Dragon Triplets (Triplet Harems Book 1)

by J. L. Wilder

  “Very good. Unlocking the door now. Please go to the basement. I’ll be waiting for you there.”

  The door clicked unlocked. Sarah pulled it open and stepped inside. The interior of the house was as impressive as the outside had led her to believe. The floors were marble, art hanged on the walls, and a spiral staircase ran the three stories of the home. The place was quiet as a crypt—not a sound to be heard. It almost felt abandoned.

  “Basement,” she said quietly to herself. “Why the hell does it need to be in the basement?”

  She leaned to the side, spotting another staircase that went down. Before she moved, however, she held the box that she’d been sent to deliver in front of her and gave it a shake. If there was anything inside, she didn’t hear it.

  Doesn’t matter, doesn’t matter. I’ll be done with this thing soon.

  In the back of her mind, she knew her work with Brandt was likely only beginning, but for the time being, she was ready to have the job done and be back with Kelly.

  She made her way to the stairs and started down. It was a spiral staircase like the other and went down further than she was expecting. Before too long, she spotted lights at the bottom and the soft murmur of conversation.

  When Sarah reached the bottom, she stepped into the middle of a cocktail party in progress. A couple dozen men and women were there, all dressed to the nines. A man at a nearby piano played classical music softly.

  Every pair of eyes in the place latched onto her as soon as she entered. Most of the guests smiled slightly as if they’d been expecting her and were more than happy to see that she’d finally arrived.

  I don’t like this, thought Sarah. What the hell have I walked into?

  Not knowing what else to do, she made her way through the party. The guests, still looking at her, spread to give her room to move. And as she walked, she detected that same smell, the one she’d noticed on Adrian and Brandt and the wolves.

  “It’s the guest of honor!”

  A man at the far end of the room spread his arms to greet her. He was an older man with silver hair and a beard to match. He was dressed in an expensive suit, and everything about him screamed “wealth.”

  Sarah cleared her throat and spoke, trying to ignore the fact that everyone was staring at her.

  “I have something for you,” she said. “Something from Brandt.”

  He gestured with his fingers for her to come close. Apprehensively, she did. When she was near, she handed the box over and the man took it.

  “Perfect,” he said. “A job well done.”

  “Great,” said Sarah. “I’ll just get going then.”

  He grinned, flashing a smile of white teeth. But Sarah soon noticed there was something very off about his smile—the teeth weren’t those of a human, but the razor-sharp fangs of an animal.

  “Why don’t you stay?” he asked, his voice taking on a terrifying, growling tone. “We’re all so anxious to get to know the omega.”

  The omega. The word hit Sarah like a bullet. Panic ran through her body, and all she could think about was turning and running out of there as fast as she could.

  So, she did. Sarah turned on her heels and began to move. But the crowd had encircled her, blocking her escape.

  “Sarah!” The voice that called out from behind her was menacing and familiar.

  She turned once again. Next to the silver-haired man stood Brandt. He grinned just like the others.

  “You’re the guest of honor,” he said. “And you’re going to be staying with us for a very, very long time.”

  CHAPTER 10

  SARAH

  The partygoers swarmed Sarah. She let out a scream, but a hand quickly moved over her mouth and silenced her cries. Through panicked eyes, she watched as Brandt and the other man regarded the scene with what appeared to be amusement.

  “Take her to the guest room,” said Brandt over the commotion. “I’ll be with her in a moment.”

  Sarah struggled, but it did her no good. The crowd overpowered her, dragging her kicking and screaming down one of the halls in the basement. A man opened a door down at the far end, and the group shoved Sarah into a small room and shut the door behind them, mocking laughter audible through the walls.

  Her heart raced. Sarah looked around the room frantically, trying to find some way out. But the room appeared secure. It was a small bedroom, furnished simply with a twin bed, a dresser, and not much else. And there was no window in the space—no exit other than the door she’d come in from.

