Taming the Beast: Eleven Paranormal Romances

by Alyse Zaftig

  “How much?”

  “Darlin’ I’m going to make it easy for you. One bar or 400 ounces.”

  She chewed her lip as she thought about possible sources. “How long do I have?”

  Captain Badeed leaned back, clasping his hands behind his head. “How long does your father have?”

  Madeleine audibly gulped. Realizing he had upset her, Captain Badeed leaned in and whispered, “I would keep you for myself. No sharing.”

  She wanted to puke right then and there. “I’ll be back,” she said, standing slowly. “With the gold.”

  Captain Badeed chuckled and gave her a wink. “I’ll be waiting for you.” He watched her walk away, taking in every inch of her curvy shape. “I’m definitely not sharing her,” he mumbled to himself.

  Mom’s wedding ring … the earrings from my tenth birthday. As she made her way back to the settlement, Madeleine listed off every gold item she could think of. Maybe people will donate their teeth. The thought made her shudder.

  June was awake and pacing with worry when her sister finally returned. She grabbed Madeleine and held her close.

  “I was afraid the smugglers would keep you. What did they say?”

  “They’re willing to help us.”

  “Really?”

  “Really. It will only cost us 400 ounces of gold or helping them breed a fever-resistant generation of humans.”

  “Breed?” June gulped. “As in…”

  “They really have no business procreating. Disgusting pigs.”

  June paced and chewed on her lip. “It may as well be one million ounces. Where can we find enough gold?”

  “I’ll ask for donations … and I’ll search the spacecraft parts in the wrecking fields.”

  “I’ll do it,” June whispered.

  “Of course I would expect you to help me.”

  “No. I’ll breed with the smugglers if it means we can get out of here.”

  Madeleine grabbed her sister by the shoulders and shook her. “You will do such thing! Understand?”

  “We have to help Dad,” she said as a single tear slowly rolled down her cheek.

  Madeleine hugged June tightly and didn’t let go. “Don’t worry. We’ll find a way.”

  The sisters had no way of knowing a similar conversation was happening in the distant rocky cliffs where the planet’s largest inhabitants were experiencing a maddening fever of their own.

  “We have to find a way to fix this,” Zara said, ducking to avoid a stray flame as two dragons wrestled on the floor, smacking each other with enormous wings. “Innocent bystander here,” she growled before shooting a warning flame over their heads. “Settle down.”

  They ignored her, continuing their path of destruction throughout the main hall. It was the tenth fight of the day. All Zara could do was shake her head in frustration. As the oldest female dragon on Vizalia, she had never witnessed this widespread rowdiness before. She was fairly certain of the cause, though. It was the humans, specifically the female variety and their pheromones that wafted across the planet and intoxicated the members of her tribe. It was as if the male dragons were hyped up on mating steroids and their pent up frustration presented itself in displays of exaggerated posturing. At this rate, they would soon cause injury to themselves and destroy the place.

  The dragons mated for life and historically within their species. They had enjoyed a fairly even male to female ratio throughout the tribe for centuries, but they were now experiencing a female drought with the present population already spoken for. Zara felt the male restlessness would reach an uncontrollable fever pitch before enough dragon mates could be located. She needed to find females fast and her growing desperation made the thought of human mates more tolerable.

  While she looked at the mess the wrestling duo left behind, a smile spread across her face. “You just gave me an idea.”

  Chapter 2

  Madeleine and June climbed over the junk in the wrecking fields looking for any gold-plated circuit boards that might remain in an old piece of spacecraft.

  “This one has already been picked over,” June said, peering in through a window.

  Madeleine sighed loudly. “I think they all have. Nothing here either.” A piece of metal with the numbers 01777 caught her eye from the top of a distant heap. “Look, June. It’s our arrival ship.”

  The two began navigating their way through the debris towards the damaged craft. “Check out that burn mark,” June said, pointing up. “It’s amazing we survived.”

  Madeleine remained silent, standing in place and staring at the damaged hunk of metal. They had barely escaped. She remembered a flash and banging sound before everything else was drowned out by the screams of the passengers. Just when they all thought they would soon slam into the ground, the front of the vessel tilted up and skid across the ground in a softer than expected landing. They believed an atmospheric lightning bolt hit their vessel on entry and the thrusters kicked in just in time.

  She watched her sister inspect the spacecraft. “Anything?”

  June shook her head. As she made her way down the mound, her focus turned towards the sky. “Madeleine!” She pointed upwards as she lost her footing and fell back on her ass. “It’s a dragon!”

  Madeleine’s mouth dropped open as she watched the magnificent creature flap its wings through the sky. It was a rare treat. Dragons were not among the shifters who normally came near the settlement, choosing instead to remain isolated in their rock structure. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered.

  “What do you think it wants?”

  “I have no idea.”

  They watched as the dragon circled around the settlement, shaking a bag with one of its talons until sheets of paper fluttered down like confetti.

  “Air mail!” Madeleine yelled. “Let’s go!”

  They ran back towards the condos, scooping up some of the paper along the way.

  “What is it?” June asked.

