The lecture he had been about to give her about the dangers of being outside without either him or Calo by her side died on his lips. He felt her grief to the marrow of his bones. His eyes ran over her slender figure as she raised her face to the fading light. A soft breeze blew her dark brown tresses behind her.
He reached out and touched the silky strands. Her hair was growing longer. She had told them once how much she hated having to have it cut short.
“I never want to have to cut it again,” she had whispered in the darkness one night not long after they arrived. “I never want to have to pretend to be a boy again. I want to be me.”
He turned when he sensed Calo at the door. The look of concern and love made his brother’s eyes darker. A grim smile twisted his lips. They would have to be careful about balancing Melina’s needs for freedom and solitude with their need to protect her. It was going to be one of the most difficult battles they had ever faced.
Starting after tonight, he thought. We can start finding the balance after we have her away from Adalard.
Melina started when she felt a slight jerk on her left wrist. She lifted her arm up and frowned at the golden chain hanging from it to a matching one on Cree’s wrist. Her eyebrow rose in inquiry.
“Golden handcuffs? I thought we were going to a dinner,” she joked.
“We are,” Calo commented, coming to stand by her.
Melina’s mouth dropped open when a matching chain spun outward and attached to the cuff around her other wrist. She pulled on it in exasperation before lifting it up. The golden symbiot shimmered with warmth as it circled her wrist.
“Why?” She asked, staring back and forth at each man.
“Adalard will be at the dinner,” Cree stated. “I don’t trust the bastard not to try to sweet talk you away from us.”
“Oh brother,” Melina snorted in aggravation. “He was worse than Stuart!”
“Exactly,” Calo growled, remember Stuart’s lips against Melina’s.
Melina folded her arms across her chest in exasperation. Both men’s arms jerked up at the movement. Her lips twitched as they tried to act like it wasn’t uncomfortable.
This might be fun after all, she thought as she dropped her arms and began pulling the men behind her. Two can play this game.
*.*.*
Melina shivered as she stood staring out the window the next morning. The dinner last night had actually been nice. A brief grin curved her lips as she remembered tormenting Cree and Calo until they had finally realized life was easier without the golden chains attached to her. Every time one of them had attempted to eat or drink anything, she had moved her arm. After almost twenty minutes of wearing more food than enjoying it, they had muttered a curse and the chains had vanished back into the wrist cuffs around their arms.
The smile faded as she continued to stare outside. They had made her swear that she wouldn’t leave the inside area until they returned. It hadn’t been until late last night that they had told her what was happening. Her arms wrapped protectively around her waist in an effort to control the trembling of fear.
She felt like such an idiot. The other women had been talking about the fight to stop an evil male called Raffvin from trying to take over Valdier. For some reason, it just never occurred to her that Cree and Calo would be involved. They had left early this morning along with their symbiots to join the fight above the planet. Cree wanted to leave his symbiot with her, but she insisted he take it with him. He would need it far more than her. He and Calo had grudgingly agreed, with a slight compromise.
Melina jerked when she felt a soft body brush against her right leg. A reluctant smile pulled at her lips as the ‘compromise’ reacted to her worry. The house cat size symbiot that had been left behind refused to move more than a few feet from her.
Bending down, she scooped it up in her arms as it changed shape. It must have picked up on her thoughts because it now resembled the old tomcat that used to live in the garage. She didn’t have the heart to tell the golden replica that the old tomcat had been uglier as sin and meaner than a rattler when riled.
“You don’t care, do you?” She murmured as she walked over to the couch and sat down, stoking her hand along its rippling coat. “Can you show me what is happening? Please? Not knowing is about to kill me.”
Melina closed her eyes as images began to flicker through her mind. She bit her lip as Cree’s image came into her mind. His symbiot fighter was moving in and out among other darker fighters. She winced when a blast from one of them hit the side of the golden ship. Instead of flinching, the symbiot seemed to harness the power and shot it back out at the other fighter. A brilliant explosion made her wince at the brightness.
