Fire and Flames [Dragon Love 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

She gaped as scales replaced skin. Their eyes filled with red while claws and fangs replaced nails. Horns burst out of their broad foreheads and along the length of their tails.

  Stunned, Marlee hurried around the couch, putting it between them. “I’m dreaming. Or drunk. Crazy.”

  Yet when the one that had been Ridge opened its mouth and a small flame of fire burst forth, she knew she was as sane as she’d ever been.

  “Dragons.” She backed up, oblivious to everything but them as they took over the condominium, filling the space.

  Ridge shook his head and bellowed. Each of them took a step forward. She backed up, suddenly unsure of what they would do.

  Her heart skipped a beat as she fell backward. A scream came to her throat but never left her mouth. She was falling. Even as she realized what was happening, her only thought was of the men who had changed into dragons.

  Her hair whipped in front of her face. The air buffeted her arms and formed a frame of wind around her. The night sky sparkled with tiny lights.

  And then she saw the air above her shimmering.

  In the next moment, her fall was stopped, cocooned in an invisible embrace. Her body rose skyward, supported by something under her. Something very large and very strong.

  She smiled as the dragon landed inside the condo then knelt low, sliding her off him. Her body shook as the realization of what had almost happened took hold of her, and she slipped to the floor, her fingers digging into the carpet. She crawled over to the couch and pulled herself on top of it.

  She could feel them easier than she could see the shimmers as they passed by her. Then, suddenly, there they were, three glorious dragons, filling the cavernous living room with their huge, amazing bodies. As they did as humans, Colter and Ridge looked similar as dragons. Their scales held a blue tint, their red eyes piercing. The one she realized was Adam had green scales, but his eyes were just as flame-red as his friends.

  They were magnificent. Strong and powerful. Beautiful and alluring. Fantasies come to life. Tentatively, she reached out and skimmed her palm along Adam’s scales. The rough texture tickled her skin and the warmth of his body radiated into her.

  As much as she wanted to keep stroking her, her nerves got the better of her. She withdrew her shaking hand.

  “Change back.” She was surprised she still had a voice. Why did she think they would obey her?

  And yet, they did. Again, their images blurred, and the awful sound of bones cracking unnerved her even more. Before long, they were back in their human bodies.

  “Damn it, Marlee. We told you to stay put.” Ridge strode toward her. “I almost didn’t catch you in time.”

  “But you did.” She stroked his cheek, half expecting to feel scales against her skin.

  “And we always will.” Colter joined them on the couch.

  “Without a doubt, girl.”

  “Good to know.” She was at a loss for words. What could she say after finding out such an incredible secret?

  “Are you all right?” Adam studied her. “Are you frightened?”

  “Yes.” She smiled, already growing calmer. How could she not with them by her side. “And no. I’m not frightened. Still, it’s a lot to take in.”

  “Then you’re okay with what we are?” asked Ridge.

  “Surprisingly, I am.” Her smile grew as excitement flooded her. “Do it again. I can handle it better this time. Change into dragons again.”

  Colter looked toward the outside. “Okay. But just know that we try not to change a lot. People might see.”

  “But you will for me, right?” She clasped his hand, a hand that had sprouted deadly claws only minutes earlier. “Change.”

  Her phone ringing had her tensing at the sound. It had been the hospital nurse about Kyle the last time someone had called while she was in their home. From his worried expression, Adam must’ve been thinking the same thing when he handed her purse to her.

  She swallowed as she stared at the ID. “No,” she whispered. “This isn’t happening. Not again.”

  Ridge took the phone from her. “Hello? No. She can’t come to the phone right now. You can tell me.” It took a few more attempts to get the caller to tell him. Only when he claimed to be her fiancé did he get an answer. “I see. Yes. We’ll be right there.”

  No. Please, no.

  She closed her eyes, willing the world away. Her chest hurt. She wouldn’t listen to whatever he’d tell her. If she did, she wouldn’t survive it.

  “Baby, we have to go.”

