The Dragon Warrior (Lochguard Highland Dragons Book 4)

by Jessie Donovan

  Knowing the basics and the details are two very different things.

  Cat cleared her throat. “That’ll do for now. However, while you have the basics, just know that my dragon isn’t the artistic one of us. If I don’t get an idea down, I may lose it forever.”

  “Have you ever allowed your dragon to paint? You never know, she may surprise you.”

  Her beast spoke up. I’ve never tried because I don’t like to get dirty and paint usually ends up everywhere when you do it. However, if he would pose nude for us, I might be open to trying.

  Cat snorted and Lachlan asked, “Care to share what’s so humorous?”

  “Believe me, you don’t want to know. Although I have another question for you.”

  “Make it quick as I need to check on the others.”

  “Why are you so formal all of the time? I can assure you that all of the dragons from Lochguard prefer casual.”

  He stood taller. “I’ve heard of Lochguard’s reputation. But this is my job. I must perform to the highest standards.” He bobbed his head. “I will check on you later.”

  Cat said to her dragon, I wonder what Lochguard’s reputation is with the DDA. I wasn’t aware we had one.

  As long as it’s something along the lines that we’re brilliant, I can live with that.

  Smiling, Cat focused back on her sketchbook. The conversation with Lachlan had given her a new idea. As she drew the first lines, she couldn’t wait to show him the finished product. If it didn’t make him laugh, nothing would.

  She managed to put the finishing touches on the rough sketch just as the doors opened. Cat hadn’t known what to expect, but as a throng of humans streamed in and visited the various tables, she soon found herself explaining one painting or another to a rapt audience.

