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

by Charlene Hartnady

  “I have scheduled for you to undergo the procedure tomorrow at ten. You should be here an hour before, to get settled in.”

  This was the worst part about her job, hands down. It was part of the reason why she struggled to find young healers. Most of the healers were elderly and getting ready to retire. It was a dire situation.

  Angelique’s lip quivered. “Are you sure there is no other way?”

  Ceri shook her head. “The child is as good as lost already.”

  The female made a sobbing noise and covered her mouth, “I can’t believe I was so careless.”

  “You had your partner wear a condom.”

  “Yes, but,” tears ran down her cheeks, “it broke. I should have gone on the birth control like you said. I was stupid and now.” She put a hand to her belly.

  “I know, it’s difficult. This will be one of the hardest things you will ever have to endure.” She leaned forward and took Angelique’s hand. “It’s not your fault your pelvis is narrow. Not your fault you can’t birth this baby. You have a good chance of dying if you try to have this child. The baby will most certainly die. The only recorded cases where the baby survived, was because the mother gave her life to make it so, and even then, it’s not always successful.”

  The young female whimpered softly and nodded her head. “I have no choice then?”

  Ceri pulled in a deep breath. “I’m afraid not.”

  Angelique bit down on her bottom lip and nodded again. Tears coursed down her cheeks.

  “You will—”

  The door to her office flew open and an unknown male, a shifter walked in. “What is the meaning of this. You can’t just—”

  “One of our visitors needs your help,” Brant growled as he walked through the entrance as well.

  Bay!

  Her heart sped up. Had something happened to Bay? “What is…? Was the—?”

  Thank god! She caught sight of him carrying a male. Her heart felt like it was slamming against her ribcage as his intense blue eyes caught hers. He stopped in his tracks but quickly picked up the pace again.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Angelique said, already walking.

  “Yes. Stay strong,” Ceri called after her.

  Then she caught his scent and despite the audience, her fangs erupted. Try as she might, she couldn’t get them to retract. Hopefully, her king would assume it was the strange species and the severity of the situation. Sometimes an adrenaline spike could cause a physical reaction as well. “What the hell happened?” she snarled, as adrenaline flooded her system. “Who hurt him?”

  “One of the Fire dragons. There was an argument.” Brant said.

  One of the shifters snorted, looking angry.

  The male in Bay’s arms was screaming, his hands clutched to his burned face. Despite the scent of wolf, bear and charred flesh, she could still get his scent. It seemed to rise above everything else.

  Chili, dark chocolate and smoke.

  Her mouth watered. Focus, Ceri! This was no time to lose it. Her nail beds tingled. Hopefully her eyes were normal. Her irises still green instead of blood red. Her breathing was elevated, as was her heart-rate but again, that could be blamed on the situation.

  “Put him on the bed!” she instructed.

  The male continued to writhe. “Do something!” the wolf shifter shouted at her as Bay put the male down.

  “Do not use that tone with me, or I will ask you to leave,” she snapped, already moving to the bed so that she could examine the shifter.

  “Ceri,” Brant warned.

  She wasn’t about to apologize. This was her office and she wasn’t going to accept being ordered around by a wolf.

  She could feel the dragon’s eyes on her. Could hear the rush of his blood and the beat of his heart. Could feel the warmth radiating off his body even though he was a few feet away. Her fangs throbbed, making it hard to concentrate. Thankfully he moved away, just a little. Giving her the space she needed to be able to form coherent thoughts.

  When she looked down, she saw that her nails had sharpened. Shit! She needed to control this. She was so thirsty…for dragon blood. For his blood. Concentrate on the job at hand!

  Ceri began her assessment of the male, he was badly burned. To the extent that even if she knew who he was, she probably wouldn’t be able to recognize him. He was in agony. Ceri switched on the kettle which was still lukewarm from the cup of tea she had made earlier. “I’m going to make a strong herbal tea. It’ll take a couple of minutes. Then you’ll have to hold him down so that I can get the mixture down his throat. It will knock him out cold for at least an hour, possibly even two. Then I’ll be able to dress his wounds. It’ll help speed up the healing process as well and soothe the wounds when he wakes up. At least the worst of the pain will have subsided by then. The healing process will be well on its way.”

