Cam knew that, but all he could manage was, “Emily,” before blackness came over him.
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 dragonhunters 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.”
