Blood Dragon

by Charlene Hartnady

  Bay fisted his cock. He paused for a moment, considering not going through with it all over again. Fuck it! He had to know. With a sigh, he began to work his dick using slow, easy strokes.

  He closed his eyes and pictured the vampire. So damned sexy. Bay stroked a little quicker. He’d taken her in a multitude of different positions. With her tight as fuck ass in the air. Watching her ride him was certainly something to behold. Her breasts could not be considered big, but they still jiggled and bounced each time she sat on his cock. Her pink nipples tight. Her moans like music to his ears. Her pussy had been tight and the prettiest pink. She—

  Bay looked down. There was a tightness in his belly. Need coursing through his veins. He knew the feeling well. His dick was no longer completely flaccid but it was a long way from being hard. He knew if he carried on, it would bring him nothing but frustration. Somehow, he had known this would be the case. He’d known. How had it been possible with the vampire? Would it be possible with any vampire or just her? Frustration and disappointment ate at him.

  He washed his hands, brushed his teeth and then hurriedly dressed into the undersized garments. Thankfully, he’d showered earlier. The jeans fit him around his waist but fell to well above his ankles. The t-shirt was snug around his chest and biceps. Bay didn’t give a shit. It wasn’t important.

  He pulled in a deep breath and walked out into the other room. Beck jumped up off the sofa, his brows raised, a look of expectation on his face.

  Bay shook his head and watched it turn to one of pity.

  Chapter 5

  One month later…

  “You need to be sure to take these every day.” Ceri handed the medication to the female.

  Chantel nodded and took the box. “I will.”

  “You can’t forget, not even once.”

  Chantel swallowed thickly, her eyes wide. “I know.”

  “You are now sexually active. If you forget to take your birth control, if you skip even one pill, then you will need to use condoms…human coverings. Here…” She dug in her drawer, taking out two boxes.

  Chantel smiled. “I have a ton of those things at home. And a couple in my purse.” She rooted around in the leather bag, pulling out a strip of condoms. “See?”

  “You can never have enough,” Ceri warned. “Abstinence is the best prevention…” Ceri saw the look on the other woman’s face. “If you are unable to do that then you need to be careful. Ideally, double up on contraceptives.”

  “The males don’t like it when you insist they wear a condom.”

  “Tough shit!” Ceri felt her blood boil. “They don’t have to deal with the consequences. Trust me, if they want to rut, they’ll be willing to do what it takes.”

  Chantel nodded. “You’re right.”

  “Of course I am.” Ceri pushed out a breath. She reached out and took the other female’s arm. “I’ve seen females die. I’ve been there and felt helpless to stop it. Out of the seven females, we only managed to save one. Her baby died in the end, they all did.” She felt a lump rise in her throat.

  Chantel nodded, looking shell-shocked.

  “I’m not telling you this to shock you…okay, maybe I am and to scare you a little. You have to remember to take your birth control every day, and you can’t let these males bully you. Your life is at stake here. Either you refrain, or you be responsible, there is no other option.”

  “There is one.” Chantel held up a finger and cocked her head. “I could have the surgery.”

  “You would need to think long and hard before going that route. It isn’t reversible.” Ceri felt her chest tighten. “You are too young to be contemplating something so life-changing.”

  “Did you have the surgery? I heard somewhere in passing that you had.”

  Ceri was just on the cusp age-wise. Some females were clearly old enough to have definitely gone under the knife while others were far too young. Ceri was at that questionable age. The coven was big, but not big enough. Everyone was in everyone else’s business. It was at times like this that she was acutely aware of that fact. She nodded. “Yes, I had the surgery and I’m going to urge you to think carefully before doing something so drastic.”

  “Do you regret it?”

  “I didn’t have a choice so,” she shrugged, “there is nothing to regret.”

  “Yeah, but do you wish things could be different?”

