For a moment, the shadows seem to move, making my spine tingle, but I ignore the sensation and make my way toward the cupboard, instinctively knowing my way around the house even in the pitch black.
It isn’t until I reach the cupboard, my hand on it, a second away from opening it, that I feel a tall, ominous presence behind me.
An ominous, familiar presence.
“Aren’t you just delectable tonight?” The deep, honey-smooth words fall from Van’s lips behind me like some dark promise. In an instant, one arm wraps around my midsection, and I’m pulled into his chest roughly. The other hand reaches up across my chest and grabs my chin, forcing me to look up at him over my right shoulder.
I see into piercing purple eyes framed by long lashes. His full lips smile just barely at me, and I catch a glimpse of long, fang-like canines that extend over his lower lip, though I can’t tell if they’re fake or somehow real. And even though I can’t see the rest of what he’s wearing, the tall, pointed black coat with its red velvet lining is something I instantly recognize from classic vampire movies.
“Van, you finished your call. I’m sure the others are—”
“Silence, human.” He interrupts me, and he cranes my head slightly, giving him access to my neck as he leans down and nips my sensitive skin there. I can feel one fang press into my neck, then both at the same time, and though it’s not enough pressure to draw blood, the raw, animal danger of it sends a thrill up my spine.
I struggle a little and feel myself completely trapped against him. In fact, struggling just makes my breasts rub against his arm, heightening the realization that I’m completely at his mercy.
Damn, he really does know all my deepest, most unknown desires. And he’s shown me time and time again by how hard he makes me come and how in control of every situation he is just how deeply he feels for me.
“What can I say except that I’m addicted to you, Anna? I crave you. Hunger for you, always.” I’m pulled by his arms around me toward the kitchen counter, still trapped and getting wetter by the second. He kisses my neck harder, sucking on the flesh there, hard enough I’m sure it will leave a mark, but I don’t care. It’s so arousing my knees want to buckle. Only, they can’t because I’m held so tight to his chest there’s nowhere to go.
And his hand, which was around my stomach, moves lower, pulling up my short skirt and tracing a line down my upper thigh that’s heading dangerously close to my center.
“Maybe I’ll just take a bite of you now. All for myself.” His voice is rough, commanding. “Make you scream for more as I take you right here while the others wait for your return.” He speaks against the wet skin on my neck, his breath hot and arousing me further, and I can feel his thick hardness pressed to the small of my back. I’m so tempted to take him up on it that I can’t think straight. His finger is playing with the edge of my exposed panties, his other hand covering my mouth as I mewl in pent-up arousal.
Then he releases me, and I collapse onto the kitchen counter, needing both hands to hold myself up as I pant and my lungs try to catch up. Before I can fully stand, he turns me to face him, and he puts both hands on my hips as his lips fall over mine in a breathtaking kiss. I open my mouth immediately, desperate for more as his tongue entwines with mine for a second before he pulls away and looks down at me with that certain look only he has for me.
Possessive. Raw. Deeply romantic and panty-melting all at the same time.
“Happy Halloween, Anna. I’m sorry I’m late for the party,” he says. At this distance, I can finally see how complete his vampire getup is, with leather pants and knee-high boots, a flowing silk shirt that’s open at the collar, and a long, black cloak that hangs to the floor and has the ridiculously high collar that points sharply upward past his neck.
“I don’t think you need to apologize after… that.” I gulp, smoothing my skirt down even though my body is begging for more.
More of all of my dragons if I’m honest.
Suddenly, the light turns on, and the other dragons are filtering into the room, various expressions on their faces as Seth saunters in last with a smug look.
“Do you think that story is even true?” Griffin asks Rainier, who shrugs.
“Totally true,” Seth says proudly, and Griffin blanches just a little.
“So there you are, Van,” Byron says, looking between me and him with a glimmer of excitement in his eyes that says he knows what we were doing and he approves fully.
“I knew Van was in the house with Anna. That’s why I didn’t insist one of us go inside with her,” Rainier comments as he sets several dirty dishes into the sink for Lee to take care of later.
I feel the others can sense the tension in the air, and all of their gazes linger a little longer on me than normal. Griffin even licks his lips, ignoring the fact one of his suspenders has fallen to the side, giving me a perfect view of his pecs.
“Maybe we’ll have everyone wear their outfits later so you can enjoy the show,” Van whispers into my ear, sending a shiver down my legs and arms. But by the time I look up at him over my shoulder to respond, he’s already halfway across the kitchen, discussing something with Byron.
“Rainier, we need to show them the surprise,” Seth says excitedly, practically jumping with energy.
“The surprise?” I ask.
“Everyone’s been working on it all week. Usually while you’ve been… occupied,” Lee says with a seductive grin that recalls just how “occupied” these dragons have kept me the past year.
So occupied I wouldn’t know how to live without them. So occupied my heart stops whenever I look at any one of them.
“Follow me,” Rainier says, leading the way with Seth beside him. Griffin puts an arm around me as we’re flanked by Byron and Van still talking, and Lee turns off the house lights as we make our way to the front of the mansion.
