Mirror, mirror on the wall…
Jaeger held the mirror aloft, angling it just right so he could see the image of his back in the other mirror behind him. The upper right side was still healing over—the angry red lines and scars remained—but it was mostly flesh he was looking at. There were still a few hints of metal here and there, but he’d easily be able to blast through it in a shift. Once the rest was gone, of course.
“How goes it?”
Jaeger lowered the mirror and saw Deacon standing in the doorway. “It goes.”
“I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing,” the fire dragon said.
“As well as can be expected.” He crossed the hospital room and laid the mirror onto the tray table. “Actually, I’m glad you’re here. I have some questions for you.”
“How can I be of assistance?”
Jaeger turned to the man. “You have two mates.”
“Is that a question?” Deacon asked with a snicker. He took a few steps in and rested his hip on the counter lining the wall. “Yes, I have two mates.”
“I’ve never met a dragon who had two.”
“Neither have I. And it was confusing as hell when it happened. I felt pulled into two different directions, unsure what I was feeling. At first, I wondered if it was truly the mating call and not just simple lust.”
“But?” Jaeger sat on the edge of the bed, watching the emotions crossing Deacon’s face.
“Once I spent time with Glenn and Em… it became obvious. I’d never desired anyone as much as I did the both of them. They were indeed the two men I was meant to be with. I can’t imagine not having them in my life now.”
“I hear you’re about to become a father.”
The smile that crossed Deacon’s face spoke volumes. “Yep. Glenn is due in a couple more months.” The smile faded some. “Why all the questions?”
“I feel the same pull in two directions.”
One of Deacon’s eyebrows rose. “Two? Well, it’s nice to know I won’t be the only one now. Dario—and who else?”
Jaeger lifted his stare to meet Deacon’s knowing one. “You knew about Dario?”
“There’s no one in Bear Mountain who doesn’t know about you and Dario.”
Jaeger chuckled. “I definitely didn’t play that one cool.”
“No. But now you know why I bowed out of this little operation and inserted Dario.”
Jaeger leaned back, his eyes widening some. “You sly old dragon.”
“Watch who you call old,” Deacon said with a grin. “I prefer the term wise. And considering the masterful job I did bringing the two of you closer, you should be thanking me.”
Jaeger bowed his head. “You have my profound thanks. But I almost wish you hadn’t.”
Deacon frowned. “Why not?”
“It was hard on the human. It troubled him deeply.” Although, being able to be there for Dario… to hold him close… for his mate to confide his pain… that had been a silver lining. “I asked Finn and Logan to not ask him to return for the next segment.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
Jaeger inhaled a steady breath. The fact Dario wouldn’t be there today was troubling. While there had been shame, Dario had still been a calming influence through that agony.
“So who is number two?” Deacon lifted a hand, stopping Jaeger from answering. “Let me guess—Gator?”
“Am I that easy to read?”
“No mind reading needed. Dario and Gator have been doing this… dance… for months now. I’ve seen the looks and the attraction between them, although I don’t completely understand why they haven’t gone any farther with it. Perhaps now I do.” Deacon grinned. “If they’re mates to you—that makes them mates to one another. So it all fits.”
“Like the pieces of a puzzle.” Jaeger scrubbed his face. “Too bad we don’t seem to fit as easily as that.”
“Problems?”
“One who’s skittish and another who’s keeping something from me. Until we can overcome those obstacles, don’t bet on it working out.”
Deacon rose to his feet. “Time heals all wounds, they say. Be patient—which I know isn’t a dragon’s strong suit.”
“No, no it’s not.”
Deacon walked closer to the door before turning back to face Jaeger. “I understand you have another session this morning?”
“I do.” He frowned. “I assumed you’d be in there to replace Dario.”
“No one’s asked me,” Deacon said. “But if I’m needed, I can surely make the time. Have the doctors let me know.”
“Perhaps they found another means,” Jaeger murmured, but a worried knot formed in his throat.
“Good luck—if I don’t see you beforehand,” the man said before being a wry smile and leaving the room.
Jaeger rose back to his feet. Luck wasn’t playing a part in what happened today. He knew what was to come. After the last session and the unimaginable pain he’d been through, he knew what he faced today.
He paced the room a few times, his worry needing a physical outlet. After a few crosses, he paused at the full-length mirror. His eyes were ablaze with light as he stared at himself. From the front, he appeared normal.
The opposite side of the coin was monstrous.
He sensed someone approaching. From the mirror, he checked the door and saw Dario pause inside the frame.
“Morning.”
Jaeger turned, plastering as much of a smile as he could force onto his face. “Morning. What’re you doing here?”
“I didn’t expect Finn and Logan to call until tomorrow.”
“They weren’t supposed to call you at all,” Jaeger said. “I told them not to.”
