Chapter Three

They’d always had the ability to communicate without having to use words. If Iarl got hurt, Skard would feel it and have a matching wound. There was never a time where one needed to be away from each other because they were one entity. Right now Iarl could sense his brother’s irritation in the confines of the back seat of her small car.

She doesn’t live too far away, stop glowering, Iarl sent the message to his brother.

I’m trapped and confined and I hate it. It’s like meat in a can, one of those things Shanna has spoken about,Skard mentally responded. Spam.

Iarl chuckled and Daphne looked over at him as she drove. “What’s so funny?”

“Something my brother said,” Iarl answered.

“He didn’t speak...” Daphne gasped, and he heard the excitement in her voice. “You talk to each other telepathically, don’t you? We’ve studied identical twin instincts and heightened senses, but you two actually communicate without words!”

“Humans are such excitable creatures,” Skard said from the back seat.

“You can scoff but you two are remarkable,” Daphne said.

“On that we can agree,” Iarl answered. And Daphne went o to tell them more than they needed to know when it came to the traits of twins on earth.

She is rather fetching, and I like her spirit,Iarl said to his brother’s mind as she spoke.

Brother, no women on Paladin are willing to mate us, a human will be less willing,Skard replied. She is voluptuous even though she is a talker.

Iarl assessed her as she drove. He’d noticed her from the time they first met, and he’d memorized her features. Daphne had wide brown inquisitive eyes and full lips that formed a perfect O when she was shocked. Her body was full and curvaceous with a small waist. She was tall compared to some of other human women he’d seen, and it suited her body structure. Petite women made him and Skard nervous. She wasn’t a bar wench or wet behind the ears like some they had encountered. Dr. Daphne Jordan was an intellectual from the way she kept on about the scientific aspects of twins. She was used to books as companions as opposed to people.

Skard made a gruff sound from the back seat. She has not stopped talking.

Let her be. It’s better than her being focused on the Shen or our dragon selves,Iarl replied. Besides, it’s another trait of humans: they talk when they are nervous, and we make her nervous.

Can you scent her, brother? Simply delicious,Skard said. Pity.

Yes, pity, Iarl mirrored his brother’s words but of course, with a grunt from the backseat. It was clear Skard felt his other emotions, the attraction. It was actually a breath of relief when she pulled the small car up in front of her house. She applied the brakes, and they had to bend just to look out the windows of the cramped car to see the bungalow.

“We move fast, we get whatever you need, whatever data or information you have, and we leave,” Iarl said. “Skard, how long do you need for transportation?”

“By the time you are done I’ll be here.” Skard stretched and without another word jogged away.

“He’s not one for pleasant conversation, is he?” Daphne said as they walked up to her patio.

“This is the most conversation either of us has had in weeks,” Iarl answered.

Her house was furnished simply and comfortably. For her size he assumed it was big. For him it was cramped, and he felt claustrophobic almost instantly. It brought back memories long buried of a time where he and his brother... Don’t go there, Skard’s voice echoed in his mind and pulled him away from the darkness of his thoughts.

“I’d say make yourself at home but we won’t be here that long.” Daphne laughed nervously.

Iarl turned and unsheathed his sword slowly. “You won’t have time. Grab whatever information you can, we are being hunted.”

“They’re here?” she whispered and frantically started taking papers and unplugged a laptop from the desk.

“They’ve always been here, in the back,” he murmured. “They waited for us to enter so they could surround the house.”

“And you let me come inside.” Her voice came out in a squeak.

“None of your research is relevant without you to explain it to their king,” Iarl answered. “They want both and we need both, best to take the chance to procure it first.”

“Great, I feel like bait,” she muttered and shoved everything she could in a backpack. “Is your brother on his way back?”

“He’ll be ready when we get outside,” he replied. “Stay behind me and brace yourself, the attack is now.”

The serpent men came through the windows and in human form, Iarl noted. Which meant any others outside must be ready to shift if they made it outside. She screamed and shoved her hands through the bag and got it on her back. Valencia and Ginna had created their dragon packs for carrying clothes in the first years of living on Paladin. He saw now it was from this design and their usefulness could not be disputed even though both he and his brother hated them. The Shen attacked, and he dispatched them with ease until the front door splintered and two of the Shen hybrids came through the door.

