“Why?”
He resisted tightening his grip around his human and instead leaned into her warm curves to keep his anger concerning the dragon hunters in check. The contact worked. “The Carlisle branch of dragon hunters will torture, abuse, and sometimes even rape a dragon-shifter before draining it of blood. The problem is, young dragon-shifter blood won’t cure anything. They would either keep the young male until he was an adult, subjecting him to years of abuse, or kill him and sell his scales, teeth, and talons to the highest bidder.”
“People still buy those things?”
Only because of Melanie’s presence next did him did he keep his anger from his voice when he answered, “Yes.”
She shuddered and he squeezed her in reassurance. Mel said, “Why didn’t you wait for back-up? That seems like the most logical thing to do.”
Yes, his human was clever. “Because if the Carlisle hunters had moved Miles to one of their secret locations, we might never have found him. There wasn’t time to call for back-up, so despite my lack of training, Kai and Zain asked for my help and I couldn’t say no when one of our young’s lives was at stake.”
“Of course you couldn’t.” Melanie laid her head on top of his. “So how did you get your injury?”
He grimaced and moved a hand to cover Melanie’s lower abdomen. As much as he didn’t want to admit his mistake, the mother of his child deserved to hear the truth. He said, “I was doing a sweep of their compound from the air while Kai and Zain did it on foot in their human forms. Normally, there’s a certain height you can fly and avoid getting attacked by the hunters. But I didn’t count on the Carlisle group having a newly developed weapon that could take a dragon out of the sky. It wasn’t a missile, but more like a long-range laser that can slice through dragon scales. I wasn’t quick enough to dodge it.”
The memory of him being hit followed by the burning pain that had nearly taken him out of the sky rushed back and he tried not to wince. The new weapon was going to cause the dragon-shifters a lot of trouble in the future unless they could find a way to protect against it.
Melanie snuggled into his side and he leaned in to her touch. The reminder of his warm female banished the painful memory.
Since his human was being a little too quiet, he said, “Are you okay? Is the baby making you nauseous again?”
“No. I’m just trying to contain my anger. How could the British government allow those poachers to still exist? Between the torture, rape, and now anti-dragon lasers, you think they would take care of it.”
Her concern for his people warmed his heart.
He stroked her cheek. “If you’re going to live with Stonefire, then you should know that until public opinion changes, the government will barely give a fuck about you and they care even less about the dragon-shifters. That includes our child.”
~~~
Melanie was doing a pretty good job at keeping her temper in check. She’d known that the dragon hunters were bad, but Tristan was starting to give her a more complete picture of the day-to-day threat they posed to the dragon-shifters. What kind of person could torture and abuse a defenseless teenager?
Not only that, but hearing that the British government wouldn’t help protect her baby because it was half dragon-shifter was the last straw. She needed to do something to change the status quo, and she might just have a way to do it.
She half-sat up and looked down at Tristan. “If Bram gives me a chance, I think I can change public opinion.”
He frowned. “How do you plan to do that?”
Well, here goes. “I was being sincere when I mentioned to the children about wanting to write a book about the dragon-shifters. Now more than ever I think humans need something to help them move dragon-shifters from the ‘abstract’ to the ‘very real’.”
He stroked her hip as he said, “I don’t doubt for a second that you could write a bloody fantastic book that would help us. After all, you managed to convince both me and my sister that not all humans are bad. But are you aware of the risks? The anti-dragon factions are quite brutal and will make you their number one target. Once that happens, it’ll be near impossible for you to go off our land for quite some time.”
The thought of never visiting Manchester’s city center or the wilds of Scotland again made her heart ache, but she pushed it aside. The only thing she’d truly miss was her family, but maybe with time, Bram would allow them to visit, especially if they were targeted because of her efforts to help the clan.
She ran her hand up and down her dragonman’s chest, needing the combination of his familiar hardness and heat to ease some of her worry. She finally replied, “If that’s what it takes to ensure better treatment for my child, then so be it.”
He squeezed her hip. “You are bloody amazing, Melanie Hall.”
She smiled and blushed. She wasn’t used to such praise from Tristan. “Does that mean you’ll help me pitch the idea to Bram?”
“Pitch it? Hell, I’ll tie him down if I have to. It’s a brilliant idea and definitely merits a chance.”
She full on grinned. “I’d like to see you try. Bram’s quite dominant, you know.”
He cupped her cheek and strummed his warm, rough finger against her skin. “For you, my little human, I’d chance it.”
Tears prickled her eyes. Melanie had always been the champion of others. From the kids picked on at school, to her brother, to even Caitriona Belmont here on Stonefire’s lands. Yet she’d never really had anyone want to champion and stand by her. The fact that her broody, alpha dragonman was willing to risk his clan leader’s ire meant the world to her. For the first time in her life, she was beginning to think she might have someone to stand at her side and help her fight her battles. Someone to both encourage her and give her the truth when she needed to hear it. Someone to laugh or cry with when it came to her failures or successes.
And that person was the stubborn dragon-shifter lying next to her.
He had mentioned wanting to “keep” her, but in reality, she wanted to keep him.
