“Dead,” Amara repeated as she spun around to confront Minach’s gaze. Nausea crept through her belly with the sudden realization that her worries about their trip were justified.

“What the hell did you say?” the Dragon shifter asked the young woman behind the counter. “When did this happen? How?”

“They found him a week ago,” she replied, her voice as thin and fragile as a gossamer thread. “That is, my sister found him, to be precise. He’d been murdered. We buried him two days ago, down by the shore.”

Amara watched as Minach inhaled a deep breath through his nostrils, assessing the woman’s fear level. “You’re a shifter,” he said, his tone cold and hard.

Of course she was. Submissive, wide-eyed, frightened like a nervous dog confronting its Alpha. Amara knew the look all too well. This woman had Wolf in her, and no doubt she was feeling very intimidated by the power of Minach’s Dragon.

The cashier nodded. “Yes, sir, I am,” she said, her lips trembling.

“Your sister and Duncan— had they bonded?”

She nodded again. “Yes, they’d been together for a few years. She’s devastated, needless to say. We all are. He’s protected our pack for so long…” Her voice had all but broken by now. Shoulders heaving with quiet sobs, she stopped short of completing the sentence.

So, the Dragon shifter had served as a guardian of the village and its inhabitants. A rogue taking on the role of Alpha Wolf, watching over his adopted pack.

“Can you take us to your sister, or tell us where she is?” Minach asked.

The woman swallowed, trying to regain control of her vocal cords. “She’s in her house just down the street. Number seventeen. She’s been very upset, keeping to herself since the burial, though I check in on her daily. It was horrible. The whole thing was…”

“What’s your sister’s name?” Minach interrupted, his tone brusk. “Quickly, now. We don’t have all damned day to chat.”

“Caitlin. Her name is Caitlin.”

“Thank you,” said Amara, shooting Minach a reproachful look before they made their way outside.

“You didn’t need to be so abrupt with that poor thing,” she said as they padded towards the stone house a few buildings away. “You could see how frightened she was. Her Wolf didn’t know what to make of you.”

“Bah, she’s used to it. Submissive shifters expect that sort of talk from strong males. Females too, for that matter.”

“Bullshit. That’s like saying that a woman should expect to be hit by a man because he’s more physically powerful than she is.”

Minach stopped in his tracks and turned her way. “It is nothing of the sort,” he snarled defensively. “That woman is part animal, and her animal wants to be dominated. It’s in her fucking DNA.”

“I’m part Wolf, Minach. Will you speak to me as though I’m weak if I ever shift again? Will you treat me like your subordinate because my shifter is weaker than yours?”

“No, of course not.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re…you’re…different. You’re my equal, Amara.”

The Enlightened’s chest swelled with some strange emotion in spite of her irritation. Never had she expected to hear such words from Minach. She knew that he respected her, but to be called an equal by a Dragon shifter was nothing short of a shock.

“Good, because if you ever talk to me like that I’ll walk out and never speak to you again. That’s a promise.”

“I know.” Minach reached an arm out, his fingers suspended in the air as though he was about to lay them gently on her cheek. He pulled back, slipping his hand into his pocket and muttering some unintelligible words as he continued on his way.

Amara smiled. One battle down. No doubt many more to come.

“If the Dragon is dead, the hunt for the Relic could well be over,” Minach said when she’d caught up with him. Changing the subject, no doubt to explain away his dark mood. “I don’t know of another Dragon descended from the line of Earth. We’re potentially screwed, you realize.”

“I told you that I had a bad feeling,” said Amara. “This may well be the reason for it. But all isn’t lost, not yet. Even though my vision is cloudy, something tells me we’ll get some answers from Duncan’s mate. She may be the key to our search.”

“Do you think she might have killed him?” Minach asked. As soon as he’d spoken, he shook his head in answer to his own question. “No, of course not. We still don’t know who took Kliev’s life, but it seems unlikely that a Wolf shifter from a small town in Cornwall is running about slaughtering Dragons.”

“I agree. She’s not our killer. But remember, she bonded with the Dragon of Earth. That makes her a valuable asset.”

