Amira

WÜtzÉÇ Tãt~xÇ|Çz Copyright © March 2011, Crymsyn Hart Cover art by Anastasia Rabiyah © March 2011 Amira Press Charlotte, NC 28227 www.amirapress.com ISBN: 978-1-936279-78-4 No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical means, including but not limited to printing, file sharing, and email, without prior written permission from Amira Press.

Dragon Awakening

Crymsyn Hart

Chapter One Oran snuggled closer to his mate, who released a strangled snore. The warmth of his mate’s body helped his aching muscles relax. It’d been a hard day with many people to heal after the earthquake and eruption. Panic was still rampant in the small village, and many of the villagers were hurt. The volcano overshadowing the town rumbled with more aftershocks flaring through the earth. He and Drake had been traveling through the region after a three-year-long absence from their home, when Drake had been sent for because of his expertise in ancient and dead languages. Oran had gone with him. Now they were days from their valley. The crystal waters of the lake and the lush meadow called to him in his dreams. They had a cave dug deep into the mountainside where they could unwind and enjoy being themselves. The need to stretch his muscles and feel his wings cutting through the air haunted him at night. Once in a while, they were free to transform into their dragon forms and take to the skies during their journey. Many people would fear them if they knew what he and his mate truly were. Drake turned over in his sleep, nearly crushing Oran with his weight, but he didn’t mind. They had been mated for three hundred years, and he’d loved every minute of it. He closed his eyes, inhaled Drake’s smoky, manly smell that made his mouth water every time, and ran his fingers down his spine. The other man’s muscles trembled from the caress, but he didn’t wake. Oran tried to find a comfortable spot to fall asleep while he nudged Drake over a little. When he was contented, he closed his eyes and uttered a small sigh. The troubles of the day fell away from him, but the dream from the night before flashed through his mind. Oran tried to shrug the dream off and focus on sleep. However, the images continued. A dream lover had plagued him for a few months, arousing him while he slept. At first he ignored them, but they had intensified on their return journey. Many of them involved his mate and another, who had no face. Others were just him and the dream lover. He figured Drake had invaded his mind on a subconscious level because the feelings he experienced were so intense. He’d mentioned it to his mate, and Drake had spoken about similar 1

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dreams, but didn’t think much of them. Oran wondered if they might mean something. His body reached the point of relaxation where dreams and reality merged, when a pounding echoed through the tunnel of his mind. It took him a few moments to realize that the thundering wasn’t part of a dream. It was in the room with him. Rousing himself, he opened his eyes and climbed over his mate, who settled back into another bout of snoring when he rolled onto his back. “Please, healer, you must come!” a man shouted through the heavy door. “Coming. One minute.” Oran grabbed his pants and pulled them on. He slipped on his black vest and fastened the red pouch he carried around his waist that marked him for a healer. It held some of the herbs he used, but much of his healing was done by the power inside of him. He didn’t bother to bind his shoulder-length black hair. His muscles protested when he moved. He desperately needed sleep to refill his drained reserves, but that would have to wait. Before Oran left, Drake mumbled in his sleep, and a crack of thunder shook the building. Outside, one of the villagers held a torch in the sprinkling rain. The panic-stricken expression on his face twisted the healer’s heart. Desperation filled the man’s eyes. His face and clothes were covered in dirt and ash from assisting the other villagers in all the carnage. The eruption and quakes had caused some of the houses to collapse, but luckily the lava flow had diverted around the village. It seemed the gods had intervened. One-third of the village was severely injured, and another third suffered from bruises and broken bones. Oran had spent hours working on those who were badly hurt. The healings had drained him. He hoped he had enough strength left to do this one last task. “It’s my wife. They found her near the foot of the volcano. She’s burned. Please, you have to help her!” “Of course. Take me to her.” They rushed through parts of the fallen village. The temple had been destroyed, but the tavern remained, and they were using that to house the injured and dying. A bolt of lightning lit the sky. The thunder was too close, 2

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almost as if it were answering the rumbling earth beneath them. The sky opened up, and the rain came down in a deluge. Oran shivered. He caught himself on the tavern door to steady himself. The other man tugged on his arm. “You must hurry. She doesn’t have much time left.” Oran entered the tavern and drew in a quick breath seeing all the wounded. He bolstered his mental shields the best he could to keep out the pain. When he walked into the tavern, the temple priest was laying hands on an unconscious man. The chants and prayers of the man’s family touched Oran’s heart. He couldn’t imagine Drake being the one lying on the table hurt so badly. As he passed, the priest glanced up. The dark expression in his eye didn’t bode well with Oran. “You’re not wanted here.” The priest jabbed his finger at him. He turned toward the other townspeople in the room. “I’ve warned all of you that by accepting his aid we are tainting our souls. Get this monstrosity out of here!” Oran studied the expressions of the other people. He waited for them to retaliate against him. Countless communities feared his kind. If they discovered his true nature, no matter if he was a skilled healer, they drove him out. Some didn’t tolerate him because of his mate. To many, the union of two men was blasphemy under the gods. In his culture, it happened many times, and no one could resist the calling to mate once that mate was discovered. It had nothing to do with sexuality. That was how it was with Drake. “Leave this place, monster! I see what hides beneath your human skin.” The man shook Oran’s shoulder. “Pay him no mind. He stays in the temple drinking too much of the holy wine. He screams about the demon beasts arising from the fires of the volcano and wreaking havoc over the land. Can you help my wife?” “Of course. I will do my best for her.” The man’s wife moaned in pain. Burns covered the upper half of her body. Her skin was blistered and red. Attendants tried to soothe her by placing wet cloths on her wounds. He removed the rags, and once he touched her flesh, her pain knocked down his mental walls. Searing agony 3

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engulfed his body. He bit his tongue and rebuilt the barriers in his mind. Oran sought the crystal at his neck and wrapped his hand around it. The clear quartz point imparted its energy to him, bolstering his strength. The pain subsided. However, the energy it gave him only helped a little. It wouldn’t get him through the healing. He wondered if there was even enough energy in the crystals in his pouch because he had used them earlier in his other healings. Oran removed his hand from the crystal, took in a deep breath, and then placed it on the woman’s head. Instantly, the woman’s pain became his. He was thrown into her thoughts. She picked flowers on a sunny day. The earth shook, and then the sky darkened. The volcano erupted so suddenly she was taken off guard when a piece of flying lava hit her, igniting her dress and skin. It was a miracle she still lived. He pushed her memories from his mind and focused on the woman. Her injuries were severe, and she had lost a lot of blood from a head wound he hadn’t seen earlier. She was fading. He reached deep within himself. After a few initial stirrings, the warm power filled his being. He envisioned this warmth flowing along his arms and into the woman. He concentrated first on her major injuries. Her body absorbed the energy, but it wasn’t going to the places he expected. She was pregnant. He sensed the life of the babe within her. Oran willed his healing power into her, but the more he did, he realized an unknown force blocked his efforts. Something about her wasn’t able to take the healing. Oran didn’t understand. His gifts had never been rejected by a person. A bloodcurdling shriek escaped her lips. He redoubled his labors and found a wall inside of her mind. The woman had an untapped gift of her own that fought against his power. The woman screamed again. Oran opened his eyes and saw flames engulfing the woman. “What did you do?” the woman’s husband roared. He glanced at his hands. “I don’t know. She has a gift that won’t tolerate my healing. I can’t help her.” Oran froze, not sure what else to do. He’d never encountered this problem before. Her cries drew attention. Someone grabbed a bucket of water and threw it on her. The fire lessened, but it didn’t die. It took everything in him not to 4

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try to heal her again. Instead he looked around and grabbed a blanket from a nearby table and threw it over her body. After a moment, he withdrew it and saw the flames coming from inside of her body still burned. “This is another sign the gods are angry. He is no healer come to help us. He is a demon here to prey on us.” The priest pointed at him. The other villagers crowded around him. The priest waved his hand over the woman Oran had tried to heal, and the flames went out. Her cries ceased, but her pain blew through his weakened mental shields. He couldn’t raise his walls fast enough. The agony brought him to his knees. When he felt the hands on his arms tugging at him, Oran emerged from his daze. Clothing tore. There was another scream. He focused and saw the horror-stricken faces of the villagers around him. They backed away slowly when he stood up. “He’s a drac! See the mark on his back!” the priest shouted. “What was I telling you? He’s a demon!” Oran put up his hands to ward off the people. “You don’t understand. I’m not a demon. I didn’t cause this devastation.” “Demon!” one of the other women shrieked. “No. I’m not. I’ve helped you.” The crazed mob advanced on him. Oran had seen this happen before in other villages when the people found out about them. A crazed mob had killed his mother while she tried to help the leader’s daughter after a plague had hit the town. His father and he had escaped, but his mother wasn’t able to. A triumphant smile graced the priest’s lips. He adjusted his robes and drew himself up. “You’re a demon in human disguise. I know what your true form is, emerging from the volcano and breathing fire. You are the reason the gods have brought this evil down on us. He’s the cause of the mountain awakening. We must sacrifice him to appease the gods.” Oran pushed through the throng. He had to get to Drake, but he couldn’t lead the mob back to his mate. When he raced outside into the rain, other villagers had gathered with pitchforks and torches. The flames danced in the wind. Rain battered Oran as he surveyed the surroundings. His path 5

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was blocked from heading directly out of the village. There was only one way for him to escape. He hated to do it, but it would keep Drake safe. When things cooled off, he would catch up to his mate. They had talked about if something happened and they were separated. Drake would understand and flee. People surrounded him. Oran drew on the last of his strength and felt his body starting to change. He pushed through the group. They fell down around him, and he tripped. He got up, covered in mud, and ran toward the outskirts of town. His body would give out soon. The longer he ran, the more his body extended. The pain of the transformation melted through him. His body elongated while his arms cracked and skin stretched out. Oran’s face flattened, and soon his teeth were sharp. Talons grew from his toes, and soon he didn’t resemble a human at all. The rain pelted hard scales. The wind tossed him about. The people below shouted angrily and lobbed their torches at him. None of them could affect him. He circled the village, going higher and higher, until the town was a small dot. A loud roar bellowed through his teeth, followed by a jet of fire. Anger at the people’s ignorance flared through him, and the sadness for leaving Drake behind. He would find him soon. Oran flew deeper into the dark clouds. The wind battered him around, and lightning blinded him. He could feel the energy of the thunder rumbling all around him. The storm was one hell of a tempest. The longer and higher he flew, the more the gale pummeled him. The atmosphere thickened around him. He pumped his wings but wasn’t sure where he was going. His sense of direction was off with all the whirling clouds around him. It was time to get out of the storm and land. Another flash of lightning illuminated the skies close to him. Storm clouds enclosed him. Thunder boomed around him. He swerved to avoid another bolt, but before he could wing around it, the next one hit him head-on. His entire body was electrified. Another strike battered his wing. He roared again in pain, but he was immobilized. All of his strength was wiped out. He tried to stay aloft, but he was losing ground and falling fast. 6

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Chapter Two Elise opened her eyes a few minutes before her alarm was set to go off. Everything in her desired to sink back into the dream she’d woken from. A tingle of pleasure raced through her when she thought about the erotic visions she’d had the night before. Her dream lovers were faceless, but their toned bodies were magnificent. They worshipped her like some longforgotten goddess. Whenever she was with them, they made her feel complete in a way she’d never felt before. The passion they had awakened in her still coursed through her muscles and enflamed her. Just thinking about their soft caresses and silky lips touching her body made her wet all over again. The dreams had been recurring for a few of months. They had gotten more frequent in the last two. She wasn’t complaining. Elise only wished there was someone out there in real life who could compare to her dream lovers. Shaking her head, she slowly sat up in bed. The sun shone through the sheer curtains. Out of bed, she stretched and glanced outside to see if the storm from the night before had caused any damage. The forecasters had predicted it might spawn tornadoes. It had shaken the house the night before and rattled the trees. Elise had gone to bed early, lulled into sleep with a cup of chamomile tea. She pushed aside the drapes and looked down onto her front lawn. The grass was wet, with a few twigs strewn about. A couple of large tree limbs had broken off into the street. Luckily, her car was in the garage, and there was a naked man sprawled across the azalea bushes that lined her driveway. Her gaze moved over the naked man while she thought about her schedule for the day. Then it dawned on her what she had seen. What in the hell! Elise grabbed her robe and slipped it on while she stomped downstairs to rouse him from his drunken stupor. She stuffed her feet into her sneakers and walked outside. The cool breeze snuck underneath her robe and caressed her legs. The wet blades of grass brushed her exposed ankles. Standing over the unclothed man, she examined his tanned backside and the firm mounds of his ass. Along his left shoulder appeared to be some kind of tattoo, three 7

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parallel scars that joined together in a point. The sun broke through the trees and glistened off his black hair. She poked him with her toe and waited for him to rise. He didn’t. “Hey. Wake up. You need to get your ass out of here.” Elise prodded him again. He still wasn’t moving. Aww shit. He’d better not be dead. She sunk to her knees and jabbed him with her finger this time. When she did, a zap passed between them. She pulled her finger away and sucked on it for a moment. Again he didn’t move. This time she pressed her fingers against his neck. The man had a steady pulse. “Whoever you are, you need to get up and find your clothes.” She nudged him once more. His skin was warm to the touch, too warm for a guy who’d been outside, lying in the wet grass. He still didn’t stir, so she rolled him over onto his back. Immediately, she noticed the large red welt over his heart and one down his right arm, all the way to the elbow. There was another, smaller burn on his left cheek. They looked painful and raw. Sympathy washed over her. He must’ve been in some kind of accident, but there’s not another mark on him. A leather cord with an inchlong quartz crystal hung lopsided around his neck. Strands of black hair stuck to his face. His face sported high cheekbones. Full lips were pursed, but as she swept her gaze down the rest of his body, she felt her cheeks burn. Her eyes widened at the size of his cock, but she pulled her gaze away from that and examined the rest of his toned body. She licked her lips when an image of him touching her and laying her in bed flashed through her mind. Shaking her head, she poked him once more. This time a small moan left his lips. His eyes fluttered open. When they did, she was struck dumb. They were so strange. She’d never seen anything similar to their violet hue. His gaze locked to hers, and something stirred deep within her. Elise blinked and then shook her head, breaking whatever unusual hold he had over her. “Where am I?” he asked. His voice was deep and rich and reminded her of dark satin wrapped around her. The stranger on her lawn sat up and took in his surroundings. 8

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Before she could answer, she heard the familiar high-pitched yapping of Mrs. Richardson’s Pekingese escaping from the house and into the yard through the hole in the fence. A few moments later, Mrs. Richardson ran out of the door in her fluffy pink robe and matching slippers. “Cosmo, you get back here and eat your breakfast before Mummy has to come and get you, you bad doggy.” The brown, white, and tan dog bounded through the wet grass, straight toward the two of them, and so did her neighbor. The dog stopped and stared at the naked stranger. It sniffed his toe and then snapped at him. “Wretched thing! Get away from me!” the man said. He went to brush the dog away when it lifted its back leg and peed on his ankle. Elise held in a laugh, but the anger on his face made her bite her tongue. He was about to push the dog off when Mrs. Richardson shrieked and grabbed the canine. “You leave my little boy alone, you mean man!” “He was the one who urinated on me.” “Ms. Walker, can you explain the meaning of this naked hooligan on your lawn? I don’t think your front yard is any place for your sick sex games. I suggest you take whatever this is inside before someone has the mind to call the police.” Elise opened her mouth to respond but knew better than to say anything to the older woman. She had made her life a living hell in the five years they had lived next to one another. When Elise had been there for six months, she decided to cut down the enormous hedge that bordered their property but was clearly on her land. Mrs. Richardson had called the police on her and said that she had destroyed her property. The cops had sided with her because the plants were on her side of the property line, but Elise didn’t hear the end of it for another six months. At times, her dog would escape and dig up her garden, but Mrs. Richardson always denied it, even when Elise had pictures to prove it. After the evidence, the two women tried to avoid one another. “Good morning to you too, Mrs. Richardson. If you can take your gremlin of a dog out of my yard, then I might be inclined to do what you want. However, right now, I want to get a little bit of sun. Maybe you care to 9