  “It’s a help wanted ad.”

  “What?”

  “I’m serious,” Madeleine said, holding up a sheet for her sister to read.

  “It’s time for spring cleaning. Domestic help wanted. Lodging and food provided. Payment in the form of gold bullion. Must love dragons.”

  “Gold bullion?”

  “Umm, did you miss the part about the dragons?” June asked.

  “It doesn’t say how much gold?”

  “Again, you’re missing the part…”

  “I heard you.” Madeleine clutched the papers against her chest. “This is our way out.”

  “It could be our way in to something much worse.”

  “If they wanted to hurt us, they could have made their move years ago.”

  “Maybe they weren’t hungry until now.”

  “Don’t talk crazy. They don’t want to eat us … right?”

  “Even you’re not sure,” June said with a shake of her head. “Why the hell does a dragon need a domestic servant?”

  “Maybe they can’t reach their backs in the shower.”

  “I don’t know. It sounds a little fishy to me.”

  “June, we don’t have much choice.”

  “Well, my previous offer still stands,” June said quietly.

  “Do you secretly want to bang those dirty smugglers? Just say it. Your smuggler fetish is safe with me.”

  “Ewww disgusting!”

  “Good. Now don’t bring that up again. I have a good feeling about this.”

  “You mean like the good feeling you had about the pink planet.”

  Madeleine’s expression changed as if someone had punched her in the gut. “I got us into this and I’ll get us out.”

  The flyer said a transport ship would be waiting in the morning for all interested parties. Their father was in a weakened state from the persistent cough, but was still free of the fever. They decided to tell him she had a job interview and might be gone for a few days during the selection process. Madeleine managed to get through the hugs wit
hout crying and walked with June to the arrival dock.

  “You need to wish me luck too,” she said, embracing June for a tight hug.

  “The only wish I have is for you to not go.”

  “Come on now.”

  “Good luck,” June whispered.

  Madeleine was the last to board the ship as her sister tried to delay her departure by not releasing her hand. As the ship began to hover and move, she made a concerted effort not to look back at her sister. Once they were far enough away, however, she glanced over her shoulder through the back window and took one more look at the settlement’s outline of curved and connected compartments. From the outside, it appeared perfect. A perfect shell unable to completely protect its inhabitants from the surrounding environment. I will get us out of here.

  She nervously wrung her hands together and stared at the heads of the passengers in front of her. There was an empty seat between her and the blonde to her right. Madeleine wasn’t closely acquainted with anyone on board, but recognized the woman in her row as someone who helped in the greenhouse. The blonde looked up at her and smiled before scooting over to the empty seat.

  “It’s Madeleine, right?”

  “Yes. Forgive me for not knowing your name.”

  “Delilah. No worries, I’m used to everyone focusing more on the plants.”

  Madeleine laughed and quietly glanced down at her feet.

  “I think we’re about a mile away,” Delilah said. “So that gives us one mile to change our minds.” She coughed a little, bringing her hand up for coverage.

  “How long have you been coughing?”

  “It’s been a few months. I was thirty when I arrived. Not young enough to avoid it, but I’m still strong enough to keep the fever away.”

  “Are you worried?”

  “I think I’m past that now. Every ounce of worry has been used up. Resigned would be a better word. I’m either going to cough myself into oblivion or mate with one of these beasts.”

  “You met with the smugglers too?”

  “What? No.”

  “You said mate. I assumed you were referring to payment for a ticket to Turlox.”

  “Turlox? We don’t even know if things are better there. Who knows what those slimy developers tried to hide. I’m going to mate with one of these dragons.”

  “You don’t think they’re really looking for domestic help?”

  “Oh honey. If you believe that, I’ve got a condo I’d like to sell you on Vizalia. When was the last time they tried to bring humans to their lair? They’ve got something planned for sure.”

  Madeleine gulped as she stared straight ahead. The rocky cliffs loomed in front of her, fading in and out of view as the ship adjusted its path towards the large opening in the middle of the row. It was the only opening she could see, which meant it was probably the only way out if she felt the need to flee. For a moment, she thought about hiding on the ship and escaping later, but the barking sounds of her father’s deep cough suddenly filled her head. Forward was the only option – straight into the belly of the beasts.

  Chapter 3

  Javelin and Lagos watched from their viewing station high within the cliffs. “I’ll take that one … and that one,” Lagos said, pointing his finger.

  Javelin shook his head. “I’m not sure this is such a good idea. We’re meant to be with dragons.”

  “Zara is our elder and if she wants me to fuck some humans, who am I to disagree?”

  “I thought we talked about this, Lagos. You can’t just sleep with every Earthling you see.”

  “And why not? You, my dear Beast Lightning, need to start thinking more like a dragon and less like these Earthlings.”

  “First, don’t call me that. You know I hate that nickname. And I am thinking like a dragon. We have one mate for life, which isn’t that different from most humans.”

  “Ahhh there’s the problem. You think fucking and mating are the same thing. Luckily for me and my cock, I know the difference.”

  “The women of Earth are different, gentler. I’ve told you this.”

