by Freya Garth
Dragon Riders
Dragon Rider’s Woman
Doraya escapes a life of drudgery thanks to attractive dragon rider Goril and his sexy dragon Fiami. Then she discovers that throwing in her lot with Goril and Fiami means she has inadvertently become the sexual property of their whole tribe. Doraya joins seven other women who live with the thirty--five dragon riders and are shared fairly between them.
The riders are desperate for more women to join the tribe, but the traditions of their land make this almost impossible. Each rider is good-looking and kind, but it is Goril who Doraya adores. Doraya’s unexpected mind-meld with Fiami threatens her mental health but ultimately brings her closer to Goril. Can Doraya solve the riders’ problem, and in so doing win Goril’s love as well as his lust?
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 47,369 words
DRAGON RIDER’S WOMAN
Dragon Riders
Freya Garth
EROTIC ROMANCE
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www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance
DRAGON RIDER’S WOMAN
Copyright © 2011 by Freya Garth
E-book ISBN: 1-61034-911-3
First E-book Publication: October 2011
Cover design by Jinger Heaston
All cover art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
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DEDICATION
For Debi Alper, because life is full of surprises.
DRAGON RIDER’S WOMAN
Dragon Riders
FREYA GARTH
Copyright © 2011
Chapter One
Doraya failed to dodge a blow from the head cook’s ladle, which thumped into her shoulder and splattered gravy across her cheek.
“Useless lump!” Berato yelled. “No dinner break for you. Get upstairs and clear the trenchers from the dining hall as the diners finish.’ A calculating grin spread across her face. ‘You can do it alone. Perhaps that’ll teach you not to be so clumsy.’
The other kitchen wenches, already seated around the table, elbowed each other, sniggering and casting smug looks at Doraya.
She trudged out of the kitchen and up the honey-coloured stone stairs toward the dining hall, wiping gravy from her cheek with her sleeve. It wasn’t so bad to clear alone. At least it left her free from kitchen bullying for half an hour, even if it did mean she went without dinner again, which wasn’t fair. Hot tears rose to her eyes at the injustice of her plight. She hadn’t even been clumsy. The tray of bread from the oven was too hot to hold, so she’d put it down for a moment. Berato herself had turned and knocked it to the floor.
Berato was a mean, horrible woman, and Doraya wished she could impale her on one of her own spits and turn her slowly over a blazing fire. Imagining how much grease would drip from the cook’s fat body helped her tears recede. If only Doraya could leave this place—but she had nowhere to go, no way to make a living. All she could do was work as hard as she could and hope to be head cook herself one day. Not that she would bully and starve the youngest member of her staff. Her kitchen would be a happy place, with well-fed, cheerful workers.
The dining hall was full of warriors and noblemen sitting at the long tables, eating from wooden trenchers beneath richly embroidered tapestries showing the castle’s history. Nobody had finished their meal, so Doraya stood at the wall, feet apart and hands clasped in front, in a servant’s invisible stance. Having a moment to watch and listen in peace was pure luxury. King Panac was at the top table as usual, and Doraya gave an involuntary gasp as the handsome man on his right turned to speak to the person next to him, showing one golden eye in a chiselled profile. She hadn’t seen Goril for ages, maybe half a year.
‘Tain’t no use gawking at the dragon rider, girl.’
She flinched at the barrack’s stink as Merlan took up his guard pose next to her, one hand on his upright spear.
‘Tisn’t a dragon rider’s woman you’ll be.’
Doraya gasped. How could he know her secret fantasy?
‘You’ll be my woman when I ask the king for you.’ His free hand shot out and squeezed her breast hard enough to bring tears to her eyes, then went to rub his own crotch while he grunted in pleasure.
‘I have to clear.’ She hurried away, relieved to see that a couple of diners had finished. If only she could be a dragon rider’s woman. Then she would never have to set foot in this castle again. Maybe a dragon would eat her, like the rumours said, but she didn’t care. It would be better than staying here, bullied in the kitchen and harassed by soldiers. Merlan wasn’t the only one who wanted her for his own, although he was the most insistent. And the worst-smelling.
