“But you don’t know that for sure.” Rage flared on Beau’s face. “For once in your life, Jace, use some caution.”
Jace froze. Beau was his bonded male mate, and he grew stronger every day. He loved Beau so much, and deep at heart he completely understood Beau’s dilemma. In a perfect world, Beau would be an alpha too. He deserved it. Beau was all heart, smart, and a loving and protective companion to any dragon lucky enough to have him. But their world was shrinking. They were so few in number, and fate had chosen him to be the leader of the pack. The newly risen crown of dragon spikes on his neck and head crest when he transformed proved that point beyond doubt. “Be careful, Beau. Don’t argue with me. Do you think I would deliberately harm Devon?”
“Jace, all I’m saying is we’re in unknown territory here. Devon’s human and delicate. Exposing her to dragon sap could—”
The confrontation was getting to him. On a regular day, none of this would have escalated, but in the extreme agitation of mating season, Beau was pouring gasoline on a lit match. His blood was on fire and his temper built to hurricane force. Unable to control himself, he roughly shoved Beau away from Devon. “I’ll decide Devon’s treatment, and I’ll fly her to the hospital if I have to.”
Beau fell backward. His eyes widened in alarm and then appeared wounded by the harsh gesture. “That was unnecessary! Now you’re acting like a bully.”
“I’m sorry.” As unfair as it was, nature had chosen him as the alpha, along with all the problems and crushing responsibilities it carried. In recent weeks, his body and personality were being reforged by a brutal internal dragon fire that often left him sounding and acting like a jerk. “I didn’t mean to do that. I’m just so—”
“What is going on with you guys?” Devon sat unassisted, clutching the back of her head. “Stop arguing. We need to get the fuck out of here!”
“Be careful!” Beau was quick to put his arms around Devon to protect her from standing too fast.
“We can’t just stay in the open!” She tried to wriggle free of Beau’s grasp. Looking to Jace, she waited for an answer he was unwilling to offer. “If those monsters come back, how are we going to defend ourselves?”
Beau spoke calmly. “Let’s make sure you’re okay first, and then we’ll answer questions.” He waved a hand in front of her eyes. “Follow my finger.”
“I don’t want to stare at your finger.” Pushing Beau’s hand away, Devon sounded annoyed. She attempted to stand, and when she did, she looked at both of them in utter confusion. Her face flushed pink. “Holy crap. Why are you both naked?”
Leaping to his feet, Beau grabbed Devon’s elbow to steady her. “Go slow. I don’t want you to fall again.”
Damn him, Beau always knew how to step in and do the right thing. Introducing Devon to the world of Marduko dragons was his job. He quickly moved to Devon’s side and wrapped his arm around her waist. “I have you. How do you feel?” He shot Beau a meaningful look. “I got her.”
Beau reluctantly let go of Devon’s elbow. He strode toward the waterfall. “Maybe I’ll gather enough dragon tree leaves for later.”
Jace called after Beau, “Pick mature leaves closest to the nest.” Why did he say that? What did he know about dragon vine and leaves? Nothing. It must be a vestige of his Marduko ancestral memory. It had been bursting through and surprising him for weeks, but the images were often faint and unreliable.
But not today.
Beau glanced over his shoulder. “How many?”
He had no idea and was winging this. There were no older dragons in his life to watch and learn from. Any Marduko information that came his way was purely instinctual and rose to the surface on its own schedule. There had to be a better way. He couldn’t afford to screw this up. A moment passed. He was about to say something vague, like get a bunch, when something surprising happened. Images and knowledge poured into his thoughts. At first it was a chaotic jumble, but the visuals steadily sorted and reordered themselves. His mind filled with vast amounts of dragon lore, medicinal plants, care of an injured partner, food sources, and even aerial battle skills. It was overwhelming, and everything an alpha needed to know to protect his family.
“Pick three dozen!” Jace shouted over the roar of the falls. “The Draca quartz in the stone enhances the healing properties. That mixed with the dragon tree sap will double the healing process. It won’t harm Devon and will actually help her. We don’t have to worry.”
