“Does this bad-tempered bastard also have dragon DNA in his blood?” It wouldn’t surprise Vaughn to learn that Nikolai did; after all, the other man had earned the name of The Wolf because of his viciousness with all who crossed him or Gregori Markovic.
“Some,” Viktor confirmed. “Not enough to ever shift into dragon or prolong your life,” he told a for-once-speechless Nikolai. “But it’s definitely there.”
“And Anastasia?” Vaughn waited tensely for his brother to answer.
Viktor smiled widely. “The presence of dragon DNA is much stronger in Anastasia’s blood.”
The happiness that flooded through Vaughn was reflected in Anastasia as she sat up from where she was sitting on his lap, her head having been resting against his chest. It seemed to have become her favorite place to be, and Vaughn wasn’t complaining about that at all.
“I’m really your mate,” she breathed excitedly, her beautiful eyes joyfully alight.
Vaughn hadn’t really doubted it, but the relief of knowing he could be with Anastasia without hurting her was—
“Not so fast, dragon,” Nikolai cut in dryly, obviously having regained his voice. “As Anastasia’s uncle, I’ll need to ask the usual questions regarding your intentions and circumstances before I can agree to—”
“Fuck off, Nikolai.” Vaughn didn’t even spare the other man a glance as he stared at Anastasia with all the love, along with his ecstatic dragon, threatening to burst out of his chest.
Anastasia chuckled, her hand a soothing caress down Vaughn’s cheek before she rose to her feet to cross the room to stand in front of Nikolai. “It’s so very good to meet you, Uncle.”
After being without family all her life, it was taking time for that connection to sink in, let alone be believed.
She had an uncle.
Not just an uncle, but also an aunt-by-marriage and two young cousins.
The blood tests had proven the Volkov family was her family.
Not only that, but once she became Vaughn’s mate, his large family would also become her family.
It was overwhelming, after so many years of being alone, to suddenly have all the family she had ever dreamed of.
So overwhelming that she instantly burst into tears.
“Stay where you are, dragon,” Nikolai instructed gruffly as Vaughn would have crossed the room. “It’s so very good to meet you too, niece,” he added huskily as he drew Anastasia into his strong arms and held her as she sobbed with happiness. “And you will be answering to me before I allow you to mate with my niece.” He looked over his shoulder to warn Vaughn, only the laughter in his eyes to show that he wasn’t being serious. “I can’t wait to tell those arrogant Pendragon bastards that I have some dragon DNA too.”
Anastasia’s sobs instantly turned to laughter.
She had a feeling there was going to be a lot of that in her life from now on.
Laughter.
Happiness.
Most precious of all, Vaughn as her mate. Forever.
“I know you’ve only just found him, but if we hadn’t left when we did, I might have been tempted to kill your uncle,” Vaughn admitted when he and Anastasia were finally able to leave the Volkovs’ house at almost midnight.
No way was Vaughn commencing their mating within hearing of the arrogant, and now highly protective-of-his-niece, Nikolai Volkov!
Not that Vaughn viewed that as a bad thing. He welcomed anyone and everyone who was protective of Anastasia. Especially when he could see how much Nikolai loved her already. Vaughn just knew Nikolai was enjoying himself far too much at his expense.
Anastasia had also spoken to Leonid Antipov during the evening, explaining Lev’s actions and asking for Irina to take over the role of Odette for the following week. The hot glance Anastasia gave Vaughn as she made that last request told him exactly how she hoped they would be spending that week.
It wasn’t a hope, as far as Vaughn was concerned. It was a promise.
“You’ll get used to him,” Anastasia teased. “Are we going somewhere I can see your dragon?” Her face lit up with excitement.
Vaughn chuckled. “I spoke to the Pendragon brothers earlier to tell them our good news—and Nikolai’s, as they’re friends of his,” he added dryly. “Grigor very kindly offered us a suite of rooms in Pendragon Castle for the duration of our mating. If you would like that?”
“I would love to meet all the dragons and their mates.”
“Especially Chloe?”
She nodded. “Her books are amazing.”
“You do realize she’ll be writing about us next?”
Color brightened Anastasia’s cheeks. “Well…I’m maybe not so excited about that.”
“We can go somewhere else—”
“No,” she assured quickly. “Chloe is going to write about us anyway, right?” She shrugged.
