The Dragon's Discovery (Lochguard Highland Dragons Book 6)

by Jessie Donovan

  The female Skyhunter leader replied, "I'll do it. And not just because you're taking Aimee, either. If one day we need a favor, I'm hoping you'll help, too."

  "I'll try, although I can't promise miracles." Finn looked at the last leader and one he called friend, Bram. "I already know you'll help. Just keep me updated, aye?"

  "Of course."

  Finn looked at each leader in turn. "One last thing. Once this problem is solved, I want to talk more about a Dettifoss-like Assembly. Maybe we should start fortnightly meetings, to better know each other and strengthen alliances."

  The move was something he'd discussed with Bram before, but not the others. Finn didn't know what to expect.

  The Welsh leader nodded. "Fine by me. I may need some help with something soon, too. And the more allies my clan has, the better." Finn opened his mouth to ask what, but Rhydian continued. "No need to worry about it now. I wouldn't classify it as an emergency by any means. Let's find a way to find and hopefully save Alistair first."

  Lorcan chimed in next. "As soon as my mate hears what's going on, she'll want to help. Just don't assume things again, aye? I know you and Bram are trying to change things, but I have a lot more experience with certain things. Don't forget that."

  Lorcan had ruled Northcastle for decades. While Finn knew Lorcan was thinking of retiring soon, he wasn't going to bring that up. "Understood." He glanced at the Skyhunter pair. "And you two? Ready to show your first piece of goodwill toward a future alliance?"

  The female spoke up. "As I said, we'll help. Although I can't promise anything since I don't know all the clans in America."

  "I wouldn't expect you to, Honoria. Thank you." He looked at each leader again as he said, "I'll have my mobile with me at all times. Ring me whenever needed, even with the smallest update. And in all seriousness, I appreciate your cooperation."

  The leaders murmured their goodbyes, and the screen went dark.

  Finn let out a sigh and stood. However, by the time he turned around, Arabella was already standing in the doorway. "You're amazing, Finn. And no, don't brush it off."

  He closed the distance and cupped Arabella's cheek. "Let's hope it's enough to help Alistair."

  She kissed him quickly and then murmured, "Kiyana is ready to talk with the DDA Director. She wants you nearby, so she can pull you into the meeting if it goes well."

  After stroking Arabella's cheek a few times, he nodded. "Aye, that's fine. Although I'll need you to keep my mobile with you, in case anyone calls. I don't want to miss anything."

  "No worries. My dad is helping to watch the children, along with Aunt Lorna and Ross. So we don't have to worry about little baby dragons trying to jump out of windows for a bit."

  He smiled. "I actually look forward to that again, though. So let's solve this problem, aye? And then I can spoil our daughter and have you scold me for it."

  She lightly hit his chest. "You're the worst."

  "Aye, but you love me anyway."

  After giving his mate one more quick kiss, Finn followed Arabella out into the kitchen. It was time to tackle the next item on his never-ending list of duties.

  Chapter Eleven

  Alistair had long ago stopped trying to escape his mental prison and instead had spent countless hours reviewing everything he knew about inner dragons, frenzies, and even rogue dragons. While there was a slim chance the effects of the drug would wear off on their own, he couldn't bank on it. In a little over five days, his bones would heal, and his beast would go searching for Kiyana.

  Aye, Finn would do his best to protect the female. But with a rogue dragon made even more dangerous by the influence of an unknown substance, it may not be enough.

  Thanks to the extra walls he'd constructed around his own mental presence, Alistair could think without his dragon hearing. Every once in a while, his beast's emotions of lust and dominance would seep through, but not enough to drive him crazy.

  For the first time since his dragon had spoken to him at six years old, Alistair would have to think and plan on his own.

  It was weird and gave him a glimpse of what humans had to contend with. But still, he would somehow make it work as best as he could.

  There had to be something he'd read over the years that could help him. Ever since the Dragon Knights had started using various drugs on dragon-shifters, Alistair had gone out of his way to track the effects and remedies. While he wasn't a biologist or chemist, he'd studied enough of it earning his degrees to understand the basics and form his own theories about what might help.

  The moss from Wales had cured the female dragon, and there was something else taken from the Amazon rainforest that had helped with the children in Wales. He tried, and failed, to remember the chemical makeups and what was similar about them.

  His beast's latest round of lust and need filtered inside his mental space, and Alistair did his best to patch up any cracks. Doing so made him remember something about how the drugs had worked before, with regards to how they invaded a person's cells.

  Or, rather, specific types of cells. Since the Dragon Knight drugs hadn't worked on humans, the effect was limited to dragon-shifter specific genes and markers.

  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.

  If Rosalind Abbott were twenty-five years younger, she'd want to be part of the sacrifice system, for certain.

  If she wanted the woman's help, now was the time to be clear. "I know you've been working with other dragon oversight departments in various countries. I'm hoping you can reach out to them, quietly of course, and see if they can help find a cure."

  Director Abbott searched her eyes. "There's no law that allows me to do such a thing, as you well know."

  She nodded. "Yes, I do. And I even have an idea of how to maybe fix that once all of this is over with an international organization of oversight officials—that's the idea I hinted at to obtain this meeting. But for now, I need your help. And it's me, Kiyana the DDA employee asking. Not a dragon-shifter, which means you're not currying favor to one over the other."

  The director raised an eyebrow. "You could be a politician if you wanted, Dr. Barnes."

  "I'll leave that to you. So, will you help me?"

  For fifteen seconds, the DDA director didn't say a word. And with each passing second, Kiyana's heart thudded harder.

