Veronica’s Dragon

by Ruby Dixon

  I think Ashtar's super-heated dragon sperms must have found their mark pretty quickly. Unlike Gren and Willa, we're not going to be madly boinking for days on end. It's almost disappointing. I thought there would be more to it, but two good nuts and my dragon's knocked me up. Either I'm really fertile or Ashtar's shooting a full payload. Huh.

  A rumble of amusement moves through my thoughts. You are disappointed? Truly?

  Well, I thought it would be more difficult for us, given the whole Willa and Gren thing. I thought there'd be more to it.

  He rubs his nose against my neck, his breath hot on my throat. There can always be more to it, my fires. This doesn't mean I'm done with you. Not in the slightest.

  That so? I slide my hand down his back and knead one of his hard buttocks. So. Damn. Yummy.

  Never. As long as there are stars in the sky and fire in my blood, I will be hungry for you. He nips at my throat with those deadly, delicious fangs. Always, my Veronica.

  I could hear that a million times and never grow tired of it. Ever.

  Epilogue

  VERONICA

  "How is it?" I ask eagerly as he tests his new wing out. My hands are clasped under my chin and this feels like Christmas morning.

  The big dragon noses me. I have not tried it yet. Give me a chance to fly.

  "Well, you're stalling," I tell him, practically quivering with excitement. "Show off to the crowd."

  Everyone's gathered on the beach to watch. For once, my flashy, showy Ashtar isn't strutting his stuff. He just keeps unfolding and folding his newly healed wing, testing it over and over again.

  After resonance was fulfilled, I immediately wanted to finish healing my dragon's wing. Ashtar didn't want me to do it while we were hiding out in a cave, in case I overtaxed myself again, so we compromised and returned to the beach. I was touched to find that the others had set aside a tent just for us and decorated it with a few garlands of leather roses as a nice “honeymoon” touch. We were welcomed back with open arms and a ton of teasing, but it feels good to return. It feels like coming home. No one else has resonated, Willa and Gren are still hiding up in their cave, and Marisol and Lauren are still missing.

  Some things change and some things stay the same, I guess.

  There were a few questions about Ashtar's shape-changing, since he'd never explained it to anyone. I'm surprised that everyone takes it in their stride as much as they do, but I guess on a planet like this, given all the alien visitors that have shown up over the last while, you've got to learn to handle the hits as they come. Vektal's actually really pleased with Ashtar's dragon side, because he sees it as the ultimate defense of the camp. Apparently, there are these big bird things called “skyclaws” that like to attack, but with Ashtar in his dragon form, Vektal thinks we'll be unbothered.

  Despite Ashtar's big words about not needing anyone, he likes to be important and needed. He spends a lot of time with Vektal, discussing the best ways to patrol and keep the Icehome village safe. No one's talked about joining the others in their village yet, and I understand why. There, we'd be more outsiders. Here, we're making a home for ourselves. I don't want to leave either.

  Once we've settled in again, I waste no time in nagging—ahem, sweetly begging—Ashtar to heal his other wing. This time, I'm a lot more mindful of my own strength, and we heal one small bit at a time, scar by scar, taking hourly—sometimes daily—pauses for naps. I'm not thrilled at going so slow, but at least I'm not passing out all the time. Ashtar and I have discussed what we'd do and where we'd go if he could fly, and we've decided that we'd visit Vektal's tribe and see what I could learn from Maylak, the other healer. I've even started to put together a leather saddle of sorts, because I'm going to be a badass dragonrider instead of just hanging out in my dragon's claws. I haven't mentioned the saddle to Ashtar yet, because I don't want him to feel like he's letting me down if his wing doesn't work.

  You forget I can hear your thoughts, my fires. You think I don't know about your saddle?

  Shit. I always forget.

  I know you do. It is adorable. He nuzzles my hair again and then flexes his wing once more. Will it disappoint you if I can't fly?

  Only in the sense that I'll have failed you, I tell him.

  You have never, ever failed me, Veronica. Never say such things.

