“Between that and your desire to study brain activity surrounding our dragon halves, you might just have enough to do until you’re old and gray.”
The corner of his mouth ticked up. “Oh, I have another idea to squeeze in—a dragon-shifter university. I may need your help on that one.”
Gregor winked, and Cassidy laughed before replying, “Anything else I should know about?”
He didn’t miss how she ignored his comment about needing her help in the future. Given his cautious doctor, she wouldn’t accept the possibility of a sane future until it happened.
His dragon growled. I still think the frenzy will bring out her dragon.
I won’t risk it.
I thought you’d moved past your ridiculous fear of childbirth.
It’s not that, although I won’t completely discount that possibility, but Cassidy will stress over remaining sane if she ends up pregnant. That increases the risk of a dangerous delivery or complication.
Cassidy reached out and grabbed his hand. “Tell me why your smile faded, Gregor. If it’s bad news you’ve been hiding about my case, then just tell me straight. I can handle it.”
~~~
Sid had momentarily forgotten about all the things that could go wrong and had simply enjoyed talking with Gregor. Hell, she even mustered up the courage to tease him.
Then a frown creased his brows as his pupils flashed and worry crept into her mood. Had he been merely preparing her for the worst?
Gregor finally answered her question. “I haven’t hidden anything, love. My dragon and I are still working out a few things.”
For a split second, Sid longed to have an inner dragon to argue, discuss, and even laugh with. Memories of her beast were distant, but her dragon had been the easygoing one out of them.
However, if Sid had kept her beast, she may have strayed from her path of becoming a doctor. She loved being a doctor above all else. That was one positive thing, at least, about being half a dragon-shifter.
Gregor’s deep voice cut through her thoughts. “If talking about my beast is too painful, I can put it off. But I think you’re strong enough to handle it.”
“I can. I’ve done it for years as a doctor, after all.”
“Aye, you have. Although, given my dragon’s tantrums, I sometimes wonder if you’re not the lucky one to have a silent mind.”
Whenever someone had brought up her dragon in the past, Sid had always changed the subject. Yet as she met Gregor’s curious gaze again, the words spilled from her lips. “As a teenager, I would’ve agreed with you. My dragon never stopped going on about adventure. To be honest, I’m surprised I survived the seven years I had with my dragon. I snuck off Stonefire’s land more than once. One time, I wanted to find the mythical dragon egg.”
Gregor sat on the edge of her bed and stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. “As in the legendary necklace from the first dragon-shifter to set foot on the isle of Britain? You do realize that’s a myth, right?”
Sid changed positions until she sat against her pillows. “Of course I do. Dragon-shifters don’t lay eggs, yet the myth says the female wearing the necklace spawned three dozen eggs that we all descended from. It still doesn’t mean that it’s not tempting to go looking for it, especially for a teenager. After all, the necklace could be real even if the myth is rubbish.”
“So, did you find it then?”
She blinked. “No one ever asked me that, not even my parents growing up.”
“You’re a very capable female, Cassidy Jackson. If it does exist, you have as good a chance as any of finding it.”
The Scottish dragon-shifters were a charming lot and if it had been anyone else, Sid would’ve dismissed the compliment. But Gregor’s eyes were sincere.
Although why he’d put so much faith in her after such a short period of time, she didn’t know. Did it work that way with all true mates?
A dull thud started in the back of her mind. Sid winced, and Gregor touched her cheek. “What’s wrong, lass? Is the sedative wearing off already?”
For the first time, a roar sounded off inside her head. Sid arched her back as the pressure increased.
She was barely aware of Gregor’s lips on hers before her mind ripped in two. Screaming so loud her throat hurt, the world went black.
~~~