Mel scanned the crowd. Once she found the man with the dark hair and blue eyes, she kept her eyes trained on him. He was pressing even closer to the podium.
She said, “Next question,” even though she knew who she would pick, if given the opportunity.
The man she’d been watching finally raised his hand so she pointed at him. “Yes, you with the maroon tie and gray suit.”
Even though the man’s expression was neutral, with no trace of the hatred from earlier, her intuition steeled her for the worst.
The man asked, “The humans and dragon-shifters have enjoyed the greatest peace in decades. Why risk the status quo?”
Some of the tension eased from Mel’s body. His question was harmless enough. “Just because humans and dragon-shifters are killing each other less now than they have in decades doesn’t mean it’s peaceful. We should be working together for a better future, not hiding away in our own cultures, pretending the other doesn’t exist unless it’s convenient.”
A male voice in the crowd shouted, “You should have become a politician.”
Others in the crowd laughed. Mel smiled, but before she could reply, the man in the gray suit and maroon tie beat her to it. “Who wants a dragon’s whore to represent them in Parliament?”
Tristan growled and she put a hand on his chest. Glancing over at her dragonman, she gave a small shake of her head. Then she looked back at the man in
the crowd. “You’re clearly one of those people who don’t have an open mind and nothing I say will change it. I think you should leave.”
From the corner of her eye, Bram signaled two of the Protectors standing guard around the crowd. The Protectors moved toward the man. They’d barely moved a few feet when the man raised a fist. In the blink of an eye, three people, in addition to the insult-throwing man, pulled out guns and fired. As the sound of guns being fired, mixed with screams from the crowd, Mel barely blinked before Tristan pushed her to the ground and covered her body with his. Her mate ordered, “Stay down.”
Not wanting to be shot, Mel stayed put.
~~~
Tristan could smell blood.
It was too far away to be Melanie’s but it still set off his dragon. His inner beast roared. Kill the threats to our mate. Only because of me and my reflexes is she still alive.
Rather than argue with his dragon, Tristan focused on what was important. Killing them would put us in human jail. Do you want to leave Melanie and the twins on their own?
Never.
Good, then let me assess the situation. I rely on your intuition and attention to detail. I will ask for your help soon.
His inner beast paced inside his mind. Leaving him be, Tristan rubbed his mate’s arm with one of his hands as he whispered, “Are you hurt at all, love?”
Her voice wavered as she answered, “No, I’m fine. I had a feeling about that man, Tristan. I should’ve listened to my gut.”
“The second he insulted you, a Protector should’ve gone after him. I’m going to have a word with Kai later.”
Mel’s fingers brushed against his forearm. “Between extra patrols on our borders in case of dragon hunter attacks and now this press conference, Kai is stretched thin. I’m not sure he could’ve done much more to prevent the shooting.”
His dragon chimed in. You should have allowed me to protect her.
Don’t start. Our mate needs us. Do you really want me to argue with you instead of taking care of her?
Silence was his answer.
Mel’s fingers stroked his skin again. “Tristan? Is something wrong?”
“Sorry, love. My dragon isn’t happy right now.” Nuzzling her cheek, he added, “And I don’t smell any death in the air. Bram and the Protectors should have everything in hand by now.”
“Does that mean you’ll let me up?”
“No, not until the shouting dies down. I won’t risk you.”
Under normal circumstances, his mate would argue. Her silence spoke volumes on how the shooting had unnerved her.