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    How Not to Date A Dragon Lord
    How Not to Date A Dragon Lord
    How Not to Date A Dragon Lord
    Ebook207 pages3 hours

    How Not to Date A Dragon Lord

    By Stephanie Burke

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    About this ebook

    War is coming.

    Vissar sends Alita, his Dragon Lord who speaks with his voice, to the village below with orders for the upcoming invasion. Trouble is, Alita would rather burn the village to the ground than speak with any of them.

    But orders are orders and Alita, along with her lover, the runaway princess Suli, in tow must venture down to the village. Explosive secrets are bound to be revealed and Alita is forced to deal with her own painful past as a dragon sacrifice.

    Meanwhile, the army is advancing, Vissar’s heat is rapidly approaching, his mate Nithe is off finalizing business in the dragon lands, and the idiot Prince Ranid keeps advancing, despite the drama unfolding in his own camp…
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherChangeling Press
    Release dateJun 25, 2022
    How Not to Date A Dragon Lord

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      Book preview

      How Not to Date A Dragon Lord - Stephanie Burke

      Chapter One

      Well, fuck. I guess this means I must placate the matron. Just when I got him all… nice. Broody omega dragons are the worst.

      Nithe leaned against the back wall and watched as Alita’s generals led the women in morning exercise. The exertion cut off the gossip about what had transpired though this was more action than the women had ever had during morning exercise… save for when one of the pregnant ladies went into labor while doing lunges and gave birth before breakfast.

      I knew something was up with that girl, Alita grumbled to herself before looking over at Nithe and leaning on the wall beside him. But I was waiting for her to come clean.

      I am sure she would have or Vissar would have just incinerated her and been done with it. Nithe sighed and turned away from the sight of several hundred women working up a sweat doing the exercises that Vissar had taught them. They were the beginning steps of the war dance that all young dragons learned before they did their military service. All dragonkind at least learned to defend themselves even if they turned away after their mandatory year on the wall and sought employment and education in other sectors offered. Ulvissar, who was a stunningly brilliant warrior, had turned away from military service and instead dove into education and history. Nithe first noticed the small, dark dragon who seemed lost in his own world even while following orders from his commanders to the letter. Nithe had expected the younger omega dragon to fly up the ranks and take his place as a young protector general, like most of the gifted omega warriors had. Instead, he had turned away to follow his own path.

      Unlike other earth and air dragons, Nithe made the military his first career path. It was a bit odd because most alphas wanted to leave mandatory service at the first opportunity to get on with the making of laws and guiding dragon society. But Nithe was always just a little bit different. No one understood what drove some alphas to take up arms like the omegas and actually fight invaders to become the first line of defense since no one ever fought as fiercely and bravely as an omega on a tear… but Nithe had always been drawn to violence and bloodshed and the need to protect so he listened to his heart. He shocked a lot of omegas as he rose up to the level of general and protected his post fiercely until his knowledge was deemed too valuable to lose. Then he found himself teaching and training younger omegas who needed battle strategy and experience to hold back the hordes of invading dragons who crossed the Ginza Sea to seek new lands and to kidnap alphas to strengthen their own flagging bloodlines.

      Now that he’d left his duties as general, he decided it was a good time to check up on the dragon that had caught his eye years before. Finding out that the delicious- looking earth dragon was also a matron and highly sought after made his hearts do backflips in his chest. After three hundred patient years of wooing the capricious egg bearer and having Vissar almost within his grasp, his effort to protect the stubborn bastard had gone awry.

      And yet you still called her out in front of everyone. Alita had an amused smirk on her face before she stiffened, tilted her head to the side, and rose to her full height. She gazed over the group of women just finishing stretching and moving on to the dance-like katas that she passed on to the other women after learning them from Vissar. After a moment, she relaxed against the wall again and sighed. You didn’t even give Suli an opportunity tell who she really was.

      Vissar checking on everyone? Nithe asked, carefully ignoring her sentence while casting his gaze about the large cavern used for all big events. Vissar’s army of women was not vast but they fought hard and dirty, almost like dragons, and they were not to be trifled with. Nithe liked that, that his future mate did everything in his power to ensure that his horde of women remained safe. The warrior in him appreciated the fact that he refused to leave these vulnerable women defenseless even if they were doing simple work like farming or spinning. Each and every one was dangerous on their own but when you added the specialized training from the warrior caste, he had protection that even a seasoned dragon warrior like himself would respect. Ulvissar might not like admitting it, but his mountain was better equipped and defensible than a lot of the dragon territories’ warrens.