It’s totally dark, but barely any stars are visible due to the moon’s glow. Rainier pulls out his phone, presses a few buttons, and then there’s complete silence except for the chirping of crickets.
Then suddenly, a cascade of lights and sound erupt from every nook and cranny and window. The whole front of the house has taken on an orange and white and red-lit face in a creepy grin, and rows of plastic jack-o’-lanterns light up as a familiar Halloween song plays in perfect coordination with the light show. There are more decorations than I can count, spooky scarecrows and hanging skeletons and some machines that burst billowy fumes in time with the music.
It’s so festive my heart could burst, and I put an arm around Rainier and lean up to kiss his cheek. “Thank you. It’s amazing.”
Rainier flushes, looking to the side. My other hand is wrapped around Griffin, who seems content to have me trapped between him and his partner.
“It was nothing. We all contributed. We all want to make you happy, Anna,” Rainier says, still delightfully caught off guard whenever I compliment him.
“That’s for damn sure,” Byron says from behind me, and I look over my shoulder to see him and Van looking like some regal pair from out of time—a vampire count and a rakish duke.
“Forever and ever,” Lee says, Seth beside him, who’s still watching the light show. And then those emerald eyes look over at me, and he nods in eager assent.
“How about we go make some more Halloween memories we’ll never forget?” I reply, pulling down the other suspender on Griffin’s shoulder, making the heavy firefighter pants sag enough so I can see the black underwear he’s wearing. And when I playfully grab Rainier’s striped tie, he leans into me, putting a hand on the small of my back that’s already sending tingles of anticipation sparking to my core.
I feel like some powerful witch who’s somehow entranced six sexy men under my thrall, though I know the truth is much more romantic.
“I was under your spell from the first moment I laid eyes on you,” Griffin says, leaning into my ear and nipping at my lobe. Everything they do is always so sensitive.
And as I take
my dragons back to the house with me, my heart is bursting to overflowing.
Because whenever we’re together, everything we do is magic.
Thanks so much for reading the Bad Dragons series! I hope you enjoyed Anna’s journey with her dragons. Also, if you loved the book, please consider leaving a review to help other readers find and love it!
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Dragon Next Door (Forgotten Dragons 1)
Tristan's whole life would have been different if he wasn't born a twin. As unwanted red dragons, he and his brother are forced to move from place to place, hiding in the shadows. They can't form a triad and they can't protect humans the way they were born to. That is until Tristan meets bold, reckless, wonderful Kelsie, and realizes that while the world denies him a life as a dragon, he can't deny the dragon inside him a mate.
Want some fresh new fae instead?
My princes from the Wings, Wands and Soul Bonds series are sexy, righteous warriors coming to earth to fight for truth, right, and sexy mates!
Found by Frost (Wings, Wands and Soul Bonds Book 1)
Boreas Everfrost, or "Brett", didn't come to our world to make friends. He's here to find his soul mate, and destroy the evil fae that have infiltrated human society. He didn't expect fiery, independent Avery who lives upstairs to be the perfect match, but from the first time they meet it's love at first sight. Now he just needs to earn her trust, protect her from the chaos that's after her, and not reveal his true form to the world. All in a day's work for a powerful fae prince.
Sample on the next page!
Sample of Wings, Wands and Soul Bonds
Chapter 1
“A beacon lives here?” I ask, staring up at the rundown building in front of us that humans call an “apartment complex.”
I, Boreas Everfrost, warrior prince of ice and defender of the frost kingdom, have my doubts about coming here at all.
Earth is a lawless place. Savage. Unruled. Undefended for the most part.
But that’s why we’re here.
“Shut up,” Ivar—once prince of light, now given the utterly mundane human name of Ian—strides past me. He’s carrying enough luggage to blow our cover even with the suppressors we’ve been given to keep our magical appearance under wraps.
Not that we’re much different. A little taller. Long hair, as befits a warrior, and of course, pointed ears and gigantic flaming magical wings.
Nothing too intense.
“Perhaps she wants to keep a low profile,” Flint the fire fae, now Flynn, says, cocking his auburn-haired head as he stares at the scenery with me.
I frown in consternation at the faded brick exterior, the sign with its missing letters, and the lawn, which is littered with bare patches and weeds under clumps of dirty snow.
After months in the human world, preparing for my mission, I long for the sparkling, frost-covered palace I call home.
“Come on.” Tynan—once known as commander of darkness, now known only as Tanner—strides by with the rest of the luggage
I glance at the different numbers on the doors as we walk down the hall, marveling at the tight spaces of human living conditions.
Some of the numbers hang down at an angle, lending to the overall dereliction of the place.
From what I’ve seen of the human world, I have no desire to stay here any longer than I have to.
I listen carefully for resonance as I follow the others to our apartment at the end of the hall. If the beacon is as powerful as reported, I should be able to feel something.
I wait, heart pounding, hoping to get a hint of some tiny wisp of magic that could indicate her presence, but nothing.
