Page 13 of Hunter

So much so that his dragon was now so near the surface, it was in danger of bursting free and terrifying his mate before Hunter had even had a chance to explain its existence.

“Thank God,” he groaned as they emerged from the narrow lane onto a small parking area beside an even smaller beach.

Hunter barely waited for Zoey to stop the car before throwing the door open and climbing out into the fresh sea air. He gratefully breathed it deeply into his starved lungs.

He could still smell Zoey’s alluring scent, but it was now diluted enough by the salty sea air for him to regain the control he so badly needed to be able to talk to her without shifting completely into his dragon and shocking the hell out of her.

He could see the wariness in her expression as she slowly got out of the parked car to wrap that long, dark coat around herself before joining him on the edge of the sand. Her long red hair whipped about her face and shoulders as the two of them stood side by side, staring at the churning sea.

“Why did you agree to the two of us talking outside your uncle’s house earlier, and then minutes later suggest we leave altogether?” Hunter finally prompted once he was sure his dragon was under control enough that he could talk without growling like a wild beast. Although, standing next to Zoey, aware of who she was to him, was testing his control to the limit.

Zoey grimaced. “What you were saying seemed a little…incendiary, and I’ve never been sure Edgar doesn’t have some sort of audio system in or around the house, even though I’ve never found any evidence of it.”

Hunter’s brows rose. “But you believe Wallis has a way of listening in on other people’s conversations within and outside the house you grew up in?”

She cringed. “It’s just a feeling I always had as a child. Probably because he seemed to know things I hadn’t actually told him. Oh, I know children think most parents or guardians have that ability, as well as being able to see out the back of their head,” she added wryly. “But Edgar really does seem to know things. Besides,” she continued briskly, “I believe my initial caution was justified considering the moment we were outside, you proceeded to tell me you think Ben was murdered.”

“Because he was.”

“Will you stop saying that!” She shivered inside her coat.

“Even if it’s true?”

“You can’t be sure of that.”

“I can.”

“How?” she demanded to know.

“Because, as I said, my brother Lachlan found him before the rest of the search party,” Hunter told her calmly. “He said the only way Ben could have ended up where he did, as broken as he was, was if he had dropped from above the mountain rather than fallen down it.”

Zoey shuddered. “That sounds awful.”

“It was,” he confirmed grimly.

“It’s also a little unbelievable,” she added apologetically.

He snorted. “I’ve been told that so is the existence of dragons, but…”

She snorted. “Dragons again?”

“Yes.”

“What about them?” she prompted sharply.

Hunter’s jaw tightened. “Wallis’s search for the evidence that dragons once existed is the reason Ben McGregor had to die.”

Zoey turned to look at him, her expression incredulous. “What?”

“You said you’ve lived with the man since you were eight years old, so you must be aware of your uncle’s…research?” Hunter reasoned.

“Of course I’m aware of it. But I’ve never known what that research was about.”

“Dragons.”

“For the love of… Will you please stop saying that?” she snapped her frustration with the subject.

Amusement gleamed in his eyes. “Not saying it doesn’t make it any less true.”

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