Page 3 of Dragon Rivals of New York (Dragons of New York #3)

Chapter 3

Sora

“ W here’d you go?” Finley asks, tapping my temple. “This is my bachelorette party! We’re supposed to be having fun, not scowling like you just saw a cockroach.”

“Sorry.” I give my best friend a soft smile. “Jethro came to see me earlier.”

“Shit, he told you, didn’t he?”

“And he was right to do it.” I scowl at her. “How could you keep that from me?”

“I just didn’t want you to feel pressured into another marriage.”

“But what if the priests are wrong and I don’t just forget that you’re a dragon, but I forget you? What if—” Tears choke my voice.

“Oh, hey.” She pulls me into her arms. “That won’t happen.”

“How do you know?”

“Because no fucking god or goddess is going to keep me from being your friend.”

My laugh is watery, but her smile is genuine, and for some unknown reason, I believe her. We’ve been through too much for me to forget her completely.

“I’ve looked at the old records of humans who’ve rejected their mates,” she adds. “They all seem to have maintained relationships with other humans who became dragons. You might not remember Jethro, but I’m confident you’ll remember me and my sister.”

I nod, swallowing down the seed of worry that persists.

“Do you think… What do you think you’ll do?” Finley chews on her bottom lip. She’s tried really hard not to convince me one way or the other, maybe too hard, considering she kept a big piece of information from me. She's biased, though. I know she wants me to accept Jethro. She's so happy with her fated mate, she assumes I will be too.

“I don’t know.” I guess I have one week to figure it out.

“It would be fun to be dragons together,” Finley tentatively says.

“I know,” I sigh. That part of it isn’t what scares me.

I have no desire to be married ever again, and mating a dragon is essentially the most binding marriage ever. When I got divorced, I swore I’d only have one-night stands for a good long time.

My community growing up told me sleeping around would make me an undesirable slut who no one would want to marry. Marriage was the highest goal, the ultimate life purpose. Better not do anything to mess that up.

Well, I’ve been married, and all it made me feel was small.

I don’t need another man sucking me into his life and lies, wearing me on his arm like an accessory while fucking whoever he wants behind my back. Yeah, no thanks.

Not that I really think Jethro would do that, but I didn’t think Manny would either.

Yeah, I’m not getting married again. Even if they say they’re my fated mate.

Fated mate. A man who will suffer if I choose to stay single. Guilt rides me like a tick embedded in my scalp. Shame follows close behind. I’m being selfish. Again. Just as I was taught marriage was the highest aim, I was also taught selfishness was the greatest sin.

“I won’t bother you about it anymore. It’s your choice,” Finley says.

My choice. But is it really? If I choose to stay single, I’m hurting someone else. If I mate with him, I’m hurting my own fragile convictions.

Finley adjusts the ridiculous tiara her sister Jeslyn forced her to wear, then grabs my hand. “Come on, let’s not think about it right now. Let’s dance.”

Two steps toward the dance floor, and I stop. Six men grab all of my attention. They grab everyone’s attention. I’ve been out with Midas and Cyrus before. The dragon king and prince have an aura about them that demands people look and take notice. But seeing six dragons together at one time is more than overwhelming.

Every person in the small club turns to look at them. One woman has the nerve to step a little closer, eyeing Jethro in a way that lights a fire in my gut. I want to scratch her eyes out for looking at him. Huh, that’s definitely a thought I’ve never had before. But I guess I’ve never seen him around another woman before.

“Cyrus!” Finley yells, launching herself at her fiancee.

But my gaze catches on the taller, broader man just behind Jethro. All the air swoops out of my lungs. He’s even bigger than Jethro, which is saying a lot, since Jethro is built like a linebacker. But somehow he’s the polar opposite of Jethro, too. His hair is dark and cut close to his scalp, and he’s got a frown on his face that feels so natural I get the impression he always wears it.

He’s too far away to tell what color his eyes are, but there’s an intensity to his gaze that makes my knees weak. A flame sparks to life in the middle of his irises. I’ve seen Jethro’s eyes do that a few times. At first, I thought it was a trick of the light. But when I found out he’s a dragon, I learned it’s just a dragon thing. It happens most when they’re feeling strong emotions.

The man stops mid-stride, staring at me like I’m the only one in the room.

I’ve only felt an attraction this intense once before. With Jethro. Finley and Jeslyn have explained that it’s common between mates. So… why am I feeling this way about a new stranger?

“This is Kyro,” Jeslyn says, motioning toward the man I can’t stop staring at. “Otto and Damian.”

I pay no attention to the other two men as Kyro steps closer and holds out his hand to me. Before I can take it Jethro cuts between us and pulls out a chair for me. “Sit, Ara’ha.”

His voice is less playful than normal, eyes on the other man rather than me.

A growl rumbles Kyro’s chest. “She’s not your Ara’ha.”

