Dragon Lords Volume 1: BBW Fantasy Romance Bundle

by Lyra Valentine

  Her eyes widened when she caught a glimpse of him. He was larger than she felt. A thrill ran down her spine, and she licked her lips hungrily. He pressed himself against her, and the head glistened with her wetness.

  He reached for her hips and jerked her closer to the edge of the desk. He pressed against her again, then slipped inside. A shaky breath exited her lungs as he pushed forward in one long thrust. He kept his eyes on her again, and the scrutiny built at the flames roaring inside of her.

  Her breath caught as he pushed the final inch. She stretched tight around him. He filled her more than anyone else, and it was incredible. She felt on the edge again, and clenched around him.

  “Stay still,” he rasped. His jaw tightened and she saw his throat bob with a hard swallow. “Gods, your cunt is tight. You’re no maiden, are you?”

  The concern lacing his voice made her heart melt and the buried emotions threaten to surface again. “Of course not. What about you, Dragon Lord?” She purred, and stroked a finger down his jaw.

  He grinned, and rolled his hips into her. At her gasp, he laughed low. “I think not.”

  Without another word, he pulled back and thrust in again. Her vision faded briefly at the movement, and she adjusted to fit him further. Gods, he was intense. She shoved back down hope that this would go on for more than one night. She knew he was doing his duty to riders and crofters. They would be happy if he got her with child, but they ended when he was done with her.

  He rolled his hips into her again and she cried out and the building climax.

  He shifted his position, and planted his hands on the desk around her. Each time he thrust, he pressed into her clit. She gasped at the sensation, and a deep, aching need built in the base of his spine. She closed her eyes, and propped herself on her hands to move against him. Her body tightened around his, and he thrust faster.

  “That’s it,” he told her in soft words. “Wrap your cunt around me. I want to hear you scream.”

  Marnie moaned at his command. He milked everything from her with his deep voice. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, leaving long red marks behind. He thrust hard and fast into her, shattering any modicum of control she had. Her cunt spasmed around his cock in a grip that sent shocks throughout her body. Marnie moaned his name and let ecstasy tumble over her.

  ***

  Dungan grinned at her noises. The waves of her climax tightened her cunt in rhythmic pulses, and she clenched around his cock. He knew he didn’t have long. Not long to keep her in his bed. One night was all he got. The Mating Moon Run was about spreading the dragon rider seed. Perhaps Marnie would carry the future.

  The thought of her carrying his child warmed him even more to her. He thrust forward once, twice more, harder still as he pushed through her silky grip. His body stiffened in her depths, and heat raced down his spine. With one final thrust, he slammed into her and held still. He swore when the final release pulsed inside her.

  He wrapped his arms around her, and buried his face in her neck to catch his breath. She was incredible, just a perfect fit for him. She was a stubborn woman, but one he wanted to figure out how she ticked. She didn’t simper like the others, or expect to be in his bed simply because of her family name.

  If she thought she was getting away from him, she had a surprise coming. He didn’t care how many people he needed to feed to Birro, Marnie would stay by his side. He was the Dragon Lord, and he would keep what he caught.

  Claimed by the Dragon Lord

  The Dragon Lords #2

  Lyra Valentine

  Caught by the Dragon Lord, Marnie Allaway spent a night in his bed and craved much more. She is disappointed when he sends someone else to get rid of her. Instead of presenting her with the traditional goodbye gift of jewelry, she’s handed a red dress and a sword.

  Rather than let her go, Dungan calls for Teind, a human tithe to the Dragon Lord. Only after she proves her worth by fighting to mount his dragon will he claim her as his woman.

  But he must do it in front of his council of dragon riders and crofters.

  Chapter One

  “Marnie Allaway cannot be your wife!”

  A chorus of ayes rang around the table. Dungan resisted the urge to unsheathe his sword and lop the heads off all his objectors. Instead, he steepled his fingers and eyed each man one by one.