  She jerked away from Ridge’s hand on her back. If she could ignore them, the pain would go away.

  But Ridge wasn’t going to let her pretend the bad news didn’t exist. “Baby, it’s Kyle.”

  “What wrong?” asked Colter, forcing her to hear.

  “That was the administrator at Shady Oaks. I’m sorry, baby. He’s all right now, but…Kyle tried to kill himself.”

  Chapter Ten

  “I miss him so much.”

  “I know. I know.” Marlee held Kyle close to her. Images of the time before, the time when she’d found him curled into a fetal position on his bed, the bottle of pills lying next to him, came rushing back. Heartache speared through her as they clung to each other.

  “I don’t want to live without Clay.”

  She rocked her brother, wishing she could take his pain and make it her own. As soon as the men had gotten her to listen, to not block out those awful words, they’d rushed her to the mental facility. If the nurse hadn’t found him in time, he would’ve been lost. She’d demand to know how he’d found the means to try and hang himself, but that would have to wait until later. Right now, she had to focus on comforting Kyle.

  “But you have to.” She pushed him back and forced his gaze to meet hers. “I wish you’d talked to me. Or someone. I can’t know the hurt you’re feeling”—Couldn’t she? Wouldn’t she feel the same sorrow if Ridge, Adam, or Colter died?—“but you have to go on. You have so many people who love you. Me. Mom and Dad. All your friends. We couldn’t stand not having you around. Please, Kyle.”

  Please what? Forget Clay? She couldn’t ask the impossible.

  “I’ll never love anyone again.”

  Before she’d met her men, she would’ve argued, telling him he’d find another man to love. But now she could only hold him. If they were lost to her, she’d never find love again.

  “People killed him, you know.” Kyle wiped at his tears. “Hateful, horrible people like Max made him angry. He had to strike back. He had to make them stop hurting him. I tried to stop him, to tell him not everyone was like Max, but he wouldn’t listen.”

  “I know you did, but Clay was responsible for his actions, not you. You did the best you could for him. Damn it. I don’t know why people have so much hate in their hearts. Who cares what form love comes in?”

  She glanced toward the door. The men were waiting downstairs as the rules of the facility dictated, yet they were ready to do whatever she needed. Her heart filled with gratitude.

  Were they human, dragon, or both? What would life with three dragons be like? And yet, the answer was plain enough. No matter what body they were in, no matter what they were, they would always be the men she loved. The people she loved.

  “I love you, Kyle. Please, stay with me.”

  His troubled gaze met hers. “I love you, too, sis.”

  “I’m sorry, but it’s time for his session with Dr. Monroe.”

  Marlee nodded at the nurse at Kyle’s bedroom door then hugged her brother again. “I’m here for you. You know that, right? Whenever you need me, I’ll come.”

  “I know. Thanks, sis.” Kyle sniffed then slid off the bed. Letting the nurse take his arm, he left, glancing back once.

  She followed him into the hall and watched him walk down the long corridor leading to the psychiatrist’s office. Would he ever be the same? Would she?

  If her brother had taught her anything, he’d taught her that love, wherever she found it, was nothing
short of a miracle. The men she loved, the men who made her heart beat stronger, the men who made her wish for a future filled with beautiful, winged children were different. Yet no matter what body covered their souls, they were still the men she wanted to love until her life ended.

  Suddenly, nothing else was as important as being with them. Pivoting around with a smile on her face, she ran toward the elevator.

  * * * *

  If only I could’ve flown, I could’ve gotten here sooner.

  Still, she hesitated, her fingertip poised over the doorbell. Would their blood pump faster in their veins as hers did? Would they sweep her into their arms? Should she jump into theirs?

  The door opened before she could push the button. She gulped in air, ready to face her future.

  “Hey, babe.”

  Seeing Colter’s smile, she let out her breath. “Hi. Can I come in?”

  Colter stood back and waved her inside. “Guys? She’s here.”

