The Impatient Lord

by Michelle M. Pillow

  The Impatient Lord (Dragon Lords)

  By

  Michelle M. Pillow

  The Impatient Lord (Dragon Lords) © copyright 2013-2014 by Michelle M. Pillow

  First Electronic Printing March 2014, The Raven Books

  Cover art © Copyright 2013-2014 by Natalie Winters

  Edited by Heidi Moore

  Final Line Edits by Lesley Parkin

  ISBN 13: 9781625010421

  ISBN 10: 1625010427

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  All books copyrighted to the author and may not be resold or given away without written permission from the author, Michelle M. Pillow.

  This novel is a work of fiction. Any and all characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or events or places is merely coincidence. Novel intended for adults only. Must be 18 years or older to read.

  Published by Raven Books

  www.ravenhappyhour.com

  Raven Books and all affiliate sites and projects are © Copyrighted 2004-2014

  Table of Contents

  The Impatient Lord (Dragon Lords)

  About Dragon Lords (Books 5-8)

  Futuristic Romances by Michelle M. Pillow

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Epilogue

  About the Author, Michelle M. Pillow

  Michelle M. Pillow, Online

  The Raven Books’ Complimentary Material

  The Dragon’s Queen (Dragon Lords 9) by Michelle M. Pillow

  Act of Mercy by Mandy M. Roth

  The Impatient Lord

  Dragon Lords Book 8

  Futuristic Shapeshifter Romance

  An unlucky bride...

  Riona Grey lives life on her own terms, traveling wherever the next spaceship is flying and doing what she must in order to get by. When her luck turns sour, she finds herself on a bridal ship heading to a marriage ceremony. A planet full of dragon shifters seeking mates wasn’t exactly what she had in mind as a final destination. Just when she thinks things couldn’t possibly get worse, she wakes up months later in an isolation chamber with a sexy, hovering dragon shifter by her side telling her they’re meant to be together…forever.

  The impatient groom...

  After years of failed marriage attempts at the Breeding Festivals, the gods finally revealed Lord Mirek’s bride…a day too late. Eager to have her, he defied tradition and laid claim. But it is a mistake to go against the gods and his new wife was the one to pay the price of his impatience.

  Now almost a year later, his bride is finally waking from her deep sleep. With one look from her, he feels the eagerness to claim her overtaking him once more. Fearful she’ll slip through his grasp once again, he’s hesitant to anger the gods by taking her to his bed too soon. But, how can he resist the one thing that would make his life complete, especially when she looks at him with eyes of a seductress? This is one test he can’t fail, and yet with one of her sweet kisses he knows he may already have lost.

  About Dragon Lords (Books 5-8)

  The Noblemen brothers aren’t new to the sacred Qurilixian bridal ceremony. After several failed attempts at finding a bride, it’s hard to get excited about yet another festival. No matter how honorable they try to live, it would seem fate thinks them unworthy of such happiness—that is until now.

  With very few words spoken and the shortest, most bizarre courtship in history, they will bond to their women forever. And once bonded, these men don’t let go.

  Dragon Lords is the first installment in Michelle M. Pillow’s bestselling futuristic romance multi-series. The first four books center on the four Draig Princes, men who, unlike their cousins, have no problem with commitment as they enter their first ceremonies. Books 5-8 follow the lives and loves of the noble cousins, starting with the High Duke of Draig. The books can be read separately from the first installment of the series, though the author recommends reading the books in order.

  The futuristic multi-series continues after the Dragon Lords with the Lords of the Var series, Space Lords series, Zhang Dynasty series, as well as the short stories Galaxy Playmates. For details or reading orders please visit www.michellepillow.com.

  Futuristic Romances by Michelle M. Pillow

  Michelle on Amazon

  Dragon Lords Series

  The Barbarian Prince

  The Perfect Prince

  The Dark Prince

  The Warrior Prince

  His Highness The Duke

  The Stubborn Lord

  The Reluctant Lord

  The Impatient Lord

  The Dragon’s Queen

  The Dragon Lords series continues with Lords of the Var.

  Lords of the Var Series

  The Savage King

  The Playful Prince

  The Bound Prince

  The Rogue Prince

  The Pirate Prince

  About the Lords of the Var series:

  The Var Princes were raised by a hard man who put no stock in love—especially love with one woman. Bred to never take a life mate, these men will do everything in their power to live up to the dead King Attor’s expectations and never fall in love.

  Be sure to check out the other books in the Dragon Lords’ futuristic world: Space Lords series, Zhang Dynasty series, Galaxy Playmates series -- with many more books to come!

  To learn more and to stay up to date on the latest book list visit www.MichellePillow.com

  Dedication

  To My Readers & Pillow Fighters:

  Writing can be a solitary career. Authors spend hours upon hours at a computer, staring at a screen, talking to imaginary friends and playing Goddess of Thier Universe. Hey, I’m not complaining. I get to make things up for a living. I love my job and without you, the readers, I wouldn’t have a job. So, to the readers—Thank You. Not only do you read the books, you send me emails, leave reviews, help entertain those solitary computer hours by playing with me online and never judging me for my nonsensical life observations.

