Dragon Unbroken_A Reverse Harem Dragon Fantasy Romance

by Keira Blackwood

  Then I remembered something I never should have forgotten. We weren’t alone in the woods. If I flew, my dad could be out there and see. He could follow me back to camp. He could find Ariana when I wasn’t there to protect her.

  No, flying would have to wait. The risk was too big.

  I dropped my head, taking my long neck down with it into the stream. A big splash flicked water up onto my wings.

  The rushing water tickled my snout, and sounded louder beneath the surface, like the engine of a plane.

  I lifted my head and shook the droplets from my scales.

  “Here we thought the worst, and you’re off taking a bath.” Quentin’s voice made me freeze. I hadn’t even heard him coming.

  I breathed in the scent of dragons. I turned and I saw them. Quentin, Taylor, and Ariana stood by the edge of the forest in their human forms. Taylor had my bag in addition to his own.

  I shifted back to human and stepped away from the crashing water.

  “I was coming back,” I said. “I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

  Quentin dropped his pack, his jacket, and removed his boots.

  Taylor gave him a look. “What are you doing? It isn’t spa day.”

  Quentin scowled back and pulled his black t-shirt over his head. “If you prefer to smell like that, that’s your choice. But it’s doing us all a favor if you bathe.”

  “You don’t smell so great yourself,” Taylor said.

  Ariana reached into her pack and tossed me a bar of soap.

  “I happen to like the way you all smell,” she said, before setting her bag down on the ground.

  All eyes were on her as she lifted her shirt over her head.

  “What?” she asked, her cheeks pink. “I’m not missing out on this.”

  “No one wants you to,” Taylor said.

  She unlaced her boots and slid them off one by one. She dropped her pants down to the ground, and I appreciated every inch of her long legs. In her bra and panties, she looked between us. This was a private moment, shared with all of us. She unclasped her bra, and Quentin made an approving noise. I felt his approval, too. All four of us were aroused, and it felt like it all fed through us in a loop.

  I couldn’t look away from Ariana.

  Round breasts, full hips, and shapely thighs. I savored every inch of her bare skin. My cock throbbed beneath the surface of the water. Ariana was so beautiful, our very own goddess. Seeing her like this was a gift.

  She slid her panties down and walked into the water, head held high. She didn’t cover herself. She didn’t need to. We knew her. We loved her. Every freckle. Every scar.

  She didn’t flinch at the cold, but instead walked right toward me. As her eyes locked on me, I felt like the luckiest man in the world.

  Taylor and Quentin stripped a lot quicker once Ariana was in the water. All of us were eager to be close to her, to share this with her. I could feel their excitement as much as my own.

  Ariana waded to me and placed her palm on my chest. Her hand was warm, and her touch left me wanting more.

  Her breasts were exposed above the waterline. Her nipples were tight, hard peaks. I imagined the way she’d writhe if I took one of her breasts in my palm.

  “Turn around,” she said. “I’ll wash your back if you wash mine.”

  Obediently, I turned. I felt her hands, slippery with the soap, on my skin. I could feel her eyes on my upper back and shoulders, and I felt her tracing the ink there. Thick chains, and flames licking through them.

  “What does it mean?” she whispered.

  “Burned, but not broken. An Army buddy of mine did the art.”

  “I like it,” she said, bringing water up in her cupped hands to rinse off the suds. Cold air bit at my skin after the water. She patted my shoulder. “My turn.”

  We both spun around so now I faced her back. She lifted her hair up. Her skin was cold as I stroked my hands over her shoulders. I wanted to pull her close, to rub my hands all over her. But I could go slow. I could do anything for her. I would do anything for her.

  Quentin flanked her on the other side, moving in close. His blue eyes were darker, and I could tell he was admiring her the same way I was.

  “May I?” he asked.

  She bit her lip and nodded.

  He held his soap under the waterfall and lathered the suds between his hands.

  Taylor was last to reach the water, but he bounded quickly toward us.

