The Dragon Guardian (24 page)

Before he could answer, she dabbed the wet cotton along the slash on his shoulder. Clenching his teeth, he resisted hissing in a breath.

Faye’s ministrations were gentle yet firm. She worked quickly and efficiently, much like she’d done during their time in the British army.

Not wanting to remember what his young, immature self had done, he blurted out, “You were brilliant today.”

Picking up a gauze pad, her eyes flicked up to his for a second. “Says the male who chased down the last of the intruders on the clan’s land. I was able to watch some of it. While good, I have some suggestions.”

“Of course you do.”

She placed the gauze over the worst section of his cut with a little more force than necessary. “You give me suggestions all the time. I wish you’d stop being so male when I do the same. I haven’t forgotten our agreement.”

His beast huffed.
Why are you irritating her on purpose? She will never kiss us if you’re an arse.

Grant answered slowly,
Since when do you want to kiss her?

Since when have you wanted to do the same?

His eyes fell on Faye’s pink lips. At one time, he’d done everything in his power to insult the female in front of him. Yet in the moment, he wished everything was taken care of, the clan was safe, and he could pin Faye against a wall, let loose her wild, curly hair, and persuade her to kiss him.

Faye finished wrapping his slash and stepped away, reminding him it wasn’t the time. He murmured, “Thank you.”

She tilted her head. “I never thought I’d hear that from your lips.”

Shit.
If he were overly nice to her, Faye would try to figure out why. Grant fell back on his head Protector role. “I put it down to blood loss.” Grant looked over to his staff at the front of the room. He directed his question to Cooper Maxwell, his second-in-command. “I’m going to question the prisoners. You and Faye can keep things under control.”

Cooper nodded. “Aye. I’ll let you know if the DDA approaches.”

Grant nodded. “Right, then I’m off.” He looked down at Faye. Her whiskey-colored eyes were inquisitive, but she remained silent.

Having dawdled for too long already, Grant turned and exited the room. As he strode down the long corridor, he carefully placed a mask of indifference on his face. If he appeared too eager, the prisoners would sense they had the upper hand. Grant needed to convince them he couldn’t care less if they shared information or not.

He gave one final command to his dragon.
Stay quiet in there unless you sense something of importance in their mood or scent.

Of course.

Interrogations and battles were the only time his beast was cooperative.

Grant knocked on the assigned room and his best interrogator, Brodie, opened the door and motioned him into the small, soundproofed observation room. Grant asked, “Anything new?”

Brodie shook his head. “Not since the last update ten minutes ago. The Lochguard traitor refuses to say anything except he’s old and won’t betray his true clan. The American merely asks for Gina MacDonald.”

Grant frowned. He was one of the few who knew the details of Gina’s past. “Do you think it’s Travis Parker?”

“I don’t know. We haven’t found a clear picture of him to compare.”

Regardless, anyone associated with a bastard who would impregnate females to fulfill a bet didn’t deserve any sort of respect from Grant. “Let me try while we still have the chance. Stay here and monitor the situation.”

Brodie nodded and Grant focused on his objective. Mentally prepared, he entered the small, windowless room and locked the heavy door behind him.

He eyed the male. Since he was in human form with scrapes and a broken leg set in a makeshift cast, he probably had been one of the dragons hit with the mandrake and periwinkle powder capsules.

However, the male’s relaxed posture and smug smile told Grant volumes. The bastard wasn’t afraid.

Grant didn’t condone torture, but he was more than on board with mind games. Crossing to the empty chair on the far side, Grant sat down and stretched out his long legs in front of him. Removing a knife from his boot, Grant casually cleaned his nails.

After about sixty seconds, the male’s American accent echoed inside the room. “I know you can’t hurt me and anything you say is bullshit, so don’t try any intimidation techniques with me. They won’t work.”

Grant flicked his gaze to the American. “I don’t believe in wasting my time with lies. Or, in you trying to out-alpha me. Let me save us both some time and say I have all the time in the world.”

“By law, the DDA will come to collect me and you must hand me over into their care.”

He raised his brows. “Do I? My people didn’t give a final prisoner headcount yet. In all of the commotion, it’s easy to overlook one or two.”