Beau turned. “You sound pretty damn sure about that.”
“I am!” His voice boomed. Finally, a breakthrough! Maybe he was a true alpha after all?
A faint smile crossed Beau’s lips. “Good.” He turned and swam across the pool and under the spray of the falls. Emerging on the far side, he deftly climbed the tangled ladder of roots until he disappeared in the mist.
Devon stared at Jace. “Draca quartz? I wish I knew what the hell was going on. Neither of you were scheduled for this trip. Just tell me what you’re doing here so I don’t feel crazy. Do you understand why I’m confused?”
He kissed her forehead. It was his responsibility to calm her down and make her feel safe. Could he do it? “Devon, listen to me. You are in no danger from monsters. I know what you’re talking about, and you’re not crazy. You are perfectly safe with me and Beau.”
“I wish I could believe that.” Devon gaze darted around the falls. “I’d feel better hiding beneath an outcropping, or locked inside a Humvee with a machine gun mounted on the roof. How did you get here? Do you have a vehicle?”
Should he tell her the truth and watch her faint again? No, that would be stupid. He’d have to ease her toward the truth. “We have a way to leave this place, and we can talk about that after we treat the wound on your scalp.” Jace stood next to her, awkwardly shielding himself with his hand. It was torture to be that close to Devon and want to hold her. This is so embarrassing. Where did I leave my pants? She still seemed dazed. He wasn’t sure if it was the hit on the head, or shock from seeing them in dragon form, or all of the above. “You okay?”
Devon rubbed her head. “I’m more concerned about those creatures coming back.” She paused. “Why are you and Beau here?”
What could he say that wouldn’t cause panic? He’d already blown it once; he couldn’t risk a second mistake. It would be better to wait until Beau returned. This really was something they needed to do together. “Let’s talk about that after we patch you up.”
“We shouldn’t be standing out in the open.” She nervously glanced over her shoulder. “Please don’t think I’m crazy, but I swear I saw two dragons at the top of the falls. Big guys too, with massive wingspans, crushing jaws, spiked tails…. Horrible.”
The sheer panic in her voice matched the expression on her face. Pure fear.
How should he answer her? Was it time for the complete truth? Could she handle it? He’d certainly bungled Devon’s introduction to the wild world of Marduko dragons.
“We’re safe.” Jace decided that once she felt better, he and Beau would sit down and talk to her. Beau could calm anyone with his gentle voice. They’d explain all the details. This was a delicate situation, and he didn’t want to blow it by scaring her again or overcomplicating it. “We’re all here and accounted for. If there were a threat, wouldn’t we know it by now?”
“Not all of us are accounted for.” Devon’s voice squeaked higher. “Where’s Kibo? My driver’s missing. For all we know he’s become some creature’s afternoon snack.”
Beau returned with an armful of large heart-shaped leaves. “I got ’em.” He was out of breath, and nodded toward a pile of clothing cast aside on a rock. “Dude, why don’t you put on some pants?”
So the pants were sitting within easy reach the whole time. Jace shrugged and picked them off the ground.
Beau set the leaves on a rock then reached for his boxer shorts, stepped into them, and pulled them to his hips. He stopped to stare at his hands. “Those leaves made my fingertips tingle. I feel weird.�
�
Devon watched everything with a shocked expression. “We have more than leaves to worry about. My guide is gone, along with the Jeep we drove here in. We’re a long way from the Maasai camp. Too far to walk unarmed through open bush. Please tell me you drove here in a Jeep and you know what you’re doing, or else I’ll have to tell you we are up shit creek without a boat or a paddle! It’s going to be nightfall soon. Do you know what’s stalking around out there in the bush?”
He wanted to avoid answering Devon’s questions for as long as possible. “Even if it’s small, your head wound needs to be treated.” He snatched a large dragon tree leaf the size of a dinner plate from the pile and began to crush the plant between his thumbs until a purple sap oozed forth.
“That stuff looks wicked.” Distrust crept into Devon’s voice. “Are you sure that’s not poisonous? I don’t think I want that stuff rubbed on me.”
