A Dragon's Heart (7 page)

A
couple days later
, Perry was finding it hard to keep his mind on their work with their secretary around.

She was much more than a secretary now, and he didn’t know exactly how to handle it. Tor had responded by giving fully into his feelings with the knowledge it was going to hurt like shit in the end.

Perry didn’t know exactly
what
to do. Even when he was planning the next move in helping in the case against Felding or Domingo, he couldn’t think straight. When they had to go out to track down and end a rogue shifter or bring one in for interrogation, as they had today, he kept finding himself distracted. By her big brown eyes questioning him silently on why they couldn’t be together even though they got along so well.

They had just gotten back from a mission, and Tor was downstairs “talking” to a wolf to extract information that might help them with any remaining loyal to Felding, so Perry took advantage of the relative silence to walk down to Lexie’s office, just to see her.

He would just make sure everything was okay. That was his excuse anyway. He knocked on the door, and when she called for him to open it, he did, peeking around the door before walking in.

As usual, the sight of her disturbed him in ways it shouldn’t. He should have better control than this. Instead, he found himself wanting to take her again.

He shook his head and sat in a chair in front of the desk, slinging his long legs over the side and resting his hands behind his head.

She looked up at him a moment, a secretive smile on her face, and then looked back to her computer, clicking here and there and then typing something he couldn’t see.

Watching her there, totally at home in their home, not intimidated at all by their presence, he wondered if this whole situation would have happened with any female they brought into their confidence and lives or if there was something uniquely her that made them both fall for her.

Maybe they were just lonely and eager to bond. Maybe their dragons were bored. Or maybe, as he suspected, it really was her. The way she worked hard, never doubted them, studied their world and was genuinely interested in it, and trusted them without asking anything in return.

The way she was beautiful in a quiet way that shone more to them every day as she revealed her personality and learned to hold her own, even against Tor.

Maybe it was the way she’d spent the days since their lovemaking helping them find a mate, even though he’d seen inside her head she was falling in love with them.

He couldn’t understand it. She wasn’t dragon-hearted, but she had to be fairly selfless.

“Any new options?” he asked.

“I don’t think so,” she said. “You might want to widen it up and ask the rest of the tigers. I get the feeling other things are distracting Jace right now, try as he might to get this done for you.”

Perry cocked his head. “I don’t know what you mean.”

She just shrugged her shoulders. “Family stuff.”

Perry didn’t want to think about that. It made him think about their own impending mate-dom, which if he were honest, he wasn’t particularly looking forward to. In his dark, stupid moments, he felt like Tor did. That maybe they should test fate and stay with Lexie. He could picture a pleasant future for the three of them, if only the rest of the world would stay outside.

If only it wasn’t their duty to keep so many safe.

“You’re quiet over there,” she said. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking you’re something else,” he said. “Sleeping with us and then helping us find another woman to mate with.”

“Tor told me a little about the importance of it,” she said.

“What did he say?” Perry asked, sitting up a little straighter. Dammit, if Tor had—

“Nothing much. Just that you need to find the right mate in order to have a third power. And he told me about the dragon powers, which I already knew a little about.” She waved a hand. “Not that much. But enough that I know there are people counting on me. Besides, I promised you and Tor I could do this.”

Perry nodded. “We appreciate it.” But did he? He knew her suggestion to involve all the tigers was a good one, but he would wait another couple weeks. For some reason, the rush to find another woman just seemed far away.

He knew he was being a bit stupid, but considering the sacrifice he would have to make in the future, he figured he and Tor were owed a bit of a delay if they wanted one.

“Want to come eat lunch with me?” he asked. “Tor is busy.”

She cocked her head at him and put a hand over her stomach. He loved her shape, loved especially the rounded hips and stomach that were so feminine and nice to touch. “I guess so. I’m not that hungry, but I will be.”

“Good,” he said, reaching out a hand and leading her around the desk. “I already put two sandwiches in the fridge for us earlier.”

“Ah, so you planned to see me?”

“I plan everything,” he said. What he didn’t say was sometimes he planned things earlier than later, and sometimes he planned things as he went. Still, when he’d made the sandwiches that morning, he’d hoped to find an excuse to share them with Lexie.

He had something he wanted to ask her.

When they were in the spacious kitchen, seated at the table with a large bay window in front of them, overlooking the grounds, and Lexie was quietly chewing and once again looking so right in their house no matter where she was, he decided the time was right.

“Lexie, I didn’t just come to enjoy your company. There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

“I figured,” she said with a nod. “You looked nervous.”

“I…” He scratched his head. How to bring this up without sounding like a jerk who wanted her to decide one way or the other? Really, he just wanted to give her the choice. “We’ve talked about you leaving and losing your memory. But I just thought I’d let you know there’s another option.”

She looked up at him, hope shining in her eyes that it would kill him to take away from her. He should have phrased it differently.

“Not what you think,” he said. “No, it’s just that if you want to, after we take a mate, if you still want to stay on as secretary, rather than getting your mind wiped…”

Her eyes widened, and there was a sad expression on her face as she took in what he was offering. “You mean stay in the same house with your mate? Watch you be with another woman?”

He clutched the mug in front of him until it cracked. “You’re right. It was stupid. No one would choose that.” He shook his head sadly. “It’s unfair to you.”

“Yeah,” she said. “I don’t think I could do it. As much as I’ll miss you.” She grinned ruefully. “Well, I guess I won’t, will I? Because I won’t remember you.” She looked out the window with a vague expression on her face, and he stared at his mug, which now had a line running down the smooth ceramic.

It was his favorite mug, too.

“I understand,” he said. “I don’t even know why I offered, except I believe in everyone knowing their options.”

