Revealing the Dragons (Stonefire Dragons #2.5)

by Jessie Donovan

  However, before her mate could respond, Evie cut in, her tone disbelieving. “Something else has happened.”

  Both Mel and her mate turned their gazes on Evie. Melanie asked, “What?”

  Evie looked up, her face pale. “There was a BBC News alert. Both the London and Manchester DDA offices have been attacked.”

  Mel’s remaining anger eased at the look on her friend’s face. Evie loved living with her mate, Bram, but she had spent eight years of her life with the DDA before joining Clan Stonefire. “Is everyone okay?”

  Samira touched Evie’s shoulder and guided her to the couch. In the soothing tone she was famous for, Samira attempted to calm her. “Sit down, Evie, and tell us all about it.”

  Evie plopped on the couch and looked at Mel, Tristan, and Samira in turn. “Someone bombed the London office. In Manchester, there was a gun attack.”

  Mel moved to sit next to her friend. “Oh, Evie. I’m so sorry.”

  Strong, sassy Evie blinked back tears. The action squeezed Mel’s heart.

  Evie’s voice cracked. “They don’t know the extent of the damage or the number of casualties.”

  Mel placed a hand on her friend’s cheek. “Do they know who did it?”

  Evie shook her head. “Not yet. But given what happened here today, I have a feeling it’s connected.” Evie’s eyes flashed with determination. “Neither the gun attack on humans nor the bomb are common M.O.’s of the dragon hunters. It must be one of the other anti-dragon factions.”

  While her friend didn’t say it, Mel understood. “Probably brought on because of my book.”

  Evie placed her hand over Mel’s and squeezed. “Don’t blame yourself. If all it took was a book to bring about the attacks, then it was bound to happen eventually anyway. Crazies look for the smallest excuse to do their damage. Besides, if the DDA had planned to act indifferently about your book, that has now changed. You’re about to receive more support than you ever dreamed of having for Revealing the Dragons.”

  Mel should feel elated, but the thought of it taking the deaths of innocent people to help her cause didn’t sit well.

  Jack squirmed in her arms before crying. Tristan, Samira, and Evie all moved to take him, but Melanie moved her son to her shoulder and stood. “I’ll take care of him.” She looked to Tristan. “See if Bram has a moment. He probably wants to know about the DDA attacks and Evie could use his support.”

  Evie opened her mouth in protest, but Tristan cut her off. “I’ll find him.”

