He was a big male. One of the biggest and strongest, thanks to his royal blood. Would a human female be drawn to that or would she fear him? He doubted he could ever be attracted to something so weak and beneath him. He sighed. He would soon have his answers.

The bell rang once to signal the ten second countdown. When it rang again, they would be off.

The tension was so thick it was stifling. Males jostled for a place at the front.

Three… two… one… the bell rang out. A shrill clanging noise that was barely audible over the sudden groans and grunts. Males elbowed one another. Others took off at a sprint. Many more fell from blows or after being tripped. Coal surged forward, he took no prisoners, if any were in his way, they were felled. If any came at him, they would bleed. His eyes remained trained on the path ahead, a path of bodies were left in his wake.

He would catch and mate a human female. His king had tasked him and he would deliver.

Chapter 6

The water was icy cold. It took her breath away and made her teeth chatter. Her feet were already cut up from the long walk there. Right now, they were completely numb. It had taken them two and a half hours to get to the stream. They spent another hour creating a false trail. All three of them had crossed the stream and trudged for a half an hour in the wrong direction. They took branches and wiped away their footprints as they trudged back. They then were very careful to step in the same footprints as before as they headed back to the stream. Hopefully it would look like they crossed the stream and they were able to mask their scent and trail. It would buy them some time and, hopefully, cause a bit of confusion.

Even though it felt like her feet were going to fall off, she forced herself to continue. Candy was breathing hard, her jaw was set. Julie could hear Pauline making the odd sound of discomfort. The woman was behind her. They were all feeling it. The pain, the burn. No one complained. They had to keep going. She wasn’t sure how many of these dragon men would be on their tail. They had to keep focusing on escape and for now that meant continuing on, and putting enough of a head start between themselves and the men behind them. The ones that wanted to use them and harm them.

It was ten till twelve. In a couple of minutes, the hunt would begin. They were the prey. Julie knew what it felt like to be that deer at the end of the scope, only death would not come so quick. If those bastards thought they could have her, have any of them and keep breathing, they were wrong. Dead wrong.