The Dragon's Dilemma (Lochguard Highland Dragons Book 1) (17 page)

Fraser squeezed her closer. Holly looked from Arabella to Finn and back again. She couldn’t afford to cry or become emotional. Much like during her time as a midwife, Holly pushed away her fears and focused on finding out information. Only then could she try to solve the problem. “What happened exactly? When I left him, he was looking so healthy. The doctors were surprised at how well he’d been handling the treatment.”

Finn answered her. “We’re still waiting on the details. But Dr. Innes should have them soon.”

Fraser gently lowered her until her feet were on the floor and he said, “Then why are we still standing here? We should be at the surgery.”

Finn answered his cousin. “Because we need to talk about Holly visiting her father. The DDA has granted a week’s leave, with my permission.”
 

Holly blinked. “So I can leave and see him?”

“Aye,” Finn answered. “But with a few conditions.”

Fraser growled. “Her father might be dying. Now’s not the time to place conditions.”

Finn raised his brows. “Isn’t it? Someone snapped a photo of Holly at Lochguard’s gates and her face was flashed all over the media whilst you two were in the frenzy. Outed sacrifices aren’t treated well outside of a dragon clan’s lands, Fraser. You know that.”

Holly straightened her shoulders. She wasn’t about to let anything get in the way of seeing her father. “If I can handle you and your dragon, then I can handle a few harsh words.”

Fraser turned toward her. “If anyone so much as dares call you an idiot, let alone worse, I will flash my dragon eyes and extend a talon or two. That should scare them shitless.”

She raised an eyebrow. “The dragon hunters may be mostly in England, but they exist in all the major cities of the UK. Doing that in Aberdeen might be dangerous and the last thing I need is to visit you tied up in yet another hospital bed.”

“It doesn’t matter. I will do anything to protect you and our child, even if it costs me my life.”

Searching his eyes, she saw sincerity. Before she could stop herself, she blurted out, “You’ve changed a lot since I first met you.”

He leaned close and laid his forehead against hers. “Oh, that version of me still exists. But you are my future, Holly, and I will bloody well fight to keep it.”

The truth in his words warmed her heart, but she couldn’t think about the possibilities with Fraser. She needed to help her father first. “Fine. But if you start growling at people, I’m sending you home.”

Fraser cupped her cheek and she leaned into his touch. “There’s no way in hell I’m allowing you out of my sight in public.”

Finn cleared his throat. Holly and Fraser both looked toward him as he chimed in, “As lovely as it is to see you two getting along so well, there are a few things you’re forgetting. If you think I’m letting you two travel to Aberdeen alone, then you’re crazy. Faye and Iris will go with you.”

Holly frowned. “Who’s Iris?”

Arabella answered, “She’s Lochguard’s best tracker. If someone is luring you to Aberdeen, then she’ll spot it a mile away.”

Holly put her hands up. “Wait a second. Why would anyone want to lure me anywhere? I’m just a midwife from Aberdeen. There’s nothing special about me.”

Fraser interjected, “That’s not true and you know it, Holly.”

Finn answered before she could. “I know you’re trying to be romantic, Fraser, but I’m going to speed things up since time is of the essence.” Finn met her eyes. “Between the dragon hunters, knights, and other dragon-shifters, who have a grudge against me, there could be hundreds if not thousands who want to use you to tarnish the clan’s reputation.” Holly opened her mouth, but Finn cut her off. “You’ve just survived a twelve-day mating frenzy and you’re newly pregnant with a dragon-shifter’s child—congrats, by the way. That means you’re exhausted and need the help. As much as I love Fraser, he’s not a soldier. He’ll need the help, too. Faye and Iris will go with you, or no one goes at all.”

The dominance in Finn’s voice signaled the topic wasn’t up for negotiation.
 

Knowing when to pick her battles, Holly merely nodded. “Okay, but when can we go? I need to see my father, and soon.”

‘While he’s still alive,’ was left unsaid.

No.
Holly refused to believe her father would die in the next few hours. Hell, the doctors had predicted his death six months ago. But Ross Anderson was a fighter.

She only hoped her dad would keep on fighting.

Someone knocked on the front door. Arabella went to answer it and Finn motioned them toward the living room. “That should be Faye, Iris, or both of them. As soon as everyone’s debriefed, you can leave. There’s already transportation waiting for you at the rear gates.”

