The Bride Hunt Box Set: Books 1-3

by Charlene Hartnady

  Oh heavenly father, thank you. Oh sweet, sweet bliss. His lips were soft, his mouth hot. Roxy crossed her legs behind his back and tightened her arms around his neck. It was a good thing she did because he let her go on another one of those deep growls. His chest vibrated against hers. It vibrated against her nipples which turned to little pebbles, and against her clit which was somewhere in the vicinity of his rock hard abs. The little bud of nerves woke up immediately. Instantly on full alert. She felt a zing between her legs. It was most likely a simple case of not having touched a man for so long, but then again, it could be more.

  Roxy groaned and so did the shifter.

  Chapter 7

  The female was more exquisite up close. Dark tendrils of thick hair fell about her face. Her ponytail barely contained the rest. It fell down her back in a thick cascade. Her eyes were soft blue, like the sky on a crisp winter’s morning or freshly melted snow as it trickled down a winding, pebbled brook.

  Blaze gave his head a shake. He needed to get his mind out of the gutter.

  “I’ll take the dark one,” Thunder announced.

  It didn’t matter that he’d told the air king moments earlier that he could choose whichever female he wanted. Blaze bristled anyway. Every hackle went up. He felt his scales rub just beneath his skin. His gums ached where his fangs pushed against them. Blaze couldn’t help the growl that was torn from him.

  The other male looked pained for a split second and then Thunder lowered his head a fraction as a sign of submission. Good!

  Then the air king’s gaze locked with Blaze’s. “What? You said you didn’t care either way.” There was a slight growl to the male’s voice. “It’s up to you, just choose quickly, the others will be here soon.”

  Blaze felt a snarl build inside him but managed to stop it before it erupted. Only because the other male was right. He had yet to take his eyes off the delectable female before him. Fuck! If only this was a rutting expedition, he would take her in a heartbeat. His loins tightened at the prospect. Unfortunately, this was an event designed to find a mate and he knew all too well that attraction between two people could complicate things and in a big way. It was a complication he didn’t need or want.

  The female was eyeballing him like there was no tomorrow. If eyes could fuck, he’d be on his third orgasm.

  No way.

  This female was not for him.

  Blaze forced his gaze from the dark-haired beauty and took in the human sitting on the ground at her feet. Her eyes were darker blue, her hair light-colored, it was tinged with red. She was much smaller and not nearly as curvaceous. She was pretty but didn’t put fire in his veins like the other one. She would do just fine.

  He shrugged. “Whatever! A female is a female.” Blaze tried to sound indifferent and was surprised to find that he pulled it off.

  Thunder gave him a shit-eating grin. The male looked pleased and Blaze had to clench his fists to stop himself from removing a few of the air king’s teeth. He had to remind himself that the male had done nothing wrong.

  Thunder moved towards the human, wasting no time. Blaze couldn’t help but to lock eyes with the dark-haired female. He was surprised to find that her gaze was still trained on him and not on Thunder as he had expected. It almost felt like she was pleading for him to rescue her, to come for her, to do something. That couldn’t be it. Or could it?

  One thing was for sure, she didn’t look happy.

  “You females were briefed,” Thunder said. The female’s eyes snapped to the other male’s, they widened in shock and possibly… fear. Surely not. These females were willing. They hadn’t been abducted like the previous hunt. Was Blaze reading too much into this? Most likely. “I’m going to claim you now, please do not be concerned, I will hold you and kiss you. The more of my scent I can get on you, the better,” the asshole king grinned and the female frowned.

  Fuck but did his scales grind inside him! Blaze wanted nothing more than to go over there and take the human for himself.

  No!

  It was irrational thinking and that very thing was what had gotten him into trouble in the past. This mating would be a business transaction and nothing more.

  “I don’t think—” The human started to talk but the dickhead air king cut her off.

  “I’m sorry, female, but there’s no time for chit chat. A group of males is close behind us, they will be here soon. There is plenty of time for talking later. Then again—” he chuckled, “—maybe not.”