  The ranked dragon riders and the heads of the crofts owing allegiance to Castle Sherwin alternated seating at the table. Most nursed hangovers from their time in the castle yesterday. They drank hard, and prepared their sons for their own Mating Moon Run scheduled for that afternoon. He was surprised to see Marnie’s father, Gregory Allaway, seated at the table. He had never cared to be present at the council, and had always allowed another clan to represent their croft. It only took his daughter to lure the old man away from his home and drink.

  “Dragon riders must wed other dragon riders, or have you forgotten?”

  The voice of dissent this time was Boyd McAlister. Next to him, his younger brother Graeme nodded. Unlike the other crofts, the McAlister clan controlled all the land. They were the most prosperous of clan and croft, and many dragon riders had McAlister blood in their veins. There were rumors that Timothy intended to name Boyd his successor. That all changed when Dungan challenged the old Dragon Lord.

  Dungan eyed Boyd coolly. Graeme may believe he held sway over his clan, but everyone really listened to Boyd. Other crofters and riders considered the stare down with unease. Boyd never held his opinions to himself, and challenging Dungan’s knowledge of the law just about crossed a line. But only just.

  “Being the youngest here to ever bond with a dragon, I can say no, I have not forgotten.” Dungan said quietly. It rankled Boyd that he had only bonded with his dragon after being chosen during a Mating Moon Run. After spending a night with a dragon rider during the Run, the chosen was allowed to pass by the eggs one more time. It was a last resort for many, and only a handful bonded during those times. The majority of dragon riders were chosen as children, and Dungan had been the youngest. He felt closer to the dragon riders than to what remained of his own family.

  “Then you should know it’s impossible.” Boyd sat back smugly, which irritated Dungan. He’d only just attained rank within his flight group, and already had been throwing his weight around at the council table. Too many were willing to listen to his words, which annoyed Dungan even more.

  “You’re going to tell the Dragon Lord what to do?” Dungan exploded into motion that sent his goblet clattering across the table. Boyd jumped back, startled by the commotion. Wine dripping from the tabletop was the only noise for several seconds.

  Hard knuckles cracked when his fist hit the tabletop. “If you want to give the orders, you better issue a challenge right now.”

  Boyd paled, and looked around the table for support. Everyone studied their own goblets, trying to find the answer to life eternal in the deep red. “I apologize, Dragon Lord,” he stammered.

  Dungan didn’t miss the anger flashing in Boyd’s eyes. He would have to keep watch on the man. He expected everything to be handed to him, and didn’t know how to work unless it was in the shadows. He would become a problem if not kept in check.

  “Any further objections?” He eyed the men around the room again. With Boyd quieted, most were still lost in their drink. All except Gregory Allaway.

  “McAlister is right. My Lord.” Gregory tacked on the honorific absentmindedly. He stared hard at the air in front of his face and refused to meet anyone’s eye. “Dragon riders must stay with their own. Crofters cannot straddle a life on the ground and a husband in the air. Marnie has not been chosen by a dragon and cannot be married to a rider. Woman, yes. Wife, no.”

  Dungan ground his teeth. He knew where Marnie’s stubborn streak came from, but it didn’t make dealing with her father any easier. His words held the room captive in silence. Boyd and Graeme exchanged triumphant looks. Their sister, Layla, had been the top pick for Dungan’s choice during the Mating Moon Run.
She’d been picked by another rider when Dungan failed to make an appearance. That she hadn’t been bonded to a dragon as a child was a disappointment to her family, but they still could breed her with one.

  Layla held none of his interest. Where she was tall and thin, Marnie was stockier and more fierce. Layla was bred to be a dragon rider, and raised to fight, not farm. Her potential worth as a pawn of their family increased again when she heard the call of a dragon in the egg. She now would be a perfect candidate for his wife, and he didn’t want anything to do with her.

  Dungan wanted someone who would challenge him. He wanted someone he could speak with, that wouldn’t take his words directly back to her scheming family. He needed the fire that burned within Marnie. While Boyd thought he could dictate the next move, Gregory had provided Dungan his next steps.

  It would be a risky move. It wasn’t a popular ritual with the crofters, many who saw it as overreaching. Even the dragon riders were unhappy when it was called, as it said they were all unworthy of the Dragon Lord. But he would have Marnie for his own, and tradition gave him the way.