  As her mate turned and left, their daughter woke up too and cried in unison with her brother. With a sigh, Mel pushed on to take care of her children. Events were snowballing fast. She soon may not have the opportunity to take care of, let alone cuddle, her children over the coming days. She would treasure what time she had remaining.

  ~~~

  Tristan picked up his pace toward the main gate. Each step away from his family went against his instincts, but Bram needed to know the information about the DDA office attacks.

  While he grudgingly accepted Evie as Bram’s mate, he wasn’t close with the human female. Only because Melanie had asked him had he gone. Otherwise, the bloody woman would do it herself.

  His dragon pushed to the forefront of his mind. You were unable to change her mind. If danger shows up, I will make sure she goes to safety.

  No.

  She will die because of your carelessness.

  Untrue. Your ways will chase her away. She won’t stay if she feels contained. Do you want her to leave us?

  She is our mate. She won’t.

  Rather than argue, he threw the beast into the back of his mind. At least, the attacks had been in Manchester and London. He didn’t enjoy other people’s deaths, but the distance eased some of his fears about his mate’s life. No doubt, the attack on the press conference earlier was connected to the other two attacks, which meant Melanie wasn’t the sole target.

  Tristan reached the gate and was waved through by one of the Protectors. Scanning the grounds, he saw Bram talking with Kai, Stonefire’s head Protector. He moved in their direction.

  Once he approached, Bram looked up and frowned. “Tristan, why are you here? I know you want to help with those who threatened your mate, but the best place for you to do that is at her side.”

  Tristan grunted. “Your mate needs you.”

  Bram turned to face him, his eyes searching Tristan’s. “What happened? Is she okay? Is it the baby?”

  “Evie is physically fine. And far as I know, she still carries your young.”

  “Then start talking because that was unnecessary,” Bram spat out.

  “This wasn’t the only attack today. There was a shooting at the Manchester DDA office and a bomb went off in London. Your female is upset.”

  Kai jumped in. “Do you have any details?”

  Tristan shook his head. “No, it was some kind of vague news alert.”

  Kai looked to Bram and said, “Go to your mate. I can take over here and I’ll also see what my contacts from my army days can tell me.”

  Bram nodded. Once Kai took out his mobile phone and walked away, Tristan looked back to his clan leader. “Have you found out any more information about the attack here?”

  Bram motioned his head toward the gate. “Let’s walk and talk.” As they moved, Bram continued, “The four shooters are currently with Zain. They haven’t been forthright, but if anyone can get them talking, it’s that towering dragonman.”

  Zain was one of the Protectors who had proven his interrogation skills four months ago, when Bram’s mate had been kidnapped. “Your mate doesn’t think the shooters are dragon hunters.”

  His clan leader glanced at him. “I agree, but my mate does have a name, Tristan. Would it kill you to call her Evie?”

  He grunted. “She is your female and your mate. I will never harm her, but the only human female who matters to me is Melanie.”

  Bram gave him a wry look. “Don’t let Mel hear you say that.”

  Tristan ignored his friend’s comment. “If it’s not the dragon hunters, then who do you think the shooters work for?”

  “It could be any of the extremists, ranging from the old Order of the Dragon Knights to the ultra-conservative Purist Party.”

  “Politicians don’t plan attacks like the one today. Also, the shooting was very amateurish, which rules out any group with a deadly reputation.”

  Bram raised an eyebrow. “I agree about the gangs and groups with reputations, but don’t dismiss the politicians so easily. They may not have planned the attack themselves, but if they can nudge any of their supporters to do so, the politicians can then use the events to their advantage.”

  “I have no interest in human politics, so I can’t comment on that. But if we rule them out and the organized crime groups, could something similar to the Order of the Dragon Knights still be around? While no one will put on steel armor and go on quests to slay dragons, a group hiring out to destroy the dragons’ way of life is a possibility.”

  Bram shook his head. “I haven’t heard of anything. Maybe if we ask Evie’s friend, the one with far too much knowledge about our kind; she could tell us something.”

  “Isn’t the human female in hiding?”

  “Yes, but from the brief exchanges I’ve had with Evie’s friend, Alice, hiding won’t stop her from finding out what she wants to know. If a rumor is floating around, she’ll know it.”

  Tristan frowned. “Even so, I don’t like rumors. Is there any proof?”

  Bram shook his head. “No, but we’ll wait to see what Kai and the news has to tell us. I’m sure Evie can contact Alice in a few hours and see what the human has dug up by then.”

