Chapter 11

ELEVEN

Samantha

Zane sits up from the MRI machine and his intense gaze finds mine. He seems a bit confused and wary of the large machine, but otherwise fine. I completely understand. Everything is still so new and different for him. I imagine it’ll take awhile before all of this starts to feel normal.

Dr. Duncan and Dr. Abigail, on the other hand, are so giddy they’re practically jumping up and down like little kids. They’ve run him through one test after another, smiling and laughing every step of the way. I imagine they’ll be falling asleep tonight with all the new data clenched in their hands.

“You okay?” I ask him.

Zane smiles and climbs down from the machine, coming toward me. “I do not understand why all of this is necessary. I can tell you anything you need to know. We do not need metal and fire to answer questions.”

He reaches out, as if to touch me, and Aydan is there in an instant, stepping between us. “This is technology. All these machines, all the pictures they’re taking, they’ll help the scientists figure out more about dragons. Sam and I went through all the same tests.” He sounds patient, but his expression is thunderous.

I sigh, irritated by Aydan. I’m trying to get to know Zane. To see what this strange attraction is between us. To figure out if I can trust him. How can I do that if Aydan is always jumping between us?

“I do not mind the tests, if that is what my Samantha wants,” Zane says, bobbing his head.

Pulling Aydan back to my side, I give him a reassuring look, then say, “You don’t have to do anything I want. You’re free to make your own decisions.”

Zane lifts a brow and looks at Aydan. “Do you think she really believes we have any power under her spell?”

Aydan looks surprised.

I feel myself blushing and decide to change the subject. “What was it like sleeping for so long?”

Zane seems to consider this. “There were long periods of time when I was aware of nothing, like I’d ceased to exist. But there were other periods of time when I dreamed of nothing but you and my brothers.”

“Brothers?” I ask.

“Aydan, Evander, and the storm dragon. They are my family, just as you are my family. We work together. We are bound together through our love of you, through our need to protect you. I missed them nearly as much as I missed you.” He sighs, looking a little upset. “Each time you are reborn, I have to earn their trust again. I understand. Their natural instinct is to stand between you and anything that comes after you, but I will be glad when our bond is solidified once more.”

“That’s sweet,” I say, bumping Aydan with my shoulder.

He, on the hand, looks uncomfortable, as he runs his hand through his blond hair. “It’s nothing personal.”

Zane reaches forward and takes his shoulder. “It is the dance we must do. I understand that. Eventually, I will earn your trust, just as I will earn Samantha’s love.”

Dr. Abigail joins our group, smiling. “I think that will be our last test for the day. We’ll have more than enough data to go through. Thank you, Zane, for participating, even though I know you don’t understand a lot of what we’re doing.”

He bobs his head. “Anything for Samantha.”

She gives me a knowing smile and turns on her heels, then heads back to Dr. Duncan. I wonder what she thinks about me. Actually, judging by the way she keeps staring at the half-naked ice dragon, she might be a little envious. Not that I blame her. I possibly have three beautiful men to call my own, and a fourth somewhere in this world.

I head out of the MRI room, and Aydan and Zane follow. In the main room, the elevator beeps and Granger steps off. His dark eyes find mine, and I tense a little for reasons I don’t understand. Then, he smiles, and that tension fades away.

“How did the tests go?” he asks, heading for us.

“Good.” I give Zane a smile. “He’s finished all of them, and the doctors seem excited about all the new data.”

Granger nods. “I’ll be looking over it with them. I want to find out everything we can learn to help you as fast as possible.”

Zane cocks his head. “Are you a scientist too?”

“I’m studying to be one,” Granger responds, and his friendly tone has turned a little curt.

“So you are wise and large. Those are valuable traits in a mate.”

Granger blushes. “Uh–”

“He’s complimenting you,” I tell Granger, the words rushing out. “A lot of ladies like their men big and strong.”

“Not any that I’ve met,” he mumbles, his cheeks still bright red.

“Then, you haven’t met the right women,” I say, grinning.

