Bradley stiffened. Someone was in the house. And they had his mate.
"Cassidy!"
#
Cassidy had been on cloud nine. Making love with Bradley last night had been amazing. She couldn't believe she had waited three weeks before she finally gave in to temptation. And he certainly hadn't disappointed.
If she hadn't been in love before, she was certainly in love now. It was going to be hard to leave him in a week.
Cassidy was still thinking about the events of the night before as she entered the kitchen and picked a glass out of the cupboard. She turned round and walked straight into Ron. In her surprise, she dropped the glass and it shattered on the floor.
But Ron didn't apologize for surprising her. His arms went around her and tightened. Cassidy struggled, trying to push him away.
"Let me go, Ron."
Ron didn't answer. He lowered his head and kissed her hard. Cassidy squeaked and tried to get away but Ron was insistent, one hand cupping her buttocks tight enough to hurt. Cassidy pulled her head away and let out a loud scream.
"Let me go!"
"Cassidy!"
A moment later, Bradley burst into the kitchen. He had donned a pair of navy pyjamas bottoms, the waistband hanging low on his hips. Ron looked up as his boss appeared and his arms tightened even more around Cassidy. She tried to wriggle away but she was caught.
Bradley's eyes went from brown to amber, glowing brightly.
"Get your hands off her, Ron!" He snarled.
Ron chuckled.
"Sorry, sir. You're not having her anymore. She's mine."
Bradley growled. He opened his mouth as he hissed. Cassidy stared. Elongated fangs glinted in the morning light.
What? Bradley had fangs?
Bradley advanced on them, Ron putting the kitchen island between them.
"Unhand her now!"
"I don't think so." Ron shifted Cassidy so he had one arm around her waist, still keeping her pinned to his side. His other hand retrieved a gun from a holster in the back of his waistband, which he showed to Bradley. "You haven't marked her so she's fair game."
"Marked me?" Cassidy looked between the two men. "Bradley, what's going on?"
"You'll know soon enough, sweetheart."
Cassidy looked round. So did Bradley. The man Cassidy had seen talking to Bradley the night before stood in the doorway, leaning on the doorframe with his hands in his pockets. He was smirking as Bradley.
"Daniel." Bradley snarled. His eyes glowed even brighter, his fangs seeming to get even longer. "What are you doing here?"
"I should've thought that would've been obvious by now." Daniel nodded at Cassidy, who tried to step away from Ron but was pulled back against his side again. "Seeing you as you are with your mate beside you, I knew if I challenged you for the position of King in a week's time when you were properly mated, I'd have no chance. You'd be even stronger." Daniel's eyes also began to glow. "So I need to get rid of you now."
Mated? Cassidy's head spun. What was going on? Bradley snorted.
"You really want to be King that much?"
"What I really want is Lex. And since you won't let me have her, I'll have to get rid of you. The title of King is a bonus."
Bradley glanced at Cassidy. Even with the amber glow filling his eyes, Cassidy saw the softened affection aimed at her. Even with the strangeness of the situation and the fact she was being held captive, she felt oddly calm.
Maybe keeping the other calm worked both ways.
Bradley turned back to Daniel.
"Let Cassidy go. She has nothing to do with this."
"She's your mate. Of course, she's part of this." Daniel pushed off the doorframe, taking his hands out his pockets. His eyes narrowed. "Do you accept the challenge?"
Bradley roared. He began to glow. Cassidy could only stare in shock as he began to shift, changing into a huge dragon, its red scales glistening. It was a magnificent beast, its eyes so much like Bradley's looking at her for a moment before turning to Daniel.
Daniel didn't blink. He also began to glow and transformed into another dragon. This one was smaller but just as impressive, as brown as Bradley's dragon was red. He snorted a ball of flame.
Bradley roared and charged, knocking into the younger dragon. They went through the door, taking part of the door and the wall with them, and disappeared. Cassidy could hear the roaring and felt heat. She guessed that were throwing flames at each other.
