Read Online Finding His Dragon (Dragon Blood Book 3) by Elianne Adams - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elianne Adams
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meeting in five,” he shouted before stomping away.
ELEVEN
Charlotte didn’t know what to expect. Jace had said that he didn’t know what the meeting was about, and she had no reason to doubt him. Tension coiled in her stomach. Something was wrong. Jace held her hand as they entered a huge living room with several couches and a massive fireplace.
All eyes turned to her—more eyes than she had expected. Stella and Maddie were there along with the man who had poked his head in to make sure she was okay the previous night. But so were a dozen or so other men. Each and every one of them had a fierce look about them.
“Come on in,” a man with hair so light it almost looked white said. “I’m Austin.” He came forward and shook her hand.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Charlotte.”
Jace pulled her closer, and she couldn’t help but smile at him. Was he jealous of his friend? Rather than poke the dragon, she leaned into him and wrapped her arm around his waist.
He took her around the room, introducing her to Luke, who sat with Maddie, and Brycen, who had Stella sitting on his lap, and all the other men. There was no way she would remember them all.
“Some of the guys are out patrolling, and a few are out of town. We’ve called everyone back. They should be home by tomorrow afternoon,” Austin said.
Jace tensed next to her, and his hand squeezed hers a little tighter. “What’s going on? Why did you call them home?” he asked.
Austin glanced at her before answering. “There are four or five dragons in the village. They’re looking for Charlotte.”
Her heart stuttered, then took off at a gallop. They had already found her. She had hoped to have a couple of days before having to face them.
When she looked up at Jace, she found him watching her. “It’s okay, love. We figured they’d come. We’ll be ready.”
She nodded and swallowed. Each man in the room looked more than capable of holding their own. She wouldn’t have to worry unless Adrian brought in more of his goons.
***
“What did you find out?” he asked Austin. By the silence in the room, he knew the others had already been briefed. Otherwise, questions would be flying at the man until he spilled all the information.
“The ringleader is named Adrian. He claims we’ve stolen his woman. He says he has a legal claim to her.” A muscle in Austin’s cheek jumped.
“He doesn’t,” Jace assured him. “Charlotte told me that her brother sold her to Adrian, but she never consented to the mating.”
A heavy silence filled the room. Stella cleared her throat and stood. “I have to ask, and I hope you won’t hate me for it,” she said as she looked at Charlotte and came to stand with her.
“No,” he cut her off before she could pose the question. How could Stella even think of asking it? He pulled Charlotte closer.
“Jace,” Stella chided, “we need to know for sure. Charlotte, did you ever consummate a relationship with Adrian?” she asked before he could stop her.
Charlotte gasped and shook her head. “No, of course not. I ran before they could deliver me to him.”
“Good, then we have nothing to worry about,” Stella said, giving Charlotte a small smile. “And you can stop shooting daggers at me with your eyes, Jace. No one else was brave enough to face your wrath. It had to be done.”
He took a deep breath, then another, allowing his fury to dissipate, but it wasn’t until Charlotte squeezed his hand and sent him a reassuring smile that he was able to release the tension coiling in his chest.
“If you two will take a seat, we’ll start putting our plan together.” Austin pushed a button on the mantle, and a projector screen slid silently from the ceiling. “This is what we know so far. I’m hoping Charlotte will be able to fill in some of the blanks once we’ve gone through it all.”
He flipped open his laptop and clicked a few times before information showed up on the big screen. “Reyn, head of
ELEVEN
Charlotte didn’t know what to expect. Jace had said that he didn’t know what the meeting was about, and she had no reason to doubt him. Tension coiled in her stomach. Something was wrong. Jace held her hand as they entered a huge living room with several couches and a massive fireplace.
All eyes turned to her—more eyes than she had expected. Stella and Maddie were there along with the man who had poked his head in to make sure she was okay the previous night. But so were a dozen or so other men. Each and every one of them had a fierce look about them.
“Come on in,” a man with hair so light it almost looked white said. “I’m Austin.” He came forward and shook her hand.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Charlotte.”
Jace pulled her closer, and she couldn’t help but smile at him. Was he jealous of his friend? Rather than poke the dragon, she leaned into him and wrapped her arm around his waist.
He took her around the room, introducing her to Luke, who sat with Maddie, and Brycen, who had Stella sitting on his lap, and all the other men. There was no way she would remember them all.
“Some of the guys are out patrolling, and a few are out of town. We’ve called everyone back. They should be home by tomorrow afternoon,” Austin said.
Jace tensed next to her, and his hand squeezed hers a little tighter. “What’s going on? Why did you call them home?” he asked.
Austin glanced at her before answering. “There are four or five dragons in the village. They’re looking for Charlotte.”
Her heart stuttered, then took off at a gallop. They had already found her. She had hoped to have a couple of days before having to face them.
When she looked up at Jace, she found him watching her. “It’s okay, love. We figured they’d come. We’ll be ready.”
She nodded and swallowed. Each man in the room looked more than capable of holding their own. She wouldn’t have to worry unless Adrian brought in more of his goons.
***
“What did you find out?” he asked Austin. By the silence in the room, he knew the others had already been briefed. Otherwise, questions would be flying at the man until he spilled all the information.
“The ringleader is named Adrian. He claims we’ve stolen his woman. He says he has a legal claim to her.” A muscle in Austin’s cheek jumped.
“He doesn’t,” Jace assured him. “Charlotte told me that her brother sold her to Adrian, but she never consented to the mating.”
A heavy silence filled the room. Stella cleared her throat and stood. “I have to ask, and I hope you won’t hate me for it,” she said as she looked at Charlotte and came to stand with her.
“No,” he cut her off before she could pose the question. How could Stella even think of asking it? He pulled Charlotte closer.
“Jace,” Stella chided, “we need to know for sure. Charlotte, did you ever consummate a relationship with Adrian?” she asked before he could stop her.
Charlotte gasped and shook her head. “No, of course not. I ran before they could deliver me to him.”
“Good, then we have nothing to worry about,” Stella said, giving Charlotte a small smile. “And you can stop shooting daggers at me with your eyes, Jace. No one else was brave enough to face your wrath. It had to be done.”
He took a deep breath, then another, allowing his fury to dissipate, but it wasn’t until Charlotte squeezed his hand and sent him a reassuring smile that he was able to release the tension coiling in his chest.
“If you two will take a seat, we’ll start putting our plan together.” Austin pushed a button on the mantle, and a projector screen slid silently from the ceiling. “This is what we know so far. I’m hoping Charlotte will be able to fill in some of the blanks once we’ve gone through it all.”
He flipped open his laptop and clicked a few times before information showed up on the big screen. “Reyn, head of
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