Smitten by the Dragon

by Tully Belle

  “Thank you,” said Caran. She wanted to pull him into a hug as a way to show how appreciative she was of his support, but she kept her arms beside her instead.

  “Have you slept?” he asked.

  “No.”

  His mouth pursed and he shook his head. He turned toward Ash, cocking his head to the side. “There aren’t any indications that he’ll change in the next few hours. Why don’t you go back up to the farmhouse and get some rest? I’ll send someone if there is any change.” He whistled and one of the members that Caran hadn’t talked to yet came in. A woman in her mid twenties. She was attractive with light hair and stunning blue eyes. Her gaze softened when it fell on Lyson and Caran hid her smile, especially when he had no idea of the effect he was having on her. “Fetch the key for the ankle locks from Mac,” ordered Lyson. “And hurry.”

  The woman gave a curt nod of her head. “Yes, of course, anything.” Her voice was bordering on breathless. Not once did she look over at Ash, or care that he was even in the room, which was surprising given his size. She hurried out, almost tripping over her own feet to deliver the message.

  Mac came striding in moments later. “You can’t be serious.”

  “The room needs to be sterile, she can’t be wearing them.”

  Mac clenched his jaw. “Then we wait until its time.”

  Behind her, Ash growled emitting a smoky warning. It was almost as if he was reminding them that he was still in the room and could hear everything they said. If only she could tell what he wanted to say, it would be much easier. But that was the thing of it. She still didn’t know how much of Ash was inside there. He seemed to understand, but to what extent?

  “He doesn’t agree,” said Lyson. “Majority rules.”

  “Then I personally guard her at all times. She will not betray us again.”

  “You can guard me all you like,” said Caran. “I am not going anywhere.” She brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face. “Unchain me or not. It’s your call.”

  Mac’s teeth ground in his mouth, his jaw tight and tense. He walked over to her and stared, trying to intimidate her into submission, but she would have none of it. She held her ground, defying his attempt to make her feel less than important. They both knew how much she was needed right now, it was the reason she was here, and not still locked up in the dirty cell.

  He grunted and kneeled down, removing a small gold key from his pocket and unlatched the shackles.

  Caran kept her smile hidden when he stood back up. “Lyson suggested I get some rest back at the house, so I’ll leave the choice about whether we drive or walk to you. I wouldn’t want you to think I don’t follow your decisions.”

  She flicked her hair over her shoulder and took a step toward the door. Ah, it felt good to be able to walk properly again. She glanced back and sure enough Mac was behind her.

  He grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her forward. “Get in the car,” he said, pulling her away.

  32

  Outside the barn was abuzz with people coming and going, although there were very few people that had entered in the last few hours.

  Lyson was nowhere to be seen and that bothered Ash, because the transition process had started. Ash could feel the tight grip of skin shrinking around his organs, squeezing them tight like a boa constrictor might crush it’s prey. The first time it happened, he thought he was dying, but now he knew better.

  The transformation to become a dragon stretched every part of him, the process full of pressure, but it was not painful. The same could not be said for changing back.

  Still, after he was back to himself, he barely remembered the pain. It was the same for his brothers, as they’d discussed it many times. Lyson always had it easiest though, he never complained about anything except lack of food and drink in that form. He was lucky.

  Ash’s breathing became labored as the cells inside him began their journey back to normal size. He considered roaring to alert someone to come in, but decided against it. He needed to keep his energy calm and slow. If he rushed anything, the change could come too quickly and he couldn’t risk that. Not with the unknown of what would happen to him once he turned completely back. Besides, he still had twenty minutes at least and Lyson would surely come to check on him before then.

  The thought that he might not make it through, that the bullet might have done too much damage already was something that kept cycling in his mind. The worst-case scenario would be that he died and Mac blamed Caran. It wasn’t her fault, but he knew Mac would need someone to blame. For that reason alone, he needed to fight to stay alive. If only so he could save her.

  Ash startled as the door flung open, his tail swished against the back wall of the barn sending a puff of straw into the air. Lyson stood in the doorway. He jerked his chin to someone outside that Ash couldn’t see, and barked an order.

  Then he came into the barn.

  “I’m sorry I haven’t been here much, we got a trace on Tessa and her assistant out of town. I’ve sent Pete to see if he can capture them before they get away. He’ll be careful, I gave him tranquillizers. If they get back to the city, it’ll be more difficult.”

  He knew why Lyson chased them. Not only for the fact that he’d been shot, but Lyson also had Caran’s interests at heart. If he caught one, or preferable both of the women, Mac would have a stronger target for his anger. At least one brother was on his side and that made him feel better about whatever outcome came after this.

  “I’ve alerted Doctor Francis, he’s on his way with the ambulance and will be here soon. We’ll keep him up at the house until you change back. There is no reason for him to see you this way.”

  Lyson walked over to the room they’d set up. Everything was covered in plastic now, the walls so thick that Ash could barely see inside. The only thing they had to do was wait for him to change.

  “Caran is also on her way down. It would be better if she could be inside the barn for the transformation so that she can start treatment the moment you’re back, but I’ll leave that up to you.”

