Burn: Dragon Shifter Romance

by Ava Frost

  She reached for the bottle, but he raised it out of her reach, “I’m not going to allow you to get intoxicated.”

  Raven hissed and stomped her foot down on his, causing him to bend over. She grabbed the bottle and ran to her room, shutting the door behind her and locking it. She should have fucking locked it when she went to bed; she scolded herself as she took another unhealthy gulp of the clear fiery liquid.

  “Raven, open the door,” he said slamming his hand against it, “NOW!”

  “Or what, you’re going to huff and puff and blow my door down?” she shouted back.

  “Don’t tempt me,” he growled.

  “Go away!”

  It was only silence that followed, and a few minutes later, following a few more sips of Vodka, Raven flopped down on her bed. The room was spinning and her judgement was seriously impaired. What was even worse was that she was suddenly extremely horny.

  Chapter 8

  Maddox smirked when Raven opened her door, half stumbling against it.

  “Easy there, I think you’ve had a little too much to drink,” he said as he wrapped his arm around her.

  “Why are you so impossible?” she said looking up at him.

  Her speech was slightly slurred as she slumped against him, and he carefully led her to her bed. “I’m not as bad as you make me out to be, believe it or not, I have a heart like any other creature that walks this earth, even animals care for their young.”

  “Ooh! Is that paternal instinct I detect?” she said giggling as she flopped on the bed.

  Maddox shook his head, and lifted her legs, shifting her on to the bed, but instead of laying down she got on to her knees like a prowling cat and purred at him. He cocked a brow and studied her.

  “You’ve had too much to drink Raven,” he said firmly and turned to walk out.

  “What, so you’re happy to throw me over a counter and fuck my brains out, but when I offer myself willingly you turn away from me?” she shouted.

  He heard her move and ducked instinctively as her alarm clock flew through the air, crashing into a hundred pieces against the wall. He tucked and rolled then leaped on to the bed pinning her down by her shoulders and straddling her.

  “Stop!” he growled as he looked down at her.

  “Why,” she said gritting her teeth as she reached between them and cupped his package.

  Maddox growled as his cock stiffened in his pants, she would be so easy to take right now. His beast was whining to get to her, but he knew better. Fucking an intoxicated woman had never been a problem for him, if she was willing and able, who was he to say no. But he knew that Raven would resent him, and having a resentful mate would be more troublesome. Fair enough, she resented him on principal, he didn’t give her much of a choice when he proposed the arrangement of them being mated, but fucking her was different.

  “Raven,” he warned as he reached for her wrist, pinning it above her head, “Don’t do something you’ll regret.”

  “Oh please!” she said and arched her back, pressing her pelvis against him, “You know you want this as much as I do.”

  Maddox chuckled, “Trust me sweetheart, you don’t want it as much as I do.”

  His cock was aching; he needed distance, and a cold shower. He slowly let go of her hand and slid off of her until he was standing next to the bed. Raven’s pyjamas were a mess, her top had rode up exposing her firm stomach, and her cotton shorts rode up and cut right into her snatch. It was probably the sexiest camel toe he had ever laid eyes on. He contemplated his options for a moment, take her now and worry about the consequences later, or walk out and relieve himself and be the better man.

  He was still figuring out his next move, when Raven took her top off, exposing her breasts. When she first came to him to give herself, they never even undressed; it was a smack bang, thank you ma’am case. But now, looking at her tits, he was mesmerized. She had small breasts; just enough to fill the palms of his hands, her nipples were a darker shade of caramel against her olive skin. An internal battle between man and beast was being fought. Maddox gritted his teeth, keeping a safe distance.

  “Fuck Raven, just sleep it off!” he growled and turned to leave.

  “Chicken!” she called after him.

  He chose to ignore her, took the key out of her door and locked her in her room. As much as he wanted her, he knew it was not the time or the place. He refused to take a woman who is intoxicated to a point of being promiscuous. By morning he was sure she would be more than embarrassed, but in the long run she would thank him for doing the gentlemanly thing.

