Carrie and the Dastardly Dragons: A Paranormal, Bully Romance (Fated Mates Book 1) Read online

  Carrie and the Dastardly Dragons

  a Paranormal Romance

  Ava Mason

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Afterword

  Carrie and the Defiant Dragons

  Reach Me

  Also by Ava Mason

  Also by Ava Mason

  Prologue

  Denver

  Cold, piercing eyes met my stare in the mirror. Bored. Emotionless.

  A small moan reaches my ears, mingling with the loud banging music in the background. A movement by the door caught my attention, and my eyes met Tallon’s. His lips curved into a sneer at the girl at my feet.

  Denise, was it?

  I couldn’t remember.

  She was naked and kneeling on the Italian tiled bathroom floor. Her perfectly shaped breasts brushed my thighs as she choked on my dick. I shoved it in deeper, just to see if she would take it. She gagged, saliva running down her chin as she sucked in a strangled breath.

  I didn’t relent, and neither did she.

  Tired of the game, I pulled out, aiming for her face as I shot my load. She gasped as it hit her face and squealed. “What the hell, Denver?”

  Her voice was high and screechy. Annoying as shit.

  Grabbing my custom-designed hand towel, I cleaned myself off and zipped myself back up. Then I washed my hands. Not bothering to look down at her, I dropped the towel in her face. “Keep it.” I walked out of the room, passing Tallon as he ventured further inside.

  “Denver’s an ass, isn’t he?” Tallon’s smooth voice comforted her, just like I knew he would. She began to cry, and he sat on the floor next to her. “But, are you sure you did it right?”

  God, I hated my life.

  The music blared louder as I entered my smoky living room. Small crowds of people were grouped sporadically around the room and near the wet bar. Billy, our regular bartender, was shoving out drinks as fast as he could make them. Sweat poured down the side of his face, dripping onto the bar as he placed drinks into waiting hands. Weekend after weekend, he fixed drinks for guys and girls with perfectly shaped noses bought by daddy’s credit card, who didn’t even bother to tip him.

  There were two tables set up with groups playing poker, while another group lounged on couches, smoking weed and watching a boxing match on the projector TV so large that you almost expected to feel the spray of blood on your face.

  Ignoring the red-haired bimbo waving her hand at me, I pushed past Billy and grabbed the barely-open bottle of Russo-Baltique vodka, reserved for me and only me, that cost more than some of these people’s monthly paycheck. My eyes scanned the room until I finally found Blaze, tucked in the corner of the sectional sofa, two women on each side of him. They were leaning over, sucking face and fondling each other’s tits, but Blaze wasn’t looking at them. His dick wasn’t even hard. His arms were sprawled out on the back of the sofa, and he was staring at a woman across the room.

  I walked over to him and grabbed one of the girl’s arms, shoving her aside so I could fall to the sofa beside him. The girl made a soft noise as she hit the floor and glared up at me.

  “Sorry.” I gave her an indifferent look.

  “You’re a big dick; you know that, Denver?” her green-eyed friend tried to defend her.

  “How would you know? You’ve never seen my dick.” I smiled smugly and waved my hand. “But by all means, continue, if you want.” I tilted my head to the side, indicating the other end of the sofa. “Just do it over there, so I can talk to Blaze.”

  The green-eyed girl stood up and strode over towards me, sashaying her hips. She leaned over and put her hands on my knees, showing her generous and firm cleavage. They hung down, like perfectly formed orbs. “I’d rather continue with you.”

  When I said nothing, she straddled my lap while her friend stood up and huffed off, flicking her hair behind her. Green Eye’s sharp perfume hit my nose, undoubtedly expensive, and also incredibly repulsive. My nose flared, disgusted with the scent. She rubbed her tits in my face and swiveled her hips, trying to get my now limp dick to show any kind of response. Not interested.

  I turned towards Blaze, who was still staring at the woman across the room. “You got your eye on anyone tonight?”

  Of course, I knew the answer already. Mila was sitting in Mason’s lap — they’d been attached at the hip for ten years, high school sweethearts — and everyone said they were getting married this summer.

  “Yes.” His eyes didn’t leave her face, and I glanced over at her. She’d looked up to see him staring at her, and her cheeks were marred with red. Mason was glaring daggers our way.

  Blaze didn’t flinch. He loved to break the unbreakable, corrupt the incorruptible.

  He did it for fun, just to see if he could.

  And now, he had his eye on them.

  I almost pitied them, if I bothered to care about that shit. They shouldn’t have shown up at my party if they didn’t want us to mess with their lives. It was almost too easy, and I knew by the end of the night, we’d have her sandwiched in between us. Maybe if Mason was nice about it, we’d let him join.

  Green Eyes began kissing my neck, and I grabbed the open-winged eagle top of my Russo-Baltique vodka and yanked it off, offering Blaze the first sip. He grabbed the neck and took a gulp, then it spewed from his mouth, landing on Green Eye’s arm. She didn’t even bother to stop kissing a trail down my chest, her hands snaking up my shirt.

