Dragon's Heart [Dragon Love 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  Oh my God. This isn’t a hologram or a movie. This is real.

  She held back a cry and grabbed Jumper by the back of his shirt. Yet, as hard as she pulled, trying to take the boy with her, Pop wouldn’t let him go.

  “Take it easy, Cinda. They won’t hurt you.”

  She gaped at Pop, sure he’d gone insane, certain she’d see him go up in a ball of flames. Her heart pounded against her chest.

  Jumper had gone still, awed by their presence. He wasn’t afraid. Instead, he looked happier than she’d ever seen him.

  She dragged in breath after hard breath, telling herself she didn’t need to be afraid. The men wouldn’t have put her in danger. She trusted them, and they’d said she was safe. Slowly, her heart returned to a slower rhythm.

  “They’re magnificent, aren’t they?” asked Pop.

  She couldn’t deny it. “Yes. They are.”

  Landing, one after the other, they shook the ground, rumbling under her feet like three small earthquakes. Pop had to tightened his hold on Jumper to keep him from running toward them.

  “Hey, little guy, I think it’s best we stay put.”

  “But I want to touch them,” whined the boy.

  One of the blue-toned ones stepped forward, his motion setting off a pounding noise. Lowering his body, he extended his neck, offering himself to be petted.

  “Just one. Don’t go running over to the others,” warned Pop.

  Jumper nodded as he moved slowly toward the dragon. The blue-green scales shone under the moonlight. Red eyes that held no menace locked onto the boy. The dragon curled his long tail around his body, keeping the dangerous horns safely pointed away from Jumper. A deep rumble, a purr really, floated on the wind.

  Jumper put his hand on the dragon’s neck. “This is awesome.”

  Cinda couldn’t resist another moment. Making sure she wasn’t moving too swiftly, she went to the other side of the dragon’s head and reached out her hand. Another low rumble drifted out of the huge beast as she pressed her palm against his neck. The scales were sleek like hard metal. Unlike cold metal, however, they exuded warmth.

  “This is awesome.” Every bit of the fear she’d had earlier was gone. Only amazement and excitement were left.

  “They need to go now. We can’t risk anyone else seeing them.”

  “Nooo.” Jumper flung his arms as far around the dragon’s neck as they could go and rested his cheek against the creature. “I want them to stay.”

  Pop pulled the child gently away from the dragon. “I’m sorry, kid, but they can’t.”

  She wanted them to stay, too, but understood. Skimming her hand along the dragon’s neck one last time, she walked back to where she’d stood, glancing over her shoulder every few steps.

  The dragon reared up, and as though it had been planned, all three dragons opened their massive jaws. Flames flashed upward, lighting up the darkness. Heat spread over her body. If they hadn’t moved away, they would’ve been scorched to ashes.

  “Wow,” whispered Jumper.

  “Yeah, wow,” she answered.

  With a flap of their wings, the dragons pointed their noses to the sky and lifted off the ground. Within a minute, they were airborne, their bodies slowly dissolving into shimmers in the air.

  She, Pop, and Jumper stood where they were as the shimmers disappeared over the tops of the trees. It was another few minutes before she could speak.

  “I can’t believe it.” She wished she’d had the sense to take a photo with her phone, but once the dragons had arrived, she’d had no thought of anything but them. “Wait. Where are the men?”

  “Right here.”

  Hank, along with Walken and Grant, strolled out of the trees as though they had no care in the world.

  “Where were you? You missed the dragons.” Yet, hadn’t they gone to get the creatures?

  “No, we didn’t.”

  “But—” She was about to ask Hank where’d they been when the dragons had landed when he turned, putting his back to her. Had he cut her off on purpose?

  Walken jerked his head at the horses. “Back to the ranch, everyone.” He gave her a pointed look. “We’ll answer all your questions once we’re home, okay?”

  She wanted to say that it wasn’t okay, but what choice did she have? They were studiously ignoring her, letting her know they weren’t going to talk right then. “Okay.”

