Page 66 of Lahaina Noon

Baltrus’ face darkened in anger. “Insolent whelp!” he snarled. “You strut in here as disrespectful as ever. Your time in the ‘real world’ as you call it has not changed you at all. I suggest we throw him in the dungeon and leave him there.”

Bridget choked back a laugh. Dungeons? Did she miss traveling in time or something?

“Oh, Balty, always so quick to throw everyone in the dungeon, really get with the times. Today’s equivalent would be to take away his cell phone,” said the icy blonde beauty at the end. Her accent and high cheekbones hinted at Vikings in her family tree. She pierced Vaughn with her cold stare. “I would like to hear what our little errant child has been up to all this time.”

Baltrus snorted smoke in her direction. “Of course you would, Hilde, but you know he’s taken a mate. Your plans to sink your claws into him won’t work this time.”

Bridget narrowed her eyes at the woman who apparently wanted a piece of her man.

“Children!” croaked a wizened old man who looked like he’d been sitting in his chair since the dawn of time. He had a decidedly Asianappearance, and Bridget wondered if he was the man in charge since he appeared so much older than the others. “Mind your tongues. We have company. Let us be kind and offer them a welcome.” He turned to Vaughn, “Master Drake, please, do be seated and tell us of your life. What are you doing to occupy yourself these days.”

Vaughn nodded respectfully and sat. “Thank you, Master Wu. It is wonderful to see you again.” Vaughn began to recount his time in America and finished by describing his many companies and holdings.

The other Council members who had yet to speak nodded along, murmuring to each other. The other woman, with pale skin and silvery blonde hair, reminding Bridget of Killian, caught her eye, winking. Bridget took that as a good sign that not all were against Vaughn.

“Enough of this nonsense!” bellowed Baltrus. “What of the reason he was summoned? He broke the terms of our agreement. He must receive judgment for what he has done.”

Wu sighed. “Yes, Baltrus, that is one of the reasons he was brought back, but by all means, let us proceed before we make you late for your afternoon nap.”

Baltrus growled and Hilde smirked. The silver-headed woman laughed quietly while the last man, whose face was obscured by a hood, remained impassive.

Bridget studied him.Really,she thought,so clichéd. A hood? A mysterious figure?The hood turned slightly in her direction as if in response to her thoughts. Bridget swallowed. Vaughn had told her no other dragon could read her thoughts, but she decided not to take any chances and locked her snark up tight. She pictured shoving a fuzzybeast into a large chest, locking it and sitting on it.Hope that works,she imagined dusting her hands.

“Council, respectfully, I beg you to listen. When first you laid terms upon me, I was young, angry and full of rage. I could not foresee a future in which there would ever be a woman that could love me, and that I could love more than life in return. It took many decades before I was able to see that I was worthy of that. That there was more to me than rage. I have become wiser in my years, and I finally found peace and the one that fate has made for me. I beg you, please reconsider your demands. Although I did knowingly break one, I did so in the name of healing my soul. She has completed me and made me an even kinder, gentler man.” He bowed and went down on his knee, showing a penitent posture.

Bridget had tears in her eyes for this amazing man. She hoped with all her heart the council was moved and would forgive him.

“Well, isn’t that lovely?” Baltrus slowly clapped. “Look at him there, bowing, as if our opinion matters. We know your game, Drake. You knew you violated the agreement, but you drove ahead anyway, showing you have learned nothing.”

Vaughn stayed down on his knees, vibrating in anger.

Baltrus opened his mouth to continue, but Wu held up a staying hand. He looked at Bridget and motioned her forward.

She stepped alongside Vaughn and unconsciously reached out a shaking hand, resting her fingertips on his shoulder.

His mind was a swirling mass of anger close to the surface. She tried to push calm into him, and to her surprise, it worked.

He turned his head and nuzzled her wrist, placing a kiss over her pulse point.

Wu nodded, and the silver-haired woman clapped and smiled. “See how she calms him,” she called out. “I think a mate is exactly what he needed, and we were foolish to impose such a restriction on him.”

Bridget liked this woman and smiled at her.

They heard an angry growl, and everyone turned to Hilde. She was glaring at Bridget and, between clenched teeth, yelled, “Show. Us. Your. Mark.”

Chapter 37

Not this shit again,Bridget thought to Vaughn.

He was now standing by her side, growling quietly at Hilde. All eyes were on Bridget.

Hilde smirked and stated, “If she has truly mastered this beast that you all seem to fear, she should be able to prove it easily enough.”

Bridget knew they were afraid of him, but really, they were acting as if he planned to take down the whole dragon race. Maybe that’s exactly what they feared.

He squeezed her hand in encouragement as she started to step forward, but he held her back.Channel me,he urged her.

What?she demanded, looking at him sharply.Last time I did that, I short circuited the elevators in your building for two hours.

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