by Ginna Moran
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Epilogue
About Ginna Moran
FREED
BY HER
DRAGONS
Fated Mate of the Dragon Clans, book 2
by
GINNA MORAN
Copyright © 2020 by Ginna Moran
All Rights Reserved.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
ISBN 978-1-951314-56-9 (soft cover)
ISBN 978-1-951314-57-6 (hard cover)
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Cover design by Silver Starlight Designs
Cover images copyright Depositphotos
For Inquiries Contact:
Sunny Palms Press
9663 Santa Monica Blvd Suite 1158
Beverly Hills, CA 90210, USA
www.sunnypalmspress.com
www.GinnaMoran.com
AUTHOR NOTE
Please note that this book was previously titled Maximum Magical Penitentiary: Deadly Fugitive. Please be advised of the mature content and themes, possible triggering situations, and the fact that this FMC will never have to choose. Thank you!
To my favorite heathen Heather Cortes,
You, my lovely, are a true firecracker, and I love having you in my life. XOXO!
Chapter 1
Dead End
“YOU CAN’T JUST WALK AROUND here naked. It’s against the Mortal World law.” I stand in front of Kash with my hands on my hips. Flicking my gaze down his body, I drink in his chiseled body, following the line of his abs all the way down to the only soft thing—scratch that—damn.
I shrug out of my sweater and toss it at him. Kash remains stiff, crossing his arms over his chest, smirking instead of stone-faced like I try so desperately to be. My sweater hits his torso and falls down, catching on his raging erection like it’s a coat rack. I knew I shouldn’t have shown his body any attention, but it’s still so incredibly difficult not to.
“And what is the Mortal Law going to do to me?” he asks, his smirk stretching into a cocky-bastard grin.
“Nothing, but the next trip we take, you better carry a bag of clothes if you plan to fly.”
“And if I don’t, kitten?” Kash flexes his hard body, bouncing my sweater to make it look as if it hovers in front of him like a magic trick.
“Then you’re going to squeeze into what I bring, and I swear it’ll be from my closet,” I threaten, pressing my lips into a thin line. I can’t smile, despite the image of him wearing one of my thongs flitting through my head. If I do, he’ll test me from now on, and I’m not sure I can focus seeing his ass shake in some of my lace.
Chuckling, he finally breaks my gaze and wraps my sweater around his waist, the sleeves barely long enough to tie. I sigh and step forward, turning it around to cover up his junk. It doesn’t exactly do much, but I can’t back down. He might not consider the Mortal World a threat, but I don’t want any trouble.
A shadow towers over me from behind, shading me from the sun. “Be thankful it was only Kash, cookie. I couldn’t give a fuck if anyone was brave enough to approach us.” Maddox rests his warm hands on my shoulders. “Especially with the way you look at my brother now. If I were him, I’d have you bent over that bench.”
I tip my head back and bonk him on the chest. “No need to give Granny Tucker in the house over there a show. She’ll ask to spank you, and I’m not okay with that.”
Rowan’s laugh sounds through the air, and he smacks Maddox’s ass hard enough to make him jump as he passes him. Hooking his hands under my arms, Maddox swings me toward Rowan, trying to knock him off his feet.
Lucky for Rowan, I will not be used as a weapon against him and stretch my arms back to clamp onto Maddox. Throwing my weight up, I flip fast enough to miss Rowan and squeeze Maddox’s neck between my thighs. The move throws him off, and he lets go of me. I didn’t expect to lock his head too close to my vagina either, but I clench him harder to keep from falling.
“Shit, grab her,” Rowan says to Kash, circling to bear hug Maddox from behind. “We don’t have time for him to get carried away, and it doesn’t look like our mate plans to let the bastard go.”
“Carried away? This asshole might poke my eye out,” I say, my head hovering close to Maddox’s bulging pants.
Kash locks his hands to my waist and tugs me from Maddox. “Got you, kitten.” He twists me in his arms and smiles, holding me by my ass as I wrap my legs around him.
Maddox growls from behind us. “You think I’m the one who might get carried away? His naked-ass—”
Rowan smacks him on the back of the head, cutting off his argument. The two of them look ready to start throwing fire at each other in a fight for dominance, and I’m pretty damn sure I saw the familiar floral curtains flutter on Granny Tucker’s front window.
Wiggling in Kash’s arms, I wait for him to put me down and march the six feet it takes to get to Maddox now holding Rowan in a headlock. Positioning my legs, I try to look for an opening to get between them.
Kash meanders up beside me and drapes an arm over my shoulders. “You’re going to need your dragon fire to break them apart.” He points at Maddox’s back. “Hit him right there, and it’ll wind him.”
“And burn his shirt,” I mutter. “You’re distracting enough.”
Gently pinching my chin, he turns my head, so I meet his hazel eyes, sparkling with flecks of green and gold in the sun. “If you’re not going to do it, then we might as well take a stroll down your memory lane and knock on McKayla’s door.”
