Diamond Dragon (Awakened Dragons Book 4) Read online

  He was in the air, his head brutally ramming the bear shifter’s nose into pulp, before he even knew what was happening. As the big man howled and stumbled back, Alistair pressed his approach, hammering him in the stomach with several punches and then swinging around and kicking the man in his already injured face, sending him flipping around and into a table, which shattered under his weight.

  The man grunted as he hit the ground but wasn’t done and quickly tried to get up. He moved quick for a big guy.

  Not quick compared to a dragon.

  Alistair caught him in the face with a spinning kick and then did it again just for fun, enjoying the dazed look on his victim’s face. The bear was swaying, trying to stay up, and Alistair almost felt they were done.

  Then the bear’s blurry eyes wandered to Bridget, taking her in, with her beautiful new haircut, and something in Alistair snapped.

  He brought his fist down, harder than ever before, and smashed the bear into the ground as hard as he could.

  This time, the big man didn’t move, bleeding and unconscious.

  Alistair stepped back. The bar was silent. But he could sense each creature’s pulse. No one was dead. Even that bear, who deserved it.

  He stormed back toward the door and grabbed Bridget around the waist, pulling her against him. “Come on,” he said. “We’re going.”

  The ride was quiet, Alistair trying to control his still raging anger.

  She never should have tried to be more beautiful. She was fine how she was. Why should she try to draw more male attention when she already knew she had his?

  He knew his jealousy was stupid, that he’d given her no reason to think they were more or there were promises between them.

  But he couldn’t help feeling it.

  “I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you about the bar. I’m sorry I was being closed off and grumpy.”

  “It’s okay,” he said. “I was, too. It’s been a hard couple of days.”

  She nodded, looking over at him with a soft smile. Her new, blonder hair was shiny and soft, and he had to admit it was very pretty, when he didn’t let his jealousy get the better of him. “There have been some good moments, too, though.”

  “Yeah,” he said. “Very good.” He tried to smile, but it was still too hard to do with the bar incident only minutes behind them.

  “Is it something I did, though?” she asked. “I mean you’ve been grumpy since the hair appointment.”

  He sighed. He might as well be upfront, since the conversation might be a good distraction from his temptation to go back and set the bar on fire. “I guess I just don’t get it. Why you’d want to flaunt yourself.”

  “Flaunt myself?” she asked, pretty green eyes widening in shock. “What made you think I was doing that?”

  “I mean, you told him what would look best on you. You could have had him do any style. Chop it off. Go black. But you had to make it so damn attractive.”

  “You like it?” she asked, touching her hair.

  “Of course,” he said. “But I liked it before, and I hate you’re doing anything to draw attention. I don’t get it.”

  She glared at him. “I was trying to draw your attention.”

  He blinked. “That’s absurd. You already have it.”

  She sighed. “You know what? You’re so beautiful that you don’t get that some of us have to work at it. I just wanted to be even slightly as beautiful as you. You know, after what we shared.”

  He laughed hoarsely. “Bridget, you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. If you don’t get that after last night, or after I just beat up a bunch of men for you, I don’t know what to tell you.”

  “You like me,” she said. “I know that. As a friend, but—”

  “I don’t have sex with my friends,” he interjected. “Look, I don’t know exactly what we are. But I do care about you. Obviously.” He rubbed his neck, realizing he’d really messed things up with the haircut. “Your hair looks beautiful. I’m sorry I let my jealousy get the best of me.”

  “Please,” she said, tightening her hands on the wheel. “I’m not so beautiful to justify that level of jealousy.”

  “When you like a girl, everyone who looks at her is a criminal,” he said.

  “So you like me?”

  “Of course I do!” he exclaimed. “I don’t know how to make it any clearer.”

  “You’ve been avoiding me today,” she said. “You’ve been quiet.”

  “It’s just all really new to me,” he said. “I guess I just… I’m figuring things out. Remember, I only got out of the dungeon a few days ago. And I was only awakened a few months ago. It’s moving fast.”

  “You’re the one moving,” she said. “You propositioned me.”

  “I know,” he blurted. “But I didn’t know how it would affect me.”

  The car jerked, and then she regained her composure. “What?”

  “I thought it would just be sex. Pleasurable. I didn’t know it would affect me. It’s been on my mind all day.”

  Scrangey let out a meow, announcing his displeasure at the sequence of events, and Bridget made a concerted effort to steady her hands. “How do you mean on your mind all day?”

  “I mean I keep thinking of being with you. Having you. Keeping everyone away from you. And I’m supposed to be thinking of getting back to my friends. I’m supposed to be thinking of keeping us safe.”

  “You have kept us safe,” she said with a sigh. “After seeing you at the bar, I’m pretty sure that isn’t going to be a problem.”

  “But you know what I mean,” he said. “I expected us to do something about the attraction between us, but I didn’t expect it to destroy me when we came together.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Destroy you?”

  “Destroy the selfish man I was,” he explained. “Destroy my surefire thoughts of what I wanted. I’m still fighting that. I don’t know what I want. Look at my indecision with Scrangey.”

