Dragon Isle Boxed Set, Books 4-6: Lost to the Dragon, Beware of Dragons, and Catching the Dragon

by Stern, Sophie

  As she walked away, Audrey’s heart ached. She was almost 30. She was almost 30 and she wasn’t any closer to getting married and having kids than when she’d been 18. She bit her lip as she navigated the quiet roads. It was dark out, but she’d spent so much time running up and down these streets as a child that it barely fazed her.

  She had left Dragon Isle on her 18th birthday with plans to see the world, fall in love, get a job, and have wild adventures. She had successfully gone to college and gotten a job, but then what? Nothing. Nothing else had happened. She had lived, comparing every man she met to the dragon who had stolen her heart – and her first kiss – when they were kids.

  When she finally decided to go after her dreams, Audrey worried it was too late. She sold all of her belongings, told her parents she was moving back, and bought a camera. She would be the official photographer on Dragon Isle and she would somehow find a way to tell Gabriel that she was in love with him.

  Somehow.

  But she’d been back for six months now and she was no closer to confessing her secret love than she’d been when they were kids. And why? Because she was afraid he’d reject her? Surely that couldn’t be worse than this. This not knowing. This endless sea of nothingness she felt whenever he wasn’t around.

  If she was honest with herself, the real reason she hadn’t told Gabriel how she felt was that her feelings didn’t involve just him. Her fantasies didn’t just include her and Gabriel living happily ever after.

  No, Audrey was much too weird and fucked up for that kind of normalcy.

  Fuck.

  No, Audrey couldn’t be happy with just one dragonman. She wanted two of them. At the same time. And how strange was that? She’d been around dragons long enough, having grown up on the island, to know that some dragons were in ménage relationships. While most humans clung to the idea that true, endless marriage was for one man and one woman, some dragons didn’t mind sharing a mate.

  And that’s what she wanted.

  She had only confessed her deep, horrible secret to one person. She’d been drunk at a party and the next day, she’d been outcast as a super-weirdo no one wanted to go near. After all, what kind of slut wanted not only to sleep with two men at once, but to marry them?

  Audrey’s thoughts consumed her. Instead of going to her small cabin, the one she rented from a kindly old dragonwoman, her feet carried her to the mansion Gabriel shared with his best friend, Anthony. The three of them had hung out endlessly in high school and kept in touch for awhile after Audrey left. For a long time, Audrey had thought he and Gabriel were gay, but in fact, they were just very close. Almost like brothers. To each other, not to her.

  No, there was nothing brotherly about the way Audrey felt about the two men. Lust stirred deep inside of her, and she wished she were braver. She wished she would go after what she wanted. She wished she would just tell them.

  She stood in front of the mansion for a long time, staring at it. Should she go up to the door? What would she even say?

  “Hey, guys, I just want you to know I’ve been fantasizing about the two of you taking me roughly since I was about 16 years old. Sorry it took me so long to come to terms with it. Please, will you pin me down and take me? It’s best if you make it hurt. It’s the only way I can come.”

  “It’s a good start,” a deep voice said from behind her. She screamed and jumped into the air, but strong arms caught her and pulled her close.

  “I didn’t know I said it out loud,” she whispered. The man’s body was warm and firm against her. She could tell, even without turning around, that he was completely naked.

  “You should be careful about what you say, little one,” the voice said again. “You never know who might be listening.” She pulled back and looked at the dragonman who was holding her.

  “Theodore?” She asked, surprised. “You’re naked!”

  He shrugged. It was nothing she hadn’t seen before. Most dragons didn’t care about nudity. Theodore was no exception.

  “I flew,” he answered.

  “What are you doing here? Oh shit,” she blushed. “Please don’t tell them what I said. You can’t.” She had known Theodore for as long as she’d known the other dragons, but unlike her, he had stayed on the island his entire life.

  He chuckled, released her from his grip.

  “No worries, love, your secret is safe with me. Although,” he looked toward the house for a moment. “I don’t think you need to be as afraid of rejection as you are.”

