The doctor never ceased changing out his blood draw tube. "Several hours, at least. All we can do is give him pain medication and monitor his vital signs. While he was unconscious, his heart rate skyrocketed for about thirty seconds, but it's back to normal now."
She continued to stroke his forehead, her feminine scent invading his nose. When she wasn't angry or irritated, her face was softer somehow. He wished she would lay beside him and lend him some strength.
He nearly frowned at that thought. She was his mate out of necessity. He shouldn't have any expectations about how she'd treat him beyond civility.
She met his gaze again. "I need to talk with Orla briefly. Are you okay with me leaving the room for a few minutes?"
No. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Her brows raised. "Happy mating day to you, too."
Before he could think of how to reply to that, Caitlin stood next to Brenna and said, "I'll watch over him."
He may not remember his mother, but Caitlin's kind eyes, full of concern, added to the calmness caused by Brenna.
Removing her fingers, Brenna turned and exited the room, with Orla on her heels. He debated what to say to the female at his side, but she soon started to sing a song that seemed familiar.
Not that he could place where he knew it from. However, with each verse, his eyes drooped a little more until he fell asleep.
~~~
Brenna guided Orla into the empty patient room across from Killian's and shut the door. Not wanting Orla to beat around the bush, she simply asked, "Where does Killian's true mate live?"
She raised a gray eyebrow. "First, tell me what you're planning, child. Then we'll see if I tell you."
At least Orla wasn't holding a grudge because of Brenna's remarks a few minutes ago.
She decided honesty would speed up the process. "Do you remember me telling you about what happened to Dr. Sid Jackson on Stonefire?"
"Yes, the female who lost and found her dragon."
"Right. Well, her dragon emerged after kissing her true mate. You mentioned once that Killian's true mate had come and gone. I was hoping we could locate her and see if a kiss might help reverse the effects of the drugs used on him."
Orla leaned on her cane. "That female will only bring trouble. She's with Clan Northcastle in Northern Ireland."
She may end up needing Bram's help after all since Clan Northcastle was in the UK. "Did she know about her and Killian's true mate connection?"
"I'm not sure. Male dragons always sense it first, but instinct and love don't always go hand-in-hand."
"True enough, but surely we can reach out to Northcastle and at least ask for a meeting along the border. Not even the DDA would consider that breaking the rules, as the border is open between the UK and Ireland anyway."
Orla harrumphed. "The DDA might not care, but Lorcan Todd would."
She frowned. "The leader of Northcastle? I know relations are tentative at best, but surely he'd be open to negotiation."
"Not in this, child. Killian's true mate is Lorcan Todd's daughter, Georgiana."
Blinking, she blurted, "What?"
"Aye, it's true. She accompanied Lorcan during a visit several years ago. Once Killian's dragon took notice, I helped my grandson to keep his distance from the female. Not even Teagan knew, although I suspect her dragon might've sensed it. However, because of it, Killian became unable to lead the negotiations and Teagan had no choice but to share her secret of being the leader with Lorcan."
While Glenlough had a history of female leaders, they had always ruled in secret, with a male to act as the public face of the clan. Otherwise, the other clans would've seen a female in charge as a weakness and attacked. Teagan's secret had only become known to the world in the last month or so.
"It couldn't hurt to ask Lorcan for help," Brenna suggested.
Orla tapped her cane. "He'll say no, the bastard. After all, in exchange for keeping Teagan's secret, he'd wanted my daughter Caitlin as his mate so that Glenlough would never attack or antagonize Northcastle again. Not to mention he'd hold dual citizenship and could come and go as he pleased between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, without DDA interference."
Brenna wondered why no one had thought to brief her more on the history between the two clans. "Since Caitlin's still here, the offer was plainly refused. And yet, Lorcan wasn't the one to reveal Teagan's secret."