  But—

  If you keep thinking along those thoughts, I will shift back to my two-legged form and lick your cunt until you scream an apology for the world to hear.

  Yeesh. I can feel myself blushing. Fine, fine. There's definitely been a lot of teasing about the nocturnal (and afternoon, and morning) noises coming from our tent, but I'm getting used to that sort of thing, too. I don't even mind the ribbing, because I've got the world's handsomest alien for a husband and I've been well-pleasured every night. Kinda hard to stay mad when you're in a state of constant endorphin release. You get to do that to me if I get to do the same to you.

  I like this idea.

  I thought you might. I gave him a real, official blowjob shortly after we returned to the beach, now that I can safely “take his fires” and won’t get burned by the heat of his body. It seems that my own body temperature has increased to match his, because I’ve been wandering the beach in light layers compared to the others. At any rate, I can give Ashtar head as often as I want now, and since he tastes surprisingly like cinnamon and loves it when I touch him, it’s been…often. And it’s been a lot of fun. Even now, I’m getting all tingly just thinking about getting before him on my knees and taking him in my mouth.

  You are distracting me, Ashtar warns.

  "Well?" Bridget calls out from behind us. "Are we doing this or not?"

  I love Bridget. I do. She's fun and funny and has a real optimistic attitude despite her sarcasm. But right about now I want to punch her in the mouth for trying to rush my dragon. She can't possibly know what he's feeling, the emotions in his head.

  Amusement curls through my mind. I love that you get violent in your defense of me.

  I just don't want anyone pushing you if you're not ready. You don't have to show off for anyone.

  Don't I? They are all gathered here to see me fly.

  He's not wrong. Everyone in the tribe has come out to the beach early this morning because they want to see Ashtar fly once more. Pregnant Angie leans on the arm of Hannah, and Harlow leans on Rukh. Liz and Raahosh watch with their arms crossed, whispering low to each other, and even the big red guys—the clones—have shown up, though I think they're watching Angie more than Ashtar. The humans are all huddled together, sitting on blankets as if this is just any other day at the beach, their eyes expectant as they watch Ashtar pace and test his new wing out again. My dragon-man is popular in the tribe because of his ready smile and bold teasing. The girls all love him. The guys get along great with him. I think everyone likes him more than me, and I'm the damn healer. I'm okay with that, though, because he's mine and he lets me know it all the time.

  I know he's nervous. It's not like Ashtar to be nervous, but he is. Fuck them, I tell him. You don't owe anyone anything.

  More amusement rumbles in my head. It is not them I worry about disappointing. It is you.

  You could never disappoint me, I tell him fiercely. Never. I love you. If you need another week, another year, another lifetime, I don't care. I just want you to be happy.

  The dragon moves back toward me. He lowers his head and noses me once more. I am happy. I am beyond happy. You know this.

  I do. I pat the side of his snout affectionately.

  He bares his teeth in a dragonish grin, and then a moment later, he's flinging himself into the air. Sand and pebbles spray everywhere, leaving me sputtering and the crowd squealing. I don't care, though, because a moment later, Ashtar's pure joy blooms through my mind.

  He's doing it. He's flying.

  I shield my eyes, looking up as he takes to the sky, going higher and higher as effortlessly as if he's always flown. How does it feel? I ask him, anxious and
thrilled both at once.

  Amazing. There's a little stiffness, but it's working itself out. Utter joy floods through his mind again. I'm flying, Veronica. I'm flying again.

  You are, I tell him proudly, and wipe tears from my eyes. I watch as he sails around the skies, a golden gleam moving high enough to touch the clouds, then diving back down again. A few people behind us on the beach clap, and there's a lot of excited chatter as we watch him sail through the air, as effortless as any bird. He's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, and I'm so proud that I want to sob like a baby. I try to keep my thoughts bland, though, because I don't want to distract him from his moment. The emotions rolling through his mind are indescribable. There's sorrow and grief, elation and hunger and a driving, restless need to push himself. There's pride and relief and above all, complete and utter joy. So much joy.

