Cured by the Dragon (Stonefire British Dragons Book 8) Read online

  At that second, her dragon roared inside her head. He’s mine. I won’t share. Let me have him.

  Sid took a deep breath and reinforced her mental reply with every bit of steel she had. No, he’s ours.

  But I claimed him. He wants me. Let me have him.

  Images of her dragon taking Gregor flashed inside her mind. If her dragon wanted to play games, she’d do the same. Sid tossed back memories of tender moments with her Scot—gentle kisses, teasing him about his carvings, and even the look of understanding when they’d discussed their pasts.

  Her beast huffed. Those will soon be mine, too. You had many years in charge without me. It’s my turn.

  As her dragon thrashed against the prison, Sid vaguely noted Gregor taking both of her hands and squeezing. His reassuring warmth made her sit taller. I didn’t imprison you.

  Her beast snarled. Your actions did, which is the same thing. If I can ever find a way to mentally contain you for twenty years, where you can hear and see everything but never act, I will do it.

  Some might tiptoe around the issue, but Sid would treat her dragon as she would any stubborn patient. Threats are one thing, actions another. Why aren’t you trying to take control now?

  I won’t harm my child.

  Our child.

  No. Mine. I will raise him or her alone. Once he or she is born, I will pounce. You’ve been warned.

  Her dragon turned her back and remained silent. Sid slumped against Gregor’s side and he asked, “What can I do, love?”

  She shook her head. “Nothing. I’m safe enough for about the next nine months. After that, all hell is going to break loose.”

  “Over my dead body. Nine months is plenty of time to woo your beast.”

  Looking up at Gregor, Sid’s voice cracked as she replied, “My dragon blames me for her solitude and confinement.”

  Stroking her cheek with a finger, Gregor said, “As I said, we just need to woo your beast.”

  Sid sat up. “And how, exactly, are we going to do that? She won’t believe anything I say, and I’m not about to be someone I’m not just to kiss her arse all the time.”

  Her dragon’s tail flicked at that comment, but she still said nothing.

  Gregor placed a finger under her chin. “Are you giving up before you even start? That doesn’t sound like you.”

  “Of course I’m not bloody giving up. The thought of my dragon stealing our child and raising him or her alone is more than enough motivation for me to keep fighting.”

  “Good.” He released her chin and pushed her food in front of her. “Now, eat. Not taking care of yourself will only irritate your dragon further, not to mention me as well.”

  “And we can’t have you irritated, can we?” she asked dryly.

  He smiled. “Someone’s picking up on my sarcasm.”

  Sid merely hit his side before eating a spoonful of curry and rice.

  Gregor chuckled. “Don’t worry, lass, I love the fact you’ve been around me long enough to pick something up from me. After a few more months, you may become as charming as any Lochguard dragon-shifter.”

  “Don’t hold your breath.”

  As Gregor swiped a piece of naan bread, Sid checked on her beast. However, she still sat in silence with her back turned.

  Maybe Gregor was right—they could find a way to win her over.

  But not in the present. Each bite of food made her sleepy. As always, there was much to do and not enough time to do it. The only difference from the past was Sid could ask not only Gregor but also Trahern for help to watch over the clan’s health.

  Why she ever thought doing everything herself was best, Sid would never know. All she could do was embrace the changes and focus on her goal of raising her child with Gregor at her side and her dragon as an ally. How the bloody hell she would accomplish that, however, was still a mystery.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Later that evening, Gregor sat on the bed with a laptop as Cassidy lightly snored at his side.

  She’d fallen asleep in mid-conversation, but he didn’t mind. He could watch over her while she rested and also do some work. As much as Gregor would love to be the devoted mate who spent every waking moment looking after their partner, he couldn’t neglect the future health of others. Cassidy would want him to multitask since she was as devoted to her clan as he’d been on Lochguard.

  His dragon spoke up. Why do you feel guilty about leaving Lochguard?

