“You are... cruel,” he whispers, but he sounds happy.
I turn to Frost as he raises his head from beside my neck. He kisses my throat, then smiles at me. “Thank you.”
It’s dumb as hell when I feel my cheeks heat. “No problem.”
Azure pulls free of my grip on his cock. I watch him as he leaves, then comes back with a cloth to wipe off my hand and wrist.
He smiles boldly at me. “If your hand feels that good, I hope I’m next for your cunt.”
Now I’m definitely blushing. “You can’t already want more!”
“Of course we do.” Phoenix says, his voice low and sexy. “We wish our children to grow within you at the same time, so that means there isn’t a lot of time to wait.”
I frown. “Wait... am I going to have all three of your kids at the same time?”
He tilts his head to one side. “Of course.”
I lay back on the bed. Three massive dragon babies? Am I going to even be able to waddle around?
“You look tired,” Frost says, softly. “We have some hunting to do. You may bathe, the water is always warm. Or you may simply sleep, your choice.”
“Hunting, now?” Phoenix words are an angry bark.
Frost shoots him a pointed glance as he climbs off of the bed, and pulls the blanket on top of me. “Yes, now. She may wish for a little time to herself.”
Phoenix does not look convinced.
Azure stands at the edge of the bed, and stretches his big, sexy body. “I could use a little fresh air.”
The golden-eyed dragon swears beneath his breath, but they move to one side of the room. Pushing back one massive window, they pause, looking back at me.
“Do you need anything?” Frost asks, his tone sincere.
“Maybe something to eat?” I say, feeling uncertain.
He nods, then leaps out the window.
I gasp, but several second later, a white dragon soars into the sky. From this close, and with me no longer terrified for my life, I’m amazed by how beautiful he is. His scales shimmer like freshly fallen snow, and the spikes along his spine look almost artistic rather than dangerous.
When he takes off into the sky above, Phoenix jumps out of the window. Again, a moment later, a dragon soars above the building. This dragon is red, but his scales seem to shimmer from orange to yellow, like flames. It’s stunning, and almost impossible to look away from.
Azure leaps out the window next, and I’m surprised to see how different he is as a dragon. His scales are the dark blue of the deepest depths of the ocean, but his body is also sleeker. He doesn’t have spikes, but he seems to move faster. When he flaps his wings, it’s a flash of movement.
I stare at them circling above the glass ceiling for several long seconds, and then they soar away.
Wrapping the blanket around my body, I watch for a long time, until their shapes disappear into the horizon. My legs shake as I rise and move to sit on a seat by the window. This day feels like a strange dream. One minute I’m stealing gems, and the next I’ve made a deal with dragons.
Suddenly, I stiffen. My brother.
Fuck.
If his debtors have found him, I’m already too late.
My heart pounds. I see my brother’s face. His goofy, kind face.
I can’t let that happen. I can’t let anyone hurt him. This whole deal with the dragons won’t just help me, it’ll help him too. Our lives will be better forever, but only if he lives that long.
Dropping the blanket, I rush to collect my clothes. I need to grab a couple gems and slip back to the village. It’ll take me no time at all to pay his debtors and get back before the dragons even know I’m missing. I know it won’t be easy to climb down from here, and down the tower, but I know I can do it.
I have to do it.
My feet give a sudden tinge of pain, as if to tell me this is a bad idea. But hurt feet or not, my brother is all I have. I can’t just stay here and pretend the outside world doesn’t exist.
And I’ll be back before the dragons even know I’m gone.
What harm can it do?
Claimed by Her Harem
Serial #2
Chapter One
Phoenix
I am strangely pleased by the little human female. As I soar above the ocean, diving in just deep enough to feel the water splashing on my body, I’m consumed by thoughts of her. This Tori is... different than I imagined the human who would carry our young to be.
When I first spotted her, I thought she would be nothing but trouble. Her attack on my brothers said she had no common sense. The fact that she argued with a fire dragon... told me she was either foolishly brave, or just a fool.
But when she’d touched my brother? I have never felt that way before.
Human females are drawn to us. It’s the allure of dragons. And it’s nearly impossible to resist. Females fall into our beds as if in a spell.
But Tori? She seems immune to our allure.
Which was strange enough, but then, I was surprised yet again.
Frost was gentle with her in a way I’ve never seen before. And when she let him touch her? She seemed nervous. Afraid. Not at all like a woman bespelled by dragons.
She’d even tried to hide her pleasure from us. But she could never conceal the delicious scent of her arousal... it was driving me mad. The power of it was so strong it was as if she was pulling me to her, not the other way around.
I should be disturbed by this. But I’m not. She is ours. She will lie in our bed for many months to come, spreading her delicious thighs, accepting our cocks. We will fill her cunt with our seed, until her belly grows round with our young.
She is our female in a way no woman has ever been before.
For a minute I imagine the moment Frost told her she could leave after giving us our young. Smoke puffs from my nostrils, and I shoot high into the sky, above the clouds as I spin. She will not leave us. Ever. She is ours now.
