The Dragon Shifter's Desire: A Wishing Moon Bay Shifter Romance

by Harmony Raines

  “No. Nothing. It’s like they never existed.” He gave a short laugh. “I used to believe I hatched from an egg.”

  Her shoulders shook as she laughed. “An egg?”

  “Yeah, sometimes in movies, dragons hatch from eggs. I used to think that was why I couldn’t remember them, because I was abandoned as an egg.” He looked down at her. “I know that sounds crazy and you’re the only person I have ever told about it.”

  “Your secret is now my secret.” She patted his chest.

  “I... I used to think... I used to hope that if I was abandoned or lost...as an egg...then my parents might still be alive. That they might be looking for me.” Her arm slipped around his waist, and she held him close.

  “And when you met my dad and he told you that he believed you were the son of Andor, and that your father and mother were dead, that dream was shattered.”

  “Yes,” he whispered.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I nearly didn’t come back today.” He swallowed hard, his fingers pressed against her flesh. He could so easily have decided to stay away from Davy Westward and his family. “I might never have met you.”

  Larisa moved in his arms and turned to face him. “I believe that fate would not have let that happen.”

  “I thought you weren’t a believer in fate.”

  She shrugged. “I’m coming around to the idea.”

  “Glad to hear it.”

  “I’ve dreamed about meeting a dragon shifter my whole life. Partly because of my father but also because I wanted proof that they were actually real. I’ve searched the world for clues to dragon shifters but then you just walked into my house.” She looked up at the stars above their heads. “And then you brought me here.”

  “The stars are so bright on moonless nights,” Ivan told her. “One day, when this is all over, we could come up here and spend the night watching the stars.”

  “Wow, aren’t you a fun date?” She nudged him in the ribs.

  “Sorry, I thought you would like that...” He chuckled. “You’re teasing me.”

  “You’re easy to tease.” She pulled away from him. “I could stay up here all night tonight. I’d love to watch the stars move over our heads. But we have a big day tomorrow and we need to get back. I’m dead on my feet.”

  “Not dead,” he replied.

  “Sorry. I’m bone-tired and I don’t want to fall off your back. We should go.”

  He nodded. “Come on. I’ll make sure you don’t fall.”

  “I trust you.” She placed her hand in his and he led her down the trail back to the flat area where it was easier for him to shift.

  I won’t let her fall, his dragon promised.

  I know you won’t, Ivan replied. I trust you.

  Let’s just hope there’s a time in the not-too-distant future when we can come back here and spend the night with no other worries, or other fears.

  That’s what I wished for, Ivan said. I wished for our lives to be free of danger. For us to be free to raise a family without having to look over our shoulders. He glanced down at Larisa’s pocket where she’d put the pendant. She could have left it back at the apartment but if the owner of the pendant came looking for it, Larisa didn’t want there to be anyone caught in the dragon shifter’s path.

  He should’ve insisted she gave it to Ivan for safekeeping. This was his fight.

  Larisa believes the fight belongs to her and her family, too, his dragon replied.

  She doesn’t stand a chance against a dragon shifter. No one does.

  Except for another dragon shifter, his dragon replied.

  Except us. Ivan did not doubt that this was part of fate’s plan, too.

  He just hoped fate intended for them to survive and live a happy life with Larisa.

  Chapter Eleven – Larisa

  They flew back at a more leisurely pace, taking a direct route to town and Ivan’s apartment. No longer worried about her reaction, Ivan didn’t seem worried about who saw the dragon flying across the sky.

  When he landed in the street in front of his apartment building, Larisa expected people to look out of their windows and stare. No one did, save for a small boy across the street who yanked open his drapes and waved like crazy at Ivan as he shifted from dragon to human.

  “A fan of yours?” Larisa’s heart melted when Ivan waved back enthusiastically.

  “Yeah. His name is Henry. His mom works at the hotel, so I see him around. His dream is to be big enough to ride on my back.” Ivan waved again and then turned toward his apartment building. “He’s big enough now, if he held on tight, but his mom is scared he’ll fall.”

