by Anna Lowe
Connor, of course, made it look like child’s play. One little step and he was gliding gracefully away.
It is easy, her dragon insisted.
Jenna closed her eyes, concentrating on the flow of wind over her outstretched wings. The sensation made sense to her rewired mind, but when she overthought things…
She froze like a diver who’d ventured to the edge of a too-high board.
You got this, Jenna, Connor called.
I can do this. I can do this… she tried.
Just go, already, her dragon barked. Hop.
The beast must have pulled a sneaky move, shifting her weight just enough to make her lose her balance because a moment later—
“Oh!” she yelped, toppling over the cliff.
Ugly images flashed through her mind as she spiraled toward the rocks. Her father, who’d be so sad to hear of her senseless death. Her niece, whom she’d never see grow up. Connor, kneeling beside her grave, weeping into his hands, and a gravestone that said, She failed.
Oh, for goodness’ sake, her dragon muttered. Open your eyes.
Jenna snapped them open, prepared to see a blur before blacking out into death. But her field of vision was solid blue, like the ocean she was soaring over.
She blinked a few times. Soaring? As in, gracefully?
Gracefully, her dragon huffed. Just leave it to me.
She stared. She was flying a good sixty feet above sea level, gliding smoothly down toward the surface, then leveling out. Staying under the radar, so to speak, by flying a few feet above the tiny morning waves. The trade winds had been napping all night, so the Pacific was quiet, barely moving except for the light swell.
Perfect! Connor cheered, swooping over to glide off her right wing.
I did it! she squealed.
The wind rushed under her wings and along her tail, cooling and lifting at the same time. Her feet tucked tightly against her body, and her neck stretched long, keeping her streamlined the way she did when surfing out of the barrel of a long, rolling wave. Silver sparkles bounced off the ocean, showing her the way.
Woo-hoo, she cheered, swiveling around to dip one wingtip then the other. Look at me!
Connor laughed. Where else would I look, my mate?
Her dragon preened at that and started showing off with subtle little moves Jenna observed rather than controlled.
Watch this, her dragon murmured, sweeping into a barrel roll. Her snout pointed forward, but her whole body swiveled around it, doing a complete turn. And she didn’t stop there, rolling another quarter turn until she was sideways to Connor.
Oh, I like that, his dragon rumbled, turning at the same time.
They flew on in an erotic, belly-to-belly aerial move that made her dragon hum with pleasure. Blurry images of rolling in bed with Connor rushed through her mind, and Jenna had to take a deep breath to put them on pause. She could act on those urges when she got her man back on land. For now, she had to concentrate on flying.
When they broke apart, Connor swooped over, around, and under her. My mate, the gesture announced to the world. No one comes close. No one touches her but me.
My mate, Jenna crooned, wishing she could trumpet that message all over the state.
When Connor rose, she followed, feeling ever more peaceful. The human world and all its troubles seemed further and further away, and the dangers of the shifter world even more remote — especially with Draig’s yacht gone from the anchorage in the distance. A yacht she never wanted to see again, even if she and Connor ever did cash in on any part of Draig’s vast holdings.
Good riddance, her dragon snorted and sidled closer to Connor’s side.
They’d started out on a beeline toward the low pyramid of Lanai, then curved gradually toward the hulk of Molokai.
Someday, when you’re ready, we’ll fly over the islands together, Connor said. The cliffs and waterfalls of Molokai are amazing at night.
She couldn’t even formulate an answer except for thinking what a privilege that would be. Tourists with cash to burn might buzz over the neighboring islands on helicopter tours, but to glide over those sights in the sheer silence of night, and on her own wings…
Wow, she whispered, picturing it. That would be great. Then she laughed and added, Wait a minute. This is already great.
Connor chuckled. It is pretty great.
Slowly, they curved through every point of the compass until they were headed back to Maui. The rising sun was hidden behind the island’s tall peaks, but its light was streaming through the Central Valley in thick, golden rays. All too soon, she and Connor would have to land and hide from prying human eyes. Of course, that meant they could go back to bed and work off the thrill of flying in other fun ways. Then they could nap, eat, and be ready to set out on their next flying adventure the second it grew dark.