Melina, leave us, Calo commanded. This is not a sight for you, my little mate.
How? She started to say in surprise.
We are with you always, little one, Cree responded. Go now. We will return to you. I promise.
Love you, she whispered as she pulled away from them.
We love you more, my little mate, Calo’s voice echoed before he closed himself off from her.
Melina’s eyes fluttered opened. She stared down at the small creature staring up at her and burst into tears. Wrapping her arms around it, she wished she had remembered to bring the Teddy Bear on the bed in the other room in with her. She felt the form in her arms move and when she wiped her eyes so she could see again, there was a golden Teddy Bear snuggled up against her.
“You are the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen,” she whispered.
Warmth filled her and she sighed in contentment. With such incredible creatures on their side, there was no way her men could get hurt. Fatigue pulled on her as she waited. Sliding sideways on the couch, she cradled the golden figure against her chest as her eyes fluttered. She would rest for just a few minutes.
*.*.*
Melina murmured, but didn’t wake up as she felt herself being lifted. Her eyes felt laden with weight even as her mind tried to tell her that she was no longer alone.
“Cree, Calo?” She murmured sleepily.
“Shush, little one,” Cree said quietly. “We are here.”
“The battle?” She asked, forcing her eyes opened. “Is everyone alright?”
“All the ones that should be are,” Calo answered her as he brushed her hair back from her face. “Sleep, my little mate. We need to rest as well.”
“’K,” she muttered, closing her eyes and snuggling against Cree’s chest. “Just hold me.”
“We will,” Cree promised, sliding into the bed with her still in his arms. “Always.”
“Forever, my little mate. Forever,” Calo agreed as he reached an arm around her.
Chapter 33
“It will be alright,” Cree said soothingly as the golden symbiot ship flew over another mountain peak.
“What if they don’t like me? Did you tell them we were coming? What if they think I’m…”
Cree’s lips silenced the doubtful questions burning through her. He sent the silent command to the symbiot to release her so he could pull her into his arms. He swore he would never get enough of her.
A shudder ran through his body as she ran her hands up over his shoulders and into his hair. Her own rich brown hair was half way down her back now. He and Calo both loved to bury their hands in the silky strands.
“More,” he groaned, bucking his hips against her.
“We can’t,” Melina muttered, pressing hot kisses along his jaw. “I’m not meeting your parents smelling like we had just been necking in the back of a symbiot.”
Cree sealed his lips over the mark of the Twin Dragons on her neck. “It will be more than your neck that I will focus on.”
He reached down and grabbed the bottom of Melina’s shirt. Pulling, he tugged it over her head and threw it to the side. Her pale breasts swayed with the motion of the symbiot as it moved in and out of the mountain canyons.
“Dragon’s Balls!” Calo hissed as he glanced over his shoulder. ?
??I am not missing out on this.”
Melina arched as Cree’s mouth sealed over her distended left nipple. Her gasp of protest died on her lips as Calo wound his hand in her hair, exposing her neck to him. With a whispered word of love, he sank his teeth into her vulnerable neck and breathed the Dragon’s Fire blazing a path through his bloodstream.
“Calo!” Melina cried out, wrapping her arms around Cree’s head to hold him to her breast as the fire swept through her. “Yes!”
Cree groaned as she began rubbing against him. Opening his mouth, his eyes locked with Calo’s for a brief moment. Cree shifted just far enough that his mouth was above her throbbing nipple. Sinking his teeth into the soft flesh, he held Melina to him when she started to fight against the double assault on her. He breathed his Dragon’s Fire into her enjoying how she came alive in his arms.
Calo released her neck with a pop, staring at the new mark that he had left. He watched as Cree continued to release his fire into their mate for several seconds before he stepped back and began shedding his clothes.
“Spread her for me,” Cree growled as she melted backwards into Calo’s arms when he released her.