  “I can see her point, Henry isn’t very tall.” She hooked her arm through his. “What about our kids? Will they grow up on the back of a dragon?”

  He chuckled. “That would be up to their mom.”

  “Why me?” Larisa asked.

  “I’m told that the maternal instinct to protect children is strong and while I am confident I would never let them fall, I wouldn’t go against your wishes if you wanted them to be bigger before they ride on my back.”

  “I was thinking I could carry our children in a papoose while I ride on your back. Then later we could perhaps fashion some kind of saddle,” she mused.

  “You have it all worked out.” He opened the door, and they went inside.

  “Not everything. But I don’t ever want to give up dragon-riding. So our kids will have to come along, too.” She followed him upstairs, her legs ached from riding on the dragon, but she wasn’t about to complain, even if each step zapped her of her strength.

  “Are you okay? I can carry you if you want.” Ivan glanced back at her with concern as she lagged behind him.

  “I’m okay. I’m just tired. It’s been an exciting day and I’m exhausted.”

  “Let’s get you into bed.” He let go of her hand and scooped her up in his arms. Larisa tensed, she wasn’t used to being carried, she was a strong independent woman who could look after herself. Yet Ivan’s strong arms comforted her, and she rested against his chest, giving in to the urge to be cared for.

  Larisa had spent most of her life being the caregiver rather than the caretaker. She smiled to herself, her brain was as tired as her legs and seemed to be spouting nonsense. But it wasn’t nonsense. Even as a child, she’d known she had to be strong, she had to be there for her brother and often for her dad. The older she’d grown, the more she understood their weaknesses. Her father and his depression, his fear of being caught, and his intense sadness at losing his wife. And her brother, Simon, who was too sensitive, and often got picked on because of it.

  Larisa had become the protector. So it was nice to have a pair of strong arms around her. It was nice to nestle against Ivan’s chest and know that he was her protector. That she could have a night off from fighting battles that she could never win.

  Her eyes drooped and sleep welcomed her as she rocked against his chest. She was vaguely aware of him stopping and the jingle of keys as he opened the door to his apartment.

  She was aware of him rocking his body forward as he placed her on the bed and then the touch of his hands as he removed her shoes.

  Then nothing. Until she opened her eyes to darkness.

  For a moment, she lay still staring up at a strange ceiling, not knowing where she was. Larisa put her hand to her head and tried to remember the events of yesterday. Was it yesterday? How long had she slept?

  She slowly turned onto her side, there was a crack of light shining underneath the door and she swung her legs out of bed and padded toward the light. There was a murmur of voices from beyond the door. One she recognized as Ivan’s, the other was a female she didn’t know.

  Larisa leaned back against the wall. Should she go out there? What if she was interrupting something? Something Ivan didn’t want her to see. He probably had secrets he wanted to keep to himself.

  “You can come out, Larisa.”

  She closed her eyes and shook her head. Shift
ers. Those senses of theirs were both a blessing and a curse.

  “I’m sorry if we woke you.” Ivan’s voice was closer now and the door opened before she had a chance to move.

  “I was thirsty,” she croaked. Which wasn’t a lie.

  “I can get you a glass of water if you want to go straight back to bed. Or you can come and say hello to Elise.” The broad-shouldered dragon shifter blocked most of the light from the hallway, but she was still half-blind as she stepped forward.

  “I’d like to meet Elise.” Larisa stumbled after Ivan, rubbing her eyes as she tried to clear the fog in her brain.

  “Elise, this is Larisa. Larisa, this is Elise.” Ivan made the introductions as he led Larisa to the kitchen.

  “Hi.” Elise studied Larisa closely, but her body language remained relaxed.

  “Hi, Elise. Good to meet you.” Larisa covered her mouth as she yawned again.

  “I’m sorry if I woke you. I wanted to bring this to Ivan.” She handed him a small vial. “It’s the spell you need to conceal your dragon. My Grandma Hannah made it for you.”

  “You went to see her tonight?” Ivan asked.

