Bound by Thorns (The Dragon Soul Series)

by Sean Michael

  “Basking,” he accused.

  Luke considered that, shrugged. “I imagine so. Can you blame me?”

  “No, Lukas-meine. I don’t blame you one bit.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Luke watched Grey sleep for hours. He fed his soul mate, then he made love to him. Then he watched Grey sleep again. It was a constant cycle, but it felt right, felt like this was how it was supposed to happen.

  He did his rounds, checked in, and took meat out to defrost, making sure he stayed ahead of their appetites. Grey wanted to cook for him, but frankly, with the need driving them as hard as it was, it was easier for him to do it while Grey slept, so there was always something on hand to eat when his soul mate woke. Eventually things would ease, would grow steady and Grey could take over the reins.

  It was a sunny day today, which meant it was extra cold. So he put another blanket over Grey where he dozed on the couch, and put more logs on the fire, stoking it. He caught sight of the sat phone out of the corner of his eye, and decided he should call Jake. After all, his brother had gone through this recently himself.

  He called Jake’s number.

  It rang a few times, then he heard his big brother’s warm voice. “Luke! Luke, how’s it hanging, man?”

  He chuckled. Jake sounded happy. “Good. I’m good.” And that was a huge understatement. “How’re you?”

  “Busy. Living with an artist is a challenge.”

  “I thought you were in love.” He drew the last word out obscenely.

  “I am. I haven’t had him in days. He’s working. I’m going to beat him and then...”

  Luke chuckled again. It was hard to imagine going days without making love to Grey. It seemed impossible. “So the constant need fades?” He didn’t know how he felt about that. Sad, he thought.

  “No. No, he’s being stubborn.”

  “Oh, you mean he’s like you.” Of all his brothers, Jake was his favorite and he loved teasing him.

  “Goddess, yes. Tell me, how’s it going in the frozen wasteland?”

  “We’re snowed in for the winter.” Which sat perfectly with him.

  “Is it true? He’s yours?”

  “How did you know I’d found him?” They were connected, though, the five of them. Not like the soulbond, but when big things happened, it was often felt, intuited.

  “We. You said we. You never say we.”

  “I’ve never been part of a we before,” he noted. “And yes, it’s true. He’s mine, brother. I’ve never felt anything like it.”

  “I want to meet him, when you’re ready. That’s three of us now. Three of us.”

  “It seems almost unbelievable, doesn’t it?” Except that he couldn’t deny that Grey was his through and through, and he knew both Jake and Deke felt the same way.

  “It does seem unbelievable. I can’t decide if it’s because the universe decided we had waited long enough or if it portends something else.”

  “By something else you mean something dire?” Luke had heard it in his brother’s voice.

  “Well, portents are rarely warnings of good things to come,” Jake noted, voice dry.

  No, Luke supposed not. “I refuse to see finding my soul mate as anything negative, brother.”

  “No. No, of course not. I didn’t mean to imply that. I wonder sometimes.” Jake cleared his throat and changed the subject. “Are you handling him okay? He’s eating, resting?”

  “Eat, sleep, fuck, repeat.” He knew how to take care of his pet. He didn’t need advice from Jake on that front. It had him growling a little; he knew how to care for his soul mate.

  “Good deal. Deke had some trouble and I was right here.”

  “Yeah, well, he’s Deke. I’m me.”

  “Growly!” Jake began to chuckle, low and husky, making fun of him.

  “Fuck off, brother.” Was it any wonder he hung out on his own in the wild? He never had had the patience for people.

  “Goddess, yes. Please. Any energy you can offer me that direction...” Jake clearly wasn’t going to take offense.

  “You’re in an impossibly good mood.” He shook his head and chuckled. He couldn’t be mad at Jake.

  “I am. I’m in love.”

  “I’m not about to turn into a sap like you, am I?” he teased. He wouldn’t complain if he did; he wouldn’t complain about anything that was down to his Grey.