Jace smiled and hoped he was instilling confidence. “Honey, we have to clean the cut and this is our best option.”
“Do you even know what this junk is?” Devon watched Jace’s every action like a hawk. “What were you doing out here naked? Where’s your vehicle? Your nonanswers are hanging pretty heavy in the air.”
“I saw a waterfall, and I wanted to swim.” Jace collected a fair amount of gel-like sap on his fingertips and reached toward Devon’s scalp. “Let’s discuss how we got here later. First I want to make sure you’re okay. Please lean forward.” Damn, this was not the way he wanted things to go. Why couldn’t it be simpler? In his dreams they’d appear in all their ancient dragon glory, she’d be awed to see them and beg to mingle heart, home, and DNA with them, and they’d all live happily ever after. Ha.
“That kind of happy ending only happens in children’s books,” Beau said with a huff.
“What only happens in children’s books?” Devon and Jace asked in unison.
Jace stilled. Was he reading my mind?
“Nothing,” Beau mumbled.
Jace’s gaze narrowed. Sneaky son of a bitch. He did read my mind. The thoughts were too specific to be merely an emotional link. Could the old tales be true that dragon leaf boosted telepathic communication between users? It was said that when the Marduko first arrived on the African plain, they brought the seeds of this plant from Draca and used the sap from its leaves to communicate with their new human mates. Jace wondered how much of the plant Beau had already consumed.
“Not much, just a taste from my fingertips.” Beau gazed at him defiantly.
Damn him, I wish he’d waited.
“Why? What does it matter?” Beau squared his shoulders. “The moment the sap enters Devon’s bloodstream, she’ll feel its effects too. Everyone’s mind will be an open door. You didn’t consider that, did you, Jace?”
“What will I feel from this sap?” Devon glanced suspiciously at Beau.
Jace dabbed the dragon leaf sap onto Devon’s cut. There was no doubt in his mind that it would help on the physical level. “Look, the wound is already closing. It’s almost healing in front of my eyes.”
“Wow,” Devon muttered. “The pain’s gone. This stuff’s amazing.” She glanced around. “Where do you think Kibo went? I hope he’s okay. Those creatures looked like they could do some damage.”
Thank God the cut wasn’t severe. What would’ve happened if they’d had to shift to dragon form and fly Devon to help as quickly as possible? That would have been a difficult conversation, and with Devon’s fear of heights, how would he ever convince her to ride on his back?
“What’s going on?” Devon lurched away from Jace. “I didn’t quite get all of that thought, but I overheard enough to worry me.” A look of confused horror crossed her face. “Fly on your back? Are you mad? What the hell are you talking about?”
“See? I warned you she wasn’t prepared.” Beau knelt behind Devon and examined the cut. He affectionately stroked the top of her shoulder. “Devon, I know things seem strange right now, but it’s going to be all right. I promise.” He smoothed her hair with his palms until it shone like ebony.
Jace closed his eyes and savored the moment. After much planning and doubt and even a botched start, the three of them were finally united. The quiet but persistent voice of the ancient Marduko ancestors insisted it was time to make their union complete.
Devon rubbed her head. “This is odd. Either I can clearly read your thoughts, or I’m hallucinating that I can. Is the sap doing this?”
“Yes,” Beau answered. “The sap has special properties. It can amplify an existing link between willing partners, or build a temporary bridge of communication with new ones.”
“How clearly can you read my thoughts?” Jace asked cautiously. He tensed as images of him and Beau fucking Devon in every position possible tumbled uncensored through his mind. He’d been dreaming of this day for months and couldn’t stop the flood of images that raced through his mind.
Devon glanced at Jace’s face. “I caught that last thought. I think it’s time to be honest with me and tell me what the hell is going on.”
Where should he start? Another poor choice could send her reeling. “Devon, I want you to know you’re special to both Beau and me. This is special. We’re a different kind of deal with our own rules and boundaries. I hope this will work for you. We’ll try to be respectful of the fact that this is all new.”
Devon’s eyes widened. “Jace, you’re scaring me.”