  Elise checked her watch. “Technically, it was last night. I left as soon as the restaurant closed. I was going to bring back the ingredients for a location spell for the pendant. But my grandma said she’ll cast it since it’ll be more potent and last longer. She’s been working on the spell lately and thinks she can cross the realms.”

  “Thanks, Elise. For everything. You must be exhausted.” Ivan eyed Elise with concern. “You should go home to bed, and I’ll do the breakfast shift tomorrow...this morning.”

  “No, you should go. My grandma is expecting you.” Elise pressed her mouth into a thin line. “She said something about there being no time to lose.”

  “No time to lose?” Ivan asked cautiously.

  “Something is stirring. My people can feel it.” Elise reached out and took Ivan’s hand. “Be careful.”

  “I will.” He nodded, his eyes dark as he looked at Elise. “Thank you.”

  “Karros and Zara will meet you at the hotel first thing tomorrow. They’ll take you to my grandma’s house.” She tapped the vial. “This should keep you hidden from most of my people. But it’s not foolproof so be careful.”

  “We can go alone,” Ivan insisted.

  Elise shook her head. “No, you go with Karros. He can protect you if anything goes wrong.”

  “Can he?” Ivan asked and a sense of dread filled Larisa.

  “You have a better chance of going unnoticed if a fae is with you.” She let go of Ivan’s hand and turned to face Larisa. “Make sure he doesn’t run off and try to be a hero on his own.”

  “I will.” Larisa nodded. “I promise.”

  “I’ll see you in a couple of hours. Try to get some rest.” With that, Elise turned on her heel and hurried out of the apartment, closing the door behind her.

  “Is it safe?” Larisa pointed at the vial in Ivan’s hand.

  “I trust Elise,” he replied.

  “But it didn’t come from Elise, did it? She got it from her grandma who is a fae, I presume...”

  “And you are worried that because the fae don’t like dragons that they might be trying to poison me?” Ivan took the words right out of her mouth.

  “You’re not worried?”

  Ivan held the vial up to the light, it was a deep crimson color with what looked like gold dust swirling around at its center. “You heard what Elise said, her grandma wants us to hurry. I doubt she’d go to the trouble of poisoning me if she needs my help.”

  “The other dragon shifter?” Larisa shivered and wrapped her arms around herself but still, she was chilled to the bone despite the warm temperature in the kitchen.

  “Hey. It’s okay.” He placed the vial down on the counter and went to her, wrapping her in his warm arms and holding her close.

  “You’re like a furnace on full.” She snuggled closer to him, absorbing his warmth.

  “I’m hot-blooded.” He turned her toward the door leading from the kitchen. “Come on, let’s get you back to bed. You should get as much rest as possible.”

  “Only if you get some rest, too. Have you slept at all?” She glanced up at him. “I’m guessing that’s a no.”

  “Do I look that bad?” He ran his hand over his face.

  “Not bad. But not good.” She pulled away from him as they reached his bedroom. Taking his hand, she guided him toward the bed. “Sleep. Please.”

  “Are you ordering me around?” He sat down wearily but tried to hide it with a bright smile. “I’m a mighty dragon, you know.”

  “And I am your mate, and you have to do what I say.” She pouted. “To keep me happy, remember?”

  “How could I forget?” He pulled her with him as he rolled over on the bed. “Will you sleep by my side? Please?”

  “Sure.” She hesitated for a moment but then snuggled close to him. This was where she was meant to be. She’d accepted her fate as soon as he told her they were mates. That didn’t mean she was ready to actually sleep with him. They might be fated mates, but she still needed to get to know him first. She needed to know what kind of man he was.

  Didn’t she already know? He’d shown her so much of himself in the few hours since they’d met. Ivan was open and honest with her, which was more than most men were capable of until they let their guard down.

  But there was no pretense with Ivan. She’d expected him to be arrogant. After all, he was a dragon shifter.

  “Close your eyes and sleep.” He dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

  “How do you know I am not sleeping?” She turned in his arms and placed her hand on his chest.