  Then, this year, it went a step further and super fans (super readers if you prefer) actually banded together and named yourselves: Pillow Fighters. I can’t tell you how much I love the playfulness of the name—a bunch of us staying up late, reading, having fun in an endless party where super readers of my work can share and mingle regardless of which hemisphere you’re in. (You have to check out the logo Mandy M. Roth made for you all on my website: www.michellepillow.com)

  To My Author & Industry Friends:

  Ten Years this April since my first book published in 2004. I can honestly say I would not still be writing if not for Mandy M. Roth. She supported me when real life tried to drown out the fictional voices. She kicked my ass when it needed kicked, as a best friend should. She’s more than a friend, she’s a sister.

  I am very blessed with a community of awesome peers:

  Jaycee Clark, from the very beginning you just fit. I can’t imagine not knowing you.

  Yasmine Galenorn, #PPAMP says hi! You make me laugh when we’re joking around online and can be serious when the time calls for it. Be on the lookout for a basket full of kittens on your doorstep.

  Candace Havens, my work doppelganger. I love your positive attitude and spirit.

  Candice Gilmer, you introduced me to real life ghost hunters and helped make a dream come true. And to Cheryl Knight, my editor at Par
anormal Underground Magazine, for letting me write about those experiences.

  Authors, I have met so many of you over the years, too many to name, but hopefully you know who you are and that you’re appreciated.

  Heidi Moore and Lesley Parkin, my editor and final line editor on this book, and to the rest of my editors: Your help is invaluable.

  Thank you!

  Chapter One

  Intergalactic Gambling Championship, Torgan Black Market

  City of Madaga, Planet of Torgan

  Riona Grey knew better than to press her luck. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop her from opening her mouth to issue perhaps the stupidest challenge she’d ever uttered, “Oh, I know I can win, Range. I’m the best. I could beat your guys blindfolded, after a night spent hallucinating on Torganian Rum and drunk off my ass. In fact, I can take this whole tournament.”

  Of course, the space pirate had to force her to put her money where her mouth was because she’d said it in front of his entire crew. And, of course, Riona took his bet and tripled it because, well, she was a sucker for high stakes and mischief. Besides, every time Range crossed her path, he pissed her off. He didn’t really do anything, but his smarmy, sexist nature rubbed her the wrong way. She saw his smug face and she wanted to hit him. Instead, she continued on to insult his manhood, his ship and, perhaps most wounding of all, his reputation as a space pirate. Apparently, pirate captains didn’t like to be called, “second-rate cargo shippers with a puffed-up reputation with only a list of misdemeanor planetary level charges to his credit.” That one got a gun pointed in her face and the ante upped to nearly four times the original amount—fifty-thousand space credits.

  Good thing she was an expert when it came to gambling, because she didn’t have that kind of money.

  Good thing she was so close to winning.

  Range could lick her boots. It was going to be sweet perfection to see his face as he handed over that many space credits. Adding that to the tournament prizes and she’d be set for life. No more running around taking odd jobs and doing whatever she could to survive. This was it. Her chance.

  The tournament was a lock. There was no way she was losing at Frendle’s Chips. This was her game. She would walk away with the winnings, an extra fifty-thousand space credits and some of Range’s pride. Today was going to be a good day. Looking up at the glass-and-metal ceiling, she quietly corrected herself, “Tonight is going to be a great night.” Traveling from planet to planet, living in deep space, it became hard to differentiate night from day. Really, it just depended on where you landed.

  Riona loved her life. She loved everything about it. Well, almost everything, but she had seen enough to know better than to complain. Things could always be worse. She could still be starving, fighting for a small corner of a ship so that she could sleep undisturbed. Desperation and necessity had taught her how to survive, and she was good at it. There were no handouts in the universe for people like her.

  The loud music, smoky atmosphere and drunken patrons were comforting in their familiarity. She liked how simplistic everyone was on this level of existence. The humanoid and non-humanoid aliens were predictable. They could be expected to uphold certain codes of honor…to a point. They would act in their own self-interest first, the interest of their crew second, and in the interest of breaking the law third.

  There was freedom to their tarnished honor. But best of all, none of them had any grand plans beyond amassing more money and having more adventures. They had flown to the ends of the known universes and had seen marvels beyond speech, and yet living creatures in general still managed to debase that beauty. For most of them, life was short and fairly pointless. Disasters happened. Ships exploded. Fortunes were lost. Planets were blown into nothingness. And sometimes, smarmy pirates lost bets to a girl.

  Riona smiled at her last opponent, feeling her heartbeat quicken. One play left. That’s all she needed. One perfect play and she walked away the tournament winner. She was aware of the stares of those in the complex on her, knew her face was being broadcast in an oversized holographic projection floating above her head so everyone could see. Long, metal tables stretched out before her, most of them occupied with spectators. The smell of liquor exuded from the nearby bar that dominated the center of the building. Smoke filtered along the floor, being drawn to ventilation grates.

