Finn's dragon growled. No. I don't like that.

Rather than answer his dragon, Finn merely replied, "If she seeks me out, I won't turn her away."

Bram searched his eyes. "While not quite the answer I was looking for, it's better than nothing. You hurt her, and I will cut off your bollocks.

His inner beast said, We would never hurt her.

I know, but he's blind to what Arabella needs. Let's humor him for now.

His dragon conceded. Finn put out a hand. "So the alliance remains?"

Bram took his hand and shook. "Aye, but you've yet to earn my full trust."

"Good, because you have yet to earn mine."

Chapter Nine.

Evie halfway closed the door to the spare room off the main living area. Melanie had brought a bassinet for Murray to sleep in and Evie had just managed to get Murray back to sleep after feeding him. She was glad the little boy wasn't fussy. Her exhaustion was setting in and it had taken every bit of strength she had left to coo Murray to sleep without crashing herself.

She stood outside the door for a few more seconds to make sure he was truly asleep before heading into the living area. Melanie and Tristan sat together on the sofa. Each of them held a sleeping baby in their arms as they leaned against one another. The thought of her and Bram doing the same thing, albeit with some argument or another filling the room, made her smile.

Melanie grinned. "You have the new mother glow. I imagine not having to recover from birthing two stubborn dragon-shifter babies and nearly dying makes it all a bit more fun."

Tristan growled. "I thought we agreed you couldn't use that against me anymore."

Mel looked at her mate. "Two days of labor and me dying for a few seconds means I can use it whenever I want."

Tristan grunted and Evie pounced. She didn't have the strength to listen to them argue. "Thanks for coming over. I never would've known to mix a little soy milk into the formula to help calm the restless dragon inside Murray."

Mel waved a hand in dismissal. "No worries. I had no idea, either. Dragonwomen have something similar in their breast milk that we lowly humans don't. You'll be surprised at how much even half-dragon babies can eat. Their inner dragons might not be able to talk to their human halves until they're about six or seven years old, but their energy carries over into the babies' actions." Melanie looked up at her mate. "Sometimes, it's handy to be mated to a dragon-shifter teacher. If you have any questions, I'm sure Tristan will help."

Tristan grunted which Evie took to mean "if I have to". She still didn't understand how the mostly nonverbal dragonman had won Melanie's heart. At some point in the future, Evie would ask for details.

Evie settled down in the armchair across the room from the pair and released a sigh as she snuggled into the cushions. A shower and some food had done wonders to revitalize her, but exhaustion was too tame a word for the tiredness coursing through her body. On top of that, she was anxious for Bram's touch.

While this was a prime opportunity to ask questions about dragon babies, Evie's brain didn't want to cooperate. With each passing minute, her attention span and intelligence were slipping. Bram had bloody well better come home soon so I can get some sleep. I can't do anything to help Stonefire with a brain that feels like a bowl of pudding.

Melanie, on the other hand, hadn't been through hell over the last few days and had no problem saying, "I have an idea I wanted to run by you."

Evie folded her hands over her belly and resisted a sigh. "What is it?"

Mel shifted the baby in her arm. "I imagine Bram will be mating you soon, am I right?" Evie nodded and Mel continued, "How would you feel about inviting some of the human press to the event?"

Evie rubbed her forehand with her hand. "Care to tell me the bigger reason behind it? Because I have a feeling there is one."

Mel nodded. "You know how I'm nearly done with my book about Clan Stonefire? Well, I want to test the waters before dumping a large amount of information on the human population."

Even in her tired state, Evie knew it was a clever move. With herculean effort, she forced her brain to work and said, "That way, if chaos breaks out or incites violence against the dragon-shifters, you know to hold off on releasing the book."

Mel smiled. "Exactly. So will you do it?"

Sitting up, Evie replied, "You want me to share one of the dearest memories of my life with a bunch of journalists and hope they don't slander Bram and me the next day?"

Melanie shook her head. "We'd only use the most trusted news outlets and they'd be required to sign a legally binding document between you and them."

"And since I'm human, the law will hold."

"Yes. On top of that, no recording devices or mobile phones will be allowed. It'll be an old-school style reporting job, with pen, paper, and film-only cameras."

Evie raised an eyebrow. "Have you discussed it with Bram yet?"

Melanie winked at her. "No, but I figure if you agree, you have more persuasive ways of convincing him."

Tristan chimed in, "Melanie, I don't need to think of my clan leader's sex life."

Melanie lightly slapped her mate. "Don't be such a prude."

Tristan merely shook his head and Evie took control of the conversation again. "Let me discuss it with Bram first."