The term is one I recognize. Jethro’s used it with me since that first night. He told me it’s an old dragon word for mate. He’s always liked how it sounds. I have to admit, the way it rolls off Jethro’s tongue is addictive. Almost as addictive as hearing the gruff, guttural way Kyro says it.

The massive new-comer steps up to Jethro, squaring off with the man who’s supposed to be my mate. Jethro crosses his arms in front of his wide chest. “And why not?”

My stomach sinks, sensing what’s about to come from the stranger’s lips.

His gaze sweeps to mine, a look of wonder on his face. “Because she’s mine.”

Shit.

The entire party is staring at us now. Yeah, there’s always doubt in a relationship, even a fated mate one. How am I supposed to know which man is telling the truth? Or could it really be possible for me to have two fated mates?

“Dragons only have one mate,” Midas says, as if he’s making a law rather than stating one. Kyro stiffens and glares at the king of the Gold Horde .

“There’s never been a triad before.” Cyrus’s expression is thoughtful as he looks between the three of us, his arm still wrapped around Finley. The two of them were a surprise to everyone, too. Dragons don’t recognize their mates until the mate is twenty-three, but Cyrus knew Finley was his mate when she was seventeen. He had to wait years for her because no one thought it was possible for him to know when she was that young. Turns out things work a little differently when a dragon is mated to a human.

“Are you sure?” Jeslyn asks, looking between the three of us. It’s not clear if she’s asking Cyrus if he’s sure there’s never been a triad or Kyro if he’s sure I’m his mate. Or is she asking me?

The tense energy bouncing between the three of us makes me sweat. I’m not a dragon. I don’t have the same senses about these things that they do.

“I’m sure,” Kyro says plainly. His stance is confident and unwavering.

“I’ve been sure for the past year,” Jethro levels at the man. “Doubly sure when I had my cock—”

I backhand his chest and step in front of him when Kyro steps forward, looking like he’s ready to knock the living daylights out of Jethro.

“Dance with me,” I say to Kyro, unable to think of anything else to defuse the tension, and kind of wanting to get to know him. Not that dancing in a loud club is the best way to get to know someone.

His face falls. “I’m not much of a dancer.”

“I can attest to that.” Finley raises her hand like one of my students and laughs.

“When did you dance with him?” I glare, hating the way my blood is boiling as much as it was when that woman was making eyes at Jethro.

“Woah, chill.” Her smile is a little too knowing. “It was last year. When Cyrus was being an ass.”

“Should I apologize again, little flame?” Cyrus asks.

Her cheeks color, but she ignores him. “Kyro tried to kidnap me.”

“What?!” I round on the towering man. “You were the one who tried to kidnap my best friend?”

He blinks at me, his mouth hanging open. His eyes dart to Cyrus for help, but the other dragon just holds up his palms. “Don’t look at me. I’m still deciding if I’m going to forgive you for taking my mate.”

“I didn’t hurt her,” Kyro grumbles, half under his breath. “I was following orders. ”

Finley laughs. “Don’t be hard on him, Sora. It all worked out in the end, and he’s a good guy.” When she squeezes his arm, I almost lunge at her.

“I still don’t understand how this is possible.” Jeslyn shakes her head. “Two mates?”

“I’ll speak to the priestess about it tomorrow,” Midas says, kissing his wife’s temple.

“Do you feel any… attraction to each other?” Jeslyn asks.

It takes all of us a moment to realize she’s asking if Jethro and Kyro feel attracted to each other. Maybe that’s what’s going on? Maybe they’re not my mates, but each other’s. That would solve the whole Goddess Week problem for me. But it wouldn’t explain the intense desire I feel for both of them.

Shit, Goddess Week! If he’s right, I’ve got to choose between them by the end of the week. And whoever I don't choose will suffer.

“I wouldn’t kick him out of bed.” Jethro smirks and lifts an eyebrow at Kyro before winking at me.

Noooo! He can’t be suggesting what I think he’s suggesting.

Kyro snarls, lip twitching. “The day I end up in your bed will be the day dragons breathe ice.”

Jethro surprises me by laughing. Which leads Kyro to move so close the two men are almost chest-to-chest. “Shut. The fuck. Up.”

They’re ten seconds away from a fight, and this isn’t the time for it. Not that there’s ever a good time for it. But tonight is doubly bad. I won’t ruin my best friend’s bachelorette party with my relationship drama. I push them apart and give them the same stern look I give my first graders. “We’ll deal with this later. Tonight is for Finley and Cyrus. Got it?”

“I’m here to celebrate.” Jethro claps Cyrus on the back and throws back the rest of the cosmopolitan I left on the table.

“Whatever you wish, Ara’ha .” Kyro gives Jethro a pointed look at the last word.

Jethro just laughs again. He grabs my hand with one of his and Kyro’s with the other before dragging us both onto the dance floor.