The other dragonwoman winked and Brenna grinned. "And if you get Kai's mate on board, he won't stand a chance."
The door to Bram's office was open, and Kai spoke up from across the room. "I wish people would stop bloody planning things with my mate behind my back. I'm an open-minded bloke after all."
Nikki smiled at her boss. "You are, but it's fun to irritate you now and then. Also, it keeps Jane in the loop."
"Which then leads to trouble," Kai muttered, albeit with love in his eyes.
Bram sat at his desk and raised a hand. "Enough teasing. We have more important things to discuss right now."
Brenna looked at each of the three other people in the room in turn. "Dr. Sid mentioned an assignment, although she didn't elaborate on what. Has something happened that I'm unaware of?"
"As you know, Nikki has taken over the second-in-command role, leaving her old position vacant," Bram stated. "I know your future is uncertain right now, lass, but for the time being, I'd like you to take over daily sweeps and monitoring security disturbances."
She frowned. "I'd be honored, but aren't there other, more qualified Protectors?"
Nikki snorted. "You're more than qualified, Brenna. After all, you pretty much ran Glenlough's Protectors for a short while. If anything, this is almost a demotion."
To Brenna, it didn't feel like a demotion, but rather a great opportunity considering she'd been at the bottom of the ladder when she'd last lived on Stonefire.
Her heart skipped a beat in anticipation, but she had to be honest with her clan. "Are you sure about this? Until things are settled with Killian and we're sure there won't be any more episodes, I may not be as focused as usual."
Kai spoke up. "I understand the concern for your mate. After all, Jane is still healing from being stabbed in the shoulder. But as she always tells me, hovering only makes her crankier. Sometimes a little distance can do wonders for a relationship."
"Considering Killian has been unconscious quite often lately, distance isn't exactly high on my list," she drawled.
Bram chimed in. "I think what Kai is trying to say is that Tristan, Sid, and some of the others will need time alone with Killian, to work on controlling his dragons and to prove he's stable and not a threat. I've known you your whole life, Brenna, and you've never liked to sit idly by. Working whilst Killian is with the others will help use up some of your excess energy."
Nikki placed a hand on her shoulder. "Besides, you'll mostly deal with rebellious teenagers trying to sneak off the clan's lands. And giving them a lecture or two will help calm some of your stress. I'll miss that part, although scolding adult Protectors has its benefits, too."
Kai raised a brow. "Just make sure your mate stays away, Nikki. The others are holding back because he's human, but if Rafe goes too far, it won't end well."
Nikki rolled her eyes. "I can't help it." She placed a hand on her slightly swollen belly. "Until this baby is out, I think he'll only get worse."
Brenna should hold her tongue, but she blurted, "Isn't it an inconvenience to your career, being pregnant?"
Nikki smiled as she rubbed her abdomen. "I used to think it would ruin everything I'd worked for. Not trusting Bram and Kai's faith in me was one of the biggest mistakes I've made in a while. Will it be easy balancing parenthood with my job? No. But with the clan's help, I'll manage. My parents are especially looking forward to babysitting as much as possible."
At the mention of parents, Brenna remembered her own. Given how her mum was pregnant herself, Brenna didn't think that would be an option.
Her dragon spoke up. Killian isn't demanding a young. We have plenty of time.
Focusing back on Nikki, Brenna said, "I'll keep that in mind."
Bram grunted. "Well, will you be accepting the assignment, then?"
She nodded. "For now. But before I agree to any long-term commitment, I need to talk with Killian about the future. And I want to be able to contact Teagan, to give her a more personal update about her brother."
"Of course, as long as you don't mention any sensitive information without Kai's consent," Bram stated. "Now that's settled, you can begin straight away."
She blinked. "What if I had said no?"
Grinning, Bram shuffled through stacks of paper on his desk. "I knew you'd say yes."
Her dragon chimed in. As much as I admire Teagan, I've missed Bram's good nature.
The male in question held out a document and she took it. She read the heading, "Safe Zone Construction," and then the summary:
A neutral meeting location is needed on Stonefire's lands, but beyond the gates. An easily monitored and controlled location needs to be found and proposed. Once done, security protocols also need to be designed and tested.
Looking back up, she asked, "What is this for?"
Bram answered, "Clan Skyhunter is having their leadership trials anytime now. Once they have their new leader, I want to make contact and possibly form an alliance. But given how things have been functioning on that clan over the last few decades, I want to be cautious. If there is any malicious intent, I want to ensure it's away from the regular clan members."
Skyhunter was the dragon-shifter clan located in the south of England, and had been ruled by fear and an iron-fist until their leader had been arrested. They currently were without a leader and being held together by a variety of watchdogs.
Kai added, "The new safe zone space will also be used for meeting with other clan leaders and officials. If there's tighter security, more people may be willing to come and talk with our clan."
Brenna closed the folder. "It's a brilliant idea. One I'm sure Lochguard will emulate."
Bram muttered something, but Nikki spoke up. "Getting back to your assignment, finding the best location is your main concern. Once that's done, you'll be working with Nathan, Lucien, and Blake here on Stonefire to design all aspects of the security, from physical to technological."
