The Dragon Twins

by B. A. Stretke

  The wolves and the jackals banded together in blaming Flynn and Forbes as the cause of the fracas, and Frank was more than willing to end the problem as soon as possible. He turned his shotgun on them, and they did not flinch as the others in the room had done. A flash of uncertainty appeared in his eyes as he lowered his weapon.

  Flynn knew that Frank and many of the others in the room were not familiar with their kind. Dragons were rare, and they were also nearly indestructible. Wolves and jackals could be brought down by a well-placed bullet, whereas no man-made weapon could harm a dragon.

  "You two get the fuck out of my bar and don't come back," Frank said with force, but uncertainty remained as he stepped back behind Briggs and Andy.

  “You’re banning us because some useless wolves and worthless jackals told you we hurt them?” Forbes taunted the bystanders who began to growl and perform a few bluff charges. No one actually came at them. Everyone was unclear as to their species and unwilling to take them on again.

  Forbes couldn't help himself and with a flash of awareness showed himself briefly to the wolves from the table. The dragon came forward and met their terrified gazes, and just that fast Forbes pulled it back, so no one else saw, only the wolves bore witness. The wolves began to howl and run for the door knocking each other out of the way and fighting for release. Forbes chuckled and turned back to Frank who was unaware of what he'd just done but knew he did something.

  "Get out both of you. I don't want you scaring away the customers. Leave, or I'll call the police." That was about as hollow a threat as there ever was. One move towards the phone and the entire place would be emptied in seconds flat.

  “It wasn’t their fault, Frank.” Hunter could not stand back and let them take the fall for helping him. “They were saving me from a serious beatdown.” Hunter pointed at the man who’d assaulted him. The guy stepped back and began to deny, and no one claimed otherwise. It was expected in an establishment that catered to clientele of this caliber. There weren’t any witnesses, and no one was interested in getting involved. Forbes smiled as he glanced around the room.

  "Let it go, Flynn, we have bigger fish to fry." Forbes glanced over at the wolf who started the fight and winked. He was gratified by the immediate flinch and flash of fear. Most in the Clan were unaware of Forbes' penchant for shit stirring. He was seen as the serious and dutiful warrior and medic only Calum and Flynn knew the real Forbes and his tendency towards subtle provocation.

  The fact that Hunter stood up for them was touching and indicated that the recognition of a connection was there. Flynn was pleased with the miniscule progress. He couldn't wait to tell Forbes that he'd found his mate and it was Hunter, the good-looking bartender. Forbes was going to be so jealous, but for now, they would leave. Hunter will be safe for the remainder of the evening. No one will bother him for fear of retribution from the twins.

  "It's okay Hunter, we'll leave," Flynn spoke with a tenderness that had Forbes looking at him curiously, and then he glanced over at Hunter who was making his way towards them. It was when the human got within a few feet that the sensation of familiarity hit Forbes and it was followed by what felt like a full body shock wave.

  Forbes locked his eyes to Hunter and held on. This was his mate, the bartender who was attacked by that piece of shit shifter was Forbes's mate. His mind spun for a moment before coming up with a plan. He reached out his hand when Hunter was close enough, and the young man took it.

  The connection was like a blast of heat that warmed Forbes to his soul. He released Hunter slowly as Flynn moved closer and took Hunter’s hand. The touch was enlightening and left him with a drive so fierce he would have difficulty walking out the door. He would come back later, after hours and talk to Hunter. He stared at the young man completely floored by the discovery and over the moon at the same time.

  Flynn finally had the opportunity to touch his mate, and the anticipation was heightened by Forbes' irritatingly lengthy handshake. Hunter's touch was everything he imagined it would be, warm and strong and full of possibilities. He would say goodbye for now, but he would return later.

  “It’s okay.” They both said in unison as Flynn released Hunter’s hand. Frank came up and demanded that Hunter get back to work and it took considerable control to keep from knocking Frank back on his ass. Unfortunately, Forbes did not have that level of control and with one quick punch laid Frank out on the dirty floor. Briggs and Andy came rushing to his aid but backed off after suffering a similar fate.

