The Dragon Guardian

by Jessie Donovan

  Holly smiled. “Hello. I’m Holly MacKenzie.” She waved at Fraser. “And that’s my mate, Fraser. What’s your name?”

  Gina answered, “Gina.”

  Fergus noted the omission of her surname.

  Holly reached out to take Gina’s wrist, but Gina moved her arm away. “Why should I trust you?”

  Fergus answered before Holly. “Because I trust her, Gina. Will that do?”

  Gina turned her head to meet his gaze. Fergus worked on maintaining his kind and patient expression. He didn’t want to scare her.

  Finally, Gina answered, “Okay.”

  Holly shot him a quizzical look before focusing back on the pregnant female. “Okay, Gina. Are you still in pain, hen?”

  Gina shook her head, causing her hair to tickle against Fergus’s chest. “No. But if it follows the same pattern, the pain will come back any minute now.”

  Holly nodded. “Right, then let’s get you to the bed.” Holly’s gaze switched to Fergus. “I need you to carry her.”

  The corner of Fergus’s mouth ticked up. “I believe I need to ask Gina’s permission first.”

  Holly’s brows came together as she looked from Fergus to Gina and back again. Thankfully, the human remained silent long enough for Gina to speak. “Just this once, Fergus. I swear it’s the last time.”

  He chuckled. “Keep telling yourself that, lass. Deep down, you love it when I carry you.”

  Gina raised her middle finger and Fergus laughed. Gina was a feisty one.

  Holly stood up and bent to take Gina’s hands. She talked as if Gina and Fergus had never spoken. “Right, then let’s get you standing first.”

  A second later, Gina was on her feet, revealing a stark naked Fergus. Fraser growled from across the room. “Bloody hell, Fergus. Why are you naked? You know I don’t like you naked around my mate.”

  Fergus ignored his twin. Standing up, he scooped Gina off her feet and turned away from his brother. “Where’s your room, lass?”

  Her answer was monotone. “Down the hall. First door on the left.”

  His dragon huffed. I don’t like her so distant. We should tell the others to go away.

  As Fergus made his way down the hall, he replied, Don’t be daft. Gina needs Holly’s help. If all goes well, Gina will come home to Lochguard with us.

  His dragon paused a second before replying. Okay. Then tell Holly to hurry up so we can take her home.

  The door for the room on the left was open. Fergus stepped inside. Weak light filtered in through the windows to highlight the clothes tossed everywhere on the floor. He carefully made his way through the mess. “Good thing my mum’s not here, or she’d scold you for keeping your room such a tip.” Gina pinched his neck and he cried out. “What the bloody hell was that for?”

  “That was for criticizing my room. It’s mine and I’m free to do with it what I will.”

  Fergus kicked a pair of stretchy leggings off to the side. “Aye, you can. But remember, I’m trying not to drop you.”

  Gina muttered, “I could’ve walked if I had to.”

  Fergus gently laid Gina on the unmade bed. “Keep pinching me or kicking me behind the knee and you may well have to the next time.”

  Staring into Gina’s eyes, he realized he was leaning over the lass on a bed. The urge to lie down next to her and pull her close was strong. He didn’t like the idea of Gina MacDonald sleeping alone in the huge bed.

  Not only that, the human’s flushed cheeks and deep green eyes made both man and beast want to do much more than carry her around.

  Gina drew in a breath and his beast snarled. She wants us too. Kiss her. Don’t think. Just do it.

  His dragon’s need pumped through his body and Fergus moved his head a fraction closer to Gina’s face. Darting a glance to her pink lips, he contemplated kissing her. Surely one kiss wouldn’t hurt anyone or risk his clan. Meeting Gina’s eyes again, they were full of heat. Her heart was also hammering in her chest.

  Raising a hand, he cupped her cheek. Just as he tilted his head to kiss her, Holly cleared her throat behind him.

  It was as if cold water had been splashed over his body. What the hell was he doing nearly kissing a human female? Not only that, a pregnant one carrying another’s child? It wasn’t as if he could mate her. Doing so might anger the DDA and hurt his clan’s chances of another female sacrifice in the coming year. And Lochguard desperately needed the new blood.

