The Water Dragons Box Set: Books 1 - 4 (Complete)

by Charlene Hartnady

  “Not exactly desperate, but certainly looking for love. Ninety-six percent of the women who sign up end up mated…that’s what the shifters call it, mated. It’s not actually the same as marriage, it’s more binding. Ninety-six percent,” she shook her head, “I rate those odds big time.”

  “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me sooner.” Even though she was still smiling, Ruth narrowed her eyes. “I thought we were friends.”

  Jolene made a face. “I didn’t tell you anything because I didn’t want to jinx it.”

  Ruth rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t get too excited until you get there. Until you actually meet them.” Ruth snickered. “With your luck, you’ll get one of the bad apples.”

  “You shut your mouth. Don’t be putting such things out in the universe.”

  Ruth looked at her with concern. “I don’t want you getting your hopes up, that’s all.”

  “Well too late, my hopes are already up.” Jolene was going to win herself a shifter. Someone sweet and kind and loving. A man she could spend forever with. “I just wish it wasn’t right now. This isn’t a good time to be leaving.”

  “Not with that big promotion on the horizon.” Ruth shook her head. “Not when she could take it.”

  “We’re both on the same level. We both started at the same time. I hate how evenly matched we are.”

  “You’re the better candidate though. I’ve never known anyone to work as hard as you.”

  “Carla works hard too. She’s also brought in several big clients in the last couple of months, and she's not going on vacation. She'll be here day in and day out, whispering sweet nothings into Rob's ear."

  Ruth made a face. “It’s not like that, is it?”

  "No, no." She waved a hand. "Sweet nothings of the business kind. It's still a threat just the same to me, and honestly, that's the only downside to this. I stand a good chance of losing to Carla if I go."

  “But you are still going anyway.” Ruth took a sip of her coffee, frown lines appearing on her forehead.

  "I have to." She pushed out a breath. Hopefully, Ruth was wrong about the whole ‘bad apple’ thing.

  Chapter 2

  Storm was just about to take a bite of his burger when he spotted his brother walking towards him. Tide grinned as they locked eyes. He weaved between tables. “Did I read that right?” he asked as he took a seat.

  “Read what right?” Storm took that big bite, tasting ground venison, fresh tomato, and pure goodness. Tide looked at him like his hair had just turned purple or something. "What?" Storm asked around his food.

  “You signed up for the hunt? You?” His brother didn’t give him a chance to talk. “Mister I love to fuck around. Mister I’m never settling down. You of all dragons.”

  Storm shrugged. “I’m bored, so I thought I’d try it.”

  “Bored?” Tide shook his head. “You do realize that you’ll be expected to try to win a female if you actually capture one…”

  “What do you mean ‘if’?” Storm snorted. “Of course, I’ll catch one. I quite like the idea of a hunt. Of capturing a sweet human.” He licked his lips and it had nothing to do with the barbeque sauce clinging there.

  “Of mating one?” Tide cocked his head, looking skeptical.

  “Fuck no!” Storm put down his burger. “I see how pussy-whipped the three of you are. You!” he snorted. “You’re the worst of my brothers and I never expected it. Not from you. Torrent, okay fine, but you…” He shook his head. Tide had always been with him on this until he’d met Doctor Meghan. “Look,” Storm had to smile, “your female is mighty fine. She—”

  Tide growled, his eyes narrowing.

  Storm had to laugh. “See what I mean? I can’t even say something about Meghan without you getting all bristly. She’s my sister-in-law, I would never go there.”

  Tide looked at him hesitantly. “Let’s leave my mate out of this. If you take part in the hunt and capture a female, you will be expected to win and mate her. If you’re not ready for that, then you shouldn’t take part.”

  Storm leaned back in his chair. “I’ll win her and have a little fun with her. Then I’ll send her packing.”

  “That would be a dick thing to do.” Tide shook his head. “Even you should know that.”

  “I would be completely honest with her. I always am. I’d give her a chance to try to convince me to settle down.” Not that she would be able to…ever. “I’d let her use whatever techniques she saw fit to try.” He bobbed his brows.