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join me?” Elise stood up and slipped off her robe, revealing her red nightgown that sported a faded Kermit the Frog holding a cup of coffee. It was holey and brushed the tops of her knees. Her neighbor’s mouth dropped, but she closed it and scooped up her dog. Mrs. Richardson turned on her heel and marched back toward her house. Elise suppressed the giggle that threatened to spill from her lips. The old bat had it coming. Horrible things that should befall her next-door neighbor flashed through her mind. However, when she looked at the naked and hurt man on the grass who had just been peed on, she realized that her other neighbors on the street would be waking soon, and some of them might actually call the cops. “Come on. We need to get you inside and cleaned up. Can you stand?” Elise asked the stranger. He studied her with those violet eyes, and her stomach dropped. The world went fuzzy for a moment. Her breath caught in her throat. Then he broke the stare. “Yes. I think so. I may need some help, though.” Elise bit her lip and offered her hand. He took it and stood, but he was unsteady on his feet. He pitched forward, but she caught his arm and held him upright. She draped her robe around him, which barely covered his nakedness, but it was better than showing off his man parts to the whole neighborhood. He swung his arm around her neck and leaned against her while Elise walked him into the house. The top of his head nearly brushed the door, so that made him at least six-five, towering over her five-foot-eightinch frame. Her head just reached his shoulders. She led him into the kitchen and sat him down in a chair, then got out the first aid kit and a cloth, water, and some soap to clean off the dirt on his face and where Cosmo had peed on him. “So what’s your name?” “Oran.” “That’s an unusual name. Do you have a last name or know how you got here? Or maybe why you were lying naked on my front lawn?” Elise crossed her arms over her chest, feeling his scrutinizing stare. It didn’t help her auburn hair was sticking up out of its elastic. And she probably had dark 10

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circles under her brown eyes. She suspected her skin was blotchy and her cheeks dotted with a few lingering zits. Quickly, she pulled the elastic from her hair and ran her fingers through it, trying to tame the locks before bundling it back up into a neater ponytail. Then she slipped the robe from his shoulders so she could examine the burn on his arm. The wound seemed to be a little bit better, but it remained angry. First she wiped at his ankle. Next she dabbed some gauze along the wound over his heart, trying to clean it with the soap and water. He hissed in a breath and flinched. “Sorry.” He grunted. “It’s fine. I’ve had worse. Honestly, you do not need to tend to my wounds. They will heal on their own. Please tell me where I am.” Elise took out the burn ointment and rubbed it along his arm. Once her fingers touched his skin again, an electrical current ran through her. The salve glided easily over his muscled arm. She couldn’t help but notice that he was really toned and assumed he was probably a bodybuilder. Every fiber of her being yearned to keep caressing him, but she tore her mind from that. He was a complete stranger, and she would help him. That was it. His fingers wrapped around the crystal. He closed his eyes and drew in a couple of deep breaths. She moved on to his next burn, which was on his face. Standing so close to him, she could now feel the extreme heat of his body. Maybe he had a fever, but he didn’t show any cold symptoms or a virus. Besides the burns, he appeared to be completely healthy. She traced the line of the burn on his face, studying the long, dark lashes he had and the high forehead. He had a slightly square jaw. It was also strong and powerful, along with everything else about him. It was a little odd that he didn’t know where he was. “You’re in Livingston, North Carolina. You ended up on my front lawn sometime last night and must have slept off your blackout or whatever happened to you. You don’t smell like you’ve had too much to drink. And there’s no abandoned car on the street, so how you got here, I have no idea.” “I was flying. The storm must have blown me off course. I have not heard of this Livingston among the kingdoms.” She raised her eyebrow. This guy has certainly had one too many or smoked way too much weed. “Ooo-kay. Well, I haven’t heard about a plane or any naked 11

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skydivers on the news, so whatever drugs you were taking must have been really good.” He grabbed her wrist and pulled it away from his face. “I do not take any hallucinogens. I am a healer. Only those who wish to poison their body do that. If you can point me in the direction of the lord of your land, then I will get direction from him and be out of your way. I appreciate your kind touch, but I have to get back.” Oran tried to stand up, but when he did, he grabbed the table and teetered forward. Elise caught him and guided him back into the seat. “I don’t think you’re going anywhere with the way you’re feeling. Look, you seem to be a nice guy. I’m not going to call the cops on you. Come upstairs so you can sleep this off.” He grunted and let her assist him to his feet. She took the tube of salve and helped him upstairs, into her guest bedroom. Oran gazed around the room but didn’t say anything. Once he sat on the bed, she squeezed more of the balm onto her hand and attended to the worse burn he had on his chest. Being so close to him, she smelled his manly scent, a mixture of citrus and burnt wood. It filled her nose and made her light-headed. She tried to be gentle when he groaned from her touching him. “Maybe you should let me do that?” “I’m almost done. Besides, I know a little bit of first aid. I’m not sure how you got these burns, but they look pretty nasty.” “I was struck by lightning while I was flying. I blacked out and fell.” A look of panic swept across his face. “My pouch! Did you see it? Do you have it? It’s red leather with herbs and crystals inside of it.” She shook her head. “No. I’m sorry. I didn’t see your pouch. I’ll look for it once I get dressed. Now lie back and get some rest. Once you’re clearheaded, maybe we can figure out who you belong to and where you need to be. I’m sure someone is looking for you.” It would be nice if they were searching for me. But Elise pushed that thought down into the back of her mind. She’d had her heart broken one too many times to believe that love was out hunting for her. 12

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Her guest closed his eyes and shook his head. He didn’t protest and lay back on the bed. Elise got up and closed the door, wondering what in the world she was going to do with the sleeping stranger in her guest bedroom.

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Chapter Three Hands slid over his torso. The touch aroused him, and a low moan eased from his throat. A mouth pressed against his, and a tongue slipped between his lips. The warmth of the person lingered above him, just out of reach. He tried to focus through the haze of the dream to see his mate’s face, but all was blurry. Oran knew this was a dream from the moment he fell into it. Reality had a different feeling, crisper, and this was heavier and weighed on his mind. Those silken lips slid along his jaw. The connection he had with Drake flared to life. The emotions of confusion and loneliness filled him. His mate was trying to figure out where he had gone. Oran couldn’t respond because of the pleasure building inside of him. Drake was certainly making it hard for him to concentrate. The heaviness of a body rested against his. Those soft lips surrounded one of his nipples. The tongue flicked over it until it hardened. A hand trailed down his stomach until it embraced his cock. He arched his back off the bed, yearning to feel more of the body on top of him, hoping to see the face of his mate. He tried to grab a hold of the phantasm erotically haunting him, but his fingers glided through the form. His dream lover’s caresses grew more insistent. A hand wrapped around his dick, stroking it faster. The dream lover’s mouth sought his. Instantly, he was smothered with a deep kiss. He desperately wanted to hold Drake, but he assumed, because of the distance, the bond they shared wouldn’t allow him to fully form in the dream. Drake was always the gentle one in their relationship, making sure Oran’s needs came before his own. Oran could look at him and know what he was thinking. Even without the link they had, they knew one another’s moods, but that came with sharing their lives together for over three hundred years. The ecstasy that gripped him from the rising orgasm would drive him over the edge soon. Oran focused on the pleasure that ran along his veins. Burning hot, it was almost as searing as the lightning that had hit him the other night. He tried to separate from the sensations to find the connection he shared with Drake, 14

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but he wasn’t able to latch on to it. Another strangled cry left his lips. He needed a release from the ghost that lingered in his dream but continued to bring him to new heights. The first ripple of an orgasm washed over him, and he was lost to the flames that engulfed him. When he could think again, Oran opened his eyes in the dream and found himself standing in a meadow filled with purple and yellow blooms. In the distance, he could make out the glow of the volcano. Drake stood before him, dressed in the blue robes that marked him for a royal scholar. The setting sun shone off his fine copper hair. The sweet scent of the flowers filled Oran’s nose. His mate was a few inches shorter than him. Blue eyes twinkled under heavy, golden lashes. In many ways, Drake was the smarter of the two, but he would never admit it. He was careful to take everyone’s feelings into consideration before answering a question. He had an inquisitive mind, and that was one reason he was so good at dead languages, even among their kind. Drake crushed Oran to him in a strong hold. He might have been shorter and leaner, but he was as strong as Oran. Their lips met in a fevered kiss. The comfort they drew from one another helped put Oran at ease. His healing gift reached along their tie, and before he knew it, he was sensing if Drake had any injuries. “I’m fine, love,” Drake insisted. “The mob didn’t harm you?” “No. I heard the commotion and saw you flying off into the night. I grabbed our things and slipped away. I’ve been waiting here for two days, but you haven’t returned. Where are you?” The information upset Oran. Two days had passed since he left? It only was one night, or so it seemed to him, unless he was unconscious for longer than that. The woman who had assisted him had said the storm was the night before. “I don’t know where I am. I awoke on some grass before a woman’s house. She has taken me in and tried to soothe my wounds. Things are strange here. While I was flying, I was struck by lightning several times. The 15

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storm was different than any I had encountered before. It seemed the very clouds pulled me into them. I lost my way.” Drake ran his finger down Oran’s cheek. “Hush now. We will be together again. I will return to our home and delve into the ancient tomes to see if there is any mention of such a storm. Until then, you must blend in with those around you. This woman, does she seem sensible?” Oran nodded. “She thinks I was intoxicated or presumes I smoked dragon weed. But I don’t blame her, considering she found me unclothed before her dwelling.” He brushed a kiss along his mate’s lips, feeling the dream world dissolving around him. His body was waking, and he had to return to it. “I look forward to being together soon.” The other man caressed his face, but Oran barely felt the soft touch. Drake said something, but the world around him shattered, and Oran opened his eyes. It took him a few moments to adjust to his surroundings. The pink walls and the darker pink blanket he lay upon made him grimace. Patterns of flowers were also laid upon the walls, embedded into the pink. When he stood, the world didn’t spin out of control the way it had before when his hostess had helped him up the stairs. The robe he was in barely covered him. He needed his own clothes and to be cleaned up. The woman’s voice sounded from below. He listened intently to her conversation. “Seriously, Amanda. It had to be at least eight inches. Resting against his leg for all the world to see. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so big. And the rest of him, if he wasn’t high or drunk, then I’d eat him up. What! No!” Her warm laughter filled the room. Oran realized she was talking about the length of his cock. A smile crept onto his lips. He shook his head. Dragon males were always sought-after lovers. Woman would come for miles around to be pleasured. It was even considered lucky if the woman conceived. If they did, it was a fifty-fifty chance the offspring would be a dragon. He had been a product of such a mating, and he and his mate had fathered five children they knew of. More laughter filtered up to him. He gazed around the room and saw a closet and a chest of drawers. He checked the drawers first and came away with blankets and sheets. When he opened the closet, it was filled with coats 16

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and dresses in some kind of smooth, clear covering. Underneath all that, he found a couple of crushed boxes. He dug into them and was rewarded with a treasure trove of garments. Rifling through them, he came across a pair of bright green pants and a shirt that reminded him of Drake’s eyes. He tugged on the pants. They came to midthigh and were too tight around the knees, but the waist fit. The shirt was too big even for him. It was obvious it was made for a portly man, but he didn’t complain and rolled up the sleeves. Once he settled into the clothes, he looked at himself in the mirror, somewhat satisfied with his appearance. They were not the material he was used to, but more comfortable. He yearned to be in his scales, but for now he had to be the human male because he didn’t know how his hostess would react to seeing his serpentine form. He ran his hand through his hair, pulling a few tangles out. He needed to wash, but for now it would do. He made it halfway down the stairs when Elise spoke again. He half expected to hear the other person she was talking with, but all he heard was her voice. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. No. I can’t call the cops. I think he’s harmless. Hey, I have to go. I think I heard him moving upstairs. He’s been out for six hours. Oh, shut up! I did not take advantage of him, but I can’t say that I didn’t think about it. God, that ass. Oh, be quiet. I am not going to jump his bones. Good-bye. I’ll talk to you later. Yes. Yes. I’ll let you know if he has any friends.” He heard something click and then her laugh. When he came around the corner, she was chuckling. Oran took a moment to observe. She smiled, thinking about something. From the gist of the one-way conversation, he assumed it was still about him. She threaded her fingers through the strands of her hair. The light streaming in from the window behind her illuminated her oval face. She was shorter than him, with an average build and curvy hips. However, it was her eyes that captivated him the most. At the moment her brown eyes met his, something inside of him melted. A smile spread over her lips, and he couldn’t help but return it, but then a fit of giggles consumed her. A scowl settled on his lips. His mood darkened. “Do you find something amusing?” 17

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She bit her lip and shook her head, but he could see she was trying to hold her laughter in. “No. Sorry. It’s just . . . Where did you find that outfit?” “Did you expect me to dress in your robe? It was not a very good fit. These were in a box inside of your closet.” Once her laughter died, a frown appeared on her mouth. A momentary look of panic pursed her lips and widened her eyes so he could see a ring of gold around her irises. “The boxes. Th-That’s fine.” “I did something wrong. I can put them back.” “No. It’s okay.” She forced a smile, trying to recover the lighthearted mood. “You need something to wear, and unfortunately I don’t have anything else.” “These belonged to someone that you loved?” She nodded. “My younger brother. He was shorter than you, but bigger muscles. He was a linebacker in college. He was in a car accident that left him a vegetable until my mother took him off life support. It was a hard blow for all of us. He was my best friend.” Oran didn't understand some of what she said, but it was obvious the loss of her brother had hurt her soul. “I am sorry for your loss.” She dragged her hand across her eyes and wiped away the tears. His heart went out to her as he felt an echo of the devastation she had endured. The sensation surprised him. Before he knew it, he gathered her in his arms and began rubbing her back. His hostess pressed her face against his chest. He inhaled her scent and found it enticing, a mixture of vanilla and cloves with a hint of mint. Her body was warm against his even through the garments she wore. The woman fit perfectly against his body, and he didn’t want to let her go when she pulled away. Her eyes were red from crying. The sun highlighted the crimson strands in her auburn hair. They locked gazes for what seemed an eternity, and then she blinked. This time she completely left the safety of his arms, and he felt alone. “I just noticed your burns are gone. They mustn’t have been that bad.” She touched his face where the burn had been.

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He placed his hand over hers. His cock tightened from the contact of her soft hand. He fought to stay under control and brushed aside the attraction for her. “Yes. I’m a fast healer.” She pulled her hand away. “You must be hungry. Do you remember anything now that you’re awake?” She turned toward a large piece of furniture that reminded him of a wardrobe and opened it. Once she did, the smells of different foods came to his nose. He knew then it was where she stored her provisions. Oran’s stomach grumbled. He hadn’t eaten since morning the day before. However, gazing around her house now, he realized there were many furnishings he didn’t recognize. In her living quarters was a large black box, with a shiny surface, standing before her couch, next to a hearth. Along the mantel were tiny portraits of herself and others. They were more lifelike than any painting he had ever seen. “My lady, would you be so kind to tell me your name so I can thank you properly for taking me into your care?” She turned and smiled at him. His heart nearly stopped, it dazzled him so much. “Elise Walker. I didn’t catch your last name this morning either.” He bowed. “Oran Wyvern, at your service.” She set something down on the counter and then came out of the kitchen. She stretched out her hand to him. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Wyvern.” He took her hand. Once her fingers touched his palm, a tingle slid along his nerves that made his eyes widen. “It is an honor to make your acquaintance.” “You don’t have to be so formal. Just call me Elise.” “And you should call me Oran.” If she felt anything between them, he couldn’t tell because her face didn’t reflect that she did. Confusion washed over him knowing he felt an attraction to this woman more than he did with the other women he had been with before. She went back behind the counter and opened up a box and laid out two triangular pieces, of what he assumed was pie, on a plate. 19

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“This is all that I really have edible in the house. I hope you don’t mind cold pizza. My microwave is on the fritz. I think I have a short in the electrical system.” She handed him a plate. Oran saw congealed cheese, meat, and some vegetables on the bread. He sniffed it. The fare didn’t seem bad. “It’s not going to bite you. Haven’t you ever had pizza before?” He glanced at her and saw the large smile on her face. He trusted her. “No. I haven’t.” He lifted the pizza to his mouth and took a tentative bite. The meat and spices hit his palate first. After a moment of chewing, he decided he liked it. Underneath the cold cheese were vegetables. He recognized mushrooms and onions. “It’s good.” Elise shook her head and walked into her living space and sat down on the sofa. He perched on the other end and took another, larger bite of the pizza. He decided he liked it and surveyed the contents of the room while he ate. Plants, of a variety he didn’t know, hung from the windows. Books were haphazardly placed on a bookcase. There were a couple of chairs and another row of shelves that held very small books on it. “So do you remember what happened to you before your flying accident landed you on my lawn?” Oran set his plate down on the table beside the arm of the couch. He pulled his hair away from his face only to have it settle back again. Elise wasn’t going to believe that he was from a world where dragons flew the skies and men could change their shapes. But he wasn’t going to lie to her either. “I am a healer. My traveling companion and I were heading back home after a three-year journey. We were within days of our destination and came upon a village that needed help. A volcano erupted, destroying part of the town, and many people were hurt. I assisted them with my ability, but was driven out because an ignorant priest called me a demon. I escaped before they could do me any harm. Unfortunately, I left my friend behind. I took to the skies, lost my way, and was struck by lightning. I blacked out and fell to Earth before your domicile.” 20

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Elise stopped chewing halfway through his speech. From her changing expressions, she didn’t believe him. “You know, I could understand you being high on some shit. Now you seem okay, and you’re making stuff up. I’m an idiot. I’m calling the cops to have them haul your ass out of here.” She slammed her plate down and moved toward the kitchen. Oran went after her. He grabbed her hand. “Please, I’m telling you the truth.” “Prove it!” “If I prove it, will you listen to what I have to say?” She nodded. “Forgive me.” Oran let his fingernails sharpen into claws. He winced and swiped them down Elise’s arm. Blood rose on her skin due to the deep cuts. He hated to hurt her, but it was the only way to show her the truth. Transforming before would only terrify her more. She screamed and tried to get away from him. “Let go of me. You’re crazy. Help! Someone help!” Oran held on to the squirming woman and summoned his healing power. He placed his other hand just above the wounds and willed his energy into her. The warmth poured through him and along the gashes. They filled with a subtle yellow glow. The blood flowed back up her arm and into the wounds. Slowly, the skin began to seal itself back together. The more it healed, the less energy he had to expend. He did notice it drained him more than usual to heal her. Oran assumed he still wasn’t recovered from all the healing he had done back in the village. Once the wounds were completely closed, he released her.

