Bound in Flames: Paranormal BBW Shapeshifter Dragon Romance (Drachen Mates Book 1)

by Milly Taiden

  “You sent me away when I was four.”

  Lara nodded, devastation clear in her gaze along with regret. “I know. It killed me to do it, but then I realized this was the best thing I could do for you. I built my walls so when you finally came home, I wouldn’t leak and you’d be able to come back to me. Except, you didn’t want to come back.”

  She’d become best friends with Lexi and Amira. They had the same problem but Lexi’s parents lived in Switzerland at the time, so when they took Lexi home on weekends they also took Morgan and Amira along with her. They became her family. When her mother tried to take her back years later, Morgan didn’t want to go. Lara had rejected her once. Why would she want to be with her?

  She wanted so badly to understand, but all she had were her childhood memories of wanting to go home and being told no. “I don’t understand what this has to do with your attack tonight.”

  Lara lowered her gaze as if Morgan had struck her. “I’m sorry for sending you away, Morgan, but I did what I thought was best at the time. I missed you every second of every day you were gone. When you finally returned, you were so big and you didn’t call me mom anymore. I’d sacrifice anything for you, but once you returned, you pulled further and further away from me.” She picked up the glass of water on the bedside table and took a sip. “I became withdrawn and depressed. It helped me wall my emotions and keep you safe from the things I saw, the things I felt.”

  Morgan glanced at Tor. He hadn’t said anything that whole time, just stood by and listened, his hand on her shoulder offering silent support. “Who attacked you? Why were you attacked?”

  Lara inhaled hard and let it out slowly. “Big guy. Lots of tattoos. Dark, red eyes. They wanted to know where to find you.”

  “Me?” She gasped. “Why?”

  “They want to kill you. You’re special, and if you live, it means the beginning of an era of rebirth for the Drachen.”

  Morgan’s eyes widened. “Because I’m helping them.” Lara didn’t answer. “I knew it. That’s not going to stop me from what I’m doing.”

  “Tor will keep you safe until we know the next step,” Lara said. “I just wanted to apologize to you. Maybe there was another way to do things, but I swear to you,” she said and gripped Morgan’s hands in her own. “I wanted to keep you safe. I wanted to keep pain away from you. You were so young. It wasn’t fair.”

  Resentment and anger tried to make a home in her heart, but she pushed them away like she always had. She’d always known Lara was a good person. Not because of the emotions she hid from Morgan, but because of her aura. There was a light around her mother that she’d always been drawn to but kept away from so she wouldn’t get hurt with Lara’s rejection.

  “You don’t need to worry about me,” Morgan said.

  “That’s right,” Tor finally spoke up. “I’ll make sure she’s guarded at all times.”

  She glanced up at him. “That’s not what I meant.”

  “Too bad, that’s how it’s going to be,” he replied. The authority didn’t bother her. She sensed how worried he was about her so that was his way of taking control.

  “I know,” Lara said. “Thank you. Morgan,” she squeezed her hand. “I’m here to answer any questions.”

  Morgan shook her head and frowned. “Why now? After all these years. Why?”

  “I saw myself dying earlier. I’m not sure why I’m still alive, but I saw it happening and my one regret was letting this distance come between us. Allowing you to keep going through life without knowing how much I care about you.”

  That was kind of hard to believe at that moment when so many years had passed with Lara not once making a move to build a bridge between them. “Thank you.”

  Lara’s eyes closed and opened less frequently.

  “You get some rest. I’ll be here,” Morgan told her.

  NINETEEN

  After a while watching her mother sleep, the machines buzzing and beeping in the background, Morgan realized she needed someone to help take care of Lara. She had some urgent patients she had to see the next day. She brought her glasses up to the top of her head and wrinkled her nose. The view might be clearer, but her mind was still hazy.

  In a daze, she left the room, slowly walking to a quiet spot down the hallway by the elevators. Nurse after nurse and doctors bypassed her without another word. The unit was especially quiet, but that was probably normal in an ICU.

