The Dragon in the Stone (15 page)

Authors: Doris O'Connor

“
You
talk as though I should know. It was a long time ago, little one, but if it
helps she lived a long life. She became the first female blacksmith in fact and
still managed to pop out a brood of twelve kids along the way. An impressive
feast by any standards.”

Rhonda laughed along with him, but there was
sadness in that, too, especially when Drorgan touched her lower abdomen. His
fingers tensed, and he cocked his head to one side as though he was listening.
A slow smile crept over his face, and Rhonda’s heart beat faster at the awed
wonder she read in his face now.

“
What?
You’re scaring me here, Drorgan?”

When he looked at her, she was shocked to see the
sheen of tears in his eyes. Wrapping his fist in her hair he pulled her toward
him for a kiss so passionate it took her breath away. This was nothing like
their earlier kiss. This was a brand, a promise for the future, and filled with
so much love and hope she realized that their life had just changed forever.

When he finally let her come up for air, Rhonda
felt rather lightheaded and also ridiculously happy.

“
Thank
you, little dragon. I knew you could do it. I told you, didn’t I?”

“
Do
what?” Rhonda’s befuddled brain couldn’t quite take in what he was trying to
tell her.

“
Ah,
I see, you’ve figured it out.” Dr. O’Byrne’s cheerful voice made them pull
apart, and the possessive growl of Drorgan’s dragon filled the small room, when
the doctor stepped up close enough to touch. Dr. O’Byrne’s eyes widened, but he
stuck his hand out anyway.

“
I
was just coming to tell Ms. Butterbaugh here of the good news. I’m assuming it
is good news. We got the test results back of the blood tests we did, and they
confirm it, and….” His voice trailed off when Drorgan didn’t take his hand, and
Dr. O’Byrne looked from Drorgan to a dumbstruck Rhonda concern edged on his
features.

“
Oh,
dear, have I put my foot in it? I just assumed, given how I found you that—”

“
Your
assumptions would be correct. I am the baby’s father, and my wife and I will be
leaving this establishment just as soon as you can get her discharge papers
signed. So, see to that, will you?”

Geva’s soft gasp from the doorway mirrored Rhonda’s
own astonishment at Drorgan’s words. After all he’d never once mentioned
marriage to her back in his time. In the eyes of his world they were married
already. They were dragon mates, which was a far more lasting commitment than
any piece of paper ever could be.

“
Your
wife?” Dr. O’Byrne’s eyes widened, and Drorgan gave a short laugh.

“
Yes,
or at least she will be, just as soon as I can get her out of this damn
hospital and back to Castle Drorgan and by my side where she belongs. Where all
three of them belong.”

He winked at Rhonda when he said that, and the good
doctor looked flabbergasted.

“
Twins?
Well, that is. So you knew then? I wish you’d have said. We’ll have to arrange
a scan to make sure all is well after that tumble
your
… err … Ms. Rhonda took.”

“
There
is no need. My sons are fine.”

Rhonda’s vison swam with tears as the enormity of
what he was saying dawned on her.

Sons? We’re having twins, but how do you know?

Drorgan squeezed her hand in a silent gesture of
comfort.

I picked up their heartbeats just then. It is
very early days, my little dragon, but my sons are strong, I can tell. Trust me
on this. I love you.

Rhonda didn’t know what to say, so she just nodded
and let that astonishing thought take hold. She was going to be a mother. Not
only that, but she was in her time, about to marry her very own dragon, who it
appeared was head of the Drorgan Corporation and thus filthy rich by any
standards.

It was somewhat comical to see Dr. O’Byrne struggle
for words when Geva filled him in on exactly those details, and by the time he
left to organize her discharge papers, she was as confounded as he was with the
information overload.

“
I’ll
bring the car round,” Geva said and dropped a kiss on Rhonda’s forehead. After
a moment’s hesitation she placed a hand on Rhonda’s abdomen, closed her eyes
and smiled.

My brothers.

That thought came through loud and clear, and
Drorgan smiled his agreement at Geva before she left.

When his intense blue gaze connected with Rhonda’s
she shook her head in wonder.

“
Is
it all truly over now? Are we free from the curse for good? Can it be that
easy?”

Drorgan sighed, and ran a weary hand over his face.

“
I
wouldn’t say having to wait six hundred years to find you again was easy,
little dragon.”

He smiled at her
murmured apology.

“
However,
I would do it again in a heartbeat. I love you, Rhonda Butterbaugh.”

“
I
love you, too, Lord Drorgan, so much.”

A gust of wind came in through the crack in the
open window. It almost sounded like a sigh.

Penance paid.

The En
d

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