  The fucker had no finesse. None whatsoever. From this angle, Blaze could only see Thunder’s back. He wouldn’t be surprised if the male had winked suggestively at the human as he said that line. Didn’t he notice her discomfort?

  Then again, this was the hunt and Thunder was right when he had mentioned the group of males closing in. They couldn’t be more than a minute behind them. Blaze needed to move himself, needed to get his ass over to the other human. Needed to claim her and right now. The thought left him cold. Good! It meant that she was perfect.

  That might be the case but he couldn’t take his eyes off the luscious one. The one that Thunder was about to make his. Everything in him hardened. Adrenaline coursed through his veins. The need to act rushed through him. Blaze clenched his teeth and clenched his fists to stop himself from moving forward and putting a stop to what Thunder was about to do.

  “Hey! No!” the female yelled, as Thunder gripped her waist.

  Thunder didn’t seem to notice or maybe the male didn’t care, because his hands tightened on the human’s hips and he leaned forward, clearly intent on following through on his kissing threat.

  Leave it alone, Blaze. Just leave it the hell alone. This female was not for him. The sooner Thunder claimed her, the better. Why was he torturing himself by watching it go down?

  He had to suppress a growl when she groaned out the word ‘no.’ The female had her hands locked around Thunder’s wrists and was squirming, trying to free herself. What was wrong? Females loved the air king. They considered him to be very good-looking. Why was she fighting him so much?

  Oblivious to her turmoil, Thunder closed the remaining distance, but just as his lips were about to lock with hers, the human kneed him right between the legs. Bulls-fucking-eye. There was a loud thud as her leg connected with the most sensitive parts of the air king’s body. Blaze could almost feel the other male’s pain as Thunder sucked in a ragged breath.

  There was a second or two where time seemed to freeze and then Thunder let out a loud, drawn-out moan. He hunched over, cupping his junk with one hand. The pain the poor male must be feeling. It had to be agony. Thunder collapsed onto one knee. Blaze couldn’t believe that the tiny human had managed to bring a royal dragon shifter to his knees. Then again, whether human or another species, balls were balls. The pain was the same.

  The female’s eyes widened for a few seconds. “Oh God!” she whimpered. “I’m sorry.” Then she locked eyes with Blaze and the look of remorse evaporated, it was replaced with… determination.

  What the hell was she up to?

  Part of him felt bad for Thunder, though another bigger part of him agreed with the human. The male should’ve listened. He should have given her a chance to talk.

  Hang on just a minute. The human was making her way to him – although making her way was not the right term, she was jogging. Then she gripped his shoulders and jumped right into his arms. He caught her. It was an accident. When someone jumped into a person’s arms, the natural reaction was to catch them.

  Blaze needed to let her go now. He really did, but his arms stayed around her body. One hooked under her ass and another across her back.

  The female looked him deep in the eyes. Her pupils dilated. Oh no! No!

  Her arms snaked around his neck and her lush thighs wrapped around his hips. Her lips, lush and soft, closed over his.

  Motherfucker!

  She tasted of everything he had been avoiding. Of everything he needed to stay the hell away from. She tasted far
too fucking good for his own sanity. Her scent was of fresh-cut grass and spring mornings, candied apples freshly made with a hint of baked cookies. Wholesome and clean, yet sexy as fuck, a toxic combination. At least, to him it was. This female was no good. She wasn’t for him. No fucking way.

  His cock had decided otherwise. It wanted into the cookie jar. There was a certain candied apple it wanted him to eat. It wanted that sweet wholesome mouth to scream his name. What the hell was he thinking? He wasn’t, at least not with the head that was on his shoulders. Irritation coursed through him and he growled. The little minx ate up the sound with her hungry little mouth, which continued to devour his.