  “Then I call for Teind. I will claim Marnie Allaway as my woman.”

  ***

  Marnie stretched long on the sheets, then wrapped herself in a plush blanket. One of the castle servants had laid out a small feast while she slept. She cracked a yawn and judged the time to be close to noon. Popping a berry into her mouth, her mind went into explicit detail of memory. Dungan had been insatiable. After taking her on the table, he fell on her in bed, and had her over and over as the night wore on. None of her lovers had been like Dungan.

  Not that there had been many. She was plump, where most of the girls were thin. She’d grown up with crofters and craftsmen, and felt the rising lust when dragons mated. She was no innocent, but she wasn’t the preferred type for a crofter’s wife. Nor had she been called to bond with a dragon. Neither rider nor crofter wanted her for more than a quick toss.

  But Dungan was different. He was interested in her, where the others only gave her a passing glance when they had an itch they needed to scratch. She felt her cheeks warming at the thought of his leave-taking that morning. What had started out as a simple kiss turned into another tumble between the sheets that left her exhausted.

  He hadn’t mentioned seeing her again, though. Marnie frowned, and sliced off a thick bite of ham from the plate. She chewed carefully and mulled over her options. He likely wouldn’t care to see her again, and she shouldn’t be surprised. He was the Dragon Lord, and she was just a crofter. Even had he wished to see her further, she wasn’t bonded to a dragon and would be ineligible for him to marry.

  Her hand trailed down to rest on her soft stomach. The only thing she had to hope for was a pregnancy from their night together. She would be able to hold on to the memory of him if his child grew inside her. Even if her womb quickened, there was no chance for the council to approve a marriage.

  The door opened, and she paused with a mug of morning mead in her hand. She tried to conceal her disappointment when she didn’t recognize the man. He was tall, like Dungan, but held none of his quick confidence or bulky muscle.

  “Good day, m’lady.” The man’s voice was tinged with amusement. “The Dragon Lord sends his apologies for not being here when you woke. He had business with the council.”

  Marnie nodded in acknowledgement. Just as she suspected. Dungan wouldn’t return while she was still here, and had sent someone else to take out the refuse. She sighed. She almost wished to leave straight away, and not even bother walking past the dragon eggs as was the traditional right of those chosen during a Run.

  But she would never forgive herself if she didn’t take advantage of her chance. Each spring, the odds were greater that she’d never be chosen, until finally the spring of her majority arrived. She’d never walk by the eggs again unless she was chosen during another Mating Moon Run. The chances of Dungan picking her a second spring seemed slim.

  “The Dragon Lord wished to present you with gifts.” The man clapped his hands and two others entered the chamber.

  Marnie steeled herself for what they carried. It was traditional for a dragon rider to present his catch with a gift. She’d fashioned a number of jewelry pieces from the shells of the little firestarters, tiny cousins of the larger dragons bonded to the riders. Their colorful, hardy shells were suited for polishing and shaping for charms. The gifts were tokens of the time spent together, so the chosen might look back on the Run with fondness.

  That two servants were present was a wonder, and neither appeared to be holding any jewelry. One had a red dress draped over her arm, and the other brandished a short sword.

  Realization hit Marnie like a bag of bricks. She took a step forward, and remembered to hitch the blanket better around herself. The servant carrying the sword kneeled and offered the hilt to her. A dress and sword meant only one thing.

  “The Dragon Lord has called for Teind, m’lady.” His expression was unreadable. Likely he didn’t approve.

  Marnie shook her head numbly. Teind was the tithing of a person to the lord of a castle. Dragon Lords used it sparsely, and typically only when they flexed their power. Crofters saw it as overreaching, especially when dragon riders could claim unmarried folk during a Run. Dragon riders stuck up their noses at such a move, and couldn’t imagine why their lord would waste time on someone without a dragon.

  “You’re to be escorted to the quarry to meet the council in an hour.” The man’s lips were set in a grim line.