And she will always be ours.
I feel a bit lost as I tear through the sky. Already I’d roasted and feasted on a cow. The desire to return to my lair and relax into sleep is tugging at me, but my mundane routine is only a passing thought. What I really want is to return to Tori.
And although I’m full, and she just hours before had satisfied my cock with her hot, eager mouth, I want more. I want to be inside of her. I want to know if she’ll be shy with me. If I’ll have to try to be gentle.
Or if I can possess her the way a dragon takes his female.
My cock tightens. I wish to take her hard and fast. I wish to hear her screaming in mindless pleasure.
Frost told us to give her time. But I don’t think I can be away from her for another second.
Switching directions, I head back to the temple. I’m barreling through the sky, so desperate for her that I can think of nothing else.
I sense my brothers before I see them.
I thought you said to stay away. I’m smiling as I send the thought.
Frost sounds embarrassed as he responds. I think it has been long enough.
Azure ignores us both, diving down for the window. He transforms in mid-air and catches the ledge, pulling himself up. Frost goes next, and at last, I follow.
As I duck through the window, I’m surprised to find myself smiling. I’ve never before hurried home to see a female. I like this feeling.
Frost and Azure are suddenly blocking my path, and both look upset.
“What is it?” I ask, frowning, trying to see around them to the female who must still be lying in our bed.
“She’s gone,” Frost says.
He’s trying to hide it, but I can hear the worry in his voice.
And then his words hit me. “Gone? Impossible.”
I push around them and stare at the empty bed.
“Her scent is old,” Frost adds, the words tense.
Even though he has the best nose of us all, I inhale. The room smells of sex, and the sweetness that is our Tori. But he’s right.
The scent is old. She’s been gone for a while. Perhaps hours.
A roar of anger tears from my lips. “Where is she?”
“She said something about a brother.” Frost offers softly.
Azure turns, smashing his hand through the wall.
I feel a blinding rage, but it won’t be wasted on the wall. Our female has gone against our orders. She has left. Probably to the village not far from here.
She will regret this betrayal.
Spinning, I race for the window.
“We must act rationally.” Frost yells, running after me.
I don’t respond, every instinct within me screams to find her and punish her. To ensure she will never make my heart ache like this again. To ensure my nerves will never tremble like this again.
“We don’t even know if she left by choice!”
Nothing could have made me stop but that. I turn to Frost. “You think she was taken?”
“Dragons have always had enemies,” he says, too quietly.
Perhaps he thought to calm me. But instead, I turn, jumping out the window and shifting. Fire explodes from my lips, and I roar and roar as I barrel through the sky toward the village.
If anyone took her by force, they will die. And I’ll burn the village to the ground.
I think of her, tiny and fragile. A human body containing the hope of our entire future.
My heart races faster. I picture the soft, beautiful lines of her face as she told us she just wished to be safe. I imagine the way her deep brown eyes seemed to go on forever.
This female is ours. And whatever she was afraid of... I’m going to burn to the damned ground.
Chapter Two
TORI
My feet are killing me. Every step is pure torture, but I’ve finally reached our shack. Standing, I lean against the trunk of a tree, staring at our home.
Unexpectedly, my heart squeezes. It’s leaning slightly to one side. And the boards that piece it together have been badly repaired in far too many spots, but I’ve never been gladder to see anything in my life.
Hefting my bag higher on my shoulder, I bite down a whimper of pain as I hovel across the little clearing that leads to our door. But when I reach it and push, it doesn’t open.
I knock.
There’s no answer.
“Barret?”
“Tori?”
A second later, the wooden latch is slid away, and he opens the door. Without giving me time to think, he yanks me inside.
I cry out as my feet scream in protest, and I stumble back and collapse into the chair.
Barrett slams the door behind me and slides the lock back into place. When he turns back to me, I gasp. His light brown hair, so like my own, is streaked with blood. One of his eyes in blackened, and his face is swollen.
“Barrett...”
He gives a weak smile. “It’s not so bad. My damn ribs are a hell of a lot worse.”
“This has to stop!” I tell him.
His smile fades. “Did you get something?”
For a second I don’t react, disappointment fills my chest. “Yes.”
He looks relieved as he reaches for my bag.
I hand it to him, curling my arms around my chest. I’m suddenly cold. And tired.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I thought my brother might show some signs of regret after the danger I’d put myself in. Or maybe it’s because I’m already sure he’s thinking about his next bet.
“This is incredible!” he says, in awe, pulling out the small handful of jewels I stole.
I feel a little guilty as I look at them. My dragons said they’d give me anything. Hopefully they won’t miss the tiny jewels.
My brother moves closer and wraps me in a hug. “I honestly thought you’d come back empty-handed. I was sure of it.”
“I wouldn’t let you down.”
He squeezes me tighter. “I should have known better.”
I relax for a second. He’s so big. Like a brick wall. I always thought I could feel safe in his arms, but it’s strange how rarely I do.
