Just thinking of his mother made his heart ache. If she were here, she could help quell Devon’s anxiety. “My mother is not a dragon. She’s 100 percent human, like you.”
With his head bowed, Beau spoke quietly. “My mother is human too. Scottish, actually, and very proud of it.”
“That’s nice.” Devon burst into nervous laughter. “I may not be 100 percent human. Some nutty witch in Salem told me my ancestor was Merlin the magician! But then again, maybe she’s not such a wacko, because she also predicted some of this crazy crap.”
Finally, he could just outright ask what happened in Salem without raising suspicion. “What crazy stuff did she tell you?”
“That I’d be loved by two men from an ancient race and that I would meet my destiny in Africa.”
Jace was greatly heartened. “She said all that?”
“She also claimed she was Cassandra, the prophetess from Greek mythology, and she gave me the odd stone you two were so interested in.”
Jace could hardly hold back a smile. He glanced at Beau, wondering how much of his thoughts he was clearly picking up on. “So, witches of the ancient world have intervened in our favor. Who knew? Maybe we still have a fighting chance.”
Looking defiant, Devon cocked her head. “Do you know Cassandra? By the way, she goes by Witch Casey now.”
He shook his head. “I’ve never met the lady, but the Marduko and the witch community have long-standing ties. Throughout the generations we sort of had an ‘I’ll scratch your back if I can fly on yours’ policy.” Now things were getting interesting. No wonder he felt drawn to her; Devon had the blood of an enchanted being flowing through her veins, and it called to him on the deepest level. “Did you say you were related to Merlin of the Pendragon clan?”
She rolled her eyes. “Witch Casey said that. Who knows if it’s true?”
Jace knelt to Devon’s level and looked into her eyes. “My kind has been in the loving service of your kind for a very long time. Maybe this was meant to be.”
“And what is this?” she said breathlessly.
“Fate.” He whispered the word as if it were too sacred to say loudly. “Two ancient and noble bloodlines meet within us. No wonder every time I look at you I feel like I’m going to burst into flames. I could not have chosen a better partner.”
Beau nodded. “It makes so much sense.”
“Partner for what?” Devon looked wary.
“A partner for life.” He looked toward Beau, who gazed back with the sweetest smile. “Me and Beau are already a bonded pair, and we want to add to that.”
Her hand fluttered in space. “You want me to be the third wheel?”
He was walking a tightrope here and could fall to his social death at any moment. “We want you to be the cherished wife.”
She broke eye contact. “This is crazy! Shouldn’t you know someone really, really well before you say something like that?”
“Yes.” Jace laughed, but it wasn’t a happy laugh. “But in our case, we can’t do things the same way everyone else does. I had to rely on my instincts and follow my gut. We couldn’t reveal our true nature too soon, and I can’t conceal my true nature either. That wouldn’t be fair to you. You deserve to know exactly what we are and what you’re getting into.”
Devon glanced at Beau and paused. “You’re awfully quiet. You’re part of this too. Are you going to let Jace do all the talking?”
“Aye.” Beau’s eyes sparkled like the cool blue ice of a glacier. “Jace is doing a fine job.” He placed his hand on his heart. “He’s our alpha and he’s carrying a load on his shoulders. Believe me.”
“Speak for yourself.” Devon rocked back and forth and appeared agitated. “Jace is not my alpha, whatever that means.”
He had to take control of the situation and put her at ease before she built an insurmountable wall in her mind that might never be breached. “An alpha protects what is his. I’m not the most important member of this trio—I’m the least. I’m bigger and stronger than Beau because I expect to fight the hardest and possibly die, all in the name of protecting my family.”
Devon’s lip curled. “We aren’t a family. You’re jumping the gun. I don’t understand what’s happening.”
Jace lifted his hands. Was she angry or scared? He couldn’t tell. “I can only imagine how confusing all of this must be, but I will do my best to take the fear and mystery out of this.” If she kept looking at him with her bottom lip trembling like a child newly woken from a nightmare, his heart was sure to break. “Devon, I’m so scared I’m going to ruin my only chance to win you over.” The confession poured out of his mouth before he could stop himself. Damn, he didn’t sound very alpha; he sounded like a lovesick man who was watching the one walk away forever.