  Marnie grimaced as she took the sword in her hands. It was heavier than it looked, and though she was familiar with it, had never actually wielded one before. She hadn’t been raised as a fighter.

  Not that it mattered. Dungan had called for Teind. She’d never seen one before; the last had been held by the previous Dragon Lord when she was growing in her mother’s womb. It was a step above being chosen during the Mating Moon Run, but lower than if he’d wished to marry her. It was more than one in her lot should expect.

  The only problem she saw was participating. She’d need to battle and mount his dragon, Birro. And if she succeeded without being burnt to ash, Dungan would take her on the Teind altar in front of the council.

  Chapter Two

  A crowd had already formed by the time Marnie had dressed. An honor guard of dragon riders and crofters formed around her, no doubt Dungan’s doing, and led her into the courtyard. Horses were already saddled, and they mounted to finish the journey to the quarry.

  It wasn’t an active site for stone working, not since the castle had been finished generations ago. The large pit was open to whatever plants and monsters dared to inhabit the dangerous gash in the earth. Rumors abound that a troll had taken up residence in the jagged bottom. Even Marnie didn’t dare try collecting firestarter shells from the ledges.

  The council already surrounded the quarry, while other dragon riders circled above on their dragons. A large altar was on the far side, and she saw Dungan lounging against the stone slab. She swallowed hard. He was naked to the waist, and would be waiting for her. He gave her no sign of greeting, but Birro unfurled his wings. He cast a shadow over the altar, then angled down into the quarry. Marnie was shocked at how the large dragon was dwarfed by the open earth.

  She dismounted, and handed her reins to one of her guard. Others formed up around her, and walked her to the path leading into the quarry. They passed through a small crowd of castle servants, crofters, and finally, the newest class of dragon riders. It was important for the young and soon-to-be riders see the ritual, in case they ever rose to a rank where they could command such a thing.

  Panic gripped her throat. She didn’t want to walk through the crowd. They were everything she could never be. Lithe and toned with muscle from working with their dragons, she was nothing like them. Her plump little body wasn’t the dragon rider ideal.

  The wind caught her fire gold hair and blew it away from her face. She straightened her shoulders and smoothed her dress ove
r her hips. The Dragon Lord had chosen her. Hers was the body he desired, not their skinny frames. It was his right to call for Teind, and it was her duty to answer him with her best effort.

  Head high, she stepped forward and waded through the young dragon riders. Red skirts swished around her ankles. She could see curious heads turn her way, but she refused to pay them any mind. They buzzed with whispers that she ignored. She wouldn’t care what they said. She’d heard their rejections her entire life. She would not embarrass herself in front of them.

  “They can bloody well curse themselves,” she muttered to herself. She didn’t give a damn if she didn’t fit their standards. She wouldn’t be a helpless girl. She’d do whatever she could to fight it out and last as long as possible. Dungan was waiting for her.

  That thought stood firm in her mind, and she felt it settle in her bones. Heat spread through her, and warmed every inch of her skin. Her nerves were abated by excitement warring for attention.

  She tied her skirts up to form loose pants before turning to her honor guard. She wouldn’t be caught by surprise, then stumble in her skirts. She’d be prepared. She drew the short sword from its sheath, and held the blade aloft. A smattering a cheers rose from the crowd around her, but the council lining the edge of the quarry was silent.

  She was surprised to see her father among them. She prayed he would turn away for the final part of the ceremony, if she made it that far. Boyd McAlister stood next to him, and his face was choked with rage. He’d always been a bully as a child, and she suspected he was still one as a dragon rider. It was his sister Layla that should have been chosen by the Dragon Lord. Layla stood with the young riders. Had she finally heard the call of a dragon? A final prick of jealousy entered Marnie.

  “Council and crofters,” Dungan’s voice called across the quarry. Everyone turned their attention to him. Marnie saw his hands clasped before him, and knew the tension extended deep within him. “You have been called to witness the Teind. A woman must prove her worth to both man and dragon by fighting to mount the Dragon Lord’s beast. Marnie Allaway has been chosen, and she will now prove her worth.”