Bad Dragons: Special Edition Complete Series

by Terry Bolryder

  What happened here?

  We begin to head down toward land, and I see a small cottage come into view on a small grassy lot with a little white fence around it. The cottage has pink gables and a little chimney like something from a fairy tale.

  When we’re close to the ground, I’m dropped onto the grass, just barely able to land on my feet and retain balance, though I fall to one knee shortly after.

  Then I sit on the grass, looking around and trying to catch my breath.

  Where am I, and how do I get my dragons to come find me?

  The golden dragon lands, and after a veil of sparkles falls over him, he’s revealed in his human form.

  And his human form is… absolutely beautiful.

  Even compared to the other dragons, looking at this man makes me catch my breath.

  He’s lightly tan in that natural way that makes skin glow healthily. His thick hair is shaved on the sides, short and tousled on top. But even short, it gleams in various shades of blond, from honey to rich gold, framing his face perfectly.

  His eyes are round with long lashes over stunning, molten-gold irises that are just slightly less bright than his dragon eyes. His body…

  Oh God, that body.

  He’s wearing only a black tank top with cargo shorts, and I can see so much of his form.

  Wide, muscled shoulders that round into substantial, tanned biceps. Perfect, ropey forearms. Tight waist, bulging pecs, slim hips, and I’m sure a perfectly squeezable ass.

  He cocks his head at me, looking disturbed.

  I guess he doesn’t need to read my thoughts to know what I’m thinking.

  “No,” he says, folding his arms and making the muscles all over him bulge in a delicious way that makes my knees weak. “But it does make it easier.”

  “Don’t read them,” I murmur, knowing it’s pretty pointless when even I can almost hear my own thoughts aloud.

  He’s a Greek god, sculpted like a statue, standing at least six and a half feet.

  He looks like he could have anything. Like he demands the world to bend around him. So what could he possibly want with me?

  A muscle ticks in that impossibly sharp jaw that looks like it could cut paper.

  “I think this will be easier than we thought, Van,” he says.

  Van?

  The ground shakes as the dragon that carried me lands, still invisible, and then with a shimmering veil, a man appears.

  If anything, he’s the polar opposite of the man I just saw, though he’s intriguing in his own way.

  He’s tall but slightly shorter than the blond man. He’s wearing a black trench coat, belted at the waist, that goes all the way to the ground.

  His hair is long and looks tangled. It’s dark, and the length is uneven, as though it’s never been cut.

  His face is gaunt, and there are circles under his eyes, which just happen to be beautiful. Almond-shaped and wide with large irises that are between purple and black, sparkling beneath long, curled lashes.

  His face is classically handsome. Straight nose. Hard jaw. High cheekbones.

  But he’s pale, and he looks like he never sleeps.

  When he walks forward, his hair falls over his face and shoulders, shading him from my view.

  I take a step back as a small shiver forces itself through me.

  These men may be beautiful, like all dragons are, but I don’t know if they mean to hurt me.

  “No,” the one with dark hair says, putting his hands in the pockets of his long, dark coat. “Not if we don’t have to, Anna.”

  The blond man looks over at him. “What do you want to do now?”

  The dark-haired one looks at the sky. “I guess they aren’t coming. Your shield must have been enough for us to get away.”

  “Seth knows how to find us, eventually,” the blond says, walking toward me and grabbing me by the arm. His grip is gentle but firm, brooking no refusal, and I let him pull me up the steps to the door to the house. “We just have to win over the dragon heart before he does.”

  I blink. “Win me over?”

  The blond jerks the door open with a grunt and gently pushes me inside. Then he goes back to his friend, who is standing in the middle of the field and swaying, staring at nothing.

  “Hey, Van?” The blond snaps his fingers a couple times in the dark-haired man’s face. “Hey. Hey!”

  At that, the dark-haired man shakes his head, walking forward as if he hadn’t just been standing there in what looked like a trance.

