Healed by the Dragon: Boxed Set (Parts #1-4) Read online

  “Maybe we should ask Melanie when she visits since she’s American and a little less biased.”

  Opening the door, Finn drew Arabella against his side and squeezed her hip. “I think not. She’s mated to your bloody brother. Of course she’ll side with him.”

  Amusement danced in Arabella’s eyes. “You clearly don’t know Melanie very well, do you?”

  “We have our whole lives to fix that, Arabella MacLeod, provided we survive tonight.”

  Arabella glanced up at him. “You’ll have to win my brother over before he’ll ever leave you alone with his mate. You really can’t know Melanie until you’ve spent an hour alone with her. That female is a force of nature.”

  Finn winked. “Winning over your brother should be a piece of cake.”

  She gave him a skeptical look. “The day you get along with my brother is the day I’ll let you tie me up and do what you like with me.”

  His eyes flashed to slits. “Is that a promise, lass?”

  Shaking her head, she answered, “It will never happen, so there’s no point in promising anything.”

  “Oh, I can be quite determined, Arabella. Promise me the reward, and I’ll find a way to make it happen.”

  Arabella sighed. “Fine. But getting along with my brother doesn’t mean sharing a pint. I want to see you two together at a gathering, singing and drinking as if you were the best of friends.”

  He placed a finger under her chin and kissed her. “Consider it done.” As Aunt Lorna’s voice boomed down the hallway, telling them to hurry up, Finn sighed. “I can’t believe my own aunt is cockblocking me.”

  Arabella grinned. “I’m glad.”

  “Glad? Why the bloody hell would you be glad? If nothing else, your dragon is probably roaring for my dick right about now.”

  She poked his chest. “Even if she was, I don’t need your clan thinking any worse of me. We need to go to the gathering. If you had your way, we wouldn’t, and rumors would start. I had enough of rumors back home. There are probably already a few because of what happened this afternoon, but I’ll never change their minds if you keep me locked in a bedroom.”

  Finn blinked before clearing his throat. “I think the version of you, who had wanted to be clan leader, is back with full force.”

  Her confidence faltered a second. “Maybe. I have a few things I still need to do, but I’m working on it.”

  Caressing her cheek, he murmured, “Let me know if I can help in anyway, love.”

  Arabella nodded as Lorna’s voice boomed down the hallway, “Finlay Ian Stewart, get your arse out here or I’ll come in there myself.”

  Arabella smiled and whispered, “We should listen to her, Finlay Ian.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Great, now you’re going to do the first and middle name scoldings, aren’t you?”

  “Maybe.” Arabella tugged at his clothing. “Let’s go, Finlay Ian.”

  Shaking his head, he opened the door and guided them back to the foot of the stairs, near the front entrance.

  Faye spoke as soon as she saw them. “Finn, we’re late. You need to learn how to keep your tongue and cock to yourself.” Faye gave Arabella a once-over. “But at least you didn’t destroy my work.”

  Finn sighed. “Of course not. I learned a long time ago not to cross paths with you and Aunt Lorna.”

  Lorna threw a cloak over her shoulders and looked at him askance. “I’m not sure about that. But rather than argue, let’s hurry up. We don’t want to keep the clan waiting too much longer.”

  After laying a cloak around Arabella’s shoulders, he walked out the door and toward the great hall with Arabella at his side. Only because of his dragon snarling inside his head did he not wrap an arm around her shoulders and draw his little alpha goddess close.