  The director finally replied, "I will see about helping you, Dr. Barnes, a human and fellow employee. I'll call back when I have something to report or request from you." She expected the screen to go blank, but the director added quietly, "And I want a more in-depth report on the idea you mentioned, about an international organization, as soon as you can manage it."

  The screen went dark, and Kiyana slumped in her chair. She hadn't been a hundred percent certain the director would lend a hand, but it seemed she would.

  Finn's voice came from the door. "I guess you didn't need me, after all."

  She looked at Lochguard's leader. "Sorry. It only dawned on me as I was talking that if you asked for help, it would be showing favor to one clan over the other. If it had been something minor, it wouldn't have mattered. But she's right—there's no law allowing her to communicate freely, let alone secretly, with other oversight departments. This way she's merely helping me. That shouldn't cause as much of a headache if someone discovers her actions."

  And given the things Kiyana had learned about the DDA Director over the last few months, she didn't think it would be a problem. Other sections of the British government barely paid her any attention, and not even MI5 was aware of everything that went on in the Department of Dragon Affairs due to various laws passed over the years.

  Laws that may change soon, given the former director's scandal, but not yet.

  Finn replied, "No, you did well, lass. The more people we have looking for a solution, the better odds of saving Alistair." He gestured out the door. "Now, let's get some food into you before you pass out. Ara said you only had some chocolate for breakfast, and you'll need your strength to keep fighting this hard."

  She gave a small smile. "It's certainly been a different experience from what I had expected for my six months here."

  "Aye, well, Lochguard is never dull. But my end goal is to make life so boring here people will be begging for a commotion."

  Kiyana knew Lochguard and Stonefire had had their fair share of trouble. And she hoped they found some peace in the near future. They both deserved it.

  She stood and followed Finn out of the room. "Given your daughter's, er, unique circumstances, I don't think you'll ever have a boring life."

  Finn chuckled. "I suspect you're right. But if the only trouble I have to wrestle with is my family, I will be a happy male indeed." He pulled out a chair at the table inside the kitchen. "Now, sit. As you eat, we'll bring Max back here. He can assist in researching what you need whilst the rest of us scour every connection we have for information to save Alistair. Because if it exists, we'll find it, lass. That, I promise you."

  Nodding, Kiyana sat down and closed her eyes for a moment. Not because she was tired, but rather because Finn's words had caused tears to prickle her eyes.

  While it hadn't been deliberate, he'd said "if it exists," meaning despite all their hard work and effort, Alistair could still be hunted and shot down in the end.

  And even though she'd always wanted to live with the dragons and study them better, her current situation wasn't what she'd had in mind. She, too, wanted the boring life Finn spoke of. A routine one with Alistair, and the new friends she was making.

  Taking a deep breath, she blinked her eyes open and willed her tears away. She had work to do, and crying wouldn't help any of it.

  Chapter Twelve

  After six days of thinking, planning, and doing his best to ignore the lightheadedness brought on by lack of food and little water, it was time for Alistair to act.

  He'd been storing up what energy he could for this moment, the moment when his dragon had tested out their legs, moved enough to catch and eat a sheep, and sleep to recover his strength. His beast hadn't been as skilled at keeping his thoughts to himself. And if his dragon followed the plan he'd made to ensure he could claim their mate properly, he would hunt one more time before heading back to Lochguard.

  Or, wherever Kiyana had ended up.

  Given his situation, he wouldn't blame her for moving continents to stay away from him.

  Regardless if Kiyana was still on Lochguard or not, Alistair wanted to try one last thing to keep living before resorting to the last possible solution. And to do that meant wrestling control away from his dragon.

  Aye, it may have been better to wait until they'd eaten again, but he couldn't risk it. His beast had long thought Alistair had given in and wouldn't fight him.

  He was wrong.

  While dragon-shifters didn't have any sort of super mental abilities, the one arsenal they could use were invisible forces in the mind. It was how his dragon had corralled him into the corner in the first place. All Alistair had to do was turn the tables and contain his dragon for a wee while.

  No more s
talling; it was time.

  Thinking of Kiyana and his family and friends back on Lochguard, he pushed out against his mental wall with everything he had. His beast hadn't expected the force—more so because he was sleeping—and Alistair managed to flip their positions and force his dragon into a corner of his mind.

  Now fully awake, his beast roared, clawed, and threw himself against the barrier. While his words were faint, Alistair easily heard them. No, no, we're so close. I need her, she needs us, the world will take her away. I must have her. Now, don't wait, don't let the others fuck her in our absence.

  Arguing would accomplish nothing. While his beast was slightly less savage than a week ago, the mystery substance still made his dragon unstable and crave violence in a way he'd never done before.

  Alistair stood in their dragon form, tested out his legs—they held but there was an instant twinge that shot up his spine—and he slightly limped out of the cave into the clearing. There was a village nearby, one that still had a red phone box. If he could reach it, he could place a reverse charge call to the Lochguard Protectors, who still had ordinary line phones.

  He jumped into the sky, barely making it high enough to flap his wings, and headed toward the village. Since it was night and they were in the country, there weren't as many lights to bounce off his red scales.

  Nearly to the village, Alistair landed and struggled to shift back. His beast's protests only intensified as he imagined his snout shrinking into a nose, his wings retreating into his back, and his limbs morphing back into human ones.

  When finished, he did his best to ignore the jolts of pain as he ran as best as he could manage. He may hurt himself further, but that didn't matter. This was his one and only chance to help his dragon and escape being hunted down.

  He reached the phone box, still grateful no one was about to see his naked body, and went through the tedious process of placing a reverse charge call. Each second that passed only made his dragon more erratic, and it wouldn't be long before his beast took control and ensured Alistair would never be able to escape again.