Loved by the Dragon (Stonefire British Dragons Book 6) Read online

  When Evie wrung out the last drop from his cock, Bram laid his forehead on her shoulder and rubbed her belly in slow circles. “Did it work or do we need to try again? I’ll do it as many times as it takes to help bring about labor.”

  Evie reached behind her and swatted his thigh. She drawled, “I’m sure that’s your main aim.”

  Hearing the tiredness in her voice, Bram gently wrapped his arms around Evie and lifted until she was sitting on his lap. He kissed her damp neck before murmuring, “Of course. I’m clan leader and I’m always noble. Most especially when it comes to sex.”

  She snorted and looked over her shoulder. “Sure, and I’m the queen of abstinence.”

  The corner of his mouth ticked up and he placed a possessive hand over their baby. “Next you’re going to tell me this is a result of a turkey baster.”

  Evie grinned and Bram stopped breathing. She was so bloody beautiful. Yet somehow he focused on her words as she answered, “I haven’t used that one yet. I think tomorrow I’ll start spreading it around, about how shy you are, so I had to use a turkey baster.”

  Bram growled and hugged her tighter against him. “Do that and I really will pick Ninjamaster as the wee one’s middle name.”

  Evie smiled and leaned against him. “Then hope the baby comes out soon. If I’m screaming and trying to push your giant dragon child out of my vagina, I won’t have a chance to spread the turkey baster rumor.”

  He laid his chin on her shoulder. “I don’t want you to be in pain ever, Evie.” He held her even closer. “As it is, I might lose you.”

  Evie shook her head. “Nonsense, Bram. We’re having only one child, I’m your true mate, and I’m healthy.”

  His dragon huffed. Don’t upset her. She won’t die.

  But you don’t know that. Look what happened to Melanie and she was both a true mate and healthy when she birthed the twins. Even so, her heart stopped beating for about thirty seconds.

  Evie’s stubbornness alone will win out. You’ll see.

  As Bram and Evie fell into a comfortable silence, Bram secretly hoped so. He’d had his true mate and best friend for less than a year. More than that, Murray needed his mum.

  Kissing Evie’s cheek, Bram decided he would stop worrying and focus on lending Evie his strength. When the time came, she might just need it.

  Chapter Two

  Snapped out of her peaceful slumber with a sharp pain in her abdomen, Evie just barely managed to not cry out. She’d had a few Braxton Hicks contractions over the last week and the last thing she needed was for Bram to bang on Sid’s door and wake the dragonwoman doctor up when it was unnecessary.

  Taking a deep breath, she rubbed her belly with one hand and waited.

  After thirty seconds, the pain passed and she released her breath. Glancing to the clock, she noted the time.

  Evie moved slowly to the edge of the bed, but before she could put her feet on the floor, Bram’s sleepy voice filled the room. “Is everything okay, Evie?”

  “Can’t I go to the bathroom without you worrying?”

  Bram reached over and patted her thigh. “No.”

  With a sigh, she squeezed Bram’s hand. “Once I know I’m really in labor, I’ll let you know.”

  “Then what was that sharp intake of breath a minute ago?”

  Bloody dragonman and his super senses. “I already experienced a fake labor earlier this week. The second I know it’s for real, believe me, I’ll be asking for all the help I can get.”

  Bram’s voice was gravelly as he answered, “Good. Now hurry up and use the toilet so you can come back to me and I can keep tabs on you.”

  Too tired to argue, Evie merely shook her head and released Bram’s hand. “Fine. May I go now?”

  Bram released his hold. “I’m giving you five minutes and then I’m coming after you.”

  Hefting herself off the bed, Evie muttered, “Overprotective dragonman,” and rushed into the bathroom. She flipped the light on and blinked for her eyes to adjust to the brightness. If the painful contraction, real or otherwise, wasn’t enough, a headache throbbed right behind her eyes.

  Placing a hand on either side of the counter, she glared at her protruding belly. This is it, baby. You’d better be trying to come out for real.

  Silence was her answer.

  Evie did her business and washed her hands. Her fingers were even more swollen than earlier in the day. They may as well have been sausages.

