Chapter 23

TWENTY-THREE

Samantha

I thought that with enough time Evander and Aydan would start to warm up to each other, but it's been two weeks since they came to a grumpy treaty, and they're still like two angry cats in a bag. Granger and I exchange a knowing look over the breakfast table. We've separated Aydan and Evander the best we can, given the tiny table and there only being four of us, but it's not enough.

Maybe we should let them fight it out.

The second I have the thought, I look at Granger again. He has the same thought. I know it. He starts to smile. I start to smile. An unmanly giggle explodes from his lips, which he quickly clamps down. Then I'm laughing, and he's laughing, and we're absolutely hysterical. I mean, can't catch my breath, side hurting, laughing our butts off.

Aydan sits beside him and across from Evander. He gives me a look I recognize, one that says he finds me absolutely annoying, and says, "Can't you two try to enjoy this a little less?"

Granger, in a high pitched tone in between laughs, bubbles out, "Sorry, my man." He follows this with a wheeze. "We're trying our best." This is followed by more laughter.

And his laughter makes me laugh harder.

"I hope you choke on your eggs," Aydan mutters to both of us.

Which, of course, makes us descend into giggles even more. Granger falls out of his seat. I offer him a hand, but I'm laughing so hard that when he tries to pull himself up, I end up on the floor beside him. We're officially rolling around laughing for like two minutes, while Evander and Aydan eat in silent annoyance, before we finally manage to calm down.

Returning to my seat, I clear my throat. "So, how's it going?"

"Shut up," Aydan grumbles, but he's smiling.

"Is this going to be a regular thing?" Evander asks, lifting a brow, but he's fighting not to smile too.

Granger is back to digging into his food. "To be fair, we have to do something to fight the growing tension. It's like we're in a Warcraft game, and Aydan is a human, and you're an orc. Tensions are high between mortal enemies."

"Why do I have to be the orc?" Evander asks.

Granger looks at me and throws up his hand. But since one hand was holding a fork with eggs, the eggs go splattering onto Aydan. "Sorry, man," he says.

Aydan cleans the eggs off his tight gray t-shirt with a little more force than necessary. "It's fine."

My gaze catches Aydan's, and he tenses, like he knew I was just checking him out. His eyes get all dark and horny, and I have to turn away. The last thing I want is for Evander to see us looking at each other, especially since this morning I happen to smell like Aydan.

The fact that the two can smell when I've fucked one of them has not made things easy between us. Not only does it mean that each of them seems hellbent on fucking the other one's scent off of me each chance they get, but they also always seem just on the edge of tearing each other's throats out. I feel like one wrong look or touch between me with either of them might push them over that edge.

Suddenly, the intercom makes a familiar noise. "Dragon Pack, please report to the labs."

Aydan hates that the scientists have started calling the four of us that, since Granger inadvertently mentioned the name to Dr. Abigail. I understood, but we're being called for so much that it only makes sense to have a name for us, versus listing all our names. I think deep down he knows that too, he just feels possessive of the name.

We devour what we can as we stand and head to the trash cans, then we all get on the elevator together. There's no talking as tension settles between us. Not just the tension between Aydan and Granger, but also the tension that comes from being called by the scientists. Being called in by them usually means some bad new update.

We load out of the elevator on the lab floor and see Dr. Abigail and Dr. Duncan waiting for us. They look grim, so we hurry and take our seats facing the screen in the back, on the couch. Granger ends up on one of the oversized chairs, and I end up smack dab in the middle of Aydan and Evander. Each one of them instantly puts a hand on my thighs, which adds to the tension. And, embarrassingly enough, turns me on. Nothing seems to get me going faster than when they're both touching me, which is weird as hell.

Dr. Abigail waits for us to be settled, then launches right in. "We've finally tracked the green dragon down. He's quite a bit further from here on a little island known for its volcanic activity."

"Far away. That's good, right?" I ask, even though I get the sense they're trying to tell me bad news.

She winces. "Not exactly. See, we also detected another male dragon on that island, based on the size of the dragon."

Granger frowns. "What does that mean?"

"Well, to understand what that means, you also have to have the information we've recently concluded about how dragons work." She hesitates for only a moment. "It seems that phoenixes and dragons have more in common than any other species, and what we've learned of the phoenixes is that their way of impregnating females involves tearing the wings of the female to ground them and make them entirely dependent on the male. But it's more than that. The male phoenixes also work together to ground females, because they're often more successful that way. Therefore, we've concluded that the green dragon is likely recruiting more male dragons to successfully take Sam as his mate."

I stare. And stare. Are they saying what they seem to be saying?

Aydan takes my hand. "It's okay. We're not going to let that happen to you."

Evander takes my other hand. "I'll be there to stand between them and you. You'll be safe."

"I'll be there too," Aydan adds on, a little anger in his voice.

I struggle to find my words. "So, the green dragon is going to just keep coming after me, but not just that, he's going to bring other male dragons to hurt me too?"

"Not with me here," Evander reassures me.

"I'll fucking destroy them," Aydan says.

It's weird. Their words aren't making me feel any better. Evander has fought the green dragon and nearly died. How will the two of them handle Awakened Dragons that come for me?

"You've been researching dragons and their mating practices based on the phoenixes, is that correct?" Granger asks, and there's something thunderous in his expression. A protectiveness I've only seen from him a few times.

"That's correct," Dr. Duncan answers.

Granger continues, "Based on your research, can Aydan and Granger take on two Awakened Dragons?"

The scientists exchange a look, but Dr. Duncan is the one to respond. "Based on our research? No. The Awakened Dragons simply have the knowledge and experience of fighting in the air that Aydan and Evander lack. They would easily be defeated in a fight, even though they both appear to be larger male dragons than any of the ones we've recorded."

"Fuck it," Granger says, standing up and staring down at Aydan and Granger. "I'm not a dragon. I can't protect our Sam, but you two idiots can. So you know what you need to do? You need to become better dragons. Instead of sitting here with your thumbs up your asses, you need to get out there and get used to being dragons, and then you need to start play fighting, so you learn something." Then he turns to me. "You need to get out there in your dragon form and learn to protect yourself. You're smaller, which means you're faster. We need to learn how to use that to your advantage."

We stare at him, not familiar with this take-charge kind of Granger. But, mostly, I stare at him. Has he always been like this? Usually, he's so soft and gentle. I kind of like this side of him.

"Now!" he snaps. "Get up! Now! We don't have a lot of time. You three are going to get in the air. We're going to track you. Then we're going to use that data to help teach you how to fight and how to defend yourself."

We all look at each other, unsure about what to say. But the thing is, this idea is smart. We should've been practicing this whole time.

Granger rounds on the doctors. "What do you need to do to help me track them and compare their movements with that of the phoenixes? Whatever it is, get started."

They go to work, and I'm left staring at Granger. He seems… different.

I don't know why it troubles me.