“So they said,” Dario said. He dropped his backpack on the counter Deacon had leaned on moments before. “And I told them I wanted to be here.”
That knot in Jaeger’s throat grew larger. He swallowed, trying to force it down. “After last time—you were in too much pain.”
“Me?” Dario asked with a chuckle. “I wasn’t the one screaming in agony.”
“Weren’t you?”
Dario’s stare met his, and Jaeger could see the hint of concern in the depths. “While it was a low point, I think that… I think I feel stronger for it. After the tears, a weight was lifted somewhat.”
Jaeger was silent, watching the man closely. After a moment, he took a hesitant step closer. For the first time, Dario stood his ground and didn’t back away. Jaeger took another… and another… until he stopped a few inches away from the man.
Without a word, he lifted his hand and cupped Dario’s cheek. “Strength looks good on you.”
“I’ll need it to get through the day. As will you.”
Jaeger traced his thumb over Dario’s lower lip.
Just as he was about to lower his head to claim a first kiss, Gator appeared in the doorway.
He stared between them, wide eyed and breathless. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Gator spun to leave.
“Wait,” Jaeger called out.
Gator reappeared a few seconds later.
“Why are you here?” Jaeger asked.
“I stopped to see Dario—Samuel said he was here. That you were about to have your next procedure. I knew the first one was tough on you both… so I thought I could come… lend some support.”
Jaeger smiled. “It would be welcome.”
He turned back to Dario, refusing to give up the moment they’d just shared. Lowering his head, he captured Dario’s lips.
The metal covering his back made it hard to reach so low. He had to give up before he’d had his fill. He walked backwards until the backs of his knees hit the hospital bed—and then sat. Dario stepped between his spread thighs, and they were almost the same height.
He grinned. “Well, hello.”
Dario rolled his eyes before Jaeger drew him close again. They shared another kiss—this one quickly heating.
When he pulled away, the dreamy look on Dario’s face made his cock spring to attention—not that it hadn’t already been thickening with both his mates in the room. He cast a glance at Gator and saw that the man’s lids had drooped some.
And his pants were tented.
Jaeger grinned, loving the responses he was getting from them both.
Too bad he was about to be burned alive.
At least he could have a little fun beforehand.
He rose to his full height and urged Dario to turn. Together, they crossed to where Gator stood.
Lust filled the air around them.
Need darkened Gator’s stare. Jaeger reached out to grab the front of the Cajun’s shirt.
Just as Logan entered the room. He eyed the three of them. “Sorry to interrupt happy time, but we’re ready for you guys.”
What a cock block! Jaeger sighed, lowering his hand. “We’ll be right there.”
Logan grinned as he turned to leave.
“I’ll wait here for you,” Gator said.
“Why not come in?” Jaeger said. “I need someone to hold my hand.”
Gator shook his head, almost violently. “I heard it was pretty gruesome. I’d rather not.”
“We’ll be at it for hours,” Dario added. “There’s really no point waiting here.”
“Hours?”
“We made it about four last time,” Dario said. “If you want to lend support—come with us. Or come back later.”
Jaeger saw Gator turn a fine shade of green.
“You don’t have to come in if you don’t want to,” Jaeger said.
“No. I should see what Zed did to you,” Gator said. “I can’t keep avoiding it.”
Jaeger frowned. Avoid it?
“Let’s go, ladies!” Logan said as he peeked in again.
Jaeger eyed them both. They nodded before following him to the OR.
He could sense the dread and fear as he walked, namely coming from Gator. Why the man felt so strongly about his back, Jaeger wasn’t sure.
Already shirtless, he climbed up on the torture table and lay on his stomach. He reached out a hand to Gator—who hesitated a moment before gripping it.
“We have a witness this time?” Finn asked after scrubbing up.
“Moral support,” Dario said as he drew on a surgical gown.
Logan handed a gown to Gator, who then had to pull his hand away to cover up. Once he was done, he took Jaeger’s hand again. Jaeger realized the one trembling wasn’t his.
Gator was shaking like a leaf.
Jaeger looked up at the man. “You really don’t have to be here.”
“I do,” Gator whispered, looking deathly pale. “I need to see this.”
Jaeger opened his mouth to ask why it was so important when Finn asked if he was ready.
Jaeger nodded and laid his head down.
He forgot all about his questions the instant the pain began.
* * * *
Theater of pain…
Dario eyed Jaeger and Gator’s linked hands, telling himself Gator’s presence would hopefully help Jaeger make it through. He lifted his hands to the top left quadrant and turned on the heat.
“Just like last time,” Logan murmured. “Slow and steady.”
The metal at the surface quickly began to bubble. After a few minutes, he moved his hands back to allow Finn and Logan to scrape and wipe a layer of metal away. Dario began again, noticing his control had improved.
