Double Dragon Page 9

  “I’m sorry about your family. Thomas told me what happened,” I said, hoping to at least find some common ground with the man since we were going to be stuck on this island for a little while.

  “What’s done is done,” he said curtly. We walked through the path, through all the vines and branches that we had raced through until we reached the site of the battle again, where the boar’s body lay next to Vincent. The boar seemed immense, and it was amazing to me that William had been able to slay the creature, but then again he was a dragon.

  “I’m surprised you didn’t burn him with your breath,” I said, trying to make light of the situation. William glared at me. “I’m not going to start a fire here. The jungle would go up and we’d all be burnt in the inferno. I didn’t actually change into a dragon, I managed to slice the boar’s throat. It was a hell of a thing though. For a moment there, I thought I was a goner.”

  I thought so too, but I didn’t say that. Knowing he hadn’t changed into a dragon cast William into a new light. While Thomas had saved me, William had charged into danger, all to avenge a man that he hadn’t shown any sign that he liked.

  “Why did you do it?” I asked. He cocked an eyebrow at me. “Why did you fight the boar? You could have ran away with us, but you were already moving when Vincent turned to fight. I didn’t think you even liked him that much, or any of us for that matter.”

  “I did something better than like him; I respected him. Any man who can turn and face a boar like that has my respect. I wanted to make sure that his sacrifice wasn’t in vain. I wish I could have saved him, he was a good man. And you’re right, he probably does deserve some dignity in death, although I’m not sure how you suggest we should go about digging a grave for him.”

  He was right. In my haste I hadn’t thought about the fact that we didn’t have a shovel. I looked around to try and see if there was anything that we could use as a replacement, but the branches didn’t seem sturdy enough.

  “I guess we’ll just use our hands,” I said, and walked forward to start digging with my nails. As I did so, William reached out and held me back. He shook his head and smirked. He walked forward, arched his head back and his body began to tremble. I instinctively turned my gaze away, knowing that I was witnessing something private and sacred, but I was unable to resist looking. I saw him hold his arms out. They became the wings, joining and spreading out from his back. His skin turned to green scales, his thick hide glistening under the light from the sun. His head lengthened and a snout grew. Great talons grew from his feet and sharp teeth snapped in a powerful jaw. I was left breathless by the sight of such majesty. The dragon was something out of myth, and seeing it was still surreal. His tail swayed behind him as he reared up and slammed his claws into the earth, bringing up mud, flinging it behind him. I had to step out of the way so as not to receive a mouthful of dirt. I used the opportunity to look at the dragon more closely, for when Thomas had appeared to me, I was so shocked I had only taken a cursory glance. Now I looked at the details, at the way its neck sloped into its spine, at how the scales were formed so perfectly together, and how the wings beat back to help him keep his balance. The tail ended in a sharp point, and I was utterly in awe of this creature.

  It didn’t take William long to dig up a hole and when he was finished, he turned and looked at me with his beady eyes. I could see his personality reflected in them. It was eerie to know that this dragon and William were the same soul, a mind shared in two forms. I was lost gazing at him for a few moments before I realized he wanted me to do something. He looked down at the body, and then pointed to the hole with his tail. I skipped over to Vincent’s corpse and dragged it into the hole, and then stepped back so that William could fill the hole in again. I watched as Vincent’s peaceful face was covered in dirt, and I was glad when the soil covered up the huge hole in his stomach. I bid my farewell to him and wished that I could have done more to prevent the deaths. I only hoped that what we found on Dragon Island would be worth all the souls it had claimed.

  William patted the soil down nice and tight, much like a dog would do after he buried a bone, and then his tail wagged and his wings fluttered and he changed back into a man. The whole process seemed painful, but it was evidently something he could control at will.

  “Does it hurt?” I asked after he had returned to human form.

  “It does the first time, but you get used to it. It’s like a good pain, like picking off a scab.”

  “And you can just do it at will?”

