A Tiger's Destiny (Tiger Protectors Book 3) (17 page)

“I know,” she said. “Look, I don’t know what to tell you. I didn’t do it to make you angry. I did it because it was the right thing to do. Stepping in when something innocent or helpless is at stake.”

Ran gave her a reassuring smile, but Draven just cursed.

“That’s
our
job. And sometimes we’ll have to leave you at home to go do it, and I need to know you’ll stay home and be safe,” Draven said.

“Dray’s a little protective,” Ran said with a laugh. “It’s one of his better qualities. And one of his bigger flaws.”

Draven grumbled something under his breath and Ran raised an eyebrow.

“What was that?”

“I said with your reckless ass around, someone’s got to be the careful one.”

“He’s too careful,” Ran said, giving Melissa a warm look that heated her from head to toe. She wished she could see in Ran’s head like he could see in hers.

“Anyway, not all dragons are like Quill. And as other dragons find out about us, they may come to challenge us for you,” Draven said.

“Not likely,” Ran said.

“True,” Draven said. “But possible. Dragons are getting more desperate for mates that can withstand the change.”

“The change?”

Draven shook his head. “I’ve said too much. I’m not sure you’re the one, and I don’t want to have to take more of your memory than necessary if you decide to run.”

“I’m not a runner,” she said stubbornly, folding her arms. “Bravery, stupidity, whatever you want to call it, I don’t back down. There’s no point. I rush headlong into things. I don’t see any point in hiding.”

Draven shook his head. “If I’m going to risk letting you into our lives, I need to know you know the difference between bravery and stupidity.” He sighed. ““How you’ve survived to this point, I don’t know.”

She flinched and then her expression drew into a glare. “You know, I’ve wondered the same thing, because by all rights, I should be dead,” she retorted.
“But I’m not dead, and all I can do is live to the best of my ability, doing what seems right to me. I’m not going to apologize for that, and you don’t have to like it.”

“Fine,” Draven said, gripping the steering wheel and staring straight ahead. “We’ll be there in a half hour or so.”

A
fter a day of errands
, Draven was still stewing in his own doubts. He wished he could just fall into this as easily as Ran and Melissa seemed to, but something was bothering him.

Aside from Melissa having no concern for her own personal safety, she also seemed to lack any meaningful connections in her life.

“Look at that constipated face,” Ran said. “I think we need to get him home and do something relaxing.”

“I’m not constipated,” Draven grumbled, tapping his glass lightly, enjoying the slight tinkling sound. “I just don’t see how the two of you can take this so lightly.”

Melissa and Ran’s smiles dampened slightly, though they continued to lean against each other as they studied him warily. Melissa’s beautiful brown skin and dark, curly hair looked amazing next to Ran’s golden beauty. The sight of them together threatened to take his breath away, filling his head with thoughts of the bedroom.

“Oh, there he goes,” Ran said, squeezing her shoulder as she giggled. “That’s his horny face.”

“Is not,” Draven lied. He couldn’t deny their chemistry. Couldn’t deny, especially after seeing her with the blue dragon, no matter how innocent that was, that he longed to take her again. Longed to bring her into their triad and feel complete.

But he just didn’t know enough about her. “Why are you so disconnected?” he asked. “It’s not normal for humans. Where is your family? Where are your friends?”

“I have friends,” she said. “You met some of them.”

“Acquaintances. Not close. Even your roommate seemed to barely know you.”

“She hasn’t lived there long,” Melissa said, eyes falling to her plate. She picked up her fork and began to push her broccoli around. “I guess I just don’t really need people around. I mean, I’m nice to them, but I have my work and my books…”

“What happened to your family?” he asked. “You should contact them. You should—”

She stood abruptly, and Ran took her hand gently and sent Draven a glare. But Melissa seemed capable of handling this on her own.

“And what about
your
family, Draven?” she asked, folding her arms and pulling away from Ran. “What about your true form? You want all my secrets, but you have plenty of your own, don’t you? Maybe when you’re ready to let people in, you can lecture me about it, okay? I wasn’t assigned some partner like Ran to help me get out there and meet people. I’ve only had myself. And I haven’t needed anyone.”

Draven’s throat felt tight. He hadn’t meant to offend her and felt bad for doing so. Still, the stubbornness in him managed to rise to the surface over his own shame. “Then why would you need us now? Why wouldn’t you just tell us to take a hike?”

She tilted her head angrily. “I don’t know. I guess I felt this would all be different. I can’t really say. All I know is the same inclination I had to save that girl is the same that has made me stay with you and embrace you and Ran and this whole situation. Just the feeling that it’s the right thing to do. You’re the one who’s a magical creature. Why do you seem to need an explanation for everything?” she said, sputtering mad. Then she tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I’m leaving. If you’re so dead set on protecting me, I suggest you join.”

Then she stormed from the diner.

Ran pulled out his wallet and paid the check. “She’s got you there, you know,” he said.

Draven clenched his jaw. “Thanks for taking her side.”

