Riding Lightning: A Reverse Harem Dragon Fantasy Adventure (Starcrossed Dragons Book 1)

by Erin Bedford

  He rolled off me, so as not to crush me, and chuckled.

  “What?” I asked between deep breaths. I had forgotten how much being with him took out of me, and I wasn’t even doing most of the work!

  “I knew it could be like it was before.” Those were the only words he said before he started to snore. I rolled my eyes, too tired to gripe at him about it.

  As I lay next to him on the mat, I briefly wondered how I would explain it to Jack and Raiden. They had been so understanding and willing to share me, I had a hard time thinking they would object. Looking down at the dragon beside me, I didn’t know if my heart would even let me if they did. I knew my inner dragoness wouldn’t, and that spelled trouble for everyone.

  18

  I shifted on the mat only half awake, still caught in some dream about Waesigar 2 and three avatars which looked vaguely like the three dragons who were vying for my hand. Or rather my child.

  It only became worse when my senses started to awaken, and my nose filled with the scent of Firestar, and what we had done last night. My body heated in remembrance and a certain part of me tingled for more. Then I turned over on the mat, my hand reaching out for an encore only to come up empty.

  Sitting up, I searched the dimly lit tent. Firestar had been there with me when I fell asleep, but he wasn’t now. No one was.

  I flopped back down on the mat and sighed. I shouldn’t be surprised. Firestar had never been the kind for cuddling afterward or lazy morning lovemaking. Quick bursts of passion were more his style.

  Like you’re complaining? A saucy part of me taunted.

  While Firestar might be an explosion of pleasure, I couldn’t help but think of Raiden. The lightning dragon had alpha male written all over his body. Every delicious inch of it. It made me wonder what kind of lover Jack would be?

  Would he be aggressive, like Raiden? Passionate like Firestar? Or would he something completely different?

  From the way he kissed me the first time, I’d say he didn’t have a lot of experience with women. Or at least, not much. But while our first kiss had been hesitant and unsure, Jack sure had made up for it when we had our little impromptu date. The kiss between us at the end had more feeling than I had seen on his ice sculpture of a face, ever.

  I didn’t know how to even begin to explain what happened with Raiden and Jack the other night. Jack seemed to have no problem getting in the mood with Raiden there to urge him on. Was Jack secretly an exhibitionist? Raiden seemed to be. Maybe that’s why both of them had bonded? Their mutual love for being watched.

  A shiver ran through me at the thought. Their preferences were rubbing off on me, and I couldn’t find a reason to care. A part of me was intrigued to see how far they would go. And now that Firestar had joined our little group — not that they knew about it yet — I wondered if they would want to share me all around. Now that was a thought.

  I climbed out of bed and pulled my clothes on. I needed to find out what would happen next.

  Before I could push through the tent flap, Jack came through, making me take a step backward. My eyes lit up at the sight of him, but when I saw the rage in his eyes, my feet scrambled back a few steps until they hit the pole in the middle of the tent.

  “Jack, what’s going on?” I sputtered, holding onto the pole like it could protect me from his rage.

  Jack’s eyes darted away from me and to the mat on the floor. His nostrils flared, and he inhaled before letting it out in a violent huff.

  “So, it’s true.”

  It wasn’t a question, and I didn’t bother denying it. It would only make us both looked like fools. But I did take the chance to stand behind the pole, creating a buffer between me and the oncoming storm that was Jack. I didn’t blame him for his anger. Part of me felt guilty for letting something happen between Firestar and I before I had a chance to talk to them. I didn’t bother trying to lie about what happened. It’d only make things worse.

  “You don’t deny it?” His words had a disbelieving hint to it.

  “I’m guessing you aren’t too happy about it.” So much for my fantasy of all three of them taking me together. Jack’s reaction was all wrong. Of course, I had planned on telling him myself and not having him walk into our aftermath.

