The Dragon Guardian

by Jessie Donovan

  “There isn’t any wire-tapping on Lochguard.”

  “That you know of.”

  Fergus sighed. “Not this again.”

  Gina raised her brows. “Hey, why not? You’re clever and I love you, but a super-spy could sneak onto the land and set them up. Considering most of your enemies used to live here, it’s entirely possible.”

  “With heightened security, no one will sneak onto Lochguard. Not even from the sky.”

  “Only because the DDA is still in the area watching out for enemies, but the DDA won’t stick around forever. Same with the supporters out front.”

  A few pictures had been leaked to the press of the destruction on Lochguard. It’d been a calculated risk, but the supporters out front and the messages sent to their clan from the people of Scotland, especially from the Highlands and Islands, had been extraordinary. Memories were long and many still remembered the Scottish dragons helping during the Highland Clearances in the 18th and 19th centuries. Not even Dougal Munro’s harsh treatment of the locals—Dougal had been the leader before Finn—had completely erased the Scottish humans’ gratitude for past deeds.

  Fergus squeezed her tightly. “One day at a time, lass. We’ve rebuilt before and we’ll do it again. Now, stop dawdling. Our son needs to be inside.”

  Rolling her eyes, Gina complied. “Has anyone tried reaching out to the supporters?”

  “Aye, I’ve been trying. Most are unwilling to give their addresses or phone numbers, but keep asking if we have a social media page.”

  She glanced over at him. “You know, that wouldn’t be a bad idea. If we’re to get Jane Hartley’s video podcast up and running, we’ll need to set them up.”

  Fergus scrunched his nose. “I’ll leave that to you. If I look at a computer too long, my dragon gets antsy. I much prefer paper copies. How Arabella can stare at a laptop for hours when writing code, I have no idea.”

  “Each person is different. Look at you and Fraser. Your brother hates beating around the bush or being diplomatic, yet you excel at it. Maybe Lochguard needs some more humans to help round out the clan and be able to relate to and reach other humans.”

  Fergus met her gaze. “You staying is my top priority. The others can wait.”

  Smiling, she leaned against Fergus. “We’ll make it work somehow, Fergus. We’ll make it work.”

  As they continued to walk, Gina became lost in her thoughts. A tiny part of her worried about Finn’s announcement, but she refused to let it overwhelm her. Even in the darkest hours of being disowned by her parents, Gina had remained determined and optimistic. She would remain so even with her future uncertain.

  Staring down at wisps of red hair that had escaped Jamie’s swaddling and lay on his forehead, Gina smiled. She was a new mother, but she already wanted to make the world a better place for him. Once she figured out how to balance a lack of sleep with taking care of her son, she would tackle that future with everything she had.

  They neared the main living area and Gina sucked in a breath. While she’d seen the destruction via the feed, it was more severe in real life.

  Some cottages lay in rubble, whereas others only had holes punched into a wall. A few others had lost part of their roofing. Families were already at work, patching up the damage that could be repaired. On the sites of the destroyed cottages, groups of men and women were clearing the debris and most likely preparing to build again. Since Fraser was the clan’s head architect, he had his work cut out for him.

  Which reminded her—she needed to talk with her brother-in-law later. The new houses should have bunker-like basements to protect the families in case of emergency. Gina sincerely hoped there was never another attack, but she’d rather be safe than sorry.

  Fergus squeezed her tighter against his side as they walked. No doubt, her mate was also thinking of how to make Lochguard stronger for the future. While Fergus had tried to hide it, she’d heard his late-night phone calls to Seahaven and his other contacts. Most of the calls had ended with Fergus hanging up and cursing, but not all. Change was coming, but she had no idea what kind.

  They finally approached the old Sinclair place. It stood mostly intact, except for one broken window out front. Fraser was removing the old frame, but turned at their approach. He raised a hand. “There you are. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep the surprise.”

  Fergus frowned. “What surprise?”

  Fraser grinned. “Come and I’ll show you.”

  Fergus growled. “You do realize we have our days-old son with us, right? No pranks.”