  “Deke did. He’s goofy over his mate. Ridiculous.”

  “Deke and goofy seem to go hand in hand. Seriously, though. You think Mike and Mark are going to find their mates, too?” It was strange, how they’d all been falling like dominos.

  “I hope so. Our meetings are going to be a real downer if not.”

  “I have to admit, I can’t believe that Mark lived through losing his soul mate. Do you think it could be that the same, reincarnated soul is out there looking for him?”

  “I’m not sure he believes that, but is it any harder to believe than three of us finding what we need? You’re in the middle of the Arctic.”

  He rolled his eyes. He wasn’t that far north, but he knew most people didn’t get that. All they saw was cold and isolated. “I did think I’d never find my soul mate up here.” It was something of a miracle.

  “Does he have your name on him?”

  “He does. Fae magic.” He couldn’t be upset about it, though he knew Mike in particular disliked the Fae and wouldn’t take kindly to what he considered was Corryn’s interference.

  “He’s yours. Congratulations. I hope you have a ball.”

  “You know I will. You know what it’s like.”

  “I do.” Jake growled. “Now I’m going to go remind Shae who he belongs to.”

  “Have fun, brother. Maybe I’ll see you in the next equinox. Or the next one. The one after that. Some equinox.”

  “Mmm. All the love, brother.” And then click. Jake was gone.

  Apparently the soulbond had been calling.

  Luke put the sat phone back in the charger, and headed to check up on Grey. He had a soulbond of his own and it wasn’t calling—it was shouting for him.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Another meal prepped and served by Luke. Not that it hadn’t been delicious and exactly what he’d needed and without having to wait for it, too. Still. Greyson glared at his lover as Luke began to clear the dishes.

  “I’ll do it,” he barked.

  “Whoa!” Luke stepped back with his hands up. “I didn’t realize I was depriving you of the dubious joy of carrying dirty dishes around.”

  Greyson rolled his eyes. “It’s not that. You do everything for me. I’m supposed to be cooking.” It wouldn’t be a huge thing, but at least he would be contributing.

  “I’m trying to make sure you get fed. I know how empty your stomach always feels. I’m not sleeping as much as you are—you need it more—so I figure why make you wait if I’m already up?”

  “You know, I could have a bowl of cereal when I first get up, and then make food for our next meal.” He wasn’t helpless.

  “Sure.” Luke stared at him, not quite like he was crazy, but close to it.

  “I’m not trying to be a jerk here. I’m just... I can do stuff, especially now that my leg doesn’t hurt very much anymore, but I’m just eating and sleeping and fucking.” He was being a lazy ass. And Luke was letting him.

  “Those are three very worthy activities.”

  “Yeah, well, man doesn’t live on fucking alone. It’s not natural.”

  Luke snorted at him. “Yeah, well maybe not the natural you’re used to. For dragons, it totally is.”

  “You have a job,” Greyson pointed out. “I’m just sitting in your house, taking up space.”

  “Our house,” Luke corrected.

 
Greyson melted. How was he supposed to stay grumpy when Luke said things like that? “I feel like I need something to do, Dragon.”

  “Other than doing me, you mean.”

  “Not other than, but as well as.”

  Luke looked happier at his response. “We could go build a snowman. It’s sunny out today, and I think the snow might be sticky enough for it.”

  “Or have a snowball fight,” Greyson suggested, going for the hall near the back door where all the winter gear was stashed. “I haven’t warred since before my run-in with the mine.”

  Luke followed him. “I don’t know how fair that’s going to be. I am a dragon after all.”

  It was his turn to snort. “A—you have to stay in your human form. B—you forget that I’m an army veteran. Flying and rescuing people from ramshackle cabins might be your job, but war was mine.” He pulled on his boots, acknowledging that he was going to need new ones for next year. As well as a better coat. He loved thinking about still being here in the future.

  “If you’re sure...”

  “I’m sure.”

  “You’re going to get cold.” Luke put his own boots on, plus his huge ranger parka.