“And risk your clan? I somehow doubt it.”

Grant shrugged. “This is the Highlands, lad. We tend to do things our own way and the humans barely take notice. My people will back my decision, no questions asked.”

The man studied him and crossed his arms over his chest. “Which explains the illegal weapons and drugs.”

All of the captured prisoners had been injected with a mandrake root and periwinkle concoction to prevent them shifting into a dragon for at least a day. “Says the man who helped bomb an entire dragon clan.”

Grant went back to cleaning his nails. The shuffling of the male’s feet signaled his plan was working.

Five seconds passed and then ten. Grant’s dragon paced at the back of his mind, anxious to do something.

Flicking his wrist, Grant sent his knife sailing through the air to land just behind and above the American’s head. Grant met the male’s eyes. “Next time, I’ll aim lower. I’ll try not to make you a eunuch, although I can’t guarantee it.”

Slowly rising and walking over to the Yank, Grant tugged out his knife. The male visibly gulped. The dragonman wasn’t as well-disciplined as Grant’s team.

Taking five steps back, he tested the weight of his weapon. Just as he held the blade between his fingers and pulled his arm back to throw, the male blurted out, “Stop.”

Grant paused. “Is there something you want to tell me? You have five seconds to spit it out.”

The male nodded as he pressed his legs together and lifted his knees to try to protect his cock and balls. With his ankles chained to the floor, he didn’t get far enough. “Roberts doesn’t like to be denied. He wants the female and her baby.”

Stephen Roberts was the leader of Clan BroadBay. “There must be more to it than that. Not even Roberts would risk an international incident over a mother and child.”

“I don’t know anything beyond the fact Roberts wants them both alive.”

Grant took a step forward, the blade still between his fingers. “Tell me the reason.”

The male remained silent and Grant swung his arm forward. The male yelped even as the blade clunked into the wood of the wall behind Grant.

Grant leaned down to the male’s eye level. “My fingers must’ve slipped. To guarantee it won’t happen again, I may just have to swing my blade upward into your balls.”

Turning to pick up his knife, the male finally said, “All I know is the female is special. Something about her blood. I swear that’s all I know.”

Grant looked over his shoulder. The male was scrambling to lift his legs.

Casually strolling over to the American, he swept the chain connected to the male’s ankles and forced the traitor’s feet to the floor. “How would they even know anything about Gina’s blood?” The man began to shake his head and Grant yanked the chain hard. The man screamed as his broken leg jarred and he nearly fell off the chair to the floor. Grant added, “I’d suggest saying something when it’s just you and me. If I just happen to chain you at the edge of the woods and let slip your location, there are plenty of journalists willing to snap your picture and paste it all over the news. How long do you think you’d survive once the DDA found you and put you in jail? From all accounts, your clan members aren’t as honorable as mine. I give you a week, tops.”

“You’ll just tell them anyway and I’m good as dead.”

Grant shrugged. “Tell me everything, and I mean everything, you know and I’ll turn you over with the other prisoners. You can tell them you were having your leg checked out.”

Grant waited. The dragonman was clearly weighing his options.

The Yank let out a sigh. “All I know is they drew her blood to confirm the pregnancy. A few weeks after that, the entire clan was alerted to find the human female. When we received a tip from one of our Scottish contacts, we came as fast as we could. You know the rest.”

Assessing the dragonman, Grant’s dragon finally spoke up.
I think he finally told us the truth.

So you don’t think he knows anything else?

No. But what he told us is valuable. Now, knock him unconscious. He’s taken enough of our time.

Grant stepped back and dusted off his hands. “You’re going to wait here a while longer.”

“But—”

“We’re done.” With that, Grant exited the room, locked the door behind him and looked over to Brodie at the monitor. “Reach out to the medical team once things start to die down. I want to know what’s hiding in Gina MacDonald’s blood.”

Brodie nodded. “Aye, though it could be a day or two before we have enough staff to do it.”

“That’s fine. Take care of the clan first.” Grant motioned toward the monitor. “Keep an eye on him. When word of the DDA retrieval team arrives, visit the American one last time just to ensure he’s not hiding anything. I left my knife out of his reach in case you need it. Then hand him over with the rest.”

