by Rinelle Grey
Morian turned to frown at him, ignoring her brothers’ knowing looks. “That’s not possible. Dragon powers aren’t shared, only the ability to use dragon speech.”
Finn shrugged, a little uncomfortable with both Morian and her brothers’ attention all on him. “I can’t explain it. I just felt that you were worried, through the mating bond. I think.”
The way she was staring at him in disbelief made him doubt what he’d felt. Except he was still feeling it. He could sense her disbelief as strongly as he could see it on her face. It was kind of strange, but it also felt right.
“You can reassure your mate that we have no intention of trying to separate you. We just need to know what you’re planning to do next,” Hayrian said.
Morian turned to her brother, her own confusion wiping out any animosity. “I wasn’t reassuring him, he was reassuring me. Apparently he could sense that I was worried. How is that possible?”
Her brothers exchanged a look, then looked back to her. They were as confused as she was. And Finn would have known it even if it weren’t for the looks on their faces. He could sense them too.
That was bizarre.
“I don’t know,” Damrian said. “Maybe it’s something specific to life dragons?”
“Of course,” Morian said, and Finn could sense her excitement. “When I was in the lair, one of the dragon elders explained it to all of us. Life dragons are only formed from dragon and human matings. Or the children of dragon human matings. So maybe there is something special about life dragon and human matings?”
Her brothers radiated both uncertainty and discomfort. Finn didn’t blame them. This whole thing was more than a little strange to him as well.
For some reason though, the revelation seemed to dissipate whatever irritation her brothers still felt towards him. They waved to him and Morian and said, “Come in and sit down. There’s a lot to discuss.”
Finn and Morian followed them into the living room and sat down.
Hayrian was the first to speak. “We’ve spoken to Mum and Dad. They weren’t terribly impressed to hear that you’d mated too.” He gave a grin at that, amused and a little sheepish
Morian winced, and Finn could sense her discomfort. “I was supposed to be finding out if there was something wrong because the two of you got mated so suddenly. I bet they’re not happy I succumbed too.”
Hayrian grinned. “You don’t know the half of it.” Then he grew more sober. “But they did see an advantage to it.” He looked to Finn. “We need to know what’s happening behind the scenes, what the humans are thinking and planning, and you could be our best chance of finding out.”
“Me?” Finn sat up straight and stared back at him. They’d gone from not trusting him to wanting his help very quickly.
Damrian and Hayrian both nodded. “Well, now you are mated to our sister, it makes you one of us,” Damrian said.
Just like that, Finn was one of the dragons.
He hadn’t seen that coming.
Morian was smiling though. She was pleased, happy they’d accepted him. So Finn would be happy too. Anything that made her happy made him happy.
“What do you need?” he asked.
“We need you to keep doing your job and find out anything you can for us about what the humans plan to do,” Hayrian said.
Finn frowned. “I wasn’t planning on going back.” He looked over at Morian. “I was going to stay here.”
Morian was just as disappointed. She reached for his hand, a frown on her face, and looked at her brothers. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. What if they figure it out?”
That wasn’t what she was really worried about though. Finn knew it immediately, and not just because he could sense it. He felt exactly the same.
He couldn’t bear to be away from her, not even for a few hours. Not right now.
“They’re far more likely to figure it out if he stays here,” Hayrian pointed out, and Finn could sense his sympathy. “I know it’s going to be hard, but it won’t be for long. And I’m sure you can figure out plenty of ways to be together. It is only a short flight across to the mainland, after all.” He gave them both a smile.
“I don’t like it.” Morian’s voice in his head was grumpy. “You’re my mate. You shouldn’t be apart from me.”
Finn knew exactly how she felt. But he also understood her brothers’ position. “We won’t ever really be apart again,” he reminded her. “Wherever I go, I’ll be able to sense you. We’ll be connected through our mating bond.”
“It’s still not right,” Morian said stubbornly.
“Then come with me?” Finn suggested. “Stay at my place until this is finished. No one will ever know.”
He could sense that suggestion found merit with Morian. She gave him a grin. “Damrian and Hayrian will hate that,” she said happily.
“What is it?” Damrian asked sharply. He must have seen the sudden change in Morian’s expression.
“I’m going to stay with Finn,” Morian said defiantly. She clearly expected opposition.
Damrian opened his mouth to say something, but Hayrian nudged him, and he closed it again. Instead he gave a sigh. “I suppose that’s what I’d do if Zara had to leave the resort for more than a few hours,” he said in resignation. He glanced at his mate, a loving look on his face.
Morian though, was staring at him, shocked. “You’re not going to argue? You’re not going to tell me it’s not safe?”
Damrian grinned at her. “Would you listen?”
“Of course not.”
“Then what’s the point?”
Morian glared at him, then at Hayrian. “You mean all I had to do, all this time, was not listen to you when you tried to protect me, and you would have stopped?”
Damrian and Hayrian exchanged glances. Then they looked over at Finn. “Well, we do expect your mate to protect you when we can’t be there.”
Finn could sense the expectation pouring off them. An expectation he wouldn’t fail. He straightened his back. “Of course I’ll protect her. With my life.”
Morian turned her glare on him. If he hadn’t been able to sense that under the surface she was melting at his comment, he might have been worried. “You’re just as bad as them,” she said, punching him hard enough on the shoulder that it stung.
Finn hesitated. If she were really mad, he would back off. But he sensed she wasn’t.
An apology wasn’t necessary. He needed a different response, something better. “And you love me for it,” he said, kissing her upturned lips.
As their kiss deepened, he added into her mind, “And besides, you’re the dragon. I’m counting on you to protect me.”
“We’ll protect each other,” Morian promised in his mind. And he could sense her determination and love.
Finn wondered how he’d ever been afraid of dragons. They were the most awesome creatures he’d ever met.
Especially this one.
The End
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About the Author
If you read a Rinelle Grey story, you can trust in a happy ending. Love will always triumph, even if it seems impossible… Rinelle Grey writes feel-good romance usually in science fiction or fantasy settings. Her heroines are independent and headstrong, and her stories are hard to put down.
She grew up in a remote area of Australia, without power, hot water, or a phone, but now lives with all of those and her (happily ever after) husband, daughter, chooks, ducks and veggie garden.
She loves to receive e-mails at [email protected], or follow her on facebook or twitter.
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