Dragon Waves: A Shifters in Love Fun & Flirty Romance (Dragon Island Hideaway Book 2)

by Rinelle Grey

  “Well, that’s forthright,” Audrey said with a grin, even though her body was threatening to melt against him in agreement.

  But Hayrian didn’t smile. His face was deadly serious. “Before you make any decisions, I need to warn you, dragons take mating very seriously,” he said softly. “We mate for life.”

  Audrey gave a shiver of anticipation. Was she ready for that kind of commitment?

  Well, she’d committed to Mark, and look where that had gotten her.

  Somehow, this seemed more real, more solid, more intense than that ever had.

  Her earlier thoughts about soulmates flitted through her mind, teasing at her brain. Mating for life sounded very much like soulmates. Somehow, her disbelief in the concept had faded a little.

  “How do you know you’ve found the right person?” she asked curiously. “How do you know you haven’t made a mistake?”

  “I can’t explain, we just know,” Hayrian said softly. He put a hand up, cupping her cheek, and a different kind of shiver ran through her—one of desire and longing and certainty. Somehow, she knew exactly what he meant.

  “There’s more than that though,” Hayrian continued. “Once dragons mate, or make love as you call it, three times, they’re magically bonded. Neither of them will ever desire to be with anyone but their lifemate.”

  That should have scared her. It sounded deadly serious.

  But it didn’t. It sounded like a promise. Like the kind of promise she could put her trust in.

  Not that she needed to. Hayrian had already proved, time and time again, that she could trust him.

  She knew that he’d never hurt her or betray her. She could trust him with her heart.

  She edged closer to him on the bed and put her arms around his neck. “You know, I think that job sounds perfect.”

  A huge smile spread across his face, and for a moment, Audrey wished she had her camera to capture the moment. Then she realised that it was only the first of many. Once she and Hayrian mated, she’d see his smiling face every day for the rest of her life.

  Epilogue

  “Just a little further,” Hayrian encouraged, tugging on her hand as they traipsed through the bush. He couldn’t wait to show her for real this time.

  Audrey followed him, panting a little, but not giving up. “I think the helicopter was easier,” she said breathlessly.

  “Well, if you still prefer it, we can come that way next time,” Hayrian promised. He was pretty sure though, that she wouldn’t. Not once she’d tried his way.

  Audrey pushed on, saving her breath for walking. They’d passed the ‘trail closed’ sign that kept normal guests away twenty minutes ago. They were going a little slower than Hayrian’s usual pace, but he was sure they were nearly there…

  The ground sloped up ahead, confirming his guess. He glanced back at Audrey, and she smiled at him with determination, so he pushed on.

  Her gasp of delight as they reached the top of the cliff was worth it. Hayrian couldn’t help smiling too, as he did every time he looked at this view.

  The black cliffs towered all around the cove, the waves crashing below them. Nestled in the middle, protected from the storms, but with a view of the outside reef and ocean, was his island. From this side, they could see his hut sitting on the shore.

  “How are we going to get there?” Audrey asked, her voice doubtful. She glanced over at him.

  “You really can’t guess?” He took both her hands, enjoying the chance to be close to her, to touch her, even though it stirred up a need and longing that he knew they wouldn’t be able to wait much longer to satisfy.

  “Well, I’m sure you can fly, but I’m just a human, remember?”

  She’d accepted him being a dragon so readily after that first shock that he still found it hard to believe. And after their initial suspicion, his family had accepted her just as completely. They’d all said they just wanted him to be happy.

  And he had to admit, it had helped. Zara had talked to Audrey for quite a while, explaining a little about being a human mate to a dragon. Her talk seemed to calm the last of Audrey’s fears and doubts.

  Her only regret had been that she couldn’t tell her friend, Eliana, the truth, even though she’d said she understood the reason. Hopefully soon though, that time would come. If these talks went well, they could admit the truth to everyone before too much longer. For the first time, Hayrian felt far more invested in the outcome of dragons openly entering human society than he ever had.

  All that was going so well, there was just one last acceptance he needed.

  “I’ll fly you there. I know it seems scary, but I’ll keep you safe, I promise.”

  As he’d expected, Audrey looked doubtful at first. She stared at him, biting her lip, searching his face. Then she nodded, hesitantly, then with more certainty. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

  She was slowly coming out of her shell, letting go of some of her fears, taking chances. He loved seeing that in her, and he looked forward to helping her explore many more exciting opportunities in the years ahead.

  For now though, what he desperately wanted was to have her all to himself. For at least a week. Damrian and Zara had taken that long, he deserved at least the same length of time. Now he was glad he hadn’t insisted Rowan call his brother back, even if the week and been long and difficult, because now Damrian couldn’t deny him his turn.

