Taming the Beast

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Part V

Her Dragon Temptation

Olivia Arran

Chapter 1

Bastian

I rolled my head back, fighting off the headache that clung behind my eyes and forced my shoulders down, leaning back in my chair. Papers covered my desk, the dark, cherry wood completely obscured by financial demands and calls for help from clan members, each equally important and deserving of my attention, and each weighing in my stomach like a lead brick. Sparks spluttered in the hearth, the fire leaping as another log met its demise, but the heat offered no comfort from the cold. High ceilings, cold, wooden floors, and sash windows that had seen better times, this was a house that had once stood proud through many a winter, shored up with the love and attention of a family.

My family.

Scattered now.

Mother and father; dead. Sister, gone to London with her new mate.

Leaving me to carry on.

My clan depended on me. There were expectations to be met. The Shifter Council had made their position very clear. I either rose from the ashes like the mythical phoenix, or lose everything.

A pop from the fire shattered the silence, along with my suspiciously sounding huff of despair.

Shrugging off the self pity that threatened to overwhelm me, I picked up my glass, swirling the stout crystal until the amber liquid coated the sides in an even swirl. There was only one thing for it. Only one reasonable thing, anyway. I was the alpha of the Jewelcrest Clan, and I had no heir.

I needed a mate.

A suitable one, of course. One who understood what was expected. Who wouldn’t cling to absurd notions of love and forever. A woman who could give me what I really longed for. A child.

Fire burned a path down my throat, the brandy searching out the ever present chill and failing miserably. Slamming the glass back down, I lurched to my feet, grabbing at the table as the room spun in hazy circles. Four and a half bottles. I noted the amount absentmindedly, re-counting the bottles littered on the floor to make sure. So that’s what it took to get a dragon shifter drunk.

Tapping my chin, I blinked as the room continued to spin, my stomach lurching back and forth with an intensity that had me gritting my teeth.

Time for bed.

Wiping my hands on my jeans, I carefully placed one foot in front of the other, edging my way around the desk.

I stumbled to a halt, dragging a hand through my hair. “I didn’t write the letter!” My bellow echoed around the silent room, cutting through what had now settled into a pleasant buzz.

What letter? my dragon piped up, sounding a little too sober for my liking.

I poked him inside my head while scowling around the room. Wishing, not for the first time, that we could have a conversation face to face. Or a drinking match. Or a brawl. To find a mate.

With a letter? He sent me an image of his snout curled up in disgust, his displeasure at my idea clear. But at least he was talking to me. Maybe the alcohol did affect him, the self-righteous asshole.

“Why not?” This time, I answered out loud, adding an indignant snort to break the heavy silence. “It’s how they used to do things, and there’s plenty of online—” Ding! Light bulb moment. My hand hit my face a little harder than I’d intended, dislodging my buzz. Of course … the internet!

What are you thinking of—

I cut my dragon off with an unsteady swipe of my hand through the air, and strode back around my desk. Misjudging, I banged into the sharp corner, cursing the air blue and hobbled the last couple of steps. Yanking my chair back, I sank down and jabbed at the keyboard, rubbing my hands together with barely restrained glee when the dark screen lit up with the familiar blue haze. Several attempts at a password later, some careful one-fingered typing, and I had the website open. A dating site for shifters. Who would have thought it?

I don’t think this is a good idea. For once my dragon didn’t sound like his usual confident and cocky self, more quiet and reserved, almost anxious.

Scrolling through the page, I searched for the join button, but the words were jumping all over, my eyes watering with the effort to focus. “Psssht, you want a mate, don’t you?”

Silence met my question.