The Dragon's Need (Tahoe Dragon Mates Book 2)

by Jessie Donovan

  They have been from the beginning, but that doesn't mean I'm going to just give up.

  I'm not giving up, dragon.

  Good.

  They arrived at the conference room used for visitors—namely ADDA employees—and Gaby tried her best to push all the negative thoughts away so she could face her clan leader with a clear head.

  Ryan never loosened his hold on her shoulders as they entered. The three people sitting at the other side of the long table all stared at them.

  The three were Wes Dalton, PineRock's clan leader; Cristina Juarez, their head Protector; and Dr. Troy Carter, their head doctor.

  It was Wes, the auburn-haired male in the middle, who snorted. "Calm down, human. None of us are going to steal her away from you."

  She felt Ryan relax a fraction at her side. The urge to make a quip was strong, but she held back, to allow Ryan the chance to stand his ground.

  Her male replied, "All the same, I'll keep her close."

  The woman with light brown skin and dark hair rolled her eyes—Cris. "And to think Gaby always complained about how possessive dragon males are. And now she's gone and found herself a human who's no different."

  Gaby growled. "He's not the same at all, and he's mine. So be nice, Cris."

  Cris raised her brows. "Well, well, has the male made you snippy or have your pregnancy hormones already kicked in?"

  The dark-skinned male with a shaved head, Dr. Carter, looked at Cris with raised brows. "Let's just be grateful it's not you, Cris. If you ever get pregnant, I might just have to take a long vacation and let the junior doctor monitor you. Otherwise, I may not survive the ordeal with my balls intact."

  Cris raised her brows. "Who says we have to wait for me to be pregnant? I can gladly rid you of your balls now."

  Gaby bit her lip to keep from smiling. All three dragon-shifters sitting together were friends and teased each other endlessly. However, she wasn't sure how it'd all appear to Ryan, though.

  Not that she got the chance to check on him because Ashley clapped her hands until she had everyone's attention. "Now, now, children, given all the crap that's happened recently, maybe you can save the bickering for later?"

  Wes crossed his arms over his chest and gave the human his best stare.

  Not that it affected Ashley one bit.

  Wes spoke, dominance threaded into his voice. "I think you've been spending too much time on PineRock, Ms. Swift, and you're starting to forget your place."

  Ashley raised her dark eyebrows. "My place? Huh. Funny, I thought you were the one who owed me a favor."

  Gaby looked between the pair. "Did I miss something?"

  Wes grunted. "No, it's just ADDA business." He focused on Gaby and Ryan. "Which brings me to you two. I assume Ms. Swift told you about what happened to Jose and Tori?"

  "Only vaguely," Gaby answered.

  "Well, you need to hear the full extent to ensure you take this threat seriously." Wes leaned forward. "Two males threw huge stones through the front window of their cabin. If Tori had been in that room, they would've killed her."

  Gaby's heart skipped a beat. "Even though she was already pregnant?"

  Wes grunted affirmative.

  Holy hell, that was bad, really bad.

  Ryan asked, "While they shouldn't try to kill anyone, why do I sense that her being pregnant makes it worse?"

  Gaby answered, "Dragon-shifters treasure children since we've come close to extinction many times in the past. The thought of killing a pregnant woman is one of the worst things you can do. Which means whoever did it must truly hate humans." She growled, no doubt her pupils flashing at the same time. "Who tried to kill my sister-in-law?"

  Cris didn't miss a beat. "The Randalls. And before the human asks, they were transferred to PineRock after a California wildfire destroyed their clan. While it doesn't excuse anything, it at least helps to know they're newer to PineRock. The entire family is now in the hands of ADDA, although both sides are trying to figure out if they influenced others here with their anti-human vitriol."

  Wes jumped in. "Exactly. There may still be more individuals, waiting among the thousand or so clan members here, to strike any human who comes to PineRock." He fixed his gaze on Ryan. "Which is why I'm trying to figure out what to do with you."

  Gaby frowned. "What does that mean?"

  Wes glanced between her and Ryan. "I'm not sure it's safe to keep him here."