“Top or bottom?” Calo asked in a husky voice.
“Bottom,” Cree said with a grin. “I want our essence in her so that there will be no doubt in any of the villagers’ minds who she belongs to.”
“What?” Melina asked before she hissed as a wave of heat broke over her. “Now. I need you now.”
“Raise your hands above your head,” Calo commanded in a rough voice.
Melina moaned as he set her down. Raising her hands above her head, she looked up in surprise when bands of gold wound down from the ceiling of the golden ship and wrapped around her arms. They retracted just enough to leave her standing on her tiptoes.
“Calo?” Melina asked in alarm as the move left her defenseless.
“You are still wearing too many clothes,” Calo observed, pulling the long skirt she was wearing down along with her panties. “That is better.”
“I…,” Melina’s voice died when she felt Cree’s calloused hands sliding across the left cheek of her ass. “Cree…”
“Yes, Melina?” Cree whispered as he stroked the other side.
“I… Oh Goddess, the heat is building again,” she groaned and twisted.
Calo slipped his fingers over her silky mound. “She is slick,” he said, pulling his fingers out and up to his lips. “She tastes so good.”
“Take her,” Cree gritted out, fisting his cock in his hand and stroking it. “I want her ready for me.”
“With pleasure,” Calo replied, gripping Melina’s thighs in the palms of his hands and spreading her as he lifted them to his waist. “How badly do you want me, Melina?”
Melina’s eyes dilated at his husky words. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she used her heels to align him with her throbbing channel. She cried out as he slowly impaled her while latching onto her upturned breast.
“Goddess, she is on fire,” Cree commented as he watched his brother slowly start to rock into Melina as he suckled her breast. “You are beautiful when you are being claimed.”
“Kiss me,” Melina ordered as her body squeezed Calo.
Cree, unable to resist her command, stepped closer and captured her lips with his. His hands roamed over the curve of her ass. She was their true mate, their miracle, the most beautiful creature in all the worlds.
“You are our miracle,” he whispered in her ear as he pressed against her. “I love you, Melina.”
*.*.*
A shudder swept through Melina as his rough words washed over her. She would never get enough of them. They had opened her heart and filled it with their love.
Never again would she have to be alone. She gasped as she felt her body tighten. The tingling that always started before she came hit her hard. Loud pants filled the interior before she bowed back into Cree’s arms as her body splintered around Calo’s. The force of her orgasm rocked Calo as he pushed up and released his tightly held control.
“Now, Cree,” Calo gasped as he pulled out so Cree could take her. “Goddess, I’m weak as a Werecat kitten.”
Calo’s hands tightened on Melina’s thighs when she started to close them. Tilting her toward him, he angled her body for Cree who pushed through her tight, pulsing channel. He swallowed his own cry as Melina sank her teeth into his shoulder. He gulped when she released her Dragon’s Fire into him.
“Goddess, Cree,” Calo choked out as Cree grunted as he held Melina’s hips. “She is going to burn me up.”
Cree’s heavy breathing combined with Calo and Melina’s moans as he watched his cock disappearing into her body over and over. Each thrust becoming more difficult as she swelled around him. The last time he tried to pull out, she refused to release him. The sensitive skin of his cock, trapped against the heated walls of her slick channel, swelled deep inside her before his orgasm exploded washing her womb with his seed. The seed of the Twin Dragons.
“Yesssss,” he hissed, closing his eyes as he pulsed. “Yes!”
*.*.*
Melina swatted at Calo when he tried to wrap his arm around her waist. Her face was burning as she stepped carefully down from the golden symbiot transport. Even though they had stopped in one of the isolated mountain valleys to bathe in a stream, she was still mortified that they had taken her the way they had.
Well, not the way they did it, but the timing, she thought crossly. My legs are so shaky I’ll be lucky I don’t fall flat on my face.
