Dracones Boxset Books 1-5

by Sheri-Lynn Marean

  “I know, love. We’ll keep an eye on him. His dragon doesn’t want to die and maybe that will help,” she said, planning to throw the needles and empty bottle out right away.

  “You heard it too?” he asked.

  “Yeah, I did.” It was Sami’s dragon, roaring for help that had awakened Jax and that they had both heard in their head.

  ***

  That night and all the next day, they continued to watch over Sami while Tierney checked periodically on Zander. By the next evening, Jax’s fear and anger over what Sami had done had begun to morph into guilt. Then his power began to waft about the room, spiking and then going away, over and over as he grew more anxious over his brother.

  “C’mon,” Tierney finally said to him, taking his hand.

  “What?” Jax asked as she led him away from Sami’s bed.

  Tierney glanced at Thaniel who was lying on the couch. “Do you mind?”

  She nodded toward the bed and immediately, Thaniel got up and glided stealthily over to sit beside Sami.

  Closing the door behind her, Tierney led Jax across the hall into his room and kicked his door closed. Then she pushed him up against the wall.

  “What are you—” Jax stopped when she leaned into him, pulling his head down until his lips met hers. When he moaned, she knew his need was beginning to rise. Tierney pulled away and smiled at the erection she could feel growing against her belly.

  “We shouldn’t…Sami,” Jax said but she’d already captured his lips again.

  “Thaniel’s watching over him. He’ll be fine for now,” she told him as they kissed. At her words in his head, Jax moaned again and Tierney could feel how badly he wanted her—needed her.

  With lips still locked on each other, Tierney slid Jax’s sweatpants down over his hips then pulled her mouth from his. With a grin, she knelt down in front of him.

  “T-Tiern—” Jax began, suddenly quivering at what he knew was about to happen.

  “Shhh, love,” she said before sliding him into her mouth.

  “Tiern—oh!” Jax tangled his hands in her hair and letting his head fall back against the wall, he moaned. As his pleasure built it tingled hotly through her own body, but then, just like last time she’d done this, he tried to get her to stop.

  “I told you, love. I can handle it. Let yourself go,” she encouraged, knowing he needed the distraction, or who knew what his power would do, and now wasn’t the time to find out.

  At her words, Jax groaned and stopped fighting. She moaned in his head, telling him how much she loved what she was doing to him.

  “Eyes open…watch!” Her demand made him lose all control then. Pumping hard and fast, she watched him stare down at her, mesmerized at the sight of his cock sliding in and out of a pair of lips she knew he loved with his whole being. When she reached under and grabbed a hold of his balls, he jacked against her, and came. Waves of pleasure rolled through him and since she was connected to him through their bond, she shook with ecstasy as well.

  With Jax spent, and his anger over Sami pushed far away for now, Tierney slid his pants back up and stood up to lean against him.

  “You didn’t have to do that, you know,” he said, smoothing her long, curly black hair away from her face.

  “I know, love, but I wanted to.” She smiled up at him, feeling such love for him.

  I so don’t deserve you. His thought screamed across her mind, and she felt the emotion in him rise, and saw the tears gather in his eyes.

  Allowing her anger to spark in her amethyst eyes so he knew she felt what he was feeling, she lowered her voice. “Don’t go there, Jax, you know I hate it when you start thinking that way.”

  “Yeah, I know.” She knew he did, but she also understood years of feeling worthless and undeserving of love didn’t just go away, but knowing and understanding didn’t mean she had to like it. She hated it when he began to think that way. She saw him swallow hard, and knew he was grateful for her unconditional love. Jax nodded. “Thank you.”

  “Now, my sweet man, you are going to go outside, draw on your power, and let your dragon loose. You’re going to take wing and fly.”

  “No, Sami needs—”

  “Shh.” She put her lips on his, silencing him. Her tongue delved inside his mouth once again, seeking, tasting, and driving him wild for her all over again. She knew she was making his senses reel with her taste, and her scent.

  “You’re not playing fair,” he said.

  “I know. I don’t care,” she replied smiling inside.