"Awesome. Between you and me, he should say yes."

Evie didn't like the thought of Melanie convincing Bram of anything.

However, before Evie could warn off the other woman, the front door opened and Bram's voice carried down the hallway, "Evie? Are you awake?"

Her exhaustion melted at his voice and she rushed into the hall to wrap her arms around him. Snuggling into his chest, she murmured, "You're home."

He squeezed her tightly against his body. "I missed you, too, love. How's Murray?"

"He's asleep. Mel and Tristan gave me a crash course in how to care for dragon babies."

"So does that mean you don't need my help at all?"

Evie looked up and frowned. "Don't you dare tease about that. If you think I'm going to take care of Murray ninety-nine percent of the time without you, then you're in for a big surprise."

Her dragonman chuckled. "If you remember the first day we met, I was doing a fine job taking care of him all by myself."

She laid her head back on Bram's chest. "I'm too tired to match wits. How about we thank Mel and Tristan, send them on their way, and take a nap?" Bram's chest tensed under her cheek. Looking up, she saw his pupils flashing between slit and circles. "What's wrong with your dragon?"

His pupils remained round as he replied, "Remember the secret my dragon had been keeping from me? Well, you're my true mate, Evie Marshall, and I'm not sure how much longer my inner beast can control the frenzy."

She blinked. "True mate? How is that even possible?"

Bram's eyes flashed more frequently. "Tristan, I know you can hear us. Explain it to Melanie and leave." He looked down at her, his pupils flashing even more quickly. "Please, Evie. If I can claim you once, I might be able to stave off my beast long enough to explain it all."

His voice was gravelly, almost as if the man and dragon halves were talking at the same time. Bram sounded like he was in pain.

Whatever exhaustion she had before melted away as adrenaline pumped through her veins. Her mate needed her and Evie wanted to take care of him.

She framed his face with her hands, the feel of his warm skin giving her some energy. "Then take me to your room and fuck me, Bram."

He growled and raised his voice. "Tristan, show yourself out." Then Bram took hold of her elbow, and guided her to a room not far from where Murray was sleeping. No doubt, her dragonman could scent their son and didn't want to be too far away in case something happened. The thoughtfulness warmed her heart.

As soon as they entered the spare bedroom, she forgot about Murray as Bram tore off her pajama top and bottoms until she was naked. He then pushed her onto her back on the bed, shucked his clothes, and covered her body with his. The feeling of his warm, chiseled body and hard cock pressing against her stomach made her pussy pulse. She was already wet and ready for him.

Bram's slitted pupils stared at her as his hand caressed between her legs. One brush of his finger against her clit made her cry out. He growled and thrust two fingers inside her. "My mate. I need to fuck you until you carry my young."

If it weren't for Bram thrusting his fingers long and slow inside her, she might question that statement. Then he brushed against her clit with his thumb, and she decided not to argue. She opened her legs wide. If there was a child, so be it. She would love him or her. "Then take me. I'm waiting for you."

With a growl, Bram removed his fingers and thrust his cock into her. While it had only been a few days, his size made her moan and dig her nails into his back. The act triggered something primal and her dragonman squeezed her breast as he moved his hips.

As he increased his pace, he leaned down and took her nipple into his mouth. He bit her hard and Evie cried out at the mix of pleasure and pain. Then he swirled his tongue over the tender bite before sucking her deeply. Moving a hand to his hair, she pressed him against her breast, urging him to do it again. When he bit her a second time, lights danced in front of her eyes before an orgasm exploded inside her.

When Bram released her nipple with a pop, she cried out in protest. The sound then prompted her dragonman to pull out of her completely.

Blinking in confusion, Evie demanded, "Why did you stop?"

Glancing at her dragonman, she watched his flashing pupils again. In a gravelly voice, Bram said, "I need to taste you first. Then I'll allow you to come again."

She frowned "Allow me to come? Bram..."

His warm, rough hands rubbing over her breasts, her stomach, and then her plump thighs stopped her in mid-sentence. As he continued to caress her skin, she almost forgave him for pulling out.

She parted her legs when he pushed and Bram stared at her pussy. He whispered, "Mine," before leaning down and licking her slit with his warm, wide tongue.

Evie clutched the sheets as he continued to flick and lick her sensitive flesh, careful never to touch her clit. With each passing second, her frustration grew until he finally swirled her clit with long, hard strokes. She drew in a breath and clenched the sheets tighter. When he nibbled, she moaned and whispered, "Oh, god, yes."

He growled and the vibrations went straight to her clit. Another few swirls and nibbles and another orgasm took her as she cried out Bram's name.