  “You aren’t going to leave him,” she said resolutely.

  “You don’t know that,” he said. “And you don’t know me. You didn’t know me in my other life, and you wouldn’t have liked me. You’ve only seen the nice me.”

  She was silent at that. “Even at the bar?”

  “Okay, maybe not so nice, then. But I mean, I was protecting you, not doing it for fun. In my other life, I would have been too lazy.” He looked out the window at the endless, passing trees. “You wouldn’t have liked me.”

  “Maybe I would,” she said. “I mean, you aren’t the easiest person to deal with now, and I haven’t given up on you yet.”

  “You need me,” he grumbled.

  “That doesn’t mean I can’t also want you,” she said. “In fact, I’ve been thinking about last night, too. About wanting to do it again.” She glanced at him, and he saw the heat in her eyes. “Badly.”

  He gulped. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea. It already caused awkwardness today.”

  “I just… We need to be honest. It’s good to know you’re conflicted, too. I don’t know what’s going on between us, but you were sending mixed messages, being so protective but also telling me it wasn’t anything serious.”

  “I don’t know what it is,” he said. “You’ve been making me break all my rules since I met you. Odd human.”

  She grinned. “So you really like my hair?”

  “I like you.”

  “I know, but sometimes a girl just wants to feel pretty.”

  He sighed. “I really like it. But I liked it before. I still prefer whatever keeps other men from looking.”

  “You keep other men from looking,” she teased.

  “Damn straight,” he replied, glad to feel things returning to normal between them.

  “Just a few minutes,” she said.

  “When we get there, should I show you how much I like your new haircut?”

  She grinned and nodded.

  Chapter 11


  Bridget heard the door to their hotel room clack closed as Alastair shut it behind him, doing the latch without even looking.

  But it barely even registered in her mind because the sensation of his kisses on her neck, her ears as he carried her inside was so intense, so hot.

  It had been the quickest check-in she’d ever experienced, every second between them growing more tense and exciting since their conversation in the car, the prospect of a repeat of last night hanging in the air.

  But tonight was different. As Alastair held her, lifting her legs around his waist, he was ravenous. Possessive. Owning.

  Halfway into the simple room, he stopped at the desk every hotel seems to have and cleared everything off of it with a swipe of his arm, sending it clattering to the floor, lamp and all.

  “Couldn’t make it all the way to the bed?” she chided, loving the way his hips pushed against hers as his arm wrapped around her back kept her pressed close.

  “Too far,” he growled into her ear, the feel of his hot breath followed by his teeth nipping down on her lobe making her shudder. A second later, she felt his hands come lower, squeezing her ass and sending sparks of pleasure shooting up her back.

  Somehow, knowing Alastair wanted her just as much as she wanted him flipped something. Even if Bridget didn’t know where this was going, didn’t know where it would end, the attraction between them was so strong she couldn’t ignore it, couldn’t simply sit back and see how things played out while he was still here by her side.

  She was grabbing life by the reins, and it felt good.

  “I’ll show you what feels good,” Alastair said, his voice low and husky.

  At that, she felt her shirt and bra torn off like paper, leaving her bare chested before his heated gaze. Then without hesitation, his mouth closed over one nipple, hot and wet and like fire, making her eager to feel the sensation of having him inside again.

  His tongue moved over the other nipple, and her back arched at the intensity. In response, he pushed her farther back until she was trapped against the wall behind her, surrounded by him everywhere. So much masculine strength, so much power, seemingly just for her.

  There was no escaping his pleasure, and somehow, that made it all the more delicious. She felt so beautiful, so wanted. So needed by him.

  Alistair continued to work on her, his thumbs pressing directly onto her nipples as his lips sealed over hers for another claiming, erotic kiss. His tongue swirled inside her mouth, thrusting wickedly, even as the overwhelming sensation of his hands on her chest made her almost come right there.

  And then he stopped, one arm wrapping her tightly against him as his other hand tipped her chin up.

  His eyes were no longer the brown she’d almost become accustomed to, but instead had returned to their multifaceted swirling array of every color of the rainbow, glimmering and beautiful and fathomless, his irises dark with arousal.

  “Only me,” he said, uttering the words as if writing it into law.

  She sat there, breath heaving from so much pleasure and feeling so close to release, and then nodded.

  “Say it,” he commanded, the sound of his voice calm but unyielding, allowing no room for contest.

  “Only you,” she said, feeling his satisfaction at her declaration roll over her in waves.

  Would he even remember this moment of pure possessiveness? She didn’t think she would ever forget it.

  But he didn’t say anything. Instead, in response, he lowered himself before her, kneeling on the floor as he rapidly undid the button of her jeans and pulled them open before him. Then he tore off her panties, and she felt searing pleasure course through her as his tongue embraced her center.

  Unexpectedly, she tumbled into a powerful orgasm, legs clenching as he held her hips and she cried out in ecstasy, a million different sensations surging through her.

