Water Dragon (The Bride Hunt Book 2)

by Charlene Hartnady

  “With Coal out of the way, that should be easy.”

  Torrent had to smile. His brother was strong and intelligent but he was also naïve. Not that Torrent had much of a leg to stand on himself. Not after falling for everything that Coal had pulled.

  “What?” Tide narrowed his eyes.

  “Blaze will also be taking part.”

  Tide pulled a face like he had a screw loose. “The male didn’t even feature. He doesn’t want a human mate. It was clear. Blaze will not be a problem.”

  Torrent choked out a laugh as he unlatched the gate that formed a part of the railing and stepped onto the very edge. “It doesn’t matter what Blaze wants. He is the fire king. The male has to take a human mate. He needs heirs. Mark my words, he will be major competition and so will Thunder.”

  Tide’s expression became stormy. “I had forgotten about the air king.”

  Torrent nodded. “Thunder will take part. Blaze won’t be able to stop him a second time.” Thunder had made a pact with the fire king, one of the fertile air princesses in return for Blaze’s sister, the fire princess, who was also one of the last fertile she-dragons.

  Blaze’s sister mated a vampire, forcing him to break the agreement. In a moment of rage, Thunder had given his sisters to the second prince’s of the water and earth kingdoms. It was how Sky had come to them.

  Tide had obviously been thinking about the whole affair as well. “I still think it’s unfair that Lake got to mate Sky. I would give anything for a fertile female of my own.”

  “I tried to get Thunder to agree to allowing his sister to mate with you but it would have strengthened our kingdom too much to have a she-dragon mate with the first prince.”

  Tide gave a one shouldered shrug. “Oh well.” He grinned. “I prefer human females anyways. After seeing them, being up close to them.” His eyes glazed over and he made a humming sound. “I want one. I want one real bad. I only wish I had gotten a better look at your mate.”

  The bastard’s grin grew wider. “My interest has been further piqued because you seem to be hiding her away. The only thing I could see was that she looked like a tiny thing.”

  It was true, Candy was tiny. The need to protect her rose up in him. It was an irrational emotion, brought on by his need to claim her. He almost turned and ran back to her chamber. It was wrong that they were separated. It was something that would be rectified as soon as he blew off some steam. The female was going to sleep with him from here on out whether she liked it or not. Let her try and resist him, he could be very persuasive if need be.

  Tide chuckled. “Maybe Ocean was right. Did you break her? Is that why you can’t rut?”

  Torrent growled. The sound low but a deadly warning all the same. “Stop talking about my mate. You will not look at her too closely. You will not talk about her. You will stay far away or so help me.”

  Tide put up his hands. “Hey. Calm down. I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m seeing Ocean later, remember, I don’t need your female. I’ll win my own in the next hunt.”

  Cocky bastard.

  “You’d better.”

  “I will.”

  Torrent looked out ahead of him. “Good,” he said, as he dropped from the edge of the balcony. He felt his body crack, pull and strengthen as he morphed into his dragon form. It took him a few seconds longer than normal. The ground rose up towards him as he unfolded his wings.

  It was too close for comfort. He needed to bring his strength levels up, he needed to rut. He also needed to follow his own advice, which was the exact opposite of trying to get into Candy’s pants. He would have to give her space and show her respect. Torrent flapped his wings, feeling himself lift. Not being able to rut her was a dilemma. One he had never experienced before.

  Chapter 7

  Candy paced her room. The sun was going down over the ocean. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. A view she would never grow tired of and yet, she sighed. The problem was, there wasn’t anything to do. No books to read, no magazines to page through, no TV to watch. Not that she did much of the aforementioned anyway but when a person was stuck between four walls. Okay, three walls and a large window, any type of distraction would do.

  What she wanted most of all was to walk along the beach, to take a dip in the ocean. She wanted to go outside and to be a part of that view.

  There was a knock at the door.

