In the Arms of the Dragon Princes

by Jessica Miller

  “You want to kick my ass?” Michael snorted. “Good luck with that.” Victor whipped around as Michael entered the living room.

  Right, they were tuned in to each other’s thoughts and emotions. Victor glared at the mirror image of himself. It amazed him that they were identical twins, yet they were as different as night and day. “You brought a stranger into our home? A human no less. Have you lost your mind?” he growled. “What if this human discovers our secret? You’re willing to put our people at risk for a roll in the sack?”

  Michael stared at his brother, his lips twitching with amusement. “Are you finished?”

  “Not even close, you idiot.”

  “Well, shut up and let me explain. “I didn’t bring the woman back here to sleep with her. She was in an acci—”

  “I don’t give a damn why she’s here. She has to go now.” Victor pushed past his brother and followed the female scent. Michael sighed and followed. Reaching his brother’s bedroom door, Victor grunted. “You didn’t bring her here to sleep with her, yet she’s in your bedroom.”

  “If you would just let me explain—”

  Victor delivered another murderous glare. “Just get rid of her. Better yet, I’ll get rid of her.” He pushed the door open and stepped into his brother’s room with purpose.

  He saw a woman lying on his brother’s bed, her body covered with a blanket. Victor stopped in his tracks. Her eyes were closed, her face pale. He saw the bandage on the right side of her forehead. Clearly, the woman wasn’t well.

  Michael stepped in. “Look, you should get out before she wakes up. If she opens her eyes and sees your ugly face, she’ll be terrified.”

  “We have the same face.”

  “Yeah, but I’m much more pleasant. Your attitude makes you unattractive.”

  Victor gritted his teeth, choosing not to respond. He knew he was the complete opposite of his friendly, charming twin. “What’s wrong with her?”

  Michael’s lips twisted. “As I was trying to tell you, she drove into a tree. I brought her back here to tend to her wound. She opened her eyes several times. Her pupils weren’t dilated or anything so I figured she would be fine until morning.”

  “Alright then, doctor Michael,” Victor murmured.

  Michael shrugged. “I read. You should really get out of here. If the woman wakes and sees two huge, strange men standing over her, she’s sure to be alarmed. We don’t want to scare her to death.”

  “Oh, so you get to stay and play nurse?” Victor’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Michael. “Are you sure you’re not trying to get rid of me so you can make googly eyes at the pretty blonde?” As Victor muttered the words, he couldn’t resist staring at the woman in his brother’s bed. One look at her and his anger had dissipated. His heart had jumped in his chest, surprising the hell out of him. Sure, he enjoyed sex and women, but he wasn’t the emotional type. He had felt something different when he saw this woman for the first time. Only God knew what he had felt. Lust? Attraction? No, it was stronger than that. He just couldn’t figure out what.

  Michael folded his arms and gave his brother a knowing grin. “You mean the same googly eyes you’re making?”

  Victor cleared his throat lightly, putting back in place his gruff demeanor. “As soon as she’s well enough to leave, she’s out of here. Got it?”

  Michael’s lips twitched. “Yeah, sure.”

  Chapter 3

  Evelyn rolled over, burrowing deeper under the covers. She let out a content sigh. Who knew sleeping in her car would be so comfortable and warm? Wait, where did the thick blanket come from? She hadn’t taken anything but her purse and the clothes on her back when she ran. The only thing she’d had stashed in the back seat of her car was an old coat that wasn’t that warm. When had she even fallen asleep?

  The last thing she remembered was driving and being on the verge of a breakdown, and then she had seen something. Or rather, something had dropped from the sky in front of her. She had hit something hard. She closed her eyes briefly. She had run right into a tree. Just before that she had seen someone running toward her car. She wasn’t sure if it had been a man or woman, but it had to be one of Lee’s employees, sent to take her out.

  Evelyn bolted up, her eyes flying open. She paused, realizing that she wasn’t in her car. She was in a massive bed in a strange bedroom. The first thing that came to her mind was that Bolin Lee had caught her and she was being held captive in his home. Her heart began to pound, along with her head. She lifted a hand to her forehead, coming in contact with what felt like gauze. She had been injured?