She would be close to Goril tonight, if only for a moment. Doraya’s spirits rose at the thought. Really, Berato had done her a favour. Except he’d never notice her when she worked so hard to hide her attractions, leaving her hair matted and wearing ill-fitting clothes made from rough materials. Not that she had much choice, but many of the castle wenches did the best to display what charms they had, while she d
id the opposite. The idea was to keep the soldiers from bothering her, but now she would have no chance to look good for Goril. Not that it would make any difference if she could. For some stupid reason he couldn’t say anything to her. She had to ask him, if she wanted to be a dragon rider’s woman. And what was the point? All she would achieve would be to embarrass herself in front of the whole dining hall, and she’d end up being the butt of even more jokes, wed to a stinky soldier who would know she didn’t want him, and mother of a passel of barrack’s brats. Of course that was going to happen anyway, but at least, as things stood, she could pretend to care for her soldier and maybe he wouldn’t treat her too badly. As long as it wasn’t Merlan.
Doraya’s spirits had sunk to the soles of her bare feet, but they rose a little when she saw a chunk of meat left on a trencher. She was supposed to throw it to the hunting dogs, but she quickly put another trencher on top, and then another on top of that. At least she wouldn’t have to go without food tonight.
When she had a pile of trenchers as high as she could carry, she made her way back down the stairs, stopping halfway to find the piece of meat. Her deft fingers delved in between the trenchers. There it was, cold and greasy in her fingers but nonetheless making her mouth water. She pulled gently, trying to tug it free, but the pile of trenchers wobbled alarmingly. Doraya swayed from side to side, trying to keep them balanced on her arm, but to no avail, and the pile crashed down the steps with a loud clatter that echoed mockingly in the stone stairwell.
* * * *
Goril ate slowly, savouring the good food of Panac’s kingdom. His mind-meld with his dragon let him sense Fiami’s happiness, too, from where she was comfortably curled on top of the dragon tower with a tray of roasted fowl. If only that kitchen wench was near, the one with flame-coloured hair and eyes dark green as a dragon’s coat. His cock gave a throb at the thought, and he adjusted it for comfort under the table, sensing interest and hope from Fiami. It had been too long since he’d had sex, and that wasn’t fair on his dragon. He would need to take one of the women as soon as he got back to the caves.
If only he could say something to the kitchen wench, but tradition forbade the dragon riders from ever approaching women in any of the three kingdoms. In the old days, they’d always had first pick, which had created so much resentment that they had agreed to let women make their own decisions and had promised not to entice women to join them. His ancestors had agreed easily, certain that women would be drawn to them as they always had been. Nobody had realised how many difficulties would ensue as rumours grew over the years about life with the dragon riders.
Goril needed to find a way to solve that problem. But he’d thought around it so many times that it made him dizzy to contemplate, so he put it from his mind and turned to resume conversation with King Panac.
* * * *
Berato screeched so loudly and cuffed Doraya so hard that her head rang like a bell.
‘I’ll clean up,’ she said, raising her hands to ward off further blows.
‘Too right you will. And then finish clearing.’
Luckily, Berato was too interested in returning to her dinner to hand out any further abuse, and she lumbered off back to join the other women at the table, grumbling about Doraya’s uselessness.
Doraya picked up all the trenchers and put them in the big kitchen sink, then scoured the steps free of grease, before starting back up to the dining hall. At least she’d managed to save the piece of meat, which she retrieved from the dark corner where she’d flung it on impulse. It was gritty with dust, but at least it was a couple of mouthfuls of food. That was all she’d get tonight, unless she could scavenge more scraps. Two tears ran down her cheeks, but she blinked back the others as she climbed the last few steps. If any of the kitchen wenches saw that she’d been crying, the bullying would only get worse. She had to stay strong. Just a few more hours, then she could rest on her pallet.
Most diners had finished, and the hall had an untidy look. Grabbing empty trenchers from the nearest tables, Doraya ran back down to the kitchen, dumped her load, then hurried back up to the hall. Goril was still at the King’s table, his back to her, strong shoulder muscles clearly visible through his hide jerkin, unruly brown hair that she longed to touch. She cleared more piles of trenchers, moving faster, hoping she could reach his table before he left. Then there was only the King’s table to clear, but they were still picking at the leftovers, talking politics. She chose a piece of wall with a good view of Goril where she could stand, still and unobtrusive as every servant should be, and watch him for a few pleasant minutes.
* * * *
‘Why do you think Tinis’s people can be trusted?’ King Panac looked doubtfully at Goril.