“T-they’re bigger,” Daphne said from behind him.

“Hybrids, more intelligent, stronger and a much better opponent,” Iarl murmured and a wide smile broke out on his face. Hurry brother if you actually want to be part of this fight.

The hybrids attacked with a viciousness that was new to the Shen. They came from both sides, and Iarl deftly blocked them from reaching Daphne. The clash of steel against steel rang in his ears as he parried and defended against their attack. The small Shen still tried to grab Daphne, and she kicked and clawed at them when one got hands on her. Skard ran in with swords drawn and sliced his way toward them in the midst of the destroyed small house.

Lead them outside,Skard sent the message to Iarl’s mind.

He fought and moved backwards until he came to the door, and with a swift kick the barrier fell apart. Iarl grabbed Daphne around the waist, and she screamed as he vaulted over the wooden deck to the grass. Skard fought his way to them and with a deft move plucked Daphne from Iarl’s arms.

“We fight, and we never let her fall,” Iarl snarled as the warrior’s blood coursed through him.

They changed their fighting stance to accommodate the precious cargo that was Daphne. With a deft swipe of his sword, he took the hand of one of the hybrids, and its angry scream filled the night. Two more hybrids came out of the darkness and the battle raged fierce. Iarl instinctively knew Skard needed both of his hands free and reached back to pluck Daphne from his arms. It was then that one of the Shen hybrid saw an open chance and sliced at his body, the blade of the sword leaving a deep gash across his ribs.

Pain bloomed across his body, and Skard release a hiss of pain. The cut only made him angrier, and they fought until only one hybrid was left. Iarl took the most pleasure in removing his head from its body. They stood silently for a moment and it was only then they let Daphne slide to her feet.

“We need to go,” Skard said abruptly. “There is no time to clean up. I hear the sirens of law enforcement on their way.”

“By the gods, how will this be explained?” Iarl said.

“You’re hurt,” Daphne said and tried to look down at his side.

“Later—we’ll be fine, we must leave,” Skard sighed.

“What do you mean we...” Daphne looked at Skard’s shirt. “There’s blood. You share wounds?”

“To an extent. Now we must go.” Iarl grabbed her hand.

“The truck is out front,” Skard said as they moved. “We’ll contact Daisye and see if she can get some local gossip out on it, to cover our tracks.”

“Orin will not be pleased at this development,” Iarl said as they hurriedly got into the car.

“Orin? Who’s that?” Daphne asked.

“That would be our king,” Skard answered.

“They’ll think I was kidnapped,” Daphne murmured.

“You’ll call in the morning. You are out or on vacation nowhere near the home,” Iarl answered.

“That may work, but they will ask me to come in and speak with them,” Daphne replied. “It’s my house, my property.”

“One step at a time,” Skard said. “We get safe and my brother’s wound treated then we go from there.”

He pulled the truck away from the curb with a vicious turn of the wheel. Iarl held his hand at his side hoping the flow of blood would end soon. They passed the stream of lights and sirens as the police roared by going to Daphne’s house. It was only when they passed Iarl let out the breath he was holding. He leaned his head back against the headrest and closed his eyes.

Do not drift away, brother. We shall be at the safe house soon,Skard said to his mind.

I am well brother, I won’t go far, only dream of her scent as we protected her,Iarl chuckled as he answered his brother.

Hmmmph,was Skard’s answer as they car sped through the night. His injury would heal but they had sent four hybrids after the woman, and that meant they wanted her badly. He didn’t know why but it was certain that he and Skard needed to protect Daphne.

* * * *

It was a few hours before she was alone to gather her thoughts. Their version of a safe house was a mansion in the hills that overlooked the massive Hollywood sign. There was a pool that you could sit in and see the lights of Los Angeles below while the inside was cool tile with a living room her entire bungalow could fit in. In the center of the living room was a fire pit type fireplace, and from the décor Daphne knew this place was worth a few million.

“This is what you guys call a safe house?” she asked in awe. “It’s amazing, I mean huge!”

“We like our space,” Skard said as he helped Iarl inside. “He needs to be tended to.”

“I’m a scientist, not a regular doctor,” she pointed out and followed him to a bedroom where he lay his brother on the bed. “I can do basic stitches but that’s about it. Don’t lay him down yet, let’s get some towels under him for the blood.”