  Candy turned to face it. Was it him? Her heart beat faster at the prospect.

  “Just a minute.” She grabbed the sweater and pulled it over her head. It wouldn’t do to have him looking at her like he had earlier. It was an eye fucking if she’d ever seen one, and it had made her uncomfortable.

  The way his gaze had lingered on her boobs. Men loved her breasts. Loved that they were so full. Particularly since, she was so petite. Sometimes she wished she never had them done. People mistakenly assumed that she was some dumb blonde. Ellis had talked her into it. Although, that wasn’t entirely true. She’d always been a little shy about her smaller chest, so, after much deliberation, she’d gone ahead and done them. She ultimately did them for herself, for the way they made her feel. So feminine and sexy. She liked that she filled out a bathing suit and that she didn’t have to wear those extra padded bras anymore. When men glued their eyes to her chest though, she sometimes had doubts.

  Torrent had practically drooled. When she’d looked at herself later in the mirror she could understand why. A tight white tee and no bra. Hello! Her nipples were everywhere. She had to chew on her lower lip to stop herself from smiling. With him, it hadn’t felt so intimidating. He’d had such a goofy look on his face. At least she knew she wasn’t alone, he was also attracted to her. There was some kind of comfort in that.

  No wait! Maybe that wasn’t a good thing. The guy was a dragon shifter. He had a colossal ego and he was her mate.

  Mate.

  She felt her heartrate pick up. There had to be a way out of it. There just had to. She planned on fighting her attraction to him, which shouldn’t be too hard since he was an asshole. Once he realized that it was never going to happen between them, he would have to let her go and then it would be all smooth sailing from there.

  No sweat!

  There was another knock. Oh shit! “Come in!” She shouted, her voice a little high pitched.

  A key turned in the lock and Sky walked in. Candy huffed out a breath.

  “You look like you just saw a ghost.” Sky smiled at her. “You also look relieved. The whole look you have going on there is a strange combination.”

  “I’m relieved.” Candy felt her whole body relax. “I thought you were someone else.”

  “You thought I was Torrent.” Sky raised her brows. “What happened between you two earlier? The male went for a four-hour flight after visiting with you. He came back completely exhausted and is mumbling one syllable answers to everything. He’s in an awful mood.”

  “He thought he could just waltz in here and jump into bed with me.” She shrugged. “I set him straight.”

  Sky shook her head. “But you are his mate. Our king…”

  “I don’t even know him.”

  “You will get to know him.” She said it so matter-a-factly.

  “That’s not how humans go about it. We first get to know someone and then we have sex with them. It can take months… years to get to a point where we marry a person. It’s a really big step, one not taken lightly so you’ll excuse me if I’m a bit weirded out by the whole thing.”

  Sky frowned, she looked confused. “Mmmmm. That’s not what I’ve been led to believe.” She paused. “The males often talk about the stag runs.”

  “What are stag runs?” After having talked with Torrent, she could guess.

  “As you know, there are very few she-dragons. Our males have needs.”

  “Oh.” Needs! Yup, as an escort she knew all about men’s needs.

  “They go into town every—”

  “Yup!” Candy laughed. “Torrent told me all about i
t. He didn’t name the whole expedition by name. A stag run.” She couldn’t help but smile. “What a fitting tag.”

  “Well…” Sky continued. “I have heard our males talk after coming home from the stag runs. Human females throw themselves at the males. They never have a shortage of bed partners.”

  Candy could only imagine. The shifter guys were all tall and buff. They were pretty darned attractive. During the hunt they had seemed scary and aggressive but thinking back, now that she could think straight, they had all been really sexy. Her thoughts drifted to Torrent, to his wide shoulders, to that whole V thing he had going on just above his pants. Aside from a banging body, he was really attractive. The two didn’t always go hand in hand. Those pale blue eyes, his full lips, he was rugged and handsome. All the guys she had seen were. Even that dark beast of a guy that had saved her.