  She still couldn't wrap her mind around someone wanting to hurt her. Lara said they wanted to know where she was, but why?

  Morgan had no enemies. Even her exes broke up with her in a nice way and they all tended to stay civil. They weren't friends, but nobody wanted her mom dead.

  With a sigh, she leaned her head onto the window overlooking the outside. She saw the parking lot from that spot and thought about how she could help Lara. The only person who she felt comfortable talking to about that was probably asleep, but her best friend would understand.

  She pulled her cellphone out of her pocket and dialed Lexi.

  “Morgan,” Lexis’s sleepy-worried voice answered. “What's going on? How’s everything going? What time is it?”

  Nibbling on her lip, she tried hard to hold back the flood of tears clogging her throat. The things Lara had said…she'd hoped and dreamt for so long that one day her mother would tell her she loved her. But it had been so long of Lara holding back. Even though she'd known her mother wasn't lying, and dear god, she'd felt her pain, it was hard to ignore the years of rejection.

  “Not so good,” she murmured. “I just…I'm at the hospital with my mother. She was attacked and it's pretty bad.” She sucked in a harsh breath. “I'm not sure what's going to happen to her.”

  “Oh my god, I'm so sorry. Is there something I can do? Do you want me to come see you?” she offered quickly. “Just tell me where you are and I will get there as soon as possible.”

  She loved her friend.

  “Actually, I was hoping you would be able to help me out. I can't watch her around the clock with some patients I have to see tomorrow. So I really need someone who can help me with making sure she's okay at the hospital.”

  “Of course, anything you need. Tell me where she's at and I'll come right over.”

  “Tomorrow's soon enough. I just wanted to make sure you could get some time off to help do this for me.”

  “Look, girl, I know you and your mother have always had issues, but you need me right now. I'm willing to do whatever is necessary. You're my best friend. I'm always going to be here for you just like you have been for me.”

  She gulped at the knot in her throat and brought her glasses back down on her nose. “Thank you so much. I can’t begin to tell you what this means to me.”

  Lexi yawned and shuffling sounded from her side of the line. “How's everything going with Tor?”

  She glanced around, knowing he’d gone to the waiting area to give her time alone with her mom. “He's good. We've had a bit of a setback with this attack on my mother, and so far, I've got nothing from any of them. I don't even know what kind of help I am at this point. I want to keep trying though. The thought of his race dying out makes me sick.” Better said, the thought of Tor dying because he couldn't find a mate was tearing her apart. “I'd like to see if I can get anything else.”

  Lexi was silent for a moment. “What aren’t you telling me, Mor?”

  Oh crap. She forgot Lexi knew her better than anyone in the world, probably even her mother. “There's some stuff I'd rather tell you in person,” she said noncommittally.

  “Okay. If that's the case, why don't you come over for a bit now and we can have a few hours talking and catching up.”

  “Hang on a sec, I have to see if I can,” she trailed off and stopped the doctor attending her mom as he went by. “Excuse me?”

  The doctor stopped and met her gaze. “Ms. Polley. What can I do for you?”

  “How’s my mom? Will she be regaining consciousness again tonight?”

 
The doctor gave a quick shake of the head. “We gave your mother some heavy pain medication and she’ll be asleep all night and probably most of tomorrow. Please don’t stay if you think she’s likely to wake. Go home. Get home rest and come back tomorrow. We’ll take good care of her.”

  “Thank you, doctor.”

  She watched the doctor walk away not feeling any better about leaving her mother alone in a hospital when there was someone out there who tried to kill her.

  “Okay,” she finally said to Lexi. “I’ll come by, but only until morning when I have to see some patients I’d intended on keeping on the schedule.”

  “Sounds good. Will Tor be okay with you staying here?”

  She frowned. She never asked anyone for permission to go anywhere before. But she lived with Lexi so if he was worried about her safety, he could always stay over in their guest room. Or in Morgan’s room, she’d never complain about that.