  She assembled what she needed as she spoke, placing the leaves she needed into a beaker. Two shifter males held the shifter down.

  “What is his name?” She gestured with her eyes to the injured male, having to speak up to be heard above the moans. Thankfully he had stopped screaming.

  “Cooper,” the wolf shifter said, not looking up. “It’s okay,” he soothed the male. “The healer will help you.”

  “Can I assist in any way?” Bay asked, stepping towards her.

  “No!” she all but yelled, trying not to breathe, and turning from the dragon. Ceri swallowed thickly. “Thank you,” she added, not wanting to seem rude. “I’ll manage,” she mumbled. Thankfully he moved back. Ceri pulled in a deep breath through her mouth. Good lord, but she could taste him on her tongue. She almost groaned out loud. She felt her nails lengthen and sharpen.

  “How is he?” a male asked from the doorway, dragging her attention back to the problem at hand. It was another dragon shifter. This one had a golden chest.

  “How do you think he is?” the bear shifter snarled.

  “Let’s keep this cordial,” Brant interjected.

  “One of your males,” the bear pointed at the male at the door, “did this, and over nothing!”

  “It wasn’t exactly over nothing.” When Bay spoke, gooseflesh rose up on her arms. “Your male said some things he shouldn’t have. I’d say that the response was a little harsh but—”

  “A little harsh?” the bear snapped. “I’d say you’re underestimating the situation.”

  “Stop!” Ceri interrupted. “I have a job to do and this isn’t the time to argue.” She finished straining the leaves. The water had turned a bright green color. She added a few ice cubes from the freezer. They clinked as she stirred the liquid. She added a few more, going through the motion. Repeating the process one more time until the herb mixture was cool enough to drink.

  By then the downed shifter was moaning and mumbling incoherently. When she moved to the side of the bed, she realized just how badly he had been maimed. His lips were gone, leaving his teeth exposed in what looked like a grimace. “I’m going to give him all of this.” She held up the beaker. “I’ll need to use a syringe.” He wouldn’t be able to drink it down without a mouth, without lips.

  Ignore the dragon.

  Ignore him!

  Her fangs were still elongated. Still throbbing. If anyone noticed, they didn’t say anything. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as she thought. She took a syringe from her supply cupboard and headed back to the bed. Then she sucked up some of the liquid. “I’m trying to help you, Cooper.”

  The male continued to mumble and moan.

  “You need to drink this. It will knock you unconscious for a while.” She spoke clearly and concisely. She wasn’t sure whether he had heard her or not. “You may need to hold him.” She spoke to the males at the bed. Both were frowning deeply, looking greatly concerned over their downed friend. “Take his shoulders…carefully,” she added when she saw the burns there as well. Not as bad as his face, but still. “You need to lift him a little so that he can drink without choking.”

  “I know ho
w he feels,” the dragon at the door said. “Poor bastard.”

  Once the males had him up slightly, Ceri put the syringe tip between the male’s teeth and slowly depressed the plunger.

  The male spluttered and choked but he also swallowed. “Another one,” she urged, placing another full syringe between his teeth and slowly pushing. They went through the process several more times. “That’s enough.” She motioned for the shifters to lower Cooper.

  “What’s wrong with your eyes?” the bear shifter asked.

  “Nothing,” she mumbled.

  “No really, they’re a little on the red side and don’t tell me they’re bloodshot because I’ve seen bloodshot and that’s not what it looks like.” The shifter narrowed his eyes at her, distrust evident.

  “It’s a tense situation. High octane, high adrenaline,” she said, looking away.

  The bear’s jaw tensed and then he nodded. “You seem calm enough.”

  “Like a duck,” she countered. “He’s unconscious.” Ceri pointed at Cooper.

