The Dragon's Need (Tahoe Dragon Mates 2)

Grateful for the adrenaline, he jumped to his feet and ran the opposite way. He'd nearly gotten back to the main path when a green dragon appeared in the sky. In a split second, the beast had swooped down, scooped Ryan up in his talons, and flapped its wings to head skyward.

As the ground grew smaller and smaller, fear crept over him.

All the dragon had to do was drop him and he was dead.

And sure enough, about sixty seconds later, the dragon did exactly that and Ryan screamed as he raced toward the ground.

Another dragon swooped down and plucked him from the air, the force of the talons against his chest sending excruciating pain through his body and he heard a crack.

Before he could do more than notice that the dragon was slowly descending toward the landing area, Ryan blacked out.

Chapter Ten

Gaby paced the length of the small, private waiting room inside the clinic and dug her nails into her palms in impatience. Ryan had been in surgery for five hours already, and she'd yet to receive an update.

Her dragon said softly, Dr. Carter will tell us when there's news. It's better for him to focus solely on Ryan right now.

Even though she knew that was true, Gaby growled, A nurse could tell us something, anything, about his condition. Even if it's only how there's no change, that would be something.

Wisely, her dragon said nothing.

They'd argued back and forth the entire return flight to PineRock, about how her dragon hadn't wanted to leave Ryan alone and Gaby assuring her beast that he'd be fine with all the protections in place.

In the end, Gaby had been dead wrong. Although it did help her feel a little better that even Cris had been fooled by the traitors.

The human haters had gone to the extent of snapping the bones of one of their children and putting the boy inside a cave for Cris to rescue.

Not even the fact the traitors were all being held, awaiting ADDA to collect them, helped ease her anger and fear.

Because it was entirely possible that Ryan would end up either paralyzed, or could even die. Snatching a human body from free fall wasn't easy to begin with, and probably few, apart from Cris, could have managed it without killing him.

Gaby was still beyond grateful that Cris had been on her way home when she'd spotted one of her Protectors carrying Ryan into the air.

She shuddered to think what would've happened if Cris had approached PineRock a few minutes later.

Her dragon spoke up again. Stop wondering about what could've been. Ryan is still alive, and that's all that matters.

For now. I don't know how you can be so calm.

I have faith in our human. Besides, there is a major upside from it all—Wes has discovered the last of the traitors within the clan.

I wish I could be happy about that. But I just want Ryan to wake up again.

It'd been hard enough leaving him to go back to work, but to only be called back soon after and told he might die had made Gaby realize something important.

She loved Ryan Ford. And now, she might never get the chance to tell him.

Tears prickled her eyes, but in the next instant, her mother returned from the cafeteria. She must've noticed Gaby's tears even from across the room and rushed to her side. "Oh Gaby, come here."

Needing her mother's touch, she hugged her close and let some of her tears fall. As her mom stroked her hair, she murmured, "Your human is strong. I have faith he'll pull through."

"But he might not."

"Now, Gabriela Santos, what have I said all these years about not giving up on the things you love?"

She sniffled. "We cherish them and fight to our last breath to protect them."

Her mom leaned back to meet her gaze again. "That's right. So do as I taught you. Be strong and fight the best way you can—by believing in him and Dr. Carter. And once Ryan opens his eyes, you let him know he's not going anywhere, either, so he'd better not think of dying for many, many decades to come. And even that will be negotiable."