  Of course, it was just the start with a few hours to go. She only hoped their good luck and warm reception continued.

  ~~~

  Faye finally reached the area where the smoke was coming from. There was some yelling below, but she couldn’t make out the words amid the chaos.

  Please let Grant be okay. She hadn’t seen him in or near the loch and that worried her.

  Her beast replied, Grant is strong. He’s been through tougher times in the army.

  True, but back then he was only a comrade.

  And now?

  You bloody well know what.

  Ignoring her dragon, Faye found an opening big enough for her dragon form and maneuvered her way down. The instant her back legs touched the ground, she shifted into her human form.

  Making her way through the trees, Faye focused her mind and pushed away her fears. One of the first parts of her training had been about how emotion could jeopardize a mission and cost lives.

  She soon approached some of her clan members who were attempting to put out the remaining bits of fire licking the trees and underbrush. Not wanting to distract them, she pushed past until she spotted Dr. Layla MacFie checking over someone on the ground.

  Faye couldn’t make out who it was because of the people surrounding the male or female. She closed the distance and managed to take a peek at the unconscious dragon-shifter.

  It was Grant.

  Seeing him motionless and covered in scrapes and a few burns twisted her heart. Still, Faye took a deep breath. She needed to keep her head.

  She asked Layla, “Is he okay?”

  The female doctor never stopped her ministrations. “He’s alive and appears stable, but I won’t know more until I take him back to the surgery.”

  “Then why haven’t you moved him?”

  Layla didn’t miss a beat. “I’m concerned about his spine. I won’t move him until I have a proper stretcher.”

  The dominance in Layla’s voice made Faye blink. It seemed Lochguard’s new head doctor had finally embraced her position of authority within the clan.

  Faye itched to push everyone but the doctor aside and stroke Grant’s forehead. She wanted him to know she was here.

  And yet, with Grant out of commission, it was more important that she find Cooper and ensure everything was handled properly. Grant would expect it of her and she wasn’t about to let him down.

  She took one last, long look at Grant’s body and willed him to know she’d be back later. After touching Layla’s shoulder in parting, Faye searched the area until she spotted Cooper standing with Alistair Boyd. Alistair had once been Lochguard’s head scientist until a few years ago. To be honest, Faye was surprised to see him out and about. The male always had his nose in a book these days.

  Still, she headed over to the pair and demanded, “What do we know?”

  Cooper didn’t so much as blink as he answered, “Grant was waiting in the forest for Alistair and a few of his colleagues to examine a suspicious bag Grant had found in the loch. However, before anyone arrived, there was an explosion. We won’t know for certain what happened until Grant wakes up.”

  She liked that Cooper said “until” instead of “if” Grant woke up.

  Keep it together, Faye. Grant is counting on us. After taking a deep breath, Faye moved her gaze to Alistair. “Any guesses as to what caused this?”

  Alistair replied, “I can’t say for certain until I better examine the fragments here and inside the ad hoc laboratory across the loch, but it looks like a run-of-the-mill explosive. We checked to make sure there wasn’t any radiation or dangerous elements in the air. Lochguard might not have the most sophisticated equipment, but it served its purpose. We’ll just have to wait and see if there are any lingering effects.”

  “Maybe you should go visit the tent we found across the loch and see if you can learn anything else. The more information we have, the easier it’ll be to pinpoint the creators, especially if we can’t get our prisoners to talk. I can take you there if need be,” Faye said.

  Cooper jumped in. “That won’t be necessary. I already have one of the younger Protectors waiting in the landing area with some of Alistair’s old equipment.” Cooper motioned his head. “Go, Alistair. We won’t touch anything here until you return.”

  Alistair left and Faye tamped down her curiosity. Alistair had sworn off science completely and had resorted to teaching a few years ago. She wondered what had convinced him to assist the clan again.

  Her dragon spoke up. Even if he has reservations, most anyone on Lochguard would face their fears if it meant helping the clan.

  Aye, I suppose. We can talk to his mother Meg later. She might know and loves to gossip with a friendly ear, especially when the ear belongs to a single female.

  Her dragon sniffed. I don’t care for him. He would break too easily. Stop wasting time. We need to help Cooper and then sit with Grant.

  Faye decided against probing her dragon’s change of heart toward Grant. Instead, she looked back to Cooper. “What do you need me to do?”

  The younger male sighed. “I was hoping you could take over. I’ve never had to handle something like this before.”

  She slapped his arm. “No worries. It takes a strong male to realize his limitations.” Faye pointed toward the clan members fighting the fire. “Go help them and assess the damage. Once you’re done, report your findings back to me.” Cooper nodded and Faye continued, “Is there anything else I should know before you go?”

  “Only that everyone is in a bunker or shelter until we give the word it’s safe. Finn also wants an update every ten minutes. My last call was a few minutes ago.”

  “I’ll ring him in a bit. Now, go help the others.”

  Once Cooper left, Faye surveyed the area. Layla had Grant in hand and now Cooper would oversee the fire brigade. Faye headed toward the taped off area. Inside were a few scientists she knew by face and name, but not much else. They had to be cataloging data and shrapnel. She made her way over. While not an expert, she’d experienced a few IEDs detonating during her time in Afghanistan. And if nothing else, she could help record data. The task would help her forget about Grant.

  Because if she thought too hard about
him never waking up again, she might start crying.

  Her dragon’s voice was strong yet gentle as she said, Grant will wake up.

  You’re fairly certain, especially for a male you don’t completely like yet.

