Dragon Isle Book Bundle:
My Lord and Dragon
The Dragon Fighter
A Dragon’s Bite
Contents
My Lord and Dragon
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The Dragon Fighter
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A Dragon’s Bite
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Author
Lost to the Dragon
My Lord and Dragon
Sophie Stern
Copyright © 2015 by Sophie Stern
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Synopsis
For Lindsey, things can't get much worse. She's unemployed, living in a crappy apartment, and in debt up to her ears. She can't see a way out of the mess she's living in until her former roommate, Victoria, offers up a strange idea.
A dragonman on the island is looking for a slave, a human slave, and he'll pay anything to get what he wants. The commitment is for one year. The payment: half a million dollars. It's more than enough to pay off Lindsey's debts and set her up for the next few years, at least.
The only question is whether she's willing to give up a little bit of herself to get what she wants.
Kade is a strong dragon who demands perfection in everything Lindsey does, but could there be something deeper? Something lurking beneath the surface? And is she strong enough to discover who he really is?
Note: This is a dark erotic romance with mature themes, including BDSM, dubious consent, and slavery. While there are characters in this book who also appear in Stepdragon, this is a standalone novel.
For My Dragon
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1
Lindsey was not sure that doing to Dragon Isle was a good idea, but it couldn't possibly be worse than what she had now.
Here she was, a licensed counselor straight out of college, and she couldn't find a damn job to save her life. Her student loans were piling up, begging to be repaid. Lindsey didn’t even open her credit card bills anymore. She knew that if she didn't find a job soon, those bills would only get worse.
Then the creditors would start calling and it would be all downhill from there.
“Just what I need,” she muttered, throwing a pair of lace panties into her bag.
It’s not like Lindsey could move in with her mom and stepdad. It’s not like she even spoke to them anymore.
And her father? It’s not like he’d ever been around. He’d been gone for years.
It’s not like Lindsey had anyone, not really. She was, for all intents and purposes, alone in the world, and it terrified her.
And it exhausted her.
Her friends all thought her parents were dead. She told almost everyone that they had died, passed away in a car crash. It was easier than explaining the truth. It was easier than thinking that they didn’t want her.
When Lindsey had finally vented to her former roommate, Victoria, about it, Victoria had been strangely quiet, taking in the entire situation. Then she had hesitantly told Lindsey that she might have an idea, albeit an unconventional one.
Lindsey rolled her eyes as she recounted the conversation. Pure, sweet Victoria had fallen in love with her stepbrother dragon. Who would have thought? And now the woman who had once been the biggest prude Lindsey knew was recommending that she come to the island, too.
What’s worse was that Lindsey thought it seemed like a reasonable solution to her problems.
Victoria had been on Dragon Isle for a very long time. It felt like forever, but was really only about a year. She was living with her former-stepbrother-now-lover and running her late mother's restaurant on the isle. Each time Lindsey talked to Victoria, she had been tinged with jealousy. Life on the island seemed so perfect, at least from afar. The things Victoria told her about made life seem exotic, fantastic, and naughty.
Very naughty.
Lindsey knew that things weren't always what they seemed, but, she inwardly argued, sometimes they were exactly what they appeared to be. And in this case, Lindsey thought, as she glanced around her shitty apartment one last time, she would be leaving nothing behind but painful memories and bad experiences. She had lived in her crap apartment in a bad relationship for far too long. It was time for something new, and she couldn’t get much more new than this.
"Good riddance," she murmured as she closed the door. All of her belongings had been sold or put into storage in preparation for her year on Dragon Isle. She wouldn't be in the main city, the way Victoria was, but she would get to visit her friend occasionally. Even if she was signing away a year of her life to be some dragonman's sex slave, that didn’t mean she was crazy. Desperate.
That’s what she was: desperate. Not crazy: desperate.
There were worse things than being someone’s toy.
Like living on the street, Lindsey thought, or being stuck moving back in with her parents, which could never happen. She thought about them only for a second as she prepared to head to the airport. It would be a long journey to the island, but it was all toward a common goal: getting her life back on track.
When Victoria mentioned that a dragonman on the island wanted a human slave, Lindsey wasn't sure what to think. Be someone’s slave for a year? Was that for real? It didn’t seem like something any sane, well-educated woman would do, even if the sex was going to be weird and kinky and exciting.
Then Victoria said how much he was willing to pay.
Lindsey realized that even she had a price tag, and it was half a million dollars. With her bills piling up, she couldn’t afford not to go. The job market was crap and few people were hiring inexperienced therapists. It was this or hooking on corners. At least living with a dragon sounded safer than walking the streets.
