Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Bending its long, snaky neck, the Drake opened its massive jaws, revealing rows of curving, sword-like teeth, and breathed a jet of white-hot fire at the fleeing arachnid.
Sheelash let out an unearthly shriek and Addie could see that her long, lank, platinum-blonde hair was on fire. Another jet of flame from the Drake and the rest of her fat, hairy body was wrapped in flames as well.
The spider goddess went on shrieking as she writhed in the blanket of flames. Then she flipped on her back and began to shrivel up, her long, hairy legs contracting and spasming in a series of horrible, jerking death throes.
Addie watched it all, amazed and horrified. Indeed, she couldn’t have stopped watching if the sight had made her go blind. It was too unbelievable for her brain to take in—she had to keep looking to comprehend the bizarre and awful sight she was witnessing.
Though she was across the room, she could feel the heat of the super-charged flames that were baking the enormous spider’s body. And then, just as she thought it was over, the fat, bulging abdomen popped, spraying half-cooked spider guts all over the flagstones.
Luckily, Addie was far enough away that the exploding guts didn’t reach her—but the smell of them certainly did. It was a rotten odor—like a garbage can filled with old seafood and dirty diapers left out to spoil in the hot sun. The choking miasma drifted towards her, making her clap a hand over her nose and gasp, “Ugh!” instinctively.
The Drake didn't seem to like the foul stench either. It sneezed several times in succession—almost like a giant cat, Addie thought. Except when a cat sneezed, it didn't spray gouts of flame all over the place. Luckily the massive head was turned away from her. She kept her distance and watched as the Drake studied the messy splatter of green and black spider guts that covered one whole section of the floor.
After a moment of contemplation and a few more sneezes, the Drake lowered its head and breathed another gout of flame. Using his fire like a flamethrower, he singed the spider offal to nothing but black ashes until only the crumpled legs and the burning, blackened skull of Sheelash remained.
The cleansing fire took care of the dreadful smell, for which Addie was grateful. But she wasn’t really sure she was any better off now than she had been earlier.
Before, she’d been menaced by a giant Spider Goddess she couldn’t reason with. Now, she was alone in the vast room with a fire-breathing Drake which she also couldn’t reason with.
And then it turned to look at her.
27
DRAKE
The Drake had no words—he had never wanted to have them. Until now.
The male he shared a body with sometimes made words at him—mouth noises that the Drake could interpret only by the emotions he was feeling when he made them. Mostly they were angry and repressive—the male didn’t want him to come out—he didn’t trust the Drake, even though they shared a form.
Mostly, the Drake ignored him. It was easier that way—easier to sleep, to doze the days away hidden in the darkness. But now he wished, in his primitive way, that he had paid more attention to the mouth noises. If he had, maybe he could understand what the female was saying to him now.
“Easy now. Take it easy—I’m not the enemy. Drago is my friend—he’s my Protector, okay?”
Her voice was soft and musical but the mouth noises made no sense to him. However, there were other ways to communicate and her body language was speaking volumes to him.
The female—their Fated Mate—was frightened of him. He could see it in the tense set of her shoulders and the wideness of her eyes. He could smell it, too. The fear scent came from her strongly and the Drake realized she thought that he would hurt her. Which was also the fear of the male he shared a body with.
The Drake snorted softly, being sure not to let loose any flame. He would never hurt her—why couldn’t she understand that? She was his Fated Mate—the mate that he and the male should share, just as they shared a body and a consciousness. She was the precious one—the treasured one that he would guard with his very life and kill or die to protect.
That was why he had burst the chains the male had tried to hold him with and come out to save her from the evil crawling creature that had menaced her. Nothing and no one would hurt her as long as the Drake was alive. But how could he show her he meant no harm? She was so tiny—so delicate. No wonder she was frightened of him. He had to let her know she wasn’t prey—that she was the treasured one instead.