Cured by the Dragon (Stonefire Dragons 6)

“Someone’s become quite the philosopher.”

He grunted. “Melanie has me reading books on childrearing.”

She smiled. “Maybe I should have you come in and give talks to the other males.” When Tristan glowered, Sid decided to get down to business and changed the subject. “So, I’m ready to learn, Tristan. What’s first?”

He studied her before pulling up a chair and sitting next to her bed. “You didn’t lose your dragon until you were a teenager, so what do you remember?”

Careful not to let the memories flow, Sid answered automatically, “The basics of how to construct a simple prison. There’s no talking with her in her present state, though. When she’s not unconscious, all she thinks about is the mate-claim frenzy.”

“Did you ever consider embracing it? She might become more cooperative afterward.”

She frowned. “I’m not about to give Gregor hope and get pregnant just to appease my dragon.”

“Do you want a future?”

She blinked. “What?”

“You heard me. Do you want a future or are you giving up and preparing yourself to die?”

“I almost forgot how blunt you are.”

He shrugged. “Tiptoeing around my sister for a decade taught me a thing or two.”

“You’ve grown quite a bit, Tristan MacLeod. Thank goodness for Melanie.”

His face softened. “Yes.” Hardness returned to his eyes. “But you’re trying to distract me. From what I know about dragons, once they have an idea, they focus on it and won’t change or try to restrain themselves until that idea is addressed. It happens all the time with my students. Your situation is probably similar since you haven’t had decades to train your dragon.” His pupils flashed and he added, “Or, as my beast puts it, you haven’t had time to compile a list of compromises.”

“No, I haven’t. But surely

there’s something else we can try?”

“We can try things, but the mate-claim frenzy will most likely overpower any and all techniques you learn. You’re a novice, Sid. If you don’t accept that now, you don’t stand a chance.”

Tristan had a knack for making clan members uncomfortable, but in this instance, Sid was grateful for his honesty. “And yet, there’s no guarantee my beast will calm down once the frenzy is complete, right?”

“When it comes to dragons, there’s no guarantee about anything, except maybe for their determination regarding mates and protecting children.”

Which meant there was a chance her beast would behave at least until her child was born. That might give Sid enough time to learn how to control her dragon. It was possible for her to be a mother after all these years of accepting she’d never have the opportunity.

Wait a second. Why was she even thinking of children? She had no doubt Gregor would care for theirs if her dragon eventually took control and Sid had to be imprisoned. However, she didn’t want to hurt him and have him lose someone else. It was all too easy for Sid to imagine falling for the Scottish doctor.

Pushing aside thoughts of Gregor, she met Tristan’s eyes again. “I’ll think about it. In the meantime, I need you to teach me anything that could help.”

“Right, then we’re going to cover dragon prison basics. If you have even a crack in it, they will find a way out. So, close your eyes and tell me what you built and how.”

As Sid did what Tristan asked and described her current prison, Sid’s mind kept returning to Tristan’s suggestion about embracing the frenzy. If, and it was a big if, she convinced herself it was a viable option, she wouldn’t do it without Gregor’s consent. The trick would be in participating in the frenzy and mustering the strength to construct a wall around her heart if it didn’t calm her beast.

~~~

Gregor read the same paragraph three times before he sighed and rubbed his temples. Between scanning the medical files he’d received from Arabella and the new ones about the unknown substance from the attack on a child at Glenlough in Ireland, Gregor had enough work to keep him busy for months.

And yet, his mind kept drifting to Cassidy Jackson. Tristan had been with her for nearly two hours and only through sheer restraint had Gregor kept from barging into Cassidy’s room.

His dragon sighed. As I keep saying, he’s helping her. If there’s trouble, the English dragonman will let us know. Smothering Cassidy will only push her away.

Aye, I know that. Still, I’m afraid something will happen, her dragon will wake up, and we’ll lose the human half of her forever.

Stop being so pessimistic. It’s not our way.