Rhydian smiled. “Good girl. You might be human, but you seem to mostly understand our ways.”
She nearly growled out she wasn’t a girl, but instead, bit the inside of her cheek to keep silent. Certain battles weren’t worth it.
A male wearing a white lab coat, denoting him as a clan doctor, rushed to the scene. Two other males carrying a stretcher trailed behind him. The doctor said, “I understand your concern for your mate, but we need to get him to my surgery as quickly as possible. Please stand aside.”
Jane reluctantly backed away and watched as the three men maneuvered Kai onto a stretcher. Even though all dragon-shifters were naturally stronger than humans, the two males with the stretcher between them had to grunt with effort to carry her muscled mate away.
Rhydian motioned for her to precede him. She should say something diplomatic, but all she cared about was Kai’s well-being, and she half ran to keep up with the dragon medical staff.
They carried him to a different entrance off the landing area that Jane hadn’t noticed before. Inside was a large cavern stocked with medical equipment. One large dragon slept at the far side.
She’d barely noted the rare white hide of the sleeping beast before she followed the staff into a room.
The doctor motioned for Jane to keep her distance. “Let me do my job.”
Jane crossed her arms and watched as the doctor started his examination. Rhydian’s voice filled her ear. “From everything I know about Kai, he’ll be fine. He may not be of my clan, but Lily is an important part of Snowridge and I’ll do anything to help her. She’s given my cousin happiness I never thought he’d have.”
She glanced at Snowridge’s leader. Sincerity shone in his eyes. “Are you talking about Lily’s mate, Gareth? He’s your cousin?”
“Yes. Now, tell me as much as you’re able about all of this and your guesses as to what caused his condition.”
Jane looked at Kai and watched the medical staff work as she answered, “All of the British and Irish dragon clans know of the drone attacks on Stonefire, which means you should, too.”
“Yes, the ones that shot drugs into dragons, making them go wild.”
“For the most part,” Jane replied. “The dragon halves took over and reverted to their animalistic instincts. Trahern reached out to a doctor here for a possible cure. Some sort of moss that’s found in Wales.”
Dr. Trahern Lewis was a Snowridge doctor who had moved to Stonefire earlier in the year.
When Rhydian grunted for her to continue, she did. “Carys mentioned a strong chemical smell coming from the barn they were investigating. Kai has a scratch on his arm, and while it’s just a guess at this point, it could be that the same or a similar chemical got into his bloodstream via the scratch.” She darted a look at Rhydian. “I’m not sure if you can answer my question, but have your Protectors found anything related to the drone attacks or dragons going wild around here?”
“We’ve never been attacked this way before, that much I can tell you,” Rhydian stated.
“I’m not going to try to order you to do anything, sir, as I respect your role as clan leader, but I think more Protectors should be sent to investigate the area.”
Rhydian smiled. “You’re unlike any human female I’ve met before. Aren’t you afraid of overstepping your bounds and causing strife between our clans?”
“If you’re smiling, then no, I think I’m okay.”
The dragonman snorted. “You’re definitely an odd human.” She growled and he put up a hand. “More Protectors are already on the way. If something can take down your mate this easily, my guess is that there is more to the farm than the smell of chemicals. Someone means to harm my clan, and I won’t allow it.”
“And what about reaching out to Dr. Sid on Stonefire?”
Sighing, Rhydian replied, “Let’s hear what our doctor has to say first. After all, he knows about the moss and ensuing compound that was used on Stonefire. Trahern may be with Stonefire now, but he still shares medical knowledge with our clan. Something to do with your Dr. Sid’s ambitious, worldwide plan.” He moved his gaze to the doctor’s back. “Maelon, what did you find?”
The male doctor turned around. “Beyond the scratch on his arm and a slightly erratic heart beat, everything else is normal. I’ll test his blood and check it against Trahern’s data. In the meantime, I’m going to allow the sedative to wear off so I can see his reaction. If Kai wakes up violent, I’ll sedate him again. If you could post two Protectors in his room, in case he breaks his restraints, I would appreciate it.”
