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

by Charlene Hartnady

  A slayer.

  A murdering bitch.

  A hunter.

  The worst of the fucking worst. He knew deep down that he didn’t actually desire her. Not really. It was his body’s need to heal that was taking over. The whole process would be so much quicker if he could fuck. That was all. He heard the first spatter of her pee and then her deep moan. He was a sick bastard because he felt it in his balls, which pulled tight. It didn’t matter that she was relieving herself at that moment, or that she was the fucking devil. His cock didn’t care. His instincts took over. His body didn’t care who she was. What she was. His body prepared to do what it needed to do to heal. The opposite of what he wanted.

  Whatever! If it had been anyone else, he would have turned or covered himself. Not then and not for her though. He didn’t care what she thought of him. Let her think whatever she wanted. The female’s lips parted slightly. Her eyes were at half-mast as she finished up. A softer moan left her lips and his balls pulled tighter.

  His dick didn’t seem to care how bashed up he was. How painful his wound felt. How weak he was.

  Beck watched as she slowly shimmied her way back into her panties. Her skirt pulled high up her thighs. He didn’t blink. Didn’t take his eyes off of her. Sure, he could have let her go behind the boulder but where was the fun in that? He wanted to humiliate her. Dominate her. Fuck with her. She deserved it.

  The slayer locked eyes with him. They were a beautiful blue. Defiant as anything. It wasn’t going to be easy to break her, but break her he would. And he’d enjoy every single solitary minute of it.

  Her eyes flared and her mouth fell open. “Oh my god,” she muttered, staring at his dick which was fully erect. “Are you one of those sickos who gets off watching people go to the bathroom? What is it called again?” she lifted her eyes in thought. “Golden showers, or something.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “That’s why you didn’t care if I peed the bed. You like it when…”

  He snorted. “That’s disgusting, but someone like you would think along those lines.”

  “You’re right, it’s disgusting.” She pointed at his dick. “That’s sick.” She gasped. “Are you planning on raping me?” He watched the narrow column of her neck work. “You are, aren’t you?”

  Beck snorted again. “I’m not attracted to you in the least,” he growled. “I wouldn’t touch you if you were the last female on Earth.”

  “What’s that then?” she pointed at his cock again. “Why would you get hard watching me pee?” She wrinkled her nose up.

  Because I’m a sick fuck! “This”—he palmed his cock— “is none of your fucking business. Shifters sometimes get hard-ons for reasons other than to find pleasure. That’s all you need to know.”

  Her eyes brightened and she seemed to think it through. “Oh, that’s interesting…why do you have an erection then? What…?”

  His boner had everything to do with fucking but, like he said, not for the purpose of pleasure. He needed to fuck to heal. It wasn’t something he planned on telling her though. It was both a weakness and, at the same time, potentially an advantage for their species. It was also something the hunters might find a way to use against them. “I thought you slayers knew everything about dragons. Why don’t you tell me?”

  “We know a lot about your kind, but…I guess we don’t know everything.” She shrugged. “We’re trying to learn more. Knowledge is power after all.”

  “With the purpose of destroying our kind. Of pillaging everything…” Fuck! He had almost said too much.

  “Pillaging?” she frowned, looking like she didn’t know what he was talking about. An act. All a big act. “We want to learn more about your kind so that we will be in a better position to protect ourselves against you.” Her jaw clenched for a few moments and her eyes burned with hatred.

  “Protect yourselves against us.” He snorted, staggering forward a step. Beck’s legs were starting to tire. He felt something drip down his belly. They both looked down at his injury.

  “Oh, you’re bleeding again.” She actually looked like she cared. Her brow creased and her eyes filled with concern.

  Beck clutched his belly.

  “You’d better lie back down. Is there a first aid kit somewhere in here?”

  “Stop!” he snarled. “I’m fine,” he added.

  “You’re not fine.” More frowning.

  “Don’t go there. You did this! Don’t act like you give a shit because we both know you would love it if I fell over dead right now.”