  We could do worse.

  Is that your way of saying you approve of him now?

  Perhaps. If he set off the bomb himself because of impatience, my opinion will lower again.

  And if it went off by itself?

  That depends. If he is raring to join the Protectors again, then maybe we should kiss him when he wakes up. A male willing to do whatever it takes to protect the clan, even after nearly dying, is one I can admire.

  In agreement with her dragon, Faye asked what she could do to help. As she set about recording data, she willed Grant to be okay. Because if he decided to be stubborn and not wake up, she might just have to kick him and see what happened.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The next day, Faye sat in Grant’s hospital room and tried to focus on the data on her tablet. Alistair and his team had been thorough and while the results were still preliminary, the main components inside the tent she’d seen had indeed been for making explosives.

  However, there were still a few unidentified elements that not even Alistair could pinpoint. Finn had reached out to Bram for help, and after some negotiating, had come to an agreement. Dr. Lewis and Dr. Davies from Stonefire would be arriving shortly to help Alistair with his work.

  Her dragon spoke up. They will handle it. We don’t know much about that kind of work and would only get in the way.

  I know, but I wish I could help. A face-to-face battle is much more my style. I know how to approach it.

  We have our own battle here. Grant needs us.

  Peeking a glance at Grant, Faye resisted the urge to climb into his bed and snuggle against his side. Layla was still concerned about his back, even if it wasn’t broken. Until Grant woke up and Layla could better assess the damage, everyone had to be careful not to jostle him.

  Being delicate around Grant wasn’t going to be easy, but if she didn’t follow Layla’s orders, there would be hell to pay. Faye would never be able to concentrate on the investigation into the incident if the doctor banned her from Grant’s room.

  What she needed was a distraction.

  Faye was about to pull up Brodie’s notes from his interrogation with the three men who had turned out to be Dragon Knights when her mother, Lorna MacKenzie, strode into the room. Before Faye could do more than open her mouth, her mum said, “I know you have important work to do. But even Finn manages to take a few minutes for his family when needed. And right now, it’s needed. How are you holding up?”

  She wanted to make a sarcastic quip but had long ago learned what battles to fight with her mother. Instead, Faye sighed. “All right, I guess. Sitting still isn’t my strong point, but I’m trying. It’d be easier if I had more information to keep my mind occupied.”

  “You’ve done all you can for the moment with regards to the clan. How are you holding up with regards to Grant?”

  “I’d rather not talk about it.”

  Lorna raised her brows. “I gave you space after your accident, but I won’t do it again with this.” She motioned toward Grant. “The male you fancied, then hated, and recently came to care for is unconscious with an injury that could put him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. You are hurting, don’t deny it. What you need to do is let it out and allow your mum in. You’ll be able to concentrate better after you do.”

  “Mum.”

  “Aye, that’s me. But while you remember that fact, you might not remember that I was in a similar place to you once. Only in that instance, your father was dead. I originally tried to keep everything bottled up inside to care for my children, but it nearly tore me in two. If not for Meg Boyd’s kindness and willingness to listen, I would be a different dragonwoman today. Mind you, if you ever tell her that I said that, I’ll pretend you’re not my daughter.”

  Faye and her mother had rarely spoken of her father in the past. Her mum was giving her the option to brush aside the sadness with humor, but for once, Faye wanted to have a serious conversation with Lorna MacKenzie.

  Putting down her tablet, Faye leaned forward. “I wish it was as easy to define Grant and me, but I don’t know what we are right now. Especially since we don’t know the extent of his injury. Grant’s a stubborn devil and if he can’t be a Protector, he might try to push me away.”

  “And how did that work for you when you tried the same thing with him?”

  She looked to Grant’s face. “I eventually gave in and allowed him to help me with my recovery.”

  “Aye, so unless you’re saying the McFarlands are more stubborn than the MacKenzies, which is poppycock, then you know what you need to do. If you want him, fight for him. It’s that simple. As I learned with your father, you never know how long you have with someone. They could be taken from you tomorrow.”

  Faye could make up a hundred different excuses as to why she should wait until Grant woke up, until the clan was safe, or until she was comfortable with the idea of becoming a mum. It would be easy to brush everything off and avoid answering her mother’s question. After all, the MacKenzies were all hardheaded and if Faye put her mind to it, she could be more tenacious than her mother.

  Her dragon huffed. Stop with the excuses. Tell Mum the truth. She deserves better than a lie because you’re scared.

  And damn her beast, she was correct. Faye was afraid of jumping in with everything she had. Because if she did, she’d probably soon be in a frenzy with Grant, which would result in a child.

  However, as she stared at Grant’s face, she knew he would never force her to be something she wasn’t ready for. Few males, especially of the Protector variety, would have given Faye any Protector-related assignments after her injury like Grant had, let alone suggested they protect the clan together while knowing she was his true mate.

  Grant may be injured, but Faye knew him better than almost anyone. Their road may have been rocky, but she couldn’t imagine sharing a cottage and living her days with anyone else. Life would never be boring.

  Lorna’s voice filled the room again and garnered Faye’s attention. “So? Are you going to fight for him?”

  As Faye studied Grant’s cheekbones, square jaw, and close-cropped hair, she knew the answer. But just as she was going to tell her mum the truth, Grant groaned. Faye stood up. “Grant?”

  His voice was weak as he said, “Answer your mum.”