  The whole thing makes me even more uncomfortable.

  But one thing I know is that none of the dragons so far have hurt me. I’m getting the idea that it’s in their best interest if they don’t, so I might be safe even after being kidnapped.

  “You’re safe,” the blond one says, walking past me into the living room and slumping on the couch. He pats the seat next to him, but I just stare at it. “Come on. I don’t bite. Well, not unless you ask nicely.”

  I just stare at him because his face is so handsome that sometimes it’s hard to move.

  His perfect pink lips pull up into a smirk. “She likes what she sees, Van. This will be easy.”

  Van, as the dark-haired one must be called, is muttering to himself as he walks into what is probably the kitchen, though I can’t see it from where I am.

  I wrap my arms around myself and rub slowly, trying to bring myself into the present after everything that has happened so fast.

  “You kidnapped me,” I say to the blond. “Why?”

  “My name’s Byron,” he says calmly. “And we kidnapped you for the same reason any of the other dragons want to be in your presence. Because bonding with a dragon heart is our only hope.”

  My brows come down, and I wonder if these two know something Griffin doesn’t about how mating could work.

  “It’s an assumption,” Byron says. “Van and I suspect the oracle would make an exception for anyone who protected and mated a dragon heart.”

  I frown, realizing my legs are feeling shaky, my body tired from the effects of adrenaline. “Even if you kidnap me?”

  “Sit down, good God,” Byron says, resting one arm along the back of the couch. His arm is so long. Resting against his muscular chest would be so comfy… but he’s a kidnapper.

  “We did save you too,” Byron says. “Griffin and Rainier were being too careless. None of them understand how to pair up. With Van and me, that won’t be a problem.”

  I glance at the room Van went into because I can still hear him muttering. I’m not sure how much of a partnership this is or if it’s just a case of Byron being in charge.

  “I am used to ruling,” Byron said. “It’s my destiny as the gold dragon.”

  I shake my head. “I didn’t hear anything about that.”

  “Well, I’m special,” he says, resting his head back against the wall. “Like you are, I suppose, though you aren’t much to look at.”

  I just gape at him. “Excuse me?”

  “You could have put on some makeup, put in some effort, considering you have a chance at winning the top dragon pair.”

  I continue to just stare at him blankly because having this kidnapping narcissist insult my looks is the last thing I expected right now. “Sorry to disappoint you,” I say sarcastically.

  “It’s all right,” Byron says. “But you know, if you want to go shower, I’m sure you could clean up all that sufficiently, and being a dragon heart could make up for the rest.”

  As I’m gaping at him, mouth open in shock and indignation that he would even think to insult how I look after almost being blown up and then kidnapped, I feel arms wind around my waist.

  I jump and look up to see Van standing over me. He rests his head on my shoulder, and I don’t think my eyes could be any wider.

  “Don’t listen to him,” Van says in a voice that is deep and smoky like it could tempt a frog to boiling water. I don’t know how he made it here without me even hearing him. A chill crawls up my spine at his to
uch. “He’s just trying to upset you because he thinks it’ll put you in your place.”

  I turn around to shove at him, and he releases me easily.

  He has taken off his long coat and is in a loose tank top and jeans. His skin is pale, but he’s still impressively muscular, and his long black hair gives him a kind of fallen angel, rock star appeal.

  Not that I care about that.

  “I’ll show you to the shower and your room,” Van says, walking to a set of stairs at the edge of the living room. “I think you’ll want to clean up.”

  “Why would I want to clean up to impress kidnappers?” I ask, following him begrudgingly up the stairs because maybe if I have a room of my own, I can be alone for a minute to process.

  And figure out how to get in touch with Seth, Griffin, and Rainier.

  “Don’t worry about them,” Van says, and I notice Byron is following us up the stairs. “You won’t have to mate with any of them. You’re with us now. You’re rescued.”

