Cadence had spent the last five days lying low until she was far enough along to get an accurate test. She hadn’t left Orion’s castle the whole time.
She also hadn’t shared his bed. She’d told him that she was under too much stress to be with him until she at least knew whether she was expecting or not, but that wasn’t the truth. She was falling for him in a big way, craving him when she wasn’t with him – and she didn’t want to fall any harder. She might have to flee with her dragonlings and never see him again – and she wouldn’t even know for months.
She needed to distance herself now. If only she could. If only she didn’t crave Orion every minute that she was away from him.
She sighed and squirmed on the bed, and her paper gown rustled. Dr. Kowalski and the owner of the clinic, a research scientist named Dr. Andrew Hamill, were talking with each other in hushed tones as the ultrasound tech squirted jelly on her stomach, which definitely had a rounded swell to it now. Dr. Kowalski was short and had shiny black hair shot through with gray, pulled back in a bun. Dr. Hamill, a human, was tall and lean and had a goatee. Both wore white lab coats and gloves.
“The paper gown looks good on you,” Orion said solemnly. “I’ll have a dozen made for you when we get back to the castle.”
“You just like the easy access aspect of it.” Cadence managed a smile.
“No argument there.”
Dr. Kowalski walked over, grabbed the ultrasound wand with her gloved hands, and began moving it over Cadence’s stomach.
“The moment of truth,” Cadence said, and fear filled her. Orion squeezed her hand.
“I’ve missed you,” he whispered.
She blinked and looked away. “I’ve missed you too.”
Then she looked at Dr. Kowalski anxiously. “Why are you staring like that? You look surprised. Good surprise? Bad surprise? Tell me!”
“You are one fertile myrtle,” Dr. Kowalski said, nodding at the screen.
“So…she has a dragonling?” Orion demanded eagerly.
“Four dragonlings,” Dr. Kowalski marveled. “All healthy and appropriately sized for this stage of development.”
Orion gripped Cadence’s hand tightly, and she blinked back hot tears of relief.
Then she hesitated. The equipment was very high tech; the screen was in color.
“Can you tell if they’re fire or ice yet?” she asked. Orion’s grip tightened. The answer meant everything.
Dr. Kowalski shook her head. “Odd thing. I see both red and blue scales on each of the eggs right now, and I have no idea what that means. I’ve never seen it before, but then all of my other couples are of the same type of dragon.”
“So…”
“We won’t know until they hatch,” she said. “You’re a very unusual lady.”
“Now, now,” Dr. Hamill quickly chided the doctor. “No need to be rude.”
“Sorry.” She looked chastened. “Anyway, we can safely remove them in about a month and place them in the incubator, which will greatly increase their chances of survival.”
Cadence and Orion exchanged nervous glances.
“And you are completely sure that they will be safe here,” Cadence said.
“We have an entire squadron of guards here, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. We have state of the art video monitoring and security systems.”
“I would need my own men stationed here as well,” Orion said firmly. When Dr. Hamill started to protest, he said, “That’s not negotiable. We are paying you the equivalent of a gold mine for this, and you will do it my way. What’s more, once my hatchlings are safely delivered, I will be willing to contribute to your research – quite generously, in fact. I am willing to pay so that this technology becomes affordable to everyone.”
Dr. Hamill nodded eagerly. “I would be happy to discuss your investment,” he said.
“By the way, my own hatchlings are here waiting to mature,” Dr. Kowalski said. “Three of them.” She bit her lip. “I came here from Poland to help develop this technology. I lost four clutches of eggs, and I couldn’t bear to try again without knowing that they’d have a chance of survival.
“Oh, I am so sorry,” Cadence said, putting her hand on the doctor’s. Dr. Kowalski pulled away quickly and avoided her gaze.
“At least we know it will never happen again,” she said.
She turned to go, then glanced back at them. “I will be sending my tech in to take some more blood from you,” she said to Cadence.
“She’s already donated so much,” Orion protested
“It’s completely safe, and it will help us to keep your dragonlings safe.” She turned and left the room abruptly.