Water Dragon (The Bride Hunt Book 2)

by Charlene Hartnady

  “Of course it matters. It matters a ton.”

  “It doesn’t. I chose you and you chose me. We are one step away from becoming mates.” He shrugged again. “Let’s just go.” He threw the rest of the items into the bag, haphazardly. Torrent yanked off his pants, tearing them in the process. Within seconds, he was in dragon form. Not before she noticed how hard he was. What the!? She didn’t understand it. Torrent was spitting mad and yet his cock was as hard as rock. She’d just told him something that had upset him. It didn’t make sense.

  Candy didn’t have time to think on it, she barely had time to put the backpack on her back and he was lifting her into the air. Her stomach lurched as they accelerated quickly into the sky.

  Chapter 14

  The next morning…

  Candy reached for the space next to her. The sheets were cold and empty. Within minutes of returning back to the chamber, Torrent had left. He mentioned something about having a meeting. Candy could see that he was talking rubbish. It was written all over his face.

  She felt empty and filled with sadness and all at the same time. Candy chewed on her bottom lip to keep it from having a wobblefest. She squeezed her eyes shut to keep from crying. He needed his space, time to think things through. Hopefully he wouldn’t leave her waiting too long and hopefully he would open up and talk a little more about his feelings without being an asshole. Maybe they could still work through this. She was still here, so there was hope.

  It was strange how a couple of days ago, she would’ve jumped at any opportunity to go home, yet right now, all she wanted was to make things right with him. To stay and make a future with Torrent. Her chest hurt. Her heart ached.

  She forced herself to throw off the covers and get out of bed. If she stayed in this fetal position, she was sure to feel worse.

  Candy got up, showered, ate breakfast and went through the motions of a normal day. There was no sign of Sky. She longed for companionship and someone to talk to. She mainly prayed that Torrent would come home.

  Home.

  It was weird how she’d come to think of this place as home and in such a short time. It didn’t matter that she hadn’t met anyone or experienced life amongst the dragons. She hoped to get the opportunity.

  Candy made lunch and read a bit. Then out of sheer boredom and frustration she put on some workout gear and spent an hour going through her aerobic routine. After a shower and a change, she felt no better. Anger had started to creep in. How dare he judge her like this? No one had the right to judge another person without walking in their shoes. Here was a guy that had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He’d never wanted for anything a day in his life. He was a complete manwhore by his own confession and yet he judged her.

  Asshole.

  In many ways, he was just like those arrogant dickwads she avoided. The ones that were against her rules. The ones she never agreed to date. Men with more money and arrogance than what they knew what to do with.

  If he walked through the door right now, she was going to give him a piece of her mind. It was a half an hour before the door finally did open and if anything, she was even more angry.

  Torrent didn’t know what to do with himself. He spent the night in his office. Hadn’t slept even a wink. All he could think about was Candy.

  He knew that she had rutted other males. It was something he tried not to think about. She had a past and previous sexual encounters, just as he did. It was a given. It was something he always thought that he could handle. Something he never questioned.

  Hearing her talk of accepting money for sex made him want to go into a blind rage though. She had been young and gullible. That male, Ellis had used her. That much was clear to him. Even if she hadn’t gone into this with open eyes and a clear mind, it had been for the right reasons.

  To have a future. To better herself in the long run.

  Torrent could understand these things. But fuck! It filled him with rage. Moreover, it filled him with the need to claim her. To make her his.

  It made him mad with need. His dick was hard and throbbing and had been ever since she’d told him. Call it instinct, driving need. It didn’t matter. It was there and it rode him hard. Torrent felt sure that once he finally claimed her, he would be able to move past this. Not a minute sooner. In fact, the rage and frustration was growing by the second. Need was also a fantastic contender in the race of emotions.

  All of this turbulance raced through him. His teeth felt sharp, he could feel his scales rasping beneath his skin.

  Claim!

  Now!

