Dragon Blood

Chapter 51

Awareness flooded Rhia's system, and her eyes flew open. There was something covering her eyes, allowing only a few specks of light in. Something cold and heavy was wrapped around her wrists and she pulled sharply. A loud clanging rang across the room she was in and she could hear someone gasp. "That didn't take long."

She knew that voice. She would know that voice anywhere. "Price?" It came out as hoarse shout.

She tried to pull her knees up, but they were chained down as well. Panic rose and she thought of her fire. That was how that worked, right? Think of fire, fire comes? A wave of heat washing over her, and a shout of fear was confirmation enough for her.

"Leave it, just leave it!" Price snapped. "Get out, we'll send one of the other ones in to cut her loose."

A moment later, all she could hear was her heart pounding in her ears and the rush of fire swirling around her. Then more shouting, snarling, cursing... and then the sound of an impossibly heavy door slamming shut. "Oh my god," came a female voice. "Rhia..."

"Juniper?" she groaned. "Is that you?"

"It's me, honey. Can you take a breath and calm down? It's just us in here now, I'll get you out of those chains."

She took several shuddering breaths to try and relax as best she could. Juniper hissed curses under her breath before she threw a sheet over Rhia's body and lifting the blindfold off her face. Her bright violet eyes and wild curly hair was the only comforting sight. The room they were in was enormous, empty, and made entirely of metal except for a wide black window about halfway up.

"Where are we?" she whimpered.

"I don't know." Juniper's voice shook as much as her hands as she worked at the cuffs. "I woke up in a glass box with a bunch of eggheads in lab coats leering at me. I couldn't link, or shift, or use any magic. It feels like I can in here, but I can't feel Keoni. It's like we've been completely cut off from our dragons."

The cuffs fell away from her wrists and Rhia sat up. Quickly realizing she was naked, she clutched at the blanket as Juniper moved to her ankles. She stared around the room and felt fear settle deep into her soul. "Not again," she gasped. "I can't... I can't be here again."

She knew... she knew she had been here before. This must be where they did the heritage tests, and all the other tests. Her eyes landed on a metal bowl filled with bloodied strips of metal and screws. Her hand went to her side and came away slick with blood. The openings were already closed, but her skin was tender, and it hurt to breathe. All the evidence she needed was right there in front of her.

The ankle restraints fell away and Rhia rolled off the table. "Woah, easy," Juniper caught her around the waist and helped her to her feet. "Do you remember what happened? I just remember finding you outside the party before it all goes blank."

"Fucking dark elf." She snarled, looking up to the window. She could feel him behind that glass, even if she couldn't see him. "I'm going to burn that bastard alive!"

"Rhia," Juniper grabbed her face and dragged her eyes to hers. "We've got more important things to worry about right now."

"Like wha-"

Suddenly a new wave of sensations rippled through her. She doubled over, crying out in pain. "Like that," Juniper crouched in front of her, rubbing her shoulder. "You're about to shift."

"Fuck, fuck, fuck! Not now, damnit! How can I-"

Her scream cut off the last of the question. She fell to her knees. It felt like every bone in her body was breaking, every joint dislocating, every nerve firing at once. The pain was worst in he back, a painful pressure building in the space between her shoulders and neck, and another pressure at the base of her spine.