Royal Dragon (The Bride Hunt Book 1) (18 page)

“Oh god,” she murmured. Too afraid to talk too loudly. Too afraid to breathe. She moved to her haunches. There was at least two feet on either side of her. Happy days! It felt like the earth was pulling her in both directions and all at once. That if she looked left or right or even up for that matter, that she would be pulled off by the sheer force of gravity. Surely there wasn’t enough space for Coal to land and to shift.

“Are you okay?” Coal’s deep voice washed over her. It made her hold on to some sort of sanity. Do not panic. Do not lose it.

Julie shook her head. Her eyes were focused on the ground at her feet. She breathed in deeply and breathed out again.
Don’t lose it.

Coal touched her arm and she yelped.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you were afraid of heights?” he asked. He was directly in front of her. She could see his feet in front of her much smaller ones. His huge feet. If she wasn’t so petrified, she would laugh. Big feet… big… you know what. She couldn’t believe she was picturing him naked at a time like this. It didn’t calm her down at all, not even a tiny bit.

Then she realized that he’d asked her a question. “I didn’t know that I was afraid of heights before. Then again, I’ve never been this high up or this close to the edge before. To two edges.” There was panic etched into every word. She chewed on her lower lip. Every muscle was tensed and ready but she had nowhere to go. Adrenaline coursed through her, but there was nothing she could do.

“Look at me,” he said. He sounded so calm.

She shook her head. “If I move, I’ll fall.”

“You won’t fall.”

“Oh yes I will. I can’t move. I need to stop talking now. I might fall.” Her voice quivered.

Coal chuckled softly.

“Don’t you dare,” she whispered. “This isn’t funny.” She swallowed thickly. “I can’t believe you brought me up here. We’re going to die… scratch that, I’m going to die. Now change back into a dragon and get me hell off this thing.” Definite panic but it wasn’t to be helped. A breeze ruffled her hair. It was probably cold up here but she couldn’t feel anything. She was too damned scared.

His hand cupped her jaw. “Neither of us is dying. Not today at least. I’ve got you, Julie. I would never let you fall.” His voice was deep and soothing.

Her heart slowed down just a smidgen. “Okay. Fine. Can we go?”

“No.” Coal tilted her chin and she felt her eyes widen. “Please no. Please.” Her eyes met his. Dark and stunningly beautiful. Those gold flecks held her captive. Like a few golden stars in the night sky.

“That’s it.” He smiled. “I would not allow you to fall but if you did, know that I would catch you.”

“You would.” She huffed out a breath.

His gaze warmed her, as did his words.

She felt herself tense back up. They were just words. Using every ounce of willpower she had, she lifted her hands and clutched his wrists. “I hate it up here. I’m so afraid.” Her eyes stung with the need to cry but she held back the tears. Don’t show weakness!

“Hate is a strong word. It is beautiful up here.” He turned his head to the left and seemed to scan the horizon.

Julie couldn’t move. Not even one muscle. “It’s too scary.” Her voice was high pitched. She held onto Coal with all she was worth.

“Sometimes we need to face our fears in order to see the beauty, to experience it.” He loosened her grip from his arms.

She whimpered as he pried her hands from around his. “Please,” she begged. Panic welled.

“Don’t fight me, female.” Coal said, his voice a deep timber. He gripped her hips and whipped her around.

Julie screamed long and hard. It felt like the floor disappeared. She was freefalling, he’d let her go and she was…

“Julie.” Coal wrapped his arms around her. The hard ground was still beneath her. Oh thank god. She was breathing heavily.

Heat suffused her cheeks. “You didn’t let me go.”

“I hadn’t planned on it… no.” Her back was against his. His legs were on either side of her. His strong arms tightly around her.

She huffed out a breath. “You have me. I’m safe.”

“You’re finally starting to get it. Yes, you are safe. I had planned on rutting you here but…”

She elbowed him. “Don’t you even think about it.”

