The Tundra Series-Book Two
McKayla Schutt
I want to give a special thanks to my husband, my PA and my editor. You are all amazing and I love you all so much. Also, I want to thank my amazing fans for putting your faith in me.
Darius
McKayla Schutt
Published by McKayla Schutt, 2018.
While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.
DARIUS
First edition. January 15, 2018.
Copyright © 2018 McKayla Schutt.
Written by McKayla Schutt.
Darius
Frustration pulsed through Darius's dragon form as he flapped his wings harder, moving toward the small mountain range miles away from the clan and even farther from the human town of Yellowknife. Having a mate makes men weak! My own brother is proof of it! Darius wanted to spit fire, but he resisted the urge, instead black smoke funneled from his nose. He landed with a solid thud onto the rock and ice from the Canadian Tundra. The Northern lights were extra bright tonight without a cloud in sight; which brought him a smidgen of peace and normalcy.
Tomorrow he was in charge of going to Nevada to check out the enemy clan threatening to do his family harm, all because of Stella. Just thinking of the new alpha female made a small bit of fire leave his lips.
Over the last two months, he had been doing his best to keep his temper under control with nightly flights to his spot on the mountain. With his position on the top, it almost felt like he could touch the northern lights, which helped peace engulf him. Darius liked being able to fly without asking for the alpha’s permission.
Darius stood there for almost a solid hour just listening to the wind at his chest as the mesmerizing lights played in the dark sky. His peace shattered when the sound of human boots crunching the ice came from the west. A small group of humans was shuffling around in the tundra, which happened but not often. Even on this clear night, their weak eyes wouldn’t be able to distinguish him from the mountain.
All three were bundled up in heavy winter coats. One of them turned his way and he could have sworn the woman behind the dark brown eyes stared right at him. Yet that would be impossible unless she was a shifter, but a shifter would never walk the tundra in their human skin.
“Why is the ground shaking like that?” Her voice barely reached his strong ears. His dragon inched on the mountaintop to be slightly closer to her.
“I'm not sure but I have a bad feeling.” A manly voice called back, making Darius suddenly angry a male had accompanied her. He didn't understand his sudden fascination with the female with dark brown eyes, but his dragon wanted to move closer and fight the guy.
The sound of ice breaking rang out.
Before he could really think about it, his dragon took flight toward the group. Darius had no idea if the ice broke near them or a few miles away. His dragon didn’t care, he wanted to be near the female and the sound of danger gave him the perfect opportunity. A sudden wave of dread filled the pit of Darius’s stomach the closer he flew. The cracking ice headed straight toward the trio.
A shrill scream echoed through the air. Panic surged through his dragon’s body.
Darius beat his wings harder and faster. The ice split right under the group, making two disappear instantly.
More screaming broke the silence in the tundra. The only one who hadn’t fallen out of sight held a pickax on the ledge. Darius pushed more energy into reaching the woman behind the mesmerizing gaze. Those brown eyes found him again, fear took over his body as her hand began to slip. A deep ache stretched through his wings, but he pushed down the urge to slow his pace. He had to risk a wing cramp to save her, his dragon too determined to protect the total stranger. Her cry for help pulled at his dragon’s heart.
Her hand slipped again and this time she had nothing left to hold onto. Darius dove at the ground. She began to fall. Darius reached for her. His talons looped around her bag, yanking her away from potential death.
Her hands gripped tightly onto his talons as he flew a few miles away from the cracking ice. She is safe. His dragon’s heart raced with excitement as he set her down.
“You have to try to get my friends.” She pointed toward the crack. His talons had barely made it in time to catch her. Darius shifted, and the woman gasped and stumbled back. Her ass landed in the snow and her eyes looked up at him.
“That was wicked,” she whispered, her head shook and pointed back where her friends had fallen. “Can you please go get them?”
“I don’t think I will be able to reach their bodies.”
“They can’t be dead. Amanda and Max are strong and smart, they would have slowed their fall.” Her voice rose in panic. His dragon paced inside, ready to spring into action.
“What’s your name?”
“Charlie. Please, at least try.” Tears fell down Charlie’s face. The sound of rushing water came from the lake south of them.
“Stay here, Charlie, and I will do my best. But I won’t promise a good outcome.” Darius took a few steps away and shifted back into his dragon. Charlie rubbed away the tears and kept her gaze on him. Darius pushed his body back to the crack and looked down where he barely saved Charlie. I saved my mate! his dragon thought as Darius circled the dark ravine. The word made his human side shake his head. Darius didn’t want a mate, nor did he need one. Mating was for his fucking brothers who needed attention from women. No, Darius didn’t need a woman to make himself feel whole.
Darius landed on the edge and blew a bit of fire out to light the dark crevice. The male had been impaled by a shard of ice at the bottom, but the female slowly moved her arm. She glanced over at the male and screamed. Darius shifted and looked down at the female.
“Amanda, I need you to calm down.” His voice bounced around the deep crack of ice.
“Who are you?” Tears ran down her face with no end in sight. Her long brown hair blew in the wind, covering her face for a split second.
“Darius. I’m going to try and help you out, but you must be calm. Climb up on the ledge. I should be able to reach you from there.” Darius pointed toward a little outcropping of ice and snow near the dead male.
“I don’t think I can. Plus, you’re naked.” Amanda shook her head, her blue eyes roamed down his chest then back up to meet his gaze. Darius’s keen senses picked up on the sound of the ice again along with the rushing water coming their way.
“If you don’t, you will die like him. The ice is still shifting, and water is about to fill this damn ravine!” Darius yelled down. Amanda shook out her body and moved with shaking legs toward the spot he pointed her to. Darius shifted once again, his body growing tired from going back-and-forth so much. If he didn’t get home soon and rest, he might end up injuring himself. He hovered above and stuck one arm down to her. A small shriek left Amanda, her body froze in fear.
The ice shook below, making Amanda’s escape possible for only a few more seconds. Darius let go a short growl and Amanda leaped into his extended talons. As Darius rose, the ice shook and more snow and sharp ice fell into the crevice. If Amanda had waited any longer, Darius’s arm would have been stuck and Amanda would have died. He turned back and headed toward Charlie.
His dragon hurried back to the woman he thought was his.
Damn it, I don’t mate!
Charlie
I’m alive! How the hell am I alive? The tall golden dragon carried her friend, Amanda, in his large claw-like hands. The dragon’s black eyes were focused on Charlie as he flew through the air. Her mind continued to go back to the seconds before she fell. Without her pickax, she would have died. Being saved by a dragon was a freaking miracle.
For months she had planned this trip to have her great adventure. Seeing the northern lights had been her dream for almost a full year before she convinced Amanda and Max to come with her. She didn’t mind being the third wheel since she wanted to experience something exciting with Amanda. Charlie knew better than to try to convince her to leave Max at home.
Amanda stumbled out of the dragon’s claws and rushed over to Charlie, her tears smearing her makeup. Charlie expected Darius to go back, but he didn’t. Her heart fell slowly as she turned to Amanda.
“He’s dead…” Amanda opened her mouth like she would say more but only cries of pain left her lips. Charlie pulled her friend into a tight hug. Max and Amanda had been together for a year to the day and Max had been planning on proposing under the northern lights. Now Max was gone. She looked over at the deep crack in the ice, rushing water broke the quiet tundra. Images of his body being swept away by the water filled her mind and made her shiver. Guilt twisted her insides.
Charlie tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but it wouldn’t go away. Everything had changed so fast; her friend was dead, and her best friend was now alone. She rubbed Amanda’s back, words completely failing Charlie in this moment. Max had taken care of Amanda and had earned her respect within the first month. All of Amanda’s exes had completely failed before Max and Charlie had been so happy that her best friend had found a good guy. Now the guilt of bringing them up to the tundra weighed heavily on her. Charlie had no clue what her friend was going through. Her best friend was a strong woman but the loss of a loved one cut so deep. Oh God, does she blame me? Charlie glanced at her and wasn’t sure of the answer. Deep down, she wouldn’t blame Amanda for needing a scapegoat.
After a quick glance at Darius, Charlie remembered she needed to thank him again for saving her best friend. Deep down she hated herself for being happy that Amanda had survived and not Max. If she had to choose between the two, Amanda came first and now she felt awful for even thinking about it.
“I can’t take you to town in my dragon form, but I can take you to my house and then drive you in the morning.” Darius’s sexy naked body stood at ease with short brown hair and a rugged jawline.
“Ok.” Charlie nodded toward Darius. She didn’t think she could walk back with Amanda crying so hard.
“Thank you, Darius,” Amanda choked out between sobs. Darius nodded and shifted into a golden dragon, his scales shimmered in the low light but seemed very smooth. He put a wing down and motioned for them to climb up. Charlie readjusted her bag and helped Amanda up, so they could sit on a dragon.
Living in a world filled with supernatural werewolves, Charlie had suspected there were more special people out there, but she had never gone looking. Now, she was about to ride a dragon and her heart raced with excitement. So many emotions ran through her mind, making it hard to focus. Sadness for the loss of her friend, pity for Amanda, who would never see her fiancé again, followed by nerves from talking to a dragon once they landed.
Darius lifted into the air and spread his long wings, flapping against the air. Amanda gripped onto Charlie, who barely managed to keep her own balance on the rising dragon. Once they were in the air, they soared away. The air beat against her face, making it hard to keep her eyes from watering but Charlie loved the view. She saw everything up there. The lights seemed so close like they were within reach, yet she couldn’t manage to smile with her friend in so much pain right next to her.
Charlie rubbed Amanda’s back to help her as best she could in their current situation.
“I can’t believe he’s gone.” Amanda leaned into Charlie, the tears had slowed down so she could talk. Yes, she liked Max, but she hadn’t dated him for the last year.
“I’m so sorry, Amanda. The guide said it would be safe. Maybe we went the wrong way.” Charlie started going over their route. The man said there was a peak up ahead where the lights looked so much closer, the perfect spot to ask your love to marry you. Max had been so excited the whole time he had been bouncing up and down when the guide had given them directions. Charlie didn’t normally go outside and camping. Being in the damn tundra where exposure could get you killed had made her so nervous she had taken notes from the guide.
“I don’t know. Max was so excited we could have gone the wrong way. Or the guide gave us bad information.” Amanda sniffled.
Darius tilted forward to descend, but he didn’t slow down like Charlie expected.
“Darius, are you ok?” Charlie yelled toward his head, but the dragon made no response. Charlie leaned over to the side to see his face better. Darius’s eyes fluttered open and closed like he struggled to stay awake.
“Shit. Amanda, stay right here and hold my bag.” Charlie yanked off her bag and slowly moved up Darius’s neck. Her feet dangled on each side of his long neck, giving her some support.
“Darius, I need you to stay awake. I can’t have two falls tonight.” The near-death experience still rattled her. When she had been on the tundra looking around, she could have sworn someone had been watching her. She knew it hadn’t been Max or Amanda since they only had eyes for each other.
Darius shook his head and his eyes snapped open, but they started to flicker again. The ground approached way too fast and Charlie steeled herself as she leaned down, placing her head on his cold scaly neck.
“Darius, please stay awake just a few more minutes,” Charlie pleaded. He flapped his wings once more slowing descending again until they were a few feet from the ground. When they returned to a dive again, Amanda screamed, and Charlie held on to his scales trying to keep herself on the dragon.
They hit the ground with a solid thud and Charlie lifted up, her fingers slipping away from Darius. She hit the snow-covered ground. Ouch, that’s fucking hard. Darius’s breath tickled her face. Once she caught her breath, she rubbed her hand along his nose. His breathing came out in shallow waves.
“Where are we?” Amanda stumbled over toward Charlie. They brushed off the excess snow. Charlie glanced around to see if she could spot any other people.
“I’m not sure but there’s a cave.” Charlie pointed toward the bottom of the mountain.
“What about him?” Amanda’s voice hitched at the end and Charlie looked down at Darius. She felt her eyes widen.
Well tickle me pink, he’s naked again!
“We’ll just have to drag his ass in there.” Charlie smiled at her friend. Amanda sighed and grabbed one of his arms while Charlie grabbed the other. This flipping dragon saved my life, might as well return the favor. A flipping sexy as hell dragon.
Darius
Darius woke with a splitting headache along with sore muscles. He sat up and looked around the cave. Charlie leaned up against her bag with her eyes closed. Amanda sat crying next to her, against the wall and stopped when she saw him staring at her.
“What happened?” Darius asked. His dry throat made it harder than normal to speak. He swallowed to clear it out, he hated sounding weak.
“When you crashed, Charlie and I dragged you here. You're heavy as hell, by the way.” Amanda wiped at her nose. “You nearly killed both of us after saving us.” Amanda shook her head.
“All the fucking shifting to save your dumb asses drained me of energy,” Darius growled at the female who jumped back into the wall trying to make herself flat or invisible.
“Hey, be nice to her!” Charlie opened her brown eyes and glared at Darius. He liked the fire in her eyes. Is this woman really meant to be mine? Darius pushed back his dragon and resisted grinding his teeth from the frustration. He didn’t want or need a woman at his side.
“Listen up, kitten, I saved both your asses today. I don’t take orders.” Darius glared back at Charlie. Her jaw ticked for a moment.
“Well, we could have left your ass in the snow, which means we saved your ass too. Suck it up, buttercup.” Charlie smirked. “She just lost her boyfriend about twelve hours ago. Stop being an ass.” Charlie rubbed Amanda’s arm. Darius considered her words, he wasn’t completely cold-hearted.
“I’m sorry for your loss.” Darius nodded toward Amanda before looking back to Charlie. “We need to get going. I will have my brother Zane take you back to town when we get to my house.”
“Hey, genius, the weather grew worse while you were sleeping. It’s a complete whiteout.” Charlie pointed toward the exit. Snow drifted into the cave, but they were farther back to keep some warmth. He stood, fully aware of the female shirt barely covering his chest. Charlie's sweet sugary scent filled his nose as he walked toward the mouth of the cave. Dragon's breath, Charlie’s right. Darius only saw a few feet ahead of him even with his enhanced sight. He didn’t like the unknown of his situation. With each passing hour, the possibility of being in bear or wolf territory put all of them in danger.
His dragon liked the idea of being in a cave with his mate. She isn't our mate, damn it. Darius marched into the cold in an attempt to calm his dragon down. I’m a fucking strong ass dragon and we won’t go all mushy for a fucking woman! Images of Gerald with Stella filled his mind, making his stomach turn. His alpha brother became pussy whipped within a week, but Darius was determined not to become like his brother.
