The Bride Hunt Box Set: Books 1-3

by Charlene Hartnady

  What the hell did she say to that? “Um … okay. If you insist.”

  This time when he picked her up, she didn’t protest or try to wriggle free. Coal cradled her close and began to walk. Sheesh, but the guy was fast. The ground passed beneath them so fast she had to close her eyes to stop herself from feeling nauseous.

  “I’m glad that you were so upset about my leaving you.” His chest rumbled. “You didn’t want me to go, did you?”

  When she glanced up he was smiling.

  Jerk! “I … um … I didn’t want to be left out here all on my own, not with sore feet and a swollen knee. It had nothing to do with you per se.”

  “If you say so, female.” She could hear that he was still grinning.

  Let him smile. Whatever. She knew it had nothing to do with this arrogant caveman shifter. She didn’t know him. She didn’t trust him and she didn’t want anything to do with him.

  Julie planned on seeing her time here as a holiday. A little break from the real world. She’d have food in her belly and a roof over her head. In a couple of weeks, she would have to go back to Walton Springs and then she’d have to worry about her future. Not right now though. She hooked her arms around his neck. “No ideas,” she said.

  Coal chuckled softly, his chest vibrated.

  There was no room for a guy in her life. Besides, she was a city girl and she still needed to see the world. A hole in the ground in the middle of the mountains would not cut it, forget it.

  “There it is,” Coal said. “My lair.”

  Oh joy!

  Julie lifted her head from his shoulder. A sheer cliff loomed up ahead. It was immense and at a right angle from the ground. The views from up there must be breathtaking. She looked around the base. There must be a tunnel leading to his lair. She tried not to wrinkle her nose. At least it was a shelter. She’d experienced worse. At least they wouldn’t have to share with a whole lot of other shifters … she hoped. Julie took a deep breath. She would deal with whatever came her way.

  “Isn’t it beautiful?” Coal murmured, his voice filled with awe.

  “Sure,” she muttered, glancing up at him. Julie felt herself frown. Coal was looking up. Way up.

  She followed his line of sight, squinting as the sun caught her eyes. Something reflected. Surely rock wouldn’t reflect like that. There was another glint to the right and more across and above that first one. Then the whole top part of the cliff face glinted. What?

  Glass. It couldn’t be. Julie put a hand over the top of her eyes. Yes, it was glass. The whole upper half of the cliff was made up of enormous glass windows. “That’s your lair?” Her voice was filled with amazement. “Wow! The views must be spectacular,” she said, almost to herself.

  “Lair, castle …” he shrugged. “One and the same. We are dragons so I prefer to call it by the traditional term.”

  “F.Y.I, ‘lair’ does not do it justice.”

  “I’m going to put you down now,” he said, his arms tightening around her, which was at odds with what he had just said.

  “Okay.” Julie craned her neck to look back up at the tall cliff face. “How the hell do we get up there?”

  Coal chuckled. It was a rich sound. His dark eyes sparkled. She found herself smiling as well. “I am a dragon shifter.” His chest rumbled against her as he spoke.

  “And that means what exactly?” she asked, even though she could guess.

  “We are here.” He turned with his arms outstretched. “I am therefore permitted to shift and fly us to the top, unless you wish to hike around the mountain and slowly ascend from the other side. I estimate that it would take us …” his eyes moved upwards in thought, “two, maybe three days.”

  Julie swallowed thickly. She’d been carried by a dragon before ‒ twice. Once, she’d been unconscious and the second time she’d been blindfolded. She wasn’t sure she was ready to watch him … what was the right word for it? Change, maybe?

  “I will remain in complete control while in dragon form. I am an extension of my dragon and he of me. We are one and the same. You will be quite safe, I assure you.” He gently put her on her feet, keeping his hands on her hips.

  Julie still wasn’t sure. “You plan on picking me up and carrying me up there?” She pointed to where the windows were. Way, waaaay up there. Eagles probably built their nests on the window ledges. It was crazy high.

  Coal squeezed her hip. The gesture was strangely intimate. He pulled his lower lip between his teeth for a beat. “You do know that a dragon took you from up there to the drop-off point, right? You were up there just yesterday.”

