Delilah looked at herself in the bathroom mirror and grinned. She was glowing. There was no other way to describe her shining eyes and the stupid grin she couldn’t keep off her face. She was happy. Her nose twitched and she drew in a deep breath.

Breakfast! her dragon growled in delight. Hungry!

Me, too! she giggled.

Of course, they would both be hungry since they were the same person, but she couldn’t help but think of them as being separate. Having a voice in her head was weird, yet not weird at the same time. Delilah thought of her dragon more like an extension of herself.

Because I am, her dragon replied.

She was still trying to sort out the complex relationship in her head as she descended the stairs. She paused halfway down when she heard a knock at the front door. Her heart skipped a beat as memories of the day before rushed through her.

Her gaze turned to Brogan as he paused at the foot of the stairs in the hallway. He looked up at her, then stepped forward to open the door when the knock sounded again.

“You found us,” he greeted.

“Yes,” a male voice replied.

“Is… is Delilah here?” a woman asked.

Delilah couldn’t see who was at the door, but she immediately recognized the woman’s voice. Her hand lifted to her mouth and she bit down on her knuckles when Brogan opened the door all the way to reveal a tall woman with long blonde hair standing in the doorway next to an even taller man.

“Sara,” Delilah choked out, tears filling her eyes. “Oh, Sara.”

She rushed down the stairs, meeting Sara at the bottom. They wrapped their arms around each other and held on as if afraid that one or the other would disappear. Trembling with emotion, Delilah leaned back far enough to gaze into her friend’s eyes.

“You….” they both said at the same time.

“I missed you,” Delilah said, struggling to talk over the emotions cascading through her.

“Me, too,” Sara replied, before turning to the man quietly standing in the doorway. “Jaguin, this is my friend, Delilah. Delilah, this is my true mate, Jaguin. He…. I love him.”

Delilah wiped the tears from her cheeks with one hand and held out her other to Jaguin. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Come in! I…. We were just about to have breakfast. Have you eaten?” she asked, reaching for Sara’s hand as she talked. “I want to know everything.”

“Everything?” Sara repeated, looking at Brogan and Barrack with a worried frown.

“She knows about us – and her,” Barrack said.

Sara nodded in relief, turning to look at Delilah. “I have so much to share with you. I’d love some breakfast and you can tell me how you met these two,” she said with a grin, looping her arm through Delilah’s. “By the way, the house looks fabulous. It looks a lot like when your grandparents were alive.”

“Yeah, but a fat lot of good all that hard work will do me now,” Delilah laughed.

* * *

“I see you were successful,” Jaguin replied, stepping inside so Brogan could shut the door.

“Yes,” Brogan replied.

Jaguin raised an eyebrow. “We brought a transport. It is out front. It looks like the weather here got as bad as what we experienced at Paul’s ranch,” he observed. “What did you burn up?”

Barrack chuckled. “We’ll tell you at breakfast,” he said. “Delilah loves hot chocolate. Would you care for some?”

“As long as it is not like that bitter black stuff that Sara enjoys drinking,” Jaguin said with a shudder.

“This is much better,” Brogan promised.

* * *

“I think those were the last boxes,” Sara said, looking around the room.

Delilah nodded. A bittersweet smile curved her lips as Jaguin and Barrack carried out the last of what she wanted to take with her. It hadn’t taken long to pack up. She had been in the process of moving everything up to this house and hadn’t unpacked yet because she was still working on the renovations. She frowned as she looked out of the window for the hundredth time. The snow had stopped falling and the sun was actually out.

“What’s wrong?” Sara asked, coming up to wind her arm around Delilah’s.

“Brogan left hours ago and still hasn’t returned,” Delilah murmured, worried.

“What does his symbiot show you?” Sara asked.

Delilah pulled her arm free of Sara’s and lifted the left wrist. She ran her fingers over the smooth surface. She focused on Brogan.

Are you okay? she asked.

A flash of warmth immediately filled her. I am on my way back, elila. All is well. I love you, he replied.

I love you, too, Delilah answered.

“That he is enjoying himself and will be back soon. I guess the prospect of being back in space for months again has him needing to spread his wings, one last time,” she admitted in a rueful tone. “What is it like? Traveling in space?”