  He intended to keep Audrey to himself for as long as he could get away with.

  Hayrian stepped back, pulling off his clothes quickly, trying not to let himself get distracted when her eyes widened at his nakedness. There would be time for that soon, once they were safely on his island.

  He took a deep breath and let himself shift, feeling the freedom he always felt at taking on his true form.

  This time though, was even more special. He kept his eyes on Audrey as he transformed, watching her eyes widen with no hint of fear, then stare at him in awe.

  Once he stood before her, the change complete, he waited.

  She came forwards, hesitantly at first, and touched his scales. Her hand running over him sent a shiver through him, and he bent his head and wrapped it around her, pulling her close to him. She gave a soft giggle. “I get it, you like me. I noticed.”

  “Not like, love,” Hayrian said directly into her mind using dragon speech.

  It was the first time he’d spoken to her thus, and she pulled back, staring up at him, startled. “I didn’t think you’d be able to talk to me in dragon form,” she said in surprise. “That was one thing Mark never mentioned.”

  “Dragons wouldn’t use dragon speech on him,” Hayrian said, giving a sniff of derision. “We save it for people who are important.”

  Audrey giggled again at that. She patted his scales, and then said, “I suspect that by the end of today, I’m going to know a lot more about dragons than Mark ever will.”

  “There’s no doubt about that,” Hayrian said firmly. Right then and there he made the goal to teach her so much she never felt the need to mention that man’s name again, especially not in combination with dragons, or her own life. “Are you ready?”

  Audrey bit her lip, but she nodded. Hayrian bent his leg, creating a step for her to use to climb up on his back, and then held as still as he could while she did so.

  Once she was firmly aboard, he wound his magic tightly around her so there was no way she could come off before she was ready. “You’re perfectly safe,” he assured her. “I would never let you fall.”

  He felt her nod of agreement and figured that the best way to reassure her would be to show her. So he turned towards the cliff face, spread his wings, and launched off.

  The exhilaration he always felt when he flew blasted through his body magnified by the fact that he was carrying his love, his soon to be mate, on his back. He could hear her indrawn gasp, feel her hands clutching at his scales. Her breath was hot on his scales as she leaned in close and threw her arms around his neck.

  Hayrian took
it slowly and carefully, swooping straight down towards the island. This would be daring enough for her first flight. He’d save the turns and rolls for when she was used to it.

  The thought of her being used to it and enjoying it warmed his heart.

  But it soared when she shouted, “This is amazing!”

  Her enthusiasm surprised him. Maybe she could handle this better than he’d expected. He gave an experimental turn, gentle at first, but her shout of excitement encouraged him, and he gave several tight turns above the hut.

  By the time he landed on the beach, both of them were breathless.

  “That was amazing,” Audrey said, hugging his neck, not quite so tightly this time. “Can we do it again?”

  “As many times as you like, my love,” Hayrian assured her. “But there are a few other things we might want to do as well. Once we are mated, you will be able to speak back to me in dragon speech.”

  “Really?” Audrey exclaimed. “What are we waiting for then?”

  Hayrian laughed. “Well, if I’d known all I had to do to get you to mate with me was promise you the ability of dragon speech, I would have tried it days ago.”

  Audrey laughed and slipped off his back, watching him intently as he shifted back into his human form, still naked. Then she stepped forwards and put her arms around him. “I know it took me a little while to accept how I felt about you. But you know that I love you, right?”

  Hayrian’s heart warmed. “I do,” he agreed. “And I love you too.”

  And he bent and kissed her, very glad that this island was completely private. Because he wasn’t sure he could wait any longer, not even long enough to walk up to his hut.

  The End

  I hope you enjoyed reading Dragon Waves. If you did, please consider leaving a review. Even a few sentences help.

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  In the meantime, if you haven't already, check out what the rest of the Rian clan are up to in the Return of the Dragons series, beginning with Loyal Dragon Shifter.

  How far is he prepared to go to save his clan? He recruited the beautiful human to wake the dragon prince. Now can he give her up?

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  About the Author

  If you read a Rinelle Grey story, you can trust in a happy ending. Love will always triumph, even if it seems impossible… Rinelle Grey writes feel-good romance usually in science fiction or fantasy settings. Her heroines are independent and headstrong, and her stories are hard to put down.

  She grew up in a remote area of Australia, without power, hot water, or a phone, but now lives with all of those and her (happily ever after) husband, daughter, chooks, ducks and veggie garden.

  She loves to receive e-mails at rinelle@rinellegrey.com, or follow her on facebook or twitter.

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