To my surprise, Zane continues. “She is correct. If a tall, strong, intelligent male like you has not found a female yet, it is because he has not come across the right female. With time, you will find a mate.”

There’s so much going on, so much that Zane doesn’t understand, like that Granger isn’t a huge fan of him, and that our society isn’t nearly as simple as it used to be, but the fact that he’s complimenting and reassuring Granger warms my heart. He’s a good guy. I mean, I think I already knew that, but he’s reinforcing the fact that my instincts were right about him.

The elevator beeps again, and Evander exits, looking exhausted. I swear there are bags under his eyes that I’ve never seen before, and a tightness to his shoulders that whispers of stress. I frown, worried about him.

Crossing the room, I pull him into a hug, and after a second, he wraps himself around me, breathing me in. Unable to help myself, I breathe in his scent too, and our sweet moment starts to feel a little less sweet. His hands move over my back, shifting around as if he can’t decide which part of me he wants to touch.

“Okay,” Aydan says, irritation in his voice.

I pull away, feeling embarrassed. “You alright?”

Evander sighs. “I can’t discuss everything that happened, but the government is now aware that I have a relationship with multiple dragons, and that I’m providing them with housing and safe skies to fly in. They won’t be getting much more information from me, including all of our secret identities. That information would be too powerful in the wrong hands.”

“And how did they respond to that?” Granger asks, frowning.

“With a lot of chaos. I can tell they’re trying to figure out what to do with dragons themselves. Are they a new creature that poses a threat to humanity? Are they a tool they can use to gain more control over the skies? Are they beings that they need to learn to coexist with?” He shakes his head. “None of them have made contact with any dragons. They have almost no data about them, and they suddenly see me as a source of information that they want to acquire before any other government can get its hands on me.”

“Sounds like a government,” Granger says.

“Exactly.” Evander goes and sits on the big couch.

When I go to sit next to him, he pulls me into his lap. I regard Aydan carefully. He doesn’t look happy, but he doesn’t look like he’s going to lose it either, so I relax back. Everyone takes a seat, and silence descends between us for a moment before Zane speaks.

“Humans have always had mixed feelings about the presence of dragons. Luckily, they are not powerful enough to do anything about us.”

“That might be true of the humans you remember. Things have changed,” Aydan tells him. “Humans have a number of really dangerous weapons capable of killing dragons.”

Zane looks shocked.

Granger adds, “For this to work, dragons and humans are going to have to find a way to coexist.”

Evander rubs my hips slowly, already hard beneath me. “The government needs to see proof that dragons aren’t just mindless beasts. If I can show them that dragons are intelligent beings, they’ll have to treat them as such. We need them to do that if we want to stay safe.”

I try not to moan at his erection, which is hitting me in exactly the right spot. “So, how do we prove that to them?”

Looking up, I see Zane watching me like a hawk. I have no doubt that he knows exactly what’s going on between Evander and I right now, and that fact turns me on even more. Hell, the heated way he’s watching us makes me want to put on a little show for him. Unfortunately, we’re in a room full of people.

“Actually,” Evander says, drawing out the word. “I wanted to talk to Aydan about that.”

Aydan looks surprised. “Me?”

Evander nods and grinds himself against me so unexpectedly that I barely have time to swallow my moan. “Yeah. I have a news conference tomorrow to give a statement about the dragons. I was wondering if you’d participate… in your dragon form, so I’m able to show them why dragons shouldn’t just be shot down from the sky.”

“Will it be safe?” I ask, picturing the government pulling some kind of shit.

Evander grins. “Specter Inc. is more powerful than many governments around the world. There will be security in every inch of the place. If anyone tries anything, we’ll be perfectly safe.” He glances at Aydan. “So, you in?”

“I’m in,” Aydan says. “I got you.”

I smile. Look at us. All getting along like there isn’t underlying competition, jealousy, and tension. This little harem of mine might end up peaceful after all.

Evander pulls me a little closer. “I really want to spend time with you right now, but I think Aydan and I need to go practice for the conference.”