  Maddox tore into the shower opposite Raven’s room, ignoring the relentless banging and screaming that resonated from the other end. As he stepped in under the cold water his toes flinched against the cold tiles on the floor. His mind was in shreds as he tried to get the image of her naked and in the throes of passion out of his mind. Even the cold shower gave him no reprieve, his cock was rock hard, and his body was trembling with need and desire. He forced her out of his mind and recalled the earlier meeting with the pack, and sure enough, the moment he thought of Caleb and Kiara, his cock went limp. At least he was still in control, he thought as he finally turned the water off. Not bothering to dry himself off, he pulled on his jeans again and went outside. Tomorrow will be a new day.

  Chapter 9

  Raven woke with a start and immediately flopped back on to the bed, pulling a pillow over her eyes. Her head was throbbing like there was no tomorrow, and it felt as if rotten cabbage soup was curdling in her stomach. What was even worse was how badly she behaved the night before. Although most of it was much of a blur, she knew for a fact that she tried to get Maddox to fuck her and he blankly refused. She wasn’t sure if she was grateful or angry, but her body still yearned for his. It was utter madness, how could she hate and want one person so badly? And how the hell was she going to face him after her behavior.

  She was still working on trying to remember exactly what she did, when a loud siren, like something from the Second World War screeched outside. That was the town’s warning system, and that could only mean one thing. Without a moment to waste, she got dressed and ran to the door, expecting it to be locked, she was ready to break it down, but to her surprise it was unlocked. She quietly snuck out her room, checking every other room for any sign of Maddox, thankfully he had already left. With a sigh of relief, and her head pounding violently, she rushed outside.

  Some of the townsfolk were gathering at city hall, and an uneasy feeling settled in the pit of her stomach, a combination of bad taste in alcohol and nerves, undoubtedly.

  “What’s going on?” she asked as she met up with Joan, who was trying to peak over the crowd gathered in front of them.

  “It’s old Mr. Jennings,” she said and glanced sideways at Raven, “What the hell happened to you?”

  Raven smoothed her hair back into a ponytail and grimaced, “Don’t ask. So what happened?”

  “I’m not sure yet, but apparently he was found dead on the stairs of the Town Hall, and from what I can deduce, it wasn’t of natural causes either.”

  Raven frowned and pushed her way through the crowd, curious to see what the whole commotion was about. When she reached the stairs, she was horrified to find Mr. Jennings disembowelled and laying face up with a pig’s head next to him. Her stomach turned and she ran for the nearest hedge, doubled over and expelled the entire content of her stomach into the garden. She could smell the blood; smell his intestines, which must have been baking in the morning sun for some time before anyone discovered him. It was the smell of death that hung heavily in the air. She could clearly hear the muted whispers of the community as they all made their own assumptions about what happened, and they all blamed the fact that he had gone out at night, and had a run in with one of the werewolves. But something did not sit right with Raven. Maddox had promised them all safe passage, and that no-one would be harmed if she agreed to mate him. But she somehow had the feeling that this was not the work of
any of Maddox’s members. Although she really had no reason to trust him, her gut told her to, and she always went with her gut feeling.

  The rancid taste of stale vodka was bitter in her mouth as she finally recovered, and she quickly moved back to where Joan was still standing.

  “He was murdered,” Raven whispered and pulled her friend aside, “Everyone thinks the werewolves did it.”

  “Well do you blame them?” Joan murmured.

  “No I don’t, but they are blaming the wrong pack.”

  Joan tugged her arm and pulled her away from the crowd, “Just because their leader made some half assed promise that we would have safe passage, doesn’t mean his pack will do as he said. They have been threatening to take over the town for months already.”

  Raven rubbed her temples and scrunched up her face, “Maddox promised me, and…”

  “So you did it! You and Maddox mated!”

  “Shhhhh, keep your voice down,” Raven reprimanded, “Let’s go to your place, I’ll tell you everything.”