“Hey, when you’re wrong, you’re wrong, and good friends tell each other when they’re making a mistake. You’re misjudging her,” he said, shaking his head. Ran put his wallet back in his pants. “Maybe you should give her the benefit of the doubt for a while, rather than jumping down her throat.”

Draven didn’t want Ran to be right. Giving people the benefit of the doubt was too risky. It was better to try and figure everything out to see what a risk they might be.

“Whatever,” he said, standing abruptly. “Let’s follow the little miscreant out before she gets in even more trouble. She seems to have a knack for it.”

“Well, that’s right up your alley,” Ran said. “Because you have a knack for needing to rescue people, whether they like it or not.”

Draven gave him a glare, but Ran just shrugged. Together they walked out to catch up with their mate.

T
hat night
, Melissa heard a soft tap on the door as she was getting ready for bed. Her heart jumped slightly as she opened it and saw Ran there, hands in his loose sweats, wearing a soft white tee through which she could make out the shape of his excellent pecs.

She swallowed. “Ran. I didn’t think you were coming tonight.”

“Why?” He stepped inside the room without asking. “Because Draven was quiet the whole way home and then stormed into his room without even saying good night?”

“Yes, that,” she said, sitting on her bed with her hands in her lap. She was in her pajamas, a pink set she’d brought from home. She’d finished putting her things on the shelves now and at least had her books around to keep her company. She didn’t mind that Draven wanted solitude; at least she told herself she didn’t. The three of them had been thrown into this quickly. It would take time to adjust.

“Try not to be hard on Draven,” Ran said, folding his arms, making the muscles there flex in the light. “He’s just trying to do what he thinks is right, no matter how misguided he is. You see, Draven is born to be a protector. And that includes protecting himself sometimes. A little too much.”

“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.

D
raven 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.

And screamed and screamed.

So alone. All alone.

He swore and held her close, blocking off the image because his dragon couldn’t take it. He felt the warm glow of his dragon shield emanating from him, encompassing them as he held her. He wished for the blue dragon’s ability to heal at this moment. But all he could offer was comfort and safety.

His shield was impenetrable, and it tired him if sustained too long, but it was worth it. Her body seemed to sense the utter safety somehow, and she slowly relaxed against him. Or perhaps the memory was just over. He slowly released his grip on her, realizing he’d been clutching her so tight his hands were cramping.

He looked down to see her sniffling slightly, her beautiful face tear-streaked. He couldn’t tell if she was still asleep or not, but he couldn’t help leaning down to kiss gently down the tracks of her tears.

He wanted to protect her from everything in the world.

To his surprise, her arms snaked up around his neck.

“I’m so sorry. So sorry, Melissa. Everything I said… I was so stupid. I opened old wounds. I…”

“Stop,” she said. “It was so long ago. I can hardly remember. I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t…”

“I was an ass. I was…”

“Stop,” she said, wrapping her arms tight around his neck, pressing her delicious breasts to his chest and letting her warm breath move over his neck. He tightened slightly, trying to resist his body’s response. “Just let me feel I’m not alone anymore. I’ve been alone for so long.”

He held her as she sobbed into his shoulder, waiting until the tears abated. The warm glow of his shield stayed around them as she cried out her pain.

“I’m so sorry about your family,” he said.

“I can barely remember them,” she said quietly. “But you know what I do remember? Everyone being gone. Suddenly being alone. Everyone had left.” She sniffled and shook slightly. “Damn, it only seems to come back at times of big change. I don’t know why. Or yes, maybe your questions about how I don’t open up to people made me realize just how empty things have been. But it’s like, when you said you wouldn’t leave me alone anymore, that meant so much.”

He held her, trying to comprehend it all. What she’d been through. How he could help. How big of a jerk he’d been for not realizing she could have some damn good reasons for not wanting to get close to people.

Because they could leave. Or die.

“I’m not going to run,” she said. “So just promise me you won’t leave.”

He nodded against her, still caught off guard by the situation but glad she wasn’t angry with him and that he’d been able to protect and comfort her and things seemed to be okay again. He stroked a hand lightly over her back, still hoping to soothe her further.

She pulled back to look at him, studying him with piercing eyes. They were a deep brown that shimmered in the low light. “You’re unexpectedly tender, aren’t you?” she asked playfully.

“Nah,” he said, giving her a reluctant grin. “Don’t tell Ran.”

She brushed a hand into his hair. “I think he knows better than any of us. He really cares about you, you know.”

Draven felt a knot in his throat at her words. Suddenly, he didn’t want to think about it. Any of it. The memory she’d had. Ran…

“Sorry,” she said. “It’s just, he came to my room earlier. Said he wanted me here because he didn’t want you alone.”

“Well, and because Ran’s actually pretty softhearted for a complete bastard. And he wanted you from the moment he met you.”

She looked up at him. “I still don’t get it.”

“You will.” Draven rested his head on top of hers and just enjoyed holding her, trying to ignore the raging hard-on he’d gotten from having her lush body pressed against him.

“Damn, I guess it’s too much to hope it was love at first sight because of my body?” she joked.