If only the idea didn’t make me as nervous as it does. Five years is a long time, and I don’t think she tried ever looking for me. For someone who took the time to raise me—while strict and always reminding me of my mother’s poor choices that put me in her care—she still managed to see that I got the best she could offer. And who knows. Maybe she wasn’t as bitchy as I remember. I wasn’t exactly easy. Hell, I didn’t even tell her my plan. But now that I think about it, maybe that was how it was always supposed to be. If she had tried to stop me—I shake my head. There’s no point in thinking about the what-ifs.
“What’s it going to be? Summon your dragon fire and put my brothers in check before that nosy elderly mortal calls the human authority or race me to the door of McKayla’s for the most awkward introduction of all time.” Kash nuzzles his nose to mine. “Just think about it.”
I groan. “These options are shitty. Can’t you break them up and we sic Maddox on her? He’s the expert in interrogation.”
“Come on, kitten. You don’t want to say, �
�Hey, Auntie, I’m home, and I brought the mates you failed to tell me about. Oh, and your brother got me locked up at the Maximum Magical Penitentiary for life. Thanks for the warning?’ I think it will go over just fine.” Kash gathers my hand between his and caresses my palm. “Who knows? You might get emotional enough to summon a bit of dragon fire to intimidate her.”
Kash rubs his palm to mine, igniting a flame between our fingers. The tingling sensation warms my skin, and I close my eyes, savoring his dragon’s offering to mine. If only a huge fucking part of me wasn’t chicken shit. The only luck I have is bad, and I’d probably set the whole neighborhood ablaze and set off the Magaelorum High Council’s criminal detector spells or whatever shit they use to stop people from interfering or causing trouble in a world they don’t want us to belong in.
“Just take a breath and command it to do as you want. Let your instincts take over. Your body will know what to do if you let it try.” Kash grows the fire between our palms. “Now look at Maddox’s back. Imagine the flame eating his shirt.”
I groan. “Having you naked is bad enough.”
“If he’s naked, you can always tell him he has to stand guard with me,” he teases. “Rowan will be less likely to piss off a witch.”
Damn it. He’s right. As much as I want Maddox to bang down my aunt’s door and demand she tell us what the fuck is going on and threaten her into helping us—that’s probably not the best approach.
I inhale a deep breath, curling my fingers around Kash’s flame, the tingling sensation giving me the feeling that the dragon fire is solid even though it dances and moves. Maddox shoves into Rowan, sweeping his foot out and knocking him down. He grabs his arms, trying to pin him, and I take advantage of the opening.
Glaring at the middle of his back, I imagine the fabric smoldering and revealing his taut, broad muscles. It’s enough to get my dragon to take over, encouraging me to chuck it.
Bright flames spark across Maddox’s back, surprising the hell out of him. He heaves a breath and crashes on top of Rowan. Kash pumps his fist and shakes me, a gorgeous smile crossing his face.
“Fuck yeah! Take that, assholes!” Kash says, blasting another ball of fire at Maddox, stopping him from retaliating. “Get your shit together. We have to move. You know we can’t stay long.”
Maddox growls and smashes his hands into the ground and catapults to his feet. “You better fucking run. If I catch you—”
Spinning, Kash bolts away, his tight ass on full display as he heads toward the end of the cul-de-sac where my aunt lives.
Fire explodes at my feet, startling me. “I meant you, cookie. You’re in so much trouble.”
I screech and charge after Kash, abandoning Maddox and Rowan on the sidewalk. Heat warms my back, and the scent of singed fabric permeates the air. Loud thuds of running footsteps kick my ass into gear, and I push myself to run as fast as I can.
“Get ready, cookie,” Maddox says, his voice even like he’s not even working up a sweat. “You’re going to wish you tried harder in our training sessions.”
Hands lock around my hair and yank me back. I smack into Maddox’s firm chest. He restrains me from behind and lifts me off my feet. I expect him to throw me onto my back to dominate me, but the asshole shifts one of his hands and rubs his fingers across my ribs.
“Fuck! Stop!” I yell, thrashing like crazy. “Seriously. That tickles!”
“Make me,” he mutters, continuing to stroll with me.
“Someone’s going to call the cops!” My voice screeches through the air.
“I don’t give a fuck. Make me stop.” Moving his other hand, he kneads his fingers into my other side.
I scream and buck, his tickling worse than any other damn punishment. “Please! Fuck!”
“Make me,” he repeats. “Make me, or I won’t stop until you piss yourself.”
I screech again, trying to break free. Tears cloud my eyes, my body laughing and squirming despite this being utter torture. I hate being tickled, and I have the sudden urge to punch him in the balls.
“Come on, cookie. You don’t want to show up at McKayla’s covered in pis—” Maddox snaps his mouth shut and freezes. His fingers stop digging into me as he slows. Jerking my head back, I bang it into his chin, wincing through pain that doesn’t even bother him.
Then he sets me on my feet.
“Are you fucking kidding?” Rowan asks, lacing his fingers behind his head.
My jaw slackens, my body chilling. I knew it was possible that Aunt McKayla could’ve moved away or something, but this?
