by Kari Thomas
Instantly, Slade changed into dragon.
Stepping back to spread his wings, Reed stared hard at Slade. “I will be the last Ruler you will ever know. Prepare to die.”
“Ruler?” Slade scoffed, spitting out a few expletives. “You’re not worthy to be dragon.”
“I’m more worthy than that half Air Dragon heir, Ansel.”
“Another part of the tale?”
“Are you too young to remember Ruliard’s first wife?”
Slade abruptly stopped his advance. “Why bring her up?”
“She was my mother.”
Slade cussed a long string of expletives, and even a wounded Aleta muttered a few. Summer gasped, shocked at the revelation.
He was a Shamara Dragon!
“How?” She looked from Reed to Slade and saw the truth in their expressions. What else was waiting to be revealed?
“My mother was banned from the Clan after Ruliard caught her practicing black magic. He remarried years later, and that bastard Ansel is his second son. I am the rightful heir. No one has the right to take that from me.”
“You’re a murderer, an embarrassment to the Clan, and a damn fraud,” Slade stated. “The Clan will never accept you. Your mother was evil; everyone knew that. Are you so insane to believe you will be accepted as Ruler after the truth is out that you killed Ruliard and Ansel? Think again.”
“Who is going to tell them? Summer? You and Leo will be dead. And I’ve decided to keep Aleta as collateral for Summer’s silence.” He shook his head. “I’ve been planning this for over twenty years, Slade. I have every possible situation covered.”
“You forgot one thing,” Slade said, too-calmly. “I’m not planning on dying any time soon, Reed. And you’re right that I mated with Summer. You know that means I will protect her at all costs. My desire to keep her safe will be more than enough to destroy you.”
With a fierce, ear-splitting roar, Slade lunged at Reed.
They clashed as they both made the leap into the air; the impact of their dragon bodies colliding was hard enough to be deadly. They untangled and flew higher, preparing to strike at better angles.
Below them, Summer, Leo, and Aleta watched in horrified fascination. The air shimmered in multi colors as Reed threw magic at Slade. Slade countered with volcanic-strength fire breaths, breaking through the magic auras and hitting Reed each time. When they seemed to have exhausted their array of weapons, the two dragons roared a death challenge and flew straight into each other.
The collision was louder than any natural thunder boom, and Summer screamed. She covered her face, leaning against Leo. Aleta was by her side, a little weak but healed now. Her dragon DNA had closed the ragged gap on her wing before Summer could try to heal her.
Leo pulled them both to their feet. He took Summer by the shoulders and shook her to get her attention off the battle in the sky. “Listen to me, Summer! Aleta is going to take you back to the compound. Tell them everything. They will protect you…in case something goes wrong here now.”
“No!” She jerked free from his grasp. “I’m not leaving without Slade!”
“Silly cat,” Aleta muttered angrily. “Do you really think I’d leave here and let you and Slade have all the fun in destroying that maniac? Ha. Why don’t you take her back?”
Leo grinned, surprising them both. “And let the other half of my fighting team play without me? Not a chance, little bird. If you stay, we fight together. Deal?”
“Deal.”
“Slade!” Summer screamed as she watched Reed strike Slade with a long deadly talon beneath his belly. The tender skin ripped open, spewing dark red blood down on them. Aleta roared and started to take to the sky. Leo dived at her, catching one of her legs and yanking her back down just as her feet cleared the ground.
“No way, babe. We wait. We fight him on the ground if we have to. I can’t fly, remember?”
Summer felt like she was dying. Slade was strong, but Reed had more years and more power on his side. The battle intensified, roars blending with bone-breaking strikes and flesh tearing slashes as fire and air-magic mixed to blend it all into one terrifying deadly scene. She prayed. Harder than she’d ever done in her life.
If Slade was killed, she would willingly die, too.
Leo shouted, grabbing Summer and Aleta and pulling them away as fast as he could just as the two dragons started a manic, spiraling descent to the ground, their bodies locked together.
Summer couldn’t even scream.
The dragons hit the ground hard, shaking it like an earthquake. Dust and debris flew, flying rocks pummeling anything in their path. When the air settled down around them, everything was deathly still, silent.