  She hurried over to the door and began to bang on it.

  “Let me out of here!” she yelled. “Now!”

  Faint laughter sounded from a distance. Like Brandt, the guests at the party seemed more amused by her panic than anything else. She screamed until she was hoarse, but no one came to her aid. Finally, after many minutes had passed, she collapsed onto the bed. The mattress was stiff and firm, hardly comfortable.

  Sarah’s mind raced. She’d had a gut feeling about the job, a sense that it might not be as simple as it looked on the surface. Again, she scolded herself for not knowing better. One of the most important lessons she’d learned from her life of crime with Carter was that if someone chose to make their living in that way, the odds of them being trustworthy and on-the-level were slim.

  She realized she’d gotten so caught up in protecting her friend that she’d blinded herself to danger.

  After a time, the clicking of dress shoes on a hard floor sounded, the noise growing louder with each step. The lock to the door clicked, and the door slowly opened. Brandt, all smiles, looking very pleased with himself, stepped through, the box Sarah had brought in his hands. Sarah moved back on the bed as quickly as she could, wanting to put as much distance between her and Brandt as possible.

  He strolled into the room without a care in the world, setting the box on the dresser and unbuttoning his suit as he sat down on a chair across from the bed. Sarah looked him over. With his sharp suit and even sharper features, Sarah grudgingly admitted he was a very handsome man. But the evil he’d demonstrated far outweighed any of that.

  “What do you want?” she finally asked, breaking the silence.

  He smirked, still pleased with himself.

  “Isn’t it obvious?” he asked. “It’s you, of course.”

  He took the box into his hands and worked the lock. It opened silently, and he turned it towards Sarah.

  It was empty.

  “What?” she asked. “Why the hell did you make me deliver an empty box?”

  “Because you were the real delivery,” he said. “You’re the real prize. As much as I’d like to keep you at my place all to myself, this location is much more secure. I needed a reason for you to come here, however.”

  Sarah’s heart raced. She breathed slowly, trying to calm herself. But to no avail. And as she breathed, she caught that same scent, that metallic, strange scent that she’d recognized before.

  “What,” she said. “Is the mob into human trafficking now?”

  He tilted his head to the side as if agreeing with the point.

  “We’re involved in many different enterprises. And yes, human women are one of our most valuable products.”

  Sarah shivered at his words—not only had he referred to real, live people as some sort of good, there was the emphasis he’d placed on the word “human.”

  Something was wrong.

  “Are you...really the mafia?”

  He grinned. “You could call us that. I consider it a somewhat antiquated term. My organization has been working behind the scenes in this city before the mafia you’re referring to was even here. But...if you’re meaning to say that my group participates in activities that are less than legal, shall we say, then yes.”

  There was something to the way Brandt carried himself—calm, composed, without fear—that made it clear to Sarah that he possessed incredible power. Not only with regards to his crime empire, but with...something else.

  It clicked. The trut
h of the situation occurred to her, and she couldn’t believe it hadn’t already.

  “You’re a shifter,” she said. “You’re one of them.”

  His grin spread further across his face as if he couldn’t have been happier with her answer.

  “That’s right,” he said. “Smart girl. And I take it from that you’ve already encountered our kind. In fact, I know this to be true—heard you had a little bit of a dust-up with some wolves from the Stoneheart pack. Didn’t turn out too well for them, if I remember correctly.”

  He leaned forward.

  “And I know that a woman like you wouldn’t have been able to handle three wolves like that on her own.” Brandt shook his head. “No. You had help. And I want to know who it was.”

  She shook her head. “Not a chance in hell I’m telling you.”

  Sarah was confused at her response, it making her feel as though she had some kind of loyalty to Adrian. She dismissed the idea—the sex had been hot as hell, but he’d tried to keep her prisoner all the same.

  Or had he, she wondered? At that moment, she knew she was certainly a prisoner. But Adrian hadn’t forced her to stay. Part of her regretted leaving.