Now Lindsey was traveling to the island to meet the man for the first time. She would see if the dragon wanted her after meeting her in person.
From what Victoria had said, the man seemed dark and dangerous, but wildly attractive. Lindsey wondered how she compared to the other humans on the isle, if there were any. Victoria seemed to be one of the few. No wonder Kade had to outsource to get a decent slave.
When Victoria
relayed Lindsey’s interest to the dragon, Kade had demanded that Lindsey come at once to the isle so that he could see her up close. He had called her on the phone and they had spoken briefly. When she offered to send him pictures or video chat with him, he declined, instead insisting she come to the island.
He wanted to see her up close.
Though it seemed weird to Lindsey, Victoria reminded her that privacy was of the utmost importance to dragons. Anything that left a paper trail like an email could be linked back to him and his business. He’d rather do everything face-to-face.
“He’s not a murderer,” Victoria assured her friend over the phone. If Lindsey hadn’t known Victoria for so long, she would have thought her friend was completely insane.
So she packed up her stuff, gave notice to the landlord, and left for the island with only a small duffel bag of essentials she needed to last through the year. A few outfits would more than suffice. Somehow, she didn't expect Kade planned to have her wearing clothes very often. But then, what did Lindsey know about being a slave? And what would she do if he didn’t pick her?
She tried to push the thought from her mind. She couldn’t afford to be negative. Not now. Not when so much depended on this chance. She could do this. She had to.
After a brief flight and a taxi ride, Lindsey arrived at the docks. This was her last chance to back out. Would her nerves get the best of her? Once she got on the boat, she would be on her way to Dragon Isle. Then she would meet him. She would meet the dragon.
What if he wasn’t who he seemed to be?
What if he was too scary? Too mean?
Who knew how easy it was to catch a ride out of that place?
Everyone could fly. It’s not like the dragons needed boats to get around. Lindsey knew, though, that she wouldn’t back out. She was a desperate woman making a desperate choice. Though she didn’t know whether he would tie her up or lock her in a basement, she knew it would be better than starving.
It had to be.
Lindsey got out of the taxi and paid the driver. Then she turned to look at the docks. A row of boats were nearby, guarded by a small old man in a tiny shack. It looked like a miniature toll booth. That must be the man she needed to talk to. The man smiled and Lindsey walked over, lugging her bag with her.
The elderly gentleman greeted Lindsey by name and came out of the shack.
“Come along, young lady,” he said. His voice was kind. Did he know why she had come? Did he know she was about to meet the scary dragon called Kade?
The man guided her to a small boat. He was silent as they made their way across the docks, which only added to the ominous feeling engulfing Lindsey. Was she really going to do this? Suddenly, a wave of nausea swept over her. She didn’t know if she could do this. It might just be too much.
As they reached the small boat, though, a spry young man jumped out, causing Lindsey to momentarily forget her distress. He surprised Lindsey and she dropped her bag. It landed with a thud that echoed throughout the empty harbor.
"Sorry to scare you, miss," he said, reaching for the bag and bringing it into the little boat. "I'm Liam. I'll be your guide for the day."
"Thanks," she said quietly, suddenly shy and nervous. Did this man know who she was or why she was coming to the island? Did he think she was a hooker? Did he care? She would have to ride with him in the boat for awhile, maybe even an hour. Was he going to lecture her on her life choices? "I'm Lindsey.”
"I know who you are," the man grinned. "Kade paid me good money to ensure that you made it to him in one piece." Though his voice was kind, his eyes twinkled like he knew a secret.
Her heart sank as she realized there would be no privacy afforded to her today. These men knew exactly what she was coming here to be: a piece of meat. She was going to be dragon fodder and no one was going to do a thing to stop it.
She fought back a snarky remark and nodded. She thanked the first old man for his guidance, then climbed into Liam's boat. She wasn't sure if she should feel brave or horrified at the experience.
She was really doing this: pending Kade's approval, of course. If he liked her, the island would be her home for the next year while he did all sorts of weird, depraved things to her. Maybe he would make her sleep in a cage. Maybe he would tie her up and leave her bound for hours on end. She had no idea what to expect.
Lindsey wasn't a virgin, but she was inexperienced in the realm of BDSM. While she and Kade had never talked about his sexual appetites, she suspected that anyone who wanted to own a human slave, even for "just" a year, did not have run-of-the-mill sex. She had taken only one class on sexual deviances during her time in school and even that had been fairly vague. They had never broached the subject of sex slaves. It hadn't been necessary. That was too far, too wrong, too sick to even talk about in college.
But here she was.