  With that, he started walking toward the mansion. What did he mean by that? Did Theodore know something she didn’t? Audrey didn’t follow at first, and he turned back.

  “Coming?” He held out his hand. After a deep breath, she gingerly took it and followed him up the steps to the mansion, wondering what she was getting herself into.

  2

  Anthony opened the door and was surprised to see both Theodore and Audrey standing there.

  “This is a surprise,” he said, looking from Theodore to Audrey and back again. A growl rose in his throat when he saw Theodore naked at the door with the woman he liked. At least Audrey was clothed, but what was she wearing? Only the cutest, tiniest little pinup dress he’d ever seen. Did she dress like that on purpose to make him crazy?

  Once again, Anthony growled, trying his best not to bare his teeth at the situation. Had they been fooling around outside? He knew, logically, that he had no reason to be upset. Theodore was mated and Audrey wasn’t his, but the idea of him seeing her or touching her made him furious.

  Theodore raised an eyebrow, but ignored Anthony’s reaction. If Audrey noticed, she said nothing.

  “Yes,” said Theodore, looking down at Audrey. “Audrey decided to stop by to chat with Gabriel after she finished at Emerson’s. This is just my opinion, but I think the little human could use a drink.” He pushed her toward the sitting room, where Gabriel was undoubtedly having a drink in front of the fire, and blatantly ignored the look of horror she shot him.

  Once Audrey was out of the room and – more importantly – out of earshot, Theodore turned back to Anthony.

  “Now, what’s the problem you’re having with the website?”

  “In here,” Anthony led Theodore back to the kitchen, where a couple of laptops were set up on the kitchen table. Theodore was a web designer and social media marketer. He managed the website and advertising for Anthony’s newest venture, The Dungeon. It was a BDSM club specifically for dragons and was nestled in the heart of Dragon Isle on Anthony’s other property.

  He kept the location of the club private and accessible only by flying. This ensured it was only dragons who were able to visit, but it also meant he didn’t have to worry about his well-meaning mother stopping by on a club night.

  Though Anthony spent more of his time at The Dungeon than at his regular residence, he tried his best to maintain a sense of normalcy, if only for his aging parents’ sake. Though his mother was open minded, he didn’t think she was that open minded.

  Theodore sat down to work on the site and Anthony showed him a few problems he had been having.

  “A couple of members are getting an error message when they try to log in to pay their membership dues,” he explained.

  “Got it,” Theodore said, after just a few clicks of the mouse.

  “That’s it?”

  “Yeah,” Theodore said, grinning at his friend. “What can I say? I’m the best.”

  Anthony rolled his eyes, but knew it was true. The two men chatted for a few minutes about Theodore’s wife, Ashley, and their son, Stuart. When the pleasantries were finished, Anthony walked his friend to the front door.

  “So, why did Audrey come over?” Anthony asked, lowering his voice. He wasn’t convinced she really had just decided to stop by. Was she in some sort of trouble?

  Theodore grinned and slapped his friend on the back.

  “Let’s just say she could use some company.” With that cryptic message, Theodore turned, stepped down from th
e porch, shifted, and disappeared into the night.

  Anthony turned back, wanting a drink before he even went into the room. Who knew what he was going to find? He knew Gabriel had wanted Audrey for as long as he could remember. Anthony did, too. The three of them had been good friends in their younger days, though Audrey and Gabriel had always been a bit closer. Anthony figured it had to do with their ages. Audrey and Gabriel were the same age, but Anthony was a bit older. Not by much, but enough that he had been more like an older brother to Audrey than a boyfriend.

  Not that Gabriel had been her boyfriend, much as he had wanted to. Oh, they had shared that stolen kiss. Anthony knew all about it. It was the only thing Gabriel would talk about when he was drinking.

  Come to think of it, maybe Anthony should hurry into the room. What if Gabriel was already toast? What if he was already reminiscing with Audrey about the days of yonder?

  With a sigh, Anthony pushed the door open and walked in. A fireplace lined the back wall and there was a couch facing it. Anthony could see Gabriel’s head as he walked in, but there was no sign of Audrey. He glanced around, but didn’t notice her, and was just about to ask where she was when he heard her.