Darius returned focus to his current problem of figuring out where they were instead of the one waiting for him back at home. If he shifted and figured out where they were he might use the little energy he had. If he waited, and he flew into bear or wolf territory, they could have issues. The wind from the storm bit at his flesh but he ignored the irritating sensation.
He closed his eyes, trying to pick up on any shifters or animals. The howling wind made it difficult, but he didn’t catch anything. His eyes snapped open and turned east when he thought he heard footsteps. Darius resisted the urge to growl when a small fox came out of its hole and scurried away from him.
Darius hoped he wouldn’t find a polar-bear shifter walking up, they were aggressive on a good day but with most of the females pregnant right now they were worse. Their women only went into heat in late summer and fall. All their pups were born between April and August.
He lifted his nose in the air wondering if there were any lingering scents around. All he caught were hints from Charlie and Amanda as the wind blew their faint scents away. His dragon tried to get back to the cave to see Charlie again, but he pushed him back down.
The wind slammed into him again, making his limited vision worsen as more snow fell. His beast surged forward, the warming sensation rolled over his eyes, giving his vision an added boost, but nothing gave him a clue to where he freaking landed.
He pushed his dragon back and rolled his shoulders. Dragon females thankfully only went into heat once a year. His dragon thought about getting Charlie pregnant, but a growl left his lungs. Damn it! After we get home, I might have to keep you inside for a week! He threatened his beast who just rolled his eyes.
Darius returned to the cave. In a few hours, if the storm didn't clear he would shift and figure out where they were.
"What in the hell were you doing out there for so long?" Charlie folded her arms under her breasts. Darius wondered what those soft, yet perky tits would taste like. His cock twitched at the thought.
"I can handle the cold, kitten." He might not mark her, but he wouldn’t deny she would be a good lay.
"Oh gosh." Amanda's voice broke Darius concentration. Charlie glanced at her friend then down Darius's body.
"Holy shit, you’re huge! I mean..." Red covered Charlie's cheeks, and she looked up at the cave walls. "You need pants."
"I didn't come prepared." Darius shrugged. He wanted her to admire his cock again, but he settled for her gaze on his face. Images of her soft lips around his dick filtered into his thoughts.
"My shirt barely covered your chest. My pants won't fit you. You’re wider than I am, which is saying something." Charlie rubbed the back of her head. He liked her wide hips, more to grip when he fucked her. She snapped her fingers and her eyes widened.
"Maybe my sweats might work." Charlie grabbed her bag and pulled out black pants. She offered the fabric to Darius who took them and tried to fit his leg into the opening. The material stretched to their limits as he pulled them up over his swollen cock.
“Just try not to do any running or they might fall off you.”
“I plan on moving but it won’t involve running,” Darius smirked and Charlie blushed deep. Amanda coughed, and Charlie’s eyes narrowed at him.
“Let’s get something straight here, we are even when it comes to rescuing each other. I saved your ass from frostbite and you saved me from falling into the ravine.” Charlie glared at him. “I will not be fucking you as a thank you.” Charlie grabbed her bag and walked over to Amanda. The woman finally moved from her spot against the wall.
The way Charlie fought back lit a fire in his chest and his dragon liked her a little too much. Mine! His dragon kept nagging at him to comprehend she was his one true mate. Charlie had nice curves which made his cock strain, but Darius didn’t want a freaking mate.
The two females whispered but Darius didn’t listen in as he strolled around the cave. He caught the sound of running water and he split from the group to search for it. A tunnel thankfully tall enough to fit his tall form split into two directions. He turned right toward the dripping water. The low light would make it hard for the females to see but he was a dragon, dark never bothered him since he could see better than humans. Another turn and a slope down and he found a room with running water. Darius needed more space from Charlie before he did or said something stupid. A light heat washed over him, and he wondered if this part came from the hot springs in the mountain.
To the right, a small basin sat where water pooled before going into the larger basin. The smaller one had cool water while the heat came from the second. He took a sip of water, ignoring his dragon’s pull to go back to Charlie. What the hell am I going to do with her?
Charlie
Charlie ground her teeth together when Darius walked away. Her whole being screamed for him to touch her while her brain said it would be a bad idea. A worse idea than going out at night to see the damn northern lights without a guide.
“You don’t think he will eat us, right?” Amanda glanced toward the tunnel where Darius had vanished a few moments ago.
“If he wanted to eat us, he would have done it by now,” Charlie hissed at her friend.
“But he’s so much stronger than both of us. If he wanted something…”
“Don’t!” She pushed more of a demand into her voice, making Amanda jump. The slap of his feet coming back made Charlie look up to the path.
“There is water where you two can freshen up or get a drink if you would like.”
“Is it safe?” Amanda’s low voice barely reached Charlie’s ears.
“Safer than dehydration.” Darius turned toward her. “After you two wash up, we will sleep here. Tomorrow the storm should pass, and we will go to my house.”
“Where your brother will take us to town?” Charlie added, and Darius nodded once. Something in his eyes changed at the mention of his brother.
“Follow me.”
Charlie helped Amanda up, and they followed the strong dragon. They leaned on each other as the light from the fire dimmed out and they were almost in a pitch-black space. She heard the sound of water but had no idea where it came from.
“I can’t freaking see, Darius.” Charlie moved her hand out in front of her, but she didn’t feel anything. A low chuckle met her ears before his warm hand wrapped around hers. A shiver ran down her spine from his touch and she wondered what the rest of his body felt like.
They inched their way to a room with a small light coming from the basin of water. Heat slammed into her face and she smiled at the idea of dipping into the pool with Darius only to stop herself when Amanda let go of her hand. Fuck, I can’t swim!
“Amanda, go first, and I’ll stand in the hallway.” Charlie took a sip of water from the small basin with a cupped hand. The cool water helped clear her dry throat.
Charlie didn’t know how to swim, and she wasn’t divulging the information right now with a dragon at her side. Her eyes glanced toward the warmer water.
“Crap, I need my bag though,” Amanda sighed and walked out past Charlie and Darius. Charlie bit her lip and turned to Darius.
“Did you want to go first?” Charlie swallowed hard, trying to not think about his sexy naked body again. She already had a good view of his swollen cock and the image would be seared into her brain forever. After all of this, he’d probably still haunt her dreams.
“Why are you nervous?” Darius studied her and glanced into the hallway.
“I just…” She looked at the water and knew it dipped deeper than she could stand with her head still being above the water. “Nothing. Just never took a bath in a cave is all.” She managed to think of something truthful but not outright say, I can’t fucking swim.
“You go first then, kitten, or we can wait for Amanda to get back.” He moved closer to her and her breath caught in her throat. His nearness was intimidating and everything about him screamed power. There’s a fucking dragon behind that sexy body of his. Charlie met his gaze and tried to think of something to say.
“Your heart is racing. Is there a problem?” Darius arched an eyebrow and smiled down at her. His hot breath tickled her face, and she wanted to lean forward and kiss those thick lips of his.
“I’m fine.” Charlie managed to push the words past her lips.
“Help me, please. I think I’m lost,” Amanda called out. Darius shook his head and left her alone in the room. Charlie took another drink of water to try to cool herself down. I almost kissed a dragon. She carefully moved out of the room to lean against the makeshift doorway. After a few moments, Amanda came into view with both her bag and Charlie’s.
“Thanks. Enjoy your bath.” Charlie grabbed her bag and walked just outside of the room, so she could lean against the cool walls. Darius nodded toward Amanda and leaned on the wall opposite Charlie. His eyes focused on her. Heat pooled in her core.
“You’re not going to make this easy, are you?”
“Make what easy?” Charlie barley saw the outline of his face from the light in the room. Her eyes squinted to see better and in a swift movement, Darius leaned into her. His hands wrapped around her waist and his lips crashed into hers. Her body melted into his. Her brain screamed out against his advances, but her heart and body wanted more. Darius’s spicy scent filled her nose.
His tongue pressed against her lips and she let him enter her mouth. This is so fucking hot! One of his hands wrapped around the back of her head. He gently tipped her head back, gaining better access to her mouth. Butterflies fluttered into her tummy, making her feel like a teenager all over again. With his lips on hers, time rushed by and before she could do more, she heard Amanda’s feet hit the ground and Darius pulled back. She resisted the urge to whimper.
“Until next time.” He smiled and gave her space just in time, as Amanda walked out of the room.
“Darius, can you take me to the main room, so I can warm up dinner while Charlie gets clean?” Amanda smiled, and Darius nodded.
“Sure.” After a few steps, their forms turned into shadows and Charlie sighed heavily.
She walked into the room and debated on how the hell she would wash her hair without drowning. While debating different ideas she pulled her first layer off her body. Carefully she set her pants and shirt on a rock near her bag. The room was warmer than the outside but not sixty or seventy like Southern California.
A shiver ran down her body as she pulled off the next layer, leaving her in a bra and panties. She bent down to grab the washcloth Amanda left. Her feet started slipping on the stone, still wet from her friend’s bath. At the last second, she fell on her ass before she hit the water. A small wave of relief filtered through her body followed by a hint of discomfort.
“Damn it,” she hissed. Her ass screamed out in pain from the impact on the rough floor. After a few calming breaths she glanced at bottom of the water and tried to estimate the depth of the pool. I can do this. Charlie wanted to clean up, but the fear of drowning kept her from moving.
“No, I’m not a freaking coward.” She took in a deep breath and hoped the second try would be better. Her plan entailed leaning carefully on the edge to wet her hair down. Charlie mentally tried to picture her plan, twice her mental image of herself fell into the water and she took in a sharp breath. She gritted her teeth to keep a shiver from making them chatter.
I need to hurry before I freeze my ass off. It was the mental kick she needed to give it another try.
She stood again.
Oh shit! Charlie’s eyes widened as her feet fumbled for purchase but this time she ran out of stone floor.
She hit the warm water, sending more panic through her system. Struggling to get up, she managed to gain a breath before falling back into the water.
Fuck, I’m going to die.
Darius
The sound of water splashing erratically met Darius’s ears. He quickened his pace toward Charlie. When he turned the corner, his heart squeezed tightly. Without thinking he jumped into the water and pulled Charlie into his arms. When her head broke the surface, she gasped for air. Relief settled his dragon when she stopped coughing up water.
“Why in the hell would you go in if you can’t swim?” Darius tightened his grip on her hips to keep her above water.
“I fucking fell in you idiot!” Charlie yelled back. Darius lifted her from the water and placed her on the edge and she winced. “Thank you for saving my ass again.”
“It’s a fine ass. I couldn’t resist.” Darius chuckled. Charlie kicked water at him. Her sugary sweet scent filled the room. His dragon pushed against its barrier to be closer to Charlie. She’s not our mate. Darius reminded his beast.
“Crap, your clothes are all wet and I don’t have extras.” Charlie looked up and down his body. He glanced down and shrugged. The wet clothes were a sacrifice he would make again to save Charlie from drowning.
“Don’t worry about it. My body holds heat better than a human’s, so I’ll be okay.” Darius pulled off the clinging shirt and tossed it next to Charlie. “Now grab your soap and let’s get you clean without drowning.”
“How do I do that?” Charlie stared at him with wary eyes she placed her hands on her hips.
“I can hold you up, kitten. I’ve saved you twice in less than 24 hours, I’m not going to suddenly let you die.” Darius liked the sparkle in her eyes as she weighed her options. Water fell from her hair as she pushed it back from her face.
“Fine.” She leaned over and grabbed the bar of soap and a small bottle of shampoo. The floral scent reached his nose as she scrubbed her hair while sitting on the side of the pool. He kicked a few times and inched closer to her. His dragon wanted to be deep inside of her warm body, but Darius pushed him down.
His eyes moved over the swell of her breasts, the white cloth barely covered her cold nipples. His mouth watered, the need to taste her filled his body. But he wouldn’t take advantage of her unless she asked.
She moved the soap over her arms and stopped when her hands reached her chest. Darius looked up into her eyes. Instead of taking the piece of clothing off, she moved past her breasts to her stomach.
“You know, you could take the bra off,” Darius’s voice rumbled low as his cock pushed against the sweats. Charlie’s head moved up all the same to watch him.
“I’m not sure it’s a good idea.” Charlie bit her lip again, how he liked the way her lips felt against his. His cock throbbed again.
“Why is that, kitten?”
“Because even with the sweats on, I can see your hard-on from here.” Her gaze moved down then bounced back up to meet his gaze.
“I won’t deny you’re getting me a bit worked up, but I wouldn’t do anything to you unless you asked for it.” Darius focused on her soft eyes and he moved forward.
“Only because I want to be fully clean before we go anywhere.” Charlie shimmied out of her panties and winced again.
“Did you get hurt when you fell in?” Darius looked over her legs but only found smooth skin.
“Yeah, I scraped my ass when I managed to stop myself the first time I almost fell in.” Charlie placed her underwear on the wet shirt and then unsnapped her bra. Her hands quickly moved over her breasts to wash them and placed the soap down. He pushed down the urge to caress her full tits. Darius lifted her off and slowly moved her into the water. “Shit, it burns,” she hissed when her ass hit the water.
“When we get to my house, we can have one of the doctors look at it.”
“You have doctors at your house?” She tipped her head back and worked her hands through her hair.
“For the clan of dragons, yes. They reside right near my home.”
“Are you some sort of leader or royalty?” Charlie kicked her feet a few times and Darius kept his grip firm on her waist. His dragon loved the close proximity to her naked body. The tempting idea of fucking her to calm his beast crossed his mind. I won’t bite her, so we can both be happy. His dragon didn’t like the bargain.
“My brother is the alpha,” Darius shrugged. He wondered what Gerald thought about his absence. It wasn’t unusual for him to walk out and fly but he never stayed out this long. If Gerald died, Darius would take his place, but he didn’t want it.
“Interesting” Her eyes roamed over his chest. His cock bounced against the fabric.
Charlie leaned her head back and Darius helped her move deeper into the water.
“Thanks.” Soap moved away from her hair and she sighed with relief. “So much better. I think this water’s warmer than the shower I took this morning.” Charlie lifted her head, and it took everything Darius had not to kiss her again. He would stay true to his word and not do anything to her she didn’t ask for. His dragon lurched forward.
Charlie gasped when she met his gaze.
“Your eyes are black. Wait, it’s the same color as your dragon eyes.” Charlie’s hand rested on his face and he resisted the urge to lean into her soft touch.
“My dragon likes you.” Darius inched her closer. With every passing breath, his resistance crumbled.
“What about your human side?” Charlie asked, and Darius debated his answer. His dragon wanted to mark her, while his human side wanted to just fuck her senseless.
“Both sides of me want to press you back against the edge and fuck you until you can’t walk.” Darius liked the shudder of her body. One of her hands covered her tits.