  William nodded. “It’s like flexing a muscle. But the feeling you get with it, it’s the best in the world. I’ve always pitied normal humans because they’ll never know the joy of soaring through the air under their own power.”

  “After today I’m not sure I want to soar anymore,” I said. William chuckled. He gestured to a nearby spot where we sat down. We moved away from the boar, I found it distasteful to sit near a corpse. “Are you here for the same reason as your brother?”

  “No, I’m here to keep Thomas safe,” he said. I got the impression that he was only half-joking. “He has much in common with our father. They have grand ideas about the way the world should be, and the direction our people should take. I just want to know the truth, and then decide from there. Thomas is the only family I have and I’ll do anything to keep him safe. I love him, I’ve always looked out for him, so where he goes, I go.”

  “That’s very sweet,” I said, surprised at how touching his words were. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I wouldn’t have expected you to say something like that. You come across as a little…detached.”

  “I wasn’t sure how this was going to play out. I know why Thomas wanted to come out here, but coming here with humans just seemed like a recipe for disaster. I’m sure he explained to you the important placed on us keeping our secret. I just didn’t see a way for us not to reveal our true nature.”

  “But you did, except with me.”

  “That doesn’t matter too much. You’re just one person. Nobody will believe you if you say anything.”

  Somehow, I didn’t find that reassuring. “That’s if we ever get off this island.”

  William laughed deeply at that. He tossed back his head and slapped his thigh. I furrowed my brow, not understanding why he was laughing.

  “Do you think that’s funny?” I asked, incredulous.

  “Yes, I do actually. Think about what you just said and then think about who you’re talking to, and what we can do.”

  I still didn’t understand, but when I thought about it a little more, I laughed as well. Of course, they could fly, and if we needed to we could just flee from the island, as long as they could make it through the storm. I could tell there was still a lot I needed to learn about being with dragons. There was going to have to be a big adjustment in my thinking.

  “Okay, you got me. I guess I can relax a little bit.”

  “Yeah, all we need to worry about is finding the lost secrets of an ancient civilization.”

  “Well, like you said, that’s what I’m here for. Tell me something, all those other adventures you’ve been on, all the mountains you’ve climbed and the trails you’ve hiked, were they all to search for clues to your past?”

  “Some of them were, others were just because we enjoyed it. We’ve always had an affinity for nature. I guess it’s in our blood. It’s much more freeing to know that we can shift at any time. Usually we get quite agitated when we’re around other humans for too long.”

  “How do you cope with it? How can you live in the city and still indulge this side of you?”

  “There are always ways to keep secrets. We have a mansion with a huge barn, and when it’s the darkest part of night we sometimes take flight. It’s not easy, and it’s always annoying to me to feel like I can never be myself. But I know it’s for the best though. Can you imagine what would happen if we revealed ourselves? The world would go crazy, and we’d be dissected. I can understand why th
e secret needs to be kept, but there are some things that should be shared.”

  “Why is your uncle so devoted to keeping things a secret?”

  “Like anyone else in power he’s afraid that things will change. It’s as simple as that. It’s funny really because it’s entirely a human flaw. I just hope we can get some justice for father. Living the way we do…it’s difficult to get vengeance.”

  “You mean…killing him?” I asked, a lump forming in my throat. William looked me directly in the eyes and showed no hesitation or remorse when he answered in the affirmative. “How can you talk about killing someone so casually?” I asked.

  “Dragons do things differently. To me, there’s no difference between my uncle and that boar, well, apart from the fact that the boar likely has more honor. My uncle was responsible for having my father killed and he didn’t even do it in honorable combat. He did it in a cowardly way, not even staying true to the tenets of the dragon.”

  “But can’t you go through the proper channels, like find evidence to prove that he did have something to do with your father’s death?”