  “I told you. Two weeks.” Her voice was coming from the couch. She must be lying down. No one seemed to notice his entrance, so Anthony watched from the doorway for a moment.

  “One week.”

  “Two.”

  “Why two?”

  “They have to be perfect.”

  “Come on, Audrey. We all know you’re the best at what you do.” Gabriel looked down, and Anthony knew his friend was smiling at Audrey. Was her head in his lap? Anthony fought a brief surge of jealousy before remembering that Gabriel was on board with the whole sharing thing. They wanted Audrey together. They both had for as long as they could remember.

  She sighed loudly. “I know, but I always worry about making things as good as they can be. I don’t want to let you down.”

  Now this was interesting. Anthony took a step forward, but an almost indiscernible shake of Gabriel’s head let Anthony know that his friend knew he was there, but wasn’t quite ready for him. Not just yet.

  “Why would you worry about that, Audrey? You’ve never let me down before.”

  “It’s just…I don’t know. Nothing. I don’t know why I said that, it was stupid.” Anthony heard a shuffle, then Gabriel’s voice turned deep.

  “No, you aren’t going to leave just yet.”

  “Yeah, it’s late. I’m tired. I want to go home.” She sat up then, to Anthony’s surprise, and looked around. “Hi Anthony.” She got up from the couch, leaned over and hugged Gabriel, then came to Anthony.

  She wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug and leaned her head against his chest. For just a moment, Anthony felt perfectly at peace. This little human had delighted him for years. When she announced her return to Dragon Isle, Anthony felt like his heart would burst with joy.

  “Tony,” she murmured. “Can you fly me home?”

  “With pleasure.”

  ***

  Audrey spent the next morning helping her parents install a new fence in their backyard. Why dragons needed a fence to keep out rabbits, Audrey would never understand, but she humored them and helped. When she was finished, she went home and showered, then looked over her photos from the day before.

  She was thrilled with the way the pictures of Weston had turned out. Though she’d have to go back and take more pictures with Janae and Emerson, Audrey thought the family would be pleased with the first round of individual photos she’d taken.

  By the time Audrey decided to take a break, the sun was setting and her stomach was growling. She had worked the day away and had barely even finished half of the photos. Was she really so nitpicky that it had taken her so long? Or maybe she just wasn’t as good at her job as she liked to think.

  She went to the kitchen, but her fridge and cupboards were barren. It’s not that she couldn’t afford food – she had plenty of money saved from years of living frugally – but she simply hadn’t thought to go to the grocery store that day.

  It was past seven, so she decided to grab at bite at Dragon’s Inn. Audrey headed over to the tiny restaurant that Victoria, another human, managed with her husband, Daniel. She smiled at the hostess and told her she’d just sit at the bar, then made her way to the back of the busy restaurant.

  “Rum and coke?” The bartender asked Audrey when she settled in on the barstool.

  “Yep,” Audrey nodded. She was going to need it if she actually wanted to relax at all tonight.

  “Long day?” A quiet voice said. Audrey turned to see Jasmine taking a seat next to her. Jasmine was a shifter who was tall, slender, and gorgeous. Her long hair flowed over her shoulders and her makeup was flawless. Even when Audrey tried to do her makeup, it never looked like Jasmine’s.

  Nobody looked like Jasmine.

  “Long week. Long year. Fuck, it’s been a long life.” Audrey took the drink from the bartender and downed it, then motioned for another.

  Jasmine looked thoughtfully at Audrey for a moment before asking, “Does this have anything to do with those dragons you have your eye on?”

  “What are you talking about?” Audrey narrowed her gaze at Jasmine. Jasmine just rolled her eyes.

  “Don’t play coy with me. I know you’ve got the hots for Anthony and Gabriel.”

  Audrey cringed. “The hots?” She repeated. “Who talks that way anymore? What is this? Saved by the Bell?”