  “I’m sure he’ll be fine about it. Anyway, tell me about you. Let’s not talk about me anymore. How are you doing? How's everything at the shelter?”

  Lexi groaned. “I'm okay, things are pretty crazy at the shelter, but otherwise nothing I can't handle. I'm so happy that the family that I told you about, Jennifer Santos and her kids? They’re still with us and it seems like she's finally going to divorce her husband.”

  “That’s great. It will be so good for the children to have a stable home environment without any violence.”

  “Yes. And she said she’s going to keep him away from them. Seriously, Morgan. We can discuss this all later when you get here. Maybe go see your mom again and I’ll get to cooking in the meantime.”

  Morgan’s brows flew north. “You’re cooking? But it’s like 3 a.m.”

  “So? I’m starving now that I and my stomach are fully awake.”

  After she hung up the phone, she went to the other end of the hallway where the waiting area was. Tor stood inside, looking out a window at the darkness on ground level. She stopped at the door and watched him from there. There was something strangely soothing about him. Not just because they'd been incredibly intimate.

  He had touched parts of her with just talking that nobody else had before. She was already half in love with him and it scared the crap out of her that in such a short time her feelings had gotten so involved.

  The hardest and scariest part to swallow was that no matter what happened, she had to find him a mate. He needed a woman his dragon was compatible with and would spend eternity loving him. The thought alone stabbed at her guts.

  She’d try to help him and his brothers find their mates meant to help them continue their race. She didn't know if she could stand the idea of giving Tor to anyone else. It turned her stomach to think of watching him fall in love with someone else. The very thought broke her heart.

  He turned to face her, his eyes bright with his animal. Without saying a word, he walked up to her, pulled her into his arms and held her.

  TWENTY

  She should fight it or at least try to pull away. Her heart couldn’t get any more attached to him. Who was she kidding? She wanted forever with a man meant for someone else. He might not be hers, not today, not ever, but she’d never turn from his touch. He gave her a peace she’d never found in any other man. With her emotions so raw, his arms were exactly where she wanted to be.

  “How are you holding up?” he asked, sliding his hand into her hair and rubbing at the back of her skull. How he knew she had so much tension back there was beyond her.

  “I'm good,” she said, slipping her glasses off her eyes and pressing at the bridge of her nose. She shoved them in her bag, choosing not to wear them from the headache she felt throbbing at the back of her head. “Do you think she'll be okay?”

  He inhaled and that pressed their bodies closer together. She heard his heartbeat, loud and strong, under her ear. He felt so good.

  “Yes, I've spoken to the medical team and they will make sure she's back on her feet in no time. The doctor said she’d be asleep all night so it’s best if you go home and get some rest.” She heard the worry in his voice. “I know you probably don't want to leave her, but I can't leave you here. If you stay, I'll stay.”

  She shook her head and leaned back from his chest. “I’m going home to rest. Lexi’s waiting for me and I’d hate to leave her waiting when I already agreed to come over.”

  “Okay. I’ll take you to her.”

  He cupped her cheek and tipped her chin up so she could look into his eyes. “There's something we need to talk about. What I told you about doing anything to keep you is the truth, but I might not be able to and there’s a reason. As much as would like to change things, there are powers stronger than me at hand.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Your mother came to us because she wanted protection.”

  She gasped and widened her eyes in shock. “What do you mean? I didn't realize she was in trouble.”

  He shook his head, his eyes bright with his dragon’s fire. “She wasn't looking for protection for herself. She was hoping to get us to keep you safe.”

  She frowned and shook her head. “I don't understand. Why would I need protection?”

  “Because Sayeh and the Noir attacked every single mate that has ever come to light and gotten the mate mark in our history and dwindled our species to only a few of us.”

  “I know, you told me that. It still doesn't explain why I would need protecting.”

  He stared deeply into her eyes, holding her so close, it was as if their clothes weren’t there. “You’re to get a mate mark. She saw it in her visions and knew your life would be in danger. So she called us so we’d protect you since you’ll be getting the mark of one of my brothers.”