  Candy was his. His. He moved swiftly down the hallway. It was time to claim her. No, it was way past time. So overdue, it wasn’t funny. He would finally have her and they would never speak of it again. Not ever.

  Torrent unlocked the door and tried to open it carefully. One of the hinges tore from the frame. Not too bad, considering. He righted the door, pushing it back into its frame.

  Candy stood on the other side of the couch. She had a hand to her chest and her face was pale, her eyes were wide in her head.

  “Mine,” he rasped, his voice barely human. “Mine.” He tried again. Still guttural but with better pronunciation.

  Her eyes widened even more and she sucked in a breath. “What’s going on?” she stammered.

  “I’m done waiting.” He could only pray that she understood what he was saying. It didn’t really matter. This wasn’t about words anyway.

  “We need to talk.” She held up a hand.

  Torrent chuckled. It seemed his female had other ideas. Well tough luck. He advanced on her.

  Candy backed up one step and then another, and another. “Wait.” She held up both hands. “We really do need to talk.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about.” He was pleased with how calm and understandable his words were even though they came out in a deep rasp.

  “There’s a ton to talk about. I put it all out there and I can see that you are not taking it well.”

  “I didn’t come to talk.” He closed the distance between them and clasped an arm around her waist.

  “Torrent, wait,” Candy pleaded. She pushed against his chest.

  “Don’t you want me?” He narrowed his eyes. He didn’t know what he would do if she denied him. He wasn’t sure that he could control his beast for much longer.

  Rut.

  Take.

  Claim.

  “You know I do.”

  “Well then.” He lowered his head and buried it into her neck, nipping at her flesh. The scent of her arousal met his nostrils and he growled deeply.

  On a hard rip, he shredded her sweater, curling his hand around her lush flesh. Her nipple tightened. Candy gave him another hard shove. “Wait.” It came out sounding breathless. “We can’t.”

  “No more waiting. You are mine. Do you hear me?” His free hand cupped her mound and she made a whimpering noise.

  “Yes… no.”

  “You. Are. Mine.” It ended on a snarl. Shit, if he carried on like this he was going to scare her. “I need you,” a rough whisper.

  “No!” More forceful this time. She slapped the side of his arm. “Stop!”

  “Candy.” His voice sounded pleading, so close to begging it scared him. “I need to claim you now. I need to make you mine. Need to have you.” He pushed a hand past the elastic of her pants. “Stop denying me.”

  She shoved at him some more. “We need to talk first.” She squirmed.

  “Fuck!” He snarled, pulling away from her.

  “I do want you.” She sniffed, she was crying. “I want for us to be together but not like this. You’re angry. You hate the idea that I was a call girl, a high-priced hooker. A whore.” She was openly sobbing now but her hands were fisted as well. She pulled her clothes together in a hard tug.

  “Don’t call yourself those things.” Anger rose up in him. A lump formed in his throat.

  “I had sex for money. It’s who I was. Was.” She practically shouted the wo
rd. “It’s in my past. It is a part of who I am but it doesn’t define me.”

  He could hear what she was saying. Torrent could sympathize and empathize but it didn’t make him feel any better. His dragon prowled and growled. Hearing her say those things didn’t calm him. “You’ve told me. I will come to terms with it. I need you… now. Don’t deny me. Don’t deny us.”

  She shook her head. “We’re not ready to take that step. I thought that we were but I was wrong.”

  “What will it take?” He growled. The sense of urgency rose even higher and along with it a feeling that he was losing her. Candy. She was his.

  She shrugged. “ I don’t know.” Candy shook her head. “You need to come to terms with what I used to do. You need to get the hell over it or let me go… one or the other.”

  “I’m never letting you go,” he growled. “You are mine.”

