Zircon (Awakened Sea Dragons Book 1)

by Terry Bolryder

  She smiled at him, auburn hair framing her face. The sun was getting lower in the sky, and it was nearly sunset. He couldn’t wait to see the rays on her gorgeous skin and shimmery hair. “I don’t know whether to be pleased or creeped out.”

  “I know it’s all weird to you,” he said. “I know it may take time to accept. I’m willing to stay here with you and wait. I’ll even fight Aegis, if that’s what it takes.”

  “No,” she said, shaking her head. “All I ever wanted in life was adventure. And now it seems like the greatest adventure will be loving you.”

  He blinked at her in shock. “You love me?”

  “I do.” She smiled warmly.

  “When did that happen?”

  “I don’t know,” she said. “Probably the moment you walked into that bar, looking like a something from Swiss Family Robinson.”

  “From what?” he asked, confused.

  “I’ll show you later. What matters is that I love you,” she said, leaning in and cupping his face, pulling him in so she could kiss him.

  Her warm breath soothed him, and his heart felt like it was beating normally for the first time since he’d left her that morning. He curled an arm around her waist. Somehow, just at this moment, everything was right.

  She loved him, and he couldn’t think of anywhere he’d rather be.

  He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. “I love you, too, Jenny. More than my own life. More than anything in this world or any other. I’ll always protect you.”

  She smiled and threw both arms around him, holding him close. “Stop. You’re embarrassing me.”

  “I can’t stop loving you,” Seaton said. “I will probably keep embarrassing you for life.”

  She giggled and dug her nails lightly into his back. “In that case, I’m looking forward to it.”

  They pulled back, looking into each other’s eyes, and let out a deep breath simultaneously before breaking into a laugh.

  “So you agree to be my mate, with all it entails?” he asked nervously.

  “I’ll follow you anywhere.”

  “It’s like what you call marriage but more serious.”

  “Perfect,” she said. “Because after today, I never want to let you out of my sight. I can’t be without you. We can work out any other details later.”

  “At the castle,” Seaton said.

  “Castle?”

  “I would guess so. That’s how land dragons always lived before.”

  “Wow,” she said. “So they’re like medieval time dragons or something?”

  He cocked his head. “I don’t know.”

  “You’re right,” she said, shaking her head. “I’ll figure it out in the books.”

  He loved that his mate was willing to be so open for him. He should have known that a human who would rescue three homeless dragons and take them into her home was truly in a league of her own.

  “Okay,” he said, standing and feeling power flood through him as his dragon truly processed that she loved him, that she accepted him as her mate.

  It felt as though the flood gates were releasing burning energy into his body, and he walked into the ocean just to be safe.

  “Now I’ll show you something you aren’t going to see in any book.” When he was waist deep in the water and sure Jenny was at a safe distance, folding her arms against the evening wind and watching him, he let the transformation happen.

  He felt like he was bursting, growing, and a cool sensation went over him as he rose out of the water into his dragon form.

  He was huge now, and Jenny seemed tiny as he looked down at her.

  He was surprised when she waded into the water, pushing past waves to reach him. He curled his tail around and gently caught her at the waist, lifting her and setting her on top of him. She looked up into his face.

  “It’s really you. I think I’m going to faint.” She sat down on his back, which was covered in luminescent blue scales that flashed in rainbow shades of purple and green depending on how the light hit him.

  Seaton had always felt that sea dragons had the best looks.

  “You’re so beautiful,” she said. “It’s still hard to believe this, yet…” She rested her hand on the scales of his face as he brought his head down to look at her. “When I look in your eyes, I know it’s you.” She sighed. “I guess I always knew I was caught up in something bigger than me. I just didn’t know how big.” She sank back with a sigh. “So what now?”

  “We can go to your place. Pack up if you’d like,” he said. “And then we fly off into the horizon.”

  “The horizon?”

  “Well, to see Aegis.”

  “And then?”

  “Then we just see how things go,” he said.

  She tilted her head thoughtfully as the wind whipped the hair on her head. “As long as I’m with you, I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

  He nodded. “I’m transforming. Hold on.” He closed his eyes and focused on the change, wanting to hold her in his human form. She shrieked as his dragon form disappeared, dropping her out of the air. But he was there to catch her in his human arms, holding her against his chest as the waves swept into him, splashing over his waist.

  “Got you,” he said. Then he lowered his lips to hers in a kiss that he put his entire heart into, hoping it could communicate everything he was feeling right now. All of his love and hopes and dreams for the future.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back with everything she had.

  It didn’t matter if he was on land or sea anymore. Now that he had Jenny, he knew his heart could truly be calm.

  Epilogue

  “Mmm… harder,” Jenny murmured, biting her lip as Seaton thrust into her, filling her with warmth and sensation so strong she had to hold on to his muscular shoulders just to endure it.

  “As you wish,” he said, tickling her ear with his lips as he pulled out in an agonizingly slow stroke and then drove back in, filling her completely, making little sparks go off inside.