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Chapter Four Elise couldn’t believe what she had just seen. Oran had just gashed her with something sharp. She thought it was his nails, but it couldn’t be. Although looking at them now, it seemed they were growing shorter and less dangerous by the second. She backed away and hit the wall. That jarred her back into a little bit of reality. There was no mark on her arm now. He had touched her, and a golden light filled the wound. Her blood moved back into the slashes. That didn’t happen in real life. The shock hadn’t worn off. She wasn’t sure what she was going to do. What was she was going to say? Her gaze fell on his. Something in his eyes begged her to understand. She inched toward the back door, too overcome with panic to focus. “Please don’t leave. There is much I have to tell you.” Her guest stepped toward her. She put her hand up to stop him. “Stay. Just stay.” Grabbing her keys, she ran out the door and into the garage. Elise slipped into the car and then clicked the garage door opener. She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel while she waited for the door to open. It seemed to take forever. Oran peered at her from the top of the steps. His forlorn expression almost made her rethink about leaving. Then that feeling was broken. She peeled out of the driveway and into the cul-de-sac, almost hitting the curb behind her. Her mind was in overdrive. She swerved and sped down the road, not sure where she was going. The overwhelming urge to get away was the one thing she listened to, the faster the better. Elise fiddled with the radio, but her thoughts were on what Oran had done. He said he was a healer, and he had proved it to her. What he had done was magic. A normal person couldn’t make human skin grow back together. It just didn’t happen. Finally, she pulled into the local park and sat for a few minutes, trying to catch her breath. Being in the car was too confining. So she got out and began to walk along the bike path that followed the river. The cool breeze and the quacking ducks helped to soothe some of her frayed nerves, but it didn’t make things any more logical. 22

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Elise stared for a long time at the birds diving underneath the water and coming back up with something in their mouths to eat. Several bikers passed her while she strolled along the river’s edge. Seeing everything so normal around her made her feeling of being out of place descend upon her. Even growing up, she’d never felt like she fit in with her family or her friends. Even then she kept at arm’s length. Amanda was the closest friend she had, and they only hung out or talked once in a while. Oran brought back the sense she was out of place more than she wanted. It was always a struggle to keep it bottled up, but now her normalcy had been jarred, it overtook her. Her mother had always said when the time was right she would find her place to belong. She hoped that was coming soon. Because now certainly didn’t seem to be the time. The ducks swam off, so she continued down the trail and thought about everything that Oran had told her. Maybe he did fly. Of course, she hadn’t seen any wings on him, so maybe they were somewhere underneath his skin. She chuckled at the image of him coming downstairs in her brother’s clothes. The pants were too tight, the shirt way too long. Even though he did look foolish in them, he was hot at the same time. She had completely forgotten the boxes in the guest room closet. Shit. I hope he didn’t overhear my conversation with Amanda. Her face had flushed with heat when she had been carrying on about the size of his dick. It was rather large, and Elise wanted to touch it to see if it would grow even more. Actually, she wanted to touch all of him. When she had broken into a sobbing fit, he had held her in his warm, strong arms. She had enjoyed the feeling of those arms around her. He was solid and for a split second had made her long for a loving companion to be with. None of her relationships had ever fulfilled her. It always seemed a crucial piece was missing in her heart. And after Sylvester was in his accident, she had gone a little crazy. Her brother had been her best friend. The boyfriend she had dated at the time of the accident stayed with her for a while, but soon lost interest because he couldn’t understand her being all emotional. After that, she was in 23

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another long-term relationship with Adam. They had a wonderful year and a half together, but she broke it off because they didn’t fit together. There had been a few other men in between, but nothing that got her hopes up. So far, between failed first dates and horrendous blind dates, Elise had resigned herself that her love life was going to be barren, but in that small moment, something had clicked when she was with Oran. Staring into his violet eyes, she had lost herself. For those few seconds, she had felt completed, and her soul was at ease. What am I thinking? I can’t have a relationship with him, but he’s hunkalicious. And he’s not a normal guy. No normal guy can make skin knit back together. What is he? Elise shook her head and saw the sun was lower in the sky. She had lost track of time. The thought of heading home filled her with dread and wonder. The mixed emotions gave her a headache, but she couldn’t abandon him at her house. First, she needed to go shopping because she had to feed herself and her houseguest. I’ll find out where he’s from and then ship him off. That’s it. I don’t need him to stay. Elise walked back to her car and stared at the scenery. It was beautiful. Beyond the park was the river that flowed into the forest, and an oxbow with a blue heron preening his feathers while standing on his long legs. She’d discovered the place after Sylvester was in a coma, and it calmed her nerves. The tranquility flowed through her and made her feel one with nature. It helped her to think straight. After she stopped at the grocery store, she would have a long conversation with Oran and figure out exactly who and what he was. When she pulled into the driveway, she let the car idle while she stared at the front of the house. It was all dark inside. The garage door was still open. She bit her lip and then turned the car off. When she got out, she grabbed the groceries and headed toward the door. Oran came out of the house when she was halfway up the walk. His expression was unreadable. She felt bad for leaving him all alone. “Oran, about before—” “Can I help you with your things?” “Thanks. That would be great.” She handed him a bag. 24

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She wanted to say more, but he turned and walked into the house. Once they were in the kitchen, she flipped the light on. He gasped, but the surprised reaction she hoped to see wasn’t there. His face remained blank. Elise stared at him long and hard wishing he would do something and felt somewhat empty when he didn’t. The longer she studied him, the more the urge to feel his arms around her crushed her. She wanted to bask in his warmth and feel some of the safety she had felt earlier. “I didn’t know what you liked, so I got you an Italian sub. It has three different kinds of meats. I figured you probably like meat since most men do. If not, I can order you something that’s vegetarian.” “Whatever you have purchased will be fine.” His tone remained neutral. “Oran, I’m sorry that I ran out. I asked you to tell me the truth, and you did. I just wasn’t prepared for your talent. I’ve never seen anyone do that before. Our healers don’t have special powers.” She busied herself with taking out the groceries, but didn’t meet his eyes. If she did, she’d be lost in them. She felt his soft touch on her arm. Drawing in a large breath, she turned and was captured by his purple gaze. Her breath caught in her throat. Oran ran his finger down her cheek. A lump formed in her throat. The words she was going to speak froze on her tongue. His gentle touch burned her skin. His expression stayed impassive, but his eyes gleamed with an emotion she couldn’t read. Her heart rate increased even more, and she grew light-headed. There was definitely something between them that she couldn’t put her finger on. The attraction was deeper than she was admitting to herself. The longer she thought about it, the more she realized that she had developed a fullblown crush on this mysterious stranger who had fallen onto her lawn. “Oran, what’s going on?” “I find you quite attractive. Is that such a bad thing?” She blushed harder, hurting her cheeks from the force. At his comment, she pulled away from his grasp and got a couple of plates down from the cupboard. She unwrapped the subs and laid them out on a plate. A bag of sour-cream-and-cheddar-flavored chips accompanied each sub. Elise handed him his meal and headed back over to the couch. Hearing that he was 25

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attracted to her lifted her spirits and sent her thoughts into different spirals. The vision of him being on top of her with those eyes peering into her soul flashed through her mind. The thought of his velvet voice whispering sweet nothings into her ear while his hands played over her skin made her squeeze her legs together from the tingles that shot straight to her clit. “You didn’t answer my question.” She glanced at him and then back at her plate, embarrassed now for talking to Amanda about him. “No, it’s not a bad thing. But I don’t know you, really, and I’m not a ‘jump into bed with any guy I meet that’s naked on my lawn’ kinda girl.” “Are you still afraid of me?” His forehead puckered from his concern. “No. I’m not afraid of you. I was trying to figure out exactly what you are. Sorry, who you are. An angel or some strange evolutionary leap forward that has hidden wings and magic that can heal people.” He set his dinner down and knelt before her. Oran took her hands in his. The smoothness of his palms made her wonder how they would feel gliding across her skin. Tingles of heat raced along her nerves, intensifying the pleasure rising in her body. The pull she had toward him was undeniable the longer she was around him. His intoxicating, smoky scent hypnotized her. The clove scent was stronger now. “I can show you what I truly am, but I don’t want you to be scared of me.” “I won’t be.” She leaned closer, finding his lips tantalizing. All she wanted to do was taste them, but he didn’t claim her, and pulled away. “I’m from a different world than this one. I think the storm must have opened a doorway. Drake, my mate, is looking into it for me. I was born a healer. The gift is rare among my kind. In my world, creatures that are found in your storybooks are real. Centaurs, fawns, trolls, and dragons . . .” Elise heard what he said, but her mind focused on one thing. Mate. He had a mate. All her hopes of maybe getting into bed with him were crushed. The fantasies cracked in her mind and shattered. He might have found her pretty, but there was another man in the picture. A lump of emotion choked 26

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her up. Tears formed in her eyes before she could stop them. Oran stopped talking when she pulled her hands from his. “What did I say?” “You have a mate.” “Yes, for the past three hundred years we have been together. He is the love of my life.” “So then you’re gay. You said you found me attractive.” Darkness appeared in his violet eyes, and the corners of his mouth tensed. “I’m not sure what ‘gay’ means, but do you mean if I prefer men over women? Oh no. Women are beautiful creatures. Curvy and soft to touch. Especially you I feel this pull toward. With my species, when we meet our lifelong companion, we have no choice. We love who we are meant to love. Until that first meeting, we never feel complete in our existence.” His words rang true to her core. She’d never been complete. Maybe with him, she could be. “If only it were that easy here. I’ve never really found the one.” “Someone as beautiful as you, I’m surprised you haven’t. Hearing your loneliness breaks my heart.” Oran smiled and rested his hand on her cheek. Elise couldn’t help but sigh and slid her cheek along his palm. Before she realized it, he had claimed her lips in a supple, but intense kiss. His full lips pressed against hers so she could feel the indentations in them. Their lips locked, and she leaned forward more, trying to feel more of his body. She lost her balance and fell onto Oran, pushing him onto the floor. He broke their kiss when she landed hard on his ribs. A small moan came from his lips. Elise repositioned herself so she straddled him. Her knees hugged his sides, feeling the hard muscles underneath her. He breathed in hard. Her hands were on either side of his head. She felt his cock hardening underneath her. It was hard to concentrate being so close. All she wanted now was to get his clothes off and have hot, sweaty sex on her carpet. She’d even be okay with the rug burn. “I should probably get up so you can finish telling me your story.” “I’m quite comfortable where I am. What about yourself?” 27

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She nodded and bent closer to him so her breasts brushed against his chest. “I’m fine. I don’t know what it is about you, maybe it’s your otherworldly charm, but I’ve never wanted any man more than I want you.” He shifted and placed his hands on her hips. Elise could feel his firm length now pressing against the seam of her jeans. He was definitely larger than eight inches. She rubbed herself along his rod and watched him squirm. “Oh, Elise, doing that will get you into trouble. I desire you too. But I want you to know what I am first before we take this any further. Will you indulge me a few more minutes?” “Yes.” She began to shift off of him, but he held her in place and sat up. “Physical contact makes this easier so I can focus on this form. While you were gone, I flipped through some of your books and came across one you had on mythology. Do you believe in dragons?” “I’ve read about them.” “In my world, some species have two forms. Dragons are one of them.” “You’re a dragon?” Elise wasn’t sure she could believe him on that one. It was a little too far-fetched for her. Not that everything she had felt or experienced that day wasn’t. The world she knew had been turned inside out. “Let me show you.” Oran touched her temples. “Close your eyes.” His touch seared her flesh. She closed her eyes, and immediately the world fell away. She was flying. Blue sky surrounded her. The sun warmed her scales. Her body was longer and her weight more dispersed. Everything had a tinge of red and yellow to it. Below her the landscape was dotted with houses, but the majority of the land was trees. Mountains towered in the distance. Flying was natural to her. The thrill of the experience overjoyed her. She landed in a clear pasture next to a lake where she could see her reflection in the water. A crimson-and-orange-scaled dragon stared back at her with violet eyes. Something began to happen to her body. It wasn’t pain, just a morphing of scales retreating and bones shortening. Elise followed the flow, hearing bones creak and crack until what she saw in the pool was a man with the same purple eyes. Oran. Another man appeared next to him, one she felt a deep attraction to. He was shorter and not as built, but the affection she had for him burst through her soul. She reached out and touched him, and 28

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the emotional bond blossom between them. Her mind was flooded with feelings and sensations that weren’t her own until it became too much. She opened her eyes and felt her cheeks were wet. Oran wiped her tears away. “That was amazing. That other man is your mate?” “Yes. Do you fear me now, knowing I’m a dragon?” Elise saw the trepidation in his eyes. The furrows in his brow and the small dimple that appeared on his cheek made him more vulnerable. She touched the tiny divot and ran her fingers along his supple lips and face and threaded them into his hair. No scales or horns protruded from his flesh or scalp. Everything about him was human and all male. Fear was the last thing on her mind. “No. I’m not afraid of you.” She pressed her mouth against his and swept her tongue across his lips. He tasted of mint with a hint of smoke. Being fitted together now, his body seemed familiar somehow, as if they had been in this position before and it was all natural. The idea of making love to him wasn’t foreign. Her entire being yearned for it almost as if she’d been waiting for him forever. His fingers slid down her face. He settled one hand on her hip and the other on her breast. Elise moaned when he squeezed it gently, but Oran released her lips too soon. A teasing smile spread across his face. The look to his violet eyes was mischievous. “I think a bed would be more appropriate than the floor to make love to you on. How about we go upstairs to your bedroom?” “I think that’s a good idea.”