  As always, he needed to think of his clan first and his cock second.

  His dragon roared. She can become part of the clan. Kiss her and take care of her. I want her.

  No.

  Pushing himself away, Fergus avoided Holly’s eye. “Take care of her.”

  Without another word, he strode out into the hall. When he reached the living room, Fraser opened his mouth to ask a question but Fergus cut him off. “Not now, Fraser.”

  Fergus needed to clear his head without his twin’s infernal questions. The only way to ensure that was to go outside and stand near the sheep pens.

  Walking out the door, he ran his hands through his hair.

  Bloody hell. If his beast roaring inside of his head wasn’t enough, his own heart was beating double-time. Even without the lass’s scent surrounding him or her tempting lips right in front of him, all Fergus could think of was pulling the human close and kissing her.

  Just thinking of Fraser in the room with Gina made his dragon snarl. She’s ours. Go back inside and claim her before it’s too late.

  Damn, he wanted to say yes and rush back inside. But unlike his beast, Fergus had responsibilities to fulfill. I can’t.

  You’d put the well-being of the clan before seizing what we’ve both wanted for years?

  For so long Fergus had yearned for his own female. Judging by his dragon’s reactions, it was entirely possible Gina was his true mate.

  Yet would fate be cruel enough to give him a female he couldn’t have?

  She could be ours, his dragon stated.

  For a split second, Fergus toyed with the idea of charging back inside the house. Then he remembered the last time his clan had been attacked by an enemy. His sister has been gravely injured and confined to a wheelchair for over a month. The next time, it could be his mother or even his cousin, Finn, who was injured.

  His beast spoke up again. Talk with Finn and find a way. We shouldn’t throw away our chance.

