Henry nodded, and seconds later the machine clattered its way to Trian’s room. The doctor switched out the leads while Henry plugged the machine into a power strip. The screen blinked to life. Tiny blips appeared, almost identical to those on the old readout.
An idea hit me. “Try his chest.”
The doctor looked my way. “Why?”
I talked faster, excited. “Because he’s not a dragon, he’s a dragon-morph. Half human. Maybe his heart is in the same place ours is.” I thumped my chest dead center, and regretted it immediately after. I’d forgotten my bruised rib.
Dr. Irving eyed me speculatively, likely trying to decide whether I’d gone off the deep end.
“I’m telling the truth.”
He bit his lip, then nodded. “Try the chest.”
This time Henry hopped on the bed. He popped the sensor cups from Trian’s spine, handed them to the doctor, and was just about to get down when Trian let loose a low rumble.
Henry yelped and leaped from the bed, a not-so-masculine shriek erupting from between his lips.
Trian groaned once more, then opened an eye. He lifted his head and tilted it slightly to the right.
“What the hell are you wearing?”
The doctor rushed over and placed his stethoscope against Trian’s chest. His face lit up in triumph. “He’s good. He’s good. Nice and steady.”
I looked down at the ratted T-shirt emblazoned with a grinning dragon. I choked on a mix of laughter and sobs. “What? This ol’ thing? It’s what all the dragonspeakers are wearing these days.”
“You’re worth a lot more than that.” And with his comment, he relaxed and put his head back on the mattress. “I don’t suppose there’s something to eat around here?”
I laughed again and turned to the doctor. “He wants something to eat. Mind if I borrow your phone to make a call to DRACIM?”
Dr. Irving didn’t even look my way. He and the nurses were too busy giving each other high fives.
While a huge grin on my tear-stained face, I took off to find a telephone.
*
Two days later, I flopped down on the couch next to Trian. He dropped the book he was reading and gave me a long kiss.
“Mmm. You’re home early.” His stubble tickled my neck as his mouth crept up to nibble on my ear.
“I left Sara to wrap up the details. You know, it pains me to do it, but I’m going to have to promote her soon.”
Trian laughed. “She’s been your secretary for only two days.” With Emory’s obvious involvement in the attack, DRACIM was scrambling to repair the damage done to their relationship with Lord Relobu. They figured offering me Emory’s old job, and placing me in charge of working with Relobu’s office to tie up loose ends, would be the best way to go about it.
I couldn’t complain; I loved the job. I had my own office with a drain! (And as of yet I hadn’t needed to use it.)
After Dr. Irving released Trian from the “hospital,” I drove him to my apartment for the rest of his recuperation. Though he sported a small scar where the tracheotomy was performed, Trian had otherwise healed completely. The doctor was still marveling over his survival, and Trian had lost more than a few pints of blood and other tissues in the name of science. The lab techs speculated that Trian’s dragon-morph situation and the resulting rise in his percentage of human DNA had saved his life, but they couldn’t say for sure.
I didn’t know about Trian, but frankly, I didn’t care. He was here, and he was alive.
I lay my head on his shoulder. “Talked to Bill again today,” I said, referring to Richard’s former secretary. “He said Relobu’s council voted eight to one in favor of Richard’s execution.”
Trian threaded his fingers through mine and lifted my hand for a kiss. “I’m so sorry, Myrna.”
“As the official DRACIM liaison, I could have formally requested he be tried in a human court. But his crime was against the dragon population. I couldn’t in good conscience block their pursuit of justice. Carol’s going to hate me.”
Trian smiled and kissed me once on the nose. “Oh. I forgot to mention. You got a call today.”
“Yeah?”
“It was Richard. He took Carol to a hospital in Budapest so they could look at her head injury. He said not to worry, because the doctors say she’ll fully recover.”
“Did you tell him about Relobu’s announcement?” After failing to capture Richard in Budapest, Lord Relobu had declared him wanted for treason. A reward was placed on his head, and over my huge objections, he’d named Carol as an accessory to Richard’s escape. Neither of them would be allowed back in North America without being immediately arrested. And because of the reward, they were essentially being hunted by the entire world.
Trian’s smile faded. “I did.” He paused. “I got another call from Relobu today.”
I sighed. “Let me guess. He wants to know when you can go back to work. So he can send you after my friend.”
Trian nodded. “I told him I needed another couple of days.” And then he’d be flying straight to Budapest.
I didn’t like it, but I wouldn’t ask Trian not to go. I’d find a way to get my friend safely back to Tulsa, and off of Relobu’s world watch-list.
“Well, no offense, but I hope Carol’s being discharged very soon.” But if Trian was anything, he was tenacious. It wouldn’t be long before he managed to track them down. “And it sounds like it’s time for me to use DRACIM to lean on Lord Relobu and see if I can get him to change his mind. At least about Carol.”
Trian kissed the top of my head. “I’m sure you’ll manage it.”
“Enough about work.” I slid Trian a sly grin. “Dr. Irving called today. Said you’re officially cleared for any and all physical activity. What do you say about testing his theory?”
Trian stood and led me toward the bedroom. “I think,” he said, pulling me closer and wrapping his arms tight around my waist, “Dr. Irving is a very, very intelligent man.”
*
About the Author
A native of Eastern Oklahoma, Lorenda lives with her husband and two sons in a house that feels way too small during the stay-inside winter months. Lorenda loves chocolate, hates snakes, and despite living two years in Bangalore next door to a native preparer of Indian cuisine, cannot cook anything but ground beef. She is a recovering nail biter, and is currently celebrating five years bite-free.
Lorenda is the 2012 recipient of the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award in the Paranormal category.
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ISBN: 9781426895869
Copyright © 2013 by Lorenda Christensen
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Never Deal with Dragons Page 27