The Bride Hunt Box Set: Books 1-3

by Charlene Hartnady

  Torrent took his hand from her shoulder. She couldn’t see him because she was a step behind him. “I’m glad you are—”

  His words were cut short by Coal. “Step away from him, Julie. Do it now,” his words were barely understandable.

  “No … you don’t …” Julie tried to reason with him.

  Torrent gave her a light shove which sent her sprawling to the right. She landed a few feet away on her knees on the rug. She felt a sharp pain as she skidded over the woolen surface. There were better ways to get carpet burns. This was not one of them.

  There was a loud snarling. “You bastard!” Coal roared as he leapt on Torrent, knocking him back.

  “Wait!” Torrent shouted as Coal let it rip. “Let me—”

  Julie turned away because the heat was blinding. It was almost unbearable and she crawled further away. It felt like her hair was melting. She squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face in her hands.

  Torrent moaned as if he was in agony. Julie felt sick to her stomach when she smelled burning flesh.

  “The female is mine,” Coal raged.

  “I was bringing her back!” Torrent shouted.

  Julie opened her eyes just as Coal leapt on the water king. She heard snapping as Coal broke the other shifter’s ribs.

  “Stop!” Julie shouted. She could see that Torrent wasn’t even fighting back. He was only trying to block the worst of the blows. His face was contorted in pain.

  “Wait,” Torrent growled as Coal advanced. His eyes were dark; she could see golden scales on his chest. His fists were clenched. His mouth a tight line.

  “Coal. Stop it!” she shouted but he ignored her. Coal punched Torrent solidly in the face. There was a crunching noise as his nose flattened.

  Blood gushed. His hair was singed. His face blackened. Torrent had skin peeling on one of his cheeks. His chest was blistered. His bones were broken. He staggered backwards but kept his balance, which amazed her after the beating he had taken.

  “Mine,” Coal was frenzied. He pummeled Torrent. There were grunts and the sound of his fists connecting with Torrent’s face. It was the most revolting thing she had ever seen or heard. It was so violent. So savage. Blood poured, flesh peeled and split. Bone cracked. Torrent fell to his knees.

  Julie screamed. She wasn’t sure whether she was saying Torrent’s name or Coal’s or whether it was just noise but it was loud enough that her throat hurt.

  In an almost elegant move, Coal kicked in a swiping motion. His feet connected with Torrent’s head, which jerked to the side with a horrifying snapping sound. Torrent slumped to the floor.

  “You killed him.” She ran to Coal and beat at his chest. “You went and freaking killed him! What the hell is wrong with you?”

  He grabbed her hands and held them. Julie tried to yank them free. Her hair covered her face. She tried harder to escape and failed, looking up at him instead.

  His eyes were still the color of midnight. Every muscle tense. His mouth was set. Coal gave a silent moan. “You are mine. Not his.” Then he huffed out a breath. “Did you move on so quickly?”

  “You are one hell of an asshole. I hadn’t moved on. You’re a psycho. You killed him. Oh my god …” She was panting. “I can’t believe you killed him. You looney, crazy—”

  “He’s not dead.”

  “What do you mean he’s not dead, of course he’s dead. You broke his neck. I can not believe you just did that. I thought I was in love with you but I can’t love a lunatic, barbarian, savage, caveman.”

  Coal cupped her cheeks. She tried to cringe away because they were covered in dried blood. Poor Torrent’s blood. “You’re in love with me?” His eyes normalized … somewhat. His whole gaze softened.

  She shook her head. “No way! You’re a mad man. A crazy son of a—”

  He nodded. “I am crazy for you. You said that you’re in love with me.”

  “You killed Torrent.”

  Coal grimaced. “Stop saying his name and stop saying that I killed him. He will be fine. Sore for a couple of hours …” he shrugged. “Maybe a day or two, which he deserves, but he’ll be just fine.”

  “You broke his neck.”

  Coal rolled his eyes. “Will you ever listen to me? I told you that it takes silver to kill us and then ideally decapitation otherwise we regenerate.”