She'd barely stopped spasming when Bram moved away from her pussy, flipped her over, and raised her arse in the air. He thrust into her from behind and she moaned at the fullness. "You're going to kill me with sex, aren't you?"

"Not kill. Make you carry my young."

His words shot straight between her legs. Yes, when the clan wasn't in danger, she rather liked his dragon's primitive nature.

He slapped her arse and moved. Between two orgasms and a dragonman's giant cock moving inside her, she forgot about everything but the man behind her and the way he made her body come alive.

Chapter Ten.

Three weeks later Evie snuggled into Bram's chest and sighed. Half-awake, she nestled up against her dragonman feeling warm and content, especially since her morning sickness had yet to rear its ugly head.

Placing her hand on her stomach, Evie smiled. The DNA compatibility test she'd had as a teenager only seemed to hold true for any dragonman who wasn't her true mate. As Bram's dragon had said, true mates would always be compatible. It had only taken five days of mind-blowing frenzied sex interspersed with eating and taking care of Murray before Bram had scented her pregnancy. She would keep the joy on his face in her memory until the day she died.

Murray squirmed in his bassinet to the side of their bed and Evie waited to see if her little man would wake. Once Bram's frenzy had stopped, they had decided to keep the little one in their room for a few weeks. Dragon-shifters often relied on scent for comfort, Bram had told her, and Murray being near his new parents and branding their scent into his memories would help with the transition.

While Bram was filling in the gaps of her dragon-shifter knowledge, she was also educating Bram and the Stonefire Protectors on the ways of the DDA and on British law. Most of her free time, however, was spent taking care of their newly adopted son and Bram.

Not that she'd have it any other way. Murray was Bram's and her son. Anyone who tried to take him again would feel the combination of their wrath. The dragon hunters had been quiet, but the clan was prepared for another attack. Especially given what was to happen today.

Bram nuzzled her cheek and whispered, "I can hear you thinking." He placed a hand over hers on her abdomen. "Is the wee dragon baby making you sick again?"

"No." She gave him a gentle kiss. "But I'd be lying if I wasn't a little worried about today."

He nibbled her earlobe and some of the tension eased out of her body as he said, "You're already my mate, Evie Marshall Moore-Llewellyn. Today is just a ceremony contrived by you and Melanie to give the humans a taste of our clan in preparation for Mel's book release in a few months."

"I know, and I understand how much our clan needs this exposure, but what if the journalists don't keep to their signed contracts and paint the clan as monsters who force human women to marry them with threats to their lives?"

Bram ran a hand to her hip and squeezed. "Be yourself and every human in the room would think twice before suggesting I force you to do anything, love."

She smiled. "It's good you finally realized that I'm in charge here."

Her dragonman rolled until he was on top of her, trapping Evie with his body. He whispered against her ear, "Is that so, my little human?"

His hard cock pressing against her stomach made her pussy throb, but she wasn't about to let him win completely. "Sex is different than every other aspect of our lives." She moved against his cock and Bram hissed. Smiling at her power over him, she said, "Although if I told you to take me right now, would you listen?"

Bram gently bit her neck as his hand roamed down her body and under her nightshirt. "I was planning on fucking you anyway before I let you out of this bed, so it's a moot point."

Then his fingers rubbed the swollen flesh between her legs, and Evie had to bite her lip to keep from moaning and waking the baby. She whispered, "I could get out of this bed if I wanted to. You know I keep a bat nearby."

Her dragonman smiled against her cheek. "That's for my dragon, and he's not in control right now."

Bram teased her slit and wetness rushed between her legs. Damn it. She couldn't let him win.

Clenching down, she managed, "If you ever act the part of an arsehole, I'll smack you in the balls, too."

Her mate's eyes flashed to slits and then he said, "Enough talking."

He thrust a finger inside her pussy and Evie bit her lip harder. When he found her g-spot and rubbed, Evie lightly scored her mate's back with her nails. "Then stop teasing and fuck me, Bram."

"Is that an order?"

Frowning, she opened her mouth to reprimand him again when Bram thrust his cock inside her and Evie clutched his shoulders.

As he moved, she widened her legs before pulling his face down to hers and kissing him. His tongue was as possessive as his cock, exploring and stroking the inside of her mouth. Then the cheeky bastard thrust harder into her pussy, daring her to make a sound, but Evie wasn't about to concede defeat. Let him do his best; she wouldn't be the one waking the baby.

Instead, she moved a hand to his arse and dug in her nails. Bram gave a faint growl and his eyes flashed to slits and back. His dragon always liked it when she was a little rough. She dug her nails a little harder, but he was on to her game and merely pistoned so hard the bed moved.