Fraser rubbed slow circles on her back as they moved. Looking up at him, she murmured, “Thank you for being on my side. I can’t imagine it’s easy to go against your cousin.”

He smiled. “Don’t worry, honey. I can be loyal to Finn while still defending you. He has a mate, so he understands.”

“This whole mate thing is starting to sound a bit caveman-like.”

He kissed her nose. “We can debate that later, on the way to see your father.” His expression turned fierce. “We’ll be with your father soon. And knowing your stubbornness, I’m sure you’ll find a way to keep him alive.”

“I hope so, Fraser. I really do.”

Finn called their names and they picked up their pace. The sooner they were debriefed, the sooner they could leave.

Holly only hoped they weren’t too late.

Chapter Twelve

Three and a half hours later, Fraser drummed his fingers against the car door as the scenery rushed past at a speed much slower than if they had flown.

It also didn’t help that Faye was driving slightly under the speed limit. “Faye—”

“Don’t, Fraser. Or I swear I will tape your mouth shut at the next opportunity,” his sister answered.

“I’d like to see you try, little sister.”

Faye growled. “If not for Holly, I would turn off the motorway right now and teach you a lesson.”

“I’m sure Holly is the only reason,” Fraser replied.

Iris’s voice boomed out, “Enough.”

Iris may not be clan leader, but Fraser believed she could be if she put her mind to it. How Grant had taken over the Protectors instead of Iris, Fraser had no idea.

Not wanting to irritate the strong dragonwoman, Fraser went back to looking out of the window. His dragon spoke up.
Admit it, flying is always better.

Only if you want to be spotted from miles away.

That’s why you fly at night.

Fraser glanced over at Holly, who was closing her eyes and opening them in a cycle, trying to fight off sleep. “It’s okay to rest, honey. There’s nothing we can do until we arrive at the hospital.”

Holly lightly slapped her cheeks. “No. I should be reviewing my father’s medical records again. My gut tells me something is off, but I can’t place it. If only I were a doctor, I could spot it.”

Fraser shook his head. “Not necessarily. Dr. Innes couldn’t find anything unusual.”

“He’s a dragon-shifter doctor. He may have human medical training, too, but he doesn’t practice it.”

His dragon growled.
Find a way to comfort her. Distress isn’t good for her or our baby.

As if I didn’t know that.

No need to get huffy. I’m just trying to help.

Ignoring his beast, Fraser punched the driver’s seat in front of him. “How much longer till we arrive?”

Faye’s voice was low as she spit out, “I don’t give idle threats, Fraser. I’m pulling over at the next exit and taping your mouth shut. Punch the seat again, brother, and I will tie you to the roof as well.”

Holly’s voice was kind as she chimed in. “Faye, at least tell me how much longer we have.”

Faye briefly looked in the rearview mirror before focusing back on the road. “What you see in my brother, I’ll never understand. But we should be there in another twenty minutes.”

As Fraser hugged Holly, he murmured, “Then drive faster, sister.”

Before Faye could answer, Iris’s calm, cool voice filled the car. “We have bigger things to worry about.”

Both man and beast stood at attention. “What’s going on, Iris?”

The black-haired and brown-eyed dragonwoman turned around in her seat. “Someone is following us.”

Faye demanded, “Why didn’t you speak up sooner?”

Iris shrugged. “I wanted to make sure. Besides, it’s not like there was a place for us to turn off without drawing attention. We’re approaching Aberdeen and it’ll be much easier to lose them there.”

Faye tightened her grip on the wheel. “Just make sure to let the Protectors back on Lochguard know their number plate. We need to identify the threat.”

Fraser’s dragon snarled.
It’s time to shift and protect Holly. I won’t allow anyone to hurt her.

We’re on the same side, dragon. But give Faye and Iris a chance. They have experiences we don’t have.

His beast huffed.
Fine. But if I think Holly’s life is in danger, I’ll take control and whisk her to safety.

Holly’s voice interrupted his conversation. “What’s the plan, then? Because I’m not about to be scared away from visiting my father. For all we know, whoever is following us might target my father, too.”

Faye nodded. “Exactly. You are a Protector at heart, Holly Anderson.”

