Her beast huffed. I don’t understand why. His dragon is too cocky.
You say that, yet you challenge him every chance you get. You’re like a school child teasing on the play yard.
Am not. Go secure the traitors.
Satisfied she had won against her beast, Faye dove toward the flashing dragon intruders on the ground. Some of Lochguard’s Protectors were already there, securing them.
Landing in a large open spot nearby, she imagined her wings shrinking into her back, her snout morphing into her nose, and her scales changing into skin. Ignoring the chilly January air, Faye started barking orders. She?
??d rather die of hypothermia than allow one of the intruders to escape. Grant and the clan were counting on her.
If she had any say in the matter, Faye MacKenzie would never let either them or herself down ever again. It was a new year and she was ready to seize control of her life once more.
~~~
Gina debated sitting down in the bunker’s command room when Fraser yelled, “Bloody hell. Look at Faye.”
While Gina couldn’t identify many dragon-shifters in their dragon forms, she watched the group of dragons as they tossed something at the intruders. Within seconds, they flashed from dragon to human and back again. “What’s happening?”
Fergus rubbed up and down her arm. “It’s a new thing Faye and Grant have been working on. It’s a combination of periwinkle and mandrake root that forces a dragon-shifter to shift back.”
She leaned against Fergus. “Of course you knew about it. You seem to know everything.”
Fergus chuckled. “I’d be careful with those words, lass, or my dragon will grow cocky.”
She smacked his stomach. “You know what I mean. But why are they flashing? I thought that special powder prevented a shift for days.”
Fergus placed a finger under her chin and raised her face to meet his eyes. “And how do you know that?”
Even a week ago, Gina would’ve hesitated. But no longer. Fergus was her mate and she needed to trust him. “I may have purchased my own vial as a form of protection.”
The corner of Fergus’s mouth ticked up. “So, that’s how you planned to stop me.”
“Hey, don’t dismiss me yet. You should seriously train your younger Protectors better. One of them let me carry it right onto Lochguard. All I had to do was say it was some kind of special pregnancy tea mixture.”
Fergus frowned. “I’ll have a word with Grant later. His Protectors should know better than to fall for a bonny lass’s charm.”
Before Gina could think of how to reply to Fergus’s roundabout compliment, Fraser’s voice filled the room. “Shut it, you two. There’s an incoming video call from Stonefire.”
Finn and Bram’s faces appeared on screen. Finn spoke without preamble. “Since Faye and Grant are otherwise occupied, I need you lot to coordinate clean-up.”
Fergus asked, “While we’ve been watching the security feed, we can’t see everything. Are you positive there aren’t any more dragons with bombs nearby?”
“Aye,” Finn answered. “Iris has the surrounding area contained and the DDA is already working with her to clean-up any threats within a ten-mile radius of Lochguard. I know these types of drills aren’t your usual duties, but I trust you two. And right now, I need to be careful of who I trust.”
Gina blurted out, “Why?”
Finn didn’t miss a beat. “They knew our location and vulnerabilities a little too well. The warehouses are new, and it makes me think someone is sharing information.”
Bram muttered at his side, “Always the bloody traitors in the midst.”
Finn glanced at Bram. “Not for long.” He met Fergus’s gaze again. “Once everyone injured or homeless is taken care of, I want you to come up with a list of those who would never betray the clan.” Finn waved toward the two dragon-shifters manning the console. “Ian and Emma MacAllister I handpicked along with Grant. Everyone currently in that bunker is cleared. The sooner you can put together a list, Fergus, the better.”
Gina looked to her mate and he nodded. “Consider it done.”
Finn sighed. “Right, then I need to get back to wrangling with the DDA. I’ll check back in a little while.”
The screen went black.