  Ash knew why Lyson was asking him. No one had ever watched them turn back, it was usually done in the privacy of the caverns. Having someone around wasn’t something that he’d ever considered before. He nodded as best he could. Having Caran beside him was not only important, it was necessary. She had to know what she was getting into being with him, and she had to be there to save him.

  Ash’s head pounded. Blood rushed through his veins, screaming around arteries shrinking, his whole body on fire. He tried his best to take deep breaths. Slow the rate at which the transformation happened and lessen the impact on his body.

  The doors flung open and Caran rushed in. She’d changed into doctor’s clothes, white and clean. She looked so capable and professional. His heart surged with pride, but also heaviness at the task she’d been assigned to. If he didn’t make it she would blame herself. It wasn’t a burden he wanted to saddle her with, but it had been his decision to come here and now he had to let her try.

  Did he really think he was going to die? Searing heat burned his lungs and he winced, gulping as much oxygen into his body as he could so that when the final cell turned back he would have enough to hold on as long as he could. He didn’t know. He had partly convinced himself that he would never die, that the power to transform would make him invincible, but he knew that was naive. Everybody met their demise sooner or later. He just hoped that his turn would come later, much later. He still had so much left to do.

  He groaned, flinging his head sideways and narrowly missing a joist that, if hit, would bring down part of the roof on top of him.

  Caran let out a shrill gasp and stepped away. They should take her out until it was done! Why did Mac let her in here so soon? She wouldn’t understand. Couldn’t. Lyson placed a calming touch on her shoulder and the focused determination returned to her face. She entered the plastic walled room. Ash could see her silhouette preparing the space.

  Mac took his place by Ly
son’s side, both of them watching him, waiting patiently for him to return to their size. It wouldn’t be long now.

  It was becoming harder to breathe with each passing second. There was too much to live for so he had to fight to stay alive. He concentrated on ignoring the crushing pressure on his bones as they moved back into place and only on taking slow deep gulps of air.

  Everything was spinning out of focus, he felt drunk, collapsing onto the ground. Voices, his brothers he thought, barked orders, yelled, moved faster.

  He was fading in and out of consciousness. One moment he was lying on the straw covered ground and the next he found himself inside the thick plastic walls of the makeshift surgery, lying with something cold and hard against his back.

  Blinking from the light above his head, he watched as Caran injected a needle with a clear solution into his shoulder.

  Darkness came quickly after that.

  33

  Caran’s cheeks were stained with tears. The whole day had been such an emotional roller coaster that she couldn’t tell what she felt anymore. Everything had become numb. Happiness had turned into fear, which transformed into worry and guilt.

  Still, she had made this new decision about what to do next and no one was going to prevent it from happening.

  Her feet dragged their way up the steps to her mother’s house and she stumbled into the kitchen, almost falling on the table. She gulped back her tiredness that threatened to choke her words.

  Mac was outside on the back porch, not moving. He stared into the mountains in the distance. She’d never seen him look so lost and her heart softened. She didn’t blame him for the way he’d treated her now, he was broken himself, the betrayal he felt was from a past wound and she’d dug her fingers inside it and dredged it back to the surface.

  When she regained what little strength she had left she walked over to the glass sliding door and opened it.

  Mac turned his head as she approached then attempted to stand, but Caran placed her hand on his arm. “Stay seated. I need to ask you a favor.”

  “A favor?” He scoffed, but it didn’t contain the same venom and hatred that he had earlier that day, this time his words were full of regret and exhaustion. The surgery had gone on for so long and there had been too many tense moments for her liking.

  She sat next to him, looking out into the same distance he did. “I want you to remove the Princess tattoo on my shoulder. The surgery has the supplies but I can’t reach it myself. There is numbing lotion, stitches, and an extra scalpel that hasn’t been touched yet. I can talk you through it.”

  He narrowed his eyes as he turned to face her. “You want me to cut off your mark?” He turned away again, softly shaking his head. “There are less painful ways of getting rid of it, if that is what you want to do. Laser, dermabrasion. Or get someone more qualified.”

  “I’m aware of the options.” She stood up and moved in front of him, blocking his view. He knew as well as she did, that getting some else to do it was too risky. “I didn’t ask advice on the best process, I asked you to cut it off. It’s not difficult, the mark is small enough to pinch the skin back over. The scar will be minuscule. And I know you can do it.”

  He scoffed and rolled his eyes. “And how do you know that?”

  “Because you’ve already had it done once, to yourself. I saw the scar on your shoulder and it’s clear it wasn’t acquired in a fight or whatever else you tell people. You’ve cut something away from your skin, and I figured out what that something was.”

  Fear that someone knew his secret crossed his face, his mouth gaping. Caran wondered if he would lie again or turn violent toward her. He did neither. Instead he stood, cocking his head to the side and examining her. “If I do this, you are not to tell my brothers.”

  “Agreed.”

  “You want to do it now?”

  “The sooner the better.”

  His eyebrow raised as he considered whether to trust her or not. In the end he must have realized that he had no choice. “Okay.”