  “Figured you’d say something like that,” he said. “But it was worth a shot. Don’t worry, though—when I’m done with you, you’ll be telling me everything I want to know about whatever subject I choose.

  Sarah narrowed her eyes at his cocky confidence. “What, you’re going to torture me?”

  Another grin. “That likely won’t be necessary. By the time I’m done with you, you’re going to be my little plaything, telling me whatever I want you to tell me, doing whatever I want you to do. And believe me, I’ve got plenty of things I want to do with you.”

  “Fuck you.”

  He laughed loudly. “That’s the spirit,” he said. “It’ll be more fun when I finally break you.”

  “Then I’m right,” said Sarah. “You’re one of them.”

  Brandt answered by closing his eyes. When he opened them, they’d changed color from a dark brown to a burning orange. Sarah gasped.

  “You’re right. I’m a shifter, and the most powerful in the city. Are you familiar with what an ‘alpha’ is?”

  She recalled her conversation with Adrian about the subject.

  “I know what an alpha is.”

  “Good. It appears you’re growing accustomed to our little world, knowing all its ins and outs. I’m sure it goes without saying that I’m an alpha. And you, you’re an omega. Not only that, but in time, you will be my omega.”

  “Not a chance in hell.”

  He smirked. “Again, I love to see your spirit. You, Sarah, are quite possibly the most valuable woman in the city. Every shifter alive would kill his own clan to get his hands on you. But you don’t need to worry about that—you’re in the possession of the most powerful alpha in the city. It’s fitting.”

  “And...what do you plan on doing with me?”

  “That’s the fun part. In the morning I’m going to take you back to my apartment. And don’t get any big ideas about leaving—it won’t be possible. Once there, I’ll begin the process of breaking you down, bit by bit. By the time I’m done with you, you’ll be begging to carry my seed.”

  “So, that’s what this was all about? Kelly, the job...just about getting me close to you?”

  “Smart girl. Yes, Kelly’s situation was one of my own making. As I said, I looked into your background and saw you were eager to leave your life of crime behind. And what a life it was, as I’m sure you know. I figured that the only way I’d be able to get you to come back to it would be if you had a friend in need. I’m pleased to see that I figured correctly.”

  He continued to regard Sarah, his gaze deep and hungry. She hated the way he looked at her, like she was nothing more than a piece of meat who’d be able to crank out babies for him on demand.

  “And I can promise you a life of luxury, if that makes you feel any better.” He rose, stepping over to Sarah. “Wealth, power, status—it can all be yours. All you have to do...is give yourself to me.”

  Brandt placed his hand on her thigh. Without thinking, Sarah pulled back her hand and slapped him hard across the face. Brandt’s head turned, and when he faced her again, he wore that same pleased smile.

  “Love to see it,” he said. “This would be so boring if you submitted too easily.”

  He turned and made his way toward the door.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow. And you should be excited—your new life begins soon.”

  Then he left. Sarah pulled her legs close to her body as she sat, a fear like she’d never known taking hold.

  CHAPTER 11

  HUNTER

  “All right, Jack—I’m gettin’ bored as hell up here.”

  Once again Hunter found himself watching and waiting. This time he was on the roof of a townhouse on the Upper East Side, his eyes fixed on the doors he’d seen Sarah enter.

  “Don’t make a move,” said Jack over the phone, his tone stern. “We’re not doing anything until we’ve worked out a plan.”

  “What the hell kind of plan we need?” growled Hunter. “She’s in there, and there’s a good as fuck chance Brandt’s there too. This is the one shot we have before he takes her back to his place, and once she’s there, she’s good as gone. And you know it.”

  “Hunter,” said Adrian. “You’re not to do anything. What would you even do? Kick down the doors and take on Brandt’s entire organization by yourself?”

  “I’m willing to take my chances,” he said. “Because it sure as shit beats waiting around.”

