Page 105 of Dragon Tempted

“It’s part of your full dragon’s powers. A dragon can give a suggestion to a human that makes them forget what they’ve seen. It leaves behind a feeling of dread so that they don’t try to think too hard about the memory.”

Eric and Adam nodded. “Our dragons know what to do.”

Within minutes the mercenaries were tearing down the road in their SUVs minus their weapons. Now they turned to the six men sitting on the ground.

John tried to concentrate on what was going on around him, but he felt like he was on the outside watching a movie.

Mia walked over and looked at the bodies that had been moved and covered with sheets. “A witch and three Templars.”

“And with the six Templars here that means we’re missing one, right?” Sienna asked.

Mia shook her head. “One died chasing me.”

“So what should we do with the rest of them?” Sienna asked as she and Mia walked over to the men on their knees.

“They know too much about the dragons, a dragon haze would probably not work on them.” Mia turned to the group. “Besides. I want you to remember every bit of what I am going to say to you. The Templar facility has been destroyed. And I’m thinking that the fire department will be reporting the illegal weapons they find in the debris to authorities. ATF, FBI, so many choices. I believe the building was registered under your shell corporation, Matthew. It won’t take long for them to come knocking on all your doors.”

Mia was growing on John. He was glad she ended up on their side.

Mia took a step closer to the men, pain and hatred filling her face. “Since I found out you had Paul killed, I have wanted to end your horrid lives, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that was too easy for you. Instead I want you to live with the fact that you failed. That your Templar ancestors are spinning in their graves and cursing your names. Because let’s face it. This wasn’t about ridding the world of purported evil. This was about your fragile egos. You couldn’t handle the idea that someone was stronger than you. But magic won and there are beings more powerful than you could ever wish to be.”

She crossed her arms. “However, I’m not the only one you have wronged. Maybe these dragons who you’ve tried to destroy for over a thousand years might want to turn you into charcoal briquettes. I wouldn’t blame them one bit.”

John’s stomach dropped as Matthew attempted to surge to his feet. Sienna punched him in the face. And then Mia kicked him and Matthew fell on his ass in the dirt.

Before John could take a step toward them, his own legs wobbled and his vision blurred. He dropped to his knees and someone screamed. His chest grumbled like his dragon was trying to tell him something.

Why did it feel like goodbye?

Chapter 36

Sienna sat by the bed and gripped John’s hand, watching his chest rise and fall slowly. She was afraid to look away. Had been keeping vigil all night and morning. After all they had been through, she was going to lose him now? Ian bent over the other side listening to John’s chest with his stethoscope. He finally stood and wrapped it around his neck.

“Well?” Sienna asked.

“Same as before,” Ian said. “It’s like he’s in a coma, but there isn’t a reason I can find for why he’s unconscious.”

“Other than breaking a four-hundred-year-old curse,” Tessa said from her place at the foot of the bed.

“Other than that.”

Sienna swallowed hard. “It’s been twenty-four hours, Ian. How long can he stay this way?”

“It’s hard to say. We have IVs going for fluids and some nutrients. So he could stay like this indefinitely if his organs don’t start to fail. And with this being a result of magic, I don’t have a clear way of knowing.”

“So it’s just wait and see?” Sienna blew out a hard breath before rocking her head from side to side, trying to get the kinks out of her neck and failing. “And you rechecked everyone else this morning?”

Ian nodded. “Yes. Luckily the bullet that went through Mia’s arm didn’t hit any major arteries. Megan was able to talk her into letting me treat her. Mia is stubborn.”

“And the others?”

“Ryan had a bullet graze his arm, and a couple other guards had some bumps and bruises. We were lucky.”

She looked down at John. “Yeah.”

Tessa stepped over to her and laid a hand on her shoulder. “Megan and Mia are combing through all the research right now, trying to find a way to help. Why don’t you take a break? I’ll sit with John. Maybe if I talk to him, he’ll wake up just so he can tell me to shut up.”

Sienna shook her head. “Only you can make me smile at a time like this.”