Chapter Eleven
Teagan had expected Aaron to curse and act like a spoiled child when she mentioned needing to attend to the clan’s safety. Any other male she’d been with who’d brought her to orgasm but didn’t find his own would’ve done so, complete with grumpy, stilted responses.
Yet as she closed the distance to the Protectors’ main building, she remembered Aaron’s quick acceptance and promise of another go the next day.
He kept destroying her assumptions about him. Maybe there was a reason from his past as to why he’d been grumpy every time she’d talked with him before his recent arrival on Glenlough.
Not that she should care. He wasn’t part of her clan and he’d return to Stonefire soon enough.
Her dragon spoke up. Do you want him, too?
What kind of question is that?
We both enjoyed relinquishing control for a short while. It would be nice to go home to that every night.
He’s not even our true mate.
So? He doesn’t have to be.
What game are you playing?
No game. I’m a better judge of what’s good for us than a random act of fate.
She arrived at the back entrance to central command. I need to focus, so hush.
Used to being pushed to the side for clan business, her dragon didn’t fuss. Of course, that didn’t mean she wouldn’t badger Teagan later to think about Aaron again. Maybe by then, Teagan would have some more worthwhile excuses about why opening up to him was a bad idea.
Yet despite her best efforts to forget the evening, Aaron’s words came rushing back to her. “Sit in the chair and spread your legs. I want you open and willing for me.” Teagan shivered. Deep down, she wanted to experience his husky commands again.
Not that she could have it again if she didn’t finish her current task and protect against any oncoming threats. She took a few deep breaths to clear her mind.
Arriving at Killian’s office, Teagan entered and shut the door behind her. “Care to fill me in?”
Killian stood and handed her a sheet with a picture at the top of a middle-aged man with dark hair and key details on the bottom of the paper. Her brother answered, “That man, Roarke Bell, is with Clan Wildheath. He was setting up a tent and campfire in the forest when one of our patrols found him.”
She raised an eyebrow and met her brother’s eyes. “He’s not clever, then. Why would the Wildheath leader bother sending him at all if he’s that inept?”
“Their leader, Padraig O’Leary, is older and showing it. The only way for him to win over someone twenty-odd years his junior is to cheat. No doubt Roarke Bell was sent here to watch you train, scout out the surrounding areas, and to find out what he could about Glenlough by watching our activities.”
“Has Bell mentioned anything about a contact inside Glenlough?” Teagan asked.
Killian shook his head. “No. We haven’t been able to get much out of him. You should visit Bell and see what you can find out.”
“I will. Afterward, I need to think if contacting Wildheath’s leader sooner or much later will be better in the long run. If I outright disqualify him for cheating, the other leaders will say I did it because I’m afraid I can’t win.”
Killian grunted. “They’re insecure arseholes.”
She snorted. “I won’t disagree, but if I offend their delicate male egos too quickly, then we could face years of challenges. Since I have no desire to be forced out through constant attacks, we’ll have to somewhat put up with their crap in the interim, at least until the trials are over.”
“Or we could just buy you a fake dick and you can wave it about when they arrive, since that’s all that matters to them.”
Her brother rarely made a wisecrack, but when he did, it was golden. She grinned. “I might save the dildo waving until I beat their arses.”
“Make it a silver-colored one.”
“Yes, that glints in the sun.” She sobered. “But I can’t do any of that if I don’t deal with our current prisoner and plan my response.” She handed back the sheet of paper. “I’ll let you know what I find out. And make sure to do extra patrols from now until the leadership challenge. I don’t want any spies to succeed in taking home an advantage.”
“Of course. The prisoner is in interrogation room one.”
Teagan turned and exited Killian’s office. She made it to the correct room but entered the viewing booth to one side of it first. One of the older Protectors, Lyall O’Dwyer, sat in a chair behind the desk overlooking the room. Through the two-way mirror, Teagan spied the stranger sitting in a chair. She looked to Lyall. “Anything new to tell me?”
“Not really, Teagan. He’s been sitting there fairly still, staring at a fixed point on the wall. If he hadn’t been found so easily, I would say he’s readying himself for your interrogation,” Lyall answered. “But that contradicts with his actions thus far.
Teagan studied the prisoner through the glass. He didn’t fidget, nor did anything show in his eyes. “Unless he wanted to be captured and brought inside the clan’s lands.”
“Aye, that could be it, too. Are you still going to talk with him?”
“Doing so might give away a bit more about me, but I don’t really have a choice.” She waved toward the small television screen, which showed the prisoner inside the room. “Just make sure to record our session. I may need to use it when talking with his clan leader later.”
“Got it.”
Teagan exited the observation booth and entered the interrogation room via the hall. At her presence, the male shifted his focus from the wall to her.
The picture Killian had shown her hadn’t captured the pure disdain shining in the man’s eyes. So much for him being controlled.
Or he hated the thought of a female leader that much.
Her beast growled. He probably uses fear to control females back home.
Perhaps, perhaps not. Now hush.