  Fraser placed a hand over his heart and shook his head. “Always thinking the worst of me, brother.” He looked up again. “But hopefully this surprise will help change that.”

  Gina looked between the two brothers and decided to step in. Otherwise, they would go on forever. “What’s the surprise, Fraser?”

  Fraser turned and cupped his hand around his mouth. “Holly!”

  The door on the right side of the divided house opened. Holly stood there with a smile. “Come, let’s get you two out of the cold.”

  Gina looked toward the door on the left side. “But we live there.”

  “Aye, you do,” Holly answered. “But Fraser and I live here.”

  Fergus blurted out, “What?”

  Fraser walked up to them and weaseled his way between Gina and Fergus. Placing a hand around each of their waists, he gently pushed them forward. “Deep down, I know you miss me, Fergus. We were one egg, once. We should never be far apart.”

  Fergus sighed. “I don’t think I ever missed your ridiculousness.”

  Fraser slapped Fergus’s shoulder. “And think about it—us together, protecting our mates and bairns is better than trying to do it alone. Thanks to years of dares and tricks, we’re pretty good in the sky, especially as a team.”

  Gina leaned forward to look at Fergus’s face. Her mate was battling a smile. Fergus’s voice finally filled the area. “Aye, we are.”

  “Good, then it’s settled.”

  They arrived on the stoop and Holly motioned them inside. “Come, let’s try to warm you up before we head to Finn’s announcement.”

  Fraser pushed his brother in front of him and led him to the kitchen. Holly gently bopped Jamie’s nose and whispered to Gina, “I hope it’s all right. As the only human females in the clan, I figured it couldn’t hurt to stick together. It might also get our overprotective mates off our backs.”

  “That would be a bonus.” Handing Jamie over to Holly, Gina removed her coat. “But what about your dad? Is he going to live here, too?”

  Holly snorted. “I doubt it. He’s quite taken by Lorna, even if he won’t admit it.”

  Holly offered Jamie back, but Gina shook her head. “Hold him for a bit. My arms could use a rest.”

  Looking down, Holly smiled and cooed at the baby. With her whole heart, Gina wished for Holly to have her own delivered safely.

  That reminded her. “Did you find out anything from my blood sample?”

  “Labs have been backed up, but I should have the results soon. Most of Lochguard’s injured have been discharged and that should free up a lot of resources.” Holly motioned toward the kitchen. “Come. We don’t have a lot of time and you could do with some hot tea.” She held up Jamie briefly. “And then I can change him.”

  “Are you sure? I love my son, but his diapers are pretty gross. I can do it.”

  “No, let me. You’re still healing. Cuddle with your mate and enjoy it. There won’t be a whole lot of alone time in the coming months.”

  Guilt flared. Gina loved her son, but she wished she could have time with Fergus. As it was, they couldn’t have sex again for weeks. Even then, the frenzy might come on and Gina wasn’t sure if she wanted another child straight away. Not because she didn’t want another one, but she looked forward to not being pregnant for a while.

  Especially if she and Fergus had to leave Lochguard to fend for themselves.

  Holly lightly nudged her arm.
“I’m sure Finn will have good news.”

  “Everyone keeps saying that, but we have no idea.”

  Holly adjusted her grip on Jamie. “Well, we’ll all find out in about an hour. Until then, just enjoy the moment. If you look down or depressed, Fraser will only try to make you laugh. And believe me, he will pull out all the stops to make it happen. I wouldn’t put it past him to do some kind of half-arsed interpretive dance, which you’ll never be able to unsee.”

  As they entered the kitchen, Fraser raised his brows. “I heard that, honey.”

  Holly tilted her head. “Did I say anything that wasn’t true?”

  “No,” Fraser grumbled.

  Holly laughed. “Right, then. Put the kettle on and let’s warm everyone up before we have to trek to the ruins of the great hall.”

  At the mention of the great hall, everyone suddenly kicked into gear. Holly went to change Jamie and Fraser saw to the tea.