“Fantastic, fun, and thankfully not as long as expected,” Sara admitted with a laugh. “I think I hear the dogs barking. They may want to enjoy some outdoor time as well. Let’s go make a snowman.”

“I have some carrots,” Delilah laughed, following Sara out of the sitting room to the front foyer to bundle up.

* * *

Brogan slipped into the home office of Ray Lister. His gaze scanned through the room. A fire burned in the gas fireplace. Two chairs were in front of it. There was an empty glass on the end table between the chairs and the fireplace. The room had a masculine feel, as if the human male spent a lot of time in it.

Turning to the right, he walked over to where a large square table with a contoured relief map was displayed. Brogan immediately recognized the overview of Delilah’s property. In the background, he could hear a woman trying to calm an agitated young male. A moment later, he heard an older human male yelling at the boy.

“You are registered and start on Monday. This is the finest Military academy in Virginia. You need some discipline. You are going,” the man shouted.

“I hate you! You don’t care about this family. All you ever do is see how many people you can screw out of their property so you can make more money,” the boy yelled. “Now you’re going to ruin my life, too!”

“You’ve done a good enough job of that without my help. The money you turn up your nose at is what gives you all these unappreciated comforts and luxuries that you have. Maybe it is time you learned to appreciate what it takes to make it,” the man retorted. “Mabel, make sure he is packed and ready to leave tomorrow morning. The school is sending a van for him.”

Brogan heard a door slamming and a woman softly crying. A moment later, heavy footsteps on the tile floor warned him that Ray Lister was heading for his sanctuary. Brogan’s eyes narrowed when Ray paused outside of the door.

“Damn it, Earl. Where are you? You should have returned those papers to me by now,” Ray muttered to himself.

The doorknob rattled before it turned, as if the man opening it was distracted. Brogan saw Ray’s head was bent and he was looking at the device in his hand as he entered before he closed and locked the door behind himself. Ray walked over and picked up the empty glass before he moved to a small bar set up against the wall near the fireplace. The man poured himself another drink, drank it, and then swiftly poured another one before he turned and froze when his gaze swept over the display table and finally caught sight of Brogan.

“What the…?!” Ray exclaimed in shock. “Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my house?”

Brogan didn’t reply at first. A sardonic smile curved his lips and he dragged the nails of his left hand along the elaborate display board. Ray paled when his eyes followed the movement of Brogan’s claw-tipped hand. Brogan had partially shifted to his dragon.

“Is this… Is this some kind of joke? Are you a friend of Edison’s?” Ray demanded, placing his full glass on the end table.

“No,” Brogan softly replied.

He held up the bundle of papers that the man – ‘Earl' – had ordered Delilah to sign. Ray looked at the papers, bewildered, and started to reach for them. He appeared to have second thoughts when he looked at Brogan’s hard expression.

“You sent someone to my mate’s home,” Brogan said.

Ray’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t know what you are talking about,” he retorted.

Brogan didn’t miss how Ray’s eyes swept over the blood splattered on the outermost sheet of the papers. He could hear the man’s heartbeat beginning to speed up. Fear had a distinct scent and Ray was very afraid.

“Delilah Rosewater,” Brogan prompted.

Ray’s lips pursed. “You sound foreign. Are you here illegally? If you can get the Rosewater woman to sign those papers, I can help you with that,” he said.

“The man you sent shot my brother and another man. He would have killed Delilah,” Brogan stated calmly.

Indecision flashed across the other man’s face before he turned to study the display board once again. A look of desperation came into Ray’s eyes. His gaze returned to Brogan and the papers he was holding.

“I didn’t tell Earl to kill anyone. He was supposed to get Ms. Rosewater’s signature on that piece of paper. Obviously, he failed. I’ll offer you the same deal I offered Earl – two thousand dollars to get her signature. That’s a lot of money where you come from,” Ray said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“I don’t use money where I come from,” Brogan replied.

Impatience crossed Ray’s face. “I need those papers signed. I don’t care how you get the signature, but I’ll make it worth your while. If you are already fucking the bitch, that should make it easier. This is a business deal. Either you take it, or I can find someone else who will,” he stated.

