36. Chapter 36
Sienna sat by the bed and gripped John’s hand, watching his chest rise and fall slowly.
She was afraid to look away. Had been keeping vigil all night and morning.
After all they had been through, she was going to lose him now?
Ian bent over the other side listening to John’s chest with his stethoscope.
He finally stood and wrapped it around his neck.
“Well?” Sienna asked.
“Same as before,” Ian said. “It’s like he’s in a coma, but there isn’t a reason I can find for why he’s unconscious.”
“Other than breaking a four-hundred-year-old curse,” Tessa said from her place at the foot of the bed.
“Other than that.”
Sienna swallowed hard. “It’s been twenty-four hours, Ian. How long can he stay this way?”
“It’s hard to say. We have IVs going for fluids and some nutrients. So he could stay like this indefinitely if his organs don’t start to fail. And with this being a result of magic, I don’t have a clear way of knowing.”
“So it’s just wait and see?” Sienna blew out a hard breath before rocking her head from side to side, trying to get the kinks out of her neck and failing. “And you rechecked everyone else this morning?”
Ian nodded. “Yes. Luckily the bullet that went through Mia’s arm didn’t hit any major arteries. Megan was able to talk her into letting me treat her. Mia is stubborn.”
“And the others?”
“Ryan had a bullet graze his arm, and a couple other guards had some bumps and bruises. We were lucky.”
She looked down at John. “Yeah.”
Tessa stepped over to her and laid a hand on her shoulder. “Megan and Mia are combing through all the research right now, trying to find a way to help. Why don’t you take a break? I’ll sit with John. Maybe if I talk to him, he’ll wake up just so he can tell me to shut up.”
Sienna shook her head. “Only you can make me smile at a time like this.”
“It’s a gift. Now go and get something to eat. You have to keep your strength up.”
Sienna reluctantly went downstairs, but instead of going to the kitchen, she headed toward the office. She found Megan and Mia huddled over the desk, reading through a stack of books and notes.
“Have you found anything yet?” she asked.
They leaned back and Mia pinched her nose as if she was trying to ward off a headache. “There isn’t much to go on. John is unique and we don’t really understand how he was able to live for over four-hundred years.”
Sienna’s chest tightened. “So you think he’s going to die.”
“We didn’t say that,” Megan rushed to add.
“Here’s the thing. I do have hope,” Mia said. “In my mind, if breaking the curse was going to kill him, I would think it would have happened the moment the curse ended.”
“Then why is he unconscious?” Sienna asked.
“That’s the true question. He’s been living with guilt and fear for centuries. There’s no way to know how that has impacted him,” Mia answered with a look in her eyes that said she was speaking from experience.
“Do you think maybe his dragon is playing a part in this?” Sienna asked.
“Why would you say that?” Megan leaned forward.
Sienna shrugged. “I don’t know. But until twenty-four hours ago, John was the only living dragon who had experienced what it was like to have a full dragon inside him.”
“And now not only has the curse been stripped from him, but his dragon should have been set free,” Mia said.
A light knock on the door sounded before Marilyn poked her head into the room.
“Tessa said I would find you here.” She pushed in a cart and set a plate with a stack of sandwiches and another plate with cookies on the table in the seating area.
She pulled several bottles of water off the bottom shelf of the cart and dishes and set them alongside the food.
“I’ll let you get back to things. Please try and eat something, Sienna. ”
Megan rounded the desk. “Marilyn’s right. We all need to eat.” She practically pushed Sienna onto the couch and handed her a sandwich.
Mia joined them. Sienna choked down a few bites before grabbing a bottle of water. After a couple of minutes, she had to admit that food was the right call. She set down the bottle and finished her sandwich. Mia and Megan made short work of theirs as well.
Mia set down her plate. “Megan showed me the third storybook.”
“I’m sorry about not telling you.”
“Don’t apologize. I understand why you held things back. You didn’t fully trust me, and I don’t blame you.”
Sienna nodded. “Yeah and since I figured out that you were the trickster in the third book, I didn’t know if you were using your tricks for good or evil.”
Mia shrugged. “To be honest I’m not sure which I am either most days.” Her eyes clouded for a moment before she blinked. “It makes sense that you were able to bring out the sentries using your dragon song. I should have thought of that.”