  “Are you even listening to me, Candy?” Sky put her hands on her hips.

  “Sorry, I missed what you said, would you mind repeating it?”

  Sky looked at Candy like she had grown horns. “You just told me that humans take ages to get to know someone before having sex with them. We just established that it’s not true. These females have plenty of sex with our males. They are willing participants.” She added, still clearly a little pissed that Candy had even suggested that any of the dragon shifters would force a woman. “Our males get one night twice a year and they have plenty of sex. There is no time to win a female over. It’s the females that are often the aggressors and rut our males even though our males are clear that there is no future for them together. It’s… what is it you humans call it… oh yes, a one-night stand.” She raised her brows.

  “Okay.” Candy huffed out a breath. “You’re right. Women will have sex with guys for the sake of having sex. A one-night stand, a booty call. There are plenty of names for it.” Candy had never been one of those women. It was quite comical considering she had sex for a living.

  “Well then.”

  “It’s a bit different when it’s a potential relationship, when it’s two people who might just have a future. Things are generally more complicated. This whole situation is complicated.” Candy scratched the back of her neck.

  Sky frowned. “There are always plenty of females that beg the males to leave their contact details. Some of them beg to go with the males, they want a future, even though it was agreed up front that the relationship would be short-term and just sex. A booty call.” She smiled. “They want more and this, after just one night together. Human females are quite capable of developing feelings for a male quickly and easily. You are overcomplicating things.”

  Candy nodded. “I’m sure it happens regularly. Women are wired to want more, for that matter, I think everyone is wired to want more, especially after giving themselves physically. It’s part of the reason why sex can complicate things. In order to want a relationship with someone you have to, at least, get along with them and I’m not sure I even like Torrent.”

  Sky’s jaw dropped, as in her mouth gaped. It took a few seconds for her to regain her composure. “You don’t mean that.”

  “I don’t really know him, but from what I can tell, he’s just so full of himself. He can be a real jerk. You even told me yourself. Maybe not in so many words but…”

  “He is a king. He is used to everyone catering to his every need and obeying his every whim. I don’t think anyone has ever told him ‘no’ before and that includes the females he encounters on the stag runs.”

  I’ll bet! Candy snorted. “There’s a first for everything.” She folded her arms.

  “It has put him off balance. Just so that you are aware, Torrent is well within his rights to seek another female if you withhold sex from him.”

  It was Candy’s turn to gape. These shifters were sick. Not that she cared what Torrent did. She didn’t even know the guy. “Whatever,” she muttered. “I don’t even consider us to be married or mated. He can do whatever he wants. I won’t stop him.”

  Sky walked to the other side of the room. She just stood there looking out the window. Candy could see that she wasn’t really staring out the window. The other woman was deep in thought. She felt like this room was too small, like the walls were closing in. She needed to go home. This had never been a part of her plan.

  “Torrent turned down a female today.” Sky finally said, her gaze still on the outside view. “Ocean is one of his favorites and he turned her down flat. It is a compliment to you.”

  Candy choked out a laugh. “If you say so.” She paused. “What kind of a name is Ocean anyway?”

  “I do say so,” Sky said. “Ocean is a perfectly acceptable name for a water she-dragon, just as Sky is a normal name for an air dragon.”

  “I didn’t mean anything by it.” Candy quickly added. Shit! Talk about putting her foot in it. She was acting like a bitch. She wasn’t normally like this but then again, she’d never been in a situation like this before. “I think that Sky is a beautiful name. I’m sorry. I just wish I could get out of this room. I’m feeling claustrophobic and it’s making me cranky.”

  “That’s fine.” Sky gave her the ghost of a smile. “You are jealous. It is understandable. I would suggest sex but easing your male will also work fine, for the moment. Have him ease you as well.”

  “Ease.” She held up her hands. “I’m not even going to ask. Torrent can forget it.”

  “That’s a pity because it seems that he doesn’t want any other female. He wants you, his mate.”