  “I want that male punished.” The bear pointed at the dragon who was still at the door.

  “He will be.”

  “I mean it, Torrent!” the bear yelled. “And a public apology.”

  “They had a squabble. Some things were said. It happened in the heat of the moment.”

  “Bullshit!” the same shifter countered, pointing a finger at him.

  “Stop!” She wanted to roll her eyes. This was probably how the initial squabble had started in the first place. “That’s enough.” The last thing she wanted was to have to treat any more burn victims. One was bad enough. At least the male was oblivious to the pain now. She needed to prepare another herbal tea, ready for when he woke up. She’d make it a little weaker this time. She also needed to dress the wounds in an aloe and tea tree salve.

  His scent hit her nostrils. Her nipples tightened and her fangs throbbed. “Out!” she shouted, panicking when she realized how close he was and how thirsty she had become. It was worse than ever. She could feel the last couple of weeks acutely. The longing, the hunger, the need. The lack of blood. Thirsty. She was so thirsty. Her mouth dry. Her throat raw and burning. Her stomach hollow.

  “I was about to—” He was coming closer. She was afraid of what she might do if he came too close. Her nails were long. Her fangs throbbing. Her eyes were probably all out red. She turned to her herb shelf, away from the males in the room. Away from him.

  “Out!” she yelled again. “Everyone. Get out now! He needs to rest.”

  “But—” the bear shifter began.

  “You can come back in two hours to check on him. Now go!”

  “Are you sure I can’t help?” Bay asked. That voice coupled with his scent. Need coursed through her.

  “I’m fine!” she snapped. “He’s asleep. I don’t need help.”

  “You said you had to dress his wounds,” Bay added.

  She glanced his way, noticing the look of concern on his face. “Thank you.” She swallowed again, her throat felt not just dry but raw. “I can manage on my own. I would prefer it.”

  “Are you alright, Ceri?” Brant asked.

  “Fine. I have a lot to do. That’s all.” She began to gather items she needed for the salve. “I need to cancel my next couple of appointments. Need to treat Cooper.” She gestured towards the shifter, all the while praying they would leave already.

  “Are you sure you don’t need help?” Bay asked.

  “Yes, I’m positive!” she tried not to sound angry and failed.

  “Let’s give the healer some space,” Brant said. “Under the circumstances, I think we should cancel the rest of today’s proceedings,” his voice grew softer as he turned his back and headed for the door, “give everyone a chance to calm down. We’ll pick back up where we left off tomorrow.”

  “Sounds like a good idea,” the dragon, Torrent said.

  She glanced over her shoulder. Bay had moved back but he was still looking her way. His eyes lit up and he stepped towards her, pulling in a breath. He was about to say something. The raging need inside her had become like a piercing scream. She’d do just about anything to stop it. She turned away, ignoring him. Praying with all her might that he would take a hint.

  She had to hold back a loud sigh as she heard him retreat. Ceri concentrated, instead, on gathering the items she needed to make the salve. Her heart beat rapidly and her mind raced.

  She was going to call Drago and organize to go out with him at the end of her shift. It was time to get over this problem of hers. What scared her more than anything was that she’d caught the scent of the male at the door, Torrent, and it had held no interest to her. The male was also a dragon shifter and yet, he held no interest at all. Panic welled. She needed to get over Bay as a matter of extreme urgency.

  Chapter 11

  “That was a fucking stupid thing to do,” Blaze chided Inferno. “I agree with the bear shifter, you will need to apologize to that male.”

  “Not a fuck!” Inferno growled, folding his arms. “He can forget it. He called us scaly assholes and said that all we wanted was the for rest of the species to do our bidding.”

  Blaze scoffed. “That’s exactly what we want,” he announced. “And technically we do have scaly assholes, at least some of the time. It was no reason to burn his face off.”

  “The male was being derogatory. He deserved what he got. He’ll think twice before mouthing off to one of us again.” Inferno puffed out his chest.

  “You will apologize and then we will proceed with the meeting,” Blaze commanded. He narrowed his eyes on Inferno. “I have made up my mind,” he added, there was a growly edge to his voice.