“Why would you want that?” Charlie looked into his eyes and the words almost fell from his mouth on why his dragon freaking wanted it. If I fuck her, it will be to release tension like always, not to mark her. He reminded his beast.
“You’re sexy as hell, why wouldn’t I want it?” Darius hoped she would accept the answer. She leaned forward and kissed him. He moved them against the wall and she sighed in his arms. Her hand moved under the sweats and wrapped around his shaft, making him groan. Her finger played with his tip before sliding down his shaft.
“Show me what a dragon shifter can do,” Charlie challenged him, and he liked it. He had to keep himself and his dragon in line. I will not mark her! Darius moved the sweats down a bit to let his cock free.
Charlie
Charlie struggled to grasp the concept of sex with a dragon even with it within reach. She had just challenged him to give it to her. I asked for it. Charlie liked the black dragon eyes staring at her, those eyes gave her a boost of confidence, making her feel like she might have some control over the mighty dragon. The fear of drowning vanished with his strong grip holding her.
His tip pressed against her entrance and she wrapped her legs around his hips while her back pressed into the wall. The uneven edge sent spurts of pain into her back, but she ignored it. Pleasure was soon to be had and she couldn’t wait. In one swift thrust, he entered her core and stretched her out.
“Holy hell,” Charlie gasped in pleasure as he stilled inside of her. Considering their location, foreplay wasn’t an option here, but she had been so wet staring at his strong chest and feeling how he held her steady in the deep water. Truly, there had been no need for it. Her hands moved into his wet brown hair and met his black gaze. His dragon likes me! She loved the sound of those words.
Slowly he pulled out then slammed back into her making her back arch forward. Her nipples touched his chest. His groan sent a zip of pleasure up her body. He would probably ruin her for any human male, but she would take what she could get. The northern lights had been her once in a lifetime opportunity, which didn’t end well, but this here she hoped would be more satisfying.
After a few sweet and slow pumps, he picked up his pace, sending heat throughout her body. Deep inside her, something cried out for her to bite him. She didn’t understand it, so she pushed it back. Moans echoed through the cavern. Water splashed up the sides of the basin.
With each sweet thrust she inched closer to her finish, but she wanted it to last longer. Charlie wanted hours with Darius, even though they were in some cave. Her hands tightened on his shoulder in an attempt to ground herself. Darius’s lips pressed against hers, his hot tongue pressed against her lips and she opened up for him. His grip tightened on her hips and she leaned back, breaking them apart. Even his tongue had sent her higher.
She took in a sharp gasp as the orgasm consumed her body. Her legs tightened around him as the waves of pleasure shook her core. In the back of her mind, some inner voice told her to bite Darius, but she pushed it back again as pleasure coursed through her body.
“That’s right, kitten, cum for me,” Darius whispered into her ear. The urge to bite his shoulder surged through her once more. She licked her lips as she tried to figure out if she should listen to her inner voice. Darius groaned as he reached his own climax. His grip tightened on her as he tipped his head to the side giving her the perfect opening.
Before Charlie overthought the urge to bite him, she leaned down and wrapped her mouth over his shoulder. A hint of blood touched her tongue as his body tensed up under her. A low growl made her jump back. Shit, I fucked up! Her orgasmic bliss vanished as she took in his angry gaze.
“Did you mark my flesh?” Darius’s voice came out more as a growl than his normal timbre. Charlie looked down where her mouth had wrapped around his shoulder.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to bite so hard. I was just so into it and something told me you might like it.” Charlie fumbled for the right words say. Darius pulled away from her and lifted her out of the water. She winced as the pain in her ass slammed into her.
“You have no idea what you just started.” Darius climbed out, water dripped from his sexy body as Charlie scrambled to figure out why he was so angry.
“Something deep down said you would like. I’m so sorry. I-” Charlie stopped mid-apology when Darius turned to glare at her. Charlie cast her gaze to the floor and dressed while Darius kept watching her. Tension and power pulsed from his body. Damn it, I thought he would like it. He lifted her bag and lead the way out toward the main room. Charlie tried to memorize the path but after the second right or left, she gave up and followed the grumpy dragon.
“Can you at least tell me something?” Charlie managed to find her voice as light began to fill the tunnel. Darius turned toward her, his eyes back to their normal light blue. The power coming from him made her gulp.
“Ask it before I just want to leave you in the tunnels.” The threat sent a small wave of fear through her body.
“I couldn’t have hurt you, I mean you’re a dragon and you heal fast, so why are you so mad about me biting you?” She glanced at his shoulder and to her surprise, the mark still resided on his skin.
Darius ground his teeth and glared at her. “My dragon thinks you’re my mate,” he hissed. Charlie blinked a few times, trying to find the right words. She had no clue if dragons were like wolves in their use of mates.
“I don’t understand.” Charlie kind of liked the idea of a strong dragon loving her forever. Don’t be so fucking stupid, you’re not lucky.
“Since you marked me, I have three to four days before my dragon goes on a fucking rampage if I don’t complete the bond with you.” The anger still vibrated in his voice.
Charlie couldn’t help but stare at the dragon shifter in front of her. She swallowed hard trying to understand his dragon rules. They definitely weren’t like the wolves she had read about.
“I…” Charlie closed her lips when Darius growled low.
“I never wanted a fucking mate, Charlie.” Darius turned and walked toward the main part of the cave. She stared after him and debated on whether she should be sad or pissed. Slowly she made her way toward Amanda and the light, her hands balled up into fists and her backpack smacking her sore ass.
She wanted to be pissed, yet something stopped her from storming into the main cave at the last second. One more turn and she would have gone in guns blazing but instead, she stood there taking in shaky breaths. What am I really pissed about? A dragon doesn’t want me or assumes I want to be with him forever.
She shoved her hands through her wet hair and the memory of the sex they just shared crashed into her mind. It was so fucking hot and felt so right. Charlie shuffled into the room and sat next to Amanda. She needed girl time even if she didn’t bring up the amazing sex she just had with Darius. For now, Charlie would try and keep it down as Amanda’s sad gaze glanced over at her.
“How are you doing?” Charlie asked as the fire warmed her feet.
“Still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that he’s dead.” Amanda swallowed hard. Charlie pulled her into a side hug and rubbed her arm.
“I know, me too. I’m sorry I dragged you both up here. If I hadn’t…” Charlie hated herself for bringing them but in hindsight, she had no clue the ice would cause so many problems. She had prepared herself for bears and moose but not the freaking ice.
“Don’t blame yourself. He was super excited to come up here.” Amanda rubbed her hands together. Charlie wouldn’t tell her why Max had been so excited to see the northern lights. No, it would be a secret she would take to the grave to protect her friend.
“Do you blame me for him…” She lost the words when Amanda shook her head.
“No, I don’t. Luck didn’t come in time for him.” Amanda lifted her head and met Charlie’s gaze. Charlie knew the pain would be there for a while, but she wouldn’t push her friend to talk about it. Amanda was a more suffer in silence and on her own type of person.
“What is up with the dragon? He stormed out of here like you just kicked his favorite thing.” Amanda raised her eyebrows. Charlie debated on telling her everything like she wanted to. Maybe this would be a good distraction for her. She rubbed Amanda’s arm again and sighed.
“Well, we umm had sex.”
“Seriously?” Amanda’s eyes widened.
“I wasn’t going to say anything because of you know… anyway, I bit him during sex. I thought he would like it.” Charlie shook her head.
“So, you bit him, that’s why he’s so pissy?”
“Apparently it’s how mates connect. If he doesn’t bite me, then his dragon could go crazy or something.”
“He’s not going to go crazy here, is he?” Amanda’s body wiggled closer to Charlie.
“I hope not. I think it’s like a week or something.” Charlie shrugged. She couldn’t remember if he told her a certain time frame. Charlie looked at the mouth of the cave wondering when he would walk back in.
Do I really want to be mated to a dragon? Do I want Darius forever? Those were two million-dollar questions.
Darius
Darius walked out of the cave to try and gain space away from Charlie’s sugary scent. The wind whipped at his face making him shiver for a moment as his body adjusted to the temperature. He shoved his hands through his damp hair, which started to freeze in place. Darius had fifteen minutes to calm down before frostbite set in on his human body. His dragon form could handle it for hours, unlike his human side.
“What the hell am I going to do?” Darius roared out his anger into the storm around him. He didn’t think anyone would hear him with the weather so bad but there was a risk. The storm didn’t look like it would break up soon enough for him to get home and talk to his brothers about the impending fucking doom. It had been almost a decade since a dragon had gone crazy because his mate didn’t accept him. The old dragon had marked his mate, and the female didn’t mark him back.
He had leveled a village when his dragon turned and started a rampage. Darius didn’t want to end up like the older dragon, dead at Gerald’s feet because he couldn’t be contained.
Darius tried to shove off the frozen sweatpants, they cracked down and fell off his body in bits of ice and fabric. After a deep breath, he let his dragon come up and take over. His shift became painless after years of shifts. He took flight, pushing his body through the dense clouds. Winds slammed into his body but with years of practice, he managed to keep his heading.
Everything was so quiet at this height, the winds created a soft background noise. He scanned the area between the heavy clouds and gusts of wind. He looked around, his stomach dropped when he figured out where he had landed. They weren’t in his territory, they were in polar bear land. Their alpha was vicious and didn’t take kindly to intruders.
He focused as best as he could on making sure their den wasn’t close to the cave they took as shelter. His dragon grinned when he verified no one else was around.
What the hell am I going to do with Charlie? Darius asked his dragon and his dragon responded by dropping them back to the ground with a loud thump. He turned just in time to see Charlie stumbling out of the mouth of the cave. She shuffled on the ice and then stopped when her eyes focused on him.
“Is there trouble?” Charlie looked around him and shivered. His dragon shook his head and moved closer to her. His beast hated seeing Charlie cold, so he let a steam cloud form in his throat and blew gently toward her.
“Wow, that felt good. Thank you, Darius.” Her smile warmed his dragon’s heart, but Darius remained pissed. Damn it, stop being all mushy! Darius warned his beast, but it fell on deaf ears as he moved closer, rubbing his nose against Charlie and making her giggle. Her soft hands rubbed against his scales, calming both of them down.
A blast of wind hit, and she shook, her hair glistened with shards of ice forming in the wet spots. He blew more steam out and she smiled again but it faded quickly. Her gaze met his, and she sighed.
“I’m so sorry, Darius. If I had known the danger of biting you, I wouldn’t have done it. I want to be so mad at you for being a dick but something in me says you’re really a nice guy. I mean, you did save me.” Charlie placed her head against his snout and sighed again. His human side had always made it clear he didn’t want a woman forever, no matter what. With her mark on his skin, things would have to change, or he would have to make the choice of having his dragon go completely crazy.
Darius slowly backed away and shifted back into his human form. “I never wanted a mate, Charlie.” He shoved his hand through his hair.
“Why?” Charlie kept her eyes on his face. His dragon didn’t like the sadness forming in her eyes, but he pushed his beast back.
“When a dragon is mated, they go soft and become weak.” Darius balled his fists at his side. “I’m not some weak dragon.”
“I know you’re not weak, Darius, and I would never want you to become weak.” Charlie snapped back. “What I’m trying to say is maybe we should get to know each other better and then decide.”
“I only have a few days.”
“Well. I guess it’s a good thing we are stuck in this cave for a few more hours.” A new scent filled his nose. Charlie turned to head into the cave but stopped when a low growl sounded. Darius turned around to see a medium-sized bear shifter looking at them.
Without thinking, Darius moved in front of Charlie, blocking her from the bear. He roared out and moved forward toward Darius. It would take a lot more than a small bear to hurt him, but Charlie was more fragile.
“We are not here to start a war with your pack. I got lost flying, and the storm has kept us here. We will be leaving once the storm clears,” Darius spoke clear and loud, so the polar bear would hear through the wind. Charlie moved closer and grabbed his arm. His dragon lurched forward, wanting to protect her, but Darius pushed him back. Her head leaned against his back, making his dragon happy.
The bear shifted into a male with white hair, around the same height as Charlie. “This cave is reserved for our alpha and his mate.”
“Why would they need it now?” Charlie asked. The bear looked over at Charlie who was peeking around Darius.
“They want time alone before their newest cub arrives.” The bear puffed out his chest. Darius growled low and the bear’s eyes snapped toward him.
“We will be gone before they arrive.” Darius moved Charlie back behind him.
“You have one day to leave or more will come and force you out.”
“What if the weather doesn’t break?” Charlie asked.
“Then it sucks to be you,” he growled and slowly backed away. Fur covered the shifter’s body as he ran west. Darius looked up to the north, the storm didn’t have an end in sight. Dragons breath!
Charlie
Charlie shoved her hand through her dark hair and tried to let the sleep take her back, but her mind wouldn’t stop racing. This whole trip of a lifetime was turning into a cold nightmare. She gave in and sat up to look around the cave. Darius’s black eyes were staring right at her, sending a shiver down her spine.
“Is something wrong, Darius?” Charlie bit her lip. He shook his head and his eyes changed back to light blue in a few quick blinks. Her mind scrambled to make sense of the change but then his voice brought her focus back to his lips.
“No.” His short answer didn’t do anything to quell the nervous tension. Charlie stood and rubbed her hands up and down her arms to bring some warmth.
"Why are you doing that?" Darius motioned toward her hands and she stopped moving to glance down.
"I'm cold. This is the freaking tundra, and I was born in Southern California." Charlie resumed running her hands up her arms. Darius stood, her shirt straining against his large chest. A shirt from Amanda’s bag became a makeshift cover after he shredded the sides to make more room. Amanda had suggested putting his legs through the arm holes, but his thick thighs made it impossible. Before she had a chance to say a word, Darius wrapped his strong arms around her. The warmth from his skin flooded through her body.
"I'm sorry again for biting you." Charlie leaned into his chest. He kept silent but didn't move away from her. This gave her a small wave of reassurance. She still wasn’t sure if she wanted to be mated to a dragon, yet her whole body craved him.
A low growl echoed through the cave making her jump and she turned to the entrance.
"I thought we had more time," Charlie whispered. Amanda woke up and looked around.
“What’s wrong?” Amanda asked. Another growl came from the entrance, making Charlie jump in Darius’s arms. Why did they come back early?
“It’s not the shifters.” Darius let go of Charlie as a pack of five white and greyish wolves moved into the mouth of the cave. Amanda scrambled back, her face turning white as she scrambled to her feet.
“What are we going to do?” Charlie hated the panic in her voice.
