Page 5

Chapter Five

C ooper Maxwell was having a hell of a week.

While it’d started out fantastic, being given more responsibility by Faye and Grant, it’d only become more complicated from there.

First, his meeting with Antony Holbrook and his bombshell about the missing exiled dragon-shifters.

Then Iris went to investigate their disappearances and didn’t return. Just as he’d organized a search party, Antony Holbrook had sent a message, saying Iris was with him, immediately confirmed by one of Lochguard’s liaisons at the Department of Dragon Affairs, or DDA.

And now, as he stared at one of his fellow Protectors, Zoe Watson, he tried to take in what she’d just told him. “You found a human female unconscious just outside the clan’s boundary?”

She nodded. “Not only that, but she was beaten up pretty badly. Dr. McFarland is doing what she can for her, but the human female has no ID, no mobile phone, nothing to tell us who she is until she wakes up.”

Judging by Zoe’s voice, it was more a case of if she woke up.

He ran a hand through his hair. “Aye, well, keep a close eye on her. As soon as the female wakes up, see if you can find out her name and if she has any family to contact. In the meantime, I’ll have to reach out to the North Highland human police and ask about missing persons.”

“Will they even share information with you?”

The human male in charge of the nearest station detested dragon-shifters. He kept waiting for someone from Lochguard to slip up so he could charge them.

His dragon spoke up. I still think he’ll mess up first. Then we can report him and maybe even get rid of him.

Aye, maybe. But we have more important things to worry about. If someone got close enough to Lochguard to dump a person undetected, then we have a blind spot. And we need to find it. Fast.

He replied to Zoe, “That human will make it as difficult as possible, but I have to try, aye? If worse comes to worst, then I can contact the main Scottish police headquarters.”

“I don’t envy you, Cooper.”

He snorted and stood. “I don’t blame you. Thanks for the info, Zoe. Now, go watch over the female and let me know when she wakes up.”

After following Zoe out of the room, he turned the opposite way down the corridor and headed for one of his best friends and most trusted Protectors, Brodie MacNeil.

He found Brodie’s ginger head bent over a desk with papers strewn about. The dragonman didn’t even lift his face as Cooper approached. The male said, “I’m already trying to figure out how someone left that female here without us noticing.” He clenched some papers, crumpling them. “Because if it was one of the fucking dragon hunters, it could be a warning that one of us is next.”

Cooper studied his friend and his flashing dragon eyes. Brodie was usually quiet and reserved. However, Brodie’s father had killed his mother before killing himself, and he took protecting females seriously, more so than anyone else.

His dragon spoke up. Can you blame him? We have a fairly normal family, like most of Lochguard. He is one of the few clan members with a dark past.

Aye, I know. But it also means he might push himself too far, driven by emotion instead of reason. We need to watch him, which means adding something else to my ever-growing list of duties.

You wanted the chance to be in charge of the Protectors. Personally, it’s a lot of stress. I miss flying.

We’ll fly as soon as I can manage it, dragon. I promise.

As his beast settled down inside his mind, Cooper clapped his friend on the shoulder. “What have you found so far, Brodie?”

He pointed to a map of the surrounding area. “She was discovered inside one of the old, abandoned cottages, here. It’s one of the few with higher walls, so no one could see her from the road.”

After the Highland Clearances in the 18 th and 19 th centuries, when many of the humans had been kicked off their land by wealthy landowners, the stone cottages had slowly rotted over time. These days, tourists came to look at them as part of a historical drive through the Highlands.

The largest group of stone ruins were just outside the clan’s boundaries, which was close enough to keep most humans from trying to dump a person there.

“And the security cameras? Did they catch anything?” Cooper asked.

Brodie shook his head. “It was dark, with no moon. And since we’re remote and there aren’t any streetlights, nothing shows on the CCTV footage we do have.”

“So someone probably came to scout the area beforehand and timed it to the new moon. Meaning, this was planned.”

“Aye.”

“See if we can reposition the cameras, and ask Emma or Ian MacAllister about equipment or programs that can help improve our surveillance. I don’t know if whoever dumped her will return, but I want to be prepared.”

Brodie glanced at him. “Iris is okay?”

Brodie, Iris, and Cooper had become a close-knit unit years ago, back in their British Army days. “Aye, as well as I can determine. Holbrook is not sharing much, but both the DDA and the Skyhunter clan leaders have confirmed she’s safe. I just wish I could speak with her myself, though.”

“If you need anything, just ask me, aye? Even if you’re my boss now, I’m still and always will be your friend.”

“Thanks, Brodie. For now, just focus on improving surveillance and discovering what happened to the human female. I should be able to handle the rest.”

After Brodie asked his approval for a few more things, Cooper headed back to his office. Sitting at his desk, he eyed the mountain of paperwork needing his attention. Rubbing his face, he sighed and said to his dragon, As much work as it is for us, I’m glad Faye doesn’t have to worry about all of this right now.

Aye, she had a difficult time with her bairns last time, and lost one. We need to look out for her.

Of course. Now, let’s finish the DDA paperwork before our next meeting.

And so Cooper went to work, hoping the next day would be a wee bit easier. But given his luck, thousands of dragon hunters would show up at the clan’s front gates.

His dragon sighed. Stop it. You should worry about the humans who aren’t dragon hunters showing up first.

Thanks. That’s helpful , he drawled to his beast.

Aye, well, I’m just being a realist. Better to be prepared than not.

And with that, his dragon curled up into a ball and fell asleep, leaving Cooper to wonder what else could go wrong and how he was going to tell Faye and Grant about everything without upsetting them.