The Bride Hunt Box Set: Books 1-3

by Charlene Hartnady

No damned way, Candy.

  Thankfully he stopped talking. She’d spent so long making others happy. Sex was never about her. It was about her clients. She hadn’t had sex with many men since becoming an escort but it was always about them. Always. Hearing his words made her mouth dry and other places soaking wet.

  Torrent sniffed. “You seem to like the thought of my mouth on you.”

  “I don’t.”

  “Your body sure as hell does.”

  “My body doesn’t have a say in the matter. I can’t help …” She let the sentence die. Candy wasn’t about to admit to being attracted to him. His ego was big enough as it was.

  “You don’t want to admit to your urges. The fact that you’re attracted to me.”

  She made a noise of indifference. “You’re not bad,” she lied through her teeth. “Whatever,” she added, knowing that she sounded like an idiot.

  “Human females find me irresistible. All females want me. You are no exception.”

  “You might have some attributes that are appealing but your whole ‘look at me, I’m the greatest’ thing you have going is nauseating. It’s not attractive in the least.” All true.

  Torrent stood, towering above her. His eyes were stormy and his whole stance tensed. “I am a king. The purest royal blood runs through my veins.” He clenched his hands and raised them. “You should feel privileged that I chose you to be my mate. Privileged that I am here—”

  “Screw you! I don’t even know you. I didn’t ask to be here. I don’t know your stupid dragon rules. Furthermore, you’re an asshole. Just so you know, it’s a rule of mine, I don’t have sex with assholes.”

  He tried to talk but she cut him off.

  “I want to go home.” Candy rose to her feet as well.

  “Forget about going home,” he said with a snarl that had her stepping back. Her ass hit the window. “We are mated, Candy.” Much softer this time. “I’m not letting you go.”

  “Why not? We don’t even know each other.” There was a desperate edge to her voice

  “You are mine. I don’t give up on what is mine.” He clenched his jaw.

  She shook her head and made a snorting noise. This guy was too much. “I’m not yours. You can get that right out of your mind.”

  His demeanor became even more tense. His body seemed to vibrate raw energy. Torrent made a growling noise, low in his throat. He turned and headed for the door.

  “Where are you going?” Why had she asked him that? It was good that he was leaving. Fantastic! Besides, she didn’t care.

  “I will come back when you are in a better mood. A more agreeable mood.”

  “In that case, don’t bother coming back,” she shook her head.

  “I’ll be back, mate,” Torrent put emphasis on the word ‘mate’.

  “Don’t call me that.”

  “It’s what you are—” He stopped abruptly and turned, closing the distance between them in an instant. Torrent gripped her hips gently in his huge hands and pulled her towards him. He covered her mouth with his, forcing his tongue between her lips.

  Candy made a sound that was laced with shock. Her eyes widened and she put a hand against his chest, intent on pushing him away. Bastard!

  Torrent stroked his fingers through her hair and cupped the side of her face. He pushed her up against the window with his big body. He adjusted the angle of his head and stole the air from her lungs, the sanity from her brain.

  Next thing, her one hand was wrapped around his neck, the other one was curled around his bicep. Her breasts were plastered against his chest. She whimpered into his mouth as she kissed him back. Giving just as much as she was getting. He moaned. It was a delicious sound that reverberated right through her.

  Torrent broke the kiss and put her down. They were both breathing hard. Wait a minute! He had put her down? As in, her feet had been off the floor? That was so hot!

  No it wasn’t.

  How could she even think that? She should never have kissed him back. It sent the wrong message. The big asshole had blindsided her though. “That was rude,” a whisper.

  He licked his lips. “That was amazing. It was also nothing in comparison to what I have planned for you. Get some rest. You’re going to need it.” He kissed her forehead and walked out of the room. She heard the lock click back into place, reminding her that despite the fact that her clit throbbed and her nipples were as hard as stones, she was still a prisoner.

