by Ruby Dixon
Will I have to wear pants here? Rast flavors the thought with disgust. Does your sister make her mate wear pants?
No, she doesn’t. You’re safe on that. I pat his neck.
Good. Pants are the worst part of living in a fort.
I’m thankful you suffer on my behalf, I tease him.
Kael flies in next to us, swooping close, and I can see the whirl of his eyes, black and gold. Thankfully, they’re more gold than black, so I relax a little more. Then we’re landing, and I can see my sister waiting below in her open-air apartment, gazing up with hopeful eyes, red hair streaming around her face.
We land gently, and then Rast carefully grabs the sheet and helps me slide down off his back. I’m getting better at it, though I’ll never be great. Above us, Kael settles on his favorite perch on one of the broken ledges, watching from overhead.
I’m barely on the ground before Claudia flings herself at me, wrapping me in her arms. “I’m so mad at you,” she sobs, squeezing me tight.
“I’m sorry,” I tell her, and then I start to cry, too.
Rast ruffles his wings and then I feel him blow a warm breath against my hair, alarmed. My mate?
“Happy tears,” I tell him as I chuckle and pull away from Claudia. “I promise they’re happy tears.”
“I’ve been so worried about you,” Claudia says, squeezing my arms. “I can’t decide if I want to shake you for the next hour or if I just want to keep hugging you.” Her eyes widen and she smacks her forehead. “Oh my gosh, I’ve forgotten about your leg. Let me get you a seat.”
“I’m good. I can walk.” It’s funny, but ever since I’ve been spending time with Rast, I’ve been on my feet a lot more, and even more in Fort Shreveport. I think it’s helping, too, because my leg doesn’t ache nearly as much as it used to. Using it more is helping it get stronger, I think. Or maybe I just refuse to let it slow me down any longer.
“Oh. Okay.” She sits down at the table and waits for me, her hand on her stomach.
Rast noses my hair. I will wait above.
Going to chat with Kael? I ask.
I do not know. His thoughts seem guarded. If he remembers what I am, he will hate me.
He won’t. That’s the past. I turn and press a kiss to his muzzle. You’re mine now and I’m not going to let anyone be mean to you.
My fierce little mate, he sends affectionately. He noses me one more time and then lifts his wings, hopping up to a higher perch across from Kael.
I turn back to my sister and give her a little smile, then move to the table. “Emma and Sasha around?”
She shakes her head. “Sasha and Dakh are still at the beach. Emma went to Fort Orleans to see if they have mated dragons there.”
I frown as I sit down across from her. “Fort Orleans? I’ve heard it’s a bit wild there. Why?”
Claudia purses her lips. “There’s something fishy going on at Fort Dallas. It’s surrounded by dragons. Dragons that won’t react normally when we try to contact them.”
Salorians, Rast tells me, his mind flaring with alarm.
“Emma’s gone to Fort Orleans to see if the same thing’s happening.” She reaches forward and squeezes my hand. “But don’t worry about that. Tell me what happened. What’s going on with you?”
“I will, but if there’s a problem at Fort Dallas, maybe we can help. Rast has a lot of his memories. He remembers a lot about Salorians and serving under them—”
Kael growls low, and the sound sends a shiver through my spine. Claudia looks surprised, glancing up at her dragon and then back at me. “That spawned a memory for him. Not a good one, but a memory.” Her fingers tighten on mine. “Your dragon remembers? From before?”
I nod. “He remembers a lot. He can help.” I can’t help but smile. “He’s wonderful.”
Claudia’s expression gets teary again. “I would expect no less for my little sister.”
Claudia and I talk for hours. Hours. I don’t think I’ve had such long conversations with my sister in forever. We talk so long that we go through two pots of her precious coffee and my throat grows hoarse from talking so much.
It’s wonderful.
While we chat, Rast and Kael go hunting. Not together, I don’t think. I can feel little undercurrents in my mental link with Rast that tell me they’re communicating, but it’s clear that it’s a wary truce more than a friendship. It’ll take time. By the time the sun sets, though, they’re easier around each other, their postures relaxed. Kael’s tail is no longer flicking like an angry cat’s and Rast’s eyes remain a cool gold instead of flicking to black.
After dinner of some more of my sister’s terrible experiments to recreate the old foods we used to have—this one’s a sad thing that’s supposed to be a taco—I’m exhausted and Claudia can’t stop yawning. She gives me an apologetic, sleepy look. “The baby makes me tired. Are you…” Her gaze flicks to Rast and then back to me.
“Not yet.”
Not for lack of trying, my dragon adds, and I can feel my cheeks get pink.
“Won’t be long,” Claudia says, ever practical. “Both Emma and Sasha are expecting. Dragons seem to be potent.” Her smile is wry. “It’s good to have you back. We’ll all get used to having another dragon around—”
“Oh, we’re not staying,” I tell my sister, and inwardly wince at how she’s going to take the news. “We’ll be here for a few days, but we’re going to be heading back to Fort Shreveport. They need us.”
