Compelled (The Secrets of Dragons Book 1) (12 page)

“No one ever goes into a relationship thinking their happiness will crash and burn. Yet, how many get divorced in any given year? How many people who thought things were perfect in the beginning break up? It happens every day.”

“You’re looking at things through a human perspective, Louisiana. We’re not human, and dragons mate for life. We know our mates when we meet them, without question. You’re Alex and Eric’s mate as surely as Savana is mine.”

“How do you know, Yassie?”

“Because you sleep. It’s a chemical reaction to let us know we’re with the right man or woman. Alex and Eric have slept with other women and the sickness has never happened before. It’s only with you, and your dramatic reaction tells me you’re supposed to be with them and also you
are
a dragon. If you weren’t, you would have no repercussions after sex.”

“That makes no sense to me. Sex should wake me up and make me feel more alive, not put me to sleep.”

“While we were having sex you were more alive. Weren’t you?” asked Alex.

“Yeah, and afterward I was on my ass.” Why was she being so belligerent about this? She wanted to be a dragon. To fly on Alex’s back was amazing. Imagine if she could fly on her own. To have wings and sail above the trees as Alex had just done would be stupendous. What were her real questions? What she had said was a good point, but there was more. “How much control do we have? I saw Alex’s face when he became really angry, and he’s had years to learn to control his dragon.”

Alex sighed so heavily it made her shiver. “You’re right, Lou. Allowing my temper to run amuck was unforgivable. You have more natural control than I do already. I’ve always had a problem with anger. That little shit pissed me off when I heard him yelling at you. To know he planned to rob you only made it worse. To answer your question, we normally have complete control. Obviously extreme anger triggers the same chemicals that cause the change. So does sex.”

“But you weren’t a dragon when we had sex.”

“I had scales on my back, but you didn’t feel them. The desire for you was that great.”

She giggled at his impish expression. In consideration, there hadn’t been a moment when she had seen or felt his back. The arrangement of their movements had kept their chests always facing her. Is that why you flopped onto the bed the way you did?”

“Yeah,” he admitted sheepishly.

The man really was gorgeous. “I’m trying to imagine how this will change my life besides the obvious. I don’t have any family per se, to answer to. I actually have very few friends because I’m kind of a homebody. I’ll miss my grandmother’s house, but it’s not going to break my heart to sell it or anything. I do want her photos though. Maybe I’m just hesitating because everything with us so new and unknown. I don’t know your middle names or your favorite colors.”

“My full name is Alex Jethro Haleey, and my favorite color is not really a color. I like black.” He turned his gaze to Eric.

“My full name is Eric Layette Porter Haleey, and I don’t really have a favorite color. I like them all, and that is why I leave decorating to Alex because it’s far too stressful for me. I would do everything in rainbow colors.”

Alex laughed. “Oh, he would. If I didn’t keep his wardrobe toned down his clothing would be just as bad. The man has a thing for loud, brightly colored shirts that scream
look at me.
”

“I’m not that bad,” replied Eric with a snort.

Alex tilted his head, leering at Eric. “What about the color explosion dress shirt you purchased for your father’s birthday? You blinded everyone in the room.”

Eric lowered his gaze like a dog who was faced with his owner shaking a chewed shoe. “It wasn’t that bad.” Eric was unable keep a straight face as he said it and began to laugh. “Okay, it was bad. I saw my shirt in pictures afterward and felt as if it was glowing.”

Their banter was comical, but also proved her point. “See, these are the little things I want to know about you guys before I commit to spend eternity with you. Even if things don’t work out, I will still see you every time you come down to the caves. I’ll be living on your property and um…”

Alex slipped his hand down her face, his expression relaying sympathy. “We’re not pushing you, Lou. We just wanted you to meet our friends, and our family. This decision doesn’t have to be made posthaste.”

“Will I live longer?”