  She was sweaty from exertion, from already coming countless times, from rolling all over the bed with Seaton all morning. While her heart wanted to keep going, wanted to spend all day in his arms, her body knew she couldn’t go much longer.

  She didn’t know how he was still holding on.

  His forehead was damp with sweat, his beautiful blond hair tousled from her hands holding on to it in moments of desperate pleasure. His eyes were possessive and pleased, and she loved the way he seemed riveted by her every move when she came, as if it were the best thing he could see in the world.

  “I love you,” she said, stroking the back of his neck as he kissed her shoulder, then her neck, then her earlobe, all the while stroking harder, faster, building the pleasure inside her to a near-blinding level. “How did I get so lucky?”

  “You? I’m the one who got lucky,” he said, making her moan as he gave her an exquisitely tight thrust. “Without you, I’d just be a homeless dragon on the beach.”

  A phone beeped on the nightstand next to them. “And now look at you. All modern with your own phone and everything.”

  He ignored the phone and continued to kiss her, gently kneading her breast and then holding himself on one hand while the other found her clit.

  “Shouldn’t you get that?” she asked.

  He shook his head, focused on her pleasure as she writhed beneath him, unable to escape all the good feelings he gave. “This is so much more important.”

  “Mmm,” she said. She was so close to the edge it was hard to speak, and she felt she would go over any second.

  Keeping his finger on her clit, he captured her lips and kissed her deeply. As his tongue swiped inside and his finger pressed down firmly and he thrust deep inside her, making her feel that he was in all of her, that they were totally one as much as two people could be, she came, exploding into pleasure so bright she felt she was drowning.

  But he was there to hold her, ground her, and a second later, he jerk
ed, joining with her in the most pleasurable adventure in the world. All she could feel was him pulsing inside her, her own muscles going in rhythm, his smooth lips as he kissed her, his hand coming up to stroke her hair.

  He was everything. He was a dragon. After a week, she was still trying to understand. But moments like this, moments together with their hearts and souls connected, those made perfect sense.

  Love was universal.

  “I love you so much,” he said, pressing up on his hands to look over her, his expression still hungry, as if he could never get his fill.

  “I love you so much, too,” she said.

  The phone beeped again, and then she heard shouting coming from downstairs. She sighed. Living in a mansion full of dragons wasn’t easy. “I suppose you should get that.”

  “I suppose,” he said, picking up his phone. “Ah. It’s about Kai.”

  “What?” She looked at the phone as he held it out to her.

  Sapphire: Come help control your brother!

  She giggled. “Oh, Kai.”

  “Oh, gem dragons. When will they realize Kai doesn’t want anything to do with them? He just wants to go back to the sea.”

  “Aegis said all the dragons have to mate,” Jenny said.

  “That’s probably what the fight is about.”

  “Hm,” Jenny said. She looked down at her hand, at the intricate ring made in platinum holding a beautiful blue zircon the color of a sunlit sea. “The gem dragons aren’t all bad.”

  “True,” he said. “They did help me with a ring for you.”

  “Why don’t you and your siblings have jewelry with your stones?”

  “How are you supposed to hand down a family ring when you are always in the water in dragon form?” Seaton said. “Nevertheless, I’m happy with the symbolism.”

  “Oh, and it doesn’t matter that it’s a glaring symbol that says I’m yours?”

  “Um… that part is good, too,” he said innocently, earning a hug from her.

  She loved pressing her breasts against his chest. Loved the way he sucked in his breath when she did it and almost always got immediately aroused.

  “Anyway, he’s your family. We should probably go help them,” she said.

  “What about your family?” Seaton asked, handsome features tightening in concern. She was touched that he was thinking about it, but didn’t want him to worry. “What are you going to tell them, and when?”

  “I don’t know,” she said. “But since we only see each other at Christmas, I’m sure I’ll think of something by then.”

  He pulled her back to sit against him. “I guess everything just kind of worked out.”

  “Yup,” she said. “Now let’s go see if we can help your brother.”

  Seaton sighed and tossed the phone on the carpet. “If you insist.”

  “Absolutely not!” Kai shouted, backing away from Ruby and Sapphire, who, along with Citrine, were approaching. The oracle was behind them, holding a large wooden box with something in it.

  Seaton wasn’t sure what.

  Over the past week, the gem dragons had wanted to catch up, update them on things in the world, and see what had happened to them since they’d last seen them.

  But now they appeared to be getting down to business.

  “You can’t be on land without one,” the oracle said. “Those are the rules.”

  “I’m going back to the ocean, so I don’t need it!” Kai snapped, scrabbling for the door handle behind him and cursing when he found it was locked. “I’m happy for my brother and his happy ending, but if you don’t have anything for me to do here, then I’m gone!”

  “Kai, calm down.” That was Marina, wearing a beautiful blue dress, her hair done in an elegant braid. She’d taken to living in the mansion like a fish to water.

  Like Kai to water.

  “Don’t take their side,” Kai said. “Do you want a collar?”

  “She doesn’t need one,” the oracle said, shaking her head, making her white curls bounce. “I trust her.”