  Who says I do?

  You can’t lie to me. Layla loves them all as much as us. No one back home would begrudge you finding a second chance.

  Gregor decided to be forthright. I know, but Harris is still suffering whilst I have gained a family. It almost doesn’t seem right.

  Harris Chisolm was Gregor’s brother-in-law and had been mated to his recently deceased sister, Nora.

  His dragon tilted his head. You already found a solution—invite Harris and Fiona to Stonefire. A new start will help.

  Maybe. I should wait at least a few days before asking Bram for more favors.

  He will say yes to helping those in pain. He may complain, but Stonefire’s leader has a heart.

  Still, I want to help our mate first. She needs to be as strong as possible when the bairn comes.

  She is strong. She will live.

  Gregor glanced at Cassidy’s face, relaxed in sleep. His doctor was strong. He needed to believe she could handle a child of his.

  His dragon shook his head. You worry too much. Hurry up and find something to ease your mind.

  Before Gregor could reply, his beast curled up and dozed off.

  Looking back to his laptop, Gregor scanned the file names he’d received from Arabella. Since Cassidy’s dragon had returned, he’d switched his focus from researching silent dragons to unruly ones.

  The problem was quite a bit more common as a simple search turned up four cases. Opening the first one, Gregor read the summary:

  After a critical injury, the patient is unable to control their beast. Only positive reinforcement seems to help but hasn’t cured the situation.

  Further down he saw the treatment had lasted five years before the patient had been reconciled with their dragon.

  Gregor didn’t have five bloody years to follow the same treatment.

  However, positive reinforcement was something he could try, although he suspected earning her trust would be more beneficial.

  He clicked the next file but dismissed it as the patient had gone rogue and been shot down by the DDA. That doctor had used negative reinforcement, which only angered Gregor.

  “Stupid doctor,” he muttered. Prodding a dragon was the quickest way to end up dead. Any school child would know that. He took note that the doctor was from Clan Skyhunter. Since the clan in Southern England had recently experienced a purge and was undergoing a leadership change, he hoped that poor excuse for a doctor had been one of the ones to be booted out. He’d check on it later.

  The third one was from Clan Snowridge. Curious since it was Trahern Lewis’s clan, Gregor scanned the summary:

  Female attempted to save her sister by forcing her dragon. When the patient’s sister died, her beast went insane. All options were exhausted until one clan member mentioned the old practice of using of a rare moss found in the Celtic rainforest, among other locations, to help calm the dragon.

  With each word, he leaned forward. Gregor continued reading:

  With the help of an elder male versed in the ways of plant medicine, the patient was given a dose. Results began within the hour. After a few months of daily doses, the dragon and human halves started to work again. However, when the patient stopped the doses, she went through withdrawal. If using this moss becomes necessary in the future, I would recommend a much slower weaning period. Side effects also need to be explored further.

  He read a few more notes about the female’s full recovery and release before the file ended.

  Gregor leaned back against the headboard. He didn’t want to get his hopes
up, but he needed to talk with Trahern Lewis first thing in the morning. Maybe the Welsh doctor knew the name of the moss that had been used. He may also know some of the side effects. As much as Gregor wanted to help his mate, he couldn’t risk the bairn.

  Of course, it would be easy enough to ask Trahern to research more of the side effects. Nine months may be enough time to ascertain the safety of the moss treatment and have Cassidy reconcile, at least in part, with her dragon.