Devon chose that moment to give in and cry. “I’m in overload. I can’t think.”
“Don’t think.” He wanted to hold her and rock her against his chest so badly, his arms ached. “Just feel. Ask yourself, do you feel threatened?”
“No.” She licked her lips. “I need something to drink.”
Beau was quick to fetch a bottle of water, which he delivered with a hopeful expression.
Twisting the cap off the bottle, Devon held it to her lips and drank half in a single gulp.
He dared to reach for her hand and was gratified when she didn’t snatch it away. “Ask me anything. I want you to get to know me and Beau and the Marduko.”
A moment of silence passed and she said nothing.
Tension built. He had to face the fact that this pair bonding might not gel, and what a tragedy that would be. Maybe the modern world didn’t need dragons. Like Bengal tigers and black rhinos, he and Beau were members of a vanishing breed.
Devon finished drinking and set the bottle down. It was evident from the quaking tone of her voice that she was fighting to keep it together. “Aside from a spectacular view of the highest point on the African continent, what makes this place sacred?”
It was a small gesture, but a promising one. She was asking questions and not shutting him out, and it revived hope. Where to start? “For one, I was born here.” Jace moved a little closer to Devon and felt encouraged when she didn’t flinch or back away. “My mother, Alair, took a huge risk and insisted my fathers bring her here when she was nine months pregnant so I could be born on our ancestors’ origin place. She wanted me to be bonded to our kind, and hoped I’d grow up to be a leader or make a difference. I think she was even prouder of the Marduko bloodline than my fathers, and she’s human—French, actually.”
Devon swallowed a lump in her throat. “I’m trying hard not to freak. So you’re half human—what’s the other half?”
The ancestral memories within stirred. He spoke slowly as if dreaming. “Beau and I come from an ancient bloodline of dragon men exiled to Earth long ago.”
“Exiled from where? How is that possible? Neither of you looks like a dragon man. You look completely human. Beau looks Nordic, for God’s sake.”
“As I said, my mother is Scottish.” Beau knit his fingers together.
“I’m sure there’s an interesting story there.” Devon huffed. “How did a nice Scottish lass get involved with an African dragon man?”
Beau’s fair brows rose. “Actually, my mother was trapped on a crippled fishing vessel sinking in the North Sea. A Siberian dragon man came to her rescue.”
Devon’s expression was cynical, but no longer angry or frightened. “So there’s a secret international community of dragon men?”
Jace and Beau locked gazes. They both shook their heads and spoke at once. “No, not really.”
“To be truthful, we’re not sure,” Beau quickly added. “We’ve been discreetly searching for more of our kind, but so far we’ve only found each other. The Marduko are very secretive by nature. If they don’t want to be found, you’ll never find them.”
“You’ve managed to keep yourselves secret.” Devon shook her head. “I’ll give you credit for that.”
<
br /> “We haven’t always lived in secret.” Beau leaned closer. “We’ve intermingled with humans for ages. Dragon art exists all over the world. Our numbers were once far greater, but we might be on the way out. Certain groups have been aggressive about wanting to eradicate us from Earth. Now those groups have us badly outnumbered, and we aren’t even allowed to—”
Jace clamped a firm hand on Beau’s shoulder. “I think that’s enough on that subject.” He stirred the pot of hot water with a fork. “These are ready.” Jabbing the fork into the steaming water, he plucked the MRE packets free, gave the macaroni and cheese to Devon, and split the other two between himself and Beau. “We should use that hot water to make tea.”
“Tea would be good.” Devon opened her packet of mac and cheese and reached for a fork. “You wouldn’t happen to have some Earl Grey in that duffel bag, would you?”
“I meant dragon tree leaf tea,” Jace muttered.
“Are you sure?” Beau stepped toward the bundle of Devon’s clothing and gear he’d carried from the falls. “Devon just calmed down. We’ve not eaten supper.”
“It will be all right,” Jace insisted. “It takes a while to become active in the bloodstream and cross the blood-brain barrier.”
