Part 30 (1/2)

Finn put out a hand and she pa.s.sed the case over. She murmured, ”Thank you.”

”Considering that you're helping my clan more than you know, the least I can do is carry a bag.”

She eyed the tall dragonman. ”You don't have to comfort me. I know what I volunteered to do.”

Finn raised a blond eyebrow. ”You looked about ready to bolt or cry a few minutes ago. I think a little kindness wouldn't hurt.”

He was right, not that she would admit to it. After all, she was supposed to be strong.

Holly motioned toward the gates. ”How about we go so you can give me the spiel and then let me meet my dragonman?”

The dragonman's smile faded. ”So you're giving orders to me now, aye?”

Even though Holly was human, she still sensed the dominance and strength in his voice. She could apologize and try to hide her true self, but that would be too tiring to keep up long term. Instead, she tilted her head. ”I'm used to giving orders. In my experience, as soon as a woman goes into labor, her other half goes crazy. If I don't take charge, it could put the mother's life as well as the child's in danger. I'm sure you've read my file and should know what to expect.”

The corner of Finn's mouth ticked up. ”Aye, I have. But I like to test the waters with potential clan members.”

”I'm not-”

Finn cut her off. ”Give it time, la.s.s. You may well become one in the long run.”

Without another word, Finn started walking. Since he was at least eight inches taller than her, she had to half-jog to catch up to him. However, before she could reply, another tall, muscled dragonman approached. He still had the soft face of late adolescence and couldn't be more than twenty.

The younger dragon-s.h.i.+fter motioned a thumb behind him. ”Archie and Cal are at it again. If you don't break it up, they might s.h.i.+ft and start dropping each other's cattle for the second time this week.”

Finn sighed. ”I should a.s.sign them a full-time babysitter.”

The younger man grinned. ”You tried that, but my grandfather escaped, as you'll remember.”

”That's because he's a sneaky b.a.s.t.a.r.d.” Finn looked to Holly. ”This is Jamie MacAllister. He'll take you to my mate, Arabella. She can help you get settled before you meet Fergus.”

”Who's Fergus?” Holly asked, even though she had a feeling she knew.

Finn answered, ”Fergus MacKenzie is my cousin, but he's also your a.s.signed dragonman.”

Of course she'd be given the cousin of the clan leader. After all, Holly was the first human sacrifice on Lochguard in over a decade. They'd want to keep tabs on her.

Holly didn't like it, but since she had yet to meet this Fergus, she wouldn't judge him beforehand. For all she knew, Fergus MacKenzie might be a shy, quiet copy of his cousin.

Maybe.

Not sure what else to do, Holly nodded. After giving a few more orders, Finn left to address the problem and Jamie smiled down at her. ”There's never a dull moment here, la.s.s. Welcome to Lochguard.”

Holly wasn't sure if that was a warning or a welcome.

Fraser MacKenzie watched his twin brother from the kitchen. His brother, Fergus, was due to meet his human sacrifice in the next few hours and instead of celebrating his last hours of freedom, Fergus was doing paperwork.

Sometimes, Fraser wondered how they were related at all.

Taking aim, he lobbed an ice cube across the room. It bounced off his brother's cheek and Fraser shouted, ”Goal.”

Frowning, Fergus glanced over. ”Don't you have a hole to dig? Or, maybe, some nails to pound?”

Fraser shrugged a shoulder and inched his fingers toward another ice cube. ”I finished work early. After all, it's not every day your twin meets the possible mother of his child.”

As Fraser picked up his second ice cube, his mother's voice boomed from behind him. ”Put it down, Fraser Moore MacKenzie. I won't have you breaking something if you miss.”

He looked at his mother and raised his brows. ”I never miss.”

Clicking her tongue, his mother, Lorna, moved toward the refrigerator. ”Stop lying to me, lad. You missed a step and now have the scar near your eye to prove it.”

Fraser resisted the urge to touch his scar. ”That was because my sister distracted me.” He placed a hand over his heart. ”I was just looking out for the wee la.s.s.”

Lorna rolled her eyes. ”Faye was sixteen at the time and you were too busy glaring at one of the males.”

”He was trouble. Faye deserved better,” Fraser replied.

Fergus looked up from his paperwork. ”Where is Faye?”

Lorna waved a hand. ”The same as every day. She leaves early in the morning and I don't see her again until evening.”

Fraser sobered up. ”I wish she'd let us help her. Does anyone know if she can fly again yet?”

His younger sister, Faye, had been shot out of the sky by an electrical blast nearly two months earlier while in dragon form and her wing had been severely damaged. While she was no longer in a wheelchair, the doctors weren't sure if Faye would ever fly again.

His mother turned toward him. ”I trust Arabella to help her. Faye will come to us when she's ready.”

Jumping on the chance to lighten the mood again, Fraser tossed the ice cube into the sink and added, ”I'm more worried about Fergus right now anyway. Who spends their last few hours of freedom cooped up inside? Even if he doesn't want to go drinking, he could at least go for a flight.”

Fergus lifted the papers in his hand. ”For your information, this is all of the new procedures and suggestions from the Department of Dragon Affairs. Finn worked hard to make Lochguard one of the trial clans for these new rules, and I'm not about to f.u.c.k it up.” Lorna clicked her tongue and Fergus added, ”Sorry, Mum.”

Lorna leaned against the kitchen counter. ”I still applaud you for what you're doing, Fergus. After the last fifteen years of near-isolation, the clan desperately needs some new blood.”

Fergus shrugged a shoulder. ”It's not a guarantee. Besides, how could I pa.s.s up the chance to help our cousin?”

Fraser rolled his eyes. ”Right, you're being all n.o.ble when I know for a fact you just want to, er,” he looked to his mum and back to Fergus, ”sleep with a human la.s.s.”

”No one around here has stirred a mate-claim frenzy and I'm not about to look in the other clans. I'm needed here,” Fergus replied. ”A human sacrifice is my only other chance.”

”And what if she's not your true mate, brother? Then what?” Fraser asked.

”I'll still try to win her over. If she gives me a child, I want to try to convince the human to stay.”

Lorna spoke up. ”Her father's ill, Fergus. Let's see how things go before you start planning the human's future.” Lorna looked to Fraser. ”Let's just hope she has spirit. I can handle anything but fear.”