Summer frantically pushed Leo and Aleta off her and got shakily to her feet.
“Wait, honey,” Leo said, trying to grab at her. “Let me check them out first.”
She shot him a glare and took off running to where Slade lie beneath Reed’s damaged dragon form. She skidded to a stop and fell to her knees beside one of Slade’s outstretched wings. There was blood everywhere.
He was so still. Was he breathing? “Leo, Aleta, help me get Reed off.”
They shoved Reed’s dead weight off, Leo huffing out cat sounds of fury and Aleta growling in unison. The dragon was already decaying in the instant way their species did after death. In an hour or two, there would be nothing left of Reed. Summer ignored the mangled mess of what had once been her adopted father and instead concentrated on Slade. She couldn’t hold back her cry of fear when she saw Slade’s bloodied, ravaged body. Please, he can’t be dead!
She ran her hands over the deep slashes, the broken bones, and forced herself to calm down. Beside her, Aleta said, “Remember, Summer, we can heal our own bones or outer injuries. Search for any internal damage and focus on it.”
She placed her hands on Slade’s wide chest and closed her eyes. Centering her powers she resolutely pushed the warm healing power into him. It flowed like a river, seeking out the internal injuries and drowning them in a death-defying healing touch.
Live, Slade, she pleaded. Please. I need you.
She loved him so much. She couldn’t understand the indescribable strength and depth of her feelings for a man she had only known a short time, but she knew with soul-felt certainty her love was real. He was already in her heart and her soul, forever.
Minutes later, she swayed with the encompassing dizziness that hit out of the blue. Relieved she couldn’t feel any more internal injuries in Slade’s rapidly healing body, she collapsed backward into Leo’s arms and closed her eyes. Slade would be okay.
Reed was dead. She could successfully heal Ruliard and Ansel now that the spell was broken with his demise. She remembered that much about magic. The nightmare that had been her life was now over. She had a place and a family, of sorts, to start anew with. Slade would be there, too.
“Damn it, cat. This is the last time I’m going to tell you to keep your paws off my mate.”
Summer’s eyes flew open to find Slade and Leo having a glare-down.
“Slade,” she murmured thankfully, “You’re all right.”
“And ready to fight again if that cat doesn’t release you right now.”
Leo huffed out a threatening growl. “I’m not giving her back to a man who can’t make up his mind whether to lust after her…or love her.”
Summer gasped, her heart skipping several beats as she stared at the thundercloud expression on Slade’s handsome face.
“Move Summer away from him,” Slade muttered to Aleta. “This has been a long time coming.” He stood up, changing back to man. “It’s you and me, cat.”
“I can’t force him to release her, Slade,” Aleta said with a womanly grin that shocked both men speechless. “Leo and I are a team now. He said so. I have to fight at his side.”
“What the hell!” Slade growled, his jaw slack in surprise. He stared at Aleta, complete shock registering on his face. “Did he touch you? Has he claimed you? The pe
rvert. That does it. I’m killing him here and now.”
“Slade,” Aleta shoved at him hard enough to make him rear back. “Don’t be ridiculous. I was the one who claimed him!”
Both men shouted, “What?” Summer laughed and high-fived Aleta.
“Don’t look so scared, Leo,” Aleta patted him on the arm. “I decided you were the one for me the first minute we met. Any shapeshifter who can get past Slade’s damn knowing radar has to be one hell of a man. I like that. And we make a great team.”
“Stop cussing,” Slade ground out, the muscle in his jaw jumping. “And you’re a dragon, not a cat. You can’t claim that mangy beast. I won’t let you.”
Leo growled at him. “Who made you boss?”
Slade’s jaw went slack again. “Are you saying you agree with her? Hellfire. Has the whole world went crazy while I wasn’t looking?”
“It’s called love, Slade,” Summer whispered softly. She held her breath waiting for his reaction. Whatever he said or did now could break her heart or mend it forever.
“Aleta is too young to know what love is. Your damn shifter is just plain crazy to begin with. What cat in his right mind would want to fall in love with a dragon that could eat him for dinner?”
“Leonathalus Leander, Second Alpha to the Pili Pride of Canada.” Leo reached out to shake Slade’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Slade made a sound half groan, half growl. He closed his eyes for a long minute. Sighing, he finally looked at Aleta, then Leo. “Hurt her in any way and you’ll answer to me.”