  She looked him in the eyes. He couldn’t read what was going on in her head. Probably thoughts of death and destruction.

  His death.

  The destruction of his people.

  Of all he loved.

  All he cared about.

  Everything in him bristled. “My recommendation to you is that you don’t go wandering off. We’re in dragon territory, high up in the mountains. This…” he looked around them, “…is a cave.”

  Her eyes widened and she nodded. “I figured.”

  “The front of the cave is that way. Too high to climb if you were thinking of trying to escape.” His belly felt like it was on fire. He longed to lie back down. He needed rest. “What I’m trying to say is don’t wander beyond this circle of light. It’s too dangerous.”

  “Oh, so you don’t plan on killing me just yet?” a ghost of a smile lit her face. It was freaky how normal she seemed.

  He didn’t feel like a song and dance. Didn’t have the energy for it. Beck wanted information from this female. Right then, she was worth more alive but hey, if she stumbled to her death he couldn’t say he’d be too sorry. “I don’t give too much of a shit either way. Try and escape if you want. Knock yourself out. I’ve warned you.” He shrugged, taking a deep breath before heading back to the bed. His legs felt shaky. His energy all but drained.

  “Noted.” She nodded once. “Thanks for the warning.”

  He snorted. Was she that dense? She actually thought he had warned her because he gave a shit. Whatever! He didn’t have the energy to set her straight.

  “Um…I’m thirsty.” She folded her arms.

  Beck’s chest vibrated with a low growl. “You’re full of demands, aren’t you? It will have to wait.”

  She shook her head. “You probably need fluids too…you’ve lost a lot of blood.”

  “No thanks to you.”

  “Still. You need water just as much as I do. No!” her voice was animated, “you need it more than I do.”

  Beck rolled his eyes. “Don’t pretend to care when we both know you don’t give a damn.” Let her suffer for what she had done. “You shot me, shot my friends and then expect me to cater to your every whim.”

  “Asking for my basic needs to be met is hardly every whim.”

  “Maybe I want you to suffer.”

  “What about you? You need to drink something.”

  Beck snarled and she shrank back a step. The truth was, he was thirsty. His mouth was dry, his throat felt raw. “Stop acting like you give a fuck. Just stop! It’s irritating.” Especially because, when he looked into those big baby blues, he was tempted to believe the whole damned act. “Just so you know, for a dragon slayer, you’re a lousy shot.” He wasn’t sure why he was goading her. “Next time aim for the heart…or even better, the head.” He pointed at his forehead. “Right between the eyes.” He kept his finger on the mark. “You should practice more. You’re a shitty slayer.”

  Her eyes clouded. For a second she looked hurt. The bitch would get upset over being called a lousy slayer. Go fucking figure! She grew impassive once more. “I told you that I didn’t mean to shoot you. It wasn’t like I had time to—”

  “Not me. I’m talking about my friend. The male you left bleeding at that hotel. I know you intended to kill him. All slayers are ruthless fucks and you’re no different. I’m just glad you suck at it, that’s all.”

  She swallowed thickly and something flashed in her eyes, but he wasn’t sure what
it was. “It’s your kind who are ruthless. Who—”

  “Shut up!” he snarled. “The slayers almost wiped out the dragon shifters hundreds of years ago. Your people. Your fore-fucking-fathers…don’t turn this around on me.” He pointed at his sternum.

  She clenched her jaw, her arms tightening across her chest. It was clear she didn’t agree with him.

  Using the last vestiges of his strength, Beck walked over to the trunk at the rear of the cave, trying hard not to shuffle, not to stumble. Not to fall on his face. He didn’t want her knowing how fucked up he was. It took everything in him to bend through his knees so that he could get what he needed from the trunk, namely a few bottles of water and a foil package that contained several biscuits.

