Without interrupting them, he turned and headed back toward the stairs. Obviously, if Melantha could talk about him and Terik, she was unharmed by Gerszon's attack. But just as Leilani wasn't strong enough by herself, neither was Melantha. To keep both of them alive and give a much needed boost to their power, a double bonding had to occur—something unheard of for centuries.
Zander was determined to keep these two women, the last of the Aster line, alive and in one piece. Whether they liked the way it was accomplished or not.
As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he looked into the living room to see Terik give him a thumbs up. He had the phone receiver nestled between his ear and shoulder. Ending the call, he dropped the receiver back into its cradle and said, “We're all set. Rainer's on his way."
"We'll need another dragon as well."
Terik stared at him. “Why?” he finally asked.
"For a double bonding.” Zander dropped onto the sofa with a sigh and stretched his legs out in front of him.
Terik's brows shot up. “Hey, I'm all for it, but what will the girls say?"
"Probably something along the lines of ‘No way in hell.'” Zander rubbed the bridge of his nose, not looking forward to the argument he was sure to get. “But I don't see we have another choice. They can't hope to defeat him on their own. They're not strong enough."
"And you think we are?"
Zander shook his head. “No, we're not. Not alone. But combining dragon magic with their power over earth and water, we just might be able to do it."
"They're not gonna like this,” Terik muttered. His mouth turned down in a frown. “You know those two'll try to feed us our balls."
"They can try.” Zander looked over as Terik settled on the sofa beside him. “If Lani had been out there on her own when Gerszon attacked...” He scowled. “Damned stubborn, willful, pigheaded little idiot."
Terik snorted. “Sounds like someone I know."
"Yes, Melantha is very much like her sister,” Zander muttered.
"Not who I had in mind.” Terik's voice was dry. “I've seen Lani's power. It's impressive,” he went on, not responding to the dark scowl Zander sent him.
"Yes, it is. But she's hampered by the need to be near a source of water in order to call it forth full strength.” Zander stood and paced over to the fireplace, and leaned one arm on the mantle. Staring into the empty hearth, he said, “And we don't have time for her to find another way."
Leilani's soft voice came from behind him. “Find another way for what?"
He turned to see both women standing at the foot of the stairs. They looked from him to Terik and back again, suspicion glittering in their eyes.
"What's going on?” Melantha asked, her gaze going back to Terik.
With a shrug, he pressed his lips together and nodded toward Zander.
"Coward,” Zander muttered. When Terik grinned and shrugged again, Zander let loose a growl of irritation.
"Just what are the two of you planning?” Leilani walked forward, crossing her arms, not stopping until she reached the end of the sofa.
Zander clasped his hands behind his back. He wanted to go to her, to draw her into his arms, but he knew that, once he laid out the plan, next to his heart would be the last place she'd wish to be. Knowing of no easy way to lead into the subject, he stated baldly, “We must perform the bonding ceremony. Between you and me, and between Terik and Melantha."
"What?” Melantha exclaimed and rushed forward.
Leilani's only response was a narrowing of her blue eyes.
"You can't be serious,” Melantha went on, her gaze darting from Zander to Terik. “Tell me you aren't serious about this."
"Oh, he's serious all right,” Leilani muttered. “Seriously screwed up if he thinks even for a moment we'll go along with it."
CHAPTER 7
A couple of hours later, Leilani took a sip from her fifth cup of coffee. She glared at the men assembled around her. When Melantha, sitting next to her, made a choked sound, she tightened her arm around her sister's shoulders.
Two more dragons had arrived about an hour ago, and the men had since then been relentless in trying to persuade the two of them to go through with the bonding. Under normal circumstances she wasn't sure she could have sex with two men at once.
Under these circumstances she was damn well sure she couldn't.
She knew one of the newcomers—Rainer Batsakis. He was Zander's cousin and next in line to be Rastaban should something happen to Zander before he had children.