  Entering the living room was like entering a major contest and hoping she’d win the grand prize. Ridge and Adam stood from their places on the couch. Their eyes sparkled as their gazes slid over her.

  “Finally, you’re here.”

  “I missed you, too, Adam, but I had to give this time to Kyle.” After the night of Kyle’s suicide attempt, she’d told them she needed time devoted only to her brother. They’d understood and had patiently waited, allowing her to decide when to come to them.

  The heat between them was unmistakable, but heat wasn’t the only thing she was looking for. She wanted more than their bodies. She wanted to be sure she had their hearts.

  “How’s Kyle doing?” asked Ridge.

  They already knew. Every day she’d gone to visit Kyle, the nurses had told her about their frequent inquiries as well as the books and music they’d sent her brother. Since they weren’t related to Kyle, they couldn’t see him, but they’d done everything they could do to make sure he was all right. She’d found out, too, that they’d paid for Kyle’s stay at the facility as well as all his medical bills. Kyle didn’t have any insurance, and the costs would’ve ruined her.

  “Thank you for everything you’ve done for him. For paying for his care and for all the gifts. It’s more than you should’ve done.”

  “So you want us to stop? To take everything back?” Adam adopted a serious expression but couldn’t hide that he was joking.

  “Hell no.” She’d be forever grateful.

  “We’re glad you came.” Colter’s finger slid along her shoulder. For a moment, she thought he’d grab her and pull her into his arms. Instead, he walked a few steps past her.

  “I don’t care what you are.”

  “Is that all?” The silver in Ridge’s eyes took on a metallic glint. “We were hoping for more than simple acceptance.”

  Was he angry with her? “I don’t understand.”

  “We want you to want us. As men and as dragons.”

  “Ridge is right. If you want to be with us, if you want to become our mate, we have to know you can embrace our being dragons.” Adam’s joking manner was gone. “When we take a mate, our physical makeup changes.”

  “Changes? How? Do you stop being dragons? Or men?”

  “No, but we begin to age, growing older in both our human bodies and our dragon ones,” answered Colter.

  “Does that mean you don’t age now?”

  “As dragons without a mate, we’re immortal.”

  She let Ridge’s explanation sink in. They were giving up eternal life to be with her. How could she ask more of them after they’d already given so much? “I can’t ask you to give up your lives.”

  “We’re not giving up our lives. We’re making them better, richer. Do you want us as dragons, girl? Just answer the question.”

  Adam was pressing her, forcing her to tell them. She’d tell the truth, but could she stay with them?

  “I love everything about you. Men and dragon.” She stepped back. “But I can’t ask you to give up your immortality.”

  “So you do love us? Do you want to be our woman until the day we die?”

  What else could she do but answer Colter truthfully? “I love you. I hate what it’ll do to you, but I won’t deny loving you. But you should have told me before now. If you had, I would’ve stopped you. I would’ve stopped us.”

  “Which is why we didn’t say anything. Besides, you had too much to handle already.”

  “I can’t take away your immortality.” She turned to go, to give them up, but Colter caught her arm, spinning her around.

  “The damage is already done, babe.”

  Her stomach twisted, pain searing into her at what she’d done. How could love destroy? And yet, it had taken their immortality.

  “Fuck, man, don’t say it that way.” Adam stalked over to her.

  “What he means”—Ridge drew closer, too—“is that, yes, you accepting us as your mates will change us, forcing us to age.”

  Tears welled, blurring her vision. “No. I won’t. I’ll leave, and you’ll be all right.”

  Ridge took her arms, holding her there. “Baby, we don’t give a damn about living forever. What would an endless life be worth without you in it?”

  “No. It’s too much to give up. I can’t ask you to do that.”

  Colter took her chin and turned her to look him in the eyes. “You’re not asking. We’re giving it gladly to get so much more. Now that we’ve found you, we can’t live without you. We wouldn’t want to. Don’t ask us to.”

  “Do you love us?” asked Ridge.

  For their sakes, she wanted to lie, but she couldn’t. “Yes.”