“Stay behind me. I can’t shift, or I will crush both of you, but I have my strength and fire. That’s about it.” Power hummed from Darius but the uncertainty in his voice worried Charlie. Charlie sucked in a deep breath as three of the wolves advanced on Darius. Amanda finally reached Charlie, and they took a second to look at each other.
One wolf lunged at Darius, his teeth sinking into the dragon’s flesh. Charlie winced and wondered how he still managed to stand. Darius punched the wolf in the head, forcing him off. The wolf dropped and moved back into position. Blood fell from the wound, breaking Charlie's heart. She focused completely on Darius and his fight with the white wolves.
"Charlie," Amanda hissed and grabbed Charlie's arm. The other wolves advanced on the women. Her heart raced in her chest so quickly she worried it would bounce right out.
"Go for the tunnels." Charlie pushed Amanda just in time for the wolf to miss her. Amanda stumbled back into the hall and a wolf moved to follow. Charlie grabbed the first thing she found and threw it at the white wolf causing him to jump. He turned toward Charlie and bared his teeth. Charlie moved back, and a growl sounded behind her.
Agonizing pain seared across her back, making her scream. She blinked back the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Charlie tried to think of something to do but her blank mind gave her nothing. The wolf lunged, and Charlie managed to block her face. His teeth sank through the fabric and into her flesh. More pain zipped up her arm when the wolf latched onto her right arm. Tears fell from her eyes as she tried to bite back the scream. She didn’t want to distract Darius with his own battle against another wolf.
A roar sounded. Heat reached her flesh from the right side of her body. A few whimpers sounded through a fog of pain. Charlie had wanted to do more but the fight in her waned with every drop of blood hitting the ground.
Everything faded around the wolf tearing into her flesh. The wolf’s growl vibrated up through her arm and rooted deep into her soul. She blinked quickly, trying to focus on what to do but nothing came through except the stinging agony. The wolf yanked hard, bringing Charlie to her knees.
I'm going to die. Charlie closed her eyes, trying not to regret her life. So short and not full enough in her opinion. She wanted more, a family and someone who would love her. Images of Darius taking her in the cave filled her mind, bringing her some peace that a strong dragon might have wanted her.
Teeth sunk into her shoulder from behind and she screamed but her body wouldn't move to fight them off. Blood seeped down her chest out of nowhere. The fangs were gone, and blood poured from wounds. Her head spun, and she fell onto the cold and unforgiving ground. She was in too much agony to move anything.
If she was going to die, she hoped it happened fast. She tried to open her eyes, but they wouldn’t open. A cry from Amanda filled her mind but Charlie’s muscles wouldn’t listen to any command to help protect her friend. More heat warmed her body and then large hands moved her to her back.
"Charlie, this looks bad," his voice barely broke through her pain and fog.
"Oh my god! Bitch, you can’t fucking leave me too." Amanda grabbed Charlie's hand. She tried to squeeze them, but nothing happened.
"I'm going to change her into a dragon," Darius spoke with certainty. Charlie wanted to ask what he meant. Fire tickled her wounds. It was hot but not overly so. Like a 100 degree day and Charlie stood in the full sun type of hot. A whimper left her lips and then her body was weightless.
Her body temperature rose even with a gust of wind hitting her face. Wait, why is it so windy? Charlie tried again to open her eyes but to her frustration they remained closed.
“You’re going to be ok, Charlie,” Darius’s normally sure voice didn’t sound as certain. The volume in her ears slowly grew stronger, the wind howled louder, and a heartbeat met her ears. Wait, there are two heartbeats.
The scent of fire grew stronger in her nose and another scent reached her. A rumble left her chest at the spiciness of the scent. Something inside grew stronger quickly. It pushed against a new boundary Charlie hadn’t been aware of.
“Let your dragon take control, Charlie.” Darius rubbed her clenched hands, and she tried to relax. She gasped for air and her lungs burned. Smoke funneled from her nose. Wow, that’s freaking cool. Then her body stretched, scales covered her flesh, and her teeth grew. The light pain tickled compared to the searing bite from a wolf. Oh goodness, I have a tail!
Charlie finally opened her eyes, and she took in a sharp breath. A wave of renewed energy surged through her system. The sun peeked over the horizon, bringing a new day. The storm had lightened, calming the churning in Charlie’s stomach.
Holy shit. Her voice came out more as a roar than words.
“Charlie?” Amanda’s small body slowly came out of the cave.
“The bears are going to come soon. Amanda, you will ride on my back and Charlie will follow close behind me.” Darius shifted before Charlie processed his meaning. Oh, I’m going to fly.
Amanda tossed Charlie her bag, and she barely managed to hook her claws through the loops. Charlie took a moment to take stock of her new form.
Darius’s gold scales glinted in the light. Charlie looked at her own scaly feet and legs, they were darker even in the light. He spread his wings, showing her what to do. I hope I don’t make a fool of myself.
She spread her wings and prayed she would be able to keep herself up in the air.
Darius
Pride filled Darius’s heart. Why the hell am I proud? Darius didn’t want to feel this pride at the fact that Charlie flew like a natural born dragon. Only one false start and she took off. He dropped low quickly to see if she could keep up. She dove lower, and the swooped up with ease. His home came into view along with the rest of the clan’s little places.
His dragon was happy Darius changed her into a dragon, but he wanted to mark her during sex, bonding them for life. He hoped his brother had another way to fix the mating problem.
Darius moved his body smoothly and landed with a soft-ish thud. Amanda scrambled off his body with her bag just before Charlie landed with a loud thump. Her tail slammed into a grill, sending it flying into the snow.
“What the hell is going on out here?” Gerald walked out of the house. The alpha’s voice came out in a boom. Amanda ran toward Charlie, hiding behind her friend. Darius shifted and shook out his body.
“Damn it, Charlie. Stop moving your tail before you destroy something else.” Darius moved toward her. Her blue eyes glared daggers at him.
“Who the fuck is Charlie?” Gerald moved up behind him. Zane opened the door and ran outside to meet up with them, tossing clothes at Darius’s face.
“Gerald and Zane this is Charlie, and that’s Amanda. I saved them from a crack in the ice. I can tell you all about it once I get Charlie shifted back.” Darius’s dragon didn’t like Zane eyeballing Charlie. He yanked up the jeans but tossed the shirt at Charlie’s feet.
“Did you fucking change a human?” Gerald grabbed Darius’s throat to show dominance. The grip didn’t cut off his circulation, but Charlie didn’t know that. Black smoke left her nose. She lowered her head, pressing her snout against them.
“Let go, brother, she may be new, but her dragon is fearless.” Darius rubbed her snout. He didn’t feel like getting barbecued today. The smoke stopped the second Gerald released him.
“Answer the question.” His eyes flashed red, making Darius’s dragon cower inside.
“A pack of wolves attacked us, and Charlie was barely breathing when I changed her. She was inches from fucking death.” He knew what came next would be unavoidable but if he could avoid spilling the news, well, it would be for the best.
“Still doesn’t explain-”
“She bit me.” Darius pointed to his shoulder where her mark rested.
“And you didn’t bite her back?” Zane asked. Darius turned to glare at his younger brother. Both knew all too well he didn’t want a mate and yet here they stood questioning why he didn’t complete the stupid bond. He couldn’t look at Charlie or even Stella for that matter. Darius knew everyone judged him about his choice without truly knowing him.
“No,” Darius growled. “Gerald, you can get her to shift back. I need a shower.” Darius turned on his heels and ignored his dragon as he entered the house. His mother, Ann, smiled at him but he just nodded before going up the stairs. His ears tuned into Gerald’s voice as he helped Charlie shift back.
“So crazy,” Charlie’s voice met Darius’s ears when he reached his room. Before he managed to open the bathroom door a thunder of footsteps roared up and Gerald, along with his mate, Stella, barged into his room. Fucking great.
“Do you want to explain what the hell happened?” Gerald turned toward Darius when he entered the room.
“Well, I was out on my nightly flight when I heard some ice cracking. Charlie looked my way and for some reason, I flew her way, so I could save her. The damn ice almost swallowed her whole. When I thought I was coming home, I fucking crashed into polar bear land and we couldn’t leave until the storm stopped.” Darius scratched his head. He walked him through when they mated and how she bit him.
“Is she your mate?” Gerald still seemed pissed.
“I think she’s my mate, Gerald.”
“When you find your mate, you know. It’s not something you can just feel on a whim.” Gerald threw his hands in the air.
“You were in no rush to mate with me.” Stella raised her eyebrow toward Gerald. He pulled her into a hug and kissed her neck where his mark rested. Right there! The fucking alpha went from raging angry to all lovely and mushy. Darius didn’t want to know what could possibly happen to a slightly weaker dragon, like himself. If Gerald turned to a puddle of goo, there might not be hope for me.
“Answer the question, is she your mate or not?” Gerald stared at Darius. His dragon roared with excitement.
“Yes, but I don’t want a fucking mate.” Darius shoved his hands through his hair.
“Zane is taking her to one of the rooms down the hall with her friend Amanda. You need to figure this shit out and fast.” Gerald pointed at Darius, the anger returning quicker than dragon’s breath.
“If I went on a rampage would you kill me?” He asked the one question he feared the answer to. If his brother didn’t have another way to fix him, he would be out of options. He prayed to the goddess above his brother had some piece of knowledge hidden inside to save him. Gerald paused and looked at Stella. She shook her head and put up her hands. Darius wanted to fucking throw out a curse to the alpha female but pushed it back.
“I don’t fucking know. She seems like a nice woman, why in the hell would you risk it?” Gerald shook his head and stormed out. Darius’s heart fell to the bottom of his stomach. His hopes dashed in a flash, leaving him with the one who pissed him off.
“Darius, I know it’s not my place but from a woman’s perspective, this house can be a little daunting. If you’re going to be her mate, make sure she feels welcome.” She rubbed her swelling belly before gliding away, closing the door behind her. Darius shoved his hands through his hair, trying figure out what the hell he would do. Sticking to his resolve had been something he had been known for. Changing his mind had been compared to pulling dragon teeth a few times in the past.
He eavesdropped on Charlie in the room next to his. His dragon perked up listening to her strong heart beat a little quicker than before.
The shower in her room turned on and he did the same. He tipped his head under the warm water, washing away all the dirt from the last twenty-four hours. A moan reached his ears and he stopped moving. His dick hardened at the sound.
He knew the moan from yesterday, it came from Charlie’s soft lips. Darius scrubbed down his body and tried his hardest not to listen to her. He hopped out and stared at his reflection.
“Darius,” Charlie said, and his dick bounced up. Darius’s grip tightened on the counter in his own bathroom as he listened to Charlie in her shower. Hearing her climax took everything out of him. His dragon roared with rage at not joining her, but his human side knew better. Quickly he dressed to keep himself busy.
He needed to get to know her better, see if there was a small possibility he could live with having a mate even though every fiber of his being hated the fucking idea. Darius didn’t want to go on a rampage, but he also didn’t want to be bound to one woman.
Darius still didn’t like how their clan was now in danger because Stella stayed with them. What would I do if Charlie was taken away? The idea made his dragon lurch forward to keep her safe. Darius pushed him back and walked toward her room. He needed to see her, but he would never admit it. After a short tap on her door, he could hear her breathing came out in short gasps.
“One sec,” Charlie called out through the closed door. Darius took in a deep breath to keep himself focused, he couldn’t keep her up here to himself no matter what his dragon wanted. The sounds of his mother and Stella cooking downstairs floated up the steps to him.
The door opened, and Darius turned to find Charlie with a towel wrapped tightly around her curvy body. He stifled a groan as his eyes roamed down her body. Images of her naked in the bath came to the front of his mind.
“I’m afraid I don’t have any clean clothes since you ripped through all of mine. The rest are still back at the hotel.” Charlie chewed on her thumbnail and then met his gaze.
“My mother likes to keep clothes of all sizes on hand. Let’s check your closet.” He pointed toward the walk-in closet and she turned, the towel barely covered the swell of her ass. She hurried over to the closet and pulled it open.
“Holy crap.” Her hands moved over a few shirts hanging up, and she glanced back at him. Her finger moved back to her mouth and the scent of discomfort filled his nose.
“The dresser will have the rest you need.” He walked in and pointed out the sturdy wooden dresser nestled into the closet to give the main room more space. Charlie inched closer to him and her sugary sweet scent filled his nose. He detected hints of smoke added to her scent, making it clear she now had a dragon.
“Darius, why did you change me into a dragon?” Charlie glanced over her shoulder when she reached the dresser. Her eyes flashed blue before she looked away.
“It’s my fault you were hurt in the first place, it’s the least I could do.” He resisted the urge to touch her.
“Then why am I here? You could have flown us to the edge of the city and helped me to shift then fly off again. I wouldn’t have even known where to search for you.” Charlie turned to him, one of her hands on her hip while the other kept her towel in place. He swallowed hard, his swollen cock made it difficult to think straight.
“I…” He snapped his mouth shut when Zane tapped on the door.
“Dinner is ready!” Zane called out, making Charlie jump closer to Darius to block Zane’s view. His brother retreated, leaving them closer than he had planned on being. Her eyes fluttered up to meet his gaze. His dragon surged forward, and Darius struggled to keep him back.
“I really like those eyes,” Charlie whispered and placed her hand on his face, which made his cock twitch.
“My dragon likes you,” Darius murmured under his breath, he moved his eyes to focus on a spot on the wall.
“What about your human side?” Charlie visibly swallowed. Darius looked down at her. He opened his mouth to explain himself again, but Charlie leaned up and kissed him quickly. “It’s okay. We can talk later.” She turned away, leaving Darius to his thoughts. He cursed his luck. If she hadn’t bit him, he wouldn’t be considering having a fucking mate.
Charlie
Charlie shoved her hand through her hair while she sat next to Amanda and Darius at the large dinner table. Everyone finished eating their meal in silence and the woman at the end kept glancing from Darius to Charlie. Stella, the alpha female dragon, whispered to Gerald and he whispered back. Even with Charlie’s new hearing, she kept her focus on Darius’s heartbeat instead.
“You’re very pretty.” An older woman Charlie guessed to be in her fifties or so smiled at her. Her dark brown eyes spoke of wisdom.
“Thank you.” Charlie wasn’t used to so much attention with Amanda in the room. Amanda had always been the most attractive of the two, in Charlie’s opinion.
“Charlie, this is my mother, Anish, but she likes Ann,” Darius pitched in.
“It’s nice to meet you.” Charlie nodded toward Ann.
“Tomorrow you and Charlie will be going down to check on the Nevada clan to do research.” Gerald took a drink of his water.
“What about Amanda?” Charlie turned to her friend.