  “Stop saying that.” She poked her finger into his chest. “You’re acting like a complete jerk. I did what I had to do. Something that I have to live with, that I have to deal with. You are the one that needs to get over it though.” She turned and paced away from him. Candy opened the closet and grabbed a shirt. Then she changed out of the ripped sweater and pulled on the fresh shirt. Her movements were jerky and angry.

  Torrent ran a hand through his hair. He was losing her. What was wrong with her? He didn’t understand it. He was offering her everything. A whole new life. An opportunity to be a queen, to be his mate and it didn’t seem like she wanted it.

  Maybe she didn’t want him.

  A king.

  Why didn’t she want him? She allowed human males to pay her money to rut with her and yet she refused him at every turn. White hot anger coursed through him. It was unacceptable. Did she not realize that she was lucky to even be here? It was her that should be begging him and not the other way around.

  Torrent went to his side of the closet and yanked open the door. He opened the golden chest in the far corner and and chose a couple of items.

  Candy was at the far end of the chamber. She was staring out at the view, deep in thought.

  Torrent swallowed thickly. Something gave him pause. A voice maybe. Something that told him not to do it but he ignored it. Candy was his female. She’d had sex with others for far less. Rutting her was his right. She was his dammit. Why was she being so stubborn?

  “Here.” He held out the jewelry to her. Torrent had tried to speak with her but they had gotten nowhere. Hopefully she would understand this.

  Candy looked from him, to the pieces in his hand and back again. She looked at him like he was mad. “What’s that?”

  “Some pieces that my family has collected over the years. An emerald ring. A diamond and ruby encrusted brooch. This… he held up the necklace and pendant, is a two carrot diamond.”

  She frowned. “Okay.” Her frown deepened and she took a step back.

  “They’re yours.” It was too late to back out. By now the voice was screaming to him not to do it.

  Fuck it!

  “I want to rut you. I will give you the jewels as payment. This”—he rattled the priceless heirlooms in his hand—“is what you understand. Am I correct?”

  “Fuck you,” a whisper.

  “Yes.” He raised his brows. “I want you to fuck me. You did it with all those humans and for less, I am sure.”

  Her hand lashed out and she slapped him across the face… hard. “No.” Her voice trembled. She cleared her throat. “You misunderstand. Fuck you!” She yelled. “As in take your money, your diamands, your title… you can take it all and shove it.” Candy sucked in a deep breath.

  Fear gripped him. “I don’t understand. You’ll fuck all of those—”

  “I wouldn’t lower myself and have sex with you if you were the last guy on the planet. Guys like you are the reason I had a whole list of rules in the first place. I’m leaving now. I want nothing to do with you. Don’t you dare try and stop me.” Her eyes shone.

  “Fine,” he snarled. “Whatever! There are other females out there. In fact, I heard something about another hunt in a week or two.” It was a lie. There was a hunt but he wouldn’t be bringing a female back.

  Candy flinched like he’d physically hurt her. “Just take me home, or better yet, get one of your guys to do it. I don’t ever want to see you again.”

  It hurt so much he could hardly breathe. What the fuck had he done?

  No! Wait just a minute.

  Torrent had tried everything. It was Candy’s fault. Her own damned fault. She didn’t want him. He’d tried hard. He would’ve done anything for her. Right now, he was taking his own advice, there were more females out there. Torrent shrugged. He pretended not to care. He tried to get his heart rate under control and tried to breathe, even though it felt like a mountain was sitting on his chest, squeezing the life out of him. “I renounce you as well. You’ll be back in Walton Springs before nightfall.” Torrent turned and strode from the room. He tripped and almost fell as the door closed behind him. His eyes stung and his throat felt thick.

  It was nothing. She was nothing to him. Less than nothing. A mistake. Once he had another female under him, he’d perk right up. He was weak from lack of sex. That was all. It was a problem that would be easily rectified.

  Chapter 15

  “What are you doing here?” Blaze pushed back from his desk and stood up.

  “Hello,” Torrent said. “It’s good to see you too.” He could feel that he was frowning.

