The fireworks began just as they reached the bridge.
Brilliant explosions of color painted the night sky—gold and silver and red and blue, cascading like falling stars. The crowd around them gasped and applauded with each burst, faces turned upward in wonder.
But Sylus wasn't watching the fireworks.
He was watching Scarlett.
Her face was tilted up, eyes wide and sparkling with reflected light. Her smile was soft, genuine, full of childlike joy. Her cheeks were smudged with sugar from the candied strawberries and sauce from the takoyaki. She clutched her white dragon plushie to her chest with one hand, her other hand holding his.
She looked happy. Truly, completely happy.
And she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen across a thousand years of existence.
This, he thought. This is what I've been waiting for. Not just her alive. Not just her safe. But her happy. Free. Choosing to be here with me.
His phone buzzed in his pocket—twice in quick succession, the code for urgent.
Sylus frowned and pulled it out, glancing at the screen while keeping his attention mostly on Scarlett.
Lin: Boss, we have a problem. Your enemies from the Eastern faction—the ones who escaped last week. They're at the festival. Spotted three confirmed targets dressed as civilians. They appear to be looking for you.
Lin: One of them has eyes on Mrs. Qin. Requesting immediate extraction.
Ice flooded Sylus's veins.scanned the crowd with sudden intensity, his predator instincts kicking in. There—near the takoyaki stand they'd visited earlier. A man in casual clothes, but standing wrong. Watching wrong. Hand positioned too close to his jacket where a weapon would be concealed.
Another near the bridge entrance. Also dressed to blend in but failing to hide the calculating way he observed the crowd.
And a third—this one looking directly at Scarlett with an expression that made Sylus's blood boil. Hungry. Evaluating. Planning.
The man saw Sylus looking back and smiled. A challenge. A promise.
We know she's here. We know she's vulnerable. Try to stop us.
"Kitten," Sylus said quietly, his hand tightening on hers.Scarlett was still watching the fireworks, oblivious to the danger.
In one smooth motion, Sylus scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"Sylus!" Scarlett squeaked in surprise, her plushie nearly falling. "What are you—"
"We need to go. Now." He was already moving, pushing through the crowd with purposeful strides. "Don't ask questions. Just trust me."
"But the fireworks—"
"Later. We'll watch them later. Right now we need to leave."
Scarlett heard something in his voice she'd only heard a few times before. Cold. Controlled. Deadly serious. The voice of the dragon lord, not her husband.
She went quiet, letting him carry her, but her heart was pounding. What was happening? Why—
When they're reached the car—a sleek black sedan he'd driven himself tonight for privacy. Sylus set her down and practically pushed her into the driver's seat.
"Drive "
"What—"
"You're driving." He was already moving around to the passenger side, pulling a gun from the hidden compartment. "Get us back to the mansion. Fast as you can."
"Sylus, I can't—I've only driven a few times—"
"You can do this." He looked at her, and despite the danger, his eyes were steady. Trusting. "Drive, Scarlett. I'll handle everything else."
She swallowed hard and nodded, hands shaking as she gripped the steering wheel. The car was already running—Sylus always kept it ready, a habit from years of dangerous living.
She pulled out of the parking space, her driving jerky and uncertain. But she managed. Pointed the car toward home.
"Faster," Sylus said calmly, checking his gun. "They're following us."
Scarlett glanced in the rearview mirror and saw three cars behind them, moving with obvious purpose. Not trying to hide. Just... hunting.
"Oh god," she whispered.
"Focus on driving. I'll handle this."
"Handle—Sylus, what are you—"
He opened his door while the car was moving.
"SYLUS, NO!" Scarlett swerved slightly in shock. "You'll die! You can't just—"
But he was already halfway out, one hand braced on the doorframe, one hand holding his gun. The wind whipped his silver hair. His eyes were focused on the cars behind them with predatory intensity.
"Drive kitten!" he commanded. "Don't stop. Don't slow down. Get to the mansion!"
"I'm not leaving you!"
"You're not leaving me. I'm right here." He smiled at her—that dangerous, confident smile that said he knew exactly what he was doing. "Just drive. Trust me."
The first shot rang out, shattering the night.
Scarlett screamed, jerking the wheel. The car swerved but she managed to control it, pressing the accelerator harder.
Sylus returned fire without hesitation.
BANG. BANG. BANG.
Three precise shots. The first pursuing car's tire exploded, sending it spinning out of control.
The second shot took out the driver's side window of the next car, and she heard a man scream.
The third shot hit the engine block of the final car, causing it to slow dramatically.Sylus called over the wind. "Keep going!"
Scarlett was crying now, tears streaming down her face as she drove faster than she'd ever driven in her life. The steering wheel vibrated in her trembling hands. The world blurred past. But she kept going because he'd told her to. Because he trusted her.
More gunfire. Sylus ducking back into the car slightly as bullets whizzed past. Then returning fire with deadly accuracy.
She'd never seen him like this. Never seen the full extent of what he was capable of when protecting what was his. He moved like liquid violence—smooth, controlled, absolutely lethal.
Another car went down. Then another.
Within minutes, all three pursuing vehicles were either crashed, disabled, or fallen so far behind they were no longer a threat.pulled himself back into the car properly, closing the door with a satisfied grin.
"Your driving skills aren't too bad, kitten."
Scarlett's response was to burst into sobs.