I don’t even know why I care.
I’m here to stop the chaos princes that have invaded and go back to my kingdom, nothing more. I care not for this world with its lawlessness and its chaos.
Though we can fight off the chaos princes, the chaos infecting every facet of this place will never be vanquished.
If only they had the order of my world.
“Boreas—I mean, Brett—you pompous idiot, get in here and help.” Tanner has finally lost his patience with the luggage.
“This is ridiculous,” I mutter, walking in to help move the boxes around. I sniff the air, scenting a mix of unpleasant aromas I can’t place. “I can’t believe we’re expected to be satisfied with these accommodations.”
Flint shakes his head. “Not all of us live in a sparkling, lofty kingdom of order. This place isn’t so bad.”
I glare at him but bite back the harsh retort on the tip of my tongue. Flynn and I have built a sort of friendship, despite the fact that our kingdoms have hated each other for a very long time.
I walk to the window and look out at the scene as snow falls silently on the dingy streets and cars laden with ice struggle by on the uncleared pavement.
Chaos.
I wave my hand, gently clearing the snow from the walk so no one falls. I pull the snow from the parked cars so they aren’t trapped.
When I see a car sliding helplessly on ice toward a parked car, I gently bring up a barrier of snow to cushion and stop it.
Satisfied I’ve resolved a little of the chaos around me, I’m about to leave the window when something catches the corner of my eye.
A woman has just pulled up to the curb, and she’s now getting out of her car to grab a shovel out of the back of the trunk.
I squint as I stare at her, trying to make out more of her form, but the heavy winter clothing covering almost every inch of her hides her from my eyes.
An odd feeling of frustration wells up in me, and I press both hands to the window as I get closer, staring so hard I can’t seem to blink.
“You are going to look like a psychopath, staring out the window like that,” Ian says, walking up to the glass to look out.
Somehow I feel oddly possessive of the scene and attempt to block his view. But soon, the other fae are joining.
“What’s going on? Is that human shoveling out that other human’s car?” Flynn asks.
“I think so,” Ian says, looking from behind me. “Ah, look, another is helping. Sometimes they can cooperate.”
Tanner glances over darkly, then gets back to unpacking.
He hasn’t been the same since our first fight against a chaos prince in this world.
“Hm, there’s something about the one in the puffy clothing,” Flynn says.
My heart rate increases, and I don’t even know why. I feel a tickling at the ends of my ears, as though my suppressor is failing. My eyes narrow in on the woman…
And it hits me.
Resonance unlike anything I’ve ever felt, ever expected, surges through me, strong enough to knock me on my back if I let it.
I feel my wings break through and surge up just as Flynn jerks me back from the window and Ian curses and shoves the curtains closed.
“Suppressor,” Flynn says, putting out his hand as Tynan throws it to him, landing it in his palm.
I can barely feel the bracelet slipped onto me until the magic starts to abate.
Now I can breathe. My wings retract. My ears go back in.
“He’s going to be using three by the end of this, mark my words,” Tynan says moodily, relaxing against the counter now that the drama is over. His dark eyes glitter as he appraises me.
“That’s just because I’m most powerful,” I say, once I’ve caught my breath. “I can’t help that. Besides, I just felt resonance.”
Flint perks up. “Really?” His auburn hair is mussed from shoving me. “From the woman out there?
”
I nod, feeling as if my heart is jumping out of my chest, wanting to join with its match, to begin bonding ourselves to one another.
“I’m going out to meet her,” I say eagerly, striding out into the hall before they can stop me.
I’m in luck because just as I’m headed out into the hallway, she is making her way back inside.
Her deep, fathomless brown eyes meet mine, and a wet lock of dark hair falls from her hood to lie over her forehead. The ridiculous puffy black coat she’s wearing hides her body, but that doesn’t matter to me.
What matters is what I feel inside, the surge of magic, the pulse of my heart as my bonds reach toward my perfect match.
And I’m certain she’ll feel this too. This amazing feeling. This sensation of soaring toward one another as if carried by clouds.
I’m her ideal soul bond, and she’ll know it by the time she gets closer to me.
Will she jump on me when the resonance hits? I prepare myself for the onslaught of her passion, opening my arms wide for her to use me as she likes.
But she stops, taking a step back, eyebrows rising. As the whole world seems to slow around me, I blink, for some reason focusing in on the snowflakes on her brows and lashes.
I can feel the other fae piling out into the hallway to watch my utter humiliation.
She looks like she doesn’t know what to do and takes another step back as I slowly drop my hands, realizing there isn’t going to be any joyful union.
I must look like a crazy person. But I didn’t think resonance like that could be ignored.
One of the fae must have given her a wave, because she lifts a hand weakly in a polite response, then quickly turns around and takes the other stairway up and out of sight.
She doesn’t even look back once.
I, Boreas Everfrost, now known only as Brett, have had the unthinkable happen in this order-forsaken world.
Bad Dragons: Special Edition Complete Series Page 51