Thankfully Teagan had dealt with her fair share of arrogant arseholes. She pulled out a chair to a safe distance and flipped it around. Sitting down, she raised her brows. “If you have a mate, then she must either have unlimited patience or has a thing for jerks.”
“She follows tradition, unlike your self-absorbed arse.”
She propped her chin on her hands, which rested on the back of the chair. “You’re such a charmer. Too bad we don’t have time to share tea.”
The male narrowed his eyes. “I can’t wait for one of the males to beat you in the leadership trials and take control of your clan. Only a weak female leader would invite English dragon-shifters to her land, considering their betrayals over the centuries.”
Rolling her eyes, Teagan sat up. A traditionalist and a long-term grudge holder. “Yes, yes. I’m an abomination. I’m a traitor to all males. I’m only interested in myself. Blah, blah, blah. Anything else I forgot? I want to get all of the crap out of the way so I can learn why you’re here.”
“If you think flashing me a pretty smile is going to make me talk, then you’re even stupider than I’d guessed.”
Teagan extended a talon, stood, and closed the distance between them to press the sharp point against the male’s throat. “I was giving you a chance to talk without threats. Your clan leader would never know it, but sometimes violence isn’t necessary to solve a problem.” She pressed a little harder and the male visibly swallowed. “However, I’m not against using it to protect what’s mine. You trespassing on my land gives me the right to do as I see fit. Not even the DDA will interfere.”
He opened his mouth to say something but promptly closed it. Teagan smiled. “It seems you’re learning. Now, this stupid female already guessed you’re here to spy on me. Padraig O’Leary is getting on in age and can only win through cheating. I want to know what your purpose was for coming here. What, exactly, did he want to know?”
Silence stretched, so Teagan pressed hard enough to prick his skin. A few drops of blood rolled down his throat. She ran a finger to catch one and held it up to his face. “This is my last warning before I hand you over to someone who is a lot less polite about interrogations than me. Is there anything you want to share?”
The male stared at the blood on her fingers for a few seconds before he answered, “No. Killing me will only drive the other leaders harder to defeat you. If my death means preserving tradition, it will be worthwhile.”
Fucking patriarchal maniac, she murmured to her dragon.
In this one instance, I wish we followed old traditions. Then this male would be executed with pomp and circumstance.
As much as I’d like to see that, we can’t. The humans will never become our allies if we return to fear and violence to rule.
Her dragon huffed. I suppose.
Teagan focused back on the male. “It looks like we’re going to have to move you to someplace cozy, with a new flatmate. I’m sure he’ll be much quicker to extend a talon than me.”
Hatred flashed in his eyes. “Weak bitch. You will know your place soon enough.”
Not rising to the bait, Teagan turned and exited the room. Her dragon growled. If we were male, we’d be called strong and leader-like. But because we’re female, we’re a bitch.
Don’t let him get to you.
Are you sure I can’t drop him from a great height?
Not at the moment. But I never rule out all possibilities so early.
As she made her way back toward Killian’s office, Teagan resisted running a hand through her hair. She didn’t want to have her best interrogator work on the male and probably cause harm, but there was little choice.
Until some of the old traditions were shattered for good, she would have to follow some of the same tactics as the other clans to get her point across.
Bloody pointless violence. She needed to make the trials as challenging as ever to truly prove her worth. There was no fucking way she was going to repeat the process year after year, just to appease old-fashioned male egos.
She picked up her pace. There was much to do and Teagan didn’t give up easily. She would change Ireland for the better, even if it killed her.
And given that some of the clan leaders weren’t above killing her to get what they wanted, it just might.
~~~
As the sun sank low in the sky, Aaron headed toward Killian’s office. Every available Protector had done double duty, spending part of the day patrolling the areas surrounding the clan to look for trespassers. Since many humans came and went every day to visit Glenveagh National Park, where Glenlough was situated, it made the task that much more difficult, especially if a female human mate from one of the other clans had been sent to spy on them. It would be bloody difficult to spot her, if she existed.
His beast spoke up. Bloody stubborn arses. At this rate, we’ll never have time to help Teagan train.
She never promised to do it today, anyway.
Still, I want to race her in dragon form.
We’ll see her naked tonight. That should count for something.
Maybe.
He snorted at his dragon’s tone. Priorities, dragon, priorities.
You seem to think about her a lot.
It was one of the reasons Aaron had been glad of the extra duties; he could forget Teagan while he was distracted with work.
However, her smiling face flashed inside his mind for the hundredth time. He shouldn’t care, but he kept wondering what she had done for the day. Maybe he could help her with something.
His beast huffed. We will find out soon enough. Besides, we need to make sure she eats properly.
Of course we will.
Thankfully he reached Killian’s office so Aaron’s beast couldn’t reply. Aaron knocked on the door, and Killian’s muffled voice said, “Come in.”
Aaron entered to find Killian sitting at his desk and an unfamiliar male sitting across from him. Killian motioned toward the fair-haired male who was probably a few years older than Aaron. “This is Colm MacDermot. He’s helping with planning the leadership challenges.”