  “Save me the dramatics.” Blaze smiled. “Why aren’t you with your new bride?”

  The male had spent too much time with human females. With one human female in particular. Blaze thought that the others hadn’t noticed just because his visits had dried up before they could call him out on it. It was the first time that Torrent wondered what had happened.

  Bride.

  Fuck!

  “The female is not my mate. It was a false rumor. A misunderstanding.” He shifted from one foot to the other. A mistake! His chest tightened just thinking it. A stupid damned mistake.

  His youngest brother, Storm, would be dropping her in Walton Springs right now. Good riddance.

  Blaze raised his brows. “Oh! I had heard that you sealed the deal.”

  He shook his head. “Nope. I sent the female home. We were not compatible.”

  “Oh! That’s a shame.” Blaze looked amused.

  “We didn’t rut.” He felt the need to set the record straight. “We were not compatible as people.”

  “An even bigger shame.”

  “I’m here to enquire about the dark haired human. I had my sights set on her from the start. It is probably the reason it didn’t work out with Candy.” Liar! The words almost stuck in his throat. They felt hollow. It felt like he was betraying his female.

  No!

  Not his.

  Candy left him. She left. It wasn’t his fault. Not at all. That wasn’t entirely true. The same voice that had tried to stop him earlier began to shout at him. It called him choice names. He pushed it down and drowned out the pesky droning. “I heard that your brother has not yet mated her.”

  “No, but he seems to like her.” The fire king looked thoughtful.

  “I want her,” he blurted. Torrent had called Ocean to his chamber as soon as Candy had left but the female did nothing for him. Absolutely nothing. She’d stood before him naked and his body hadn’t so much as stirred. He’d apologized to her and had sent her away. He’d felt like the biggest prick. No! It wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t.

  It was simple, he needed a human replacement. The dark haired one. The one he had wanted in the first place. It was simple!

  “I don’t know.” Blaze rubbed at the stubble on his chin, he was deep in thought.

  Interesting, the male was considering it. “Surely they would be mated by now if she was the right one for him? All of the other females are mated. I sent mine back… after all this time, we should have been mated as well but we were not compatible.” He alm
ost stumbled over his words. “It is the same with this human and Coal. They don’t belong together. You know I am right.”

  Blaze nodded. “I must admit that I am concerned. You need to know that she”—the male stopped talking— “you might be right.” His whole demeanor changed. “Why the hell not? Do you agree to forfeit the next hunt if I give her to you?”

  “Yes.” Torrent knew it was rash but he didn’t give a fuck. The dark haired one was just what he needed to forget Candy. All human females found him attractive. Candy was the first female to ever resist him. He felt his blood boil all over again just thinking about it. She would accept money from mere humans and wouldn’t let him near her. That wasn’t entirely true it…

  Fuck!

  Candy didn’t want him. She didn’t. The human had proven that time and time again.

  “Are you sure?” The fire king asked.

  He paused for a time. Why was he second guessing himself? Fuck that! “Yes.” His voice rang loud and true. Of course it did! The dark haired one would fall at his feet. She was the one for him. His throat constricted further and his chest felt all the tighter. He needed a female. He would feel better once he was inside of one. Anyone. He would.

  Blaze nodded. “It is done.” They both touched their markings as a show of faith. Torrent pushed his hand deeper into his chest, trying to still the emotion swirling beneath the surface.

  “Coal should be on his way now. I will inform him of my decision.”

  “I will wait.”

  “Come back in the morning.”

  Torrent shook his head. “I will take the female today.”

  “What is the rush? I will inform Coal and allow him to break the news to the female. You can come b—”

  “I will wait.” The thought of leaving empty handed was appalling to him.

  Blaze narrowed his eyes on Torrent for a long while. Torrent could feel his heart beating out of his chest. The male finally nodded.

  Something inside of him released but the weight on his shoulders felt like it increased by ten fold. What was he doing?