Her Dragon King: A Dragon Shifter Paranormal Romance (Royally Mated Book 3) Read online

  Her Dragon King

  Bianca Cole

  Her Dragon King Copyright © 2020 Bianca Cole

  All Rights Reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

  This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

  Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Book cover design by Hot and Steamy Romance Premades

  Contents

  Free Book Offer

  Blurb

  1. Aiden

  2. Ilsa

  3. Aiden

  4. Ilsa

  5. Aiden

  6. Ilsa

  7. Aiden

  8. Ilsa

  9. Aiden

  10. Ilsa

  11. Aiden

  12. Ilsa

  13. Aiden

  14. Ilsa

  15. Aiden

  16. Ilsa

  17. Aiden

  18. Ilsa

  19. Aiden

  20. Epilogue

  Mailing List

  Also by Bianca Cole

  About the Author

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  Blurb

  Dragons and witches never mix, but she is mine.

  My father’s sudden death means I have to select a wife.

  A ball is set up with an invitation to all the dragon princesses.

  I’m told I have to select a bride by the end of the night, but I’m not feeling it.

  Until she steps into the room.

  A woman who most certainly isn’t royalty.

  My dragon roars to attention, recognizing her as my mate.

  I ask her to dance to the disgust of everyone else.

  I don’t care what they think.

  I don’t care that my mate is a witch.

  I don’t care that this will cause an uproar when the truth is revealed.

  She needs my help to locate her family, and I can’t deny her anything.

  I want to claim her and make her mine, but I have to win her trust.

  Dark secrets behind her family’s capture will test our bond.

  I'm determined to overcome the odds and claim her—no matter what.

  1

  Aiden

  “I’m sorry sire, but I must insist,” Lance, my royal aid says.

  “Fuck’s sake, Lance,” I growl, slamming my hand down on the desk. “I’m too fucking young for this shit.”

  He bows his head at the tone in my voice. “Sir, I understand it is not ideal, but—”

  “But, nothing.” I crack my neck, feeling rage pulse through my veins. If he’s not careful, I will turn and burn him to a crisp. He has no fucking empathy at all. “My father died three days ago, and you are already setting up a ball for me to find a wife. We just got back from his funeral, damn it.”

  He pales as my dragon beings to rear his head—anger. It’s all I’ve felt since my father’s murder three days ago. I don’t want to take a wife. I want to track down the bastard that killed him.

  Lance is an inconsiderate asshole. He is also right.

  The dragon shifter outcasts, who murdered my father, will want to target me next. If I can find a wife who will provide me with an heir, our family’s position will remain secure. It’s crucial that the royal lineage continues. He insists I take a wife tomorrow evening.

  I’m thirty years old, and for a dragon, it is young. To be forced to take a wife so early sucks, especially as she won’t be my mate.

  “I do apologize for the timing, but there are rumors of an uprising in the north.”

  “There have been rumors of an uprising in the fucking north since before I was born, Lance.” I shake my head. “What makes this time any different to before?”

  He eyes me cautiously. “This time, they succeeded in killing your father.”

  My jaw clenches and I spin around, walking toward the dresser in the corner. I grab a bottle of bourbon and pour myself a glass. If Lance knows what’s best for him, he will leave. He’s grating on my last nerve, and my dragon wants out. I chuck back the smoky whiskey, letting it burn on the way down.

  “Sir, do I have your approval to hold the ball?” Lance asks.

  I tighten my grip on the whiskey glass, slamming it down.

  The fear in the air increases, and my dragon enjoys it. He’s ready to break free. Instead of answering my aid, I march toward the patio door of my bedroom and walk onto the large balcony.

  I throw my jacket down on the floor, before unbuttoning my shirt and leaving it on top.

  “What are you doing, Aiden?” Lance asks.

  I still don’t acknowledge him. It’s pretty fucking obvious what I’m doing. Maybe I need to sack Lance. It’s been all of seventy-two hours since I became king, and he is pissing me off.

  I unbutton my pants and leave them there too, before letting go. Red scales prickle over every inch of my body as I begin to shift.

  “Is this the time to shift?” he asks.

  I roar at him, my dragon taking over entirely. He wants to burn my royal aid to a crisp, but I won’t let him. Instead, I launch off the balcony, enjoying the free fall for a moment, before flapping my vast wings and rising into the air.

  I don’t look back, letting myself break free. My father’s death has filled me with a pain I can’t process yet. He has always been here. The stability I’ve relied on all my life. I’m too young to be king. All my family is gone, either dead or left here.

  I fly out of the valley in between the mountains where my castle is situated, rising higher and higher. This is what I need right now, not a ball to find a fucking wife. I need to be free. A chance to clear my head. It hasn’t even been two hours since we buried my father, and he wants a ball tomorrow evening.

