Determination and the Dragon (Redwood Dragons Book 4)

by Sloane Meyers

  Izzy’s eyes filled with tears as cheers broke out in the small crowd. Peter went to embrace his new clan member, and the cheers grew louder. Myles looked over at Harlow and saw that tears were filling her eyes as well. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the side of her face.

  “Looks like you’ve found yourself a new lifelong friend,” Myles said.

  Harlow looked up at Izzy, who was now being mobbed with congratulations by the whole group. “Looks like we all have,” she said, and then snuggled deep into his embrace.

  Yes, Myles thought. It was good to be home.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  The rest of the day was no less exciting than the beginning had been. Plans were made to fly the amethyst records back to Falcon Cross the next day. Myles and Harlow would join the squadron, with Harlow once again flying with Myles on her broom. She was getting much better at flying, and Myles’ wound was still too fresh for him to fly in dragon form. His human form was much better, but it would be a few weeks before his dragon wing was back to normal.

  Harlow wasn’t glad that his wing was injured, but she was happy that he was making a good recovery. And she was looking forward to flying together on her broomstick—this time without worry of being shot down by an enemy’s dark magic spells. Ordinarily, invisibility spells were hard to maintain while flying, but Peter knew how to do a very complicated spell that would shroud the whole squadron in a constant cloak of invisibility, as long as they flew reasonably close together. It should be a safe, uneventful trip home. First, though, the whole group had a chance tonight to rest. And after the busy day they’d had, Harlow knew everyone was looking forward to that chance to rest.

  There had been lengthy discussions on what was in the amethyst records, and how best to start preparing a mission to find the dragon amethyst. Harlow knew that, once the records were back in Falcon Cross, the Advocates would begin analyzing them while the military began preparing a search party. Things would need to move quickly. Although they had managed to steal the records, Saul’s army might remember much of what was written in the records. There was still no guarantee that the enemy would not find the dragon amethyst first. Time was of the essence.

  When all of the more somber discussions were done, though, there had still been time for an evening barbeque. Wizards loved celebrations, and the dragons had thrown them a huge party. There had been plenty of food, drink, and merriment. Even in these dark times, one could still find time to enjoy a good meal with friends.

  Harlow was full and happy as she walked with Myles back to his cabin. She savored the way her hand fit so perfectly in his, and marveled for the hundredth time at how quickly he had stolen her heart. She had spent so much of her life trying to prove that she belonged, but she realized now that all of that struggling had been unnecessary. Myles had helped her to see that she did belong, and that she did have a place in Falcon Cross. Not only that, but she had never felt so at home as she did in his arms. Even though a war was raging around them, Harlow felt strangely at peace.

  “I was wrong, you know,” Harlow said to Myles as they walked into his cabin. “I did need you. If you hadn’t been there to storm the enemy’s camp in dragon form, I don’t know what would have happened.”

  Myles shut the cabin door behind him, and smiled at her, taking her into his arms. “Well, we never would have known where to look for the amethyst records if not for you. And you did your part to help me rescue you by making the hole in the invisibility shield. The truth is, Harlow, we need each other. Not only for this mission we just completed but for every part of life from now on. We’re lifemates, remember? Destined to be together. You complete me, and I complete you. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  Harlow smiled up at his deep green eyes, and her heart had never felt so full. The smile he returned told her that he felt the same. He held her gaze for a moment, and then, he closed his eyes and bent to kiss her. She closed her eyes as well, drinking in the warmth that flowed from his body to hers. There was no feeling in the world that compared to the joy she felt when she was in the arms of her dragon.

  Myles kissed her deeply, slipping his tongue into her mouth, tasting her, and tickling the roof of her mouth. Their tongues danced together as they both held each other close with desperate arms, as though holding on for dear life. Harlow could feel her whole body responding to his touch. She grew warmer and warmer as he rubbed the small of her back with his hands. Her breasts tingled beneath her clothes as he pressed his chest against hers, and she could feel his erection, stiffening and growing between his legs as they kissed.

  Between her own legs, heat and moisture was building. She felt pressure and heat building as her body prepared itself for him. Her extremities tingled with electric excitement, and her stomach kept flip-flopping with excitement. With every second that passed, she grew more desperate to have Myles inside of her. She craved him with a hunger like she had never known. He was right. They did complete each other.

  After several minutes of increasingly passionate kissing, Myles reached a point where he seemed unable to hold back any longer. He grabbed the bottom of Harlow’s hoodie and tore it up and over her head. Then he quickly followed suit with her shirt, leaving her standing in front of him in her bra, breathing heavily from the anticipation that filled her. She returned the favor by tearing his hoodie and t-shirt off as well, but she paused as he reached to pull her close again. She had just seen the ugly red line down his left side, and it had given her pause.

  “Are you okay?” she whispered, gently tracing a line right next to the gash. “I don’t want to do anything that’s going to hurt you or slow down the healing process.”

  Myles let out a low growl. “I’m fine,” he said. “It looks much worse than it feels. And if you want to speed up the healing process, then kiss me again. Your touch is like medicine to me.”

  The seriousness in his eyes told Harlow that he wasn’t joking, and she smiled widely as she happily moved forward to oblige him. He groaned happily as her lips covered his again, then lifted her easily up off the ground to carry her into his bedroom. Harlow wrapped her legs around his waist, marveling at how easily he moved. He was right—the wound on his side did not seem to be bothering him at all.

  Once they reached the bedroom, he dropped her on the bed and reached to pull off her shoes, and then her jeans. He kicked off his own shoes and jeans, and Harlow could see his erection pushing against the fabric of his briefs. She closed her eyes and sighed happily at the sight. It still took her breath away that he was hers. He was so perfect in every way, and yet he had chosen her. He had seen past her shortcomings and faults, and truly believed in her. And for that, she would be forever grateful.

  Myles seemed to move with a deep sense of urgency now, as though a beast had been awakened within him. He slid onto the bed and reached behind her back to unclasp her bra, sliding it off and tossing it aside to leave her breasts bare before him. He cupped them both in his hands, pushing them close together so that her nipples were only inches apart, and then he moved his tongue back and forth rapidly across both nipples. She felt the hard nubs stiffen, and the tingling pressure in her body increased as he sent little shockwaves of pleasure throughout her body with every flick of his tongue. Her panties were soaked now from the intensity of her desire for him, and she moaned as she felt his erection pushing against the wet garment through the fabric of his underwear

  The room felt like it was one thousand degrees. Heat and ecstasy filled her, and she felt herself burning up in the most delightful way. She was beginning to feel a sense of urgency herself. She could not wait much longer to have him inside of her. When he pulled back to strip out of his underwear, she pulled off her panties as well, kicking them across the room and leaving her whole body naked and trembling before him. He grinned down at her, eyeing her appreciatively from head to toe.

  “Looks like someone is getting a little impatient,” he said. Harlow was in no mood to wait while Myles teased her.

/>   “Fuck me, now!” she ordered. His eyes filled with fresh fire and heat at her words, and he growled again.

  “I’ll teach you to order me around,” he said, a mischievous smile crossing his face. He climbed over her, positioning his erection just above her slick entrance, and then rammed into her.

  Harlow shouted out as he filled her. He was impossibly large, stretching her inner walls and rubbing hard against her most sensitive spots. She arched her back against him, trying to find relief and wanting more all at the same time. His fire filled her with every thrust, sending hot electric tingles throughout her whole being. She thrashed underneath him, moaning and sweating as he brought her closer to the edge with every passing second. Finally, she could not hold on any longer. With another loud scream, she gave in.

  Her release came in rapid, violent waves. Her inner muscles clenched around his erection hungrily, sending wave after wave of the most wonderful ecstasy coursing through her body. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of passion, and she did not want to be saved.

  He followed quickly behind her, roaring and stiffening as he thrust into her one last time. His muscular arms twitched with an overwhelming fervor as he filled her, pulsing into her. For several long, wonderful moments, they rode the waves of bliss together. They were truly one, and everything else seemed to disappear.

  Harlow felt a happiness bordering on giddiness. She never wanted the moment to end, but, even as Myles slid out of her and lay next to her on the bed, pulling her into his arms, she knew that the moment never would truly end. The fire she felt in her heart, the flames that Myles had started there, burned constantly within her. They were bonded together, and as long as they both lived, their hearts would always burn as one, no matter how close or far apart they were.

  Harlow snuggled closer against Myles’ chest, safe in his arms. He kissed the top of her head and drew her closer, tightening his embrace around her. A few minutes later, she felt his breathing shift into the steady rhythm of sleep. She sighed happily as she gave in to the pull of sleep herself, and a small smile played at her lips as thoughts of Myles took over her dreams.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  The next morning dawned sunny and bright. Just after sunrise, a group of wizards and dragons rose unseen into the clear blue sky. The invisibility shield Peter cast was a powerful one, shrouding the large group in secrecy and keeping them safe from the prying eyes of curious humans—or the sinister eyes of any enemy soldiers who might be watching.

  If anyone had been able to see the group, however, they would have been in awe at the sight. Two mighty dragons—Owen and Finn, circled gracefully around a group of wizards in dark traveling robes, their broomsticks all in perfect formation and their magic rings glinting in the sunlight. This was not a group you wanted to mess with.

  They picked up speed as they rose above the tops of the mighty redwoods, leaning close against their broomsticks to urge them on toward Falcon Cross. Toward home. Peter rode at the front of the group, with the amethyst records secured comfortably in his traveling bag. As soon as they reached the wizards’ village, plans would begin in earnest to use the information in the records to send out a search for the dragon amethyst. In fact, Finn had been invited to come back to Falcon Cross to help in the search, since he was known as one of the best dragons in the Redwood Dragons clan at tracking down hard-to-find artifacts. In return for his help, Peter had left several wizards back in the Redwoods, to assist with defending the Redwood Dragons’ home base.

  As for Harlow, she sat on her broomstick with Myles, who sat behind her this time. His arms wrapped comfortably around her as they rode, and she smiled every time she looked down and saw his strong hands resting on her stomach. Every now and then, he would plant a kiss on the back of one of her shoulders, sending a little thrill of happiness through her whole body. When she glanced to her right, she saw Izzy flying next to her, also with a huge smile on her face. Harlow imagined that, after months of being trapped by wizards who practiced dark magic, Izzy must feel like she’d been given a second chance at life now that she was free.

  Harlow herself felt like life was starting fresh. She’d realized that the people of Falcon Cross did indeed love her. She had a new friend in Izzy—someone she already knew would be a friend for life. And she had Myles.

  Her heart beat faster in her chest when she thought of him. They had been through so much in their short time together, and she knew that many more wonderful adventures lay ahead. Things would never be dull with a dragon for a lifemate, and Harlow wouldn’t have it any other way.

  As if he sensed that she was thinking about him, Myles squeezed her tighter and planted another kiss on her back. Harlow smiled, then leaned into her broomstick a little more to pick up speed. They were going home, together.

  Their mission had been a success, in more ways than one.

  Thank You For Reading!

  Book Four in the Redwood Dragons series will be coming in late April 2017!

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  About the Author

  There are shifters walking among us. Sloane Meyers is devoted to telling their stories.

  Sloane thinks we could all use a little escape in our lives. And what better way to shake up the ordinary than to transport yourself to the mysterious world of those who have an animal within them, roaring to be let out. Sloane brings you hot shifter males, and spunky, spirited heroines—with NO cliffhangers! Each book can be read as a standalone.

  When she’s not busy crafting shifter tales, Sloane enjoys a good glass of wine, preferably shared with good friends. She loves reading (duh!) and spending time in the great outdoors.

  Want more interaction? Visit Sloane on her website, www.sloanemeyers.com, and be sure to find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sloanemeyers.