  “When were you going to tell us?” Jack stalked toward me a low rumble in this voice. “Did you think Raiden and I would just step aside so you could ride into the sunset with this man?” He gestured around the room wildly, a move so unlike the usually composed dragon.

  “No! No.” My placating tone quickly changing to hysterical denial. I sighed and smacked my face with the palm of my hand. “I mean, that’s not what I had planned at all. I wasn’t going to push you and Raiden aside.”

  “Then what was your plan?” Jack crossed his arms over his chest his face a mask of cool indifference. “You thought you could sleep with your ex-lover and Raiden and I wouldn’t care?”

  “Of course not.” I tried to explain further, but he kept going.

  “You already slept with one of us, why not add another one to the mix?” He landed in front of me his gaze locked with mine, a thickness filling the air. “Dragonesses do have a hard time getting pregnant, better to have any many chances as possible, right?”

  “Right!” I cried out and then shook my head. “I mean, no.”

  “It sure seems like it from where I am standing.” He moved a bit closer until only the pole stood between us, until I could feel his breath on my face. “Believe me, I am looking very hard to find the bigger picture, Maya. But from what I have witnessed, you are in over your head. You don’t know what you are getting into.”

  “I know exactly what I’m getting into,” I snapped, the dragon in me roared for a fight. “Then why don’t you enlighten me? Help me understand.” The challenge in his voice made me frown. It was like he wanted me to admit I was only looking for an excuse to have sex with Firestar.

  “Firestar went to see his father yesterday.” As I spoke, my eyes roamed over Jack’s face, taking in every angry line.

  “I hope you let him know how we felt being left to fend for ourselves.” Jack placed his hands behind his back with a frown.

  I cocked a brow. “I think we did well to entertain ourselves. I didn’t see you complaining.”

  “And what would that have accomplished?” Jack raised a brow in return.

  Sometimes Jack’s reasonableness drove me insane. Why couldn’t he be like everyone else and kick and scream when something didn’t go his way? Instead, he hid behind his mask, pretending everything was okay until it became too much. I wondered if eventually hiding all those emotions would catch up with him. It couldn’t be healthy.

  “Nevertheless,” I sighed. “If it will make you feel better, I did get onto Firestar for abandoning us without a word.”

  “Was that before or after you mated with him?” The bite in Jack’s voice made me wince. I guess he didn’t really hide his emotions as well as he thought.

  “Before,” I gritted my teeth.

  At this rate, it would take forever to get through what happened. Sadly, I didn’t think it would make Jack feel any better about my sleeping with Firestar. He might not act like it, but he probably still had a thorn in his side about me choosing Raiden first. He seemed like the type who didn’t want to be the second choice. His decision to share me at all was surprising at best.

  “Then what? Was your mating just a convolution of emotions running high and seeing your first love after so long? Or something else?” He leaned against the pole, and I stepped back to give us some space. Only one of us needed to be distracted by our feelings right now.

  “Neither actually.” I walked away from Jack and moved over to the table. I sniffed the pitcher sitting there and grimaced as the sharp sting of Dragon’s Tears hit my nose. Did Firestar drink anything else? Either way, my mouth felt as dry as a bone and the way Jack and I’s conversation was headed, a drink was needed.

  I poured a glass and took a large drink of it bef
ore setting it back down on the table. I turned around and leaned back against the edge my hands, bracing myself as I stared down at the ground.

  “Firestar thinks if he becomes my mate, my father will help him pay off his father’s debts.”

  “Hmm.” Jack rubbed his chin. “That will end the attacks on the people and allow Firestar to return home.”

  “Exactly.” I glanced up from the ground to meet his gaze. His eyes weren’t angry anymore, but there was still a bit of torment there, meaning my work wasn’t done yet.

  “So, anyways. He wanted us to pick up where we left off, you know before I was banished.” I gestured in the air. “But I told him I couldn’t do that.”

  “Why ever not?” Jack seemed surprised, and it showed across his normally well-guarded features.

  I smiled slightly. “That’s what he asked too.”