Jane spoke up before Rhydian. “You’re going to restrain him?”
Maelon shifted his gaze to her. “From what I’ve heard, Stonefire did the same to those hit with the darts from the drones.”
“Sorry, you’re right.” Jane stared at Kai’s still body. “But I want to stay with him.”
Rhydian jumped in. “There’s nothing you can do here, Ms. Hartley. Go back to Lily’s place and rest. We may need your help further regarding Delia’s search.”
“I can help just as easily from here.”
Maelon chuckled. “Rhydian, trust me, mates rarely take the suggestion to rest when they should in these types of situations.”
Jane managed to tear her gaze from Kai. “Even I know that, Doctor…?”
Maelon put out a hand. “I’m Dr. Maelon Perry, Snowridge’s head doctor.”
Shaking his hand, Jane blurted out, “You seem young to be head doctor.”
The black-haired, brown-eyed doctor smiled. “If you listen to my orders, then maybe I’ll tell you the why behind it.”
Even though Jane had just met Maelon, his presence brought calmness. Most doctors seemed to have that characteristic. She finally released her grip. “Consider it a deal, Doctor Perry.”
“Good. Then allow the nurses to finish restraining Kai and then you can sit at his side. However, I will also put a temporary bed in here for you. Promise me now that you’ll use it if you get tired.”
At the steel in the doctor’s voice, she said, “I will.”
“Right, then let’s get everything finalized. Once I have the blood results, I’ll let you both know what I find.”
Jane turned toward Rhydian. “I also want to know what you find at that farm.” Rhydian raised an eyebrow and Jane added, “Please.”
“You may amuse me, Ms. Hartley, but that will only go so far before I start reprimanding you. After all, you are a guest on my clan. Understood?”
Since she couldn’t risk angering the clan leader, she murmured, “Yes.”
“Then stay here and I’ll let you know what I can via your mobile phone. Now excuse me, I have matters to attend. Your clan leader is waiting on details from me.”
Once Snowridge’s leader exited the room, Dr. Perry gave a few last minute instructions to his nurses before doing the same. It took everything Jane had to stay back and watch the nurses draw blood and restrain Kai.
The second they finished, she was at his bedside and gently brushing his forehead. “Whatever happens, I’ll be here, Kai. Maybe when you’re well again, you’ll finally realize that there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to stay by your side. I love you.”
Leaning down, she kissed his lips and settled into the chair next to the bed to do what she hated most—wait and see what happened.
Chapter Seven
Jane stood on the back of a flying dragon as it sailed through the rainbow-colored clouds. Despite her arms thrown wide, the wind wasn’t more than a soft whisper against her skin.
For the first time, she started to understand why Kai loved flying so much.
However, before she could enjoy the sensation any longer, a roar cut through her dream and her eyes popped open.
Kai thrashed in his restraints on the bed. If that wasn’t bad enough, a face she didn’t want to see stood over him.
Maggie Jones gazed down at Kai with longing.
Jane jumped to her feet, but a pair of muscled arms wrapped around her
from behind. She tried to throw her head back to make contact with her assailant’s nose, but he easily dodged it. She spat out, “Let me go.”
Maggie smiled at Jane. “For the next ten minutes, you’re powerless, Jane Hartley. I hope you enjoy the show.”
She vaguely remembered Maggie having a Protector cousin. The bastard must’ve sent the second guard away on an errand.
Maggie turned her attention back to Kai, who was struggling even more against his restraints.
His pupils were slitted, meaning his dragon was in charge. And given his jerky, erratic movements, his beast wasn’t in his right mind.
As Maggie lowered her head toward Kai’s lips, Jane stopped breathing. “No.”
The dragonwoman ignored her to murmur to Kai, “I should’ve done this a long time ago. I’m finally ready to bring you the happiness you deserve, with someone who understands all of you.”
