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

by Charlene Hartnady

  She shook her head. “Like hell! If it weren’t for the baby, you wouldn’t be here. Admit it!”

  “I haven’t been able to get you off my mind since I first met you.”

  “Yeah, because you wanted a cure!” she yelled back.

  “At first, I thought that was the case, but I was wrong. I couldn’t get you off my mind after I had been cured. If anything, it was worse.”

  “Bullshit!” Her eyes were blazing. “That’s why you felt the need to go on one of those rut weekends…because you couldn’t stop thinking about me.” She looked pissed.

  “My friend, Beck, had me over a barrel, I had to go. It was either I go along, or the Stag Run would be canceled. The Stag Run is very important for morale amongst the males.”

  “I’ll bet.” She snorted. “And while you were there, you thought you’d just get in on the action.”

  “You’re jealous. You realize that, don’t you?”

  “Oh, please.” She made a face. “I’m calling you out on your bullshit, that’s all!” She put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

  “I missed you more once I was in Beachhaven. Everything reminded me of you, so I decided to head to our bar. I wasn’t having any fun watching the males pair off. I became angry because I pictured you moving on with your life and that’s when I decided to—”

  “Find out if that blonde was blonde everywhere?” Her jaw was tight. Her eyes narrowed.

  Shit! Why did she have to hear that? “I couldn’t go through with it. We left five minutes after that. I ended up putting her in the Uber ‒ alone. I headed back to my place ‒ alone. I didn’t so much as kiss her, let alone do anything else. I knew right then and there that I wasn’t going to be able to forget you. It didn’t matter how many weeks, or months or years for that matter, went by. I knew you would still be on my mind. Screwing someone else would make no difference. I planned on confronting you, I swear! Only, you were there first. You beat me to it. This happened.” He looked down at her slightly rounded belly. “Now you think I’m only here for our child, and that’s not true.”

  Ceri shook her head, her eyes were wide.

  “You have to believe me.”

  “I want to believe you, but I’m struggling. It would be wrong of us to get together just because of this child. We would regret it.”

  “It wouldn’t just be for the child.” Bay cupped her jaw. He let his thumb graze the side of her cheek. “I swear. Just admit you have feelings for me too and we can take it from there. One step at a time. As slow or as fast as you want.”

  She finally nodded. Her green eyes so vivid. Bay leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. They were soft. They were amazing lips. As much as he wanted to devour her mouth, he kept it soft and tender, not wanting to scare her off. Then came the pinch as his tongue scraped one of her fangs. Ceri moaned. She pulled back, her fangs were long and sharp. Her eyes…beautiful. The green was tinged with red. She hissed as she sank her fangs into his neck. Bay grunted, his cock becoming rigid in a second.

  Ceri gripped his shoulders, pressing her body against his. Pleasure surged through him. The need to rut made his eyes water and his jaw clench. She released him, her eyes were hazy.

  “I want you,” she said, her voice laced with desperation.

  Bay swallowed and nodded. They were good together. He needed to remind her of that. He gripped the bottom of her shirt and tugged it up. Ceri lifted her arms.

  She was wearing a white, cotton bra. Her breasts were much fuller. “Beautiful,” he murmured as he cupped them through the fabric.

  She pulled her tights down, looking as frantic as he was feeling. She was a thing of beauty. “So sexy,” he whispered as he pulled his own pants off. Admiring, the deep curves of her breasts and the roundness of her belly. The added softness to her hips.

  Bay took back her mouth. This time he did plunder. He did devour and by the little noises she was making and the way she rubbed herself on his dick, he could tell that she was enjoying it.

  Ceri could still taste him on her lips. This time she got all of the potency, all of the richness and none of the terrible burn. Her nipples instantly hardened. Her boobs felt full and tender. Her channel turned slick. There was this zing of intense need that rushed between her legs as she slid her fangs free.

  She was aching. So ready for him it was a joke. It wouldn’t take much to finish her. Bay tugged on her bra, taking the straps down and freeing her breasts. His eyes turned hazy with desire. Bay leaned down, taking one of her nipples into his mouth and sucking softly.