  They hurried to Joan’s place and once out of sight, Raven told Joan everything, leaving out the whole debacle that transpired the night before. Joan attempted to protest and warn Raven, but she simply steamrollered on.

  “Look, I don’t trust werewolves any more than anyone else here in Abingdon, but somehow,” she rubbed her brow, “Somehow I don’t think it’s his pack.”

  “How can you be sure?” Joan said and dropped two aspirin’s in Raven’s palm.

  “I don’t know, it’s a hunch, but what I am going to do is confront him and ask him straight out.”

  Raven tossed the pills back and swallowed them down with some water. The last person she wanted to face right now was Maddox, but she had no choice. If he lied to her, which she doubted, she was going to end his miserable existence with her own bare hands.

  “So, was he any good?” Joan asked curiously with a glint of humor in her eyes.

  “Good with what?” Raven asked blushing.

  “You know? Is he good in bed?”

  Raven dropped her head in her hands, “It’s not really like that,” she admitted.

  “So you’re not officially mated?”

  “Oh we are, believe me, but I wouldn’t know if he’s any good.”

  Mortified Raven stood up and walked to the window, moving the curtain slightly out of the way to peak out.

  “Details woman!” Joan said excitedly as she came to stand next to Raven.

  “There are no details, he fucked me. End of story.”

  “So no foreplay?”

  Raven glared at her friend, “I’m not exactly marrying the love of my life, am I?”

  “Well he’s a hunk, who needs to be in love to get a piece of that ass?”

  “You’re terrible,” Raven said and playfully slapped her friend on the shoulder, “We did what was needed. No frills and no bells and whistles.”

  “So if you are mated, and he obviously honors his word, who do you think killed Jennings?”

  Raven frowned and peered towards the crowd, “I don’t know, but I’m going to ask Maddox.”

  “You think he’ll know?”

  “He has to know, he’s the Alpha of the pack, and they have this way of communicate with each other. There are no secrets in a wolf pack; well that’s what I’m led to believe.”

  Chapter 10

  “We suspect Caleb is trying to sabotage your agreement with the humans,” Josiah stated as he leaned back on the chair.

  Maddox was livid, not only did this put his pack in disrepute; it could cause him to lose his woman. He paced up and down impatiently.

  “Tanner and I have increased our patrols to see that they don’t gain access to our territory, but having no telepathic connection to them anymore, it’s impossible to detect where they will cross.”

  “Use your fucking noses!” Maddox growled slamming his fist into a prefab wall.

  Josiah knew better than to challenge Maddox and simply sat quietly waiting for his Alpha to blow off steam.

  “We’ll find them,” Tanner said as she picked her teeth with a toothpick, “And when we do, they will wish they never left.”

  Maddox closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Or they have joined a pack and they come back ten times stronger.”

  He had to consider the options, there was nothing that bound Caleb or Kiara to him anymore, and he knew there were other packs out there. Although his pack was one of the strongest in the Northern Hemisphere, he knew exactly what drove vengeance. He had shamed Caleb in front of everyone, diminished Kiara’s chances of mating with him. Both of them had reason to come for him. He stopped dead in his tracks as realization hit him. Kiara’s first target would be Raven, and if they get to Raven, they will get to him, because his beast will have no reason to fight anymore.

  “We can’t wait for them to come here, we need to send scouts beyond our boundaries, and find them before they find us.”

  Josiah stood up and placed his hand on Maddox’s shoulder, “Who is the woman?”

  Maddox glanced at him and rubbed his chin, “It’s Raven.”

  “Fuck me, you don’t play do you? How the hell did you manage to pull that off?”

  Maddox crossed his arms; it was time he came clean, the sooner his pack knew exactly what was going on, the better.

  “I struck a deal. She becomes my mate, and I grant the Abingdon residents free passage.”

  Josiah raised his brows and smirked, “She really has you by the balls doesn’t she?”