A soft snarl echoed in the room. Ray’s eyes widened as Brogan began to slowly shift. He wanted to see the terror blossoming in the other man’s eyes.

“I am voiding your business deal,” Brogan replied in a guttural tone.

He reached out and grabbed Ray by the throat with one claw and lifted the man off the floor. Turning his head, he shifted completely into his dragon. The claw around Ray’s throat tightened, cutting off the man’s terrified scream.

Holding up the papers, he exhaled a thin burst of dragon fire. The papers ignited before they disintegrated into a pile of ash on the polished floor. He returned his attention to Ray who was staring at Brogan’s empty hand. The man’s fingers froze on his claw.

“Ple… Please…,” Ray gasped.

Brogan shifted back into his two-legged form. He continued to hold Ray up by the throat. His nose wrinkled at the smell of urine when Ray pissed himself.

“The only thing keeping you alive is the boy upstairs and your mate. If you come anywhere near Delilah’s property again, I will be back, and nothing will save you,” Brogan warned.

“Yes…,” Ray replied, his voice weak and trembling.

Brogan lowered Ray to the carpeted floor and shoved him backwards. Shifting once more, he turned and released a long stream of fire at the display board. The superheated flame turned the display board and the table to ash without leaving a mark anywhere else. With a final menacing look at Ray, Brogan surged forward, shattering the large plate-glass window.

His large wings lifted him higher. His symbiot, in the shape of a fighter, shimmered into view for a brief moment before closing around him and disappearing again. It had all happened in the blink of an eye.

Brogan rolled his shoulders as he settled onto the seat that his symbiot formed around him. With grim satisfaction, he fingered the recording device Jaguin had given him earlier. DeWayne could use the recording against Ray if the man tried anything else.

“Let us return to our mate, my friend. I’m ready to leave this cold world and return to where we can all fly free,” he said.

* * *

Valdier home world:

Delilah stared in fascination down at the world below her. After being on board a space ship for months, she had a new appreciation for natural sunshine and wide open spaces. Thank goodness there were places on the ship that could replicate areas to make her feel like she was still on Earth. She would have to remember to thank Jaguin for the thousandth time for programming places that she was familiar with into the computer’s simulation program.

The journey had been fascinating overall. The technology alone had made her head hurt trying to figure out how half of the stuff worked. Brogan and Barrack had been extremely patient, and Sara – well, there was a reason Sara was her best friend.

She turned when the door opened behind her. A smile curved her lips when she saw Sara’s excited, smiling face and Brogan and Barrack’s tender expressions. She smoothed her hands down over the new blouse and skirt she was wearing.

“Are you ready?” Brogan asked.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she said with a weak smile. “How long will it take to get to your village?”

“An hour,” Barrack replied. “We would like to stop at our old home first.”

“Asim and Pearl have been overseeing the rebuilding of our home for us,” Brogan said.

“We’ll have a home?” Delilah asked, her eyes widening in pleasure and relief. “I was afraid…. I mean, I thought we would have to stay with your parents or somewhere else for a while.”

Barrack laughed and shook his head. “No, we are selfish enough to want you for ourselves,” he teased with a wicked grin.

“If you do not like it, we can build you a new home,” Brogan promised.

Delilah laughed, rushing forward and throwing herself in Brogan’s arms. She rose up on her toes to kiss him before pulling free to do the same to Barrack. She sighed when Barrack deepened the kiss. He didn’t break the kiss until Jaguin pointedly cleared his throat.

“I thought you were in a hurry to get off this damn ship?” he reminded Barrack.

Barrack chuckled. “Let’s take our mate home, brother,” he said, reluctantly releasing Delilah enough so that she could fall into step between them.

“With pleasure,” Brogan said, grasping Delilah’s hand in his.

* * *

Several hours later, Barrack stood on the other side of the bridge, looking across at the village where he and Brogan had grown up. It was larger than he remembered. He could hear people talking and laughing as they went about their daily lives.

“Do you think they will remember us?” Brogan asked, standing beside him.

“Of course they will remember you. You guys are too awesome to forget,” Delilah retorted, her eyes gleaming with determination while her hands nervously played with the hem of her shirt. “What if your parents don’t like me?”