  Then he shuffled back to the bed, hoisting himself onto the mattress. It was dusty with smudges of dirt and blood. This cave was almost on the human border and rarely used. It was a miracle he had made it this far. He patted the space next to him. “It’s time to get cozy, slayer.”

  Her eyes widened. “Why? It’s not like I can escape. You rest up, I’ll…”

  “I don’t trust you. Not one tiny bit.” There were too many items she could use as a weapon. Hell, he’d seen a big ass knife in the trunk. Nothing was silver, but in his current state, he would be fairly easy to kill. The kind of dead a male didn’t come back from. No thanks! He needed to get her home. The information she could tell them, was worth far too much.

  Her eyes narrowed. “You think I want to hurt you…kill you?”

  He quirked a brow.

  “That would be stupid though, since I would be stuck up here, with no means of escape. It would be like signing my own death warrant.” She shook her head.

  Beck didn’t say anything. If this female knew what he had in store for her, she might just try something. Might just get desperate enough, like he had been earlier. “Get your ass on this bed,” he barked.

  She pulled in a breath but did as he commanded, climbing in next to him. Beck handed her a bottle of water and the biscuits. “Thanks,” she said.

  He opened his own bottle and drank deeply, finishing all of it in one go.

  “See, what did I tell you?”

  “Just drink up!” She was getting on his last damn nerve.

  He watched in silence as she ate her biscuits and drank the water. Then he patted the spot right next to him.

  She huffed out a breath. “Is it really nesses—”

  “Yes!” he changed the position of the pillow under his head. “Trust me, sweetheart, the last thing I feel like doing is spooning with the likes of you but I’m not taking any chances.” He shook his head.

  “Fine.” She lay down next to him, leaving a half a foot between them.

  Beck clutched her waist and pulled her flush against him, leaving his hand right there, on the swell of her hip. He passed out within minutes.

  Chapter 7

  The sketched drawings she had pored over did not do the shifters justice. Sure, they showed their sheer size and all the muscle, but they made the dragons out to be evil-looking with rough, coarse features. Almost more animal than man. A humanoid beast at best. The male she had captured some months back was coarse and rough. Not as bad as the pictures but…not in the least bit attractive either.

  This last batch she had seen were all gorgeous. This one was no exception. In fact, he was probably the most attractive of them all. His brown hair was a little overgrown. There was a slight cleft in his chin. His dark stubble enhanced his masculine jaw. His eyelashes were long, almost on the verge of being feminine. Even though she couldn’t see them right then, his eyes were an amazing, bright green. A vivid color that seemed too amazing to be real.

  His body…now that did look something similar to the pictures she’d seen. The ones she and Page had studied as teenagers, eliciting giggles since some of the drawings were naked depictions of the shifters. The contours of all of that raw power had always fascinated her. She allowed her eyes to roam his body, from his thick biceps to his well-muscled chest. His abs were ripped, even though he was still fast asleep. The shifter was ultra-tall and very powerful.

  She swallowed thickly, reminding herself who he was. What he was. A dragon. The creature of her nightmares. Her enemy. The hatred that burned in his eyes every time he looked at her almost scared her. She’d never seen that level of animosity before. This species might have honor when it came to their own kind, but they were ruthless against their enemies.

  He planned on keeping her alive. Alex should be happy but she of all people knew that alive wasn’t always the best thing. Whatever this dragon had planned, it wouldn’t turn out well for her in the long run. She might even end up wishing she was dead.

  Aside from the hatred though, she had also seen desire. She was sure of it. Pretty sure at any rate. For once in her life, she was thankful she had inherited her mother’s good looks. This face, this body, these breasts.

  Her looks came in handy when picking up the odd man to use for sex, otherwise, she hated it about herself. No one took you seriously when you had a pair of E-cups on your chest. She’d been handed a business card more than once over the years. Did she want to model? Would she be interested in auditioning for a movie? Never for anything that involved her brain. People immediately assumed she was an airhead. Even though she worked twice as hard as her counterparts, she still wasn’t taken seriously. Not by the organization, not by her peers and certainly not by him. Her father. Never by him.