  Inferno’s jaw clenched but he didn’t say anything. The male was probably thinking what Bay was thinking, that Blaze had lost his temper and had done the same thing on more than one occasion. The Fire king had never apologized to any of the males he had burned to a crisp. Not even once. He’d never even hinted at an apology.

  “I want you to go back to your hotel,” Blaze continued, “and I want you to stay in your suite until we meet back tomorrow.”

  “What about dinner?” Inferno asked.

  “Use room service,” Blaze countered.

  “I had planned on rutting one of the vampire females. That will be difficult if I can’t go out and meet any.” Inferno looked sulky.

  “What?” Blaze snarled. “Head out of the gutter! You are not permitted to rut with anyone while here. Vampires are off limits. A hard no! This isn’t a Stag Run. And while we’re at it,” Blaze turned to Bay; the king’s eyes widened and he sucked in a breath. “Never mind,” he mumbled as he realized who he was talking to. When he remembered Bay couldn’t rut with anyone. That it wasn’t possible.

  Inferno looked completely affronted. He frowned and then looked as if he wanted to say something and then frowned again. Eventually, his shoulders slumped and he nodded once.

  “You are dismissed,” Blaze said. “Straight to your room,” he added.

  “I’m not six anymore. I’m not the young boy you used to pick on and tease. You might be my king, but—”

  “Stop acting like a whelp and I’ll stop treating you like one,” Blaze growled back at his brother.

  Inferno stalked off. His face was red and his jaw clenched.

  “Why didn’t you intervene?” Torrent asked him. “You might have been able to stop the whole thing.”

  For a second, Bay couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “I tried, but—”

  “Not hard enough.” Torrent looked pissed.

  Bay couldn’t believe he was getting the blame for this as well. He’d had nothing to do with it.

  “Can I trust you not to get yourself into any more trouble?” Torrent raised his brows.

  “With all due respect, my lord, I didn’t cause any trouble. I tried to intervene but they were going to fight no matter what I said or did. Both of them were looking for it. In answer to your question, yes, you can absolutely tr
ust me because unlike, Inferno and Cooper, I’m not looking for trouble.”

  Torrent frowned. Shit! Maybe he shouldn’t have said anything? No, he should have. Sure, he’d made some mistakes, but he wasn’t a hothead troublemaker. He was well within his rights to stand up for himself.

  Torrent finally narrowed his eyes a little and then nodded. “Don’t let me down.”

  “I won’t.” Bay shook his head.

  “Blaze and I have a couple of things to discuss. I plan on ordering in tonight as well, so I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Bay nodded.

  With that, the two males turned and left. Bay felt both good and bad and all at the same time. Good because he had stood up to Torrent and ‒ in his opinion ‒ had won. Bad because he did plan on making trouble. Well, not exactly trouble. He planned on going to see Ceri.

  Ceri.

  He knew her name and it was beautiful. Suited her. Bay had almost fallen on his face when he had seen her. He all but forgot the shifter in his arms. A healer. Wow! That suited her too. It had been a struggle to contain himself. Not to give himself away, at any rate. She’d looked upset right from the start. Aside from one or two sideways glances, she’d ignored him flat.

  There were a couple of things he needed to know. By now she would be finished or almost finished with Cooper. If not, he was going to help her, whether she liked it or not, and then they were going to talk. She’d canceled all her appointments and had sent the alphas away for two hours. They had plenty of time.

  Once Bay made up his mind, he had to force himself to walk calmly. If it were up to him, he'd run and as fast as his legs could carry him. He'd found her, by some miracle, he'd actually found her. Bay walked quickly, making it back to her office in no time.

  He knocked twice and entered before she could say anything.

  Ceri dropped the bandages she had been carrying. Her eyes widened and she sucked in a breath. “What…?” she said, looking stricken. “What are you doing here?” Then she narrowed her eyes like she was angry with him. “You should leave,” she went on to say, before he could answer.