“I could taste you.” She felt him shrug, could hear the humor laced in his words.

“No freaking way! We will sit here quietly for ten seconds. Then you will carefully take ahold of me and get me the hell out of here.”

“First, we will admire the view. You had some things you wanted to ask me and I have some things I want to ask you.” He choked out a short laugh. “At least we won’t be interrupted out here.”

“Oka…” Her breath froze in her lungs. “Wow! Why didn’t you build your lair here?” Her heartrate picked up all over again but only because of what she was seeing.

He laughed. “It would not have worked. There are various requirements for a lair. This only met one of them and you’re looking at it.”

Glorious. Amazing. Stupendous. She wished she’d done better at school. Maybe she would be able to come up with plenty of other adjectives to describe it. “I feel like I’m on top of the world, like I’m looking at everything. A bird’s–eye view. A window from up in heaven.” All the clichés wrapped up together wouldn’t be enough to describe it.

“It is one of my favorite places. No one else has ever been here. You are the first human.”

“I must be crazy, but thank you for bringing me here.” Her eyes stung all over again. The breeze was blowing in them.

“Thank you for trusting me long enough to actually open your eyes and see. To experience.” He hugged her tighter. His massive body radiated warmth.

“Talking about trust. Why the hell didn’t you tell me that I’m about to start my heat?” Coal didn’t seem like the type to try and trap her. Like Flame said, he was a prince. He could probably have his pick.
Not thinking about that now
. She was having sex with him. She didn’t want to think about him with someone else.

“You are days away. I was going to tell you. I swear. We can use the covers if it will make you feel better. Dragon seed is potent but does not live long within a female. It is imperative that a male rut a female
during
her heat. Two days before would be more than enough but we will start using coverings now.”

“We must. I don’t want kids.”

She felt him tense. “You have already said that many times. We will use the coverings. I’m fine with it.” His voice was gruff but not in a good way.

“You don’t sound fine.”

“I am fine.” He released his hold on her. “I think that we should go back now.”

“I’m only just starting to relax and enjoy myself.”

Coal pulled her back against him. It felt good to be in his arms like this. Safe and not just from falling. “I’m glad that you are staying.” Coal nuzzled into her neck.

“Just for two weeks.”

“I wish that you would give us a chance.”

“There is no us, Coal. We have sex and that’s it.” It wasn’t entirely true. “I consider you to be a friend.” She added. It sounded stupid saying it.

“We are more than just friends. It’s more than just sex and you know it.”

“Stop. Let’s just enjoy the scenery. I don’t want you getting angry with me and leaving me here or tossing me over.” She choked out a laugh but it wasn’t funny. She didn’t mean it. Coal wouldn’t do that to her.

His breathing picked up. She didn’t need to look into his eyes to know that she had hurt him. “What happened to you, Julie?” His voice was thick with emotion. “Why do you struggle to accept that someone actually cares for you?”

“Nothing happened. I know that people care.”
When they want something.
“I know you think you have feelings for me but it’s not true. You want a mate and offspring. Any of the five of us would’ve done. When I leave in two weeks, you’ll bride hunt the next group of girls and pick someone else.” She swallowed hard, feeling a lump form in her throat. She was thirsty. Yup, that was it. “I’m sure whomever you pick will jump at the chance to become your mate and to give you lots of dragon babies.”

“But not you?”

“No. I’m a free spirit. I want to see the world and experience life and…” She looked around her as she spoke. The words sounded like, well, just words. Julie paused for a beat. “You want to know why I don’t trust? Well, I grew up in an orphanage and in foster homes.”

“Does that mean that you didn’t have parents?” Coal’s voice was deep. His chest rumbled against hers as he spoke.

Julie nodded. “Yeah. I had a mom but she didn’t take very good care of me. I was taken away at an early age. I don’t…” Se paused to lick her lips. “I don’t remember anything about my time with her. I went to the orphanage when I was four.”