  She opened her mouth to protest, but Ryan was first. "I'll do whatever it takes to stay, but I'm not leaving Gaby. And before you go on about rules, could you abandon a woman pregnant with your child?"

  Wes sighed. "No. And I get it, but I also have to consider your safety. A dead human would look bad for the clan, not to mention for me."

  Ashley cleared her throat and everyone looked at her. "I believe the ultimate decision about whether he can stay or not is mine, Wes."

  Wes growled out, "Not entirely."

  Ashley raised her brows. "Do you need a lecture in protocol?"

  As the pair stared at each other, Gaby sensed it could turn into a long, drawn-out argument that would end nowhere.

  So Gaby spoke up. "Regardless, the rules say he can visit a few days at a time, if he wishes, at least until the baby is born. This is his first visit, so he doesn't have to leave just yet. And seeing how ADDA loves their contracts, are you really going to risk breaking it, Wes?"

  Wes nodded. "I just might."

  Her dragon woke from her nap. I don't like this.

  Neither do I, but don't you want Ryan here?

  Of course I do. But not if it means he'll end up dead.

  Aware that they were all talking about him without talking to him, Gaby looked up at her human and asked, "What do you want, Ryan? Even with more information now, do you still want to stay if there's a possibility you can end up dead?"

  He didn't hesitate. "Yes."

  Dr. Carter grunted. "You just went up a few notches in my book, Ford."

  Ryan merely shrugged. "I promised Gaby that I'd stay with her as long as I could, and I take promises very seriously."

  No doubt in part because of how betrayed he was a couple of years ago, when his ex-wife broke the ultimate promise.

  She wanted Ryan safe, but more than before, she wanted to keep him near. He was her human. Hers.

  Cris tapped her fingers on the table. "I don't see how him staying a few days will hurt. If we try to send him away before Gaby's family meets him, there will be hell to pay, I'm sure. And I don't need any extra work, if I can help it."

  Gaby straightened a little at Cris's words. "That's right. If he's nestled among twenty, or more, of my relatives, then no one would think to try and attack all of us, would they?"

  Wes said, "It's possible they still would." She opened her mouth to protest, but he put up a hand and she remained silent. "However, I can at least allow Ryan to stay for a week, to help you get settled before you go back to work. This means you'll accept constant surveillance from a group of Cris's most-trusted Protectors for that week, though. Understood?"

  She sensed tension in Ryan, his muscles going stiff. Oops. They really hadn't talked about her going back to work, had they? Not like she'd dive headfirst into a fire or anything, but she could shift until the last trimester of her pregnancy and Gaby planned on helping any way her superiors would allow her.

  She'd have to find a way to bring it up again later.

  Gaby cleared her throat. "We'll grudgingly accept the Protectors."

  "Good," Wes stated. "You'll also have regular check-ins. Not the most convenient thing for a new couple, but I won't budge on that either."

  Ryan bobbed his head. "If it means staying, I'll suffer it gladly."

  Cris stood. "Then before I coordinate all of that, Ryan and I need to have a little talk."

  Gaby was about to say she'd go with him, but Dr. Carter motioned toward Gaby first and said, "Before you go anywhere else, you need to come to the clinic with me, Gaby. If I don't check you out and veri
fy everything's okay, then your parents and brother will probably kill me."

  She rolled her eyes. "They would never hurt you. Your sister is mated to one of my cousins, after all."

  "All the more reason for me to make doubly sure you're fine." The doctor stood. "Is there anything else you need her for right now, Wes? I have a minor surgery in three hours, and I'd like to squeeze in Gaby's exam first."

  Wes also stood. "As long as Ryan stays to go over a few things with Cris, I don't see why we can't all get back to business. However, you two"—he pointed at Gaby and Ryan—"will visit with me privately tomorrow, around lunchtime. We still have other things to discuss."

  Anxious to go with Dr. Carter and get that over with so she could introduce Ryan to her family, she nodded. "Fine, fine, we'll be there. Can we go now?"

  Wes glanced at Ryan. "Good luck with her, human."

  She growled, but Ryan spoke over the sound. "No luck is needed, Mr. Dalton. I'm fortunate to have her, and I'll never take Gaby for granted."