He nodded. “The Pendragons have placed protection from humans around the castle, and the local people are compelled not to see their dragons. Going to Wales means we can change into our dragons after our mating.”
Anastasia hadn’t been able to contain the excitement building inside her since the moment Viktor had confirmed that she had the dragon DNA in her blood.
By the time they reached Wales, Vaughn having preferred to drive them rather than risk having his dragon seen, the sun was rising, giving her a beautiful view of the starkness that was Pendragon Castle set up on the hillside, with the sea glittering in the bay beside it.
She felt as if she already knew all the Pendragon brothers. from Chloe’s books. Nevertheless, it was still a little daunting to suddenly be faced with so many men six and a half feet high, especially when she knew they could all shift into fierce dragons. Their human mates were also exactly as Chloe had described them, warm and welcoming. So much so that by the time she and Vaughn were shown to their private suite of rooms, Anastasia was feeling more than a little overwhelmed.
Having Vaughn step out onto the wide and purpose-built balcony outside their bedroom and watching as his body first shimmered and then transformed into the most beautiful dragon she had ever seen was enough to make her knees weak.
Vaugh’s dragon stood over twenty feet tall, his black scales glistening iridescently as he moved. His head was wide and proud, his eyes the same green as Vaughn’s. Razor-sharp teeth filled his mouth, the talons Vaughn had previously shown her now at least four inches long at the ends of what were now claws.
“You’re so beautiful,” Anastasia murmured as she stepped forward to cautiously reach out and touch those glistening scales on what would have been Vaughn’s chest when he was human. “Was that your dragon purring?” She gasped at the feel of rumbling beneath her palm. Another, longer and louder rumble provided a positive answer.
“We both adore your touch.” The dragon spoke with a voice much like Vaughn’s, only deeper.
“This is amazing.” Anastasia looked at him with awe. “I am so honored to meet you both and to be your fated mate.”
The dragon’s mouth opened wide and a triumphant roar filled the morning air before that black body began to shimmer and, seconds later, a fully dressed Vaughn once against stood in front of her. “The honor is all ours,” he assured warmly.
She eyed him coyly. “Can we become mates now?”
Vaughn chuckled at his mate’s obvious determination to become his even as her natural shyness caused her to blush at her forwardness. “It’s all I want too,” he assured as he leaned down to sweep her off her feet and into his arms before carrying her over to place her carefully on the bed.
She smiled up at him, her arms about his neck. “I wish I could make my clothes disappear as easily as— Whoa,” she gasped at suddenly finding herself completely naked.
“You’ll be able to do that for yourself once we’re mated,” Vaughn promised as he disappeared his own clothing. He moved to lie above her, his elbows taking the majority of his weight. “I love you, Anastasia,” he groaned as their bodies touched from chest to thigh
. “I love you so much, mate.”
“I love you too,” she echoed before their lips met and they both ceased to talk, only feel.
Seeking and claiming tongues
Hard muscles and silky skin.
Knowing and gentle hands.
Legs entwined.
And a pleasure that built and built until Vaughn’s compulsion to bite his mate became too much.
He raised his head to look down at Anastasia’s flushed face, her eyes fever bright.
“Bite me.” She tilted her head to the side, exposing the creamy length of her throat.
Bite.
Claim.
Mate.
Vaughn opened a vein in his own wrist first, ensuring the blood was flowing freely before offering it to Anastasia. It had to be a blood exchange for the mating to commence.
Anastasia didn’t hesitate, holding Vaughn’s gaze with her own as she lifted her head and latched her mouth onto his wrist.
Her senses were immediately sharpened as the taste of that earthy nectar invaded her taste buds.
She felt everything.
The brush of Vaughn’s fingers against her skin.
The perfection of his body lying along the length of hers.
Pure sensual delight as Vaughn’s teeth pierced the flesh at the base of her throat, followed by his groans of pleasure as he sucked and swallowed down the warm essence of her blood.
Minutes later, his mouth released her before the stroke of his tongue resealed the skin. He quickly did the same with his own wrist before looking down at her with those flames burning brightly in the depths of his eyes.
“Take me, Vaughn,” she encouraged throatily. “Take me now.” She arched her body up into his.
She barely felt the loss of her virginity as Vaughn carefully slid his cock slowly but surely into the slickness of her channel, filling her totally as his cock swelled and locked inside her, uniting them until there was no longer a Vaughn and an Anastasia, only an us.
