The Torn, Book One of the Holding Kate Series by LaDonna Cole

protector and I would be the frail object of his protection. Part of that sounded really good to me. I was frail. I needed protection. The other part of me did not want to trade my freedom for protection.
    If I chose Corey, then what? He wasn’t strong like Trip, at least not in the physical sense. Stronger than me, of course, everyone was stronger than me. It wasn’t as if he were a frail little thing. He was in good shape and he had above average strength for a boy his age. Mentally, though, there was something unwavering in Corey, steadfast and true. His strength was in his intelligence, integrity, honor, and ability to love unconditionally.
    Why did I have to choose? I respected them both for different reasons. I wanted them both to be my friend. I needed Corey’s calm soothing strength of character, but that wasn’t going to do me any good if I didn’t survive this mess. Trip was the one I needed to stay alive.
    It occurred to me that they both offered those things without strings. The only thing that had strings attached was the boyfriend card. Did I need a boyfriend? Couldn’t I just have them both as friends? They would both care for me and nurture me. They would both hold me and love me in their own way. Was it wrong to want that? We could be friends. Good friends. Just friends.
    The thought of never kissing Corey again made me want to cry . GAH! I hate this! I needed strong arms to hold me. Whose arms? Was there a stronger source of security than just a boyfriend?
    “Beauty?”
    “Yes, Dagan.”
    “The Mother sees you.”

The Mother?
    I jerked to a stop as we entered an enormous cavern. The ceiling was too high to see, but the walls glittered with soft blue luminescence. Dagan jumped from my shoulder and scampered up a walkway to a circular stone table where the soft blue light was concentrated. As he left me, my vision dimmed, but the eerie blue glow kept the room illuminated enough to see.
    The cave encompassed a circular area with blue phosphorescent sand. In the sand several ovoid objects shuddered and rocked. Eggs! The other 39 eggs were nestled in the glowing sand pit. We had entered the very nursery of the dragon mother. I eased backward a pace and considered running back to the cave when a voice spoke. No not a voice, but a thought-voice that carried such resonance it seemed aloud.
    “Dagan. You are back! I was worried about you.”
    “Yes, I have found her, Mother.”
    “The Mine?”
    “Yes, she is perfect.”
    “Bring the Mine to me.”
    I took another step back. None of this was making sense to me. Dagan jumped out of the bright blue glow and ran to me.
    “Come, Beauty, I want you to meet The Mother. She will taste and see that you are good.”
    “No, I don’t want to be tasted.”
    “You are Mine! She will not hurt you!” His voice sounded shocked that I would think such a thing.
    “Dagan, what is Mine?”
    The Mother’s voice pierced the cavern and my head. “ The Mine is the one who is searched, the one who is chosen to be. Come, let me taste your aura and see if you are good.”
    Oh. My aura! Well. That didn’t seem so bad. I followed Dagan toward the blue glow, bracing myself for the frightening sight of a full grown dragon.
    When I crested the table and gazed down into the blue glow, I lurched to a stop, and my jaw dropped. Dragons of every size and form were arrayed in a massive amphitheater. I couldn’t tear my eyes from their resplendent hides and varied colors. They were beautiful and their thoughts greeted me with warmth and kindness as they touched my mind. They had anticipated my arrival for decades, evidently. I was staggered at the strength and love that poured from them to me.
    “Come to me, Mine.”
    I turned my eyes to the sound of the ancient voice, anxious now to see the matriarch of these beautiful and peaceful creatures. What I saw sent shock waves through my core.
    The Mother was elevated on a large dais where the blue glow was brightest. The glow actually