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Laughing, she patted his chest. “You’re going to have to work a bit harder, Hartley.”
Rafe chuckled. Leaning down, he stopped an inch from her lips. “I love you, Nikola Gray.”
She smiled. “I love you, too, Rafe.”
He took her lips in a rough kiss. Pulling her tighter against his body, Rafe showed Nikki just how much he loved her.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Rafe tightened the thermal blanket around his body as Nikki glided over Snowdonia National Park in Wales. Kai flew slightly ahead of them, the faint sunlight dancing across his golden hide.
After hours of flying, they were finally approaching their destination, which was nestled within a group of mountains.
As cold March wind blew, Rafe cursed. He had no idea how anyone could live here. Clan Snowridge must be made of hardy souls.
Still, despite the cold and wind, Rafe enjoyed the steady rhythm of Nikki’s wings. Looking up at Nikki’s underside, he admired the fading sunlight glinting off her hide not covered by her armor. Maybe one day he could fashion a harness and ride on her back. He’d just have to be careful about how he proposed his idea to his soon-to-be mate. Being harnessed probably wasn’t her idea of a good time. But if he hinted about her having free rein to dive and scare the crap out of him, she might warm up to his proposal.
It was hard to believe they would be mated in a little over two days. A public ceremony wasn’t his first choice, but if it meant staying with Nikki, he’d gladly wear one of the traditional dragon-shifter kilt things in front of all of Great Britain in a rainstorm.
As Nikki slowed down the beat of her wings, Rafe checked his pocket for his gift. The solid outline told him it was still there. He only hoped Gwen would listen long enough for him to apologize and give Noah’s gift to her and her child.
Once they reached the flat landing area, Kai descended first and shifted back to a human. Thankfully, Kai tossed on some clothes before Nikki made her descent.
Maneuvering her body, Nikki gently laid the basket carrying Rafe on the ground. Then she moved to the side. Kai removed her armor and turned around before Nikki finally shifted back to human. Rafe didn’t waste time tossing her a long, warm jacket.
Just as Rafe climbed out of the basket, an older woman approached them. Studying her features, Rafe noticed the faint resemblance to Kai in the shape of the eyes and color of her hair.
The dragonwoman smiled at each of them in turn. “Welcome to Snowridge, Rafe and Nikki.” She moved to stand in front of Nikki. “Kai has told me a lot about you. It’s nice to finally meet you. I’m Lily Owens, Kai’s mother and your official guide during your time here.” She turned toward Rafe. “And Rafe Hartley. Kai spoke well of you the last time we talked.”
Kai grunted, and Rafe tried not to laugh. Rafe found it hard to believe Kai would praise anything about him, but he wasn’t about to call out the man’s mother. He nodded. “Mrs. Owens. Thanks for meeting us.” He looked behind her, but there was no one else. “Will you be taking us to Gwen?”
Mrs. Owens bobbed her head. “Gwen’s daughter was just waking up from a nap, and she didn’t want to take Cora right out into the cold.”
Noah’s mother’s name had been Corinne and Rafe had a feeling Gwen had named her daughter after her human grandmother.
Not that he was going to discuss it with Mrs. Owens. “Would you take us to her?”
“Sure,” She looked to Kai. “You can go visit your sister while I take them. They’ll be safe enough with me.”
Kai crossed his arms over his chest. “My job is to watch over them.”
Mrs. Owens raised her eyebrows. “Do you think I would put them in danger, Kai Wilbur Sutherland? Gwen is sweet and somewhat quiet these days. She hasn’t been a soldier for a long time. She won’t hurt them. Besides, Delia has been going on about her reporter dreams. I think she wants to go undercover for practice. You might be able to talk her out of it. After all, she’s only sixteen.” Kai raised his brows, and his mother sighed. “Okay, Rhydian charged me with watching over Nikki and Rafe. But I wasn’t lying about Delia’s half-arsed plans. Go talk her out of it, Kai. She listens to you.”
Kai turned toward Rafe and Nikki. “Be careful, you two. While I trust my family, I don’t know everyone on Snowridge.”
Rafe nodded. “Of course. We’ll be fine.”
Mrs. Owens motioned with her hands. “Then follow me.”
Nikki was instantly at his side, and Rafe wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Even as they walked in silence, he was grateful to have Nikki there. Rafe had only ever been on Stonefire’s lands and had no idea what to expect on another dragon clan’s lands.
The flat landing area soon turned into a narrow walkway carved between the rocks. Mrs. Owens turned right, and they followed her inside the the mountain.
Unlike Stonefire, which was a collection of cottages, Snowridge had dwellings carved into the mountain. At least, that was his best guess from the doors appearing every so often along the corridor. He wondered about the differences and how they stayed warm in the winter. Before he could distract himself from thinking about the meeting for
much longer, Mrs. Owens stopped to knock on a door. A muffled female voice told them to enter. The older dragonwoman smiled before opening the door.
Nikki squeezed his waist and released so they could enter single file.