  Jax groaned and she felt him harden against her belly once more. “I ache to be inside you,” he said fiercely.

  Tierney moaned against him then a moment later, she pulled back. “I know, love,” she breathed, her own heart pounding with desire and certain her eyes were glowing purple. “But first, you’re going to soar under that brilliant starry sky and let yourself and your dragon go. Be free. And once you’ve had a good flight. Once you are grounded again, then you will come back here—to me.”

  Breathless, he licked his lips as Tierney pressed once more against him. “I want to take you to bed, now.” He breathed as he nibbled on her neck.

  “No, later,” she said making Jax moan and pull away.

  “And you, what will you be doing?” he asked, his voice husky and low, almost making her change her mind.

  Tierney licked her bottom lip and smiled up at him. “I’m going to go back in and stay with Sami. Then, when you come back, I will leave Thaniel with him and come back in here, where we will finish this,” she said, staring into his eyes and giving silent promise of a wonderful time together.

  Jax’s smile filled her with anticipation until it slipped away and worry filled his gaze. Tierney could feel his guilt at the thought of enjoying himself while Sami suffered rush through him. “No, don’t go there, love.”

  “But, Sami—”

  Tierney rubbed herself against him again, drawing his attention away from his worries and making him groan. “Sami will be fine with Thaniel for a little while. When we are done, we will go back in and stay with Sami. He will know that he is loved, don’t worry. He will know that he’s not alone. We will be there for him, no matter what it takes. We will figure this out. Okay, love?”

  Jax could only nod. Tierney gave him a hug. “But right now, you need to get yourself together, so that we can help your brother.” With that, she gave him a shove towards the French doors leading out to the balcony. Tierney knew he hated that she was right, but he also loved it at the same time.

  “I love you, Tiern.”

  “I love you too, Jaxsaron,” she said as she watched him head out.

  ***

  Tierney smiled and cuddled into the comfort of Jax’s arms. “Now how do you feel?” she asked, mischievously.

  With a small chuckle, he tightened his arms around her lovingly. “Much, much better. Thank you.”

  Tierney wished they never had to get up and deal with anything bad, but she knew they did.

  “Did you check on Zander?” Jax asked.

  “I did. His broken leg has healed and his limbs are still growing but otherwise, not much has changed. Gods, the Ilyium are sadistic sons of bitches!” Tierney paused and swallowed, before saying, “He still has a long way to go but Kyrian said they plan to wake him from his coma tomorrow, and then we’ll take it from there.”

  “Yeah, okay…” Jax swallowed and Tierney knew he was worried about what Zander was going to say about the two of them being mates.

  “It’s going to be okay.” She tried to reassure him, though she knew nothing she said would help. He wouldn’t believe it until he had Zander’s blessing from his own lips.

  “And what about Sami?” he asked. She knew he had worried something else might have happened while he was gone.

  “Thaniel is with him,” she said then paused, dreading the conversation she needed to have with Jax now.

  Jax’s muscles tensed up beneath her touch. “What’s wrong?” he asked, sensing
her mood.

  Tierney leaned up on her elbow and looked down at the beautiful dark-haired man that she loved. “Sami woke up for a bit. I sent Thaniel to make him something to eat. Jax, Sami is in mourning.”

  “He’s what? I thought the girl was alive?”

  “She is, but…well, she wants nothing to do with him. I don’t know why. I don’t think he knows either. He’s shattered. His shields were down and I could feel his soul crying for the girl.”

  “What a bitch,” Jax growled, suddenly angry for his brother.

  “Shh.” Tierney laid her hands on the stubble of Jax’s cheeks, and calmed him. Brilliant blue eyes gazed at her sadly.

  “If she’s his soul mate, how could she do that to him? And why?”

  “I don’t know babe, he didn’t say but I think he bonded with her.”

  Now Jax pulled away, sat up in the bed, and shook his head. “How can she leave him if they bonded?”

  Jax turned to stare at her, his midnight blue eyes beginning to glow with rage.

  “I don’t know…maybe she didn’t bond to him?”