  Candy had to suppress a sigh. She didn’t want Sky to think that she was relieved because she wasn’t. “Well, he’s going to have to wait a really long time because I’m not interested. I told him I want to go home and I stand by that.”

  Sky raised her brows. “Torrent is used to getting plenty of sex.”

  Candy made a squeaking noise. Why did Sky insist on talking about this to her? It was too much information. There was a part of her that wanted to interrupt the other woman to tell her just that, but she bit her tongue. If it made Sky feel better, then she would listen. The she-dragon had been nothing but nice to her since she arrived there. She’d gone out of her way to take care of Candy. Bottom line, she was good people. Candy nodded once.

  “The lesser males are used to being starved of sex and of operating on lower energy levels. They know no different. Torrent on the other hand will find it increasingly difficult to function at optimum level. It’s going to start becoming obvious.” She paused and licked her lips.

  Candy shuffled from one foot to the other.

  When she didn’t say anything, Sky carried on. “The idiot male decided to turn down sex in the weeks leading up to the hunt. He had this hair-brained scheme that it would hone his senses and make him hungrier for a female. It is going to backfire on him soon. You need to be aware that he cannot go without sex indefinitely, without recourse. He’s going to be forced to take another female soon. It won’t be a choice.”

  Candy didn’t know what to say or to think. There was a part of her that felt sorry for him but it didn’t mean she was going to just roll over and accept him into her bed.

  “On a lighter note.” Sky smiled. “You mentioned wanting to get out of this room.”

  Candy nodded. She practically held her breath. Had Torrent agreed to her going out? Maybe he was letting her go home. It was a pipe dream, but a girl could hope.

  “Pack your bags because you’re…”

  Could it be, was Torrent letting her go. Please. Please. Please.

  “…Torrent wants you to move into his chamber.”

  “What?” No, no, no. “What?” She repeated, like a complete idiot.

  Sky tilted her head. “I’m here to help you pack and to escort you there.”

  “Um, please tell him thanks but no thanks.” Candy had never lived with a guy. She planned on waiting until she was married. Ironic considering her profession but totally true. Then again, Torrent was technically her…husband… mate… no he wasn’t. He’d somehow married h
er by accident. It didn’t really count. Did it?

  Sky’s mouth fell open in another gape. “I can’t tell him that.”

  She shook her head. “I’m not moving in with him.” Oh god, he would probably expect to share a bed. The thought made her shake her head harder.

  “You must.”

  “I won’t.”

  “You have to.” Sky looked appalled. “It is the king’s wish. You are his mate, your place is by his side, in his bed.”

  Oh god! Flip! Candy swallowed hard. “That’s what I was afraid of. I think that it’s best that I stay here. That whole thing about needing a change of scenery, forget it!”

  “Please. Torrent is a good male. Once you see below that”—she nodded and smiled— “slightly arrogant exterior, he’s a wonderful and caring male. He also has a—”

  “I’m sure he’s awesome and wonderful and dynamite in bed but I can’t just move in with someone I only just met.” It was Candy’s turn to pace across the room. She clasped her hands together tightly.

  Sky took a few steps towards her. “Give it a chance. Torrent is a male of honor, he will respect your wishes regardless of how weak he is. You will be able to get to know him if you move in with him, perhaps you will be pleasantly surprised.”

  No way. Candy shook her head. “Does he have a separate room in his… chamber?”

  Sky shook her head. “The layout is similar to this.”

  “Only one bed?” Candy already knew the answer.

  “Yes, of course. Torrent is your mate…”

  “I’m afraid that I have to decline. Please thank him for his kind offer.”

  Sky’s eyes widened, making them look huge in her head. It was almost comical. “But…”

  “No buts, I’ve made up my mind.”

  After a few moments of deliberation, Sky nodded her head. She pushed out a deep breath. “I’d better go and inform the king.” She began to walk towards the door. “He won’t be happy.”