  “No!” She yanked herself away from him and stumbled back, her whole world reeling and rushing around her in sickening speed. “Your brothers?”

  He nodded. “I’m sorry, Morgan.”

  “I have no marks,” she murmured. “I can’t be a mate. I would've seen it. Felt it. Something!”

  He took a step toward her but she held a hand up. She couldn’t allow her strained emotions to get out of hand. She’d tell him how she felt if he pushed just a little and she didn't need the pity.

  He stopped and spoke softly to her. “You are. Your mother assured us what she said was true and I could tell if she’d been lying.”

  Her mother never lied about her visions. But why her? And who would she be mated to?

  “I need to get out of here. I need to breathe.”

  “I’ll take you home.”

  She nodded quietly and went outside where the hospital valet handed him a set of keys to his SUV. Someone from the private helicopter site had brought the vehicle over when they left it behind. She got in the passenger side and stayed quiet the entire ride to her home. Luckily, he didn’t press her. She wouldn't have been able to handle anything else from him. Not when she wanted more than anything to be his.

  When they got to her house, he pulled out his overnight bag and followed her inside.

  “Hey!” Lexi rushed over from the kitchen to envelope her in a hug. She gazed worriedly into Morgan’s eyes. “She’ll be okay. I’m sure of it.”

  “The guest room is down the hall. Last door on the left. There’s a bathroom attached,” Morgan said without looking at Tor. He marched away in silence. She waited until his door had shut before she fell on the sofa and covered her face with her hands.

  “Morgan, baby,” Lexi whispered, her voice wobbly with tears. “What’s wrong? What happened since I last spoke to you?”

  “I’m one of their mates. It’s why Lara wanted me to talk to them. It’s why he’s been protecting me.”

  “What?” Lexi gasped. She squeezed Morgan's hand and made her look up to meet her gaze. “How’s that even possible?”

  “Mom had one of her visions and instead of telling me about it, she called them to take care of me.”

  “Good god. Your mother just loves doing th
ings backwards.”

  “Tell me about it. And he said I’m supposed to mate one of his brothers,” she said, the lump in her throat growing with her words. “But how can I when…”

  Lexi curled her arm around Morgan's shoulders. “When you’re in love with him.”

  Morgan held back the tears, but that didn't stop the pain in her chest from making her feel like everything was being ripped out, leaving her hollow.

  TWENTY-ONE

  Tor felt like his world had ended. He needed her to know the truth of why he’d been protecting her. That didn’t stop his feelings for her. He didn't know how to explain things better to her. He wanted to tell her that he didn’t care who she was mated to, that he loved her and wanted her for himself.

  But he did care. He’d never keep one of his brothers from their fated mate and the truth was once she got the mate mark, she’d feel the growing desire and love for her mate. It was a given. Besides, he'd never live with himself if he kept her and her mate apart only to watch them both die. He couldn’t do it. Not to her and not to one of his brothers.

  He didn’t know what to do and at the moment couldn’t stop to figure it out. She’d mentioned she wanted to go to her office to see clients so he’d stay in the vicinity. He knew her building was well guarded since she handled some very high profile clients and children of celebrities from around the world. They sent their kids to their small town so nobody would know they were undergoing therapy.

  He dressed quickly and hurried to his vehicle to wait for her. Except she was already there waiting for him. She wore her hair back in a low ponytail and had a cream pantsuit on with flats.

  She didn't meet his gaze, but he scented her sadness and it tore him apart. He shouldn't have said anything. He should've kept his mouth shut. She'd had enough to deal with already with her mother, but he knew she deserved to know.

  Once they got to her office, he rushed to get her coffee and something to eat. He’d noticed she’d declined everything Lexi had offered to give her that morning while he got dressed. He dropped the food off at her office, noticing the smile on her lips even when she’d tried not to meet his gaze. A man and a little girl stood outside her door when he was walking out. He headed down to the lobby to wait out his time on the leather sofas and seating areas.