  I can hear my father lecturing me in my head.

  Aiden, you have responsibilities to our people.

  He wouldn’t approve of the way I’m acting, but I can’t help it. I’ve never handled grief well. I’ve also never handled my position and destiny well either.

  Lake Tahoe glistens like crystals as the hot sun beats down on its surface. I soar down, flapping my wings to glide across the water, dipping my talons in as I go. The fish dart away beneath the surface as I move over their home. This is my favorite thing to do, shift, and escape everything over the lake and mountains.

  It’s indescribable the way it makes me feel. A freedom that I only get when I allow the beast to take over. Dragon shifters don’t shift enough nowadays. So many are trying to be more human and suppress their dragon half, which makes no sense to me.

  Dragons have a terrible reputation because of a few who were unable to control themselves when we were first revealed. We
always lived in the mountains, hiding from humans beforehand. The few that couldn’t control themselves burned cities or towns to the ground, wreaking havoc. In turn, it gave our entire kind a bad name. Humans are scared of us, but they fraternize with the wolf shifters.

  Witches and warlocks may be fighting against us, but wolf shifters are our natural enemy and have been for millennia. I twist around and fly back over the lake, before soaring into the sky.

  I fly toward a mountain peak and search it to ensure it’s clear, before unleashing my fire. It melts the snow-capped peaks but gives me a release of energy. Suddenly, a black dragon flies over the other side, shocking me.

  Charles.

  I fly to the mountain peak and land, and so does he. He has been my best friend since I can remember. I shift back into my human form on the recently melted peak.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask, smiling.

  He shrugs. “I saw you take off back at the castle, and I wanted to have some fun too.”

  I slump down on a rock. “I can’t believe he is dead.”

  Charles walks over to me and sets a hand on my shoulder before sitting down too. We’ve been friends so long neither of us cares about our state of undress. It’s natural for dragon shifters to be comfortable naked, but we adopt clothes to keep humans at ease. “I know it was a shock.” A small silence passes between us. “Have they got any closer to finding out who did it?”

  I shake my head. “No, not yet.”

  He sighs. “I’m so sorry, Aiden. What got you wound up enough to shift?”

  “Lance.”

  He shakes his head. “That man is an asshole.”

  I laugh. “You could say that again. He insists on throwing a ball tomorrow night.” I shake my head. “We buried him today, and he wants me to pick a princess to marry tomorrow.”

  Charles claps me on the back. “A princess, hey? Well, that can’t be too bad. A perfect distraction from everything else.”

  I look my best friend in the eye. “You can’t mean that. Dragons aren’t built to take a life partner that isn’t their mate.”

  A sadness ignites in his eyes. “That’s true, but it’s becoming increasingly rare for us to find our mates. The world is changing, Aiden, and I’m not sure it’s for the better.” His brow furrows. “I mean, the king of the fae has taken a human mate. That’s insane considering how stuck up the fae are.” He shakes his head. “Hundreds of years ago no dragons, wolves or fae mated to their kind, always.”

  I nod. “You are saying we may be fated to be with a mate outside of our species.” The fae king has recently been reaching out to my father, who wouldn’t indulge him. He wants to put together a council and unite all of our species. It’s ambitious. I wonder if he will approach me now my father is dead.

  He smiles wistfully. “Unfortunately, yes.”

  I glance down across the lake. “Is that such a bad thing?”

  Charles claps me on the back. “Who knows? I, used to think we all need to integrate instead of segregating, but since the truth came out, this world seems worse, not better.”

  I draw in a deep breath. “I think you are right.” I run a hand through my hair. “I’m just not ready to pick some random princess to marry.”

  He nods. “Then don’t. Indulge Lance and allow him to throw the ball, just don’t pick one of the princesses.” He shrugs. “Unless she is your mate, of course.”

  I roll my eyes. “The chances of that are about zero, but I guess you’re right.”

  He smiles. “I’m always right.”

  “Don’t be a cocky asshole.” I shove him in the shoulder. “I guess I better get back.” I stare in the direction of my home, wanting nothing more than to shift and fly the other way, never looking back. It would be a whole lot easier than facing reality.

  “I know that look. What’s up?” Charles asks.

  I shake my head. “Nothing.”

  He raises a brow. “We’ve known each other since we were kids, you know you can’t lie to me.”

  I sigh heavily. “It feels like everyone I love I’m destined to lose. I’ve got no family anymore.”

  Charles claps me on the back. “That’s not true, what about Elaine?”

  I glare at him. “What about her? She abandoned me and left me with our father.”

