“Let. Her. Go.” Zack drew himself up to his full human height, standing almost as tall as Vardok. Every movement sent shards of pain throughout his body. He had only barely managed to get away from the two soldiers in the forest, killing one of them with a bite to the throat and mortally wounding the other, but they had inflicted their own damage to him.
“I don’t believe I will,” Vardok said with a smile. “She is my wife now and she is mine to do with as I please.”
Zack quickly looked to Alix and she slowly nodded. He had been too late.
“And now,” Vardok continued, “I wish to take my lovely bride to my bed…” His grin widened as he yanked Alix to his side. “And fuck her until she bleeds.”
Zack shifted before he was consciously aware of it, launching himself at Vardok’s throat. He managed to scrape his teeth along his jaw and got a quick, satisfying taste of blood, but Vardok easily tossed him away. Zack hit the wall hard.
And as his dazed eyes watched, Vardok shifted.
In dragon form, Vardok was at least twenty feet tall, with a wingspan double that. His black scales were iridescent in the torchlight, and his curled horns glistened. He slowly reared his head back, mouth opening, preparing to rain fire.
Zack leaped away at the last moment, just as blood-red flames hit the wall behind him. He felt his tail scorch as he rolled and jumped to his feet again. He darted a quick glance to Alix and saw her at the doors, gathering the servants and getting them out of the cross-fire.
Vardok’s dragon form roared, the sound trailing into what almost sounded like laughter. It thrashed its massive tail and took down one of the stone walls, turning its eyes back to Zack. Its eyes glowed scarlet, and when it opened its mouth in a grin, its teeth shone like razor-sharp daggers.
Zack warily circled him, claws clicking against the stone floor, his hackles up and his head lowered. Vardok filled up the room, leaving him little space to truly fight. That was probably the only thing working in Zack’s favor. He knew that dragons had very few weak spots to exploit. They were at the top of the food chain for a reason.
Zack’s eyes went from Vardok’s neck to his wings to his belly, where the Caligo mark spread across the soft flesh. His belly was open, but Zack would have to get past those forelegs and their talons first.
You’re a bigger fool than I’d thought. Vardok’s voice echoed through Zack’s mind. I’ve destroyed better, bigger, men than you.
Zack carefully blanked his thoughts. If he wanted to have any chance of defeating the dragon, he had to keep him out of his mind.
He watched Vardok’s long, narrow face carefully and kept his talons in his peripheral vision. Zack bared his teeth, growling low in his throat, every muscle tensed and ready to spring.
Perhaps I’ll keep you alive. I’ll let you watch me fuck your female. Would you enjoy that? I know I would.
Zack struggled to remain focused. He knew that Vardok was counting on him to react with rage and open himself up.
Did you ever make her scream? I will… but not with pleasure.
Zack’s resolve crumbled. Snarling, he leapt for Vardok’s throat, snapping viciously for any part of the dragon’s body he could get. Vardok shook him off but Zack raced at him again, going for the dragon’s hindquarters, trying to hamstring him and take him down. With one swipe of his talons, Vardok easily knocked Zack across the room. Zack hit the floor hard, blacking out for a second as he struggled to catch his breath.
Vardok slowly approached him, stretching up to his full height. The dragon’s mouth opened in an awful smile as his throat trembled and began to glow.
Zack knew he had only seconds before Vardok would consume him with fire. He got to his feet and braced himself, teeth bared. He only hoped Alix had used this distraction to escape.
Fire flickered in the back of Vardok’s throat like a pilot light. He took a deep breath, ready to exhale…
…and a lithe white dragon slashed at his muzzle with her talons, knocking Vardok off balance as he howled in surprised pain.
Alix had shifted, Zack realized. And because she was so small, she was able to move around the room easily.
She darted around Vardok’s upper body, slashing at his head. Vardok roared and slapped her away with a wave of his wings, turning his attention back to Zack. Before he could open his mouth to breathe fire, Alix recovered herself and flung herself full force into the length of Vardok’s throat, knocking him back a few steps.
As Vardok fought to balance, Zack raised himself on his hindquarters and began slashing and ripping at the huge red splotch on Vardok’s underbelly. As thick dragon blood began to spill out of the wounds, Vardok stumbled, throwing his head back and roaring in pain. Zack looked up just as Alix swooped in on Vardok’s head, grasping it from behind with her hind legs as she tore at his eyes with her talons. Vardok tried to shake her off, but she clung to him, driving her claws deeper into his eyes.
Vardok desperately reared back and slipped on the growing puddle of his own blood. He went down hard, shifting midway and hitting the floor in his human form. He was barely alive. His eye sockets were black and hollow, and his stomach was shredded.
Zack shifted to human form again and managed to get to his feet. Every last part of his body ached. He felt a touch on his shoulder and turned to find Alix. They gazed at each other for a few moments, then embraced, holding each other tightly. He hadn’t truly realized how good she felt in his arms. He didn’t know if he was laughing or crying.
“Are you okay?” They both asked at the same time. Zack chuckled and held her face tenderly in his hands, pressing kisses over her forehead and eyes and lips.