Her head was spinning. What had just happened? Was she still asleep in bed upstairs? She couldn't have just seen that. Bradley and the guy Daniel had just changed into dragons and now they were fighting out in the hall. That couldn't be real, could it?
Then there came a loud roar that shook her to her core and Cassidy knew that it wasn't a dream. This was really happening.
The man she loved was a dragon.
Ron chuckled against her head.
"Weren't expecting that, were you?" He said, his mouth near her ear. "You had no clue you were trying to tame a dragon."
Cassidy shivered. She needed to get out of there. Not away from the dragons, although they could probably burn her to a crisp. She needed to get away from the madman holding a gun.
"Were you in on this?" She demanded, twisting her head to look up at him.
"Of course." Ron snorted. "Nash has been slipping for a while now. The dragon clan needed a new leader. Daniel asked me to help him out."
"And what do you get out of it?"
"Until a month ago, nothing except money to set me up for life." Ron's expression turned heated, licking his lips, as he looked her over. "But then you came on the scene. So I told Daniel you could be my prize."
Cassidy felt sick. She had been right to trust her instincts with regards to Ron. He wasn't a good man at all.
Another roar came from the hall. Ron looked round, distracted. Cassidy took advantage of that and slammed her fist into his groin. Ron howled and let go of her, grabbing at his crotch. Cassidy stepped back and pushed him hard.
Ron stumbled back, falling back even more as Cassidy kicked him in the stomach. He was staggering across the room, hitting the dining table. Rubbing his stomach, he glared at Cassidy.
Then Cassidy remembered he was still carrying a gun. So did Ron, because he grinned nastily and raised the gun at her face.
Suddenly, there was a loud howl and a ball of fire hurtled through the door. Cassidy ducked behind the kitchen island, clamping her hands over her ears as Ron screamed. They seemed to go on forever and Cassidy could feel it ringing in her ears.
Even after the screams eventually died down, she couldn't take her hands away. She was scared she was going to hear Ron screaming again. She didn't want to look round and see what had happened; it wouldn't be pretty, Cassidy knew that much.
It wasn't until she felt someone touch her arm that Cassidy moved. Bradley crouched beside her, naked and sooty. He had a gash on his shoulder and his lip was split.
But he was alive. Cassidy couldn't contain her relief. He was alive.
When he reached for her tentatively, Cassidy flung herself into his arms, holding on tight as he rocked her.
#
Bradley stood on the steps and watched as Ron's body was placed in the back of the coroner's van. Daniel was going into the ambulance next to it, his face burned but already healing. He would live but Bradley was planning on banishing him for his actions.
Law dictated that he should kill him but Bradley couldn't bring himself to do it. He would never have forgiven himself if that had happened.
Seeing Ron holding Cassidy in his arms, a gun ready to shoot him, had terrified Bradley. He had only just found his mate and he wasn't going to lose her this way. Nobody was going to take his mate from him.
The fight had been hard - Daniel was certainly the fitter of the two - but Bradley just waited. He waited until the right time and then he attacked. Daniel didn't know what hit him but he certainly would when he came round.
"Brad?"
>
Bradley looked round. Lex had come to stand beside him. Once he had been assured that Cassidy was okay, Bradley had called Lex and a few of their clan to help clean up the mess.
They had organized an ambulance for Daniel and the coroner's office for Ron where the employees knew about them and asked no questions. Then they were going to tidy up the inside. The hall and kitchen were a mess and his office and library looked like bombs had gone off.
Bradley was too tired to think of that now. He just wanted to go to his mate and hold her and never let go.
Lex touched his arm.
"How are you doing?"
Bradley grunted. He had burns on his body but they had very nearly healed.
"I'll live." He glanced towards the house. "Is Cass okay?"
"She's a little shaken but she's fine." Lex bit her lip. "I'm so sorry about Ron. I had no idea he was susceptible."
"Neither did I." Bradley slid an arm round his sister' shoulders. "It's not your fault, honey."
Lex leant into him for a moment. Bradley pressed a kiss to her head and then released her.
"I'm going to check on Cass. Are you...?"