  Torrent sucked in a deep breath and then moaned. He moved a half an inch and slumped back down.

  “See,” Coal raised his brows. “Perfectly fine.”

  “His face was almost burned off. What was left of it you smashed to a pulp,” disbelief was etched into every word. “Then you snapped his neck. He’s not fine.”

  “He dared touch you. He deserved everything he got, although I expected more from him,” Coal frowned. “He was a useless adversary.”

  “That’s because he wasn’t fighting back, you idiot,” she rolled her eyes again. “He’s in love with Candy. Nothing happened between the two of us.”

  “That other human, the one who went back?” Coal frowned.

  Julie nodded. “He won’t admit his feelings but the only reason he took me is because he is so cut up over her leaving. He helped me to see a few things clearly as well—”

  “Like, the fact that you’re in love with me?” Coal slid his arms around her, he was grinning.

  Julie shook her head. “No! that was before.”

  Coal frowned again, two deep lines popped up between his eyes. “I should have told you about Scarlet. Our relationship was more of an arrangement that didn’t work out. I didn’t feel that way about her and she didn’t feel that way about me either.”

  “She looked really upset when she came to see me earlier.” Julie felt her eyes sting but refused to cry. She gave up crying a long time again. It showed vulnerability and didn’t help anyway.

  “Scarlet doesn’t feel anything for me, not really. She liked the idea of being mated to a prince, that’s it. I don’t love her. I wasn’t sure I believed in love.”

  Julie tried to shrug him off but Coal pulled her closer. Why did he have to be so damned gorgeous? No! He’s a savage. A barbaric murderer. Torrent moaned again, reminding her that he wasn’t dead. “I can’t believe you did that to him.”

  Coal’s whole demeanor tensed. “He should never have taken you.”

  “He wasn’t thinking straight.”

  Coal had the good grace to look embarrassed. “I wasn’t thinking straight either. I didn’t mean to hurt him so badly. I saw red.” His Adam’s apple worked as he swallowed. “I’ll apologize to him when he comes around. I should have told you about Blaze tasking me to mate a human.”

  “Against your wishes. You hate humans. You were forced to win me and claim me and—”

  “I was never forced to love you and the fact of the matter is that I do love you very much. I expected it to be a hardship but it wasn’t.” He stroked her cheek.

  “You have blood on your hands.”

  “I just told you that I love you.” His eyes narrowed into hers.

  She breathed out sharply. “You shouldn’t have lied to me.”

  “I didn’t want to scare you off. Everything I told you about my feelings, about trusting me, I meant it. You can trust me. I’ll come for you, be there for you and I always will. You are everything to me. You are a part of me. To hurt you is to hurt myself.”

  “That’s so sweet,” Julie had to smile. “Next time you’ll listen when I tell you to stop. Poor Torrent. Good thing I have an idea of how you can make it up to him.”

  Coal pulled her flush against him. “Anything you say, sweetheart.”

  “Good. You’re learning. Let’s go home.”

  “Back to the fire lair?” Coal seemed to be holding his breath.

  Julie nodded. “Yes. It’s where I belong. I belong with you, Coal. You might be a savage caveman but you’re my savage caveman and I might, sort of, love you a little bit.”

  “You do?” He kissed her softly.

  “Yes, I do.”
<
br />   He huffed out a breath. “You love me a whole lot.”

  “A little.”

  “A lot,” he growled.

  “Let’s argue about this at home.”

  “Does this mean you’ll mate me?”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “We don’t need to have children. I just want you.” He put his forehead against hers and her heart just about burst.

  “Do you mean it? Because I’m not sure that I want them?” Not sure. Since when wasn’t she sure? Oh god! No, she was sure, very sure … she did not want kids and that was final.

  “All I want is you.” He kissed her hard enough to have her heart racing and other parts puckering.

  “Your brother won’t be happy.” She kissed him.

  “He will have to deal,” he said, returning her kiss. “Thank god we have condoms. We’re going to use the whole box.”

