by Rinelle Grey
Brad did his best to look nonchalant as he shrugged. “It appears you know more than I do.”
The inspector gave a disbelieving grunt. “We have a record of you showing up at the Mungaloo pub with a woman less than an hour after the shots were recorded. A woman with…” he shuffled his papers again, and Brad hoped the noise hid the sound of his pounding heart, “…blue hair and strangely pale skin? We have a few records of you being with her actually. At the pub, buying a carseat, and then finally, at a house on Stephen Street, where you punched a man.”
By now, Brad was pretty sure there was no way the inspector could miss the pounding of his guilty heart. They knew everything.
How was he going to get out of this?
The inspector didn’t let up with his questions. It was almost like he didn’t expected Brad to answer, because he only waited a few seconds before saying, “We have suggestions that the woman is a dragon. And the baby too. Is it yours?”
The thunder of Brad’s heart made it hard to breathe and the blood rushing in his ears made it hard to think. He needed to say something clever, find some way to turn the conversation back on them, but his mind was blank.
“What on earth makes you think she’s a dragon?” Nate asked, his voice containing just a touch of scorn. “Just because she has blue hair? We have hundreds of people with blue hair in Sydney. Surely the colour of someone’s hair doesn’t indicate they’re a dragon?”
The inspector turned to him with a frown. “Were you at the pub too?”
“No, I was driving up from Sydney at the time, but…”
“Then stay quiet, you’ll have a chance to tell your story in a minute,” Inspector Williams said firmly.
Nate subsided, though from the mutinous look on his face, he wasn’t happy about it.
But his brother’s interruption had bought Brad enough time to calm himself a little. Enough time to consider the inspector’s question. He couldn’t risk lying, they knew too much, but nor could he tell them the truth and give them more rope to hang him with. What he needed was to buy time…
The answer hit him, so obvious, he wasn’t sure how he’d missed it until now.
“I think it’s time I spoke to my lawyer,” he said firmly, his voice holding a tone of confidence and command that made even the inspector sit up a little.
The inspector regarded him for a moment, his lips pursed. He wasn’t pleased. But would he accede to the request? Brad was pretty sure he had to, that it was well within his rights to request a lawyer. Australia couldn’t be that different to America, could it?
He tried to stare back at the inspector as though he had nothing to hide, all the while being aware of the bond to Lyrian, pulling him back towards the lair. He was half afraid that the inspector would sense it somehow, even though he knew that was impossible.
He needed to get out of this so that he could get back to her. Back to his family. Back to his clan. The urgency of his need filled him for a moment, blotting out all else. Brad forced himself to take a quiet breath so he could look at the inspector in front of him with a semblance of calm.
“Of course,” Detective Inspector Williams said, his voice suddenly conciliatory. “First thing in the morning. I’m afraid none are available at the moment, they’re all closed. But I’m sure you must realise we have quite a situation on our hands, and it’s urgent we figure out what is going on. We don’t intend these dragons any harm, we just need to know where they are so we can keep an eye on them.” He even gave Brad a smile, though the expression didn’t reach all the way up to his eyes.
Brad could understand the situation the police were in, even feel sympathy for it. They were way over their heads, and just trying to figure out how to protect everyone. But that didn’t mean he had any intention of putting his family or clan at risk.
“I thought you already knew where the dragons were? There were a whole heap of police out at that mountain on the television. I saw it as I came in.”
Detective Inspector Williams’ eyes narrowed. “That’s only one lair. There are two.”
So they knew that much. Had Ultrima talked? If so, how much had he given away? He knew exactly where the Rian lair was. Had he told the police that?
If he had, why would they be asking him?
“I think I’ll wait for my lawyer,” he repeated firmly.
The inspector turned to Nate. “How about you? We don’t have any reason to hold you. If you’ll just answer a few questions, you can be on your way.”
Nate didn’t even waver. “I think I’ll wait for a lawyer too.”
The inspector stared at them for a moment, then heaved a dramatic sigh. “Look, I want to help both of you, but you’re making it difficult. We get that there is a lot going on here. No one expected dragons to suddenly appear in the world, and we’re prepared to overlook a few indiscretions if you’ll just help us out. These creatures are dangerous, and we need to know what we’re up against so that we can keep people safe. Surely you want that as much as we do?”
His voice and words were reasonable. Brad might even have agreed with him a few days ago.
“No one is under any threat from Rian clan,” he said quietly. “They just want to be left alone to live their lives in peace.”
For the first time, Detective Inspector Williams gave a genuine smile. “See, that wasn’t so hard,” he encouraged. “Now how about you tell us where they are? They’re out at the wave rock where we found you, aren’t they?”
Brad’s heart pounded. He’d said too much. Given away too much. All this would be in vain if the police found out where the lair was.
He took a deep breath. He needed to stay calm if he was to have any chance of convincing the police of his story. “No, we told you the truth about the wave rock. Mostly anyway. Although we weren’t trying to get a photo of the dragon. We were chasing it away from our clan.”
“I might just believe your story,” Detective Inspector Williams said, “if you follow it up with the location of the lair.”
