The Water Dragon

by Tianna Xander

  How much of Summer's sunshine will it take to bring the Water Dragon to his boiling point?

  Unlike many of her sisters, Summer looks forward to finding that a dragon is her mate. In fact, she will settle for nothing less. Yet when Adrian claims her as his own, his old-world manners and charm aren't enough to make up for his equally old-world chauvinism. There's only so much Summer can take before she loses her temper. She has only one question…how much will it take before the water dragon begins to boil?

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  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  The Water Dragon

  Copyright © 2013 Tianna Xander

  ISBN: 978-1-77111-542-1

  Cover art by Martine Jardin

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Published by Devine Destinies

  An imprint of eXtasy Books

  Look for us online at:

  www.devinedestinies.com

  The Water Dragon

  By

  Tianna Xander

  To Joan G., the true Emily. I miss you already.

  Chapter One

  Summer frowned down at the yarn looped through her fingers in one hand and the crochet hook in the other. “I’ll never be able to crochet the way you do.” She looked up at the older woman across from her with a frown. Emily’s afghan looked beautiful, while Summer’s effort was uneven, curly and even had a few holes where she’d dropped stitches.

  “Of course you will, love.” Emily reached out to pat Summer’s knee. “I didn’t learn to crochet in a week and I daresay you won’t either.” She stopped rocking for a moment to take a sip of her tea.

  Emily was English through and through. She just loved her four o’clock tea and biscuits.

  Summer picked up a small cookie and smiled. It was just like Emily to put them on the tray and insist they were proper biscuits when she couldn’t find her usual imported fare at the local specialty grocery store.

  “It’s just that yours looks so perfect while mine…” She eyed her efforts with disdain. “Mine looks so sad.” She popped the small cookie in her mouth and chewed before swallowing the last of her tea.

  “Not to worry, love. You’ll do fine.” Emily gave her a serene smile. “How is that man of yours doing?”

  “He’s not my man. He’s April’s man.” She sighed, knowing where this was going already.

  “When do you plan to bring your date by to say hello?” Emily started rocking again.

  Summer supposed the older woman thought it made her look as though she wasn’t waiting impatiently for the answer, though she knew Emily was doing just that.

  “Sometimes I wonder if you’re not ashamed of your old friend.” Emily pursed her lips while she stared down at her handiwork, turning it this way and that.

  “You know it’s not that.” Summer bit her lip. “I don’t have a man.” She wanted a lover of her own, but she wouldn’t settle for anything less than a dragon and, so far, none of the men that her sister’s husband brought home had even asked her the time. “Believe me, when I get a steady date, you’ll be the first to know.”

  “Bring him by when you find him and I’ll give him a pair of slippers.”

  “I’ll do just that,” Summer said with a smile. Emily crocheted slippers for everyone. Summer had about six pairs herself. It was enough to last her quite a while. She looked over at the older woman and knew that she loved her as much as she had loved her own grandmother before she had passed on.

  “Your lesson’s over for today, love, and the tea is cold. It’s time you went back to your sister’s.” Emily didn’t even look up from the afghan in her lap as she dismissed Summer.

  “You’re right,” she said, checking her watch. She didn’t take offense at Emily’s dismissal. It was just her way. “It is getting late and April’s having another one of her parties tonight.” Summer rolled her eyes. “You know how I love attending those.”

  “You’ll meet your true love, soon,” Emily said with a smile. “I know. I’ve already got his slippers crocheted. They’re light blue.”

  Emily saw everyone in colors. She saw Summer as a light yellow with shots of gold.

  It didn’t escape Summer’s notice that her color was a similar color to her hair. She smiled and clamped her lips tight. She could hardly expect her true love to have blue hair. If he did, he sure would be easy to spot.

  Emily set her afghan aside and moved to stand. “My hips ache.” She grimaced as she struggled to stand up. “I wish that medicine the doctor gave me worked better than it does.”

  Summer wished it worked better, as well. She hated seeing the old woman in such pain, but she was selfish enough that she wasn’t ready to let Emily go. Not yet—possibly not ever.

  “You don’t have to show me to the door.” Summer gave the older woman a hug. “I should know my way out by now. If not, something’s wrong.”

  “Fiddlesticks.” Emily pursed her lips. “What kind of hostess would I be if I didn’t see my guest to the door?”

  “Since you’re up, I’ll help you with the dishes.” Summer moved to pick up the nearly empty tray that held the cookies and finger sandwiches.

  “You will not!” Emily shooed her toward the door. “No guest of mine will clear the dirty dishes from my table.”

  With a sigh, Summer let the old woman lead her to the door. “You’ll call if you need anything?”

  “Of course I will, dear. You have a lovely time at your party tonight.”

  On the porch, Summer glared at the three dragons that Drake had assigned as her escort. “It was too much to ask that you’d all be waiting in the car, wasn’t it?”