“It was arson,” a raspy, feminine voice says from behind us. “Happened a couple weeks ago. The couple living here had a fight and...”
I spin on my heels and meet Granny Tucker’s milky gaze. The last five years didn’t treat her well, her deeply wrinkled face covered in age spots. She hunches forward, resting her weight on a cane.
“And what?” Maddox asks, intruding on Granny Tucker’s personal space, but she doesn’t move or even notice.
The woman waves her hands. “Boom.”
I hug my arms around me, my hope breaking and turning to ash to crumble among the debris of my childhood home.
“But don’t worry, sweetie. None of us were ever meant to stay. The fates will get you where you need to go.” Granny Tucker’s eyes flicker with sparks of turquoise magic.
Ah, hell.
“Damn it,” Kash says, scrubbing his face with his hands. Stomping forward, he gets into Granny Tucker’s face. “McKayla, where the hell are you?” he shouts at the old woman. “Tell us!”
Granny Tucker blinks, widening her eyes. She screams.
Yelling in frustration, Kash grabs my hand and roars, blowing fire from his mouth at the already scorched rubble. He tosses me onto his back, not giving me a chance to brace as his dragon explodes from him, sending me clinging onto his scaly neck. Maddox and Rowan manage to keep up, jumping up with me, sandwiching me between them. Dozens of emotions crash through me in wave after wave. The intensity nearly knocks me out, and I squeeze my eyes shut and push everything away.
If only doing so didn’t leave me empty.
Or hopeless.
Because without Aunt McKayla...shit.
What the hell do we do now?
Chapter 2
Lycan Show
“YOU’RE LATE, RED,” QUILLON SAYS, leaning against the doorframe to his house. “Now, I gotta be the damn bad guy again. I hate when you make me do shit like this. If you’d just obey the rules, I wouldn’t be forced into making Kash stay that way.”
Maddox and Rowan tense beside me, and guttural noises escape their throats. I don’t even have a chance to process Quillon’s demands as they charge him, gathering fire and preparing to attack.
Rose pops into view and holds her hands up, palms out. “Might I remind you of the consequences of trying to hurt Quillon? Whatever happens to him, hits Kash twice as hard.”
Maddox towers over Rose, glowering over her head and at Quillon. “Now is not the fucking time for this bullshit, douchebag.”
“Let me guess. Didn’t find Auntie Witch?” A smirk crosses Quillon’s face, his eyes reflecting green as his lycan form peeks through. “What a shame. Looks like I’m going to have to comfort my girl.”
I stride to close the space and grab both Maddox and Rowan’s arms. “This is pointless. You know the dickhead won’t budge, and I’m just tired.” Turning to glance at Kash, his looming dragon form watching us from a few dozen feet away. “Please free Kash, Quillon. That’s the only way I’ll ever feel better after today.”
His jaw twitches in consideration. “No.”
My brows pinch together in confusion. “What?”
He moves out of the doorway. “I said no. I think you underestimate me, Red, and I’m going to prove I can make your day better. Now go wait for me. Change into something nicer. You smell like smoke.”
Anger bubbles through me, and I stomp past him and into the house. Maddox and Rowan argue on the porc
h, and Quillon slams the door in their faces, acting like the coward he is. He even rushes behind me like he knows if he doesn’t hurry, one of them will fling the door open and smolder his back.
“Hustle, Red,” Quillon snaps, pushing my back.
I stiffen under his touch but don’t say anything as he herds me into his room at the end of the hallway on the left. Rose laughs dancing behind us, finding way too much amusement in every situation that unfolds between us, and I roll my eyes at her as Quillon shuts the door and locks her out.
“You’re no fun, Quillon,” she says, scratching her finger to the door. “I don’t understand why we can’t all just share. Nova is so much fun.”
“Find your own damn plaything,” he snaps, turning away from the door. “She’s mine.”
I glare at him and back up to the corner of the room. Dirty clothes hang over a lumpy recliner, and I scoop them up and toss them in the hamper a few feet away. If I throw them on the floor, Quillon will just demand I pick them up. Touching them once is already too many times for me.
I plop down and cross my legs, never taking my gaze off him. I won’t initiate conversation. I won’t be more than I have to be to fulfill our agreement. One of these days, he’ll give up. I’m too fucking stubborn to ever bow to him. It’s bad enough Kash had to on my behalf.
“Shower and change into the outfit I hung on the back of the door,” Quillon says, motioning toward the bathroom. “I’m bored out of my mind, horny as hell, and I got the pole in today. I want to watch you dance and break it in.”
He has to be fucking kidding.
Hooking his fingers to the hem of his shirt, he tugs it over his head and rubs his hands across his hairy chest and down his stomach. He’s trying to get under my skin, but I refuse to let him. His silent dare enrages me. I dig my fingernails into my palms, refusing to give him any sort of satisfaction of making me uncomfortable.
“Screw off, Quillon. You’re the last man in the Mortal World I’d ever perform for.” I lean back in the chair, continuing to glower.