Alex turned to her once again. “I would never hurt one of my own, let alone a female, let alone an innocent baby. I’m so sorry for what you experienced, but I’m glad you’re here now. You can come back to the clan and we’ll protect you.”
Sergei’s fist crashed against the polished surface of the table. “Isla was from my clan.”
“Just because you were in love with her and she came from your clan, doesn’t mean you have any claim over her daughter,” Alex spat.
Sergei’s mouth flattened and he glared at Alex before zeroing in on Lara. “Alex couldn’t protect your mother. He couldn’t protect you. He won’t and can’t protect you now. You will come with me.”
Alex growled and pushed away from the table. Sergei mirrored him and within a second, both men stood, nose to nose, snarling at each other. Their magic rose and lashed out.
“Gentlemen.” Raf’s cool magic rose up and coated the men, a silent, deadly threat.
The leaders stopped gnashing their teeth and slowly turned toward the Astarot.
“She won’t go with either of you.”
“That’s absurd,” Alex thundered.
“She needs protection,” Sergei hissed. “Enough of this nonsense. She’ll go with me.”
“Maybe she should go to a neutral third party,” Vincent said.
The men growled at each other again.
“She’s my mate,” Raf said. The three simple words, though spoken softly, fell on the room like a super-sized anvil. Lara already knew the truth, but Raf’s words settled on her skin, sending shivers through her veins while warming her to the core.
Somehow, his three words carried a threat and warning to the others while seducing her with promises.
Flashes and memories streamed through her mind—Raf’s gaze smoldering as he watched her, his face buried between her legs. The sound of his hoarse breathing in her ear as he pumped into her. The soft feel of his skin as she dug her nails into his flesh and cried out in orgasm.
Lara cleared her throat and shifted the weight on her feet. Was it getting hot in here?
Hank looked over at her and smirked.
“Congratulations.” Vincent offered his hand, which Raf took.
The other two leaders snapped out of their shock and offered their congratulations as well, if not a tad begrudgingly.
“So the curse is broken,” Alex said. A rare smile spread across his face. “Good.”
“I’m not sure there ever was one,” Raf said.
Alex’s smile disappeared.
“Explain,” Vincent said.
“Technically, I found my mate over a month ago, but the attacks didn’t lessen or stop.”
“They increased,” Vincent concluded.
“Exactly,” Hank said.
“So the ispolini are perpetuating a legend instead of being agents of a curse.” Alex rubbed his jaw. “It’s as you thought.”
Raf nodded. “We found some additional information when we attacked a base of theirs last night.”
“You should have called the other clans. We could’ve annihilated them,” Sergei grumbled.
“There was no time.” Raf lied easily and smoothly.
Hank dug out the book from his shoulder bag and laid it on the board table. It thunked against the polished wood.
Alex wrinkled his nose. “An old book?”
Raf opened the worn leather cover and carefully flipped to the page with the last entry. The page with Lara’s birth name. He spun the book around and pushed it across the table for the other men to read. The leaders leaned in and scanned the page.
Alex’s brow furrowed. His head snapped up and focused on Lara. “Why is your name in here?”
“Look closer.” Hank stepped forward and leaned over the table to tap the page. “Notice anything about the dates?”
The men hunched over the book.
“There’s no pattern,” Vincent said, scratching his head.
“No exact pattern, but look at the gaps in the years.”
“They’re spaced out,” Alex said.
“About one woman for every generation,” Vincent’s deep voice rumbled.
Alex sat back. “No.”
“Somehow, the ispolini are capable of identifying and locating the Astarot’s true mate,” Raf said.
“And eliminated them,” Alex snarled.
Though Hank had already explained his findings to her and Raf, a hollow, bitter ache grew in her chest. So many women. So much heartache. And for what? A grudge no one knew or remembered the start of?
“Yes.” Raf leaned forward and confirmed Alex’s conclusion. “And one of the dragon leaders helped them.”
If male dragon shifters were capable of impersonating rabid porcupines, the three men sitting across from Raf succeeded. Raf took deep, even breaths to quell the growing ice storm threatening to burst from within. They had tried to take his mate. They’d tried to kill Lara. If one of these men were involved, he’d pry the information from the man, fingernail by fingernail, bone by bone, until he broke him. And then Raf would kill him.