  I blink as he opens the door to a room at the top of the stairs. When I walk in, I feel like I’m transported back to a model home from the nineties with floral wall trim and mauve carpet. But it’s clean, and the large window looks out at the trees.

  I guess I’ll take it.

  “Some things here were modeled with… less-than-recent references,” Van explains as he shows me a closet with human clothing hanging in it.

  It must be expensive, based on what Griffin paid—

  “It is,” Van says. “But when you work directly with fairies, money isn’t a problem.”

  I jerk my gaze to his. “Fairies? You know them?”

  His dark lashes flutter, and a small smile curves his defined lips. “Yes. Why, do you want to meet them?”

  “Um, what girl doesn’t dream of fairies?”

  Byron lets out a hoarse laugh and earns a glare from Van. “Behave yourself, Byron.”

  Surprisingly, Byron shuts up. So despite Van being a muttering mess, he seems to be the one actually in charge.

  “We are a true partnership,” Van says, and I notice his hands are clenched into fists. “Neither one is in charge of the other.”

  Byron nods. “We came here at nearly the same time and quickly realized it is best if we pair up.”

  I shrug. “Too bad you couldn’t do that at the ceremony.”

  Byron’s eyes narrow to slits of glittering gold. “How do you know about that?”

  “Please,” I say, folding my arms and plopping down on the bed with its ridiculous rose bedspread. “I’ve been in this world for a few days now and spent all my time with dragons. I’ve figured a few things out.”

  “Been told them, you mean,” Van says sardonically.

  “I suppose.”

  “Well, the shower is through there,” he says, gesturing to a room that attaches to mine. “You’ll have privacy unless you give us a reason to take it back from you. So I beg you, dragon heart. Don’t try to escape. This will all be much more pleasant if we just try to understand each other.”

  I nod at him quickly, being careful with my thoughts. I can hopefully think more in the shower.

  These men might be handsome and charming, but they did force me to come here. And they don’t have my best interests at heart, or they wouldn’t have removed me from my friends.

  Still, I know the world here is dangerous, and it wouldn’t be smart for me to go out in it. So for now, the safest place is, ironically, probably here.

  “Fine,” I say. “I’m going to shower. Can you get out of here?”

  “We’ll talk after,” Byron says, and Van nods.

  Then, to my surprise, the two of them leave me alone.

  Compared to Griffin, who pretended he wouldn’t save me from bears, or Rainier, who chained me to a bed, I guess it’s not the worst first impression.

  I lock the bedroom door behind them, aware they can probably just break it down if they want, and push open the door to the bathroom.

  Like the rest of the house, it’s pristine yet oddly dated. The fixtures are gleaming brass, and the shower is glass. The sinks and tub are white porcelain.

  I walk in front of the mirror, and my mouth drops open in shock at my reflection.

  I look like a total wreck. No wonder Byron was rude.

  I’m practically covered in ash and smoke. It brings home just how close I was to getting annihilated. I can still see the panic in Griffin’s eyes.

  I like to think I wouldn’t have actually been hurt, but it was my fault for running in front of their attacks. Why did I do that?

  My cheeks are smudged and dark, my hair is falling out of my pony in limp strings, and everything about me is just discolored. In my hoodie and jeans with gray all over me, I’ve probably never looked worse.

  Still, even when I clean up, I don’t expect much from Byron.

  I walk back into the room and select clothing from the closet. The things here are nicer, and I sigh as I run my hand over a soft green sweater that matches the center of my eyes.

  I select it, along with some black lounge pants and undergarments, and head into the bathroom to shower.

  I clean carefully, and as I soap up my body, it’s hard not to remember Rainier. The amazing way he made my whole body feel.

  Both Griffin and Rainier are so amazing in bed—or outside of it. The type of men that could make any woman melt just because the sex is so good.

  But then I remember I’m a prisoner right now and I don’t have time to fantasize in the shower.

  I finish cleaning and turn off the water, staring at my reflection in relief as I step out of the shower.