  He could track down Lewis even though it was the middle of the night. Yet as Cassidy snuggled closer to his side, Gregor decided he could wait a few hours and simply enjoy the warm presence of his mate.

  ~~~

  Trahern sipped his coffee as light filtered through the small window on the far side of the room. He probably should’ve slept more than the hour nap on top of his desk, but he needed to figure out the final compound. Granted, it could be a million different things, maybe even a billion, but he wasn’t about to give up.

  The work also kept his mind from thinking about Emily Davies. It had been more years than he’d like to admit since he’d last seen her. He enjoyed their email discussions, but staring at a computer screen wasn’t the same as seeing her smile or how the sun glinted off her dark hair.

  His dragon flicked a tail at the memory but then settled back to sleep. Thinking of Emily always stirred his beast.

  At one time, he’d wondered about her being his true mate. However, the laws had been different then, and Trahern had learned to push aside the possibility to be friends with her. The more often he repeated she was just a friend, the quieter his dragon had become. Maybe seeing her again would wake up and motivate his dragon.

  Provided she responded to his invite in the first place.

  Adjusting his glasses, Trahern focused back on his work. He’d learned as a child not to get his hopes up about anything too soon. Besides, if he wanted to stay on Stonefire, he needed to show he was useful.

  As the computer scanned through the database, comparing the chemical makeup of the mystery ingredient, someone knocked lightly on the door. Since the nurses knew not to disturb him unless it was a priority, he stood up and said, “Come in.”

  Gregor Innes’s tall, blond form filled the doorway. “I need to ask you something.”

  Sitting back down, Trahern answered, “I still haven’t figured out the compound. You can check back again later.”

  Gregor shut the door and moved to Trahern’s desk. “I’m not here about the bloody compound. Do you know Dr. Arwel Hughes?”

  He frowned. “Dr. Hughes retired a few weeks after I began my stint as a junior doctor. Why?”

  Gregor laid a few sheets of printed paper on his desk and tapped them. “Do you know anything about this rare moss he used in one of his cases to treat an unruly dragon?”

  Trahern read the old doctor’s notes before answering, “No, but I might know who the old male he refers to might be.” Gregor opened his mouth, but Trahern beat him to it. “He won’t talk to you, though. Clyde doesn’t care for English dragon-shifters. Something about a feud from several hundred years ago.”

  “Then you talk to him.”

  “He probably won’t talk to me, either. I’m a traitor for leaving Wales, you see.”

  Gregor growled. “Then find a way. This bloody moss might be the key to saving my mate. We need to locate it so you can test it for negative side effects. Even if it’s the best cure for Cassidy’s dragon, I need to make sure it won’t endanger my child.”

  “Look, I’m not good at politics or gathering favors. Many from Clan Snowridge also see me as a traitor. Only about a quarter of the clan want to reach out and build alliances. The rest want to be left alone. So, if you need help, have Stonefire’s leader talk to Rhydian Griffiths. That’s the best chance you have of getting the information you want.”

  “Bloody stubborn Welsh dragons,” Gregor muttered.

  Trahern raised his brows. “If I recall, the Scots didn’t always believe in being open, either.”

  “Aye, well, that was the old leader who eventually got himself killed. Maybe yours will change his mind with goodwill.”

  “The male who can identify the type of moss respects Rhydian and will do whatever Snowridge’s leader says. Use that with Bram. Let me know when you either hear about Emily Davies or if Rhydian convinces old Clyde to talk with us. There’s not much else I can do outside of the surgery until Clyde talks.”

  Gregor assessed him a second before saying, “You could explore the clan’s lands and meet a few people before they come to the surgery.”

  Trahern shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t like small talk. The best way for me not to offend someone is to continue my work here.”

  He expected Gregor to prod again, but the Scottish dragonman nodded. “Right, then I’ll let you carry on with your work. Although I’d suggest a shower to wake you up before visiting any more patients. Cassidy has one off her office you can use.”

  Trahern nodded. When the silence stretched, Gregor raised a hand in farewell and left the laboratory.

  Sighing at the peace and quiet of his sanctuary, Trahern opened another window on his computer screen and started researching the different species of moss in the Celtic rainforest. He might be able to find something even without Clyde, although he hadn’t mentioned it to Gregor since he didn’t want the other doctor to get his hopes up. Trahern didn’t give false promises to anyone.

  However, the possibility of finding something new to use with his patients was too good of an opportunity to pass up. If he found anything, he’d share the information. If not, then no one would be the wiser.

  Trahern went to work.