  “They are no longer women of Earth now, are they? Vizalia is their home and if I want to enjoy them, they will comply. I don’t know why you keep denying yourself.” With that, he turned on his heels and left to inspect the row of women about to disembark from the spacecraft.

  Javelin disagreed wholeheartedly with his younger counterpart. Over the years, observing the Earthlings through his telescope had become a large part of his day. He watched them try to preserve their traditions under the toughest of circumstances, including a ceremonial bonding to one partner. It made him ache for a mate of his own.

  He hardly ever left the cliffs anymore. His life changed after an injury and he was now gruff and jaded. It was an atmospheric storm. They were rare, but powerful and unpredictable. One decided to rear its ugly head the day a group of Earthlings arrived. A transport ship became victim to an energy strike and he used his body to protect it from a second, burning one of his wings in the process.

  The humans never knew, as he’d quickly made his return to the cliffs with his wing still smoking. The scent of his own burning flesh lived forever in his memory. Also attached to him forever was the nickname bestowed from his fellow dragons – Beast Lightning. He hated it, but stopped protesting since it did little to stop them anyway. The dragons of his own age weren’t interested in mating with one who couldn’t fly and the female drought stole all his future options. All of this, coupled with the nearly 1,000 years he’d already spent on Vizalia, had him slowly giving up.

  “Use it or lose it,” Zara told him during their last visit. “Your muscles have memory, but if you never let them move in their natural state … they may forget forever.” She believed this self-surrender was why his wing hadn’t healed as it naturally should have. He was still a handsome, strong dragon whose lack of flight had caused him to forget his other attributes.

  Zara was the one who dropped the flyers near the settlement. She had resigned herself to the idea that evolution required interspecies breeding for the survival of her tribe and this domestic servant ruse was her plan to bring the women to the males. She had observed Javelin studying the Earthlings with sweet fascination and hoped their proximity would help pull him out of his funk and encourage him to mate. The guilt of tricking the humans paled in comparison to her desire to keep the tribe going strong.

  Zara wanted the mating done properly, though. She could not approve of Lagos and his see and breed craving and was determined to keep an eye on him. These women were not the spoils of any war and deserved respect.

  Zara waited in the cavernous great room as the dozens of newcomers entered. She had given strict instructions for everyone to shift to human form to make the women feel more comfortable.

  “Welcome, ladies,” she called out. “Please have a seat. Make yourselves comfortable.”

  Madeleine’s mouth dropped when she saw the human woman standing before them. She elbowed Delilah in her side. “They look like us.”

  “I thought you knew they could shift like the other reptiles.”

  “I thought they would be too big,” Madeleine whispered.

  She switched her gaze to search the cavern in detail. It was more modern than she expected. The walls had the same rock on the outside, but with a shimmery moss-like growth covering most of the internal surface. Glowing, floating orbs acted as light sources and all the furniture was glossy and black. The strangers were dressed in leather material that mimicked their dragon skins.

  “I’m sure you’re all wondering what the job entails,” Zara said. The dozen women in front of her shook their heads in unison. “Well, look at this place. It’s a bit of a mess. Lots of male dragons equal lots of broken things.”

  Madeleine looked down and noticed bits and pieces of scales scattered about like someone had been fighting. Their shimmery texture fascinated her. She tried to inconspicuously place her foot on a few and drag them closer, when the sound of a throat clea
ring nearby startled her. She looked to her left and tried to find the source, but saw only the rock wall. Her eyes focused harder and then a figure came into view. A man with buggy eyes materialized out of nowhere before disappearing again into the background.

  “Chameleon shifter,” Delilah whispered in her ear. “I tripped over one once.”

  “Ahh,” Madeleine said before turning her attention back to Zara. Part of her wanted to scan the wall again and see if she could find him faster.

  “You will all help keep the living areas clean. We will also assign each of you to a dragon and you will be responsible for cleaning their chambers. Do you have any questions?”

  A voice called out from the back, “Are we expected to sleep here?”

  “You are free to leave, but I think you will find a daily trip too tiring.”

  “What do we eat?” Delilah asked. “More importantly, what do dragons eat? We aren’t part of your dietary plan, are we?” She gulped loudly, eliciting nervous laughter from the group.

  “You have nothing to worry about,” Zara said without hesitation. “Would you be surprised to learn we are vegetarians?”

  Madeleine breathed a sigh of relief. She thought of June and how happy she would be not to have her sister become some type of sandwich. Her eyes wandered up higher and focused on some of the faces now staring down from the upper levels. She couldn’t speak for their dragon forms, but as humans, they were gorgeous.

  Javelin noticed her right away. He had watched her before through his telescope. Her dark hair always looked soft from a distance and framed her pale skin nicely. Even from a distance, he knew she had admirable curves under those clothes. Assign her to me, Zara.

  “Would you all line up, please?” Zara asked, motioning for them to stand before her. “I want to get a feel for each of you so can I assign you to the perfect mate, ahem, dragon.”

  Zara walked past the row and looked each of them in the eye before returning for a second pass. Madeleine tried to get a read from her expression, but she gave nothing away.