Connor laughed, reading her mind. Good thing we have the whole day off, huh?
A damn good thing. When she and Connor had just bonded, the others had reworked their schedules to treat them to a week off — a honeymoon, so to speak. After that, they’d both dived back into work — Connor as co-alpha of the Koakea clan, and she in her new surfboard-shaping partnership with her sister, Surf Chique. She’d been working six days a week to make up for lost time, but today was a day off. And that meant…
We have all day, she hummed as they flew along.
Life didn’t get better than that. Connor had won his place in his clan, and she had the fresh new start she needed, too.
The higher the sun rose, the lower they kept to the wave tops. Little splashes kicked up from time to time, spraying her wingtips.
Feels good, her dragon sighed.
It did feel good. Good enough for a dip.
The idea flitted through her mind, quick as a sparrow. She looked down into the ocean. A dip would feel great.
Yes, her dragon agreed. Just a little swim.
She looked at the horizon. They had a few minutes left. Why not give it a try? Draig was dead and gone, and turning into a shifter had definitely stirred something in her mermaid blood. She’d been swimming, diving, and surfing every day.
She thought it over, trying to calculate out the mechanics of diving from mid-flight.
Trust me, her dragon rumbled in a dangerously determined voice. Trust me.
After one more minute of deliberating, she finally gave in and called to her mate.
Hey, Connor.
He craned his long, dragon neck around and shot her a toothy dragon grin. Yeah?
Watch this.
A second later, Connor yelled, and she nearly did too. But hers was more a yelp of glee, because her dragon knew exactly what to do. She folded her wings tightly against her sides, threw her head forward, and dove.
Whee! her dragon hollered as she plunged into the sea.
A stream of bubbles followed her under, making her feel rocket-fast. And even when the momentum of the dive ended, the bubbles continued, because she knew instinctively how to kick, flap her wings, and churn her tail for maximum effect. She slipped through the water, as sleek and streamlined as a dolphin. As agile as a fish. As at home in the water as…as…
A sea dragon, that inner voice crowed.
She jerked to a stop, making the water roll and foam. She held up a wing. It wasn’t stumpy like Draig’s, but it was thicker than Connor’s, now that she looked. And her tail was longer, too.
Cool. I’m a sea dragon. She grinned.
Then it hit her. Sea dragons were bad, like Draig. Why would she want to be like him?
Not like Draig. Like me, her dragon insisted, zooming away again and showing off another impossibly tight turn.
Then she remembered what Cynthia had said. There were some famous sea dragons who did good deeds. Even a great sea dragoness.
Oh, I like that, Tessa had said. A kick-ass she-dragon who can fly and swim.
Jenna let out a shocked cough of bubbles. Could she be a kick-ass she-dragon who could fly and swim?
Ha.
Watch.
Her dragon shot forward and turned in a spiral until she was dizzy. Then, with a sharp contortion of her core muscles, she twisted and zoomed off the other way. A short distance later, she spun around and torpedoed into the depths before snapping around and speeding for the surface.
Watch this, her dragon taunted.
She exploded out of the water, curved gracefully through the air, and dove back in with nary a splash. All in all, she was airborne just long enough to hear Connor’s frantic yell.
Jenna?
She splashed to the surface, chagrined. Poor Connor. For all he knew, she’d been attacked again.
Sorry! I’m fine.
What the hell are you doing? he boomed, hovering over her.
She paused, not quite sure what to say. Luckily, Connor spoke first.
“Wait a second. Do that again.”
Before she could even think about it, her dragon dove, eager to show off her tricks. She spiraled, turned, and breached out of the water, rising high enough to clear Connor before splashing down again.
