Dragonfury 02 - Fury of Ice

face. His claws scraped stone as he scanned the horizon and the flat plateau running out below him. A thousand yards of wide-open space, jagged cliffs falling off the edge into the ocean on one side, thick forest rising on the other, a swath of flat terrain interspacing the two.
    The perfect place for an ambush.
    He’d hunted all week for the location. Had done nothing but flybys, working his way up the Washington State coastline, searching for just…one…thing. Multiple points of cover. But above all, safety and a back door for Angela if things went wrong.
    Rikar snorted, frost rising like smoke rings from his nostrils. Tonight didn’t feel right. Nothing about having Angela in the mix did, but even as the thick rush of unease intensified, he broadcast the signal, wanting to get it over with even as he dreaded the outcome. But the setup was the best he could do. With the humans cleared out of the century-old farmhouse and Angela’s Jeep parked beside it, the Razorbacks would come to the conclusion Rikar wanted them to—that Angela had come to the secluded spot to hide.
    Not a bad trap.
    Rikar still didn’t like it. Wound tight, muscle flickered along his flank, rattling the spikes along his spine. The sound smacked of nervousness, forcing him to reevaluate. He’d never thought much about battle. Fighting was simply a part of his life, something he did to protect the race, and by extension, humankind. Nothing to wax poetic about, but tonight, everything hinged on Angela getting a clean shot. At a moving target. Within a very limited window of time.
    Shifting into human form, he mind-spoke, “B, heads up. Signal’s gone live. Tell the boys to get ready.”
    “You in position?”
    “No,” he said, aware he was about to catch hell. “Making a pit stop first.”
    “Jesus, man.” When he remained silent, Bastian sighed, knowing a losing battle when he found one. “Do it fast, then get your ass cliff-side. We’re all good to go.”
    “Two minutes tops, and I’m airborne again.”
    His best friend cursed.
    Rikar ignored the warning and hopped over the top of a huge boulder. He caught air, free-falling ten feet to the ledge below. His shitkickers connected to the granite with a crunch. He swallowed another bout of unease as he got a load of the setup—of Angela, the M25 he’d given her, and the spot she’d chosen to shoot from.
    Fucking hell. What had he been thinking?
    Nothing good, that was for sure. But as he watched her stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Forge and Mac—listened to her give last-minute instructions to his warriors—he couldn’t help himself. She made him so damned proud. His mate was unbelievably beautiful. So brave. So savvy. So…100 percent his. And God, he needed to protect her. Craved her safety more than he wanted to live, and as he stared, she turned, ignoring Mac’s gum-flapping and Forge’s response to smile at him. His heart flip-flopped, thumping the inside of his chest.
    Giving the males a pat, she left the pair and approached him. “Hey.”
    The greeting was more than just a how-the-hell-are-ya. It was a question, one filled with concern. Throat gone tight, Rikar tipped his chin, returning the hello the only way he could…with action. Shit on a stick. She shouldn’t be worried about him. He knew how to take care of himself. Angela needed to concentrate on herself, but…goddamn it. He couldn’t stop his reaction. It felt so good to be cared about—to have her want him home safely each dawn.
    Stepping in close, she smoothed her hands over his shoulders. Rikar couldn’t resist. He wrapped his arms around her. As he buried his face in her hair, he breathed her in, saturating himself in her scent. He wanted to remember everything about her. The way she felt against him. How she smelled. The sound of her voice.
    Everything. Just in case the worst happened and he lost her forever.
    Cupping his nape, she kissed the side of his neck. “You okay?”
    “No,” he murmured, being honest with her. “I don’t like this…you being here.”
    “Rikar, I’m—”
    “I know you’re kick-ass capable, angel.” Spreading his fingers, he ran his hands down her back, touching as much of her as he could with one caress. “This isn’t about how good you are at your job and your ability with a gun. I just…I can’t stand the thought of you getting hurt. I almost lost you once. I can’t do that again.”
    “Mac and Forge will be with me the whole time.”
    “I