  Waiting was one thing Hunter didn’t do well. He liked to take action, regardless of whether or not a plan had been fully formed. This trait frequently put him at odds with Adrian and Jack’s more careful nature.

  “Sorry,” said Jack. “But waiting around is what you’re going to do. You’re our eyes and ears out there.”

  “Well, you tell me what the hell I’m waiting for and that might make it easier. I already saw the girl—that would’ve been the time to do something, damnit.”

  “Sure, if you want to draw attention to yourself,” said Adrian.

  Hunter adjusted his Airpods and kept his eyes focused on the door. He figured with a good, strong kick, he could break it down. Then it’d be a matter of rushing the place and getting the omega out of there.

  “At least we’re not doing the whole ‘let her come to us’ shit,” said Hunter. “What a dumb fucking idea.”

  “We had to give her the chance to come willingly,” said Adrian. “The most potent alpha-omega pairings occur when the omega gives herself over to her alpha. Or alphas, in this case. The more she resists, the harder it will be to produce children.”

  Hunter knew he was right. But as far as he was concerned, snatching her up and making sure she was out of Brandt’s clutches was the first step. All the “giving herself over” crap could wait until later.

  “Well, it didn’t work,” said Hunter. “And now we’re about to get on Brandt’s bad side like crazy.”

  “He’s right,” said Jack. “Brandt’s been waiting for the chance to come after us. This’ll be just the excuse he needs. And if word gets out that we took an omega from him, the rest of the shifters in the city will consider him going to war totally justified.”

  Hunter grinned. Adrian and Jack had been all about avoiding war, but Hunter loved the idea. Nothing appealed more to him than getting down and dirty with Brandt and his men, taking them out one by one and wiping his clan off the map. He knew he’d get his chance sooner or later.

  “Hunter, I want you to stay put,” said Jack.

  “Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?” snapped back Hunter. “Just because you’re a minute older than me doesn’t make you my damn boss.”

  It’d been a conversation they’d had many times. And he didn’t like it when he thought his brothers were pulling rank. As far as he was concerned, they were all triplet alphas, all equal.


  “Hunter,” said Jack. “Pretty, pretty please, with sugar on top, stay put. You’re there for recon, and when we all decide on a plan, you’ll be the one to take action.”

  “Fucking fine,” said Hunter. “I’m gettin’ off the damn phone. Let me know when I can finally do something.”

  The line went dead, and Hunter turned his attention back to the house. Hunter was able to sit still for a minute or so before the urge to take action rose up in him.

  “Wait for a fucking plan,” he said to himself. “Done enough waiting for a dragon’s lifetime.”

  He envisioned shifting, turning into his red dragon form, and storming the house. He’d start by burning the roof off, hopefully roasting a few of Brandt’s men in the process. Then he’d finish the job in human form, taking the men apart piece by piece and finally reaching Sarah.

  But even Hunter knew it wasn’t a good idea—not shifting in the view of humans was one of shifter society’s cardinal rules.

  “Fucking hell,” he said, placing his hands on the cool stone of the roof.

  Right at the moment he lost his last bit of patience, the doors to the house opened. A slow stream of people came out, men and women dressed in expensive clothes. He knew right away they were part of Brandt’s mafia.

  Hunter watched as a dozen or so people left. He grinned, knowing that fewer people meant more of a chance to strike. Then, when the final person had left, Brandt himself exited the building. Hunter narrowed his eyes at him—the smug prick had always rubbed him the wrong way. Brandt, like the others, got into a car and was gone.

  He slipped his Airpods back into his ears and spoke.

  “Yo, dudes!” he said. “We got people bailing out. Brandt’s gone too. Now’s the fucking time!”

  Only silence returned.

  “Guys? Where the fuck are you?”

  Nothing. Hunter growled before shoving the phone back into his pocket. He knew what the silence meant—Adrian and Jack were likely putting together a plan before telling it to Hunter. He waited for a few moments before yanking out his Airpods and shoving his phone back into his pocket.