  “I can tell by the sound of your breathing. And the beat of your heart.” He rubbed her shoulder as if trying to soothe her. “And you’re tense.”

  “I have a lot on my mind,” she murmured but his touch and his voice soothed her, and her eyes were heavy with sleep.

  “Let it go. For now, it’s just us. There’s nothing you can do until the morning.” He kissed her again, his hands gentle on her skin as she fell asleep.

  Tomorrow was a new day. A new start. Her life as she knew it was over. A new life with Ivan was about to begin.

  Chapter Twelve – Ivan

  “Are you going to take it?” She rolled the vial over the counter while Ivan cooked waffles and made coffee. He moved around the kitchen with such confidence, wanting to impress his mate.

  “Yes.” He glanced over his shoulder and smiled. “It’s safe. I promise.”

  She cares about us, his dragon said. Really cares about us.

  Of course she does, Ivan answered. Just like we really care for her. We’re mates. She gets that.

  I never expected it to be the same for Larisa. I thought it would take time. That she would learn to like us and then love us. His dragon was practically drooling over their mate. After flying over the mountains with her on his back, he’d become infatuated with her. Not that Ivan could blame him. She had that effect on both of them.

  Maybe we are already under a spell, his dragon said.

  “Are you supposed to have breakfast first?” Larisa stood the bottle up but continued to stare at it.

  “I’m going to have breakfast, yes. But I’m not going to drink it until we are at the hotel. It takes a few minutes to take effect, but we don’t know how long it’ll last.” Ivan set two coffee mugs down on the table. “Here, drink this.”

  “Thanks.” She glanced at the waffles.

  “They’re nearly ready.” He reached into the cupboard and pulled out the maple syrup and set it down on the counter next to two plates.

  “I’m not a great cook,” she admitted. “I get by, but I never spent time learning to cook.”

  “Then we’re meant for each other because I am both a great cook and I also enjoy cooking, especially for those I love.” He grinned as her eyes widened. “Too soon to say I love you?”

  We do already lov
e her, his dragon sighed.

  “A little too soon. And a little scary,” she admitted. “I think there should be a twenty-four-hour rule before shifters admit their love for their mate.”

  “It’s okay, I don’t expect you to say it back.” He winked. “Yet.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever told anyone I love them except for my dad and Simon.” She covered her face with her hands. “That was too much information.”

  “Not for me. The more information, the better.” He put the waffles down in front of her. “I want to know everything about you.”

  “There’s not a lot to tell.”

  Ivan came around the counter and sat down next to her. “You told me that you have traveled the world looking for dragon shifters and now you say you have nothing to tell?”

  “I have traveled the world.” She forked up her waffles and took a bite. “Oh, my goodness, these are good.”

  He nudged her lightly. “So you do love me?”

  “I might be persuaded.” She nodded and ate some more.

  “So, your life story?” Ivan prompted.

  “I’ll tell you while we’re on the road.” She ate quickly.

  “Food is supposed to be savored,” he told her.

  “We’re on a deadline. We don’t want to keep Karros and Zara waiting, do we?” She put her hand on her stomach as it gurgled loudly. “Sorry, I’m nervous.”

  “Slow down. Eat, drink your coffee, and then we’ll get going.” He held her gaze and she sighed and chewed slowly. “Better.”

  They ate in silence for a few minutes. Ivan enjoyed breakfast with his mate. Hopefully, it was the first of many.

  We should pack plenty of supplies for the trip to the fae realm, his dragon said. We have no idea how long we’re going to be there and the less contact we have with the fae, the better.

  I have already put together some supplies and I’ll top them up with some things from the hotel. Ivan finished his breakfast and got up.

  “Now who is rushing?” Larisa’s gaze rested on the remaining waffles.

  “Help yourself. I’m going to grab some sleeping bags and camping gear. We can stow it in the car. Just in case.” Ivan went to the sink, but Larisa was out of her seat and clearing the breakfast things away before he had a chance to turn on the faucet.