      He just wanted a quick look about. He’s speaking with Suli now.

      I should have waited on that one, huh? he asked as Alita settled in next to him once more.

      It was a bit of a shock, Alita admitted before crossing her arms over her chest defensively. Though I knew something was up with her.

      What was that? Nithe asked rising to his full height and moving to loom over Alita, his hair waving lightly around his body, his passive control of the wind making his hair look like it was floating underwater.

      What? Alita narrowed her eyes at the red dragon.

      That tone in your voice, young lady. What was that?

      I don’t know what you’re talking about, Alita answered so fast that she nearly stumbled over her words. Did it show, her curiosity about the newcomer?

      You like her, Nithe teased and some of the tension in his shoulders eased a bit. He might have fucked that up a bit -- well more than a bit if truth be told -- but to see Vissar’s most precious of treasures flushed like that over a tiny, red-haired slip of a royal was delicious.

      She is… eager to learn.

      About the birds and the bees between your silken --

      Nithe!

      Sheets. I was going to say sheets.

      Sure you were. Alita glared before relaxing her stance a bit. You know I don’t like sex like that.

      No, you don’t like having sex and that’s more common than you think, Alita. But that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t mind giving her plenty of orgasms before you snuggled her into a comatose state.

      You sound like you know a lot about this. Alita’s attention was suddenly fully on the red dragon and Nithe bit back the chuckle he wanted to let loose. She looked so much like Vissar with that quick turn and narrowed-eyed glare.

      I know enough. He offered her an understanding smile. It is a common occurrence amongst dragons, you know. Not everyone enjoys sex. Some find it absolutely repulsive and get ill at the very thought of someone’s genitalia while others, I’d say those who are like you, aren’t really disgusted by the idea, it’s just not your thing.

      True. Alita nodded. I don’t really find sex repulsive; it’s just not for me.

      And you tried?

      Quite a few times. I just decided I like to cuddle people more. And the ‘O’ face, I like seeing that on the people I choose to snuggle.

      And you take nothing for yourself?

      I take the joy and pleasure I feel at seeing my partners so satisfied and shivery. I love getting them to a state when they can relax and let all of their cares and troubles melt away because of me and what I can bring them.

      So… asexual as well as something of a dom, Nithe mused. That is a good combination, actually. You get off on seeing your partners get off and you have to be in control. For all the care you give your people, the one person you choose to focus all of that energy on will be blessed. Or two… Hmm… maybe a threesome or moreseome --

      Nithe. Alita rolled her eyes. I know what I am. I have read tons of information about the subject. I asked Vissar about it once and he explained it to me and then handed over a ton of books on dragon sexuality and human husbandry. Why anyone wanted to study human sexuality is beyond me, but Vissar had books backed up by other keen observers of the human condition.

      He probably wrote a few of those books, Nithe groused a little. And dragons are curious. He likely spent more than a few centuries studying humans because they -- you people -- are, different in a way that most of us don’t understand.

      Humanity is not that difficult --

      Human nature is. Nithe shrugged. When you think you are safe generalizing them, then your people decide to shake the mold and the one truism we thought was correct for all of humanity turns out to be a subset that only a few subscribe to. Turquoise eyes glared at Alita as if she alone was the cause of humanity being so varied. That makes you endlessly fascinating to one who likes mysteries.

      I refuse to be the reason that Vissar took so long to accept your suit. Alita outright laughed at the red dragon. And I am not the reason he is off pouting with the red-haired royal right now. That was all on you, skinny. Your sex-addled brain went into protective mode and you set yourself back. So instead of harrying me, shouldn’t you be doing your best to grovel for forgiveness? And don’t say that you’re not sex addled… I am bonded with Vissar. I may not know what you are up to, and I really don’t want to know. I started researching dragon mating, and it is the craziest, most twisted thing that I can imagine. And I can imagine a lot.

      You can see --

      No. Alita didn’t bother to hold in her laughter as she looked at the panicked dragon. I can’t see what you are doing. I only get these really feel-good, gooey emotions that bleed all over me. In bed, at least, you make Vissar very happy.

      Well, that I know. Nithe preened. I’m one hell of a lover.

      And one hell of a headache because Vissar is going to want to talk to you as soon as he figures out what he wants to do with Suli and what this new situation might lead to.