“Yes, and if you’re injured you’ll heal quicker. You’ll also be faster and more powerful in your human body. We have no dietary restrictions per se, but feel terrible if we eat excessive junk food. Even drinking soda will make you feel as if you have a hangover, which is why we don’t. Too much sugar, simple carbs, and chemicals in food will leave you feeling like shit; although it’s easier to say you have an allergy because that’s something people sympathize with. To say you simply don’t eat them causes those around you to give you dirty looks because you’re being radical.”

Lou frowned. “I don’t get that. Just because you don’t eat something is no reason to give someone a dirty look.”

“I agree, but our last girlfriend used to get irritated as shit because we read the ingredients on food labels. Obviously we can’t do anything but watch what we eat when we go out, but if I’m buying for the kitchen, I know what’s best to buy.”

“That makes sense. People can be jerks about things they don’t understand. Of course this isn’t something you can logically explain…” She shrugged. “Hey,” she said in a spurt of sudden enthusiasm. “What about kids? Can I still have children?”

“I would love to say yes, but it has never happened. We are created, not born. Do you want kids?”

“I don’t know. My clock is ticking down and sometimes it bums me out. Then I ask myself what I would do with a child and I’m not sure. I went through emotional hell when I became old enough to understand what my parents did to me. My grandmother was wonderful, but whenever someone asked me about my parents I lied and said they died in a car crash. It was wishful thinking on occasion which is so wrong.” She had suffered so many emotional pitfalls over the years due to her parents. She wasn’t stupid enough to blame them for all the wrongs in her life, but especially when she was younger, not to have them around hurt. To be at the park and watch the interaction with other children’s parents had been heartbreaking. Then to discover they didn’t want her made it even worse. Her grandmother had given her bits and pieces of information and allowed her to figure it out herself. When she had asked her grandmother for the truth to confirm her suspicions, Gram had laid it all on the table. To think them dead would have been easier.

“What happened to your parents?” asked Yassie.

“I have no clue. They didn’t want a child so they gave me to my grandmother. I know it was hard on her to take on a baby at fifty years old. She had my mother in her thirties, but her husband was alive then. My grandfather had a stroke just before I was born, and she lost him to gain me. I don’t think it was an even trade.”

“I’m sure you were the joy of her life.”

Yassie was a sweet man, and she hoped it was true. “I tried to be. I wasn’t a bad kid. I didn’t get into trouble and my grades were good. She was old school, and I sat at the table every day doing my homework with her hovering near. Then she checked everything over to make sure it was perfect. If it wasn’t, I had to do it again.”

Yassie groaned loudly. “Old school worked for us and it might be a good thing for the upcoming generation. From what I’ve seen and read, they really need a good ass-whooping. My brother has two grandsons who are spoiled brats. It wouldn’t be as bad, but they’re in their twenties and do nothing but play video games all day. They don’t have jobs and don’t contribute anything to the house. As far as they’re concerned, their parents owe them a living. I’m twelve years older than my brother, and I would throw them out on their lazy asses.”

His comment posed an interesting question. “Does your brother know what you are?”

“No. He lives in Texas and I live in Florida. He doesn’t come here so I occasionally go there. My dragon remains dormant when I’m around him.”

“Is it hard to remain dormant?”

“Sometimes. I enjoy the feeling of shifting and being one with nature. I love to fly and have learned to alter my size over the years. I can become like a small dog with wings or the huge creature I normally am.”

That sounded extremely cool. “How do you learn to do that?”

“It’s truly a question of mind over matter. You simply have to train your mind and body to think smaller as you shift and be smaller when you are done. I’ve seen people who can become so small they can perch on a human’s arm.”

It sounded like a clipart she had seen on the computer. “Do any of them live here?”

“No.”

That left a lot open for speculation. “So there are other colonies of dragons?”

“A few around the world. I originally came from California.”

Alex slid his arm around her. “I think it’s time to take a tour of the caves and then get back to the house. I didn’t even get a chance to see how things were going with the repairs. I’m also hungry.”