Which was just what Brad couldn’t do. “Why do you want to know?” he demanded. Maybe, just maybe, he could get some answers out of the police in return. If not, at least he could stall a little longer. If only he could figure out how to get word to Rian clan, to warn them at the very least.
“We just want to keep an eye on them,” the inspector insisted. “Make sure they’re not threatening Mungaloo. We don’t want to hurt them. The leader of the other clan is cooperating with us, maybe the leader of this one can too.”
It all seemed so reasonable, on the surface.
In Brad’s previously ordered world, he would have trusted the police, told them everything he knew, and believed they would do the right thing.
But in his ordered world, something as unexpected as dragons would never have existed. That changed everything. People were scared, and that meant he couldn’t trust them.
He needed to do everything he could to keep the location of Rian lair a secret as long as he could. “You really just want to talk to them?” Brad asked. “You’re not going to arrest them all too?”
“Of course not,” the inspector said, his voice cheery. “Where would we put all those dragons anyway?”
Brad tried to look uncertain. It wasn’t too hard, he was uncertain. Just not about telling them where the lair was
“There’s a road out of town, running near a creek. If you follow the creek along, there’s a cave. They’re in there.”
That should be suitably vague enough to keep them searching for a while, shouldn’t it?
The inspector looked pleased, at least. “Thanks, gentlemen. You’ve been most helpful. If your story checks out.”
“Are you going to let us go then?” Brad said, though truthfully, he didn’t hold out much hope.
How was he going to warn Lyrian and Rian clan that they had only a very short time to get out of there?
“Not yet,” the inspector said. “But cooperating is a good start.”
He stood up
and waved to the officer still standing near the wall. “Senior Constable Lyons, can you show these two men to a room?”
Brad’s heart pounded. They fact that they’d been granted a reprieve did little to alleviate his panic. Once the police realised he’d sent them on a while goose chase, he’d be in exactly the same situation again. Worse actually, because he was pretty sure lying to the police would get him in a lot more trouble than he was already in.
And once they realised he’d been lying, the police would return to wave rock to search there again.
How was he going to warn Lyrian?
Chapter 40
Lyrian was too caught up in the feeling of loss that had pervaded her mind since Brad had left to really pay much attention to what all the other dragons were saying.
Their conversation was pointless anyway. The comments about how this was all Brad’s fault, the praises of his bravery in sacrificing himself for the clan’s greater good, none of them meant anything at all.
How could they, when Brad had left her?
Anger and helplessness welled up in her, the intensity of the emotions making it hard to breathe. Or maybe that was the tears that kept trying to fall, that she choked back. She wouldn’t cry. She couldn’t cry.
Because if she started, she wasn’t sure if she could stop.
She’d been so happy only a few hours ago, when Brad had agreed to mate with her. So amazed at the fact that he’d decided to spend the rest of his life with her and Anarian instead of returning to America.
Now he was gone anyway.
She knew he had done it because he thought it was the right thing to do, but she couldn’t believe that. Him not being here would never feel right to her.
Somehow, the hole in her heart felt even bigger than it would have if he’d left to return to his home. Maybe because then she could have at least imagined him being happy. Probably because she’d had a taste of how wonderful that life could be, then had it ripped away from her.
One voice finally broke through Lyrian’s misery.
“I’ll call my boss, he’s a lawyer and he’s already offered to represent the dragons if there’s anything he can do,” Lisa said firmly. “I’m sure he can get Brad out of there.”
“Do you think so?” Lyrian asked, hardly daring to hope.
She caught the look Verrian shot his mate, and Taurian’s frown, and her heart sank again.
Lisa though, didn’t look deterred. “If anyone can, Barry Hutchinson can,” she said firmly.
“I’m not sure it’s that simple,” Taurian said slowly.
Lyrian swung around and stared at her brother. “What do you mean, not that simple? Are you saying we should just give Brad up? Not even try to get him back? Weren’t you the one convincing me to mate with him just a few hours ago? Why would you do that if you didn’t want him to be part of our clan?”
A thought occurred to her, and she blurted it out before she even had time to consider it. “Did you encourage Brad to leave, or help distract me while he did?” Her voice shook, and a matching tremor ran through her arms and legs.
It was an effort to hold back the tears. To pretend to be cool, calm, and collected, as her clan expected her to be. Brad leaving had broken her trust in the world, and even in her brothers. And she couldn’t even find it in herself to care.
Taurian frowned. “Are you accusing me of lying? Of encouraging your mate to leave?” His voice thundered. “Why would I do that? Have I done anything but support you since you arrived?”
Lyrian stared at her brother. Of course he hadn’t. But if Brad could just walk out like that, how could she trust anyone?
Even her brother.
“If you didn’t help him leave, then why aren’t you suggesting we do all we can to help him now? That implies that you think we should just give up and let the police have him.” Her voice shook on the last words, the possibility too horrible to even consider.
Taurian’s voice softened. “I’m not saying that. I want to bring Brad back to our clan as much as you do. I’m just saying that this is bigger than your mate. Bigger than just helping one person.”