“I’m scared too.” Jace smiled and tried to relax. “We’ve waited so long for this and always hoped you’d say yes. I think this is the right time and the right place to start our adventure. Everything up until now was just testing the waters.”
Beau lowered his face and brushed a kiss against Devon’s nape. “We’ll help you to understand, and we’ll start slowly.”
Devon lowered her gaze. “I lied when I said I didn’t want to get involved with coworkers.”
Those were the most beautiful words in the world. “That’s what I’ve been hoping to hear.” He’d been the mastermind behind the whole scheme to get Devon to travel to Africa. The personal expense had been huge, but if it paid off as he hoped it would, it would bring a lifetime of happiness for all three. “I think it’s a good thing we’re far away from our day-to-day lives. This has nothing to do with anything you’re used to.” Moving closer, he brushed his fingertips against her face and lifted her chin. Devon had the most heart-melting, innocent eyes. They took his breath every time he looked at her. “Can you trust us and relax, and see what happens?”
7
Gunfire blasted into the air.
Devon’s attention had been floating but instantly snapped to the present. “What was that?” She leaped away from Jace with her pulse racing.
“Miz!” a man shouted from the thick brush, then fired round after round of bullets into the misty air. “Miz, where are you? Come out!” He paced the edge of the pool. “We return to camp. Kibo sorry!”
She started to answer, but Jace covered her mouth with his hand and shook his head with a stern expression on his face.
How dare he? Anger coursed through her. Kibo was her guide and he had a right to know she was safe. She swatted his hand away. “What the hell is going on?” she hissed.
Jace shook his head and held a silencing finger to his lips.
“Miz Day-voon, where are you?” Kibo called out as he fired another shot into the air. “Come with me, miz, and we’ll leave now!” He sounded terrified. “This place no good.” He fired again. “Miz!”
Now she was livid. “That’s my guide,” she mouthed.
“I know.” Jace quickly herded Devon behind a thick copse of trees and motioned for Beau to follow.
“Gather all the clothing and Devon’s camera gear and bundle it together.” Jace’s expression was deathly somber as he addressed Beau, and that worried her. “We can’t allow the guide to see us together, not after what happened earlier.”
Something was terribly off and she didn’t like it. “What happened to Kibo
earlier?”
Jace blatantly ignored Devon’s question. He placed his palm on Beau’s shoulder. “It’s not ideal, but we have to do it. Stay at mist level until we’re out of firing range. The mist will cloak us.” He paused. “I’ll take Devon.”
Her gaze darted between them. This cryptic talk was unsettling. Were the guys involved in illegal activities? Poaching? Drugs? Diamonds? Did she really want to know? “Take me where? I’m tired of the secrets. Tell me what you’re up to.”
“Not now.” Beau darted toward the brush. “I’ll try to distract him.”
“Beau, don’t!” Jace brought him to a halt. “We stay together and stay safe. It will be sundown soon. Most of the mountain will be in shadow. Let’s go.” He covered Devon’s eyes with a hand and muttered a few words below his breath, then waved his palm in front of her face. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I promise I will only do this once.”
“Do what?” Devon swayed precariously on rubbery legs and instantly crumpled, unconscious, into Jace’s waiting arms.
Beau stared in astonishment at Devon’s slumbering face and rag doll—limp body. The swoop spell worked like gangbusters, but was it safe? As a beta, he’d never used one and likely never would. “Did you just do what I think you did? Goddammit, Jace, you’re so rash.”
“I had to put a good, old-fashioned swoop spell on Devon,” Jace muttered. “Just like our great-great-great-grandfathers used to do. It’s for the best. This way she won’t have to see where we’re going.”
He had to admit, Jace was likely right, but it bothered him that a mate’s personal boundaries were not always the first thing on Jace’s list. With all his heart he wanted Jace to succeed as their alpha and form a mated trio with Devon, but they had their differences of opinion. “I guess it’s a good idea, but don’t you think it would have been better to warn her? She has a right to know. Devon is going to be pissed when she wakes up.”
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