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Chapter Five Elise stood up, and he missed her added weight. His stomach grumbled, but he ignored the call of his hunger and focused on another, deeper one that raged through him. Being so close to his hostess, her heady smell inflamed his desire. Her grinding against his cock made it hard for him to control the urge to rip her clothes off and fuck her right there on the floor. But he wanted to be gentle with her. She deserved at least that. He had revealed his secret to her, and after her first bout of escaping him, she showed no signs of fear or revulsion—something he assumed she might show because they were from different realms. However, her eyes remained clear of terror he had seen in some others. Once he stood, Oran scooped up Elise in his arms. A small squeal escaped her lips, the lips he was coming to adore the more he kissed her. The need to be with her enveloped him. It was almost as bad as being around Drake. The intensity he experienced around Elise was crushing. When she had left after he showed her his healing skill, he had fallen asleep reading one of her books and was transported into one of the more passionate erotic dreams he’d had of late. After she walked into the house, it had taken all his willpower not to sweep her off her feet and make love to her right on the spot. Now she was in his arms, and nothing could take her away from him. He made it upstairs and then stopped, not sure which door was her bedroom. “Second one on the left.” She pointed and whispered in his ear. Her hot breath caressed his face and made him shiver. His dick hardened more when he thought about seeing her luscious body underneath his. He wanted to feel all of her and hear her cry out his name, all with knowing the joys of what it meant to be with his kind. “I can’t wait to see you laid bare before me. I want to make love to you all night until you’re so distraught with passion that you beg me to stop.” He plunged his tongue into her ear. Elise groaned and shook in his arms. Her grip tightened on his neck. In her bedroom, he placed her gently on the bed and ran his hands down her 30

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back, over the rough material of her shirt. The mounds of her ass fit perfectly in his hands. He squeezed them lightly, bringing her ever so much closer to him. The dragon inside of him rumbled when the pleasure reached it. It approved of their mating. Both man and beast had the urge to claim her. She started unbuttoning his shirt and slipped it from his shoulders. Her lips pressed against his chest as she kissed him over the heart and trailed her tongue over his left pec to his nipple. Once her teeth enclosed the hardened pea, she bit down on it. Her fingers played with the other, squeezing it until the pain, mixed with the bliss, became too much. He wound his fingers through her hair and yanked her head back. She was breathing heavily. Her cheeks were flushed, but the eagerness in her expression was unusual compared to most of the women he had been with in the past. Normally, the women who came to him had an air of courage about them, but when he got them into bed, their bravery melted away. Fear remained in their eyes that he would hurt them or maybe even eat them. Oh, how he anticipated the thought of tasting Elise and eating her all up. He licked his lips with the thought of her sweet tang. “What is it?” Her gaze searched his eyes. The ring of gold stood out now that she was aroused. “Do you not want to—” He placed a finger on her lips. “No. I was just taking all of you in. So beautiful.” She chuckled. “I’m not beautiful. I’m just normal.” He trailed the back of his hand down her cheek, feeling the silkiness of her flesh. He felt her quivering muscles underneath her skin. “You’re not normal. Believe me.” He yanked on her shirt and pulled it from her pants. After another tug, he pulled it over her head and dropped it to the floor. Her breasts were encased in some lacy garment he had never seen before. It puzzled him on how to get it off. He placed his hands over her breasts, feeling her nipples hardening beneath his touch, underneath the lace. He brushed his thumbs along her nipples and then pressed his face between her breasts. Oran ran his tongue over the flesh in time to her thundering heartbeat. Elise held his head there while he searched for a way to get the lace away from her skin. 31

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“How do you get this blasted thing off?” he growled. She giggled and turned around. A broad strip of cloth connected the lace in the front. “Just unhook it. I take it women don’t have bras in your world. Corsets, maybe?” “Yes, corsets. Or nothing at all, depending on their station.” He fumbled with the hooks and finally got them undone. Once the thick straps of satin fell from her shoulders, he saw three parallel marks on her shoulder blade. He traced his fingers over the marks, so much like the ones he had on his shoulder, the same that Drake and the others of his race had. They were said to have been given to them by the gods’ claws to mark them for dragons. Elise moaned. “Where did these marks come from?” he asked. “Birthmark. I’ve always had them. Mom had them too.” Oran turned her around and stared at her. Something clicked in that confession. Some mates among dragons were human. They were also marked by the gods. It was said they could become dragon if bitten by one of them. The dreams began to make sense. The dream lover without a face and the way it made him feel also made sense. The yearning to be close to her engulfed him again. He understood now it was the mating instinct to be with her. He wondered if Drake’s dreams were also about Elise, if it were possible for three souls to be linked together over different realms. Could she be our third mate? He slipped the straps completely off her and pushed the lacy fabric off her breasts. “Tell me something.” He brushed the hair away from her throat and kissed a spot right where her neck met the curve of her shoulder. “By chance, have you had any strange dreams lately?” Oran ran his fingers over her breasts and entwined their hands together. He moved his lips over the curve of her shoulder, tasting her skin. Her tang was that of cinnamon. Elise quaked from the small gesture and let out a gasp. He let his tongue follow the same line his lips had. She dropped her fingers from his and rested her head against his chest. “The past couple of months, I’ve had really erotic dreams with two men. Sometimes just the one. Both of them are faceless, but they make me feel 32

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good. I hate waking up sometimes. My friend and I joke about how it would be wonderful to have a man like that in real life. Oh God!” Oran slid his hands over her stomach and stopped at the waistband of her jeans. “I’ve had the same dreams. Very hot and steamy ones with lovers that have no faces. Their faces come when we finally meet our mates. The dreams intensify the closer we are to meeting them. Mine have been excruciating of late. Now I know why.” He gathered some of his power, and when he blew out, he released the warmth. Elise arched her back and groaned. Her muscles rippled from his power running through her. “What are you doing to me?” He breathed again and put a little bit more of his power into it. He slid his fingers under the waistband of her jeans. The dragon inside of him added the slightest hint of fire to his power. He pressed his lips against her skin, and the fire traveled deep into her soul the longer his mouth touched her flesh. Before long she cried out with the gratification of her first orgasm. Her body pushed on his cock. He gritted his teeth to keep from losing control. “What was that?” she asked breathlessly. “Just a little bit of what I can do. Did it hurt you?” “No. It was warm. It went through my entire being.” Oran kissed the other side of her neck but withheld his power. The dragon roared inside of him, impatient for them to consummate their mating. However, he wanted to wait a little longer. He enjoyed seeing her squirm in pleasure. Elise’s skin was flushed from her orgasm and his power that flowed through her. If he let his guard down a little more, he could experience her desire too. That was the one thing he enjoyed about his gift. It allowed him to feel what the other person was experiencing. It helped to bond him and Drake closer. He breathed upon her skin once more and slid his hand over the satin of her panties. He could feel the dampness of her bliss and slipped his fingers under the cloth until he touched her wet slit. He thumbed the throbbing bud nestled between her folds and slid his fingers inside her pussy. She ground into him. The throaty moan that was released from those lips shook him to 33

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the core. Oran stroked her clit slowly until her ass rubbed his cock in time with his manipulations. Her husky breaths drove him near the edge. Her wet depths wrapped around his fingers the longer he pleasured her. Her hands gripped his arms. “Oran, please.” He nibbled on her ear and breathed on another spot of her neck, right above her pulse point, with a little power behind it. “Please what?” “I need you inside of me.” The power flashed through her and made her come again. The muscles of her pussy enclosed his fingers while he continued to manipulate her. “I can oblige that. Lie down on the bed for me.” Elise moved from his arms, took off the rest of her clothes and shoes. She sat on the bed. Her nipples were pink and pert, waiting buds to be plucked and fondled. He took off his ridiculous pants and stood before her completely naked so she could see his entire length. Oran held his cock and ran his hand over it, waiting to see her reaction. Her eyes twinkled with excitement, but he felt some trepidation coursing through her. Stepping closer, he placed her hand on his dick. “I won’t hurt you. I’m used to accommodating women.” She gazed at him but didn’t answer. Instead, she brought his shaft to her lips and pulled him into her mouth. Feeling her lips on his sensitive skin was heaven. Nothing compared to it, other than being with his mate. Slowly, she worked her tongue around his girth and then drew him in and out of her mouth, increasing the rhythm. He held her head between his hands and focused on the light caresses of her tongue darting over him, how her teeth captured the tip of his cock, causing him to draw in a quick breath from the momentary pain that he loved. A shiver of delight raced along his nerves. His inner dragon rumbled and let out a tongue of flame that heated his insides. It took all of Oran’s concentration to stay focused, until he was so caught up in the act, he would come if she didn’t stop. He released her head and then grasped her breasts. Oran twisted her nipples. Elise faltered in her rhythm and let his dick free from her lips. “You’re cheating.” 34

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He took in a hard breath, reining in the control he would need to continue making love to her. “I didn’t realize this was a game. I take this very seriously.” He knelt before her and kissed a line along the inside of her left thigh. He inhaled her musky scent and stopped when he came to her patch of auburn curls. Oran parted her glistening folds and plunged his tongue into her well. Elise jumped and then moaned. Her mattress groaned when she fell back onto the bed and began to writhe. Her thighs pressed against his head while he licked her tangy sweetness and sucked on her buried bud. Oran glanced up and saw her fists had balled up the sheets. The dragon inside of him was getting impatient. It loved the taste of her, but it wanted to be buried inside of her pussy. He gathered his power and breathed on her once more. “Oran . . . pl . . .” She lost the words to mumbles when he took to flicking his tongue over her clit again. Her legs squeezed his head, and her hips lifted off the bed each time he licked her. When he plunged his tongue into her one last time, he was able to experience her sweetness and let it settle on his tongue. He ran his fingers along her sides. The muscles in her stomach quivered from the aftermath of the orgasm she’d had. Elise panted. Her hair fanned onto the spread she lay upon, like a reddish halo. He lay beside her and traced circles along her flesh, only using a minimal amount of energy to keep her aroused. She reached for him and scooted closer so she could claim his lips. Her tongue delved into his mouth while she wrapped her leg around his thigh. Oran knew she was ready for him. He guided his cock into her slowly, allowing her to experience all of him. At each small increment, she moaned. He clasped her ass and plunged his shaft inside of her, amazed to discover she was able to take him all in. A contented growl rumbled in his chest. It was a miracle. Of all the women he had been with, none had matched his size. “You feel so good,” he murmured and pumped into her, hoping not to hurt her. Elise lifted her hips and met his strokes each time he sank into her. He captured her lips in a rough kiss and then trailed down the line of her 35

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shoulder. Oran held her tightly to him, feeling her nipples poking against his chest. He held her hip and increased his rhythm until he was almost there. His body tensed. All of the dreams he’d had about Elise were nothing compared to this experience now. She cried out, but he barely heard her. The bellow that left his inner dragon tumbled over his lips. His muscles shook, and it felt like he was about to switch forms. The dragon wanted out to make love to her. Without being able to stop himself, he bit down on the meat of her shoulder until he tasted blood. At that moment, he roared and released inside of her.

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Chapter Six Elise opened her eyes gradually. She hadn’t been plagued by strange dreams the night before, but the whole day seemed to be a dream. Waking up to find a naked man on her lawn, to find out he was from another realm, and was a shape-shifter to boot—that was the dream. She stretched her fingers across the bed and found that it was empty. She closed her eyes, laid her head down, and ran her fingers over her face. Of course it was a dream. A very sexy and erotic dream. Her stomach rumbled. She had skipped dinner and then must have fallen asleep. After the grogginess of sleep wore off, she stood on unsteady feet and wrapped her robe around her. A bolt of pain spiked through her where the fabric hit a wound on her shoulder. She examined it and found bite marks on the flesh. Someone pounded on her door before she could examine it further. What now? Elise headed downstairs and belted her robe tighter around her. The longer she moved, the more she realized how sore and stiff her body was. She nearly fell down the stairs, but caught herself on the banister. When she opened the door, a police officer stood there, holding a naked man by the arm. The naked man held a red leather pouch over his cock and gave her a small smile. Azalea branches stuck out from his head. “Does this belong to you?” the officer asked. She opened her mouth and then closed it, staring at the golden god of a man before her. He was nearly as handsome as Oran. He was shorter than him, but not by much, leaner, and his muscles were as defined as her dream lover’s had been. His copper hair glowed in the sunlight. A few smudges of mud lingered on his cheek and across his chest. The cop waited for her to respond. “Ahh . . .” She was dumbfounded and not sure what to say. This is most definitely not a dream. It was then she heard the footsteps behind her. When she glanced over her shoulder, she saw Oran dressed in darker clothes. They had to be her brother’s because they were too short and a little too tight for him. Seeing him made the night and day before real for her. It hadn’t been a 37

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dream. Yet staring at the man before her, there was something familiar about him. “Drake!” Oran rushed toward him, but Elise stood in his way. “Yes, Officer. I apologize for the ahh . . . inconvenience. He drinks too much sometimes, and we never know where his clothes go.” The cop glanced at the two of them, and the corner of his mouth twitched. “Your next-door neighbor called it in. Indecent exposure. He was on your front lawn, so I guess if he’s with you, no harm done. Make sure next time he has some clothes on.” She nodded. The other man came inside, and she shut the door. Drake pushed past her and embraced Oran. They locked lips, and their tongues touched. Oran’s hands roved down the other man’s back and then clutched the mounds of his ass. Elise felt the burn in her cheeks from watching them together, but was also very turned on. After a moment, she coughed and cleared her throat, hoping they would get the idea to separate. She had a sudden flash from her erotic dreams where she was between her two faceless lovers and they were pleasuring her. While watching them, she noticed the mark on Drake’s left shoulder. He had the same three parallel lines she had on her shoulder and the exact marks that Oran had on his shoulder. They didn’t break up, and she had to fight the urge to touch the new arrival. Elise stepped closer and found the attraction that pulled her toward him was undeniable. She ran her fingers down his shoulder, along the marks. He broke the kiss and turned toward her. His blue eyes captured her the way that Oran’s did. Something in him pierced her soul, and she was drawn to him too. He took her face between his hands and pressed his lips to hers. Elise stiffened, but then melted against him. That sense of being incomplete vanished being in his arms. Her body was awash in heat, and the elation curled her toes. She wasn’t exactly sure what was happening, just that when he released her from the kiss, she didn’t want to let him go. When he pulled away, Elise plucked an azalea branch from his head. His hair fell back into place. His face was more oval than Oran’s. His cheekbones weren’t as defined, but his nose was perfectly sculpted. His movements were fluid. He was shorter than Oran by a few 38

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inches, but taller than her, so she came to his shoulder, where she only came to Oran’s chest. After a minute, she burst out laughing. Drake’s eyes narrowed. “What?” “I’m sorry, but this is how my day started off yesterday. I find Oran on my lawn, naked, with my neighbor threatening to call the cops. I guess she did after she saw you this morning. Were you attacked by her dog?” He glanced down at his arm, where she saw a smear of blood on his flesh and bite marks healing before her eyes. “You mean that annoying small animal that bit me and tried to urinate on me? I fell into the bushes and found your pouch. It’s a good thing you have it spelled to become one of your scales when you shift.” Drake offered the leather pouch back to his mate. “Thank you, love. I was hoping that it wasn’t lost.” Oran took it and glanced inside. Elise smelled more mint and something sickeningly sweet. She scrunched her nose at the scent. A wave of dizziness washed over her. A flush of heat flashed through her. She stumbled and tried to regain her balance. Oran caught her and gazed into her eyes. “Are you okay?” he asked. Smiling, she leaned in and kissed him on the lips. She didn’t put as much oomph behind it because Drake was there. Her stomach rumbled again. “I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me. You . . . ahh . . . just wore me out last night, and I’m hungry. Why don’t you take Drake upstairs and get him cleaned up? I see you figured out the bathroom and the shower. I’m sorry about the clothes. I hope there’s something in the boxes that can accommodate Drake.” Oran brushed the hair from her face. She wanted to linger in his touch, but he pulled away too quickly. His eyes squinted, and his lips pursed, but he didn’t say anything. “I’m sure I can find something. Are you sure you’re okay? We kinda had a rough go of it at the end.” His fingers moved aside the shoulder of her robe, and he brushed the wounds. She winced. “I can heal those for you.” 39

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She blushed harder. “I’ll be okay. I’ll go make breakfast for you and Drake.” Elise brushed past him and went into the kitchen, feeling the wooziness come on a little stronger. The bite on her shoulder burned, but she didn’t think much of it. Instead, she focused on making breakfast for two men she barely knew. One she felt closer to than she had with any other man, and the other she felt some attraction with. Either way she wasn’t sure how she was going to handle the future between them or the three of them. After taking out the eggs, and some bacon she had bought the night before, she cracked them into a bowl and began to scramble them. She lost herself to the rhythm of the fork hitting the metal bowl and fantasizing about the night before. Oran’s hands all over her and his tongue tasting her, him burrowing between her folds and pleasuring her had been amazing. He was the best lover she had ever had. The smell of burning bacon brought her back to her senses. She flipped the pieces over and then took the plates down from her cupboard. As she did, a bolt of fire raced down her arm, originating from her shoulder. It hit her so hard she dropped the plates and clutched her arm. The pain was excruciating. She tried to bite down a scream, but it burst from her lips, radiating down into her chest. Her temperature spiked. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead. Another wail filled the kitchen. Elise grasped her arm to her chest and curled into a ball, trying to keep the pain from spreading. A loud thud sounded from the hallway. She heard pounding feet coming toward her. Then someone was cradling her. “Elise, what is it? Tell me.” She glanced up at Oran, seeing the concern in his eyes. He was shirtless, and his chest and hair were damp from being in the shower. “It hurts.” He pulled down the corner of her robe and probed the wound. Each time he touched it, she gritted her teeth. Drake appeared a moment later. She felt safe in Oran’s arms. The pain was lessened, but not by much. “What happened to her?” Drake asked. “I bit her last night.” “You did what! Why in the world?” Drake growled. “Our venom is toxic to humans. You know that. I’m surprised she lasted this long.” 40