  Jax sucked in a breath and turning away, he ran a hand through his short black hair as he climbed from the bed. “Sami.”

  “Yeah, he’s in rough shape.” Tierney swallowed, hating to bring up the next part. “That’s not all.”

  Turning, Jax looked back at her, “What? Tell me.”

  Tierney bit her lip, knowing what this was going to do to Jax. “Well, I was able to connect to him a bit while he was sleeping, like you and I did when you were going through your Awakening. Besides his soul crying for his mate, he’s consumed with guilt and shame—”

  Jax stared at her in horror. “Shit—Marcius.”

  “No, I don’t think that’s it.”

  “What? What else could he be ashamed or guilty about other than killing that bastard?” Jax asked.

  “I don’t know, but it felt just like the guilt and shame you kept buried inside of you for so many years. I suspect it’s been in Sami just as long.”

  Jax shook his head, “I had no idea,” he said, his expression telling her that guilt was filling him up at the thought of his brother suffering like he’d been.

  “Jax, you couldn’t have known. I didn’t even know. He’s always been so good at keeping his shields up, and keeping me out. He fooled us all.”

  “Why? Why would he not tell us?” he asked, looking at her with pained eyes.

  “My love, you did the same thing. Why did you do it?” she asked, knowing the answer.

  Jax let out a huge sigh and glanced around the room, not looking at her.

  “Jax,” Tierney said, waiting.

  Finally, with his eyes lowered in shame, he sat back down on the bed. “I didn’t want to worry anyone,” he whispered and her heart twisted at the reminder of the small lost child that she found living inside of him at the core of his soul, believing he wasn’t worthy of love.

  “Sami’s the same, maybe even more so. He’s always pretended everything was fine. I suspect it was because he never wanted us to worry about him. Just like you,” she said, and then gave him a sad smile. She saw how learning this was twisting at his insides.

  Tierney reached out and pulled him close. “All those emotions ate at you, turning into the dark rage you struggled so hard to control.”

  Jax nodded, but even as he was unable to say a word, she heard as his heart began to pound knowing he was remembering what caused those emotions.

  “Well, in Sami, it turned into a dark, hard to control pain.”

  Jax closed his eyes and leaned into Tierney, seeking comfort from her even as she heard his thoughts chastise himself for not seeing his brother’s pain. “I should’ve known…”

  “Babe, stop,” she said. Cupping his face, she stared into his eyes. “Sami needs us now, he needs you. So you need to stop beating yourself up over this, okay?”

  Jax nodded, but she knew he’d never stop feeling guilty about not having known what his brother was going through.

  “C’mon, let’s go see how he’s doing,” Tierney said and together they got up, dressed, and went to see Sami.

  ***

  SAMI OPENED HIS EYES to see Jax sitting in the chair beside his bed. He looked around. “Where’s Tierney, Thaniel?”

  “Tierney’s with Zander, and Thaniel is cooking up something he saw on a cooking channel on TV.”

  “Something he saw on—what? On TV?” Sami asked, clearly shocked.

  Jax nodded. “Yeah, he’s been watching cooking shows.”

  Sami stared at him. “Well, that’s…interesting.”

  “Yeah.” Jax shrugged. “If he wants to cook, I’m not gonna say anything.”

  “I guess,” Sami said.

  Feeling Jax staring at him, Sami steeled himself against what was coming. “How are you feeling?” Jax asked.

  Sami yawned. He hated to lie, but he really wasn’t in the mood for the questions he knew were coming. “I’m fine.” At Jax’s skeptical look, he glanced away and ran a hand through his shaggy hair. “Really, I am. You don’t have to watch over me.”

  Jax shook his head. “Maybe, but I’m not taking any chances.”

  Feeling ashamed, Sami looked away. After a moment, he threw back the covers and started to get up.

  “Wait!” Jax jumped up, gaze averted as he went over to Sami’s dresser. After rummaging in the drawers, he came back and tossed something at Sami. “Here put these on, I don’t need to see your junk.”