  “What the fuck, Blaze? This shit is expensive.” I gave him a stern look and grabbed the bottle from him, taking a small sip, loving the raging burn down my throat. Anything that burned so harsh was my kind of drink. And vodka like this, you don’t guzzle it down. You enjoy it, sip by sip.

  He wiped his mouth. “You could’ve at least warned me.”

  I smirked. “What would be the fun in that?”

  He grabbed the bottle back and took a sip, slower this time and his eyes returned to his current obsession. I sighed, rubbing my hand over my face. He passed it back to me, and we took turns, relishing in the way the vodka glazed my mind over. Green Eyes had my jeans open now, trying to give my dick some life. I finally looked down at her with a bored expression. “Take a hint, Carley. Go find someone else who wants crabs.”

  “My name’s not Carley. And dragon shifters don’t get STDs.”

  “Do I look like I don’t know that? And did I ask you for your name?”

  Eyes fuming, she jerked up, raising her hand to slap me. I caught her hand and jerked her down to me. “Nobody touches me unless I want them to.”

  Shoving the bottle in Blaze’s chest, I pulled Green Eyes closer. Tears rimmed her eyes, and a couple even trailed down her face. I slid my hand over her stomach, and she sucked it in, gasping. I moved down into her pants and pressed two fingers up inside her. “Is this what you want?”<
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  Lips trembling, she stared into my eyes. Then she nodded, once, her eyes eager.

  “Well take it, baby. If I’m offering, you’d better take advantage of it while you can.” Instead of pulling back, she closed her eyes, moaning softly, and began to rub herself against my hand. Frowning, I shoved another finger inside, stretching her. She jerked abruptly but didn’t stop. I looked at Blaze, who was rolling his eyes, and I grinned.

  “God, these girls need their daddies slapped.”

  Green Eyes didn’t stop, so I thrummed her clit with my thumb, pressing harshly against it until her whole body tightened, ready for release. As soon as I knew she was about to go over the edge, I yanked my fingers out, wiped them down her shirt, then shoved her to the floor. “You’re pathetic. Get the fuck out of here.”

  She scrambled on her hands and knees towards the hallway, where Tallon and Denise were just walking out of the bathroom, hand in hand.

  These girls disgusted me. All of them. Every single person in this room. I was twenty-six years old, and they all acted like we were still in high school. Every weekend they showed up at my door, whether I’d invited them or not. Just because I partied hard in high school didn’t mean I still wanted their asses still in my life. They came because they thought that being seen with me would rub some good luck on them. Get them promoted at their jobs or give them attention to their families’ political campaign.

  Didn’t they know that associating with me would only bring a soulless corruption into their lives? I was tired of their needy and weak asses. I wanted them out.

  I needed something real, something fulfilling.

  I stood up as the anger inside me belted out, needing some kind of release. My dragon energy pulsed through the room as I knocked the bottle of vodka out of Blaze’s hand. It flew across the room, shattering on the opposite wall. “Get the fuck out of here! Everyone.” I looked at Billy. “The bar’s closed. Done. We’re finished for the night.” People began to stumble from the room, drunk and high. Poker cards and chips fell to the floor as powerful dragon shifters rushed towards the front of the house, desperate to leave. They all knew what I was like when I didn’t get my way. “In fact, don’t bother to come back. Spread the word. The Hoffman house is closed for business. Don’t show up again, unless you’re specifically invited.”

  Heads popped out of the adjoining rooms. I stared down a girl I didn’t even recognize, and she clasped her clothes to her, clearly in the middle of undressing. “You too!” She leaped across the room, not bothering to get dressed, towing some guy behind her.

  Tallon ignored my temper tantrum and led Denise to one of the back rooms, a grin on his face and shaking his head. She glared at me, then gave me a triumphant look before she disappeared into the dark hallway. Like I gave a fuck.

  I also noticed she had the towel clutched in her hand, like a piece of candy she didn’t want to give up.

  I glanced down at Blaze, whose whole body was rigid, his hands clasped tight to the sofa cushion. I growled, turning back around.

  “Mila.” I pointed at her. Mason was pulling her out of the room, but she stopped in the doorway. “You.” I crooked my finger at her. “Come here.”

  “Baby, no.” Mason’s voice was weak, almost begging. “Don’t do it.” She looked at him, hesitating.

  “Mila, come here.” Blaze’s voice was low, commanding. “I want your cunt on my lap.”

  She dropped Mason’s hand and took a step forward, then another, until she was standing in front of Blaze. “Get on your knees, first.”

  I looked her over as she fell to her knees. I could see her appeal — dark tan skin with dark hair, feather-light freckles across her nose. Her tits looked natural. Small, but big enough to get me hard. Mason still stood in the doorway, uncertain. I cocked my eyebrow. “You gonna stand there holding your dick or what?”

  He shook his head no, and I tilted my head to the side, my lips spreading up into a grin. I knew it. “Come on, then.”