  “What about Torrent?”

  “I will go and call someone to help him and then we’re out of here.”

  “Sounds good.” She needed him, right now.

  Chapter 18

  Back at the lair …

  Coal couldn’t walk fast enough. He ignored everyone around him. He needed his female and he needed her right now. His heart leapt. His whole damn body vibrated. She loved him. Julie loved him. She had agreed to mate him.

  Had she?

  He suddenly wasn’t sure if she’d agreed or not. He would get her to agree. Right now. His hands were still crusted with blood. His body still slick from the exertion. He’d never flown so quick in his life. That was true for both directions, first to get to Julie and then to bring her home.

  Coal arrived back at his chamber in record time. He’d just run a quick errand, at the request of Julie, as payback for beating Torrent. He felt everything in him rope in preparation for battle, as he thought of the male. How dare he take Julie? How dare he?

  Coal took a few deep and calming breaths. His scales rubbed. Any male in his place would’ve done the same. It might be considered barbaric by human standards but it was their way. Fight for your female. He smiled. Torrent would, hopefully, be happy with what Julie had planned. What was done was done. Torrent would understand. Hopefully Blaze would also understand since he’d broken every lore in the book by going after Julie. He didn’t care. He would do it again in a heartbeat.

  Coal opened the door and walked in. His senses reeled, his mind almost blanked. The need to rut rushed through him. Coal bit back a growl.

  Julie was on the bed. Their bed. She was naked beneath the thin sheet. He could see her nipples pushing up against the thin material. He longed to pull the fabric away and expose all of her loveliness. His mouth watered for a taste. His hands itched to touch. His cock strained wanting to be inside her.

  Her scent almost floored him. So sweet and inviting. Her heat was close. Her scent would only become more intoxicating. The next day or two would be intense.

  “I need to wash,” his voice was guttural.

  Her gaze heated as it tracked his body. “You look ready to fight. Your eyes are more like your dragon and I can see scales on your chest,” she giggled. “You look damn hot.”

  “I am highly aroused. I need to rut you almost as much as I need my next breath. No, I need it more. I must shower.” He held up his hands. There were also drops of blood on his chest.

  Her expression moved to one of disapproval.

  “I am sorry it happened but I would do it again without hesitation. You are mine and no one should take you from me.”

  She sat up and the sheet pooled around her hips. Her breasts were full and tight tipped. Her nipples a perfect cherry red. Coal growled, the sound was laced with need.

  “Poor Torrent. I had … what was the word … renounced you, so according to your rules—”

  “I don’t care about rules and lores. They mean nothing. What we have supersedes all of that.”

  She exhaled. Her cheeks flushed. “You’re so sweet,” she sighed.

  Coal gave a tight smile. “If you knew the things going through my mind right now, you wouldn’t call me sweet. I have to go before I take you like this.” He looked down at himself. “I know how you complain about my savage side.”

  “Not when it comes to sex.” She raised her brows and took her lush bottom lip between her teeth.

  Coal squeezed his eyes shut and scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’ll be a minute.” His chest heaved with his need for this female. “Don’t move.” He strode to the bathroom and was in the shower in seconds. The water had only just started to heat but he didn’t care. Red washed down the drain.

  Coal grabbed some soap and lathered himself. Steam filled the stall. He was just rinsing himself when the door opened.

  Julie was a vision. Her face flush with desire. Her lips moist from being licked and chewed. Her body was perfection. Every curve and valley. That thatch of curls between her legs called to him. Screamed to him.

  “I couldn’t wait,” her voice held a husky edge.

  Coal grinned. “I was gone for about a half a minute.” He put a hand on either side of the shower, clutching cold tile to keep himself from lunging at her.

  “It was too long. I need you right now. I’m wet and ready.”

  Music to his ears. Coal didn’t move. There was a glint in her hand. It was one of the silver foiled condoms. He grit his teeth for a second, trying to find control. “I had planned on taking you slowly. On kissing every inch of your sexy body. Of making slow sweet love to you.”

