His dragon spoke up. We can slip away now and no one would be the wiser.
Maybe so, but I promised Kiyana we'd stay until she wanted to leave. This is a special night, one to treasure by making new memories, and it's not like the days of old when a couple couldn't sleep together until they were mated. We've had her before and we'll have her many more times again.
His beast grunted. I don't care. I want my turn to claim her since I couldn't do it in the ceremony.
Dragons never come out for the ceremonies. Besides you never said you wanted to participate. But no matter, you'll get to claim our mate soon enough.
His beast huffed and curled into a ball. Maybe before everything that had happened with his dragon over the last few months, he might've been somewhat irritated at the response. However, it only reinforced what he wanted more than anything—for his dragon to be fully recovered from the effects of the drugs.
Kiyana placed a hand on his cheek, garnering his full attention. "What did your dragon say?"
"What he usually bangs on about—wanting to have sex with you again."
She chuckled. "Will that ever tone down, his wanting?"
He raised his brows. "Why? Do you need a break? I can deny him for as long as you need, love."
She shook her head. "No, it's just usually marriages turn more familiar with time, and more than a few coworkers of mine have complained about lack of sex."
Placing his hand over hers on his face, he lightly squeezed her fingers. "Never. Once a dragon-shifter is committed, it stays that way. That's why it's so devastating when one leaves and the other is still devoted."
"Although that pain can heal with time, I think."
Alistair felt like an idiot. He hadn't been talking about Rachel recently, and yet she'd invaded their mating day. He would always love her, but she was gone.
And he didn't want any sadness on his mating day for either him or his mate.
Kiyana continued, "Don't worry, I'm not jealous. In the end, Rachel brought me to you, Alistair. If you hadn’t become a teacher after she died, you probably never would’ve been assigned to instruct the group of humans, and we never would’ve met properly. Even if I didn't know her, I'm sure she would approve that you're happy again."
His lips turned up slightly. "Aye, she wanted that for me. But I doubt anyone but you could've broken through my excuses, let alone seen how I hid behind a vow."
She bit her lip, and he knew something was on her mind. He prodded, "Tell me anything, Kiyana."
"Well, I was going to save it for later, but I should tell you now."
Alistair's heart skipped a beat. He had no idea what would make her hesitate. Surely there wasn't some other obstacle for them to overcome so soon after everything else.
He waited for Kiyana to explain. And when she did, he hung on every word. "Now that we're mated, I can finally share something I've wanted to tell you for days. It has to do with the DDA."
Alistair's apprehension faded as he searched her eyes. "Oh, aye? Do they want you to keep working for them?"
She nodded. "Yes. But it's for a special project, one I hope you can help with from time to time when you're not busy teaching."
Both man and dragon's curiosity piqued higher. "What is it?"
"Remember how I discovered some information about the Dettifoss Gathering?" He bobbed his head. "Well, Rosalind Abbott wants to try to make that a reality again within a few years. Me, Max, and a few others will be working on it in secret, trying to find a way to make it happen."
The goal was a bloody big one, but if anyone could try to make it come true, it was his mate. "If—no, when you make it happen, it will help dragon-shifters all over the planet."
And his mate would end up in the history books.
His dragon murmured, As she should.
She shrugged. "That's the goal. However, I'm not sure if a few years will be enough time to accomplish everything, especially once the baby is born."
He hitched an arm around her waist. "I'll help with our bairn, as will my whole family. Don't worry, love. You'll have all the support you need."
She smiled at him. "I'm almost afraid to tell you how amazing you are again. I don't need a dragonman with a big head so soon after our mating."
He snorted. "Don't worry, I still need to walk with a cane most of the time, which keeps my head in check."
She looped her arms around his neck. "I don't care if you always walk with one. I love you just the way you are, Alistair Boyd."
"Just as I love you, Kiyana Barnes. And as a reminder, I'm going to do this."
He closed the distance between them and took her lips in a slow, devouring kiss.
Alistair had regained his family, once again had love in his life, and even had a child coming. On top of that, his mate was helping him to make his vow and dream a reality.
None of it would've been possible without the female on his lap, and he took his time letting her know just how much he loved and appreciated her for it.
Epilogue
Years Later
Kiyana stood in front of the ruins of stone, laid out in a rectangular shape. The building was near Loch Naver, and one of the first places Alistair had shown her back at the beginning of their courtship.
Well, sort of courtship.
Still, the cottage ruins held a special place in her heart and never more so than today.
Alistair stood at her side holding a small plaque. They'd come to honor what they had accomplished together, and to have a physical reminder of how they'd fulfilled Alistair's vow to Rachel.
At that moment, the nearly full-term baby inside her womb kicked. She smiled and placed a hand over the spot. It'd taken them so many years, but their second child was on the way and eager to join their sister.
Alistair placed his hand over hers. "Are you all right? Is it the bairn? I told you we should've waited."