“I’m alive,” Zack said in a rough whisper. “Because of you.”
Alix smiled, embracing him again, and Zack wondered if maybe he had been killed and this was all just a wonderful dream before dying.
“They’ll kill you, you know…” Vardok rasped.
Alix and Zack turned to him. Vardok rolled onto his back, entrails spilling out of his belly, sightless eye sockets staring up to the ceiling.
“My kingdom… will avenge me…” His breathing was labored, but he smiled through his gasps. “You won’t… be leaving… these walls… alive…”
The heavy wooden doors squealed open and Vardok began to laugh, wheezing painfully as he sank his hands into the mess that was his stomach.
Zack and Alix spun around to see the servants flooding into the Great Hall, led by the Vow Giver. Villagers followed behind them. Zack half-expected to see pitchforks and torches. They murmured loudly to each other as they got their first glimpse of Vardok’s dying body.
And here it comes, Zack thought. He didn’t think he had it in him to face hundreds of villagers, but maybe he could keep them busy long enough to allow Alix to get away.
He looked at Alix, and she faintly smiled. She was thinking the same thing.
“Whatever happens,” she said softly, “we’re together.”
He managed to return her smile. “See you in the next world.”
Vardok cackled madly behind them, using the last bit of his strength. “Kill them!” he screamed. “Avenge my death! Kill them both!”
The crowd surrounded them, eyes wide. Zack slipped his arm around Alix’s waist and pulled her closer to him.
The Vow Giver stepped forward and turned to the crowd, holding his arms up for silence.
“Our King Vardok is dead,” he said grimly. “Or soon will be…”
Zack and Alix glanced at each other with relief.
The Vow Giver turned toward Alix and fell to one knee, lowering his head. “Long live our new Queen, Alixandra.”
“Our Queen,” the crowd roared as they all sank to their knees. “Long live our Queen.”
Alix’s eyes widened as the villagers began to chant her name. She turned to Zack, who laughed and shrugged.
“Don’t look so surprised,” he said with a smile. “That’s what happens when you marry a king.”
Epilogue
> “All hail the Queen!”
“All hail the Queen!”
The Paradigm nightclub was at capacity, wall-to-wall with wellwishers and friends. Zack and Alix sat on stools at the bar in a place of honor. After another week in the shifter world, beginning to repair the damage that Vardok had done to his kingdom, they had been back in New York for exactly twenty-four hours. They spent all but the last three in bed. This party was to celebrate not only their safe return, but the death of Vardok Caligo. Now that Alix had been named Queen, their entire shifter world would change. She was making sure of that.
Even before the villagers had left the Great Hall, she had commanded that all prisoners be released, including the servants. Some of Vardok’s soldiers resisted following her, so she had them rounded up and exiled, along with anyone else who didn’t want to live under her rule. Many of the servants asked to be allowed to continue working, so Alix made sure they were provided with better homes and food for their families.
And that was only the first day.
Vardok’s female prisoners were taken to the village doctor, where they were able to clean themselves and eat their first decent meal in ages. A few of them were very sick, but would recover. Alix asked Nella to be her assistant, while the other females would go back to their families and mates.
The next order of business would be the rebuilding of the castle. Alix envisioned it as a second home for the villagers, a place where everyone would be welcome. She wanted it to be a safe place for new mothers to have their offspring, as well as a place for children to be schooled. The castle wasn’t going to be a symbol of intimidation and oppression anymore; it would be a home.
There was a lot of work yet to do, but Alix knew she was up to the task. Zack had been by her side for every decision, helping her feel her way through the confusion and make the right choices. She hoped that, one day, he might return to their world to live, but she would never ask him to give up his life with the humans.
“A toast!” Brady yelled, holding up a glass of champagne. Beside him, his wife Casey and his mother and father did the same. Everyone in the club extended their glasses and cheered.
“Hear hear!” Colleen shouted, a bottle of whiskey in her hand. She was still bruised and battered from the attack by Vardok’s mercenary, but healing.
“This is embarrassing,” Alix whispered in Zack’s ear.
Zack chuckled. “You’d better get used to adulation, Queenie.”
“I always knew my little sister had the makings of a queen,” Brady said to the hushed crowd. “I know of no one in this world or any other who deserves the privilege more.”
The room erupted in cheers and applause. Zack hopped down from the bar, arms raised, turning around to ask for quiet.
“Thank you to everyone for coming!” he said to another round of cheers. “It means more to me than you could know to be with so many friends tonight.”
Applause filled the club. Zack caught Brady’s eye and nodded.
“That’s why, with all of you here with us…” Zack turned back to Alix. “I want to ask,” he said quietly, “if you will be with me for the rest of our lives.”
Alix gasped and smiled, nodding fervently before he could finish speaking.
“Will you marry me, Alix?” he asked.
Alix jumped off the stool and flung her arms around his neck, nearly jumping up in his arms as he staggered, laughing, and caught her. “Yes!” she shouted. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!”
