“Saved him?” she asked, the confusion sweeping across her face.
Backing up, I told her how the dragons kidnapped us out of desperation to save their own kind from the scale rot and how Cyrus had only found a temporary cure. Gemma’s face lit up when I told her that the silver kori had saved the day.
“Honestly, as soon as I saw it, I immediately thought of you and your beautiful tail,” I said with a grin. “I really hoped that it would have the same effect on the dragon’s scales.”
Cyrus stepped forward. “It was Aria’s idea to mix the silver kori with the concoction I had created. It was incredible. It literally worked right away.”
I smiled. “You gave me the inspiration, Gemma.”
She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed me again. “You’re the best big sister in the whole wide world!”
Cyrus caught my eye as my sister continued to hug me. “You did it, Aria. You saved the day.”
Three Weeks Later
“Arwyn,” Dyna giggled. “What are you doing?”
The gentle giant dove through the water, his scales glistening in the sun, before reemerging on the surface a few feet away from the little mergirl. “Tag! You’re it!”
Dyna threw her head back in laughter as she shot through the water after the dragon prince. “You better watch out! I’m going to get you!”
I glanced at my father, who sat on a special throne on the same rocky outcrop that Dyna and I had been plucked from by Zagnu. His wide grin said it all, he was happy and his kingdom was both safe and at peace with the dragons.
“Father, I’m going to go donate blood. Have you been to see Gemma today?” I asked.
He tossed his trident from one hand to the other. “I went to see her this morning. She’s enjoying her studies. Can you believe your sister is studying at a school above the sea?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “She’s a natural. Plus, with all of the precious gems, silver, and gold from the tank, she’ll be creating jewelry for the next two hundred years. You know she’ll want a title once she graduates. Princess Gemma, Master Jeweler.”
“It will be well deserved,” my father said with a grin.
A large shadow fell over us. Casting my gaze toward the sky, I met King Falcor’s toothy smile. “Princess Aria, King Triden, lovely to see you!”
“Ah, King Falcor, what brings you out to the sea today?” asked my father.
The gigantic dragon flapped his wings before settling on the water. “I come baring a gift.” He lifted his horns and let out a loud roar. Two dragons flew through the air carrying a large carved stone.
“The new treaty,” said King Falcor, “we had our finest mason workers create a copy for you.”
“How mighty kind of you,” said my father. “They can bring it down and place it outside of the north side of the castle.”
As the two kings settled into their new regular routine, chatting, solving problems, and telling jokes, I glanced in the direction of the dragon’s castle.
“King Falcor, it’s been a pleasure seeing you. I’m off to meet Cyrus. We’re donating blood and then working at the new food bank this afternoon. We’ll see you tonight for dinner, okay?”
“Have a wonderful time, my sweet little pearl,” he said. “I love you.”
My heart swelled. “Love you too,” I said, before blowing a kiss and diving under the water.
Speeding through the water, I pumped my tail and burst through the surface. Twisting through the air, I completed a perfect circle before diving back into the warm sea.
“Thank you, Princess Aria,” said a young woman with jet black hair. Her white lab coat was softened with a special and colorful patch all medical workers now wore. The patch had the word, “PEACE,” stitched at the top and images of a wave and a cloud at the bottom, representing the new accord between the merpeople and dragons.
“You’re welcome, Sabrina,” I responded, pulling my bandaged arm back. The numbing salve had made the entire process painless.
I looked around the new hospital and research wing in King Falcor’s castle. He had built a large tunnel that went from the room we were sitting in all the way to the depths of the sea. The large tunnel split off and led to twenty small holding tanks with warm water and comfortable seats. Each of the tanks had a mermaid or merman getting their blood drawn and chatting with a medical worker, most of whom were landwalkers. Landwalker and merfolk guards, including Crest, stood at attention in the room. While they weren’t needed for keeping the peace any longer, they stood together as a sign of solidarity.
I thought back to the previous three weeks. With Cyrus and my father at my side, I had led the charge to create a new treaty between the mermaids and the dragons. Gone were the days of being restricted to the sea or land. Instead, both sides had agreed to work together and enjoyed living in harmony with the ability to spend time on land or in the sea.
Mermaids and mermen voluntarily donated blood and delivered large nets filled with silver kori. Even though it had only been a few weeks since the passage of the treaty, we had produced enough of the cure to save all of the sick dragons in the kingdom.
The mermaids had also donated enough blood to stock the supply room. Something Cyrus desperately needed in order to create a vaccine to prevent the scale plague from ever taking another life or causing any living creature to fall ill.
Not only had the treaty helped with the scale plague, we had also made it possible for merchildren to go to school on land. Mermaids and mermen had also began attending classes taught by landwalkers. As knowledge was shared between the different creatures, a deep bond had started to form, one that we all knew would only grow deeper.