They’d arrived in front of number seventeen by now. Minach rapped his fist on the door a little harder than he should have, eliciting a look of warning from Amara. “She’s in mourning,” she hissed. “She and her Wolf will be upset, and the last thing she needs is an aggressive Dragon shifter beating down her door.”

“You’re probably right,” he said as he backed away and waited for the door to open.

A moment later a smallish, thin woman was standing before them in the doorway. Her hair was light brown, long and straight. Her eyes were oddly large but rather beautiful. Pale blue, their whites a little pink from exhaustion or sorrow. She wore an oversized cotton sweater—no doubt her mate’s—over black leggings, her feet left bare.

“Yes?” she said, eyeing Amara before fixing her eyes on Minach. As soon as the woman took in the Dragon shifter, Amara noticed her expression altering. Instead of cowering as her sister had done, her eyes went a little brighter, her posture straightening so that she seemed suddenly taller. Amara knew that look all too well; her Wolf had awoken, interested and curious.

“Are you Caitlin?” she asked in a soft tone.

“Yes, that’s me. Who are you?” she inquired. Her eyes were still focused on Minach, a strangely inappropriate glimmer of excitement in her expression.

“We’re sorry to disturb you,” Amara continued. “Your sister told us we could find you here.”

“Emma sent you?”

“We’ve come to ask about Duncan,” Minach shot out without ceremony, apparently forgetting Amara’s warning to treat the woman gently.

“You’re a Dragon shifter,” Caitlin replied slowly, stating fact more than asking a question. “Like him. I smell it on you.”

“I am,” he replied. “This is Amara, and my name is Minach. We’ve come from London and we’d like to talk to you.”

“May we come in?” asked Amara.

The woman stepped back and gestured for them to enter. They eased over the threshold to find themselves walking into a warm country cottage. Hardwood floors underfoot, low ceilings criss-crossed with dark wooden beams that were just high enough to allow Minach to walk without slouching.

Caitlin closed the door and followed them through the small house into the kitchen.

“Have a seat,” she said, and they pulled rickety wooden chairs up to the table. It was only when Amara turned to face their host, who was now leaning back against the counter, that she noticed the roundness of Caitlin’s belly under the loose-fitting sweater.

“Oh, God. You’re pregnant,” she blurted out, immediately regretting her lack of tact. Minach was contagious, apparently.

Caitlin nodded, her mouth creasing into a trembling frown. She’d not only lost her mate, but the father of her unborn child. Of course she was having trouble holding back the tears.

“I’m so sorry for what’s happened,” Amara added. “For your loss, and for your child’s.”

“Thank you. I only wish I knew who did it to him. He was such a good man.” Once again, Caitlin was staring at Minach, her eyes growing simultaneously lighter and brighter, alive with the shifter inside her. Amara got the distinct impression that Caitlin’s Wolf found him alluring, interesting. Well, it was no wonder; Minach was beyond handsome, and would attract any woman, especially one so vulnerable as a young, pregnant widow. But of course she was more than that; she was a future den mother looking out for her unborn pup. No doubt instinct was telling the Wolf that Minach might be a suitable replacement for Duncan.

If Caitlin were human, of course, the thought would have been horrifying; no woman should seek out a mate so soon after hers has passed. But Wolves didn’t concern themselves with social taboos. Her déor’s instincts told her to protect her child and to look for a new leader for the pack.

Minach seemed oblivious to the young woman’s attentions. Some part of Amara was pleased to see that his Dragon wasn’t reacting to Caitlin’s Wolf. Much as she’d told herself a million times that Minach would be better off with someone other than her, the idea of watching him develop any sort of attachment to another woman in front of her eyes was too painful to consider.

“What happened to your mate?” Minach asked.

“Someone cut his throat,” Caitlin replied, her eyes moving to her hands for the first time. They were playing with the seam of her sweater, pulling at a loose thread. “But there was more to it than just that.”

Amara and Minach exchanged a knowing glance before the Dragon shifter spoke again. “Tell us,” he said.

“It was so strange. There were…markings on his body afterwards. The veins had turned black in his neck and face, like there was ink in his bloodstream.”

“The Assassin’s poison,” Amara murmured. “Same as Kliev.”

