It doesn’t help that the damn dragon shifter is the most gorgeous man I’ve ever laid eyes on. Even with pasty, white, detoxifying skin, he’s beautiful. His shaggy head of dark blonde hair needs washing and cutting. I’d give anything to run my fingers through the strands and do both jobs. More so, I want to sink into his odd-colored eyes. The pupils turn amethyst when he’s angry or aroused, as I just discovered. The violet hue does strange things deep inside me.
I shake my head because now I’m lying to myself. He affects me right between my thighs in my sex. A burning ache of need builds whenever he’s around. My inner wolf grows erratic and I worry if I let her rule, I’d have Sarn on his back with me straddling his cock within a minute of entering a room with him.
Dmitri was almost at the end of his hospitality regardless of Sarn’s gold, so I broached the subject of drying out the angry dragon shifter against his will. I think one year is long enough to be angry at the universe. I know little about the dragons and their world. I only learned of their existence when I came to work early one morning with my brother.
We are both past the age of sexual consent for beastkind. We need mates, but the elusive magic that chooses our life partner hasn’t materialized. We came to Dmitri’s territory because we were restless and needed change. The nightclub was the perfect escape. My father, Ivan, wasn’t exactly delighted, but he knew where one of us went, the other followed. More times than not, it’s me pulling my brother from some scrape or another. I was a hellion as a child, but when I reached twenty-one, something in me settled. Not that our parents noticed. Roland is the golden child and can do no wrong in their eyes. I alone know his secret and when the time is right, Roland will tell our extended family.
Most shifters only have one clan, but Roland and I were raised in our early childhood by Marcus and Amy, the liege vampires of the Southwest Clan. Then we went to live with our father when he finally found another mate and settled down. I don’t remember my mother, though her death destroyed my father and he left us for years while he grieved. The mating bond is devastating when one half of a pair dies. I might not understand how our father could leave us for that long, but I don’t hold a grudge. With my past, I think that’s why I have so much sympathy for the dragon. In my mind, he needs to find something to live for. Not that I think I’m it, but he needs distraction from his pain and I may be able to help with that.
Roland and I have two clans, and now we work at the nightclub alongside a third clan. We seem to fit in. Well, as much as any outsider can fit in with a bunch of reticent bears. Honey, a bear shifter, and his mate, Mandy, who is a wolf shifter, have been visiting her family, so she hasn’t been around during the past few months. With her absence, I’ve grown companionable with Dmitri’s mate, Nikka. She’s mute and I can’t mind-share with her because I’m not a member of her clan, but that never stops us from communicating. I remain in wolf form and head to her home now. I need a sounding board.
Vampires are unable to produce children, so Nikka, a cat shifter, mothers the entire clan. She’s amazing and I’ve seen her get between two fighting bears three times her size and put them in their place. She bows to no one and she is also the last person you want to be on the outs with. For such a gentle woman, she is fierce when push comes to shove.
I shift to human and enter her home naked. Nikka doesn’t mind me walking around without clothes, but Dmitri has rules. I head to the clothing cabinet and take out a set of unappealing sweats that look like they’ll do. As a wolf shifter, I’m smaller than most of the bears, so the clothes are baggy. I don’t care how they fit as long as I follow Dmitri’s ridiculous house rules. I roll my eyes when I pull the hem of the shirt over my head. Vampires are strange when it comes to nudity. Unlike shifters they aren’t as comfortable seeing everyone naked. In a shifter home, nakedness is more the rule. When a beastkind child is young, it’s impossible to keep clothing on them. They shift back and forth between their human and beast form rapidly so parents don’t bother. And though Nikka is shifter, she gives into her husband on this point. I glance up and Nikka is gazing at me with a knowing smile. I have no doubt she knows my every thought on the subject.
“You can tell him I obeyed his rules,” I say and watch her grin widen. “I need an ear so I can whine a bit and get a few things off my chest.”
