Accepting her dragons em.., p.1
Accepting Her Dragons: Embracing The Bond, page 1
Accepting Her Dragons
Embracing the Bond Series
T. D. Edwards
Copyright © 2023 T. D. Edwards
Published by T. D. Edwards in USA
authortdedwards.com
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Cover Art: Rebecca Frank
Editor: Megan Records
Formatted by: Elisabeth Garner
Contents
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Note from the Author
1. Chapter One
2. Chapter Two
3. Chapter Three
4. Chapter Four
5. Chapter Five
6. Chapter Six
7. Chapter Seven
8. Chapter Eight
9. Chapter Nine
10. Chapter Ten
11. Chapter Eleven
12. Chapter Twelve
13. Chapter Thirteen
14. Chapter Fourteen
15. Chapter Fifteen
16. Chapter Sixteen
17. Chapter Seventeen
18. Chapter Eighteen
19. Chapter Nineteen
20. Chapter Twenty
21. Chapter Twenty-One
22. Chapter Twenty-Two
23. Chapter Twenty-Three
24. Chapter Twenty-Four
25. Chapter Twenty-Five
26. Chapter Twenty-Six
27. Chapter Twenty-Seven
28. Chapter Twenty-Eight
29. Chapter Twenty-Nine
30. Chapter Thirty
31. Chapter Thirty-One
32. Epilogue
Afterword
Also By
About the Author
Dedication
To the girls who dreamed of fairytales, happily-ever-afters, and someone to save them from the life they were living. To the women who still dream but realize they can save themselves.
Acknowledgements
To my biggest fan, my daughter, who encourages me, celebrates my wins, and inspires me to keep going—I love you. Thank you for making me a bigger deal than I think I am and always being there with words of love and support.
My readers—-you are passionate and phenomenal! Thank you for giving me a chance. Thank you for loving the words I write and the world I built.
Note from the Author
Accepting Her Dragons is the fifth book in the Embracing The Bond Series, a stand-alone, dragon shifter, steamy, paranormal romance. A guaranteed HEA where the female character ends up with two mates.
Note: Due to explicit language, graphic sexual scenes, and violence, this book is intended for mature (18 years +) readers.
This book contains discussions of drug addiction, death from drugs, the death of parents, trauma from kidnapping and sexual assault, forced captivity, and physical abuse of a child. This book also contains kidnapping, violence, light BDSM elements, stalking, voyeurism and the use of drugs.
Chapter One
Penny
Would it be so bad if I slipped out my Taser and fried this fucker?
He looked so good on paper. He owns his own business and has all his hair. The picture online was deceiving. He may look tall, dark, and handsome, but his shitty personality didn’t shine through the app. We had exchanged messages for a few weeks, but this was the first night we both had available to meet.
I’m staring at his perfect face, wondering where it all went wrong. I’ve tuned out his words since he started bragging about what a catch he is.
Shit, did he just ask me a question?
“What?” I shake myself, blinking the glaze from my eyes.
“What made you get so many tattoos?” he asks.
I cringe at the judgment in his words. “I wanted them, so I got them. I’m assuming you don’t have any?”
He shudders. He really is an asshole.
Maybe I should give up on finding a man. My best friend was supposed to find me a man that knew where my G-spot was, but she was busy being happily mated and pregnant. She’s about to pop at any time.
The important thing is that I know where it is and have an array of toys that help me get there. Who needs a man to blow on your clit? I am looking forward to going home, thinking of my favorite fantasy, and taking care of myself. I can forget about this disaster of a date and move on—without a man.
I have had many dates the past few months, and I’m sick of putting myself out there, getting my hopes up only to be let down. The worst one was about a month ago—his eyes were dead. Seriously, they were dull and never left my face. He contributed nothing to the conversation except to constantly encourage me to expand on everything I said. I like a good listener, but I felt like I was being studied for an experiment. This guy tonight was the latest in a long line of disappointing dates.
“What do you do for a living?” Reece asks.
“I am a dog walker. I also clean houses.” He disapproved of my answer. I would gladly clean up hundreds of miles of poop instead of sitting here with him. Dogs are easy. All they want is food, love, and to go outside once in a while. They are loyal and don’t care what you look like or how many tattoos you have. I am not ashamed of what I do. Or who I am.
I’ve had many jobs. I do what I must to bring in the money to support myself. I’m not rolling in the money, but I can pay for my small apartment, my love of chocolate, and a steady supply of batteries. I don’t need a man, but my life can be lonely. It would be nice to have someone to cuddle on the couch, give me daily orgasms, and give a shit about me.
Harmony, my sister and best friend, would gladly watch a movie with me or talk on the phone, but she has a busy life. It’s not her fault that we haven’t been hanging out. I distanced myself from her and the world of shifters and vampires.
Ever since I got kidnapped, things have changed.
I have changed.
“Are you listening?” Reece snaps me back to the present.
“Sure. Remind me of the question,” I suggest.
