Jaime Rush - Dragon Awakened

Lightning hit the ground inches from them. Ruby lifted the reactor to the tip of her fang, grazing the metal surface. She closed her eyes and punctured it. Cyn’s whole body tightened, ready for an explosion. Nothing happened.

Fernandez barreled into Ruby, sending them both crashing to the ground. Cyn grabbed him and jerked him off of her. While he held Fernandez still, he and Ruby looked at the reactor. As the volatile mixture escaped the tiny hole, the canister started crumpling in on itself. Fernandez watched, too, gasping, his frenzied motions coming to a standstill.

Celia ran forward, trying to peel Cyn’s hands off her husband. “What is going on here?”

The storm abated, the clouds moving away in a preternaturally fast way. The thrumming energy dissipated. Ruby quickly dressed as Fernandez stormed toward Cyn, jabbing his finger at him. “He destroyed it!”

Cyn stood, pulling Ruby close. “Feel, Fernandez. Feel how the erratic energy has settled down.”

Fernandez stopped mid-yell and took in the atmosphere. He grabbed his wife and started sobbing.

Cyn turned and walked back to where he’d dumped his clothes, now a sopping mess. He managed to get into them and walk to the car, Ruby’s hand tight in his.

“Will you ever be able to forgive him?” she asked, when Cyn looked back at the house one last time.

“I have to.” He pulled her close, wrapping his arm around her. “Forgiveness has been good to me.”

She buried her face against his chest. “I just want to go home and sleep in your arms.” She moved back a few inches. “We have to find Brom. In case he needs help with that demon.”

“It should return to the Dark Side now that Purcell’s dead, but demons…well, they’re demons.” As much as Cyn wanted to go home, he owed Brom. “Let’s find him.” He didn’t let go though. Instead he squeezed her tighter. “Give me a minute to feel you. To know this is over.”

Ruby had saved his life. She had given him her heart. She held on just as tight, her body shivering.

He lifted her chin to look on her beautiful face. And he spoke the word that thrummed through him. “Mine.” Then he claimed her mouth. She kissed him back, and he felt everything in that kiss, all of her fear at losing him, of what they’d just gone through. He pulled away and pressed his forehead against hers. “We’d better go before I get all blubbery.”

Ruby opened Brom’s book as they drove to his house. Her fingers passed over the words. “There’s nothing new. But we didn’t fight a three-headed monster. So what did that mean?”

“Hopefully we’ll get to ask him.”

This time they pulled up his driveway, rather than sneaking in the back way. Cyn knocked on the door. He leaned closer to it. “I hear something. Like a struggle.” He tried the knob, finding it unlocked, and they went inside.

Brom was, indeed, struggling to fight off the demon. He’d managed to pull out the “root” that had been buried in his throat. The demon turned and saw the two Crescents standing there. Its eyes widened.

“Your summoner is dead,” Cyn said. “So are the other demons he brought here. I strongly suggest you remove yourself from this man and go home.”

It pulled out its other roots, slinking down to the floor.

While its attention was on them, Brom sent a blue orb at it, shattering it into smoke. “Damn, but I’ve wanted to do that for days now.” He shook his hand, staring at it. “The thing disabled my abilities.” Then he looked at them, his expression brightening. “You’re alive.”

“It’s finished,” Ruby said. “Purcell is dead, so is Darren.”

“You did your part. But I saw a three-headed entity.”

“Yeah, we wondered about that.” Ruby leaned against Cyn, wrapping her arms around his waist. “Please don’t tell me we have to fight two more heads. I can’t take anymore.”

Brom took them in, a soft smile on his face. “Your destiny has been fulfilled. There are others who are fighting for victory.” Brom took Cyn’s hand and linked it to Ruby’s. “Now you must go on to fulfill the last part of my prophecy.”

Ruby furrowed her eyes. “But there wasn’t anything else in the book.”

Brom’s eyes twinkled. “No, I didn’t put this one on the pages. You and Cyn will have to figure that out yourselves.”

Nichol Huffman for giving the book an early read and your great feedback.

My fabulous street team, the Rushkies, for your support and book love.

To the folks at Grand Central Publishing for helping me to make this book the best and prettiest it can be, including:

editor Alex Logan

editorial direction Amy Pierpont

art director Christine Foltzer

publicists Jessica Bromberg and Marissa Sangiacomo