Dragon's Baby

by Juniper Hart

  He kissed her shoulder sweetly, lovingly. Then he took a breath, opened his mouth, and bit deeply into her flesh.

  Mia gasped with the pain, though it only hurt for a second. After that, she didn’t feel anything except his fangs moving inside the wound, but the pain she expected was just not there. Instead, an overwhelming peace came over her, and she was able to breathe and relax into it.

  Jack had just given her a gift. He had always referred to it as a curse, but in that moment, for Mia, it was a gift. She would be like him—she could better understand his wants and needs, and live a longer life in her youthful body alongside her husband.

  When the next full moon after Aaron had bitten her came and went without the change coming over her, Mia and Jack had both breathed a sigh of relief. Jack had explained that her dream regarding her relationship with Aaron might have come from him biting her, but the wound had not been deep enough to make her a werewolf.

  As time went on, Mia found herself regretting that the bite hadn’t been enough, that she would not be a wolf like Jack. It meant that she would die one day, and yet Jack would continue living. He would watch her grow old while he slowly aged.

  After Jack had proposed to her, Mia had made up her mind, realizing that she wanted to be with him forever. It took some convincing. At first, Jack refused. He did not want anyone burdened by the secret he’d had to struggle with his whole life.

  But she had finally made him realize that it was her decision to accept the change, and she never wanted to leave his side.

  As Jack pulled away from her, she saw a smile on his face. Mia looked at the wound he’d just made on her shoulder. She expected to see blood pouring out of it, but to her amazement, her skin healed within seconds.

  Mia kissed Jack softly on the lips, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him closer to her.

  “I love you,” she said.

  “I love you,” he replied.

  “You’d better, because you can’t get rid of me now,” Mia joked.

  Jack kissed her once again. “You’re the only thing I want in this life.”

  She pressed her lips to his, grinning into the kiss. At last, Mia was exactly where she was meant to be.

  The End

  Bonus Content: Shifter Pursuit Series

  By Lucy Penn

  Shifter Pursuit Series

  Text Copyright © 2018 by Lucy Penn

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  First printing, 2018

  Publisher

  Secret Woods Books

  secretwoodsbooks@gmail.com

  www.SecretWoodsBooks.com

  Prologue

  The party was in full swing, a swarm of laughing women toasting each other in a sea of disbelief and happiness as they sipped champagne.

  None of the other guests had arrived at the Kappa Mu Pi house, but the idea was to bask in the glory of the year’s end and exam finals amongst just the girls.

  The din was nearly deafening, and half a dozen juniors stole away from the hub of activity and made their way into the backrooms toward MJ’s, where they had agreed to meet, giggling at the secrecy of the assembly.

  “This is just like pledging,” Molly whispered, her eyes wide and amused.

  “Hopefully with less abuse,” Megan replied worriedly, and the others chuckled in agreement, knocking gently on the door.

  From inside, MJ’s voice called out, “Come in.”

  They ventured into the room and curiously looked around at the small group gathered there.

  All of them were juniors about to embark on their senior year. Of course they knew each other, if only by name, but they were a family after all, bonded by the sisterhood of the sorority.

  Their eyes—all of them a different color: blue, brown, green, and hazel—studied one another with mild interest. but unlike the rest of the house, the room was filled with a moderate quietness, as if an air of anticipation sat heavily above them.

  None of them could say for certain why they had been called to the gathering, and each was eager to find out.

  “Is that everyone?” MJ asked, doing a head count while the other fourteen girls stood, unsure of how to respond.

  “What is this about?” Erin demanded, glancing at her watch as if she had somewhere else to be. “I have—”

  Her sentence was abruptly cut short as an extension door opened and Sylvie entered, her long gown sweeping across the ground to make her appear as if she was floating toward them.

  Mouths gaped to the floor in unison as they stared at her, licking their lips in nervousness.

  “Good afternoon, ladies,” Sylvie called sweetly, plopping onto MJ’s bed and staring at them with startling blue eyes. “Congratulations on making it to your senior year.”

  There was a nervous murmur of collective “thank yous,” but the women could not stop staring at the eerily beautiful actress, who had been president at Kappa Mu Pi during her years at college. It looked as if she hadn’t aged a day, even though she had to be at least thirty-five years old.

  She was an icon in their circles, an internationally known thespian. Never had she graced them with a private meeting in the past.

  “This is something huge,” Courtney whispered, and Beth nodded in agreement.

  “I imagine you are wondering what this is about,” Sylvie continued, smiling brightly at them, and her statement was met with a variety of nods.

  The icy blonde beauty sat back and closed her eyes for a long moment.

  “Since the day Kappa Mu opened its doors in 1901,” she said, “we have been blessed with something other sororities cannot claim, something… ethereal.”

  The women held their breaths, hanging off every word she spoke, even though no one understood what they meant.

  “Perhaps it was the women we chose to join our path,” Sylvie continued, “or the unity we created. For whatever reason, it exists, and it is our duty—your duty—to maintain the integrity of our sorority.”

