Mel shrugged. “Maybe, but I think it’s more to do with the power of the dragon hunters in England as well as Skyhunter’s treatment of female sacrifices.” She turned to look at Tristan. “Convincing Clan Skyhunter to play nice is something else we need to add to the list of things to address.”
Tristan shook his head. “Good luck with that, love. Marcus rules that clan with fear.”
“Well, we’ll worry about that later.” Shucking her top and throwing on the purple blouse, she did up the buttons. “Hopefully, the BBC interviews will at least put Stonefire in a better light.” She finished the last button and looked up. “I need you to believe in my plan, Tristan. You do believe in me, right?”
Tristan walked over and traced a finger down her cheek. “Of course, Melanie Hall-MacLeod, I will always believe in you.”
Her heart warmed at his support. “Thank you.” She gave him a quick kiss before adding, “Are you ready? We should go.”
“The interview isn’t for an hour.”
“I bet Bram is ready early and I could do some practicing with him and Evie.”
Her mate raised an eyebrow. “Not with me?”
“No, you’re still being super nice to me because of what happened earlier and I need some straight up honesty.”
“I can be honest.”
She smiled. “I know, but not for this. Besides, I need you to check on Arabella before she reaches Bram’s cottage. She may have a backbone now, but we both know she still has nightmares and fits occasionally. As much as I need her help, I don’t want to send her into a catatonic state. I’m sure Finlay Stewart wouldn’t like that.”
Tristan grunted and Mel bit her lip. “You’re going to taunt me with your ridiculous theories concerning him and my sister, aren’t you?”
“But of course. I live to tease you.”
Tristan placed his hands on her hips and pulled her against him. Leaning down, his breath danced across her lips. “Just wait, love. When your brother is older, then maybe I’ll set him up with a dragonwoman and tease you. We’ll see how you like it then.”
“Oliver is nearly seventeen. By the time he’s old enough for your plan, Arabella will be mated to the Scot and have lots of babies. You’ll be calling Finn your brother.”
“Don’t even joke about it. He’s not right for her.”
“Says the man who hated humans and look who you ended up with. Sometimes, a person doesn’t realize what they need until it happens.”
Tristan made a low noise in his throat. “Aren’t you wise and savvy today?”
She ran her hands down his chest. “But of course.” Giving him a pat, she pushed away. “Go wait for Samira and Ella to show up to watch the babies and then go to Arabella’s place. I need to finish getting ready.”
After a slow, lingering kiss, T
ristan whispered, “You’ll be brilliant today, love, so stop worrying.”
“And there you are, still trying to make up for earlier.”
He growled. “Remind me not to compliment you any more today, then.”
She grinned. “Maybe later.”
He gave her one more quick kiss and then disappeared out the door. Alone in the bedroom, Mel faced the mirror. “Right, Hall, stop worrying. You’ll be brilliant.”
With a nod, Melanie finished getting ready for possibly the most important hour of her life.
Chapter Seven
Arabella MacLeod arranged her long, black hair around her face and neck to cover her burns and part of her scar. Except for the small, thin line of the scar running across her nose and upper temple, she almost looked normal. She could piss off her sister-in-law and keep her hair covering her old wounds for the upcoming interview. It would be a form of payback for asking her to do the bloody thing in the first place.
Yet if she did, Bram and Melanie could rescind their promise to allow her to foster with Lochguard.
She very much wanted to go, too, and not for the reasons her brother assumed. While Finlay Stewart was the first strange male who hadn’t caused a panic when touching her, Arabella wanted something much more. She wanted freedom.