  “You said it was the rule,” Kai said.

  “Yes,” The oracle said, folding her arms. “For angry warrior dragons that don’t know their place.”

  “I know my place. It’s in the fucking ocean—”

  He was cut off as the oracle moved forward, raising a hand and lifting him into the air.

  He frowned at her, still impudent, but she simply handed the wooden box to Citrine and lifted the collar inside. Then she set it into the air and floated it to Kai, locking it around his neck. When it was finished, she let him down, and he immediately started scrabbling to try and remove it.

  “Take it off!” he shouted, storming toward her. The other gem dragons blocked his path.

  “I wouldn’t ever hurt her,” Kai said exasperatedly. He pointed at Aegis. “This is all your fault! Bringing us back here.”

  “Please,” Aegis said sardonically. “Go on about how nothing is your fault, Kai.”

  “Kai,” the oracle said. “Please calm down. This isn’t a bad thing. Sometimes what we think is the end is only the beginning.”

  “I want to go back to the ocean,” he said stubbornly.

  “Then find a mate and you can get your collar off,” she said sweetly, turning to put her arm through Marina’s. They’d become quick friends.

  Kai scowled and turned away from all of them, shoulders hunched. Seaton walked to his brother, put an arm around his shoulders, and ignored his attempts to shake him off.

  “Listen,” Seaton said. “It’s only because you’re so powerful.”

  Kai let out a breath. “I suppose so.”

  “I mean, we can’t really let a dragon as strong as you just run around.”

  “I guess,” Kai said. He was sounding more resigned by the minute, and Seaton knew he had always been susceptible to flattery.

  “And we can still go to the ocean. I’ll fly you there whenever you want.”

  “But I won’t have my dragon form,” Kai said, pouting.

  Seaton turned them both around so he could look at Jenny, his mate. “Yes, you will. When you find someone who makes you happier than you could ever imagine.”

  “Being in the ocean would make me happier than I can imagine.”

  “Then just think how happy you would be with a mate and your dragon form back.”

  “She would have to be a mermaid,” Kai muttered.

  “Find a human who loves to swim,” Seaton said.

  “I suppose that’s possible,” Kai said, brushing his fingertips over his chin. He snapped. “Right. I’ll do that. I’ll find a human woman who loves to swim. Find the best swimmers in the world or something.”

  “Or maybe you’ll end up with someone unexpected. Someone who could drown in a puddle,” Seaton teased.

  “Heaven forbid,” Kai muttered. But at least he wasn’t averse to the idea of mating like he used to be.

  “Trust me,” Seaton said, pinning his warm eyes on Jenny, who was standing at the corner of the room, waiting for him as always. “When you find her, nothing will matter but the fact that your dragon knows she’s yours.”

  Kai looked in Jenny’s direction. “I suppose a mate like Jenny would be nice.”

  Seaton let out a growl and gave his brother a light shove. “Don’t get any ideas. Don’t even look at her.”

  “But we’re friends,” Kai teased. “And who better to help me learn about humans? I think I’ll go talk to her now.”

  “No!” Seaton said, chasing after him. But he darted out of the room at the last minute, going into the kitchen.

  “It’s too fun to tease you,” he muttered as he disappeared.

  Seaton stopped and took a deep breath next to Jenny.

  “What was that all about?” she asked.

  “Oh, just Kai, being himself.”

  “You seemed to cheer him up, though,” Jenny said.

  “Yes,” Seaton said. “I just want him to have what I have.”

  Jenny looked up into his eyes
. “And what’s that?”

  As the oracle, the other gemstone dragons, and Marina gathered in a little group to discuss something, Seaton pulled his mate into his arms.

  “Everything.”

  I hope you enjoyed Seaton and Jenny’s story, the first book in my Awakened Sea Dragons! If you did, I’d love it if you would leave a review to help other readers find it. Feel free to tell me who you are excited about next! I really appreciate all of your fun comments!

  Are you excited about the new dragons? If so, make sure you’re on my newsletter so you can hear when they release!

  Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bgG7Kf

  If you have missed any of my other dragons, here is an easy guide:

  Awakened Dragons

  Awakened Dragons Boxed Set (still on sale and the best deal!)

  Contains Onyx Dragon, Sapphire Dragon, Ruby Dragon, Diamond Dragon, Amethyst Dragon and Emerald dragon all in one place for the same price of one book! A special gift for my readers.

  Or you can buy them separately:

  Onyx Dragon

  Sapphire Dragon

  Ruby Dragon

  Diamond Dragon

  Amethyst Dragon

  Emerald Dragon

  Rent-A-Dragon

  Steel Dragon

  Iron Dragon

  Titanium Dragon

  Date-A-Dragon

  Gold Dragon

  Silver Dragon

  Platinum Dragon

  Citrine Dragon

  Awakened Sea Dragons

  This book :)

  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

  Double Dragons (New York Dragons) Boxed Set

  Double Dragons

  Desired by Dragons

  Destined Dragons

  Tiger Protectors

  A Dragon’s heart