Sienna did some shrugging of her own. “Well, I was living with Veronica in my head and I didn’t put two and two together.”
“How could you know?” Megan said. “Veronica didn’t even know she was a dragon.”
Mia frowned. “How did you convince her?”
“Veronica talked to John’s dragon.”
Mia held up her hand. “Wait. Megan told me that when Veronica tried to talk to your brothers’ dragons to bring out the dragon sentries, they wouldn’t talk to her.”
“Right. The girls had to bridge the gap because their dragons trusted them.”
“But with John’s dragon, Veronica was able to speak directly to him,” Megan said. “But why?”
Mia sat upright. “Because that means they have a special connection. Maybe Veronica could talk to John’s dragon and see if he knows what’s going on? Can you ask Veronica what she thinks?”
Sienna concentrated for a moment, and her heart sped up.
“What’s wrong?” Megan asked.
“I haven’t heard Veronica talk since she spoke to the girls.”
Megan grabbed her hand. “A lot has happened since then. Maybe she’s upset and scared.”
“And you haven’t turned into your full dragon yet, have you?” Mia asked.
Sienna’s heart shuddered. “No.” Was that a bad thing? She hadn’t even thought to try. She closed her eyes. “Veronica?”
Nothing.
“Can you hear me? I know you’re scared. I am too. Talk to me.”
What do you want me to say?
Sienna let out a relieved breath. “You’ve never had trouble coming up with things to say in the past.”
Rude much?
“Do you think you could try to talk to John’s dragon?”
I can try.
Sienna bolted from the couch. “Veronica wants to help.”
They jogged upstairs and found Tessa telling John a story about modeling. “What’s up? You all look like you’re on a mission.”
“I’m going to have Veronica try to talk to John’s dragon.”
Tessa circled the bed. “Ian is downstairs in the kitchen. I’ll go let him know what’s going on so that he’s close by.”
Megan stood by the door. “We’ll be quiet while you and Veronica talk to him.”
“Thanks.” Sienna walked over to the bed and sat down, resting her hand on John’s chest.
“Are you ready, V?”
Yep. I’m ba-ack, Grumpy Dragon.
Sienna closed her eyes. And prayed for some sort of sign. When her hand heated, she barely held back a gasp. “Is he talking to you?”
He said his human is so tired. He’s been trying to get him to wake up.
Sienna blinked back tears. “What can we do to help?”
Tell him how you feel, and I’ll tell his dragon.
“What did she say?” Megan asked as the door opened and Tessa and Ian came inside.
“Veronica said that John is tired and having trouble waking up. She’s suggesting that I talk to him and she’ll relay what I’m saying to his dragon.”
“It’s worth a try,” Mia said.
Tessa gestured to the door. “We can wait out in the hall if you want?”
Sienna turned to look at John’s face and then nodded. She could hear them leave the room and shut the door. She rested her hand on his chest again.
He needs to have a reason to wake up. Get to talking! Veronica chided.
She took a deep breath. “John. I’m here. I know you’re tired. You’ve had so much on your shoulders for so long, but it’s over now. The curse is gone. You can finally breathe again. And become part of a clan again. To be part of a family.
“Please, John. You owe me that conversation about us. I want there to be an us, but you have to wake up. Your dragon needs you. I need you.”
She closed her eyes to stop her tears. “Did he hear us, Veronica?”
“I heard you,” John rasped softly.
Sienna gasped as she blinked to find his blue-gray eyes locked on her face. Her heart sped up and rattled in her chest. “Well, hello, Sleeping Beauty.”
The corners of his mouth turned up slightly. “You didn’t wake me up with a kiss.”
She grinned at him. “Maybe I should have tried that. Oh, well. Too late now.”
His eyes danced. “Never too late.”
She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips. “There are a whole bunch of people who have been worried about you. I need to tell them you’re okay.”
He rested his hand on top of hers. “In a minute.”
She leaned over and kissed him again.
John rested against the headboard as Dr. Murphy finished his exam.
John’s head was still a little muddled, but overall he was feeling okay.
There had been some excitement when Sienna opened the bedroom door and let in the crowd that had gathered in the hall.