  He nods. “Yes, she did, but don’t tell me you wouldn’t have done the same if you met your mate.”

  He has a point—every dragon pines for their mate. If I found out mine had been a wolf shifter, I would have left too. My father wouldn’t have been happy, but I’m sure I wouldn’t let him stand in the way or my happiness.

  “True. Would you?” I ask, meeting the gaze of my childhood friend.

  There’s a flash of something in his eyes. “I don’t know. It wouldn’t be such a big deal for me. I’m not a prince.” He turns tense and nods his head toward the mountain across the lake. “Race you back?”

  I smile. “You’re on.”

  We both shift at the same time and soar into the sky. At least I’ve still got Charles. He’s the closest thing left to family, except Elaine. I don’t hold out any hope for salvaging our relationship.

  I saw her at the funeral, but I’m too ashamed to face her. When father wanted to break her bond with that wolf, I did nothing. I stood by and watched as he drove her out of our lives.

  I fly over the mountain, pushing faster than Charles. I let the wind against my wings and the rush of air past my ears drown out all my worries for the moment. Right now, I’m free from them. I’ll just have to face them tomorrow.

  2

  Ilsa

  My heart pounds frantically in my chest as I drive into the parking lot of the grand castle. This is dangerous. I’m not an idiot, crashing a dragon shifter party as a witch is a big deal. We’re not exactly on friendly terms with the shifters.

  I’ve run out of options, and every clue leads to the deceased king. Since I can’t ask him where my family is, his son seems like the next best option. King Aiden is due to select a wife tonight at a royal ball, if the rumors I’ve heard are true.

  The ball is my only chance to get anywhere near him, but I’m going to have to be careful. If they realize I’m an uninvited witch, they will see me as a threat. Some of the witches joined with the dragon shifters, and I’m sure many will be in attendance.

  I don’t know if they will have a guest list. Magic is the only thing that will get me in. It’s risky, though. If anyone detects my use of magic, I’ll end up dead. I park my beat-up old mustang far away and step out of the car, making sure to smooth down my dress.

  The cars in the parking lot are all new and sparkly, and mine is a rust bucket. It stands out like a sore thumb. I can only hope that I don’t stand out as well. I picked the best dress I own to wear, but from the look of some of the people walking into the castle, it’s not nearly good enough.

  Before I make it near enough to the main entrance for people to spot me, I slip into a walled garden to one side and quickly change my dress with magic. It will help me get in, but I’m not sure how long the spell will last until it switches back.

  I glance down at the intricate gold and white lace adorning my body, wishing I had the money to afford a dress like this.

  I slip back out of the garden and walk casually toward the entrance. My heart hammers against my rib cage as my heels click on the tarmac. There is a short line of people waiting at the door, holding their invites. I didn’t even consider that this party would have invitations. I assumed there would be a guest list.

  Who the hell even does that anymore?

  Royal dragon shifters, it seems. I breathe deeply, trying to calm my nerves. If I get in there, I’ll need a stiff drink or maybe ten. Two guards stand either side of the door, one of them is holding a clipboard. He’s taking the names of guests and invitations.

  I rack my brain, trying to figure out my plan. It would be easy to conjure up my name on the list, but I can’t replicate an invitation without seeing one.

&nb
sp; As I get to the front, the guard’s brow furrows as his eyes drag down my body. “Name?”

  I sneeze, knowing it will be enough to hide my use of magic as I make sure my name is on the list. “Oh, sorry. My name is Ilsa Black, and I forgot my invitation at home. My name should be on the list,” I say, trying my best to give him a confident stare.

  His eyes narrow as they move to the clipboard. He scans it and starts to shake his head before stopping. “Oh, yes, I’ve found it.” He nods his head toward the door. “Go on in.”

  I smile and slip past him into the castle. My heart is hammering as I move away from the guards. “Wait,” he shouts after me.

  I freeze, slowly turning around to glance at him.

  My heart is frozen until I see him holding my purse. “I think you dropped this.”

  I roll my eyes and walk back to him. “Of course, I’m such a klutz.” I take the purse. “Thank you.”

  He says nothing as I spin around and head into the castle. I seriously thought he’d caught onto me then. Dragon shifters are good at sensing magic intervention. Luckily for me, the shifters on the door aren’t the brightest bunch.

  I’ve only just got in here, and my nerves are wrecked. The sign for the bathroom catches my attention, and I slip that way. If I’m going to pull this off, I need to make sure I’m on top form. Thankfully, there is no one inside, so I walk to the sink and run the taps.

  I stare at myself in the mirror, wondering what the hell I’m doing here. This isn’t me. I’ve never been the hero that swoops in to save the day. That has always been my brother. The problem is, he’s one of the people I’m here to find.