“If it’s okay, I would like to stay here a bit longer. I’m-” Amanda swallowed hard while casting her gaze toward her half-eaten plate. Charlie rubbed her arm while Darius explained about Max dying because of the ice.
“But you should be going home with me.” Charlie grabbed her hand.
“I can’t go back into my apartment without him. Not right now.” Amanda shook her head hard.
“Calm down, I’m here, honey.” Charlie tried to think of something to say. She didn’t want to stay in the damn tundra with a man who didn’t want her, but she also didn’t want to leave her best friend alone. What the hell am I going to do?
“You’re welcome to stay at my house,” Ann suggested and clapped her hands together. Charlie glanced at Ann then back to Amanda. She nodded quickly with a small smile. Amanda pulled her hand out of Charlie’s grasp and dabbed her lips with her napkin.
“Thank you.” Amanda stood and walked away. Charlie wanted to follow, but she had a feeling more would be discussed, and Charlie wanted to be in the know, so to speak. She didn’t want to be eavesdropping.
“Charlie, will you be comfortable going with Darius to the other clan?” Stella asked, and Charlie turned to her.
“I don’t know what the problem is.” Don’t I already have enough issues right now?
“Magnis, the alpha of the Nevada clan threatened war between us because I chose to mate with Gerald.” Stella pushed back her red hair that any woman would want to have.
“Will it be dangerous?” Charlie glanced at Darius.
“I would keep you safe,” Darius spoke as if he were listing off facts.
“Can I talk to you alone?” Charlie pulled at her shirt. He stood to lead the way. They moved into her room and she felt oddly at peace there. Deep down, she would love to stay in the tundra, but she wouldn’t mention it now.
“What would you like to talk about?” Darius scanned her body, sending a small wave of heat through her core.
“You’ve made it clear you don’t want a mate, but your dragon will go crazy if you don’t complete the bond in two days, right?” Charlie nibbled on her lower lip for a second, waiting for his answer.
Darius nodded once. She swallowed hard.
“What about my dragon? Will she go crazy?” Charlie searched her mind and felt her own dragon nod her head. The knowledge didn’t bring her any peace.
“I would assume yes but I’m not sure.” He scratched the back of his head. The answer didn’t put her at ease, so she weighed her options for a moment.
“Then I have a proposition for you.” Charlie took in a deep breath, trying not to lose her nerve. She met his gaze and her dragon lashed out at the idea forming in Charlie’s mind.
“What?” Darius moved closer to her, his hot breath tickling her face.
“We complete the bond only on principle. We will be mates but when you go on your scout thing, you can just drop me off at my home before you see the other dragons.” If she couldn’t truly be his, then she wouldn’t stay in the tundra and watch him be with another. The idea made her dragon breathe fire inside her mind. If he agreed to this deal, she would have to go because staying would be far more painful. Her new friend inside her head blew more smoke as she threw a tantrum inside Charlie’s mind.
Darius scratched his chin, his eyes flashing black for a moment. Her own dragon didn’t like this arrangement, but she couldn’t go back to California with a raging dragon and destroy half of Los Angeles County. She needed at least half of a solution.
“It would mean more sex,” he paused. “And you would be ok with that?” He raised one of his eyebrows.
“Would you?” She held her breath. He had made it all too clear he didn't want a mate. I doubt I’ll be able to change his mind on it.
“Yes.”
“Then we have an agreement. I need a moment to mentally prepare myself for this.” Charlie sauntered to the bathroom, trying her hardest to collect her racing thoughts. This would possibly be the last time she had sex with Darius. Part of her wasn’t ready to let go of the sexy dragon she came to know. Her knight in shiny scales.
The door opened, and Darius strolled in without his shirt. Her dragon wagged her tail in her brain. His hands wrapped around her waist, sending heat through her body. His hot lips kissed the crook of her neck.
She let go of her worries and let the sensation take over her body. Her pussy ached with need. Charlie leaned her head back while his skilled hands removed her pants. She turned in his embrace and pulled off her shirt. Soon, they stood naked in the bathroom.
His hands wrapped around her hips and lifted her up. I love how he can lift me with such ease and grace. She wrapped her legs around his hips and he walked them into the room to place her on the bed. Why did I have to get the stubborn dragon?
Part of her didn’t want this to be the last time she felt him, but she would take it. His soft lips met hers, chasing away her bad thoughts. Her hands roamed over his back. A groan rumbled against her lips.
His tip pressed against her seam, teasing the hell out of her. Heat coursed through her body. She wanted this, and she wanted him. In a heartbeat, he slammed himself into her core, her body arching toward him. A moan slipped from her lips as he nipped at her shoulder. He rocked his hips, sending more pleasure through her system. This round he took his time, slowly thrusting into her body. She almost called it more intimate, but she didn’t want to acknowledge that, so she pushed it back.
Everything about Darius created the fire burning inside of her. Slowly, he built her orgasm. He licked at her neck, making her moan again. Something about this time was different than before. Somehow, she felt more passion between them. Her dragon had flown to heaven with Darius on top. Charlie grabbed his shoulders tighter to keep her orgasm at bay, but it didn’t work.
“Darius,” Charlie gasped for air as waves of pleasure rocked through her body.
“That’s right, scream my name.” His teeth grazed the crook of her neck. Charlie slowly came down and then Darius started moving again. This time he moved quicker and with more vigor. Charlie bit back a scream from the intensity of pleasure coursing through her. Her dragon roared in her mind, telling her to bite Darius again. This time she listened without a second thought. Her lips wrapped around the same side she had bitten before and sunk her teeth into him.
A roar left Darius. His cock swelled inside of her and then his mouth clamped down on the crook of her neck. Her body shattered into white-hot pleasure. She let go of his flesh and rode out the bliss from the most intense orgasm of her life. Darius licked her neck and then he moved off her. Her heart sunk as she looked at him. The bliss of her orgasm faded.
He kissed her on the lips quickly. “Get some rest. We have a long trip tomorrow.” Darius walked out of the room, still naked. Charlie grabbed at the covers, trying to hide the shame suddenly blooming inside of her.
She had a dragon mate. This moment would have been perfect if he actually wanted her to be his mate.
Darius
Fucking feelings were pulsing through Darius’s body while he had attempted to get some rest earlier. His dragon still fumed with anger even with them both quietly walking through town. They had flown to Calgary right near the US border to save some driving time. They had to be careful of hunters, but Darius knew the path to take. Charlie had kept oddly quiet since he came to get her earlier in the morning.
Darius had no fucking clue what to say to her. She had been the one to suggest the arrangement of completing the bond but not staying together. He didn’t know what the hell to even say. He liked the agreement, he didn’t have to worry about a mate and his dragon wouldn’t go fucking crazy. In theory, it was the best of both worlds. But why is my stomach in fucking knots?
“This is where we are staying?” Charlie looked up at the Fairmont Palliser hotel.
“What? Is this not fancy enough for you?” Darius glanced her way with his eyebrow raised. His brother had been the one to make the reservation.
“I feel underdressed to be here.” Charlie pulled at her coat, trying to cover up.
“Nonsense, you’ll be fine.” Darius winked and walked into the lobby. Her curves had been something he had been attracted to before she put everyone in danger with her bite. A young man stood behind the counter with a smile on his face. His dragon huffed with discontent.
“Good evening. Will you be checking in?” he asked then looked over at Charlie. His pupils dilated slightly, and Darius resisted the urge to growl at the man. The man’s trace reached Darius, the hints of wet dog had Darius correct his original assumption. The odor made it clear as dragon scales, they were dealing with a wolf. An unmated wolf from his scent as it carried no female traces.
“Yes. My mate and I will be checking in.” Darius reclaimed the pup’s attention.
“Don’t be rude.” Charlie pushed on his arm then leaned up on the counter showing off her breasts. “How are you doing tonight?” Her voice rose an octave. Darius received a nice view of her ass as she pushed it out to get better leverage on the counter.
“Lovely. You’re one lucky man.” He nodded toward Darius for a moment before returning to stare at Charlie. His dragon lurched forward to defend his mate from the wolf’s advances, but Darius pushed his beast back.
“He likes to share me sometimes. When do you get off?” Charlie winked with a smile. Darius’s jaw dropped for a split second before he snapped it closed and ground his teeth together. They were now mates in name only, but his dragon blew fire in his mind.
“I-” he started but stopped when Darius growled low. Charlie’s head snapped back to look at him, a challenge in her eyes making his dragon perk up a bit.
“We would like to get our room key.” Darius kept his glare on Charlie and the wolf typed quickly on the computer. If she kept up her shit, he might shift in the middle of the lobby or at least extend his claws which could expose them to the fucking humans running around.
“Have a nice stay.” His voice shook. The wolf might not know dragons personally, but he seemed smart enough to suspect Darius was a stronger shifter.
“Thanks, sugar.” Charlie grabbed the key and smiled at the wolf. She walked away, putting more sway in her steps. Darius couldn’t help but stare at her ass, but he snapped out of his trance as anger rolled through his body. He grounded his teeth and followed to block her from the wolf’s gaze. Once the elevator doors closed, she turned on him.
“What the hell? Am I not allowed to flirt?” Charlie raised one of her eyebrows.
“Yes, you’re allowed to flirt with humans,” Darius hissed back at her.
“He’s a human.” Charlie crossed her arms under her breasts. Damn it, woman. His cock twitched at the sight.
“He’s a werewolf. There is a lot you need to learn, kitten.” The doors whooshed open and Darius stormed down the hall with Charlie hot on his tail.
“Then you should be teaching me, oh wise one,” Charlie threw at him once the door closed. “Or do I need to go back to the clan and see if Gerald will help? Maybe Zane will be all too happy to lend a helping hand.”
Darius couldn’t stop the growl crossing his lips this time. “A wolf is similar to a dog smell. A bear shifter will have more of a woody scent. You should’ve noticed dragons have fire undertones.” He dropped the bag at her feet.
“Well, thanks for the lesson. I’ll be sure to remember these tidbits the next time I flirt with a man.” Charlie grabbed her toothbrush and walked to the bathroom and he followed close behind her.
“Keep the flirting to yourself until you're back home. I don’t need my dragon coming out and destroying a building because he wants to defend what he sees as his.”
“Well remind your dragon you chose to make this deal.” Charlie glared at him in the mirror, her eyes turned blue. She stared at her own eyes for a moment before shaking her head.
“Don’t show your dragon eyes in front of humans either.”
“Anything else?” Charlie shoved her toothbrush into her mouth and his dragon brought up images of his dick in her mouth instead of the toothbrush.
“We leave for Idaho Falls in the morning so be ready.” Darius walked out of the room but stopped right outside. The games she played could be dangerous if his dragon felt his mate was in danger. Darius needed air before he threw her on the bed and fucked her senseless. He stormed down the steps and glared at the wolf behind the counter.
“If I see you up on my floor, I will kill you,” Darius hissed out the words, too low for a human to hear but the wolf nodded frantically. His wide eyes spoke enough to his fear.
Once he reached the street, he followed his ears to a bar. Once he entered, most of the small chit chat ended. He had gone into a few bars in Yellowknife and the same thing always happened. He ordered a double of whiskey and they all slowly turned back to their conversations.
“You can’t be here, alone right?” A blonde sauntered toward Darius. Her tits reminded him of Charlie’s. You’ve got to be kidding me. Darius shook himself mentally.
“I’m alone, sweetheart.” Darius smiled and took a drink of the amber liquid. Dragons didn’t get drunk, but he liked the burn of alcohol. It reminded him of breathing fire in his human form. His dragon shook his head and urged him to go back to Charlie and check on her. And to make sure she hadn’t stirred up more trouble.
“Well, a sexy man like you should have some company.” Her hand roamed over his arm. He stopped her after a moment of playful flirting. Any other day, he might have taken her to the bathroom, fucked her brains out, and walked away satisfied. Yet the images of Charlie kept playing in his head, making the blonde’s passes almost unbearable. His dragon lurched forward, and Darius closed his eyelids to make sure she didn’t see his eyes change to black. With Charlie, he didn’t have to hide himself, but this female would most likely freak out. Every thought kept returning to Charlie, which made his dragon happy and his human side pissed off. His fiery little mate might be the freaking death of all males if she kept up her games. She had much to learn. I should be the one teaching her. His dragon reminded him, but he pushed back his beast.
What am I doing here?
His dragon sighed heavily. Darius looked the girl up and down, before Charlie, he would have been happy to fuck her. He didn’t think this odd feeling would go away with Charlie back in California. The woman took her hand off and waved for the bartender to come their way. Shit, I don’t want to be a fucking moping dragon either. He cursed his beast as he rolled away like he wanted to ignore Darius. Instead, his beast threw back more images of Charlie under him in the throes of passion. He wanted to glare at his dragon but rolled his shoulders as the bartender reached them.
I should be with her, not having some drunk woman paw at me. Darius stood and paid for his drink. “Sorry. Maybe the next guy will be more available.” Darius nodded and strolled back to the hotel. Going out had been a mistake. As he walked back, he pondered the whole situation of leaving her in California. He needed to get away from the flirting female and get back to Charlie before his dragon burned down the whole bar. Darius wondered if there were any more mistakes he had made recently.
When he reached the lobby, her sweet scent filled his nose, sufficiently calming his beast. But when he reached their room Charlie wasn’t in sight.
“Where the hell is she?” Darius growled.
Charlie
After a run in the gym and a long swim, Charlie still had too much energy and anger when she climbed the stairs to the hotel room. Her dragon paced at the edge and Charlie worried she would come out in the historical hotel. Calm down, this place was built over a hundred years ago, I don’t want to destroy it! Charlie slid the card in and pushed the door open. She walked into a wall of muscle.
“Damn it, Darius.” Charlie closed the door and backed up to meet the black eyes she liked so much. Her dragon surged forward again, and Charlie guessed her gaze had changed to her dragon’s blue eyes.
“Where were you?” his voice was low. His hands were clenched at his sides. She blinked a few times and pushed her dragon back. His eyes changed back.
“I went for a run and then took a dip in the pool. Why? You aren’t my keeper.” Charlie shoved him to the side and stormed to the bathroom to toss her used towel down.
“I am until you are home in California, Charlie.” Darius’s heartbeat raced. So, I did get under his skin. Good! Charlie liked how crazed he looked when she had flirted with the wolf behind the counter. Over the course of the flight earlier she had debated her options. Her dragon was still pissed about the arrangement and her heart broke a bit when he had walked away after sex. The sadistic side wanted to punish him for his actions or for his inactions last night.
She didn’t want this to be easy for Darius because it wasn’t easy for her. When Charlie turned to Darius to give him hell, she ran right into him again. His sexy spicy scent filled her nose, she resisted the urge to moan as it filled her lungs. No, I’m mad at him! she tried to remind her dragon and human side.
