Regular LEDs typically need ~25mA to achieve full brightness. This is accomplished via a current-limiting resistor. Failure to use something to limit the current will result in them burning up, short life span, etc. I suspect the only reason they aren't burning up on you the way they are set up is because you have two in series, and each typically has a Vf of ~3.5v. Well, the BEC's 5.5v is not enough to fully turn them on, so that limits the current.
Here is a page I recently created for just this sort of thing. Be sure to read the help thingies because there is a lot of info there:
http://scriptasylum.com/rc_speed/_led.html