  They were sensitive, but it felt so darned good that she moaned. “I need you now.” She was panting.

  Bay nodded. “I haven’t been with anyone else.” Then his eyes flashed with panic.

  “Neither have I,” she blurted, seeing a look of relief cross his face.

  Bay’s grip on her hips tightened, he turned her around, so that she was facing the back of the sofa.

  Ceri put her hands on the chair back, using it as a purchase. She opened her legs, feeling him move between them. “Don’t want to harm you or—”

  “You won’t,” she said, sounding desperate.

  Bay rubbed on her clit a few times. Ceri cried out, then he slid a finger inside her. “Wet for me,” he murmured.

  He lined up his cock, pushing inside her using slow, easy strokes. It only took a couple and he was inside her to the hilt. She whimpered, and he grunted. “So fucking amazing,” he ground out as he pulled back.

  Ceri could feel he was shaking a little. He kept the thrusts slow and even. He reached around and cupped her breasts, then he slid a hand down her body, over her belly and sought out her clit. He kept his touch soft.

  Ceri cried out. “More!” she groaned. “Please.”

  Bay thrust a little harder, he picked up the pace. Groaning or grunting with each push. His finger stayed soft, slipping and sliding over her clit.

  “Oh god! Oh yes…” She could feel everything pulling tight. She squeezed her eyes shut as the first waves of pleasure hit.

  Bay grunted, thrusting harder. He rubbed her clit harder and faster as well. Her orgasm hit just as hard and fast. It had been a long time. Too long. Her body had been craving this male, not just for the past week but for months.

  His big body crouched over her and he groaned long and deep as he gave in to his release. He finally slowed, closing his arms around her in an embrace. They were both breathing hard.

  Now that she had come, she could think a little more rationally. “We maybe shouldn’t have done that.”

  Bay pulled out of her, turning her so that she faced him.

  “Of course we should have done that.”

  "We let the need for sex cloud our judgment. It's clear that we're compatible. We're very attracted to one another. The sex is amazing but that doesn't mean we belong together."

  “I love being inside you.” Bay’s eyes were locked with hers. “Love it! I know that I could fuck fifty females and not feel what I feel when I’m with you.”

  “See, that’s what I—”

  “Let me finish. I also happen to enjoy spending time with you,” Bay said. “I enjoy talking about your day. Cooking you dinner. I want to go shopping for the baby now. That’s why I rushed home. I booked us in for lunch at one of the fancy restaurants in town. They apparently specialize in barbeque. Thought you might like a steak or some lamb chops.”

  He was being super sweet. Super thoughtful. “You’re not just saying and doing this for the baby, are you? Because I would never keep you from our child. You don’t have to—”

  Bay shook his head. “I want to be with you. I have feelings for you. They’re real. I’m very serious about you and it has nothing to do with the baby. I planned on seeing you again, on convincing you that we should give us a chance. Now I have to convince you that I mean it but that’s okay. I’m fine with that.”

  She felt her heart squeeze and her eyes fill with tears. The hormones, she was blaming it on them.

&nbs
p; “Are you willing to try?” His eyes were filled with such hope.

  “Yes. I am.” She smiled, it suddenly felt like a weight lifted.

  Bay kissed her, hard and deep. He finally released her, pulling back. “What do you say we go shopping for a crib and diapers?”

  “I say, let’s go in a half an hour.” She reached forward and palmed his cock. “It has been a very long time.”

  “You come up with such fantastic ideas.” Bay grinned, looking gorgeous.

  “I know I do.” She reached up and kissed him.

  Chapter 24

  One month later…

  “You’re sure?” Zane frowned so hard it was comical.

  Bay held back a laugh. The vampire king would not appreciate being laughed at. “I’m very sure. Thank you for making the offer. I don’t enjoy being a warrior though.” He shook his head.

  “But you’re one of the best I have ever seen,” Zane countered, still frowning heavily.

  “Just because a person is good at something, doesn’t mean they enjoy doing it. It’s taken me a long time to come to that conclusion and here I am.”