An explosion of cheers nearly deafened them as they kissed, blocking out the rest of the world as they embraced. Alix kissed Zack’s stubble-roughened cheek and ear.
“I’ve got a surprise for you, too,” she whispered. She glanced down to her belly and back up to his eyes again, her smile glowing. “Daddy.”
“What? Really?” Zack drew back, his eyes wide. “Are you sure? How do you know?
Alix touched her still-flat stomach and smiled. “Trust me. I know.”
He pulled her close again, kissing her tenderly, holding her as if she might break. As he raised his head, he flattened his hand against her stomach, his eyes alight with wonder.
“So if you’re the Queen of Caligo now,” he said with a grin, “does that mean I can lay around the castle and take care of the babies?”
Alix laughed. “Of course.”
“I can live with that,” Zack said, smiling. He kissed her again. And again. And again.
And the room cheered on.
Thank you for reading UNDERCOVER WOLF SHIFTER I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, may I ask you to please write a review HERE!
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Rockstar Dragon’s Bride
Irish Dragon Shifter Brothers Series
Blurb
Can a dragon shifter help heal his mate’s broken heart -- with the promise of a fake wedding?
The Pretend Bride
At twenty-two I had everything I dreamed of.
Generous parents, a dedicated fiance, and an upcoming wedding in Las Vegas.
For the icing on the cake, my parents paid to have Garrett Hudson, a gorgeous rock star, sing for my bachelorette party.
Vegas was supposed to be fun; a way to relax before I got married.
But the fun ended when I walked in on my fiance.
He was with someone else.
He was with not one other woman, but four.
He begged my forgiveness. But he had betrayed me.
To bury my pain, I take risks. Out in the desert while rock climbing, I fall. I should have died.
But someone catches me, and saves my life..
I wake up in the arms of a man.
Not just any man. The sexy rock star who sang for me.
I’m single now, but he’s a playboy.
But he’s different with me. He’s kind and considerate, but he’s hiding a big secret.
After my ex betrayed me, can I let myself fall for this handsome rock star?
The Rock Star Shifter
At thirty, I was still unmated. And that’s how I wanted it.
My overbearing clan wanted me to choose a respectable profession -- doctor, lawyer, dentist. They wanted me to conform.
But music stole my heart.
I moved to Vegas and made it big. And now I don’t go home anymore.
I pushed the dragon inside me away.
I won’t listen to my family. I refuse to settle down and find a mate; I like playing the field.
Then I meet a captivating young bride.
This human woman is different.
She belongs to someone else, but I am drawn to her like no other.
I can’t get her out of my head.
But do not steal the mate of another, no matter the circumstance.
Then the girl leaves her fiance, and now she is free.
This awakens my dragon, who insists this girl is mine.
My mate.
Under a sunny sky, I save her life. Now I am bound to her.
Can I convince this beautiful woman to give love another chance?
Can a dragon shifter convince his love that she’s his mate, and turn his fake-marriage into a real one?
***
1
Lily
“I cannot believe you’re getting married!”
Lily Copeland’s best friend Carmen squealed a few more times, then she hugged her again. “I know. I can’t believe it either,” Lily said. Carmen was right. The whole thing had been a whirlwind. Lily was only twenty-two, so she was just grateful no one in her family was objecting to her getting married.
“And the icing on the cake is that you somehow managed to get Garrett Hudson to perform at your bachelorette party! How on earth did you swing that?”
“My parents made that happen.” Or rather, their money had. Lily had invited her parents to come to Las Vegas
and spend a few weeks with her before the wedding, but they had declined, as usual. To make up for it, they’d poured an insane amount of money into giving her everything any bride could want, including having a rock star come sing at her bachelorette party.
“He’s so hot. I hope we get to talk to him.”
“I’m sure we will, but you have to play it cool. You can’t grab him and squeal.”
Carmen pursed her lips. “When have I ever lost my cool?”
“Um. Every single day of your life?” Lily loved her best friend, but she was prone to freaking out over just about anything, big or small. And getting to see Garrett Hudson was a pretty big deal. Even Lily was super excited, and of the two of them, she was the level-headed one.
Carmen clapped her hands together. “Now. It’s time for you to get dressed.”
Carmen grabbed the dress they’d purchased for Lily’s bachelorette party. It was a bright red, and it complimented her dark hair. It also clung to every single one of her curves. It was a little skimpy for a March evening back home in Virginia, but it would be fine in Vegas. It had been nearly seventy degrees that day.
She pulled the dress on and smoothed it down over her hips. She turned around for a second and looked at her backside in the mirror. At least the dress covered her bottom. Mostly.
Carmen came up behind her and put her hands on Lily’s shoulders. “You look divine. Everyone in the room is going to be staring at you. Especially the guys.”
Lily whacked her friend on the arm. “Carmen! I don’t want the guys to be looking at me. I’m here to get married.”
“Yes. you absolutely do want them to be looking at you.” Carmen smirked at her. “It’s your bachelorette party. It’s your last night of freedom!”
Undercover Wolf Shifter Page 13