There was less singeing of skin. Jaeger even appeared to be in less pain.
Dario lifted his gaze to Gator as he paused again to let the doctors clean away a layer. Gator was pale, his gaze focused on Jaeger’s back.
Was his guilt eating at him so terribly?
Both the men he cared about were in pain. Agony.
He wished he could make it stop, but the only way to healing was through this pain.
The first hour crept by slowly. Sweat beaded on all of them from the heat he was producing. Not much longer, the first cry of pain came from Jaeger’s lips. They were getting deeper into the metal and closer to flesh and bone. The smell of burning skin began to permeate the room, making him feel sick to his stomach.
The cries became screams.
Dario struggled to continue, knowing the torment Jaeger was in. Tears streamed down his face as he pressed on.
The anguish in Jaeger’s cries tore at his soul…
At some point, Gator dropped to one knee and lost his breakfast into a waste bin.
And still they pressed on, trying to heal the man through pain.
If there was any good side to the day, their techniques had improved all around. What took four hours the last time only took three the second.
When they were finally done, the ice dragon again lay lifeless, his skin bubbled and broken.
Dario didn’t see the rise and fall of any breathing, and he grew fearful. “Jaeger?”
There was no reply, like the time before.
Breath caught in Dario’s lungs.
“It took him a moment last time,” Logan said, watching just as closely as Dario was.
Finally there was a small heaving breath before Jaeger’s body trembled back to life.
Dario took a few steps back, his knees weak. He dropped onto a stool he’d half-remembered being nearby.
“We’ll wheel him to his room in a moment. Why don’t you two go out and get some air?” Finn said before he checked the wounds on Jaeger’s back.
Gator stumbled closer and offered a hand to Dario. He took it, thankful for any extra support for his weakened body. Together, they left the operating room and made it to a small waiting room not far away. They took two seats beside one another, and Dario rested his head on Gator’s strong shoulder.
“Now I understand why you missed our date,” Gator whispered. “That was… traumatic.”
“It’s hard to reconcile. Logically, I know that pain will lead to him being able to heal. But it’s hard not to feel like a terrible person and want to die a little inside when you hear him screaming in pain.”
“I understand that. I feel like a terrible person because I was once one of the men who did that to him.”
Dario lifted his head a bit and looked at Gator’s profile. “He’ll forgive you.”
“I don’t know that I believe that. Especially not after seeing what he’s being put through now.”
“If you’re his mate, he’ll forgive you. You weren’t the one to pour that metal.”
“No,” Gator said. “But I’ve done things just as bad.”
“And now you’re making amends.”
“Am I? I work a guard gate here, guard a beast there. I do grunt work. Yes, I’ve been a part of two battles, but each time I wasn’t on the front line. I was there as support. What have I really done since I’ve been here? Nothin’.”
“But you’re here. Not there.”
“It’s not enough. I need to prove myself somehow.”
“Why?”
“I need him to know I’m completely on his side. The big gesture.”
Dario sat upright. “So going out and trying to get yourself killed is your plan to prove yourself to Jaeger.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Well, what would a big gesture be? From what you’re telling me, it’s being on the front lines, fighting a huge battle. Sacrifice.”
Gator grew quiet. “Sacrifice.”
“No,” Dario said. “You don’t have to lay your life on the line just to show him which side you’re on.”
“Don’t I?”
“And if you die?” Dario shook his head. “No. I won’t let you.”
“When I signed up, I knew then I was putting my life on the line to defend my country. How is this any different? We’re at war. War means sacrifice.”
“Stop with that bullshit. Purposefully putting yourself in harm’s way to prove a point is ridiculous. I don’t want you to do that, and I can’t imagine Jaeger would, either.”
“Hey guys?” Finn said, interrupting them. “We just got him into the room, if you wanted to go check on him.”
* * * *
Painful reminders…
Dario shot up and left Gator behind.
Gator sat there a moment, struggling with the thought of seeing Jaeger in that situation again. To once again be reminded of who he’d been.
When he’d walked into Jaeger’s room and seen Dario in the man’s arms, his first thought had been to feel anger.
Jealousy.
But he was both stunned and confused when he felt neither.
The intense lust he’d felt when near Jaeger had only doubled seeing both men together like that. Watching them kiss, hungrily drinking from each other’s mouths—it had been his fantasy made flesh.
When he’d seen Jaeger approaching, that look of determined desire on the dragon’s face—it was then Gator realized the truth of their situation.
They belonged together.
The ties tightened, dragging him ever closer to his destiny.
It was also then that he realized he didn’t deserve to be a part of what they could share. He had to find a way to prove himself, no matter what Dario said.
Until he did, they could never truly be together.
Finally, he rose from the chair and made his way to the dragon’s room, dread filling his gut.