  Greyson wasn’t worried. “You’ll make sure I warm right back up.” Besides, he’d have more manoeuvrability in his less warm and cozy outdoor clothing.

  Luke grabbed a hat and a scarf from the pegs by the door, putting the hat on Greyson’s head and the scarf around his neck.

  “No arguments,” Luke said as he opened the front door. “You’re wearing them.”

  “No arguments from me,” he promised as the wind gusted in from outside. Jesus. It was possible this would be the shortest snowball fight on record. Ever.

  “All right. We take five minutes to prepare our arsenal and then we have at it,” Luke suggested.

  Greyson grinned. Clearly this wasn’t Luke’s first snowball fight. Good—it wasn’t his, either. He took off at a run, sinking in almost to his knees. Deep, soft snow. He might have to rethink his strategy. A glance back at Luke proved his dragon-lover was having as hard a time walking through the deep snow as he was, so they were on fairly even footing at least.

  Abandoning his plan to run around and create ammunition caches all around the house and garage, Greyson opted to put his back to the house and dig out a semi-circle wall to hide behind. He piled the snow he removed up in front of him and had a three and a half foot wall built with over a minute to spare. That gave him a chance to build his arsenal. Most of them were ill formed and he wasn’t sure they’d hold together, but he did have a couple dozen snowballs completed when Luke called time by sending a shot right past his head.

  Gasping at how close that had come, Greyson ducked down behind his wall and grabbed three balls in one hand and one in the other. When his first two attempts to peek out over the top of his wall resulted in facefulls of snow, he wished he’d built a window inside his wall. Looked like Luke wasn’t holding back. Good.

  He moved to the side of the wall and took three quick peeks. Figuring out where Luke was. Right there, beside the garage. Greyson was going to need him to come forward a little, so he lay on his side and raised his leg so his foot would pop up over the top of the wall close to the middle of it. As soon as Luke stepped forward to launch a couple of snowballs at Greyson’s boot, he went to his knees and peppered Luke with four quick shots.

  He knew at least two had been hits and he chortled as he ducked back down, grabbing more ammunition.

  He was able to do the decoy foot trick once more, but by the third time Luke had figured him out and was aiming for the side of the wall, making it impossible for Greyson to peek out there without getting pelted.

  He only had a dozen or so balls left anyway, and he could no longer feel his feet, so he gathered all the snowballs in one arm and jumped over the wall he’d built. Shouting at the top of his lungs as if he were a horde of barbarians, he quickly pumped all of his balls in Luke’s direction. He was pretty sure at least a few found their mark.

  He’d only taken a few steps by the time he ran out of snowballs, but that didn’t matter because he stepped in a particularly deep section of snow and face-planted. Boom.

  Oh God. He was stuck, his arms going deep as well when he tried to use them to push his torso up out of the snow. His face was freezing, as were his hands, the mittens he wore now totally soaked. Cold was seeping rapidly into through his coat and now that he wasn’t in the throes of their battle, he realized his feet were blocks of ice.

  Before he could panic, he was hauled out of the snow and up over Luke’s shoulder like a bag of dry goods. He tried to grab on to Luke, but he couldn’t find a handhold on the slick parka. Dammit!

  “I’ve got you,” Luke assured him. “And we’ll be inside in a second.”

  “I could have made it in under my own power.”

  “But this was faster and you’re freezing.” Luke set him carefully back on his feet and Greyson grabbed hold of one arm when he felt a little unsteady. “You need better winter gear before we do that again.”

  Greyson didn’t argue with that.

  He didn’t complain, either, when Luke stripped him not only out of his outdoor gear, but the rest of his clothing as well, and wrapped him in a blanket. This time Luke held him cradled against that strong chest as he carried Greyson to the couch.

  “Hot chocolate with marshmallows,” Luke suggested as he stoked the fire and added a couple of logs.

  “I can do it.” Greyson struggled to get out of this blanket cocoon and stand.