  * * * *

  Getting Jumper to go to sleep was next to impossible. Cinda was glad Pop had taken on the responsibility of getting the boy back into his bedroom in the clients’ housing. As it was, she had a feeling Pop and the rest of the staff watching over the kids at the sleepover would be up most of the night with the super-excited boy.

  She was having a hard time calming down, too. What she’d seen couldn’t be real, but she’d seen and felt it. How else could she explain it? Biting her lower lip, she waited not too patiently for the men to settle in the living room.

  “We have something to tell you, babe.”

  “Yes, you do.” She clasped her hands together as though that would help settle your nerves.

  “Have you taken your medication tonight?” asked Walken.

  “Yes.” A small nervous titter escaped her. “If you’re worried about my heart, maybe you should’ve made sure I took my pills before I saw real, live dragons.”

  “We should have.” Grant curled a lip into a snarl at Walken. “Why didn’t you think about that?”

  Walken glared back. “She’s fine. Let’s not get off topic.”

  They sat on the couch opposite the chair she’d chosen. Wearing their faded jeans, worn boots, and simple shirts with their sleeves rolled up, they were the perfect picture of rugged cowboys. Each of them, even Walken, who was usually clean-shaven, sported enticing stubble along their jaws. The ache to have them came hard and fast, but she resisted, knowing she had to have answers.

  Once I get answers, I’m taking them to bed.

  “You know we want you.”

  She nodded. She hadn’t said as much, but deep inside, she was sure their love kept her heart beating.

  “We want you to be our mate. Our wife.” Hank looked nervous as he shifted in his seat. “What do you want?”

  “I want you. I want to be your wife.” She smiled and used the strange word. “I want to be your mate.” Her smile faded. “But why would you want a woman with my health problems? It won’t be easy, and I can’t have children. Why would you want all the responsibilities without getting many of the benefits?”

  “This isn’t a business deal, darlin’. We’re not buying a house. We want you. Every bit of you, including your bum heart.”

  “Way to make it sound romantic, man,” added Hank.

  “It’s okay. I know what you mean.” She hated to stop talking about their future lives together, but she had to know. “Before we talk about that, tell me about the dragons. They were real, weren’t they? It wasn’t a trick?”

  Walken’s dark gaze met hers. “You saw them. You felt one of them. Yes, they’re really real. Just accept it.”

  “But where were you?”

  “We couldn’t be in two places at one time.”

  She frowned at Hank. “I don’t understand.”

  Grant stood and paced to the other side of the room, as though he was too restless to stay in one place. “What we have to tell you is going to be difficult to accept.”

  “Go on. Tell me what’s wrong.” Were they financially in the hole? Were they emotionally or legally attached to another woman? Whatever was wrong, they’d deal with it and move on.

  “We couldn’t be in two places at one time because—” Walken paused as searching for the right words. “We’re the dragons.”

  Cinda laughed. What else would a sane person do? “You’re the dragons.”

  “We are. We’re called shape-shifters. Men who can change into animal forms. For us, it’s dragons.”

  She wanted to laugh again, but the laughter died in her throat. Walken was se
rious. Judging by Hank’s and Grant’s expressions, they were just as serious. “You’re shape-shifters. You mean, like werewolves on television?”

  “Except we’re dragons,” clarified Hank.

  “Darlin’, I know it’s hard as hell to believe, but we are men who can turn into dragons.”

  She struggled to understand. While her mind told her she’d actually seen dragons, she was having a tough time believing that the men she loved were those dragons. “This is too much.”

  They drew close, Hank going to one side, Grant on the other, and Walken dropping to his knees in front of her.

  “Are you all right?” Walken asked. “Are you feeling dizzy? Anything? Talk to us, Cinda.”

  “No, no. It’s not my heart.” She touched a palm to Hank’s cheek. “Is this real? You’re all dragons?”