  Fergus walked up to her and engulfed her in his arms. His voice was barely audible when he murmured, “Sorry about my brother moving next door unannounced. I hope it’s okay.”

  Pulling back to meet his eyes, she cupped his cheek. “It’s fine. You may deny it, but you love him. Besides, after spending months by myself in that cottage along Loch Shin, it’s nice to be surrounded by people I care for.”

  Fergus traced her cheek with his finger. “And if I have any say in the matter, it’s going to stay that way.”

  Wanting to treasure what little precious time she had with Fergus, Gina laid her head against his chest and listened to the thump of his heart. She’d found a man she loved and trusted with her whole heart.

  She couldn’t imagine a life without him.

  Jamie’s cry pierced the air and Fergus released his hold. “I’ll check on him. You sit down.”

  Without another word, her dragonman rushed to their crying son. Sitting down, she memorized every detail—from Fergus’s broad back to his soft baby voice to Jamie grabbing onto his finger.

  In an hour, she would know the fate of her future.

  ~~~

  Fergus stood near the front of the crowd with Gina under his arm, holding their son. Fraser and Holly were on their right side. His mum, Ross, and Faye on the other side.

  All of the healthy members of the clan stood outside the ruins of the great hall. Not even the cold January air would keep them away.

  A makeshift dais sat in front of the crowd. All they needed were Finn and Arabella.

  Fergus had been trying all day to contact his cousin, but his calls kept going to voice mail. Since Finn wasn’t a coward, Fergus assumed Finn’s news wouldn’t be too bad.

  Or, so he hoped.

  His dragon huffed. Of course Finn will help us. Even if he lies to the DDA, he won’t force us away.

  You say that, but the leadership contest for the head of the DDA is nearly over. If Jonathan Christie wins, he won’t think twice about punishing clans who disobey the rules.

  His beast swished his tail. Rosalind Abbott is the more reasonable and experienced one. She will win.

  So you keep saying.

  For once, push aside your need for hard data and just believe.

  Fergus desperately wanted to do so, but it went against his nature. We’ll find out soon enough.

  Before his dragon could argue further, Finn and Arabella walked out, hand in hand. Whatever had been troubling Arabella must’ve passed; the female smiled and looked happier than he’d seen in a while.

  The pair stopped in the middle of the dais. Finn raised his hand and the gathering fell silent. With a nod, Finn’s voice boomed. “Thanks for coming. I don’t want to keep you long, so I’ll jump straight to the point.

  “More changes are coming to Lochguard.” The crowd murmured and Finn raised his hand again. When the noise died down, he continued, “Several months ago, we agreed to a researcher coming to stay with us for six months. That will still happen, although her arrival has been delayed. The reason is because in addition to the human coming to study us, she will accompany a group of potential sacrifices.”

  Someone shouted, “Why?”

  Finn didn’t miss a beat. “Because Lochguard is going to be the trial clan for a new sacrifice practice. Several females will visit the clan and interact with the single males. Our hope is that pairings will occur more naturally and leave less room for unhappiness or disaster. It will be beneficial to both parties. And if the pair like each other enough, they might even stay together.”

  Fergus glanced over at his twin and they exchanged looks. No doubt, the creation of the new practice had been influenced by the trouble with Fergus and Fraser over Holly.

  Even so, Fergus thought it was a good idea. Forcing two people together had been necessary when the humans had feared the dragon clans. In the Highlands, at least, the humans weren’t as fearful. The practice would be similar to what the clans had done in the past.

  Finn’s voice boomed out again. “To help encourage a broader pool of candidates, we will also implement the old practice of Guardians. Either a human relative of the sacrifice or a volunteer from our Protectors will watch over the sacrifice for a year, to ensure her best interests are at heart. If something vindictive happens to the sacrifice from within the clan, the Guardian will be punished. And if the sacrifice is caught breaking the law, she will also be dealt with by the DDA.”

  A random male shouted, “It sounds like less freedom to me.”