  “Then we’re good.”

  “Fuck all the talk. Let’s show her.” Adam scooped her into his arms. “It’s time we finally get you into our bed.”

  Adam carried her down the long hallway to the bedroom they’d made love in earlier. Setting her down on her feet, he started to peel the clothes from her. Colter and Ridge joined in, taking their time as buttons were undone and the zipper slid down. She shivered as the material grazed over her skin and left her body.

  “You’re beautiful.” Colter nibbled on her ear.

  “More than that. I can’t think of a word that says it right.” Adam kept his attention on her jeans as he shoved them to the floor.

  She lifted her feet, allowing Ridge to kneel beside her and remove her shoes. “I don’t need you to flatter me.”

  “We’re not trying to. At least not intentionally. We’re only speaking the truth,” added Ridge, who then kissed her calf. His fingers caressed her leg, finding the sensuality of places she’d never thought of as being sexy.

  They were great mountains of muscled flesh enclosing her in their masculinity. She dragged in a long breath, tantalized by their scents. Now that she knew what they were, that they were more than mere men, she could smell the slight edge, the rawness just under their aromas.

  Ridge pulled at her panties with his teeth, tugging them away from her butt. “Don’t wear underwear again. I thought we already told you that.” He tore the panties off her.

  She’d purchased the panties and bra, sexy, frilly things she would never have bought before meeting them. The thought of them tearing the panties off her had been too wonderful, spurring her to buy them. “But I bought them for you.”

  “Don’t. The whole sexy-lingerie thing is wasted on us.” Colter bit a little harder on her ear. “Pieces of material don’t make a woman alluring. Your confidence, your heart, and, yeah, your luscious body make you hot as hell. But lacy panties? Nah.”

  Adam eased the straps of her bra down her arms as Colter unhooked the clasp. The bra fell forward. She would’ve caught it, but Adam stopped her.

  “No, girl. Let it go.” He snagged the bra and tugged it away from her.

  A low grumble rumbled around her, one originating as three then combining into one. To think their dragons were just below the surface frightened her just enough to be exciting. She closed her eyes as they ran
their hands over her skin, their tongues dipping into her curves. Alive as never before, she reveled in having three men who adored her as much as she adored them.

  Hands cupped her breasts, playing and pinching her nipples. She arched her back, at once pushing her tits against those hands while sticking out her bottom to the tongue sliding between her pussy lips. Nips along her shoulders both tickled and stung her.

  When all at once they stopped, she was left startled, jarred. She opened her eyes to find them, as they so often seemed to be, standing side by side.

  “Get on the bed, baby,” ordered Ridge. “Or we might not make it to the bed at all.”

  She trembled as she turned and walked to the large bed, taking her time to go the several yards into the massive bedroom. She pulled the heavy brocade bedspread down. One glance back and she crawled on top of it to sit on her legs in the center. The soft fabric of the rich sheets brushed against her knees. “I’m here. Now what?”

  “Now we enjoy.”

  They began taking off their shirts, their legs planted apart, their hard muscles being revealed inch by inch as they took their time. She bit her lower lip, thinking just how much they looked like a male exotic revue. Slinging their shirts away, they paused as though they could tell what she was thinking.

  They came toward her, a swagger in their steps that spoke of their confidence and their physical prowess. Again, the idea that they were male strippers and dancers hit her. She reached between her legs, unable to simply watch. Wet and hot, she was ready for more than her fingers could give her.

  They stopped. Adam crossed his arms, showing the strong tendons in them. Ridge hooked his thumbs in his jeans as though he could wait a thousand years to touch her—although the bulge in his jeans said differently. Colter lifted his arms and locked his fingers behind his head, widening his already massive chest.

  She was sure now that they knew what she’d been thinking. “Stop playing with me, guys. Can’t you see that I’m hurting? I need you so much.” She brought her hand out from between her legs and stuck her two fingers into her mouth. She moaned, a show telling them how sweet she tasted.