He pulls back and grins at me as I wince and sit back down. “Okay, we’ll give the smallest one to One Eye, and then we’re going to get out of this town. You and I. We’re going to go to Caprial and live like royalty!”
I almost smile, but my thoughts return to the dragons. “Or we could stay here for a while.”
His grin fades. “There’s nothing here for us, Tori. Just a life wishing what might have been.”
There could be a life for us here, but suddenly I’m nervous about telling him. I picture my brother in the dragon’s temple. If he had money and no reason to work, he’d spend his days drunkenly gambling.
I want him to be taken care of. To not ever go hungry. But I have a feeling telling him about the dragons might ensure he’ll never be productive again.
And I’m sure my dragons won’t put up with his behavior...
“If you can’t stop gambling, your problems will follow us no matter where we go.”
He scowls. “One day I’ll win big, and then you’ll be grateful that I gamble.”
I shake my head. “I’d be more grateful if you just kept a job and—“
“I can’t listen to this again.” He goes across the room and grabs his jug of cheap liquor. Chugging it, he winces, frowning across the room at me. “Why don’t we not pay One Eye? Let’s just leave.”
“Just leave?” I stare at him in disbelief. “One Eye is dangerous. You can’t just renege on a deal with him. We’ll never be safe. Besides, we actually have the means to pay him off. It’d be stupid not to.”
He looks between me, and the jewels in his hand. “You really think he won’t just let us go.”
“You know better than that! If you offer him something, you have to give it to him.”
He’s quiet for a long time. “You’re right. May the Gods forgive us.”
I frown. “The jewel should more than take care of whatever you owe.”
He stares. “I hope so.”
I feel uneasy. “How much did you gamble?”
“A lot.” He looks away from me. “But I also think now that we have the money, I’m done with this town.”
Taking a deep breath, I try to think of how I’m going to explain my deal with the dragons.
But he talks first. “Here.” He hands a small red gem to me.
I frown, taking it. “What’s this for?”
“To give to One Eye.”
I stare at him. “You can’t be serious. You’re the one who made the bet. Shouldn’t you be the one to pay it?”
He strides across the room and takes another drink, talking with his back to me. “But he doesn’t plan on killing you, just me. He’s not even going to wait for me to show the payment before he cuts my throat. You’re the only one who can do this.”
Just the thought of going near the owner of the brothel and his minions makes my stomach turn. “Barrett, can’t you just—“
“Please?” he looks back at me with those eyes, the ones that make me feel like I’m staring right at my mother.
I sigh. I can do this. “Okay.”
“Thank you,” he says, looking very serious. “You’re really the best sister I could ever have.”
Part of me wants to draw this out, but another part of me is aware of my time ticking away. The last thing I want is for the dragons to come back and find me gone.
Just the thought has me rising on my aching feet.
Barrett kisses my forehead, then opens the door for me. I look back at him. He looks so happy staring down at the gems in his hand. Happier than I’d seen him in a long time.
I didn’t want to have to do this, but I had a feeling I’ll be with the dragons a lot for a while. And maybe I don’t even have to tell my brother about them. Even if he’s reckless with his money, he should be okay for a long time just with what I’ve given him.
And if I won’t be back for a while, the least I can do is take care of this before I
leave. Especially since Barrett had a way of making these kinds of situations worse.
Hobbling toward town, I try to swallow down the nauseating pain of walking on my injured feet.
When I reach the ancient looking buildings that make up the town of two hundred or so humans, I hobble past the tiny town square, where people sell fruits, wood, and little useful items. I continue on through a couple alleys until I reach the bigger buildings near the other side of town.
I hate this area. I never go here. Even when my mother worked at the brothel, I stayed away. She always said I was safer alone in our house than with her here, because One Eye and his men own every inch of this section of town.
But for once, I have no choice.
When I spot his brothel, I take a deep breath and head for the door. But before I can even reach it, two of his men step out of the shadows on either side of the building.
I freeze.
“Right on time,” one of them says.
I frown. “I brought One Eye his payment.”
His leering gaze runs over me as if I’m his latest possession.
A shiver of disgust moves down my spine.
“I’ll let him know you’re here.” The other man disappears into the building.
I stand awkwardly, feeling the gem grow slick with my nervous sweat. But still, I clench it in my fist, hoping that everything goes as planned.
A minute later, One Eye comes out. The tall ex-sailor has a black patch over one eye, and a dark shirt that strains over his broad shoulders. Many of the women in town thought he was handsome... until they saw the kind of cruelty he was capable of.
“Tori,” he purrs my name.
“I brought your payment.” I open my palm to show him that I speak the truth.
He looks down at it, and his good eye widens. “Well, that’s an unexpected extra that I’ll have to reward your brother for.”
I frown. “Can you just take it? I have things to do.”
To my surprise, he laughs. “From now on, the only things you’re doing is what I tell you to do.”
My heart hammers. “I think you’ve got something confused.”
Wings Horns and Shifters Page 12
