He was kind of a hobo, wasn’t he?
“What is he smiling about, anyway?” the man muttered.
“Shush, Gerry,” the woman said. “You know I welcome anyone here.”
Negative one point for humanity for Gerry, Zach thought. Plus one for the girl with the kind eyes. He glanced around the shop. Probably not going to be any more positive points around here.
The oracle had said she’d remove the collar when she felt she could trust him with humans. He had no idea what that meant, but probably it meant hating them a little less. Being less aghast at the thought of protecting them.
When the man had left, the girl with kind eyes removed her black apron, revealing a soft, curvy body in a short pink dress with black leggings underneath. She sat next to him, just a chair away, and gave him a kind smile. It made him tingle slightly.
Dragons did not tingle.
He shifted uncomfortably.
“My name is Erin,” she said, leaning forward with a smile.
“Okay,” he said curtly. For some reason, this little human set him off balance. He was still considering what that meant.
“Can I help you with something?” she asked. “I can call a shelter or maybe someone you know…”
He pursed his lips. “How about you just let me stay here and continue my observation? Or is that too much trouble for you?” His tone was slightly sarcastic and she raised an eyebrow in amusement.
“No, it’s no trouble at all,” she said sweetly. “You’re welcome to just stay in out of the rain as long as you like.” She looked at the clock. “Well, until we close. I was just making sure you didn’t need help.”
“I don’t,” he said flatly. He was frankly a little offended that she thought he was some kind of invalid seeking help. What about him was giving her that impression?
He flinched back when she reached for a lock of his hair that was falling over his face. “At least let me give you a wash and a shave,” she said. “On the house.”
He frowned. He didn’t want to accept this human’s pity, as in his other form he could eat her in one bite. But he’d seen her hands in the other man’s hair, and he wanted that. Wanted her touching him. Looking at him.
“All right, human.” He bit his lip and ignored the way he’d referred to her as she let out a light, tinkling laugh and led him over to her chair.
He sat down, sinking into the soft cushion with a sigh. She had to put the chair all the way down to work on him because he was extraordinarily tall compared to most humans. And good-looking, and muscled, if he said so himself.
As he faced the mirror, he admitted he was a little the worse for wear after his travels. He had an overgrowth of black beard, but that was manly. And his hair was tangled from wind and the slight rain.
He’d worn a long black trench over his clothing because it would provide shelter from the rain and elements and he didn’t know how long it would take to find lodgings.
But he didn’t see anything wrong in the mirror. If anything, he just looked masculine. Strong.
She leaned him back and helped rest his head on the sink. “I bet you’ll be a whole new person after this,” she said with a wink.
His eyes skimmed her curvy body, so close and warm, and then came back to her eyes, a beautiful clear blue like wildflowers.
Her hands worked through his hair, soaping and kneading, and he relaxed into her touch, her scent, the soft sound of her voice. The look of her kind face. The press of her body as she leaned over him. Even being a dragon, and very impervious to heat, he was on fire.
He stared at her, feeling shock unlike anything he’d felt as she finished washing and wrung his hair dry. Then she reached for a razor and foam to start the shaving.
As she carefully glided over his face, dipping in and out of a bowl, rinsing and wiping the razor so as not to cut him, he found there was a great deal of eye contact to be found in a shave.
What was she doing to him, the minx? His body felt warm. His throat tight and dry. Every touch was hot agony.
She was still humming happily as she grabbed a towel and dried his face, bringing him to a sitting position. He took the towel from her, keeping it over his face a little longer to hide his reaction until he calmed down.
He was an immortal dragon. He did not fall for human hairdressers, no matter how kind they were. He set the towel down.
The salon was instantly silent. Zach turned in his chair to see Erin standing a few feet away, a fresh towel in her hand hanging limp at her side, eyes wide, lips parted.
The humans were looking at him differently now. Several of the women who’d been scorning him before were giving him looks of lust. Invitation.
But he cared only for the reaction of one person. Erin, who was standing there frozen in pure shock. Maybe not even the good kind.
“Good heavens, what is it?” he snapped, yanking the cape from around his neck and jerking it to the ground as he stood with folded arms. He brushed his wet, black hair behind his ears and stared them down.
Another woman stepped forward, this one pale with blond hair, looking more like the wenches from his day in England. “Can I take your coat?”
He shrugged and handed it to her. “I demand to know why you’re staring,” he said to the room.
The woman who had taken his coat was gaping at him, her eyes wandering up and down his body.
He smirked. That was the response from human women he was more used to. He turned back to Erin, and realized the fact that he cared so much about what she thought could only really mean one thing. Something he’d never considered before in either of his lives.
Even as she marched up to him, irritation flooding her beautiful face, the possibility overwhelmed him.