“You think he was poisoned?” Caitlin shot her gaze towards Amara, her eyes huge with surprise. “Why would anyone poison a man whose throat they’d cut? It doesn’t make sense.”

“No, it doesn’t. Not entirely,” Amara agreed. Unless someone was trying to ensure that he wouldn’t survive his wound.

“Listen Caitlin,” Minach interjected, “we came here to find Duncan, but since he’s not here, in his absence we need your help.” The Dragon shifter was all business, and apparently had no interest in the killer’s weapons of choice. “You have bonded with him, clearly.” He gestured to Caitlin’s belly.

She tucked her chin into her neck, looking down at the bump. “Yes.”

“Were you aware that your mate was one of the Kindred? A Dragon shifter of the highest order, born of the Line of Earth?”

“I…I knew he was of special lineage. He had a marking,” Caitlin said, nodding. “A birthmark that resembled a line of mountains on his upper back. After we bonded, I noticed a similar mark on my flesh.” She lifted her sweater to show them her rounded belly. A long line of mountain peaks stretched out on full display across her distended skin. The mark of Earth.

“Your mate left you with a great responsibility. I don’t know if you realize that,” Minach said.

“What do you mean, responsibility? There’s the baby, of course. I know he or she will take a lot of my time. Are you talking about something else?”

“Yes. I’m talking about the fact that you’re a Seeker.”

“Seeker?” the young woman asked. “What does that mean?”

“It means that you and Duncan were meant to find something very important together. You’ll have to do it without him, now that he’s dead.” Minach said the words as though she should have understood what the hell he was talking about. Of course she couldn’t know anything of the Guild’s ongoing hunt for the four Relics.

“I’m sorry, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Amara could see that Caitlin was growing frustrated. And no wonder; Minach’s lack of kindness wasn’t helping matters.

“It’s your job to find the Relic of Earth,” Minach continued. “One of four artifacts that belong by right to the Guild of Dragons. When assembled, they will provide those who possess them with great power.”

“Wait—what?” Caitlin stepped towards him, her voice altering to something closely resembling anger. The lightness in her eyes was fading, her human taking over to let her emotions fight their way past her Wolf’s calm aura of self-control. “Let me get this straight. You’ve come here to Cornwall to put me to work? My mate is fresh in the ground and you’re asking me to do favours for some Guild somewhere?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what we’re asking,” said Minach.

Amara shot him a dirty look before stepping in to attempt to put out the fire that he’d set like he was brandishing a damned flamethrower. “What Minach means is that the Seeker is very important,” she said. “She—or he—is someone who’s bonded with a Dragon shifter. Only the Seeker can locate the Relic, which is why you’re so crucial to us, Caitlin. Without you, we’ll never find the fourth. We’ll never be able to assemble them, and we’ll never be able to fight off threats to the Guild and to other shifters like your pack.”

“What if I say no?” Caitlin shot her through angry tears. “What if I tell you to go back to where you came from?”

“If you say no, then Duncan will have died in vain,” said Minach, his tone ice cold. “And his death will be on your shoulders.”

“Minach!” Amara scolded. He was being even more cruel than usual. It hurt to see him so frosty to a woman for whom he should have nothing but sympathy.

“It’s true, though,” he said, “harsh though it may sound. You, Caitlin, are the one hope for the Dragons’ Guild. The one hope of defeating the forces that mean to bring us down. Make no mistake, those same forces will take down your pack if you don’t help to defend them. So you can go ahead and send us away, or you can offer your help. Choose the first, and you will cause the downfall of many shifters. Whether you like it or not, you will have only yourself to blame for failing to abide by what has now become your duty.”

“Well, pardon me if I don’t much feel like helping you,” said Caitlin, slamming her body down hard on an empty chair. “I’m not going anywhere to look for mysterious rocks, not yet. I can’t.” Her eyes had darkened still more, her Wolf retreating as a surge of human emotion overtook her mind and heart.