  Chapter 6

  Torrent practically vibrated as he walked down the hallway towards his chamber. His whole body felt tense. His balls ached.

  There were only two options right now, take a shower and relieve some of the tension himself, or expel some of the energy in his dragon form. He was going for the latter. Torrent planned on spreading his wings and flying and flying until he dropped. Then he might take a refreshing dive into the ocean. If that didn’t cure the longing coursing through his veins, then nothing would.

  First, he needed to lose the hard-on … again. Shifting with a dick the size of a tree trunk was difficult, to say the least. It was also painful.

  A female dragon turned the corner up ahead and picked up her pace as soon as she spotted him. “My lord.” She dropped her gaze for a few seconds in a show of respect.

  “Ocean,” Torrent nodded his head. Her eyes were the most beautiful green. She was one of his favorite females and a regular bed partner. Or at least, she had been until recently.

  The she-dragon giggled and pointed at his erection. “Is your mate still unwell?”

  Torrent nodded his head. “Human females are timid. They are easily damaged and take a long time to heal,” he sighed. That was the story he was telling and for now he would stick to it. Surely he could convince Candy to accept his advances. The female was attracted to him whether she liked it or not. If the others found out that he hadn’t fully claimed the human yet, he would be a laughing stock. Not only within his kingdom, but across the four kingdoms. Torrent had not been exaggerating, he had never had a problem with securing a female. He wasn’t about to start now. His mate would come to her senses and she would do it soon.

  Ocean nodded. Her long black hair hung loosely about her shoulders. She was tall, only a head shorter than he. Her body was well muscled, her breasts full. She smiled up at him. “Yes, I have heard that they can be timid. Did you break her when you rutted her for the first time?” Her smile widened. “I know how wild and enthusiastic you can be,” the female winked at him.

  “Of course I didn’t harm her. I’m not some kind of animal,” his voice was a low growl.

  She laughed. “I beg to differ.” She raised her brows when his frown deepened. “I’m only joking, my lord.” Then she ran her hand down the side of his arm. It made him feel uncomfortable. “I could help you with that.” She looked down at his dick.

  Torrent felt himself frown. “I’m mated.” He wanted to keep on walking but she blocked his way.

  Ocean shrugged. “Your mate is unwell. You are the king.” She put her hand on his chest and proceeded to stroke him with the tips of her fingers, trailing her way down. “It would be perfectly acceptable if …”

  He gripped her hand as it was about to push below the elastic of his pants. “I am mated. What kind of a male would I be if I rutted another female?”

  She looked down at her hand and he realized he was squeezing her fingers. Torrent released her.

  “Your mate can’t be very nice if she expects you to remain celibate while she is healing. A she-dragon would never require that of the king.”

  “Do not speak of your queen in that way. Candy is just about as sweet as they come.” His mouth twitched with the need to smile. Sweet. Not by a long damn shot but it was none of this female’s business. “For the record, my mate has not demanded anything of me.” Unfortunately. He could think of a whole list of demands he would love to hear fall from her lips. “I do not wish to be with any other females. I have one already. That is all, you can go now.”

 
; She gave a courtesy. “As you wish, my lord.” She stepped to the side and he moved past her. “Please don’t hesitate if you change your mind,” she called after him.

  Not likely.

  Torrent picked up the pace and turned the corner that led to his chamber. Fuck! What now?

  Tide leaned up against the wall next to his door. “Your little plaything was waiting outside your chamber.”

  “Let me guess, you offered to take my place?” Torrent opened his door and stepped back to let his brother in.

  “Of course, seeing as you’re a taken male and all. Ocean is meeting me later,” Tide chuckled. He stopped and sniffed the air. “So, your female is still not well? She didn’t seem that injured when she arrived.”

  “She is much improved but we have decided to take things slowly.”

  Tide burst out laughing.

  Torrent felt his blood heat. “What? She is human. Humans are different to she-dragons. They need more time to—”

  “I heard that all of the other humans are rutting like rabbits on … what’s the name of that human drug that keeps the males hard for extended periods?”

