“Eyes up here!” I told the latter, pointing to my face, one hand making sure the towel was securely tucked into itself. Fortunately, it was long enough that it went almost to my knees, so there wasn’t too much of me exposed ... if you can call being kidnapped while clad in a towel not too exposed.

“Nice car,” Jim said, looking around. “Does it run to snacks?”

For a moment, a chink showed in Fiat’s armor. “Cam, I must insist that you control your demon.”

“What? I haven’t done anything! I didn’t point out that your limo isn’t as big as Drake’s, or that you’ve got a nasty scuff on one of your shoes, or even that someone stuck a wad of gum under your seat. I’ve been good.”

I smiled at Jim, both relieved and somewhat reassured by its presence. Jim may not be much protection, but we had made it out of some sticky situations together.

A flash of true anger showed in Fiat’s clear blue eyes. “If you do not subdue your demon, I will do it for you.”

“You and what army?”

“Hey, now!” I pulled on Jim’s collar as the demon bared its teeth. “Jim, stop being rude. Fiat, stop picking on Jim. It hasn’t done anything.”

“Its mere existence offends me.”

I was a bit surprised by the vehemence in his voice. Fiat showed even less emotion than Drake, but this time the naked anger was visible for a moment before his usual polite, handsome, Greek-god mask settled into place.

“I am—”

“Going to be quiet,” I finished for Jim. “Until I say otherwise.”

Jim shot me a look, but I ignored it to level a quelling glare at Fiat. “I don’t have time for your odd games. I have no idea what you think you’re proving by kidnapping me, but I don’t have time to find out. I have to go to a challenge.”

‘That is where I am taking you, cara. Do not get your”—his gaze dropped to the bare lower half of my thigh—”panties in a twist.”

Jim bared its teeth again, silently this time. I put a warning hand on its head, gently stroking its ears. I knew when I was deliberately being baited, and I wasn’t going to lose my cool with Fiat. “Speaking of that, you couldn’t have kidnapped my clothing along with me?”

Fiat smiled. “Unfortunately, I told Renaldo to acquire you. I did not think to specify that you should be clothed first. Not that it is difficult to look upon you as you are.”

I tugged the towel down my thigh a smidgen. “Let’s start this whole conversation over again. Why are you kidnapping me?”

“Cara, cara, cara,” he said, tsking and shaking his head at me in mock sorrow. “So demanding. So forceful. If I did not know better, I would think you were a dragon.”

“Where are we going? Why did you kidnap me?” I asked again, keeping firmly to the subject that mattered. Fiat was notorious for banter, but I didn’t have time for that any more than I had time for an impromptu kidnapping.

He spread his hands wide. “Such antagonism. Do you not trust me to keep you safe?”

“Trust you?” I goggled at him. He had to be insane.

“And yet, I am the one who saved you recently from certain death. I understand the red dragons have dealt a death sentence upon you. Surely you cannot fear one who has saved you from their wrath?”

“I don’t fear you, Fiat. I’m annoyed by you and these games you insist on playing, nothing more. And stop trying to get into my mind. The no trespassing sign is up, if you haven’t noticed.” Ever since I’d woken up, I was aware of the brush of his mind against mine, trying to get into the inner sanctum to read my thoughts. But one of the first things I’d learned when entering the Otherworld was how to close out my thoughts from Fiat and his sept of mind readers.

He sighed, an exaggerated, martyred sound. “Very well. I can see you are in no mood for polite talk. You are coming with me to the challenge of your mate because there is something I wish to do there, and you are vital to my success.”

“Fiat, so help me, if this is another one of your attempts to cause trouble between Drake and the other wyverns, I’ll...”

A smile flirted with his lips, his eyes mirroring the amusement. “You are naked and in my power, surrounded by my men. What exactly do you think you have to threaten me with?”

I sat up a little straighten “I am a Guardian. I have resources.”

“Perhaps. But in this instance, you are helpless. And if you attempt to escape me, as you have done in the past”— he leaned forward and placed a hand on my knee; I tried to brush it off, but his fingers tightened. Jim’s lips pulled back in a silent growl—”I will be forced to subdue you. And that, cara, I can assure you will not be pleasant. If you cooperate, all will be well.”

“Define well.”

He let go of my knee and sat back. “You will be with your mate.”

“What is it you want me to do?”

“Very simple.” He brushed off an infinitesimal bit of dirt from his pants. “I want you to—”

The car slammed to a stop with a horrible shriek of brakes applied to tires. The back end of the limo fish-tailed out to the side, sending the occupants of the back flying to the opposite side, bodies colliding, limbs entangled, and in my case, my head crashing painfully into the door handle.

I touched the top of my head, my fingers coming away red. “Holy . . . ow! I’m bleeding! . . . cow. What happened?”

Fiat and Jim were tangled together on the floor, each trying to rise by using the other as leverage. Beneath them both was Renaldo. Before anyone could answer me, the door I was slumped against opened, and I tumbled out to the ground, striking my head again.

“Right. That’s it. I officially call an end to today. I’m going home and going to bed until it’s over.” I rolled over onto my side and propped myself up on one hand. A pair of shoes appeared next to me, attached to a woman’s legs. I followed the legs up to the rest of the person.

“The lord Ariton wishes to see you. Now!”

“Oh, hi, Obedama.” I grabbed Jim’s collar in an attempt to help me to my feet. “Sorry about those Guardians sending you back to Abaaaaaaaaaa—!”

Before I could finish the sentence, Obedama wrapped both hands around my neck and yanked me backwards, wrenching me with a horrible, sickening feeling right through the fabric of time and space.