Nathan was the Protectors' head IT person and someone Brenna had worked with before. The other two she knew only by name and appearance. "So Lucien was made the permanent IT head replacement for non-Protector matters?"
Bram grunted. "Aye. And Blake has a knack for inventing or coming up with solutions to tricky technological problems. He's a bit shy, but extremely clever."
Beyond Blake’s intelligence, she'd only heard that he mostly stayed indoors or in remote locations in his dragon form.
Her beast spoke up. I don't blame him for wanting to stay away from people. Everyone makes such a fuss over him being a white dragon with a black spot.
Even you were curious when we were children.
Yes, but adults should know better.
She focused on Kai. "Can you spare me two or three Protectors you trust to help with the initial scouting?"
"That should be fine for now," Kai answered. "Although if an emergency pops up, all of you will report back immediately, no questions asked."
A hum of excitement coursed through her body. "Sounds good to me." She paused and asked, "Can I tell Killian about this?"
Bram and Kai shared a look before Bram spoke again. "Not just yet. I want to trust him. He's your mate after all. However, until he's stable, I don't want to risk anything." Her excitement tamped down a fraction. It must've shown on her face because Bram added, "As soon as Sid and Gregor clear him and deem him stable, you can share the assignment with him. I should also add that I don't want to share this with any other clan, apart from a select few on Lochguard."
"Teagan is worth your trust, Bram," Brenna pointed out.
"Aaron selecting her as his mate tells me that, but given the number of leaks and disgruntled clan members the world over, I can't risk it right now. Otherwise, we'll never be a step ahead of the dragon hunter or Knights. I don't want them getting information about our security plans ahead of time, or the whole project will be for nothing."
Brenna frowned. "Can't they just monitor us with video drones?"
"Blake's already worked on a temporary f
ix for that, creating a sort of moveable field to block out feeds and networks. He can explain it better than I."
Nikki chimed in. "It does mean that you'll have to rely on older forms of communication, such as runners and the emergency landline telephones posted around the clan's lands, to regularly check in."
Brenna sensed she was about to be dismissed. And as anxious as she was to get back to work, she needed to ask something and spit out, "Before I start, I have a request, Bram." He raised his brows in question and she continued, "I want to test Killian's ability to shift in a controlled situation. However, it'll obviously have to be out of the jail cell since the small space is fortified against shifting dragons. Will you allow him out to try?"
"I will think on it." Bram leaned back in his chair. "Now, take the rest of the day off to spend with your mate. Report to the Protectors tomorrow morning, as soon as Tristan arrives to help Killian with his studies."
Some might push for a more concrete answer about Killian shifting, but Brenna knew Bram well enough to know that he wouldn't budge until everything was in place and safe for everyone.
She looked at each person in turn. "Thank you for this. I wasn't sure if you'd trust me again, after all that's happened."
Nikki waved a hand. "What happened to Killian wasn't your fault. And yes, you spent some time with Glenlough, but I think fostering is useful. It's why I keep pestering Bram about finally taking a foster from Lochguard, as he promised Finn ages ago."
Bram sighed. "It's on my list of things to do, but it's not a priority."
Nikki whispered loudly, "He just doesn't want to chance the foster candidate being someone like Finn or his cousins."
Kai grunted. "Regardless, it's necessary and overdue."
Not wanting to get in the middle of it, Brenna took a step back. "I should probably go check on Killian. I'll report tomorrow morning for work."
As soon as Nikki motioned with her head for Brenna to leave, the three dragon-shifters in the room started to argue.
Brenna exited the cottage and breathed a sigh of relief. She'd never understood Bram's hesitance regarding a Lochguard foster, but if anyone could persuade him, it would be Kai Sutherland.
Her dragon spoke up. I'm excited about our new job.
Me, too, although I wish Killian could be a part of it. He's brilliant with security.
Give it time. He's not ready to return to duty yet. Besides, you'll never be able to concentrate fully if you're always worrying about Killian falling unconscious at your side.
I know. Brenna picked up her pace. But I'm anxious to see him again.
And to think you wasted so much time avoiding him in recent weeks. You should listen to me. I have great instincts.
Not wanting to argue with her dragon, Brenna jogged the rest of the way to where Killian should be waiting for her.
Chapter Eighteen
Ivy Passmore sat huddled on the soggy ground, hoping the summer rain would stop soon. She'd never been much of a rambler, and yet here she was, who the hell knew where in the Lake District, trying her best to reach the gates of Clan Stonefire.
Pulling the hood of her jacket further over her head, she remembered why she was lost in the wilderness, risking everything to reach a group of dragon-shifters.
For retribution.
Not against the dragon-shifters, but rather the human bastards who'd forced her into working for them. As soon as she'd learned that they'd killed her brother and his partner, she'd made her escape.
Her eyes watered thinking of her brother, Richard. He was her only sibling and she'd never hear his jokes again, let alone tease him about his dream of doing stand-up comedy one day at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
In retrospect, she should've supported him more and maybe he would've reached that dream before his death.
If that weren't enough to tear her heart in two, she'd loved her brother's partner, David, of ten years like a second brother.