Fraser grunted. “Don’t encourage her. Holly is human and more fragile.”

Holly poked his side. “When this is over and everyone is safe, we’re going to address your overprotectiveness. There’s no way I can survive nine months of it.”

Iris spoke as if there were no other conversations going on inside the car. “It’s the dark green SUV three cars back, Faye. When I give the word, I want you to take the next available exit.”

Faye replied, “I’ll do it, but I don’t know Aberdeen very well by car.”

Holly jumped in. “I’ve lived here most of my life. I’ll tell you where to go. The A90 is coming up. Turning onto the motorway might be a good way to tell if they are truly following us or not.”

Iris answered, “We’ll try that, first. But if they follow us, then we switch from being cautious to protect and attack mode.”

As Faye and Iris continued to talk about tactics, Fraser wished he had something to add. But he didn’t. He was an architect and a builder, not a soldier.
 

His beast spoke up again.
We can still protect Holly. She is our true mate. My instincts will keep her safe.

Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.

His dragon snarled.
If they try, they will be sorry.

Fraser didn’t want to face Finn’s wrath because of his dragon going rogue. Fraser needed something to preoccupy his beast.

Deciding he would take his sister’s jabs later, he spoke up. “Give me a task, Faye. I need to do something or my dragon will go crazy.”

Faye briefly met his eyes in the mirror. “Then take out your mobile phone and be ready to call Lochguard to let them know what’s going on. Finn and Grant can also reach out to contacts and find a way to check on Holly’s father.”

Fraser took out his phone. As much as he hated any threat to Holly, at least his sister Faye was acting like her old self again.

Which was good, considering they might need her brain and fighting skills if things turned south.

~~~

Holly’s stomach flipped as Faye took the exit onto the A90 motorway. Between battling her lingering exhaustion and her fears about her father, Holly was on the verge of breaking down.

While she’d thought often about how she could die in childbirth, she never once imagined someone going after her and her father to get back at the dragon-shifters.

To think everyone on Lochguard lived with this constant threat over their heads made her heart squeeze. Finn, Fraser, and the rest of Lochguard hadn’t been anything but kind to her. They didn’t deserve the hatred aimed at them and their kind.

Iris’s voice cut through her thoughts. “The bastards are still there. Where to next, Holly?”

After Holly gave her suggestions, Faye and Iris went back to talking about options and possible threats.

Fraser leaned down and whispered, “I trust Faye with not just my life, but yours and our child’s as well. We couldn’t ask for a better dragon-shifter to protect us.”

She met Fraser’s eyes. “I don’t doubt Faye, but what about my father? The thought of someone going after him too and doing who knows what to him makes me sick to the stomach.”

He rubbed up and down her arm. “Even if Finn and Grant don’t have any contacts in Aberdeen, Clan Stonefire should. I could say not to worry and nothing will happen. But you’re clever and know it could. Instead, I’ll just say that you’re part of Lochguard now. And Lochguard does everything in its power to protect its own. If there’s a way to save your father, Finn will work to find it.”

The steel in his voice helped to calm her stomach a fraction. She also knew Fraser’s words about being part of Lochguard were significant, but she would have to digest that statement later, when she wasn’t fretting about her father’s life.

Holly snuggled into Fraser’s side and took a deep inhalation. His scent helped to slow her heart rate a little. “If this is what it takes to be accepted at Lochguard, you might want to reevaluate your criteria.”

Fraser’s voice was lighter as he replied, “You can mention that to Finn the next time you see him.”

Faye took a sharp left turn and Holly was thrown against Fraser. Her dragonman wrapped his arms around her and whispered, “Even if it takes my life, I’ll fight to keep you and your father safe, Holly.”

In any other moment, Holly might have made a skeptical quip. But as her heart pounded and head throbbed with worry, she merely melted in Fraser’s side. She was exhausted and needed all the support available.

Faye’s voice cut through the silence. “The bastards are quite good. I can’t lose them. I think we’re going to have to pull over and take a stand, Iris.”

Iris unclicked her seatbelt. “I agree. Fraser, when we stop, you take Holly and run. They may have sent photos of our car to others, so driving is out of the question. I don’t care where you go, but take her as far away from us as possible. Do you understand?”