37. Addie

37

ADDIE

" S o what did you mean when you said you tamed my Drake?" Drago asked, a long time later. Addie had lost track of how many times they'd made love and all the orgasms she'd had. All she knew was it was a lot and she didn't think they were done yet. Bonding Sex took a long, long time—not that she minded.

But for now, they were taking a break, wrapped in each other's arms, just being close and cuddling. Luckily, all the sex she'd been having hadn't resulted in a "Choosing Child," for which Addie was immensely grateful. She didn't know what she'd do if she had a baby that became an adult overnight. Also, the spider web marking on her back was now gone completely—which was a big relief since her skin was no longer itching or burning.

"Just what I said," she told Drago. "I tamed him."

"When? Before or after he got you all cut up by breaking through the skylight?" Drago asked dryly. He sounded like he still blamed the Drake for injuring her.

"Hey, don't be so hard on him!" Addie said, frowning. "I promise you, I don't blame him. He was doing his best to protect me and get me away from danger—the broken glass wasn't his fault. He's a good boy."

Drago's eyebrows shot up.

"Did you just call the giant, fire-breathing Drake that lives inside me a ‘good boy?'" he demanded.

"Yes, you know—like you call a dog or a cat a ‘good boy' or a ‘good girl?'" Addie said, smiling. "It was like that—only on a much larger scale, of course. Meeting your Drake was kind of like discovering I'd just acquired a pet dinosaur."

"A pet? You think of him as a pet?" Drago shook his head in apparent disbelief.

"Sure, why not?" Addie shrugged. "He let me pet him and give him skritches. And he did what I asked, once he understood me."

"He what?" Drake shook his head. "You say he understood you?"

Addie could feel her new mate's disbelief so she sent back certainty through their new connection.

"Of course he understood me—I'll tell you how I know. After he burned up Sheelash and Prissa and Sambla, a group of guards ran in and started attacking him. He was about to burn them too, but I didn't want him to. So I made him understand that he shouldn't and he did what I said."

"So you're saying he obeyed your order not to incinerate those guards even though they were attacking him at the time?" Drago's golden eyes were wide with shock. "I can't believe it!"

"That's exactly what I'm saying!" Addie nodded. "Oh, and he purred when I petted him too."

"He purred—you're telling me my Drake purrs?"

He looked so shocked that Addie couldn't help laughing.

"Yes! Don't look so surprised. I'm beginning to think that I know more about your Drake than you do."

"I'm beginning to think you're right!" he muttered. Then he frowned and got an inward-looking expression on his face. "The fuck? This has never happened before."

"What? What's wrong?" Addie was instantly concerned. "What's happening?"

"Nothing bad," Drago said quickly. "It's just…I think my Drake is trying to talk to me."

"But I thought you said he couldn't talk—that he didn't know any words," Addie said.

"Well, he must have picked some up. Maybe it happened when the two of us Bonded," Drago said. "Here—let me let you hear."

He seemed to open some kind of mental channel because Addie suddenly heard a third voice in the conversation with them.

"Feel…you. Feels…good," a deep, gruff voice was saying.

"Er, yes—yes, I feel you too," Drago sent back hesitantly. "And I can feel that you feel good, too. Maybe because I just Bonded Addison to us."

"Love…mate. Love…Addison," the Drake sent.

Addie felt her heart melting.

"I love you too, Drake," she sent herself through the three-way connection.

Immediately, she felt a warm glow of possessive, protective love flowing to her and from the Drake, and from Drago as well. And in the sweet, deep connection, she felt a healing taking place.

There had always been a gap between Drago and his Drake, she understood now. There was a divide—a fracture between them that neither had been able to heal. But now that the three of them were together, Addie was acting like glue to bind them and bridge the gap between them. As information and understanding flowed, the Drake's speech got better.

"I'm sorry I was so angry at you for so many years," she heard Drago send to the creature inside him.

"And I…feel sorry…for causing you…pain," the Drake replied. "I was frightened…the first time I came out. Fear…made me angry. And anger…brought the flames," came the deep, rough voice.

"I didn't understand you before," Drago sent back. "But I want to. I wish…I want us to be friends. After all, we share a body."

"I want…to be friends…to," the Drake replied. "And I want…to see Addison."

Addie felt a rush of love go through her for the big beast.

"Of course you can see me again soon," she sent back. "Now that Drago understands you would never hurt me, I'm sure he won't mind giving the two of us some time together. I'd like to take another ride with you—on your back, this time."

A surge of elation came from the Drake.

"I would love…to go flying…with you!" he sent.

"I'd love it too." She looked up at Drago. "Would that be okay?"

He stroked her cheek gently as he looked into her eyes.

"Yes, baby—that would be fine. In fact, I think everything between the three of us is going to be fine from now on. Thank you for bringing us together."

"Yes…thank you," rumbled the Drake in her head.

"You're welcome—I love you both!" Addison sent to them. And the she poured out a river of caring and love to both Drago and his Drake. After all, both of them were her Mates now.

As her heart swelled with emotion, she couldn't imagine being happier. She had no idea that yet another blessing was coming her way…