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“It wasn’t planned. It just happened. Drake, she’s our mate. Can’t you feel it? You told me yourself you’ve been having dreams of us and another without a face, the same way we dream when you know our mates are close.” The warmth burned within her chest and stretched along her veins. Venom. She ran their conversation over and over in her mind, trying to make sense of all of it and battle the searing intensity that consumed her now. “It doesn’t matter. She’s in this world. We live in another. The gateway between them will only be open for a little while longer. We have to fly out by tomorrow night. If not, we’ll be trapped in this realm. We can’t take her with us. No matter who she is. I don’t know who she is to me.” “Yes, you do. You just don’t want to admit it. The same way that you fought over me being your mate too. It took you three months of my advances before you accepted we were meant to be together. She bears our mark. She’s had the same dreams. You know some of the other dragons have taken human mates and they have changed into dragons. I got carried away. I won’t let her die. We have to take her back with us.” Elise heard their conversation, but it barely registered. She shook in Oran’s arms. “Make it stop. Please.” Oran hugged her close. He kissed the top of her head. He placed a hand on her forehead and another near the wound. The warmth of his touch infused her soul, but this time his power had a coolness to it. His healing helped take down her temperature, and she was able to think. The pain stopped, and she was clearheaded once more. “Thank you.” He shook his head. “No, it’s my fault this happened to you. The dragon wanted to mark you. I guess I did too. I didn’t want to let you go.” “You’re going to have to,” Drake interrupted. “Guys, please stop arguing over me. I’m okay now. You can let me go,” Elise said. Oran studied her face. She placed a hand on his cheek and forced a smile. He seemed to take that as a good sign. He let her go and helped her stand. The world was a little fuzzy, but she was able to keep her footing. The pain 41

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had dulled to a mild throb, but she felt okay besides that. Drake scowled at the both of them. “You have to tell her the truth,” Drake growled. Elise looked at them and took a few steps toward the kitchen to see if she could salvage some of the bacon. Listening to them fighting grated her heart. It was wrong. The two men shouldn’t be arguing over her or about her. She had thrown a wrench into their relationship. It was all her fault. “I will. Go back upstairs and get cleaned up. We’ll talk about this later,” Oran replied. Drake glanced between the two of them and stomped back upstairs, leaving her alone with Oran. She grabbed some tongs and placed the bacon on a napkin-covered plate to drain off the grease. Next she poured the eggs into the pan and, while they were cooking, took the broom from the closet and swept up the broken porcelain pieces on the floor. Her head began to spin again. Her stomach turned over, and the stench of the eggs made her nauseous. Before she knew it, she bolted toward the sink and threw up. Dry heaves plagued her for a few minutes. She ran the water to get the acrid taste from her mouth and then turned back to Oran. His eyes were troubled. The corners of his mouth were pinched. The tension in the air was strong. He stepped toward her to take her in his arms, but she put up a hand and shook her head. “What did Drake mean about telling me the truth?” Oran ran a hand through his hair. “Dragon venom is poisonous to humans if we bite them. I got a little carried away last night. In some cases, if a dragon bites a human, they can turn into a dragon. Normally, it only happens between my kind and their human mates.” She glanced at the bite wound again and saw it was angry and red. It wasn’t the shape of a human mouth, but four large puncture wounds, each the size of a pencil. He had bitten her, and now she was going to die or become a dragon like him. She didn’t want to become a shape-shifter, and she wasn’t ready to leave her life behind. Tears came to her eyes. “How could you do this?” 42

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He took her into his arms and held her close. She took in his scent and the warmth of his skin. Being so close to him, the fury melted away because he hadn’t done it on purpose. She had scratched him up pretty bad, but he wasn’t showing any signs of it. Just as the burns on his body had healed. “I’m sorry.” He kissed her lightly on the forehead. “I never meant to hurt you. I only wanted to keep you with me. That part is true. You belong with us.” Elise shook her head. “Drake said the doorway between our worlds is going to close tomorrow night. Even if I could go with you, I’m still going to die because of the venom.” He smoothed the hair from her face. “Not necessarily. I can keep the effects of it at bay. If you come with us, you might turn in our realm.” “I need time to think about all of this. Thinking is hard when I am around you, and being around both of you is worse. You were fighting because of me. You love him, and he loves you. This thing between you and I might only be a fluke. How are you really sure that I’m your mate? He doesn’t believe I am. I won’t drive a wedge between the two of you because you’ve suddenly became infatuated with me. Even if I did survive and you get me back with you, your affection for me could end, and then I’m screwed.” “This is not some infatuation. And there is another way to prove that you’re our mate. It’s more involved than what you would be used to. It bonds us completely together. Within the ritual, if we weren’t meant for one another, then it wouldn’t work. It’s how I got the second mark on my shoulder, the tail under the three claw marks. The mark only comes together when we are meant for one another. If not, then the mark doesn’t appear. I know it would with you. It’s a joining of souls, almost. I can’t explain it right. There are no words for it. It’s been known to do wondrous things.” He ran his hands down her back. She pressed her face against his chest and listened to the heart beating underneath it, slower than hers was. His palms rested against her back, and she felt the coolness of his healing power flowing through her. It helped clear her head, but the need to get away and 43

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think overcame her. She had to find a spot where the two men weren’t and then decide what she was going to do. “I need time to think. Away from the both of you. I’m sorry.” She pulled away from Oran and rushed past Drake, who was wearing only a pair of tight jeans. She bumped into him, but kept on going. In her room, she changed, slipped downstairs, grabbed her keys, and went outside to her car. Halfway across her lawn, the neighbor’s dog started yapping at her, and its tags jingled as bounded across her lawn toward her. “Cosmo, come here, you naughty boy. It’s time for your bath.” Mrs. Richardson came out dressed in an apron that covered her entire front. She had galoshes on her feet and her hair done up in a shower cap. Her hands were enclosed in yellow rubber gloves. It seemed she was ready for the plumbing to explode in her house and not to wash a tiny six-pound Pekingese. When her neighbor noticed Elise was outside, she stopped in her tracks and smiled. “Hello, Mrs. Richardson.” Elise forced the smile. Her neighbor’s smile turned into a snicker. “I saw a police car outside your house earlier. Is everything okay?” You know damn well it is, you crazy old buzzard. “Of course. Thank you for your concern. False alarm.” “Really? It seemed the officer had another male friend of yours that was naked on your lawn again this morning. Such indecent behavior. I’m sure someone called the authorities because they didn’t want such riffraff around their children. He could have been a pervert or something.” Elise clutched her keys harder and gritted her teeth, trying not to explode on this woman. “Nope. Just my other friend’s boyfriend. He came over last night. We all had way too much to drink, and then we had an orgy on your front lawn. You got really soft grass, by the way. Too bad you missed it. We could’ve used a fourth. I think one of the guys is into cougars.” She turned her back and left her neighbor dumbstruck. Feeling good about herself, she drove from her neighborhood and found her way back to the park she had been at the day before. This time she parked her car and wandered onto a less-traveled footpath that was 44

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overgrown in places, but she didn’t mind the brambles catching on her jeans. She needed peace and quiet to let her mind wander over the possibilities that Oran had presented to her. The farther back she walked into the woods along the side of the river, the more her arm grew stiff from the bite. It didn’t hurt, but she didn’t know how long she could be away. Coming to a rock, she sat down and watched the fish flicking the water’s surface with their tails. A gentle breeze blew the reeds and cattails together, creating an eerie music. She shivered at the ghostly sound. Everything Oran had told tumbled together in her mind. It all seemed impossible that she could turn into a dragon or that she might die. Either way, they were going to leave her that night or the next. It meant that she would never see the both of them again. That part hurt her heart. She couldn’t think about letting them go. They were virtually strangers, but it seemed she had known them her entire life. That was what her mother had often said about her father, that she had known he was the one for her the moment they met. Elise sank back into the memories she had of her parents. They were always happy together. They had been married thirty years when they died in the fire. With no family, she had felt more lost than ever and that she didn’t belong. Elise had always wanted what her parents had. Her mother had said happy marriages ran in the family. Her grandmother and greatgrandmother had found their mates and never had any problems. In her teenage years, Elise was always put off by how cute her grandparents were together, like they were always kids. Her mother said her grandparents had been the same way. Maybe I’m supposed to be with them. I don’t know. Just because three generations before me were happy as clams in their relationships doesn’t mean that I’m meant for those two, even if I am dreaming about them. But her thoughts turned back to Oran. Everything about him made her warm and happy when she thought about him. The ritual he’d talked about, but hadn’t elaborated on, seemed to be the one saving grace she had. If it could prove to Drake that they were meant to be together, then she wanted to go through with it, whatever it entailed, before the venom completely infected her system. 45

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What am I going to do? There is no easy answer. Face death. Turn into a monster. Or leave my home behind. Elise sighed and rolled her shoulder, trying to get the stiffness from her limb. All of this was so sudden and maddening. She liked to have time to think things over and make a choice. Not rush into a relationship. A twig snapped behind her. She jumped from the sudden sound. A red-winged hawk dived from the trees on the other side of the river and plunged its talons into the water to emerge with a fish flopping about. The beauty of the animal flapping its wings made her wonder exactly what Oran or Drake looked like flying through the sky. Seeing through his eyes the night before had been an experience, but it would be fabulous to see them in real life. Another branch broke, closer to her this time. “My, my, what do we have here? Easy pickins.” Before she could turn around, a hand covered her mouth. A knife was pressed against her throat. Her body went rigid with fear. Her attacker’s hot breath blasted her neck. He smelled like two-day-old garbage, and she could taste the dirt and grime on his hands. The mugger yanked her up enough she felt the blade slice into her skin. A muffled cry escaped her lips when he dragged her away from the footpath, into the dense wood. Some instinct in her brain kicked in, and she began to struggle, but he held on to her tight. She bit his finger. He yelped and pulled his hand away, but the knife dug into her flesh. His wounded hand wrapped into her hair and pulled her further into the brush. “Help!” Elise screamed, hoping someone would hear her. “Shut the fuck up! You scream one more time, I’ll slit your throat. Understand?” Elise nodded. The fight drained from her limbs. She went limp in the attacker’s arms. He clenched her neck and twisted her around, but she still couldn’t see his face. She walked slowly forward, hoping it might prolong her life. Her gaze darted this way and that, trying to find a way to escape if she could get free. Her mugger kicked the back of her knee. The pain exploded in her leg, and she crumpled to the ground. She clutched her wounded leg when he kicked her again in the ribs. 46

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Something snapped inside of her. She coughed and tasted blood. One of her ribs was broken and had punctured her lung. It was hard to take in a breath. “Get up, you bitch.” Elise tried to move, but the pain in her side engulfed her, and her knee was messed up. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed. The seconds ticked by, but no one was coming. No one knew where she was. Oran and Drake didn’t know her world or how to find her. All hope was lost. When she didn’t move, her would-be rapist turned her over on her side. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see what he looked like. He mumbled something unintelligible, and the knife was back at her throat. He placed his hand on her face above her eye and tried to pry it open. “Look at me!” “No!” she screamed and kicked him with her good leg. He tumbled off her. She clutched her side and crawled to the nearest tree, where she used it to stand up. Her attacker remained on the ground, clutching his balls. Elise limped back toward the path, hoping someone would be there to help her with the maniac who had assaulted her. She heard the man coming after her. His heavy footsteps were getting closer and closer. A gust of wind blew hair in her face. She felt heat blast by, and when she cleared the hair out of her way, the man was surrounded by a circle of fire. Hovering above the canopy was a green-and-silver dragon. It was nearly thirty feet long and had a fifteen-foot wingspan. The sun glinted off its scales, and the flames were reflected off them. Fear held her in place until she realized she wasn’t going to be eaten. He gazed directly at her and with one long talon pointed back toward the river. She nodded and made her way slowly back toward the water. The dragon above her flew off. It took her longer than she wanted because it was hard to breathe and walk, but at least she was alive. When she reached the path, the dragon waited patiently for her. She stumbled toward it and fell before its large snout. It nudged her with its nose. “Get on.” His voice was deeper and gravelly, but she knew it was Drake. 47

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“I can’t.” She coughed again, trying to take in the air, and spit out a mouthful of blood. He snorted, sending a warm explosion of air around her. The dragon stood up and motioned her forward with his paw. She nestled against his chest, hearing the rapid beating of his heart. His large foot wrapped around her and held her to him. She held on to his leg with all her might, and when he leapt into the air, she saw people gathering around him, pointing and taking pictures with their cell phones. This was going to be one for the record books. Dragon descends on small community and kidnaps local girl. Will she be eaten, or will she be kept prisoner in his dreaded castle? Elise could see the headlines already. The people below her grew smaller and smaller the higher they flew. The beat of Drake’s wings was powerful. He cut through the air easily. It was his natural element. His body heat kept her warm in the cool air, and before she knew it, they were over her house and circling lower over her backyard. Mrs. Richardson was outside watering her begonias, and Cosmo’s incessant barking irritated her. As they got lower, she felt the shifting in Drake’s body until they were a few feet from the ground and he landed, naked, with her in his arms. Oran rushed out of the back door. The dog hadn’t stopped yapping. “Be quiet!” Drake growled at the dog. The Pekingese backed away from the fence and yipped all the way back into the house. Her neighbor stomped over to the fence and opened her mouth to say something. But Oran went over to her first. “I suggest you say nothing to upset Elise. If you do, I’ll come over there and eat you, and your little dog too. You saw what Drake could do. Well I’m meaner than him and have sharper teeth. Is that understood?” Mrs. Richardson shut her mouth, gave Elise a murderous look, and then stormed back into the house. He rushed over to take her from the other man’s arms, but Drake wasn’t giving up his hold. “She’s hurt badly. I stopped a lecherous man from hurting her.” “Take her inside. I’ll get my crystals.” Drake took her inside the house and upstairs to her bedroom. He laid her down carefully and sat next to her. Those blue eyes studied her. She was in 48

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too much pain to say anything, but sought his hand. He entwined his fingers with hers. When he did, a spark passed between them. Elise found herself captured by his burning gaze. If she hadn’t been so hurt, she would have kissed him. He leaned a little closer and brushed his lips across hers as if he read her mind. Trying to fight through the pain of her wounds, she did feel the same connection she had with Drake as she did with Oran. “Enough of that now.” Oran came in with his red pouch and two large quartz crystals in his hand. He placed one by her head and another by her feet. The concern in his eyes melted her soul. He loved her. “Will you let me heal you?” She nodded. He set his hands around her knee. A strong zap went through her, enough that she jerked her leg and groaned from the sudden movement. It caused her to cough again and feel when the warmth centered around her kneecap. She heard a pop, and then the pain dissipated. Oran then pushed up her shirt and placed his hands on her right side, where her lung was punctured. A small flow of tingly energy passed over her, and then a sharp stab of pain. She cried out. Drake held her hand, brought it to his lips, and brushed them across her knuckles. The quartz crystal around Oran’s neck began to glow. She noticed the other crystal pulsated. The vibration ran along the bed. She glanced above her and saw the other crystal was doing the same thing. “What are those for?” she asked. “They lend me energy when I do a healing so I don’t have to use my own,” Oran told her, but his eyes were focused on the wound. He pressed another part of her side a little further up, and she winced. Elise bit her tongue to keep from crying out. The burn of his fingers on her flesh was a contrast to the cool healing energy he pushed into her. She watched him lock his eyes to Drake. The other man scowled, but then Drake turned his attention to her. “Hey, don’t worry about him. Focus on me.” He caressed her cheek. She bit her lip and nodded. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes from the energy concentrated on her stomach. Oran was healing her, but it was taking time. She could feel the coolness of his power and the heaviness 49

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centered on her bones with every breath she drew in. Drake leaned over and guided her lips to his. Once their mouths met, that same spark she’d had with his mate wound through her. She reached to keep him close and feel his lips on her longer. Drake responded and deepened the kiss, plunging his tongue into her mouth until their tongues met and entwined. Elise longed to be pressed against his hard body once more. Flying with him had been magnificent. She wrapped her fingers in his hair and held him to her lips. He tasted like honey, with a hint of spicy cayenne to him. Drake brushed his hand against her breast, and her nipple contracted. He pulled her mind from the healing Oran was doing to her body. If she kept this up, she wouldn’t let him go. She’d fuck him with Oran watching. He kissed her hungrily, and right when she’d thought she’d lost herself, her healing bones clicked back into place. She groaned into his mouth. Then Drake released her lips and left her breathless. A languid feeling descended over her. She tried to get up, but Oran shook his finger at her. “You have to sleep. Trust me.” He gathered the crystals and nestled them back in his pouch. Oran placed his lips on her forehead. “We’ll talk later.” Elise tried to answer, but the world fell away.