  “Oh.” Really? “I didn’t know. We were kept in a room with no windows. We were blindfolded and treated like prisoners.”

  His eyes clouded and his jaw tensed. “I’m sorry. I will inform my king. Scarlet and Ash will pay for the lies they told you. I can’t imagine how afraid you must have been. No wonder you took such risks with your lives.” He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbed. “You are safe with me and will come to no harm.”

  Julie nodded once. “Okay then.” Could she trust him? What choice did she have?

  Coal released her hips. “I’m really big in my dragon form. I look fearsome but do not be afraid. Stand very still and I will pick you up in my talons. Do not panic. I will slowly ascend.” He took a step towards her. “I need to take you through the great hall as is tradition. There will be many males. You need to stay close. I may be challenged.”

  “Why would someone challenge you?”

  He looked solemn. “Females are scarce. Some of the males will be jealous and angry. They may try and take you for themselves.”

  Oh shit! Her heart skipped a beat or two before racing. “I thought you said I was safe. I don’t want some asshole taking me from you.” Some jerk who wouldn’t be as considerate. Maybe some other guy wouldn’t have any reservations about forcing her.

  “We are not without honor.” He put a finger under her chin and tilted it so that she was forced to look him in the eyes. Coal didn’t look worried. He looked eager and as arrogant as ever. “You carry my scent. Not as much as I would’ve liked but it should be enough to keep them away.”

  “Should be?” Julie didn’t like the sound of that. “That makes me nervous. How do we get more scent on me?”

  “Rutting is the best way,” Coal stated, matter-of-factly.

  Julie choked on her own saliva.

  “Touching, kissing, any type of contact.” He gave a one shouldered shrug. Like it was nothing.

  She sucked in a deep breath, her eyes watered a little. “Oh …” she squeaked. “Hopefully my sleeping in your arms will have been sufficient.”

  “I’m sure it will be.” He shrugged, like it didn’t matter to him. It should matter.

  “I don’t want someone else taking me. I’ve only just gotten used to you. I’ve only just started …” She wanted to say to trust him, but couldn’t bring herself to do it.

  He raised his brows. “You trust me?” He smiled.

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “But you were going to and I’m glad.” His voice deepened. “Stay very close. If someone makes the mistake of challenging me, I will fight them. You will need to move away if a fight breaks out. Don’t worry, I will make the male bleed.” His eyes seemed to darken. His frame tensed. “I will work quickly and effectively so that you will not be alone for long. I will make a good enough example so that there will be no more need to fight after that.”

  Holy hotness. Hearing about him making other guys bleed shouldn’t be this attractive. Was there something wrong with her? He was just so sure of himself. So damned sexy. It was a pity sex was off the table. If only he wasn’t double her size, in all ways.

  She realized that he was waiting for her to reply. “Okay. Sure thing. I’ll stay close and if anyone tries anything you’ll make them bleed.”

  He nodded. “Then you move away but only just until I’m done.”

  “Okay.” Her heart beat faster. Thi
s barbaric, caveman shit was pretty exciting, just as long as it ended with her being dropped off where they’d nabbed her she’d be happy.

  Coal finally nodded once before peeling his shorts off. It was like, one second they were there and the next they were gone.

  Hello cock!

  Hello big, thick, extra long cock. The guy was hung like an ox. No, he was hung like a dragon. He and his dragon were one and the same … um … yeah they were.

  “Julie,” a rough growl. “Don’t look at my dick like that. I’ll get hard and shifting is uncomfortable with a hard cock.”

  “Oh.” She tore her gaze off of him. “Sorry …” Her cheeks blazed. “No, actually I’m not … sorry that is. You can’t whip that thing out and expect me not to look.”

  He chuckled. “You can look at my cock any other time you want, just not right now.”

  Julie was staring at the ground. “I’d prefer it if you kept your pants on.”

  He chuckled some more. “I’m going to shift now. Please don’t be afraid.”