“I asked what plan you have for your future. I doubt you want to walk dogs the rest of your life.” He dabs the sides of his mouth with his napkin, glaring at me.
He dabs his mouth.
What kind of man dabs?
Is it so much to ask to have a man that’s…well, a man?
“What’s wrong with walking dogs?”
“So many things,” he mutters.
He continues to lecture me on the importance of investing in my future.
I got dressed up for this. I put on my best dress: a sexy, figure-hugging yellow, strappy number that does fantastic things to my curves. My colorful tattoos pop. I showered and shaved everything—you never know what could happen. My long blonde hair is curled and tousled. I put extra effort into my makeup and topped it off with bright red lipstick. I love bright colors. I always have, even though the past few months’ events should have put me in a deep funk and steered me to the dark. I made an effort every day to put on my best face, shove the fear and uncertainty of that night deep down inside, and live life as I used to.
It’s been challenging.
I am so glad I agreed to meet him here. I thought it would be a good date when he agreed to come to my favorite Chinese place around the corner from my apartment. We were sitting outside. I didn’t think anything could ruin my enjoyment of Chinese food. I had no clue from our chats online that he would be such a judgmental snob.
That feeling of being watched comes over me again. I have been constantly looking over my shoulder for the past few weeks. I look around, trying to locate the source, but like every other time, I come up with nothing. Everywhere I have gone, I have felt eyes on me. This time I don’t get the creepy feeling. Whenever I have felt someone watching, it’s either creepy or protective. Don’t ask me how I know the difference—I just do.
“I just don’t think this is going to work out,” Reece states. I slowly turn my head back to him. I could have told him that the minute he opened his mouth. “I need someone ambitious. Someone that cares about my successes and will celebrate them with me. Sure, you are beautiful in a wild sort of way, but I don’t want to get involved past tonight.” He has a weird watchfulness in his eyes that I don’t like.
“Wow. I don’t know if I should be happy you came to that conclusion or offended by your description of me.” I snort.
“Well, I don’t want to lead you on.”
“I appreciate that,” I say dryly.
“You’re welcome.”
I laugh and shake my head. “I agree that we should never see each other again.”
He reaches for the check. “Do you have cash on you?”
“Seriously?” Asshole.
“Of course, we can split it. I’m not asking you to pay for all of it,” he sneers.
I roll my eyes, grab the check, and put my card on it. I just want to get this over with. “Don’t worry about it.” I throw my napkin on the table and scoot my chair back, excited to get home and forget about this nightmare just as our server swipes the bill from the tabl
“How far is your apartment?” He stands and grabs my wrist.
“Why?” My eyes look at his hand and back to his face, glaring.
“So I know how long it will take me to get to work in the morning.”
“You think I would invite you to stay the night?” My jaw drops. He’s a pig and delusional. Even the guy with dead eyes had the sense to know I didn’t want to see him again and didn’t push.
“Even though we don’t have a future, it doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun.” His eyes run over me. “I mean, you are hot.”
“Remove your hand from me before I use my Taser,” I force out between clenched teeth. “You have no right to touch me. I wouldn't fuck you, ever.” He pulls back, frowning.
“Come on, you couldn’t do any better,” he says arrogantly, running his palm down his chest, drawing my eyes to his polka-dot shirt. At least Dead Eyes put some effort into his appearance and wore a suit.
My shocked laugh causes the other dinners to look over curiously. “This is a joke, right? Did Harmony put you up to this to screw with me?” I look around with narrowed eyes.
“Who’s Harmony? Is she single?”
My head snaps toward him. I must look like an idiot, my mouth opening and closing. “She has three boyfriends that would rip your head off if you looked at her, and I would help them,” I growl. The waitress nervously hands me my receipt and backs away slowly. “Don’t message me again. When I get home, I will delete that stupid app, peel my clothes off, slip into my empty bed, and give myself an orgasm without giving you a thought.”
Instead of leaving, I walk inside the restaurant and go into the bathroom. I wait fifteen minutes, trying to calm down and give him time to leave. He doesn’t give me stalker vibes, but I don’t want to take the chance of him following me home. You can’t be too careful.
I cautiously peek out the door, making sure he’s not waiting. The waitress shares an understanding look with me before I leave.
After the ‘incident,’ or kidnapping, whatever you want to call it, it took months for me to walk down the street alone. I probably should have gotten professional help, but I was stubborn and wanted to get past it alone. I have learned to rely on myself. That way I wouldn’t be disappointed when others let me down. Jax, one of Harmony’s mates, recommended a therapist, but the business card has sat ignored on the table. Jax had told me that the woman knew about the world of shifters so I wouldn’t have to censor my words or pretend that I was taken by humans. But I think I’ve done relatively well. Sure, sometimes I still have nightmares. Once in a while, I have flashbacks and have to force myself to leave the apartment. But all in all, I’ve moved on.