  Tonight was going to be just like any other night — done in my home, with my things, and exactly how I liked it, regardless of the consequences to anyone else.

  And there was no one in the world I would ever let change it.

  1

  Chapter 1

  Carrie

  Let me tell you, being on a private plane is every bit as awesome as it looks in the movies. And the fact that I, a small-town girl who never went anywhere, was traveling in this metal can at five hundred miles an hour could only mean one thing.

  We were on a mission to save the next magical generation.

  We were desperate.

  We were fucked.

  Failure was not an option.

  A supernatural child was on the way, one that would rock the world as we knew it to the core. It was time for desperate measures. And boy, were we taking them. Forget about around the clock care and potions and spells. That was child’s play – ignore the stupid pun – and we needed more.

  We were moving heaven and earth to keep her safe, flying to Aerwyna, the dragons’ home and a country in the middle of nowhere. It was ironic that a place that didn’t technically exist was the only place that could keep both Lizzy and her baby safe.

  And I was thrilled to just be here for the ride! Grinning, I pulled out my phone and leaned toward the window, making sure to get the perfect view of the clouds next to my face.

  “Carrie,” Harry Winston gave me a pointed look, exactly like my mother used to.

  Ignoring him, I made a contemplative expression, making sure to catch the right angle of my face before taking the picture. Then I stared at it, trying to decide if I liked or hated it.

  “Carrie. Turn your phone off. I don’t want it to interfere with the cell towers.” Harry’s nasally voice cut through my thoughts, and I slowly turned to face him, certain that the plane wasn’t going to go down because I had my damn phone on. This guy was already annoying, and it was only a couple of hours into the flight.

  I took a moment to take him in. He had on a brown suit, paired with a drab olive green tie, and it made him blend into the tan leather seat. Watching him, I officially declared him a stick-in-the-mud. I could tell there wasn’t a fun bone in his body. He’d already proven that he was all about rules, given that he’d given us a list of them the moment we met him — lame af.

  “It’s on airplane mode.” I showed him the phone, giving him a cheesy grin, determined that he wasn’t going to ruin this experience for me. He met my grin with a hard stare.

  Wow. He’s very concerned that my phone would make the plane fall from the sky! Laughter bubbled from my lips, and I clasped my hand over my mouth, trying not to irritate him further. Who shoved a stick up his butt? I turned my face away, still grinning. Nasal Nose Harry wasn’t going to put a damper on my happiness.

  “Leave her alone, Harry.” Lizzy returned from her trip to the bathroom and settled into her chair across from me. Easton and Hunter, both dragon shifters, sat on either side of her. “She’s flown before.”

  “That’s right.” I nodded. I had. Just not out of the country and on a fancy plane where everything spoke of luxury and class, where we could kick back and feel as if we owned the world.

  “Regulations for …” He was talking again, but I tuned him out, preferring the view of the clouds than looking at his bland face.

  “How are you doing?” Hunter leaned over to Lizzy and nuzzled her neck.

  “Fine.” Lizzy snuggled into his side and put her hands on her belly. She was just starting to show — about sixteen weeks pregnant and already absolutely glowing. Easton reached out to her, pulling her hand to his mouth and kissing her knuckles before turning his face back to the window. Lizzy closed her eyes and smiled. I eyed them enviously, wishing I was in Lizzy’s place. She had five sexy shifter dragons, all vying for her attention, willing to lay down their lives for her. In the dragon world, females were rare, and so the men had grown up used to the fact that they might have to share one woman.

&n
bsp; It was crazy, but it worked. They argued sometimes, but they made it work.

  And also, it was superhot - shit, I’d take three guys. Hell, at this point, I’d take one.

  “What’s it like, being in here when you know what it feels like to fly?” I’d always wanted to know what it was like to fly.

  Hunter tilted his head, thinking. “The same as being in a submarine when you’re a mermaid, I guess.”

  “Oh,” I leaned forward, my eyebrow raised as I tried not to smile. “You’ve been a mermaid?”

  Easton chuckled. “Yeah, that’s the worst analogy I’ve ever heard.”

  “Dragons are the mermaids of the sky, you know.” The edges of Hunter’s mouth lifted in a teasing smile, and then he turned to Easton. “You explain it to her, then.”

  “How about, it’s like riding a bike through the woods when you can sprint through the trees like a wolf.”

  Hunter rolled his eyes. “Yeah, that’s so much better.”

  “It really is more relatable.” Easton shrugged and turned back to the window.

  Lizzy turned towards Hunter, grinning. “You’d look superhot in a bikini, by the way.”

  “Yeah, you would.” Easton laughed, but Hunter softly growled, raking his teeth over her ear, playfully. “Not as good as you do, Princess.”

  She smiled, gripping his hand tightly as they bantered back and forth. It was cute watching them together. Only two of her guys could accompany us today, but even with only them, I was surprised to see how well they all fit together.

  Must be a dragon thing. Or now, a dragon-wolf thing.