Page 28 of Flight Risk

I let out a long breath. Thank the dragon scales. I wasn’t sure how much more waiting I could take. “Oh, thank goodness. Where should we go? Does he need to be on a bed or standing or ...”

Hugo patted me on the shoulder. “The sitting room is fine.”

I led him into the room, and Hugo sat down next to Kier.

“How have you been feeling? Any discomfort? Odd symptoms that you’ve encountered?”

Kier shook his head. “I mean, my stomach is big, but that hasn’t been too bad. Some reflux, but as long as I avoid tomatoes it isn’t too bad.”

“No nausea or anything like that? Any pain in your abdomen.”

He shook his head.

“And I’m assuming you are nesting.” Hugo’s gaze landed on the nest that filled the corner of the room. Kier spent at least an hour each day fluffing and arranging the blankets in different ways. Soon he’d get it just right. In the meantime, he had his scent allover it. Mine as well, since I tended to hover close by while Kier worked.

“Yes, although I’m debating if I should take it up to our bedroom. Where is the best location for the nest?”

Hugo smiled. “The best location is wherever your inner dragon feels that it should be. Or in your case, inner wolf.”

“Is it normal that I shift constantly throughout the day and lie in the nest? Because that’s been odd.”

More than once, I had come home from work to find my mate curled up in the nest in his beautiful wolf form. On those days, I shifted with him, and we lay in there together.

“Quite normal. And you, Tav, have you shifted and put your scent on the nest?”

“Yes. And I do touch it all the time when I go by, of course.”

“Totally natural. Our dragons can be interesting creatures. No one acts the same when they are expecting. All right, let’s have a listen here, and then I’m going to use my ultrasound machine to get an idea of how many eggs we’re dealing with here. Okay?”

My heart rate had slowed when Hugo arrived, but now that we were getting into the exciting stuff, it was kicking up a notch. I stood behind the couch, my hands on Kier’s shoulders, while Hugo pressed against his belly, took a few measurements, and then finally pulled out the ultrasound. It was with bated breaththat I watched as he moved the wand around until three little bubbles filled the screen.

My skin tingled, and my dragon roared to the surface.

“Ah, three. That is a beautiful number of eggs.”

Kier’s throat bobbed as he swallowed. “Three?”

“Yes, that is the average number of a dragon litter. Some have just one, but many have two to three. I’ve seen as many as six.”

“Oh, goodness, please don’t let that happen to me.”

Hugo chuckled. “Now, they’re progressing along quite nicely, and as firm as your stomach feels right now, I anticipate you’ll be laying within the week.”

“So soon, are we ready?” Kier’s shoulder tensed under my fingertips. I couldn’t take my eyes away from the screen. Those were our eggs. Our little children, snug and safe inside my mate’s womb. They were perfect.

“You are, I promise. Once you do lay the eggs, I would like you to put some effort into having your wings come out.”

“All right.” Kier swallowed thickly.

“Once your wings emerge, it helps the dragonets get a little bit closer to you, like your own personal inner dragon.”

“There’s no concern with me being a wolf?”

“Of course not. My brother-in-law was once human. We have a dragon mated to an otter shifter in the clan. Species is not important.”

“Really?”

“Love and bonds are what matter,” Hugo said. “I’d like to come back in two weeks, sooner if you need assistance laying the eggs. Usually that takes place without assistance.”

---