“We understand,” Amara told her, rising to her feet. She slipped forward and crouched down next to the young woman’s chair. “We do know what you’re going through, believe it or not. We have both lost shifters close to us because of this war. What you’ve endured, losing the father of your child, is beyond imagining. We’re only trying to prevent it happening again. There are people out there…”

Caitlin met Amara’s eyes with an angry glare. “I know what’s out there,” she said. “I know of the Forsaken who roam around at night. Duncan protected everyone from them. He took them down, sometimes with my help. I learned to stalk them, to creep up slowly and take them out. But without him, we’ll all be killed. The covens are strong, and they’re relentless. They hunt us for sport. Our pack is half what it used to be. The only reason we’ve survived this long is because of my mate, and now he’s gone.”

“Then help us to take them all down,” Amara pleaded. “In return for your help, the Dragons will help protect this place, and so will I.”

“Excuse me?” shot Minach, his jaw falling open. “I don’t recall making such a promise.”

“You heard me,” Amara replied, narrowing her eyes in his direction. “It’s the least we can do for Caitlin and her pack.”

“I’ll think about it,” Caitlin replied, her tone settling a little. “We can talk tomorrow. For now, I need some rest.” With that, she lay a hand on her belly, tears welling in her eyes once again. “I don’t know how I’ll survive without a mate,” she said, the words coming like a low howl. The sound was inhuman, the sentiment that of her déor. Amara could feel Caitlin’s Wolf speaking through her; the poor creature must have felt deserted when she’d lost her mate. Duncan had been her Alpha, her everything, and now she was defenceless, as was her pack. Every instinct in her would be telling her to find a new protector.

“You’ll survive, I promise,” said Amara in a gentle voice before rising to her feet. “Listen, we’ll come find you tomorrow.”

She took Minach by the arm and silently guided him out of the house. As soon as they’d stepped outside and shut the door she began to walk away, turning her back on him immediately.

“Where are you going?” he asked, jogging to catch up.

“Away from you,” she growled. “I can’t believe you were so callous back there.”

“Callous? I’m trying to get a job done here,” he said.

She spun around to face him. “Well, you’re doing a piss-poor job of it, Minach. You need to learn one day that you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. You can’t treat people like shite and expect them to help you. She’s the Seeker, our one and only hope of finding the Relic. I was sent here to do a job, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t to babysit you and try to stop you from being a right prick.” Once again she turned and strode away.

“Amara, wait.” Chasing after her, Minach stuck out a long arm and grabbed her by the hand. A pulse of electricity shot through her that would normally have been beyond pleasant, but this time it almost hurt. It should have been a reminder of their closeness, their intimacy. A reminder of how it had felt the previous night to press herself into his hot, hard body. But just now, it was nothing more than a reminder of how cruel he could be.

Without remorse, he’d shown her his ugliest colours, proof that he was hard as rock inside. Maybe he was right when he told her that he was no good, for her or anyone. Of course, it was possible that a better woman than Amara could soothe the angry beast inside him. A soft-hearted shifter like Caitlin could be good for the surly Dragon man. If only Amara could stand the thought of encouraging such a union, she might have done it.

She kept her face turned away even as he moved around to look at her. “What did I do that was so awful?” he asked.

“You proved that you have no empathy, Minach,” she said, shaking her head slowly. “None. Can’t you see how hurt Caitlin is by her loss? How sad?”

“Of course I can. But I’m here to do a job. I’m not here to coddle silly young women.”

Amara’s eyes finally met his, bright with the reflection of the tears lining them. “She’s desperate for comfort. Would you think Lyre was silly if he lost Trix and it crushed him? Don’t you think he would be desperate too? Don’t you think he would be just as confused?”

Shame passed over Minach’s features but he quickly doused the emotion, covering it over with a scowl. “It’s not the same thing at all.”

“It’s exactly the same.” Amara pulled her hand free. “You just don’t see it because you don’t want to admit that you’re capable of kindness. You don’t want to admit that you have a heart like the rest of us, because you keep it under lock and key out of fear.”

Minach ground his jaw as Amara turned away again. “Wait.”

“What?”

“Can we go somewhere to talk?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No. You need to apologize to Caitlin. Go speak to her. Be nice. You may learn something from the experience. Meanwhile I’m going to go for a walk and try to forget what I just witnessed.”

With that she headed towards the centre of town, leaving Minach behind.