  Ceri pushed out a breath. It was hard talking about this. The last time she had, she’d been with the dragon shifter. What a night that had been. Again, not something to think on right then. She nodded. “I do regret it. I would give anything to be able to go back and change things. You are lucky you have a choice.”

  “I do have a choice but like you said, having sex is risky.” She shrugged. “Maybe I should consider—”

  “No!” Ceri held up a hand. “You are far too young to even consider it. You would never be able to have young. Never ever, can you comprehend that?”

  “I couldn’t have young now, so what’s the point?” Chantel blurted.

  “You can’t have a child with a vampire male, no,” Ceri shook her head, “but possibly with one of the shifters.” She raised her brows.

  Chantel pushed out a breath. “I don’t think that is something that would interest me.”

  “You say that now, but things might change. You change as you get older, trust me. Not being able to have children never used to bug me much. It does now. Very much so. Give it a couple of years and you might change your mind.”

  “The kings keep talking of a program to bring our females and the shifter males together and yet it hasn’t happened. It might never happen. There is too much animosity between the alphas and the kings.”

  “Far too much testosterone.” Ceri smiled. “It could happen at some point though. Maybe not today and maybe not tomorrow, but sometime in the future. Point being, you could have young one day. It is in your grasp.” Unlike her. Pain blossomed in her chest but she pushed it away, concentrating on the conversation.

  Chantel nodded. “You’re right.”

  “Be careful, that’s all.”

  Chantel nodded again. She picked up the box of pills and then looked back at Ceri. “I will. I’ll make them wear condoms as well.”

  “Good.” Ceri smiled at the young female. “You do that.”

  “Thank you, healer. I appreciate it.”

  “You are most welcome,” Ceri said, standing as the female did the same. “I will see you in a couple of months, unless you need help with anything.”

  Chantel turned to leave.

  There was a knock at the door.

  “Come in.”

  Drago stuck his head around the jamb, a grin plastered to his face. He sobered when he saw Chantel. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were still busy.” He turned his wrist, looking at his watch. “I thought you would be done by now.”

  “I am, Chantel was just leaving.” Ceri glanced at the female who was blushing profusely. A reaction to Drago, for sure. The male was too good-looking for his own good. Females fell over their feet whenever he was near.

  Thank fang she was immune, on account of them growing up together. He was more of a brother to her. Seeing him as anything other than that would be just plain nasty. It was funny watching Chantel though. The female knocked into Ceri’s desk as she headed to the door, then giggled, finally waving as she left. Her cheeks a bright red.

  “What’s up?” Ceri asked, stacking some files. Trying to neaten her disaster of a desk.

  “Thought you might want to,” he shrugged, “head to Aorta this evening.”

  Ceri slumped her shoulders, feeling tired at the mere thought of going to the nightclub.

  “Really? You’re going to drop me again. You never want to do anything anymore. It’s all work, work, work.”

  “And with you, it’s all play, play, play.” She laughed at the look on Drago’s face.

  “Bullshit! I work plenty hard enough.”

  She nodded, having to concede.
Not only was Drago handsome, he had brains and plenty of brawn too. Not nearly as much as the dragon— Why did she keep thinking about the shifter? Sure, they’d had a fun night together, but it was done and dusted. It should never have happened in the first place. Chantel had been right, the rifts between the species were still solidly in place. They didn’t even know much about the dragon shifters, save that they were strong beyond measure. That they lived somewhere remote and unknown. That they didn’t mix with other species as a rule. That was it. She had been right to leave the way she did, instead of finding out more about him. Ceri had wanted to know more. There had been questions buzzing around in her head. She’d even told him about not being able to have children. Ceri didn’t normally talk about that. She’d been tempted to tell him her real name as well.

  “Hello!” Drago waved a hand in front of her face. “Are you still in there?”

  Oh shit! She had totally zoned out. “Yes.” She nodded. “I’m just a little tired.” Ceri yawned. Just talking about being tired made her feel tired.