  William barked a laugh. “Dragons are a part of the natural world, and nature has no mercy. He deserves nothing more than a swift end for his crimes,” he said. I heard the pain in his voice though. I had became very good at that over the years, likely because my voice had always been tinged with hurt and pain. “Thomas has always reminded me that I can’t do what I would like to him, but if what we find here harms my uncle then it’s all worth it as far as I’m concerned.”

  He pulled his knife out from his boot and stabbed it into the ground. It was the same knife that had killed the boar, but he had cleaned it after that effort. He dragged the knife across the ground, cutting it as I imagined he had cut the beast’s throat. I never condoned violence, but to feel the bristling heat emanating from his body, the aggression, the passion, the strength and the courage was intoxicating.

  “I’ve been impressed with you on this trip Amber,” he continued. “When I first saw you, I thought you were just some kid trying to chase after ghosts, but you know what you’re talking about, and you’re fierce. It’s not everyone who can handle seeing us in our true forms. A lot of people would lose their minds.”

  “I’m not sure that I haven’t yet,” I said, laughing. I caught his eyes. The sun was beginning to dip behind us. I found my breath leaving my throat. He looked exactly the same as Thomas, and yet he wasn’t Thomas. Somehow, I could tell the imperceptible differences between the two of them, and I knew that the attraction I felt for William in that moment was purely for him and nothing to do with my attraction for Thomas. I knew it was wrong to be attracted to both of them, and yet at the same time something about it felt so right.

  Before I knew it, he had his hand around the back of my head and we were kissing. He was a little rougher than Thomas had been, but after enjoying the kiss for a moment I pulled away, knowing this was wrong.

  “I’m sorry, I can’t,” I said. “I don’t know if you saw earlier but I…Thomas and I…”

  William laughed again. He stroked my cheek. “You’re funny. There’s a great deal you must learn about us dragons. We don’t do things the same way as humans.”

  He went to kiss me again. I found it difficult to resist his burning lust and his fiery touch, but then a shadow fell on us and Thomas landed beside us.

  13

  When he appeared, I was afraid that Thomas was going to be angry and that the brothers would fight. I pulled away from William, chastising myself. I wasn’t used to being like this but these dragons, they played havoc with my mind and I didn’t seem to be able to trust my self-control. They had a way of crawling under my skin and tearing my inhibitions apart.

  Thomas put the crate down along with some firewood. He didn’t seem to notice what had happened.

  “I brought some wood back. I figure it’s probably too late for us to fly around the mountains. It’s so dark it’ll be hard to spot any caves. We’ll build a fire and-”

  “William and I just kissed!” I blurted out. I wasn’t sure what possessed me to say such a thing, I was just so confused about everything, and probably a little tired as well. Thomas and William looked at each other. “Please don’t fight,” I said.

  Thomas sat beside me and put his arm around my shoulder. “Of course, we’re not going to fight. Amber, we’re dragon twins. We share everything,” he said, and kissed me. After we finished kissing William sat beside me as well.

  “I told you that you have much to learn,” he said. They chuckled as they went to build a fire together while I gathered some food and water and tried to process what I think they were suggesting. I watched them build the fire. They lit a match and the flames licked the kindling. Warmth spread out and the fire danced and crackled in a lively manner. As I watched them slap each other’s backs, a dark, taboo desire crept up from the pit of my stomach. A lusty, sultry fantasy appeared in my mind and it was so thrilling I almost pushed it away, but I didn’t. I embraced it. I had already seen the impossible happen today, and maybe William was right; I had to unlearn all that I had learned. We were stranded on a deserted island. The normal rules didn’t apply now.

  I continued to watch them as my cheeks burned with this unsettling yet exciting desire and eventually I pushed myself up to join them, standing behind them.

  “When you said you share everything earlier…does that mean what I think it means?” I asked in a coquettish voice. The twin brothers stopped their conversation and turned to look at me. They strode forward, mirror images of each other and were soon directly in front of me. Thomas reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. William folded his arms across his broad chest.

  “If it’s something you want. It’s rare that we find someone who understands our unique bond,” Thomas said.