  “I can’t remember,” Torrent grumbled.

  Tide waved his hand around in irritation. “It doesn’t matter. They’re all rutting up a storm. As far as I know, none of them are mated yet.” He laughed again. “You have mated the female already, yet no sex. You?” He shook his head. “The one male I know who can crook his finger at any human and she’ll come running.”

  “I can’t wait until you win a human female of your own. Then you’ll understand. Candy is not some quick fuck. She’s not just any human. She’s my mate, I need to treat her with respect and to get to know her better. I’m not putting her under any pressure. I need to be more than sure that she is well, that she is ready.”

  Tide frowned. “You’ve already rutted her, you’re acting like you’re still trying to win her.”

  I am.

  Fuck!

  He was. Torrent had never had to win a female before. He wasn’t sure how to go about it.

  Tide waved his hand in front of Torrent’s face.

  “Stop that,” Torrent said.

  “You disappeared there for a moment. Lost in thought?” he smirked.

  “Like I said, I can’t wait until you go through this. I’m going to take great joy out of watching you beg and crawl.”

  “Forget that! My female will be all over me, like white on rice. Like green on scale. Like—”

  “Enough. You’re giving me a damned headache.” Torrent removed his pants, throwing them over the back of a chair. He opened the large, sliding door and stepped out onto the balcony. Tide followed him.

  “I expect you to win a female at the next hunt,” Torrent said.

  “I was this close.” Tide held his fingers a millimeter apart. “This fucking close. That bastard Coal beat me to her by seconds. Shit!” His eyes glazed over. “That human was so sexy. So damned hot I still have wet dreams about her. All that dark hair and lush …”

  “Enough.” Torrent expected to feel something at the mention of the dark beauty. She had been his first choice and the type of female he always went for but now he felt nothing. Just like with Ocean … nothing. It seemed that he wanted Candy. His mate. Although she wasn’t officially his mate, not yet anyway.

  Soon.

  “Forget about that human. She is gone. By now claimed.” He took in a deep breath and moved to the railing. The air was thick with salt and humidity. It invigorated him. The water looked inviting. The open skies looked just as appealing. He turned his head back to where Tide was standing. “Be ready for the next hunt. Train hard. As the first prince and next in line for the throne, I expect you to win a mate.”

  “With Coal out of the way, that should be easy.”

  Torrent had to smile. His brother was strong and intelligent but he was also naïve. Not that Torrent had much of a leg to stand on himself. Not after falling for everything that Coal had pulled.

  “What?” Tide narrowed his eyes.

  “Blaze will also be taking part.”

  Tide pulled a face like he had a screw loose. “The male didn’t even feature. He doesn’t want a human mate. It was clear. Blaze will not be a problem.”

  Torrent choked out a laugh as he unlatched the gate that formed a part of the railing and stepped onto the very edge. “It doesn’t matter what Blaze wants. He is the fire king. The male has to take a human mate. He needs heirs. Mark my words, he will be major competition and so will Thunder.”

  Tide’s expression became stormy. “I had forgotten about the air king.”

  Torrent nodded. “Thunder will take part. Blaze won’t be able to stop him a second time.” Thunder had made a pact with the fire king: one of the fertile air princesses in return for Blaze’s sister, the fire princess, who was also one of the last fertile she-dragons.

  Blaze’s sister mated a vampire, forcing him to break the agreement. In a moment of rage, Thunder had given his sisters to the second princes of the water and earth kingdoms. It was how Sky had come to them.

  Tide had obviously been thinking about the whole affair as well. “I still think it’s unfair that Lake got to mate Sky. I would give anything for a fertile female of my own.”

  “I tried to get Thunder to agree to allowing his sister to mate with you but it would have strengthened our kingdom too much to have a she-dragon mate with the first prince.”