  This made Jack frown, and I almost laughed out loud. It was hilarious how much alike they were sometimes. Sadly, I didn’t think Jack would appreciate my amusement. Instead, I returned to the topic, no matter how awkward, at hand.

  I pressed my lips together tightly before letting them go with a loud pop. Leaving my post, I strolled across the room until I stood before Jack. Placing my hands on his chest, I felt him tense as if he were preparing for an attack. His reaction made my heart ache.

  “The reason I couldn’t tell Firestar what he wanted to hear was because of you and Raiden.” I glanced up at him beneath my lashes, watching his reaction to my admission.

  “But why would you do that?” Jack looked down at me, his facade breaking enough for me to see his confusion. “You’ve only known us for a few days, but Firestar, you’ve known...”

  “Only a few days before we broke up,” I interrupted him. “Or rather he took off.” I sighed and placed my head on Jack’s chest. His heartbeat calmed me slightly, and I let myself settle into the feeling for a moment before I pulled back. “I don’t know him any more than I know you and Raiden, and to be honest, I feel like I know you guys much more.”

  Jack’s rubbed my shoulders with slow, soothing motions. “I didn’t know.”

  “How could you?” I met his gaze a bit shyly. “You don’t know me that well either. We don’t exactly have the time to get to know each other.”

  “Yes, I suppose not. Your father only wanted us to find physical attraction, not emotional.” Jack dropped his hands and brushed his hair over his shoulder, a nervous gesture I’d never noticed before.

  “He has his priorities straight, that’s for sure.” I offered Jack a smile, but when he didn’t return it, I frowned.

  “You have told me why you didn’t accept his proposal, but you haven’t told me why you decided to mate with him?” His pale eyes glanced over to the mat, a slight sneer on his face.

  “Because...” I trailed off and dropped my arms from Jack, putting some space between us. I wasn’t sure how he would react to what I had to tell him. “I might not have agreed to run away with him, but I did agree to allow him to become one of my suitors.”

  I held my breath as I waited for Jack’s reaction. I could imagine he wouldn’t be too happy. Who wanted yet another person to compete with for my affections. Or rather my womb.

  “So, he would be like Raiden and me?” Jack said slowly as if trying to make sure he hadn’t misunderstood me.

  “Yes.”

  “Which is why you mated with him last night?” He locked eyes with me, searching for something in my face. Did he not believe me?

  “Yes and no,” I admitted. “While he now is part of the competition, a part of me did miss him. I wanted to be with him.”

  “Then why bother letting him compete? Why not just tell us to leave and focus all your attention on him? It would be faster.” His anger was back, and I quickly moved closer to him, not wanting to fight anymore.

  “Because it’s not just about him. It’s about us. I don’t know exactly what I feel, but I know I feel something.” I cupped his face with my hands. “And I can’t just focus all my attention on one of you when my emotions are so scattered between the three of you. What if I pick wrong?”

  “What if you don’t?” Jack asked, placing his hand on top of mine and squeezing slightly. “What if you and Firestar are meant to be, and we are just standing in your way?”

  My eyes pricked with emotion, and I reached up on my tiptoes before pressing my lips to his in a soft kiss. I released him before it could become more. “Believe me, you aren’t in my way.”

  Jack gave me one of his rare smiles. “I’m glad to know it. Now,” he drew me away from him keeping my hand in his as he started for the tent flap, “we should probably let Raiden know before he rips Firestar apart.”

  “What?” I asked, my eyes going wide, and my voice rising in pitch.

  Jack paused, and guilt covered his face. “I may have intentionally left out the part where Raiden attacked Firestar, and they are fighting for your hand at this very moment.”

  “Jack!” I screeched and pushed passed him. I shoved through the tent entrance and into a war zone.

  The men of the camp were lined along the edges of the tents, some of the shouting out encouragements, other’s insults. A lot of the neatly piled weapons and supplies had been strewn all over the camp, and in the middle of it all, Raiden and Firestar locked in a battle.