The older female shook her head. "No. We ended up giving him resources and a few clan members to keep him quiet. Teagan eventually gathered evidence of Lorcan stealing sheep from local human farmers, and they came to a stalemate of sorts. The DDA would've taken Lorcan from his leadership role, if they knew of the theft."
Her frown deepened. "I think I'm missing another piece of information. Teagan's secret is out now, so she holds the cards. Why won't she put pressure on Lorcan?"
Orla sighed. "One of our clan members named Sadie ran off with a Northcastle bloke. Teagan is negotiating for Sadie and her lad to live here. Until that's done, she won't risk alienating the Northern Irish dragon clan."
"Right, then we need to do something else. While it's a big if, I can reach out to Bram and see if he has any suggestions. Northcastle and Stonefire aren't close, but Northcastle doesn't mind the Scottish dragon clan. Perhaps something can be done through them."
"I'll talk with Teagan about it. For now, just take care of Killian. He's a little less of a bastard when you're around. Who knows, maybe you're the key to his recovery."
"I'm not his true mate, Orla. The entire clan saw us kiss, and my dragon didn't go into a frenzy."
Orla thumped her cane again. "So? Teagan and Aaron aren't true mates, but they fit quite well together. Fate and instinct might have been necessary in the days of old to keep us alive, what with all the violence and mistrust, but I'm thinking it's no longer imperative for a dragon's happiness."
"You're somewhat forward-thinking for your age."
Orla shrugged a shoulder. "Change is necessary to survive." She tapped her cane harder. "Now, go back to Killian's room and maybe chat with my daughter. Caitlin takes after my late mate and is shy. Fake mating or not, she wants to know the female paired with her son. Killian losing his memory hasn't been easy for her."
She sensed there was more to the story, but instinctively knew that it wasn't Orla's to tell.
Brenna nodded. "I will, but I have a request."
"Aye?"
"I want all the information Glenlough has on Lorcan Todd and his daughter. I don't want to throw up any red flags about my possible plans, and I'm sure you know how to covertly get the files without getting caught."
"At least you don't underestimate me. I knew there's a reason I like you."
She winked. "You just want someone to sneak in weapons on demand."
"Hmph. I've been warned that my cane is too dangerous. Otherwise, I wouldn't need your help."
"Of course not." Brenna moved to the door. "Talk with Teagan as soon as possible, Orla. I know there are many ways to help Killian, but the more options we have available at our fingertips, the better."
Her dragon spoke up. You want to do everything in your power to get him to kiss the other female.
Look, Killian returning to his old self will make a lot of people happy. That's all that matters.
It won't make you happy. After all, he never looked twice at us before he lost his memory.
That doesn't matter. I'm not going to be selfish in this. As it is, I have no wish to have a real mate for many years to come.
Her beast fell silent. Brenna pushed aside any worry at her usually forceful dragon, pasted on a smile, and entered Killian's room.
~~~
Caitlin O'Shea watched her son's chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm and tried not to feel guilty.
After all, if she hadn't been so afraid several years ago, she would've taken Lorcan as her mate and he could've helped protect Glenlough. The attacks may never have come, to either her daughter or her son.
Her d
ragon huffed. You are assuming more blame than is necessary.
Not true. The alliance would've kept the other Irish clans at bay. Northcastle is stronger than most.
But not Glenlough.
Cockiness won't help anything. Strong as we are, we couldn't save Kieran.
Kieran O'Shea had been her mate and father to her children. He'd been killed during a skirmish with the Northern Irish humans decades ago.
Circumstances have changed. Dragons aren't fighting humans. Rather, we're trying to get along with them. We don't need Northcastle.
Caitlin hated to give up, but when her dragon formed an opinion, it was hard to shift it.
Instead, she picked up a wet cloth and wiped Killian's forehead. Her son was handsome, but Caitlin wished at least one of her children had inherited the blond hair of her late mate, to give her one more piece of her former love to cherish.
Her dragon sighed. Kieran is gone. We loved him, but it's time to move on. Stop ignoring every male that comes our way.