“I don’t like the sound of that.” Devon looked at Jace suspiciously. “No more surprises. Tell me what you’re up to.”
Jace tore open his packet of mountain chili and vented a burst of steam. “There’s little sense explaining what a Marduko dragon is and where we’re from when I can actually show you instead.”
Devon tore open the packet and stabbed her mac and cheese with a fork as if she was angry at it. “Why would I consent to anything a winged lizard asked of me?”
“Because you’d get a firsthand view of an alien world and species.” Jace stirred his food. “You’ll see and understand our kind. My fathers made tea for my mother. Sharing tea is a special ritual that can lead to so much more. We all fear the unfamiliar. My hope is the experience will answer a few of your questions, and neutralize the fear.”
A flicker of interest shone in Devon’s eyes. “Those leaves from the waterfall that ooze purple sap can do that?”
“They can help me and Beau do it. Dragon tree is a plant that promotes a form of telepathy. It allows those who partake of it to share a common mind space. In other words, in a trance state you can enter my mind or Beau’s and have a full sensory experience of our genetic memories.”
Devon’s face lit. “I’d really be able to do that? Take a mind walk inside your head?”
“Yes.” Jace paused. “But it’s not like snooping through a private file cabinet of petty things. The visions triggered by the tea can be very specific and abrupt. I don’t know exactly what to expect, or what you might see.” He drew a tense breath. “This is my first time drinking dragon leaf tea with my—” He stopped just short of including Devon as a mate and silently cursed himself. Now more than ever, he needed to be careful with his words or risk driving her away. “Most likely you’ll see only the ancestral material, the memories every Marduko dragon carries in his blood. You’ll see our homeland, Tor, in the constellation Draca.” He hesitated. “And you’ll see what’s closest to our hearts, but those visions often come later.”
A look of wonder crossed Devon’s face. “I’d like to see that. I’m already in so deep, I need to understand this or else I’ll just feel like I’m going nuts. If you’re sure it’s safe, I’ll drink the tea.” Like a true Pandora, Devon agreed. “Are there side effects to beware of?”
“They’re mild. You might feel flushed, maybe a little dizzy in the beginning. Often there are intense colors and geometric shapes that feel like they carry great meaning,” Jace stalled. Now for the difficult part. “It’s also an aphrodisiac.”
“Oh.” Devon’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“No one would take advantage of you.” Beau’s hands flailed in the air. “We wouldn’t do that.”
“Hasn’t that already happened?” Devon stared accusingly at Jace. “We’ve already crossed some boundaries.”
“Jace was handling matters as best he could,” Beau said. “He didn’t mean to deceive or harm you.”
“What is with you two?” Devon’s focus narrowed on Beau. “Do you always speak for Jace? Is that part of your species dynamic? It seems like anytime Jace mentions something questionable, you jump in, smooth it out, speak calmly, and make it sound almost reasonable. Is that the Marduko way?”
“No.” Beau shrugged. “That’s the no-nonsense Scot in me.”
She laughed and dipped her fork into the mac and cheese with a look of approval. “This stuff is a lot better than I hoped. It’s delicious.”
“You seem so calm now,” Jace observed. “You’re taking all of this so well.”
“Don’t kid yourself.” Devon took another bite. “I’m freaking out on the inside big-time, but what can I do? I can’t leave. The situation is far beyond anything I can call acceptable, but I am fond of you and Beau. I always have been. If you say you’re not going to harm me, I have to trust you, don’t I? If you say I’ll be introduced to alien realms, as a photojournalist I want to see them. I’d be a fool to pass up that opportunity. I only ask that you allow me to document as much as possible of this experience in photographs.”
“You can’t photograph the trance state.” Beau sampled his food. “It’s purely internal.”
“I know that.” Devon looked around in obvious agitation. “I meant this cave and everything else. Where’s my camera? Please tell me it didn’t get left behind at the waterfall.”
“It’s safe.” Beau walked over to a bundle of clothing, picked up the camera, and handed it to Devon. “Everything came with us.”
“Not everything,” Jace interrupted. “We forgot to erase our tracks from the muddy ground around the pool.”