  Quentin’s hands slid over Ariana’s neck, across her collarbones. She leaned her head back onto my chest. Her eyes were closed, her lips slightly parted. She was so beautiful.

  I rubbed the knots of stress from her shoulders, moving lower as I massaged.

  My cock pressed hard against her hip, and she leaned her whole body back into me.

  She’d felt so good in my dreams. I wanted to slip in between her thighs, please her the way Taylor and Quentin both had.

  Quentin took her nipple into his mouth. I slid my hands down to her legs. Taylor took her other nipple between his lips.

  Ariana’s breath came in rapid pants. Droplets of water clung to her skin, decorating her like jewels. I touched my finger to her pussy, feeling how slick she was, how ready. She nudged her hips forward, silently asking for more.

  My finger went inside her with ease and she made a soft sound that had my cock rigid, ready to take her. I could do this now, push inside her while Quentin and Taylor held her up. Give her pleasure and relieve the aching in my balls.

  “Slade,” she whispered. “More.”

  I pressed another finger in her. Felt her walls clench around me. The scent of her desire surrounded me, made me crazy with want. I watched her face as Taylor kissed his way up her neck to her mouth. She looked wild, her hair hanging around her shoulders, her lips parted. I moved my fingers inside her and stroked myself at the same time. Her legs shook, but Quentin and Taylor helped keep her upright. While I fingered her, Taylor brought a hand down to knead her backside. Quentin was busy with her breasts, kissing and touching her nipples.

  She wriggled in place, then went rigid. Her walls constricted around my fingers and I felt the pulse of her climax. I wanted to give her another one. Maybe all three of us could, if she’d like that.

  I stood up, ready to replace my fingers with my cock, but a strange sound came from the shore. A snorting. At first, I thought it was Taylor.

  I looked to Taylor, who stood frozen, staring across to the other bank.

  “Move slowly out of the water,” he whispered, still helping Ariana stay standing.

  I didn’t want to go anywhere. I didn’t want to take my hands off of Ariana. But Taylor’s expression told me something was wrong.

  I turned, keeping my body between the danger and Ariana.

  There was a scent, wild and unfamiliar.

  “Come on.” Quentin pulled Ariana away, back toward our clothes.

  I stared straight at the beast. It looked to weigh about two hundred pounds. Short snout, thick brown hair. It was a wild boar, and it was kicking the dirt beneath its feet.

  I backed away slowly, keeping myself between the others and the boar. I doubted it would do much damage to dragon shifters, but now wasn’t the time or place to risk an injury, however small.

  When I reached the shore, I threw on my clothes. The boar stood at the edge of the water, stamping its feet and watching us. Then it turned around and walked away. We could have gone back to the waterfall, resumed where we’d left off, but the interruption had been a reminder that we weren’t in safe territory. Ariana had come, and that seemed to be enough for all three of us.

  “I’m a little surprised he’s not put off by our scent,” Taylor said.

  “She,” Quentin said.

  “She?” Taylor asked.

  The sun began to rise, lighting the forest with greens and reds, and oranges.

  “Did you not notice the swollen mammary ducts along her undercarriage?” Quentin asked. “She’s a sow with young piglets. She’d likel
y defend the territory against any predator.”

  “Her undercarriage?” Taylor asked. “No, I was not checking out the boar’s boobs. But I can’t say I’m completely surprised that you were.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Quentin asked.

  I turned to Ariana and kissed her cheek, close to her ear. “Was that all right, what we just did?”

  She laced her fingers in mine and smiled up at me. “It was incredible.”

  I really was the luckiest man in the world.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ariana

  The satellite phone still wasn’t working. We’d gotten static on and off, but no actual signal to call Koenig. I hoped he’d keep his head and not do anything rash. The last thing we needed was Allencloth wolves hunting for Slade’s father. We had to find Victor first. We had to make that call.

  We didn’t find a single sign of Victor until Saturday. That sign had been minimal—only the remnants of a fire, and according to Slade, a few days old. Still, the mood had changed after our bath in the waterfall. Victor might be close. We started keeping watch at night, one person awake and on guard at all times.