Alex sucked in a breath. Sergei looked ready to rip someone’s head off and Vincent growled, low and at the back of his throat.
The evidence didn’t lie, though. One of them had to be involved. One of them was an insanely gifted actor or…
“Or someone very close to you is a traitor,” Raf conceded. He still hoped it wasn’t one of the men in this room. Up until recently, he would’ve trusted any of them with his life.
Vincent’s growl quieted and he scowled. “Be careful of the accusations you fling around.”
“I am which is why it’s taken me months to voice my suspicions.” Raf leaned back in his chair So far, none of their expressions betrayed them. Hopefully, Lara or Hank picked up something. That was the point of this whole confrontation—to flush out the traitor.
“Here’s what we know.” Hank stepped forward. “One: Someone told the ispolini when and where we last met to discuss security. Two: That same person gave them the precise time the meeting ended and which exit Raf took, indicating the involvement of at least one of you or someone close to you. The attack was too well timed for a delay in reporting.”
Alex growled and opened his mouth to speak.
Hank spoke over him. “Three: Hilary had help escaping a max security shifter prison with security details only the people in this room are privy to. Four: Someone provided information on Raf’s intention to play poker. Although outside agents were aware of his identity a few hours before his arrival, Lara and her co-worker were hired a week out from the event as security detail for another player. We suspect this player, Louis Granger was involved in the attack and he’s since gone missing. Raf registered for the event a week in advance as an anonymous player. Only a handful of people, including the three of you knew of his plans. Sure, someone external could’ve figured it out, but Lara must’ve been hired within hours of his registration, and when put with all the other information, it still indicates an inside informant.”
Raf grumbled. He knew all these pieces to the puzzle already, but hearing them laid out made his blood boil.
“And, last,” Hank continued. “And most disturbing, someone most likely helped the ispolini locate the identified mates of the Astarots and provided access to the families for the ensuing attacks. Someone assisted in the murder of young, innocent girls. Babies. This has been going on for generations.
“Only Vincent’s family is new to the clan leadership; whereas Alex and Sergei descend from a long line of previous leaders. This doesn’t rule out Vincent, though. It doesn’t rule out anyone. The person involved is either a part of a larger conspiracy or faction amongst the dragons, or they’ve passed down this corruption from generation to generation.”
Alex sat back in his seat, his expression dark and troubled. Sergei scowled and looked ready to throttle Hank, but he always appeared pissed off. Vincent’s eyes danced side to side and he nodded slightly as if processing the information to elimina
te suspects…or calculating his chances of getting away with his deception. Was he guilty?
Were any of them?
Raf wished he knew.
These men were colleagues. They’d stood beside him at his parents’ funerals. They were comrades. Confidantes. Friends.
Acid burned in his stomach. The ice-cold rage of his magic continued to press from within.
One of them was a traitor.
Lara eyes strained as she analyzed the emotions flickering across the expressions of each leader’s face. So far, none of them gave anything away except natural and understandable reactions. Their plan to catch the traitor with this confrontation had failed so far.
None of them had the telltale signs of guilt. But that meant little. As leaders, they had years of experience schooling their faces. Though cynical, Lara didn’t believe every leader or politician was a liar, but they had to withhold and bend the truth sometimes for the overall safety of their constituents. Dragon clan leaders were no different. But this time, one of them was a liar and a traitor.
“What do you propose?” Vincent asked after the silence stretched well into the uncomfortable zone.
“Nothing,” Raf said. “Except your patience and time. I ask that you remain here while we look into a few things.”
Sergei scowled. “You’re searching our homes?”
“You won’t find anything in my place.” Alex sat back. “Search away.”
“Nothing so barbaric.” Raf shook his head. Not yet, anyway. Raf wanted more proof before invading another leader’s home. Astarot or not, actively trespassing on another dragon’s lair was an act of war.
Lara continued to watch the men for cues.
Nothing.
Not even an eye twitch.
Ugh. This wasn’t working at all.
Raf’s phone pinged in unison with Hank’s. They both pulled their devices from their suit pockets. Raf scanned the message. Hank grunted. A look passed between them.
“Apparently, one of you wasn’t smart enough to use a burner phone.”
All three straightened in their seats.