A long-forgotten memory welled up out of nowhere, one of her father — or was that her mother? — holding her over the incoming surf at Seal Beach, back when she was tiny. She’d kicked at the waves with her tiny feet and squealed with glee. The kind of unbridled, unfiltered joy that grew rarer and rarer as she’d grown up. As a dragon, though, she felt it all over again.
Sea dragon, Connor breathed.
Her joy fled, replaced by fear. What if Connor hated that about her? What if she repulsed him?
But a second later, he broke out into a huge grin. A sea dragon. Holy shit, Jenna. I knew you were amazing, but… Wow. Is there anything you can’t do?
Live without you, she said without thinking. Then she looked around. Also, I’m not sure I can take off from the surface.
Connor laughed so hard, he nearly fell in.
Of course, I can take off from here, her dragon sniffed.
She pictured herself splashing and kicking like an albatross and decided to quit while she was ahead.
Hang on, she told Connor. Then she dove once more, built up some speed, and sped back up into the air with enough momentum to stay airborne.
Sorry, she said, shaking the water from her wings.
Connor fell into formation off her left wing, muttering Amazing again and again.
Jenna grinned and bumped him gently in mid-flight. You know who else is amazing?
He looked at her. Who?
You.
They laughed, free as a couple of kids, all the way back home. Jenna was still laughing when they landed on the ledge and shifted back to human form.
“So how about we—” she started, then froze in her tracks.
“How about we what?” Connor asked in a way that made it perfectly clear what he had in mind. He was in human form again, all man — and hungry for his woman, judging by the heat emanating from his body. His touch made her tingle, and her body yearned for his.
But part of her was still replaying what she’d just done. She about-faced right into Connor’s chest, then peered around him toward the ledge.
“Holy crap. Did I just land here?”
He chuckled. “Sure did.”
All her landings so far had been in wide, open spaces where she had plenty of room. To land on that shallow an area seemed impossible.
Maybe impossible to you, her dragon sniffed.
“Wow,” she whispered, still staring at the cliff.
“Told you you’re amazing.” Connor laughed, hugging her from behind.
She covered his arms with hers and settled back against his chest, humming as his touches ventured away from her belly. Slowly, sensually, he explored her human body.
She closed her eyes, swaying in time to Connor’s movements, playing different options out in her head. Did she want to lead him to the bed and wrap her legs around him there? Or should she turn, kneel, and reward her man with a few tricks of her own? The other day, she’d drawn him over to the rug, gotten down on all fours, and let him rock her from behind, and she sure wouldn’t mind trying that position again.
How about all three? her dragon growled.
Connor laughed, reading her mind. “No need to rush. We’re bonded forever, you know.”
Forever had a new ring to it these days, like a synonym for free. Which, she supposed, was the power of love.
The power of destiny, her dragon whispered.
She tipped her head back and let her mind blur as Connor fluttered kisses over her neck and collarbone. Finally, she let out a lazy laugh. “Wow. It’s morning, but it already feels like a whole day has gone by. Flying, swimming…”
Connor chuckled and spoke in that low, dangerous rumble that never failed to turn her on. “We’re just getting started, my love.”
Her body heated, and she broke into a huge smile. That was true in more ways than one.
Connor scooped her up effortlessly and carried her toward the bed. “Just getting started,” he murmured once again.
* * *
Rebel Dragon is the first of six mesmerizing stories in the Aloha Shifters: Pearls of Desire series. The passion, suspense, and action continues in Book 2, Rebel Bear. In it, burly bear shifter Tim rescues his destined mate — a bride on the run from an overzealous suitor who’ll stop at nothing to capture her, dead or alive. Ready to be swept off to sunny Maui’s suspense-filled shifter side? Get your copy of Rebel Bear today!
The full series was named a FAVORITE SERIES by PNR Lovers! It includes the following titles, each available in ebook, paperback, and audio!