I expect Claudia to protest, but she only gives me a sad look. “I thought you might say that, but I hoped…” Her head tilts and she sighs. “Kael says it’s for the best. Wide-spaced territory and all that. Plus, you can be our eyes and ears there.”
“It’s not so far,” I promise her. “A straight flight and we’ll come and visit often. And one of the women there has trained messenger doves. We can figure out how to get you set up and send messages back and forth.”
Her sad smile brightens. “I’d like that. I’ll miss my baby sister, but it sounds like you’ve found your place in the world.”
I can’t help but smile at that. I have found my place in this world—it’s at Rast’s side.
Later that night, Rast and I are alone in my old room. He paces around my quarters, sniffing my things and poking at objects. So many colors in here, he tells me, running his fingers over a gauzy scarf I have draped on the wall. Why? Did your mind not hurt?
I laugh, sliding under my old covers. “I thought it was cheerful. Helped me forget that I was trapped here.”
He turns back to me, stalking over to my side like a lion hunting down his prey, and it makes a little shiver of anticipation run through me. And do you still feel trapped?
“Not in the slightest,” I tell him with a content smile. I lie back on the pillows and gaze up at my handsome dragon-man. “I have everything I ever wanted.”
And what is that? Rast moves to lie next to me on the bed, his claws lightly skimming over my cotton nightgown. And what is this nonsense?
“It’s sleepwear.” I laugh and push aside his claws before he can shred it. “If you want me to take it off, just tell me.”
I want you to take it off. His eyes gleam and he leans in, caressing my face and gently scraping his teeth against my ear. I want you naked because I am going to claim you and put my young inside you, like Kael has put his inside his mate.
I shiver at his fierce words. You want a baby?
Of course.
Me too. It might not happen right away.
Ah, my sweet Amy, he murmurs, even as he slides one blunted claw down the front of my nightgown. Half of the enjoyment is in the trying.
I can’t disagree with that. I think I’d like to have his baby very, very much. Almost as much as I like the trying itself.
You never answered, he tells me as he nibbles my ear.
Answered what?
You said you had everything you ever wanted. I asked what it was that you had wanted.
I caress his handsome,
alien face. He’s so beautiful with his wild mane of long gold hair and scale-dappled skin. Otherwordly, but beautiful. I wanted someone to love and to be loved. I wanted a prince from the fairy tales that would come and rescue me from my world.
His thoughts flare with emotion. I am no prince. And I did not take you from your world. I cannot. I am stuck here, just like you.
You’re my prince, I tell him. Perfect in every way, and more wonderful than I could have ever imagined. And I no longer want to be rescued from my world. Not if you’re in it. I want to stay at your side.
He grunts and nuzzles my throat. You are too busy rescuing yourself, anyhow.
I laugh, because he’s not wrong. With him at my side, I feel strong and powerful and ready to take on the world.
Together, he agrees.
Author’s Note
First of all, let me say thank you to Jody Lingenfelter for coming up with this brilliant title. Nothing quite fit until you mentioned Fire in his Fury and then I knew it had to be Rast's book.
Second of all, let me say THANK YOU to everyone who loves the dragons enough to allow me to keep writing them! When I first started this series, I wasn't sure how it'd do or if anyone was interested in a post-apocalyptic dragon romance. Shows what I know – every day I'm begged for more dragon stories. You're going to get your wish! We'll keep doing dragons about once a quarter, because I like for them to be long and adventurous (and sexy and dangerous and fun and and and). Look for at least 3 more entries in 2018.
I really adored writing Amy and Rast's book. Sometimes I enjoy writing the heroine more than the hero (or vice versa), but this time I truly enjoyed both characters equally. Rast struggles with who he was in his past and who he perceives himself as. We can relate, right? Even when you make a bad choice, sometimes you feel as if you have no other options, or that all choices are bad. I like to explore that a little, to see the repercussions. In his eyes, he's a ruthless hired gun who turned against his own people. Lots of self-hate there. And of course I paired him with Amy, dreamy, romantic Amy who thinks the world is a fairy tale and she's waiting for her Prince Charming to show up. Amy is one of the characters that needed to grow the most, I think. She was more than willing to let everyone do things for her and coddle her, and as the story goes along, she learns that she's just as capable as anyone else despite her physical limits.
One of the things I love to explore in stories is how we limit ourselves more than anything else. I like to gently push characters out of the box they've placed themselves in and watch them grow. I think that's why I also like to write such low-drama romances. There's never other women, or power struggles between partners. It's them finding each other and learning how to be their best selves together. It's not about fixing what's broken. It's about becoming your awesomest (I made that word up). I'm also a firm believer in the "You're never too broken to be loved" sort of story which is another angle of Amy and Rast. But I'm blathering…I could go on and on about why I love these two together but I'll just the philosophical noodling and throw my efforts into the next book.
