Believing Binda (2 page)

"Make believe. On Earth, people write stories to entertain, to
allow the reader to escape from their real world for a while. You don't have
things like that? What is in all these books?"

"I've never heard of such a thing. These tomes are our history,
legends about our creation and other things. Since the liaths came and their
evil illness ran rampant, killing all our females and young, this room has sat
empty. The plague also took a lot of our elders, those who knew everything that
was contained here. Did you read this
fiction
often?"

"I did. I was a librarian. I love books, being surrounded by
them." She paused to swallow and take a breath as she processed what he'd
said. "That's why I've only seen men here, isn't it?"

Binda winced at the effect her quiet words had on Zane. His shoulders
slumped as his whole body shuddered. Damn, she hadn't meant to hurt him. She'd
simply been curious about what had happened.

"It was ... devastating. The liaths came on the Great Wind, like
you and your friends. They were friendly to begin with. We accepted them into
our society. Then they moved into our labs, started experiments. Still they
promised they were doing no harm, and none of us sensed the evil in them."
He paused to sigh loudly. "Then one day, they completely abandoned the
labs and began moving around the castle. It seemed strange the way they were
covering every inch of the place, so we went to check the labs and found their
notes."

He stopped on another sigh as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. Still
sitting in his lap, Binda couldn't resist the urge to comfort him. Cupping his
cheek in her palm, her heart swelled with an emotion she didn't want to examine
as he nuzzled and kissed her palm.

"We did all we could. But it was too little, too late. By the time
we made it back to the main rooms of the castle we were finding our dead.
Dimitri had already sent out warriors to capture and serve justice on the liaths.
Every one of those bastards was caught and killed—"

Zane's words stopped short as his body went taut beneath her. His head
cocked to the side as he gazed out the door with anger.

"What is it? I can't hear a thing."

Almost distractedly, like he was listening to something else, he spoke
and shattered any sense of calm she'd found.

"All dragons can talk telepathically. Two of your friends have been
taken."

****

Zane froze as he heard Dimitri's telepathic message.

Eilagh and Becky have been
taken by rogues. Guard remaining females.

He knew when the group of four dragons had left the clan in search of
females a few days ago that it was destined to end poorly. They all knew that
Dimitri had already taken warriors out to search the entirety of The Land of
Feury. What Clan Leader wouldn't do everything in his power to alleviate the
sudden problem of having no
Desireds
? Zane guessed
Huro, the leader of the rogues, had heard about the Great Wind having visited.

He tightened his grip on Binda, his precious Desired, as she
straightened in his lap.

"What is it? I can't hear a thing."

He would never lie to her. Honesty was important. Even before the
plague, he'd prized honesty in both himself and others.

"All dragons can talk telepathically. Two of your friends have been
taken."

Quicker than he could grab her, she flew from his lap. He telepathically
called his brother from the clinic as he followed their Desired. With
kidnappers on the loose, there was no way he would allow her to rush off on her
own unprotected. Where did she think she was going anyway?

Moments after she disappeared out of the library door he heard her grunt
along with the sound of her thudding against something solid. Running through
the doorway after her he stopped short when he saw her wrapped in Baxter's
embrace.

"Easy there, precious one, where are you rushing off to?"

Binda's hands moved up to the Baxter's chest, and then her shoulders
bunched as she pushed against him, trying to free herself. Zane knew how good
it felt to have her in his arms, so there was no way in hell Baxter would
release her. He bet she'd feel even better lodged between them.
Naked.
With that thought in mind he moved in behind Binda,
pressing her firmly against Baxter. He felt the tremor run through her as his
now hard cock came into contact with her incredibly lush ass. His mind
instantly clouded with thoughts of sliding deep within her. Of having her
naked, hot, wet, and writhing between them.

"Where do you think I'm going? My friends are in trouble!"

Her reminder of the present danger helped to clear his mind.
A little.
He still couldn't resist lowering his head to her
neck to nuzzle the soft fragrant flesh there. She smelt like dewberries, and it
was his new favorite scent.

"We won't allow you to go after them—"

Zane felt her stiffen as she cut off Baxter with a growl. She shrugged
away from Zane's touch, and he stepped back as he could sense her desperation
for some space.

"You
won't allow
me? Who
the hell do you think you are? I am my own woman. I go where I choose, when I
choose." Through gritted teeth she finished, "I will never again be
dictated to. Not by any one."

The look she gave Baxter must have been pure fury as Baxter released her
and stepped back, with an almost comical shocked look on his face. Binda spun
on her heel and stormed off down the hallway. The obvious anger running through
her system made her hips sway in the most seductive manner. Damn, they really
needed to get her in their bed. Shaking his head to clear his lustful thoughts,
he took off after her, with Baxter by his side.

"Damn female. I was just trying to protect her. She's too precious
to risk."

"I know, brother. I can't handle losing another female I care for. I
honestly don't think my soul could bear it."

Without breaking stride, his big brother gripped his shoulder and gave
it a squeeze.

"I feel exactly the same way."

They continued to follow Binda as she moved around the castle. She
couldn't possibly know her way around already. Tired of watching her torment
herself, Zane called out to her.