  “You need to get out and you need a good rut,” Drago stated, quite matter-of-factly.

  She shook her head. “Don’t start on me.” He’d been at her the whole of last week.

  “I mean it.” Drago narrowed his eyes into hers. “You need sex and blood and lots of them both.”

  She hadn’t felt much like drinking from anyone. Blood was bland and tasteless after…him…the dragon…Bay. Not that she had been able to actually consume much of his blood. It had been too much. An overload to her system. Addictive it would seem. Since blood didn’t hold appeal now, neither did sex. What was the point? “I’m fine,” she announced.

  “You are not fine.” He narrowed his eyes. “I mean, look at you.” He waved a hand in her general direction. “You’ve lost weight. You hardly drink, you haven’t rutted since you got back from vacation. You have dark circles under your eyes. You look like shit.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  Drago chuckled. “Don’t get me wrong, you’re still gorgeous. You could have your pick of the males tonight. Come with me, dammit. Have some fun! Let your hair down. You’ll get a whole lot further in breaking this depression you’re in.”

  “I’m not depressed!” How absurd! Ceri just felt tired. She wanted blood alright but not from anyone in the coven. She wanted dragon blood. She needed to stop this! Going out with Drago would be the perfect way to do just that. What was one night? She was on the verge of agreeing to go when she realized she was being silly. She’d hate it at Aorta. Ceri didn’t want to go. She shook her head. “No, thanks! Maybe next time.” She was sure that given time, she would get over herself.

  “You said that last time.”

  “I mean it this time.”

  “Why don’t I believe you?” He pushed his hands into his pockets.

  “No idea.”

  “Because you keep saying ‘next time’. You say it all the time lately. What the heck happened to you?” He took a seat, placing his foot on her desk.

  “Careful!” She moved the stack of files away from his huge boot. He’d asked her this half a dozen times in the last month. Ceri sighed. “I told you—”

  “If you say ‘nothing’ I’ll…I’ll—”

  “You’ll what?” She rolled her eyes.

  “I won’t believe you, that’s what.” He sounded exasperated. “What happened? Ever since you got back from vacation you’ve been…different.”

  It was true. She was different. It felt like she’d become addicted to another species’ blood. A species that wasn’t reachable. A species her kings would not allow her to associate with. Forget that! Brant would have a shit fit if he ever found out she’d rutted a dragon, and that was putting it mildly. “Nothing happened.” She tried to be forceful but failed.

  “I know something happened and I wish you’d just tell me already so that we can fix it.”

  There was no fixing it. There was working through it, and that was on her, and on her alone. She didn’t want to get Drago into any kind of trouble. “I’m fine.” She reached over and gripped the side of his bicep. “I promise. There is just so much to do around here. Being a healer is not considered fashionable.”

  “Yeah, yeah, it’s just you and a few of the elders. Not many of you, I know. You should look at trying to recruit more females.”

  She pushed out a breath. “Why does a healer have to be a female?”

  He made a face. “You know I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “I don’t know what you meant. You do realize that males would make good healers as well?”

  “Absolutely.” He nodded vigorously.

  Ceri narrowed her eyes at him and whacked him on the side of his arm. “I mean it. That kind of thinking is sexist.”

  Drago dragged his boot off of the desk and used his arms to pretend to ward her off. “Don’t hurt me.” He grinned all the while.

  Yeah, right! Like she could hurt him. An Elite. One of The Ten. He was full of shit. She laughed. He soon joined in. Drago sobered. “Look, if you say you’re fine, then I have to respect that. You need to know that I’m here if you need anything though, okay?”

  “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

  Drago stood up and enveloped her in a hug. “I mean it.”

  “I know.”

  He squeezed her tighter before letting her go.

  Chapter 6

  “Take a seat,” Torrent grumbled, not looking up from his computer.

  Bay did as he was commanded, watching as his king continued to type using only two fingers. It was painstakingly slow. Bay had to stop himself from fidgeting. From offering to help. He didn’t dare though. He had a bad feeling about this meeting. By the way that Torrent was frowning, he was sure his gut was right on the money as well.

