Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Emily snuggled against Cam’s side on the narrow bed and wished she could fall asleep.
However, ever since Cam had woken up and spoken her name before going slack, she’d refused to leave his side.
Scarlett said the danger had most likely passed since Cam’s pupils had flashed to slits once before he’d fallen unconscious again. Between the speaking and his dragon returning, he should be fine, given how his vitals had stabilized.
And yet, Emily hugged Cam closer, reveling in his warmth and scent. She needed to hear his voice to reassure herself he was still alive before she could let herself sleep.
For hours, she fought drooping eyelids, jerking awake anytime she nearly dozed off. Just as she fought off a yawn, a scratchy voice filled the room. “Emily?”
She jerked upright. Cam’s eyes were open, his pupils flashed a few times, and as soon as she touched his cheek, she burst into tears.
He pulled her close, stroking her back as she continued to sob. She couldn’t stop, almost as if she needed to cry for all the times she’d pushed them back to help save Cam.
When she finally calmed down, she propped her chin on Cam’s chest—too tired to do anything else—and asked, “Are you really back with me? You and your dragon?”
He smiled as he traced her forehead, her nose, and then her lips. “Aye, I’m here. There was no way I was going to die without telling you I love you.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “Pardon?”
His pupils flashed. “I love you, Emily. All I could think about was coming back to you.”
She scooted a few inches upward until her eyes were level with his, and then laid her forehead against his. “I love you, too, Cam. And if you ever try to die on me again, I’ll find a way to bring you back and give you a scolding you won’t forget.”
He chuckled. “Then I won’t die anytime soon.”
For a few seconds, she merely stared into his blue eyes, relieved to see them open and occasionally flashing. “Your dragon is okay, too?”
“Aye. The bastard left me alone for far too long when I was out, and I realized how much I missed him. He’ll never let me live it down.”
She smiled. “Then I’ll have someone on my side. Good.”
He sighed. “Two against one forever, aye?”
“Aye.” She cupped his cheek and then asked, “Do you want me to get Scarlett?”
“Who?”
She explained about Dr. Turner, her ties to Antony Holbrook, and how she’d helped Emily save Cam.
His eyebrows drew together. “So now I owe Holbrook a favor?”
“Out of everything I told you, that’s what you focus on?”
“Aye, owing that male doesn’t sit right with me.”
“He’s been really supportive, though, and brought in extra help. Not to mention his team took out a larger group of dragon hunters who’d been waiting to kidnap me once you were out of commission. So you definitely need to thank him at some point.”
Cam sighed. “I had a feeling you’d say that.”
“Oh, come on, it’s not that bad. He’s already offered his labs and state-of-the-art equipment for me to use whenever I want. Oh, and Scarlett helped create the vibrating warning device that Tor uses in his dragon form at one of Antony’s secret locations, too.”
“That was her?” She nodded before Cam continued, “Well, I’ll thank her and see about Holbrook. But what about the male who attacked me? He didn’t hurt you, too, did he?”
“No. His partner had been kidnapped, and they threatened to kill him if Geoff—the guy who attacked you—didn’t do as they said.
Some of Antony’s team rescued Geoff’s partner, and they’re both sharing everything they know about the hunters to avoid charges.
They’re less optimistic about the dragon hunters they captured, though.
Some of them killed themselves before being caught, and now the clan leaders and Antony are trying to determine if Simon Bourne is experimenting on his own people to control them. ”
Fuck. If he was, then it would make things even harder for them, even with his brilliant lass and her serums. “Anything else? I’d rather just know it all now, love.”
Emily told him about the dragon hunters now trying to silence inner dragons on purpose, and how close they’d been to losing Cam. Once she finished, he said, “They tried, but you saved me, my clever lass.”
Her face heated. “I had help.”
He caressed her cheek. “I don’t doubt it. But you’re brilliant, Dr. Emily Davies, and I want to love you forever. But can you be happy on Seahaven? We’re remote, don’t have all the fancy equipment you probably have here, and it gets bloody cold in the winter.”
She smiled as she ran a hand back and forth across his chest before stilling it over his heart. “Antony is already ordering some equipment for me to have on Seahaven, and I don’t mind the cold when I have a warm dragonman to curl up against.”
He searched her eyes, his pupils flashing. “And the remote part?”
“Well, there are these things called mobile phones, as well as the internet. Have you heard of them?” He rolled his eyes, and she laughed before kissing his cheek.
“But in all seriousness, I’ve been trying to find a place that felt like home ever since my parents left and disowned me.
Cardiff, London, Stonefire—none of them felt quite right.
However, Seahaven welcomed me, your family especially, and I love it there.
Although, to be fair, I think home is more a person than a place—and that person is you. ”
“Emily.”
“But there’s one thing I have to know before we start planning our future.” She took a few deep breaths before gathering the courage to ask, “If it turns out that I’m not your true mate, will you still want me?”
With a growl, he took hold of her face and gently pulled her closer.
“You’re mine, Emily. True mate pull or not, I want no one but you.
I’m grateful the other bastards never saw how bloody wonderful you are so that I can claim you as mine.
You’re my home now, too, lass. And as soon as you want, I’ll claim you as my mate in front of the entire clan. ”
Her eyes heated with tears. “Cam.”
Stroking her face, he murmured, “Don’t cry, love.”
She shook her head. “I’m just happy, that’s all. To think I’ll have a dragonman I love, a new family that’s brilliant, and even friends like Kaya and Roman, is just more than I ever imagined.”
He grunted. “Just don’t get too cozy with Roman.”
“Silly dragonman, he has nothing on you.” She stroked his cheek. “I can’t wait until we’re back home so I can finally kiss you.”
Cam pulled her close until her head lay on his chest, and he stroked her back. “Me, too, Emily. I’m going to be dreaming of kissing you and claiming you every second until I can finally do it.”
“I hope not. Because then I’ll be talking to myself, essentially.”
He chuckled. “I’ll try my best to focus when you’re talking, I promise. But with others? Not so much.”
“Wait, so you’re going to imagine me naked as Antony gives you an update later?”
“Hmm. Maybe. Then I can say I don’t remember what he said and therefore won’t be held to any bargains or promises, such as if he tries to call in a favor.”
“Cameron Alexander, I would strongly advise against angering Antony Holbrook. That man has fingers in everything.”
“I know, and I won’t. Most of the time.”
“Well, I think he sometimes needs others to treat him as if he’s not a god, so I suppose that’s fine. I know Iris does it, but his head is still too big sometimes. So maybe he needs you a bit, too.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.” He yawned and hugged her tighter against his body. “I love you, Emily, and I want to talk with you forever. But it’s getting harder and harder for me to stay awake.”
She nuzzled his chest. “Then sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
“Only if you get some sleep, too.”
She peeked up to meet his gaze. “I’ll try, but I keep thinking I’ll lose you if I don’t watch over you.”
Cam’s pupils flashed a few times before he replied, “My dragon is back, I have a future with you to look forward to, and I have no doubt my mum would also find a way to bring me back to life to scold me if I died. So don’t worry, I’ll wake up again.
Besides, I have the world’s best doctor and researcher at my beck and call, if I ever do need some help. ”
“I hope you never need my serums again, Cam Alexander, apart from the preventive one I nearly have completed.”
“I’ll do my best, lass. I vow it, and you know how dragon-shifters take their vows seriously.”
She yawned. “I suppose.”
He kissed her forehead. “Sleep, Emily. We both need it before we can finally start the beginning of the rest of our lives.”
As if his words were exactly what she needed to hear, Emily drifted off in the arms of her dragonman, eager to get their future started.