Without thinking, she blurted out, “I love you, Tristan MacLeod.”
His finger stilled on his cheek and she wondered if she had made a mistake. But Tristan rose up to kiss her and say, “Good. Then you’re staying.”
It wasn’t exactly the romantic words you’d find in a movie, but considering her dragon-shifter, she didn’t really expect it. However, she’d be lying to herself if she didn’t admit to feeling a little vulnerable and exposed by her admission and his lack of response.
But she had faith that maybe one day he’d come to love her too.
For now, she at least knew she would be able to stay with him and get to experience this nicer, teasing version of Tristan. Considering the uncertainty of her future, she would relish whatever she could take from life. She would make the next seven or eight months count.
Rather than think of dying, she just wanted to lie in the warmth and safety of her dragonman’s arms.
Mel lay down, careful not to touch the opposite shoulder with his injury, and nuzzled into his chest. “Yes, I’m staying and we can talk about that more later. Right now, I’m exhausted and would love nothing more than for you to hold me close and sleep with me.”
His voice rumbled under her ear. “That I can do.”
He wrapped his arms around her and Mel let out a sigh. This was where she belonged, with Tristan MacLeod and his clan. She looked forward to him being hale and hearty so that he could give her some great “let’s celebrate life” sex.
But as she breathed in the spicy male scent that was Tristan, she felt her eyelids growing heavy. There was a hell of a lot to think about and plan for, but without realizing it, she fell into a deep sleep next to the man she loved.
Chapter Six
Melanie tried to sit down on the couch in the living room, but after about thirty seconds, she stood up and started pacing again. Tristan should be home from the hospital any time now, and she was a little nervous.
She
wasn’t worried about him acting differently now that he was healthy. Nor was she concerned about them trying to feel each other out as they tried to establish a daily, somewhat normal life. She’d spent most of the last week and a half in his company, and she was more in love with him than ever. Sure, he could still be alpha and broody, and he never gave up an argument without a fight, but that was just part of who he was. Besides, life would be pretty boring if he suddenly started “yes, dear”-ing everything she suggested.
But in between her visits to Tristan, Samira, Cait and even Arabella, she’d been working on a surprise for her dragonman. Bram had even helped her without hesitation to gather what she needed to pull it off.
Now all she had to do was wait for Tristan to get his ass home.
Her stomach flipped and she took a second to breathe in and out. She was not going to get sick. Not right now, not today. Behave, dragon baby. Daddy’s coming home. Let’s make it a sick-free day. Yes?
She didn’t expect the tiny bean inside her uterus to listen to her, but it made her feel better all the same.
A few crackers and some water later, and she went back to pacing.
When the front door finally opened, she moved to stand a few feet from it. Tristan’s tall, dark-haired self appeared in the doorway and she smiled up at him. “Hi.”
Without a word, he moved inside the cottage, shut the door, and pulled her up against him. “As much as I love hearing your strange American-slash-slightly-British accent, I want more than that as a greeting.”
She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What in the world could you possibly want?”
He growled. “This.”
And he kissed her.
She opened and welcomed him into her mouth. As she twirled and stroked against his hot, warm tongue, she leaned even more against him. But when his hands snaked under her silky tank top and stroked her skin, she pulled away.
Tristan growled. “The doctor cleared me. Wild sex in the forest will have to wait, but I’ve spent all week thinking of the many different ways I want to fuck you. I’m tired of only having you in my fantasies.” Then his expression relaxed and took on a hint of worry. “Unless the baby is giving you trouble? Do you need to sit down? A drink of water? Some tea?”
She smiled at his concern. “The baby is behaving. For now, at least.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
She cupped his cheek. “Nothing is wrong, but before we have hot, earth-shattering sex, I have a surprise for you.”
His eyes flickered to slits and back. “A surprise?”
She laughed. “I knew that would get your dragon’s attention. Samira told me how dragons love surprises.”
He grunted and she found it endearing.
She patted against his chest and pushed. He let her walk free and she retrieved the large, blue box from the coffee table. She turned toward him and took a fortifying breath. This was it. There was no turning back after this, but she didn’t care. This was what she wanted.
She took a step toward Tristan and said, “My very first night here, at the First Kiss ceremony, your dragon sensed I was your mate.” He looked curious, but nodded. Of course he would choose now to not interrupt her and let her talk. She took a deep breath and continued, “In the rare cases when a dragon-shifter finds his mate, it is not guaranteed that the male or female will accept the claim. I could walk away if I so choose, and you would have to let me go.”
He frowned. “Yes, but—”
She interrupted him, afraid she’d lose her nerve. “Let me finish, Tristan.” He nodded and she said, “I know it’s only been about a month since we first met, and we’ve both been through hell and back, but as much as your dragon is possessive as hell about me, I’m starting to feel pretty possessive myself when it comes to you.”
The corner of his mouth ticked up. “Is that so?”
She resisted the urge to tease him. She needed to get the words out. “Yes. And I want to make my claim official.”
A flicker of longing flashed in Tristan’s eyes, giving her the courage to open the box and say, “I accept your mate claim, Tristan MacLeod. Will you accept mine?”