She had first met Rainer nearly three years ago, and they'd enjoyed a brief flirtation until Zander had blazed into her life. Looking at Rainer now, she remembered that first flash of sexual awareness. He was as tall, dark and handsome as they came. And just as arrogant as Zander.
Dear Goddess. Have sex with Zander and another machismo dragon man? It would take an emotional commitment she didn't think she was strong enough to survive. She'd never be the same, and she didn't want to take the chance she'd lose herself.
She knew what Zander was up to—by bringing Rainer in for a double ceremony, he was trying to assure she'd continue to have protection should something happen to Zander. The bonding ceremony, opening a conduit for her to the dragon magic through sex, would allow her to tap into both men's powers if and when the time came.
She understood it just fine. But doing it was a whole other matter.
Setting the cup onto the sandstone coaster on the end table, she said to the room in general, “You're crazy if you think we're gonna agree to this. It's ... crazy."
She was amazed at how calm she sounded, for it was the furthest thing from what she was feeling. She was tense and angry and, truth be told, frightened. Frightened that she'd come around to their logic and give in.
Give in to her longing for Zander, give in to her own desperate need to be with him.
"You're just crazy,” she muttered, just in case they hadn't gotten her point.
"Yeah. You've said that already.” Terik stretched one long leg out and rested his head on the back of the padded chair in which he sat. “Doesn't matter. It's the plan."
"It's a stupid plan,” Melantha muttered. She glared at Terik. “I'm not marrying you."
"The bonding is much more than a marriage ceremony, and you know it,” Zander said. He directed his intense gaze at Leilani. “You both know it. It will give you the ability to tap into our power when you need it the most."
"Yeah. And all we have to do is have sex with you. Typical male plan.” Leilani pushed back a shiver at the thought.
"It's not a male plan—it's the way dragon magic is shared.” Zander walked over in front of her and sat on the coffee table. Leaning forward, he rested his big hands on her knees, tightening his fingers when she made to shift away from him. “You telling me you'd put yourself—and Melantha—at risk just because you don't want to have sex with me?"
She stared at his hands, the long, square-tipped fingers, the broad backs with a dusting of dark hair. A ring on his left hand would look ... right. It would proclaim to all other women he was taken, off-the-market, a visceral back-off-or-you-die proclaimed in shiny gold.
But a ring on his finger meant one on hers. She wasn't ready for that. Because if he walked away from her then...
It would be devastating. She had no doubt she'd survive it—she was a fighter, after all—but why put herself at risk like that?
But could she continue to put Melantha at risk? Zander was right. By bonding with him, by mating with him, his power would be hers when she needed it. They would have a psychic link so they would always be on each other's radar.
She would be much safer with a dragon—and all his dragon buddies—at her back. But at what cost? He didn't trust her.
Looking up into Zander's eyes, she drew in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “Tell me you believe me about what didn't happen two years ago."
His mouth tightened. With a sideways glance at Terik, he muttered, “We don't need to get i
nto that now."
"If not now, when?” Leilani demanded. “On our fiftieth wedding anniversary?"
A grin tugged at one corner of his mouth before he straightened his lips. “I'm glad to hear you're already planning our golden anniversary, raindrop."
"Don't plan on any kind of anniversary, smartass.” She gave him a frown. “Answer the question."
Zander looked at the other men. “I miss the old days,” he mock-complained, “when the Rastaban was revered, paid the respect due him."
Leilani snorted. “Hey, buddy. You gotta earn my respect. You lost that when you wouldn't let me tell you that nothing happened."
He stood so abruptly the coffee table scooted back several inches. “It's not important anymore, Lani. That's in the past. This is now."
She opened her mouth to pursue the matter, but he turned to the dark-haired man closest to him. “Rainer, you're with me.” He tilted his head toward the other man, a tall blond with glittering blue eyes. “Nikolai, you're with Terik."
"Now, wait just a minute here!” Leilani bounded to her feet. Propping her fists on her hips, she tapped one foot against the floor. “No one's agreed to anything yet."