“You’re playing with fire, little kitten.” His eyes flashed black for a heartbeat. Her own dragon surged forward.
“You didn’t have to agree with my idea of separating.” She glared at him. Part of her wished she could take it back. Now she had a pissed dragon and a mate who didn’t want her. She cursed the universe for being against her.
“It’s for the best, Charlie.”
“Why? Do you not want a mate or just don’t want me as your mate?” Charlie breathed deeply to keep her dragon back. Her feelings for Darius ran deeper than she would admit out loud, especially to the dragon standing in front of her.
“When a dragon is mated, it makes them weak. I will not be weak.” Darius ground his teeth together. What the hell? He’s joking, right?
“Have I made you weak somehow?” Charlie crossed her arms in front of her chest, right under her breasts. Darius glanced down and then back at her face. She knew it was a cheap way of seeking attention, but she had to work with what she had.
“No.”
“Then please explain to me why this can’t work out.” Charlie studied his face, trying to find answers. Yes, she had made the deal to protect humans as a whole but she wanted Darius to be hers, body and soul. I sound pathetic right now.
“Because if we stay together I will put you first and I can’t do that.” Darius turned and walked out of the room, leaving Charlie with more questions than answers. Frustration roared through her and she shut the door.
“He is so freaking stubborn.” Charlie stripped down and climbed into the shower. The hot water sprayed against her skin, calming her down. Maybe a quick release will ease the tension. The idea played in her mind.
Her hands slowly moved over her tits, squeezing gently on each side then moving farther down. When her index finger grazed over her clit, a moan slipped from her lips. The bathroom door opened, and Darius’s body filled the frame. He yanked the curtain to the side, his breathing labored, and his heart raced. Those sexy black eyes zoned in on her fingers.
Let’s see how far we can push our dragon. She moved her fingers again, and he growled. A shiver ran down her spine straight to her core.
“Are you just going to hover there? Or will you be joining me?” Charlie liked how worked up she made Darius. He stood there not answering, so she closed her eyes and moved her fingers again.
“Oh,” Charlie whispered as images from the night before came to her mind. She heard Darius move, and the door closed but she didn’t stop her movements. If he walked away, then she would be too heartbroken to keep going. If he stayed, it meant she still had a chance but had to work harder.
Either way, she would reach her climax on her own. Her hips tipped up to give herself better access. She barely resisted opening her eyes to see if Darius stood in the room with her or not.
Warm hands wrapped around her waist and Darius’s heated scent filled her nose. Her eyes opened, and his sexy face filled her view. He lifted her up with ease and pressed her back into the warmed tiles. Oh, thank the fucking stars! She treasured the idea of being able to possibly break him down.
His tip pressed against her seam, teasing her for a moment. Charlie didn’t want to think about how this could be her last time with Darius. Just thinking on the idea for a split second almost broke her resolve. She kept her focus on the strong dragon holding her up. The hot water sprayed their bodies. He slowly entered her core while his gaze focused completely on her.
This round reminded her of how rough he had been their first time as he slammed into her core. With each thrust bringing her higher, Charlie attempted to find a way to ground herself, so she didn’t peak too soon. She wanted this to last all night but knew it wouldn’t. His groan was her undoing, and she tipped her hips up as the orgasm crashed into her.
“Darius,” she moaned out his name as he slowed down slightly. Once she caught her breath, he resumed his hard pounding into her body. This time she felt more invincible with her strong dragon resting below. Part of her worried about breaking something in the bathroom from how rough he took her against the tiles. Yet she didn’t give a damn, she wanted to experience this again and again.
His grip tightened on her hips, he nipped on her shoulder and before any buildup, another orgasm slammed into her. With no time to prepare, she gasped for air while her body tightened around Darius.
“That’s right, kitten.” He groaned in her ear which heightened her bliss. His cock swelled inside of her body while she rode out the last of her release. They stayed there breathing heavily. He carefully set her down and washed them both up before Charlie managed to get her words together. She just let him work and moved where he wanted her. Once they were clean, he dried them off and carried her to bed.
Exhaustion took over Charlie and within seconds of laying her damp hair on the pillow, she slipped into a hot dream of Darius.
Darius
They crossed the border into Montana and Charlie slept most of the time. Darius tried to figure out what Charlie was doing to him. He hadn’t planned on joining her in the shower but her sexy little moan undid all his resolve.
Charlie yawned and stretched her arms over her head. With each passing hour, she broke him down, piece by freaking piece.
“So, I have a sneaking suspicion there aren’t a lot of dragon shifters in this world.”
“There are more clans in Europe, but I only know of two in North America. Ours and the one I’m going to look into. There were more, but we have been dying off the last few decades.” The memory of Stella’s tale of her own clan still pissed him off. The damn hunters were their biggest problem.
“How old are you?” Charlie asked.
“I’m about forty-one human years but dragon years I’m only twenty-six.”
“Forty-one!” Charlie’s eyes widened.
“Dragons don’t age like humans, Charlie. We grow up like humans until we reach twenty-one. Then for every four human years, we only age one year.”
“What about me?” Charlie moved her brown hair into a messy bun. Darius preferred it down to frame her face. Damn it, focus on the road! He turned to look in front of him.
“You won’t age as fast now. You need to be careful with the humans you trust. If they notice, you can get into trouble. Hunters are everywhere and bagging a dragon is the ultimate prize.”
Charlie shifted in her seat and nodded. “I understand.” She licked her lips and Darius resisted the urge to kiss her. He needed to be distancing himself from her but everything about her pulled him in. Those soft brown eyes that now turned blue when she was pissed could get her into trouble.
Darius refocused on the road and kept his focus on spotting cops as he raced down the highway. He didn’t have time to be pulled over.
“I have another question, but I don’t want you getting any ideas.” Charlie leaned against the window facing him. Darius glanced around quickly before looking over at Charlie.
“What?” He didn’t like how she had chosen her words.
“How does the whole baby thing work? I know werewolves have issues with their mates dying if the baby shifts during delivery.” Charlie paused. “Is there something I should know if I ever decide on having kids?” She nipped at her thumbnail. His dragon didn’t like the nervous tension in her, but Darius pushed him back.
Darius took a moment to collect his thoughts as images of Charlie swollen with his dragonling made him excited. He changed lanes and then looked over at Charlie. No, she’s going back to California. Darius reminded his dragon who turned and sulked in the corner of his mind.
“Dragonlings don’t shift until their first birthday. The baby will feel the dragon side, but both are too young to shift until then. Some, like Zane, are slower shifters, he didn’t shift until close to eighteen months. My mother had worried about him.” Darius shook his head at the memories of his mother running around going crazy about her son. Their father compared the event to kids learning how to walk.
“Anything special about the pregnancy then?” Charlie adjusted in her seat. Her shoulders had relaxed, and she stopped picking at her nails.
“Actually, yes. You saw Stella, right?” Darius glanced around while talking.
“She’s like five months pregnant, right?” Charlie’s voice raised a bit when she asked the question.
“Yes and no.” Darius moved the truck into another lane to avoid a slow car.
“What does that even mean?” Charlie adjusted to lean closer, he felt her breath on his arm, making his dragon purr. Is she doing this on purpose?
“Dragons may age slow, but the pregnancy is accelerated.”
“So how many months is she, really?” Her hand twitched as it rested near his arm.
“Right before I rescued you, she measured at five months, but she’s only been pregnant for a month and a half.”
“Holy shit!” Charlie shook her head. “So, how long are the pregnancies in real time?”
“Two and a half months, some go even as long as three months but it’s very rare.” Darius still remembered getting shit for taking his sweet time and almost reaching three full months by two days.
“Three months at the most. How does the body adjust to the baby growing so freaking fast?” She glanced down at her tummy then back up.
“A dragon’s body can take it but a human, well it would do a lot of damage with the quick changes. My mother told me she had a childhood friend who fell for a human. During the delivery, the human was too malnourished to survive.”
“But I don’t need to worry since I’m now a dragon, right?”
“Nope.” More images of her carrying his child filled his beast’s mind but Darius shook his head. No, damn it. We are mates in name only.
“Wait, hypothetically, if I had sex with a human, would I have a dragon or a human child?” Charlie raised an eyebrow. A low rumble left Darius before he managed to stop his dragon. His dragon breathed fire in his mind.
“I’m not sure.” Darius ground his teeth. The idea of another man’s hands on Charlie made him angry yet he made the choice to take her to California.
They moved into silence. Soon they were out of Montana and then into Idaho. They ate lunch in the truck and Charlie took another nap, leaving Darius to his fucking thoughts.
In another day, he would be leaving her in California and he would go back to the tundra alone. His dragon roared again with anger and the warm sensation of his eyes flashing black washed over his eyelids. He couldn’t figure out if Charlie had given up or wanted to push his buttons.
“Can I really live without her?” Darius looked over at Charlie for a moment, then back at the road. He only had one day to figure his shit out.
Charlie
Charlie kept repeating his words while she pretended to sleep at the new hotel in Idaho Falls. Can I really live without her? She didn’t know if this was a good sign or not. Her exciting trip to see the northern lights had been super crazy. She wanted an adventure and Darius gave it to her but soon she would be back to her old life.
A wave of nausea hit Charlie out of nowhere. She sat up and bolted for the bathroom, barely making it into the toilet bowl. Once she let go of all her meals from the day before she stood on shaky legs.
“Ugh, the chicken must have been bad last night.” Charlie rubbed her tummy lightly and took a quick shower. She took extra time to get dressed as nausea still plagued her. She followed Darius down, he carried the bags with ease and lead the way to a pickup truck he rented while she finished getting dressed.
“Are you okay?” Darius asked.
“Just a little food poisoning. Nothing to worry your little head over. I’ll be fine by tomorrow.” Charlie shook her head. Part of her was tired of him playing hard to get. Tonight, they would be back in California and she would spend the next few years mending her broken heart over her dragon mate. Her dragon sulked in the back of her mind.
He opened his mouth then snapped it shut when she glared at him. When he started the truck, the nausea grew too strong. She yanked the door open and hurled onto the ground and the step into the truck. Darius rubbed her back gently which brought her some comfort.
“I’m fine. Just get me home soon so I can rest.” She didn’t want Darius’s pity. Darius climbed out of the truck and moved things in the back seat. Charlie had her eyes closed to try and keep the vomiting at bay.
“Come here, kitten,” Darius’s calm voice had some authority to it. Charlie opened her eyes to see her door open and his arms outstretched. She raised an eyebrow then looked back to the seat. A makeshift bed with a pillow and blankets covered it.
“If you get pulled over or we crash, I won’t be safe.” Charlie shook her head even though she really did want to lay down.
“I’m not going to crash, and I have better vision than any police officer has.” Darius kept standing there. Charlie sighed heavily and let him help her into the back seat.
“This is oddly sweet, Darius,” Charlie sighed when her head hit the pillow.
“Just rest, Charlie.” Darius climbed into the truck and kept it relatively smooth. She closed her eyes and let sleep take her.
Do I smell steak? Charlie’s stomach rumbled with hunger. She opened her eyes to find Darius holding a plate with steam coming off it.
“Are you trying to torture me? It smells delicious, but I don’t want to throw it up.” Charlie sighed heavily while rubbing her tummy. It smelled freaking amazing, her mouth watered over it.
“Try a few bites and if you still feel nauseated, I’ll eat the rest.” Darius winked. Charlie sighed and slowly sat up. She grabbed the glass plate from him and the fork. He had cut it up into manageable pieces for her. Wow, that’s even sweeter. Charlie lifted her gaze and caught him studying her. Her eyebrows rose, she glanced down at the plate of steaks. They were a tad on the rare side, but she didn’t comment on it.
“What? Do I have bed head or something?” Charlie pressed her hand against her head, but she didn’t find a big knot or hair sticking up. She moved her hand to her shirt pulling it straight. His eyes lingered on her stomach but then snapped up to meet her gaze. The action happened so fast she wondered if she imagined it.
“No, you look good. Just eat.” Darius’s gaze stayed on her while she pondered what to say next, her slightly drowsy state wasn’t working in her favor.
“Will you explain to me why you’re staring?” Charlie raised an eyebrow again.
“After you eat first.” He nodded again. Her hunger and nausea battled for first place and she gave in to the hunger first. Charlie shook her head and popped a bite into her mouth. Oh, sweet heaven this is freaking good. Her dragon rumbled in agreement and she grabbed another bite. She didn’t care if it all came back up in a few hours, the steak tasted too good to pass up.
“This is good.” Charlie glanced around and didn’t recognize the city they were in. “Where are we?” She asked between bites.
“Elko, Nevada. A half hour flight from the other clan.” Darius adjusted in his seat.
“How long did I sleep?” she asked after swallowing a big chunk. Darius’s shoulder tensed up the more she ate but she ignored it for now.
“Right over five hours.” He motioned toward the clock. Charlie moved to grab another bite to find air. Her eyes fell to find a completely empty plate.
“Damn, I was really hungry. Thank you, Darius.” Charlie smiled at him.
“You’re welcome, kitten.” He moved to get out of the truck, but she grabbed his arm.
“Now tell me why you were watching me so closely.” Charlie raised one of her eyebrows to make it clear she wouldn’t let it go. He licked his lips like he was nervous, which surprised Charlie, never before had he acted nervous. Angry and an ass, yes, but never nervous. What the hell is going on?
“I just thought you’d like it.” He smiled but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. He moved out of the truck and strolled back into the steakhouse restaurant they were parked at. To her surprise, most of the nausea passed while she ate.
“Damn dragon.” Charlie yawned. She rolled her shoulder trying to wake up but her whole body acted sleep deprived. A few minutes passed, and Darius walked back with another plate, three more steaks resting on top. When the door opened, her mouth watered again.
“You’re eating the other two, right?” Charlie asked while he quickly cut up the meat and moved half of it onto her plate.
“We’ll see how hungry you are first.” Darius winked.
“Okay, something is different. Spill it.”
“Gerald called when you were asleep. I have to scout today so I won’t be able to take you to California right away.” Darius visibly swallowed.
“Okay. Am I coming with you then on the scout?” She popped a piece in her mouth.
“No!” Darius yelled, making Charlie jump. “Sorry. No, you’ll stay in the hotel where you’ll be safe.”
“I can take care of myself, Darius.” Charlie tried to calm her racing heart at his outburst. Part of her found it sexy with him trying to keep her safe but the other half didn’t want to be treated like a freaking glass doll.
Charlie kept eating and after her fourth steak, she felt full. “That one is all yours. I’m stuffed.” Charlie rubbed her tummy with a sigh and Darius watched her hand.
