Evie and Bram grinned, but it was Bram who replied, “Maybe kiss him first, lass. He deserves it.”
“Maybe. It depends how injured he is.”
Bram chuckled and Evie added, “Your source did his job. Thank you, Jane, for helping us eradicate one of the pains in our arses.”
Jane shook her head. “Don’t thank me. Part of the reason I set it all up was to save my own skin.”
Bram studied her a second before his deep voice filled the room again. “You’re as bad as Kai when it comes to taking a bloody compliment. Can’t you just say thank you like a normal person?”
Jane shifted her feet. She had never handled compliments well and decided to change the subject. “Kai and the others will probably be back soon. Shouldn’t we go to the main landing area and wait?”
Bram put out a hand and Evie took it. “Then let’s go. The sooner we get you out of here, the sooner we can save the carpet from your pacing.”
Not waiting for Bram and Evie, Jane walked out of the room, down the hall, and out the front door of the central command building. As soon as her feet hit the grass, she all but ran toward the landing area. Hearing Kai was okay and seeing it for herself were two very different things.
She needed to hug her dragonman close. Only then would her heart rate slow and her stomach settle.
As the sight of dragons appeared in the distance, Jane decided to screw it and ran all the way to the landing area.
~~~
Kai glanced behind him to the road below, but didn’t see the car being used to transport the injured back to Stonefire. In total, there were three injured, one of which required immediate medical attention.
Everyone had survived and he was grateful for that because it wasn’t always the case in his line of work.
His dragon spoke up. Hurry. Our female is waiting for us.
Despite the adrenaline fading from his system, Kai beat his wings faster. He’d never had a female to claim after a mission before. He didn’t know how other dragon-shifters felt, but all Kai could think about was hugging Jane close and kissing the living shit out of her. Stripping her naked and taking her slowly would have to wait until later. But for the moment, a kiss would do.
His dragon grunted. Make sure to tell her she’s staying with us.
We’ll see, dragon, we’ll see.
Why hesitate? She’s proven her worth to the clan and she already gave up her human job. Stonefire is where she belongs.
It’s her choice. I can’t force her.
His beast huffed. In the old days, males could order their females around.
Hm, and what fun would that be?
His dragon sulked and focused on flying.
Kai smiled. He was winning more and more over his beast these days. If nothing else, he should keep Jane around just to irritate his dragon.
As the peaks marking Stonefire’s northern-most border came into focus, he signaled the lightly injured toward the landing area reserved for dragons needing medical attention. Kai and the remaining five dragons headed toward the main landing area in the center of Stonefire.
On the final approach, Kai scanned the small figures on the ground until his eyes locked onto a dark-haired female standing next to Bram and Evie. Even from several hundred feet in the air, he would know Jane Hartley anywhere.
Ours.
Agreeing with his dragon, Kai slowed down the beat of his wings and gently lowered himself into the landing area. The second his feet touch the ground, he imagined his body shrinking back into his six-foot-three human frame.
He’d barely taken two steps when Jane jumped into his arms. Kai hugged his female tightly and murmured, “Hello.”
Looking up, Jane frowned. “Hello is not nearly enough. What happened? Were you hurt at all? Where’s the rest of your team?”
Kai chuckled. “Inquisitive one, aren’t you?”