  Rubbing his hands back and forth through his hair, Fergus tried to figure out what to do. Could he accept the risk and have everything he’d ever wanted? Searching his brain, he tried to figure out a solution.

  ~~~

  Gina watched Fergus’s tight arse as he all but ran out of the room.

  She was pretty sure Fergus had wanted to kiss her. There were a million reasons why she should’ve pushed him away when he’d been hovering so close to her body. There was her son to think of, for one. There was also the little problem of not being part of the human sacrifice program, which meant it was illegal for her to mate a dragon-shifter.

  Not that she wanted to mate Fergus. Of course she didn’t. The last time she’d mingled with a dragonman, she’d had her heart broken. Gina refused to go through the same thing twice.

  Holly’s face moved into her line of sight. The woman’s dark eyes studied hers a second before stating, “Roll onto your left side and then you can tell me about your pains as I start examining you.”

  She nearly sighed in relief at the distraction. The midwife wasn’t going to ask her about Fergus. “They’ve been irregular over the last few weeks. But today’s were really bad.”

  Holly lifted up Gina’s hand. Taking the skin of her finger joint between her thumb and forefinger, she pulled lightly and watched as her skin held together. The other woman met her eyes again. “How far along are you?”

  “Somewhere around eight months.”

  Holly took Gina’s wrist at the same time as she glanced at the watch on her arm. A short time later, Holly released her grip. “I don’t like
the ‘somewhere around’ part of your answer. I need to get you up to Lochguard so I can have the doctor do a proper examination.” Gina hesitated in how to answer that when Holly continued, “You’ll be safe, hen. I don’t know how the dragon clans are in America—I’m assuming that’s where the father of your child lives based on your accent—but Lochguard will do anything to protect their clan or a guest on our lands. Finn will make the ultimate decision of your fate, but not without talking with you and weighing all of the options.”

  Gina fingered the sheet of her bed. Deep down, she wanted nothing more than to be part of a community again. The months of near isolation, running, and hiding had taken their toll. After all, before meeting Travis Parker, Gina had been one semester away from earning her bachelor’s degree in marketing. Her life had been full of nights hanging with friends and study groups that were more social get-togethers than anything else. She’d also had two roommates who were her best friends. Giving it all up for her child had been the most difficult decision of her life.

  With Lochguard, Gina might have a chance to fit in. And even if most of the dragon-shifters shunned her, she would have Fergus. He might also be able to help her contact Melanie Hall-MacLeod on Clan Stonefire’s lands in England. Melanie was still her best chance at having a happy future; that woman had done so much for the dragon-shifters. It gave Gina hope that Melanie would help her as well.

  Holly took her hand and squeezed. “If nothing else, think of the bairn. My job is to ensure both of you are healthy but I can’t do that from this cottage, Gina.”

  Placing her hand over her belly, Gina nodded. “I’ll do it for the baby. But if you try to take him away, I will do everything in my power to get him back.”

  Smiling, Holly squeezed her hand again. “A lass with a backbone. You’ll definitely fit in on Lochguard.” Gina frowned, but Holly continued before she could say anything. “We’ll wait and see if the pains continue. But the best I can tell, you have Braxton Hicks contractions brought on by dehydration and probably a touch of stress as well. Once we get some water into your system, we’ll see about moving you. Does that sound okay?”

  Gina liked that Holly had asked her rather than ordered her to do something. “That sounds fine.”

  “Good.” Holly turned her head and raised her voice. “Fraser, I need your help.”

  Two seconds later, there was a knock on the door. A voice that sounded a lot like Fergus’s, except for its tone, carried through the door. “Are both of you decent? Not that I mind if you aren’t, Holly. I’d much prefer if you worked naked.”

  Gina snorted as Holly sighed. She kept her voice low to Gina. “I apologize in advance for Fraser. He lives to tease me.”

  Fraser’s voice filled the room. “I heard you, honey. Now, may I come in?”

  “Hurry up.”

  Fraser strode into the room with a grin and stopped at Holly’s side. As Fraser wrapped an arm around the woman, a twinge of jealously shot through Gina’s body. At one time, she’d thought she’d had the same with Travis.

  No. She wouldn’t think of that asshole. Instead, she looked to Fraser. His blue eyes were the same shade as Fergus’s, but the kindness mixed with steel was missing. Fraser’s gaze was more one of humor and curiosity.

  Fraser spoke up. “Hello, Gina. I would ask you why you were sitting on my brother’s lap earlier, but I don’t want to face Holly’s wrath if I make you uncomfortable.” He brushed Holly’s cheek. “What do you need help with, honey?”

  Gina should bite her tongue, but she blurted out, “I didn’t think Scots used the term ‘honey’ as an endearment. At least, I never heard it in any of the TV shows I watched.”

  Fraser answered, “Aye, well, it’s different with Holly. If you stick around long enough, I’ll tell you the story of how I charmed this lass into being my mate.”

  Holly attempted to frown, but ended up smiling. “We’ll talk about that later. For now, we need to figure a way to transport Gina to Lochguard.” Holly looked to Gina. “I saw a car parked out back. Does it work?”

  Gina nodded. “Yes. Otherwise, I’d have to walk everywhere and the nearest store is hours away by foot.”