“You are beautiful,” Calo said, successfully sliding his arm around her when she stumbled. “You have nothing to fear. Our parents will love you as much as we do.”
“I hope not!” She muttered.
“I love you, my beautiful mate,” Cree murmured as he stepped ahead of them on the narrow stone bridge that curved over a small creek.
“Cree! Calo!” A woman’s voice called out from the end of a long garden near a beautiful stone cottage. “Creja!”
Melina could hear the fear in the woman’s voice. Her fingers tightened on the arm around her waist. She wondered how the woman would feel about her. She was a human, not a Valdier female. What if they didn’t like her?
“She will love you,” Calo assured her when he felt her tremble.
“I hope so,” Melina whispered, staring at Cree’s tall back. “I really, really hope so.”
Chapter 34
Creja froze when he heard his mate’s terrified cry. The names of their sons on her lips. His hands shook as he walked across the floor to the large hearth. Above it stood the sword that had been used to kill the last Twin Dragons.
“Goddess, give me the strength to do what needs to be done,” he whispered as he reached up and lifted it down.
He straightened his shoulders and tightened his grip on the sword. He would strike swiftly and cleanly. His sons would not suffer.
They had sworn that they would come back one last time before… Creja refused to think of the difficult task ahead. Throughout the centuries, he and Lyla had prayed to the Goddess’ to find it in their hearts to find a true mate for their sons.
As the time passed, their hope began to fade until it was almost gone. The last report he had on them had not been promising. Cree had warned him that they would be returning soon… for the last time.
“Oh Goddess!” Lyla soft cry echoed through the walls to his sensitive ears.
Creja rushed outside, rotating the blade in his hand as he stepped through the door. His arm held the blade ready, but he could not strike yet. His beloved mate stood in the circle of his oldest son’s arms, weeping.
“Release her,” Creja growled in a low voice.
“Father,” Cree said, his eyes on the sword. “There is no need to fear.”
“I said, release her!” Creja commanded. “Now!”
“Father,” Calo said, stepping to the side so he was standing next to Cree.
“Calo,” Creja’s strong voice quivered as he lo
oked into Calo’s worried face. “Goddess help me.”
“Father, Mother,” Cree said, releasing his mother from where she had thrown herself into his arms. “We would like you to meet someone.”
“Cree?” Lyla voice trembled as she looked up into his smiling face.
“Melina,” Cree said quietly, turning and holding his hand out.
Creja watched as a slender, pale hand reached out with trembling fingers and grasped Cree’s outstretched hand. A moment later, a delicate face appeared between his two sons.
His eyes widened as Calo’s arm slid around the small female who was staring at him with huge green eyes. A shy smile played across her lips before her eyes moved to the sword he had forgotten he held above his head. Her eyes moved back to his and they darkened as her pupils dilated in warning.
A smile pulled at Creja’s lips as he lowered the sword. The female’s eyes following the movement until it was down by his side. Only when it was obvious he would not be using it against Cree nor Calo, did her eyes return to normal.
“I am Creja, father of Cree and Calo,” Creja said formally.
“Hi,” the female replied in a low voice. “I’m Melina Franklin.”
“Cree? Calo?” Lyla asked, her hands fluttering in the air toward Melina while her eyes searched her two sons’ faces.
“She is our true mate, Mother,” Cree acknowledged with a satisfied smile. “The Goddess has blessed us.”
“Melina,” Lyla whispered, turning tear-filled eyes to the delicate woman. “Welcome. Welcome to our home, my daughter.”
Creja watched as his mate gathered Melina in her arms and held her close. It was only when Calo grumbled about her keeping Melina all to herself, that Lyla released Melina with a laugh, teasing him about hiding her behind them so she couldn’t be seen.
Melina’s giggles, as Calo tried to get back into his mother’s good graces, warmed Creja’s heart. The light had returned to his mate’s eyes with the knowledge that her sons had returned home with a mate.