Chasing Dragons - Clean

Chapter 1: For a Price

Renegade

Adison and I gingerly lifted Fiona between us. This had already been a horrible night, running from the Scorpions the entire time, and then Fiona had gotten hit. I bit my lip angrily; I knew they'd done it on purpose. My whole world was crumbling around me. And I held responsibilities I was never supposed to have.

Apparently, the rumors that there were three Blade girls running through the City had spread. I saw members of the other compounds starting to appear through the towering buildings.

Adison stifled a gasp. "Dragon's here!"

"What?" I hissed. "Where?"

"Right there." She hissed, nodding her head to an alley on the left.

Sure enough, Dragon's signature Maserati was parked down the alley, and Dragon himself was leaning on the hood watching us. I felt a shiver run down the back of my neck. Like his name, Dragon was an enigma: handsome, powerful, wealthy, and terrifying. Everyone was afraid of Dragon- but no one knew exactly why.

As we dragged Fi past the alley he was lurking in I had an idea. Not even the Scorpions would dare attack us with Dragon himself here. And there was absolutely no way we could get Fi back to the compound safely in the state she was in- bruised, battered and unconscious. We were all going to die unless we found somewhere safe to stash Fi. And seeing Dragon standing there had given me a crazy idea.

"Help me get her to the square." I hissed at Adison.

She gawked, but obeyed, and together we half dragged, half carried the unconscious Fiona to the square. By that point the entire area was filled with members of the different compounds- Wraiths, Panthers, Dragons, Wolves, Scorpions- all twelve; everyone except Blades. And they were all staring at us- the three girls in the center of the square.

"Ren, I hope you know what you're doing." Adison hissed. "This is bad."

"Don't worry." I smiled grimly and climbed up onto the edge of the fountain. "I do."

And then I raised my voice to carry across the square- just loud enough they had to focus to hear. "We've come to auction off a healthy, young Blade female to the highest bidder with the safest compound."

Murmurs started, racing around as Adison glared up at me furiously. "What are you doing!!?"

"Getting us home safe, and Fi a better chance- for her and the baby."

Adison stared at me for a long minute, then sighed, her fury evaporating. "Dylan's not going to like it."

"Dylan's not here." I countered softly.

And then a low voice growled, "What's wrong with her?"

"Nothing's wrong with her. She was knocked unconscious defending our perimeter, and we cannot get her home safely in the state she's in." My voice carried across the square, and the heads moved in closer. They were the ones who'd make the deal- anybody else was just a witness.

"What will Blade have to say about this?" Wolf asked in a low growl.

I stared at him, holding his gaze until he looked away. "That's my business. I absolve you of any consequence for my actions."

Scorpio looked at me, a challenge plain on his face. "I'll take her."

"Absolutely not!" I snapped. "The point is to keep her alive and improve her chances of survival- not subject her to torture and death."

He laughed mockingly. "You don't know that we would."

I arched my eyebrow. "I'd do it to you."

His eyes narrowed and I continued. "And I know you'd do it to me."