  Eventually, he begins a lazy circle back down to the ground. I want to ask if he's tired, but I don't dare interrupt this moment. If it's a muscle he hasn't used in a while, he just needs to practice it again. The important thing is that he can fly. Everything else will work itself out.

  I remain perfectly still as he angles his wings and lowers his haunches, moving to the ground. He flaps them hard and then thumps onto the sand a short distance away. I wipe more grit out of my eyes, and when I open them, my dragon's changed back to his human-ish form, crouching, his hands braced on the beach, his head lowered. Oh. I immediately surge forward to his side, my healing instincts flaring. Ashtar? Are you all right?

  He lifts his head and his eyes are shot through with pure gold. My big alien's arms lock around my waist and he buries his face against my chest. Veronica.

  I can feel the emotion surging through him. I stroke his hair back from his face, mindful of the horns at his brow. Best day ever? I tease.

  No. He looks up at me. That was when I met you.

  Mine, too.

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  I'm so happy to be back on the ice planet, guys! I've missed it so. I know it feels like forever between books sometimes, but in my case, I really, really feel it. I meant for VERONICA'S DRAGON to happen about two months or so ago, but life got in the way. At any rate, it's here now! I really hope you enjoy it. I loved writing Ashtar and his clumsy mate.

  A couple of housekeeping notes. I've had people inquire about the snippets I share on Facebook. Why does Ashtar act one way when the drakoni in the Fireblood Dragons series act another? That's simple - they were raised differently. Kael, Dakh, Rast and crew spent their adult lives in a drakoni culture. They communicate the way the drakoni do, and their actions reflect that. Ashtar was stolen at a young age and raised by slavers to be a pet and a gladiator, so his actions are going to reflect such things. He has vague memories of life back on his planet, but he's an entirely different sort of person. He'll still have some of the same physiological responses - the possessiveness, the quick temper, the need to mind-link with his mate - but he's a flirty chatterbox instead of silent and broody like the other drakoni because that's what he's learned to be as a (former) slave.

  I've also been asked if Ashtar suffers from the insanity that the drakoni in the Fireblood Dragons series suffer from. He doesn't. Is it because he didn't go through the Rift? Is it because of Earth's atmosphere? Either way, he's again VERY different from those, kind of like how our sa-khui are different from the mesakkah, even though the race is the same.

  I've been asked about our Earth timeline, too. Are the humans aware that in the Fireblood Dragons series there was a massive apocalypse? My answer: they're not aware, exactly, but as noted in this book, there's a distinct date cutoff for the slaves that were picked up. I hope that answers that question in a vague roundabout Ruby-ish way.

  Speaking of timelines, you'll notice that the island isn't a factor at all in Veronica and Ashtar's story. That's because this takes place in that window when Lauren and Marisol are on the island. I like to think of this as a parallel to LAUREN'S BARBARIAN and that THE BARBARIAN BEFORE CHRISTMAS happens after both Icehome books so far. I hope that makes sense. I swear it all makes sense in my mind, though you might need a flow chart at some point.

  Next up in Icehome will be WILLA'S BEAST. Yassssss. It'll be more or less parallel with what's been happening to Lauren and Veronica, since it all kind of explodes on everyone at once when they arrive. After that, we'll catch up with the merging of the tribes on the shore and then move the story forward. I know some of you are impatient with me for not pushing ahead but I want to give each couple their due. If that means the storyline crawls ahead for a little bit, well, it crawls. There's a method to my madness, I swear! I'm not ready to leave the ice planet anytime soon, so I figure it'll take as many books as it'll take and we'll roll with it. After Willa and Gren, I haven't decided if we'll flip back to Marisol or just push forward with some of the new resonances that happened on the beach as the island tribes arrived.

  What's the next release for Ruby? Right now I'm working on FIRE IN HIS...SOMETHING. I'm not sure what it is yet, but he's got something on fire (ha). It's the next Fireblood Dragons. It was supposed to be done in April but it's the end of May as I write this and, yeah. Things happened. After dragons, I have a few stories planned but I'm not 100% sure about the order - Corsairs #4, Marlene's story in IPB, Gail's story, Willa's story, etc. Please be assured I'm going to get to everyone! No character left behind!

