Bram took a step forward. "Enough. There's one more requirement." As soon as Rafe met Bram's eyes, the clan leader continued, "Having a human male living on Stonefire, who is military no less, will make many of the clan members uneasy. It's best if you stay with Nikki. She can protect you from the clan."
Nikki's dad, Hector, nodded. "Good. I can keep an eye on him under my roof."
Bram shook his head. "No, Hector. Nikki and Rafe are going to take one of the small, empty cottages and share it."
Hector's eyes flashed. "There's no way I'm allowing my daughter to shack up with a human male. I know nothing about him. He didn't even ask my permission before agreeing to the mate-claim frenzy."
"Dad," Nikki interjected. "Enough. I love you, but Rafe was right earlier-I'm an adult now. I'll visit as often as possible, but it'll be easier for Rafe and me to focus on our tasks if we have a place to ourselves. Besides, you don't want him to be thrown in jail if we fail, and have your grandbaby grow up without a father, do you?"
Rafe wondered what game Nikki was playing at. Not ten minutes ago, she'd barely agreed to think about keeping the baby.
Still, whatever it was, her father's expression turned into one of resignation. "I just want what's best for my baby girl. I nearly lost you once, and I don't want it to happen again."
Nikki stood and moved to her father. Engulfing him in a hug, she murmured, "I'll be fine, Dad. Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."
All the other dragon-shifters in the room shuffled their feet or rubbed the backs of their necks. Even Delphine was looking at Hector and Nikki with teary eyes.
Rafe hated being in the dark. One of his first tasks would be drilling Nikki on her past. If there was anything that could come back to harm her, he needed to know.
Clearing his throat, Bram broke the silence. "Right, then with that settled, I'll let the DDA and British Army know you've accepted their terms. Kai and Jane can show you to your new place since it's next door to theirs."
Rafe blinked. "What?"
Kai met his gaze, and the corners of the dragonman's mouth curled up. "It'll be easier to keep an eye on you."
"Surely there's another empty cottage?"
"That one was just vacated by a Protector who went to foster with Lochguard in Scotland. It's the best-and only-option you have." Bram turned toward the back door. "Keep me updated on everything."
Once Bram was gone, Hector pierced Rafe with his blue-eyed stare. "Hurt my daughter and I will personally drop you from a very great height."
Before Nikki could reply, Rafe jumped in. "Hurting Nikki is the last thing I plan on doing."
Nikki's expression turned guarded. No doubt, their past had flashed through her mind.
She turned to pat her father's arm. "We'll be fine, Dad. I can take care of myself." She turned toward Kai and Jane. "Take me and Rafe to our new place. I know you have loads to do, Kai. I don't want to keep you."
Kai bobbed his head. "Right, then follow me."
Kai and Jane left the cottage without another word.
Nikki hugged her dad. "Don't worry about me. I'll drop by as much as I can, I promise."
Hector grunted. "I still don't like it. The human won't be able to protect you like I can."
Rafe took a step. "I will protect Nikki and the baby with my life, so stop doubting me at every turn."
He and Hector stared at one another until Delphine finally broke the tense silence. "He'll do fine, Hector. You haven't seen them together like I have. He suits Nikki."
"If you say so, love."
"I do."
Nikki nodded toward the door. "I'm off, then. Love you both."
Not wanting to dally, Rafe moved as quickly as possible to Nikki's side. He looked to each of her parents in turn before Nikki took his hand and hauled him out the door. It looked like he at least had Delphine on his side. That could come in handy later.
Nikki kept a hold of Rafe's hand as she charged silently after Kai and Jane in the distance.
Not because she didn't have loads to say. No, it was because she was tired of the males in her life meddling, growling, and all around acting as if she couldn't make her own decisions. The next time she talked with Rafe, it would be alone. That way, she could pin him if need be to make him listen. Hell, she wasn't above tying him to a chair and putting tape over his mouth.