  Relief swamped his face. “You got it, babe. We’re fire-breathing, flying dragons.” His eyes narrowed. “Can you handle it?”

  “Before you answer, know that we’re the same men we were before.” Grant leaned closer. “We’d never hurt you, either as humans or as dragons.”

  “Are there more of you?”

  They exchanged a look that told her the answer. Walken answered, “A few of the other employees are dragons, too.”

  “What about Pop and Bertram? Are they shifters, too?” With his disgruntled nature, she could easily imagine Bertram as a dragon.

  “Bertram is.”

  “Does Pop know? About all of you?”

  “Yes. He’s worked with us for a long time now,” answered Grant. “Those two are mated and as good as married.”

  “Can you change any time you want?” The thought hit her. “What were you thinking? I can understand why you’d tell me, but why would you show Jumper what you are? He doesn’t keep secrets very well.”

  “We took that into consideration.” Walken smiled. “But how could we not give him his wish? Sure, he’s in remission now, but who knows when the cancer might return?”

  They were the kind men she’d come to love. “And you’re not afraid he’ll tell his parents? Or the other kids?”

  “He promised, but even if he does, who’s going to believe him, darlin’?”

  She had to agree. If she told Kiley, her friend would no doubt laugh so hard she’d pee her panties. “You’re probably right.”

  “Let’s talk about us and our future, babe. Are you ready to become our mate?”

  “I am, but I don’t know how. Do you have to bite me or something? Will I change into a shape-shifter, too?”

  “The only thing you have to do is accept us all as both men and dragons.”

  “Then I’m already your mate.” Her thrill at the idea faded too fast. “But it doesn’t change what I can’t give you. Don’t you want children? Don’t you want a wife, a mate, who can give you everything you want?”

  Walken was so intense. “You’ve already given us everything we could ever want by accepting us as your mates. But yes, we want kids. As many as you want to have.”

  The fact that she couldn’t have any children, that carrying a baby to term would put too much stress on her heart, had been difficult enough to accept when she was by herself. But she couldn’t stand the idea of disappointing them. The way they were with the children on the ranch proved they’d be amazing fathers.

  “Stop it, darlin’. I can see what you’re thinking.”

  “I can’t have children.” She looked down, unable to see the sadness in them. “I can’t be your mate and live with the knowledge that I let you down.”

  “Maybe there’s a way you can have our child.”

  Were they talking about a surrogate? Or adoption? She didn’t think so. “No, there’s not. My heart can’t handle it.”

  “As dragons, whenever we give you a child, that child can be one of three things. She can be fully dragon or a hybrid. If she’s either a dragon or a hybrid, she can give you the healing power that comes along with being a dragon.”

  Shocked rushed into her, along with a burst of hope she hadn’t dared to foster until now. “Are you saying a baby could fix my heart?”

  “Yes.” Walken’s eyes filled with unshed tears. “At least, that’s what I’ve been told. I’ve never known it to happen, but then again, it doesn’t mean it’s not true. Still, there’s a very small chance that the child could be all human. If that’s true, then carrying it to full term could—” He stopped, swallowing hard. “Maybe this is a bad idea, after all.”

  “But it’s unlikely that the child will be human. That’s what you said.” Hope sprang to life inside her. If there was any chance to have a full life, including children, with the men she loved, she’d take the risk.

  “Yes. But it has to be your decision.”

  “But how? A pregnant mother and her child don’t share their blood.”

  “I don’t know the why of it, but dragon babies aren’t like human babies. Your pregnancy will be different, and what you two share will be more.”

  Grant shifted in his seat. “Dragons are born immortal. It’s only after we take a mate that we begin to die. The baby’s immortality as well, as her healing properties, will be a part of you while you carry her.”

  “Are you saying you’ll die because you love me?” How could she let them love her if it meant their deaths? “I can’t let you do that. No. I refuse to be your mate. I have to.”

  “Again, he puts his foot in his mouth.” Hank shook his head, his red-flecked eyes throwing daggers at Grant.