  Looking up at the mirror, her puffy face greeted her. In fact, it was puffier than before Bram had come home. Evie frowned at her reflection. She teased Bram for being overprotective, but between the puffiness, sudden headache, and the pain in her abdomen, Evie’s gut told her something was off. As much as she hated to do it, she was going to have to worry Bram.

  As if on cue, Bram knocked on the bathroom door and opened it. His gaze moved to where she was standing at the counter. In the next second, he walked over to stand next to her. Caressing her forehead, he asked, “What’s wrong? And don’t try to brush it off this time, Evie Marie. I see it in your eyes.”

  Her heart thudded in her chest. “I don’t know, Bram. It may be nothing, but between the swelling and sudden headache, something seems off. I think you should call Dr. Sid.”

  Bram nodded and rushed into the bedroom for his mobile phone. Evie started to follow him, but another pain rippled across her belly and she cried out. She’d barely had time to lean against the wall for support when Bram had his hands on her shoulders. She heard the dominance in his voice as he growled out, “We’re going to call Dr. Sid the second this pain passes and tell her to come over.”

  Evie breathed through the contraction. The second it stopped, she took a deep breath and murmured, “You won’t get any complaints from me.”

  Bram’s pupils flashed to slits and back. “I hear the pain in your voice, love.” He rubbed her lower back and supported her to the bed. He nodded toward the mattress. “Lay down while I call the doctor.”