  That was one truth Maddox would not admit to, but Josiah was right. Ever since the day he laid eyes on her, she had been on his mind. Night and day, for months he ignored the yearning and desire simmered slowly like a hot coal waiting to be ignited. Call it desperate if not pathetic, but he would have tried anything to get her.

  “Change of subject,” Tanner said as she pushed off the wall, “I’ll go scout, are you with me Josiah?” she said cocking a brow.

  “Hell yeah!” he exclaimed.

  Maddox immediately saw the sparks flying between the two of them. Sooner than later Josiah would be in the same boat as him, then he will engage in conversation about being desperately pathetic for some pussy.

  He smirked as Josiah looked back over his shoulder and winked at him.

  [Focus on matters at hand,] Maddox communicated in a singular thread for only Josiah to hear.

  He had to admit, his pack was above anything, true to him, they may have lost their way slightly over the last few weeks, but now that he was mated and back on track, he could feel the sense of loyalty from each one. If anything, Caleb and Kiara were the ones to stoke the fire and cause the uncalled for rebellion that could have costed him his Alpha status. Maybe it was better that they were both out of the way.

  The moment they were gone, Maddox made his way to Raven’s place. When he got there, he noticed all her curtains were still drawn, and he could not sense her at all. Slightly panicked he raised his nose to the air and sniffed. In a matter of seconds he had picked up her scent and followed it to her friend Joan’s place. The two women were sitting on the steps outside of the house having coffee. Although Raven looked worse for wear, he still thought she was sexy as hell. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail and strands flew loosely around her face. She noticed him a split second later and her lips parted as if she wanted to say something.

  “Joan,” he greeted hospitably.

  Joan jumped up and wiped her hand before extending it, “I believe congratulations are in order?”

  Raven elbowed her leg and glared at her, and Maddox chuckled, “I believe it is,” he turned his attention to Raven, “Can I have word?”

  “I’m visiting my friend, can’t this wait?”

  “Afraid not.”

  “Ugh, Joan, I’ll see you tomorrow,” Raven said and handed her empty cup to her friend before walking past Maddox.

  He could sense her hormones were in shambles, and her pheromone levels had increased over nigh
t, his lips curled into a wicked smile as he followed her.

  “So, was it one of yours?” Raven blurted out.

  “No, it wasn’t.”

  “How can you be sure?”

  “Because I am, but I know who it was.”

  Raven stopped and turned to him, “And what are you doing about it? We had a deal and right now that deal doesn’t look waterproof at all.”

  Maddox gripped her arm firmly as he led her down the road to her place; this was not something he wished to discuss out in the open. The fewer nosey people in their business, the better.

  Once in the sanctuary of her home, he closed the door and told her to sit down, but she refused.

  “He was one of the pack, but he left, he didn’t quite agree with my choice of a mate,” Maddox confided.

  “Well that makes two of us,” Raven snorted.

  “Seriously woman,” he uttered and squared her in with his hands planted on either side of her on the kitchen counter, “I can smell the desire running through your blood stream, and denial is not going to make it go away.”

  Her eyes flashed with defiance as she tilted her chin, looking him square in the face, “What goes on with my hormones does not make your proposal any less foolish, I was fine before you arrived.”

  “Were you?” he smirked as his eyes moved to her lips, “When last have you been kissed? Really kissed, or fucked until the stars in the sky became a complete blur?”

  Raven’s breath hitched slightly and her lips parted, but instead of allowing her to make another remark he pressed his lips against hers, silencing her.

  Chapter 11

  Raven was a hot mess, she knew the alcohol had affected her the night before, but what excuse did she have now? The moment she felt his presence, her ovaries applauded and her heart started racing. Protest had left the building and so had her common sense. His kiss was exactly as she imagined it to be, ruthlessly passionate, determined and out of control, just like him. There was the slightest hint of whiskey on his breath, and even that could not stop her body and mind from disorganizing itself. His tongue swiped over hers as he delved into the confines of her mouth, and this time she had no power to deny herself the pleasure. She wanted to him to kiss her last night, and she wanted him to kiss her this morning.