by ML Guida
Tash’s fingers played with her nipple, making it instantly bud. She gasped and her heart skipped a beat.
“You’re awake!”
He gently pushed her on her back and he widened her eager thighs with his hand. “I always wake when you stir.”
She frowned. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“Never apologize for that.” He settled his hips between her inner thighs. “You’re my life. Because of you I was able to save my dad from execution.” He kissed her, stealing her breath, and sending tingles through her.
“I love you.” She was hungry again to fell his hands and lips on her body. She lightly scraped her fingertips over his back.
“And I you.”
She laughed. “I can feel your love. Your guilt is gone.” The tension in his eyes had disappeared, and he laughed more now than he frowned, unless either of his brothers poked him into a growl. But she’d learned to love both Vaughn and his mate, Sarah, and his fiery brother, Rye. In fact, she liked how the brothers teased her mate.
“I think I can take you to the stars and back before the kids run down here and wake us up.”
She kissed him hard. “My vision says you better.”
He frowned. “You didn’t have a vision. Your eyes didn’t turn all white.”
“No, but my new motherly instincts say those kids will be here soon.”
“Then, I’d better not disappoint their mother.”
His hands and mouth pleasured her and took her down a path of love and bliss. She came in his arms, crying out his name.
“I’ll never tire of pleasing you,” he panted.
She slid her trembling hand through his hair. “You’ve given me a world I never thought possible.”
He tugged her lip. “And you healed my family. And broke our unbearable feud.”
If you’d like to see where all the Bears of Aria started, check out the Dragons of Zalara! Here’s a sneak peek into Madness Unleashed.
Prologue
King Greum raised his arms. “My people, I have summoned you today, because there might be a way for us to survive as a race.”
Someone yelled, “How can this be? Our women and daughters are dead. No one can replace them!”
Greum lowered his hands. “Listen, please. The Fates have spoken to my lovely mate.”
Damon gritted his teeth, his throat tensing tighter and tighter. She was the object of his desire.
Gasps and mumblings filled the chapel as the queen, Cosima, approached the king.
The sunlight shone through Angarth Citadel’s stained glass window and flickered off Cosima’s tiara, making her look like she had a halo around her. Her big green eyes shimmered as bright as the emeralds in her crown. Her silky blond hair flowed over her slender shoulders, and he ached to run his fingers through those silky strands.
But she belonged to the King. Greum was in sharp contrast to her with his black hair and brooding face. He was the most powerful dragon on Zalara, and any attempt to seduce his mate would mean a certain painful death.
“Do not despair. There is still hope for us. Listen.” Cosima motioned toward the bubbling pool. The slight motion made her white glossy gown glimmer, reminding Damon of a sparkling star. “I bring us hope. True, our beautiful women are gone, but the Fates have shown me that the Earth women are compatible. We may still survive as a race. However, the process of finding a mate is a difficult one. The Fates must choose them, because only the chosen ones can mate with us. Their destinies must align.”
She took Greum’s hand and gave him a loving glance. Damon tensed as old jealousies tightened his skin. He wanted to be the one to receive those adoring glances. He gripped the pew in front of him so hard it cracked.
His best friend, Anonghos, who everyone called Hoss, cast him a warning look. He was the chief of security for the Orion. Damon immediately stuck his hands at his side, clenching his fists.
The queen led the king toward the baptismal pool, and together, they knelt in front of it. A large stained glass window of two dragons winding around each other was at the back of the altar. He wished he was the one at her side, but she was in love with the king. His only recourse was to be her personal guard, so he could look at her every day and protect her with his life.
Suddenly, the pool bubbled softly.
Cosima kissed Greum’s hand. “A mate has been chosen.”
Damon hissed louder than a pissed off noke.
Hoss elbowed him in the ribs. “Control yourself, or Greum will rip you to pieces.”
He was right. Greum was extremely possessive of Cosima and wouldn’t take kindly to knowing her personal guard was secretly lusting over her.
Cosmia turned to the congregation. “We will soon learn who will be the first person to save our race.”
Damon thought the queen was looking at him. Every muscle tensed inside him, his anger twisting and twisting them into threadbare cords. It better not be him. He had no intention of mating with some damn alien. His heart lay with Cosima, and no Earthling would change his devotion.
Out of the pool rose two ghostly women dressed in white robes. They were the original mothers of their race and had been the last female shape-shifters. When they had perished, the gods had granted them sight-seeing powers. Only when there was a great need could they be called upon.
Obviously, all the women being slaughtered met that urgency.
But what good were the Fates? They had been useless against the Kamitrinians’ deadly weapon.