A lot of people have requested to learn more about the Salorians and drakoni and their world, and that was one angle I took with Rast – to see how it would be to have a drakoni male that actually remembered quite a bit of who he was. All of them have different memory loss and see the berserker rage that this world brings on in a different way. For Rast, it's a wildfire in his head. For Dakh, it's ravens that encourage him to do terrible things. The memories they keep will be handled similarly - it's going to be unique to each person, just like in this world! Some people can tell you down to the last detail what they did on every birthday for the last twenty years. Me, I can't even remember what I did five minutes ago. Also, there’s the possibility of mental blocking - some of the drakoni don't want to remember who they were at all.
As for who the next Fireblood Dragons story will be about…I'm not sure! I think that's the first time I've said that when it comes to dragons, but I've left myself several avenues. We can see what trouble is brewing in Fort Dallas, or we can investigate shenanigans in Fort Shreveport with Vaan or our mysterious stranger Liam. I know which way each one of those plots heads, so it's just a matter of me figuring out which one to tackle first. If you’re jonesing for a particular storyline before any others, feel free to chime in on Facebook. I try to read all comments and definitely respond to all messages.
Last, thank you to everyone that encourages me on Facebook, to Kati Wilde, who does my stunning covers and makes me squeal like a dork every time I receive one. To my Club ladies –Kati, Ella, and Alexa – and my editor, Aquila Editing, all of whom encourage me to write even on days when I just want to shut the computer and read someone else's words. It's the best thing ever to have such a fantastic circle of support. I'm so grateful and humbled that I'm surrounded by such loving, enthusiastic people. All of you. You are all wonderful!! Maybe it's the new year or maybe it's that I look at how much encouragement I get every day from fans and other authors both and I just feel so blessed and lucky to have all of you. I'm having a sappy moment.
I'm so looking forward to 2018 and filling it with exciting, romantic, sexy, LOVING stories on fantastic worlds. <3
Love,
Ruby
PS - Will this be in audio? Yes! I’ll post dates and links when they’re available. It will be delayed a few months, but I promise it’s on its way. <3
Ruby Dixon Reading List
FIREBLOOD DRAGONS
Fire in His Blood
Fire in His Kiss
Fire in His Embrace
Fire in His Fury
ICE PLANET BARBARIANS
Ice Planet Barbarians
Barbarian Alien
Barbarian Lover
Barbarian Mine
Ice Planet Holiday (novella)
Barbarian’s Prize
Barbarian’s Mate
Having the Barbarian’s Baby (short story)
Ice Ice Babies (short story)
Barbarian’s Touch
Calm(short story)
Barbarian’s Taming
Aftershocks (short story)
Barbarian’s Heart
Barbarian’s Hope
Barbarian’s Choice
Barbarian’s Redemption
Barbarian’s Lady
Barbarian’s Rescue
Barbarian’s Tease
The Barbarian Before Christmas (novella)
STAND ALONE
PRISON PLANET BARBARIAN
THE CORSAIR’S CAPTIVE
THE ALIEN’S MAIL-ORDER BRIDE
BEAUTY IN AUTUMN
BEDLAM BUTCHERS
Bedlam Butchers, Volumes 1-3: Off Limits, Packing Double, Double Trouble
Bedlam Butchers, Volumes 4-6: Double Down, Double or Nothing, Slow Ride
Double Dare You
BEAR BITES
Shift Out of Luck
Get Your Shift Together
Shift Just Got Real
Does A Bear Shift in the Woods
SHIFT: Five Complete Novellas
Need more shifters?
Looking for something sexy, light, and romantic? I adore the Howls line when I’m needing a fix. I especially love both of these authors, and paired together, they’re a win for me! <3 One night stand leading to a baby? Yes please!
(Note - this is NOT Kindle Unlimited but give the sample a try if shifters and babies are your thing.)
She’s pregnant and he’s determined to have her under his roof and in his bed...no matter the cost!
Reese can’t get the delectable she-wolf Jane Coleman out of his mind. They shared one passionate night on a Ft. Lauderdale beach and she disappeared by morning. He should forget her, but his wolf won’t let him dismiss the memories of her silken skin, lush curves, and seductive smile.
Even as he fights to keep his lands out of the hands of a rival pack, he can’t suppress his constant craving for the female werewolf. The last place he expects to find the alluring stranger is at
the side of his sworn enemy—her father.
He should crush her father and walk away, but one sniff changes Reese’s plans. Jane is pregnant with his pup and he will have them both!
This book is part of the Howls Romance line. Classic romance with a furry twist...
Want More?
For more information about upcoming books in the Ice Planet Barbarians, Fireblood Dragons, or any other books by Ruby Dixon, ‘like’ me on Facebook or subscribe to my new release newsletter.
Thanks for reading!
<3 Ruby