Maggie closed the distance to Kai’s lips, and Jane tried again to smack her restrainer’s head. When that failed, she used her heel to stomp his foot.
But the dragonman merely grunted and tightened his hold on her.
The bitch was trying to steal her mate and Jane was powerless to do anything.
When Maggie raised her head, Jane held her breath and hoped with everything she had that Kai’s dragon had been truthful when saying Jane was all that they needed.
Because if Maggie Jones started a mate-claim frenzy and stole Kai away from her, Jane would die a little inside. Mate-claim frenzies always resulted in pregnancy, which meant Kai would have a child. His duty would want to see it through with Maggie.
For the first time, she wondered if she’d been a fool for trying to win a dragonman’s heart when fate had decreed that another was his best chance at happiness.
But she quickly pushed the doubt aside. Kai was her dragonman. She had to believe that his love for her was stronger than a dragon’s instinct.
~~~
Kai regained consciousness inside the mental prison. His head was foggy and he could barely make out his dragon’s form at the front of their mind.
Female voices drifted through the space, but he couldn’t make out what they were saying at first. Then a voice he hadn’t heard in over a decade rang out clear. “I should’ve done this a long time ago. I’m finally ready to bring you the happiness you deserve, with someone who understands all of you.”
Confusion set in. Why would Maggie say that to him?
His awareness fully returned as strange lips touched his.
Roaring, his beast thrashed wildly. The drugs must’ve affected his dragon severely since he didn’t speak, but only roared and bellowed, trying to get free of the restraints around their arms, middle, and legs.
Not sure if his dragon would hear him, Kai shouted, She isn’t for us. Remember Jane.
As if on cue, Jane’s voice reached his ears. “Kai! If you can hear me, help!”
The desire to claim a female hit him at full blast. He fucking hoped it wasn’t for Maggie. We love Jane.
Still ignoring him, his dragon yelled as he finally broke the restraints around their upper body. A split second later, he extended a talon and ripped through the ones around their waist and legs. Jumping to a crouch on the bed, his dragon hissed and looked at Maggie.
Shit. Kai pounded against his invisible prison. He couldn’t allow fate to ruin his life and take away the other half of his heart.
Then his beast shifted their gaze to Jane, who was being held captive from behind by a male dragon-shifter.
His dragon finally spoke inside their head, He dies.
As he lunged at the male, Kai punched his mental prison wall once, twice, and on the third time, it cracked. He couldn’t allow his beast to kill anyone or he’d never hold Jane in his arms again.
With his dragon still in control, their human form punched the male dragon-shifter in the nose and pulled Jane away, until she stood behind them. His beast clocked the male again, and he dropped to the floor. With a growl, he moved to pin the male down.
Despite the effects of the drug and his beast’s raging nature, Kai drew on every speck of discipline he possessed to slowly create a mental cage for his dragon. It was hard to ignore the sound of his fist against the other male’s jaw, but he somehow managed it.
His future with Jane depended on it.
He finally lunged at his beast inside his head and wrestled with him. In their physical forms, the dragon would easily win. However, inside their brain, they were the same size.
They rolled, and Kai managed to steer them toward the cage. When Jane cried out, “What the fuck?” he tossed his dragon inside and quickly sealed up the opening.
Fully in control of his human body again, Kai turned to see Maggie holding a talon to Jane’s neck.
He didn’t have time to wonder where the shy girl of his younger years had gone. “Maggie, what are you doing?”
“Humans are weak. She’ll break, Kai. I’m going to save you the heartache later and just end it now.”
With Maggie’s pupils flashing from slits to round and back again, Kai remained where he stood. Kai may be able to control his beast because of his military discipline, but Maggie lacked it.
And as she pressed a little harder against Jane’s neck, a tiny drop of blood cascaded down her skin.
His dragon threw himself against his cage, and again. If Kai didn’t entice Maggie away from Jane, his dragon would break free and Maggie would kill his mate before he could do anything.