It's more complicated than that, dragon. Teagan is clan leader. I don't want to cause any problems, and taking a male could do that.
You never cause problems. After fifty-five years, maybe you should take a chance and live a little.
Why do you keep trying to change me?
I'm not. I'm trying to get you to accept who you are instead of being the shadow of our mother.
Caitlin leaned back. That's not fair.
It is entirely fair.
She wanted to growl and toss her dragon into a mental maze, but a knock at the door garnered her attention. Brenna entered with a smile. "Any changes?"
"No. But now that you're here, I'm sure you want to spend some time with Killian. I can leave."
She made to stand, but Brenna placed a hand on her shoulder. "Stay for a bit."
Brenna sat next to her, and Caitlin looked back at her son. Starting a conversation had never been her strong point, and it was even harder with an alpha personality such as Brenna's, even though she knew the female had a good heart and had been kind to Killian.
Used to her ways, her dragon merely curled up at the back of her mind and watched to see how things would play out.
Content to pluck at her trousers, Caitlin hummed a tune. After a few minutes, Brenna's voice interrupted the song. "I haven't heard that one before. What is it?"
Shrugging, she said, "Just a tune I made up years ago. I've always loved music, but I was never good enough to make a living with it. So, I contented myself with singing to my children and these days, to the children in my daycare."
She felt Brenna's eyes on her face. "I somehow think it's less to do with a lack of talent and more to do with singing in front of a large group of people."
Meeting Brenna's gaze, she asked, "Why would you say that?"
The female smiled warmly. "Believe it or not, my father is somewhat shy. He loves to play the guitar and sing, but standing up in front of a crowd bigger than five people sends him into a panic attack."
"So, you must take after your mother."
Brenna laughed. "Mostly. It's probably why we butted heads so many times over the years."
Longing flashed in Brenna's gaze, but promptly disappeared. The poor female was in a strange land, and dealing with her temperamental son couldn't be easy. "I know your mother can't be here right now, what with the Irish DDA's restrictions, but I'm sure we'll find a way to reunite you."
"Maybe." Brenna focused back on Killian's face. "All that matters right now is helping Killian."
As she watched Brenna's face, Caitlin's theory was all but proven. The mating may be a sham, but Brenna fancied her son, amnesia and all.
Brenna continued, "I may have a plan to help bring your son back to you."
Tamping down her initial shock, she asked slowly, "Are you sure that's what you want?"
The younger female's eyes widened as they met her gaze. "Why would you ask me that?"
"Just because I'm much quieter than my mother or offspring doesn't mean I'm not a keen observer. I've never seen Killian so consumed with a female, like he was with you on the stage in the great hall."
Brenna flicked an imaginary speck of dirt off her top. "It was a kiss, nothing more."
"I know you want to do everything you can to bring Killian's memories back, but maybe that's not what's best for him. After all, he was a reclusive workaholic before. He may be angrier now, but he's much more relaxed."
Brenna shook her head. "That doesn't matter. A dragon-shifter without a dragon is only half a person. He deserves to have his other half back."
"Dedicating yourself to a cause is noble, but don't let it get to the point of being stupid."
That's what had happened with Kieran and his noble idea to end the fighting amongst the humans in nearby Derry.
In the end, both sides had found something to work together on—ridding their city of any dragons.
Not wanting to think of her mate's death, Caitlin sang one of the songs she'd written. The gentle tones made her forget about her past and what could've been.
And as if understanding her intent, Brenna kept quiet and merely listened.
Chapter Four
The next day, Brenna sat in Killian's hospital room as he slept, leafing through the stack of information on Lorcan Todd, hoping she'd missed something about him and his daughter.
Her dragon spoke up. There's nothing else. Lorcan's mate died in childbirth, he raised his daughter alone, and he came into the leadership position almost ten years ago.
You forgot his time with the British Army and stint as head Protector.
Those are positive traits and not worth noting.