  Firestar had a cut on his forehead which bled profusely, and the side of Raiden’s shirt had a dark patch from where he bled through. At this rate, I wouldn’t have to pick between the three of them because Jack would be the only one left.

  Anger raged through me, and before I knew it, I was stomping toward the two of them. The men moved parted like the red sea as I surged forward. A low rumble came from my throat as I stopped at the edge of the fight.

  “What the hell is going on here?” I shouted, waving my hands above my head, but neither of them paid me any mind. The only thing Firestar and Raiden seemed to care about was beating each other to death.

  “Well,” Jack came up behind me. “What should we do now?”

  “Just let them fight it out,” Blorder, who I hadn’t noticed beside me, said. “You will see our lord is the far superior choice to be your mate.”

  “I thought you didn’t want me near him?” I glared.

  Blorder shrugged, “My lord told us about the deal. If you can help our people, you can’t be that bad.”

  “Well, thanks. I’m so honored,” I muttered with a roll of my eyes. I turned to Jack. “Can’t you break them up?”

  “I can try.” He frowned, his eyes following their movements. “But I’m afraid it may turn into two against one, and you may not have any suitors by the end.”

  Gritting my teeth, I stomped my foot. “Goddammit!” I had to do everything myself.

  19

  By the time I got up the nerve to step between the two fighting dragons, they had taken to the air. Without wings of my own, I was a sitting duck with nothing left to do but wait for them on the ground.

  I almost turned to Jack to ask him to intervene but remembered what he had said. Did I really want to risk the last of my men to break them up? But I also couldn’t do nothing, they were fighting for no other reason than because of their male egos.

  I stomped over to Blorder and with my hands firmly on my hips, glared. “Can’t you make your men stop them?” I gestured angrily toward the fighting dragons.

  Blorder crossed his arms and watched the fight with a bored expression. “Why? He’s our lord if he wishes to fight the young one that is his business. What is it to me?”

  I scoffed at his nonchalance. Didn’t anyone here give a crap about anything other than fighting? No matter what Firestar and I had done together, Blorder clearly still hadn’t changed his opinion about me. My helping their people was only a means to an end.

  The thought gave me an idea.

  I turned to Blorder once more this time trying to appeal to his honor. “You know, I can’t help your people if your lord is dead?”

  Blo
rder’s face scrunched up as if confused by my words. Then he tightened his stance, not even bothering to look at me as he said, “My lord will not lose.”

  “Oh, really?” I taunted him. “You are that sure of his powers?”

  He nodded, though I could sense a hint of hesitation. Blorder didn’t have a hundred percent faith in his lord. He might have seen Raiden fight, but he didn’t know for sure Firestar would win, and based on how the fight was going, Firestar might actually be the one to lose.

  Focusing my attention back on the battle in front of us, I watched with growing anxiety as Firestar wavered under Raiden’s attacks. Firestar might have had years of fighting on the lightning dragon, but Raiden had the power. Even more so now that he had gained abilities from sleeping with me.

  As if knowing my thoughts, Raiden conjured the lightning-powered trident and swung it through the air in one lithe motion. I couldn’t tell Firestar’s reaction with his back to me, and even though he barely managed to dodge, I had a feeling he wasn’t so sure of himself now.

  “A little toy like that will not stop Firestar,” Blorder said from my side, but I felt like his words were more for his benefit than mine.

  I sighed and rocked back on my heels, trying to play it as if I wasn’t freaking out. “I don’t know. I’ve seen Raiden take out several powerful fighters at once with that thing, Firestar might be in over his head.”

  “Then why do you not stop them?” Blorder finally asked with a hint of exasperation. “You claim to love my lord, but you clearly seem in favor of the other dragon. Is your heart so easily swayed?”

  My brows furrowed and my jaw clenched. It was one thing to question my dragon’s abilities, it was another altogether to question my heart. I’d had about enough of his mouth.