As much as the idea of wanting Maggie made him recoil, he needed to trick her. He may not be as good an actor as Jane, but if Maggie had convinced herself killing Jane would bring him into her arms, she’d probably believe anything she wanted to hear.
Kai put out a hand. “Killing anyone, even a human, means we’ll be separated, Maggie, love. Let her go and take my hand. Then we can go wherever you like and be together.”
It took everything Kai had to keep his gaze on Maggie and not share a glance with Jane. He only hoped his clever mate would understand what he was doing.
“Then kiss me to prove it, Kai. If I believe you truly want me, then I’ll release the human and flee with you. Trick me, and she dies.”
He nodded. To protect Jane’s life, Kai would pretend he wanted Maggie.
Ignoring his dragon’s bellow at kissing anyone but their mate, Kai slowly closed the distance between them. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Jane’s face. She had a frown and tightly pressed lips, but it was an act—she lacked the usual fire in her eyes that denoted her anger.
Still, as he approached Maggie, the thought of kissing the woman who broke his heart all those years ago made him want to bolt in the opposite direction so he could run to her leader and report her. He wouldn’t ruin his or Jane’s life by hitting her. No, she deserved to go to prison and know she put herself there.
But he needed Jane safe and sound first.
He stopped a few inches in front of Maggie and tried his best to smile. He lightly caressed her cheek. “Hello, Maggie.”
“Kiss me, Kai. With my mate gone, nothing stands in the way.”
Except for Jane, but he kept that thought to himself.
He moved in closer. “Nothing at all.”
“Prove it. Show me how much you want me.”
He mentally asked for Jane’s forgiveness as he closed the distance and touched his lips to Maggie’s.
The feel of her skin against him did nothing but make him want to step away and wipe away her taste. She tasted like rotten fish compared to the sweet honey of his beautiful Jane.
Still, he needed to convince Maggie, so he probed her lips with his tongue and entered her mouth. When she lightly caressed his tongue with hers, he wanted to gag.
Think of Jane. Getting her away from Maggie was all that mattered and was worth any price.
Despite it going against every honorable instinct he had to be faithful to his mate, Kai wrapped an arm around Maggie’s waist. He continued kissing her for a few more s
econds before pulling away. He did his best to keep his tone husky as he asked, “How was that?”
“A good start. But I need to be sure.”
Before he could do more than blink, Maggie moved her talon to Jane’s shoulder and stabbed her.
He barely noted Jane’s scream as he grabbed Maggie’s wrist and slowly pulled out the talon. The second it was free, Jane slumped to the floor. Kai quickly flipped Maggie onto her stomach and kept her hands restrained behind her back.
Part of him wanted to yell at Maggie, but he looked to Jane holding her hand over her shoulder.
There was a lot of blood.
Kai roared, “Nurse, help!”
But no one came. Odd, since dragon-shifter nurses always kept an ear out for trouble inside the surgery.
Kai reached up to one of the restraints on the bed next to him and tore it off. Quickly tying Maggie’s hands to give him a few minutes before she tried shifting, he moved to Jane’s side. “This is going to hurt, love, but I need to get you out of here and find a doctor.”
She sucked in a breath. “Then do it.”
Gently as he could, Kai scooped Jane up and held her against his chest. Not wasting another moment, he moved to the door, kicked it out, and took Jane into the corridor.
As he ran toward the reception area, he expected to run into one of the nurses or Dr. Perry. However, he saw no one, not even when he reached the reception area.
Something was wrong.
He chanced a glance at Jane. Her pale skin made his stomach twist. If he didn’t find somewhere safe where he could use his field medic training to staunch the bleeding, she could die.
Racing out of the surgery’s front entrance, he barreled down the hall, searching for an open door.
~~~
The throbbing pain in Jane’s shoulder almost made her forget about Kai kissing Maggie.
Almost.
Finding the Dragon Page 6
