Part 2 (1/2)

Amus.e.m.e.nt flared in Bram's eyes. ”Aye? I'd like to see you try.” Rafe took a step toward the leader and Bram sighed. ”She's as well as can be expected. Do you understand what just happened?”

”I think so. Her dragon sees me as her mate.”

”Aye. Which means you have two choices-leave here and never return, or you agree to give Nikki a child and then walk away.”

Rafe clenched his fingers. ”Why are you a.s.suming I'd just leave my child behind?”

Motioning toward him, Bram answered, ”Your history doesn't speak of long-term relations.h.i.+ps. b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, I think the longest was a month.”

Rafe ignored the jab at his past. ”Forget about my b.l.o.o.d.y track record. Does Nikki know you're trying to stud her out?”

In the blink of an eye, Bram rushed Rafe and pinned him to the wall. ”Nikki is like a younger sister to me. Tread carefully, human. I have yet to see this clever, determined other side to you that she is adamant exists. All I see is an a.r.s.ehole.”

”Says the dragonman ready to offer up one of his clan members without asking her what she wants.”

Bram searched his eyes a second and Rafe held his breath. All the Stonefire leader had to do was extend a talon and slit his throat. Rafe only hoped his sister was right about Clan Stonefire being decent.

To date, the only clan member he knew who was decent was Nikki. She more than proved herself to him.

The woman definitely didn't deserve a random pregnancy forced upon her.

Taking a chance, Rafe whispered, ”Ask what Nikki wants first. Then I'll make my choice.”

The dragonman's pupils remained slitted for a few beats. Once they were round again, Bram released his hold and took two steps back. ”Stay here. We're nowhere near done talking.”

Stonefire's leader exited the room and Rafe slumped into one of the chairs. Why the h.e.l.l hadn't he taken the option to flee? He was the last person looking to be a father at this point.

And yet, the idea of Nikki suffering for who knew how long twisted his heart. She didn't think he remembered, but Rafe had hurt her once before. He didn't want to do it again.

But, f.u.c.k, a child? Could he handle it?

An image of a little girl dragon-s.h.i.+fter running through a field popped into his head. The girl had Rafe's green eyes and Nikki's cheekbones. She stopped in front of him and waggled a finger. The four-year-old wasn't afraid to stand up to him.

Smiling, Rafe admitted it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

He stopped tapping his finger against his thigh at that thought. b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l. Something must be wrong with him.

As he waited for Bram to come back and talk with him, Rafe wondered what he'd do if Nikki asked him for a child.

Nikki lay on her side, her body curled up into a ball, with her hands over her ears.

But the act couldn't block out her dragon's words. Find him. f.u.c.k him. Now.

Nikki's strength was waning, but she put as much dominance in her reply as she could muster. No. It's not what I want. It's not what we want. The clan's safety is our top priority.

Snarling, her beast answered, The others will take care of the clan. I want Rafe Hartley's c.o.c.k inside us now. He will give us a child.

As they continued to go round and round, Nikki's resolve weakened. If she weren't careful, her dragon would take control and do whatever the h.e.l.l she wanted; Nikki's consent wouldn't matter.

Clenching her jaw, she tried to block out the roaring in her head to think of a solution. The action only p.i.s.sed off her beast more. No! Enough is enough. I want control.

Her beast clawed at the weak wall around her. One swipe ripped a sizable hole. Just as her dragon moved to try again, something cold and wet dumped over Nikki's body.

Nikki sputtered at the ice water. The shock silenced her dragon temporarily. Patching up her mental wall as much as possible, Nikki rubbed the water from her eyes and the tall, ponytailed form of Dr. Ca.s.sidy Jackson, Stonefire's head doctor, came into focus. ”Dr. Sid?”

Sid tossed aside the bucket in her hands and pulled out a syringe from her pocket. ”The only good thing about me having a silent dragon is I don't have to put up with the mating frenzy c.r.a.p.” Tapping the side of the syringe and pus.h.i.+ng the plunger, Sid continued, ”We don't have much time, so let me lay out the options. The drug in my hand will silence your dragon for a few days, but you won't be able to s.h.i.+ft, and it's only temporary. You'll have to learn to control your dragon on your own over the next few months.”

Nikki grimaced. ”What other option do I have?”

”Your other option is to shack up with Rafe Hartley and let the frenzy take its course.”

Her beast roared from her prison. Ignoring it, Nikki blinked. ”What?”

Sid raised an eyebrow. ”You're clever, Nikki, and you don't need me to repeat myself.”

”I-” Nikki slowly sat up and hugged her knees to her chest. ”Rafe agreed to this?”

”Bram seems to think he will.”

Stunned, Nikki could barely manage an answer. ”Not only is it illegal, but we irritate the h.e.l.l out of each other. Why would he even think about it?”

Sid crouched down to meet her gaze. ”You're the one who kissed him. You tell me.”

At the mention of the kiss, Nikki's dragon snarled and started clawing again. The barrier would last a minute, if that.

”Nothing like making a life-changing decision at the drop of a hat,” Nikki murmured.

”Life isn't always fair, Nikola. You can only do the best with what you've been given.”

Nikki felt about two inches tall. After all, Sid had lost her dragon. That was a million times worse.

What to do, what to do. Then an idea formed. She could always give her child up for adoption. More than enough dragon families yearned for more children. They would be able to give her child a better future than she could manage as a single mother working as a Protector.

Not only that, once she was knocked up, Nikki's beast would calm the f.u.c.k down and she could continue her work. h.e.l.l, she might even be able to help capture Simon Bourne after all.

Sure, she should ask Rafe's input. Considering what she knew of the human, he didn't exactly appear to be father material. He probably wouldn't have any objections to her plan.

Decision made, Nikki nodded to herself. ”I'll let the frenzy take its course and I'll give the child up for adoption later.”

Sid searched her eyes. ”I'm only going to ask once more to confirm this is what you want. Is it?”

As her dragon ripped another hole in her invisible prison, Nikki bobbed her head. ”Yes. As long as Rafe isn't forced into it.”

Standing up, Sid moved toward the door. ”Right, then I'll let Bram know. Until everything is in place, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to suffer. Drugging you will only delay the inevitable, and I believe you want this whole mess sorted as quickly as possible.”

Sid locked the door behind her, and Nikki closed her eyes. Mate-claim frenzies rarely happened more than once. If she could just survive the current situation, then she could continue her work as a Stonefire Protector for as long as she liked. The elder dragon-s.h.i.+fters might also finally stop nagging her, too.