“Thanks to your quick thinking, all of the sick dragons in our kingdom have been saved,” said Sabrina. Her smile warmed my heart. “I never thought I’d be working alongside mermaids.”
“We are all so grateful for you,” she said, motioning to the other medical workers around the room. “With the new treaty, all landwalkers have been freed as well,” she said, motioning to the other medical workers. “We are now paid, live off the castle grounds if we choose, and we’re allowed to go back to our families after each shift.”
Both my father and King Falcor were thrilled at the progress their kingdoms had made in the short time that passed since the new treaty had been signed. Relationships between mermaids, dragons, and landwalkers had immediately improved.
The lovable and healthy Arwyn had created several events where all creatures were welcome to attend, ask questions, and get to know one another. Even Kyler had a change of heart. His black soul melted once his family had been set free and they were reunited with his long-lost sister. And while it would take time for trust to be rebuilt between all living creatures, such as between Kyler and Cyrus, the first step in the right direction had been taken.
My heart swelled with pride and joy. “I’m so glad everything worked out, Sabrina!”
“Will I see you next week?” she asked.
I nodded. “Absolutely. Have a great day!”
“You too,” she said, as she picked up a tray filled with five vials of my blood.
As I swam toward the exit, I bumped into Walsh and Shellia. They both had brought large baskets of silver kori to donate. "Hey you two! Are you ready for the big day?”
Shellia grinned. “Yes! I can’t believe it’s next month!”
“It will be the first wedding since the treaty,” Walsh said. “We’re inviting merfolk, landwalkers, and dragons! Can you believe it?”
I let out a giggle. “It’s going to be amazing.”
As the happy couple swam toward the donation tank, I felt a hand brush against the skin on my shoulder, sending tingles shooting down my back to the tip of my tail.
“Not as amazing as you are,” Cyrus whispered into my ear.
I spun around and grinned. “Hey, you!”
“Are you ready?” asked Cyrus, holding out his hand.
“Definitely,” I said, our fingers w
eaving together. “Let’s head out.”
As soon as we entered the tunnel, Cyrus paused. He checked over both shoulders before taking my face in his hands. Dipping his head, our mouths crashed together. My tail went weak as he traced kisses from my lips to my neck. “Aria,” he whispered, “You really are the most incredible mermaid I’ve ever met.”
* * *
The End
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About the Author
Hi! I’m Kelly Anne Blount, bestselling author of GRISHMA, AYLA, IMPASSIONED, SHADE (Pandora Box Set), SNOWED IN (Snow Anthology), CAPTURED, UNDER, and BY WATER’S EDGE (Sirens & Scales Anthology). I love to create unique and compelling characters and stories with twists and turns that leave you on the edge of your seat!
When I’m not writing, I love to spend time with my husband and our furry rescues. I also enjoy reading, hanging out with family, and exploring the beautiful sites of Asheville, North Carolina.
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Dragonmount
Jennifer M. Eaton
DRAGONMOUNT © 2018 Jennifer M. Eaton
* * *
Copyright notice: All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Dragonmount
Things can’t get any worse than being snatched by a dragon, until Anna is dropped into a bloodthirsty battle for the Draconic crown.
A trip to New Zealand was supposed to be a fun distraction for Anna after yet another painful breakup. Instead, she’s snatched and flown away by a mythical beast bent on making her his queen. Anna’s rare blood type makes her the only viable mate in the islands, and with scores of dragons looking for her, escape isn’t likely.
Joe is the youngest and smallest dragon in the competition to become king. Now that he’s found Anna, all he needs to overthrow the current corrupt monarch is to bring her back to Dragonmount. He’s injured and unable to fly, though, and each passing second increases the risk of discovery.
If the current king finds Anna, he will use her to secure his throne and slaughter her to celebrate his victory. Anna is Joe’s to protect, and he will not allow the king to defile her or his people ever again— even if it means challenging a dragon five times his size.
If you love the feels you get from Jennifer L. Armentrout and the shape-shifting goodness of Talon, you’ll roar for DRAGONMOUNT.
A note from the author:
The original inhabitants of New Zealand have a colorful history with some amazing traditions. While DRAGONMOUNT is based on my research into the Maori culture, the descendants of New Zealand’s original settlers don’t really believe in dragons. If you want to find out more about the rich Maori culture, please look them up online or at your local library.
1
Anna dragged her fingertips along the glass, taking in the rolling, green valley spread out beyond the rooftops outside her hotel room window. The snow-capped mountains in the distance called to her, promising views she’d been dreaming of since she first saw hobbits and elves on the movie screen.
New Zealand. She could hardly believe it.