  ~~~

  Sid was awake but kept her eyes closed. Her dragon dozed at the back of her mind, and Sid was gathering strength to confront her beast. Just because her dragon wouldn’t take complete control until after the child was born didn’t mean she would make things easy.

  Breathing in and out, Sid calmed her body. As ready as she’d ever be for her dragon, Sid took the remaining quiet moments to think of her baby.

  Or, more importantly, the fact she carried one and would be a mother in about nine months’ time.

  She only hoped she wouldn’t screw up her child’s life.

  No. Sid had worked hard to survive as long as she had while maintaining her sanity. Not only that, she’d gone through her own tragedy as a child and never wanted her baby to go through the same. Sid would protect him or her at any cost.

  Her dragon stirred. Only I can protect the child.

  She debated pushing her beast for more information and decided she wouldn’t be a coward. Gregor and I will do fine.

  Her dragon huffed. I don’t care. I will do as I please and you can’t stop me.

  Why do you hate me?

  Snarling, her dragon spat out, You didn’t help me when I needed it. I won’t ever forget that.

  I didn’t know how.

  Liar. You’re a doctor and should’ve taken risks. Instead, you kept pushing me aside to help everyone else.

  Before Sid could reply, her beast roared and thrashed inside her head.

  Sid curled on her side. Stop it!

  No.

  She attempted to construct a prison, but her dragon moved around her head and kept escaping. As the minutes ticked by, Sid’s strength waned. Rather than risk her baby, she finally said, Stop or you risk hurting the child.

  After a few more seconds, her dragon quieted. This isn’t over.

  As her beast moved to the rear of her mind and turned her back, Sid relaxed into the bed. Fighting her beast had sapped her energy. If this kept up, Sid would be spending the next nine months bedridden.

  She could call out for the nurse downstairs or even ring Gregor, but reaching out would feel like defeat. Yes, if she truly needed help, she would ask for it. However, all she needed was a nap. Recouping energy would give her another chance to try reasoning with her dragon. There had to be a way to reconcile, even if it was to the minutest d
egree.

  One sentence from her dragon kept repeating inside her head: Instead, you kept pushing me aside to help everyone else.

  To a degree, her dragon was right. But only after Sid had exhausted all of her options. Did she not realize that?

  Her beast may have been watching for twenty-four years, but she hadn’t matured at a normal rate. Maybe Sid needed to approach the situation by assuming her dragon was still an unruly teenager.

  Yes, maybe that would work. She could mention it to Gregor later. But first, she needed to rest.

  Closing her eyes, Sid recalled sleeping in Gregor’s arms the night before. Even the memory of his heat and scent surrounding her made her sigh. Within minutes, she was asleep.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Gregor paced the length of the living room as he waited for Bram to finish his call with Rhydian Griffiths. Even though Stonefire’s leader had assured Gregor he’d call him as soon as he was done, Gregor didn’t want any sort of delay. Cassidy would be awake and he wanted to greet her with good news.

  As he turned to pace the other way, a door opened and Kai Sutherland raced past. Gregor poked his head out of the hall, but he only saw the door to Bram’s study closing with a click.

  He debated knocking to find out what was going on when Aaron Caruso, Kai’s second-in-command of the Protectors, burst through the front door. His gaze immediately zeroed in on Gregor. “There you are. We need you for a medical emergency.”

  His doctor’s instincts on high alert, Gregor nodded and followed Aaron out of the cottage. “What’s wrong?’

  “We’ve found another possible victim of the drone attacks.”

  “What do you mean ‘possible victim?’ I thought you lot had tightened surveillance.”

  Aaron’s paced quickened. “We have. But the victim was found outside the clan’s lands, where our surveillance doesn’t reach.”

  Gregor made sure to match Aaron’s strides. “Is Lewis already there?”