  And just like that, her irritation at all the demands and coddling from the last little while faded.

  She was a little bit smitten with her male. Just a tad.

  Cris nodded in approval. "Good answer. You may yet do okay here."

  Dr. Carter headed toward the door. "Then let's go. Oh, and Ford, if you think of any questions related to Gaby's pregnancy, then come and find me. The more information you have, the easier this whole process will be."

  Ryan merely squeezed Gaby's shoulder. "Thank you, Dr. Carter. I will."

  Wes dismissed them. Gaby lingered back a second with Ryan, ignoring both Dr. Carter and Cris frowning a few feet away. She murmured, "I'll return as quickly as I can."

  He caressed her cheek. "I'll be fine, Gaby. Don't worry about me."

  It was hard not to.

  However, Ryan gently kissed her, and she fought the urge to take it deeper.

  Dragon-shifters weren't usually shy about showing affection, but she wasn't quite ready for Cris and Dr. Carter to watch Ryan fuck her mouth with his tongue.

  So she broke the kiss, touched his jaw, and turned to follow the doctor out of the main security building and toward the center of the clan's lands, where the clinic was located.

  Well, it was more of a mini-hospital than a clinic, but all American dragon clans just called them clinics.

  Regardless, there were more important things to think about. Gaby had one week to convince Wes and the others that Ryan should stay. And not just because her dragon would want their human nearby, either, since that wouldn't be enough of a reason.

  But to do that would require a plan and probably the help of her extended family.

  She'd often thought of them as a burden when young, but now Gaby appreciated her nosey but loving family. They may just be the shield she needed to keep her human at her side.

  Chapter Seven

  Ryan survived his meeting with the head Protector and even a brief Q&A with the doctor afterward.

  The latter had been quite eye opening, with the doctor revealing all the rules for female dragon-shifters and how they became vital to follow as Gaby's pregnancy progressed. Although some of them seemed ridiculous—like not watching any sort of emotional movie during the last month—he had some time to sort through them all and find out if they were indeed necessary.

  But for now, he merely walked hand in hand with his lady toward a bright yellow house, one with music drifting from the windows.

  It was time to meet her family.

  Gaby squeezed his hand. "Don't worry, once you pass their initial questions, everything will be fine. And like I said, win over my mom and it'll make the rest of the process a lot smoother."

  He shook his head, smiling. "I'm not worried about your mother. It's more all those male relatives who shift into giant dragons who I'm concerned about." He paused and added, "Although, I wish I could've seen you in your dragon form first. I've never seen a dragon up close, but I reckon that once I do, I won't be as intimidated by the thought of it."

  Gaby gave him a sympathetic gaze. "Believe me, my beast wants to preen for you as soon as possible and score some good ear scratches. But being late to dinner would be a fatal first step since my parents think being on time is basically being late." She smiled at him again. "We'll set aside some time for it tomorrow, okay?"

  Bringing their clasped hands up, he kissed the back of Gaby's. "It's a date."

  Gaby beamed at the words, and his heart skipped a beat. If only he had the power to fast-forward through the evening until tomorrow.

  Not happening, he thought to himself. Her family was not only important to her, they would also be helping to protect him.

  In other words, he needed her family's approval more than they needed his. That meant being on his best behavior for the evening and digging up any charm he could muster.

  They were still about ten feet from the front door when it swung open, revealing the tall, dark-haired form of the man Gaby had shown him in pictures earlier—her older brother, Jose.

  Jose studied him, his dark-eyed expression unreadable.

  The stare down was probably meant to intimidate him, but Ryan didn't flinch or miss a step. He'd been that older brother for his sister before and understood it was more a test than a real threat.

  Especially since Ryan would rather cut off his legs than hurt Gaby.

  Jose finally grunted. "So this is him."

  Gaby sighed. "I was much nicer and friendlier to your human when I first met her. Could you at least try to have some manners with mine?"

  He waved at Ryan. "If he wants to have my sister, then he has to earn it."

  Gaby growled, but Ryan beat her to it. "Isn't that Gaby's decision to make and not yours?"