He looked around the clan, and Lyrian could see all of them hanging onto his words. “The fact of the matter is, our existence is no longer a secret. The humans know dragons exist. And while Brad and his brother have bought us some time, that’s all this is. Eventually, we’re going to have to find a way to deal with the humans, once and for all. And we need this time Brad has given us to do that.”
The finality in his voice sent a chill down Lyrian’s spine.
She didn’t want to hear it. Most certainly didn’t want it to be true.
Taurian looked at her as though he could hear the doubts in her mind, and said softly, “I know this is hard for you Lyrian, but you need to think of your clan, of your position as princess, not just of your mate. If we don’t use this time wisely, then Brad’s sacrifice will be in vain.”
Lyrian didn’t want to be a princess and put her clan first. She wanted to transform into a dragon, rush down to the police station, and demand that they return her mate. Immediately.
But despite her emotional turmoil, she couldn’t deny that Taurian was right. Too much was at stake. Too much had happened in the last few weeks, both before and after her return to the clan, for things to just go on as they had.
“What are we going to do?” she asked in a whisper, for once not caring that her clan was seeing her uncertainty.
She didn’t want to know that this was bigger than her. Bigger than Brad. Bigger than them being together. She had hoped to spend a few days, at least, with her mate, before having to face all this.
She didn’t want to believe that Taurian was right.
Even though she knew he was.
Brad had bought them time. Time to figure out what they needed to do next. But that didn’t mean they had to ignore him while they figured it out.
Taurian stepped forwards, a ready answer on his lips. “Our best chance of a favourable outcome for the dragons is if we present a unified front. If the humans see us at war with the Trima dragons, then they are going to assume we are a warlike people. If we can make peace, and approach them together, then I think both clans stand a better chance of finding a solution with the humans.”
His words made so much sense. Even if they did seem impossible right now.
Two days ago, Lyrian had thought their war with the Trima dragons was the biggest challenge her clan had to face. Now that seemed insignificant compared to finding a way to convince the humans to accept the existence of dragons.
Then again, perhaps this was just the thing to bring the warring clans together?
Lyrian couldn’t help a grudging admiration that her brother, her youngest brother, was taking over with so much confidence. And he was doing an excellent job of it.
Then again, it wasn’t his mate that had been taken by the police.
She felt lost and alone. Even in the midst of her family.
Her mate’s absence hurt even more than her family’s absence had.
Which was why she needed to do something about getting him back. “Calling Lisa’s boss and asking him to see if he can help Brad does not prevent us making peace with the Trima clan. In fact…” an idea hit her as she spoke, an idea so surprising she had to pause to consider it for a few moments before continuing, “Perhaps Lisa’s boss can help Ultrima too? Surely that would improve relations between our clans?”
Taurian stared at her. In fact, everyone was staring at her.
Lyrian stared back defiantly. “What? It seems like the perfect opportunity to put him in our debt.”
“You could be onto something,” Taurian said musingly.
Lyrian looked around for Ostrian, sure he would be the one to object, but the elder was strangely absent. Where was he, and what was he up to? Probably no good, if she knew Ostrian.
But right now, his absence helped her. No one else voiced any objection to her suggestion, so Lisa reached into her pock
et, then grimaced. “I don’t have my phone. Can I borrow yours?” She turned to Karla.
Taurian’s mate nodded and handed a phone over. “Yours probably wouldn’t have worked out here anyway. I bought a satellite adapter for mine.”
Lisa nodded, and dialled. “I’ll call Barry. Lucky I have his home number.”
Still, Lyrian was on edge as she listened to the one sided conversation that started out with Lisa sounding apologetic. She breathed a sigh of relief when Lisa said, “Thanks, Barry, and keep us informed.”
Lisa hung up and turned back to the others with a smile. “Well, now that that’s taken care of, what next?”
“Next we continue making plans to wake Sarian,” Taurian said firmly. “That’s what we were going before the human police showed up, and it’s our best plan now. Without knowing Sarian’s wishes, we can’t possibly know how to approach Ultrima, or whether it is, in fact, possible to make peace with the Trima clan.”
He was right, of course. Waking Sarian was the best course of action.
Lyrian reluctantly let go of the urge to rush to the police station and rescue Brad, though she did keep it in the back of her mind in case Lisa’s boss couldn’t help Brad, and turned her focus to a problem she could solve. “Right, we need a team. I’ll go of course, and I suggest we keep numbers small. Another two dragons should be enough to come with me.”
Taurian put a hand on her shoulder. “First, you need a rest,” he said firmly.
“There’s no time to rest,” Lyrian said immediately. “You said yourself, waking Sarian is best done under the cover of darkness.”
“There are plenty more hours of darkness,” Taurian insisted. “And you don’t just have yourself to care for, you need to consider Anarian too. If you collapse from exhaustion, what happens to your baby?”
Lyrian didn’t want to hear it. Didn’t want to admit that his words made sense.
She was sure there was no way she could sleep. She was too keyed up.
And she missed Brad far too much.
They should be falling asleep in each other’s arms after a night of thorough mating. Not separated. Definitely not worried for each other.