  “The red in your eyes? It’s because you’re a dragon, right?”

  “Right. When we’re in our dragon bodies, our eyes are red. Sometimes the dragon gets close to the surface when we’re men. But again, we’d never hurt you in either of our bodies,” answered Walken.

  “What Grant meant to say is that we lose our immortality once our mate accepts us as her mate. Which you already have. We won’t die tomorrow. Instead, we’ll age like humans do.”

  Hank traced his fingertip along her shoulder, sending her a shiver. Yet it was a shiver of need, not fear.

  “We’ll grow old together, just like any husband would do with you.”

  “But to give up so much… Are you sure? If I’d known, I never would’ve accepted you as my mates.” How could she ask them to give up eternal life?

  “We’re sure, but it doesn’t matter. It’s a done deal. Besides, we’re not giving up half of what we’re gaining with you as our mate.”

  Hank grinned. “Finally, Grant says something the right way.”

  “But are you sure? About the aging thing? About the baby?”

  “About the aging thing? Yeah, we’re sure. As for the other? We’re as sure as we can be.” Walked stood, offering her his hand. “What do you say, mate? Want to go upstairs and make a baby?”

  She beamed, happiness roaring through her. “Yes. Let’s do it. I’ll race you upstairs.” Laughing, she took off running, determined to beat the men to her bedroom. For the first time in many days, she felt real joy.

  The sound of Walken’s phone going off had him turning back. By the time she’d made it to the top of the stairs, he called, stopping her cold.

  “Cinda, it’s the hospital.”

  She whirled around, her happiness gone. The moment she saw his face, she knew. “No.”

  Please. No.

  “Penny’s taken a turn for the worse.”

  Chapter Ten

  Why did life keeping offering her hope only to snatch it away?

  “Are you sure you can’t do anything to help Penny?” Cinda sat in the rear seat of their pickup with Hank next to her. Walken rode in the front passenger seat while Grant navigated through traffic, going as fast as he safely could.

  Walken shook his head, his own pain appearing in the lines of his face. “The only way we know to help is to get the woman pregnant like we’re going to do with you. But Penny’s not a woman, and even if she was, she’s not our mate. I’m sorry, sweetheart, but there’s nothing we can do.”

>   “If we had a way of saving all the kids, we would.” Hank opened his door as Grant brought the vehicle to a stop in front of the hospital entrance.

  “I know you would.”

  Cinda let Walken and Hank each hold an arm. If they didn’t, she wasn’t sure she could make it into the hospital. As she’d done so many times before, she made her way through the crowds, past the strangers and into the small waiting area for the ICU.

  Grant came rushing up. “I checked with the nurse. Her parents are with her now, but the nurse will see if she can get any additional information about her condition. If she can get Penny’s folks’ permission.”

  “At least her parents allowed the hospital to call us,” grumbled Hank. “That’s a step in the right direction.”

  Fortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Rollins had decided to drop legal action against the ranch and the men. Their initial accusations had died over the past few weeks after many of the staff as well as other clients vouched for the care Penny had received while at the ranch. However, they still hadn’t allowed any of them to see their daughter.

  “You need to sit down and rest, darlin’.”

  She pulled out of Grant’s hold. “No. I can’t.” She stared down the hallway, willing someone, anyone to come and tell her about Penny. In only a short time, she’d fallen in love with not only her men, but with the special little girl too. If she lost any of them, she wasn’t sure what she’d do.

  “Babe, please, sit down.”

  “No.” She pushed away from them. “I can’t. Stop trying to make me.”

  They did as she asked. Pacing back and forth, she kept her focus on the hallway. She stared at every nurse and every doctor that walked her way. Each time she was disappointed as they passed her or hailed someone else.

  Minutes ticked by, slowly, as time came to a crawl. The men did their best to help her, offering her drinks and food, but she couldn’t eat or drink. Not until she had news.