~~~
With anyone else, Sid would be able to keep her thoughts to herself. Never once in her adult life had she let something slip she shouldn’t have. Yet with Gregor, she kept blurting things out.
His flashing dragon eyes and growly nature around Bram only strengthened her growing suspicions about the Scottish dragonman.
She had a feeling she was his true mate.
But Sid would never be able to take a mate. Not that she wasn’t curious about having someone to laugh and cry with, because of course she was. Ever since matings had been increasing over the last two years in her clan, she’d started wanting one herself.
The only problem was Sid didn’t have many years of sanity remaining. The only way to protect herself and others was to remain unattached for her entire life.
The thought of having an episode and falling into insanity while pregnant was a nightmare. Since all true matings resulted in at least one pregnancy, Sid had to be careful. Even if it was becoming more difficult to avoid noticing Gregor’s full lips or how she wanted to laugh at his sarcastic humor, she would resist.
Gregor’s voice was low as his Scottish vowels rolled over her. “If it’s your dragon you’re after, you may have given up hope, but I haven’t.”
Whipping her head around, she frowned. “You have no idea what you’re talking about and I’m about this close from kicking you out of my room. I’ve lived with this for over twenty years, and you just waltz in here and make it seem as if I gave up too soon.” She gave the double-finger salute. “Well, fuck you, Gregor Innes.”
Gregor closed the distance between them and took her chin between his fingers. She tried to jerk away, but his bloody strong grip didn’t budge. His voice was steely as he murmured, “Someone’s touchy. I never meant to imply you gave up too soon, Cassidy. But I’m a very determined dragonman and I’m not through with you yet.”
She swore his words held a double meaning, but Sid could barely put two thoughts together as Gregor’s hot breath caressed her cheek. Despite every reason why she should resist, her body heated at his touch and she leaned a fraction closer. Only when his pupils flashed again did it break the spell. Leaning back, Gregor released his grip and Sid scooted to the far edge of the bed.
She’d nearly kissed him. She’d have to be more vigilant from here on out.
In response to her thought, the pounding started inside her head again. Not wanting to alert Gregor to it, she kept her face neutral, much like she’d done for short periods of time with her patients in the past.
“You tensed just now. Why, lass?”
Was Gregor Innes a bloody mind reader?
Clearing her throat, the noise intensified in her mind. She kept her gaze averted as she replied, “I just need to rest.”
“Liar.”
She looked back at him. “You keep saying that. If anything that concerns you crops up, I’ll tell you.”
“Everything about you concerns me, Cassidy. Now what the fuck is going on?”
Exasperated, she bit out, “The stupid noise is back, okay? If you don’t leave me alone to fight my battle, I may never recover.”
“Then let me help you, lass. I have a theory and would like to administer something to you. If my theory is incorrect, it won’t affect you at all. It can’t hurt to try.”
She searched his eyes. “You’re being vague. Just tell me what you want to shoot into my body.”
“You want honesty? Then I’ll give it to you. I think the pounding is related to your inner dragon. The drug that silences a dragon for a few days might make it stop.”
At the mention of the dragon-slumber drug, as it was known colloquially, Sid was suddenly fourteen again. Lying in a hospital bed, her limbs kept flashing between dragon ones and human ones. Her dragon had taken control and wouldn’t give it back. Not even the dragon-slumber shot had worked.
One of the doctors finally gave another dose, and then another. He repeated the process until her dragon finally retreated and her mind went blank.
Her dragon never returned after that.
“Cassidy. Why are you crying?”
Wiping her cheeks, she was surprised to find them wet. “No reason.”
Gregor sat down on her bed and took her hands. She pulled back, but he didn’t let go. “Bullshit. You might be able to dismiss anyone else in the clan, but it won’t work with me.”
His demands stoked her temper. “Look, I don’t care if you think I’m your mate or what have you. I who