Unfortunately, Rafe didn't have the same idea. He leaned down and whispered, "You seemed to accept all that rather easily. I expected more of a fight."
She raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding me? I've wanted to move out for years, but never really had a strong enough case to win against my father's worry. Now, I do."
"Glad your father recognizes my talents."
She shook her head. "Not because of you. Living next to Kai is what did it."
"Wait a second, let me get this straight. So if it'd just been a place with me, with no one else around us, you would've allowed your father to tell you what to do?"
"Surely even you have learned to pick your battles. Besides, I can't cook much besides toast and bacon. Delphine's cooking has more than made up for my father's protectiveness over the years."
"So, we'll be eating toast and bacon three times a day?" Rafe drawled.
She glanced at him. "I can make sandwiches, thank you very much. You, however, can make your own meals."
"Sounds like a plan. Oh, maybe I shouldn't mention that I'm a better cook than anyone else in my family?"
"I call bullshit."
"I see through your plan, Nikki. Calling bullshit, which is a challenge, and then expect me to accept it. But you're the one who suggested we each make our own meals."
"Ah, but I said nothing about who makes food for the baby. I eat for us both. Ergo, you must do all the cooking."
"Then you'll have to earn that privilege."
She stopped in her tracks. Facing him, she blinked at the amusement dancing in his eyes. "Is Rafe Hartley teasing me?"
He winked and Nikki's heart skipped a beat. "Get used to it, because I plan on doing it a lot."
"Who are you and what have you done with the argumentative bastard I know?"
Lightly tracing her cheek, he murmured, "There's a time and place for arguing. Like right before I take you to bed."
Memories of the last week played inside her head, causing heat to spread through her body. At Rafe's chuckle, she cleared her throat. "I never said anything about sharing a bed again."
Rafe leaned closer, his breath hot on her cheek. "I have plenty of time to convince you once we're settled in and alone." He grabbed her hand. "Now, come on or I'll carry you."
Yanking her hand away, she turned and jogged ahead without a reply. She might be exhausted still, but it was nothing Nikki hadn't handled before. And surely she was too early in her pregnancy to really worry about overdoing exercise.
Or, was she? Truth be told, she knew nothing about babies and pregnancy.
Her beast spoke up. I'm sure Dr. Sid will visit us soon. Ask her then.
You seem pretty laid back considering you don't know the first bloody thing about having a baby, either.
Before her dragon could reply, Rafe dashed past her and stopped directly in her path. "You asked for it."
Scooping her up, he hugged her against his chest. Nikki squeaked. "Put me down this instant."
"Or you'll do what?"
Nikki extended a talon from her fingernail and tapped it against his throat. "I know how to slice to make you bleed, but not kill you."
He snorted and met her eyes. "What? And incapacitate your partner for the Bourne mission? I think not." She lightly scratched his skin, but Rafe didn't so much as flinch. A smirk spread across his face. "Is that the best you have, woman?"
Retracting her talon, Nikki swung the heel of her hand into Rafe's nose with a crack. He swore and dropped her to pinch his bleeding nose.
Nikki landed on her feet and moved a few feet away. "We agreed on no alpha bullshit unless my health or life is in danger. Consider that your warning."
"No, I rather think it was a declaration of war."
The coolness of Rafe's tone caused a tendril of worry to swirl in her stomach. "Don't even, Rafe. We have an agreement."
"Oh, I know we do. But you were running when you were clearly exhausted, which means I'm in the right. And payback is a bitch."
Nikki placed a hand on her hip. "I say we ask Kai to decide. The loser must do one thing, anything, that the winner asks."
The corner of Rafe's mouth ticked up. "Oh, this is going to be fun." He put out his free hand. "Shake on it."
Cautiously, Nikki took a few steps and placed her hand in Rafe's. A second later, he pulled her close to whisper, "I look forward to collecting."
The heat in his eyes combined with the huskiness of his voice made her shiver. She wondered what Rafe would ask for.
