Chapter Twenty-Three
Teagan kept up her smiling face and tall posture until she stood from her wheelchair and walked into her hospital room. Aaron sat in a chair on the far side. The second the door clicked closed, she slumped against it and let out a strangled cry. “Killian has no idea who I am.”
Aaron was in front of her in a split second and wrapped his arms around her. “He may not now, but you’re not the type of person who gives up so easily. If there’s a way to bring back his memories, you’ll find it, love.”
Snuggling into his chest, she closed her eyes and took comfort from Aaron’s steady heartbeat. “I’m not giving up, but it’s still not easy to admit. He’s been my supporter from the very beginning and has become my trusted second.” She pulled back to meet Aaron’s gaze. “Even putting aside his skills as head Protector, he’s my brother first. Imagine if your mother didn’t recognize you and may never do so again.”
He smoothed the hair back from her cheek. “I’m not brushing aside your pain, love. But you’re tired and recovering from not only a dragon fight that resulted in a kill-or-be-killed situation, but also a fever that took its toll on your body. Get some sleep and you’ll feel stronger. You may even wake up with a brilliant new idea.”
She shook her head. “I can’t take a nap. There’s too much to do.” Aaron opened his mouth, but she beat him to it. “And no, I can’t hand it all off to someone else. For one, I need to talk about us.”
He frowned. “That sounds like an ominous conversation.”
“It is. You heard the DDA—all the non-Glenlough members must return home. That includes you, unless…”
He stroked her cheek. “Unless what? You’ve never held back your punches before, Teagan. Don’t start now.”
Her dragon spoke up. It’s okay. He will say yes.
Teagan placed a hand on Aaron’s jaw and rubbed her fingers against his short beard. “Do you want to be my mate, Aaron?”
He growled and pulled her closer against his body. “Of course I do, bloody woman. The only reason I haven’t asked, apart from all hell breaking loose, is that you could lose your position if you take a mate. I didn’t want to force you to choose and possibly hate me for the rest of your life.”
She smiled. “I love you for many reasons, Aaron. Your consideration of feelings is one of them.”
He grunted. “Don’t let everyone know about it. I have a reputation to uphold.” His gaze softened. “Although since it’s only us, maybe you can tell me how you love me properly instead of only mentioning it in passing.”
Teagan hadn’t even noticed how the words had slipped out. But she didn’t regret them one bit. Aaron had quickly become an essential part of not only her life, but the clan’s as well. The clan may not know it yet, but Aaron would help her make their futures better.
Her dragon huffed. Just tell him already. No need to rationalize or think about it.
Cupping his cheek, she said, “I love you, Aaron Caruso, grumpy mornings and all.”
With a growl, he took her lips in a quick, rough kiss. Each movement of his tongue or lips showed her how much he treasured her, too.
He pulled away far too soon, and his breath was hot against her lips as he whispered, “I love you, too, Teagan. And if I have to return to Stonefire and wait for you until we find a way where you can both be clan leader and take a mate, I’ll do it. I’ve said it before, but you are worth the wait.” He nuzzled her cheek. “Just tell me what you want, love. And I’ll fight to make it a reality.”
Tears prickled Teagan’s eyes. “Oh, Aaron.”
He leaned back to meet her gaze. As he strummed her cheek, he murmured, “Next time, I want to hear you say my name with more pleasure than pain.”
She lightly hit his chest. “It’s not pain, you fool. I’m happy. And maybe a little bit tired. But I should also make clear that it’s not going to be easy becoming my mate. So I’m giving you one last chance to back out.”
“Even if you gave me a thousand chances to back out, I won’t. I only want you, Teagan O’Shea. Although I have a condition—you can’t step down as leader for my sake. You can step down only if you want to do so for yourself. It has to be for your own reason and no one else’s.”
Teagan hooked her arms around his neck. “We’ll find a way to make it work. I, for one, can’t abandon the clan right now. But the mating will have to be soon. The DDA will be back within weeks to check and make sure the visitors all returned home.”
He brushed her long hair over her shoulder. “I’m ready anytime you are. My final condition is that you get some sleep first.”
“You and your conditions,” she muttered. “You’re just going to keep adding them, aren’t you?”
He winked. “Well, I have learned from the best. If you can make the DDA agree to conditions, I have much to learn.”