Her smile disappears. She turns and walks to the large sectional couch, sits down, and pats the space beside her. I sit then swing my butt around so I face her. I pull my knees in and wrap my arms around them. It isn’t very ladylike, which suits me just fine. I’ve never considered myself a proper, boring lady anyway.
Nikka waits patiently for me to start talking. I take a breath and let the entire story out. “I’m enthralled with the dragon shifter. I have no idea why. Dmitri told me of their bride claiming nonsense.” I hold up my hand when she shakes her head. “I know they have no choice and I know it’s some type of curse. I have sympathy for his loss but that doesn’t mean I’m happy about it. When he’s near, I can’t take my eyes off him. He is nothing but a big, bad, ball of heartache and it makes no difference to my wolf at all. She wants to lay her claws into his back as I ride his cock.” I drop my arm and feel utterly defeated.
Nikka takes my hand and gazes intently into my eyes. I feel her understanding.
“I know I can just fuck him and get him out of my system. It’s not like I haven’t had a little experience with the opposite sex. I’ve just never felt quite this way.” Nikka shakes her head slowly. “No, it’s not the mating bond. It’s something different. I’ve scented mated pairs and this isn’t about mating. Thank the Goddess for small favors.” A slight giggle escapes me and I continue. “I know the dragon will leave eventually. I also know there is a mate out there somewhere waiting for him and that woman isn’t me.” Nikka squeezes my hand and I look away as I speak again. “He has twenty-four years until the claiming. There is something deep inside me that wants to make him happy until he chooses his next bride even when I know it will kill a part of me when he does.”
I don’t realize I’m crying until Nikka pulls me against her soft chest and soothes my back. I rarely cry and I have no idea what’s wrong with me. Loneliness maybe. Even in the close-knit shifter community, I feel alone. My brother is the only one who ever sees my tears. He comforts me much like Nikka is doing now. But he has his own problems and even though I know they are of his own making, he’s been the one in need of a shoulder lately.
Roland is gay. He’ll barely admit it to himself and refuses to speak to me of it. Our parents will still love him, he just doesn’t understand that. He’s also a fierce warrior. Who he loves makes no difference when it comes to protecting the clans. He won’t talk to me even though we shared the same womb and he is a part of my soul. Most days I just want to slap him for being so stupid. And I’ve taken on an angry dragon shifter who needs more than a slap upside the head. Even if everything works out and we connect in bed and out of it, twenty-four years from now, he will go to another woman.
Damn my life sucks.
I pull away from the warmth of Nikka’s embrace and wipe my tears. I give her a half smile and say, “Thank you. I guess I needed that. I just keep hoping the Goddess brings me a mate so I can get on with my life and not feel this way. I also know there are shifters hundreds of years older than me who have never found their mates. I’m afraid I will be one of them. I would even be happy to mate with another wolf and give up children. It’s love I want.” I wipe away another escaping tear. “Having a mad passionate affair with the dragon might alleviate some of this pain. I desire him so very badly.” What I don’t say, because I have no idea why I feel as I do, is that I want the dragon for more than a quick affair. I want him forever, which is completely unrealistic.
Nikka’s smile is gentle and I read acceptance in her gaze. Whatever I decide, she will back me. Twenty-four years is a long time and just maybe my mate will show himself before those years have passed. If so, Sarn and I can part ways with no one hurt.
He would have a bride to choose and I would have a mate to live the rest of eternity with.
I’m glad I came here today. It has cleared my thoughts and I know exactly what I will do. I have a dragon to seduce, though a lot will need to take place before the seduction. The man seriously needs a bath.
Chapter Three
Sarn
For two more days I feel like shit, but I guess after three-hundred and sixty-five plus days of being inebriated it’s to be expected. On the fifth day, I eat the soup Sierra brings and for the first time, the food decides to stay down. The alcohol cravings continue and the body trembles are still there, which makes me feel weaker than I probably am. So much sweat has drenched the sheets on the bed that the entire cabin is beginning to smell like raw sewage. I’m glad when my mind seems much clearer after the meal and my headache subsides.