  The shifter squirmed, drawing in a deeper breath. He grimaced, then pulled her closer against him before breathing heavily once again. Her breasts mashed against his side. Her body was flush against his. His hand tight on her hip.

  She watched with fascination as his dick turned hard, jutting up from his body. He didn’t have any hair anywhere, including there. It somehow made his member look even bigger. Human men were certainly not this well-endowed. Again, the drawings she’d seen of shifters were right on the money where the size of their member was concerned.

  “Why are you staring at my cock?” his voice was soft.

  “Why is it hard?”

  “I already told you why.” He let her go. “And it’s none of your business. As long as you know it has fuck all to do with you.”

  Yeah right! She would put it to a morning erection—which happened—but in this case, he’d only gone hard when he’d snuggled up to her.

  That was why she didn’t believe him. Alex was about to do one thing she had never done in her life. She was going to use her looks to get her what she needed. Desperate times called for desperate measures. There had been times when she could have used her looks to get ahead. To catch a break. But she’d never been able to do it. She wanted to succeed on her own merit. To prove to everyone, especially her father, that she could damn well do it.

  Yet, here she was, trapped for the time being, it seemed, with a shifter who both hated and desired her. At some point—sooner rather than later—he was going to take her back to his people. They were going to want answers to questions she couldn’t possibly answer. She knew what she would do in a situation like that. The kind of action she would take.

  Torture. Maiming. Make a person bleed until they talked. You could keep someone going for weeks…months even. Break them! The dragons most certainly had a stomach for it. They lusted for blood. Particularly slayer blood. They’d revel in the slow spilling of it. Revel in her agony. She had a couple of days to sway him. It looked like she would need to use the one weapon she had at her disposal. Her body. She would need to win him over to save herself. She only hoped it worked. That his hate wouldn’t override his lust.

  “What are you planning, slayer? I don’t like that look on your face.”

  “What?” She shook her head. “No…nothing…”

  “Bullshit!”

  She swallowed thickly. “I need to pee again. That’s all.” She shrugged.

  The first time she’d seen him look at her—in that way—had been when she was peeing
. Maybe dragons were into kinky shit. Right then, she didn’t care. She needed to seduce him, whether he liked it or not. She needed to get on his good side and then find a way to escape. Use him for that as well.

  He groaned, rolling his eyes. “You’re a serious pain in the ass.”

  “I can’t help it. When you got to go, you got to go.” She widened her eyes.

  “You stay where I can see you. Like before.” He grimaced again as he moved into a sitting position, clutching the wound on his upper belly. She noticed his cock was still erect. Maybe not quite as hard as before, but still impressive.

  “I can’t believe you’re still insisting on watching.” Although she was thrilled that he wanted her to stay where he could see her—it made it easier to seduce him—she pretended to be put out. If she didn’t push back, he might smell a rat.

  “Stay where I can keep an eye on you or hold it in! Your choice!”

  “Not much of a choice.”

  “Tough luck!”

  “Fine.” She walked over to the same place as before. Stones dug into her bare feet, so she walked carefully. “You don’t need to be so testy.”

  “You didn’t just say that? You shoot me and then expect me to…what? Be nice to you? You can go to hell!” His expression was stony. His eyes hard.

  “You don’t have to keep pointing it out. What happened, happened. It’s in the past. We’re stuck together—I’m assuming—for the foreseeable future, so we can, at least, be cordial to one another.”

  He snorted. “Fuck that! You have a screw loose if you think I’m going to be cordial to you, slayer. You should feel lucky that I haven’t tied you up, gagged you and left you to suffer. I should! If you carry on, I might.”

  She pushed out a breath. It seemed she was walking a thin line there. “Okay, fine. You don’t need to be cordial to me.”

  “Damn straight.” He muttered something which sounded like slayer bitch.

  “My name is Alex, by the way.”