  My gaze moved from brother to brother. I liked Thomas for his kindness and sensitivity. I liked William for his strength and sense of honor and justice. They were both handsome, and my mind was gradually peeling open to understand the possibilities of what this could mean. I nodded slightly and opened my arms to welcome the men into me. They stood either side of me and I basked in the masculine warmth. They smelled of the earth, of strength, smoky and dark. I looked up at them and my lips parted. Thomas plucked a kiss from my mouth, and then William did the same. Then, William moved around behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. He buried himself in the nape of my neck and kissed all around, a trail of tingles sparked along my shoulder as his hot breath washed over me.

  I closed my eyes and lost myself to the feeling of their arms linked around me, not knowing where one began and the other ended. The air simmered with erotic heat and my soul sang with sensual arousal. I stretched out my arms, one in front of me, one behind, so that I could feel both of them. I wrapped my arm around Thomas’ neck and along his shoulders, feeling the broad muscles and the sinews at the top of his back. My other arm reached behind me and I pressed my palm against William’s flat stomach, feeling his body pulse with energy. I could also feel the arousal swelling and throbbing against the small of my back. My breath caught in my throat and my chest tightened with fervent anticipation as William gripped my waist tightly and Thomas began to unbutton my shirt. Every button popped slowly. Every moment a new part of my flesh was exposed. When the shirt hung loosely around me, I shrugged it off and it fell to the floor. William’s strong hands pressed against my bare flesh. My slender body broke out in goosebumps because of the tension and because of the cool night air.

  Thomas looked at me admiringly and pushed my bra straps off my shoulder. William unclasped it, and I poured out effortlessly. Thomas’ hands brushed against my already erect nipples and a breath rushed out of me.

  “You’re so beautiful Amber, it’s rare that a human can attract the attention of dragons.”

  I gulped, and stood there as he pulled my pants down and got me completely naked, exposing all of me to the night air. My body w
as bathed in moonlight. William continued to kiss me, getting more fervent in his desire as his hands ran up my body to grope my breasts. Thomas, meanwhile, dropped to his knees and began pleasuring me. The sensations swam through me, creating a strong whorl inside the middle of my body, which expanded out to the tips of my toes. I had felt sexual delight before of course, but none of it had quite been like this. I don’t know if it was because they were dragons or because they had the swagger of rich men, but Thomas was able to do things with his tongue that I had never experienced before.

  He buried himself between my thighs. At first, I squirmed with embarrassment because it was strange to be so vulnerable with these two men, but he kissed my hip and brushed my burning inner thigh with his fingers and it was like a switch went off and my legs parted. Thomas swirled his tongue around, kissing and lapping at my wetness. William held me firmly. I shuddered against his body and twisted my head around to enjoy his kisses, while being glad of his strength. If he hadn’t been holding me, I was sure I would have melted in a pool on the ground.

  The pleasure rose through my body and was so intense I didn’t think I’d be able to handle it. My free hand shot down to run through Thomas’ hair and the other kept groping at William’s erection. It was growing bigger and bigger and in between kisses I was moaning for it. I needed it.

  Thomas’ strong arms wrapped around my slender legs and I thought he was going to disappear inside me, such was the vigor with which he made love to me. Sweat beaded on my temples and trickled down my spine and the valley in between my breasts. My skin was on fire and I soon felt the ripple of pleasure that came in ever-growing waves.

  My high-pitched moans and squeals escaped into the air and the dragons seemed to enjoy this. Eventually I couldn’t take anymore and had to push Thomas away, shaking my head, utterly delirious and drained. My thighs were slick and soaked. Thomas wiped his mouth and kissed me. I tasted my aroma, and it was sweet. I looked at them both; William now moved to stand in front of me, and I was hungry for them. I reached out and pressed an arm against each of their chests, and then sank to the floor, knowing that I should bow to these majestic creatures. I wanted to please them and make them feel as good as they had made me.