If she were a normal female in love and about to be mated, she would smile, kiss her male, and merely hold him close to enjoy the moment.
However, Teagan didn’t have that luxury. “As much as I love you putting me at ease, we need to focus.” He frowned and she added, “But know that in my mind, I’m snuggling against your chest as I fall asleep.”
He raised his brows. “And in reality?”
She sighed. “I need to tell Brenna she can’t stay. As much as I think of her as part of Glenlough now, she’s technically from Stonefire. The DDA will force her to go. And considering how she stepped up and did so much for the clan, I need to tell her myself in person. Rumors will fly soon enough about the non-Irish leaving, and I don’t want her to find out secondhand.”
Aaron tightened his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. “We have a little time to think of a solution. Let’s take a quick nap and then reach out to Bram. He might have an idea.”
Teagan raised her head. “And if he doesn’t?”
“Then Brenna either has to get mated or go home.”
~~~
Brenna could count on her hand the number of times she’d cried in her adult life and she was on the verge of adding another finger to the tally.
Teagan had to send her back to Stonefire.
Her dragon spoke up. It’s not by choice, and you know it. She would probably make us temporary head Protector if she could.
But she can’t. And all because a few idiots attracted the attention of the Department of Dragon Affairs.
Her beast sent comforting thoughts. We still have a week or two to come up with a plan. I’m not giving up hope and neither should you.
I want to be optimistic, but I don’t think it’s going to help in this case. She approached the room Killian was in and added to her dragon, We’ll discuss this later. I need to escort Killian to the cells for the night.
He’s not going to be happy about it.
I can’t help it. The cottage won’t be secure until morning.
Brenna pushed her way inside the room to find Killian watching a TV program. He turned to look at her. “I hope you’re here to take me to my new temporary home.”
“I will tomorrow. I have escorts coming to take you to one of the holding cells.”
Killian’s eyes turned dark. “For all that people seem to bang on about how close we were, they seem eager to take away my freedoms.”
Between the bad news of leaving and Killian’s surly tone, something snapped inside Brenna and she walked up to Killian. “Look, we all have bad days. I’m about to lose the only place I ever felt I belonged to. You, at least, will have the option to leave if your memories never return and you understand the dangers. I may never come back.”
He frowned. “You’re leaving? Why?”
“You must’ve noticed my accent by now. I’m not from around here.”
“I may not have my memories, but I can tell an annoying English one when I hear it.”
She curled her fingers into a fist and her dragon warned, Hitting him is a bad idea.
Not heeding her beast, Brenna moved to punch Killian’s jaw. However, he caught her fist, rose up, turned her around, and wrapped his free arm around her waist.
A small part of her was aware of the dangerous situation, but the heat of Killian’s chest against her back made it hard to concentrate.
Her beast growled. Don’t let down your guard.
Snapping out of her trance, Brenna kicked her heel into Killian’s knee. He released her and yelled, “Fucking hell,” as he fell back on his backside.
Brenna dashed to the far side of the room, out of Killian’s reach. “I may be younger and female, but maybe next time you’ll remember I can hold my own.”
Killian rubbed his knee as he studied her from the floor. Each second his green eyes bore into hers, her heart rate kicked up.
He finally spoke again. “Why are you leaving?”
She blinked. “That’s what you have to say to me?”
He growled. “Excuse me for showing some fucking concern, although I assure you it’s not entirely selfless. You’re the only one I can stand around here.” He lowered his voice. “I don’t want you to go.”
She opened her mouth and promptly closed it. For months, she’d daydreamed of Killian wanting her to stay, pulling her close, and kissing the living daylights out of her.
Now when he lacked his memories and she was about to leave, he noticed her.
How bloody perfect.
Her beast spoke up. It gives me an idea. Ask if he truly wants us to stay and just how far he’d go to do it.
Why? she asked cautiously.
Just ask him.
Killian’s voice interrupted her inner conversation. “I should be alarmed that your pupils just turned to slits, but I’m not. I have no idea why.”
Brenna had been avoiding conversations about inner dragons. Killian clearly had lost his, and the last thing she wanted to do was bring him pain if he remembered who he was. At least until the doctors had some more time to run their tests and reach out to Dr. Sid on Stonefire to hopefully devise a treatment.
He deserves to know, her dragon said. Besides, the more vital we become, the more likely he’ll agree to my plan.