“The cut from a Shen blade is deep,” Skard answered. “It will take longer for him to heal, and we have never been scarred in a fight until this day, protecting you.”

“Wow, throw the guilt in there,” she muttered. “Do you keep medical supplies here?”

“Daisye makes sure all our safes houses are complete with medical necessities, mostly for humans,” Skard answered. “I’ll get whatever you need.”

Daphne winced for Iarl as she moved his hand and lifted the shirt gingerly. Blood still oozed from the deep wound. “That is super deep. I’d say a hospital, but that would be an automatic no, huh?”

“You would be correct,” Iarl answered. His deep voice sounded weak and tired, and she wondered how much blood he had lost.

She looked at Skard. “I need gauze, betadine, a suture kit if you have it, bandages to wrap the wound, and surgical tape... Oh, and scissors to cut his shirt off.”

He gave a stiff nod and left the room, and Daphne turned her attention to the second twin lying on the bed. “Are you in pain?”

“There is some,” he answered. “Shen blades are filthy just like their bite.”

“I’m sorry you got hurt because of me,” she said softly.

Iarl opened his eyes and the deep green almost took her breath away. “We are sent to protect you. This is part of being a warrior for the dragon court.”

“Still, I kind of sense you and your brother are a team, and me being in the midst messed up your flow,” Daphne replied.

“Sometimes a trio can be rather remarkable.” A small smile pulled at the corners of his lips.

Skard came back before she could ask him what he meant by that, and she worked on cleaning his wound.

“I don’t have anything to numb his skin before I start stitching him up.” Worry made Daphne chew her lip.

“I’ll be fine,” he murmured.

“We can deal with more pain than some realize. He can take it,” Skard added.

Their words made her wonder about their past, who these twins were and what they’d faced that built such a strong bond between them. They shared thoughts instead of speaking sometimes. Seemed comfortable with silence and didn’t crave separation like some human monozygotic twins. Instead, Skard clasped his brother’s hand and lay in the bed next to him. Neither said a word as she worked but she knew they were either conversing or Skard was sharing his energy. Finally, she was done, and Iarl seemed to have fallen asleep in the process, another aspect that fascinated her. When she stood and took off the gloves, Skard opened his eyes and watched her clean up the remnants of what she had used.

“Thank you,” he said simply.

“Just returning the favor,” she said in a quiet voice. “Do I need to look at your wound as well? I noticed you had blood in the exact same place as your brother.”

“No, mine is long gone. If he bleeds, I bleed, but my wound closed soon after,” he explained.

“You two are connected by more than just an identical face,” Daphne said. “It’s a very rare trait to have in twins.”

“Yes,” he replied. “I will stay with my brother, to help him sleep and rest. You are safe here. The eating quarters are fully stocked with food, and choose any room you like for your rest.”

“Okay.”

Daphne watched him close his eyes before she left the room. While she wanted to ask more, she could tell by his face he was exhausted. There would be plenty of time for questions. Instead of looking for food, she went to find a room close by and stripped out of her clothes. Daphne found the bathroom fully stocked with essentials for both men and women and wondered who this Daisye was that kept everything together so well.

Sometimes Daphne forgot that she needed new hair products until she was tapping the bottle against the shower tile, hoping to gather the last few drops for her hair. Put together women always made her uncomfortable because it reminded her of her eccentric absentmindedness. After a hot shower, she checked the closet on a whim and found clothes for both sexes. She was starting to dislike this woman who seemed to think of everything. In the drawers there were panties in various sizes still in the packs. She found the size eights and pulled on a pair before choosing a light blue pajama set with shorts to sleep in.

Daphne sighed as she slipped between the covers, and the cool sheets enveloped her. She was tired but her mind ran with questions. What did Iarl mean by trio? Did they share women as well or did they each take lovers? And why did the thought of being the female in their trio excite her so much? She didn’t even know them and here she was thinking about Iarl’s gentle temperament compared to Skard’s gruff personality. How would that translate sexually? The idea of it made her squirm in the bed, and Daphne pushed it firmly from her mind and tried to focus on sleep. It was much too soon to be thinking that way, especially since they were two men who transformed into dragons. The scientist in her was fascinated with the anomaly that was the twins while the feminine side wanted more.