  With a pounding head, she slowly lowered herself onto the bed, turned onto her side, and hugged her stomach. If this was the beginning of labor, then Evie started to wonder if wishing for it had been the best thing after all.

  ~~~

  Five minutes later, Bram ran a hand through his hair while Evie clutched his other hand and screamed. Sid was on her way, but every time Evie cried out, his fear of losing her only increased.

  His beast snarled and spoke up. We won’t lose her. She is our true mate. She will live.

  It’s not guaranteed. Dragon-shifter hormones can kill a human in labor, and you know it.

  Shoving his beast aside, he focused on Evie. When her shouts died down, he squeezed her hand and brushed back a few strands of hair from her damp forehead. “It looks like you got your wish, Evie Marie. I think you’re in real labor.”

  “And you’re a doctor now?”

  The corner of his mouth ticked up. “Maybe. I’m always on the lookout to expand my skills.”

  Evie shook her head. “I’m too tired to argue. You’re not a doctor, end of story. I’ll take my medical advice from Sid.”

  Bram cupped Evie’s cheek. “I suppose I can live with that.”

  “Bram.”

  He didn’t like the worry in her voice. “Don’t even think about saying you could be dying. You won’t die. I won’t let you.”

  A knock on the front door caused his dragon to shout. Answer it. Evie needs relief.

  Bram debated leaving his mate alone, but Evie rolled her eyes and said, “Go answer the door. Nothing is going to happen to me in the sixty seconds you’re away.”

  “Promise? If you give me your word, then I trust your stubbornness to see it through.”

  She snorted. “Not sure if that’s exactly true, but I promise.”

  “Good.” Bram slowly released her hand and stood up. “I’ll be right back.”

  Evie muttered some choice words about caveman dragon-shifters, but Bram ignored them as he raced down the stairs and
opened the front door. Dr. Cassidy Jackson, better known as Dr. Sid, stood in the doorway with a medical bag in her hand. She made a shooing motion with her free hand. “Yes, I’ll help her. And no, I can’t perform miracles. Just get out of the way, Bram.”

  With anyone else, he would frown and maybe growl. However, Sid was one of the few he trusted with not only his life but also the lives of his clan members. Stepping aside, Sid rushed past. Bram followed. “Evie’s had another possible contraction. Her screams are killing me, Sid. Find a way to help her.”

  Sid tossed over her shoulder. “I’m not a human doctor, but I’ll see what I can do until help arrives.”

  “Help? What help? You didn’t clear it with me earlier.”

  “I don’t have to, as you bloody well know. Medical issues are completely left up to me. Besides, I asked a favor of your best friend up in Scotland. Help should be coming.”

  Bram growled. “Finlay Stewart isn’t my best friend. What did you ask for?”

  “They have a human woman there named Holly MacKenzie. She used to be a midwife with the NHS before mating one of the Scottish dragon-shifters. Her mate and a few of Clan Lochguard’s Protectors are flying her down so she can help me with Evie.”

  Bram had heard of the details from both Melanie Hall-MacLeod and Finn about the human sacrifice. “Holly MacKenzie had better know what the bloody hell she’s doing.”

  Sid met his eyes for a second and raised her brows before turning back around and walking into Bram and Evie’s room.

  Knowing Sid, that was all the answer he was going to get.

  His dragon spoke up. Sid has never steered us wrong before. Besides, she has authority over even you when it comes to medical issues in Stonefire.

  Now Finn will lord it over me the next time we talk.

  Does it matter if it helps our mate?

  His beast’s words put everything into perspective. You’re far calmer than me in all of this.

  Someone has to be. Besides, I would do anything for Evie.

  His dragon fell quiet. Bram kneeled on the opposite side of the bed from Sid and took Evie’s hand. His mate smiled at him and whether she knew it or not, the action gave him strength.

  Content to stare into his mate’s eyes and hold her hand, the pair of them remained silent until Sid finished her preliminary examination. Sid placed her hands on her hips. “It’s possible you’re in labor, Evie, although we need to wait a little longer since your water hasn’t broken yet. But I’m a little concerned about the swelling. Bram also mentioned over the phone that a headache came on suddenly. Is there anything else I should know?”

  Evie answered, “My vision has also started to blur a bit, but it could just be because I’m tired.”

  Sid nodded. “Possibly. Or, it could be preeclampsia. Since dragon-shifter females don’t get preeclampsia, I’ll wait for Holly’s opinion before starting any treatments.”

  Bram frowned. “Treatments? Just what the bloody hell is preeclampsia?”

  Sid’s expression remained neutral, irritating Bram further. Just how the hell could she remain so calm?

  Sid replied, “Something we can manage if caught in time. I just need to watch Evie’s blood pressure and check her urine. If it turns out Evie has it, I’ll give her some magnesium sulfate.”

  Bram growled, but Evie squeezed his hand and he met his mate’s eyes. “Yelling at Sid isn’t going to help anything. It might even push my blood pressure higher. Right now, I need your strength, Bram. Will you lend it to me?”

  His expression relaxed and he kissed the back of Evie’s hand. “Anything for you, love. Anything at all. Just ask.”

  Evie’s face relaxed a fraction. “Then lay next to me and hold me in your arms. Your touch always helps to erase my stress.”

  Bram looked to Sid and the dragonwoman nodded. “Evie needs a little rest. Later, you might need to help her walk around the room to help speed up the process.” Sid picked up her medical bag. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Holly should be here before much longer and I want to fill her in on everything. If you two need anything, I have my mobile phone in my pocket. I’ll also send along a nurse to keep watch and test Evie’s urine for proteins.”