‘They’re not interested in conflict.’ Goril jabbed the air with a fowl bone for emphasis. ‘They’re only interested in learning.’
‘And what’s the point of that?’ King Panac sat back and poured himself another goblet of wine. ‘Learn, and learn, and learn, and die. Much better to enjoy life.’ He looked as satisfied as if he’d won an argument.
Goril valued both enjoyment and learning, but he’d never been able to persuade either king. He looked around for inspiration, and his eyes locked on to the dark green eyes of the kitchen wench. His cock jumped to attention, and he felt Fiami purr with pleasure. How long had the wench been there? She looked wary, and her dusty face was streaked with tear tracks. Too thin, as well, but her gaze was burning into his soul. Rage built in Goril’s broad chest. Someone had been ill-treating her. He wanted to take her away and keep her safe, although actually, if he was honest, more than anything else he just wanted to take her. Fiami sent a mischievous dart of encouragement into his mind. He was a dragon rider, wasn’t he? Brave and handsome? Shut up, Fiami, he thought, even as his cock throbbed harder. He wanted the woman. His dragon wanted him to take her. He could control his own lust, but when Fiami added hers into the mix, it became very difficult indeed.
‘Goril, are you listening to me?’
‘Sire, I do apologise.’ He tore his eyes away from the kitchen wench. ‘My dragon—’
‘Not going rogue, is she?’ King Panac looked alarmed.
‘No.’ Goril’s tongue felt thick. It was hard to form the words. ‘She needs—’
‘Is she hungry?’
‘Yes.’ It was true, in a way. ‘She has had some food, but not enough. May I leave you for a moment? This kitchen wench could help me.’
King Panac waved languid permission. ‘By all means.’ He looked at Doraya. ‘Make sure the dragon rider has everything he needs.’
* * * *
Doraya bobbed a curtsey, unable to believe her luck.
Goril rose from the table and took her wrist in an unbreakable grip. She had forgotten how tall he was. Her head barely came up to his shoulder. She had to trot to keep up with him as he headed for the steps to the kitchen, but when they got there, he turned right, up the steps to the chambers.
‘Sir,’ she said, ‘the kitchen is downstairs.’
‘I know.’ He stopped at the top of the stairs and pulled her round to face him. ‘What is your name?’
‘Doraya, sir.’
‘Doraya,’ he repeated, and ran his thumb gently along her jawline, his touch sending shivers through her body. ‘It’s not actually food my dragon needs.’
His statement puzzled her, but she ignored it because she had just realised they were alone. ‘Sir.’ She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. ‘Goril.’
His face was impassive, but she didn’t let that stop her taking the only chance she’d ever had, probably the only chance she ever would have, even though she could barely get the words out of her mouth.
‘I want to be a dragon rider’s woman.’
A lightning flash of emotion appeared in his golden eyes but disappeared too fast for her to identify it. Joy? Contempt? Triumph? The impassiveness was back as he stared into her eyes, not speaking. Embarrassment began to sour her belly, a flush of shame creeping u
pward across her breasts, neck, and face. At least there had been no witnesses, and dragon riders didn’t gossip. She dropped her head and waited for him to extinguish all her hopes.
Instead, his fingers stroked her cheek and came to rest under the point of her chin, tipping her face back up to look into his golden eyes again.
‘That,’ he said softly, ‘is the best news I’ve heard in a very long time. Come on.’ The grip around her wrist was back as he hurried her along the corridor, up more stairs, then more corridors and stairs, and finally up a stout wooden ladder, which led to a large open trap door. Doraya could see a square of night sky studded with stars. As her head emerged into the warm night air, Goril’s huge dragon shifted her bulk and turned her big golden eyes on Doraya.
‘This is Fiami.’ Goril helped Doraya up the last few steps and out onto the large wooden roof which was encircled by a low parapet.
She was breathless with climbing and terror. Fiami was huge. Dragons didn’t look that big when they were in flight. At such close quarters, Doraya could see that Fiami’s body was covered in dark-green fur, with fine-boned wings furled close to her body, making her look like a giant bat.
Fiami was making a low growling sound in her long throat.
‘What does she need?’ Doraya whispered.
‘Fiami, wait!’ Goril closed his eyes for a moment and groaned. ‘Not like this. Can’t we get back to the caves first?’