  Finn only hoped the evening would go well. Faye’s Protectors were in place, as were the other Protectors stationed around the clan’s perimeter. After what had happened back on Stonefire, when a child had been kidnapped during a clan gathering, Finn was being overly cautious. If anyone tried to take Arabella from his side, they would have to deal with him.

  ~~~

  Despite Finn’s comforting heat at her side, the walk to the great hall wasn’t easy. Her stomach twisted a little bit more with each step. Public events had never been her favorite activity, even when she’d been whole and healthy. As much as she could be confident with Finn, it was going to take all of her energy to be strong in front of the entire Lochguard clan. She only hoped she could pull it off—not just for her, but for Finn, too.

  Her dragon sighed. I don’t like this lack of confidence. What happened to your fuck-the-past mentality? We are amazing. Act like it.

  Her beast’s tone stoked her anger. If we’re so amazing, why did you remain silent so long? If I’d had you around, I could’ve been strong a lot sooner.

  You wouldn’t let me out. That’s not my fault.

  Arabella growled and Finn touched her shoulder as he asked, “Do I need to charm your dragon a wee bit to calm her down, lass?”

  She forced her dragon into a mental cage. “No, she’s in time out and doesn’t deserve any charm.”

  Fergus slowed his pace to match theirs. Due to his sensitive hearing, he’d heard Arabella and jumped in. “I’ve found that time outs aren’t very effective. A mental maze, on the other hand, occupies them for a bit. My dragon tends to be a little less growly when he’s done with one of those.”

  Arabella blinked. “I’ve never thought of that.”

  Finn tightened his grip on her hip. “Don’t give Fergus too much credit. It was originally my idea.”

  Fergus raised an eyebrow. “It might’ve been your idea, but I perfected it.”

  When Finn growled, Arabella rolled her eyes. “Does the ‘who has the biggest cock’ contest ever end?”

  Lorna spoke up. “No, lass, it doesn’t. You’re starting to see why I have so many gray hairs.”

  Fergus looked toward his mother. “That’s not fair, Mum. It’s not as if Faye is the golden child of virtue.”

  Faye turned and glared at Fergus. “Say that again, brother, I dare you.”

  “Why, are you going to beat me with your tiny little handbag? I’m so scared,” Fergus taunted.

  While Arabella was getting used to the MacKenzies, spending time with them was still a zoo. Maybe she should invite her brother to Lochguard just to see how deep his frown could go.

  Before Arabella could think of a witty reply to add to the discussion, Finn’s voice boomed out, “Enough.” The dominance in his voice stilled everyone and he continued, “Tonight I am showcasing Ara to the clan. Inside the great hall, I’m clan leader and she’s my female. Given Duncan’s hatred, I don’t need any excuse for him to call me out on a challenge. What works in private won’t work inside the hall. Understood?”

  As the twins and Faye murmured, “Yes,” Arabella had a feeling Finn had to remind them of his status on a regular basis.

  “Good,” Finn answered. “Since we’re nearly to the hall, I want a few minutes alone with Ara. Go on without us.”

  The twins looked about to say something when Lorna placed a hand on each of their elbows. “Come, lads. Leave Finn to care for his mate.”

  It was on the tip of Arabella’s tongue to say she wasn’t his mate yet, but the MacKenzies were gone before she could.

  Finn sighed. “Given my family, I’m surprised you haven’t bolted.”

  Arabella smiled. “They’re fun. Besides, I have a feeling they’ll always help me out if I want to get back at you.”

  “Oh, is that right? They are my kin, so they should side with me.”

  Without thinking, she added, “We’ll see. There’s plenty of time to test out your claim.”

  Finn turned to face her and drew her closer. “Is that so, heather?”

  Slapping his chest, Arabella gave her best glare. “Don’t call me that.”

  Leaning down, he whispered, “Then promise you won’t conspire with my family, and I promis
e not to use the nickname.”

  “That isn’t fair.”

  He nuzzled her cheek. “No, what’s not fair is the fact I can’t take you home, undress you, and tease you until you beg.”

  Her dragon roared to be let out, but Arabella kept her trapped. “What, Finlay, is your cock controlling your brain now?”

  The huskiness of his voice sent a shiver down her spine. “Aye, lass. And it very much wants you, and only you.”

  Heat flooded her body and her dragon roared louder. Arabella’s breath was barely a whisper when she replied, “We can’t. We need to attend the gathering.”