  “Okay. If you change your—”

  “I doubt it, my lord. Thank you again.”

  Zane nodded once.

  “Oh, and congratulations on the birth of your son.” Bay smiled.

  Zane’s face lit up, the male beamed. “Thank you. We are very happy. Zackery is doing very well. He is healthy and strong. He has already put on two pounds.”

  “Wonderful. I believe he looks exactly like you.”

  Zane nodded. “He has my eyes, loves drinking from Tanya and sleeps very well.”

  “What does Sammy think of his little brother?”

  “Loves him, maybe a little too much. Sam keeps trying to take him out of the stroller or the crib. He almost dropped him the other day.” Zane shook his head. “We have to watch him like a hawk. With that in mind, I am going home to visit with my family.”

  “Good idea! They grow up so fast. In less than two months I’ll be a father as well.” he shook his head. “I can’t believe how quickly time is flying.”

  “Yes, I am told that Ceri is doing well.”

  “Yes, she is.” Bay was sure he had the same beaming look Zane had been sporting not a minute ago.

  They walked out of Zane’s office together. The king hurried off towards the castle. Drago was waiting outside. He slapped Bay on the back. “So, are congratulations in order? Did you make the Elite team?”

  “I made the team but—”

  “Yeah!” Drago yelled. “I knew you would do it. You’re close to unbeatable in—”

  “Hold up!” Bay chuckled. “Just a second,” he added when he saw that Drago wasn’t listening, “I turned it down.”

  “What?” Drago’s eyes widened. “What do you mean you turned it down? No-one turns down a chance to be an Elite. Are you crazy?”

  “I guess I must be, because I turned it down.”

  “What are you going to do then?” Drago shook his head. He looked just as shocked as Zane had.

  Bay shrugged. “For now, I’m going to give my soon-to-be mate a helping hand.”

  “Yeah, Ceri could do with some help.” Drago nodded. “She is on her feet far too much.”

  “I’ll do all the grunt work. Help where I can so that she can take it easy.”

  “You are a good male,” Drago said. “I’m glad I got the two of you together. If it weren’t for me, you guys would still be pussyfooting around one another.”

  “And I can’t thank you enough.” Drago had orchestrated the whole thing. He’d organized with Zane that Bay would be let off work early so that he would catch Ceri drinking from Drago. Bay had acted exactly as Drago had expected. Jealous and possessive as hell, and the rest was history.

  “Do you need me to intervene so that Ceri finally agrees to mate you?” Drago asked. “I’m sure I could think of something that would hurry her along.”

  Bay chuckled. “No! Thank you for caring but we’ll figure it out. Ceri will agree to mate me when she is good and ready.”

  “If you’re sure.”

  “I am.” Bay nodded.

  “By the way, the curiosity is killing me. I know you told Ceri the full details, but she refuses to say anything about it.” Drago shuffled his feet.

  “Yes?” Bay prompted when he didn’t continue.

  “What happened to you? Your dick that is ‒ she said it was severed in an accident and that silver was involved but she refuses to tell me anything else about it.”

  Bay smiled. “Ceri tells me that you are a male slut. I think that’s what she calls you.”

  Drago smiled. “Not so much anymore.”

  “Good! Then hopefully what happened to me won’t happen to you. I was dating a she-dragon. She was obviously way more serious about things than I was. I decided to go into town on the Stag Run.”

  “On a rut weekend.” Drago widened his eyes. “It doesn’t sound like those have been very good to you; aside from the one where you met Ceri, that is. Go on,” the male prompted.

  “I was feeling the pressure to settle down and was nowhere near ready. Anyway, I was about to bed a human when she walked in on us. Ember was so pissed off. She saw red, grabbed a knife, the blade was silver-plated. Before I knew it…” He made a sweeping motion at his crotch area.

  Drago groaned. “No! She didn’t!”

  “She most certainly did. It grew back but didn’t work.”

  “Not at all?”

  “No, not until Ceri drank from me.”

  “Interesting.” Drago nodded. “I’m going to be more careful around females.