  For a second, Jose narrowed his eyes at him. But then he snorted. "Maybe now. She was the worst decision maker as a child, though." He shrugged. "Old habits die hard."

  Ryan was about to ask for the dragonman to clarify, but Gaby grunted and said, "Don't even start on the embarrassing childhood stories yet, Jose."

  Jose raised his brows. "Or, what? Will you torture my ears with awful music?"

  Okay, Ryan didn't know what that meant, but he hated being on the outside when it concerned his dragon lady. He'd add the reference to his list of things to ask about.

  Gaby smiled sweetly. "I'll leave ear-related torture to our cousin. I'd rather surprise you one morning by maybe plastering pictures of you naked as a child, or dressed up as an old-woman-looking warlock, all over your house. I'm sure the clan would get a good chuckle out of that."

  Jose shook his head. "Seeing as Tori and I are staying here at our parents' house right now, I don't think you want to risk Mom's wrath."

  A woman's voice cut through. "Smart move, son." An older woman, who was slightly shorter than Jose, with black hair streaked with gray and deep brown eyes, smiled at Ryan. "And you must be Ryan Ford." She gestured to Jose and then Gaby. "I'm the mother of these two troublemakers. Please, call me Maria, Ryan."

  Gaby tugged Ryan forward, ignoring her brother, and said, "Tell Jose to be nice for the evening. I behaved for his mate, after all."

  Ryan bit his lip to keep from chuckling. Gaby was twenty-four and her brother even older, yet their mother was the peacekeeper.

  At one time, his family had been close, too. No longer.

  Not wanting to think of the past right now, he cleared his throat and all eyes turned to him. "Nice to meet you, Maria. Is that barbecue I smell? Both Gaby and I could do with some food."

  "Why didn't you say so?" Maria moved in between him and Gaby, forcing them apart so she could place a hand on each of their backs. "One big tip, Ryan—keep your pregnant mate fed, or you'll risk a very grumpy dragonwoman."

  "Mom," Gaby growled.

  Ryan grinned. "Don't worry, we already decided that I was the better cook. Nowhere near what you are, from what I've heard, but good enough."

  Maria studied him a second. "You are good, human, starting with the
compliments early." He winked at Maria, and she laughed before adding, "Then come along. I'm the only one who'll be able to get you to the backyard for some dinner without everyone stopping you along the way."

  As the older dragonwoman guided them down a hall and through a few rooms—raising her brows to stop anyone from approaching along the way—Ryan met Gaby's gaze over Maria's head.

  She mouthed, "Good job."

  The praise made him walk a little taller. So far, so good. He hoped the rest of the night went as smoothly.

  Gaby had experienced Ryan's charm firsthand but was still impressed at the way he handled her mother.

  Not to mention her brother, who was trailing behind him. Maybe they could bond over being older brothers or something. Gaby said over her shoulder, "Where's Tori?"

  Jose frowned. "She wanted some time alone with Luna."

  Uh-oh. "That can't be good."

  Jose growled. "Luna attracts trouble, sure, but she's one of the few friends Tori's made on PineRock so far and I won't deny her."

  She blinked. "Who are you and what have you done with my brother?"

  Her mother spoke up. "A mate has done him well. All dragon males like to think they know how they'll handle a female, but usually it's unrealistic."

  "So does this mean if we get all the cousins paired off that they'll leave me and Luna alone for good?" Gaby asked.

  Her mother shrugged. "It wouldn't hurt, although I'm not sure if their true mates are on PineRock, which makes it difficult."

  Gaby whispered, "Ryan has a younger sister."

  "Gaby," Ryan growled.

  She shrugged. "What? It wouldn't hurt for them to at least meet her. Besides, my mom here will want to meet her, too."

  Her mother clicked her tongue. "Eventually, yes. But not until we get you two settled."

  Gaby muttered, "You know everything about the threats, huh?"

  Raising her brows, her mother asked, "Do you know me at all, Gabriela?"

  Her father came to the rescue at that moment, taking his wife out from between them and dragging her against his side. He nodded at Ryan. "You must be Ryan. I'm Jorge, Gaby and Jose's father."