“We were standing on rock before we shifted,” Beau countered.
“Can you be sure? A single clear dragon print or a few shed scales could be enough to get us into trouble with the OKSG. I should never have exposed us to the bush guide. That was such a stupid mistake.”
She set the fork down and reached for the camera. “Who or what is the OKSG? It sounds ominous.”
Jace deliberately ignored Devon’s question. “Maybe one of us should go back before dawn and drag a tree branch around?”
Devon clutched the camera tightly as if she feared it might be snatched from her hands. “Can I photograph the cave and the two of you?” She didn’t wait for permission, just held the camera to her eye and began taking photos.
“Go ahead.” Jace sank deep into thought as Devon clicked random shots of him and the cave.
“Jace, think carefully before you answer.” Beau sighed. “Photographs in human form? Should we risk it?”
Devon stopped taking photos and possessively drew the camera to her chest.
“We have to.” Jace spoke with feigned confidence he didn’t feel. “Devon will be more comfortable with us if she’s allowed to do what she does best. Besides, she deserves to have a record just in case things don’t work out. If that happens, exposure to the outside world won’t matter, will it?”
“That sounds dire. What are you talking about?” Devon looked alarmed. “Beau, tell me what Jace’s talking about.”
“No.” A note of determination hardened Beau’s voice. “I don’t want to explain it, and I don’t want to talk about it.” He shot Jace a sharp look thick with meaning. “Because it’s not going to happen. I won’t allow it.” He retrieved a partially crushed pile of dragon tree leaves from the bundle and tossed them into the pot of hot water. “Those need to steep.” His face was somber. “Let’s change the subject.”
“To what?” Devon’s expression became serious. “Shall we not talk about the fact that you’re both dragon men with burning secrets? That’s just awkward.” She clicked a photo of the leaves swirling in the pot. The sap had already infused the water a pale shade of violet.
They finishe
d their MREs in silence.
Beau gazed at Jace with a heavy heart. Jace was being cavalier because he was afraid. Things had gotten off to a stumbling start from which they might never recover. Devon could easily remain indifferent. A mating bond with her now felt further away than ever. As the senior dragon in the pair, Jace would indeed face his mortality first. If Devon rejected them, Beau vowed to stand beside Jace and comfort him every painful inch of the way. He owed Jace that much.
He’d never forget the day, nearly two years ago, when he first met Jace. Without a doubt it was the most important and meaningful day of his life.
* * *
It was a typical crowded, and oppressively humid July day in the city. As Beau descended a steep stairwell leading to the subway, an anxious tingle of electricity crackled in the air. So much so he kept turning to glance behind, but saw nothing but a bustling wall of humanity rushing to work or their many appointments.
A weird sense that he was being stalked overwhelmed him, but the sea of bland expressions surrounding him betrayed no one. He walked a little farther into the subway, feeling the tiny hairs on the back of his neck rise and his skin pebble. Someone was watching him with focused intent, and moving closer, but where were they?
He scanned the crowd. No one seemed to be looking his way or even vaguely interested, but he sensed with certainty that he was being hunted, which wasn’t good. It was a dangerous world for a young Marduko. Most died in their early twenties at the hands of others. Coming into the open during a first shift, choosing the wrong mate, or having a mate bond fail were all potentially deadly milestones to cross. The wisest Marduko continued to lead human lives and waited as long as possible before considering seeking out mates, which carried high risk in itself.
For the most part, he had lived his adult life in solitude and kept his true self repressed. But even that was no guarantee that he’d not slipped onto the Order of the Knights of Saint George’s radar.
The OKSG hunted and exterminated dragons with determined prejudice. Obliterating the Marduko from the planet was their sole focus. They employed traps, decoys, and specialized in befriending, infiltrating, and betraying entire families. With harsh tactics they spread paranoia and isolation throughout the once-formidable Marduko community. The OKSG was centuries old, international, and well-funded. Contacting or meeting fellow Marduko online was out of the question. If spotted by the OKSG, one had to face his fate or break radically from his past and disappear into a new life with no further ties to loved ones. To be a young Marduko was to face a lonely and uncertain future.
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