Brenna set down the papers. If only Teagan would give me leave to contact Bram again. That way, Lochguard might be able to set up some kind of meeting.
Yes, because healing the rift between Glenlough and Northcastle will be as simple as having one meeting, her beast said dryly.
Just stop. The first civil meeting between enemies is the most important.
Killian grunted and reached out a hand into the air above him. He murmured, "Stay."
Standing, she noticed that Killian's eyes were still closed. He had to be dreaming again.
Since his dreams could give her clues, she resisted smoothing his brow.
However, he relaxed on the bed and went limp with sleep again.
The nurse named Ruby rushed into the room and went to the computer terminal next to Killian's bed. His vital signs must've jumped for a second, sending a notification to the nurse on duty.
The nurse said without preamble, "Anything different this time?"
They had been keeping a log of his actions and utterances since the day before, when he'd fallen asleep and had yet to wake up. "He reached for something and said 'stay.'"
Typing the answer into the computer, Ruby said, "So that makes mirror, lake, and stay he's mentioned. That's not much to go on."
"No, but I have an idea." She leaned down to Killian's ear and whispered, "Take me with you, Killian. Where are you?"
His brows furrowed, but he didn't speak. Brenna repeated her sentences a few times before giving up with a sigh. "Well, I guess we'll just have to keep trying."
"Yes, well, Dr. O'Brien should be here any second to discuss Killian's lab results. Those will hopefully tell us more about what's going on."
She scrutinized the nurse's face, but Brenna couldn't discern any emotion. "You could warn me of what's to come."
Ruby shrugged. "That's not my job."
Since one of the key traits of a good dragon-shifter nurse was to stand up to any sort of personality, especially the dominant ones, Brenna didn't push.
Killian stirred again, and Brenna had another thought. She opened one of his eyelids to check his pupil. The upper half was entirely round, but the bottom half came to a point like the bottom half of an almond.
The nurse was already at her side. "I've never seen that before."
Killian's pupil returned to round
and Brenna released his eyelid. "Do you think he's talking to his dragon in his dreams?"
"Maybe, but the shape of the pupil worries me. The closest I've seen to that in the past was when a dragon-shifter was dying."
Her dragon growled. He's not dying.
Maybe he is, dragon. We have no idea.
Regardless, Sid and Gregor need to hear about this.
Before Brenna could respond, Dr. O'Brien walked in. "Something happened, Ruby?"
The nurse must've hit the emergency call button. "It's better if I sketch it for you." The nurse sketched the oddly shaped pupil and continued, "When Killian stirred in his sleep, Brenna opened his eyelid and his pupil looked like this. Have you ever seen anything like this before?"
Dr. O'Brien grunted. "No, but that doesn't mean no one has." He moved his gaze to Brenna. "Your Dr. Sid and Dr. Innes have been laying the groundwork for a worldwide dragon doctor network to share information and research. How far along are they?"
"I'm not sure," Brenna answered.
"Then find out," Dr. O'Brien ordered.
She raised her brows. "Shouldn't you reach out to them, since you're the doctor?"
"I'm understaffed and still nursing the remaining few dragon-shifter visitors who came to judge the leadership trial and got injured in the process. I don't have time to make social calls."
She wanted to say such a network would benefit him professionally, but she held back. "Then how about you tell me Killian's lab results so that I have the full picture to share with the Stonefire doctors?"
He shrugged. "There's not a whole lot to tell. All of his readings are normal, with the exception of his dragon-shifter hormones. They were higher than usual."
"Wait, Killian still has dragon-shifter hormones, even without his dragon?"
Dr. O'Brien bobbed his head. "Of course. Dragon present or not, it's part of our biological functions. Much like how if a human has a hormone deficiency, they need to balance it to lead the best life. Dragon-shifter hormones are the same."
"I'm not a doctor, but would giving him a higher dosage maybe bring out his dragon?"
Craved by the Dragon (Stonefire British Dragons Book 11) Page 4