  Tide tossed out a laugh. “You’re full of shit. You really are.”

  “No.” He shook his head. “It is what it is. What harm can it do?”

  "No female is going to agree to that. You can forget it. They join this program in order to meet and mate with us. Not to fool around. You're within your rights as an eligible male to take part, but I wouldn't recommend taking this stance. Whomever you end up winning is going to be pissed off.”

  "Don't be too sure, you haven't seen me through the eyes of a female." Females loved him. They loved the way his dark hair contrasted with his amethyst eyes. They loved his muscles. Loved his cock even more. He only needed to click his fingers on a stag run, and the females would come running. Two females had even fought over him once. There'd been scratching and hair pulling, the whole nine yards. "No female would turn down some fun with me. I guarantee it. Plus, I did say she could try to change my mind.”

  “Isn’t that a two-way street though?”

  “I’ll try as well, I’ll try plenty…and I’ll make the stay worth her while.” He’d use his tongue, his hands and most certainly his cock. Storm planned to try really, really hard to please the female before sending her on her away.

  Tide sat back in his chair. “To think I was just like you once. Your good looks will only get you so far. Trust me, I know. After that…you can forget it. No human female is going to fall for your shit for very long. You might even end up being the one who falls on their face.”

  It was Storm’s turn to look at his brother like he had lost his mind. Not happening! “Let’s wait and see.” Storm picked his food back up and took another big bite.

  “It would be so funny if you ended up mated.” Tide grinned, looking smug.

  Storm couldn’t help but laugh. It was hard to do with a mouth full of food, but he managed anyway. “Not happening, bro.”

  Not a chance.

  Chapter 3

  Oh, good lord!

  Jolene had not signed up for this. No way in hell! Her thighs burned. Her feet hurt. She was sweaty. Her t-shirt was sticking to her back, and underboob sweat was a thing. It existed. It was very real and happening to her right at that moment.

  She stopped for a second, breathing heavily. The girl she was with glanced back. “You okay?” Not a drop of sweat on her young, perky, twenty-something body. Christina was sweet though. Sweet but tough as nails, which could be irritating.

  Just a bit longer.

  Just one more hill.

  Just one more mile.

  We’re nearly there. All thrown at her in a sing-song voice. A voice that didn’t hold a shred of fatigue. Arghhhh! “I’m just reminding myself why I’m here. Why I didn’t wait at the drop off point like the other women. They were clever.”

  Christina smiled. “You know why.”

  “Because the best guys don’t want easy pickings.” She panted between every word and then made a snorting noise. “I can’t believe that dragon lady actually used the term ‘easy pickings’.”

  “Used the term.” Christina laughed. “More like spat the words out like a curse. I want a prince. I’m only sorry that there aren’t any kings left.” She sighed. “I’m willing to keep on going to make sure I get one.”

  Jolene didn’t have to think why she put one foot in front of the other right then. “I want to make the guy work for it a bit, I guess. Easy come, easy go as the saying goes.” She might really want to settle down, but she wasn’t willing to settle. Two very different things. “I ultim
ately want a sweet guy…” She shrugged. Someone who would love her passionately and completely. “I guess royalty isn’t important to me.”

  “It’s a golden chest all the way for me.” Christina opened a bottle of water and took a sip. “The way the gold glints off their chests in the sun is amazing.”

  “The silver tattoos are also pretty spectacular.” What was she saying? Everything about these shifters was superb. Gold, silver…it didn’t matter.

  “Dragons,” Christina sighed. “Here I was expecting wolves or bears. I certainly never imagined being a princess and with a dragon shifter.”

  “Me neither…the dragon shifter part that is.”

  “We should get going.” Christina recapped her water.

  “You are a machine,” Jolene mumbled, meaning it.

  Christina smiled. “Rubbish. You should meet my personal trainer, then you’ll know all about working out. See that ridge over there?”

  Jolene sighed. “The one that’s at least two, if not more, miles away? The one I’m having a hard time seeing because it’s so far?”