  “I won’t.” She hoped she wouldn’t be. She prayed she wouldn’t be but all bets were off. He was a wild beast underneath that human skin. A wild, overlarge reptile. A shiver ran through her. Fear and excitement. What a combination.

  There was a cracking, pulling sound. Like ropes being stretched to their breaking point. Julie had to look … how could she not? Her eyes flitted to where he was standing just a foot or two in front of her. Her neck craned as she watched him … expand, extend. Muscles rippled and roped. His skin broke out in scales. They were dazzling. The most beautiful hues of blue, green and even orange. Gold. There dozens of gold scales as well. They covered his chest ‒ which had begun to expand alarmingly.

  His jaw elongated, fangs burst forth. His limbs cracked as they extended. His tail … Oh my god, he has a tail. It lengthened. Wings sprang open. They were huge. So wide. She could almost see through them, yet she could tell that they were as strong as they were fine.

  He lifted his great head and roared. A sound so terrifying, so powerful, yet beautiful. He was beautiful …period. His chest was bright golden. So rich, almost too bright to look at for too long. Coal lowered his head. His eyes locked with hers. They were the same dark orbs, only they were in slits now instead of whites and irises. She couldn’t look away. So mesmerizing. Coal looked deadly, ferocious and mighty.

  Without thinking, she raised her hand towards him. Coal lowered his head a little and she rubbed between his eyes. His skin … scales were warm to the touch. So smooth and soft. Next, she touched the scales on his breast. Just as warm only hard as metal shields. They were like a built-in armor.

  There was a soft rumble that emanated from deep inside his massive body. If she thought he was big in human form, she was overwhelmed by the size of his dragon shape.

  “Wow!” she sighed. “Just wow.”

  He gave another rumble, deeper this time. When she looked into his eyes, they were sparkling with … humor.

  Slow and steady, he began to flap his great wings. They hardly seemed to move as they beat in graceful arcs; he rose from the ground, moving vertically. Coal lifted and lifted until he was a few feet above her head, then he gave an almighty push with his wings and shot into the air.

  Julie couldn’t help but laugh with excitement as he launched himself into the sky, moving almost too quickly for her eyes to register. Then he dropped like a great rock plummeting downward, and then with an almighty stroke of those massive wings he was soaring again. Julie laughed more as she watched him fly somersaults. Forwards and backwards, up and then down. He was showing off, for her. How wonderful! This arrogant barbarian, caveman was showing off. It was surprisingly touching.

  In this moment, he reminded her of a young boy trying to impress a girl for the first time. He could be rude, arrogant and downright bossy. There was a quirky side to him as well though.

  Coal had slowed right down. He flew towards her, stopping a few feet above her head and slowly lowered himself down. His claws were huge and sharp. She should be afraid, but for whatever reason, she wasn’t.

  Julie lifted her arms so that he could wrap his scaly, talon-tipped claws around her waist. She took ahold of one of his legs. It was like holding onto a narrow tree trunk. A scaly, hard as granite tree trunk.

  Don’t look down. Don’t look down. His wings beat as they lifted up and up. Not so fast that her stomach lurched but quick enough that the windows seemed to grow bigger by the second. She looked up as adrenaline coursed through her. This was both nerve-wracking and exhilarating all at the same time. It didn’t take long and they were swooping over onto a balcony. Julie almost felt sad that the flight was over. She’d never experienced anything like it in her whole life. Okay, she’d experienced it twice but not like this. Not with her eyes open. Not with him … Coal. Not that it mattered.

  The balcony seemed to have been built into the rock. The railing looked ornate, made from a dark metal that blended into the side of the cliff. The ground was cut rock. Her feet touched down. It wasn’t lost on her that Coal held onto her for a few beats before letting her go, only doing so once her feet were firmly planted on the ground.

  If her eyes hadn’t been on him, she wouldn’t have seen the change. It was much quicker to go from dragon to human. It was like everything pulled in on itself. Within two seconds, he was a man. A very naked man. She had to work to keep her eyes from drifting. Coal slid his arm around her and drew her against his body.

  He was warm and big. She pretty much fit in the crook of his arm. His hand curled around her hip possessively.

