Double Dragons(22)

“Hm,” she said, nonplused.

“Can I ask you something?” Ran asked, sitting on the bed next to her. She could feel the heat from his body. Like he was exuding energy, though his face was calm.

“Sure,” she said. “Though if it’s in the same vein as what Draven was asking, I’m not sure I’ll have any good answers for you.”

“No,” he said, waving a delicate hand. “Nothing like that.”

“Okay,” she said.

“What do you want from life?” he asked, resting serious green eyes on hers. She loved the color of them, deep and rich, like grass in springtime. “What do you wish for?”

She thought for a long moment. “To be happy,” she said. “I guess like anyone.”

“No,” he said, coming slightly closer so his hard body was just inches from hers. “I mean, when you look out at your life, what do you want?”

She sighed and leaned back on her hands, thinking about everything that had changed.

“I want to have adventures,” she said.

“Go on,” he said.

“I want to have fun. I want to live in the moment. I don’t want to be always looking over my shoulder.”

He nodded. “All good things. Go on.”

“And I…” She looked down at her hands. “I don’t want to be alone anymore.”

Ran nodded, this time exhaling a relieved breath. He put an arm around her shoulder, an easy, casual gesture that nonetheless had her heartbeat speeding up. “Good. Because I don’t want Draven to be alone either.”

“What?” she asked, pushing Ran’s arm off her shoulder as she turned to look at him. “Why would he be alone? He’s got you.”

Ran gave her a smile that wasn’t reassuring, his beautifully carved lips tilting slightly on one side. “Nothing. I just wanted to know what kind of life you’d want.” He stood and put a hand on her shoulder and leaned on it to lower his lips to her cheek. His soft touch was like velvet, holding against her for several seconds before pulling away. Then he lifted a curl and let it drop.

“I’m headed to bed. We should all go out and do something fun tomorrow,” he said. “Get to know each other. We’re already a couple days into the week.”

Then, with a teasing smile and a light wave, Ran was gone again.

Melissa shook her head and set the bedcovers back. She pulled the drapes open so she could have a view of the city while lying in bed, and then she turned off the light.

She thought of Draven’s words about family. How she should have been more connected. Should have had someone to call. She knew that, but…

Her throat tightened and she put her forearm over her eyes as if it could block out the memories threatening to emerge.

She was tired. Just so tired.

With that thought, she slipped into restless sleep, knowing with dread that the nightmares were coming tonight, for the first time in a long while.





* * *



Draven stayed restless and awake long after Ran had started to snore. As he lay in the dark, he became aware of muffled moans in a high-pitched feminine voice. The sounds sent a chill down his spine and he jerked up, wide-awake.

Melissa.

He crept off the bed and slunk out of the room, trying not to disturb his partner.

He walked down to Melissa’s room and listened at the door. She was murmuring, mumbling, and then a piercing shriek rent the air and he quickly pushed the door open and stumbled into the room.

She was in the middle of the bed, looking small and vulnerable as she twisted in the sheets.

“No, no…” she murmured, and as he came closer, getting onto the bed to get a better look, he could see wet tracks of tears on her cheeks. He gathered her into his lap, ignoring her feeble struggles.

“No, no,” she said, twisting with hands clenched into fists.

Part of his dragon’s heart wrenched within him at her anguish, letting him know what he’d been wanting to deny since the moment he saw her across the street, having put herself in danger to protect a wolf shifter cub.

He could let this woman in deep if he wanted to.

To his world, to his troubles with Ran. He held her tight and pushed her damp hair off her sweaty forehead. Her hands grabbed his shirt and she twisted into him, still in agony.

He didn’t want to invade her mind. He told himself he didn’t need to. That was private.

But then she let out another ear-piercing shriek and he opened his mind, because whatever she was dealing with, he couldn’t let her do it alone. And perhaps her shrieking mind would quiet with more space to share. Sometimes, feelings were less intense when others were there to help bear and witness them.

Emotion flooded his mind, more pain than he’d thought possible, as he saw himself in her body. So small, so young he couldn’t comprehend what was happening. He saw the world through her eyes. Saw her stumble from a car, numb. Looked down at her legs, dripping blood. Looked back at the car.