  Two days had passed since we’d all been naked together, since we’d seen the boar, and since something more had almost happened between us. We were more like our usual selves, even Slade. The playfulness, ease, and comfort we had in each other’s company had been restored, and though nothing had really changed, I felt like it had.

  I thought about his tattoo—burned, but not broken. He’d been burned by his father leaving, but his heart was still strong, still able to love. I had to credit his mother for that—for being resilient, for keeping him healthy and safe.

  He caught my eye as we walked, and he winked at me. I gave him a big smile. My heart had felt broken for so long after Marc died, but now it felt more like the unbroken circle of chain on Slade’s back. Infinite, strong.

  We followed game trails and found the occasional clue that someone else was out here in the middle of nowhere. Mostly there were torn branches, cut by a blade.

  By the time the sun set on Sunday, we found ourselves in a routine—walk all day, make camp at night. And we were making progress.

  With our tents set, we settled down around the fire. Everyone was opening up, sharing pieces of their past.

  “I thought joining the Army was the best way I could help people,” Slade said. “I never expected to end up in the same country my dad was sent to.”

  “I bet that was hard on your mom,” Taylor said.

  “It was,” Slade said. “That’s when we started our Sunday phone calls.”

  “Did you partake in combat?” Quentin asked.

  “Partake?” Taylor shook his head.

  “More than my share,” Slade said. “I watched a lot of good men die. Bystanders, too. I watched good men do bad things. And I always wondered if it was like what my dad went through. I wondered if he was one of those good guys who made a bad choice. And I wondered what happened to him.”

  “But your mother was under the impression that Victor had died,” Quentin said.

  “Yeah,” Slade said. “They gave her his flag. We did a whole memorial service. But I always knew he was still out there somewhere. I could feel it in my gut.”

  “That had to be hard,” Taylor said.

  Slade shrugged. “I’ve tried not to think about him.”

  I wondered what would happen when all of this was over. What would we do with Slade’s father if he didn’t cooperate? We could capture him. We could take the treasure back to Koenig. But if he was really as terrible as Koenig said, what would happen after that?

  I couldn’t focus on that. First, we had to find Victor.

  The guys had been sharing their stories. It meant so much to me, to hear them trust me and each other. And for the first time since the Lotus War had ended, I was ready to share some of what had happened there.

  Everyone was quiet. I stared into the flames and let the heat soak into my skin. Twenty-five years had passed, and the memory was still fresh. It had all started in a forest much like this. And it was time for me to share.

  Darkland Camp, Disputed Lotus Territory

  1993, three weeks after joining the Darkland clan

  The bonfire roared, lighting the darkest hours of the night. The Darkland camp was aglow with enthusiasm, as it always was after a long day of battle. The air was a mix of fire, shifters, and food. Other scents included the dryness of burning wood, savory spit-roasted pig, and spicy chili.

  There was booze and banter, laughter that carried for miles. Wounds were bandaged, bellies were filled, and there was talk of victory sought on the horizon.

  Three weeks had passed since Gabriel Christianson had recruited Marc and me to his cause. Every day we’d fought alongside wolf shifters, bears, and dragons like Gabriel and Nevaeh. Every night we came together around the warmth of the fire. Marc and I had felt at home from the first night, welcomed into their family with open arms. And we were happy to fight for the Darkland clan, the underdogs who had lost everything at the start of the Lotus War.

  I sat in my camp chair between Marc and Nevaeh and listened to our comrades take turns telling stories. There were tales of the day’s highlights and remembrance of those who had been lost to battle. Although those who fought beside us had lost their homes, their friends, and their families, the spirit of the Darkland clan was one of hope.

  Gabriel rose from his seat beside Marc and tapped his spoon on the side of his chili bowl.

  The camp grew quiet, all eyes on the leader of our ragtag band.