  “Let me. You’re cold and stiff and it’s my place to take care of you.”

  “And when do I take care of you?” Greyson asked. “When exactly am I going to get a chance to do that?”

  “You can blow me after you get warmed up,” Luke suggested. “I’ll never say no to an orgasm from you.”

  “A blow job for a mug of hot chocolate, eh?” He wasn’t sure if that was a fair transaction.

  “Sure it’s fair. You haven’t tasted my extra-special hot chocolate I’m making you today. Plus, you know, marshmallows. I put in a lot.”

  Greyson had to laugh at that and by the time he had a large mug of hot chocolate—with many marshmallows drowning in it—wrapped in his hands, and a naked Luke was curled up behind him, he was feeling much warmer and less like he’d undone all the magic Luke had managed on his thigh.

  “This hits the spot,” he admitted.

  Luke didn’t say I told you so but Greyson could feel the words trying to get out.

  “Shh.”

  “I didn’t say a thing,” Luke noted. I didn’t even think it.

  “No, but you were trying awfully hard not to.”

  “Still counts. I’m a good soul mate.”

  Nodding, Greyson snuggled back against Luke. “You are.”

  Luke hugged him tight and then stole one of the marshmallows out of his cup of cocoa.

  “Hey!” Greyson laughed, though, amused as hell. “Are your brothers like you?” He was curious.

  “We look alike enough to be recognized as brothers. I think. I haven’t seen any of them in person for a while, but I don’t think anyone suddenly looks completely different.”

  “Does that happen with dragons?” That would be weird.

  “What? No. I’m messing with you.” Luke kissed the top of his head.

  “What about their soul mates?” Was he anything like them? What if they all hated each other?

  “I haven’t met them, but if any of them are ever mean to you in any way I will eat them.”

  Greyson laughed. It was an idle threat he was sure, but it was good to know that Luke was in his corner above anyone else.

  “Do you want me to meet them?” Or did Luke want to keep him hidden away?

  “I’d love to show you
off. Here, I’ll prove it. We can Skype them.”

  “Right now?” He hadn’t expected that. Was he ready to meet Luke’s family? Even if it was only over the internet?

  “Satellite’s clear at the moment. Once it starts snowing again it’ll have to wait until I can get it cleared off again. It’s up to you.”

  Greyson took a breath and made his decision. “I do. I’ve met the family of some of the guys in my squad, if they came to visit, or had me over for dinner or something, but I’ve never had a loved one of my own, family to meet that belonged to me.”

  “That’s sad, Grey.” Luke hugged him tight, comfort flowing through the bond.

  “It’s okay, it’s how it was.” He had never known anything different.

  “Well, it’s not how it has to be now.” Luke untangled himself and padded off, leaving Greyson in front of the fire with his hot chocolate.

  He sipped at it, pleased to note that he was feeling much warmer now, almost back to normal.

  Luke came back with the laptop and settled next to him again.

  “We’re calling right this second?” Greyson frowned, shifted.

  “I thought that’s what you wanted?”

  “I’m not dressed!” He was absolutely naked beneath the blankets.

  “But you’re covered. No one is going to see anything but your head anyway.”

  Greyson thought about that. About how he’d know he was naked beneath the covers. But if nobody could see would it matter?

  “If they’re anything like me—and they totally are—my brothers are only going to have eyes for their own soul mates.”

  “Okay. Yeah. Let’s do this.” Before he lost his nerve.

  Luke opened the laptop and then Skype and hit the video call button for “Jake.”

  “I usually call him on the sat phone, but this way we can both talk to him and you can see him.”

  Greyson took another sip from his cocoa and held tight to the mug with both hands to give them something to do. Oh God, the call was being answered.

  Shh. They’re going to love you.

  Before he could refute or agree with that, a face appeared on the screen. The man seemed to be in his mid-twenties, and he had a ready smile. He was definitely related to Luke. That was unmistakable