  She swung her feet off the bed. She wasn’t in chains like the man she had seen at the lab, but there could be men stationed outside the door.

  “Oh, no. He caught me. I’m going to die.” Terror, unlike any she’d ever felt gripped her. She had to get out of there, wherever there was. No way was she going to let Bolin Lee kill her so easily. Evelyn stood up, but dizziness assailed her. Holding on to the bed, she steadied herself as her knees threatened to give way.

  “Whoa, what are you doing out of bed?”

  She gasped. Forgetting about her lightheadedness, she swung around, nearly dropping to the carpeted floor. Strong hands gripped her elbows, bringing her back to her feet.

  “You should sit down, Evelyn.”

  She stared up the concerned and incredibly handsome face. It was the face she had seen in her dreams. While she was sleeping in the strange bed, she’d seen his face several times. It seemed she hadn’t been dreaming. Confusion joined the fear and panic swirling in her mind.

  “P-please just let me go. I’ll leave Washington. You’ll never see me again, I swear.”

  The man stared at her in confusion. “Calm down, honey. I won’t hurt you.” He reluctantly let her go and held both hands up. “I just came to check on you that’s all.” Michael stared at the woman, slowly backing away from him.

  Evelyn frowned. Did he just call her honey? Piercing blue eyes were fixed on her face. He remained still. She took the chance to study him. He was tall, about six feet four inches, and broad shouldered. His head of thick black hair was a bit too long, giving him a bad boy edge. The man was too good-looking for his own good. The pure masculine power he exuded wasn’t lost on her.

  What the hell am I doing? Evelyn couldn’t believe she was lusting over a man who was probably hired by Bolin Lee to end her life. Since when did she, Evelyn Peters, lose her good senses over a man? He’d said he wasn’t going to hurt her. Should she believe him? She took a deep breath and met his eyes. For once, she was glad she had her gift. Evelyn tapped into his emotions.

  There was no wave of violence coming from him. All she felt was a calmness. His aura mirrored his posture and his neutral expression. There was something else beneath his calmness. It made Evelyn blush profusely. He was interested in her sexually. Oh my. Her vaginal muscles actually clenched in response. She blinked. “Y-you don’t work for Mr. Lee?”

  “I’m not the type to work for anyone, honey,” he drawled.

  She didn’t doubt it. He seemed like the alpha type. “How do you know my name?”

  He nodded toward a dresser where her purse sat. “I peeked at your driver’s license, Evelyn.”

  God, the way he drawled her name with that sexy voice made her boring name sound exotic. Focus Evelyn. “How did I get here?” She kept her eyes on him, watching his every move.

  He took a step forward and she retreated, so he stopped and sat in a chair. “Please, Evelyn sit down before you fall down. I won’t hurt you, I swear. I’m Michael Stone, by the way.”

  The smile he gave her nearly made her swoon. He was right, she really should sit down. Evelyn perched on the bed.

  “Good girl,” Michael cooed, as if she was a scared child. “You can relax. You’re completely safe here.”

  “Where am I?”

  “My home. You’re in the Cascade Mountains. Do you remember driving up here?” She nodded. “You were in an accident. You hit your head and
were unconscious when I found you. I brought you back here, cleaned you up and patched up your wound.”

  He cleaned her up? Evelyn glanced down. A gasp escaped her lips. She was clad in only an over-sized white t-shirt, which she assumed was Michael’s.

  He grinned, his gaze running over her. “Don’t worry honey, I didn’t see anything. Scouts honor.”

  Evelyn’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. “Good. Thank you for all your help. And I would appreciate it if you stopped calling me honey.” It disturbed her that she liked it.

  “Sure thing, hon—Evelyn.” Michael stood up. “I’m going to head downstairs and make you some breakfast. Come down when you’re ready. Your clothes are over there.” He pointed to an arm chair where her clothes were neatly folded.

  “Oh, no I—” He was gone before she could refuse. She didn’t intend on staying. There were dangerous people after her. Michael seemed like a good man. She didn’t want to involve him in her mess.