“Greetings, King Greum and Queen Cosima,” Rillo, the smaller of the two, bowed slightly.
Although she was the smaller, she was also the more powerful of the Fates. Her dark eyes sparkled, and Damon winced at the brightness of her white robe.
The king and queen bowed. “Greetings,” they both answered.
“We have found an Earthly mate worthy of a Zalarian.” She gestured toward the voluptuous redhead. “Ythei, the Mate stone, please.”
Ythei opened her palm, and a simple, shiny, smooth white stone appeared. “I call forth Damon of the Royal Guard.”
Shock cut into his heart, as sharp as a laser. Damon grimaced. No, no, no, this couldn’t be right. The Fates had to be wrong.
A loud gasp echoed around him.
Hoss gripped his tense shoulder. “Don’t make them mad, Damon. Go.”
Damon reluctantly left the pew and slowly dragged his feet to the altar. He avoided Cosima, who looked at him with pity. She knew how he felt and had told him more than once he needed to find another. She belonged to Greum, and the King was her soulmate.
Rillo smiled. “Be glad, guard. You will be the first to give hope to your people.”
Damon bit his tongue to keep from arguing. Defying a Fate warranted death. But although his heart lay with the queen, he would not betray his people. Mated didn’t equal love.
“Stretch out your hand,” Rillo said.
He forced himself to obey. Ythei dropped the smooth stone into his hand, and immediately, a surge of energy torpedoed up his arm to his wary heart. He shook uncontrollably as if a jackhammer had fallen down his pants. An image of a redheaded woman with brown eyes formed in his mind. Unlike Cosima, strands of her hair fell out of a tight bun, and she had stains on what looked like some kind of uniform. Just as suddenly as it formed, the image vanished.
He stopped shaking but was left with bitter disappointment. How could he mate with such a disheveled female when he adored the gift of perfection on the altar?
Rillo put her hand on his chest. “You will go with Captain Topaz and the crew on the Orion to fetch your mate.”
Scorching heat shot through him, hotter than dragon fire. Sweat soaked his skin, and passion fever melted his stubborn heart. His dragon was aroused and demanded its mate.
When she lowered her hand, it was gone.
“It shall be done.” Greum put his firm hand on Damon’s shoulder.
He hung his head, knowing love would always be out of his grasp. And now, he would be sadd
led with a mate he hadn’t chosen and hadn’t wanted.
Dear Reader
I’m so glad you decided to drop into my world! Tash has always been one of my favorite characters. I have a confession to make. Did you recognize Scarlett? I drew on Games of Thrones and blended her from Daenerys Targaryen and the Three Eyed Raven. I’m definitely a Games of Thrones fan. I’m still deciding about whether or not to write Rye’s story, but that will depend on you. If you would like me to write his story, let me know in the reviews.
Once again, thanks for stepping into my world. If you want to learn more about me and want me to learn about you, join my private Facebook group: ML Guida’s Supernatural Lounge.
I look forward to hearing from you!
ML Guida
About the Author
Award Winning Author M.L. Guida loves the paranormal. Even when she was four years old, she would watch the soap opera, Dark Shadows, and fell in love with vampires! Who wouldn't want a bite on the neck? But she didn't stop there. Witches, dragons, angels, and demons are sprinkled throughout her books.
Today, she continues to love the preternatural and watches Supernatural, Paranormal Survivor, and A Haunting. Like Dean Winchester, she loves to write alpha males who aren't afraid to face the forces of evil.
If you don’t want to miss another book, sign up for ML Guida’s Supernatural Scroll http://eepurl.com/dnphtb
You can also find out what I’m writing on my website: https://mlguida.com
Also if you would like to join her private Facebook group, ML Guida’s Supernatural Lounge, to find out about more goodies and what’s going in her life and just have fun, click on the link above.
Also by ML Guida
Bears of Aria
Walfea
Vaughn
Dragons of Zalara
Madness Unleashed
Madness Unhinged
Madness Unmasked
Madness Unbalanced
Vampires on Holiday
A Vampire’s Wish
A Vampire’s Gift
A Vampire’s Vow
Paranormal Dating Agency
Eye of the Tiger
Another Tiger Bites the Dust
Magic, New Mexico/Magical Shifters
Touch of Curiosity
Touch of Madness
Touch of Darkness
The Touch of the Dragon
Blood Brotherhood
Sin of the Vampire
Shadows of A Vampire
Heart of the Vampire
Mate of the Vampire
Claim of the Vampire
Blood Brotherhood Box Set
Angels of Death
Betrayal
Deception
Punishment
Cupid