  “Good idea,” Bay said. “I’m heading to the clinic now.”

  “By the way, I’m joining you guys for dinner tonight,” Drago said.

  “I thought you were meeting human females as a part of that whole program you guys are running.”

  “Nah,” Drago shook his head, “I changed my mind.”

  “Okay.” Bay shrugged. “We’ll see you later then.”

  “What are you doing here?” Ceri looked at her watch and then back at Bay. “Did you finish early?”

  “Nope.” Bay shook his head. He leaned down and kissed her, first on the lips and then on the forehead. “I’m only just starting my day actually.”

  “Well, then what are doing here?” Ceri asked again.

  “I’m here to help you.”

  She frowned. “Wait, weren’t you supposed to hear whether or not you got the Elite position? Wait a minute.” She pushed her chair back, standing up. “Don’t tell me you didn’t get it. That you worked so hard to prove yourself for nothing. That you did prove yourself and then didn’t get it. I’m going to go and talk to Brant…after my next appointment that is. Zane had better have a damned good explanation as to why you were not appointed. It’s because you’re a dragon, isn’t it?”

  Bay was smiling at her. He shook his head. His eyes were bright and beautiful in the morning light. He looked the picture of calm, not like someone who had just been disappointed. “What is it?”

  “I turned it down.”

  “What? Why?” she asked, eyebrows raised.

  “It’s not what I want.”

  “Why not? I thought you…” She frowned as realization hit. “Do you want to go back to your lair? Would you prefer to—”

  “No,” he shook his head, still smiling, “I’ve never enjoyed being a warrior. I hate leading teams into battle and the endless perimeter patrols. All of the skills training is a ball-ache. I want to do something different, and right now that ‘something different’ is helping you. I don’t want you on your feet so much. I don’t want you lifting heavy equipment.”

  “Oh.” She sat back down. “You want to help out around here.”

  He nodded.

  “Um…you’re a male.”

  “Is that a problem? I don’t think it’s a problem.” Bay shook his head. “You keep saying how you want to see more males in traditionally fema
le roles. Well, here I am.”

  “Are you sure though? I help females give birth. I counsel in the use of birth control and safe sex. I—”

  “I know.” Bay nodded. “You’ve told me a lot about what you do. I’m here and I want to help. I’m not sure it’s something I’ll do for forever, but right now…yes, I’m interested. If you’ll have me.”

  “I suppose I have talked a lot about my work. And you’re certain you’d—”

  “Very.” He walked behind her and started massaging her shoulders. She made a moaning noise just as Lily walked in.

  “Oh.” Her mouth formed an O. “Am I interrupting?”

  “Not at all,” Ceri blurted.

  Bay stopped massaging her.

  “In fact, you’re right on time. This is Bay.” Ceri gestured to the father of her child, her boyfriend, her soon-to-be so much more.

  Lily smiled. “Hello, I’ve heard all about you.”

  “Bay meet Lily.”

  He leaned forward and shook her hand. “Hi.”

  “I hope you don’t mind, but Bay will be working as my assistant for the coming period.” She couldn’t believe it, but he seemed sincere about wanting this. She half expected him to run at the first sign of blood.

  “Not at all.” Lily shook her head. “Good to meet you.”

  “Okay, so, any news for me?” Ceri asked.

  Lily shook her head, her eyes were clouded, her shoulders slumped. “I’m afraid not.”

  “When was the last time you took a pregnancy test?”

  “Last week. It’s just too depressing seeing a single line.”

  “I understand.” Ceri opened the drawer, taking a box out. “I think the first order of business is to do one.” She handed the box to Lily. She didn’t have to tell the other female where the bathroom was.

  Lily nodded and disappeared behind the closed door.

  “I really hope it’s positive this time,” Ceri said.

  “How long have Lily and her mate been trying to become pregnant?”

  “Going on three years now,” Ceri said. “I feel a bit guilty.” She rubbed her growing bump. It was well-rounded and easy to see she was pregnant but at the same time very neat and tidy. If she didn't get too much bigger, she would probably be able to birth this child.