Liam was quiet during the ride and Lindsey found herself grateful for the silence he offered her. It was late and she was tired. The noise of the motor and the rush of the boat over the waves were more than enough for her. She didn't think she would be able to handle talking with another person. Not tonight.
When the island finally came into view and Liam slowed the boat down, Lindsey’s nerves came back in full force. She spoke for the first time since climbing into the boat.
"Tell me something," she said to Liam. They approached the docks and she could see a lone figure standing on the beach. It was too dark to see much, but she knew immediately that it was him. It was Kade. He had come to claim her, to take her.
"Anything," Liam answered.
"Is he a good man?" She whispered the question, almost scared of the answer. Liam hesitated before he responded, which scared her, but his words terrified her even more.
"He's a dragon, miss. He's not really a man at all."
2
Liam helped Lindsey out of the boat and carried her bag for her. Kade approached them, but remained in the darkness. The dragonman’s large body was hidden in the shadows, but Lindsey could see his size. He reminded her of a pro wrestler or maybe a football player. He was huge: much bigger than she had imagined.
Lindsey fought the shiver threatening to consume her body. She didn’t have to be scared. It didn’t matter. Everything would be all right, no matter what happened. She was only here to serve her time and get her money. This didn’t have to change her. This wouldn’t consume her. Lindsey would not lose herself to this creature.
And he couldn’t hurt her.
She had to believe it. She had to convince herself. She was doing the right thing. She was.
But even as she filled her mind with positive thoughts, her heart knew she was lying.
Kade held out a package to Liam, which the young man took quickly. Then he jumped back into the boat and took off.
He did not say goodbye to Lindsey.
The boat sputtered before it disappeared into the blackness. So much for a swift escape. If Kade turned out to be a psycho, she would be on her own. Lindsey wondered for the millionth time why she had agreed to this.
Then she remembered: she didn't have much of a choice. She wouldn’t become a beggar. She wouldn’t ask people for money. She wouldn’t set up one of those stupid funding websites where she pressured her online friends and relatives to “donate” to her cause. She wouldn’t.
Lindsey needed money and if this was what it took, so be it. There were worse things. At least she would be fed and warm and dry. At least she would be alive at the end of the year.
She hoped.
Kade stepped forward on the dock. A single light shone down on them, and they stood together in the space where the light was. She looked at him closely, surprised at how handsome he was in person.
He was not the horrifying monster she had expected to meet.
Then again, she hadn’t seen him shift yet, and she certainly hadn’t forgotten he was a beast. Maybe he would be horrible when he changed. Maybe he would eat her or claw her up. Even if he didn’t eat her, he could
scar her up, make her so no one else ever wanted to touch her.
He could ruin her, if he liked.
But damn, was he gorgeous to look at. She almost thought she wouldn’t mind if he did all of those things and more, not if he kept looking at her the way that he was.
She gulped as she took him in, eyeing him from his bare feet to his blazing eyes. He was taller than she expected, and his muscles rippled even under his black t-shirt. His dark hair was short and his even darker eyes beckoned to her.
He still hadn't spoken.
She wondered what he thought of her, if he liked her. Was she what he expected? Was she what he had hoped for? She knew she wasn’t perfect. Surely he could find taller, thinner, prettier women on an island full of dragon shifters. They were, after all, known throughout the world for their beauty.
Lindsey felt quite ordinary compared to Kade, especially when she considered the women he had likely been with before. Was he disappointed in her appearance?
She did not have long to worry.
"Come here, pet," he said to her. Lindsey could hear the waves crashing against the beach and the beat of her own heart, but it was all drowned out by his words. Though she didn’t want to go to him, she found that her feet moved all on their own. She took a step closer to him, and he placed his hands on her shoulders, looking into her eyes. She was speechless.
He was handsome, and he was staring at her. Only, it wasn't disgust or horror in his eyes.
It was desire.
He liked her. He liked her a lot. She could tell. The wind shifted and he sniffed, taking in her scent, breathing her in. Could he smell her fear? Her excitement? Lindsey didn’t know if they were urban legends or facts, but she had heard stories about the incredible scenting capabilities of shifters. Perhaps Kade knew perfectly well what Lindsey was feeling right now.
Maybe being his slave wouldn't be so horrible after all, she thought for a moment, giving herself a bit of hope. She knew that she shouldn't start to hope. It would only give her false ideas of what to expect while she was here. Still, the way he was eyeing her caused her spirits to soar, if only for a little while.
Dragon Isle Book Bundle 1-3: My Lord and Dragon, The Dragon Fighter, and A Dragon's Bite Page 1