Sierra has been as quiet as the bears when she brings my meals. Of course, she wears those outrageous outfits that make me think of wild sex. Her sweet smile tells another story, though, and her innocence keeps me from making suggestive comments. The question that keeps fluttering through my mind is why do I crave those short visits by her as much as I crave alcohol?
I take a last drink of the water and lift myself from the bed. My eyes land on the sour-smelling puke bucket, so I pick it up and take it to the bathroom. I almost upchuck the soup in my belly as I pour the contents down the toilet. I’m already naked, so I step into the large shower, turn the water as hot as it will go, and wash away days of filth. I can no longer stand the smell of me. I rest my forehead against the cold tiles and let the water clean more than my body. I’m a fool for spending each day in a bottle. Taking the edge off the guilt and sadness was no punishment at all. I must live with myself even though I hate who I am.
My legs wobble severely by the time I step from the shower, though my head is clearer still. I leave the bathroom naked and stop suddenly at the sight of Sierra making the bed. Soiled sheets lay in a pile on the floor. I’m too weary to stand, so I turn a kitchen chair around and straddle it. She goes about her task and ignores that I’m sitting here. Today’s ensemble is skin-tight, black leather pants, a fitted crop top with lace at the tops of her breasts, and calf-length boots with spiked heels. She turns so her backside is to me as she tucks in the bottom covers. My cock swells as she bends at the waist and her delightful ass wiggles a bit. Even though I sound like a broken record, I ask anyway, “What are you doing here, Sierra?” Cool water drips off my hair and lands in my lap. It does nothing to cool down the stiff rod between my legs.
She finishes making the bed and finally turns my way. Her dark eyes slowly travel over my nakedness until she meets my eyes. Her voice is husky when she finally speaks, “You look much better.” A soft smile with a twinkle in her eyes comes next. “You smell better too.” She stares into my eyes for another moment before continuing. “You might not think so, but the two of us have a few things in common and I think we can help each other.”
I can’t stop the burst of laughter that escapes my lips—to be so young and naive. I appraise her sexily dressed figure and my cock swells a bit more. There is just something about her and it’s more than the clothes. She is nothing like any of my brides. Maybe it’s because she wasn’t raised as a dragon sacrifice. I can’t seem to place my finger on it and my head throbs a little when I try. Sierra is an alluring female, but I think it’s her touch of innocence that attracts me. It’s also the biggest reason I need to run in the opposite direction. This, whatever it is, must stop right here, right now. I leer at her in my best dragon, I-want-to-eat-you stare. “We have nothing in common. I’ll fuck you if that’s what you want, but it will be one time only. With almost five days sober under my belt, I’m not at my best and may not even be able to get you off. That’s my offer—take it or leave it.” My cock wants so badly for her to take it, though my brain doesn’t want her hurt. And there is no denying I will hurt her. I always do.
Her eyes drop to my cock and her eyebrows arch in a sexy way that almost makes me come out of the chair and take what I want. Her gaze slowly lifts to mine. “I believe I’ll pass, dragon.” Her smile deepens and sincerity enters her eyes. “What about friends? No fucking at all, just friends.”
The beating of my heart is so loud I’m surprised the walls of the cabin don’t shake. People might think a dragon’s bride is exclusively for sex, but that is only a small part of the bond. A dragon craves companionship. As Calista aged, sex became impossible. My love never diminished. I love her still and will until the next bride replaces her memory. This pint-sized wolf shifter wants friendship. I almost give in just because it’s exactly what I need.
I stand up and walk toward her with my engorged cock wagging like a tail. She never takes her eyes from mine. I reach out and rub a silky lock of her hair between my fingers. I step closer so our bodies almost touch. I smell the sweet musk of her desire and my stomach and headache take a backseat to the need to possess her. The innocence in her eyes is all that stops me. With a heavy breath, I release her hair. At that moment, more than two-hundred pounds of ferocious wolf shifter bursts into the cabin, hits my side, and takes me to the floor.