  “You are mine.” His voice was rough, with a smoky edge. Smoky – funny that, since he was a dragon.

  Mine.

  Wait just a minute with the ‘mine’ shit. She was about to say something when he cleared his throat. “If anyone asks, you are mine. Do not dispute it or you will be fair game.”

  “Oh … shit! Okay. I’m yours.” It felt weird saying it. She had never belonged to anyone before. No parents, no siblings, no sense of belonging. Not ever. Till now. It was horrible and oddly comforting all at once.

  Coal squeezed her side. “Don’t let go of me unless I—”

  “Yeah, yeah, unless you have to make someone bleed.” Her heart was pounding. She could hear the roar of the blood as it rushed through her veins.

  Coal sniffed and then gave a chuckle. “You like the idea of me fighting. You may not want to admit it but you’re enjoying this.”

  “Um … no.” Half-hearted.

  He smiled down at her. “You like the idea of me fighting for you. You are a strange female, Julie.” Oooh, the way he said her name. It gave her butterflies. It shouldn’t give her butterflies.

  He leaned in. “You say you don’t want me. You don’t like that I called you mine …” he paused. “I felt you tense when I said it. Yet, you like looking at me naked and you want me to fight for you. You like my dragon as well.” He said the last as if it was important to him.

  She shrugged. “I like animals and I’ve always enjoyed watching wrestling and those cage-fighting matches. I told you, if you let it all hang out there, I’m looking. Aren’t you going to get dressed now?”

  Coal shook his head. “I left those tattered rags at the base of the cliff.”

  She giggled. “Isn’t it dangerous to fight without pants?”

  Coal grinned. He was really cute when he smiled. “No. Dragons are honor bound. We would never purposefully hit below the belt.”

  “Purposefully?” She raised her brows.

  His smile widened. “Accidents happen but we are able to heal and regenerate quickly.”

  Julie choked out a laugh.

  “The thought of my dick being ripped off or badly burned amuses you?”

  Julie put up a hand. “Why is it that every conversation we have is about your … man part?”

  “I don’t know; why do you think that is?” He raised his brows, his mouth quirked up at the sides and his eyes were bright with a
musement.

  “Oh no,” she huffed. “Don’t turn this around. Forget it.”

  He leaned in close, his mouth was close to her forehead. “I think …”

  The door to the terrace opened. “Are you going to hang here all day?” A tall, blond guy with a broad smile stuck his head around the jamb. He had the most beautiful blue eyes and was good-looking in a preppy kind of way.

  His shoulders were broad. He wasn’t wearing a shirt. He had similar tattoo type markings to Coal, only his were silver instead of gold. From what she could gather, that meant that he wasn’t of royal descent.

  Coal rumbled low in his throat. It sounded like a warning. “Flame.”

  “Relax, my lord.” Flame closed the door behind him. He held clothing in his hands. Thank god he was wearing a pair of blue, cotton pants. They reminded her of loose-fitting yoga pants or the type of garment a martial arts person would wear. His smile didn’t falter. “I won a female. Her name is Pauline.” He took a step towards them and handed Coal the clothing.

  She felt Coal relax as he took the pants. He put them on, one pants leg at a time. Thank god! Not looking ‒ down there ‒ was becoming difficult. Not that she wanted to look, but … well, she was a woman and he a man and he was naked and hung and … thank god he was dressed.

  Flame patted Coal on the back. “I would never try to take what is yours.” Flame looked at her for the first time. “I am Flame.” He extended a hand and Coal growled like a pissed off lion or bear. A big, vicious man-eating beast.

  She elbowed him. “Stop it!”

  “Ignore him,” Flame winked at her. “He’s going to be very possessive of you until he claims you fully.”

  Julie swallowed hard. What did that mean? Forget it, she didn’t want to know. She took Flame’s hand and shook it. “I’m Julie,” she smiled and Coal growled louder. She elbowed him again but it was like knocking her arm against a slab of stone. Pointless.

  Coal sniffed loudly. He chuckled. It came out raw and deep. “You’re looking relaxed and happy. Where is your female?”