  The conversation lulled and they continued in silence. Since Tristan and Bram had been friends for nearly thirty years, it wasn’t strained. Still, since his friend was also mated to a strong human female, Bram might have some advice on how to handle Melanie if Tristan managed to ask.

  Before he could think bette
r of it, Tristan blurted out, “Would you force your female into safety, even if she didn’t want it?”

  Bram stopped and Tristan followed suit. His leader searched his eyes a second before saying, “If I could actually see the threat coming at her, then yes, I would. However, if the threat is merely there without any specifics, then no. Evie is like Melanie and would hate me if I stashed her away against her will. Melanie loves you, Tristan, but being a prisoner would slowly eat her alive. She needs to interact with people, especially with you. While you may not like it and your dragon screams to take her away, work with her or else you could lose her.”

  She will not leave us.

  Shut it, dragon. You’re no bloody help.

  With a growl, his beast retreated again.

  Bram continued to stare at him, waiting for a reply, so he murmured, “I will take that into consideration.”

  Tristan walked and Bram caught up in two strides. His friend added, “I already contacted Finlay Stewart about the attack. Relations are friendlier between the Scots and Clan Lochguard, something about fighting against the English centuries ago created a tenuous bond that still exists, and he’s confident enough to send some assistance. While he can’t come here himself to help this time, he’ll send the same Protectors who came before to help with security. Barring any attack from the air, Mel and your children should be safe.”

  Tristan believed his words and that confidence eased his tension slightly. “Thanks, Bram. I just can’t lose her.”

  Bram clapped him on the shoulder. “I know, Tristan, I know. I feel the same way about Evie.”

  Tristan’s dragon huffed. Take our mate to Skye. We won’t lose her then.

  There’s more than one way to lose a mate, dragon.

  They reached Tristan’s home. The instant they were inside the door, Bram called out, “Evie Marie?”

  Carrying Murray on her hip, Evie walked over and laid her head against Bram’s chest. As the clan leader soothed his mate with words and touch, Tristan went into the living area.

  Melanie sat on the couch with Annabel asleep in her arms. A quick look told him Samira had Jack in the armchair off to the side.

  Taking his son from Samira, she stood and smiled. “Now you’re back, I should go home. Liam’s waiting for me.” Samira looked to Mel. “Will you be fine without me?”

  Mel smiled. “Of course. Go to your family. Tristan can handle the other half of baby duty for now.”

  Once Samira was gone, Tristan moved to sit beside his mate, wrapped his free arm around her shoulders, and she laid her head against him. She sighed. “Thank you for bringing Bram here.”

  “I know better. Five more seconds, and you would’ve handed me the crying baby and gone out the door to fetch Bram yourself.” He squeezed her shoulders. “Did you find out anything else about the attacks while I was out?”

  “No. Evie couldn’t contact her friend currently in hiding; you know the one with all the knowledge about dragon-shifters? She’s worried something’s happened to Alice.”

  Tristan rubbed his mate’s arm. “The female has remained hidden for nearly a decade. I’m sure she’s fine.”

  Melanie leaned into his touch. “I sure hope so.”

  Bram appeared in the doorway with his son in one arm and hugging his mate with the other, his face grim. “Kai just sent me a text about the attacks.”

  Tristan raised an eyebrow. “And?”

  Bram let out a sigh. “The Order of the Dragon Knights are claiming responsibility for the attack.”

  Chapter Five

  Careful to keep her voice low so as to not wake the babies, Melanie asked, “The same Dragon Knights as the ones in the legends old William tells when he drinks a little too much?”

  Bram nodded. “And while most humans believe them to be legends, the Dragon Knights were real. They disappeared three hundred years ago thanks to pressure from Enlightenment thinkers and scientists who wanted to save the dragon-shifters from extinction. Because of their centuries of silence, I’m taking their claims of responsibility with a grain of salt.”

  Mel blinked. “Wait a second. In all of my research, no one ever mentioned the Knights being real. Why not?”

  Tristan squeezed her shoulder and she looked to him. “Because, love, we believed them long gone and didn’t want to give anyone ideas about starting something similar again.”

  Melanie eyed her mate. “You’re not supposed to keep secrets from me, Tristan.”

  Uncertainty flashed in Tristan’s eyes, but Bram spoke up before her mate could answer. “It was on my order, Mel. A clan leader’s word is the only thing that outranks a mate’s.”

  Her throat closed up at being excluded, but Mel pushed it aside. “So you still don’t think of me as one of the clan? Or that I could know a secret and keep it? As you’ve seen today, this book’s release has caused major damage and threatened my life. Complete honesty is the least you owe me.”

