Sacrificed to the Dragon: Part Two Read Online Free PDF Page A

which was great since Bram had asked to see her.
    Since the asshole, her current codename for Tristan, hadn’t bothered to even stop by and say hi, she was going to turn to her other designated protector and find out what she was actually allowed to do here. If she had to spend nine months twiddling her thumbs, she’d go insane.
    She passed an unknown female dragon-shifter and Melanie smiled in greeting. But the woman glared at her and hissed, “You shouldn’t be here, you human whore.”
    She blinked. After spending so much time with Samira, she’d forgotten that not everyone accepted her presence here.
    But before she could say anything in response, the dragonwoman was gone.
    She instinctively put a hand over her belly. Liam had picked up Mel’s “scent of pregnancy” yesterday within seconds of entering his and Samira’s home. While she had yet to take any official pregnancy test, two dragon-shifters scenting it had made the whole thing a lot more real to her. Now that she had something to protect, she really needed to get to know the people of this community and weed out the threats from the allies.
    She may not be a dragon, but she’d do anything to protect her family.
    But since she couldn’t even go around Stonefire’s community without Bram’s say-so, she picked up her pace. She needed to convince Stonefire’s leader that she wasn’t a threat. Well, as long as no one threatened her, of course. She wasn’t about to take people’s crap just to keep the peace. Even if the asshole who’d knocked her up wasn’t going to protect her, Liam and his brothers and sister would. Liam was an actual nice guy, and for a second, Melanie had been jealous of Samira.
    Then the jealousy had passed. Nice was a little too boring for her taste.
    She nearly faltered at that thought. What? Did she prefer a broody, asshole of a sex god instead?
    She shook her head and sprinted the last few feet to Bram’s office. She needed a distraction.
    When she knocked, she was told to enter. Inside, Bram was at his desk. He gestured toward the chair. After she sat down, he took a deep inhale and said, “It’s true, then, about the baby. You’re well, I take it?”
    She resisted being snarky since this man was the key to any sort of freedom she might have here. “As well as anyone in my situation could be.”
    He nodded. “Good. While I wanted to see how you’re doing, the real reason I asked to see you is because I have a job for you.”
    “A job?”
    “Yes. Two, in fact. The first is more of a personal favor than anything, but I’m hoping you can help me out.”
    Doing a favor might help her in the long run. “What do you need?”
    “It’s about Cait.”
    She leaned forward in her chair. “What happened? Is she okay? I wanted to check on her, but I was told I had to come here first.”
    Bram stared at her for a second then said, “Before Tristan’s mate frenzy came on, you met with Cait. You know she’s had a tough time here, and it’s mostly my fault.” When she didn’t countermand him, he gave a sardonic smile. “Okay, it’s ninety-nine percent my fault she’s miserable. I never should have made Neil take a sacrifice. But it’s done and can’t be changed.” He leaned back in his chair. “You know she’s depressed and unhappy. What you might not know is that after talking with you the first day before the welcoming ceremony, she actually started venturing outside her cottage. Only short trips, mostly to watch some of the young play in the designated safe area, but she hasn’t done more than visit the healer for months now.”
    Now, more than ever, she wanted to check on Cait. The woman sounded lonely. But Bram had yet to ask her for the favor. “And what does this have to do with me?”
    “She has about three months before she’s due to give birth. I want you to be friends with her and see if she can be even marginally happy. She doesn’t like Samira because Samira has a dragon male who loves her. And