Melanie frowned. “You knew something about dragon-shifters that Bram didn’t?”
She nodded. “Yes, and if you ever stop interrogating me, I want to propose working with you on the launch of your book. My knowledge concerning British law alone is worth a lot to you.”
The two women glanced at each other. Evie knew these two had had months to get to know each other, but she hated being the outsider yet again. Except for her one dragon-shifter obsessed friend, Evie had been pretty much alone for the last seven years.
Most humans didn’t like to associate with a known DDA employee. Talk shows and conspiracy blogs had convinced too many people that dragons liked to pick off the DDA employees; associating with one would make you a target as well.
Add all of that to the recent targeting of DDA employees by the dragon hunters, and, yeah, people weren’t exactly lining up to be her best friend.
Melanie was the first to speak again. “Let’s try this again. I think my mate’s behavior is rubbing off on me, and I need to tone that shit down. Just let me say this—if you hurt Bram, I won’t forgive you. He sacrifices a lot for the well-being of the clan, and while I think he likes you now, I don’t want him to suffer in the long run.”
Staring at the other woman, Evie decided her best chance at eventual acceptance was to start over. Even if her connection to Bram was new, she already felt protective of him. Maybe explaining that would ease Mel’s worries. “Look, from what I’ve seen of Bram so far, he’s a strong, funny and clever dragonman. As long as he doesn’t betray me or break my heart, I won’t do the same to him. After all, he’s taking on a lot more than just a mate with me.”
Mel frowned. “That’s a bit cryptic. Care to explain what you mean?”
Honesty, Evie. Keep at it. After all, these people will soon be your clan too. “The dragon hunters want to kill me. Bram is mating me to protect me. In exchange, I’m offering him information. Since even Arabella was interested in my information, I can only imagine your whole clan would like my insider knowledge.”
Samira interjected, “Arabella? You met her already?”
Evie nodded. “She was sent to babysit me last night. I only managed to type out the information about the dragon hunters, but she absorbed every word.”
Melanie sighed. “Of course she would.” She waved a hand in dismissal. “I’ll talk with Ara later since she’s supposed to attend tonight’s dinner. She might very well be planning something daft, such as going after the dragon hunters alone.”
Evie frowned. “I might talk with her too. Taking on the dragon hunters by herself is bloody idiotic. We need to make sure that doesn’t happen. After all, there are other ways to go after them, ways that will sully the hunters in the eyes of the human public.”
Mel nodded. “I agree. She might be my sister-in-law, but Arabella doesn’t necessarily listen to me. The more people watching Arabella, the better.” Melanie paused a second, then added, “Ara keeps her distance, but persistence pays off in the end. She could use more friends. I hope you give her a chance.”
In one way, at least, Arabella MacLeod was like her. “She’s clever and doesn’t beat around the bush. We should get along fine.” She looked from Mel to Samira and back. “Right, I think we’d better start with dressing me up. I’m not a smart dresser, so you two are going to have to help me with the hair and such.”
Samira smiled and placed a hand on her back. “I live with two males, so I take any excuse I can get to dress up another female.”
Evie gave Samira a wary glance. “Just don’t go overboard.”
Samira pressed against her back, urging her to walk. “Don’t worry, dragon-shifter traditional dress is quite simple, really.”
Evie resisted a sigh. “Yes, I know, but the dresses are like half an outfit. Is there a way to cover up some of my skin? Bram doesn’t need the distraction.”
Mel beat Samira to a reply. “Even with some kind of unique leotard underneath, he’d still be distracted. Dragon-shifter males love to see their females in the traditional style. Just wait until you get the mating band with his name engraved on it. That’ll really turn him on.”
Rather than comment on the far-off look Melanie had in her eye, no doubt she was thinking of her own mate’s reactions, she turned toward Samira. “I don’t want fifty bobby pins in my hair with enough hairspray to coat an entire room. Do something simple.”
Nodding with an evil glint in her eye, Samira replied, “Simple. Yes, Bram will like that.”
She sighed. While she’d had a few boyfriends ove
r the years, she’d never taken hours to get ready. Make-up made her face itch, for one, and heels made her trip.
Before she could tell them Bram preferred her natural, Samira and Mel discussed all the ways they could do her hair with less than ten bobby pins. The style names went over her head.
Still, as the two other women talked, a sense of peace came over Evie. She wasn’t naive enough to believe these two women were now her best friends, but just spending time with other humans was nice. At the rate she’d been making tentative friendships, Evie would soon have more friends than she’d made during her entire life. Being dragon-obsessed was starting to pay off.
Chapter Two
Arabella MacLeod took one last look in the mirror and wished breaking it would erase the image in the reflection. While she’d had ten years to grow accustomed to the scars on her face or the pink, crinkly healed burns along her neck, shoulder, and arm, most of the clan had barely learned to stomach her face.
Yet Bram was making her attend the fucking gathering despite her wishes. Any excuses she’d thought of had been shot down. If she wouldn’t meet the Scottish leader in private, then she’d have to do it during the gathering. She was Stonefire’s best tech expert, and Bram wanted things to run smoothly, as well as securely, with their fragile new alliance with Lochguard.
Fine. She could meet with the leader at a gathering. A room full of people would help stave off her memories. They might even help keep her episodes at bay. But the gathering was formal attire, which meant wearing half a bloody dress.