“So young.” Coal slipped a hand under her shirt and stroked the skin on her belly. It was comforting rather than sexual.

“It was tough. I’d just start to feel at home and I’d be shipped off to the next family. It’s hard to form bonds and have any type of trust in anyone growing up like that.” She huffed out a breath. “I don’t like to think about it or to hash it up. I hate moaning about what a tough life I’ve had. I’m fighting for a better future. I need to do it on my own two feet.”

Coal inhaled deeply. She heard him swallow thickly. One of his hands cupped her jaw and tilted her face towards him. He lowered his head and looked her deep in the eye. “It is not moaning. It’s talking, confiding. I am honored that you told me about some of your past. I have huge respect that you do not feel sorry for yourself.” He clenched his jaw. “I admire you, Julie. I have a better understanding why you are the way you are…”

She frowned.

“I don’t mean that in a bad way, so please don’t hit me or curse at me.” He smiled. “You are amazing.” He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her. Soft and careful like she was made from delicate porcelain.

She should push him away. Julie wasn’t one for the mushy stuff. It felt nice though. Like maybe he cared. She sighed as he deepened the kiss. It was intimate. It was special. It touched her. Coal pulled away. He used his thumb to trace her lower lip. More of the same intimacy. His eyes shone with emotion. “I could have taken more than one of the other females during the hunt. I chose you.”

“What? C-chose me? What are you saying?” Her mind was still reeling from the kiss. No one had ever kissed her like that.

“I’m saying that I chose you, Julie. I wanted you. I did then and I still feel the same now. I want you to give us a chance.”

He had chosen her? She must’ve been looking at him like he was mad.

Coal smiled and gave a small shake of the head. “There was a female at the drop-off point. She had decided not to take part in the hunt.”

“Jo,” she whispered.

“I could have had the female but I didn’t want someone that would give up so easily. I walked straight into your trap.” He smiled. She watched as his eyes moved in thought. Coal was recalling the day of the hunt. “I was both angry and intrigued. Who had set such a trap? Who was the mind behind it? I wanted that female. I knew it was you from the moment I caught sight of you. The way you looked at me… such defiance… such anger.” He choked out a laugh. “I couldn’t believe the way you threw yourself into the river like that. I decided then and there that I had to have you. That no one else would do.”

What? Julie shivered as she recalled his dark eyes and how they bore into her. She knew, even then, that he was coming for her. That he had set his sights on her. Her chest rose and fell in quick succession.

“I passed your light haired friend and pulled her from the river as well. I left her for the others to find. I went after you.” Coal put his mouth right by her ear. “I fought for you. I will keep fighting for you, Julie. I hope you give us a chance. It’s all I ask.”

Yes. No. Yes.
Oh how she wanted to say it. To take a leap of faith and just say it. What harm could come of it?

Every single time she’d started to feel comfortable the rug had been pulled out from under her. Why was this any different?

“You’re not agreeing to forever, you would just be agreeing to try.”

“I’m scared,” she whispered.

Coal kissed the side of her head. “Some times you have to face your fears to find the beauty. I think that we could have something beautiful.”

“It’s too soon. I don’t even know you.” Her eyes were stinging again and that lump was back.

“You know me, Julie. I know you. Maybe not everything, maybe not even close but well enough. Take a leap of faith. Trust me on this one. Look around you and trust me.”

“Okay.” Julie smiled. She could feel that it took up her whole face.

“Okay?” Coal didn’t sound like he could believe it.

It felt like a weight had lifted off of her. She was sitting on top of the world right now. Literally. “Yes, okay. I’ll give us a chance.” She giggled, sounding like a school girl. “Let’s do this thing, but…” She raised her voice as she felt his arms tighten around her. “I’m not making any promises
and
…” She practically yelled. Coal was kissing her neck. “Hey…wait!” She squealed when his tongue went into her ear. “We need to take it slow. I’m not rushing into anything.”