  Finn chuckled. “So, you admit you want to fuck me too?”

  Her dragon finally broke free. I want to fuck him.

  No, you promised you could last.

  I don’t care. I want him and his cock. Tell him to behave or I will take control.

  Besides sex, is there any way to help?

  Her beast huffed. As long as he stops talking about sex and what he wants to do to us when we’re naked, I can control the urges a little while longer.

  Fine. I’ll try.

  Her dragon grumbled, I don’t understand why you fight it. You like it when he teases you with words and his tongue.

  She paused a second and decided what the hell, her dragon would know if she were lying. Most of the time.

  It’s because he’s fun. Still, tell him no fondling or sexy kisses until we’re alone.

  Finn watched her and she finally sighed. “I have bad news, I’m afraid.”

  “What did your dragon tell you?”

  She blinked. “How can you tell it’s my dragon and not me?”

  Caressing her cheek, he answered, “Because I’m starting to get to know both of you. I’m fairly certain that whenever your dragon says something irritating or that makes you uncomfortable, you narrow your eyes.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know about that. I save my best glares for your shenanigans.”

  “Well, then let me educate you.”

  “Oh, so the big, bad male must explain things to me?” She rolled her eyes. “Can we just go inside, already? It’s chilly out here.”

  Her dragon’s tone was stern. You still haven’t warned him. Right now, a kiss is too much. Tell him.

  Shut it. I’m working on it.

  Liar. Don’t be weak. Just tell him straight or the frenzy will be your fault.

  Finn stroking her cheek quieted her dragon. Then the dragonman leaned close enough she could feel his breath on her lips as he murmured, “You did it again, just now. Since your eyes were slitted, I know you were talking to your dragon. So, what did she say, lass?”

  The fact Finn watched her so closely made her heart thump harder. Rather than let on she liked his attention, she shrugged. “Oh, just the usual. How you’re a randy bloke who can’t stop thinking with his dick.”

  Finn’s eyes flashed to slits. “Mention my cock again, and I’ll throw you over my shoulder and carry you off to my bed.”

  “No you won’t. I’ll escape first.”

  “Is that a challenge?”

  As they stared at one another, Finn’s scent surrounded her. Combined with the heat of his breath on her lips, Arabella ached to close the distance between them and kiss him. Yet if she did that, the frenzy would overtake her. She couldn’t allow that to happen. At least, not yet.

  Clearing her throat, she answered, “Maybe later.”

  He quirked an eyebrow. “That wasn’t the answer I was expecting. What’s going on, lass?”

  She paused a second. Just as her dragon moved around and was about to speak, she spit out, “My dragon is close to losing control.”

  Finn leaned back a few inches and she nearly pulled him close again. “How close?”

  Picking at the material of his kilt-like outfit, she murmured, “A kiss could set her off.”

  He cursed and stepped away. “If we don’t kiss in front of the clan, Ara, they’ll be offended.” Releasing her, he ran a hand through his hair before assessing her. “Can’t you help her control the frenzy? Just for the kiss? If it means I can’t hold you close all evening, then no matter how much I hate it, I’ll do it for you, lass. For all my talk, I won’t take you before you’re ready.”

  Studying him a second, she believed he was telling the truth; one word, and he would keep his distance. Sure, he would probably growl at any male who even looked her way, but he would restrain himself from touching her if she asked.

  Remembering every interaction with Finn since arriving, it hit her that he’d always held back. Even with all the flirting and ridiculous lines, Finn always thought of Arabella’s needs, no matter how difficult it had to be to control the mate-claim frenzy.

  He didn’t do it because he felt sorry for her. No, he did it because he cared for her.

  Searching his brown eyes, Arabella was no longer afraid of Finn, of sex, or even the possibility of a baby. True, if given the choice, she would wait a year before trying to have a child, but neither she nor Finn would last that long. Each day she held back was another day Finn could lose control of both his dragon and his clan. He was strong, but every dragon-shifter had their limits.

  Even if all of this was happening faster than she liked, Arabella knew that between Finn and the MacKenzies, she would never be alone again. They would help her if she asked.

  Her dragon spoke up. He is ours. Don’t be afraid of him or the frenzy. You’ll enjoy it.