  Finn’s voice was firm when he answered, “I disagree. I believe this path will lead to greater freedom, especially since the DDA has also given us leave to apply for special mate licenses. If, by chance, a sacrifice’s relative or a local lass stirs a mate-claim frenzy and both sides wish to mate, the DDA will make it happen. Considering our recent problems, this concession will allow me to stop going gray before I’m forty.”

  A few clan members chuckled. Finn grinned. “And since I’m soon going to have three bairns to watch after, too, I’d rather save some of my blond hair for them. We all know three wee Stewarts running amok will turn all of my hair gray in a year or three.”

  Some of the tension of the crowd eased as more people snorted at Finn’s comment. His cousin had always been good at diffusing situations.

  Finn tugged Arabella to his side and wrapped his arm around his shoulder. “And one last thing—if anyone is interested in helping babysit the wee devils, then I might just set up a sign-up sheet. The both of us could use the help, although I’m sure it means they’ll be spoiled rotten.”

  Shaking his head, Fergus murmured to Gina, “You think he’s jesting, but he just found about a dozen babysitters without even trying. Finn has always been a sly one.”

  Gina smiled up at him. “That works for me. It means your mom can help us out more.”

  Fergus chuckled. “Aye, I do like the sound of that.”

  Finn addressed the crowd again. “I think that’s enough announcements for the day. Ara and I will be visiting as many of the clan as we can today and the rest over the next few days. I’m determined to hear all of your grievances and see about fixing up Lochguard as quickly as possible. If there’s one thing we Scottish dragons know how to do, it’s pick ourselves up and come out stronger than ever before. We’ll be having a celebration in the great hall before you know it.”

  The majority of the crowd cheered. With one last wave, Finn descended the stairs with Arabella beside him. The pair walked straight toward Fergus and Gina. When he was close enough, Finn brushed wee Jamie’s cheek. “The lad looks strong.” Finn looked at Gina and then Fergus. “Congrats to the pair of you.” Finn looked at Gina again. “I heard about you choosing to name him after Uncle Jamie. Thank you, lass. It means a lot to all of us.”

  Gina snuggled against Fergus’s side. “It’s the least I could do, considering everything Fergus and your family have done for us.”

  Lorna spoke up. “Nonsense, child. It was nothing special.”

  Fergus knew it was special to Gina. But rather than waste time
trying to convince his family of it, he met Finn’s eye. “We’d better be the first visit of the day. I’m not sure how much longer I can wait to hear our fate.”

  Arabella frowned. “Didn’t Aunt Lorna tell you?”

  Fergus glanced at his mum. “No.”

  Lorna studied Fergus’s face. “Are you sure I didn’t tell you, Fergus? I’m pretty sure I did.” She looked to Faye. “Didn’t I?

  Before Faye could answer, Fergus growled. “No, but how about telling me now?”

  Ross stepped in. “Watch your tone, lad. Your mum has been under a lot of stress.”

  Fergus was on the verge of telling Ross to mind his own business when Gina pressed Jamie against his chest. Fergus took the bairn without question, although before he could say another word, Gina beat him to it. “We’ve all been under stress. How about you just tell us now?”

  Finn answered, “Your mating was accepted by the DDA. You, and your child, will stay here.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Gina stopped breathing a second. She had a home, a family, and a future. She would also be able to help her son understand his dragon half; Fergus would ensure Jamie never turned rogue.

  And who knew, she might be able to work with Lochguard and the DDA to prevent BroadBay or any other clan from hurting other women in the future.

  For the first time in a long time, she was hopeful.

  Turning her head to Fergus, she had to blink back tears to keep from crying. “We can stay.”

  Fergus maneuvered Jamie into one arm and pulled Gina against his side. After kissing her hair, he murmured, “I love you, lass.”

  A tear rolled down her cheek as she answered, “I love you, too.”

  Just as she raised her head to kiss Fergus, Finn interrupted. “I hate to break up the happy moment, but there are a few things you should know first.”

  Fergus growled out, “Then hurry up and bloody tell us.”

  Finn gave a shake of his head. “Not here. Come. This needs to be discussed in private.” Finn looked at his kin. “Although you lot can come, too, if Fergus and Gina allow it.”