  Relief welled inside her. She needed to do this both for herself and so Mac would trust her. She didn’t fully know his past yet, and maybe she never would, but now that they shared something, it would give them an equal footing going forward.

  “And Mac—don’t ever think of shackling me again or I will break this agreement.”

  Lyson was already at the hospital by the time Mac and Caran arrived. It hadn’t taken Mac long to cut away the blank ink crown and now there was nothing left to tie her to Princess.

  “Is he out of surgery?” Caran rushed to Lyson who was sitting forward in the plastic chair. “What have they told you?” His pained look told her that he didn’t know. “I’ll find out.”

  She turned before he could respond and took the stark corridor toward the operating theatres. There would be a nurse’s station nearby where she could gather more information.

  Before she could reach that station, Doctor Francis emerged from the double doors ahead of her. She strode in his direction. “How is he?”

  His lips tugged a smile and she immediately breathed a sigh of relief. “He’ll be fine, although I should talk to his brothers first. You understand hospital protocol.”

  “Yes, of course.” She stepped to the side, letting him pass.

  “You did good out there at the farm. Mac said you have training?”

  “Finished med college and had one year residency.”

  “Where at?”

  “St. Mary’s Medical Centre.”

  “That’s a fine hospital. A little big and crowded for my liking, but good nonetheless. We always need competent doctors here. Send your details through to me. Nurse Theodore will have my card. That’s if you’re interested.”

  “Thank you, I will.”

  He nodded curtly. “His brothers in the waiting room?” He tipped his chin in that direction.

  “Yes, they’re anxious.”

  Caran followed Doctor Francis back to the waiting room. She couldn’t keep the smile from her face as she watched him deliver the good news.

  “When can we see him?” asked Mac.

  “He’ll be asleep for a while longer,” said Doctor Francis. “Grab a coffee, in about an hour, you can go in. He’ll still be groggy.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Thank Ms. Rivers here, if weren’t for her keeping him alive, I doubt he would have made it back here in time. She was brilliant at stabilizing his condition until I could operate.”

  Caran felt the pride swell in her chest, and even Mac looked impressed, albeit reluctantly.

  “After we grab a bite to eat, Lyson and I will go in,” said Mac. He glanced over and waved his hand dismissively. “You may go in later, if you want.”

  “I will.” Caran bit her tongue from insisting she go in now. She could wait her turn, Ash was recovering and he would be there for her. It was important that Ash and his brothers have their moment before she went to see him anyway—family came first. That was evident now more than ever. “I’ll be back in a few hours.”

  “Of course,” said Lyson as he stepped in front of Mac to prevent him for protesting. “You come back when you’re ready.”

  Caran thanked him and turned to walk in the direction of the exit. Family did come first, and she needed to spend time with her mother and mend their broken bridge. Only then could she come back and tell Ash how she truly felt about him.

  34

  Ash knew that Mac was keeping Caran away. She was the one person he most wanted to see and he was sure that she wanted to be here too. “You can’t keep her away,” he said. “I want to see her.”

  He shifted in the bed, grimacing as his chest ached. At least he could breath now. He knew she’d be able to save him. He was right.

  “As long as someone else is in the room with you to make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid.”

  “Stupid? What do you think she’s going to do? Patch me up just so she can try and kill me? Even you know that’s ridiculous.”<
br />
  “You’re getting him upset,” interjected Lyson. “Come on, this isn’t time for a fight.” He rested his hand on Mac’s chest, gently guiding him away from the bed.

  Mac shook his head. “Fine. See her alone for all I care.”

  “She could help us find the rest of Princess,” said Lyson. “That and her training mean she’s a huge asset to us.”

  “Who’s a huge asset?” asked Caran. She walked into the room looking rested and refreshed. Her eyes sparkled as she came over the bed and took Ash’s hand. “How are you doing?”

  “Better by the second.” He coughed, wincing from the pain, and she wrinkled her forehead in worry.

  “You’ll be here for a few days, you need to rest.” She fussed over the blankets, completely ignoring Mac and Lyson.

  “Is that doctor’s orders?”

  “Yes. It is.” Caran grinned broadly. “Officially too. I’ve just talked to Doctor Francis and he’s approving my return to residency. Right her at Greenslopes County.”

  “That’s great,” said Lyson. Caran turned as Lyson reached out to shake her hand. “I guess that means you’ll be hanging around then.” He gave a cheeky wink in Ash’s direction.

  Mac reluctantly held his hand out to congratulate her too. “It’ll be good to have you around.” Maybe his big brother was starting to warm to Caran after all. Time would tell.

  “Do you mind if I have some time alone with Ash?” she asked.

  Mac glanced to Ash and he nodded. “We’ll be down the hall. Call if you need us,” said Mac.

  “Go on, get out of here so I can spend some time alone with my girlfriend.”

  “Girlfriend?” Caran twisted, her brow rising clearly surprised by his announcement. “We hadn’t discussed it yet.”

  “Is it something you want?”

  “Want?” She laughed and bounded over to him. She took his cheeks and held them gently as she kissed him. “Of course I want that, I love you.” She gasped, clearly not intending to let it slip how she felt. Ash wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her tight.