No. With a deep inhale, she pushed aside her fears and mustered up her DDA inspector persona. She needed to be strong not only for herself, but also for the others. If she showed worry, the rest of the clan would no doubt echo it.
Raising her chin and straightening her shoulders, Evie barked, “Clear the area. If someone’s hurt, we don’t want Dr. Sid wasting time to push you lot out of the way.”
The various clan members glanced at her. For a split second, she hesitated, but then remembered no one in the crowd would hurt her. Unlike with Clan Skyhunter, Evie had special protections. The clan members would never hurt their leader’s mate.
Right, Evie. Be the hardass inspector. You can do it. On the next exhalation, she raised an eyebrow and made a shooing motion with her hands. When the dragon-shifters created a pathway, she let out her breath.
Dr. Sid squeezed her arm as she rushed past. As soon as the black dragon laid the basket on the ground, Bram stood up with a naked woman in his arms.
“Bram,” Evie whispered. Her dragonman met her eyes and the world stilled around her.
Even at a distance, his pale blue eyes were filled with sadness. Glancing toward the woman in his arms, she saw it was Charlie.
Aware of the clan’s eyes on her, Evie made her way quickly but efficiently toward the basket. By the time she reached it, a male dragon-shifter had also approac
hed the basket. Bram’s gaze moved to the dragonman. She heard him say, “I’m sorry, Hudson. It was too late. The hunters were cruel, but your mate died fighting to the end. The entire clan will remember her sacrifice and forever honor her service. She will not be forgotten.”
The dragonman took Charlie’s limp body from Bram and hugged her close. His eyes were wet and voice scratchy when he said, “Thank you for bringing her back to us. Now we can give her a proper goodbye.”
Evie’s throat closed at the sight of the dragonman holding his dead mate. Evie would also look after Charlie’s family. After all, the dragonwoman had been captured protecting her.
Bram nodded and the dragonman walked away with Charlie in his arms.
Then Bram looked at her and she stopped breathing. She was torn between scolding him for taking so long to return and pulling him close to kiss him until they both lost their breaths.
Before she could so much as blink, let alone make a decision, Bram leaned over, picked her up, and placed her in the basket with him. He pulled her flush against his hard body and whispered, “Evie, love. You’re alive.”
And then he kissed her.
Chapter Eight
Bram had given in to his dragon’s need, hauled Evie’s soft body up against his, and not caring who saw, he kissed her.
As he seamed her lips with his tongue, she opened and he devoured her mouth with hard, strong strokes. He’d seen the anger in her eyes and he was determined to make her forgive him. An argument would fire his blood and as much as he wanted to take his mate hard and fast, he didn’t have the time.
No, he’d merely have to placate her with his tongue.
As he continued to explore her mouth and squeeze her soft curves against his body, her arms finally wrapped around his chest and hugged him tightly, never surrendering her mouth to him.
The lass had forgiven him.
His dragon roared. The kiss is not enough. I need to feel her skin. The frenzy is becoming harder to control.
Sensing his dragon’s tension, he roamed Evie’s body with his hands. He cupped her face with one hand and placed his other on her arse. He squeezed her large, squishy arse cheek, wishing he could mold and shape her soft skin without any barriers. But as his dragon roared again to take their mate to safety and claim her, Bram caressed Evie’s face with his thumb. The skin-to-skin contact eased his dragon’s tension a fraction.
His inner beast said, Please. I need her. Deal with the clan so we can fuck her.
Breaking his kiss with Evie was one of the hardest things he’d ever done, but it was better than taking her in front of everyone.
Staring into Evie’s dark blue eyes, he could make out relief, happiness, and even affection. Every cell in his body wanted it to be love, but it was too soon.
Caressing her jaw again, he whispered, “I’m sorry, love. I have plans involving us both naked and alone, but right now, I need to check on my clan.”
Evie ran a hand up his chest and gave it a pat. “You mean our clan.”
He smiled. “Yes, our clan.”
“Good. I only have one condition before you go.”