  Christina shook her head, still smiling. “It’s barely a mile. One more mile. What’s one more little mile?”

  One more stinking mile.

  One more.

  They started to walk, within half a minute, Christina picked up the pace, taking them almost to a steady jog. This girl would be the death of her. A roar sounded behind them. It had her almost falling over her own feet. It had her heart skipping several beats. It had gooseflesh rising on her arms. Her man was here. He was here.

  She turned. The shifter moved with startling speed. His muscles had muscles. She was shocked by the sight of him. Her mouth actually fell open.

  “My prince has arrived.” Christina moved in next to her, the other woman’s eyes were just as wide. “They’re all pretty hot, but that’s next level.” She sighed.

  He did, indeed, have a golden chest tattoo. "Yes, he most certainly is next level." She still sounded breathless, but at this point, it had nothing to do with the exertion. Those eyes, those lips. She realized with a start that he was close enough for her to see his lips. And such an arrogant smile. It was sexy though.

  “Afternoon, ladies. I’m so glad there were two of you with a little bit of fire in your veins.” His smile turned into a grin. “I’m happy to announce I think you’re both gorgeous.” It was like he was trying to decide which one of them he wanted. Looking from one to the other.

  Jolene frowned. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go down. Her Prince Charming was supposed to fall instantly in love with her at first sight. They were supposed to look into each other’s eyes and realize in that same moment that they were meant to be together forever. Done. Sorted.

  Instead, his gaze finally settled on Christina, sizing her up. It seemed to take forever before those brilliant purple eyes ‒ with lashes that long did not belong on a man ‒ landed back on her, doing the same. Appraising. Searching. Maybe he was looking for child-bearing hips. She had those. Or boobs capable of feeding a small village. She had those too ‒ and the boob sweat to prove it. If so, she was winning this hands-down.

  But no, that didn’t seem to be it since he turned those gorgeous eyes back to Christina. “Good afternoon to you too,” her competition purred, managing to sound sexy and sophisticated.

  “Afternoon…hi…” Jolene panted, still a tad out of breath. They had just crossed the countryside after all. Up and down enormous hills. Around boulders and over fallen trees. It had been exhausting.

  The shifter folded his arms across an enormous chest, which was bare. His abs…good lord his abs! She struggled to focus on anything else in the face of those honeys.

  “I’m going to have to excuse myself in a moment. I can see by the way you’re both looking at me, that you’re very interested. I’m going to let the two of you decide who gets me.” He widened his arms. Great arms! His biceps were thick and—

  Wait a minute! Wait! “Um…” Jolene thought back to their brief training. To everything those shifter women had told them the evening before. “I don’t think that’s how this was meant to go down. You’re supposed to hunt us…go after us…It’s not supposed to be the other way around.”

  The shifter cocked a half-smile as a roar sounded behind him. He didn’t even flinch. That roar was followed by two more. Oh, good lord! Three guys were running towards them. The shifter in front of them smirked. “That would be my cue.” He winked, looking gorgeous as he did it. “Forget what you were told. I don’t know…talk it through…fight it out…” He winked again. "Let me know who the lucky winner is when I get back."

  “Wait…what?” Forget it! “I’m not fighting.” Jolene folded her arms, glancing at Christina. She was bigger than the younger woman, she could just sit on her until she gave up.

  “Why not?” Christina didn’t sound too impressed. “I think we should at least argue some.”

  The shifter chuckled. It was throaty and really sexy. “That’s more like it. I’ll see you ladies shortly.” He turned and sprinted away, moving with such power. He also had a good supply of grace for someone that big. His back was sculpted to utter—

  Nope…wait up. All that smirking and winking. He was hot, but he came across as a player. That’s not what she’d signed up for. It didn’t matter that he was sex on legs. It wasn’t what she wanted. She'd learned a thing or two over the years. Right now, she trusted her gut.

  “Just because I’m smaller than you, doesn’t mean I can’t take you. I’m stronger than I look,” Christina went on.