The dried blood in his nostrils didn't diminish his handsome green eyes or chiseled jaw. Without the mate-claim frenzy in the way, getting naked with Rafe could be fun. And since he was a male, his favor would no doubt involve both of them naked.
No. Nikki was in the right. The fun part would be deciding what to make Rafe do. Maybe she would make him run naked through the clan's main shopping area. That would help diminish his scary, badass army image with the clan.
Releasing his hand, Nikki scanned the area to see Kai and Jane watching them. "Let's ask Kai, then," she stated before marching toward the pair.
She couldn't wait to see Rafe's face when Kai decided in Nikki's favor. Considering Kai couldn't stand Rafe, she didn't doubt for a second the ruling would declare her the winner.
As soon as she was close enough, Jane came up to her and slapped her shoulder. "You are brilliant, Nikki Gray. If anyone can stand up to my brother, it's you. Did you break his nose? You were too far away for me to see."
Smiling, Nikki glanced behind her and back. "He deserved it is all I'll say." Moving her gaze to Kai, she added, "We have something for you to adjudicate, Kai."
Kai merely raised his brows in question. Since Rafe had been close enough to hear, he beat Nikki to the explanation. "Nikki is exhausted after the frenzy, newly pregnant, and decided to run after you. To solve the problem, I scooped her up and carried her. She claims I was crossing boundaries and being alpha when all I was doing was thinking of her health."
Nikki frowned. "You left out the bit about our agreement. Rafe isn't allowed to pull his alpha bullshit unless my life or health is in danger."
Jane grinned. "So, you two already have an agreement?"
"Not like that, Jane," Nikki jumped in. "It's merely something to prevent us from killing each other."
Rafe opened his mouth to say something when Kai's voice cut him off. "In this, I side with Rafe."
Nikki blinked. "What?"
"You heard me. You've more than proved yourself to everyone who matters in this clan. It's okay to take a day off to recover from the frenzy. Actually, I order you to take tomorrow off, too." Kai pointed to the cottage to his right. "That's your place. Jane and I will check in with you after you've rested. Dr. Sid should also be by in a few hours." Kai's gaze moved to Rafe. "I may not like you, but if you need to tie Nikki to the bed to force her to sleep, then do it. She'll never admit she's tired, and I won't have her losing the baby because of her stubbornness."
"Traitor," Nikki muttered.
Kai shrugged a shoulder. "Your health is more important than your good graces." He looped an arm around Jane's waist. "Come on. Let's leave them be."
I can't believe he did that, Nikki said to her dragon.
Why not? He knows us too well. I also want to sleep. So, stop bothering me.
Ungrateful beast.
I know you would miss me if I was gone. Her dragon yawned. Good night.
With her beast silent, Nikki took a deep breath before turning toward Rafe. As expected, smugness filled his eyes. "You may have won this time, but I won't let my guard down again."
Walking up to her, Rafe whispered, "So, aren't you curious what I want to ask you to do?"
Yes. "No. Of course not."
Chuckling, Rafe gripped her hand in his. "Good, then you won't mind waiting."
"What?"
"Come. I'm not going to say anything more until you're sitting down on the sofa with a cup of tea in your hands."
Muttering some rather choice words, Nikki allowed Rafe to guide her to the doorstep. The cottage was an old, two-story stone structure, like most of the buildings on Stonefire. There was even a little wall around the front and back gardens.
She would never admit it to anyone, but Nikki loved to play around in the dirt. While she attempted to grow plants, they always withered and died somehow. It still didn't keep her from trying or enjoying herself. If nothing else, she could tinker in peace at the new cottage and not worry about upsetting Delphine.
Glancing at Rafe, she wondered if he had a green thumb on top of being a supposedly brilliant cook. If he could garden and cook, in addition to being a skilled soldier, Nikki might need to scream into a pillow. No man should have so many talents.
Rafe stopped on the front porch and glanced over at her. "Shall I do the honors, or should you?"
"You asking my permission makes me nervous."
"What? I can be nice if I try."