Book 1: Rebel Dragon
Book 2: Rebel Bear
Book 3: Rebel Lion
Book 4: Rebel Wolf
Book 4.5: Rebel Heart
Book 5: Rebel Alpha
These titles are also available in the following box set collections:
Rebel Shifters, Volume 1
Rebel Shifters, Volume 2
Fire Maidens: Billionaires & Bodyguards
Danger lurks over Europe, where a ruthless dragon clan plots to seize power in the grandest, most glamorous cities. The guardians of old have summoned a new generation of shifter heroes to protect the castles, cathedrals, and cobblestoned streets of their ancestral homes — and to seek out the last of the Fire Maidens, women coveted by the dark lords for their royal blood. Those women are absolutely off-limits to the young warriors tasked with protecting them. But destiny, of course, has other ideas…
Fire Maidens: Paris
Fire Maidens: Billionaires & Bodyguards, Book 1
Paris! City of dreams — or shifter nightmares?
Natalie Brewer has come to Paris to live out a dream, not a nightmare. Then a vampire attack exposes her to a whole new side to the City of Lights — and to her own heritage. Before she knows it, she’s swept into a world she never imagined, with gargoyles, werewolves, and dragons who claim she’s descended from a legendary shifter queen. Now her life is in danger, and it’s impossible to know who to trust, other than the mysterious stranger who risks his life for her again and again.
After a decade in the Foreign Legion, all dragon shifter Tristan Chevalier wants is to settle into a civilian life and a new job. His mission: to prove himself to the Guardians of Paris and to protect the city. But all that is threatened when an innocent woman stumbles into his life — and into his heart. Being appointed her bodyguard is a blessing and a curse, because Natalie is absolutely, positively off-limits despite the smoldering desire they both feel. Worse, every shifter in Paris has set their sights on her, from bloodthirsty vampires to power-hungry dragons and jealous rivals. For Tristan, it’s the test of a lifetime, and the outcome will affect the fortunes of an entire city.
Book 1 in Anna Lowe’s FIRE MAIDENS: Billionaires & Bodyguards series
Danger lurks over Europe, where a ruthless dragon clan plots to seize power in the grandest, most glamorous cities. The guardians of old have summoned a new generation of shifter heroes to protect the c
astles, cathedrals, and cobblestoned streets of their ancestral homes — and to seek out the last of the Fire Maidens, women coveted by the dark lords for their royal blood. Those women are absolutely off-limits to the young warriors tasked with protecting them. But destiny, of course, has other ideas…
Chapter One
There’s no such thing as vampires. No such thing as vampires…
It didn’t matter how often Natalie whispered those words to herself. One look at the man at the table by the window made her blood run cold. His teeth were perfectly normal, and yet she kept imagining them extending into fangs. But that was crazy, right?
“Are you going to check on him, or am I?” the woman behind the serving counter asked.
Natalie steeled her nerves, pasted on a stiff smile, and walked over to the new “guest,” as the homeless people at the soup kitchen were called. Usually, she loved interacting with guests. Each had his or her own story, their own unique character. Plus, they were patient with her imperfect French, and she’d gained incredible insights into life in Paris from volunteering there. In some ways, it was a lot like the soup kitchen she’d volunteered at back home in Philadelphia.
But vampires? No thanks.
She glanced at the man by the window. Wasn’t it time to get over her overactive imagination and help the poor man?
The thing was, he didn’t seem the least bit poor. Not with that tailored suit, sophisticated cologne, and manicured nails. But there was no telling who was down on his luck in Paris these days, and this section of the Latin Quarter was a real mix.
She walked over, trying to quell her nerves. Then she pasted on a smile and welcomed him in French. “Good evening. How are you?”
Usually, it was easy to offer the warm smile and few minutes of chitchat that many of the guests craved. But with this man…
He took her in with cold, appraising eyes that seemed intent on sucking the heat right out of her body…or her blood.
Cut that out, she ordered herself.
Often, the biggest trick at Solidarité du Coeur was guessing whether a guest was struggling to get by, truly homeless, or a freeloader, like the occasional backpacker who came through. But with this man, Natalie’s mind kept sliding over to a different question: human or vampire?