  She knew she was being unfair, but didn’t much give a darn about it. Like the rest of her unmated sisters, she was tired of being treated like a baby. She was in her late twenties, for crying out loud. You’d think they would at least pretend they weren’t escorting her everywhere she went.

  Generally, Summer was an easy going person. She had to be. When she got angry, she could be dangerous. Her parents and her brothers had taught her to control her anger long ago. Yet, when she left Drake’s house with her entourage today, she found herself constantly on alert for uncontrollable fits of temper.

  Clouds gathered over their heads as she walked to the car. Her mood lifted when the dragons all gave her worried glances. Nothing could make her smile as easily as male apprehension—especially when she was the cause of their nervousness.

  Summer didn’t know why their discomfort made her feel better. In fact, it made her feel foolish and a bit like a bitch. Yet she couldn’t change it and, for the sake of others who weren’t as strong and seemingly indestructible as dragons, she didn’t want to. When Summer got mad, she got mad and the resulting weather patterns she created were treacherous and completely involuntary.

  After Summer climbed into the limo and buckled her seatbelt, the limo jerked to a start. She stared out through the tinted glass at the gloom
y sky and hoped that, one day, she would find her match. If not, she feared for the human population wherever she went.

  Unshed tears burned her eyes as she thought about her sisters’ happiness. All of them were happy. Those who had mates were happily wed and those who didn’t were happily single. Why did she have to be the one who wanted a mate who most likely didn’t exist?

  It wasn’t that Summer didn’t want to accept a human male. She would have if she didn’t have to worry about getting mad at the poor sod and hitting him with a lightning bolt. With a dragon, she wouldn’t have to agonize over such an unfortunate happenstance. With a dragon, there would be nothing to fret about. If she hit a dragon, with lightning, it would probably just tickle him.

  What she needed was a male that could handle her bad moods and she was afraid that male just didn’t exist. Even a dragon might have problems with her ability to create uncontrollable lightning storms that sometimes destroyed property.

  Sitting back with a small sigh, Summer closed her eyes and concentrated on controlling her emotions. She inhaled slowly, counting to four on each inhalation and repeating the count when she exhaled. She visualized a cool spring day with a stunning blue sky and giant, fluffy white clouds.

  What she needed was time away from everyone. Whenever she got this way before, she would pack up and hit the trails, reveling in solitude until someone called her home, or she had to make an appearance for the business their parents left her.

  When their parents died, the girls discovered that their parents had left them each with something. Whether it was a house or business, they each inherited something that seemed made just for them.

  With Summer, they left her a tiny cabin in the woods where she could get away and a large nursery on approximately two-hundred acres that sometimes needed her particular talents—namely her ability to produce rain.

  Summer lost track of time as she sat with her eyes closed, contemplating the probabilities of getting some precious time alone in her cabin. Knowing Drake and his henchmen, the odds were most likely a million to one.

  Drake Delfavaro, her brother-in-law was the leader of all dragons. Apparently, his subordinates were compelled to do his bidding. Whether it was driving his limo, protecting his property or standing guard over their boss’ errant sisters-in-law, they did as they were told, even if it rubbed the sisters the wrong way—which it did, constantly.

  Summer felt the limo draw to a slow stop, opened her eyes and shook her head. Before her, sat Drake’s behemoth of a home and the extra guard he had hired to protect his mate’s sisters. Slowly, Summer looked around, attempting to find a weakness in their security. If Drake wouldn’t give her time alone, perhaps she should be like a few of her other sisters and find a way to take it.

  Chapter Two

  “None of these women are my mate, Damek.” Adrian waved his hand. “I have stayed here waiting for this Summer you say lives here, but I have been here nearly the whole of the day.” He shifted in his seat and looked around. “Surely His Highness will take exception to our sullying his great hall for the duration.”

  As much as he loved his brother and he wanted to swear allegiance to the new ruler of their species, Adrian couldn’t wait to meet the woman whose voice drew him out of his long slumber. He’d designed the spell he used to put himself to sleep in such a way that only his mate could draw him forth. Now he was here, but she was nowhere to be found.

  Damek laughed at him, the ass. “Patience, little brother. Have patience.” Damek took a sip of his brandy. “If the others aren’t the one, it must be Summer. She’s the only one left and she is on her way home now.” He cocked his head and looked toward the front door. “I stand corrected, she has just arrived.”

  Heart pounding like a fledgling facing his transformation for the first time, Adrian wiped his damp palms on his strange leggings they called jeans, stood and slowly turned to face the woman he would, with any luck at all, claim as his mate one day soon.

  The name Summer fit her well. Sunshine poured through the front door as she entered, filling the foyer with a golden light. He wouldn’t have thought much of it had the light dimmed when one of her dragon bodyguards closed the door behind her.