"We'll be fine clearing up." Lex urged him towards the door. "Go. I think you have some talking to do."
He did. There was a lot of explaining to do. Bradley hoped that Cassidy would listen to him. Moreover, he hoped she would still be with him after everything.
He found Cassidy in his bedroom. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, gripping the coverlet as she stared at the wall. She looked like she had been crying. Bradley's heart cracked. The last thing he wanted to do was make his mate cry.
He closed the door and approached her cautiously.
"Cass..."
Cassidy looked up. Her eyes widened when she saw him and she slid off the bed. Bradley braced himself for the revulsion in her eyes, the disgust and the fear. But instead she ran to him and straight into his arms. She clutched on to him, burying her face in his shirt.
"I'm so glad you're okay." She whispered.
Relief flooding him, Bradley wrapped his arms around her, burying his face into her neck with a sigh.
"You can't get rid of me that easily."
"You scared me, Brad."
Bradley drew back, lifting her chin so she was looking at him.
"What bit scared you?" He tensed. "The bit when I changed into a dragon?"
"No. The bit when I thought you were dead." Cassidy looked confused. "The dragon bit oddly doesn't worry me."
Bradley blinked.
"Really?"
"Really. Is that strange I'm not surprised about you being a dragon?"
"A little." Bradley smiled. Now, he was feeling better. "But I'm glad you're not scared of me. You'd be leaving a broken heart behind if you ran now."
"I don't want to run." Cassidy's eyes shimmered with tears. "I don't care about my ethics now. No more running for me."
"So what does that mean?"
"This, you silly idiot." Cassidy tugged his head down and kissed him. "I love you, Bradley Nash."
Bradley let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. He smiled.
"That's music to my ears."
"Is it strange that I love a dragon shifter?" Cassidy queried.
"Is it strange that a dragon shifter is in love with you?"
Cassidy smiled. Her eyes glinted mischievously.
"I've always been fascinated by dragons."
Bradley couldn't wait any longer. He pulled her against him and kissed her hard. He had nearly lost her because of those damn men. There was no way he was going to lose his mate again.
Cassidy kissed him while she unbuttoned his shirt in hurried, jerky movements, tugging it out of his jeans. Finishing with the buttons, she pushed the shirt off his shoulders, taking a moment to explore his chest with her hands. Her hands felt so soft, so perfect against his body.
As she touched him, Bradley reached for his shirt that she still wore, tugging it open and pushing it down her arms. Then he pulled back and took a moment to look her over. Her skin was flushed and she was breathing heavily.
She looked incredible.
Bradley cupped her breasts with his hands, watching the molten fire in Cassidy's eyes as he squeezed her breasts together.
"You're so beautiful, Cass."
His lips crushed hers and Cassidy responded in kind. She pressed up against him, his erection rubbing against her belly through his jeans. His fingers tweaked her nipples until she was trembling in his arms.
She reached for his waistband and seconds later, his jeans were open and Cassidy was shoving them down his hips, boxers going with them. Then she pulled out of Bradley's grasp and dropped to her knees. Grasping his cock, she closed her mouth around him.
Bradley moaned as she sucked him in, palming his balls with one hand and pumping his cock with the other, swirling her tongue over the head. He began to pump his hips thrusting into her mouth. His orgasm started rising too quickly and he had to pull out of her mouth before he came.
Cassidy protested but then Bradley picked her up and laid her on the bed. As he stripped off his clothes, Cassidy untied her panties and tossed them onto the floor. Then she crooked a finger at him.
#
Cassidy was burning up. The look Bradley was giving her could make her come its own. He didn't even need to touch her. But she needed him inside her now.
She couldn't wait and Bradley seemed to sense this. He covered her body with his, kissing her hard before shoving her legs onto his shoulders. He thrust into her to the hilt, emanating a sigh from both of them. Then Bradley stayed still, causing Cassidy to write beneath him. She hit his shoulder.
"Bradley, please!"
