Page 24 of Hunter

She thought for a moment before answering. “I’ll say that it’s going to take the garage until the end of the day to fix your nonexistent car and that I invited you back to lunch and to spend the rest of the day with me at Tregarthen House before I drive you back to the garage this evening.”

A frown creased Hunter’s brow. “Wallis will believe that?”

“If he is who you say he is and he’s done what you said he did, does it matter what he believes?” she dismissed in a hard voice. “The important thing is for you to have access to the notebook Edgar has been studying so intently. What?” Zoey prompted when she saw Hunter’s doubtful expression.

Hunter knewthat merely taking back Sister Agnes’s journal wouldn’t, and shouldn’t, be an end to this situation.

In the more recent past, he or one of his brothers had always wiped the memory of or eliminated anyone who knew of the existence of the dragon shifters and intended to use that information for their own gain. Until a few centuries ago, it hadnot been necessary, because anyone claiming to have seen a dragon would have been branded a witch and treated as such.

If he and Zoey didn’t mate, then much as it would pain Hunter to do so, he would have to wipe away any memories Zoey had of ever having met him.Hewould never forget her, but he could save her the heartache of remembering him and the abyss his absence had left in her life.

But if what he believed about Wallis proved to be true and the other man had murdered Ben McGregor in cold blood, then Wallis couldn’t simply have his memories of dragons removed. He would need to be eliminated.

“What do you think happens once I have the journal in my possession and prove that Wallis is responsible for Ben McGregor being murdered?” Hunter hedged.

She shrugged. “You kill him, of course. What?” she prompted again as Hunter staggered back a couple of steps.

“I had not expected my mate to be quite so bloodthirsty,” he mused.

“I’m certainly not naive enough to think you intend to have Edgar arrested and charged with murdering Ben,” she scorned. “Especially when the reason for that death includes Edgar’s search for proof of the existence of dragons.” She shook her head. “The police would never believe such an accusation, and there is no proof that the two of them ever met, let alone that Edgar is responsible for what your brother ensured would appear to be Ben’s accidental death.”

“None,” Hunter confirmed.

She nodded. “You also said you’re over twelve hundred years old, and as far as I’m aware, no one in all that time has ever conclusively proven that dragons exist. Ergo, you must have removed the people who did know before they could proclaim it to the rest of the world.”

“Or they had their memories of seeing them wiped.”

Zoey eyed him curiously. “Is that something else you and your brothers can do?”

“Yes.”

“Will you do that to Edgar?”

His jaw tightened. “Not if he really is guilty of murdering Ben McGregor. The police might not be able to arrest and charge him, but we can’t allow him to get away with killing someone in such a cold and cruel way.”

Zoey nodded. “So, he’ll be one of the ones to be eliminated, then?”

Hunter chuckled softly. “You don’t seem concerned by that possibility?”

She moved her shoulders in a shrug. “Murder is murder, and the penalty for that, in any culture, should be death.”

“O-kay,” Hunter murmured slowly at the cool certainty in her tone.

Her expression darkened. “Ben was only twenty years old, and even if he did steal that journal from Belle, he didn’t deserve to die in that horrible way.” She gave a shudder. “I don’t even want to imagine how terrified he must have felt as he hurtled through the air toward that mountain.”

Hunter stepped forward to once again take Zoey into his arms. Primarily to offer her comfort, but also because he couldn’t seem to stop himself from wanting to touch her. The purr of his dragon told Hunter it felt exactly the same desire to hold and touch her.

Hunter’s chest ached at the thought of her refusing their mating.

She pulled back slightly. “This memory-wiping thing…”

“Yes?”

“Don’t even think about using it on me. For any reason. Ever,” she warned fiercely. “Do you understand?” she demanded, her eyes glittering like twin emeralds.

Hunter understood. He just wasn’t sure he could keep such a promise if he made it. What he’d really hoped was that Zoey would never ask him this question. He should have known she was far too intelligent and forthright not to.

“Hunter?”

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