  No fucking way. Her full breasts were mashed up against him. The moment the growl had left his throat, her nipples tightened. Her arms tightened and she locked her ankles behind him, rubbing her sex against his abdomen. The scent of her arousal hit him hard and fast. His dick twitched. His whole body prepared to rut. His skin grew tight, his cock hardened up some more.

  Blaze didn’t need this kind of shit in his life. His body didn’t seem to be listening to him though. He was a male in his prime, dammit, no longer a teenager ruled by his dick. Blaze tore his hands from her. Unfortunately, she clung to him. Not that he would’ve let her fall but he needed to get her off of him. He needed to tell his mouth to stop kissing her back.

  When the female groaned, it solicited a matching groan from him. Blaze hadn’t had sex in forever so when she sucked on his lower lip and stuck her tongue in his mouth, it was all he could do to stop himself from shoving her up against a nearby tree and grinding his engorged member against her pussy. He could scent that she was wet. Dripping fucking wet.

  Enough!

  He stepped back and pulled her off of him, setting her on her feet. Using a hand on her hip, he spun her around so that her back was to him. This needed to stop. The human glanced at him from over her shoulder, Blaze couldn’t help but to notice how swollen her lips were, they glistened. Her eyes were glazed over, her lids heavy and at half-mast.

  It doesn’t matter.

  Her chest heaved and oh what a chest it was.

  Stop!

  Blaze averted his gaze, seeking the air king. The male was no longer in his kneeling position. He was sitting in front of the other human. His face was still shiny with sweat and his eyes still held a pinched look but otherwise he looked fine.

  With horror, Blaze could see that the male intended to claim the other female.

  “What are you doing?” he growled. “I thought you wanted this one.”

  The dark-haired female shook her head and gave a disapproving growl before giving him a dirty look over her shoulder. The look was a mixture between what the fuck and fuck you, you asshole.

  Thunder chuckled. “No thanks. The human has clearly decided which male she would prefer. I think I kind of like this one.” He winked at the other human. “I like her a whole damn lot.”

  “You wanted this one though,” Blaze gestured towards the human in front of him. His argument sounded thin, even to his own ears. What else was he supposed to do, insist that Thunder take her when she clearly didn’t want the male back?

  What the fuck was he supposed to do with the female?

  “You said that you didn’t mind either way. Take that one. Besides, our time is up.” Thunder gave another chuckle. He turned his attention to the female on the ground. “I’m going to kiss you now, do not be alarmed and please whatever you do, do not kick me in the nuts.”

  “I won’t,” the female smiled at Thunder just before he proceeded to tongue-fuck the hell out of her.

  That’s when Blaze heard them, the group of males that were tracking behind. Higher-ranking warriors. If he ran now, he would catch the female up ahead before any of them. He didn’t have to settle for this one. The most attractive of the bunch. The most dangerous.

  The female turned, staring daggers at him. Then she did something strange, she sniffed at her armpits. “Do I smell?” She ran a hand over the top of her head. “Or did I suddenly sprout horns? Maybe I’m just not your type? Is that it?”

  Shit, from the noises in the undergrowth, the males were drawing closer, they were almost upon them.

  If he left now, he could still beat them to the third human. The only problem was that the thought of any of the non-royals taking this female irked him. No, more than just irked him, it pissed him the hell off. He’d experienced love before and knew it wasn’t for him. Blaze was sure that he could keep that part of himself locked up tight.

  Maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing that he would be compatible with his future mate. Both good sex and a business relationship, it was possible.

  “The others will be here soon,” he said. The human seemed unaware of the approaching males.

  She gasped as she heard the noises and registered what he’d just said, her luscious mouth fell open.

  “Do not say anything, unless you wish for one of them to have you.” He put an arm around the female and drew her towards him.

  She instantly stiffened and tried to pull away.

  “I find you highly attractive. I believe that we will be compatible.” Blaze would be honest with his future bride.

  Her eyes narrowed and she frowned. “Why did—”

  “We will talk more about it later. Do you wish to explore a possible mating or would you prefer it if one of the others claimed you?”

