Persuading the Dragon (Stonefire Dragons 9)

After all, if her man would risk his life to fight for her, then she wasn't about to sit and wallow about what could happen to her. No, Ivy would fight in her own way, using information and knowledge. She just had to find what she needed first.

Chapter Seventeen

Not for the first time, Zain was glad of his many years working as a Protector because it allowed him to slowly compartmentalize his feelings for Ivy.

He loved his human and had nearly told her so.

However, in the end, he'd decided to tell her after he'd eradicated her greatest enemies.

His dragon sighed. I don't understand humans at all. We love her. That's it. Why wait?

Seeing as we’re about to go to war, I think you'd adjust your priorities, dragon.

Our mate is just as important.

Not wanting to argue, he ignored his beast as he made his way toward the Protectors' main building.

Even though he'd received his experimental shot to protect against any of the Knights' drugs about an hour ago, he hadn't yet suffered any side effects. The doctors had ensured him it was fast acting and would take hold completely within a few hours.

So now all he had to do was work with Kai to devise a plan for both protecting Stonefire and attacking the Knights' hideouts. Then he could finally join the hunt for taking down one of their enemies. Even a few weeks ago, he would've put the dragon hunters at the top of his list because of what they'd done to his friend Charlie. However, the Knights were slightly ahead in the p

resent.

Zain needed to protect his mate. His late friend would've understood that.

He entered the main security building, nodding to his compatriots as he went. However, Zain managed to avoid any sort of conversation and arrived at Kai's office quickly. With one quick knock, Kai told him to enter, and he did.

Shutting the door, Zain sat in front of his boss’s desk, next to Stonefire's clan leader, Bram. Zain said without preamble, "Do you have a plan yet?"

Kai grunted. "No, we're still figuring it out. Much depends on if the protective injections work without killing or not."

Zain gestured toward himself. "I'm alive, aren't I?"

Bram raised his brows and said, "It's only been a few hours. But my stance hasn't changed regarding your mate. We'll protect Ivy no matter what it takes. Don't worry."

His dragon growled. As if there's any other option.

Kai prevented Zain from replying to his beast. "Protecting the human is the easy part. Attacking the Knights, and only the Knights, without harming any other humans is our biggest obstacle."

Zain frowned. "The DDA isn't changing their policy, are they?"

Kai shook his head. "No, we've been given permission to fight the Knights on our own and make temporary arrests as long as we alert the DDA as soon as we're done. However, from what Nate and Lucien deduced from the data, most of the Knights' hideouts are in populated areas. That's a massive problem."

Bram said, "There are two ways to handle this, but Zain won't like one of them since it involves Ivy."

Trying his best not to lash out at his clan leader, Zain forced his voice to remain even as he asked, "What's the option that doesn't include Ivy?"

Bram shrugged. "Asking the British Army for help. Rafe says he can probably make it happen, if we ask nicely."

Rafe Hartley was not only a former soldier but also the human mated to Nikki. He currently served as the army liaison between the humans and Stonefire. While Zain trusted the officers less than others because of his past, he might not have any other choice but to rely on them. After all, he wouldn't let anyone use Ivy as bait.

He looked between Bram and Kai as he said, "So tell me what the army plan involves."

Bram raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think you'd jump on working with them so quickly."

Damn his clan leader knowing too much. However, Zain didn't alter his neutral expression one bit as he said, "If given the choice between putting your mate in danger or asking humans you may not completely trust to help you, which would you choose?"

"Fair point," Bram stated. "Well, here's what we have come up with so far."