  Perchance it was her beautiful smile that lit up the room as though sunlight poured through the ceiling over her head. Long, shining golden blonde hair fell about her shoulders. When she smiled up at one of the males as he took her wrap, Adrian fought the urge to growl.

  He didn’t want to frighten her, nor did he want her to think he would consider her property. The best thing he could do was keep his emotions in check, though it was a difficult thing to do with the other males so close. He felt his scales fighting to emerge, his arms turning a light, iridescent blue with a silver undertone.

  Overjoyed to find his mate at last, Adrian quickly moved to step forward and introduce himself.

  Damek grasped his arm, pulling him back before Adrian could voice his presence. “Maybe it would be better if I introduced you.” His brother gave the other males a stern look that had them scrambling to get away. Few, if any, ever argued with Damek. He was the oldest of their kind, after all.

  Adrian felt it when she saw him. He could actually feel her gaze upon him. His skin tingled and his body went hard. When he turned, he didn’t expect her to be standing so close, with her beautiful sky-blue eyes staring at him with curious interest.

  “Hello, Summer. I hope this day finds you well.” Damek greeted her formally as he bent over her hand. Straightening, he turned to pat Adrian on the back. “Allow me to introduce my brother, Adrian.”

  Adrian smiled down at the girl, his chest aching with some strange pain. He never expected his mate to be as beautiful as this woman was. What had he done to deserve her?

  “I’m pleased to meet you, Mr. Antaeus.” Summer held out her hand with a soft smile.

  Adrian paused for a minute, fearing to take it lest he squeeze her delicate bones too hard and break them. “And I you,” he replied as he, too, bent over her hand. Only instead of just taking her hand in his, he kissed it.

  The shock of power and recognition shot up his arm and sent a prickle of awareness through his lips. Her aura melded with his, bringing him warmth. He could not say it was an unwelcome sensation after so many centuries encased in ice.

  “What brings you to my sister’s home?” She gently tugged her hand, as though he would release it.

  Not likely. Letting this woman go was the last thing on his mind. He fully intended to take her with him when he left, even if he must carry her over his shoulder like a sack of grain.

  Adrian straightened with a smile. “I have come for you.” He frowned at the sound of his brother’s groan behind him.

  “I know I told you that modern women required a bit of delicacy, brother.” Damek all but growled the words.

  He needn’t have bothered. Adrian could already sense his mate’s interest flag as she jerked her hand from his grasp.

  “You’ve come for me, or come to meet me?”

  Her smile seemed genuine, if not a bit strained so he thought it best to enlighten her. She was his mate and they were as good as married in the eyes of his people.

  “I have come for you, mate.” He smiled again. It was a good smile. One he knew the maids loved. Well…they had loved it a thousand or so years ago. Women couldn’t have changed that much. “Now, if you would just go to your sisters and tell them goodbye, I will speak to the head of your family and pay them the bride price.”

  Another groan behind him had him turning toward his brother with a scowl.

  Would the man never stop his groaning? “Are you in pain, man? If so, find yourself a draught of ale and have a seat. All will be well before you know it.”

  He wasn’t certain Damek was well at all. He looked rather red in the face.

  “You’ll…you will what?”

  “I shall purchase you, of course. Where is your brother so that I may give him your bride price?” He waved his hand. “It does
not matter that I do not know the price. No price is too high for my mate.” He turned her toward the stairs, patted her on the rump and gave her a gentle nudge. “Off with you, now. Go find your brother and leave us men to our discussion.”

  “Off with me, now? Leave the men-folk to their discussion?” Her face turned a becoming shade of pink before turning a darker red.

  “Is there some sort of sickness of which I should be aware?” Adrian frowned as he looked between his mate and his brother. “Both of you have turned a hideous shade of red. Shall I fetch a healer?”

  Thunder crashed outside. Lightning flashed through the windows and the house shook with the force of the wind buffeting it. “I think you should remain downstairs. It looks as though this storm could bring damaging winds. I would have you safe.”

  The wind calmed a bit as Summer stood glaring at him, her blue eyes filled with something he could not name. “I think I can manage to get my brainless little self up the stairs without injuring myself, thank you.”

  Lightning flashed, followed by another crash of thunder as she turned to leave the room. “Don’t worry about me, Mister Antaeus. I have no intention of allowing you to claim me as your mate when I can barely stand the sight of you.”

  Chapter Three

  Summer stalked from the parlor and headed for the stairs. Tears burned her eyes as she ran all the way to her room. That…that cretin had turned what had begun as a wonderful thing into the most horrible experience of her life.

  How could her dragon, her Prince Charming, turn out to be such a vile, chauvinist pig? Summer could have overlooked his bossiness. However, she couldn’t overlook the fact that he thought females were brainless trophies available for purchase. Women had been emancipated years ago. Where had that guy been during the women’s lib movement? Under a rock?