“Hungry?” she and Eric asked at the same time.

Alex shrugged. “Yeah, I’m hungry. There’s food in the RV.” He steered her away from Yassie, leading her into the caves.

Chapter Ten

Lou lay between them inhaling the subtle musk of the two men. Alex had eaten and then announced it was time for sleep, and he had specified
sleep
. Unfortunately for her, she wasn’t sleeping, she was thinking. She didn’t want to tell them the truth of her hesitation, and she had narrowed it down to one simple fact. She certainly wasn’t homophobic, but the one sexual encounter she had with another woman had been horrible and had completely turned her off.

Other than that, the entire experience sounded wondrous. Lou had always imagined a life that had less physical restrictions, she had just never been
that
girl who was always picked first for the team. If anything she was always left with the stragglers that neither team wanted. While others excelled in sports and played physical games, she had been more of a mind person. She had never been completely out of shape because she enjoyed walking, but she didn’t seem to have the physical stamina or ability for sports. The concept of flight was thrilling. To have a form that could shift into such a magnificent beast was intriguing. The junk food restriction wasn’t necessarily a put off. She had never been a person who ate a bunch of crap food.

Alex had said she could choose any men she wanted to be a part of her change. She really wanted Luke. He was hot and also seemed really nice. Eric had suggested Yassie be one of the men because he could pass along some of his long-time genes in the exchange. Yassie was also committed to Savana and Alex said it would make a difference, but he didn’t tell her why.

Lou tried to wiggle from between them. She really needed a drink. Alex immediately sat up. “Where are you going?”

“I’m thirsty.”

She slid from the bed and was surprised when he got up with her. “Please get me a drink, too,” he said before closing the bathroom door. Lou poured two glasses of apple juice and put his on the table. When Alex came out, she was sitting in one of the recliners. He took his juice from the table and sat down beside her. “So what’s keeping you awake?”

“I was thinking.”

“About what?”

“Everything. About us. About becoming a dragon.”

“Do you have any questions or concerns?”

Lou gritted her teeth, grimacing at him. “I’m a little bugged about the sex thing. Do I have to … you know, with a woman to become dragon?”

“Is that a problem?”

“Yeah,” she replied guiltily. “Kind of.”

He grinned, which was aggravating as hell. “So why is it a problem?”

“I well—tried once—and it was horrible. It didn’t feel right to have another woman touching me. It made me really uncomfortable.”

Alex nodded, she hoped in understanding. “It’s requires fluid of the same sex be a part of the change, but there are ways around that. I’m sure it can be arranged.”

The actual process of changing made her cringe. “It’s kind of disgusting to consider. What about diseases? Many of them are sexually transmitted and if my immune system has already been wiped out by the moss—isn’t that dangerous?”

“Normal diseases can’t survive in our bodies. Our stomachs process food differently, which is why we can’t handle the chemicals in food. I have to think our immune systems works better because we heal quicker, and I can’t ever remember any of us getting sick.”

That was not true. “But Eric got sick.”

“Oops. He wasn’t really sick, Lou. We were just trying to figure out what to do about telling you, and we wanted you to go home so we could talk. I’m sorry.”

So they lied to her. “Have you lied about anything else?”

“No. You have to understand it was a difficult decision for us to make. We wanted to trust you, but weren’t sure we could. This information in the wrong hands could mean our deaths.”

“I would never betray you. Is that what you were worried about?” she asked angrily.

“It’s something we
have to
worry about. Not everyone reacts as you did to the information we can change into dragons. Do you have any idea what the military could do with soldiers who could become dragons and fly? There isn’t a one of us that wants something like that to happen. We’re actually relatively peaceful. We always have been, even when we were accused of attacking and killing knights.”

Wow, that was a lot to think about. He was right. The government would love to know about them. She hadn’t considered the danger part of becoming a dragon. “The story of the knights was real?”