  Evelyn dressed as quickly as she could, ignoring the killer headache she had. Grabbing her purse and keys beside it, she headed onto what looked like a terrace. Her heart plummeted when she got outside.

  “Shit.” She stood on a second-floor balcony. There was no escaping from there.

  “Looking for something?”

  She yelped and wheeled around. “Michael, I thought you said you were going downstairs.” Evelyn frowned. Wasn’t his hair longer a minute ago? Her hand flew to the bandage on her forehead. Maybe she was concussed. It wasn’t just his hair. His features were the same, but his demeanor, his aura was somehow different. This Michael wasn’t easy going. He didn’t wear the mischievous grin he had when she’d first seen him. This Michael was much more serious, his face set in grim lines. “You’re um… different.”

  His brows lifted. “That’s because I’m not Michael. I’m his brother, Victor.”

  Twins. Why didn’t her usually fast brain pick up on that? “Good Lord, there’s two of you.” Realizing she spoke out loud, she flushed. Two sexy hunks were more than she could handle. “N-nice to meet you Victor, I’m Evelyn Peters.”

  “I know.” Blue eyes, like Michael’s but less friendly seemed to look into her very soul. It was almost like he was sizing her up. She could feel his mistrust of her, but she could feel his physical attraction for her radiating off of him in waves. If it weren’t for her extraordinary perceptiveness, she would have assumed he didn’t like her.

  “I was just—”

  “Looking for an escape?” He didn’t smile.

  She shrugged. “Not that I don’t appreciate your kindness.”

  “My brother’s kindness. He was the one who found you and brought you here.”

  “But it’s your home too, right? So, thank you for allowing me to spend the night. It would be best if I get going.” Victor continued to study her intently, making her feel a bit uncomfortable.

  “You can’t leave yet.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “I went for your car this morning. It won’t start.”

  Oh, right. It was wrapped around a damn tree. That part had skipped her mind. Her shoulder’s sagged. “Damn it. I really need to leave.”

  “I managed to get it back here. It’s being worked on. I guess you have to take my brother up on his offer of breakfast.”

  Was that a shadow of a smile on his lips? It was hard for her to tell. Goodness, the man was intense, so unlike his twin. She nodded. “Yes, I guess so.”

  Chapter 4

  “I think she’s running from something or someone.”

  Victor’s brows shot up. “You think? It’s quite obvious, Michael.” He turned to eye Evelyn out the kitchen window. She had been hovering over Marcus, who was working on her car, all morning. After three days of sizing her up, making certain she wasn’t some kind of spy sent by the humans who he was sure had taken one of their own, he felt comfortable having her around the others. They had all taken a liking to Evelyn.

  It was evident that she was on the run. She was jumpy, seemingly always ready to run on a second’s notice. She constantly asked when her car would be ready to drive. She was anxious to leave. The problem was, he didn’t want her to. Unlike Michael, he hadn’t followed her around like a love-sick puppy, but she had managed to get under his skin, with her big brown eyes and sweet smile.

  Victor found himself lying awake at nights, fantasizing about kissing her, her naked beneath him, her shapely legs wrapped around his waist. He was getting hard just thinking about it.

  “Victor, did you hear what I just said?”

  “Hmmm?”

  Michael chuckled. “I see you’re not as immune to Evelyn’s charms as you pretend to be.”

  Victor’s cheeks colored. Hell, he didn’t even know he was capable of blushing. Victor, no-nonsense leader of his clan, and lethal when needed, actually blushed. “I—she’s—I admit it, I like her.” He more than liked her. “There’s something about her, like she—”

  “Was meant to be yours,” Michael finished.

  Victor’s gaze swung to his brother. He was staring out the window at Evelyn, with a faraway expression. “You feel it too.”

  “Yes. Do you think Evelyn belongs to the both of us?”

  “It’s happened before.” It was common knowledge that twin dragon shifters could share the same woman. Victor had no idea how it would work. Would there be jealousy between him and his brother if they both claimed the same woman? He shook his head slightly. No, it was impossible for anyone to come between him and his twin. Their bond was unbreakable. “She intends to leave us, Michael,” Victor reminded him. “We can’t force her to stay.”