  Flynn took Forbes by the upper arm and forcefully guided him to the door. "We're going already, quite you're fucking crying," Flynn shouted back at them as Frank continued to threaten to call the authorities. They both turned and winked at Hunter before exiting the establishment.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Hunter heard Frank yelling for him to get behind the bar, but his attention was on the two men leisurely walking out the door. They were spectacular, and he couldn't take his eyes off them. He thought the first one was handsome but the second was just as stunning. If he could have one, it would be impossible for him to choose. Breathtaking, that was the word for those two champions. He'd never met anyone with so much confidence and so sure of their place in the world and their ability to maintain it. He wished for even a tenth of such power.

  “Do your job, Hunter or go home.” Frank bellowed about two inches from his ear. Hunter turned abruptly and was taken aback by Frank’s split lip and the swelling that accompanied it. It was impossible to feel sorry for him considering he had been asking for it.

  "Forbes and Flynn Keith put them on the list. They don't come here again. You hear me?" He was now bellowing at Briggs who seemed to take it in stride.

  “There is no list.” He stated flatly.

  "Then make one!" Frank stormed into the back, and the bar got back to normal, sex, drugs, booze and sleaze. He had to find another job soon, Hunter lamented. The upside was he now had names for the two hotties who would be dominating his dreams tonight, Forbes and Flynn, sexy names for sexy men.

  “Keep your head down and just do your job.” Briggs’ gruff advice came through the lustful fog that had filled his mind. Hunter nodded and put his focus where it belonged. He needed this job if he ever wanted to get out of his car and get into a motel.

  “Don’t worry about the wolf.” Briggs told him during a break in the rush. “I’m sure the brothers scared him enough that he won’t bother you again.” Briggs must have been referring to the man who assaulted him, but Hunter didn't understand the wolf reference. Maybe it was the guy's nickname. Forbes had made the same reference he called them wolves and jackals.

  “Thanks.” Hunter wasn’t sure what else to say.

  …

  "We need to buy that place immediately, Hunter needs to be safe. That wolf who attacked him might try again he looked the type to go after revenge, and there is something else that I need to tell you . . ." Flynn began to tell Forbes of his connection to Hunter during their drive back to the Lodge but before he could finish Forbes broke in.

  “Yes, we have to keep him safe, Hunter is my mate.” Forbes blurted the information. “We need to protect him, and that place is not safe under Franks management. Hunter could be a target after tonight. Some paranormals don’t grasp the power of a dragon or the devastation they can inflict. That big fucker might be stupid enough to try something.”

  Flynn was floored by Forbes’ declaration and so blurted out his own claim and held firm. “Hunter is my mate, not yours.” Forbes pulled up to the front of the garage and stopped the vehicle before turning on his brother.

  “You are delusional brother, Hunter is mine. I felt him the moment he came close and was sure of it when we touched. Hunter is my mate.” Forbes emphasized the last with a hard stare.

  "The only one delusional here is you, Forbes. I knew he was mine when I tore that wolf away from him. Hunter is not your mate, he is mine." They continued to argue getting louder as they rounded the back of the Lodge towards the expansi
ve back deck.

  "I didn't know he was my mate at first, I was just there to back you up, but once he got close, I was ready to clear the damn room for him." Forbes poked him in the upper arm.

  “Don’t poke me, you crazy bastard.” Flynn barked at him. “Is this some stupid stunt you’re playing at? Are you just trying to get me all jacked up and ready to end you by claiming my mate is your own?”

  "I'm not playing at anything and Hunter belongs to me." Forbes' voice was deep yet loud. They jumped up onto the deck and were about to go inside in search of Calum when they noticed him sitting there with a drink in hand quietly taking in the sights and sounds of the night.

  They both acknowledged him, and he motioned for them to sit down. “It’s rare for you two to bicker.” He said. “You’re fighting over a man?”