Which is?
Not yet. Answer him.
Too tired to argue, she cleared her throat and said to Killian, “I am a dragon-shifter, which means a human and a dragon half share a brain, each with a distinct personality. When I talk with her, my pupils change.”
“Isn’t it annoying to have someone constantly in your head?”
“Usually not. It’s like having a twin, but more intimate. We are one whole.”
He scoffed. “That sounds ridiculous.”
She shrugged. “It’s how it works. But as much as I’d like to tell you more, we need to leave soon, and I have a few more questions for you before the other escorts arrive.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Then ask them.”
She hesitated and her beast roared. Ask him already.
Before she could change her mind, Brenna blurted out, “How far would you go to keep me here?”
“I’m not going to spout fancy words. That much I know about myself. But if there’s something I can do to keep you around and as my main guard, I will most likely do it.”
“Why?” she blurted.
He raised his brows. “Does it matter?”
No, it doesn’t. Her dragon hummed. Ask him to mate us.
Brenna sputtered out loud. Ignoring Killian’s look, she said to her beast, I can’t do that for many reasons, one of which being he has amnesia and that’s taking advantage of him.
I disagree. It’s the only option. Once the Irish DDA calms down and allows foreigners to stay on Glenlough again, we can dissolve the mating. Easy peasy.
There’s nothing easy about it.
It’s your choice. Either do this or we go back to Stonefire, perhaps forever.
Killian’s voice interrupted her conversation. “For someone who says we need to hurry, you’re taking your bloody time telling me your plan.”
Staring at Killian, she saw how the future could be happy or disastrous. If his memories returned, he might dismiss her. Apart from cooperation during missions, he always had before.
And yet if they never did, the amnesiac version of Killian might actually give her a chance.
To be honest, she had no idea which path she was rooting for. Not wanting him to remember everyone and get his dragon back would be selfish of her. And yet, she was growing to like the new version of Killian.
She wished there was another way for her to stay and avoid a conundrum, but this was her last card to play. “If you take me as your mate, I can stay in Ireland.”
He didn’t even blink an eye. “Mate? As in wife? I don’t love you. Bloody hell, I don’t even know you.”
“I’m not asking for a true mating, which is similar to a human marriage, just a pretend one. I can remain your guard because we’ll be expected to share a home. As soon as enough time has passed, we can dissolve it and lead our separate lives.”
Killian remained silent. As the seconds ticked by, she wondered if he would give her an answer before the other escorts barged into the room.
She opened her mouth to prod him, but Killian spoke first. “I’ll agree. But know upfront that I have no intention of making it a true mating, as you put it. We’ll share a cottage, but don’t expect romance. I’m not in a place to focus on anyone but myself.”
A mixture of relief and sadness coursed through her body. Brenna hadn’t thought much about matings since she was only twenty-one; however, a fake one to a man she’d long fancied but who had no memory of her wasn’t exactly what she’d imagined.
Just do it, her beast growled. Then we can stay.
Taking a deep breath, Brenna answered before she lost her nerve. “Then it’s a deal. I’ll work out the details with Teagan as soon as possible. Unfortunately, you still have to spend the night in the cells.”
The corner of his mouth ticked up and took her by surprise. “The threat of tying me up takes on a whole new meeting if we’re to be mates.”
“If you expect sex whenever you want, that’s not part of the deal.”
He slowly perused her body and heat followed his gaze. When he finally met her eyes again, she saw smugness. His voice was low as he murmured, “We’ll see. A little sex might make the situation more authentic to everyone else. Can’t have them thinking it’s a sham and sending you away, now can we?”
She should be offended at his words, but her heart pounded faster and desire pooled between her legs.
Her beast hummed. Yes, a little sex could be nice. But make him work for it.
Her dragon’s words snapped her out of her trance. “If you want anything, you have to earn it, Killian. Keep that in mind.”
Amusement danced in his eyes and Brenna studied Killian’s face. Who was this male and what had happened to him?
A knock on the door garnered her attention. She whispered quickly, “Keep this a secret for now, okay?” He nodded, and she let in the other Protectors.
As they put on a different set of restraints and then removed the first ones, she never took her gaze from Killian’s.
Yes, she wanted to stay on Glenlough, but what the hell had she agreed to? She only hoped she wasn’t in over her head.