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Chapter Seven “How many people do you think saw you?” Oran asked, closing the door to Elise’s room softly. He walked back into the bedroom he had used the night before. Exhaustion washed over him. He had expended a great deal of energy to heal Elise, and it was only early in the afternoon. Even with the crystals’ energy, it was hard to mend her. “Are you okay?” Drake asked and sat down next to him. He placed his hand on Oran’s leg and squeezed it. Oran looked into his mate’s eyes and saw the concern lingering there. He smiled and locked his lips to the other man’s, pushing his tongue deep inside Drake’s mouth. Drake ran his hands down Oran’s bare chest until they settled on his hardening cock. Oran dragged his nails over Drake’s back and pulled away to catch his breath. “I’m fine. Just tired. It seems that the more I use my healing ability here, the more it saps my power.” “So you think she’s drawing on your energy somehow?” Oran chuckled. “No. I think it’s this realm. It took you a little longer to transform into a dragon than it normally does. You have to admit there’s something about this place. How did you know there was a gateway?” He trailed his hand over Drake’s thigh and cupped his balls. His mate’s eyes closed, and he groaned. “I made it back to our home. I found an ancient tome that told about similar signs: earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the tempest. The energy of the storm, combined with the other portents, opened a hole between the realms. It lasts for eight days in our world. Four in this one because time is different here,” Drake told him. Oran pressed his lips against his mate’s throat and licked his Adam’s apple before taking it between his lips and passing his tongue over it, sucking on it. He loved the smoky taste of the other man and had missed him in the two nights they had been away from one another. Granted, he had enjoyed his night with Elise, but now he looked forward to being with Drake. He was fascinated by how Drake had found the doorway and come for him. Deep 51

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down he knew they had to return. He had a sense whatever healing power he had would fade with time here, and he wasn’t sure he could deal with that. Also, there were too many unusual machines in this realm. It had taken him several tries to figure out the bathroom, and he still wasn’t sure what the shiny box was in her living quarters. Many of the objects in her house were strange to him, and he preferred the comforts of his home compared to this one. If he left, Elise would die or maybe turn into a dragon. That would mean a death sentence for her in her world. She couldn’t stay here either. Either way, he had condemned her to a fate that he was sure she didn’t want—even though she was marked and she said her mother had the same birthmark. A thought ran through his mind. He wanted to voice it, but Drake snuck his hand underneath the waistband of Oran’s pants and touched his hard cock. Oran bit down hard on his Adam’s apple and moaned. His mate’s soft touch grew rough when he began to stroke his shaft harder and faster. Oran’s hips thrust forward and slid against his mate’s palm. He opened his eyes and saw Drake smiling above him. He pushed him down on the bed and then pulled his pants all the way off. He clutched his ass, and Oran stroked his dick. The pleasure was building inside of him from Drake’s touches. His back arched off the bed. He would come soon. But his mate stopped and gave him an evil smile. The fire inside of his eyes ignited. His mate’s dragon was going to make him suffer. He already sensed it underneath his skin. Drake’s flesh was warmer than it had been a minute ago. He smiled, and his teeth were sharper. Oran trailed his hands over his mate’s flesh, and it was harder than normal skin, almost impenetrable, the way dragon scales were. “You’re being fresh leaving me hanging,” Oran panted. “Someone has to put you in your place for being so bad. Running out on me. Leaving me alone to wonder where you are and then finding a woman and sleeping with her. I should be very mad at you,” Drake growled. He placed his hand over Oran’s heart, and a bolt of energy ran through him. Their bond flared to life, and he was instantly engulfed in the fire that burned in both of them. The dragon inside of him opened its eyes. He felt his skin harden at the welcome his mate gave him. 52

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“I admit I’ve been bad.” “Then turn over and show me that perfect ass of yours.” Drake pinched his nipple. Oran obliged and rolled over on the mattress. He swept his tongue over his sharpened teeth and dreamed about sinking his fangs into Drake’s shoulder and tasting the hot blood pumping underneath the flesh—the way he had with Elise the night before. The drive to taste another only occurred with his mate. It strengthened the notion that Elise was their third mate, but Drake hadn’t wanted to admit that fact yet. Oran jumped when Drake’s nails pierced the mounds of his ass. He groaned. A sandpaper tongue ran over the wounds. He felt his mate’s lips lock on to his ass cheek and suck on the gashes that he had inflicted. His hips pumped forward when Drake clutched his cock in one hand and began to work him slowly. A finger rounded his asshole and then slowly slipped inside of him. It was wet, and the entrance only made him want more. He groaned and wiggled his ass, hoping his mate would oblige him with his dick buried deep inside of him. Instead, he worked his cock even more, but Drake denied him the sudden release he yearned for. “Drake, enough torture.” His mate leaned over him so he could feel his cock poking his ass. Drake breathed onto his nape, letting a little bit of fire into his breath. It worked down Oran’s spine and caressed his entire flesh. He cried out from the pleasure that poured through him. If his tail had been out, it would have been flicking back and forth with bliss. His entire being ached to shift and writhe under his mate in dragon flesh, but he stayed locked in his human one. “There isn’t enough torment for what you have suggested with the woman in the other room. Saying that she is your mate.” “Ahh . . . she’s not just mine . . . ” Oran groaned when Drake plunged another finger deep into his orifice. “Need you.” Drake nursed his cock until he was on the brink, leaving him so taut he wasn’t sure if he could hold on anymore. 53

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Drake’s teeth nipped along his shoulder blades and the curve of his shoulder. His mate breathed again, and then he was awash in ecstasy so great it shook his very bones. He thrashed along the sheets. His heavy weight made the joy of being with him again ever so much more enjoyable. Oran backed into his mate and felt his dick poke against his ass. Before he could react to another warming breath, Drake withdrew his fingers, and then he thrust his cock deep into Oran’s orifice. The first time he entered him, he was in heaven. This was one thing he always loved that brought them closer together. Even in dragon form, their lovemaking was different. More ferocious. Although he was with Drake, right at the moment he was near coming, Elise flashed through his mind. Drake slid his hand along Oran’s cock, and his breath hitched in his throat. He worked Oran’s dick and pumped into his ass faster and faster, until he moaned, and then sunk his fangs into the meat of his shoulder. At that exact moment, they both came. The pleasure of the moment moved through him, and the shudder also went into Drake. A few seconds later, he heard Elise cry out in the other room. He reached out his mind and found he could feel her too. She was still sleeping, but he sensed the venom working further into her system. Her heart beat strong, but the need to be with her engulfed him. Even the comforting weight of his partner on top of him didn’t complete the feeling he had. Drake sensed the change and rolled off of him. He took Oran in the crook of his arm and held him. Oran drew in a few cleansing breaths and soon was able to think straight. “You’re not satisfied either. I can feel it,” Oran whispered. “Your heart is troubled.” Drake sighed. “I thought it was being away from you, but there’s something else bothering me.” “It’s Elise. You can deny it all you want, but she is our mate. You must have felt something when you held her. You wouldn’t have risked exposure and going after her if you didn’t.” His mate didn’t answer, but held him closer. “Maybe. Are you going to tell me I told you so?” 54

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“No. I just want you to acknowledge that she is supposed to be with us. And I have a theory.” Drake eyed him. “What’s your theory?” “You know some of the stories we were told as children, about in ancient times, dragons disappearing and being lost?” “What about them? They were bedtime stories to scare us.” “I don’t think so. You said you found a book that described the same kind of storm that swallowed me. What if some dragons got caught in the same storm, came here, and mated with humans?” Drake sighed. “That would mean they might be here, still alive. And so would their offspring. You think Elise is an ancestor of one of our kind?” “Yes. It would explain her marks on her shoulder. She said her mother had the same marks. It is a possibility you haven’t considered.” “Maybe. I’d have to give it some thought.” “But regardless, we can’t let her die. You feel that.” Oran prayed his mate would listen. “There might be only one way to save her. The union ceremony would bind her to us if she is our true mate,” Drake suggested. Drake slid his hand over Oran’s pelvic bone. Oran’s cock stirred once more. Small tingles of pleasure raced through him. He shivered, and his inner dragon roared for more attention, but Oran pushed that away. He was surprised to hear Drake propose the union ceremony. If it worked, it would bind their souls together and disperse the venom through them too. “You’d be willing to do that? Sharing me with another? I know how jealous you can get.” Oran chuckled and turned in his lover’s embrace. Drake’s forehead had creases running across it. He knew that look. It meant he was seriously contemplating keeping Elise with them. His eyes were shadowed with emotions. His body was tense. Oran placed his hand above Drake’s heart and nudged him a little with his healing power, trying to soothe the troubled thoughts that passed through his mind. His lover always looked at every angle before he came up with an idea. It had taken him a month to decide if they would travel when he was needed for his language expertise. 55

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Drake touched his lips with his finger. Oran sucked in the finger and wrapped his tongue around it, savoring the taste of his flesh. “I would only share you if she’s our mate. To answer your earlier question, yes, I do feel something for her. I just haven’t sorted it out yet.” “By the time you do, then we’ll have already had the union ceremony, and she’ll be back with us, cuddled in the same bed.” Oran kissed his cheek. “We’ll have to act fast. The doorway will close tomorrow night, when the moon is high. I can already feel another storm brewing in the atmosphere here. This world is different. It weighs us down. It pulls the very power from our bodies. I think this world has no magic in it. Your idea of the other dragons being caught here has merit. With this world influencing us in the short time we’ve been here, I surmise after a while they might not have been able to shift. Yes, they would have taken human mates to not be alone. If they birthed children, it is quite foreseeable that the offspring would carry our genes.” Drake touched Oran’s face lightly. “I think you’re right about the no magic. From the couple of books I’ve read, this place has no dragons or powers. Many of the things here are strange. The longer I am here, the more human I feel. It is harder to pull upon my healing power even with the crystals. I feel sorry for those who were left here. If we do the union ceremony, then we would have to do it tonight. Would you be up for that?” Drake’s furrowed brow smoothed, and the smile lightened his face. “I would be up for it, but we would both need some rest. I am hungry, though. You always wear me out.” “I’ve never heard you complain before. I agree we need to rest. I know where Elise keeps her food. I will return in a few minutes.” Oran walked downstairs and into the kitchen. He opened the food storage chest and found the plates from the night before with the bread and meat on them. He took his and plucked the cooked bacon from the plate Elise had left out. After a quick examination of the scrambled eggs, he figured they were worthy to be eaten as well. He scooped those onto the plate. Back upstairs, he sat next to Drake so they could share their meal. 56

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After a few bites, Drake smiled. “This isn’t half bad.” “The other night I had some strange concoction of bread with cold cheese and meat with some vegetables on it. I rather enjoyed it. The textures were different. I don’t know how Elise cooks or gets her food, but this is good.” He took another bite of his food, and when they were done, he set the empty plate on the side table next to the bed. He smiled at his mate. His cock stirred thinking about the night to come. He would need his energy. They both would to make sure the ceremony was done correctly. “What are you thinking about?” Drake asked. “Just about tonight. If she’ll go along with it. And that maybe we should get cleaned up before she wakes up. We never did get to cleanse ourselves. What do you say?” Oran ran his finger along his mate’s stiffening shaft. The playful gleam returned to his eye. “I think I’m up for that.” “Good.” Oran pressed his lips against the other man’s and ran his tongue along his mouth. “Because I can use some more attention.” Drake gathered him close and wrapped his arms around Oran’s neck. Their combined body heat caused Oran to groan. They had a long night ahead of them. Right now he was going to enjoy the alone time they had. Once Elise awoke, they would tell her the options she had. He just hoped she would choose them and not the death he had inflicted upon her.

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Chapter Eight Elise opened her eyes. Her throat burned from thirst, and her arm ached from the bite. The rest of her body didn’t hurt from the wounds her attacker had inflicted. She sat up slowly, leaning on her elbows, to take in the room. It was dark out. A rumble of thunder sounded above her house. Something was stirring in the atmosphere. It made her uneasy. The air pressed heavily upon her skin. The hairs stood up on her arms. Getting up, she waited for the world to spin out of control the way it had before, but it didn’t. Her stomach rumbled. She listened and didn’t hear either man. I wonder where they’ve gone off to. I’m sure they’re around somewhere. First I have things to take care of. She ventured into the bathroom and turned on the water. While it heated up, Elise took off her clothes and was able to get a good look at herself in the mirror. Dark purple circles accentuated her eyes. The skin was drawn tight over her face, and her hair was lank. When she examined the bite, it was a deeper red. It appeared somewhat healed, but when she poked at it, a bolt of pain blasted through her. On closer inspection, she noticed small red lines had branched out from the wound. The lines were winding down her shoulder and the top of her arm. Sighing, she slipped into the shower and let the nearly scalding water heat her skin. Once she washed up and brushed her teeth, she dressed in an offthe-shoulder shirt and a loose red skirt. When she went downstairs, she found the men sitting on the sofa watching a football game. “It figures.” Both men looked over at her at the same time. “What? This game is very intriguing even though I don’t understand the meaning of it,” Drake stated. Elise placed her hand over her mouth to hide her giggles. The men might be from another reality, but they were still able to figure out a way to watch football. “I’m surprised you figured out the television. The game, well . . . there are two teams. Each opposing team tries to get the ball to the end of the field.” “Why do they put the ball between the posts?” Drake asked. 58

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“It gives the team another point. The one team with the most points wins the game. Men in this world love the sport.” Elise leaned over the couch and noticed both men were glancing at her breasts. Her skin flared from the looks. Oran flashed her a ravishing smile and ran his finger over the top of her right breast. His soft touch made her blush until her cheeks hurt. “I can see the allure of the game, but I find you much more appealing.” He kissed her, lightly sucking on her bottom lip. He pulled away too quickly for her liking. “How are you feeling?” “I feel okay. Hungry. What about you two?” “We don’t want to bother you. You’ve been kind to us already, and we don’t want to impose on you,” Drake said. Her gaze flicked to Oran, who nodded. “He means that we’re hungry. I hate to ask you.” She placed her hand on his face. “It’s fine. Give me a few minutes.” Elise headed into the kitchen and started water boiling for spaghetti and put some garlic bread in the oven. She also cleaned up the mess from the morning and noticed her shoulder was aching. “Is there anything I can do?” Elise jumped when she heard Drake’s deep voice next to her in the kitchen. Her hand flew to her chest as her heart skipped a couple of beats. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.” “It’s okay. I didn’t expect you, that’s all. I’m so used to being alone here that having you two in the house is a little strange. Sorry. No, there’s nothing you can do. I have dinner going. It should be a few minutes. I’m sure that everything is very different for you being here and all. I bet Oran is glad that you came to retrieve him and all. I . . . ahh . . . hope that you don’t mind I spent the night with your man. I know how attached to one another you are, and I kinda complicated things between you.” She stared down at the roiling water. Drake touched her shoulder. His touch sent another current along her skin so strong she was taken aback by it. The pleasure tingled between her legs so much that her eyes widened and her body leaned toward him. His 59

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fingers traced the lines on her shoulder. When he did that, a small sigh escaped her lips. “I’m not angry about the night you spent with Oran. We have each been with other women before. Among the human women in our world, it’s an honor to spend the night with one of our species. I hear some males also wait in line for dragon women. So you and him having sex doesn’t trouble me.” Elise bit her lip. “But something does.” He exhaled long and gazed out her window. A bolt of lightning illuminated the backyard. She squinted at the sudden brightness and dropped the pasta into the pot. Then she glanced back at Drake. It was hard to believe he had been a dragon a few hours earlier and had saved her. He looked so normal. Well, handsome as a god, but normal dressed in too-tight pants and no shirt. The kitchen light enhanced his golden skin, and the look to his eyes was otherworldly. He moved closer until he was only a few inches from her. The heat of his body ignited the passion in her the same way being around Oran did. The allure toward him was so encompassing, she had to resist touching him and wanting to snuggle into his arms. However, he slipped a hand around her waist and pulled her to him. A small sigh spilled from her lips. “Yes, something does trouble me. I’m not one to make decisions quickly, but when you left the house this afternoon, I had a nagging feeling. I normally don’t act on those. Oran would be the one for that, but the sensation was so overwhelming I had to follow it. I went outside and transformed to fly off after your machine. I lost you—there were too many machines on the roads. But then, your pain flashed in my mind. I heard your scream within my thoughts. The same thing happened to me with Oran when he was in dire danger. It made me realize then that Oran was correct. We are bonded together.” “Yet, with all the things staring you in the face, you’re still not sure about me. I get that. I haven’t even known you for a whole day, but this connection I feel between you and Oran is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.” Elise felt her heart speed up being so close to him. Her breathing quickened. 60

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She stood up on tiptoe and wrapped her arms around his neck, molding her body against his. She loved how he reacted. A moment of panic flashed in his eyes while he overthought what she was doing. His lips were pinched, but his breathing intensified. She heard his heartbeat go a little faster, and his cock hardened, poking into her stomach. Elise removed one hand from his neck and held his length. Her dreams came back to her. This position was familiar. Drake drew in a fast breath and then cupped her face with one of his hands. His palm was hot on her cheek. Pleasure started from the tip of her toes and worked upward. She caressed him through the thin material of the pants. “How does this feel?” she asked. “Like I should throw you down on the floor and fuck you right now.” “And I bet that blows your mind.” “You have no idea. This whole situation isn’t logical, but I can’t help how I react to you.” “Then maybe you shouldn’t fight it. I’ve had a couple of days to think about it. I’ve seen you turn from a dragon into a man. Oran healed me without an explanation, and that doesn’t happen in our world. I appreciate you saving my life earlier today, but don’t think I’m doing this because of that. Being with Oran was like being with a man from one of my dreams, and then you are the other man that I’ve been dreaming about with him. Some nights there is just one. Other nights there are both of you. I can’t explain it, but I need you both.” Drake picked her up without warning and clutched her ass, pushing his mouth onto hers. His tongue darted between her lips. He spun her around and sat her on the counter. His lips found her throat and began to kiss her. Drake pulled down the shoulder of her shirt and let his mouth enclose her breast. Her nipple hardened from the sudden desire that plagued her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and groaned when he bit down on her hardened bud. Elise held his head to it while his tongue enveloped her nipple. His other hand slid under her skirt and pushed the flimsy material of her panties aside. His thumb found her clit and rubbed it. She thrust her hips forward while his mouth sought her other breast. 61

