“Dante, what am I going to do?”

“Ember. Listen to me.” Dante came around the counter and took my upper arms. His emerald eyes were intense, fingers digging into my skin. “You are going to become a Viper,” he said in a low, firm voice, “because that’s what Talon has decided. You can’t fight them.

If you try…” He trailed off, looking angry, as I stared at him, appalled.

“Don’t fight them,” he finished. “Just accept the fact that you’re going to be a Viper, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Once you accept that, everything will get a lot easier, I promise.”

I tore myself free and backed away from him, shaking my head.

He didn’t follow; just continued to watch me with sad, worried eyes.

“This is for the best,” he insisted. “ Talon knows what they’re doing. You just have to trust them. Stop fighting so hard, sis. This is for the future, to ensure the survival of our race. If you can take out Talon’s enemies, that’s more than enough reason to become a Viper.

You should be proud.”

I couldn’t answer. I didn’t have anything left to say to him. I just turned, walked out of the kitchen, and into my room. The door shut behind me with a soft click, a small, insignificant noise to signal the end of a bond that should’ve been unbreakable. I didn’t know my brother anymore. Talon had taken him away from me.

Sitting on my bed, I pulled out my phone again. This time, I didn’t hesitate. Dante knew something about the Vipers; I could see it on his face, in the brief flash of horror and fear when I first said the word.

But he was a stranger now, someone I didn’t know. And if he wouldn’t give me answers, then I would go to the one person left who could.

I need to talk to you, I texted, trying to ignore the excited flutters in my stomach, my dragon squirming in joy. Right now. It’s important.

Like the last time, only a few seconds passed before the answer popped onto the screen.

Anything for you, Firebrand. Meet me at the pier in fifteen.

I watched the screen go dark, and stared at it for a while. I was about to go meet a rogue dragon for the second time that week. I was angry at Dante, disgusted with my trainer, and felt a teensy bit guilty about Garret. All of whom might try to call me, and all of whom I didn’t want interrupting while I was talking to the rogue.

Faint strains of music came through the wall from Dante’s room, and I made my decision. Clicking off my phone, I placed it on my dresser, turned, and walked out of the house, leaving it behind.

Riley

I lowered the phone, slipping it into my jeans pocket. Well, that couldn’t have worked out better. I’d been planning to contact the girl this evening, after setting up the last of the alarms and motion sensors around the house with Wes. This circumvented things nicely.

Wes came into the kitchen, looking tired. His eyes were dull, and his hair was shaggier and more unkempt than usual. “Well, everything is set up,” he muttered, opening the fridge for a soda. “Alarms are in place, motion sensors are ready to go, and the system is officially online. If a mouse comes up that driveway, we’ll know about it.”

“Where are the other two?” I asked.

“I left them watching The Avengers on the telly downstairs. After they ate nearly everything in the house.” Wes opened the can, guz-zled half in one gulp, and belched loudly. “Bloody bottomless pits, hatchlings. You’re going to the store soon, right mate? I mean, if we’re going to be hunkered down here for a bit while you go sniffing after that girl.” He drained the can, crushed it, and tossed it in the garbage. “I still think this is bloody stupid, Riley. We need to get the hell out of here, not stand around waiting for some spoiled Talon brat to make up her mind.”

I grabbed my leather jacket from the back of the couch, shrugging into it as I left the room. Wes frowned.

“Where are you going?” he called after me.

“To meet with a spoiled Talon brat.” I tossed my bike keys in the air, caught them, and smirked at the human over my shoulder. “Wish me luck. If everything goes as planned, we might leave sooner than you think.”

“Absolutely fabulous,” he shot back. “I’m so glad I stayed up all night setting those alarms.”

Rolling my eyes, I shut the door on Wes’s eternal pessimism and walked to the garage for my bike. This time, there would be no distractions or interruptions. This time, I would take her away from Talon for good.

She was leaning against the railing when I strode onto the boardwalk, her hair blowing in the breeze as she faced the water. Even in human form, I could almost see the dragon just below the surface, head raised to the wind, wings half-open to launch herself into the air. I swallowed and forced down my excitement. Every time I saw her, it seemed, this feeling was stronger. The heat in my veins, the yearning to feel her against me, to pull her close and never let go.

Walking up beside her, I rested my elbows against the railing and leaned out over the ocean. “We’ve gotta stop meeting like this, Firebrand.”

She gave me a sideways look, a smile and a faint blush creeping over her cheeks. “Hey, Riley.” Her voice was soft, nearly lost in the waves lapping against the posts. “Thanks for meeting me again. I’m sure you have other things you could be doing.”

Like getting ready for an attack? Like leaving town with two hatchlings before St. George breaks down our door? “Not really. But I’d always make time for you.” I half turned, grinning as her blush deepened.

“So, what’s wrong this time?” I asked, keeping my voice light. “Is your trainer giving you more grief? Did they start using rubber bullets instead of paint?”

“No.” She picked at the wood with her fingernails, chipping away a splinter. “I…just found out where they’re putting me. What I’ll be doing…for the rest of my life.”

“Ah. Faction placement. Yeah, that’s always an eye opener. I was certain they were going to stick me with the Gilas, with all the combat training I was getting.” She picked at the wood again, not really listening, and I lowered my voice. “So, where did they put you, Firebrand? Monitor or Basilisk? No offense, but you’re kinda on the small side to become a Gila.”

Ember bit her lip, her eyes darkening. “Viper,” she muttered. “They put me with the Vipers.”

Viper.

My heart nearly stopped. There was a Viper in town. Had been here all along. Dammit, why hadn’t I asked Ember this before, when we were talking about her training yesterday? If I’d known Talon had pegged her to be a Viper…I swore and tried not to panic. Ember blinked, looking up at me in confusion. “Riley?”