  Sami rolled his eyes, pulled his underwear on and walked over to the bathroom. Once inside, he noticed nearly everything had been removed. When he came out a few minutes later, Jax held up Sami’s razor.

  “You looking for this?” Jax asked. “Or maybe this?” He held up the pair of small, but very sharp scissors.

  Sami frowned, heat rushing to his face as he walked over to the bed. Oh gods, he knows.

  “Yeah, I saw the faint scars on your wrists and forearms,” Jax told him.

  Hanging his head, Sami climbed up onto his bed and sat leaning back against the headboard. He pulled the covers up without looking at his brother.

  “Jax, I really don’t feel like having a girly-chat right now,” he began but then stopped, feeling like an ass.

  “Tough, suck it up sunshine and start chatting, spill it,” Jax said, waiting for him to start talking.

  Sami swallowed hard, knowing he wasn’t getting out of it but really, what could he say. “I—” Finally, he looked at his brother. “I want to explain, but—”

  Jax stared at him.

  “You’re going to think I’m crazy.” Sami glanced away then down at his lap. Finally, he heard Jax sigh.

  “Sami,” Jax said, waiting for his brother to look back up.

  “Jax—”

  “No.” Jax waved him to stop speaking then closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he looked at Sami. “Look, I’ll go first. Just…listen, please.”

  Sami nodded, wondering what this was all about since he was the one who had a problem.

  “Okay, look, this isn’t easy for me to talk about, but, I know I never explained why I tried so hard to stay away from Tierney,” he said.

  Sami frowned and started to say something but Jax waved him to stop again.

  He waited and watched as Jax took a deep breath and began to speak. “I know we don’t look anything alike, and I know you were probably just as surprised as I was to find out that we had different fathers.”

  Sami looked away. What could he say? The truth…that his father was a monster, one that had abused Jax, and that Sami was his father’s son.

  As if he knew what Sami had thought, Jax said, “It doesn’t matter, Sami.”

  At his words, Sami began to shake his head. “It does matter—it matters a whole hell of a lot.”

  “Sami.” Jax glared at him. Sami bit his tongue to keep from saying more. “Believe it or not, we are actually more alike than either of us thought,” Jax said, staring at him.


  With a frown, Sami glanced at him and Jax nodded then continued. “After our village was attacked, when I went back to find our mother…” Jax closed his eyes and Sami knew he was thinking of how he had found their mother. “Well, let’s just say it was…really bad. Then, later when Marcius took us away, when those men—” Jax shook his head.

  Sami’s heart began to race and he felt like he was about to throw up.

  “Anyway, let’s just say that, I had all this guilt. I hated leaving you alone with Marcius, I’ve always wondered if I had fought against those men harder—”

  Sami couldn’t believe his brother was still taking the guilt on himself. “That’s insane Jax. You couldn’t…and it’s all because of me,” Sami said, remembering how Marcius had threatened Jax that he’d hurt Sami if Jax didn’t go willingly with the perverts.

  Jax glanced away. “I have so much hatred towards those men and Marcius. I felt…feel so much shame at what they did to me. And, for some stupid reason, I’ve always felt like I should have been able to save our mom. I know it’s ridiculous but—” Jax met Sami’s gaze then looked away again.

  “Jax, you were ten,” Sami said even as a wave of guilt, anger, and pain began to fill him at what the pedophiles had done to his brother, but also at himself for his hand in it.

  “Doesn’t matter, can’t change how I feel.” Pursing his lips, Jax glanced at Sami and took a deep breath. “Anyway, all of that began to turn to anger over the years. It turned into a deep, dark rage that lived inside of me.”

  When Sami started to say something Jax stopped him again. “I know you have the same thing going on inside you, but where my buried emotions turned to rage, I know yours turned to pain.”

  Sami stared at him and saw Jax drop his gaze to where his pulse was beating rapidly in his neck. Sami didn’t need to confirm his words because his brother knew he was right.

  “I was terrified of hurting either you or Tierney, so I kept my distance. I am so sorry. I should have told you, I should have seen what was going on,” Jax whispered, holding Sami’s gaze.