Sword of the King Read Online Free

gotten the jump on him, but so it went. Bruises hadn't killed him yet. "I don't think they liked us."
    Nev growled his opinion of that, amber eyes flashing with irritation.
    "Guess we'd better get the hell out of here," Ken said. "Damn it, I really thought that guy, Blaze, might be different. He seemed different." He seemed to care about his dragon, in a way that Ken didn't see outside of the clans.
    He'd really thought Blaze might prove to be an ally. A friend, the back of his mind whispered, but Ken ignored it. He had Nev, always had and always would; they didn't need anyone else.
    Except, well ... he hated to admit it, but being the hero who was going to save the dragons from the pits was proving to be fucking miserable. It was a lonely, frustrating, thankless endeavor. He didn't mind the frustration so much; he'd known it was going to be an uphill battle all the way. Rick had tried to talk him out of it at least a thousand times—was still trying to talk 'sense' into him—but Ken hadn't listened.
    He still wasn't listening, and never would. He wasn't going to give up just because he was one man and one dragon against—well, more criminals than he could count, but whatever. Nothing would change if no one got the ball rolling, as it were. He didn't care what anyone said; he was going to stop the pit fighting.
    Well, he did care what Nevada said. A good knight put his dragon first, and whatever Ken's flaws, he was a good knight. Even if, strictly speaking, he wasn't really a knight. The thought left the back of his throat raw, aching, and made swallowing difficult. Made his eyes sore, made it hard to breathe. He shoved the thoughts away, raked a hand through his hair in a futile effort to put the overlong mess back in order, and heaved a long sigh.
    The frustration didn't bug him, but the loneliness certainly did, as much as he didn't want to admit it. Just having someone else to rely on, help him, someone else who understood dragons and why the fight was worth it ... but clearly that was too much to ask, and he needed to work harder at letting the idea go.
    Ken bent to retrieve the jacket he'd discarded when the fighting had started and shrugged back into it, brushing off the dirt and other crap it had picked up from the warehouse floor. He looked over the unconscious men and dragons one more time, but they seemed well enough. The worst they'd wake up with was a lot of aches and pains.
    He wondered idly if they would come after him again, or panic that they'd failed and tell their boss the job was done. Turning away, he held out his hand to Nev, who took it with a smile and stepped in close to kiss his cheek. Ken turned his head, took Nev's mouth, and let go of his hand to slide his arm around Nev's shoulders. He breathed in Nev's scent of metal and sugar, and nuzzled against him. "You're far too good a dragon for me."
    Nev growled low in disagreement and nipped his jaw lightly. "Good master."
    "Not really, but thanks all the same, babe," Ken replied. Nev slid an arm around his waist, and they stayed that way as they left the warehouse and walked back to, then past the strip club until they reached the parking garage where they'd put the car.
    Ken pulled his keys out of the pocket of his jeans and slid behind the wheel of his old, beat up Firebird and started it up as Nev slid into his own seat. "Guess we should get some food, huh? I saw a diner not far back, should have decent grub." Nev growled his approval, and Ken smiled as he pulled out of the garage and headed back down the street.
    Half an hour later Nev was making quick work of two rare steaks while Ken worked through a burger that was damn near bigger than his face. "Since I clearly have fucked up here, where do you want to head next? We could go east, toward St. George territory, or more south. I don't know the syndicates in that area as well, but they're plentiful and nasty."
    Nev shrugged, completely uncaring, and Ken stifled a sigh. He loved Nev with all his