  “All we have to do is find out why she’s running scared, and then convince her that she belongs here, with us.”

  “You make it sound it sound so easy.”

  They both fell silent and continued watching Evelyn. Victor’s jaw clenched when Marcus said something to her, and she rewarded him with a brilliant smile. Jealousy coursed through him. He should be on the receiving end of that smile. For a second, he felt a sliver of fear. What if he felt the same pang of jealousy when he saw Evelyn with his brother?

  “If she is truly our mate, it will be different with us, Victor.” Michael turned to him with a reassuring grin.

  “Stay out of my head, will you?” Victor sighed. “I suppose you’re right, though.”

  Evelyn nibbled on her lower lip. “When do you think my car will be ready, Marcus? Not that I’m rushing you or anything.”

  “Of course, you’re not,” Marcus murmured sarcastically.

  She smiled. “I’m sorry, Marcus. Carry on. I won’t ask again.”

  “That’s what you said ten minutes ago, and then you asked two more times after that.”

  Evelyn smiled again. She liked Marcus. He was kind and had a sense of humor. She’d met just about everyone living in the area and was curious as to why so many people choose to live so far up the mountain range, but she never voiced her interest. She didn’t want to come off as a meddler.

  From what she gathered in her short stay, Michael and Victor Stone, the two men who were kind enough to open their home to her, were the rulers of the small community. They were treated and looked upon with respect. They also exuded the confidence and power of leaders. Thinking of both men now made her heart flutter.

  “Earth to Evelyn.”

  “Huh?” Marcus’s voice penetrated her thoughts.

  “You should go inside before you freeze to death. I think your brain is already freezing. You’ve been staring into space for a few minutes.”

  She smiled. “You’re just trying to get rid of me.” She held up both palms. “I’m leaving. Later.”

  Marcus winked and went back to work. She glanced back at him wondering why he seemed so comfortable in the cold. He wore nothing but jeans and a thin shirt, for goodness sake. She shrugged and continued toward her twins’ cabin. Whoa, her twins? Where had that thought come from?

  They certainly weren’t hers,
but they were the closest she had to friends right now. She felt accepted and safe. There was none of her usual social awkwardness around them. It was too bad she had to leave soon. She really needed to get away from everyone. Maybe she should make a run for it without her car.

  What if Dr. Lee knew where she was? What would he do to everyone there if he arrived? She closed the door and sagged against it. “I can’t stay here.”

  “Of course, you can.”

  Evelyn jumped, her gaze swinging to the sound of the voice. “Michael, Victor. I—what are you doing here?” Stupid question. She was in their kitchen. “I mean, I didn’t know you were in here. I was just checking on my car.”

  “So you can high tail it out of here?” Michael gave her a small smile.

  “Well—” Yeah. “I don’t want to overstay my welcome.” Her eyes shifted to Victor. As usual, he was unsmiling, his penetrating eyes fixed on her.

  “That’s not possible,” he stated. “You can stay as long as you like.”

  She’d expected such an invitation from Michael. Coming from Victor, it was surprising. “Oh, that’s kind, but I can’t stay much longer. I’m—” on the run, she finished silently. “I’m sure you want your room back, Michael.”

  “I like you in my bed.” Michael’s low suggestive tone made Evelyn’s breath hitch in her chest. The images his words brought up took her pulse rate up a few notches.

  What the hell did she say to that? Should she tell him that she liked being in his bed too, and that she wished he would join her in it? She wouldn’t mind if Victor wanted in on the action, as well. Evelyn couldn’t believe the direction her thoughts had gone. Being on the run sure did change a woman. The danger and uncertainty had to be the factors that fueled the surge of lust she felt.

  Victor scowled at his brother. “You’re making her uncomfortable.”

  “I’m sorry, Evelyn,” Michael immediately apologized, however his wicked grin remained intact.

  “I’m uh, going upstairs.” She scurried off.