  Julie shook her head.

  “No?” he questioned.

  Julie shook her head again. “No.”

  “What do you want then? Tell me.”

  “You’re a big, strong savage. My big, strong savage. I want you to pick me up like I weigh nothing.” Her eyes sparkled.

  “You do weigh nothing.”

  She smiled. “Exactly. I want to wrap my legs around your hips. Here in this shower stall. I want you to make me come quickly. I want a good fucking … rutting. Then we can go to bed and you can kiss me all over and make love to me while whispering sweet nothings in my ear.”

  Coal used a hand to cup her jaw. “First things first.” His dick gave a twitch as he thought about being buried inside her soft, tight heat. He was using every last ounce of reserve to keep from grabbing her and impaling her. From giving her everything she had asked for and maybe a little something she hadn’t asked for.

  Julie folded her arms across her chest, making her plump breasts pull together invitingly. By all that had claws, her nipples were plump and ripe and …

  Head in the game.

  His cock throbbed. Coal swallowed thickly. He met her toffee-colored stare. Her mouth was lifted at the corners. “Yes?” She arched a brow. “What things would those be?”

  “You never officially agreed to mating me.”

  “Do you plan on withholding sex if I say no?” Her eyes widened but she was still smiling.

  Coal leaned forward till only an inch separated them. “I’m not strong enough for that. Within the next ten seconds you will be on my cock regardless. I love you, Julie. I want to spend forever with you.” He felt himself melt.

  Her gaze softened and he melted even more. At this rate he would end up a puddle at her feet.

  “I would like nothing better than to be mated to you. For us to—”

  “Yes,” she blurted, her lips curling into a smile. Julie leaned forward and kissed him, hard and quick.

  “Yes? You’ll take the plunge with me?”

  “Yes. You don’t need to convince me. I love you … just a smidgen but I love you, Coal.”

  “A smidgen,” he laughed.

  She showed a small space between two fingers. “About that much but it’s more than I’ve ever loved anyone else. It’s a lot for me.”

  “I’ll take it,” he murmured as he lifted her up. “Wrap your thighs around me.”

  “Wait. The condom,” she squealed as he kissed her neck. His head was already insi
de her. Wet and hot. His.

  “Shit,” he muttered, pulling out. He grabbed the condom and tore it open using his teeth. Coal put her down and pulled the condom on in one quick move. They were extra, extra large and yet it was still a tight fit. Anything to keep his female happy.

  Her eyes had a greedy look as she gazed at his sheathed cock. He took her back into his arms and kissed the hell out of her lips before hoisting her up.

  Sex had gotten easier. It wasn’t as difficult to get into her tight confines. It was just as good though. Make that, amazing. His balls pulled tight with the first small stroke. They yanked back into his throat as he slid all the way home.

  “Fuck,” she groaned. “You feel so good.” Her nails dug into his back. Julie was rocking against him. So damned receptive.

  Coal was panting. He could feel sweat bead on his brow. He squeezed her ass, and pushed her up against the wall behind them.

  He put his nose against hers. He looked deep into her eyes as he thrust into her.

  Julie shuddered. She tried to kiss him but he wouldn’t let her. He nipped at her lower lip. “You want me to rut you … hard?”

  “Yes, please,” her voice was strained.

  He had her pinned against the wall. The hot water at his back.

  “Your wish is my command.” He began to thrust up into her. It only took a few strokes for him to find her sweet spot. The one that made her eyes roll back and her throat constrict. The one that made her pussy squeeze the hell out of him.

  Coal groaned. He closed his eyes. He clenched his jaw for a moment. He did not stop though. Did not even falter. His female had said that she wanted to come fast. He curled a hand around her ass and touched her there. Just a light brush of the finger against her hole.

  Her eyes flashed open both in panic and excitement. Coal was pounding into her. Careful not to hurt her. He was so close to coming it made him vibrate. His legs shook, not from exertion but with all-consuming need.

  He continued to touch her ass, his finger worked the puckered hole pushing against it softly.