“Yeah. It has always been written off as a tall tale or legend because dragons went into hiding after that age. It wasn’t worth the freedom we had because everyone insisted we were evil and dangerous. Now the world wouldn’t be able to handle the truth and we’d be hunted and killed—or worse.”

“Wow. That sucks. I mean—I knew we had to remain unseen, but the thought never went into anything as in-depth as you’re saying. I guess a dragon, or any shifter would have big time implications with the military. Do you think other factions exist?”

“Possibly, but I’ve never met any other kind of shifter. It doesn’t mean they don’t exist because they would understand the implications of going public just as we do,” replied Alex.

Lou nodded, but her mind had already taken off in another direction. “Tell me what it’s like.”

“At first it was scary. Then it became—I don’t know how to describe it. It’s incredible to fly. Even to be down in the caves and shift to live as a dragon is amazing. As a human, it changes everything. You hear better, and smell better. Things taste vibrant and the world looks more effervescent. It has made it hard for me and Eric to find a mate, but with you around it seems as if our entire future will be more rounded and complete.”

She had to smile at the compliment. Oddly enough, she felt the same way. For the first time in her life she had hope for a happily ever after. “I hope you’re right, because against all my better judgement, I’m saying yes.” She had been on the fence until the moment she spoke the words, but now it was said and she knew it was the right decision. “So what happens now?”

Alex leaned toward her and grabbed her face, kissing her ravenously. His tongue was vibrant in her mouth, the scent rolling from him speaking of sensual, sexual bliss. Lou was suddenly exhausted and it was all she could do not to yawn as she kissed him back. The moment he released her, she closed her eyes. She could feel her head falling, as she leaned to the side and dropped onto his shoulder.

****

Alex pushed her upright and grunted just before he started to laugh. “Really?” he asked in dismay. “Holy shit, I was going to suggest we take care of her house to give her more time to think.” If a kiss knocked her into oblivion, then he needed to rethink that.

He stood, lifting her into his arms and carrying her into the bedroom. As he draped her on the sheets, her arm flopped down and wacked Eric in the chest. He sat upright appearing stunned. “What happened?”

“I kissed her and she passed out.”

“Oh. Why are you awake?”

“Lou couldn’t sleep because she was thinking. When she got up, she woke me up. We were talking. She said yes, Eric.” A smile spread his lips as he said the words. Eric smiled back, the joy in his eyes making them sparkle. It was an almost eerie reaction to joy that could be seen in a darkened room. His eyes were probably also sparkling. He was certainly thrilled about her decision. “She said yes.”

“So when are we going to do this?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t get a chance to ask her. I was happy and kissed her. It was barely done and she sat back and dropped into sleep. I guess the idea of sex is out of the question.”

“I guess so if she can’t get through a kiss. I have to admit though your scent is quite strong. I’m getting a hard-on just smelling you.”

“Aw, how sweet of you to say that,” he replied with a laugh.

Eric chuckled. “I guess that did sound weird, didn’t it?”

“Yeah, kind of. I knew what you meant, but smelling someone isn’t usually a turn on.”

“It is in my case. Damn you smell good. I wonder if being with Lou has prompted our bodies to make the musk stronger. It seems that way.”

It was an interesting question. If the scent was meant for mating and attraction, then having the odor be strong would be a wise move on nature’s part. He was certainly attracted to Lou and considering she was now sleeping…

“Wanna fuck?” asked Eric before he had a chance to say the words.

“I was just thinking the same thing.” Alex lifted her again, sliding her over on the bed and hoping the motion would wake her up. Lou rolled to her side and cuddled up to the pillow. He slid into the center of the bed, smiling as he ruffled Eric’s short hair. It was soft and thick, and would tangle in his fingers if he tried to run them through it.

Eric rolled to his side, gazing at him. “This isn’t going to change how much we love each other, is it?”

“I don’t see why it would. I don’t feel any differently about you. I’ve just added Lou to my heart. Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know. She’s more vibrant than I am. I was thinking that you might come to love her more than me and I would get pushed to the wayside.”

