Chapter 13
“We need to be ready to evacuate,” Lyrian insisted. Taurian just wasn’t listening. Her fire dragon brother was as impulsive as she was, except once he made up his mind on something, he refused to budge.
“Lyrian’s right,” Verrian tried. “If the humans try to force their way into the lair, we’ll have no other option.”
“We can fight them,” Taurian said stubbornly. “They won’t be prepared for us, and they can’t see as well as we can in the dark. I’m sure we can hold them off.”
“Sure, until they return with bigger weapons,” Karla said sarcastically. “Come on, Taurian, you know this isn’t an option.”
Taurian folded his arms and glared at them. “I won’t give up our home. It’s ours, and we have a right to defend it.”
“That right is useless if we’re all dead,” Lyrian said firmly. “I’m not putting my daughter at risk for your pride.”
The argument was going round and round in circles, and had been for the last ten minutes. Anarian had finished feeding and was fussing now. She needed a clean nappy, but Lyrian couldn’t do it right now.
She looked around for Brad, hoping he could take care of it.
But he was gone.
A nervous feeling rose in the pit of her stomach. How long had he been gone? She searched her mind, realising that he had said nothing for almost the whole argument.
Her dragon sense told her he was some distance away. What was he doing?
It hit her with a suddenness that left her reeling. “Brad’s going out to the police,” she blurted out.
Everyone stopped to stare at her, then around the room, noting Brad’s absence. They all came to the same conclusion she did.
“Quick, we can get to the tunnel exit before he does,” Verrian said, heading for the doorway.
“It’s too late,” Lyrian said, her voice hollow. “He’s already outside.”
“How on earth did he find the exit so quickly?” Taurian asked, answering his own question before she could. “Ostrian. It had to be. When I get my hands on that old dragon…”
Lyrian wasn’t listening. If the police hadn’t seen Brad yet, there was still time to change his mind.
“Brad?” she said into his mind.
There was silence for a long moment, and Lyrian held her breath. She knew he’d heard her, she could feel the connection between them, as strong as ever.
“I’m sorry, Lyrian. I know you didn’t want me to leave, but I had to do it. You and Anarian mean everything to me. You understand that, don’t you?”
Tears pricked at the back of Lyrian’s eyes. She understood it only too well. She’d do the same thing in a heartbeat if Anarian were in danger.
“But Taurian’s plan could have worked,” she insisted. But it was a weak protest.
She knew, deep in her heart, that Brad was right. She just didn’t want to admit it.
“It wasn’t fast enough,” Brad said gently. “By the time the Trima life dragon arrived, it would be too late. Once the police know where you are, they’re not going to let it go. You’re powerful and dangerous, and the fact that you’re different scares them. They’re going to react by lashing out, and I can’t bear that.”
“But…” Lyrian knew protesting was useless, she did it anyway. “It’s not even your problem. You’re a human, not even Australian. Why do you have to be the one to fix it?”
“Because I love you. Because you and Anarian are my life. Because this is the one thing I can do to keep you safe. Please let me.”
Lyrian was crying now, big gulping sobs, tears running down her face. Brad’s words made her heart ache. They made her love him even more.
They made this even harder.
Luckily, her dragon voice wasn’t affected by her physical tears. “I love you too, Brad,” she said, her voice only shaking a little. “And I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, this included. Thank you.”
Taurian held her in his arms, and Karla patted her back awkwardly. Lyrian was glad she had her family to support her, although she couldn’t help thinking that she’d give it all up if it meant she could have her mate back.
*****
Brad knew it was hard on Lyrian. He could hear the tears in her voice, even though she tried to hide them. He tried to comfort himself with the fact that she had her family to comfort her.
It didn’t really help.
The only thing that did help was knowing that this was the only option.
That was what enabled him to step out of the bush, and wave to the police standing around in the clearing.
His heart was thumping in his chest, and he was glad that his brother stood by his side.
Dogs barked frantically and rushed over to the pair, the police following.
“Are you the owners of these cars?” Brad didn’t recognise the police officer. He wasn’t one of the ones he’d already had dealings with. That would probably come in handy.
Brad nodded and waved to the blackened ute. “Yes, this one’s mine, and that one’s my brother’s.”
“What were you doing out here, and what happened to your car?” the man demanded.
Brad took a deep breath. This was it. The moment of truth. Could he convince the police that this was a wild goose chase? Could he get them to leave and return to Mungaloo?
“That’s a long story, and one I’m not sure you’re going to believe,” he said slowly.
“Try me.”
“Well, there was this… dragon, you see…” Brad forced a wince, faking the fear that the police officer wouldn’t believe him.
He really wasn’t in the last bit surprised when the man just frowned. “Go on.”
“Well, we were chasing it, see. It flew out here, and we were sure its lair must be nearby somewhere. But it just lifted up, over those cliffs, and flew off into the distance. I think it brought us here deliberately, knowing we wouldn’t be able to drive up there.”
“What happened to your car.”
“It… well, you’re probably not going to believe it, but the damn thing breathed lightning on me. Really strange. I thought dragons were supposed to breathe fire. Then again, I didn’t think they existed until yesterday.”
That elicited a barking laugh from the police officer. “What were you doing wandering around? The cars have been here since the middle of the day. Where have you been?”
“Lost,” Nate said promptly.
Brad nodded. “We were looking for a way around, seeing if we could chase after the dragon, but we got hopelessly lost. We only just found our way back to the cars.”
Brad held his breath. Was it going to work? Would their story convince the police to abandon their chase?
“And you haven’t seen any more dragons around here?” the officer asked eventually.
Brad shook his head. “Not a one. That one was heading back to the mountain, you know, where all the police are. I think it only lured us here to lose us. Devious dragon.”
The man frowned. “I’m going to need to ask you to come down to the station, to answer some questions.”
Brad nodded. He’d expected that.
He watched as the man waved his hand around and barked a few orders. Two other officers drove Brad and Nate’s cars, and they were escorted to a waiting police car. As they drove off, he could hear the helicopter lifting into the sky.
He’d done it. He’d saved Lyrian.
Pity he’d had to leave to do it.
The End
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She may not be a dragon, but it was her humanity they needed right now.
With time running out before his clan’s prince is discovered by mining or killed by enemy dragons, dragon shifter Jayrian needs to convince the elders to accept help from the humans. He hopes that the clever librarian, Gretchen, might be able to help him with that. He didn’t count on falling for her—that wasn’t part of his plan at all.
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