  “I know what I would prefer,” Lava said. Their time was up, a group of about eight males congregated around them. Their attention was fixed on the female at his side. Thunder was still having an epic make-out session with his female so none of the males were interested in pursuing that avenue. The male sniffed and frowned deeply.

  Yes, fucker, that’s my scent all over her.

  “The female is mine,” Blaze growled. He pulled her even closer still, turning her so that her chest flattened against him. Fuck, but she felt good.

  Lava was the most senior of the males, most of whom, he noted with pride, were fire dragons. “I think the female can speak for herself.”

  Blaze felt her shiver in his arms but then she stood taller, looking back over her shoulder so that she could look Lava in the eyes. “He claimed me. I think I’ll go with him… thanks.”

  “More like the female claimed you,” Thunder chuckled, lifting his female into his arms. “Anyone care to challenge me for my human?”

  “A female can’t claim a male. Maybe she’s still up for grabs after all,” Lava put his beady eyes back on the human female in his arms.

  Blaze couldn’t help but smile even though he wasn’t feeling particularly amused right now. “Say the word, fucker, and I’ll smear you all over this forest.”

  The female shivered again but she curled her hand around his bicep and pushed herself more firmly against him.

  “That goes for all of you,” Blaze added, allowing his gaze to drift across the group of males. He’d make sure that the female was at a safe distance and take the fuckers out.

  Sensing defeat, two of the group broke away sprinting towards the third and final female.

  Lava snarled like a child who had been denied his favorite toy and then followed closely on their heels. The others dashed away as well, and within seconds it was just the four of them and the sounds of the forest. The female pushed her hands against his chest and gave a shove. It seemed she hadn’t forgiven him for trying to pawn her off on Thunder. Blaze released her.

  “Well, damn,” Thunder announced, still carrying the female in his arms. “I had hoped for more of a show.”

  “Sorry to disappoint, asshole,” Blaze muttered the expletive.

  Thunder walked over. His female looked comfortable, snuggled up against the male’s chest. Thunder smiled. “We can travel together, at least for part of the journey.”

  Blaze shrugged. It didn’t matter either way. “Yeah, why not.” He bent over to pick up the human beside him but she took a step back and raised her eyebrows. The look quickly morphed into one of those s
cathing looks she could do so well.

  “Not so fast. Although I agree with you, he is a bit of an asshole,” the female pointed at Thunder, who grinned in response. “I think if there was an asshole award going around here, you would be the one to win it.”

  What the hell! What was she on about?

  “I can see by the look on your face that you have no idea why I said that. Typical!” She shook her head. “Did no one ever tell you when a woman practically throws herself at you, it’s impolite to try and hand her over to someone else?” She cocked her head, putting her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows some more.

  His dick was loving her fiery attitude. There was a familiar tightening between his legs. Not now! Not fucking now! It didn’t help that he hadn’t had sex in the longest time. “I’m sorry. I panicked,” he scrubbed a hand over his face.

  Thunder burst out laughing. “Okay, so maybe a show isn’t completely out of the question after all.” He looked down at the female in his arms. “It’s a pity we don’t have any popcorn. That’s what you humans like to eat during a show is it not?”

  The female nodded and giggled. “I guess.” Her voice sounded breathless. She was totally falling for Thunder’s bullshit.

  “Can you give us some privacy?” Blaze gritted his teeth.

  “What, and miss all the fun?” Thunder grinned.

  Fucker! His scales rubbed like mad. “Now,” Blaze growled.

  Thankfully the male nodded. “Don’t get your scaly tail in a knot. My female and I will be over there getting to know each other better. What’s your name, sweets?”

  “Lily,” the female smiled up at him. She didn’t seem to care in the least that she wasn’t Thunder’s first choice.

  His human felt very differently.

  “Explain the whole ‘I panicked thing.’ I find it hard to believe.” Her stunning blue eyes narrowed on his. “Why did you act like I have the plague? Are you sure I don’t smell?” She sniffed at her armpits again.