  "I found my mate," Flynn stated quickly and cut an irritated glance at his brother.

  “He found my mate is what he’s trying to say.” Forbes countered.

  “I’m not trying to say anything, I’m saying Hunter is my mate.”

  “Hunter is mine!”

  Calum raised his hand, and the two immediately fell silent.

  “You are both claiming the same man to be your mate?” He asked. They both nodded but did not speak.

  “Are you certain that this man is your mate?” He looked at Flynn first and then Forbes both nodded and then commented.

  “I scented him and then when we touched there was no doubt. My dragon recognized him immediately. The feelings were otherworldly in their pleasure and intensity. Hunter is my mate. I was ready to kill for him.” Flynn stated with his heart and soul on his sleeve.

  “I could see nothing but him when he came close and when we touched my life was no longer my own. Hunter is my mate.” Forbes spoke impassionedly from the heart.

  "He obviously belongs to you both," Calum stated without hesitation.

  "How can that be?" Flynn was the first to speak, but Forbes followed with a similar question.

  “Have you known or met any other dragon twins?” Calum began.

  “No, none.” They said while shaking their heads.

  “I don’t know if it is always the case, but it is true of all the twins that I have known over my life.” Flynn and Forbes were suddenly on edge waiting for Calum to explain. They both wanted their mate and wanted to understand what was happening to them. Who did Hunter truly belong to? Neither could imagine having to walk away from their mate and their brother.

  "Every set of twins that I have known shared one mate. It was explained to me that dragon twins come from a single egg and that the dragon essence of that egg is split in two, rendering two beings but one dragon essence. Just as you two are identical, so are your dragons. You share a mate because you are two parts of one whole. I don't know if that is fact or myth, all I know is what I have experienced." Calum paused and drank down the last of his wine and set the glass on the nearby table. "What's happening to you two is not unusual, but I understand your confusion."

  Forbes and Flynn stared at one another for a few moments taking in and sorting out what Calum had just told them. “Why didn’t we know this?” Forbes was the first to comment.

  “We’ve never met any other dragon twins. We’ve never met dragons who share a mate, so the question never came up.” Flynn offered his own explanation.

  “So, you accept that Hunter is mate to us both?” Forbes was struggling to understand it all.

  "You're not lying, and neither am I, so what other explanation is there?" Flynn asked. The thought of sharing a mate with Forbes was not abhorrent or even really that upsetting. They'd shared many a man in their past, so it was not a foreign concept.

  Forbes accepted that this had to be the truth but had never considered that he and Flynn would share one man for eternity. They’d enjoyed sharing and tended to be attracted to the same type of man. It all made sense to a certain degree, but could they share a mate and not become jealous or possessive?

  “Can we do this Flynn?” Forbes voiced his deepest concern. “Will we become resentful, will it pull us apart in the end?” Forbes was comforted by his brother’s instant denial of that possibility.

  "I've never felt jealousy where you are concerned, Forbes. Not even when we were arguing about Hunter in the SUV. I thought you were mistaken, but I wasn't afraid that you would take my mate from me. Does that make sense to you? How did you feel when we were fighting?" Flynn asked thoughtfully.

  "I thought you were mistaken, but I never felt threatened," Forbes admitted. "Hunter is mine, my blood boils and burns for him, and my dragon is pushing at me trying to get out. But with that said I know that you are feeling the same. Hunter belongs to us both" Forbes finished with a satisfied smile. "This is going to be good."

  Flynn sat back and regarded his brother seriously for a few moments. Is it really possible for them to share a mate? Their best hook ups had always been shared hook ups, that was a fact, but could they be happy for the rest of their lives with such an arrangement? His mind settled when he felt the calm, peaceful acceptance that overtook Forbes and his dragon. “Yes, he belongs to us both.” Flynn nodded and stated with an equally satisfied smile.