Zander looked at her, his arms folded over his chest, looking so regal she wanted to smack him. “So, you are telling me you'd rather keep your sister in danger."
Oh, Goddess. He was right. She really didn't have a choice. Neither of them did. Even if she and Melantha stood together, using their powers against Gerszon, he was too strong.
They needed dragon magic if they were to survive.
"Hey, don't you try to guilt her into this.” Melantha stood and slipped her arm around Leilani's waist. “If she doesn't want to marry you, like I don't want to marry him—"she shot a glare at Terik—"then it won't happen."
"Think again, mud pie.” Terik leaned forward in his chair and clasped his hands loosely between his knees. “If the bonding is what's best for you, for your protection, then it's what's gonna happen. Just get with the program."
"Just get with the program,” Melantha repeated. She straightened away from Leilani and braced her hands on her hips. Her voice rose in both octave and decibel level. “Get with the program?"
Zander stared at two of the most stubborn females he'd ever known. They stood side by side, arms akimbo with hands on their hips. Identical mutinous expressions curved their full lips into frowns, and irritation sparkled in their eyes.
"We don't have time for this,” he warned, keeping his voice calm. The Aster sisters—one in particular—were the only ones on the planet that made him lose his cool in record-setting time. With most people he could maintain a calm and collected manner. With Leilani...
He didn't know whether he should turn her over his knee or yank her into his arms and kiss her until neither one of them could think clearly. Studying the stubborn tilt of her chin, he thought perhaps both would do.
"Gerszon could attack again at any time,” he went on. Raising one eyebrow, he directed his next comment to Leilani. “Or had you forgotten about him?"
Leilani's gaze drifted to her sister, and she bit her lip. Then she sighed and shook her head, her blue gaze meeting his. “No, I hadn't forgotten."
"So?"
Her lips tightened. She looked at Terik. “If you hurt Melantha, I swear to the Goddess you'll be sorry.” She turned and took Melantha's hands in hers. “As much as we might not like the way it's being done, you know this is something that has to happen."
Zander felt his stomach drop and his heart picked up its pace. It sounded like...
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?” Melantha asked. She shook her head. “You don't have to go through with this, Lani.” Her gaze slid to Zander, and he saw her blue eyes sparkling with tears. “Don't make her do this."
"Mel.” Leilani pulled her sister into her arms and the two women hugged, rocking back and forth. After a few moments, she pulled away and framed Melantha's face in her hands. “Zander and Terik are right. We have to do this. We're not powerful enough to fight Gerszon on our own. But being able to draw on dragon magic just might be enough."
Melantha sniffed and drew back. She shot a glare at Zander. “You'd better not hurt her again,” she muttered, wiping her fingers under her eyes. When he didn't respond, her hands went back to her hips. “I mean it!"
Hell, they could both use a good spanking. Shooting a glance at Terik, Zander saw the expression on his second-in-command's face and knew exactly what the other man felt. A mixture of irritation, amusement, and a large dose of lust.
Nothing like defiance to make the blood of a dragon surge.
He turned his attention back to the women. He knew part of their recalcitrance was because they had four dragon men surrounding them, and they felt at a disadvantage. But they should know a dragon would give his own life to protect those weaker than him.
And if that person was his mate ... Zander walked up to Leilani and tilted that stubborn chin until she looked at him. “You have to know I'd never hurt you, never let you be hurt."
"I have no doubt you'll protect me from physical harm,” she responded readily enough. “I'm not convinced your intentions are as clear when it comes to my emotions, especially since you don't seem to care about my feelings.” Before he could respond, she drew a breath and looked around at the others. “But, you've already made it clear you don't want to talk about that, and who am I to push the matter with the great and mighty Rastaban?” She threw her arms out and a wide, very insincere smile widened her mouth. “This is a great plan. I love this plan. Let's do it."
Leilani grabbed Melantha's hand, and they started toward the stairs.