She turned to him, dark curls escaping from her bun, and then reached out to touch his jaw and pull him closer. She leaned over the table and pressed a kiss to his cheek. It was the most tender, warm thing he’d ever experienced, and for a moment, all of his logic seemed to fly out the window.

His silver hair rose around him with the power of his thoughts about their future, about a life without her.

He knew why he’d made the offer to her, though he knew it was futile. He didn’t want to lose her. That would be painful.

But he didn’t blame her, as they finished lunch and chatted about their day and her plans for when she got back to her world.

He rather thought that when this was over, he’d wish he could forget as well.

T
hat night
, Lexie brushed out her hair and then wound it up on top of her head while sitting in front of the mirror. She was wearing silky pajamas the dragons had ordered in at her request, which she enjoyed sleeping in, with a soft robe over the top.

And she was thinking about going up to their bedroom.

The first experience with the dragons had been totally overwhelming, and since none of them had discussed whether they were doing it again, she’d been waiting to see if Tor would bring it up.

But he’d been a complete gentleman and so had Perry, and she had been hard at work trying to help Jace figure out how to help them.

And keeping herself distracted from wanting them to take her again. She knew each time they came together, they were risking getting more closely bonded. But then again, she would be able to forget it anyway, wouldn’t she?

She took a deep breath and let it out as she stared at the mirror. Tor and Perry were under the same roof. Just a staircase away. Were they still up? Were they thinking of her? Did their night together keep them awake sleepless night after night, as it did her?

She’d enjoyed the past few days together. Talking to Tor and Perry about various things, including what she planned to do when she got out of here. She planned to write a letter to herself so even if she forgot it all, she would have somewhere to start. She wasn’t going to temp anymore. No, that was too dangerous given what had already happened. The dragons had been paying her liberally and she planned to go enroll in school somewhere. In what, she didn’t know. She figured she’d pick a few subjects and start there.

She’d have a better start at life thanks to them. She’d grown up in the foster system and never really had roots of her own. 

After this, she would try and make some.

She stood, trying to convince herself to just go to bed, but the ache in her body, the want for the dragons, wasn’t something she could ignore anymore.

Not knowing exactly what she was doing or why she was doing it, she left her room, shut the door quietly behind her, and started up the steps, trailing her robe as she went.

She was nearly to the top of the steps when the door swung open, Tor behind it, shirtless under a robe with low-slung pajama pants underneath. His brown hair was mussed. It’d been getting slightly longer since she’d first met him, and there was just enough to put her hands in.

Perry came into view behind him, and they both waited in silence as she walked up the stairs.

“Can I come in?” she asked.

They both nodded, moving aside to let her. When she got inside, she perched on the edge of the bed, and they shut the door behind her. Perry took the chair at the desk in front of the bed and Tor simply stood with folded arms.

“I just thought… maybe we could pick up where we left off,” she said.

Tor looked to Perry and the two shared silent communication. She’d been with them long enough to know when it was happening. She wanted more than anything to be inside their heads, be privy to what they were saying and thinking about her. But it wasn’t possible.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Tor said, rubbing the back of his neck as Perry relaxed in his chair in his silver satin pajamas, like his hair. 

Perry nodded. “Once was enough. We’re already bonded more than we thought. That’s what we were thinking to each other just now when you couldn’t hear us.”

“I’m going to forget all of this,” she said, looking between them. “And if that’s the case, then I want to experience everything I can. I want to have both of you.”

Perry shook his head. “Both of us at the same time?” he folded his arms. “If we are both inside you, that completes one part of the mating ceremony.”

She felt blood rush to her face at the thought of it, being filled completely with two such amazing men. Was it even possible?

“Oh, trust me,” Perry said wryly. “It’s possible.”

“I guess not both, then, at the same time,” she said. Since she couldn’t. “But I’d at least like to have each of you once. I’d like to be together with Tor.”

Perry’s face was impassive, but despite his disapproval, she wouldn’t give up her moments with him inside her for anything. And she couldn’t deny how much she wanted the same with Tor.

Even if she forgot them after this, even if it was over, she couldn’t help feeling she might never be in love with anyone else. She might as well make sure and make love to the men she loved while she could. Even if she didn’t remember it, she liked to think her heart would be satisfied.

“Dammit,” Tor said, walking forward and lifting her hair in his hand gently. “How am I supposed to say no to you when you think such romantic things?”

Perry let out an inelegant snort. “I’m going to miss hearing all the mush between you two.”

Tor turned to his partner. “Per? What do you think?” He turned back to look over her, raking her with a hungry gaze. “I want her. I know it’ll hurt, but I want her for now. But you’re my partner. I have to have your agreement.”

“I’ll help you,” Perry said, standing slowly and walking over to the bed. “Apparently, I’m as big a fool as you are, because I too find it impossible to say no.”

With the two dragons before her, both immensely tall, one beautiful with silver hair and eyes and a knowing look, one broad and masculine with honesty written on every part of him, she felt too lucky for it to be real.

Perry leaned forward, tilting up her chin. His breath was so close, lighting her up, heating her from head to toe. “Oh, we’re real, sweetheart.” He stepped back, folded his arms, and let Tor step forward. “And now my partner’s going to take real good care of you. And I’m going to sit back and enjoy every gasp.”

She looked at him in confusion just as she felt herself magically lifted into the air off of her feet and pushed gently backward until she was directly over the bed, where she was slowly lowered until she landed on the plush sheets she could still recall from the other night.

Without hesitation, Tor followed her onto the bed, throwing off his robe and crawling on top of her until she was completely surrounded by his bulging muscles and masculine, musky scent. Behind him, Lexie could see Perry sitting back in his leather desk chair, folding his hands and watching with his intense, silver gaze.

Lexie just braced herself for whatever was going to happen in the whirlwind that was making love with dragons.