He stilled. What if introducing human blood into a dragon-shifter helped to dilute the effects of the drug?
Alistair didn't recall ever hearing about such a type of blood transfusion. Usually humans wanted dragon-shifter blood to help cure illnesses. However, if anyone had tried it the other way round before, it would have no doubt been in the field of war when there hadn't been any other option but to try a human-to-dragon blood transfusion.
Which meant he needed to talk with Rafe Hartley and Nikki Gray on Stonefire. Both had served in the army—one human and one dragon-shifter—and would probably know others who had, too, and could reach out to their contacts. They might be able to shed light on the matter.
Of course he couldn't just fly to Stonefire and have a nice, long chat. He needed to think of a way to get his information out so Finn and the others could investigate it.
The only question was how.
Even if he managed to wrestle control long enough to make a phone call, his legs were broken, and he couldn't walk or jump to fly in the air.
The only option—and it was a slim one—was to save up his strength and devise a way to take control when his wounds healed. Well, healed as best as they could without a doctor setting his bones back in place.
Alistair was fairly sure he'd limp for the rest of his life.
But he'd take limping over having to kill himself. He only helped Kiyana wasn't the type of female to easily change her mind over such a transformation.
No. He didn't think she would be.
To get to her, he needed to refine his plan. Focusing back on what he needed to do the day he could walk again, he ran through every technique he knew when it came to containing an inner dragon.
After all, with his dragon's current temperament, Alistair wouldn't be able to take control for long. He didn't need hours, but just long enough to place a call to Lochguard before finding a way to knock himself unconscious until the others could find him.
Find him to either administer some sort of cure, or kill him to protect everyone.
Alistair hated all the variables in his solution, but for the moment, it was all he had.
He'd keep thinking on it, of course. However, he was going to do it from his wee corner of their mind, using as little energy as possible. That way, the day he could walk again, he'd be ready.
~~~
Kiyana did her best to breathe evenly when the UK Director of the DDA, Rosalind Abbott, appeared on the screen.
The dark-haired female smiled often, but much like Lochguard's leader, it was usually there to create a false sense of security and ease. Oh, neither of them wanted to hurt someone, but they both understood how power plays worked, especially when it came to having others underestimate you. That way no one would suspect the person pouncing when they did.
Pushing
aside all her years of studying the fascinating topic of power and control, Kiyana did her best to smile at Director Abbott. The older woman finally spoke. "Given the content of your message, we both know this isn't a routine update. So what's this idea you hinted about?"
"It has to do with cooperation on a worldwide scale."
"You don't aim small, do you, Dr. Barnes?"
"Neither do you, Director."
Rosalind smiled genuinely for a few seconds. "That is true. So tell me this idea of yours in detail, and why it was so important for me to hear it now instead of a few days from now."
Kiyana had decided before the meeting to be straightforward with the DDA director. "The urgency is because I want to help one of Lochguard's clan members." She did her best to recount events, leaving out a few of the details about how bad Alistair's condition really was—she didn't want the DDA to go tracking and eradicate a threat until absolutely necessary.
When she finished her rundown, she added, "So you see, to help him, we need knowledge no one on Lochguard seems to possess."
"While I appreciate a dramatic, drawn-out tease as much as the next person, I can only keep this quiet for a short while, and the clock's ticking. Spit out your idea, Dr. Barnes."
A small shot of relief flooded her body at the director still wanting to hear her request, but Kiyana knew she wasn't out of the woods yet. "We're trying to find a cure to help him, as I mentioned. However, reaching out to as many people as we can for possible remedies would greatly increase the chance of a happy ending to this. Which is where you come in, with your connections to other dragon-shifter oversight committees."
"I don't really work for happy endings, but rather agreeable solutions. I think I know what you want, but ask me clearly, Dr. Barnes. I don't want any ambiguity to cloud my judgment or actions, which then could do more harm to the dragon-shifters, even if unintentionally."
The media always painted Rosalind Abbott as a politician who cared more about formal relations than the dragon-shifters in particular. However, Kiyana knew better. The woman secretly was fascinated by them. Few would ever connect the dots, but Kiyana had a shrewd eye for such things.