  I change into my new clothes and towel off my hair, pinching my cheeks for color. Then I pull my hair back and look myself over.

  Fairly normal, I think. Small nose. Rounded face. The color of my hair sets off my large hazel eyes nicely.

  I’m looking at a girl that is wanted by dragons. The thought sends a little thrill through me, and I realize this world isn’t as bad as I thought.

  I look like I’m actually happy for once.

  Then I think of Gayle and wonder if Lee is helping her. If he is ever going to show up here, or if—

  “Hi there,” a voice calls out.

  I jump back and see Lee in the shower, leaned back against it with folded arms. Then he walks forward, straight through the glass.

  I glare at him as I back into the counter, not wanting to make any sound that could draw Byron or Van.

  I’ve been through a lot since I’ve seen them, and I still have a lot of questions to ask. But the first is…

  “What are you?” I grip the counter behind me. “Are you a ghost? I know Rainier isn’t projecting you like you said he was.”

  Lee just smiles at me and then turns and glides into the bedroom, waiting for me to follow.

  31

  Anna

  As I follow Lee into the bedroom, I can’t help feeling a little creeped out.

  He hasn’t been here to help when I needed him, and I still don’t know what he wants. I’m here with his friends, but am I helping them? I’m not sure.

  Lee is sitting on a chair by the bed as I enter, looking relaxed in a long, dark-blue robe. “How do you know Rainier isn’t projecting me?”

  “Because he didn’t seem to know when you’d be coming or going. I didn’t tell him I’d seen you already, but I can put two and two together. Plus, Rainier told me about the dragon pairing ceremony.”

  Lee crosses his legs slowly, keeping his beautiful, swirling blue eyes pinned on me. “What did he tell you about it?”

  “That you were hurt. That you’re no longer a dragon.”

  Lee’s eyes flare wide at that. “Of course I’m a dragon. How could I heal?”

  “I don’t know,” I say with a shrug, sitting down on the bed across from him. “But Rainier said your group doesn’t have a blue dragon.”

  Lee looks away from me, and for the first time, he seems not totally composed and in control. He seems almos
t… offended. Then his eyes meet mine. “Regardless, how are things going here?”

  I swallow. “But if you aren’t a blue dragon, can you really help my sister?”

  Lee’s gaze is cool. “I told you that would only happen when you met my requests.”

  “I don’t even know what your requests are,” I say.

  “You’ll find out soon enough,” he says, resting his hands on the arms of the chair. “What do you think of Van and Byron?”

  I slump slightly. “How do I know my sister will be okay?”

  “We’re paying her hospice, right?” Lee says, his tone softening slightly. “We’re doing as much for her or more than you could do in your world.”

  “Who is ‘we?’” I ask. “Because I know now that Rainier was only involved in the portal because you asked him.”

  Lee’s dark eyebrows lower. “I was talking about Rainier when I said ‘we.’”

  “Because you two plan to mate me?” I ask.

  “Well, I’m not sure that would work,” he says. “After all, I’m not a full dragon.”

  “But a part dragon?” I ask.

  He hesitates, then nods. “Kind of.”

  “So could I mate with the others?”

  His eyes narrow. “I told you to help them, not fuck them.”

  I bite my lower lip. “I don’t think you said either way.”

  He shrugs, then leans over onto one side of the chair, hanging over the arm. “I don’t think you could mate any pair here, but I’m not sure. Regardless, you shouldn’t.”

  “Then what do you want?”

  “What I’m getting right now,” he says, rolling up the cuffs of his robe’s sleeves.

  “What’s that?”

  “That’s for me to know and you to not worry about,” he says, looking bored.

  “Then why did you even show up?”

  He glances to the side. “I was worried about you. Wanted to make sure things were okay. Wanted you to know things were fine with your sister.”

  I sigh in relief, nodding.

  “And also wanting to make sure you don’t forget why you’re here.”