  "Well, I'll leave you two to work out the details. My Chance is upstairs resting, and he will soon be giving birth to our first child. Clan Keith will welcome its first new member in centuries. It is a new beginning for us, for our Clan, and for our Circle." Calum was proud and excited and the air buzzed with his expectant joy. Nothing was more amazing than a new birth, especially to a Circle that'd been so long without. This was the reason for their Quest and the longing of their people.

  "We're happy for you Calum, and your child will be the most beloved of our people." Both Forbes and Flynn extended the blessing and Calum hurried back upstairs to be with his mate.

  "I heard talk that members of our Circle will be traveling here very soon. King Duncan is beginning the relocation based on the success of our Quest." Forbes leaned back in his chair and cast his eyes toward the tree line. "The birth of the first child breathes new life into our numbers just as Calum said. This is a time to celebrate especially considering you and me, the last of our group, have found our mate."

  "This is an extraordinary time for us, we have honored our people and our King, and soon our numbers will rise and be robust." Flynn too leaned back in his chair just taking in the accomplishments and the marvelous future they all were looking forward to.

  “This is a little mind blowing, isn’t it?” Forbes commented softly without making eye contact. “We have the same mate. I’m getting used to the idea but still how are we going to persuade Hunter to bond with both of us? Will he be open to having two mates? I have a feeling it’s not going to be easy.”

  “We need to find out more about him, so we are prepared to persuade. We can ask Cameron to check him out in the morning. I doubt Bryn would want us bothering his mate at this late hour.” Flynn chuckled at the memory of those two getting together, the bookish virgin and the Clan bad boy. But they managed to make it work and so too would he and Forbes make it work with Hunter.

  "Hunter responded to both of us if I remember correctly. He was eyeing you up as much as he was me. I discounted it at the time because we're twins, but I think he is genuinely attracted to us both." Flynn added as an afterthought.

  “We should go back at quitting time and make sure he gets home okay. Some of those wolves can be real bastards.” Forbes stated as he checked his watch.

  “I don’t think any of the wolves will bother him after the scare you gave them. I saw you flash your dragon at them and smelled the piss in their pants afterward.” Flynn laughed.

  "They needed to be warned, and the only one that pissed himself was the big one you were wrestling with." Forbes made clear. “Let’s go anyway, I want to see our mate again. My dragon is lonely already.”

  "Yeah, mine too, let's go." Flynn followed Forbes back to the SUV. It was nearly two in the morning, and the bar would be closing so
on. On the way, they decided to take the romancing slow and work at being Hunter's friends first. The guy appeared unsure of himself and uncomfortable behind the bar of the Federal. He was a decent man that came through clear, so they surmised that working at the Federal was probably not his first choice.

  “We’ll find out his address and hopefully get his phone number. Those are our goals for the night.” Forbes stated clearly as he pulled up and parked a block down from the Federal. Flynn nodded his agreement with the plan.

  "He's skittish, but I think we made a good impression by defending him against the wolf pack. I don't think he will fear us." Flynn added. "But with that said, he's a young human who is destined to be mated to two Scottish dragons so yeah, we need to go slow."

  Forbes turned to Flynn with another of his expectant smiles that lit up his face. "He's our mate, Flynn. He's ours, we finally found him." The enormity of that statement hit them both, and they stopped and stared at one another for a moment. Like everyone in their Clan, Forbes and Flynn searched for over a century for this moment in time. The fact that the moment had arrived, and Fate had presented them with such a beautiful reward was both exhilarating and humbling.

  "Let's go see him," Flynn said finally, and they hurried towards the Federal. The last of the patrons were filing out and giving them no attention. The Federal and its customer base had a way of not giving a single shit about anything or anyone. Hunter did not belong in a business that was run in the manner that the Federal was run.

  They stood off to each side of the front door waiting for Hunter to emerge. The lights went out inside, and the door swung open carefully as someone peeked out checking the area before emerging. It was Hunter, and both of them were well pleased that he was not taking his safety lightly and understood the dangers surrounding a place like this. What they hadn't expected was for him to jump and try to run back inside the bar when he spotted them standing there.