“Where is the hotel?” Charlie wouldn’t be staying for long. She would follow Darius, so she could know where the other clan resided. Charlie wanted a backup plan just in case living in the human world became too difficult since she now had a dragon.
Charlie
Darius moved out of sight from the city and Charlie tried her best to keep far enough behind to not arouse suspicion but most of the space was wide open. He had walked for an hour out of Elko.
He suddenly stopped, and Charlie’s foot hit a damn rock.
“Shit,” she hissed and cursed herself as Darius turned.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he growled.
“I need to know where the other clan is so if something happens in California I have a backup place to go.” Charlie glared at him.
“This is so fucking dangerous, Charlie. You’re…” He strolled toward her but stopped talking.
“I’m what? Please tell me what I am. It’s not like-” She stopped talking as a large dragon came out from a cloud heading right for them. She swallowed hard trying to find the right words. Darius blocked her from the incoming dragon making it hard for her to look around and see where it was.
The golden dragon landed with a thud and Charlie grasped onto Darius’s arms. She may be pissed at him, but her dragon had faith in him protecting her.
“Who is that?” Charlie’s voice shook. The dragon shifted and folded his arms in front of his chest. Hot damn! If she wasn’t falling for Darius, she would have been drooling over the new dragon. She kept her gaze on his chest and face, but her dragon warned her not to meet his eyes. Charlie wasn’t going to challenge the other dragon, so she listened to her beast.
“I’m Magnis, the alpha of these parts. Is the brother of the tundra dragons coming to spy or to switch sides?”
“Neither,” Darius said quickly.
“Then why are you here in my territory?” Magnis growled low. Panic surged through her body, she placed her forehead on Darius’s back.
“It’s my fault. I wanted to fly and I’m new to the dragon rules. I thought we could fly here since it’s miles away from the city.” Charlie slowly moved to the side for Magnis to see her, but Darius moved her back to keep her blocked. Magnis raised one of his eyebrows.
“I would like to talk to her and not through you, Darius.” Magnis paused but Darius didn’t move a muscle. “Move to the side so I can see her, or are you here to fight me?”
Darius ground his teeth together and slowly pulled Charlie to his side. “This is my mate, Charlie. We were going to her home to pick up some stuff.”
Charlie blinked a few times, she wondered if he lied about picking up her stuff. I’m not going to get my hopes up! she reminded herself.
“The drive has been pretty long, and I wanted to fly for a bit. My dragon’s a bit restless.”
“Well, this place isn’t for outsiders to fly. You need to keep your dragon in until you get back to the tundra.” Magnis’s eyes were completely focused on Charlie. She lowered her gaze to his chest. The pulse from this alpha scared both sides of her. Something was off with the alpha in front of her, but she wouldn’t mention it. No, she wanted to live past this whole ordeal.
“Why so long?” Charlie glanced at Darius then Magnis.
“Because my clan might see it as a threat.” He scratched his chin. Charlie resisted the sudden urge to laugh.
“How on earth can I be a threat to you?” Charlie asked before her human side regained her senses and shut her mouth. Magnis advanced on Charlie but Darius blocked his path.
“Don’t do anything stupid, Magnis. She’s my mate, and she’s pregnant. I will defend her to my last breath.” Darius spoke low. The alpha narrowed his eyes at Darius. Wait, did he just say ‘pregnant’? Charlie’s mind scrambled to make sense of Darius’s words but Magnis’s voice broke her focus.
“Is Stella pregnant?” Magnis hissed out the question.
“Yes. Due in the next week or two,” Darius said with a quick nod. Charlie wondered why Magnis would ask about Stella and her baby.
“Get your mate out of here before she says something stupid.” Magnis glared at Darius. “We will be seeing you during the Summer Solstice when we can fly without the hunters seeing.” He walked back before shifting. Darius grabbed Charlie’s hand, and they headed back to town. She fumbled a few times as her mind wrapped around what just happened. Charlie opened her mouth, but Darius shook his head, keeping her quiet. She kept her head down and her dragon listened to Magnis fly farther away. When she stopped hearing the beat of his wings, her patience for not having answers vanished.
Charlie stopped, and Darius turned toward her. She needed to process his comment on her being pregnant. Barely resisting the urge to touch her stomach she raised her gaze to meet his. She opened her mouth, but the words didn’t want to come out. Snapping it closed, Charlie swallowed hard and wanted to try again.
“You did a good job, Charlie.” He pulled her into a hug and she relaxed into his embrace.
“Did you really mean it when you said I’m pregnant?” She placed her hand on her stomach, the urge too great to ignore any more.
“Yes. I had planned on telling you when I got back.” Darius scratched the back of his head. Uncertainty filling his gaze.
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” She threw up her hands, all the damn nausea now made sense. Why didn’t I go get a freaking test instead of following Darius into the desert?
“I was afraid you would run before I had the chance to explain.”
“Explain what? You’ve made it clear you don’t want me.” Charlie shook her head and took a few paces toward town.
“What if I’ve changed my mind?” Darius raised his eyebrow. Charlie turned, and he quickly caught up to her, his hand wrapped around her waist. She liked the feel of his hands on her. Her dragon rubbed against the edge trying to get closer to Darius, but Charlie mentally shook her. I’m not staying with him because I’m carrying his child.
“Just because I’m pregnant doesn’t fix the problem between us. You made it clear you don’t want a mate.” Charlie moved out of his grasp and started walking again.
“Maybe I don’t want you to go back to California,” Darius said, and she stopped.
“If you’re only wanting to be with me because I’m pregnant, then you’ll end up hating me when the baby gets older. Trust me. It’s not worth it.” Charlie shook her head and tried her hardest to keep her resolve. Tears began to fall down her face. Memories of her parents flooded into her mind. Her heartbroken mother was always depressed when Charlie’s father left.
“What do you mean it’s not worth it?” Darius reached for her, but she moved back.
“Darius, I’m falling in love with you and if you just up and leave me later, I will be so heartbroken. I saw the same thing happen to my mother.” Charlie wiped the tears away. “She gave herself to my dad and when I turned ten, my dad said he couldn’t keep pretending to be happy and he walked away.”
“Dragon’s don’t do that,” Darius growled low. He adjusted his weight like he was uncomfortable, but Charlie didn’t care at this moment.
“Then where is your father, Darius?” she spat out and instantly she regretted her words as the pain filled his gaze.
“My father died in an accident.” Darius looked at the ground. “Zane had been driving the pickup and Gerald and I were following in the other truck. They crashed but we couldn’t save him. There had been too many humans around for him to shift so he drowned.”
“I’m so sorry.” Charlie placed her hand over her mouth. More tears fell down her face.
Darius took a deep breath. Charlie didn’t know what to say. Charlie tried her best to keep her emotions in check. One moment she was happy the next she wanted to cry. Her dragon wanted nothing more than to go back to the cold tundra and live with Darius, but her heart wasn’t sure about it.
She knew one thing was clear, she had to be strong and make sure he wanted her for her, not just because of the baby.
Darius
“We should get back to the hotel, so you can get some rest, Charlie.” Darius knew Magnis watched them while he flew above the clouds. He would have to try something else tomorrow after he made sure Charlie stayed at the hotel.
“How can I be pregnant so quick? I mean, it could be food poisoning.” Charlie glanced at Darius. Her hand moved over her stomach. Images of her swelling up made his heart tighten. He wanted to be there for all of it. When he caught her scent change and the way her stomach had calmed while eating the steaks, he knew what came next. He had never given much thought to being a father and now he would have a small innocent dragonling in his arms in three months.
“Dragon’s don’t get food poisoning. Plus, you devoured those rare steaks.” Darius knew right then he couldn’t let her go. The child she carried had been the wake-up call he needed.
“They weren’t that rare.” Charlie shook her head but then stopped and met his gaze.
“Oh, they were rare. I had to convince the cook they were for a werewolf who could handle it.” Darius had laughed at the chef when he scrambled back at the word werewolf, but he kept it professional. The large tip helped keep him civil as well. “If only he knew who he was actually talking to.” A small laugh left his lips and Charlie smiled.
“You can be intimidating some days,” Charlie sighed.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Darius puffed out his chest and Charlie laughed. He enjoyed hearing her laugh even at his expense.
“Thank you for protecting me from Magnis. I don’t know what came over me. My dragon does want to get out and fly but I think she can hold on a bit longer.” Charlie rolled her shoulders. Darius liked the sway of her hips as she walked.
“She probably feels it too.” Darius’s own dragon put images of her body changing as their dragonling grew in her tummy.
“Feels what?” Charlie took in a sharp breath, her mouth tight but then after a moment she let go and relaxed. He still couldn’t believe how quickly she had wiggled under his skin and opened up his heart to her.
“Your dragon feels the baby growing. Stella has been flying every other night since she became pregnant.” Darius moved a bit closer. He wanted to her to understand his side.
“I see.” She rocked. He didn’t want to push her too much, but he hated how uncomfortable she seemed.
“I would like to carry you.” Darius placed his hand on her back. The connection between then had grown too strong for Darius to push away. Maybe I can love her without being weak. The idea rolled around in his mind.
“I’m surprised you haven’t hauled me over your shoulder cave man style.” Charlie shook her head.
“I may be a dragon but I’m not a barbarian.” Darius narrowed his eyes then smiled. If she wanted to go back for her things he would go with her, but he wouldn’t let her stay there. With every breath, he realized how much he needed her to stay around.
“Fine, you can carry me, only because my feet are hurting.”
Darius lifted her up with ease and strode toward town again. Her sugary scent put his dragon at ease. He had stood up to an alpha dragon to protect her and would do it all over again to prove himself to her. He needed to convince her he had changed his mind.
Charlie leaned into his embrace and he heard her sniff his shirt. She closed her eyes and within minutes she passed out. A light chuckle left Darius while he walked toward his truck.
While he walked, he allowed himself to imagine what it would be like to have Charlie at home with a little baby in her arms. The drive back to the hotel was quick and even when he put her on the bed, she let go of a light snore or two while he ordered her food.
He sat on the bed next to her watching her sleep as he pondered different ways to prove himself to her.
Someone knocked on the door and he jumped up to get her food. Her eyes fluttered open as he set it down on the little table.
“Come on, you need to eat.” Darius motioned for her to come over.
“But I liked my dream.” Charlie rolled over, but her stomach growled. She kicked her feet on the bed to pretend to throw a tantrum.
“Oh, what was it about?” Darius asked. Charlie stopped moving, her face peeked up through the sheets to meet his gaze.
“Nothing. Just something calm and peaceful.” Charlie’s heart skipped a beat and Darius really wanted to know what she had dreamed about.
“Well, we need to talk some more, Charlie.” Darius sat at the little makeshift table/desk thing and lifted the cover.
“Damn you.” Charlie scooted off the bed and joined him. She pushed her finger into the potatoes and popped it into her mouth. “I can cut my own meat this time.” Charlie pulled her plate toward the side where the other chair rested.
After a few moments of eating in silence, Charlie sighed with relief when her stomach stopped making noises. Darius liked how quickly she ate her meal. He didn’t want her to start vomiting again. He wanted to talk but kept his mouth shut and waited for her.
“So, what would you like to talk about?” Charlie kept eating but Darius stopped.
“I-” A tap on the door made Darius stop talking. He stood and walked to the door.
“Did you order more food?” Charlie asked just as the door banged open. Some kind of blue powder came toward Darius and he barely missed it hitting him in the face. Dragon’s breath, hunters! Shade flew through the air toward Charlie. It hit her in the arm and she screamed which sent his dragon into a rage. Darius mentally cursed the witch who made the damn powder. If inhaled, it knocked out the dragon side of the shifter, which was painful as hell. For around twenty-four hours the dragon wouldn’t be able to shift no matter how hard he or she tried. He backed up to block off their sight of his mate.
“What the hell?” Charlie yelled.
“They need to breathe it in, you idiots.” An older man shook his head, he stood behind three young men. They were all tall and muscular, but nothing compared to Darius.
“What do you want?” Charlie asked.
“To kill you, my dear. Your blood is very valuable.” He grinned, and Darius’s stomach tightened. “You shouldn’t have left the blasted clan a few miles away.” He clicked his tongue twice before a nasty grin took over his face. Then two men moved for Darius and the other tried to go for Charlie. I really hate fucking hunters!
Darius
Darius smashed his fist into one of the hunter’s faces and the sound of bone cracking made his dragon happy. It had been months since he fought against the hunters and the last guys were much more organized than these punks. One guy ran past him for his mate and a roar left his lips.
A blonde male threw a punch, but Darius dodged it easily enough. A crash sounded behind him and he turned to see Charlie pointing a knife at her attacker. The only brunet male grabbed more Shade and tried to get Darius to inhale it. Darius knocked his hand away and punched the guy in the gut, making him gasp for air. The Shade fell to the floor.
Darius wondered why he didn’t hear cop cars coming to the hotel until he spotted a pendant on the old man’s neck, the hunters’ symbol with a blue cross, which meant he was on the police force. The blonde kicked Darius, but it felt like a kid doing it.
“You might want to leave now before I have to kill you all,” Darius growled low. He wouldn’t stop till all of them were dead for threatening his mate and unborn child.
“Keep on going, you idiots,” the older hunter barked out his orders and they both swung at the same time. Darius stepped back and avoided the attacks, but his legs hit the bed. Charlie gasped, and Darius was ready to help her when her attacker whimpered in pain. Drops of blood hit the floor.
A scream left Charlie’s mouth, and he turned to see the Shade on her face. She fell to the ground and kicked out in pain. An even louder roar vibrated in his chest. Darius punched the blonde harder than before, knocking him across the room and into the wall. He slumped down like a rag doll.
The brunet stumbled back and grabbed for more of the powder. This time Darius grabbed his hand and shoved the mix into the hunter’s face. It wouldn’t hurt them like it hurt dragons, but the hunter still coughed.
“Grab the girl,” the older hunter spoke, and Darius turned to see Charlie’s attacker had been moving toward him. He glared at him and smoked funneled from his nose. Charlie still kicked and cried out in pain, making his dragon rage against the barrier.
Darius elbowed the brunet in the face, making him stumble back. The knife he had used to eat rested on the bed next to Darius. Smoke plumed from his nose. He grabbed the blade and ran it across Charlie’s attacker’s throat. He gasped for air as blood poured down his neck.
“Darius,” Charlie gasped out. He glanced at her and she passed out on the floor. Darius turned and threw the dripping blade at the older hunter’s head. It hit true, and the man collapsed. The brunet struggled to his feet.
“He said this would be easy money.” The male shook like a leaf.