  She waited for the words to settle in as looks of confusion began to pass from girl to girl.

  “There are beings in this world, ladies. Beings you have met dozens of times in your life, whether you understand it or not, but you have felt their hands, heard their words. They are as real as you or I appear, but beneath the surface, they are different. They are shifters.”

  A combination of giggles and gasps filled the room, and Sylvie allowed them, a serene smile on her face.

  “I know,” she went on. “It sounds unbelievable, but I assure you, it is so.”

  “Like werewolves?” Kellie chortled.

  “And dragons?” Sarah laughed.

  The snickers grew louder.

  Abruptly, Sylvie’s face contorted, her canine teeth elongating as she flew up from the bed, hissing as she levitated toward the ceiling.

  “And vampires,” she snarled, baring her fangs.

  The women fell back, terrified and awed.

  Sylvie fell casually back to the bed as if nothing had occurred, examining her nails.

  “You have a duty, ladies,” she repeated. “You must keep your eyes open and find these creatures, for they are your mates. Every senior Kappa must find her mate in these shifters. When you pledged, you were chosen because of your ancestry. All of you have a direct lineage to shifters, and some to vampires, although your shifting abilities are dormant since you are many generations removed.”

  “Are you saying you want us to… sleep with these beasts?” Lisa gasped, her face pale.

  “You are being forced to do nothing,” Sylvie assured her. “You may find y
ourself pleasantly attracted to them. You likely have been before.”

  Amy scoffed. “Not likely,” she growled.

  Sylvie only continued to smile warmly. “Never say never, my dear,” she replied, winking. “The heart wants what the heart wants.”

  The women looked at each other, uncomfortable and unsure of how to respond, but there was no need for them to say anything.

  Sylvie had vanished into thin air.

  A long silence ensued until one girl finally broke it.

  “That was ridiculous!” Kristy spat, turning to leave. “And with party tricks, too! I don’t have time for this ridiculousness. I’m leaving on a summer trip, and I have a million things to do. I’m out of here.”

  The other women murmured in agreement, following behind her.

  But no one could deny that Sylvie’s words echoed heavily inside them and followed them around for the rest of the summer.

  1

  Shifter Pursuit Series: Discovering the Dragon

  The last note was struck, and there was an uncomfortable silence as the group looked at one another, knowing they had not done their best work.

  And we all know whose fault it is, Erin thought angrily. Before she could say anything, she was overrun by the conductor’s voice.

  “Let’s take it again from the top,” Andy called, tapping his baton against the music stand and stifling a sigh. “Brianne, try to focus this time, please?”

  Erin scoffed and scowled at the keyboardist with annoyance. “Would it kill her to practice?” she grumbled, blowing her brown bangs away from her face. She had spoken loud enough to catch everyone’s attention, but Erin didn’t care. “We go through the same thing every rehearsal. If everyone else can put in the effort, why can’t she?”

  Erin always felt that she put in more than enough attention to her craft, and it angered her that others didn’t take their music as seriously as she did.

  What’s the point of doing something if you’re not going to do it well? she wondered, casting Brianne a baleful look.

  The skinny blonde averted her eyes purposefully, but Erin was sure Brianne could hear the almost palpable glowering emanating from her body. Andy chose to ignore her outburst, once more rapping his baton and commanding focus.

  Sighing, Erin put her silver flute to her lips, arms poised to begin the piece. They started again, and she noted with satisfaction that Brianne was playing better now.

  See? She just needed a little push in the right direction, Erin thought smugly.

  Her irritated words had inspired Brianne to do better, no matter how harsh the others believed she behaved. The piece ended, and the band applauded at the smoothness of the final round.

  “Good work, everyone!” Andy called, and Erin could hear the pride in his voice. “See you on Thursday!”

  “Andy,” Brianne called tentatively, nervously glancing around. “I can’t make it on Thursday. I have a family function, and—”

  “Are you kidding me?” Erin demanded, interrupting her. She spun, her dark waves fanning behind her as she glared at the keyboard player. “We have to practice,” she said, “and now you’re skipping out on sessions you so desperately need? No way! This is the fourth practice you’ve skipped this month.”

  “Erin,” Andy said warningly. “This doesn’t concern you.”

  “Doesn’t concern me?” Erin echoed, folding her arms over her chest. “I am part of this band, aren’t I? We all made a commitment when we joined, but it seems Brianne isn’t very committed. I’d understand if she needed to miss rehearsal because of an emergency, but seriously, four practices in one month is ridiculous!”

  “Why are you always so mean to me?!” Brianne cried suddenly, tears filling her brown eyes. “I try to be your friend and you’re always so angry at everything I do!”

  Erin was taken aback by the words, and she stared at the girl in genuine surprise.

  “I am not being mean to you,” she replied, shaking her head, her brow furrowed. “I’m just stating a fact. We need to practice harder because you refuse to work on your own. You can’t just miss rehearsal again! If you don’t show, there’s no point in any of us showing. Why should we work extra hard to hide your mistakes?”

