Finn replied, “Then it was about me.” Bram growled. Finn winked and rubbed his hands together. “Okay, it’s time to get this dinner started. The sooner your clan knows who I am, the sooner they will all start loving me.”
Only because of years of practice dealing with dragon-shifter egos did Bram not roll his eyes.
Evie leaned against him. From the way she turned her face into his side and shook, he could tell she was holding in a laugh. His dragon was not happy about her reaction.
Still, Bram was currently in control and he kept his dragon in check. He motioned to his other side. “Sit next to me. I don’t trust you with my female.”
As Finn moved to sit next to him, Bram took a deep breath. Between Evie’s heat and scent surrounding him and Finn’s man-whore behavior, it was going to be a long evening.
Chapter Four
Evie’s stomach hurt from holding back her laughter. Watching Bram and Finn together was better than any TV program. To be honest, the two were already acting more like brothers than two clan leaders with a new alliance.
Of course, that bode well for Stonefire.
Bram squeezed her thigh and whispered, “I need to make an announcement, lass. Keep Finn away while I do or my dragon will cause problems.”
Looking up into his eyes, she nodded. “Okay, but you have nothing to worry about. You’re the only dragon-shifter I imagine undressing inside my head.”
Her dragonman let out a strangled sound. “Lass, you’re not helping matters.”
She laughed. “You said I shouldn’t castigate you in front of the clan. You said nothing about me not teasing you.”
“You’re clever.”
“Of course I am. Now, go do your duties before you become sidetracked again.”
Leaning down, Bram placed a gentle kiss on her lips and murmured, “Just remember that I’ll have my payback tonight. I think I’ll make you beg before I let you come.”
Heat coursed through Evie’s body as wetness shot between her legs. The end of the dinner couldn’t come soon enough. “Hurry up, then.”
Her dragonman chuckled, gave a warning glare to Finn, and then moved to the front of the dais. She took a second to admire his broad back. The way his plaid-like outfit cascaded over his arse was quite nice. Earlier, she’d wanted nothing more than to slip her hand underneath the hem of his kilt-like outfit and prove he wore nothing.
Still, Finn’s interruption had been a good thing. It seemed that whenever she was alone with Bram, her lady parts took control and they very much didn’t care what was happening around them. Somehow, she didn’t think giving Stonefire’s clan leader a hand job in the middle of dinner would leave a good impression with the clan.
Bram’s voice boomed out over the mostly full hall and she listened, “Thank you all for coming. Tonight is the beginning of something which will benefit our clan more than anything else we’ve done over the last decade. You may have seen him around, but Finlay Stewart, the leader of Clan Lochguard, has agreed to become our ally.”
A wave of reactions coursed through the crowd. Everything from dropped jaws to indignant cries. Clearly, the Stonefire dragon-shifters hadn’t expected the news.
Bram put up his hands and continued, “I understand some of your concerns, but Finlay Stewart isn’t Dougal Munro. His ideas and plans for the future are similar to my own. While the alliance is new, I think it is promising. Especially as his clan can help with the increasing number of attacks by the dragon hunters.” There was more murmuring before Bram’s voice echoed through the room once more. “Rather than me tell you about Finn, I’m going to step aside and allow Lochguard’s leader to say a few words. Listen to him and give him a chance.”
Motioning with his hand, Evie watched Finn move from behind the table to stand next to her dragonman. They were of equal height, but Finn was somewhat leaner. Still, she wouldn’t take his leanness to mean weakness. Given what she knew of how dragon-shifter clan leaders were chosen, with grueling trials over multiple days, anyone who won the right to the position possessed a great deal of strength and fortitude.
Someday, she wanted to ask Bram how he’d won the right.
But then Finn’s Scottish tones filled the hall and she focused on the present. “I understand your concern and your wariness. My clan is the same way. However, combining the forces of Stonefire and Lochguard will increase our reach and ability to control our destinies. Our territories combined cover more than half of the isle of Great Britain. If we can convince the humans of our respective territories to not fear us but rather to become interested in us, we may be able to sway the South of England and Wales, even with the harsh reputations of the leaders there.”
He must be talking about Melanie’s book. The knowledge only made Evie more determined to help Mel and make the launch a success.
Then the Scottish leader gave a sweeping bow and the murmurs of the audience increased. Once he stood tall again, he continued, “That bow was my invitation to dance with any members of the clan who wish to sneak a peek at me. I prefer females myself, but, hey, I don’t want to deny any males who might fancy me a bit.”
Evie smiled as laughter echoed through the hall. The Scottish leader did seem to know how to win a crowd.
Then Finn turned toward Bram and put out a hand. Without hesitation, her dragonman took it and leaned to Finn’s ear to whisper something.
Once Bram gave the other dragonman’s back a clap, he said, “Now, that’s enough of the formalities. If Finlay Stewart is to dance with anyone who fancies a chance, we’d better get
started.”