Damaged Billionaire Daddy Bear - Leela Ash Page 0,27

once. If he was here tonight, and with two of his sons in tow, it must be very serious business indeed.

Theodore bowed low to Joshua, the motion courtly and brimming with respect. “Sir, we’re very honored to have you with us tonight.”

Joshua rose to his feet and wrapped Theodore in a warm hug, and Theodore noticed, worriedly, that the other man was getting increasingly frail and somewhat stooped with age. However, the shiny wedding ring on Joshua’s finger reminded Theodore that he had missed the wedding when Joshua had recently married. He had heard that the blushing bride had been a witch and the guardian of Drake’s, his son, wife, who was also a witch.

As though he had read his thoughts, Connor spat, “Our kind does not marry witches. But tell that to that boy over there. He’s been panting after them ever since he had a wing to fly with.”

It was true, there was a century’s worth of hatred between dragons and witches, but Joshua didn’t think that gave Connor the right to be so brash and disagreeable, especially in front of Joshua.

Theodore threw a glance over his shoulder, asserting his authority without a word. Displeasure was in every line of his body, and this time, Connor realized he had gone too far and fell silent.

As soon as they were all seated, Joshua began to speak without any further prompting, “I’m sure you heard about our long and arduous battle with Nabradia, the queen of the Salem witches.”

“Dead queen,” Connor corrected.

“Dead queen,” Joshua agreed.

“Yes, we heard,” Theodore ventured. “Why?”

“Well, that was quite a stink. But you have a more serious problem on your hands than that,” Joshua intoned, his face serious.

“Oh?” Theodore enquired, raising one eyebrow.

“Do we now?” Connor also enquired, for once without any heat.

“Yes. The Tailan Mineral and the men who are willing to kill humans and shifters alike just to get it,” Cade said shortly.

At the mention of the Tailan Mineral, Theodore and Connor exchanged glances. As though that were the cue he had been waiting for, Drake left his place by the fire and walked toward them.

“A band of bounty hunters are being recruited in earnest, all over the US, even as we speak. Their sole mandate is to hunt down and find the mineral, or die trying. Several petitions have also been sent to the FBI and Homeland Security about alleged criminal activities going on in Exotic Rescue.”

“What?” Connor grated, surging to his feet in a burst of angry energy. “How do you know this?” he demanded.

“I know it because, unlike you, I don’t spend my time torturing civilians. I use my skills to gain Intel,” Drake drawled insultingly.

“How? By flying around like a bat at night, playing Peeping Tom in witches’ windows?” Connor sneered. “Or, let me guess, you got your little witch to look in tea leaves, and now, here you are, spouting nonsense about your vigilance.”

He didn’t get any more word out before Drake cross the room and crashed into him, the momentum carrying both of them smashing into the nearest bookshelf. It promptly broke in two and a sea of books came spilling down in an endless sea until they were both buried under it.

Chapter 11

“Damn it, boys, we don’t have time for this,” Joshua spat as Drake and Connor struggled out from under the pile of heavy tomes. “Stop fighting.”

They didn’t answer him, they slammed against each other again, the sheer force of their contact shaking the building to its very foundation.

Theodore strode over to both men and ripped them apart with one arm, his bear shifter strength showing through.

“This ends now,” he ordered, glaring at Connor.

Drake took a flying dive at Connor and they fell through the French windows, scattering glass in every direction as they plummeted toward the bottom of the building. Mid-air, Drake spread his arms and shifted into his dragon form; Connor did likewise.

The two dragons landed with a crash on the grounds of Exotic Rescue and the whole terrain shook.

Theodore threw Joshua a wry glance, “In hindsight, maybe you shouldn’t have brought Drake along.”

Joshua shrugged, “He’s our transport. I asked him to be quiet and not make a sound and he promised to behave. Look how well he kept that promise.”

The two dragons began to shoot raw fire at each other. Their scales protected them but their fury was so great that they didn’t care as they kept breathing huge balls of fire onto each other. Joshua raised his two hands over Exotic Rescue,