She shook her head. "Why? I'm perfectly capable of walking a few minutes. The baby kicked is all. I think he or she wants to honor this moment as well." She met her mate's gaze. "Now I feel guilty for leaving Serena with your mother."
Serena was their daughter, the longed-for granddaughter Meg had always wanted. Of course, she had the most energy out of all the grandchildren so far, which was saying something.
Alistair snorted. "Don't be. Serena would probably run for the loch or try to climb these walls. And while I love her adventurous spirit, this moment is for us right now, love."
She glanced down to the plaque. "I feel like we should say something, but I have no idea what."
"I think getting so many dragon clans together without any sort of war breaking out is achievement enough." Alistair removed his hand and took a few steps forward, so he could place the plaque right next to one of the crumbling stone walls.
He returned to her side and hugged her against him. A wind blew, and she cuddled into his warmth. "Even though I was there, I still can't believe we made the gathering happen."
"Aye, but you were one of the main forces behind it, so of course I knew it would happen."
She hugged him tightly. "There's no need to flatter me. I'm a sure thing by this point, Alistair."
He chuckled. "It can never hurt to butter you up a wee bit. Especially since I think both my dragon and I are going to treasure every inch of your body again whilst we still can. I'm extremely happy about our second bairn, but once they get here, it'll be chaotic for a wee while. I need to drink up as much of you as I can whilst I still have the chance."
She lifted her head up, staring in Alistair's mismatched eyes, and grinned. "If I wasn't the size of a whale, I'd suggest those trees over there."
His eyes flashed to slits and back. "You know how my dragon likes claiming you in the woods."
"I bet if we find a log or rock for me to sit on, we can find a way to make it work."
He frowned. "But I don't want you to catch a chill."
She leaned more against her dragonman. "With you next to me, I'll never be cold."
With a growl, he took her lips in a demanding kiss. Each lick, nibble, and swipe a reminder of how much he still loved her, and probably always would.
And soon after, they found a suitable rock to help her balance, and he proved it even further until he had to swallow her screams.
~*~*~
Author's Note
This book is the most-delayed of any of my dragon books. I wish I could make my brain cooperate with a firmly set schedule, but it doesn't always happen. I hope the wait has been worth it. :)
Alistair and Kiyana's story is special in many ways, but most noticeable is the fact that it's the very beginning of the end of the series. (Before you panic, rest assured there are probably 4-5 years left of my current dragons!) While some people never want the books to end, extremely long series that never end usually end up monotonous, or worse, an author learns to hate it. I do, however, want to write about the kids all grown up at some point. The fact I can even imagine how some of them will be as fully fledged adults is another sign I am steering toward a conclusion. However, to reach it means peppering my Stonefire and Lochguard releases with more Stonefire Dragons Universe (SDU) books. If you missed the first of these, Winning Skyhunter, then let me explain—they are standalone books set in my dragon universe but in other clans around the world. Since the end will require the cooperation of more clans, I think it's best to give an idea of how they are doing presently and how they connect, ultimately, back to the British dragon clans. Sometimes you get cameos from favorite characters, too. (Finn and Bram play an important role in the first SDU book.) As such, I need to address certain clans before progressing with the two main series. This is why Persuading the Dragon will be out in 2020 and not 2019. I need (and needed) to write about both Skyhunter and Snowridge (the other two British clans), not to mention Lochguard #7, before that book. I'm sure some people will be disappointed, but I can't help it. Ivy Passmore, the human in a coma on Stonefire, can't wake up until the other stories are done. There's a reason I put her in a coma. ;)
The other reason my dragon releases were delayed is because I took a seven-month break from writing paranormal and sci-fi romances and this pushed ALL my releases back. Crafting complex worlds and managing large casts of character is exhausting. I took the break to write some romantic comedies (Love in Scotland series) and to write some short, insta-love sexy stories under a new pen name (Lizzie England). All of those cleansed my palate and allowed my brain some downtime before facing the enormity of my other series. If I hadn't of taken that break, I'm honestly not sure if I would have written any dragon books this year. Or, they would've been crappy ones. Craved by the Dragon was such a chore to write I learned to hate it by the end. Yes, I grew to hate it. Thankfully, the break made it all new again to me and I love them once more. The reason I'm sharing all this is to give you a glimpse into a writer's life and how it doesn't always go to plan. I know there's a climate of instant gratification, but if someone wants quality, it takes some time.
Whew, thanks for reading all of that! As usual, I have some people to thank for getting this out in the world:
To Becky Johnson and her team at Hot Tree Editing. They always keep a sharp eye and don't hesitate to ask if ripping panties are really that easy.
To Clarissa Yeo of Yocla Designs. She is amazing at cover design and this one is no exception.
To all my beta readers—Sabrina D., Donna H., Sandy H., Iliana G., and Stephanie M. you do an amazing job at finding those lingering typos and minor inconsistencies.