  Bram shuffled his feet. Evie elbowed him and after a quick glance to Evie, Bram focused back on Melanie with regret in his eyes. “I’m sorry, lass. The decision was made shortly after you conceived, when you asked about writing the book. Between the increase of dragon hunter attacks on our borders and Evie’s kidnapping, I forgot all about it. I’ll rescind the order with the entire clan as soon as the threat passes and it won’t happen again.”

  Bram’s words eased some of her hurt. “I need some answers now, Bram, or I can’t help and think of a way to tackle the threats.”

  Stonefire’s leader nodded. “Ask away, then, lass. I have a few minutes.”

  Facts were more important than dwelling on the past slight, so Mel continued, “Right, then, let me get this straight. Not only do we have the dragon hunters wanting to trap all of you and drain your blood, we now have knights who want to slay you? For what purpose? Killing a dragon won’t bring them prestige.”

  Bram answered, “I’m sorry, lass, but you’re wrong about that. In addition to earning a reputation in criminal circles, because killing a dragon is bloody difficult to do, they’ll gain prestige with their fellow knights. If they truly are back, they’ll be competing against each other and then it won’t be long before they have fans romanticizing them and admiring their work from afar.”

  Evie spoke up. “Why the bloody hell would someone cheer on slaying dragons? If nothing else, their healing blood would be wasted.”

  Bram drawled, “Nice to see you equating us with other medical rarities and not as individuals.”

  Evie slapped her mate’s chest. “Stop it, Bram. From a logical perspective, slaying a dragon makes little sense anymore. They can’t win trophies or the respect of a king or nobleman. Not to mention it’s illegal and will bring the DDA down on them.”

  Mel remembered something from her time working with Evie over the last few months. Leaning forward slightly, she looked to her friend. “But didn’t you mention the next-in-line at the DDA wanted to dismantle the sacrifice system and pretty much destroy the DDA? Jonathan something or other.”

  Evie’s mouth dropped open for a second before she regained her wits. “Jonathan Christie. He’d have knowledge of the old Dragon Knights. Not only that, but by attacking the London DDA office, he’s sure to have killed the head of the DDA, Regina Ward.”

  Mel frowned. “Does this Christie bloke have connections to pull something like today off?”

  Evie shrugged. “I have no bloody idea. The man was far up the hierarchy. I only saw him from a distance at department-wide events.”

  Tristan jumped in. “This is nothing but conjecture. Where’s the proof?”

  Bram shook his head. “We just came up with the theory, Tristan. Gives us a little time to prove it.”

  Mel pushed past her mate’s words. “If we can prove it and Christie is behind the Dragon Knights’ return, then we have a bigger problem.” She looked back to Evie. “If the head of the DDA is dead, then who is in charge?”

  Evie’s face turned grim. “Jonathan Christie.”

&nb
sp; Mel continued. “Right, so if he’s in charge, he’ll ignore the Dragon Knights and they’ll continue making terrorist attacks. No human female in her right mind would volunteer to be a sacrifice. Rather than becoming targets, the sacrifices and their families would turn to the black market for dragon’s blood.”

  Bram nodded. “Right, which benefits the hunters.” Stonefire’s leader looked to his mate. “At one point, you mentioned the possibility of Simon Bourne working with the authorities to look the other way for his dragon hunts. Maybe it went all the way to the top levels of the DDA. That could explain the laxness of arresting dragon hunters over the last few years.”

  Evie placed a hand on Bram’s arm. “Maybe, and it’s bugged you for months why my rescue was so easy. Do you think it was a distraction, to give Simon Bourne or Jonathan Christie a chance to recreate the Order of the Dragon Knights? They might’ve had this attack planned for months to coincide with Mel’s book launch and needed to ensure no one made any sort of connection between Christie and Simon Bourne until they could pull off the attacks.”

  Bram frowned. “Maybe. Although I don’t like making assumptions without proof. I need to talk to Kai.” He looked at Evie. “And we need to contact your friend. The more information we have, the better we can face this possible new threat.”

  ~~~

  Despite the possible conspiracy brewing amongst the ranks of the DDA, all Tristan could think about was his mate.

  He didn’t like the way Mel was slowly moving away from him. It might only be an inch or two at a time, but he knew it was because he’d hurt her.

  His dragon paced. You should have listened to me. She might leave us because of your actions.

  She won’t. And listening to you meant disobeying Bram. Dragon-shifters need a clan structure to survive or it will become chaotic.

  A real dragon wouldn’t hide anything from his mate. It is the way it’s supposed to be.

  Right, so his dragon was now giving him the guilt trip. I will handle this. Be quiet so I can listen to the conversation.