  Bay had to work not to flinch when the Water king finally slammed his laptop shut. The male turned narrowed eyes on him. “What is going on with you?” he growled. Thankfully, Torrent didn’t give him a chance to answer. In truth, Bay wasn’t sure what he would say if he had. “You are screwing up at every turn.” He pushed out a breath. “I know you are new at this role. I don’t think you were…prepared for it. I’ll admit that I threw you straight into deep water. You can’t be blamed for that, but these are careless errors.” He ran a hand through his hair, squeezing the back of his neck. “You sent one of the scouting teams into a ‘no go’ zone. They were almost spotted by hunters.”

  “I know. I screwed up the coordinates. Sent them west instead of east.” Bay looked down at his lap for a second or two. “I don’t want to make excuses, but—”

  “Then don’t!” Torrent all but yelled. “You took a male to task for not arriving for his shift when it was his day off. The list goes on. Stupid mistakes that make you look like a fool, not capable, and in turn it makes me look like a fool for appointing you to this role.”

  “My apologies, sire. I will be more diligent going forward.”

  “You had better, or I will be forced to make changes I’m not ready to make.” Torrent shook his head. “I do not want to reinstate Flood. Maybe at some point in the future but not right now.” It was made clear to him from the start that this was a temporary role. “Beck was just as much at fault. He disobeyed direct orders and that cannot be tolerated. I need you to step up and take charge for me. We are in dangerous and troubled times, I can’t talk about it right now but…there are plans in motion. I require a strong leader. One who I can trust.”

  “I am the right male for the job.” Under normal circumstances that would have been true. Right then, not so much. He needed to pull himself together!

  “I hope so. Tide is…unavailable at present, particularly if there are trips involved.”

  “What kind of trips?” Bay frowned.

  “I’m not ready to discuss it yet,” Torrent growled. “Get your act together.”

  “Yes, sire.” Again, Bay bowed his head for a moment. “You can count on me.”

  Torrent nodded once, opened his
computer and went back to typing. Bay took that as a sign that he had been dismissed. “Thank you, sire.” In truth, he was sure he had been about to be demoted. He was lucky…this time. Bay stood up and left, closing the door behind him.

  Tide was standing just outside. The male winced as they locked eyes. “I couldn’t help but overhear. Are you okay? Is there something I can help you with?”

  “No, I’m fine. I’m still trying to get the hang of things, that’s all.”

  Tide held his gaze for a while. “You seemed to be doing just fine. You were new to the role but managing, and then you went on the Stag Run. Things seemed to fall apart after that. Did something happen?”

  “No!” Bay blurted a little too quickly. “Nothing happened.” He folded his arms. “I mean, what could possibly have happened? Nothing that’s what.” He forced himself to shut the hell up.

  Tide shook his head. “I don’t know what could have happened. All I know is, you’re acting like something did. Was it a female? I want to help you.”

  Bay shook his head. He didn’t want anyone else to know what had gone down. Beck knew he had rutted someone, but that was it. No-one knew how much he was obsessing over this female. How he couldn’t sleep. How if he did he would wake up in cold sweats. On the verge of coming and ‒ at the same time ‒ waking to the realization that finding completion would not be possible. It was frustrating as hell. How had it been possible?

  How?

  Could it happen again?

  He also thought about her, not just the sex. Her eyes. Her smile. What was her name? It was the one thing about her that drove him to complete distraction. He had to know her name. So simple and yet—

  “Look,” Tide said, bringing him back from his reverie. The male looked up and down the hall. Bay did the same, noting they were alone. “It looks like you’ll be going on a mission soon. Torrent is trying to pull me in on it, but I can’t go. I have a private matter I need to attend to. He’s expressed concern over taking you. He can’t take Beck because it would mean undermining you, his defense leader.”