She managed to keep driving—the mansion was visible now, just ahead—but her whole body was shaking. Tears blurred her vision. Her breath came in gasping hiccups.
"You almost killed yourself!" she choked out. "You almost died! You just—you just threw yourself out of a moving car and started shooting people like—like—"
"Like a dragon protecting his mate," Sylus finished calmly. He reached over and steadied the steering wheel when her hands shook too badly. "Easy. You're doing great. Just a little further."
"Don't you dare act calm!" Scarlett's voice rose hysterically. "You could have died, Sylus! They could have shot you! You could have fallen out of the car! You could have—"
"But I didn't." He guided her hands, helping her navigate the final turn into their driveway. "I'm right here. I'm fine. Not a scratch."
The gates opened automatically, recognizing the car. Scarlett barely managed to stop without crashing into the fountain, her foot slamming on the brake too hard.
The car jerked to a stop.
For a moment, neither of them moved. Just sat there, breathing hard, the engine ticking as it cooled.
And Scarlett turned to him and burst into fresh tears. "You're insane! You're completely insane! Who fights off assassins while hanging out of a moving car?!"
"Someone who's very good at his job," Sylus said, but his expression had softened. "And someone who would do far more dangerous things to keep you safe."
"I don't want you to do dangerous things!"
Scarlett was crying and pouting at the same time, her face red and wet and utterly adorable despite the circumstances. "I want you alive! Safe! Not—not playing action hero while I drive!"
"You drove very well, for the record." He reached over and cupped her face, thumbs brushing away tears. "Got us home in one piece. Stayed calm despite the gunfire. You were perfect."
"I was terrified!"
"You were brave." He leaned across the center console and kissed her forehead. "My brave, fierce kitten who drove through a shootout to get us home."
"Don't try to distract me with compliments." But her voice was softer now, the panic fading into residual fear. "You almost died, Sylus. What if they'd hit you? What if—"
"I'm a dragon, kitten." His red eyes were gentle despite the violence they'd just experienced. "I'm not that easy to kill."
"That's not reassuring!"
"It should be." He kissed her properly this time—soft and sweet and alive. "I've survived a thousand years. I've survived wars and betrayals and losing you once. A few assassins with guns aren't going to take me down."
"You scare me," Scarlett whispered against his lips. "Promise me you won't take stupid risks like that again."
"I can't promise that." At her devastated look, he continued. "Because I'll always take stupid risks if it means keeping you safe. That's not negotiable."
"You're impossible."
"You love me anyway."
"I do." She grabbed his shirt and pulled him close, hugging him as tightly as she could across the awkward space of the car. "I love you so much, you stupid, reckless dragon."
"I love you too, my crying, pouting kitten who drove like a race car driver when it mattered."
He held her, one hand in her hair, breathing in her scent. "We're okay. We're both okay. That's all that matters."
They stayed like that until Scarlett's tears finally stopped. Until her breathing steadied. Until the adrenaline faded and they were just two people sitting in a car in their driveway, holding each other.
"The fireworks," Scarlett said eventually. "We didn't get to finish watching them."
"Next time," Sylus promised. "I'll make sure we have better security. Maybe rent out the entire festival so no one can interrupt."
"That's excessive."
"That's necessary when my enemies are bold enough to attack during a date." His jaw tightened. "I'll need to eliminate the rest of that faction. Make an example of them. Make sure everyone knows what happens when they threaten you."
"More violence."
"To prevent future violence." He pulled back to look at her. "I won't apologize for protecting you, Scarlett. Even when it means getting blood on my hands. Even when it means taking risks. You're worth it. You'll always be worth it."
Scarlett looked at him for a long moment—this beautiful, dangerous, devoted dragon who'd waited a thousand years for her. Who'd built an empire to keep her safe. Who'd hang out of moving cars and fight off assassins without hesitation if it meant she survived.
"Okay," she said finally. "But next time you're hanging out of a moving car shooting people, at least wear a seatbelt."
Sylus blinked. Then laughed—genuine, surprised laughter. "That's your takeaway? Wear a seatbelt?"
"Safety first," Scarlett said primly, making him laugh harder.
"You are perfect," he said, kissing her again. "Absolutely perfect."
"I know." She grabbed her white dragon plushie from where it had fallen to the floor. "Now take me inside. I'm exhausted and traumatized and I need to hug you for at least three hours straight."
"Only three hours?"
"Fine. Five hours. With bubble tea."
"Deal." Sylus got out and came around to open her door, helping her out of the driver's seat. "For the record, you really did drive well. Have you been practicing?"
"No! I was just terrified!" Scarlett leaned against him, suddenly exhausted. "Adrenaline is apparently a great driving instructor."
"Remind me to take you to a proper driving course. One without assassins."
"That would be nice." She yawned. "Tomorrow though. Tonight I just want to forget people were trying to kill us and pretend we're a normal couple."
"We'll never be a normal couple, kitten."
"I know." She smiled up at him. "But we can pretend for a few hours."
Sylus picked her up—properly this time, not like a sack of potatoes—and carried her into the mansion. His men had appeared at the gates, checking the perimeter, but he waved them off.
Tonight was for them. Just them.
A dragon and his mate, surviving another attempt on their lives and coming home together.
Some things never changed.
But some things—like the woman in his arms who'd driven through gunfire to get them to safety—were worth every danger.
Worth everything.
.
.
.
.
.
To be continued.