Was Eric seriously jealous of her? “I could ask the same of you. Are you considering running off with her when my back is turned?”

Eric giggled. “Of course not.”

“Then you have your answer. You’re different than Lou and supply my desires for male company. I’m not going to choose her over you or you over her. I want the two of you as equals in my life. What is a king without his subjects? He’s a lonely man with power over nothing. I would rather be a prince with a harem of lovers who adore me and give me their hearts.”

“So the two of us aren’t going to be enough?”

Alex chuckled. “Are you really asking that? Do you have any idea how ravenous for sensation Lou is going to be after the change? Remember what we were like? We were two dogs in heat that couldn’t get enough. We can still be like that on occasion.”

“We were like that the other night when we sent Lou home.” Eric pushed back a strand of Alex’s hair. “I guess I’m just feeling a bit insecure.”

“I know you’re not good with change, and no matter how you feel about Lou, you know things are about to change with her in our life. I promise our lives will be fine.”

“Okay.” Eric’s cheeks bubbled with a grin.

Alex pushed him onto his back and leaned forward, touching his lips with unusual gentleness. Eric needed sweet, loving sex at the moment. He needed to be cuddled and fondled.

Eric moaned as he parted from the kiss and then returned to it. He kept his tongue at bay, softly enveloping Eric with light airy lips. A moan escaped Eric, the sound deep and resonating with the dragon in his soul. The sound made him crazy and the kiss became harder and deeper. He slid over onto Eric’s body, pinning his hands above his head as he broke from his lips. Alex slid downward, nipping and licking Eric’s far too naked chest. His mate had always been semi-hairless, his skin baby soft. He could feel the undertone of scales as he moved downward, Eric’s lower abdomen becoming speckled with places of harder flesh. Neither of them would completely turn, but the passion often initiated some response from their dragons.

“Eric,” he growled. “You’re going south.”

Eric moaned loudly, his breathing heavy, but his scaled covering faded away. They had already discovered that to have sex when skin rubbed against scales would produce something equivalent to road rash. He moved down, cupping Eric’s balls in his palm and giving them a firm squeeze as he licked the tip of his cock. Eric shivered, gazing down at him in lusty desire. “I want you to fuck me,” he whispered softly.

“Not, yet, baby. In a bit.” He could be so damned impatient. Alex wasn’t ready yet.

Eric sat up. “Can I suck on your cock and get it hard? Please? I want to taste it. Your scent is making me insane.”

He reminded himself that Eric needed him to be indulgent at the moment. He forced him back to the mattress as he crawled over him and then flipped to the side, onto his back. Eric scrambled up and shifted so he could wrap his lips around Alex’s cock. A rush of pleasure filled him. The boy had such talented lips. He slid all the way to the base, rubbing his balls in time to the flex of his tongue. Eric was not fooling around; he was going to push and Alex had every intention of allowing it. “You want me, take me, my sweet man.”

“You are being incredibly pliable tonight. I’m glad that you know me so well.”

“I do.”

Eric reached over his head into the upper cabinet and took down the lube. He smeared some onto his finger and then rubbed it into his ass. Alex gave him full rein as Eric slowly lowered his body over Alex’s rock hard dick. Eric bit down on his bottom lip, his eyelids fluttering as he groaned.

Alex sat up, his hand going to Eric’s cheeks, the man was adorable when he was in the throes of passion. He dragged him back to his lips, sliding his hands down Eric’s hair. Eric was rocking his body forward and back, with just a slight rise and fall of his flesh. He kissed his way down Eric’s throat, nipping and biting the skin as he went. His palms drifted over his back, feeling the slightly raised ridges of scales. It was a purely dragon response and his own back was probably the same way. He sank his fingers into Eric’s hips, forcing him to move faster, lifting him and then pushing him back down over his dick. It felt amazing, the tightness consuming his flesh, squeezing it as the muscles contracted.