"Little spitfire, where do you want to go? Or would you like to
simply wander around the halls all day?"

Her body halted and tensed before her shoulders curled in and her head
dropped forward.

"What I want is to wake up. I want this to be nothing but a
nightmare. I want my friends safe and sound in the tent with me. I want to wake
up, tell them about this crazy dream followed by us having a laugh before we
keep on hiking."

Binda crumpled to the floor, landing on her knees. She buried her face in
her hands and sobbed so hard her whole body shook. Baxter nudged him forward,

She's still mad at me. You
take her. We'll spend some time in our chambers with her. Hopefully we can make
some progress before the others return. No doubt the kidnapped females will
need at least checking over.

With gentle ease Zane scooped up Binda into his arms, cradling her
against his bare chest. Her hot tears scorched his flesh, and his heart ached.
Quickly he strode toward their chambers with Baxter by his side.

She thinks this is a dream?

Apparently, maybe we should
shift. Let her touch us.

Dimitri had Max shift after
dinner and that put her in shock.

I don’t doubt it did, but
she's our Desired. She'll feel the connection between us.

Good point. Okay, let’s get
her settled in our chambers and we'll show her our dragons.

"You two are very quiet.
Too quiet.
Especially considering I just fell apart on you."

So engrossed in his conversation with Baxter, Zane hadn't noticed Binda
had stopped crying, and as he gazed down at her tear streaked face he saw she
was frowning up at them. Baxter answered her question before Zane could get his
mind to work. She was so beautiful, even when she was upset.

"We're quiet as we're talking telepathically. All dragon shifters
can.
Desireds
can do it with their males once they
officially bond."

"Zane mentioned something about that before. So, you can read
minds?"

"No, we don't read minds, precious one. It's more like speaking in
each other’s minds, rather than out loud."

Zane stopped as Baxter opened the way for him. Once the main door to
their chambers was open he strode forward and headed into the family room. He
sat at one end of the long couch, keeping Binda on his lap. Baxter sat next to
him and began running a hand over her back and upper arm.

"What is a Desired?"

Baxter leaned in to place a reverent kiss to Binda's shoulder.

"The Goddess creates a Desired for each dragon family. A female
perfectly suited to her Dragon Warriors. Dragon shifter brothers have always
shared a Desired ... and you, sweet Binda, are ours."

She looked up at Zane, clearly looking for him to confirm or deny
Baxter's words.

"It's the truth, Binda. The Goddess used the Great Wind to bring
you to us because you are ours. Let us prove it to you. We’ll both shift to our
dragon form, and you’ll feel the pull between us."

He waited a moment for her to nod, before he set her on the couch next
to him and stood.

****

Binda felt the loss instantly as she curled up on the couch by herself.
Zane's body heat had kept her warm while he'd held her. She shivered a little
at both the temperature change and in anticipation.
Maybe
also a little out of fear.

Dragons.

She shook her
head.

"Before you
both shift, please tell me you have full control over your dragons? You're not
going to forget you know me and decide on barbecue for dinner?"

Baxter laughed
while Zane gave her a funny look.

"I assure
you we have full control. Our dragon is as much a part of us as our human form
is. You have nothing to fear."

Hmm, easy for him to say.
She'd seen how big these guys were in animal form. No way would she not
be scared at least a little at the sheer size of them. Wrapping her arms around
her knees she nodded to them.

"Let's do
this."

She squeezed her
eyes shut at the bright flash of light before blinking them clear. The family
room had looked huge before. It now felt like a tiny box. Of course, the two
massive ten foot tall dragons standing in front of her, would crowd any space.
She swallowed past a lump in her throat as she gripped her legs tighter to her
chest. Part of her wanted to run, and another part wanted to go cuddle them. It
was a bizarre mix of feelings.

They both
gracefully lowered to lie on the floor,
then
looked up
at her with big round frosty blue eyes.
The same color irises
that she had gazed into earlier when they’d been men.
Their fronts and
the webbing of their wings were the same blue. The rest was a deep green, the
same as their hair had been as men. Neither dragon moved as she allowed her
gaze to roam over each one head to tail. The longer they stayed still, the more
she relaxed.

Curious as to
the texture of their skin and following some internal instinct she couldn't
pinpoint, she rose to her feet and moved to stand between the animals. She
kneeled down and reached out to stroke the snout of each one. She gasped as
sparks of awareness spread up her arms and through her body. She shuddered on a
moan as the sensation settled low in her belly. Loud purring had her lifting
her head. Since when did dragons purr? She'd never read that one in any of her
shifter books.

Assuming when
they changed to dragon they didn't switch places, it was Zane lifting his head
slowly. She trailed her fingers down his snout. When her hand got to his lips
they parted and a soft wet tongue pressed into her palm. Vibrations trailed up
her arm, and she gasped as realization hit.

"Your
tongues vibrate?
Seriously?"

A bright flash
had her pulling back from Zane moments before Baxter knelt behind her. With a
knee beside each of her hips his body caged hers. There was no way to miss the
thick leather encased erection resting against her lower back. He trailed his
strong fingers down her arms until he had each of her hands in his. With her
palms facing out, he brought her hands up to stroke Zane.