  Just the sight of Gabriel inspired confidence. He was over six feet tall and he stood with his shoulders squared no matter the situation, no matter the odds. He was a statue of strength, a symbol of what the Darkland clan stood for, what it was meant to be once again.

  He smoothed his palm over his golden beard, and then he spoke. “There was a time when I believed the Darkland clan would be exterminated. Each and every one of us. When my parents were killed, my childhood home burned to the ground, I couldn’t imagine the strength you all have shown this day.”

  Nevaeh looked to her mate with admiration. We all did.

  “But we have endured. We have proven that we will never roll over and accept defeat.” Gabriel gestured with his arms as he spoke. Shadows danced across his face, flickering with the flames behind him. “Like Donny, when he lost his left eye, and still managed to defend Lyle against those Stonefang curs that flanked him.”

  “Yeah,” Lyle called.

  “Or Lyle when he carried me back to camp after I couldn’t walk,” said Merrill.

  Movement beside me caught my eye. Tony had come to whisper in Nevaeh’s ear.

  Her expression was hard as she rose from her seat.

  “How about Johnny and his damned fine chili?” a voice called out from the back of the crowd. That brought about loud cheers from all around the fire.

  “All of you are the heart of Darkland,” Gabriel said. “No matter what they take—our lives, our land—they can never touch who we are. We are Darkland.”

  Whistles and chatter and cheer followed.

  “Our cause is just, and we will prevail,” Gabriel yelled over the other voices. The crowd grew louder. I looked around for Nevaeh, but I didn’t see her.

  I finished my beer and went to find her. Something was off, and as her friend, I wanted to help.

  Marc rose to his feet and joined Gabriel as others gathered to speak to him.

  Weaving through the crowd was difficult, more so since everyone was plastered with ale. When I reached the back of the camp, I still didn’t see any sign of Nevaeh.

  “Hey.” Big hands grabbed my hips, stale drunken breath heated the back of my neck.

  I pulled away and turned.

  A man about my height, lean and fit, stood there. Thick black hair hung across his face, and his shirtless chest was covered in intricate tribal tattoos. I recognized his scent, his tattoos, and his crooked s
mile. Avery. His eyes were glazed. He’d had far too many drinks by the stink of him.

  “Don’t touch me,” I said. We’d fought side by side and he’d never before crossed that line. It was the alcohol that made him reckless. Stupid.

  “Whoa, sorry,” he said, holding up his hands in defense. “I didn’t mean anything by it...if you don’t want me to.”

  “You know I don’t,” I said. “Have you seen Nevaeh?”

  “You just missed her,” he said, and pointed to the sky. “Can’t believe she’s really going to do it.”

  “Do what?” I asked.

  “Break the treaty.” He shook his head. “It took twenty years of fighting before they could come to terms for a treaty. They finally did it, and she’s just going to throw it all away.”

  It didn’t make sense. If there was a treaty between Darkland and Stonefang, we all would have heard about it. Gabriel was an open book. And even if he weren’t, Marc and I were close enough to him and Nevaeh to know of every strategy, every meeting. It couldn’t be true.

  I looked to the sky and saw a glimmer of crimson wings in the distance. I had to find out what was really going on.

  I tore my clothes off as I ran toward the clearing. I could feel Avery’s eyes on me, but I didn’t care.

  The shift was quick, and I barely missed a step. My wings spread wide as my body grew into its dragon form.

  With haste I took off, leaving our camp behind. Questions swirled in my head, an uneasy feeling in my gut. I ignored both and followed Nevaeh.

  Moonlight glimmered on the surface of the water, danced on dew-touched treetops. I wished Marc was with me. I should have told him where I’d gone, but there hadn’t been time.

  Nevaeh landed in a small clearing. I followed.

  The village was silent, asleep.

  I landed on the forest floor and looked to Nevaeh. She lifted her belt from the ground and fastened it to her bare waist. Moonlight shimmered on her black hair, bringing out the deep red of her highlights. Her wings were still stretched out, though her body was human. I approached slowly, watched the way her knuckles whitened as she squeezed the hilt of her Damascus blade.