I slow my walk and subtly look to the left and right. I should be more worried about whoever is following me. This one wouldn’t hurt me, though. I don’t know how I know that in my gut, but I do. He gives me a funny feeling in my stomach, but not a bad one. I feel like he is my bodyguard. I feel protected instead of stalked. Or maybe I am losing it, which is a real possibility.
The other one that follows me should be the one I worry about. Scared is the only thing I feel when it’s him.
I know if I talk to Harmony about everything, she will do anything to help me out. She would send one or all of her mates to take care of whoever is messing with me. I can’t make my hand pick up the phone, though.
Harmony may be my best friend, but she’s also my sister. She came to live with my adoptive parents when she was thirteen. She was scared and had been living on the streets. It took a long time for her to trust me, but since that day, we have been a constant in each other's lives. I was there the day she met her mates. I was and still am so happy for her, but I can’t help but feel a little jealous. When you see them together, the love is obvious. I wonder what it feels like to have three hot, devoted men that will do anything to protect and love you for the rest of your long, long life. To have multiple men totally in love with you, always by your side, and ready to kill anyone that messes with you is an intriguing, tempting thought. You would never be alone. Someone would always have your back. For someone like me that has spent most of my life on the outside, it sounds like a dream.
Oh yeah, they are panther shifters, so they live for a long fucking time.
I can’t find one human man that will pay for the full check.
I look over my shoulder as I come to my building, giving whoever it is a small smile in thanks. The walk was a little less scary with him behind me.
I wish he could protect me from my nightmares, too.
Chapter Two
Bishop
I moved silently through the dark parking lot, stalking my prey. I almost let my fire loose in front of the crowd of people when I saw them together. Penny looked beautiful and I hated that she dressed up for someone else. I had paced in front of the restaurant, my body vibrating with rage seeing Penny on a date. I heard his insults and saw the strain on her face. He is not worthy of her. She’s mine. She just doesn’t know it yet.
My body is concealed with my power. I see my mark bent over by his car door, picking up the keys he dropped on the ground. It’s fortunate for me that he parked in the back of the parking lot, not so much for him. The light above his car shines down, so I use my magic. I push it out towards the bulb, willing it to go out. The asshole doesn’t notice as the light flickers once and then goes dark. He’s grumbling under his breath. I hear Penny’s name on his lips and I speed up my approach. He doesn’t deserve to taste her name on his tongue.
My arm is around his neck, and he screeches.
“What?” he cries.
“You don’t fuck with what is mine,” I whisper harshly in his ear.
“Dude, what the hell are you talking about?” He panics and claws at my arm, his keys dropping to the ground once again. “Do you want money? Just take it. I’ll give you anything.”
“I don’t want your money,” I growl. “I want you to bleed.”
I got my wish. My hands are covered in his blood. The asshole thought he could touch my mate. He thought he could speak to her in such a disrespectful way. It took all my control to stay hidden when he grabbed her wrist. The only reason I did was my fear of scaring Penny. I didn't want her to see me as a monster.
I took all my aggression out on his face.
Penny gave me enough time when she went inside to teach her date a lesson before I walked her home safely. I had to restrain myself from killing him. I really wanted to, but I wanted to make sure Penny got home safe, and he’s not worth the hassle of having to get rid of a body.
I wanted him to burn.
I guess I didn’t technically walk her home. She doesn’t know who I am, or that I’m keeping her safe. Which is the opposite of stalking. I will eventually officially meet her. But I have to wait until he is here.
I settle in for a long night, ensuring my shield is locked.
The world is filled with all kinds of creatures. I am a gold dragon, one of the few left in the world. We have been taken out, killed, and captured since the beginning of time. I am one of the lucky ones that have survived. Until recently, I didn’t think I was lucky, but finding Penny has changed my mind.
Most humans have no idea that they walk alongside shifters, vampires, witches, warlocks, and dragons of every size and power. Every creature knows they must keep our differences secret. Of course, there are always exceptions to that rule. If you find your mate, and if they are human, you are taxed with informing them of what you are, even if they run away screaming. I am lucky that Penny knows about our world. She may want nothing to do with me, but at least she knows that we exist.
Witches are more human, but hold magic in their souls and power in the spells they cast. Warlocks are usually male, the equivalent of witches, yet they are more magic than human. Many warlocks hide themselves and their abilities. No one knows the scope of their powers or how many are out there. It has been many years since I’ve come across one.
Dragons have many powers. I can shield my body, so I am invisible. She won’t be able to look out her window and see me sitting on the grass staring at it. I can disguise my bright gold eyes as more of a golden brown to look normal. In my dragon form, I can fly through the sky, under or above the clouds—there is nothing like it. Our claws drip poison at our will. Our skin is also deadly in dragon form to aid us when in danger. I can move objects with my mind. But I also have to recharge frequently, especially when I use my magic to move things. I have to sleep for long periods and eat massive amounts to build up my power again. Drinking water helps sooth the fire within, especially after flying for long periods.