  Tide gave a one-shouldered shrug. “Oh well,” he grinned. “I prefer human females anyways. After seeing them, being up close to them.” His eyes glazed over and he made a humming sound. “I want one. I want one real bad. I only wish I had gotten a better look at your mate.”

  The bastard’s grin grew wider. “My interest has been further piqued because you seem to be hiding her away. The only thing I could see was that she looked like a tiny thing.”

  It was true, Candy was tiny. The need to protect her welled in him. It was an irrational emotion, brought on by his need to claim her. He almost turned and ran back to her chamber. It was wrong that they were separated. It was something that would be rectified as soon as he blew off some steam. The female was going to sleep with him from here on out whether she liked it or not. Let her try and resist him, he could be very persuasive if need be.

  Tide chuckled. “Maybe Ocean was right. Did you break her? Is that why you can’t rut?”

  Torrent growled. The sound low but a deadly warning all the same. “Stop talking about my mate. You will not look at her too closely. You will not talk about her. You will stay far away or so help me …”

  Tide put up his hands. “Hey. Calm down. I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m seeing Ocean later, remember, I don’t need your female. I’ll win my own in the next hunt.”

  Cocky bastard.

  “You’d better.”

  “I will.”

  Torrent looked out ahead of him. “Good,” he said, as he dropped from the edge of the balcony. He felt his body crack, pull and strengthen as he morphed into his dragon form. It took him a few seconds longer than normal. The ground rose up towards him as he unfolded his wings.

  It was too close for comfort. He needed to bring his strength levels up, he needed to rut. He also needed to follow his own advice, which was the exact opposite of trying to get into Candy’s pants. He would have to give her space and show her respect. Torrent flapped his wings, feeling himself lift. Not being able to rut her was a dilemma. One he had never experienced before.

  Chapter 7

  Candy paced her room. The sun was going down over the ocean. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. A view she would never grow tired of, and yet she sighed. The problem was, there wasn’t anything to do. No books to read, no magazines to page through, no TV to watch. Not that she did much of the aforementioned anyway but when a person was stuck between four walls ‒ okay, three walls and a large window ‒ any type of distraction would do.

  What she wanted most of all was to walk along the be
ach, to take a dip in the ocean. She wanted to go outside and to be a part of that view.

  There was a knock at the door.

  Candy turned to face it. Was it him? Her heart beat faster at the prospect.

  “Just a minute.” She grabbed the sweater and pulled it over her head. It wouldn’t do to have him looking at her like he had earlier. It was an eye fucking if she’d ever seen one, and it had made her uncomfortable.

  The way his gaze had lingered on her boobs. Men loved her breasts. Loved that they were so full. Particularly since she was so petite. Sometimes she wished she’d never had them enlarged. People mistakenly assumed that she was some dumb blonde. She told herself that Ellis had talked her into it. Although, that wasn’t entirely true. She’d always been a little shy about her smaller chest, so, after much deliberation, she’d gone ahead and had the surgery. She ultimately did it for herself, for the way her new breasts made her feel. So feminine and sexy. She liked that she filled out a bathing suit and that she didn’t have to wear those extra padded bras anymore. When men glued their eyes to her chest though, she sometimes had doubts.

  Torrent had practically drooled. When she’d looked at herself later in the mirror she could understand why. A tight white tee and no bra. Hello! Her nipples were everywhere. She had to chew on her lower lip to stop herself from smiling. With him, it hadn’t felt so intimidating. He’d had such a goofy look on his face. At least she knew she wasn’t alone, he was also attracted to her. There was some kind of comfort in that.

  No wait! Maybe that wasn’t a good thing. The guy was a dragon shifter. He had a colossal ego and he was her mate.

  Mate.

  She felt her heart-rate pick up. There had to be a way out of it. There just had to. She planned on fighting her attraction to him, which shouldn’t be too hard since he was an asshole. Once he realized that it was never going to happen between them, he would have to let her go and then it would be all smooth sailing from there.

  No sweat!

  There was another knock. Oh shit! “Come in!” she shouted, her voice a little high-pitched.