  “I don’t know why you don’t just tell them what you want,” Jasmine shrugged, nursing her own drink. “It’s not like they’re mind readers. Maybe they don’t know you’re into that.”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “Is it?”

  “I grew up with them,” Audrey explained. “I’ve known them forever.”

  “Look, I get that I’ve only been on Dragon Isle for a couple of years,” Jasmine had moved to the island shortly after her divorce a few years prior. “But I’ve never seen them look at anyone the way they look at you. Ever. And that includes at the club.”

  “The club?” Audrey was confused. “What club?”

  Jasmine’s jaw dropped, but she quickly regained her composure.

  “Nothing,” she mumbled. “Forget I said anything.”

  The bartender sat a menu in front of Audrey, but she ignored it.

  “Talk. Now.”

  The bartender’s eyes opened wide, but he disappeared and Jasmine sighed in resignation. Even she knew keeping secrets from Audrey was useless. The little photographer had a stubborn streak a mile wide and would do anything it took to get the answers she wanted.

  Jasmine thought Audrey should be a field photographer who went on dangerous expeditions and missions and adventures to better the world. She’d be good at it.

  “Anthony owns a secret sex club.”

  “What!?” Audrey shrieked. A few heads turned in their direction and Jasmine shrunk down.

  “Shut. Up.” She hissed the words. “Come on.” Then she grabbed Audrey’s hand, her own drink, and yanked them both out the side door to the patio area. There were tables and chairs, but no one was outside yet, so they could be more free in their speech. “His mother doesn’t know and neither does half of the island.”

  “What do you mean he has a sex club?” Audrey felt dizzy all of a sudden. Anthony? Anthony had a sex club? A secret one? For dragons? “With whips and chains and stuff? Or with orgies?”

  Jasmine smirked. “Both.”

  Audrey fanned herself. She tried not to picture Anthony in leathers, but it was useless. His tall, masculine form would look amazing on display in all its glory, especially while he was wielding a flogger. Fuck. Audrey bet he knew just how to use it, too.

  “What about Gabriel?” Audrey whispered.

  “What about him?” Jasmine looked confused.

  “I mean, does he know about it?”

  “Well, um, yeah.”

  “What does that mean
?”

  “Um, you know they’re into ménages, right?”

  No. Audrey certainly did not know they were into ménages. Oh fuck. That’s what Theodore meant when he said they wouldn’t be shocked at her fantasies.

  “They share women?” Her voice came out in a squeak. What were the odds? What were the chances that the two men she’d been dreaming about since she was a hormonal teenager were actually into everything she wanted?

  “Well, yeah. It’s kinda their thing. I mean, don’t get me wrong, they’ll both go one-on-one from time-to-time, but for the most part, yeah. They do demos and stuff at the club to show other dragons how to share someone. They love it.” She paused, then added, “and it’s insanely hot to watch.”

  “Is the club open tonight?”

  Jasmine raised an eyebrow and finished her drink, but Audrey had to know. She had to see it for herself. Maybe it was the fact that she was drinking on an empty stomach or perhaps it was some sense of newfound bravery, but she needed to see. She needed to discover this side of her friends for herself. She needed it more than she needed her next breath.

  “Take me,” she begged Jasmine. “Please.”

  “Dude, I don’t know…” Jasmine’s voice trailed off and she looked torn. Audrey knew she had to weigh her loyalty to the secret sex club and her newfound friendship with Audrey.

  “I know we aren’t the best of friends yet,” Audrey pleaded. “But…” She had to do it. She had to convince Jasmine she deserved to see the sex club. “I’m in love with them.”

  “What?” Now it was Jasmine’s turn to screech, but they were outside, so no one heard them. “What? When did this happen? Do they know?”

  “It’s why I moved back to the island.” She sighed. It sounded so stupid now. “I wanted to figure out a way to be with them, or at least to figure out that I didn’t need both of them.”

  “Oh, sweetheart, you’ve got it bad. And you definitely need both of them.” Jasmine seemed to make a quick decision, then set her empty glass down on a table. “Come on. Let’s go get you slutted up.”