  Much love,

  Ruby <3

  Lauren’s Barbarian

  A lush, tropical island on an icy planet makes no sense.

  Then again, not much makes sense anymore after waking up and finding myself not in bed but on a strange world populated by aliens. Since that moment, I’ve learned that nothing is normal anymore and I’ve got to roll with the punches. I can handle this, though. I’m strong and capable.

  So… washed up on a tropical island? Got it handled.

  Separated from the others in my group? Handled.

  Stranded alone with a brutal but delicious alien man that can’t speak English but has great…ahem…body language? Yup, handled.

  Add in the fact that my cootie – a symbiont I need to survive – has chosen my big, hulking alien friend as my fated mate? Let’s just say that the situation isn’t the only thing that’s going to be handled.

  But it isn’t long before I learn that the tropical island paradise is a death trap and we’re all in grave danger, aliens and humans alike. To survive this, I'll need my tempting guy to give me a hand with the situation…good thing he's got four of them.

  This romance features all of the adventure, humor and community you’ve come to expect in the Ice Planet Barbarians series, but it stands on its own. You do not need to read the other series (or be caught up) in order to read LAUREN'S BARBARIAN. Enjoy!

  Click to borrow or buy!

  Ice Planet Barbarians

  Want to know how it all started? Need to read Chief Vektal’s story? Addicted to big blue aliens? You need to try my other books, my friend! As always, my stories are free to read in Kindle Unlimited!

  Click here to borrow or buy!

  Book 1 of Ice Planet Barbarians

  You'd think being abducted by aliens would be the worst thing that could happen to me. And you'd be wrong. Because now, the aliens are having ship trouble, and they've left their cargo of human women - including me - on an ice planet.

  And the only native inhabitant I've met? He's big, horned, blue, and really, really has a thing for me...

  Cast of Characters

  The New Arrivals (Icehome Tribe)

  Lauren/Lo – Adult female at the beach camp. Once had glasses. Likes to be a problem solver. Resonates to K’thar.

  Marisol – Terrified adult female at beach camp who is fond of hiding. Gets stranded with Lo on the island. Resonates to T’chai.

  Hannah – Vektal’s self-proclaimed assistant. One of the females at the beach camp. Resonates when the island tribes arrive.

  Angie – Adult female at the beach camp. Pregnant with mystery baby.
Focus of twin fascination.

  Willa – Adult female with a southern twang. Lo’s friend. Stolen by Gren…theoretically. Resonates to Gren.

  Gren – Beastly, feral ex-gladiator male. Attacks on sight. Steals Willa away from camp…or does he? Resonates to Willa.

  Veronica – Newest healer on the planet. Resonated to Ashtar upon arrival. Bit of a klutz, otherwise bland.

  Ashtar – Flirty golden ex-gladiator and former slave. Drakoni male who can shapeshift to a ‘battle form’ as a dragon and has the ability to communicate telepathically. Resonates immediately to Veronica. Stud.

  Vordis – One of the red ‘twins’, ex-gladiators of a race called a’ani. Clone of Thrand.

  Thrand - One of the red ‘twins’, ex-gladiators of a race called a’ani. Clone of Vordis.

  Tia – Teenager at the beach camp.

  Nadine – One of the adult females at the beach camp.

  Callie – One of the adult females at the beach camp.

  Bridget – One of the adult females at the beach camp. Friend to Veronica.

  Steph – One of the adult females at the beach camp.

  Raven – One of the adult females at the beach camp.

  Penny – One of the adult females at the beach camp.

  Devi – Chatty adult female at beach camp. Ex-scientist.

  Flordeliza – Adult female at beach camp.

  Samantha – One of the adult females at the beach camp.

  From the Old Tribe (Croatoan)

  Vektal – Chief of the Croatoan tribe. Mated to Georgie (human) and father of two daughters.

  Rokan – Hunter of the Croatoan tribe. His mate is Lila.