Chashan couldn’t see through his mate’s eyes, but he didn’t have to see to recognize her need. The Knowing told him she was physically well. The pain was from another, not his shaa kouva. That did not mean his dragon’s heart accepted her agony any better. It roared, demanding he act immediately. Snippets of her thoughts reached him and he knew she was not alone. Jarek remained with her—kept her safe.

Which meant the only action he could take was to do as his mate demanded.

He burst into movement, powering up a ryaapir unit and gathering supplies. More of his mate’s mind slipped into his. Jarek brought a female to medical. His mate worried over the female’s bleeding. Over her…

“By the stars,” he whispered and gathered nanopads and gauze. He raised his voice and spoke to the fleet’s ship. “Penelope, summon Healer Butler. A bearing human female is inbound and I need her assistance.”

“Acknowledged.”

We are in the tower, Chashan. She sounded harried, panicked.

Calm, shaa kouva. All will be well. He would not fail. He had been on Earth doing nothing but research and care of human females. He would save her.

He would save the dragonlet.

The door whooshed and heavy, pounding steps echoed through medical. Jarek carried a pale female into medical, eyes closed and breathing shallow.

“Here, Jarek.” Chashan took his place at one end of the ryaapir unit. “Gently.”

The esteemed warrior carefully placed his unconscious charge on the platform. He stepped away and Chashan got his first look at his patient. Blood flowed. Clothing was stained red and dirt clung to her unnaturally pale skin.

Chashan tapped the ryaapir unit’s control panel, bringing it to life. “Khaza, what do you sense?”

The platform would tell him of the woman’s physical state, but his mate could tell him of her mind.

“So much pain, Chashan,” she rasped and he glanced at her. Khaza pressed a hand to her stomach and shuddered. “The dragonlet pulls at her. They both cry out.”

He nodded. The platform agreed that the female was losing her dragonlet and the young one was taking her with it.

The door whooshed open once more and he spied Carla Butler, mate to the fleet’s Offense Master, stride into medical.

“What do we have, Chashan?” Carla asked the question as she took her place at the other end of the platform. She tapped the control pad much like him. One of them would locate and prioritize the damage while the other directed the ryaapir unit. “The baby is in distress.”

“Should we contact East Fortuna Medical?”

Khaza cried out and her objection suffused his mind. The Preor had superior technology, but Chashan was on Earth to learn about human females. He didn’t know all there was to know about the human body. He would forever hate himself if he lost a patient when it could have been prevented.

“No.” Carla shook her head. “We don’t have time.”

The female on the platform whimpered and Khaza snapped up the human’s hand. She cradled it to her chest and spoke softly. “All is well. Calm. All is well.” Khaza’s soothing tones smoothed away the worst of his unease. “The Preor will heal you.”

“What must be done?” He looked to Carla.

“She can’t give birth naturally. We’re going to have to perform a C-section. Get a pain block in place and scrub in.”

Chashan’s heart stopped for a moment and then his pulse doubled. “Carla…”

Determined eyes met his. “It’s the only choice and we still might not save them both.”

He clenched his jaw and straightened his shoulders. They would save the female and child. There was no other choice. He came to Earth with his mate for moments like this. He dedicated himself to caring for human females.

Chashan closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, centering himself for what was to come.

Chashan? Khaza’s mental voice wavered.

It will be well, shaa kouva. I will make it so.

He only prayed he didn’t lie to his mate.

Carla reappeared and they stood across from each other once more, the woman’s rounded stomach between them. Khaza remained by the stranger’s head, clutching the bearing female’s hand.

The ryaapir unit’s alarm blared and the calm Khaza had given them vanished beneath her own worry. Chashan battled his emotions as well as Khaza’s as he picked up the laser scalpel.

“Is the pain block in place and functioning?” He flicked his attention to Carla and he returned her nod. “Making incision.”

Khaza whimpered with his first cut, but he didn’t spare her a glance. Not when blood welled at the wound. More than was natural.

Calm, shaa kouva. All will be well. He was not sure if he tried to fool himself or Khaza.

Though it did not matter because the ryaapir unit blared again.

“We’re losing the baby,” Carla growled, almost snarling like a Preor warrior.

“No.” The voice was not one he recognized and he swung his gaze to his patient. Sea blue eyes met his, a plea in her stare. “Save him. Please.”

“Female…”

Khaza whipped her glare to him, fury in every inch of her face. She is the pay-shint. You do as a pay-shint demands. It is the human way.

The human way that went against Chashan’s training. Females could birth other dragonlets. To lose a female…

His mate’s glare remained in place. As the human wishes.

As much as it tore at his heart.

“Carla, the patient has decided,” he said, pushing the words past his gritted teeth.

His dragon snarled at the choice he made. It did not care that the choice was not entirely his. His wings twitched and jerked, the beast objecting to his decision. Scales pressed against his flesh, skin rippling as they replaced his tanned flesh.

He would not let the animal steal control. He was a strong warrior.

Chashan’s work began in earnest then. Just because the female wished for her dragonlet to be saved before herself didn’t change anything. He would fight to keep them both alive. Carla worked at his side, only exchanging low murmurs. Khaza’s whispers joined occasionally, his mate softly speaking with their patient.

So much blood. So, so much and he hated his limitations as a healer. Even as a Healing Master, there was only so much a warrior could accomplish. A body—human or Preor—had limitations.

Another alarm.

Another wave of blood.

Another whimper.

Chashan still worked with Carla.

The doors opened once more.

“What am I walking into?” Grace, the mate to the fleet’s Primary Warrior, strode into medical. A nurse like Carla, the two human females had a great deal of experience with repairing humans.

“I almost have the baby. You can play catch.” Carla grunted and then the dragonlet came free of its dam. A whirl of activity followed and Grace strode off with the newborn.

Chashan focused and fought to save the life of the dam. A child should not grow without the love of a dam and sire. Too many Preors suffered such a fate after the Great Conflict.

But no matter how hard they fought. No matter how quickly they moved…

The female’s heart no longer beat. His gut clenched and his own heart stopped. Pain stabbed him in the chest and he slumped forward. He gripped the edge of the ryaapir unit, his fingertips turning into claws as the loss consumed him. He’d failed. Failed when his sole purpose on Earth was the care of bearing females.

He failed. A female died at his hands and he…

A cry from the other room reached him, the pure scream of a dragonlet for its dam. A dam who would never hold him close.

Shaa kouvi? Khaza whispered into his mind and then went to him.

Without thought, he lifted his wing and gave her room to approach. She nestled against his side, both staring at the female who’d clung to life long enough to see her son born.

“She…” His throat closed, the knot silencing him.

“It is as Erica wished, shaa kouvi,” Khaza spoke softly. “She wanted her dragonlet to live.”

Chashan spoke words to his mate that he could say to no other. He was a warrior. They did not admit… “I failed.”

“You can hear the bay-bee in the other room with Carla and Grace. He lives to cry because of you and Carla.” Her fingers caressed his chest in a touch meant to soothe. His sweet mate always sought to care for hm.

Chashan turned his head and pressed a kiss to the top of his mate’s head. “I hear your words, shaa kouva.”

“But do you accept them?”

He remained in place, his mouth against her temple. “In time, perhaps.”