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“Drake, faster.” He grunted and sucked on her nipple harder, but obliged her. She kissed his cheek and forehead, savoring the saltiness of his skin. She shut her eyes tight, feeling the burning of the approaching orgasm. Elise needed him inside of her, but there wasn’t time for that. She was going to come. “Am I missing dinner?” Oran walked into the kitchen. Drake didn’t stop, but she opened her eyes and beckoned to him. “Kiss me.” Oran’s mouth spread into a wide grin. He leaned over his mate and claimed her lips for his own. With the both of them touching her, she was transported to heaven. All the dreams she’d had were coming to fruition, but it was over too quickly. A loud cry left her throat. She broke away from Oran’s mouth. Drake looked up, and he had a large grin on his face. The overthinking man had vanished. Oran withdrew, and Drake helped straighten her clothes. He smoothed the hair from her face and then kissed her lightly. “I don’t know what came over me. I’m sorry,” Drake apologized. Oran poked him in the ribs. “No, you’re not. You’re just trying to take advantage of her without me being around.” Drake chuckled. “Maybe.” He pinched his mate’s ass and then turned back to Elise. “We want you to come back with us. If you want to, that is.” “I don’t have a choice really. Either die here or come back with you and see if I turn into a dragon.” She turned the pasta off and drained the hot water into the sink. The oven beeped, signaling the bread was done. The pot with the sauce bubbled, so she dumped the spaghetti into it, added a few spices and Parmesan cheese, and stirred it all together. She grabbed a few bowls, but Oran took the bowls from her and placed them on the counter. “We think we’ve figured out a way so that you don’t have to die.” Elise froze. “How? You said your venom was fatal to humans.” “It is, but if we perform a ceremony, then it’d bond us all together, dispersing the venom between the three of us. Diluting it enough that Oran can heal your wound completely,” Drake explained. 62

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“What kind of ceremony? Draw my blood and call upon some ancient gods? Bind me to a post and wait for some other dragon to eat me?” Oran chuckled. “No. Something more sensual that requires us to be with you. In our world, we do a union ceremony. If we are compatible, it binds our souls together. Then the other mark, the tail, appears on our back, under our marks.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. The warmth of his power surged into her shoulder. “What does it entail?” she asked, breathless. Drake entwined his hands around her waist and pressed himself against her front so she was in between the both of them. “Having the both of us share ourselves with you. Have you meet the dragons. If they approve of you, then bathing you in their fire. If you are meant to be with us, then you will entwine with our souls. They’ll mark you for their mate, and then you’ll be with us forever.” “Sounds painful.” Elise stayed perfectly still, not wanting to ignite the passion already raging through her. With them so close to her, she wasn’t sure if she would make it to eating dinner if they kept this up. Oran nipped her shoulder and slid his hand along the top of her thigh. “Not really. It’s more of a physical thing. You’d have to let us both into your bed. Make love to you at the same time. Is that something you would allow?” Elise swallowed hard. “It doesn’t sound like I have a choice.” She swayed between the two of them, losing herself to the rising ardor. Whatever bound her to them, the connections hummed stronger than she had ever thought possible. Each of their heartbeats echoed through her. Each was a singular drum, but when they beat together, they created a perfect harmony. “There’s always a choice,” Drake murmured inches from her face. “We wouldn’t hurt you. But you’d have to come back to our world.” “I don’t want to leave this one.” “We can’t stay here. The longer we do, the harder it is for us to switch our shapes and for me to use my healing power. If we stay here, we’ll be trapped in our mortal forms. It would be like condemning us to death. The same with you. You would feel empty. Time runs differently in our realm. 63

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We might be able to communicate with you in dreams, but it wouldn’t be the same.” His words hit her like a cold splash of water and broke her out of the stupor. Elise slipped away from them and gripped the edge of the counter to cool off. She wasn’t ready to die, and their solution seemed reasonable, but leaving her home was not something she wanted to contemplate. But losing them wasn’t something she desired either. Tears formed in her eyes, but she sniffled and wiped them away. Her stomach growled. She pushed her thoughts aside and prepared dinner for herself. Then she sat at the table with a piece of garlic bread. The men followed and sat next to her. They ate in silence, and she thought over everything they had said. Oran and Drake glanced at her through the meal. Elise saw the desperation and longing in their eyes for her to accept their offer. She touched the wound on her shoulder and felt the rough edges of the scab. Her parents had died, so she didn’t have any family around. It would be easy to leave her job, but she wasn’t so sure she could abandon everything she knew. Could she live without them now she had met the two men in her life who had changed everything for her? The past two days, the strange emptiness she’d felt no longer existed. They filled that void. Her mother would tell her to be happy and follow her heart. If they completed her, then they were the ones for her. “This meal is very good. You are an exceptional cook,” Drake commented and slurped the spaghetti. A splatter of sauce landed on his forehead. Another dot must have settled in his eye because he winced and wiped at it. “I’m glad you enjoyed it, but I’m not a great cook. This stuff is easy to make. When would you be leaving?” “The portal closes tomorrow evening, when the moon reaches its apex. We have to go before then. We have to do the ceremony tonight if you will allow it,” Drake responded. “Let me relax some, and then I’ll come down to get you. Since it’s the only way to save my life, and, well . . . I’d love to be between you two, then I’m okay with it. But you have to give me some time.” 64

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“We don’t have a lot of that, Elise. We don’t mean to pressure you.” Oran met her gaze. She nodded. “I know. And I won’t take a lot of it.”

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Chapter Nine Oran took Drake’s bowl and placed it in the washbasin where Elise had set hers. He glanced back toward his mate. Seeing Drake kissing and pleasuring Elise had stirred some jealousy in him, which he had never been confronted with before. He’d seen his mate with other women before, and it had never made him envious. But with Elise, he wanted her all for himself. Watching her straining face, with her muscles frozen in ecstasy before she came, had hardened his cock to the point he almost lost it. Once she invited him over, the jealousy had evaporated. All the world had faded away when his lips touched hers and he had caressed his mate. Having the three of them joined together had eased his soul. And then it was over too quickly. He worried that she would say no and not want to come with them. One of the biggest hurdles was getting Drake to believe that Elise was their third mate. Now that it had gotten through his head, it was easy for Drake to think about making a place for Elise in their lives. Oran had thought about what they would do back at home and how she would react to their world. It would be vastly different. Although, he was willing to sacrifice anything so she would have the comforts she needed. All she had to do was say yes. He was confident the union ceremony would go well. The venom would be spread between the two of them, and that would take the burden from her. Then he could heal her flesh. And if she did turn into a dragon, then it would make him even happier. He tried not to think about that option. If it was true, she could carry their children. He could see her belly round with a child. It wouldn’t matter if it was his or Drake’s. They would raise it together. He shook his head and sighed. Drake squeezed his shoulder. “Why are you suddenly troubled?” Oran forced a smile. “I’m not. I was just thinking about Elise coming back with us. We’ll have to make room for her. Not that we don’t have plenty of it. You might have to give up a few thousand feet from your library.” 66

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Drake scowled. “My library is not being touched. And we still don’t know if she’s coming back with us or not.” “She will.” Oran looked back at the machine he had watched the football game on. People were talking about the weather. He didn’t understand half of it, but then they flashed to an overhead view of a map, and he did understand that. A woman came on after that and warned of a massive storm that wouldn’t end until the next day. It was the size of the storm and the amount of rain that the region hadn’t seen in decades. He motioned toward the machine. “That’s because of the doorway, right?” “Yes. The storm will be violent and then dissipate at the moon’s peak, when the door closes. We have to be through it by then. We can take Elise, but it will be rough. You’ll probably have to heal her when we land. Best-case scenario is that she won’t die on the way through.” “Best-case scenario! We have to be sure that she survives the crossing. We don’t want her dead.” Drake put his hands up. “I know that, love, but I’m being realistic here. We were both struck by lightning while we flew into the clouds. We plummeted to Earth and woke up naked in our human forms. Think about what it would mean for us to venture into the doorway carrying her in human form. We don’t know what effect the venom has had on her system except that it has weakened her.” Oran hung his head and sighed. “I know. I’m just trying to look at this from all angles. We have to tell her the risks. But doesn’t it make you wonder why we both ended up here on her front lawn? You could’ve ended up anywhere in this reality, but you didn’t. The gods must have had a hand in this. They led us here so we could find her. Maybe they want us to take her back with us because she is the heir of the dragons who were trapped here. Maybe the venom has awoken her sleeping dragon.” “Even if the gods did, we don’t know their will. The theory she might carry our genes is only that, a theory. We don’t know for certain. There could be a logical explanation for her having the mark.” “I don’t think so. I believe there are other forces at work here. There has to be. If not, then this wouldn’t have all come together the way it has. We’ve 67

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dreamed about her. She’s dreamed about us. She senses that we’re connected, and finally so do you. I saw how you were with her.” “I can’t explain it. I want her the same way I desire you. It’s mindboggling. All of this is maddening. Why can’t it be straightforward?” Oran chuckled. “Drake, sometimes things just are. You still try to explain my healing power away, but you can’t. You’ve never found an explanation for it. It’s the same with Elise.” Drake shrugged. “I will figure out the answer to that someday. Who knows? First, we have to get her back there.” Oran grasped his shoulders. “It all has to mean something. Come on. Let’s wait for her to come downstairs and see what she says.” He pinched his mate’s ass and then sat down on the couch. He watched the moving pictures on the screen and wondered how in the world the people were there and yet not there either. There were many strange mysteries about her world he wasn’t able to follow very well. He longed to ask her so many questions. But those only came into his mind when he was away from her, because when he was close to Elise, his mind was awash in images of only her and him together. Oran loved her fabulous smell and the softness of her skin, the subtle beat of her heart that was slower than his. And then Drake had shown up, and his thoughts had turned to him, to trying to make him understand that she was their mate. Now that had been accomplished, all there was to do was get them back safely to their realm. From there they could pick up where they left off. It would be a wonderful thing. Drake kissed him and wrapped his arms around Oran. “It’ll all be okay. You know I overanalyze things. That was one reason I was ever so surprised we were to be mates. You were the renowned healer among our kind who made rash decisions, and then I was the court scholar who had to know every little detail before I even wrote it down.” “But you’ve bent over the years. Changed so you’re not so methodical.” Oran kissed him back. “And you’ve stopped to think about some of the decisions you’ve made before you’ve rushed in to heal others. Although, I was with you all the way on the helping the villagers near the volcano.” 68

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Oran nodded. “I was glad that you wanted to stop. Before I was called out that night, you were snoring away, and then you started groaning the way you do when you’re coming. I figured you might have been having a dream. I was going to wake you and see if you wanted to fool around a little bit. Tell me, were you dreaming about Elise these past few months? You never did give me a clear answer.” “I’ve been dreaming about someone. I didn’t think it was a woman, but now that I’ve met her, yeah, it was her. If this is a sign of the gods, then I wonder why she was born here. Why wasn’t she born into our reality?” “My love, that is the enigma that we may be trying to figure out for the rest of time.” Oran rested his head against Drake’s shoulder. They sat together until he heard the stairs creaking. When he looked toward the noise, he saw Elise had come down the stairs, but she was dressed in only a little bit of fabric that covered her lithe body. His jaw dropped. Drake looked over too. Oran got up slowly as she crossed the room. The subtle movement of the fabric rubbing against her flesh and the way she stirred the air with her scent made him hard. She was dressed in a black garment that stopped at midthigh and barely covered her breasts. No women in his world ever wore anything like that. Lace was pulled tight across her breasts, with the tops of her nipples showing. A hint of vanilla wafted off her and grew stronger the closer she came to him. Her lips turned into a smile when she saw him staring at her. “Like what you see?” she asked. Oran nodded. Drake tightened his grip on his arm. He glanced at his mate, who was breathing heavier than him. Pure desire that Oran saw only on rare occasions sparked in his eyes. Drake’s mind had gone blank, and Elise was his whole world. That happened at times when they were alone together and Drake stopped thinking. Elise must have also noticed the other man’s reaction. “What about you, Drake? I haven’t worn this in a while and didn’t know if it was too bold. I can go back and change into something not so revealing.” She bit her lip and ran her finger along the top of the lace. He shook his head. “N-No.” 69

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Elise walked a little closer and stood at the back of the sofa. “Are you sure?” “Quite.” “Okay.” She put her hands on her hips. “Do I need to do anything for this ceremony?” Oran was almost afraid to touch her she looked so beautiful. “No. Just let us worship you.” Elise held out her hands. Oran took one and twined his fingers with hers. Drake remained motionless until Elise beckoned him. Oran saw the hesitation in his eyes, but the yearning he fought against won out. He took her hand. When they were all connected, touching flesh to flesh, a current ran through him, and his dragon rumbled. His hunger for all of them to be together awoke, and his dreams were coming alive before him. He prayed the ceremony worked, that the venom would spread from her system, and it would unite them for all time.

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Chapter Ten Elise had contemplated what she was going to do. She would do anything to keep the men in her life. It might have only been two days, but whatever the bond was between them, she couldn’t have them away from her. They were part of her soul. Her thoughts turned toward the dreams she had. They stirred her passion. She had wanted nothing more than to have the both of them in her bed. It brought her back to the few minutes they had been together in the kitchen. It was all she wanted, to be with them as one. The thought of death wasn’t so bad. At least then her pain would be over. But if she did let them go, then she’d be haunted with the fact that she had sent them away and she would never be able to touch them again. Her heart had broken at that revelation. Nothing could keep her away. It was getting harder and harder to be away from Oran and Drake, almost painful. That was another thing she couldn’t understand. No man or men had ever made her feel the way that she did now. Leading them up to her room, her heart beat erratically. She prayed they couldn’t see how on edge she was. It was hard to concentrate on anything else but climbing the stairs, one foot at a time. The carpet pressed against her soles, but it didn’t tickle her. Her palms were sweaty. The wound in her shoulder had started to throb. Perspiration dotted her forehead, and yet the thrill of it all excited her more than anything she had ever experienced. When they got to her bedroom, Drake excused himself for a moment. Oran gave her a questioning look. “Are you okay?” “Yeah. You know, I do this every day. Have two naked men show up on my lawn.” She squeezed his fingers and drew in a calming breath. “Elise, you have nothing to worry about. You are our mate. This will only bring us closer.” He took her in his arms, and once her body was against his, her nerves calmed. Her heartbeat slowed. She buried her head in his chest and let him comfort her. His fingers ran down the length of her spine. She inhaled his scent and shut her eyes. The warmth of his skin brought her back to normal. 71

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All felt right, and she sensed that no matter what happened, everything would be okay. A shiver ran down her back that she couldn’t keep contained. “I know. It’s just kinda hard. I know I’ve said it before, but trying to wrap my head around all of this is mind-boggling. It freaks me out. I’m trying to keep it all together.” “Forget about it. Focus on how you feel now. Do you trust us?” he whispered into her ear. “Yes.” Oran breathed on her neck. His power shot through her. It spread all through her muscles and helped her to relax, but then he glided his lips along her jawline until his mouth was only centimeters from hers. Elise stared into his violet eyes and felt his heavy breaths push against hers. Those eyes sucked her in. His hands skated down her sides, sliding over the thin material. The temperature of his palms burned through the thin fabric of her nightgown. He was nervous too. She touched his cheek with a trembling hand. At that moment, she captured his lips. Another pair of hands trailed down her back. Soft lips touched her throat. Drake nipped at her shoulder blade and then moved her hair aside so he could do the same to the other side of her throat. “Starting without me. I see how it is. Oran always monopolizes the beautiful women and keeps them for himself,” Drake whispered in her ear. He placed his lips right under her ear, and the power that zinged within her was different than what Oran had saturated her with. It had a raw edge that burned her nerves and sent tingles straight between her legs. A gasp left her lips when she broke off the kiss with Oran. Drake wrapped his arms around her waist and clawed his fingers along the top of her thighs, riding up the material until his hand covered her sex. She arched her back when his thumb pressed upon her clit. Oran stayed close to her and took one of her hands and guided it to his cock. Elise rubbed him while Drake fondled her. She turned her head and sought Drake’s lips. He obliged her with a slow, hungry kiss, meeting her tongue and caressing it. He manipulated her faster until she writhed between the both of them. She clutched Oran’s shaft and let the pleasure of the orgasm wash over her. 72