She'd never see her brother or David ever again.
And it was all her fault.
No. She wasn't going down that road of thinking. The thumb drive in her pocket, protected in several plastic bags, was her only chance at getting back at the bastards for what they'd done. And to do that, she needed Stonefire's help.
If she could ever find their blasted gates. How could a fully enclosed settlement with nothing surrounding it but nature be so difficult to find?
Glancing at the sky, the amount of light peeking through the clouds told her it would be evening soon. Rain or no rain, Ivy needed to keep going because she wasn't sure if she could survive another night in the wilderness with no shelter and no food.
Standing up, she ignored the gnawing ache in her belly and her protesting muscles. Putting one foot in front of the other, she tried her best to use the mountains as a guide. Before her mobile phone's battery had died early in the morning, she'd had sat-nav and had been paying close attention to where the hills and mountains were in relation to her position. It was the only clue she had to ensure she wasn't traveling in circles. Not exactly precise, but she'd take it.
Ivy had no idea how long she'd trekked before she came to a clearing nestled between two large copses of trees. Not that she took in the landscape. Her eyes focused on the three dragons swooping and hovering in the sky. They had to be with Stonefire. She couldn't imagine other dragons venturing this close to another clan.
With her head pounding and how difficult it was to put one foot in front of the other, Ivy knew this could be her last chance at redemption. The last chance to make up for everything she'd done.
So gathering up the last of her energy, she yelled, "Help me!" several times before her vision swam and she fainted.
~~~
Brenna had spent most of her first few days back at work flying over every inch of Stonefire's land and had narrowed down her list of possible locations for the safe meeting place to three.
She'd saved the most promising area for last, and she currently hovered in place over the large clearing nestled between two copses of trees. While placing the building in the open might seem a poor choice, she thought the thick trees to either side would provide ample opportunities for escape routes and even hidden tunnels. Besides, the building in the open would act as a decoy of sorts, with the real meeting place hidden further inside the woods or possibly underground.
Just as she was about to signal the two Protectors with her that they should head back, she heard a female's voice shout, "Help me!"
Even with the wind and rain, Brenna easily pinpointed the source. She watched as the female promptly fell to the ground and didn't get up again.
The female could be a trick, so Brenna signaled to her compatriots to stay in the air and keep an eye out. She'd investigate the stranger alone.
Diving down, she landed gently next to the female. She listened for any unusual rumbling in the underbrush or talking nearby, but heard none. If the female were part of a trap that involved others, the danger from the stranger's companions wasn't immediate. Especially since Blake had rigged a safety zone near her three sites, to prevent any sort of drone from flying and attacking.
Brenna imagined her wings shrinking to her back, her snout shrinking back into her nose, and her arms and legs morphing into human ones. As soon as she finished, Brenna barely paid attention to the rain as she knelt next to the female.
Her red hair was matted, her face smudged with dirt, and her clothes were soaked with rain and mud. Brenna had no idea who the female was, although she could tell she was human from her scent and shorter stature.
Her dragon spoke up. We should take her back to the clan. If she dies, we'll never learn why she's here.
I'm not sure we can risk that, but I won't let her die. Brenna motioned for the red dragon to land and ordered, "Zain, bring one of the doctors to the abandoned cottage near the lake. I'll take the human there and wait for you."
The red dragon bobbed his head, jumped into the sky, and sped away.
After B
renna signaled again, the remaining dragon, a black one, came to land next to her. Brenna stood. "Sebastian, I need you to carry me and the female to the abandoned cottage near the lake. I want to remain in human form in case she wakes up en route, to try and explain what's going on."
Sebastian lightly jumped up and hovered a few feet from the ground. Brenna scooped up the small female and helped place her into Sebastian's left talons. He then gently wrapped his other set of talons around Brenna's middle.
As he ascended, she barely noticed the change in altitude or the wind. While chilly, she was more concerned with the mysterious female. Humans sometimes showed up at a dragon clan's gates, but the only question was whether the woman was friend or foe. After the recent betrayals back in Ireland, Brenna was wary of trusting anyone she didn't know.
In a matter of minutes, Sebastian had placed Brenna down next to the cottage. Once on the ground again, Brenna took the woman into her arms.
The cottage was surrounded by overgrown brush and broken furniture on purpose, to appear abandoned. But there was always a cot set up inside, as well as supplies hidden within a secret cache in the floor.
As soon as she had the female on the cot, Brenna turned toward the fireplace. Grateful to find wood and kindling to the side even though it was summer, Brenna quickly had a fire roaring.
Staring down at the human, she wondered where she'd come from. Unlike dragon lovers or the media, she was disheveled and dirty. Brenna guessed she'd been walking around the surroundings for quite some time.
She searched the human and found a thumb drive wrapped in several layers of plastic, as well as a purse. Her driver's license said her name was Ivy Passmore and that she lived in Brighton.
What Brenna didn't understand was if Ivy had a driver's license, why hadn't she driven to Stonefire. The only explanation was that the female hadn't wanted to be followed, but why?
So many questions and so few answers.
Craved by the Dragon Page 20
