Defiant Dragon Read Online Free PDF

coerce her to befriend his cousin and steal the map he knew Manx left behind. That would make his quest for the dragon horde so much easier.
    He rose and stalked to the hallway. Drago called to one of his warriors. A sentry slipped seamlessly from the shadows. “Send word to the Ketchi merman that I’m open to negotiations,” Drago snapped.
    His guard nodded and moved back, disappearing into the deeper shadows darkening the passageway.
    This could work. One way or another he would destroy his enemies. If only it were easy to find a worthy female dragon to share his bed. He was bored with Nicolette and the constant intimations of a mating were starting to grate on his nerves. Right now the witch was a necessity, but once he found the right woman he would happily give her permission to eat the human. He strolled back to his study. He was getting ahead of himself. First he had to get a hold of the elusive River. Maybe his luck was changing and everything was finally falling into place. He would be the next Dragonrex by any means necessary.

Chapter Four
     
    River reluctantly released her duffel as Jax slid it off her shoulder. He slammed the door of their room shut and stalked down the breezeway. She watched the heavy nylon bounce against his hip as he walked away and her eyes were drawn to the way his jeans cupped his ass. Scales rippled along the skin on her arm and the now-familiar fire ignited in her belly. She swallowed, stamping down the urge to jump the stupid dragon and shift to weave her tail through his legs to keep him close. Preferably, as she dragged him beneath the surface of a body of water. Images ran through her head, clothes floating away as she stripped him of them. Their naked bodies coiled around each other as the current rushed them deeper into the abyss, bursting through the sea’s surface for air as her orgasm stole through her and the last of her breath rose in a flurry of tiny air bubbles.
    His kiss was what sent her into this…she didn’t want to give name to the feelings coursing through her. What if he was right and they were fated? She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. With Harper held captive by Drago, she didn’t have time for a courting. She needed to find her father. River stumbled on the step, caught up in her thoughts. She missed the dip to the landing. Strong fingers wrapped around her elbow and prevented her from tumbling down the stairway.
    She shuffled back and glanced over at Jax.
    He nodded his head. “You’re welcome.” He released her and waved a hand for her to precede him.
    “I was about to say thank you,” she huffed as she started her descent.
    “Move faster, polýtimos, we have a lot of ground to cover before morning.”
    “I am not some poly—whatever you keep calling me.”
    He chuckled. “Sure you are. I want to get air bound and back to the island, then I need to contact Mags.” His voice dropped an octave. “Have you ever ridden a dragon?”
    She ignored the insinuation. After explaining to him why Drago was trying to run her down and he’d stopped laughing, suddenly he was all business. “What is a Mags?”
    “She is a dragon, practically my shadow.” Color flushed his skin. “Mags was assigned as my so̱matofýlakas when I was a hatchling.”
    River’s eyebrows drew together. “And that is?”
    Confusion marred his features. He rubbed his fingers against the scruff of his jaw. “A so̱matofýlakas would be like a bodyguard.”
    “You can eat most beasts. Why in the hell would you need protection?” She tossed over her shoulder as she stepped on the concrete.
    “I’m special.”
    “I have a friend, he spent—” Jax growled behind her. “As I was saying, he went to school with the humans. Assan told me that special people always rode a short bus. Is that what you mean?” She widened her eyes when she looked back at him.
    “Careful, River, or your jokes will be the reason I bend you over the bannister. You’ll have firsthand