The oracle had sent him out here to find out if he could get along with humanity. She should be happy that he had possibly just found a human mate.
Awakened Dragons Boxed Set
Terry Bolryder Reading Guide
A Note From Terry
Most of my series go by species. Most of my books are standalone, but if you want to read them in order and see characters reappearing, here is my list of the order for each species. So just choose your favorite shifter!
Dragons
Awakened Dragons
These powerful, newly awakened ancient dragons are stronger, more vicious, more powerful, and ready to save humankind, if only they can decide to be heroes rather than villains…
Awakened Dragons Boxed Set (best deal!)
Onyx Dragon
Sapphire Dragon
Ruby Dragon
Diamond Dragon
Amethyst Dragon
Emerald Dragon
Rent-A-Dragon
These ancient, viking-esque dragons just woke up and are ready to get to work finding their mates and new lives in the modern world! Shenanigans and sexiness ensue!
Steel Dragon
Iron Dragon
Titanium Dragon
Date-A-Dragon
These noble metal dragons have just joined the good side, formed a very odd dating agency, and are ready to protect the world and find their very own fated mates!
Gold Dragon
Silver Dragon
Platinum Dragon
Citrine Dragon
I have a separate series of dragon books that are menage and have different world building, and they come before the Awakened Dragons but don’t need to be read prior as they are completely different.
Here they are:
Dragons of New York (Menage)
Dragons work in pairs, the fire-breathing enforcers of the shifter world and rescuers of anyone in distress. And these sexy dragons are about to find mates:
Double Dragons Boxed Set
Double Dragons
Desired by Dragons
Destined Dragons
Tiger Protector Series (Spin-off of Dragons)
Three tiger brothers trained by dragon shifters work to bring evil shifters to justice while finding the perfect cu
rvy mates.
Tiger Protector’s Boxed Set
A Tiger’s Bounty
A Tiger’s Treasure
A Tiger’s Destiny
A Dragon’s Heart
Bears
Bearstone Park Series
A billionaire tech mogul, a movie star, and an Olympic snowboarder come back to Bearstone Park and find unexpected but wonderful mates.
Bearllionaire
Bearlebrity
Bearthlete
Beary Sexy Boxed Set: All three brothers in one (BEST DEAL)
Soldier Bear Series
These ex special-forces fighting bears are about to find curvy mates in beautiful, remote Bearstone Village.
Big Bad Bear
Big Sexy Bear
Big Strong Bear
Bear Haven Ranch Series
These rancher bear brothers need to find mates to keep the family land. Luckily, three curvy city girls are about to arrive just in time.
Mountain Bear
Rancher Bear
Wild Bear
Mountain Lion
Bear Claw Security
These sexy ex-special forces soldier bears are ready to protect in a whole new way, as bodyguards of the exclusive Bear Claw Security.
Bear to the Bone
Bear-ly a Hero
Bear to the Rescue
Bear-ly Human
Bear to the End
Polar Heat Series
A matchmaking papa bear sets his three bear shifter sons up with women on a Caribbean island.
Bear-ever Yours
Some Bear to Love
One in a Bear-l-lion
Remem-bear Me (Dad’s book)
Polar Heat Boxed set (Savings!)
Trapped in Bear Canyon
Sheltered by the Bear
Craved by the Bear
Redeeming the Bear
Lions
Lions of Pride Island
The hot royal family of shifters is ready to find mates!
King of Rock
Prince of Fate
Protector of the Pride
Wolves (The Alpha Series)
Alpha Games Serial (Complete story with boxed set)
An alpha female returns home to the pack mates she left and finds herself choosing between three alpha males in this paranormal romance serial from Terry Bolryder
Alpha Games Boxed Set
Alpha Rogue Serial (Novellas with cliffhangers between volumes)
An MMA fighting shifter meets his match in his exciting paranormal romance serial from Terry Bolryder.
Alpha Rogue Boxed Set
Alpha Contender Serial (Novellas with cliffhangers between volumes)
A average human woman finds out she’s a desirable female alpha and ends up in a mansion with ten possible suitors in this paranormal romance serial from Terry Bolryder.
Alpha Contender Boxed Set
Ultimate Alpha Boxed Set (One huge series)
Ultimate Alpha Boxed Set
Alpha Defender
When alpha wolf Thor finds an acquaintance on his doorstep needing his help, will he take the mysterious person in, or step aside?
*Stars Thor from Alpha Contender Series*
Alpha Defender on Amazon
Wolf Protectors Series
Three hot, wolf shifter brothers run a martial arts studio and divide their time between training to be the toughest around and winning over their sexy, independent mates. All in KU!
*Stars Asher from Alpha Contender Series*
Alpha Champion
Alpha Hero
Alpha Protector
Aquamarine Page 16