An us they both knew would last forever.
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About the Author
Carole Mortimer is a USA Today Bestselling Author and recipient of the RWA Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award 2015, RT Career Achievement Award 2017, RT Pioneer for Romance Award 2014. She was also recognized by Queen Elizabeth II in 2012 for her ‘outstanding service to literature’. Carole has written over 265 contemporary, Regency and paranormal romance novels.
She is happily married to Peter. They have 6 sons, and live on the beautiful Isle of Man. She also loves to hear from Readers!
Other books by Carole Mortimer
Regency Scandal:
WANTON (Regency Scandal 1)
WILD (Regency Scandal 2)
More books to come in this series
Russian Dragon Heat
VLADIMIR (Russian Dragon Heat 1)
VAUGHN (Russian Dragon Heat 2)
VIKTOR (Russian Dragon Heat 3)
More books to come in this series.
Regency Club Venus:
Bastian’s Surrender (Regency Club Venus 1)
Gabriel’s Torment (Regency Club Venus 2)
Benedict’s Challenge (Regency Club Venus 3)
Julius’s Passion (Regency Club Venus 4)
James’s Lady (Regency Club Venus 5)
Series now complete.
Dance with the Devil Series:
MATTEO (Dance with the Devil 1)
LEON (Dance with the Devil 2)
KILLIAN (Dance with the Devil 3)
JERICHO (Dance with the Devil 4)
Regency Men in Love M/M (Written as C A Mortimer)
Hidden Lover (Regency Men in Love 1)
Hidden Desire (Regency Men in Love 2)
More books to come in this series.
Regency Lovers Series:
INDECENT (Regency Lovers 1)
OBSESSION (Regency Lovers 2)
CRAVING (Regency Lovers 3)
FORBIDDEN (Regency Lovers 4)
SURRENDER (Regency Lovers 5)
SCANDAL (Regency Lovers 6)
Series complete
Steele Protectors Series:
LOGAN (Steele Protectors 1)
ATTICUS (Steele Protectors 2)
BRYCE (Steele Protectors 3)
ROURKE (Steele Protectors 4)
HAYDN (Steele Protectors 5) Author’s 250th book
LUCAN (Steele Protectors 6)
Series Complete
Dragon Hearts – Contemporary paranormal
Nathaniel (Dragon Hearts 1)
Deryk (Dragon Hearts 2)
Bryn (Dragon Hearts 3)
Dylan (Dragon Hearts 4)
Grigor (Dragon Hearts 5)
Garrett (Dragon Hearts 6)
Aeran & Rhys (Dragon Hearts 7)
Dragon Reunion (Dragon Hearts 8)
Series Complete
Regency Sinners Series:
Wicked Torment (Regency Sinners 1)
Wicked Surrender (Regency Sinners 2)
Wicked Scandal (Regency Sinners 3)
Wicked Deception Regency Sinners 4)
Wicked Captive (Regency Sinners 5)
Wicked Temptation (Regency Sinners 6)
Wicked Sinner (Regency Sinners 7)
Wicked Christmas (Regency Sinners 8)
Series now complete.
Regency Unlaced Series:
The Duke’s Mistress (Book 1)
Claimed by the Marquis (Book 2)
Taken by the Earl (Book 3)
Pursued by the Viscount (Book 4)
Desired by a Lord (Book 5)
Captured by a Gentleman (Book 6)
Pleasured by a Duke (Book 7)
Seduced by a Marquis (Book 8)
Tamed by the Earl (Book 9)
Series now complete
Knight Security Series: Spin-off to ALPHA series
Resisting Alexandre (Knight Security 0.5)
Defying Asher (Knight Security 1)
Challenging Gabriel (Knight Security 2)
Capturing Caleb (Knight Security 3)
Tempting Zander (Knight Security 4)
Enticing Ian (Knight Security 5)
Seducing Ethan (Knight Security 6)
Series now complete
ALPHA Series:
Christmas Alpha (Alpha 1)
Dark Alpha (Alpha 2)
Shadow Alpha (Alpha 3) Author’s 200th Book
Midnight Alpha (Alpha 4)
Renegade Alpha (Alpha 5)
Warrior Alpha (Alpha 6)
Rogue Alpha (Alpha 7)
Savage Alpha (Alpha 8)
Series is now complete
Vaughn (Russian Dragon Heat 2) Page 11