      War. Suddenly, all the humor left Nithe’s face and the fierce general that he was peered out. There is no way the humans will allow one of their ruling class to be taken away to become a victim to a hungry dragon. The few times my kind have stepped in to help have always gone disastrously for us. I remember how one of our ancestors, traveling over human lands, tried to help this one human female. She was being attacked near where he stopped to take a rest and the human males who had her were not taking no for an answer. Our ancestor took her to safety, when she was set upon by still another rival group of humans who wanted her as a pawn in their royal games. This ancestor, not knowing who was in the right or who was in the wrong listened to the woman and just took her away to the Western Lands where she wanted to be with her common-born lover where she could be safe and happy. Instead of asking why she wanted to be away or why her own kind was stealing and raping women for power, the frightened humans all turned against that lone dragon.

      He was that powerful? Alita was fascinated by this aspect of dragon culture that she hadn’t explored yet.

      He was considered the most… He sighed deeply. Of us all, he had the most potential. Anger shined brightly in his eyes. It was he who recalled all of our people and closed off any travel routes that ran through dragon lands, for the humans had come upon another lone alpha, a very young dragon just taking a break from travel by a river, and they set upon him. Not wanting to harm the humans, he refrained from outright massacring them as he tried to make his way to safety. But like all things, life is a game of numbers and the numbers were against him.

      They got him?

      A human got in a lucky shot and damaged his immature wings. When he went down, they accused him of taking the female. He and the elder ancestor didn’t even look alike, the young dragonling being of the water and quite vividly blue while the elder was of the air and a brilliant storm gray-green color. They slaughtered that young one so… Nithe shook his head as he lost himself in that memory for a moment.

      They hung his head from a castle wall and declared themselves the victors, the fucking royals did. I -- I had to go out with the party that retrieved my… his head. The ancestor -- it was his youngling that was murdered -- went a little mad and demanded that the woman he’d saved come to him and explain. She was a royal too, but so much different from those of the North and East. We found her quickly enough, and after her explanation, the ancestor went on a rampage and took out half of one of the evil humans’ armies. Afterward, he returned the human female to the Western Lands and he himself came home and declared all humans off limits to us all. Before, we tried to protect and teach your kind, and our help was gratefully accepted. You took what we gave you and developed your own ways and means. Now, because of your kind’s vastly growing numbers, and your innate need to conquer what you do not own and destroy what you do not understand, humans are considered evil. We were determined to sit back and watch you destroy yourselves. And when we learned of the twisted tales your kind created to cover up their own nasty deeds, it was decided that only in the direst of situations would any magical creature ever involve themselves with your kind again.

      Well, damn. Alita shook her head. I kind of understand that. With me, you only get one chance too, but that still leaves the mystery of Vissar and why he decided to do what he does in protecting me and the others. Of him even settling in here in the first place.

      Nithe raised one eyebrow at Alita as if calling her out on her stupid comment. No one ever tells that stubborn dragon what to do. And as a matron who carries within him the most ancient and honorable blood of all the lines, Ulvissar goes where Ulvissar goes. No one in their right mind would try and stop him because nothing gets his dogmatic nature up like telling him he can’t do what he wants. He wanted to study humanity, so he did. He wanted to live near them to get a deeper understanding, so he did. He wanted to take one of the females that the humans keep sacrificing to him to become his charge and protect her from all who wanted to outright murder her, so he did. And if he wants to collect and protect these women, turn them into his horde as well as warriors, he will. No one tells Ulvissar what to do. They just wait him out and pray that eventually he will see things their way.

      You just dumped a load of information onto me, info that I am sure Vissar would have shared if he wanted to but hasn’t, as of yet. So why are you doing it?

      Alita’s look was very much on point for being the human equivalent to Vissar’s angry stare and Nithe had to grin at their similarities. I thought you would understand, Vissar’s first and most precious little human. We are about to go to war.

      But --

      The only thing I have left is pride, Alita, and even that took a beating. I am in the process giving up everything to be with my mate and I want him protected.

      You are leaving the dragon territories?

      I have to turn in my final resignation and inform the dragon council what is transpiring. With the addition of a royal to his horde, Vissar is tampering with forces he knows nothing about. I must go mitigate the damage best as I can and let his family clutch know that he has finally begun to accept my suit.

      And you are sure war is coming?

      Where there are human royals, and disgruntled ones at that, there will be war. Blood will be shed and I am going to do my best to ensure that none of it comes from my most beautiful and stubborn mate.

      And what are we to do while you are away, Nithe? You are the only other dragon we have and Vissar… Well, he’s being… broody.

      "He’s about to go into heat so I will hurry in my duties and return as rapidly as I can. I have plans in place and I have my people who are

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