And as always, thanks to you, the reader, for sticking with me. Writing is the best job in the world and it's your support that makes it so I can keep doing it.
Until next time, happy reading! I'll share some teasers for other books after this section, in case you need more books to add to the pile. ;)
PS—To keep up-to-date with new releases and other goodies, please join my newsletter here.
Meeting the Humans
(Stonefire Dragons Short #1)
Ten-year-old Daisy Chadwick wins an essay contest, and the prize is her entire class gets to visit Clan Stonefire. Even if her best friend can’t come because her mom is afraid of dragon-shifters, Daisy is still excited. She’s determined to see a dragon up close and pet him.
Freddie Atherton can’t wait to meet some humans his own age. At least, until he’s paired with a strange one. And not just any strange one, but a girl who may get into more trouble than even him, and that’s saying something.
As the pair bond over a mini-adventure, Freddie learns that humans can be fun. He only hopes their sneaking away doesn’t keep the humans from ever coming back.
——————
Meeting the Humans is available on Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon AU / Amazon CA / Amazon DE.
Winning Skyhunter
(Stonefire Dragons Universe #1)
For more than a decade, Clan Skyhunter suffered under a cruel, power-hungry leader who did anything to advance his agenda. He was finally caught in an illegal scandal and sent to prison, and now the dragon-shifter clan in the south of England is ready for a new leader. And so the trials begin…
Asher King had been locked away under the former clan leader for speaking out against his cruelty. Now free, he wants to win the leadership and guide his clan to a better future. However, being the nephew of the old leader isn't easy, and if that wasn't enough to overcome, he's still recovering from the torture he endured while imprisoned. Still, he's determined to win and keep his clan from being disbanded by the humans, even if it means competing against his ex-girlfriend and denying how much he still wants her.
Newly returned from her stay in America, Honoria Wakeham puts herself up as a candidate to be clan leader. Not everyone approves of a female candidate, but that doesn't faze her. The old clan leader killed her parents, and in order to fully heal, she wants to bring the clan together and move their practices into the twenty-first century. What she didn't count on was running into Asher King, the male she loved over a decade ago, before she was sent away to stay with her American relatives for safety.
It doesn't take long for Asher and Honoria to give in to their attraction, but from it springs an idea that may be the best of all. Can they win the leadership trials and keep their clan together? Or, will one of the other candidates win and try to keep Skyhunter in the past?
————
Winning Skyhunter is available on Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon AU / Amazon CA / Amazon DE.
Do you enjoy laugh-out-loud romantic comedies? Then try the first book in Jessie Donovan's Love in Scotland series:
Crazy Scottish Love
(Love in Scotland #1)
Tired of the online dating scene and her nagging mother, Donella Spencer braves her eccentric extended family and heads for a month-long visit to Scotland to stay with them. As long as she keeps to herself and avoids her family as much as possible, it should be easy to relax, right?
What she doesn’t count on is running into Robbie Campbell, the guy who tried so hard to ditch her nearly twenty years ago that it took a search and rescue team to save her. Not only that, she doesn’t expect to fall for Robbie’s daughter’s big, brown eyes and agree to hold a themed costume party for Donella’s 31st birthday. One that involves her relatives dressing in nineteenth century safari garb and dusty, old animal outfits.
And none of that even begins to address her grandmother’s attempts to matchmake and marry off Donella within the month.
It’s going to be one long, trying summer in Scotland. However, sometimes the strangest situations can show what someone needs in life. Because if Donella falls in love with a man who can put up with her family, her happy ending may finally be in sight.
Provided her relatives don’t drive her crazy first.
——————
Crazy Scottish Love is available on Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon AU / Amazon CA / Amazon DE.
Excerpt:
Chapter One
Unlike every other passen
ger from her plane, Donella Spencer didn't rush to leave the restricted area of Glasgow Airport in Scotland. She much preferred walking as slowly as possible, quite literally dragging her feet.
Sure, she'd love nothing more than a shower at her grandmother's house after a thirteen-hour flight from the US. But given the choice between a shower or dealing with her Scottish relatives, Donella would take being stinky around strangers any day.
For the moment, she merely enjoyed the calm and quiet of the nearly empty corridors. She would've closed her eyes if not for her murderous suitcase, which had wheels that stuck at random, as if making her fall flat on her face was its life purpose.
However, after only one close call with the blasted case, she eventually came to the exit. And unless she wanted to irritate security and possibly be deported, she needed to leave.
Although deportation might be the better choice in the long run.
Get a grip, Donnie. She’d come to Scotland to escape the endless line of jerks and asshats who made up the online dating pool. Well, at least for her. She only attracted the guys who liked to remind her of how her biological clock was ticking, preferred reliving their high school glory days over the present, or sat in silence as she ended up having a two-hour conversation with herself.
The Dragon's Discovery (Lochguard Highland Dragons Book 6) Page 21