  Evie murmured, “Thanks, Sid,” and the doctor exited the room.

  Lying next to Evie’s back, Bram engulfed his mate in his arms and breathed in her scent. “We don’t know when another contraction will come, love, so doze as much as you can. I’ll watch over you.”

  “I love you, Bram.”

  “I love you, too, Evie Marie.”

  Evie snuggled her arse against his groin and Bram tightened his grip on his female. As she relaxed against him, Bram closed his eyes and reveled in the heat and softness of his mate.

  His dragon paced in the back of his mind and Bram couldn’t bring himself to tell his beast to stop. In a way, it helped relieve his own nervous energy. Sid couldn’t come back soon enough with Holly MacKenzie.

  Chapter Three

  Evie was sorely tempted to cut off Bram’s balls so that she’d never be pregnant again.

  Another contraction had just finished and she was still trying to catch her breath.

  Bram wiped her brow and she glared up at him. “I am never doing this again, Bram. Never. You’re getting a vasectomy as soon as the baby is out.”

  Bram removed the cloth from her forehead and shook his head. “It’s just the labor talking. After you finally hold our wee Evie and gaze at her soft, pink face, then you’ll forget all about the pain.”

  “Forget about the pain, my arse. How about we push a grape up your penis and then we’ll talk.”

  Bram shifted his legs. Good. He deserved some sympathy discomfort. “If I could take the pain away from you, love, I would. But I can’t. So if thinking up ways to abuse my cock and balls helps in anyway, go right ahead. None of them will come true, though.”

  The nurse sent to watch over Evie was currently downstairs doing some kind of test on her urine, so Evie didn’t have long to make her dreams a reality. She looked around the room to see if she could use anything to show Bram how wrong he was when Sid walked through the door with a dark-haired woman. Right behind the dark-haired woman was one of the MacKenzie twins; Evie would recognize the auburn hair, tall build, and blue eyes anywhere. Because of the scar near his left eye, she knew it was the younger twin, Fraser.

  Without preamble, Sid motioned to the woman. “This is Holly MacKenzie. Holly, meet Evie Marshall.”

  Evie had heard of the human woman before, but due to her advanced pregnancy, hadn’t made it up to Lochguard to meet her. “Hello, Holly. I would offer you a cup of tea and some biscuits, but I’d probably drop the lot as soon as my next contraction hits.”

  Holly smiled. “My mother-in-law feeds me so many biscuits and scones that I’d pop if I ate any more. Thanks, anyway.”

  Evie grinned. “Lorna MacKenzie does like to bake. I keep telling Bram to invite all of Finn’s family down here so Aunt Lorna could teach me something. I have a tendency to burn toast, so there’s a lot of room for improvement.”

  Bram grunted, but it was Sid who spoke up. “Enough with the pleasantries. Bram, Fraser, I want you out of the room for five or ten minutes so that Holly and I can exam Evie properly without either one of you hovering over my shoulder.”

  Evie’s dragonman growled. “No bloody way I’m leaving Evie.”

  Sid crossed her arms over her chest. “Go or I will inject you with a sleeping drug and Fraser can drag your arse down the stairs. I might even hint for him to tie you up so you can’t escape. I need Evie as calm as possible and that won’t happen with you growling every two seconds. Especially with what I might need to do if we think she has preeclampsia. So, which will it be?”

  Fraser rubbed his hands together. “I vote for the second.”

  Holly slapped Fraser’s side. “Stop it.”

  Fraser shrugged and Evie couldn’t help but smile. Holly had sacrificed herself to the Scottish dragon clan to help her father, but
it looked like Holly had fallen in love with a dragonman in the process.

  Evie hoped one day it would always be that way with the human sacrifices.

  When all Bram did was stare at Sid, Evie sighed. “You can run up the stairs in about three seconds if anything happens. Hell, you can even post guards outside if it’ll help ease your nerves. But if Sid needs to see me, then let her do it. She probably has drugs and I very much want them.”

  Holly spoke up. “Actually, research has shown that pain medication and anesthesia usually elevates dragon-shifter hormone levels and increases the risk of death. You’re going to have to do this au natural.”

  Evie blinked. “What? No drugs?”

  Holly answered, “Not the pain-killing kind. I’m sure Dr. Sid has mentioned it before, although you are a little early, so maybe she was saving it. Regardless, the research is sound, so we’re going to follow it.”

  For a human, Holly MacKenzie sure knew how to thread her voice with dominance. It had to be her midwifery training.

  Sid took a pre-filled needle from her medical bag and held it up. “I don’t make idle threats. Out, Bram, or you’re going to be taking a long nap.”

  Fraser fist-pumped the air and Bram narrowed his eyes. “Fine, I’ll go. I won’t give Finn’s bloody cousin the satisfaction of dragging me around. Finn would never let me live it down.” He looked to Evie. “Call my name if you need anything, Evie. I’ll come running.” He cupped her cheek. “And don’t be stubborn and wait until the last possible moment to ask for my help. We’re going to do this together.”

  Evie placed her hand over Bram’s. “Of course I’ll ask for help. Believe me, I will be shouting your name seven ways to Sunday once the baby comes. And not all in loving tones, I might add.”

  Bram grinned. “I can handle that.” He gave her a gentle kiss and moved toward the door. “Take care of her, Sid. She has my heart and I can’t bear to lose it.”

  Tears filled Evie’s eyes, but she managed to hold them back. Bram would never leave if she started crying.