Free Dragon Fate by Elsa Jade Page B

think he trusted his own men to bring it to him, but he knew I’d be back since he had control over Esme and my uncle.”
    Torch made another growling noise. “Good to know there’s dissention in his ranks.”
    “Some people he controls with money, some with magic, some with desperation. I’m not sure any can afford to oppose him.”
    Torch stopped and put one hand under her jaw, his thumb lifting the point of her chin. “You did. You broke free.”
    She closed her eyes, thinking of innocent Esme and her greedy uncle who wanted even more than the magic he’d already stolen. “But I’m not the one who’s going to pay the price.”
    Slipping his hand down to her shoulder, Torch gave her a not-too-gentle shake. “Don’t play the victim now. You came here willing to fight a monster. Me. Now turn that on the true evil.”
    The rattle shook her eyes open again. She stared at him, willing the tears to stay where she’d always kept them: deep inside. “You told me you wouldn’t lie to me, Torch. So I’m going to be honest with you. I’ve never won at anything. I came to Vegas to steal a dragon’s ichor, but I didn’t even bring a quarter to drop into a slot machine. Not just because I didn’t have a quarter—which I didn’t—but because I knew I wouldn’t win.”
    Torch let his hand drop and they walked on through the back corridors of the Keep. “Since we’re being honest… Slot machines aren’t. Honest, I mean.”
    She sighed. “But some people win. Just…never me. From the time my mom died and Uncle Gwain and I snuck out of New Orleans in the middle of the day because he said it was safer than being out at night, I realized the universe doesn’t favor everyone equally. There are winners and losers. And I’m the latter.”
    His jaw flexed. “You can change.” When she shook her head stubbornly, he grunted. “I’m a shapeshifter. I think I’d know about change.”
    “I’m not a shapeshifter,” she pointed out. “I’m stuck forever like this.” She swept one hand down her body.
    His gaze followed the path of her gesture. “Seems like I hit a jackpot then.”
    Despite the little burst of pleasure at his regard, she scowled. “I’m trying to tell you not to count on me. Esme and Piper did, and look where it got them.”
    She felt like she’d tried to warn him, but they were at the Amber Suite. He reached for her again, wrapping one hand at her nape under her dreadlocks. She leaned toward him, her knees a little wobbly.
    “Don’t sell yourself short,” he said. “You’re not done yet.”
    “Last night, I almost was.” She hooked her fingers over the taut muscles in his forearm. “If not for you.”
    His wicked grin flashed like lightning. “Any time.”
    And then he was gone, taking the lightning with him.
    She sighed and turned to the suite doors.
    Obviously he’d decided she wasn’t going to run away anymore. But at the thought of facing Piper and Esme without him, she really, really wanted to. Instead, she knocked softly.
    It was a long minute before the door opened to Piper’s flat expression. Anjali suspected her erstwhile friend had watched her through the peephole for part of that time.
    “Hey,” she said when it was clear Piper wasn’t going to step back. “Can I come in?”
    Piper glanced past her as if looking for an excuse to shut the door. “Ez is sleeping. She…had a bad night.”
    Anjali winced. Considering the night she’d just had… “I just wanted to stop in and tell you, I’m on your side.”
    For a moment, Piper stood blocking the doorway. She was dressed in soft yoga pants and a cozy sweater with threads of gold running through that matched the jeweled hair clips highlighting the burnished bronze in her loosely curling locks. With her jaw thrust out, she looked a million miles from the nervous young co-ed who’d insisted on taking the smallest bedroom in Esme’s swank apartment.
    Now she’d found a dragon, but more, she’d found herself.
    She