Free Seducing the Dragon: Part Four by Jessie Donovan

chemicals in the mixture Dr. Sid gave him should force one last shift back.  
    He held his breath, hoping it wasn’t too late. As much as he didn’t want to leave her, there was no way they could carry her body in its dragon form back with them.
    Another second ticked by and Charlie’s body flashed. She lay on her stomach in human form, pale and motionless.
    His throat choked up at the once strong and loyal dragonwoman. Charlie had been one of the first females ever to become a Protector in Clan Stonefire. She had been one of the handful he trusted enough to guard his mate.  
    Even now, he didn’t blame Charlie for Evie’s capture. Bram’s own pride and cockiness had cost him. No location would ever be secure as long as Simon Bourne was still free.
    Noticing his dragon brethren moving toward the exits, Bram pushed aside his memories and anger. Charlie may be dead, but hundreds of others still depended on him.
    Clearing the emotion in his throat, he scooped up his fallen clan member into his arms and headed back toward their escape point. Four members of his team were back in human form, with one remaining in his dragon form to stand guard. They all glanced down at Charlie’s body.
    Losing one of the clan was never easy, but losing a female was even worse given how few of them there were. He couldn’t allow his men to be distracted.
    Looking at each of his men in turn, Bram said, “Charlie’s mate deserves the chance to give her a proper goodbye, but he won’t be able to do it if we don’t return. Save your grief until we reach home.” His men straightened their shoulders and gave slight nods. “Right, then two of you go in front of me and two behind me.” Bram moved his gaze to the purple dragon standing above him. “Once we’re clear, you know what to do.”
    The dragon bobbed his head. Bram adjusted his grip on Charlie’s body and said, “Right, then let’s go.”
    Two of his men entered the tunnel and Bram followed, careful to keep Charlie’s body close. He wasn’t about to damage her any further by accidentally banging her head against a sharp rock.
    As soon as they reached the tunnel’s exit point, he was greeted by the sight of two dragons with large baskets, waiting to carry any wounded back to the clan.
    Even though his dragon’s impatience had eased at the sight of their fallen clan member and Bram could probably shift to fly home, it felt wrong to leave the dragonwoman alone for her last flight in the sky.  
    His dragon said, Stay with her. It is best for when we land.
    Rather than think about facing Charlie’s mate, Bram crawled into one of the waiting baskets and hugged the dragonwoman’s body in his arms.  
    Soon they were all in the air. Bram barely paid attention to the purple dragon bursting free of the building below him, nor the ensuing collapse of the building. The death of one of his own was always hard, especially when she had been on an assignment given by him. There was also the chance more blood was on his hands if Evie, Nikki, or even wee Murray were also dead.
    The thought of never seeing Evie again made his stomach drop. She’d wheedled her way into his heart in a short time. Not only would his clan be worse off without her, he would be, too. Life would be lonely without his human.
    His inner dragon said, Our mate must be alive. I would know otherwise.
    Dragons aren’t telepathic. You have no way of knowing if she’s alive or not.
    She is alive. I won’t think otherwise.
    His beast was right. Charlie’s death was hard enough; constantly thinking of Evie being dead as well would distract him from protecting his clan. As with most of his adult life, his needs would have to come second.
    Still, Evie had bloody well be alive. If the hunters had killed her too, he would unleash his dragon on any hunters he could find until Simon Bourne was dead. Bram was done playing nice and by the rules; the next time the hunters messed with his clan, they would regret it. No one else