Enough excitement that Dr. Murphy had kicked them all out except for Sienna, who sat next to him with an expectant look on her face.
“Other than the slight confusion, are you having any other issues?” Dr. Murphy asked.
“No. Did you find anything wrong?”
Dr. Murphy shook his head. “No. But I couldn’t find anything wrong when you were in your coma either. It could have been a result of the stress of having the curse removed.”
John nodded. “At the time it felt like something sticky and evil peeled away from my body. What do you think will happen now? Do you think I’ll age normally?”
Dr. Murphy hesitated for a moment. “Possibly.”
John didn’t like the hesitation. “Or I could age rapidly and die.”
“I’m not going to sugarcoat things with you, John.
That could happen as well. Or you could never age.
But it’s too soon to tell, and I don’t want to speculate.
You’re awake. That’s the important thing.
I want you to take it easy. I’m going to leave the IV in for now, and I want you to eat something and stay in bed until I come and check on you later. ”
Sienna grasped his hand and squeezed it. “I’ll keep an eye on him, Ian.”
The doctor closed his bag. “I’m prescribing the same thing to you, Sienna. You need some rest. You haven’t slept.”
The doctor closed the door, and John turned to her. “You stayed up all night?”
Sienna shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “There was a lot going on.”
“What happened after I passed out? Did you let the Templars go?”
“Not until Mia and Jonas made sure all their power is gone.”
John was having a hard time following. “Explain, please.”
“Before Mia destroyed the Templar facility, she took Matthew’s laptop.
On it was some damning evidence that they had been lying to the witches who’d been helping them.
They had convinced them that destroying the dragons would give them back their powers when we both know it would have taken what was left of their magic as well.
Jonas was able to send the evidence to several coven leaders.
It should spread like wildfire throughout the other covens.
And now that the witches will be getting back their own powers… ”
“Some of them will be out for vengeance. But that doesn’t mean it will stop the Templars.”
Sienna’s smile grew. “I haven’t gotten to the best part yet.
The laptop had information on offshore accounts where all the Templars’ money was kept.
Jonas was able to empty their accounts. Millions of dollars sent to charities all over the world.
Ones that Mia said, and I quote, ‘would drive the misogynistic bigots crazy,’ end quote. ”
“And Mia is still here?” he asked.
Sienna’s expression changed. “She is. She wants to go spend some time with her foster mom, Evelyn, for a while to clear her head. But she agreed to stay for the time being and try and help you wake up. She and Megan were going over the research again while you were unconscious. Mia was the one to suggest that Veronica talk to your dragon.”
“What’s with the pensive expression then?” John asked.
“I guess I’m worried about her. Destroying the Templars is everything she’s been working toward, and now that it’s done, I’m not convinced that it gave her the peace she was looking for.”
Mia wasn’t the only one. John’s whole existence had been geared for one thing.
Break the curse. And he wasn’t supposed to survive it.
But he had. What did that mean? Yes, he was happy that the spell’s tentacles that had wrapped around him to choke anything good in his life were finally gone, but he didn’t necessarily feel lighter.
He actually didn’t know what he felt.
Sienna’s phone dinged and she looked down at it and smiled. “The girls are helping Marilyn make you some soup. They’re excited that you’re awake.”
He nodded. “Sounds good. Why don’t you take a break?”
She frowned slightly. “Are you feeling okay?”
Feelings were in short order right now. “I just think I could use some time to clear my head.”
The frown deepened. “Are you sure?”
He patted her hand to try and soften his words. “Positive. I don’t want you getting sick trying to take care of me. I’ll be better company later.”
She gave him a long look before finally agreeing.
She made sure he had the house phone next to his bed in case he needed anything.
John blew out a hard breath once the door closed.
Hadn’t he wished for more time with her?
Time he was convinced he didn’t have. Yet when he got his wish, the first thing he did was push her away.
Except he didn’t know what he could offer her. He was anchorless in the face of surviving the curse. And what if he woke up tomorrow and he’d aged decades overnight? The last thing he wanted to do was set up Sienna for heartbreak yet again.
His brain might still be foggy, but he did remember the agony he saw in her face when the dagger landed in her hand. Could he subject her to constant worry that every day might be his last?