He moved in front of her. “Will I? You bloody woman, do you even have to ask?”
“Hey, be nice. You haven’t even looked at the arm cuffs. I went through a lot of trouble to get them engraved.”
~~~
When Melanie had opened the box to reveal a pair of traditional dragon-shifter mate bands, Tristan’s dragon had roared inside his head at the same time as happiness had flooded his body.
He could hardly believe it. Melanie wanted to be his mate.
All he wanted to do was take the box from her hands and toss it aside so he could kiss her and hopefully fuck her, but the frown on her face was adorable. Combined with his inner beast’s dying curiosity—dragons really did like surprises—he couldn’t resist looking down at the open box to get a better look.
Inside were two silver arm cuffs. One was larger and meant for him, while the other was more feminine. On his larger cuff was engraved, “Melanie’s” in the dragon-language. His name was similarly engraved on hers.
Tristan had never imagined he would wear a human female’s name on his arm, but now he couldn’t picture anything else. Melanie Hall was his, and soon would be forever.
He traced the designs on the bands. In addition to the names written in the dragon language, they were also engraved with the bold, thick lines similar to Stonefire’s chosen tattoo markings. The clan’s silversmith, Dylan, must’ve made them. How Melanie had convinced Dylan to engrave these so quickly, he’d never know. But then his mate was always a force to be reckoned with.
She’d gone to such lengths to honor his people’s traditions, and it touched both the man and the beast. For a split second, he wondered if he deserved her, but then his dragon said, Of course. She is ours and we are hers.
Aware that he’d been quiet for a while, he decided to find out how his human had known how to propose a mating. He looked up. “How did you know what to do? Since we only wear mating bands to celebrations and special events, their existence isn’t common knowledge.”
She lifted her chin and he resisted a smile at her sass. “You’d better start thinking more of my intelligence and resourcefulness, Tristan MacLeod, or I may just take the arm cuffs back.”
A possessive streak roared through him. He wanted, no needed, to put his name on her arm. “No, love. I won’t allow it. You’ve offered the mate claim to me and I’m taking it.” He removed the band meant for him and snaked it around his tattoo-free bicep. It was snug, but not uncomfortable, which was fine considering it was only for special occasions.
His dragon crooned at having their mate’s name around his arm. The other males will leave her alone now. She belongs to us.
More like we belong to her, he said to his dragon and his beast didn’t disagree with that.
He removed the cuff meant for her and motioned toward her arm. “Melanie Hall, will you do the honor of becoming my mate?”
Her irritation eased and she lowered the box. “Of course, Tristan. Despite your moments, I love you.”
She’d said those words to him once before, when he’d first woken up from his injury, and he’d yearned every day to hear them again. When she hadn’t said them, he’d wondered if she’d only said them to him because of his nearly dying.
But now neither of them was dying, and she’d said it so matter-of-factly that he knew it in his heart to be true. He felt the same, but had been waiting for the right time to tell her. He wanted her to know his feelings and not think it was simply out of gratitude for her saving his life.
Now was the time, and he couldn’t hold back his feeling any longer. He said, “Good, because I love you too and a dragon-shifter in love is a force to be reckoned with.”
Her breath caught. “Say it again.”
He took the box from her hands and tossed it on the ground. “I love you, woman.” He took her arm and sna
ked on the band. Then he traced his name on her arm before looking her in the eye. “Should I tell you the reasons why?”
She nodded and his dragon hummed. It’s about time she knows how we feel. Tell her nicely. It will make her happy, and our mate should always be happy.
Ignoring his smug dragon, Tristan traced her brow with a finger. “I admire your cleverness and wit.” He moved his hand down and traced her breast through her thin shirt, loving the fact she wasn’t wearing a bra. Her nipple hardened under his touch. “I love every curve and valley of your body.” He then moved his hand to her back and traced up and down her spine. “And I will always cherish your backbone and stubbornness, no matter how many gray hairs it might give me.”
She slapped him lightly on the chest and he captured her hand with his own. He squeezed her fingers and said, “I love everything about you, Melanie Hall, and I will do everything within my power to make you happy.” She raised an eyebrow at that and he grinned. “Okay, almost everything. I’m a stubborn bastard at times and it’ll show through. But I don’t think you want it any other way.”
She smiled and moved her free hand up behind his neck. “No, I love you just the way you are. Now shut up and kiss me.”
Tristan growled. He didn’t need any more prodding and he took Melanie’s lips in a rough kiss.
~~~
Because of her pregnancy hormones, Tristan’s words had nearly made her cry. Rather than suffer the embarrassment, she’d taken the easy out and told him to kiss her.
As his lips nibbled hers before sweeping inside of her mouth, she was glad for choosing the silky tank top and skirt. His heat easily seeped into her skin, and she instantly went wet.
Tristan growled and she broke the kiss to whisper, “Do you want to know a secret?”
“What? Hurry up as my dragon is thinking of nothing but ripping your clothes off and fucking you. Hard.”
Sacrificed to the Dragon: Complete Boxed Set (Parts #1-4) Page 18