Page 86 of Taught By the Dragon
Tears pricked her eyes.I want that too. I’ve always loved you.
Her dragon sniffed.So you do know what love is.
Brenna’s voice prevented her from replying. “I don’t like to interrupt conversations with inner dragons, but Dr. Sid texted me and said she quieted Bronx’s dragon for now. If you want to see him, Bronx said he wants to talk to you.”
She bit her bottom lip a second. “Will it be safe?”
“From the frenzy, yes. Without his dragon, it’ll be just his human half.”
Just knowing she’d caused someone to lose their inner beast, even temporarily, made her stomach churn.
Brenna reached out and touched her arm. “Just be honest with both him and yourself.”
She searched the female’s eyes. “Shouldn’t you be trying to coax me to go through the frenzy so Stonefire can have another clan member, to help bring up your numbers?”
The dragonwoman frowned. “Why? I moved to Ireland with Bram’s blessing, meaning he lost a clan member. Does that mean he bans me from seeing my family or is angry about it? Of course not. He’s happy for me. Stonefire is about clan and family and friendships, Percy, not just repopulating. Forget about the crap they told you in the past. Stonefire believes in love, no matter what that looks like.”
She nodded, knowing Brenna spoke the truth. She’d seen too many happy couples, families, and even people working together to do something as simple as give the young dragons a field trip.
More than anything, she wanted Stonefire to be her home. And not just on her own, but with Bronx. She couldn’t imagine any other male being so patient and kind or making her feel so desired and wanted. Not to mention just his lips against her neck had made her hot and bothered.
She wanted him and only him.
The time to run or find excuses was over. Standing, she handed her empty cup to Brenna. “I need to talk with Bronx.”
* * *
As soon asthe drugs took effect and Bronx’s dragon went quiet, he was simultaneously relieved and terrified.
Not because he thought his dragon would instantly come back, find Percy, and fuck her repeatedly. No, he trusted Dr. Sid and her concoctions. But he was worried Percy would want to leave, to put distance between them, all because the choice of wanting a future and a child with him had been taken from her.
The silence in his head was deafening. And to think, Percy had lived this way for years and years; it only made her survival more admirable.
Dr. Sid finished packing up her medical bag. “Absolutely no kissing Percy, Bronx, not even on her skin. And you have two days, maybe three, of silence. After that, I need you to decide if you want to try the experimental drug I have to calm the mate-claim frenzy pull or embrace your inner dragon and claim your mate.”
He should ask more questions about the first option, but he couldn’t stop staring at the door. Would Percy come?
The doctor sighed. “I see chatting with you right now is pointless. I’ll check in on you later.” She moved into his direct line of sight. “But I mean it—no kissing anything until you’re sure of what you both want. Understood?”
He was slightly older than Sid, and if it were anyone else, he’d tell her to bugger off and stop scolding him. But he knew the doctor meant well. Plus, silencing his dragon was hard for her, given her own past.
So he nodded. “I understand. But I need to talk with her.”
She patted his arm gently. “I know.”
The door opened. Percy stood there, her gaze locked on to Sid’s hand on his arm. She growled, and Sid sighed. “I don’t want your male. I have my own, thank you.” She moved toward the door. “Just don’t kiss him, Percy, and his dragon will remain dormant for a little while.”
As soon as Percy entered and Sid left, shutting the door behind her, he said, “You came.”
“Of course I came.” She searched his gaze. He hated that she still stood on the far side of the room. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry, Bronx. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”
He shook his head. “Don’t apologize. I knew better than to allow your face close enough to mine.”
She put up a hand, palm toward him. “No, don’t try to deflect the blame—it’s my fault. But I didn’t come here to argue about that.” She took a step closer. “We need to talk about what to do.”
Her hesitant tone made his heart squeeze. “I can keep my dragon silent long enough for you to leave and go live with another clan. After a few months, I should be able to keep him calm without any sort of drugs.”
She took another step. “Won’t that be agony?”