Bradley grinned, his eyes glowing amber. Then, without warning, he pulled out almost all the way and thrust back in. He began to thrust hard and fast, clasping her bottom in his hands. Cassidy cried out and scrabbled to hold onto something. Bradley was like an animal, teeth and lips clamping at her neck, digging his fingers into her skin as he tweaked her nipples.
Then his thumb flicked over her clit and Cassidy detonated, screaming as the orgasm hit her hard. Bradley groaned and thrust his hips harder. A second orgasm quickly followed the first, Bradley's following soon after. Thrusting for one last time as he spurted his seed inside her, he slumped over her.
Cassidy was too worn out to notice when was happening. Bradley pulled out and picked her up, Cassidy cuddling against him as he took them into the bathroom. Settling her on the toilet, Bradley turned on the taps in the bath and squirted a decent amount of bubble bath into the water.
When the bath was full enough, he turned the taps off and picked Cassidy up. He stepped into the tub and sat down slowly, sliding them into the hot water.
Cassidy leant her head on his shoulder and he held her, the water soothing her tired muscles. This felt really good. So good she didn't want to get out when the time came.
Bradley stroked her hair, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"Marry me." He whispered.
Cassidy wasn't sure she had heard right. She stared up and stared at him.
"What?"
"Marry me, Cassidy." Bradley cupped her cheek in his hand and smiled. "I know it's early but it feels right. I want you with me every day. I want to go to bed with you every night and wake up with you every morning. I want everything you can give me."
Cassidy didn't need to think. She put her arms round his neck and kissed him.
"Yes. Yes, I will marry you." She shifted round until she was straddling his lap. "And will you make me yours in every way?"
Bradley's eyes flared. He growled and lowered her onto his cock, eliciting a moan from Cassidy.
"I will."
He latched onto her breast, nipping at the sensitive skin. His hips thrust slowly into her and Cassidy closed her eyes as she rode him, the angle making him go deeper.
Bradley kissed a path up to her throat, licking a line along her neck. Cassidy squirmed on his lap and
arched into him as Bradley's teeth scraped against her skin.
When he bit down, her orgasm hit her hard. She clutched onto Bradley as he left his mark, writhing on his cock as he thrust into her. Once the pinch of the bite was over, it was the most erotic thing she had ever experienced.
She was still climaxing when Bradley pulled away, licking the mate marks, and thrust one last time.
***
PREVIEW OF ‘AUCTIONED TO THE SERPENT’ BY ASHLEY HUNTER
The Auction
Ren Riceluk looked at herself in the full-length mirror and wasn't sure what she was looking at. She didn't know if she was staring at herself or a stranger.
The Ren she knew had never looked this beautiful. She was pretty, that much she would admit to, and she had curves that she loved and used them to her advantage. But she didn't wear finery such as the red silk gown that she had been fitted with for that evening. The dress had to cost two thousand dollars at best; she couldn't afford anything about five hundred dollars if she was lucky. A teacher's salary didn't allow her much finery.
So when her friend Alasia told her that they would supply the dresses for the few minutes they would be up on stage, Ren had decided to make the most of it. You only live once, she surmised. And it was for a good cause.
She might as well look good for a few minutes before everything went pear-shaped for her.
"Do you mind?" Ren felt a sharp nudge to her arm. "I can't see the mirror."
Ren muttered an apology and stepped away, watching as Anslee Thompson flaunted into view and checked herself for the umpteenth time, making sure that the low-cut of her violet silk dress was low enough on her small breasts and the skirt was above her knees. Ren had seen Anslee move to the mirror more than a dozen times since she had entered the room two hours ago and it was always to check that what she had adjusted five minutes before was not out of place.
The other young women kept away from her but Anslee kept swanning around, loudly reminding people who her father was and that she was going to bag the most money for the bachelorette charity auction.
Ren had quietly kept to herself. But it seemed like her attempt to keep out of the spiteful young woman's way was going to be for naught.
Alien Romance: The Space Dragon's Owned: Scifi Alien Abduction Romance (Alien Romance, Alien Invasion Romance, BBW) Page 6
