Dinner was oddly festive. The storm had slackened to an intermittent rain, but the ocean still heaved wildly. No one but another water fada would come out in this weather, and Nic’s dragon could handle anyone who dared invade his caverns. With Cassidy and Rianna safe for now, he could relax. Cassidy was coolly polite, but he could tell her fear had eased as well.

The other three men clearly enjoyed having the females around. In fact, Nic wasn’t sure who they enjoyed more—Cassidy or Rianna. Now that the pup’s shyness had worn off, she chattered happily to whoever would listen.

Ben had prepared a big meal to welcome their guests. Marlin handed out cups of wine to the adults, with water for Rianna; and they sat on stools around the firepit, gorging themselves on striped bass, biscuits still warm from the pan, and salad tossed with walnuts and goat cheese.

“We have a herd of goats on the island,” Ben explained to their guests. “They’re wild, but I’ve convinced them to let me milk them in exchange for a few pounds of hay in the winter.”

Rianna bounded off her stool and around the firepit to Ben. “Can I help feed the goats? Please?”

“Sure, honey-bear.” He smiled down at her. “Tomorrow, after the storm passes, I’ll take you up top to show you.”

Cassidy made a small, negative movement, and Ben said, “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure no one is within a mile of the island when I do.”

“Most of the time I have a bit of warning that they’re close,” Cassidy said, “but a couple of times, they were almost on top of us before I sensed anything.”

The men nodded. Magical Gifts could be erratic.

As usual, Joe had said little, but now he rose and headed for his room, returning with a fuzzy white hat with felt horns. “Here.” He handed it to Rianna. “Wear that. If anyone sees you, they’ll think you’re a little goat.”

“Thank you, Mister Joe.” Rianna beamed and clapped it on her head.

Nic quirked a brow. “Where in Hades did that come from?”

Joe shrugged. “Found it on Anacapa.” He named one of the Channel Islands. “Figured it might come in handy someday.”

Rianna dropped on all fours and bleated, to everyone’s amusement. She clowned around until Cassidy took both their plates and set them in the sink.

“Bedtime, alanna.”

“You two go ahead and get ready,” Nic said. “I’ll be in later.”

Cassidy nodded. Rianna gave a big yawn, and then insisted on kissing all of the men. Nic held his breath as she touched petal-soft lips to his cheek.

She chuckled. “You’re whiskery, Mister Nic.”

He rubbed his chin with a rueful grin. “I have to shave.”

Cassidy took her hand and the two headed down the left tunnel to his quarters. He frowned at Cassidy’s limp—why wasn’t the wound healing? But fae-inflicted injuries could be tricky.

Marlin waited until they heard the door to his quarters click shut, and then shook his head. “You left that behind?”

The other two men murmured agreement, even the normally silent Joe.

Nic scowled. “Was I wrong? Now I have a daughter being hunted by the fae.”

“But you left your mate behind to face it. Dude, I know dragons are cold, but you’re fucking ice.”

“Damn it, this wasn’t supposed to happen. I didn’t accept the mate bond.”

“You’re saying she got pregnant with your pup without the bond?”

“Yeah. At least I think so. Hell, I don’t know.” Nic rubbed his chest. He knew he’d screwed up—he didn’t need Marlin to point it out. “Look, let’s talk strategy. I’ll deal with Cassidy.”

“Sure, man.” The dreadlocked shifter smirked. “But you better prepare to grovel.”

They rose to clear the dishes. Joe had rigged up a system where they washed the metal plates and utensils in ocean water and then rinsed them with fresh water before placing them on a dish rack to dry. That done, they took their cups of wine to look out at the dark water sucking in and out of the exit tunnel.

“Fucking fae.” Marlin narrowed his eyes in the direction of the mainland. “No way in hell will they get close enough to hurt that little girl—or Cassidy. We’ll make sure of it.”

“Thank you.” Nic looked round at the other men. Their faces mirrored his determination, and he knew that they’d die protecting Cassidy and Rianna. “And I’d do the same for you.”

“We know you would,” Marlin replied. “We’re clan.”

Nic shook his head like he had every other time Marlin had said that. Then he dragged his friend into a hug. “We are.”

He gave Ben a hug, too, and he and Joe shook hands.

Marlin grinned. “This calls for a toast. And none of that wine.” He pulled up a twelve-pack of beer dangling in the water to chill, and handed them each a can.

Setting their cups on the cavern floor, they lifted the cans in a toast to each other and then drank.

The four of them turned as one to gaze out at the water swelling in and out of the cavern again. “We could use a fae ward,” Nic said.

Marlin took a thoughtful sip of beer. “Or even a look-away spell.”

Fada couldn’t create their own wards and spells, so had to buy them from the fae. Wards didn’t come cheap—and dealing with the fae was tricky—so Nic hadn’t seen the need. No clan wanted to claim this arid piece of rock so far offshore, and even if they had, one look at Nic’s dragon and they’d have left in a hurry.

“I can start patrolling now,” Joe offered.

“No. The storm’s still enough to keep them away.” Nic scrubbed a hand over his lower face. “But I wish I knew if they have a fada tracker with them. Cassidy seems to think they’re all fae, but then how come she couldn’t lose them?”

“Good question,” Marlin said.

Joe finished his beer and got his ukulele from a hook on the wall. Taking a seat beside the firepit, he strummed a cheerful Hawaiian song at odds with his grim expression. The three of them drifted over and took seats around the fire again.

When the song was over, Joe spoke as if there had been no interruption. “We should search her and her backpack. They could’ve planted a tracking device on her.”

Cassidy appeared in the dining hall in time to hear him. She was ready for bed in baggy gray sweat shorts, colorful patterned socks on her narrow feet, and Nic’s wool sweater over her T-shirt. He wondered—hoped—that she wanted to be wrapped in his scent.

“I thought of that,” she said. “I’ve gone over everything multiple times—the rucksack, our bodies, even Rianna’s ragdoll. We’re clean.”

“Then how are they following you?” Nic asked.

“I wish I knew.” She rubbed her upper arms. “But they’re still on my trail. I can feel it.”