  Holly lightly patted Fraser’s chest. “I don’t trust your driving, so I’ll do it.” Fraser put on a mock expression of disappointment and Gina snorted. Holly winked at Gina before answering her man, “In the meantime, you can fetch some water and make sure Fergus is okay. One of you can fly ahead and one can ride in the car with us. I’ll let the two of you decide amongst yourself. Just try not to start wrestling each other in the process.”

  “Wrestling each other?” Gina echoed.

  Holly beat Fraser to the reply. “Oh, just wait. You might just meet the whole family together and you’ll be begging to come back to this cottage for some peace and quiet.”

  Fraser squeezed his woman’s waist. “Hey now. You’re one of us now, too. And you know you love it.” He leaned closer and whispered loudly, “Just as you love me. You’d wither and die without me, honey. You know it.”

  Gina blinked. She had thought Fergus’s teasing was bad. But Fraser’s would drive her crazy if he kept it up. How Holly dealt with it on a regular basis, Gina had no idea. She must really love the dragonman.

  Holly gave Fraser a quick kiss and released him. “Go. And don’t forget the glass of water.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Fraser left the room and Holly removed the stethoscope from around her neck. “Let’s have a wee listen to your son’s heartbeat.”

  Gina burned with questions, but she managed to remain silent as Holly examined her. Maybe, just maybe, Lochguard would give her the answers she was looking for. Not only that, but deep down she hoped they might offer her a home as well. Gina was tired of running.

  Chapter Four

  Fergus gripped the fence posts and stared out at the choppy waters of the loch. He’d always loved sitting atop the wee island in the middle of the water to watch the locals. Be it cars driving down the road, humans visiting with their neighbors, or the shearing of the sheep, Fergus had always been careful not to frighten anyone. The everyday actions of humans fascinated him.

  His interest was in part because of his love of the old human stories of the Highlands. But it was also because he’d always kept a look out for a female who could be his true mate.

  Despite his years of searching, he’d never found her. Well, unless his dragon’s recent behavior signaled he had.

  His dragon roared. Why do you doubt me? I’ve tried being nice about it, but I’m done. Go after her or I’ll take control.

  Don’t test me, dragon. I’m not in the mood.

  His beast hissed. She is our best chance for happiness. Don’t waste it.

  Fergus pounded the fence post with his fist. She can’t be.

  His dragon spoke up again. She is. You’re the romantic who’s dreamed of nothing but having a family. My instinct is to fuck and claim her. If you wish to woo her first, then stop denying the truth or we'll do it my way.

  Fergus growled. Stop threatening me and think for a second. We know very little about the lass. She’s running from something, and someone wants her child. If we claim her, she’ll endanger the clan. Do you want Mum or anyone else to be hurt because of your desire to mate?

  Nothing will happen to them. Finn is a strong leader. He’ll make things work.

  Before Fergus could reply, something furry rubbed against his legs. Looking down, a pair of yellow cat eyes in the midst of a black face stared up at him with curiosity.

  Then the cat meowed and his anger eased a fraction. Fergus had always had a soft spot for cats; only his sister’s allergy had prevented him from having one. Keeping his dragon contained, Fergus smiled down at the wee animal. “Well now, who do we have here?”

  The cat meowed again and Fergus noticed the collar. “Are you Gina’s cat?”

  As if understanding him, the furry beast swished his tail. Fergus slowly lowered his hand and offered it for the feline to sniff. Th
e wet, black nose tickled the tips of his fingers. Moving slowly again, he scratched behind the cat’s ear and it purred.

  Fergus was about to pick up the wee beastie when the front door banged open. The feline ran away. If the black cat was indeed Gina’s, Fergus would need to find it later.

  His dragon broke free and spoke up again. And why is that?

  Shut it, dragon.

  Turning his head, Fergus spotted Fraser. Great. Judging by the twinkle in his twin’s eye, he was going to tease Fergus about the human.

  His dragon snarled. If he says anything bad about Gina, then punch him in the face.

  Fergus cleared his throat and greeted his brother. “How’s Gina doing?”

  Fraser tilted his head. “Curious about the lass, are you?”

  He growled. “Fraser.”

  Fraser put out his arms and shrugged. “What? Considering she was sitting in your naked lap, I think we’re past your ‘I need to protect everyone because I’m an honorable male’ excuse, brother.”

  Fergus kept his tone neutral. “I was perched on the nearby mountain and saw her double over in pain. An arsehole like yourself might look the other way, but I just want to help the lass.”

  His twin crossed his arms over his chest. “Your forced ‘neutral’ tone might work with strangers, but not me. What was it you asked me after you punched me a couple months ago for keeping the secret of Holly being my true mate from you? To just be honest? Well I’m bloody trying and I need you to try, too.”

  His dragon chimed in. He’s right. Tell him. Then Fraser will stay clear of Gina and let us claim her.

  While he hadn’t agreed to claim anyone, Fergus paused a second and studied his twin. In their twenty-nine years, Fraser had always been able to keep the biggest secrets when asked.

  His beast huffed. Just tell him. Fraser will tell you the same as me—to hurry and claim Gina.

  Fraser raised an eyebrow. “Now you’re arguing with your dragon? I really want to know what’s going on and you know when I’m determined, I don’t give up.”