“Of course,” Brodie answered.

Exiting the room, Grant headed back to command central. He would eventually need to talk with Finn in private and let him know what the American had said. But in the meantime, he pushed away the information and focused on the list of things to be done. The fighting might be over, but ensuring his clan’s welfare had only begun.

The next morning, Fergus lay beside Gina as she tried yet again to nurse Jamie. Despite Holly’s busy schedule assuring pregnant females and new mothers that everything was okay, she’d come back to help Gina as often as possible.

And both man and beast noticed how every time Holly looked at Jamie, she smiled. His dragon spoke up.
Just ask her.

We should ask Fraser first.

He’s busy doing work for Finn above ground. I want to know. Our son could use some cousins.

Fergus debated bringing up the topic considering Holly’s miscarriage last year. However, before he could convince himself to ask, Jamie finally latched on to Gina’s nipple and suckled.

Gina scrunched her nose. “That feels weird. Good, but weird.”

Holly nodded. “You may get sore as well. But I’ll leave some special cream, just in case you need it.”

Everyone watched Jamie for a few seconds. The nine-pound lad was hungry.

While never taking her eyes off Jamie, Gina reached out her free hand and took Holly’s. “Before you leave, tell me why you keep smiling when you look at Jamie.”

Fergus’s beast snorted.
Gina has the bollocks you lack.

Shut it, dragon.

Holly cleared her throat. “With everything going on, it’s not really the time.”

Gina looked up and smiled at Holly. “Of course it is. In times like these, happy news is direly needed.”

Holly brushed some imaginary dust off her arm. “I also don’t want to jinx it.”

Gina grinned. “I knew it. You’re pregnant.”

Holly’s eyes darted to the door and back to Gina. “Keep your voice down. Fraser and I don’t want Lorna to know until the last possible moment.”

Fergus eyed his sister-in-law. “That’s why you’re wearing a new, stronger scented lotion. To mask the scent.”

“Aye. The last thing I need is everyone treating me like a delicate flower. My work is important and I can’t disappoint my patients.”

Fergus shrugged. “If Fraser allows it, then I’m not going to go up against him.”

Holly raised her brows. “Oh, aye? So I have no say in the matter?”

Fergus was quick to answer. “Of course you do, although Fraser is going to become overly protective as you progress. You mated a dragonman. You knew that would happen.”

Holly sighed. “I know. But just promise me you’ll keep it from Lorna for now.”

Absently stroking Gina’s hair, he answered, “I will. You helped my mate through her delivery. I’m deeply in your debt for that.”

Holly waved a hand in dismissal. “It’s my job. And the easiness of the birth makes me think there’s a reason behind it. Once everything settles, will you allow me to ask you some questions and draw some blood, Gina? If I can make it easier for humans birthing dragon-shifter children in the future, it will save a lot of heartache.”

Gina nodded. “Of course. Although I highly doubt I have some super-secret ingredient in my blood. Sometimes humans give birth to dragon-shifter babies without any complications.”

“Sometimes, but it’s rare.” Holly gently touched wee Jamie’s head. “Right, then I need to go. Arabella’s missing Finn and trying not to admit it.”

In deep talks with the DDA, Finn couldn’t risk being out of range while he traveled to Lochguard. There was also worry that Finn could become a target if he traveled back too quickly. Grant and the other Protectors were still searching the area for any lingering enemies.

Fergus motioned toward the door with his head. “Then help her.”

Gina spoke up again. “Tell her to come visit. I could use the company when Fergus has to help Fraser, Grant and Faye.”

“I told you I can stay here another day.”

Gina raised her brows. “I’ll be fine. The clan needs your help more than I. You can only find out so much from the control room.”

Holly gathered her supplies and placed them in her medical kit. “Let’s see if I can get Arabella here first. Her behavior...worries me.”

Fergus chimed in. “Finn will be home soon. If anyone can get it out of her, it’s my cousin.”

“Aye, I hope so,” Holly said. “I think she’s depressed about the triplets. Maybe if I can get Melanie Hall-MacLeod on the phone, she can help. From all accounts, Mel has a way with Arabella.”