out of the house. He looked over his shoulder, ready to grab Maya and-
She was gone.
Sonofabitch.
He shoved the vampire into the wall. Heard the thud of his head connecting and turned away.
"Maya?" Damn, his voice was hoarse. Like a frog's. Because of the flames that had burned up his throat.
Where was she? He knew she hadn't fled-she wouldn't leave him. He understood that fact with absolute certainty, so where-
He caught a glimpse of blond hair. Saw the side of a man's face, twisted with fury.
His hands clenched and the dragon roared.
Torrence.
He leapt forward, shoving aside wolves and vampires. He had only one intent– kill.
Another roar echoed his and the house trembled.
A huge black wolf lunged for the vampire, reaching him two seconds before Adam could.
The wolf knocked Torrence to the ground, locked his fangs around his throat.
And the vampire lifted a too-familiar gun.
Maya's weapon.
He aimed it at the wolf's head.
Adam kicked out, breaking bones and sending the gun flying into the air.
The wolf snarled and his fangs found their mark.
The vampire screamed, then his voice died to a gurgle. Blood spilled from his lips.
Adam watched, dispassionate.
When the wolf lifted his head, his teeth were stained red.
The vampire's head had been severed from his body.
"Get your pack out of here," Adam ordered, barely sparing a glance for the corpse. "The fire's going to destroy everything." Even now, the flames were eating the hallway. Licking against the ceiling.
The wolf nodded its massive head and howled, sending out an unmistakable order to the pack.
Adam searched through the chaos. Where the hell is Maya? His nostrils widened as he tried to catch her scent, but all he could smell was the fire.
Shit.
" Maya!" Not the yell he'd intended. A desperate croak of sound.
Where would she go? Where? And why? His jaw locked and he stalked forward.
She'd gone back into Temptation to rescue the wolf. She'd pulled him out of Blood Rock. Maya didn't believe in leaving anyone behind.
He stopped, barely dodging a wolf who hurtled past him as the beast took down a vampire.
The prey.
The humans who were still alive. She wouldn't leave them for the fire. The cop in her wouldn't let the vampire just walk away.
Then he saw her. Leading a line of crying women and men, trying to fight off the vamps that leapt at her.
"Lucas!"
The black wolf turned, easily hearing the rough cry.
Adam ran even as he ordered, "Tell 'em to protect the humans!" Because Maya wouldn't be able to get them all out on her own.
The flames were too hungry now. The heat surrounded them.
So hungry, and too close. He grabbed Maya's hand. Not going to lose her.
Nassor's fortress burned to the ground and the screams of the vampires trapped inside echoed the taunting whispers of the fire.
The humans were safe. Huddled in the darkness, staring with wide eyes that were glassy with confusion and fear.
Maya's gaze locked on the house. She'd tried to go back for the vampires inside, but they'd fought her, wild, maddened, and determined to die with their Born Master.
Dumb-asses. Hell was going to be a lot hotter than that fire.
Lucas paced toward her. She turned toward him. Found him naked, as were the other werewolves. "Torrence is dead."
She raised her brows at that. She'd wondered about him. She'd seen no sign of the bastard once she reached the main floor. "Your kill?"
He nodded.
"Then your pack has been avenged." Word would spread about his vengeance, because not all of the vampires had been stupid enough to choose the fire. Some had escaped, and they'd carry the tale of this night. Wolf attacks. A dragon's revenge.
Don't screw with the wolves, or the dragons . She could already hear the whispered warnings that would haunt the feeding rooms and bars.
Some would just be stupid enough to forget in the coming years.
Such was the way of the supernatural world.