Roland’s damn teeth sink into my upper arm and his back claws shred the flesh of my thigh very close to my cock. I roll and sweep his legs from under him. He’s only down for a moment, but it gives me time to leap back to my feet. My fist plants against his furry jaw and saliva flies as he shakes his head.
“That’s enough,” Sierra shouts, though it doesn’t stop her brother from coming at me again.
I really don’t want to hurt the whelp even though he’s leaving his mark on me. Sierra grabs the ruff of his neck and pulls him back.
“Damn you, Roland, I can take care of myself. He’s not the first man I’ve fucked, so stop acting like you need to protect my virtue or something.”
Those words freeze my heart. Of course she isn’t a virgin. In this realm, virginity isn’t exactly a prized commodity. That’s why I come here when I need a willing woman to fuck. Why did I think her innocent?
Roland’s paw swipes the side of my head before Sierra manages to pull him completely away. I’ll admit the feisty she-wolf has an amazing set of vocal cords on her as she screams at her brother, “You mind your own business. I’m of age and have the same rights as you. Take your mangy hide and get out of here, now.” She kicks him in the ribs for good measure, but the angry wolf isn’t leaving.
He obviously says something into her mind because a burst of laughter escapes her throat as she pulls him farther away. “No,” she yells, “I’m not giving you the name of him either. I’m of age, dammit. You need to worry about your own love life and get your shit together.”
Roland turns his jaws in his sister’s direction and growls. I almost step in, but Sierra clocks him in the muzzle with her fist and shouts, “Yes, it is my business if it makes you so unhappy. Our parents wouldn’t want that and they won’t love you any less.” After a short hesitation, she releases him and places her hands on her hips. “You are a chicken shit. I don’t see a mate for either of us hanging around. You will never have a chance if you don’t admit the truth and decide to live your life as the person you truly are. Now get out of here and only come back when you want to apologize for being such an ass to Sarn.”
Roland turns in my direction and bares his teeth. I have no trouble deciphering that he isn’t giving me an apology just yet. He suddenly turns his large body in the direction of the door where several bear shifters are peeking inside. He sweeps past them without another glance at me or Sierra.
“Close the damn door and all of you mind your own business,” Sierra shouts at the gathering crowd. She doesn’t give them time to do more than pull their heads back before she marches to the door and slams it in their faces.
Her stormy eyes turn back in my direction and her gaze travels to my cock, which is hardening again at her display of dominance. Not that she will ever dominate me, but even without her virginity, she is
a sight to behold.
“And you,” she shakes her finger in my direction. “Cover that thing up if you can’t control it. The last thing I need today is a penis without manners flapping in my face.”
Her words cause my cock to stiffen further. I’d love nothing more than to flap it against her lips until she opens them wide enough for me to slide inside. My hand goes to my belly. Of all the Gods-be-damned moments, this is a fine time for my stomach to rebel and shivers to rack my body.
“For goodness’ sake sit down before you fall down. You’re bleeding and even though I can tell that you’ve bathed, you’re sweating again and you need to clean up.”
Her loud voice doesn’t help my pounding head either. The backs of my legs hit the bed and I sit down so I don’t fall.
She storms to the closet door and returns with a pair of sweatpants. She tosses them at me and I snag them before they fly over the bed to the floor on the other side. “Put those on.” She heads into the bathroom and comes out with a wet washcloth in her hand. I snag that too or it would have hit me in the face. “Clean yourself up. I’m going to make you something more substantial to eat and see if you can keep it down.” With that, she turns to the small kitchenette and begins pulling items from the refrigerator and cabinets.
The cabin has a great room with the kitchen area separated by a center island, a small table barely large enough to seat two people, a bathroom, and a closet. It’s small and comfortable; a complete step up from the bedroom I had at the club.
For the strangest reason, I’m so homesick it hurts. My thoughts turn to my lair high in the mountains. So high the clouds float around the top of my tower. When I launched myself from the highest tower perch, the clouds gave way to clear skies and I could see in every direction for miles. My realm, where no one dares attack me. They’d be dead if they tried.
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