Colm smiled. “Nice to meet you, Aaron.” He looked to Killian. “I should be going anyway. I still have lessons to prep for tomorrow.”
Colm took his leave. When they were alone, Killian spoke up again. “Did your team find anything?”
“No, but there must be another reason you wanted to see me since we already reported our findings, or lack thereof, not that long ago.”
“There is.” Killian leaned back in his chair and placed his hands on the armrests. “Why did you leave my sister’s house late last night?”
Shit. He’d been seen. “She’s a grown woman. It’s none of your business.”
“As her brother and head Protector, it is most definitely my business. She can’t afford to be distracted right now.”
Aaron decided to screw it and be forthright. “Everyone in your family keeps claiming to be protecting Teagan, yet you do so behind her back. Why don’t you fucking sit down and talk with her? You might learn something that way.”
Killian rose and closed the distance between them. “You being here is a privilege. I can send you back to Stonefire tomorrow.”
A few days ago, Aaron would’ve jumped at the chance to return to England. But he wasn’t ready to go back just yet. “Try it and I’ll appeal to Teagan. She can then decide my fate.”
Teagan’s voice filled the room. “Why do I need to decide anything? You two look about ready to go a few rounds. Maybe we should schedule some training time together. Male bonding and all that. Beating each other to a pulp should make you best friends.”
Aaron turned to look at Teagan, and it took everything he had not to rush up to her and kiss her. With her hair dancing around her shoulders and amusement dancing in her eyes, she was so fucking beautiful.
She cocked an eyebrow and Aaron focused back on the situation. He motioned toward Killian and then to her. “Ask your brother. Maybe he won’t chicken out and will actually talk with you.”
Teagan met her brother’s gaze. “What’s going on, Killian? I leave for a few minutes and all hell breaks loose.”
Killian grunted. “I’m just trying to protect both you and the clan.”
“What’s going on?” she demanded.
Killian waved toward Aaron. “I saw him leave your cottage late last night. I was trying to figure out why.”
She shrugged. “He lost a few challenges and now is paying up his debt by cooking me supper. He’ll be at my cottage fairly often.”
His dragon perked up at that remark, but Aaron focused on the conversation at hand. Killian sighed. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? I know you want the alliance with Stonefire to work out, but we know little about him.”
“I’m standing right here,” Aaron drawled.
Killian met his gaze. “I’m aware.”
The urge to punch Killian coursed through his body, but Teagan’s voice prevented him from doing something stupid. “Now, now, boys. I think you are going to train together tomorrow. I can’t afford any in-fighting for the next few weeks.”
Aaron felt about ten years old. Teagan was trying to keep her clan together, and he was throwing a fit. “There’s no need for special training. I’ll be nice if he is.”
Killian looked between Teagan and Aaron. “Is there something going on between you two? Because if so, I need to know so I can prepare for the repercussions.”
Teagan rolled her eyes. “If me having Aaron in my cottage to cook for me causes a scandal, I’ll handle it. Speaking of which”—she took out a key and tossed it at Aaron—“get started on supper whilst I finish up here.”
Killian scowled. “Teagan—”
“Just stop, Killian. I need my head Protector right now, not my brother.”
Before coming to Glenlough, Aaron would’ve made a crack and flipped off Killian. But not wanting to create unnecessary work for Teagan, he merely headed for the door. “Don’t be too late because I’m going to eat with or without you.”
“Then let’s hope another spy doesn’t show up at our front gates or you might have to start a delivery service. Killian might need some food, too. You wouldn’t want us to starve and lose focus, now would you?”
He could feel Killian’s eyes on him, but Aaron ignored him. “That wasn’t part of our terms. If you want an extra portion, then it’s going to cost extra.”
Her pupils flashed. He wondered if her dragon was thinking of ways to tip him.
Killian’s deep voice garnered his attention. “I’m fine. We have lots to discuss, Teagan. Send your cook on his way.”
Aaron did meet Killian’s gaze then. Unfortunately the bastard’s expression was neutral so he couldn’t tell if Killian was planning how to murder him or not.
Teagan waved toward the door. “I’ll update you if I’m going to be late.”
Not giving Killian a chance to speak again, Aaron exited the room and strode briskly down the hall. His dragon spoke up. Make something light. I want to spend most of the time naked and inside her.
Patience, dragon. I’d rather she unload her day and come to bed relaxed and curious.
His beast huffed. But it’s our turn. I want her hands and mouth on our cock.
The image of Teagan’s hot lips brushing the tip of his dick flashed into his mind. Stop it. I’m not about to spend the next two or three hours with a hard-on.
It’ll motivate you to see things my way.
His response was to toss his beast into a mental prison. While his dragon thumped and attempted to escape, it held.
Maybe this way he could actually talk with Teagan over dinner. If he focused on her, then he wouldn’t have to talk about himself. He’d revealed more than enough the night before.
Besides, he’d noticed the tightness around her eyes. Something had happened and he wanted to know what.