“Got it.” Leo stood up and pulled Aleta up beside him. “We’ve got a lot of things to discuss, babe. Let’s get started.” He led her away, his arm around her shoulder.
Summer lowered her gaze, suddenly uncomfortable with the silence between her and Slade now. What was he thinking? Could she bear it if he told her he didn’t love her the way she did him?
“Love is a strong word, baby.” Slade’s voice was low, velvety rough.
She finally looked at him. “I believe in it just as strongly.” There, she’d admitted the truth to him. The rest was up to him.
“Do you really love me?”
The question hung in the air. She felt like she couldn’t breathe. It was now or never. “Yes. I love you. I don’t know how it happened or what to do about it, but I can’t deny it.”
“Good.”
She gasped. “Good? That’s all you can say to me?”
“It’s easy to say words, sweetheart. I’d rather show you…”
Summer avoided his reaching arms. “Show me what? That you can make love to me so incredibly passionately that I forget all logic and reason? No thanks, Slade. I need more. I’m sorry.”
“More sex? Or more love?”
“Stop. Please, no more word games.”
He touched her chin with a caressing finger. “No games, sweetheart. Sex and love are the same things.”
“Are they?” She wanted him to say the words aloud. Not just imply it. Her heart had to be sure.
“Ever seen a fire dragon smoke up the sky?”
Huh? She shook her head. “As when he’s fighting?”
“No.” Slade leaned over and touched his lips to hers ever so softly. “As, when he’s writing the words I love you, Summer all over the sky in huge, bold, red smoke.” He smiled, the grin so sexy her heart melted. “Want to see it?”
Her heart sang. “Yes. I would love to see that. But…who would do it?”
Slade growled, the tone primal, sexy, and darkly promising. “Don’t even think about someone else now, baby. I claimed you. You are mine. Mine to love. Forever.”
“Good,” she whispered against his mouth. She heard him chuckle under his breath.
“More than good. Forever good.”
Summer gave herself completely, heart, body, soul to the man she loved. “Forever good” became her favorite words, and she planned on making him say them for the rest of their lives.
About the Author:
Kari Thomas is a multi-published author, and to date has eight Paranormal Romances published and four short stories. Each of her books have won various Awards, including “Best All Around Book” and “Best Paranormal Romance”, and “Reviewers Choice Awards”. She is a confessed “Book-a-Holic” and owns a huge collection in her personal library.
Currently living in Tucson, Arizona, she is also a member of several Romance Writers of America chapters.
Her web site is: http://www.authorkari.com
More titles by Kari Thomas:
Prey For The Wolf
Seducing The Hero
Also by Kari Thomas:
Seducing the Hero
by Kari Thomas
eBook ISBN: 9781926647470
Print ISBN: 9781926647555
Romance Humor
Novella of 23,241 words
Kitchen Witch Baylie Campbell needs a hero-a protector-when a crazed stalker threatens her life. Ex-detective-turned cowboy, Colt McKnight, agrees to protect Baylie, and he takes her to his secluded ranch. Colt knows Baylie is big trouble when he meets her, and those misfit, magically-blessed animals of hers are added stress. But he soon realizes it’s more than his male-sanity at stake when it comes to the seductive witch. Colt tries his best to resist Baylie’s charms. but, Baylie knows he never stands a chance. Both learn to trust love again; along with help from her four animals, and fate in the form of a stalker.
Also from Eternal Press:
Salvation
by Jacqueline Paige
eBook ISBN: 9781615722174
Print ISBN: 9781615722181
Paranormal Romance
Short Novel of 57,175 words
Lost in a place between living and dying, confined to roam endlessly over the same grounds for all eternity and cursed to never be seen again, Jareth wanders through time alone and longing for the sea once more. When he realizes there is one thing he yearns for more than he ever did the sea, he is tossed into a world he is unfamiliar with. Stuck with a life that never goes her way, Miranda is determined to get at least one thing she wants. When that one thing turns out to be a sexy pirate that lived over two hundred years ago, she finds herself faced with more than one challenge to have him. Can they break the curse and be together?
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight