FLIGHT OF DRAGONS
Shifters, Alphas & Paranormal Bad Boys
10 Scorching Hot Paranormal and Sci-Fi Romances
ELIANNE ADAMS • L.C. ALLEYNE
SADIE HALLER • SKYE JONES • ZARA KEANE
ANN GIMPEL • EVANNE LORRAINE
SHELLEY MUNRO • ZOE YORK
Copyright © 2015
Elianne Adams, L.C. Alleyne, Sadie Haller, Skye Jones, Sarah Tanner, Ann Gimpel, Evanne Lorraine, Shelley Munro, Zoe York
This set is produced by Elianne Adams with permission of all authors involved. Each author has retained their respective copyrights for each story.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
Table of Contents
FLIGHT OF DRAGONS
Copyright
Releasing Her Dragon
Dragon Reborn
The Dragon’s Stolen Bride
Ice
Forged In Fire
To Love a Highland Dragon
Demons’ Captive
Blue Moon Dragon
A Viking's Need
Flickering Light
Releasing Her Dragon
By Elianne Adams
Heat rating: 4, dragons, shifters, alpha males
Stella McLaughlin has finally found her mate, and just in time, too. But when he keeps running from her, she has to face the fact, he doesn’t want her. As much as it hurts, she’s going to have to release him, otherwise, she’ll be stuck in her dragon form forever.
Brycen Keir knows his mate is looking for him, and more than anything, he wants to go to her. But he’s made a commitment he can’t renege on. The contract ends in less than a week. Once that happens, nothing will keep him from going to her. He just has to stay one step ahead of her until then.
Chapter 1
Dark indigo, nothing more than a wink in the moonlight, drew Stella’s attention, and then it was gone. You’re not getting away from me, not this time. When she had last given chase, she’d been too eager, too desperate, and he had given her the slip—again.
The forest whispered to her, soothing her with the soft rustling of leaves, giving her the courage to do what she was about to do even though inside, she trembled. If he wanted nothing to do with her, then she’d deliver her speech and have him release her. Nothing difficult there, except, deep down, she yearned for him to want her as desperately as she wanted him, but she would hold her head up high and move on. What choice did she have? If she didn’t mate—and soon—she would shift and never come back.
The only movement she allowed herself was the rise and fall of her chest. If he suspected she was near, caught her scent or heard the slightest sound, he would never reveal himself, and she couldn’t take that chance.
She didn’t need to see him to know he was near. Every nerve ending in her body tingled, vibrating with need. Soon she would know him, and one way or the other, she’d be free of the constant ache thrumming through her. The endless need keeping her awake at night, tossing and turning as her body made demands she wasn’t equipped to satisfy.
A thick flowery perfume drifted to her nose, drawing her gaze back to the clearing. The cloying scent clung to the breeze, as it wafted past. Was he meeting someone here in the woods? A woman? Heart pounding, she used every bit of hard-earned discipline she had to keep from leaping over the knoll hiding her from them.
The quiet of the night unnerved her, but it wasn’t a surprise. Not a single creature dared draw the predator’s attention, and there was no denying he was a predator. Even the scavengers lay in their holes, hoping he’d pass them by. Time stretched until she just couldn’t sit still anymore. She had to see him. Had to see where that floral scent came from, because it sure wasn’t from the forest’s natural blossoms.
Taking care not to make the slightest sound, she lifted her torso from the moss-covered ground, uncaring that the damp earth clung to her curves. She wasn’t there to entice him after all, only to find out who he was, and if she were lucky, talk to the man.
She’d never gotten this close. The perfume all but obliterated the scent Stella desperately sought. If she could just sniff him, she would know that this was the man meant for her. But what was a she-dragon to do? She couldn’t very well walk up to strange men and start smelling them.
When she didn’t see anything in the clearing ahead, she stretched further, tucking her legs beneath her. Her shoulders slumped, and she sighed. Had he given her the slip again? No, he couldn’t have. Her blood still sang in her veins and her body still ached with neglect.
She had to be patient. A slight movement, nothing more than a shift, brought her attention to the treeline. His massive head tilted in her direction as he took in his surroundings. For such a huge beast, he blended well. Almost too well. No wonder it had been so hard to track him. His blue scales caught the shadows instead of standing out in the moonlight. Had she been a mere human, she could have walked right past and never known he was there.
The pointed end of his tail twitched in the grass, back and forth in quick, impatient jerks. Whatever he was doing, he wasn’t happy about it.
“There you are. Have you been waiting long?” A soft feminine voice drifted up to her ears. The moment it did, Stella had to fight from leaping to get to the woman before she got anywhere near the dragon.
The rumble of his growl filtered through the brush, making her skin prickle with awareness.
His tail fanned the grass again.
“Come on, Brycen, get rid of the scales so we can talk.” Stella couldn’t see the woman’s face, but if the childlike tone she’d laced the words with were any indication, she was pouting and batting her eyelashes at him. Nauseating.
The woman tossed her blond tresses over her shoulder and brought her hand up to his neck, sliding it down as though she had every right. Fury coursed through every part of her, and Stella had to grind her teeth to keep the growl from erupting from her throat.
A small puff of steam wafted from his nostrils, then with a shuddering sigh, he allowed the change to take him. The indigo scales shivered and shook, shrinking upon themselves until he took his human form. A spattering of scales covered his groin, leaving the rest bare for the woman’s perusal. Step out from the shadows. I need to see your face, Brycen. At least now she knew his name. His identity had eluded her for far too long already, and she was done waiting for him to stop running. Because it was obvious, he wouldn’t.
Stella held her breath. Just a couple of steps and the moonlight would give him away. With her better than average eyesight, she’d be able to see him and recognize him anywhere. Catching his scent as the breeze carried it past, she savored it, analyzed it—memorized it. There was no doubt. He was hers. The female’s artificial floral odor could not begin to mask the heady scent of his pure blood. He would not get away, and even if he did, she would always be able to identify him now.
“I just needed some company. I’ve missed you.” The saccharine sweet female touched him again, drawing closer as she stroked his arm.
Before she could stop it, a low growl rumbled deep within. In an instant, his head snapped toward her, glancing straight at the knoll, making her heart race. Had he heard her? Surely, he must have. Dragon hearing far surpassed human ears.
“You can’t call
me because you’re in need of companionship. You’ve put us both at risk.”
Stella poked her head up again. Damn. He had turned his back to her so that he stood between her and the human woman.
“You don’t know what it’s like to be all alone in the forest with nothing but your thoughts for company. If you’re afraid she will find you, don’t be. You’re too fast and too cunning for that. You’ve proven that many times over.”
The words twisted a knife in her chest. He had spoken to this woman about her. Had told her he’d been evading her.
“It’s not my safety that concerns me. You’re playing with fire.”
“You think so? I’m not afraid. I know you’ll protect me, even from her.” The woman stepped away from him, spinning in a slow circle. “Do you hear me, dragon? He is mine, and I won’t share, so just go away.” She yelled the words into the night like a petulant child.
Every cell in Stella’s body froze. How dare the woman lay claim to the man destined for her? Heat filled her chest, churning hotter and hotter with each passing second. Her skin prickled, and her jaw ached.
“That’s enough,” Brycen grabbed her and shoved her in front of him once more. “I will not tolerate your idiocy, Alexandra.”
Stella waited, frozen in place, her breath caught in her throat. She listened for him to deny the woman’s claim. Just once, she wanted to belong, to be someone’s something, anything. She had known when she’d started seeking him out that there was a possibility he’d not want her, but to face it now was more than she could bear.
“Come to the cabin. We can spend the night together and get reacquainted. I’ve been so bored without you.” The woman’s pleas drove the knife deeper.
“For your safety, I will accompany you, but I won’t stay.”
“We’ll see.” The woman had the nerve to look back to the knoll before leading him from the clearing.
Stella sat on the trail with her head bent over her knees for hours after they had left. He hadn’t returned. By the time the sky blazed with the pinkish-red hue of dawn, she had conceded defeat. His scent still lingered in her nose. He was the one. Somehow she had known all along he would be, but one whiff of his dragon’s blood had confirmed it. He was hers and hers alone, yet he had chosen to be with the human. Damn him, and damn her, too.
She didn’t bother to shower when she got home, she stripped and covered herself in her softest blanket, then forced herself to stay in bed, shoving the pain aside, until she drifted off to sleep.
The sun, so warm and welcoming on any other day made her want to scream when she woke with gritty eyes and the same lump in her throat she’d gone to sleep with. She tried to roll over and drift away again, but after another hour of tossing and turning, she gave up. With a drawn out groan, she tumbled out of bed, dreading what lay ahead. Although she had done it every night since she’d seen her mate in the forest, she still didn’t relish putting herself out there. But she was no coward, and she was running out of time.
The gown she chose was a little too formal and way too revealing, but she needed the extra boost. She dusted her cheeks and put on some gloss. It didn’t lift her sagging mood, but at least he’d know what he was missing by choosing the human bitch over her.
Each night, she had sung her heart out, waiting—hoping—for the telltale tingles to let her know he was within hearing distance, but he hadn’t shown, not yet. He’s probably too busy with that blond bimbo to have drinks with friends. Even if she couldn’t see deep into the pub’s shadowed corners, her body would let her know if he came into the tavern. And now that she had his scent, he wouldn’t escape, at least, not until she released him. Whether it was at the pub, in the forest, or in the middle of the Glen Farley streets, she would find him and free herself.
The smell of stale smoke and cheap whiskey filtered through the door before she reached it. Any other time, she would have turned away and saved her sensitive nose the trauma, but she couldn’t stop, not now. He had made his choice, and now she was making hers, not that he had given her any other option. Sighing, she opened the heavy wooden door. She would endure yet another evening of endless propositions, leering glances from the men, and scathing looks from the women. It was almost laughable. If only they knew, she had no desire to have any of them, not a single smelly, disgusting one.
It was crowded, more so than the other nights. With the weekend approaching, the good—and not so good—people of Glen Farley were out in droves. The loud din of drunken voices had her wishing there was another way, but the way he kept running from her, she couldn’t afford to wait. For once, she was glad the little town wasn’t bigger with more nighttime entertainment options. It didn’t matter that seeing her with that woman had torn her heart in two, or that nothing she’d ever find could replace what they could have had. She had to do what was right for her. She would release him and be done with it.
Chapter 2
Why had he let Luke talk him into coming out? Brycen tipped his bottle back, letting the cool beer slide down his throat. It wasn’t that he didn’t like to go out and have fun, but he wasn’t in the mood. In fact, his foul mood hadn’t lifted since his meeting with Alexandra in the woods. The woman had all but goaded his mate into attacking. Had the she-dragon taken the bait, nothing he could have done would have stopped her from killing the idiot in her rage. He should have stepped aside and let her become she-dragon fodder for her idiocy alone. Of course, he wouldn’t have, but after the stunt she’d pulled, she would have deserved it.
Had he known after all these years he would find his mate, no amount of money would have been enough to convince him to take this job. But the fact was he had, and until it was done, he had no choice but to keep Alexandra safe.
Brycen had yet to lay eyes on her, but she smelled like heaven, and she was looking for him. Once this job was over, he would be free to go to her. He would grovel and beg forgiveness, and he wouldn’t stop until she accepted his claim. He just had to stay away from her for one more week, and then all bets were off.
Luke came back to the table with a tall brunette hanging on one arm, and an overly done blonde on the other. “Look what I found at the bar.”
Brycen lifted one eyebrow. “I thought you were going for more beer.” All he wanted to do was go back to the forest to finish his mission until his week was up, not deal with bimbos and drunkards.
“I was, but these two lovely ladies were standing there all alone with no place to sit, and since we have two empty seats, I thought I’d escort them back to the table before getting our drinks.” He brought the brunette to his side of the table, claiming her for his own before settling the blonde next to him. “This is Julie, and that lovely lady is Christine. Keep them entertained while I get those beers.” He winked at the girls before heading back to the bar.
Damn Luke for trying to set him up. He had nothing to say to these women, neither of them elicited a response anywhere near what just the scent of his mate did in him, but he wasn’t a total bastard. He cleared his throat. Just then, a tingle starting at the base of his skull slid down his spine to land hot and heavy in his groin. The door swung open, allowing fresh air to carry the scent that tormented him day and night straight to him. Shit. He had to get out before she realized he was there.
The blonde next to him shimmied closer and put her hand on his upper thigh. He hadn’t even realized she’d been talking, much less putting such a possessive move forward. He was going to kill Luke. “I’m sorry, ladies, I have to run.” He shoved his stool back, letting her hand drop from his lap, fully intending to leave without saying another word, but his friend sat him down again.
“Hey, wait. She’s here. That new singer everyone is raving about is coming on. Stay for a while. I heard her a few nights ago. I still can’t get her sexy voice out of my head.”
The brunette huffed, but stayed where she was, then smiled at Luke when he winked at her.
“Man, I can’t. I have to go. You guys have fun, though.” He made to sta
nd again, but then a woman walked up the darkened stairs to the stage, and he froze. If he tried to leave now, she would spot him as he passed the stage on the way to the door. Damn it. Fuck. Damn it. Maybe there was a back door to this dive, and he could sneak out that way. When she stepped into the spotlight, he froze.
She cleared her throat, getting ready to speak into the mic when her head snapped up, and her gasp filled the room. She knew he was there. Her head bowed low, and for a second, it looked like she was going to turn and step off the stage again, but then she squared her shoulders and looked out into the crowd. Her big blue eyes didn’t settle on him, but she was searching. His breath caught in his throat. That gorgeous creature with the long blond curls down to her waist was his mate.
Her ankle length gown covered her but concealed nothing. The lush curves of her hips and full breasts should have been for his eyes only. But every man in the place had already undressed her with their eyes, and he had to struggle not to growl at them all.
She scanned the room again, squinting against the spotlight illuminating her before clearing her throat again and grabbing the mic from the stand. “Good evening.”
A shiver raced down his spine. The velvet heat in her voice had his cock twitching.
“My name is Stella. I’ll only be singing one song for you tonight,” she waited until the unhappy grumbles of the audience died down again, “and it will be my last performance here. I’d like to dedicate it to someone special. You know who you are.” She took a shuddering breath, her sad smile betraying the chipper tone in her voice.
She cued the pianist, letting the soft melancholy notes carry through the room before lifting her head. No one uttered a sound. No glasses clinked. It was as though everyone in the entire room held their breaths.
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