  “That’s not it!” Well sort of. Jolene was convinced she could win even though Christina was fitter, the other woman was just too tiny. “It’s just that, bottom line, I’m not fighting over a man. I had this conversation with my friend just the other day. I won’t do it. Call it a principle.” She shook her head.

  "So, that means I win by default." Christina smirked. "I get my prince after all, and he's a hottie. Those other three all have silver tattoos." She made a face, pointing over Jolene's shoulder.

  Irritation burned inside Jolene. It wasn’t because she actually wanted Golden Boy ‒ who was indeed a hottie. It was because she didn’t like losing. For just a second, that’s what this felt like ‒ like she’d flat-out lost ‒ and she was almost tempted to take on the other woman just to prove she could. Thing was, it would be a fight for all the wrong reasons. Not fighting wouldn’t be losing, it was conceding, which was something different. Conceding was a choice. One she decided to make.

  There was a yell as the sounds of flesh thudding against flesh filled the air, drawing their attention. Jolene turned. Both their mouths fell open as a bloody battle ensued. One of the three silver dragon shifters was already down. That must have been him yelling as he fell. He rolled on his back, on the ground, cradling a broken arm to his chest, moaning loudly. Even from this distance, Jolene could see that his face was pale and taut with pain.

  Golden Boy punched a second guy in the face, taking a punch to the jaw himself. His head snapped back for a split second. Other than that, the hit didn’t deter him. In a surprising move, he leaped into the air, elbowing the one guy in the face while kicking the other shifter square on the chest.

  There was a cracking noise that made Jolene flinch, and the guy went flying. He tried to get up, but Golden Boy kicked him solidly on the underside of his chin with a crack. There was another thudding noise as the back of his head hit the ground.

  “Oh shit!” Christina said.

  “He has to be dead!” Jolene yelled, unable to believe what she was seeing.

  The last remaining shifter jumped onto Golden Boy’s back, but he countered, elbowing him hard in the solar plexus. The shifter made an ‘oof’ noise and fell back, managing to keep his footing. Golden Boy turned so quickly it was hard to register the move. One second his back was to them and the next he was facing forwards. It was freaky. The other shifter dropped down, narrowly avoiding a punch, which was also delivered startlingly q
uickly. He landed on his haunches, dropping back onto his hands and sweeping with his legs.

  Golden Boy not only jumped up to avoid the kick but landed on top of the poor shifter, knocking him to the ground. With one…two quick, downward punches, the shifter was out cold, his head lolling to the side.

  Moving in a care-free, relaxed manner, Golden Boy stepped off the downed shifter and rose to his full height. His chest heaved a few times, that was the sum total of any sign of exertion. It seemed like he and Christina had a couple of things in common so they would get along great after all.

  Jolene felt a pang. Golden Boy was something to behold. She’d made her decision though and was only feeling this way because…conceding still felt like losing to some degree.

  The guy with the broken arm was sitting, still cradling the limb. He looked up, fear on his face. At least, it looked like fear. Hard to tell from over there. Golden Boy said something and the guy on the ground responded, his shoulders relaxing.

  “What are they saying?” Christina asked, sounding breathless.

  “I can’t make it out.” Jolene shook her head.

  “Good lord but that was hot!” Christina held her chest with one hand.

  “Violence is not hot,” Jolene said with a little too much venom but only because it had indeed been hot. It was wrong of her…of them to think it. One against three and only one blow to the jaw. The guy was skilled. That much was for sure. Golden Boy turned to them, saying something else to the shifter with the broken arm.

  “I’m in love,” Christina gushed.

  “You don’t even know his name.”

  “I don’t have to,” Christina sighed.

  Conceding, not losing! Conceding, dammit! “I wish you many happy years together,” Jolene pushed out.

  “Thanks,” Christina whispered.

  The male’s arm was cleanly broken. No bones protruded from the skin. He would heal quickly. “You have made a wise choice by standing down, Bayou.” Storm had no wish to knock a fellow water dragon out, like he had the others.