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When she did, it seemed a spark of fire ignited behind her eyes. A deep cry broke from her throat, and her body was awash in bliss. Drake didn’t stop, but kept on stroking her. The sheer madness of it burned through her. “Please, fuck . . .” She gripped Drake’s hip and ground her ass on his dick. Oran’s hard cock jabbed her thigh. “Will you let us do that to you? Will you join with us and be our mate? To share our spirits and part of yourself?” Oran asked her. She stared into his violet eyes. “Yes.” Once she agreed to that, Drake stepped away and released her from the delightful torture. Elise was unsteady and nearly fell, but Oran caught her and carried her over to the bed. He laid her down gently and stripped. She glanced at Drake, who slipped off his pants as well. The tremors of the orgasm still plagued her. Seeing both of them naked stopped the breath in her throat. Drake lay down next to her. He slid the left strap of her nightgown down over her shoulder until her breast was exposed. His fingers trailed over the tops of her breast, and his thumb skimmed her nipple, hardening it even more. Oran did the same with the other strap, but planted kisses along her collarbone until he came to the wound on her shoulder. She felt the warmth of his healing power touch her once more. His hand cupped her breast, and his fingers tweaked her nipple, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger. She bit her lip from the tingles they both ignited inside of her. Her nerves were slowly sizzling. Elise felt like she would burn up between the two men, blazing in the fire of passion that they had ignited within her. “How does this work?” she asked. “We’ve already taken the first step, touching you and your willingness to be with us.” Drake kissed the top of her breast and trailed his tongue lower. Oran lifted her nightgown higher over her thigh. He then slid his fingers under the waistband of her panties. With a sharp tug, he ripped them from her body. A small gasp left her lips. “I rather liked those.” She smiled. A moment of panic flashed in his violet eyes before his wicked grin grew larger. “I do apologize, but those were in my way.” His fingers found her 73

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already wet depths and slid deep inside of her. Elise cried out and began to gyrate against his fingers pumping in and out of her. Meanwhile, Drake pinched her pebble-hard nipple and brought her hand to his cock. Elise wanted to pleasure both of them at the same time, but first she wanted a chance to explore both of their bodies. Oran was bringing her to orgasm again. Drake thrust his hips against her ass. She pumped his cock slowly. Being between them was better than she had ever imagined. Before she came, Oran pulled away from her. Even Drake released her. Both men breathed heavily. She took advantage of that and kissed Oran, running her hands over his chest and then pinching his nipples. The cry that came from him made her happy. She turned to Drake. “Scoot over.” She poked him in the ribs until he did. Elise straddled him and pulled the nightgown over her head. She threw it across the room, and it landed in her hamper. She walked her fingers over his chest, feeling the toned muscles underneath. Leaning over, she brushed her breasts against his pecs and slid against him. She planted her lips on his chest, trailed her tongue over his heart, and then ran into his patch of hair leading to his cock. She took his shaft between her lips. Drake groaned when she wrapped her tongue around his dick, working him slow and then fast. She tweaked his nipples and then felt the ridges in his muscles and clenched the side of his ass. While she drew him into her mouth, Oran settled behind her. He kissed her shoulders lightly. He spread her thighs wider. Elise focused on pleasuring Drake, swinging her tongue around the tip of his rod, tasting the saltiness of pre-come. Oran thrust into her and nipped her skin. Elise closed her eyes and contained the groan that threatened to come out. Drake moved his hips faster to the rhythm of her tongue until all three of them were moving in time with one another. Oran slid one hand around her and cupped her breast while the other grasped her hip and began to slow her down. She glanced up into Drake’s face and saw him straining. His stomach muscles quivered. She drew him into her mouth one more time, prolonging the suction, and tasted the warm release that she swallowed down. At the same moment, Oran pumped into her and hit her clit, driving her over the edge. She swallowed Drake’s essence 74

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and then moaned again, wiggling her ass when Oran dove into her one last time and came. After that, Oran collapsed on her back. She wrapped her arms around Drake’s neck and pulled herself up along his body to rest her head against his chest, where she could listen to his heart. His hand wound through her hair. Oran rubbed her back lightly. Her entire being hummed with the aftermath of their shared orgasm. When she listened to his heartbeat, she realized all three of theirs beat in unison. A contented sigh slipped from her lips. “You sound very happy.” Drake lifted her chin so she could see his face. “I am. Are you?” Elise asked. “Very,” Oran whispered in her ear. She giggled. “Was that the union ceremony that you had discussed? If so, I could do that again.” “It’s something like this, only a little more involved. This is just the precursor to it.” Oran rolled off her and then back on the bed. She settled back between them, letting their body heat keep her warm. “So what do we need to do now?” she asked. “It gets a little hotter from here on out.” Drake ran his fingers down her birthmark. It felt like he reached inside of her soul and made her tremble. Her whole body shook from the touch. “How hot is that?” Drake wrapped his leg around hers and pulled her closer to him. His hard cock rested against her ass. His lips pressed on the back of her neck. His hot breath passed over her skin, but it continued to crawl along her flesh, touching upon all of her erogenous zones. His leg held her in place when she began to writhe. Oran trailed his fingers over her arm and ignited her nerves. Something stirred inside of her that she’d never felt before. It was another consciousness that stretched inside of her muscles. The longer she focused upon it, the more it felt like something was awakening. It yawned. There was a flash of sharp teeth in her vision. The snap of the teeth was close to her and enough to make her jump from the reverie that she was in. Her eyes opened, and she clenched Oran’s arm. 75

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She saw the concern in his eyes. Drake passed another breath over her and wound deeper into her soul. It riled the other presence inside of her. She pressed her nails into Oran’s arms and cried out. “Drake, stop,” Oran whispered. “We can’t stop this now,” he growled. “You have to. For a moment.” Oran touched his arm. Elise buried her head into his chest and bit her lips from the pain that began to unwind inside of her. “What is it, Elise? Tell me.” He took her face between his hands. “Something inside of me. It hurts,” Elise screamed. She felt her bones and her muscles shifting around. The muscles in her back rippled. Drake swore under his breath. His fingers traced over the ripples. His touch soothed, and the consciousness inside of her calmed. “What do you see? Tell me about it?” Oran asked. Elise focused in more on the presence inside of her. It was larger than her, and yet it was contained inside of her. An image of sapphire-andcrimson scales came to her mind. Wide wings and a powerful creature trapped underneath her human flesh. “Scales and fangs.” Oran peered deep into her eyes. His power delved into her heart. “I knew it.” “What?” Drake and she asked at the same time. “You’re a dragon.” “You mean the venom turned her into a dragon,” Drake commented. “No, love. She is a dragon. Remember what we said about her having our genes?” “How is that possible?” Elise asked. Oran pulled away from her mind. “You said your mother had the same mark as you?” Elise nodded. “Yeah. It was a birthmark. She mentioned once that my grandmother had it too.” The presence inside of her roared for more attention. Drake touched her skin, and it reacted to him. Its pull toward Drake was stronger than it was 76

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with Oran. She wondered why. She didn’t want to leave Oran out of the two of them. “That means you can come back with us. You can transform and fly with us,” Drake said. “Don’t go that far. Even if I am a dragon, I don’t know how to let it out.” “We can help you with that. But with this new discovery, we have to finish the union ceremony. It’s only half begun. Will you let us finish it?” Oran asked. Elise didn’t want this to end. The discovery that she was a dragon was jarring. But it made sense with the way that things were going. She saw the need in Oran’s purple eyes and sensed the hope he had. She kissed him. “Let’s finish it. I want you both.” Oran wrapped his leg around her and over Drake’s as well, pulling her closer to him. Elise felt his cock against her thigh. He placed a hand on her cheek and then brushed his lips across her heart. Heat seared through her. Drake pressed his lips on her nape. His warmth joined Oran’s and spread throughout her body. She closed her eyes and tried to sink into the heat, into the fire, moving, burning up her veins. Behind her eyes, she saw flames spreading over her. The burning settled into her soul. When the two tongues of flame came together, they erupted in a bonfire that consumed all three of them. Drake slipped his cock inside of her and began to rock with her. She relaxed as the fire merged through her. Drake filled her from behind, pushing into her pussy until she was coming close to orgasm. The closer she got to falling over the precipice, the more the dragon inside of her stretched and made itself comfortable in her skin. Oran breathed over her again. The dragon opened its eyes. The fire converged over the heart of the beast. It answered the call and sent a jet of flame to combine with the other two. When that happened, something anchored inside of her. Two links, like silver lines, appeared in her vision. And then the pleasure of the orgasm enfolded her body, and she cried out once more. 77

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Elise opened her eyes and saw Oran’s face straining as he thrust along her thigh and came. Drake plunged into her once more. He tightened his grip on her and groaned. Her heart raced faster. The weight inside of her body was different than it had been before. “Are you okay?” Oran asked. “Yeah.” She draped her arms around Oran’s neck. “Did it work?” Drake turned her toward him. “Now you have a tail.” A moment of panic spread throughout her when she peered over her back and looked to see if she had a real tail. She didn’t see anything. She hit Drake on the arm. His mouth spread into a large smile. “Not a real one. A least not yet. It’s here.” He traced his finger over her shoulder blade. He kissed her neck and nipped at the flesh. Lightning lit the sky outside, and a clap of thunder crashed outside the house. Elise shivered. She was complete now. The love she felt for the two men was something she’d never assumed she would possess. Now that she did, she would do anything for them. “So what do we do now?” she asked. Oran wove his hands into her hair. “Now we spend the rest of the night celebrating.” “If we’re going to do that, then you guys need to let me up. I need a break.” “What if we don’t want to let you go?” Drake whispered. “Then you have to deal with me later,” she snapped back at him and felt her canine teeth were longer than they were before. She ran her tongue over them, and they were sharper. Oran and Drake let her up. When she got up, she teetered on her feet. They both caught her and fell back on the bed in a peal of laughter. They squeezed her tight and began to kiss her all over. Elise tried to fight the two men off, but after a second, she gave over to them and bathed in their love.

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Chapter Eleven Oran opened his eyes and saw the bed was empty. He listened and heard water running, with Drake’s laughter rising above the water along with Elise’s. The thought of joining them passed through his mind, but he decided to leave them be. He rose up from the bed and slipped his pants on. Thunder rumbled outside. He walked by the window. The hair rose on his arms. The static electricity in the air was heavy on his shoulders. When he focused on his dragon, it seemed trapped in his skin. It was near time for them to go. He could feel it. The sooner they left, the better. When he passed by the mirror, he saw that his mark had been extended. At the end of the point was another line, a tail. He sighed and looked at the world outside. A longing to be back in his bed washed over him. They were going to have to make some adjustments in their lifestyle. It would all be worth it. The more he thought about Elise, the more he could feel her inside of his mind the way he did with Drake. The water stopped in the other room. He walked out of the bedroom and noticed the bathroom door was open. He poked his head in. Drake was drying Elise off and touching her. A pang of jealousy slipped through him, but he didn’t dwell on it. “Want to join us?” Drake asked. “No. I’ll get cleaned up when you’re done. Drake, do you have a moment?” Elise kissed his mate deeply and then walked by him. When she did, he saw the same marks on her shoulder he had on his. The union ceremony had worked. He stepped into the bathroom, feeling the hot water vapor cling his skin. Drake beamed while he toweled his hair dry. “What is it?” “We have to leave,” Oran commented. “I know. I’ve been talking to Elise about it while you were sleeping. She’s agreed to go with us. I explained the journey would be hard.” His eyes widened with surprise. He didn’t think it would be that easy to get Elise to go with them. “What changed her mind?” 79

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“She woke up with me and said that she couldn’t live without us. I told her we had to leave soon. She had some stuff she wanted to bring with her. Now get cleaned up and come downstairs.” Drake threw him the towel and pinched his ass. Oran jumped and turned on the hot water. While he washed up, the knowledge she was returning with them overjoyed him. He finished with the water and then went downstairs. Elise was in the kitchen, humming while she washed the dishes from the night before. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her toward him. She fit his body perfectly, and he could sense the change in her. When he saw her shoulder, the bite wound had completely disappeared, so he knew the venom was no longer in her system. He had surmised the union ceremony had awoken the dragon in her, and now she knew who she truly was. Elise ran her hands over his arms. “Hey, handsome.” “Drake said you agreed to go with us. No arguments. Is that true?” “Yeah. After a little more celebrating, I fell asleep and had a dream. I found myself standing before this magnificent dragon. We talked about a lot of things, but it seemed I was talking to myself too. She told me I didn’t belong here, that we were descended from a long line of dragons. We had to go back with you because, if we stayed, then we would never know one another and that I would lose you. When I woke up, I saw the world with new eyes.” She turned in his arms and took his face between her hands. “I love you both, and I can’t give you up. Drake told me the crossing would be dangerous. I’m up for that. I was going to pack a bag to take with me.” Oran kissed her, noticing she tasted different, smokier with that vanilla hint he had tasted when he first kissed her. “Good. The energy of the gateway is closing. We need to leave once you are ready.” She worked her way out of his arms. “Okay. Give me an hour.” He glanced at Drake, who nodded at him. He knew it was time for them to go. An hour later, they met in the backyard. Elise had a large pack strapped to her back and another she carried. He had asked her to hold on to his 80

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pouch with the herbs and crystals in it. Drake and he both stood naked with the rain falling around them. The yapping dog next door was outside, and the light was on. He sensed the old woman watching them. It had been agreed that Drake would carry Elise because she was too unsure of herself to try to shift. He didn’t blame her. “It’s time, dearest.” Elise blinked and looked at him with tears in her eyes. His heart lurched seeing her so sad. “I know. It’s just harder than I thought.” “All will be well.” He hugged her and then backed away. Already the dragon was moving into his body. His skin was becoming scaly. He cracked his neck and felt his other bones snapping. He dropped to all fours. His face pushed forward, and the tendons in his legs stretched. His shoulder blades popped and widened. Wings sprouted from his flesh. A loud roar bellowed from his throat when the full weight of the dragon settled into his shape and bones. When he opened his eyes, Elise had a wide smile on her face. She ran her hand over his snout, and he shivered. Drake had also changed. He flicked his tail and let it hit his mate’s haunches. Drake snorted fire at him. Oran laughed. He tensed his wings and was about to take off when he heard the annoying dog coming at him. He swung his head around and faced the dog. It growled at him, but he growled right back. The animal ran back into its yard, yelping. He chuckled and then lifted off the ground. It felt good to stretch his wings, but the air around them was heavier than before. The rain didn’t bother him. It was the dark, looming clouds above them. Once he reached them, he glanced behind and saw Drake clutching Elise to his chest, wrapped gently in his talons. He kept on pumping his wings and flew deeper into the tempest. The wind began to blow him around. Thunder boomed and lightning bounced in the gray clouds. The atmosphere was harder on his scales. He kept his focus and flew toward the denser energy. This time he could see the vortex of clouds. He shut his eyes and flew straight into the eye of the storm. When he did, the air began to crush him, and lightning struck all around him. He tried to fight the jolts of pain, but 81

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after another hit on his wing and nose, he began to fall, and darkness descended. When he opened his eyes again, the sun warmed his flesh. Everything about him hurt, but he was alive. The first thought that entered his mind was Elise. He got up slowly and gazed around. Oran had landed close to their cave. The valley was pristine, and the lake glistened in the sunlight. Panic coursed through him when he didn’t see Elise or Drake. “Drake. Elise!” he called out. He listened and heard laughing and splashing. Oran raced toward the sounds near the other side of the lake and saw Drake and Elise in the water. Her clothes were on top of her bags. A grin spread on his face. Drake held her around the waist and pulled her beneath the water with him. They came up sputtering and giggling. “What are you doing?” he called. “Why didn’t you come and get me?” “You were out cold, but I knew that you’d be fine. Come on in.” Drake beckoned him. Oran took the scene in and then walked into the water. Once he did, Elise jumped into his arms. His cock stirred, and the stiffness and hurt in him faded away. Drake came up behind him and slipped his hand around his dick. He kissed his neck lightly. His inner dragon let out a contented sigh. This was how it was all meant to be. They were all together, and nothing would drive them apart. The End

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TuÉâà à{x Tâà{ÉÜ Crymsyn Hart is the author of over thirty books. Each world is filled with luscious vampires, gorgeous gods, quirky witches, and everything else that goes bump in the night. Crymsyn worked as a psychic for many years in Boston while attending Emerson College. She graduated with a BFA in Writing, Literature, & Publishing. Crymsyn shares her life with a small zoo, two playful puppies, and her hubby Mark. If you come after dark, you’re more than likely to find her snuggled up with a gory horror movie or a bloody vampire movie. Crymsyn has a collection of Living Dead Dolls and five bookshelves overflowing with books. Of course there’s always room for more.