Chapter 42: The Dream
"I want us to see what happens when all three of our dragons are in the same room with her." Thorne’s expression was serious. "If she’s truly the one the prophecy speaks of, our dragons will know. They’ll recognize her. And so will we."
Draeven’s chest tightened. "And if they don’t?"
"Then we’ll know she’s not the one. And we can stop this madness."
Kaelen was silent for a long moment.
Then he nodded. "Fine. When?"
"Soon," Thorne said. "But we need to be careful. If we push too hard, if we frighten her...."
"We’ll lose her," Draeven finished.
"Yes."
Draeven exhaled slowly. "Then we do this carefully. We don’t force her. We don’t hurt her."
"Agreed," Thorne said.
Kaelen’s smile was sharp. "I can be gentle when I want to be."
Draeven shot him a look. "You’d better be. Because if you hurt her again..."
"You’ll what?" Kaelen’s tone was mocking. "Kill me?"
"Yes."
The word was flat. Final.
Kaelen’s smile faded.
Thorne stepped between them. "Enough. We’re not enemies here."
"Aren’t we?" Kaelen asked.
"No." Thorne’s voice was firm. "We’re brothers. And we’re in this together."
He looked at both of them. "If she’s the one, she belongs to all of us. Not just one. Do you understand?"
Draeven’s jaw tightened, but he nodded.
Kaelen did the same.
"Good." Thorne turned back toward the window. "Then let’s find out the truth. Once and for all."
***
By the time the sun set, Morgana was no closer to sleep.
She lay on her cot, staring at the ceiling, her body exhausted but her mind racing.
The kings.
The dragons.
She thought of the way the ancient dragon had leaned into her touch. The way Shadowmere had calmed when her magic flared. The way Kaelen’s eyes had glowed when he’d lost control.
The way all three of them looked at her like she was something more.
Morgana closed her eyes, willing sleep to come.
But all she could see were burning gold eyes.
Pale, glowing blue.
Dark, knowing depths.
Her body grew warm, the ache between her thighs returning.
She pressed her thighs together, trying to suppress it.
But it didn’t help.
If anything, it made it worse.
Finally...finally exhaustion won.
And Morgana fell into a deep, restless sleep.
But even in sleep, she couldn’t escape them.
In the dream, She was standing in a room she didn’t recognize.
It was dark, lit only by the flickering glow of a massive fireplace. The air was thick and warm, smelling of smoke and something deeper...musk and leather and male.
She looked down at herself.
She was naked.
Her breath hitched, and she moved to cover herself, but her arms wouldn’t obey.
They hung at her sides, useless, as if invisible chains held them there.
"Don’t."
The voice came from behind her...low, rough and familiar.
She turned.
Draeven stood there, his golden eyes burning in the firelight. He was shirtless, his muscled chest gleaming, his dark hair falling loose around his shoulders.
He looked at her like she was something he wanted to devour.
"You’re beautiful," he said, his voice rough with hunger.
Morgana’s pulse spiked. "This isn’t real."
"Isn’t it?" He stepped closer, and the heat radiating from him was overwhelming. "It feels real, doesn’t it?"
He reached out and cupped her breast, his thumb brushing over her nipple.
Morgana gasped.
It did feel real.
Too real.
"Your Majesty...."
"Shh." He lowered his head and captured her mouth in a searing kiss...hot and demanding and all-consuming.
Morgana melted into him, her body responding instinctively, heat flooding through her.
His hands roamed over her body...her breasts, her waist, her hips, claiming every inch of her.
And then...
"Are you going to share her, brother? Or keep her all to yourself?"
The voice was cold and mocking.
Draeven pulled back, and Morgana turned.
Kaelen stood a few feet away, leaning against the wall, his pale eyes gleaming. He was shirtless too, his lean, elegant frame a study in controlled power.
"I don’t share," Draeven growled.
"Pity." Kaelen pushed off the wall and crossed to them. "Because I’m not leaving."
He stopped in front of Morgana, his gaze raking over her naked body.
"Hello, Morgan," he said softly.
And then his mouth was on hers.
Cold where Draeven had been hot.
Sharp where Draeven had been consuming.
Kaelen kissed her like he was stealing something precious, his hands gripping her hips, pulling her flush against him.
She could feel the hard length of him pressing against her stomach, and heat coiled low in her belly.
Behind her, Draeven’s hands slid up her sides, cupping her breasts from behind, his mouth finding the sensitive spot behind her ear.
Morgana moaned into Kaelen’s mouth.
"You’re forgetting someone."
The third voice was quiet. Calm.
But it sent a shiver down her spine.
Thorne stepped out of the shadows, his dark eyes fixed on her.
He was shirtless like the others, his body lean and powerful, his presence commanding despite his silence.
"Move," he said.
It wasn’t directed at her.
It was directed at his brothers.
Kaelen pulled back, smirking. "Impatient, are we?"
"Move," Thorne repeated, his voice like steel.
Draeven’s hands left her body, and both brothers stepped aside.
Thorne crossed to her, his gaze never leaving hers.
He stopped inches away, and Morgana’s breath caught.
"You’re trembling," he observed.
"I’m scared," she whispered.
"Good." He reached out and traced a finger down her sternum, between her breasts, over her stomach. "You should be."
His hand slid between her thighs, and Morgana gasped.
"Already wet," Thorne murmured. "From them? Or from me?"
"I don’t...."
"Don’t lie." His fingers found her slick heat, and he circled her entrance slowly. "Your body knows the truth even if you don’t."
He slid two fingers inside her, and Morgana’s knees buckled.
Draeven caught her from behind, holding her upright, his hands returning to her breasts.
"That’s it," Draeven murmured against her ear. "Let us take care of you."