  As she finally started to calm down, panting with exertion, he resumed what he was doing, cupping her ass and making long, rapid strokes with his shockingly deft mouth. But there was nothing subservient in the way he made love to her, the way his tongue stroked over her again and again, his powerful hands holding her inescapable from the intense, mind-blowing pleasure of it all as his multicolored gaze watched her intently.

  No, there definitely wasn’t anything submissive about this man. He owned her right now.

  And he knew it.

  She came again, right there on the tiny desk in a small hotel room in Nowheresville, with the most incredible, confusing, sexy man she could ever have met. And as her body rocked with incredible release, she could feel his eyes pegged on her, watching every twitch of her body, listening to every sound she made in the throes of pleasure, completely attuned to her.

  It almost made her go again.

  But then her body slowly calmed, returning back to Earth from its momentary flight into the skies, leaving her restless and wanting more.

  One thing more, in particular.

  Bridget felt herself picked up off the desk, lighter than air in Alastair’s strong arms as he carried her toward the bed.

  He said nothing, but instead pulled off his shirt and threw it to the side, showing her his perfect, sculpted body that seemed to fill the room around them.

  And as he undid the button of his jeans, she felt a thrill of excitement run through her at the prospect of having him inside her once again.

  She got the feeling it was going to be even better this time.

  Seeing Bridget lying there on the bed, beautiful, soft hair splayed out over the sheets, completely naked, her gaze alluring and hungry as she surveyed him, was almost enough to make him lose it.

  She was just so fucking beautiful; he lacked words for what he was feeling.

  So instead, he let his actions do the talking.

  He pulled off the rest of his clothes, loving the way her eyes became more heated as he got closer, coming over her on the bed.

  Everything about her was perfect. From the way her smile quirked whenever he was being too blunt to the way her green irises appeared to change color with her emotions, darkening when she was sad and brightening when she was happy or aroused.

  Even the diamond ring on her finger, which at the start he had wanted back, seemed to be just right where it was. Like it belonged on her, a piece of him that she carried everywhere she went.

  Alistair had never been so hungry for anything, for anyone in his life. But for Bridget, he was insatiable. And the only thing that could even begin to quell the desire burning within him was her.

  He knew she was ready, knew they fit together. But he still went slowly as he slid into her, the pressure and friction wonderful and erotic and ever more powerful than he remembered. At first, Bridget took a deep breath until he was all the way in, then moaned loudly as she relaxed onto him and began to get caught up in the ecstasy of it all.

  It was a different feeling than the last time, when it had been slow and eager, with nature all around them, watching.

  It was just the two of them now, her scent as intoxicating as the sight and feel of her as he came out and slowly thrust back in. Bridget’s eyes rolled back in pleasure, and he did it again, relishing in her ecstasy as, for this moment, she was wholly his.

  Yet the harder he claimed her, the more he wanted to keep the world out and keep her all to himself, the more he felt owned by her. As if he’d never be able to leave her side.

  Her hands grasped his arms as he began to thrust more quickly, her hoarse breaths punctuated by moans and sighs that signaled her growing pleasure. And while she held on to him, he bit back a gasp as his own body responded to her, completely overtaken by the feel of being inside her, just barely the right size to accommodate him.

  But to his surprise, she began to move in time with him, doubling the speed of his thrusts as their wet friction became more intense, more heated. His entire body began to tense, his skin like fire as he continued to push, harder and faster, with Bridget until they were at a fevered pace, racing toward release.


  Every passing second was like being in a furnace, burning and pleasurable, as Alistair thrust over and over. Until finally, he felt Bridget come against him, her body tightening, then coming apart in his arms.

  The feeling was so erotic, so supernal as she orgasmed hard and fast with him inside her. He tried to focus only on her, feel everything she felt, but it was too powerful for even his physical limits, and a moment later, he came with her, intensifying her own release as all the built-up sexual desire and tension bottled inside shot through him like an inferno.

  For several impossibly long moments, they came together, her body soft and tense and rippling with release as he held himself over her, his muscles tensing and relaxing in immeasurably quick repetition, both of them being completely wrung dry.

  And then they were done, both breathing heavily as they collected themselves, her body warm beneath him and her skin glowing from the exertion of it all.

  He slowly pulled out of her and strode to the bathroom to clean up, coming back and seeing her still lying on the bed, perfect curves so tantalizing he was ready to do it all over again.

  “Convinced?” he asked, coming toward her and loving the way she looked up at him, cheeks flushed and lips slightly swollen.

  “About what?” she asked, her voice ragged and satisfied.

  “About how attractive you are to me,” he replied, matter-of-fact.

  She paused for a moment, stretching her arms and letting out a contented sigh. “Definitely.”

  “Good,” he said, getting into the bed and pulling the sheets around them so she could sleep, their bodies fitting together surprisingly well, the feel of her softness against him a warm contrast to their hot lovemaking. “Because you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”

  And then he held her until they both fell asleep.

  Chapter 12

  Alistair woke looking at the most pleasant sight of his life. Beside him, Bridget was sleeping, her features soft and relaxed, her blond hair tousled over the pillows, her breasts peeking over the covers, still naked from when they’d made love.