  “Erin!” Andy snapped, his patience exhausted as Brianne began to cry. “Wait outside for me.” Erin opened her mouth to protest, but Andy pointed toward the door sternly. “Go!”

  Sighing, Erin shrugged, grabbing her purse off the floor and gliding toward the exit with her usual grace. She leaned against the exposed brick in the hallway, examining her perfectly manicured nails as she waited for the graduate student to come out and give her a lecture.

  It wouldn’t be the first time she had been reprimanded by the conductor, and it likely wouldn’t be the last.

  He should be praising me for saying what he won’t, Erin reasoned, but she knew he had to remain diplomatic in his position. It wasn’t her problem. If Andy would be a little stricter with the players, Erin wouldn’t have to open her mouth and do his job for him.

  She pulled out her cellphone and began texting her sisters at Kappa Mu Pi.

  Bri screwed us again. Need a drink, she wrote, sending it in a mass text.

  In seconds, the responses came back.

  Can’t. Studying, Ali replied.

  No great shock there, Erin thought wryly.

  Beth and I are at Benny’s, Kellie answered. Come join us!

  No, thank you, Erin laughed to herself. That can only mean they’re on the prowl tonight. I just want a quiet, no-nonsense drink and someone to vent to.

  She told Kellie as much.

  Not tonight, came several other messages, but Erin was not discouraged. She was not above going for a drink alone.

  Maybe I’ll ask Andy to come, depending on how annoyed he is with me, she joked to herself, swallowing a mischievous grin at the idea of taking the uptight grad student to a bar.

  As if on cue, the door flew open, and Brianne stormed off down the hall without looking at Erin, tears still streaking her face.

  For a moment, Erin felt a smidgen of guilt, though she immediately dismissed it.

  I do it for the greater good. She has to toughen up, especially if she wants to be a musician.

  “Erin.” Andy appeared at the doorway, and with a sigh, he said, “Come in, please.”

  “If you expect me to apologize, it’s not going to happen,” Erin informed him, her heels clicking against the tile as she rejoined him in the music room. “We’ve asked her a thousand times to—”

  “Erin, you need to be a little less…” Andy paused, like he was searching for the right word to use as Erin waited impatiently.

  “Assertive? Bossy? Demanding?” she offered, hoping to speed the process along. They were all words she had heard before, but they didn’t faze her. Erin knew what she wanted and had no problem getting it.

  Sticks and stones, she thought ruefully.

  Andy’s mouth became a small frown. “Listen, I know you take music seriously, which is great,” he said, “but this is also supposed to be fun. Sometimes your criticisms are too harsh.”

  Good! Erin wanted to scream. That means they’re learning their own flaws! She didn’t want to admit that the words gave her a spark of pride because she knew that was not the answer Andy wanted. Instead, she managed a solemn expression.

  “Well, I am sorry that no one takes you seriously,” Erin told him gravely. “But I see that you’re okay with that, so who am I to say anything, right?”

  She relished the look of anger flashing over his pale, freckled face.

  “Of course they take me seriously!” Andy sputtered.

  Erin shook her head, managing a look of sympathy on her face. “Obviously not, Andy. You allow everyone to walk all over you, and it shows in the music. But if it doesn’t bother you—”

  “Erin!” he snapped, as if realizing he was being played. “I need you to stop being so hard on the other members of the band. We are a team, a family!”

&nbs
p; “And I need the other members to get their acts together!” she retorted. “So that we can be a functional family.”

  Andy paused and studied her face for a long moment before speaking again. “Erin,” he began solemnly, “I think that you should take a break from band for a while.”

  Erin began to laugh. “You’re funny,” she chuckled. “I’m the best player you have.”

  Andy nodded in agreement. “You are by far the most driven woman I have ever met,” he conceded. “But you are bad for morale.”

  Abruptly, the smile slipped off Erin’s face as she realized he was serious.

  “What?” she gasped, her green eyes widening in shock. “You’re firing me from band?”

  Andy quickly shook his head.

  “Think of it as a break,” he replied hurriedly. “I’m starting to believe that maybe you’re under too much stress, and maybe you’re taking it out on everyone else. Just take a breather for a week or two and come back when you’re feeling a little bit more relaxed, okay?”

  Erin could not believe what she was hearing.

  And in the meantime, she thought, everyone is going to know that I was let go? No one will take me seriously when I come back!

  She glared her blazing eyes at Andy.

  “If I leave, I’m not coming back,” she threatened. “You’ll have to find someone to replace me on flute.”

  Andy seemed to swallow a sigh as he averted his dark eyes downward. “Erin,” he said, “I think it’s best for everyone if you take a—”

  “I heard you the first time,” Erin snapped. “And I just told you that if you insist on doing this, I am not coming back.”

  She tried to maintain his gaze, but he could not meet her eyes.

  “Well, I’m sorry you feel that way. But…” Andy trailed off, his sentence hanging in the air between them.