I snuggle against him, wishing we could sneak off for a little bit too. “That’s okay. Do what you have to do.” I wiggle against him a little, and he groans, but then I get up.

Aydan stands and pulls me against him, kissing me hard and fast. So hard and fast that when he releases me, my head spins just a little. I look up into those deep blue eyes of his, and I get the sense he might’ve been turned on just watching Evander and I, which is a novel idea.

“I’ll be back soon.” He turns to Granger. “You’re in charge of her.”

I snort. “Since when is anyone in charge of me?”

Aydan rolls his eyes, then leans down and nips my neck before saying, “Just be good. Don’t cause him any problems.”

He moves away, and Evander follows, but stops next to me and kisses me too. He clings to me a little longer, seeming reluctant to let me go.

“I cannot wait until I can bed my mate,” Zane says.

We turn to look at him.

He adjusts his cock. “Watching the two of you with her makes it difficult to control myself.”

I feel my cheeks burning, but Aydan’s the one who answers. “Well, keep your anaconda in your pants. No one has said you have any chance with Sam. Granger, make sure he gets more clothes. We don’t need him walking around sprung and half-naked all the time.”

“Will do,” says Granger, and he sounds as embarrassed as I feel.

I lift a hand, not ready to let any of what just happened go. “Just a second. You boys want to rethink talking about me like I’m a thing instead of a person?”

Aydan sighs far too dramatically for such a hot guy. “Please don’t start. You know what I meant.”

I poke a finger at his chest. “I’ll decide who has a chance with me. Got it?”

He doesn’t look happy, but I have the feeling the last thing he wants right now is a fight. “Got it.”

Zane cracks a smile. “Nothing changes with you two.”

You have no idea how right you are.

Evander and Aydan leave, but not before casting me some lingering glances that make my heart skip a bit. Damn, those boys certainly know how to drive a girl crazy. Fortunately for me, I’ll have them in my bed tonight… hopefully, together.

“Well,” Granger says awkwardly.

I smile, trying to reassure him. “What should we do first?”

Granger seems to remember something. “I have the card for Zane’s new room. Let’s take him there and get him some clothes.”

I pout. “Do we have to?”

Granger gives me a look. “Yes.”

Zane casts me a heated glance. “My mate can have me anyway she likes. More clothes. Or less clothes. Just tell me which you prefer.”

I know what I prefer, but I decide to keep it to myself.

Granger stands and pulls out the card attached to the lanyard and shows Zane how to put it on. We go to the elevator, and Granger patiently explains how the card key lets the elevator know we’re there, and that having one allows us to work the elevator. He then shows him what floor to push, and we go to the living quarters floor.

“This is my room,” Granger points out. “There’s Sam’s, Evander’s, Aydan’s–”

“That is where Samantha sleeps?” Zane asks, pointing to my door.

I nod, feeling shy for reasons I don’t understand.

“Keep going,” Granger says, a bit of a snap to his voice as he points out Zane’s room, three doors down from my own. He shows him how the door detects his card and opens.

I’m surprised how much Granger seems to realize he needs to tell Zane. Things I never even thought to explain to him. He goes through the bedroom, specifying the closet, which already has clothes in it, the bed, and then takes him into the bathroom and explains all the basic things I take for granted.

Zane follows along with each new thing with interest, asking questions, and trying things out as Granger explains it. The men work well together. Like they’ve done this a thousand times before. And I realize they would probably make good friends, if Granger wasn’t so protective of me.

“Well,” Granger says. “If you have any more questions, you know where my room is. For now, I think we’ll leave you to shower and dress. We’ll come back and get you later.”

“Thank you.” Zane smiles at the other man, and I follow Granger to the door. “Samantha?”

I look back at Zane, waiting.

“You are welcome in my bedroom whenever you would like.”

I avoid Granger’s piercing gaze. “Thank you.”

As I head out the door, it’s strange. The ice dragon’s gaze is as hot as fire, and just as tempting to play with. Not that I will. Not when I have two fiercely overprotective fire dragons to deal with.

At least not yet.