  ~~~

  Lorna MacKenzie’s voice was first to permeate Grant’s foggy mind. Once he realized she and Faye were talking about him, he followed their conversation, all while he tried to make his mouth work.

  Then Lorna asked Faye if she wanted to fight for him. Grant gave up trying to move and waited to hear Faye’s answer.

  However, when silence stretched, he decided enough was enough. Grant didn’t like waiting around, so he tried to move his head.

  Pain shot through his entire body and he couldn’t hold back his groan.

  “Grant?” Faye asked.

  Aware of how easy it was for a moment to pass and never return, especially with the MacKenzies, Grant croaked, “Answer your mum.”

  “Only if you open your eyes. I need to see how you’re doing,” Faye replied.

  “Faye,” Grant growled.

  Lorna joined in. “I’ll fetch the doctor. However, I’ll walk extra slow. You should have two or three minutes. Use them wisely.”

  Grant slowly opened his eyes, but Lorna was already gone. He finally stared at Faye’s face, but said nothing. He wanted an answer.

  For a split second, relief flood Faye’s gaze. But it was gone the next instant and she narrowed her eyes. “I would castigate you for eavesdropping, but I’ll settle for a truthful answer about how you’re doing.”

  “If you want an answer from me, then you answer first.”

  “Grant, now isn’t the—”

  “Aye
, it is. You and I both had a brush with death over the last year or so. I think we owe it to ourselves and our dragons to be honest. No more beating around the bush.”

  He half-expected Faye’s temper to flare and for her to change the subject. Instead, she placed her hand on his cheek and gently stroked her thumb against his skin.

  His dragon spoke up. Her fingers are warm.

  Everything is warm about Faye MacKenzie.

  Faye finally answered, “Aye, I want you, Grant. And not just because you were nearly blown to pieces. You’re interesting and I need someone interesting.”

  “You sure know how to woo a male, don’t you, Faye?”

  “Hey, I’m just being myself. I could wax on poetically about soul mates and how if we fall in love, it could change the world forever, but I was trying to restrain myself.”

  The corner of his mouth ticked up. “Just don’t try to restrain yourself all the time. I like when you lose control sometimes.”

  She tilted her head. “Okay, you must be on some heavy medication to say that.”

  “Faye, let’s be serious for a moment, aye? How it is right now, with us teasing one another and being honest, is what I want. Add in your strength and devotion to clan, and there’s no one else I’d rather raise a little hellion with.”

  “What are you talking about? I was the sweetest child. I expect any of mine to be the same.” Grant opened his mouth to call out her bullshit—he had grown up with the lass after all—but Faye beat him to it. “Now, I answered your question, so tell me how you’re feeling.”

  Grant wanted to push Faye further on their future, but he didn’t want to promise her anything until he knew his own. “My entire body bloody well hurts, which is why I’m staying still.”

  Faye opened her mouth and promptly closed it. She was hiding something from him.

  However, before he could press her, Dr. MacFie waltzed into the room with a smile on her face. “You’re awake much sooner than I expected, Grant. Although Aunt Lorna tells me it was her voice that did it. Maybe I should use her for all of my unconscious patients.” She winked. “You can thank her later. Let’s check you over.”