She drew in a deep breath. When she first started planning this vacation with Andrew, it was a pipe dream— the mutual coup de gras of their bucket lists. It was supposed to be their honeymoon.
Until a honeymoon was no longer needed.
The television cut to a commercial for toothpaste as her sister walked through the room reading a pamphlet.
“It says here that those mountains you’re staring at are called Aoraki.” She pointed to the text. “The original settlers believed that the sons of the sky god got their canoe stuck on a reef. They froze to death and became the mountains.” She smiled. “That’s kind of creepy. Right up your alley.”
Anna pressed her forehead to the glass, allowing the pane to cool her skin as she watched people wander the streets below.
“Right now these Maori people are celebrating some sort of ancient fertility festival called the Seventeen Year.” Sybil snorted. “Fertility, huh? Sounds like my kind of party.”
Of course it was. Anything her sister could relate to sex was a good time.
The television commercial cut to a news anchor. She picked up a stack of papers and tapped them twice on the desktop.
“Breaking news from North Island,” the woman announced. “Sources investigating the recent rash of murders report that the bodies of at least two more women were found in the Wellington area this morning. Local law enforcement asks all New Zealand, especially women, to take extra precautions while traveling at night. More on this story, and the women behind these growing statistics tonight at eleven.”
Sybil changed the channel. “Well, that’s a cheery way to start our vacation.”
Anna’s gaze drew back to the window. Below, two guys in long, dark coats shoved a girl against the brick building across the street. Anna straightened, and her lips parted as one of the men held the girl against the wall. She didn’t seem to struggle. They just stared at each other.
Or maybe they were talking. She couldn’t tell from this distance.
She glanced at the television screen, then back to the window. The people on the street walked by the threesome like this was nothing out of the ordinary.
Anna released the breath she’d been holding. The police said to be cautious, not paranoid.
The air around the group below seemed to blur, and the guy holding the girl suddenly had a bunch of Freddy Krueger-like knives in his hand.
The warmth drained from Anna’s face.
“Hey!” She banged on the glass.
“What?” Sybil ran to the window.
“Do you see that?” Anna pointed down.
“See what?”
Anna returned her gaze to the people outside. The second guy tugged the first down the street. There was nothing in knife-guy’s hand.
The girl stumbled away from the wall, shaking her head as if she couldn’t focus. She watched the two men disappear around the corner before heading in the opposite direction.
“What are we looking at?” Sybil stood on her toes to see better.
Anna turned from the glass. “Nothing, I guess. Sorry.” She really needed to stop watching horror movies.
Her sister grabbed her shoulders and squeezed. “We need to work out some of this tension. How about we go out and get a drink?”
Anna puffed out a laugh. “It’s going to take a lot more than a drink.”
“Then let’s call this a good start. Believe me, Sis, once this vacation is over, you’ll be a new person. I swear it.”
Was there something wrong with her old person? Anna didn’t think so.
Well, not her old-old person. Growing up, she’d been ready for anything. She and Andrew were going to take on the world together.
Until she caught him in bed with someone else.
The little firecracker inside her had extinguished that night, and she hadn’t found a way to rekindle the spark. Anna closed her eyes and swallowed the painful ball building in her throat. She was here to forget— to erase the bad and come
home as a clean slate, ready to start over again. This started by proving to herself that her life no longer revolved around one guy.
In the distance, a large black bird soared toward the mountains. It circled as if it flew for the pure pleasure of feeling the wind in its feathers. That’s what she needed, the confidence to spread her wings and glide toward the horizon.
Her heart stirred, yearning to break out of these walls and see the sights she’d been dreaming of. “I can’t wait for the tour tomorrow.”
Sybil tugged her arm. “We’re not waiting for tomorrow. We can start seeing New Zealand tonight.”
“Tonight? We just got off a plane.”
“What better time to get this vacation started?” Her sister kicked off her loafers and slipped on a pair of black heels: her idea of dressing up.
When Anna refused to change out of her sneakers, Sybil drew her out the door. “One drink, that’s all I ask. It will do wonders for you, I swear.”
Anna crossed her arms and stepped into the elevator. Sometimes it was easier to give in. One drink, and then hopefully she could coax her sister back up to bed so they could get some sleep. She refused to screw up the first day of their Lord of the Rings tour with a hangover.
The doors opened into the lobby. Men and women crowded the area around the hotel bar, shouting orders to the bartenders. So much for a quick drink.
Sybil barely glanced in their direction. She tugged Anna through the vestibule and out the main entrance.
“Wait. Where are we going?”
“Like I said, to get a drink.”
“Is there something wrong with the hotel bar?”
Sybil hailed a taxi. “Yes, it’s packed with tourists. I want to meet some New Zealanders.”
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