“What do you mean?” Vincent asked. “I called my wife after the meeting.”
“Yes, and Alex checked in with his office,” Hank said.
Everyone turned to Sergei.
“Why are you looking at me? They could’ve made additional calls on a burner phone,” he growled.
Raf nodded slowly. His expression pinched.
Lara forced her muscles to relax, but shifted her weight to the balls of her feet. Her hands itched for the blade as she drew her magic around her.
“Yes, they could have, but I doubt it.” Raf spun his phone around so the screen faced the other leaders. “Three minutes after our meeting concluded, you texted a burner phone with the message, ‘Alley. North side. Now.’”
Lara stepped forward and looked down at her seated mate.
Raf remained focused on Sergei. His smile grew. It held no warmth, only vicious promise. “And now that you’ve proven your stupidity, I have a team heading to search your house.”
Sergei leapt from his seat and dove across the table. Arms outstretched, teeth barred, he looked feral and desperate.
Lara tensed and lashed out with her magic. A wall of crimson energy slammed into Sergei and threw him against the far wall with an audible thump. Too quick to allow him a chance of fighting back with his own power, she smothered him with the ferocity of her own.
Sergei writhed and thrashed, but she pressed her fiery magic forward. A low growl filled the room. Her growl. She gnashed her teeth at Sergei and continued to push her magic out, suffocating him. He tried to attack her mate.
A large hand clamped on her shoulder.
She snarled and looked up.
Raf’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “You’re crushing him.”
“He attacked you.”
“I’m fine. Ease off. We need him alive.”
Lara grumbled, but pulled in some of her magic. As she withdrew the power, Sergei gasped for air, his eyes bulging, and his face red. Sweat dripped from his skin.
The other leaders sat stiff in their chairs, tense and wary of her once again.
Raf stepped toward Sergei. His expression focused. His magic whipped around his tall, powerful frame like an obsidian shield. The cool icy touch on her skin lingered and she leaned forward.
Mate, her dragon whispered.
“Relax gentlemen,” Raf’s calm voice. “It’s time we get some answers.”
The blood drained from Sergei’s face at the promise in Raf’s words.
Epilogue
Lara ran her hand down Raf’s smooth chest. Her limbs languid, her nerves humming, sleep tugged at her eyelids. Raf’s presence thrummed in her blood.
Raf squeezed her shoulders and pulled her naked body into his. He kissed her forehead.
If only this tranquil moment could last. It would only be a matter of time before the ispolini regrouped and came after them. After her. Louis Granger, most likely an ispolini, was still at large.
Lara stiffened. “It’s not over, is it?”
Raf released a long, heavy breath. “No.”
Sergei had been a tough nut to crack and divulged very little in way of information. All they got from him was confirmation of his involvement. His records at home proved helpful, but they led to more questions.
Who helped the ispolini before Sergei? His father? This betrayal spanned generations.
Who else helped Sergei and Hilary? They didn’t act within the dragon community alone. Sergei’s records only held codes for names. Maybe his bank statements would shed more light, but right now, they only had two names. One was dead and the other imprisoned.
But the biggest question around Sergei was why.
Putting aside the possibility his dad groomed him from infancy, what would drive a successful, wealthy leader to betray the very people he swore to protect?
Alex mentioned Sergei’s crush on Isla, her mother, but would the bitterness of rejection be enough to fuel such rage? And how did he or the ispolini detect the mates in advance?
She curled her hands into fists.
How could anyone kill a child?
“We’ll get out answers.” Raf squeezed her again. “And we’ll get our revenge,” he assured her. “Objections, Miss Stone?”
“Absolutely not.”
~The End~
Did you enjoy reading about Lara and Raf?
Discover the beginning of their story in
Dangerous Dreams,
An Obsidian Flame short story prequel.
About the Author
J. C. McKenzie is a book-loving, gumboot-wearing, unapologetic science geek. She's the author of the Carus Series, an urban fantasy five-book saga published by the Wild Rose Press. Born and raised on the West Coast, J. C. sets the majority of her books in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. She writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance with sassy heroines and brutish, alpha-type men.
Visit her at www.jcmckenzie.ca
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Dangerous Liaisons (Obsidian Flame Book 2) Page 13