“Of course they will like you,” a woman’s serene voice said behind them.

Barrack stiffened and slowly turned. Aikaterina walked toward them. Her eyes glimmered with power. He swore he could see the very center of the universe in their depths. He blinked when she paused in front of Delilah.

“Thank you,” Aikaterina said, lifting her hand and tracing it down along Delilah’s cheek. “You are indeed strong enough to handle these twin dragons.”

Delilah shrugged and gave Aikaterina a shy smile. “It wasn’t that hard. A snow shovel and a kick in the…. Well, you know what I mean. They are pretty easy to love, too,” she joked.

“I believe your words were ‘two very hot, sexy and extremely horny guys’,” Aikaterina replied.

Delilah flushed and shot the snickering twins a reproving glare. Barrack grinned. He planned on proving to Delilah that every word was true. His gaze returned to Aikaterina and he frowned. A moment ago she’d looked incredibly powerful, but now she looked almost fragile.

“All life must come to an end eventually, warrior,” she said.

“Will we…?” Brogan asked, his gaze turning to the village.

“No, you have changed your past. The present will remain locked, but the future is for you to unveil,” Aikaterina replied. “I must say goodbye. Do not fear, warriors, your village will accept you.’

Barrack watched as Aikaterina rose and faded. He turned in a circle, searching the sky, but there was nothing. The sound of a shout drew his attention. Turning back to face the village again, he saw that an older man had noticed them and stopped in mid-stride to stare at the three of them.

“Barrack…?” the man’s strangled voice called out uncertainly.

Barrack wrapped his arm around Delilah’s waist. She clung to Brogan with her other hand. Together the three of them started across the bridge. The man met them as they reached the end of it.

“Brogan,” the man’s voice trembled and he reached out. His gaze moved to Delilah. “Who…?”

“Hello, Father,” Barrack greeted.

“Father, this is Delilah. She is our true mate,” Brogan replied, his eyes searching the growing crowd of people. “Mother….”

“Brogan,” Lesann called, pushing forward. “My sons.”

* * *

Delilah watched as Barrack and Brogan were embraced by their parents. She smiled back at Lesann as the woman wiped at the tears on her face. A startled laugh escaped her when she was lifted up off her feet by a tall young man. She shook her head at Brogan and Barrack when they turned and growled at him.

“You can’t kill me; Father and Mother would be mad at you,” the young warrior said with a grin.

“…You must be Merck…our brother,” Barrack said, his eyes running over the younger warrior.

“I heard you got your ass kicked,” Brogan added.

Merck flushed and shrugged. “Yes, and I deserved it,” he admitted, looking at Delilah. “I’m glad they found you.”

“Me, too,” she said, curious about the sadness she could see in Merck’s eyes.

“Come, there is so much you must tell us,” Bane said. “My sons have returned with their true mate!” he shouted to the onlookers.

A loud cheer rang through the village. Delilah gazed around at everything in wonder. Their original plan had been to travel to the village after a brief stop. Instead, they had stayed the night in the new home Asim and Pearl had partially constructed. She knew the men had delayed their return to give her more time to adjust to being on their planet. She could also feel the tension in both men at the thought of returning to the place of their birth.

“I dreamed that they would return one day. It broke my heart the day they left, but I understood why. They have never truly had a welcoming home – until now. Thank you,” Lesann said with a tearful smile. “Thank you for changing their destiny and giving them a chance at life.”

“I think you have a very compassionate Goddess to thank for that,” Delilah murmured.

She smiled and looked over her shoulder at where Aikaterina stood on the bridge watching them. The Goddess returned her smile before fading again. The sadness she’d felt about the twins’ necessary seclusion turned to laughter when several small dragons bounded up to her with flowers in their mouths.

“Well, so this is what a dragonling is,” she laughed. “I can’t wait to have a few of my own.”

Twin rumbling growls drew silence, then laughter as everyone realized that the twin dragons had their eyes on their mate and very devilish grins on their faces. Delilah laughed and shook her head.

Yep, she thought with satisfaction as Brogan wrapped his arms around her and Barrack brushed a kiss across her lips. I’ve found me two very hot, sexy, and extremely horny guys from Planet Hornywood. This life is definitely better than my first one!