  Riona reached to the table next to her and made a show of taking an unconcerned drink. In truth, she could barely swallow because her heart was beating so hard. Metal discs floated before her in a large game grid. Tiny snaps of electricity shot between them. She tapped her fingernails against an inert disc as she contemplated her next move. Her mind raced and calculated, making sense of the seemingly random pattern of electrical shocks.

  “I hear human women often freeze under pressure,” her opponent jeered. He talked in his native language of Yidie, but she understood the scaly lizard man just fine thanks to her implanted universal translator.

  Riona laughed a loud, delighted sound as she held up her disc. To herself, she quietly counted, One, Two, Thr—

  “Ri!”

  At the sudden, startling sound, her fingers slipped and the disc went a millimeter off its original course and right into a strip of electricity. For the longest second, her heart stopped beating and her confident smile fell. The unit blinked once and then fizzled as the disc was destroyed. Metal particles fell to the table. Chaos erupted in a series of cheers and pounding fists of protest.

  Turning almost numbly to the distraction, she had to blink to be sure she wasn’t seeing things. Aeron? What in all the bounty of Jareth was her sister doing here? Now?

  Unable to believe her eyes, she stood, consciously forcing the smile back to her lips. She couldn’t appear too shaken, not with fifty-thousand space credits now past due and a collector only too willing for an excuse to punish her for reneging. Not to mention it had taken all her savings to enter the tournament. She was now dead broke and in debt to a pirate.

  Lights flashed around them and Aeron ducked her head down to avoid the photographs. She wore the uniformed cap of the Federation Military to hide her black hair. A quick glance down told Riona that Aeron also wore the rest of the get-up. Full military blacks. Why in all the fire surges of Bravon was the military here? And why was her sister the analyst with them?

  Eyeing Aeron, Riona said through tight lips, “Greetings, sister. I didn’t know the Federation was sending security guards to the event. You should have sent a transmission warning me. I would have told you this wasn’t your scene.”

  “I need to talk to you,” Aeron said. Nearly five years since she’d seen the woman in the flesh and it was straight to business. Sure, they had the regular, mandatory family communications, but they didn’t seek each other out. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise Riona if she learned Aeron denied they were related.

  “So serious. Careful, it will wrinkle your face.” Riona glanced at her lost game before turning her attention to the last place she’d seen Range and his crew. He was easy to spot with his spiky black hair and dark green facial tattoos scrolled along his cheekbones. The pirate grinned at her and lifted his fingers to wave. Sarcastically, she muttered, “Your timing is as impeccable as always.”

  “This is bigger than playtime. It’s serious,” Aeron insisted.

  “I can see that,” Riona said. Range rested his hand on his gun in warning.

  “Would you forget about that stupid game? I need you to come with me. This is important. When was the last time I actually came to you for help?” Aeron did have a point. “You know I wouldn’t be here if I had any other choice.”

  “Where are the other militants?” Riona’s expression gave nothing away. She couldn’t help but wonder if this was a trap. Had her sister come to arrest her? She was with the ship that had hijacked the cold-storage shipment heading toward Harn, but that had been over four years ago. She’d covered her tracks, hadn’t she? There was also that Grooten misunderstanding. Or the bar fight on Valor 6. And
she did steal fuel once from a fueling dock on a dare, but she’d been in disguise and the wanted issue had her drawn up to look like a Liphobian sea slug with fur. As far as she could tell, no such creatures actually existed—unless by some horrific misfortune a snowbeast had mated with a Liphobian.

  “I’m alone.”

  “You’re here on leave? You left the floating base to actually take a trip?” For a brief second, Riona thought perhaps her sister had actually learned to loosen the belt straps and have a good time.

  “Yes, or I was on leave until… Well, no, not exactly, but once I explain you’ll realize I didn’t have a choice. This is about—”

  Riona lifted her hand to stop her sister from explaining and nodded. The people around them might be pretending to party, but she would bet at least five of them listened to the conversation. In fact, several of them might even get ideas. Those who placed wagers on her wouldn’t be too happy at Aeron’s interruption. Several of them might go so far as to recoup their losses at the cost of her sister’s delicate hide.

  “Is this favor off planet?” Riona asked. Blast the stars. What was she going to do? She’d been so close.

  Fifty. Thousand. Space credits.

  Riona found it hard to breathe.

  “Yes, but it—”

  “Do you have a ship?” Riona interrupted, keeping her voice low. She needed to get off this planet and fast. Range would only hold back for so long.

  “Yes.”

  “Then lead the way. You are family after all.” Riona lifted a couple of fingers to Range, motioning that she was going to get his money. He narrowed his eyes, but he didn’t immediately move to stop her. She knew he would send men to follow her. He trusted her about as much as she trusted him—and with good reason, she was planning on running out on him without paying. “Who am I to disappoint family?”