Dragon Blood (Completed)

In Loves Arms Again

Chapter 12

Zane's need for air was screaming at him as he wrapped his arm around Paige to pull her back to him. Every second that ticked by without air, he grew more desperate. If she didn't give him air soon, he was going to have to force her mouth to his and take it as he did before. He didn't want to do that to her, but he was terrified of dying in this dark tunnel.

He tapped her on the cheek, a signal that had been working up to this point, but this time she flinched away from his touch. What was wrong with her? She started to struggle against him. He grabbed her face in both his hands, forcing her mouth to his, finally taking the breath he so desperately needed. He knew better than to take too much.

A few seconds later, he repeated the process because she was still pushing and straining to get away. This time when he took the breath, she moved her hands up to his face, scratching him. She was fighting him as if her life depended on it.

Zane couldn't understand what was going on. She was acting like he was trying to harm her. Her sharp nails dug into his cheek so he grabbed her wrists. He was able to hold both her small wrists in one of his large hands.

Their struggling was causing him to go through more air than he had.

He started kicking as hard as he could, just to make it out of the tunnel. His fear of not making to the other end grew as he started to feel dizzy. His reality came in waves of unfathomable blackness, and bright shining spots flashed before his blind eyes. He was losing blood. His life depended on this girl who was still fighting against him as if he were the enemy.

Again, he forced her mouth to his, trying to pull the air he needed from her, as she shook her head violently from side to side. His lips slipped against hers. He had to grab the back on her head just above her neck to force her to stop moving, then he finally he managed to take the breath he needed.

Anger and frustration were growing in him; the more she fought against him the more air he needed. Which intensified the situation, as it seemed that each breath he took only added to her struggle.

He shook her angrily in an effort to snap her out of her fright, to make her understand so she would stop fighting him. He couldn't fathom why she was playing games with his life. The next time he forced their mouths together, she bit his lip. Pain shot through him and he jerked away from her. Fed up and desperate, he grabbed her roughly, holding her jaw so she couldn't bite him again. Suddenly, she stopped fighting, going limp in his arms. Though she no longer fought his every breath, she didn't actively give him air either. He still had to take it from her, but now the process was a lot less stressful.

Finally, he started to see light. He kicked harder, trying to make it to the surface before he needed another breath. The light was farther away than he'd estimated. He desperately needed more air before he reached the end of this bizarre situation.

When he finally reached the end of the tunnel, Paige was still limp, but the pulse in her neck that beat against his fingers was extremely rapid. His head broke the surface and he gulped in fresh air. Thoroughly fed up with Paige, he let her go, and strangely, she started sinking. He looked down to see her eyes were wide with terror. She didn't look like she saw anything—she certainly didn't see him.

He caught her arm, pulling her to the edge of the waterway where several guards were standing there, waiting for them. Dean was already out of the water. One of the guards reached down to grab her arm, another grabbed her under her other arm, and together they lifted her out. Once the two had their hands on her, she started screaming.

Her reaction was so extreme, Zane could hardly process what he was seeing. The guards released her as soon as she was on the platform. She collapsed on the stone floor, curled into a small ball, muttering something in her other language.