“Hunting a dragon like me is never easy.” Darius grabbed the man’s face and head-butted him, leaving him unconscious. When he didn’t hear more hunters coming into the room, he ran to his mate. Her breathing came out slow and steady while her heart's strong beat calmed him down.
“I’ve got you, my mate.” Darius pulled her into his arms and grabbed the car keys. He wouldn’t stay here any longer and he wanted to be home. Once Charlie was secure in the back seat, he ran up to their room and moved the dead hunter inside, grabbed their bags, and ran back to his mate. He didn’t want to be away from her for more than a minute. Especially with her being completely vulnerable.
He cursed the hunters for ruining his night. Darius had planned on telling Charlie how he felt about her. How he had grown to really care for her and he didn’t want her to go back to California.
Darius started the truck and headed back north. He grabbed his phone after a few miles on the highway and called his brother.
“What’s up?” Gerald’s calm came through the phone, but Darius knew it would change in a heartbeat.
“I wasn’t able to get much information. All I know for sure is he is, going a little crazy. He asked about Stella and if she was pregnant.” Darius searched the rearview mirror for signs of more hunters following them.
“What the hell happened, Darius? You need to keep trying, we need to know the size of their clan,” Gerald growled.
“Gerald, Charlie is pregnant. Hunters just attacked us at the hotel, and Magnis himself had been patrolling his area. There is no way in hell I’m leaving Charlie in another hotel room when the hunters knew we were in town. And I can’t very well fly under the radar with her.” Darius looked back at her sleeping form.
“Charlie is pregnant?” Gerald asked. Darius’s dragon wagged his tail like a dog. Really, you’re going to act like a dog right now? He wanted to glare at his beast.
“Is it really all you heard brother?” Darius yelled over the phone.
“No, I heard the rest. Sorry, it will be nice to have a little one for ours to play with when they get older, of course.” Gerald sounded off and mushy.
“You’re unbelievable.”
“No, brother. You’re a dick for thinking you could mate with Charlie and take her back to California and leave her there,” Gerald’s firm voice came back. Darius glanced at Charlie then turned back to the road.
“I don’t know what you’re talking-” Denying it seemed like the better plan but Gerald stopped him.
“Save it. Mother had been listening in on you the night before you left and told me everything. You really think your dragon will let her go?” Gerald scolded him. His dragon shook his head in Darius’s mind.
“I don’t want to let go anymore. I just didn’t realize it until…” His voice died. He hated the fact it took her carrying his child to bring him to his senses.
“Until what? You knocked her up? How well did she take that?” Gerald huffed. Under normal circumstances, Darius would have deflected but his ego had already been bruised. What he did next would make or break his world with her choice.
“Not so great.” Darius shook his head. He had been downright stupid and now he would pay for it. Darius needed to think of something to tell her what he actually wanted.
“Where are you at now?” Gerald sighed.
“We are on our way back home. I’ll talk to Charlie once she wakes up. I need to convince her I didn’t want a mate, but I do now.”
“Word of advice, brother, don’t make it seem like it’s all because of the baby. Amanda has been filling me in on some stories about her. She doesn’t seem like the type of woman to stick with a guy just because a kid is involved.”
“Noted.” Darius already knew this information, but he liked how his brother wanted to check up on him.
“Well, drive safe, Darius. I can’t wait to see the hotel bill from your last place.”
“Hey, Charlie needed some steaks and they aren’t cheap,” Darius chuckled as he said goodbye to his brother. He needed some kind of plan to win Charlie over. His dragon nodded in agreement.
Magnis
Magnis’s dragon roared and breathed fire into the cloudy night. No humans would see him for miles and it’s how it needed to be. Conrad, one of the dragon’s he trusted just came home from Asia in search for a mate for Magnis. He needed a mate to calm his beast but so far nothing worked. When he tried going back to the witches to release some of the fucking tension, his dick refused to get hard.
Hearing Darius confirm his worst fear that Stella had indeed conceived with Gerald made his dragon roar. Deep down he knew going to war with Gerald was a risk, but he felt like his mate remained in the damn tundra.
The feeling grew stronger over the last few days and Magnis didn’t fucking understand the freaking strong pull. Once a dragon mated, the dragon was off the market so to speak, and yet his beast didn’t want to listen to reason. A week after the Summer Solstice rested his fifty-ninth birthday and if he went a full human year more, Magnis feared he would destroy his own clan.
His claws dug into the dirt as he stared at the stars above. Our mate is out there, we just need more freaking time. He reminded his beast, but he shook his head and took to the air. After a few beats of his wings, Magnis’s internal compass told him which direction his dragon headed.
Damn it! Stella is fucking pregnant and taken, you idiot. Magnis mentally kicked his beast, but the dragon didn’t give a shit. His territory inched closer and Magnis surged forward, shifting in the air. His dragon took back over before he landed on the hard ground. His tail thumped onto the dirt and he started to take off just as Magnis regained control.
He hit the earth this time from eight feet in the air. His fist slammed into the ground and a growl vibrated through his whole body.
“Keep this shit up and I will keep you inside until the fucking battle.” Magnis stood and winced as he put pressure on his knee. He looked down and found the kneecap wasn’t in the right place.
“Stupid fucking dragon.” Magnis sat and reset his knee then waited a few minutes for it to heal completely.
Car lights hit his eyes, and he turned to see Lucas’s pickup hauling ass toward Magnis. Lucas climbed out and tossed a pair of jeans at Magnis. Tonight, Lucas patrolled the northern half of their border. Magnis thanked his limited luck Lucas patrolled tonight instead of Tajon or even his sister Petra.
“Did he do it again?” Lucas raised his eyebrow.
“He’s acting like a spoiled little shit,” Magnis growled. Lucas may not be his blood, but the man was the closest thing he had to a brother. He kept very little from Lucas and the man kept his secrets.
“I’m sorry about Asia being a bust. The chick really seemed to be strong enough.” Lucas shook his head. Magnis tested his knee before pulling on the jeans. Memories of video chatting with the female dragon Lucas talked about came to his mind. Trisha had short black hair and dark brown eyes which never met his gaze.
The woman had no alpha in her what so ever. Even after the second video chat, she had become so restless she left the computer and never contacted him again. She had been the only female dragon even close to his age.
“She acted like I was about to come through the freaking screen and attack her.” Magnis shook his head. Lucas laughed at Magnis’s comment and nodded.
“She called Conrad, and it only lasted a minute. Her mate will be a big wimp like her.” Lucas laughed some more.
“You never told me that.” Magnis walked over and climbed into the large pickup truck. Lucas had used all of his extra cash to make the truck as close to one of those apocalyptic trucks as possible. Magnis thought his second had a screw loose but didn’t say anything about his ‘baby.’
“Have you reconsidered going to war with Gerald’s clan, alpha?”
“I can’t. I can feel my mate is up there. Maybe I should go up there and get Stella myself.”
“Stella is probably pregnant by now.” Lucas shook his head. Magnis nodded quickly, the uneasy sensation settled into his stomach. He had no clue how to explain this need to go to the damn tundra again. His dragon clawed at the barrier and tried to surface even in the truck.
Calm down, I will never hear the end of it if we ruin Lucas’s truck! He pushed his dragon back, and the beast paced in Magnis’s mind. Magnis didn’t need more problems on his plate but his dragon didn’t give a damn.
“I know you need a mate and fast but wouldn’t a human work well enough.” Lucas brought up this point after they had left the tundra. After hearing it for the almost eighth time, the words were starting to grate on Magnis’s nerves.
“My mate needs to be strong and most humans are not strong enough to rule a clan of dragons.” Magnis shook his head. No, he needed a dragon mate. One with fire and a willingness to stand up to him.
He really needed an alpha female dragon like Stella, she was strong and brave and freaking rare as hell.
“No, I will need to convince Stella to come with me.” Magnis shoved his hands through his hair. Or when he went up there see if any of the other dragons there was his mate. His dragon liked the idea of going back to the home with a strong woman on his arm.
Magnis hoped he would find his mate freaking soon.
Charlie
Charlie’s head pulsed behind her eyeballs and she wanted to keep sleeping but her stomach and bladder weren’t having it. She opened her eyes to find herself in Darius’s room. She rubbed the back of her head and tried to figure out what woke her up.
“That fucking hurt!” Stella’s scream reached Charlie. She glanced down to see her belly had swelled up even under the large shirt she had on. Looks like I won’t need to pee on a stick to double check. She blinked a few times as her eyes took in the small bump.
“Drink some water,” Darius’s low rumble sounded from the right and she turned to see him. He extended his hand with a large glass of water.
“How did you drive home so fast?” Charlie was happy to be back but still hesitant on if Darius would really want her for more than what grew in her belly. Her heart wouldn’t be able to handle it.
“I might have booked a private flight from Idaho, so we arrived before Stella delivered.” Darius shrugged.
“What about me going home?” Charlie took a long sip of the water.
“I can’t let you go, Charlie.” Darius moved onto the bed and placed his hand on her belly. “I never before wanted to be a dad until I realized you were carrying our dragonling. I never wanted a mate until you showed me how much I cared for you.”
He shoved his hand through his hair and met her gaze. Love for the stubborn dragon filled her heart. It had been the moment she had been hoping for. Other than the screams of pain, it was perfect.
“When you were lying there unconscious from the Shade, my dragon was ready to burn everything to the ground and when Magnis threatened you, I was ready to take on an alpha to make sure you were okay.” Darius lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles.
Charlie liked hearing this and her heart warmed up to the idea of having him in her life forever. The screaming stopped, and Charlie worried about Stella.
“So, you’re not wanting to be with me just because of this little one?” Charlie placed her hand over his. She still struggled with the idea of carrying a freaking dragon baby. Charlie also didn’t want to do it alone if she didn’t have to.
“I want you to stay here. Deep down, I didn’t want to admit that I love you, Charlie. My dragon knew the moment he saw you almost die.”
Charlie wanted to cry and then the door opened. Ann walked in holding a small bundle of blankets. A tiny hand appeared, and Charlie’s heart squeezed tightly.
“Please welcome Ian Baudin, the newest member of the clan.” Ann smiled and handed him to Darius. Amanda followed close behind but rounded Ann to give Charlie a hug.
“Nice timing, Mom.” Darius shook his head and smiled at Ian.
“I’m proud my stubborn son finally grew up and I have you, Charlie, to thank for that.” Ann leaned in and hugged Charlie. “Now you grow, little one. Grandma Ann wants some more grandbabies to spoil.” She winked, making Charlie laugh.
Darius’s eyes held a glimpse of fear while he handed Ian over to Charlie. The little guy had his mother’s red hair and his dad’s chin.
“He is precious.” Charlie stared at the newborn while he stretched and yawned. A small little cry left his lips. In a quick few months, she would be able to hold one of her own.
“I think it’s time to feed him. Charlie, if you need something you let me know.” Ann shifted Ian into her arms and smiled down at her grandson.
“How are you?” Guilt filled Charlie for not checking in on her best friend sooner.
“I’m doing better. I think staying here has helped a little, plus Ann has kept me busy.” Amanda smiled. “I’ll let you two talk, then come find me later.” Amada pulled her into another hug and walked out with Ann. Charlie climbed out of bed and ran for the bathroom to relieve herself. When she looked in the mirror again she saw just how much change her little one changed her body.
“Wow.” Charlie rubbed her belly with a smile on her face. In less than three months she would have a little baby like Ian and excitement rolled through her system. When she walked out to the bedroom Darius held a large dinner plate with tons of food.
“I figured you should eat.” He smiled and set down the plate on the bed. “Don’t worry, this time we shouldn’t be interrupted.” He smiled.
Just after the words left his mouth Zane opened the door and ran for Charlie, pulling her into a hug. “Thank you for coming back.” He kissed her cheek making Darius growl.
“Well, thank you for the warm welcome.” Charlie smiled but Darius didn’t look happy.
“Zane,” Darius growled low. Zane let go of Charlie and took a small step back.
“I give you props for dealing with his aggressive attitude. Now get some sleep, sister.” Zane bounced out of the bedroom and closed the door behind him.
Charlie climbed into bed and ate her meal while chatting with Darius. It felt nice to have someone like him in her life. A strong dragon to have her back no matter what.
“I have one more question to ask you before I completely agree to stay.” Charlie dabbed her mouth with her napkin. He had laid his heart out for her and now it would be her turn to do the same.
“What is it, my mate?” Darius looked up at her from his food. Her heart clenched at his word mate, and a tear did fall down her cheek. She quickly brushed it away and steadied her gaze on him. Charlie and her dragon agreed to take the leap of faith into love and adventure with him. They were both completely ready for it. His shoulders were tense as she made him wait for a moment.
“How many kids are you wanting?” Charlie raised an eyebrow, holding back a smile. Darius’s whole body relaxed in his seat with a smile lighting up his face. Those eyes of his sparkled with mischief.
“Well, as you should know, dragons can only have children once a year if that so, for the next five years we can try.” He shrugged nonchalantly.
“Five kids?” Her eyes widened. Darius laughed. Her mind had been blown with one kiddo.
“I’m kidding. I don’t care how many dragonlings we have as long as you’re right at my side, Charlie.” Darius leaned in and kissed her. Charlie pushed her plate to the side and wiggled in to kiss him better. Her core clenched with anticipation. In her own way, she had tamed a dragon. Before she left California if she had been asked about dragons she would have thought of the books like ‘Eragon’, all in fantasy. Now she had one within her and a strong sexy dragon mate who wanted her.
“Well, there is one thing you owe me.” She tapped her finger to her lips.
“Anything.” He set his plate to the side then met her gaze.
“I came up here to see the northern lights but never managed to get a really good view of them.” Charlie smiled, and his face brightened up.
“I know the best place, I will take you once you’re settled.” He winked and her whole body warmed up.
She had everything she ever wanted and some things she hadn’t even dreamed of. Darius would be her adventure of a lifetime and they had the rest of their lives to love each other. Love filled her heart and heat took over her body.
“I want to be on top this time.” Charlie rolled Darius onto his back and he grinned from ear to ear.
“I think I’m okay with that.” Darius lifted her shirt off her body and leaned up to kiss each tender breast. “I will protect you and care for you no matter what, kitten.” His eyes flashed black, and she knew both man and dragon were finally in harmony.
“I promise to love you no matter how stubborn you can be.” Charlie leaned down and kissed him. Everything had settled into place and her new dragon was completely at peace. She had found her adventure of a lifetime.
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Zane
The Tundra Series-Book Three
Coming in June 2018
Ever since she was little, she wanted to be a writer but doubters said that it would be impossible to make money at it. She is pushing herself hard to show them they are wrong.
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