Zander walked forward a few steps and called after them, “Where are you going?"
The two women paused on the landing.
"You think we're going to get all naked and sweaty with you boys without taking a relaxing bath first?” Leilani rolled her eyes in a like-that's-gonna-happen look and continued up the steps.
Melantha snorted and followed along.
A disgruntled, “Men!” came from upstairs.
"Which one of them said that?” Rainer ambled over to Zander.
"Mine,” Zander muttered.
Rainer clapped a hand on Zander's shoulder. “She's spirited and will give you courageous and strong offspring. That's a good thing."
"Mmm.” Zander looked at Rainer and grimaced at the humor in the other man's eyes. “Just wait until you find your own. Then tell me how good a thing you think it is."
Rainer grinned and patted Zander's shoulder, then let his hand drop to his side. “I'm looking forward to it."
CHAPTER 8
Forty-five minutes later, Leilani sat beside Melantha on the bed in the room she wouldn't use again after tonight. Thinking of what she would be doing, where she'd be doing it and with whom, made her shiver. Pulling the belt of her robe tighter, she dragged in a lungful of air and held it a moment, then released it.
Melantha did the same thing at almost the same time. “It's really not that bad, right?” she asked, turning her head to meet Leilani's gaze. “I mean, if we have to get married, it could be worse."
Leilani sighed again. “Yeah, it could be worse.” You could be marrying a man who doesn't trust you. Bonding for the rest of your life to an arrogant, intractable, irritating dragon lord who makes you crazy with lust and just plain crazy all at the same time.
That was what she wanted to say, but she didn't. Melantha was attracted to Terik, perhaps even loved him, and Leilani wanted them to have a real chance at happiness. She wasn't going to project her fears onto her sister.
"Besides, that Nikolai ... grrrr!” Melantha's lips tilted in a slow grin. “I could have worse for a second male."
Leilani's breath hitched at the thought of Rainer, her second male. She wasn't sure what it was about dragon males that attracted her so—it could be the very arrogance that made her so crazy, or the innate sensuality that was part of every dragon. Being the filling in a dragon sand
wich was certainly ... appetizing.
A knock sounded at the door.
Gripping Melantha's hand, Leilani asked, “Are you ready?"
Her sister nodded.
"Come in.” Leilani stood as the door slowly opened.
Zander and Terik stood there, both men clad in only their jeans, their hair and broad shoulders still damp from their showers.
"Are you ready?” Zander asked.
Leilani's heart skipped a beat, then thudded against her ribs. Her pulse thundered in her ears. She was nervous, anxious and, being completely honest with herself, need weighed heavily between her thighs. She wanted Zander with a fierceness she would no longer deny, and having sex with two men—a practice society didn't find acceptable—was incredibly exciting. She looked down at Melantha, who slowly got to her feet.
Her sister nodded. “We're ready,” they said together.
Terik held out his hand, and Melantha placed hers in it. He swept her into his arms and kissed her, long and hard. With a low groan, he released her and propelled her out of the room with one big hand at the small of her back.
Leilani watched as Nikolai walked past the open door, falling into step behind them. Then Rainer stepped into the doorway and stood silently.
She looked at Zander and caught her breath at the lust blazing in his eyes. He came up to her and caught her up into his arms, slanting his mouth over hers. He took the kiss deep, fucking into her mouth with his tongue, holding her close so that she knew the strength of his desire.
Rainer moved behind her, and she felt the heat of his big body even though he had yet to touch her. But she could feel his gaze moving over her like the stroke of his hands.
"We'll conduct the ceremony in my room,” Zander murmured against her lips.
She nodded and gasped as Rainer pressed his erection against her. Even through the thickness of their clothing, she could feel how hot, how hard he was. A ball of anticipation settled low in her belly, shooting flames of desire through her pussy. Her heart skipped with erratic beats, a slow thump that echoed in her clit and tightened her nipples.
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