Page 65 of Seducing the Dragon
Neil didn’t so much as blink an eye at her question. “Clever human. I’m not sure how you found out about that piece of information, but it proves you might be more useful than the other DDA inspectors.”
Evie clenched her hand into a fist under the table; otherwise, she would punch the dragonman in the nose. “If you’ve been working with Simon Bourne this whole time then you know it’s only a matter of time before he discards you, too.”
Neil waved a hand in the air. “You know nothing of my deal with Bourne.” The dragonman leaned forward. “Now, enough chit chat. It’s time for you to answer some questions.” Evie opened her mouth to reply but Neil cut her off. “Don’t try tobargain or use your wits to outsmart me. You do anything daft and we’ll drain the other Protector. Her life is in your hands.”
She gritted her teeth. “What do you want?”
“You’re going to help me take down Bram Moore-Llewellyn.”
Un-bloody-likely.“And what makes you think I can do that?”
“Don’t play coy and waste my time. The only reason Bram would carry you to a secret hideout himself is that you mean something to him.” Neil’s nose scrunched up. “I reckon he wants to take you as his mate, not that I understand why he would choose a human female willingly.”
Yes, her urge to punch him was growing harder to resist.
Luckily, her time down south with Clan Skyhunter had prepared her for dealing with dragons of the arsehole variety. “Listen, we can waste time while you make your snide, passive-aggressive remarks, or we can get to the point. Take your choice.”
Neil’s jaw clenched and she resisted a smile. The dragonman said, “Only because I’m not allowed to kill you will I let that slide, human. Now, tell me the truth: Does Bram intend to take you as his mate?”
Since Neil knew about Bram taking her to the cave hideout, Bourne’s spies were probably everywhere. Lying would be pointless. The truth might just give her the time she needed. “Yes. But before you make a snide comment about how I stink or Bram must be desperate, tell me why you think Bram will trust me if I miraculously walk out of here and back to Stonefire?”
“Male dragon-shifters are careless when they think with their cocks.”
“Are you speaking from experience?”
Neil growled. “I’m the one who will ask the questions from here on out. Bram will trust you. That’s enough. So if you want the other captured dragon to live, you’ll cooperate. Understand?”
Evie didn’t want to make a blanket promise, but she was running out of ways to stall. The dragonman’s eyes had flashed to slits a few times. If she wasn’t careful, she would provoke the inner beast. Unlike Bram, she didn’t think Neil would restrain himself. There was a lot he could do without killing her.
She was about to wing it when a light started flashing in the corner, near the ceiling.
Neil stood. “Fuck, there’s been a breach.” He looked at Evie. “No doubt, it’s your dragonman. Stand up. You’re coming with me.”
While waiting earlier, Evie had inspected the boarded-up windows, hoping to find an escape route. While they were sealed up tight, maybe, just maybe, if there were dragons flying around outside they could scent Neil. They would be looking for any dragon-shifter inside the building. If she could make some noise to signal her location, it might speed along her and Neil’s discovery.
It wasn’t like she had the strength of a dragon-shifter to punch out the wood covering the windows. The chairs, however, were old and of the four-legged metal variety rather than the newer roller chairs every office in Britain sported these days. She could lift one and make as much noise as possible.
Decision made, Evie stood. As Neil reached for her, she dashed to the end of the conference table, picked up the plastic back of the chair, and hurled it at the nearest window with every iota of strength she possessed. The board held, but a large smack reverberated through the air.Please, oh, please, let that attract their attention.
In the next instant, Neil had her arms behind her back. He tugged and she drew in a breath at the pain radiating from her wrists and shoulders. Neil said, “You’re trapped, human. Pull a stunt like that again, and I’ll knock you unconscious.”
Her heart thundered in her chest. Not because of the fear of the dragonman behind her, but rather she waited to see if her last ditch effort would save her.
Yet as Neil maneuvered her out the door of the conference room, her hope faded.Damn it.She’d failed. The remaining Protector was most certainly going to die because of her actions. Not to mention Murray’s future would be as a prisoner in a cell.
Bram, where are you?Just because Evie was used to taking care of herself didn’t mean she didn’t need help. She was definitely in over her head. The instant she gave up her faith in Bram, it would be game over.
Neil dragged her to the end of the hallway when a loud crash sounded behind them. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw a large, gold dragon staring straight at them. The conference room behind him was gone. The dragon was holding on to the edge of the remaining floor with his talons.
Neil pushed her forward, forcing her head to turn back around. Then she heard the faint crackling sound she’d heard before, when Bram had shifted. A male voice shouted, “Running won’t help you now, laddie.”
It was Finlay Stewart.
He whistled and another dragon crashed in front of them. If many more dragons made the same entrance, the building would collapse.
The red dragon snarled and Evie hoped it was intended for Neil and not her.
Neil extended and pressed a half-talon against her throat and said, “Fly away, mates, or I kill the human.”
