Since not all of the Protectors were privy to Rafe and Nikki’s assignment, the dragonwoman charged past Rafe. “This way.”
“I know the bloody way,” he muttered.
His actions earned him a double-fingered salute from Nikki.
As soon as they entered the small meeting room, Rafe slammed the door and took a step toward Nikki. “We need to move our departure to the early hours of tomorrow morning.”
She frowned. “What the hell are you talking about? Simon Bourne isn’t due to speak with the dragon hunters at his base outside of Birmingham for two weeks.”
Simon Bourne was the leader of the largest group of dragon hunters. Or, as Rafe liked to call them, the perpetual pains in his arse.
He took a step closer. “I know. But unless you’re going to tell Simon Bourne to kindly move his talk of destroying your kind for another two weeks, things have changed.”
Rolling her eyes, Nikki crossed her arms over her chest. “Stop being a prick and tell me what I need to know.”
A memory of a much younger Nikki flashed into his mind—an image of her standing before him and stammering a reply to his question before scurrying away. He blurted out, “I sometimes wish you were more like your old self.”
Nikki froze. Her reply was measured when she spoke. “What are you talking about?”
“Ah, so the strong, steely dragonwoman falters.”
With a growl, Nikki jumped at him. They tumbled to the floor, but Nikki managed to end up on top, with his head pinned between her legs. “I know it’s too much to ask, but can you stop being an arsehole for a second? If not for me, then for your sister’s future. Whatever happens to Stonefire happens to Jane, too. That includes future dragon hunter attacks unless we can take out the leader and maybe stop them for good.”
His anger faded a fraction at the mention of his younger sister. “Janey knows how to take care of herself.”
“Oh, my fucking god. Really? Ever since I met you, you’ve been banging on about how Jane needs protection. What’s wrong with you?”
He stared up at Nikki. Not only was her chest heaving with anger, her pupils flashed to slits and back. The sight should unsettle him. Yet his eyes darted to the long strands of black hair dancing around her cheeks. It was almost exactly like his dream from the other night except Nikki had been naked and riding him hard.
Before his mind could continue down that path, he bucked and broke Nikki’s hold on him. Rolling over, he pinned her wrists above her head with his hands and a knee pressed against her abdomen. “You’re what’s wrong with me, Nikola. Stop pressing my buttons and let’s just get on with business. There isn’t much time.”
Nikki searched his eyes, her pupils still flashing. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask what her dragon was going on about, but Nikki spoke up again before he could. “Fine. But it works both ways, Rafe. Shall we draw a temporary truce until after the mission is complete?”
The thought of Nikki being complacent didn’t sit well with him, bu
t he pushed past it and bobbed his head. “Deal.”
He lingered another second, memorizing the softness of her wrists under his fingers before he backed up and away. Offering a hand, Nikki surprised him by taking it. Once she was on her feet, she dusted her hands. “So, care to tell me how you found out Bourne moved the date? Is the source reliable?”
“We hit a spot of luck. One of our contacts starting thinking with his dick and shacked up with a woman hunter. His partner mentioned something.”
“So much for the strict order of not sleeping with the enemy.”
“Right, because women never think with their pussies.”
Pinching the bridge of her nose, Nikki took a deep inhalation. “How, exactly, did you find this out?”
“I met him at our weekly rendezvous. When he kept lying to me about having nothing to report, I clocked him in the jaw. He became complacent after that.”
Most women would back away from him at the mention of violence, but approval flashed in Nikki’s eyes. “Good. Maybe once all of this is over, I can pay him a visit myself. But for now, I need specifics. What did the dick say?”
Rafe couldn’t resist replying, “Dicks don’t talk, Nikki. They only stand at attention.”
“Rafe,” Nikki growled out.
“Fine, fine. The man in question confirmed that Bourne has been growing his dragon hunter cult in the months since Stonefire and the others have backed off. So much so that they’re looking to expand to Ireland—both north and south.”
“That isn’t really news. We knew he was looking to other places in Europe.”