  And how do you know that?

  Call it a dragon’s instinct. I just do. Besides, he will give us a child who will be strong, clever, and handsome. That is a good combination.

  Arabella smiled. I’m a bit worried about your priorities, dragon. But I do agree Finn is strong, clever, and handsome.

  Good. Then stop being afraid of the future.

  Looking up at Finn, she made a decision. While she would always love her brother, Melanie, and her niece and nephew, Arabella was ready to start her own family with Finn and the MacKenzies. They would protect her no matter what happened, and she finally needed to become the strong female who could watch their backs.

  Her first step toward doing that was to go into the hall, face the clan, and use her own stubbornness to restrain her dragon. For the first time in a decade, Arabella was confident she could do anything she set her mind to.

  Still, she would never let Finn off easy. After all, where was the fun in that?

  Arabella tilted her head. “Well, whether I can restrain my dragon or not depends if you’re going to flirt with every female you see. Because if you do, between me and my dragon, I can’t guarantee what will happen next.”

  A bit of the strain eased from Finn’s face. “As much as I’d like to see you take on all of the single females of the clan, I’ll try to hold back.”

  Arabella nodded. “You’d better or you might wake up one day with your cock missing.”

  Chuckling, he reached out a hand and then pulled back. The action made her sad; she never wanted Finn to hold back. His voice was stern when he replied, “Just remember, love, as possessive as you’re feeling right now, I’m ten times worse. Flirt with Fraser and Fergus, and to hell with what the clan will think of me, I will punch them both in the face.”

  Sensing the steel underlying his tone, Arabella decided not to wake the beast. The gathering was important for her future here. Everything needed to go well. She raised her eyebrows. “Any other warnings I should know about?”

  “Don’t let anyone peek down your dress.”

  Staring down at her cleavage, Arabella shook her head. “There’s not a lot there.”

  He growled. “It’s perfect and it’s mine.”

  Worry gathered in the pit of her stomach. Maybe her dragon wasn’t the only one on edge. “Is your dragon under control, Finn?”

  “Barely.”

  Shit. “You should’ve told me.” She glanced toward the entrance to the main hall. “Then let’s hurry. The sooner we’re inside, the sooner your dragon should care
more about the clan’s welfare than me.”

  She looked back to Finn and his gaze burned into the depths of her heart. “Let’s hope that choice never comes to pass, because I’m not sure the clan would win.”

  “Don’t say that. You barely know me.”

  “But it’s true.”

  Finn’s behavior warmed her heart. He truly wanted her.

  Her dragon stated, Of course he does.

  Do you ever have doubts?

  Not anymore.

  I wish I could be as confident.

  Give it another week or two and you’ll be close.

  She resisted the urge to smile. Arabella was starting to think she and her dragon were on their way to becoming great friends. Before much longer, Arabella might act like a real dragonwoman.

  Arabella started walking. “Come on. We’re already late. We can talk some more later.”

  Finn murmured, “Oh, I plan to do much more than talk, lass.”

  Resisting a shiver, they walked the last stretch to the hall in silence. Her beast tried to speak up, but as they entered the hall, Arabella pushed her dragon back inside a mental cage and turned her attention to the packed room.

  Long tables lined the sides of the large space, leaving an empty area in the middle for people to mingle. Quite a few were already sitting down at the tables and eating.

  Everyone was dressed in the traditional style, although some were more decked out than others. Combining the array of colors with the material draping at intervals from the ceiling, Arabella felt as if she’d just walked into a fairy tale. She’d only been to a handful of gatherings back on Stonefire, which made this one all the more special, especially with her male at her side. Finn made her forget her past so she could tackle the present.

  As they neared the raised dais at the front of the room, the chatter died down. Everyone’s eyes were on her.

  For a second, Arabella’s heart pounded so fast she thought it might explode, but then Finn squeezed her side, giving her courage. Keeping her shoulders back and head high, Arabella forced herself to smile at some of the clan as they passed. Some of the return smiles were genuine, while others were forced. The eyes of the forced smiles ranged from pity to disgust to skepticism.