For a Dragon's Protection

By Charlie Richards

When Elder Combs—leader for the gray caste of dragons—discovers Ewan MacNiery dying on the side of the mountain, he’s instantly smitten. Helping the human regain his health comes first, followed closely by seducing him and making him his own. Except Ewan claims he’s not interested in males and fights their attraction. Between the danger Ewan’s appearance in the valley represents and the human’s own resistances, can Combs figure out how to convince Ewan that staying and building a life with a male dragon will fulfill the desires of his heart?

• Language: English
• Publisher: eXtasy Books Inc
• Release date: Nov 4, 2013
• ISBN: 9781771116770

Book preview

Two men. One only wants to help a friend. The other wants to capture his heart.

When Elder Combs—leader for the gray caste of dragons—discovers Ewan MacNiery dying on the side of the mountain, he’s instantly smitten. Helping the human regain his health comes first, followed closely by seducing him and making him his own. Except Ewan claims he’s not interested in males and fights their attraction. Between the danger Ewan’s appearance in the valley represents and the human’s own resistances, can Combs figure out how to convince Ewan that staying and building a life with a male dragon will fulfill the desires of his heart?

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

For A Dragon’s Protection

Copyright © 2013 Charlie Richards

ISBN: 978-1-77111-677-0

Cover art by Angela Waters

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

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Smashwords Edition

For A Dragon’s Protection

Highland Dragons: Book Two

By

Charlie Richards

To good neighbors—thank you for lending a helping hand when family cannot.

Chapter One

Elder Combs lounged on the mountain ledge, basking in the sun. He enjoyed how the early evening rays heated his scales. With the way the yellow globe crossed the sky, every night it spread warmth all across the cliff face, which was why Combs had chosen this area of the mountain to roost. Over three centuries of sunny pleasure and he still loved it.

Stretching one gray wing, Combs rolled a bit so his back faced out. In that position, he knew his slate gray scales caused him to blend nearly seamlessly in with the stone around him. Not to mention the sun felt damn good warming his back.

A moment later, the rustling of wings and the scrape of claws on stone interrupted his doze.

Combs cracked one eyelid open and watched Shree, a guardian dragon, land nearby and look around, his massive light-gray head swinging this way and that. After a moment, where Shree tried to locate Combs by sight or scent and failed, Shree heaved a sigh

How the hell does he do that? Shree muttered under his breath. Then louder, he called, Elder Combs?

Pride flooded Combs. Aye, I’ve still got it. For almost two centuries, he’d been a valley guardian himself. Blending in with rocks was a skill he’d learned as a hatchling. Over a century before, his nomination for becoming the Elder for his caste of dragon-kin had floored him…and flattered him.

Now, Combs oversaw the almost three dozen gray dragons that rotated through sentry duty, as well as monitoring the training of those grays not yet skilled enough to perform watch over the dragon’s canyon home.

Combs lifted his head and offered Shree a dragon grin, showing off plenty of teeth. What do you need, Shree?

Shree’s head swung to face him. My apologies for disturbing your rest.

Combs nodded, accepting the apology.

There is a human approaching our valley, Shree explained. He branched off the goat trail the herders use at the Stone Face. We would have created a rockslide and turned him back, but we caught the scent of blood. He’s injured. Badly. Shree’s tone grew more concerned with each word he spoke, I don’t believe he’ll make it back.

Mulling that news for a couple seconds, Combs rose to his feet. I see. Lead me to him. I will assess his state of mind.

As the elder of the gray caste of dragons, it was Combs’ responsibility to ascertain if the human could be easily saved and assimilated into their community or if they should allow nature to take its course. Fortunately, he didn’t have to wield life and death judgment often, for which he was grateful.

Shree nodded respectfully, then stretched his wings and took to the sky. Combs leaped into the air, following the much younger dragon. Shree had just passed the century mark. Combs found him to be competent and trustworthy, and his mentor, Bray, had only good things to say about how he handled his responsibilities. If Shree came to him, it was because he probably felt the human could be saved.

Winging his way higher, Combs followed Shree along the peaks to the far side where a narrow trail led in and out of their secluded home. It took Combs only a second to spot Bray, who hid amongst some boulders. Taking care to avoid raising dust, Combs landed next to him.

Bray nodded once, then returned his focus down the hill.

Combs followed his gaze and easily spotted the cloaked figure just as the human stumbled, landing on one knee. The man remained still a moment, his shoulders rising and falling slightly, as he apparently struggled to catch his breath. A mountain breeze carried the human’s smell up the side of the mountain to him, heavy with the scent of blood, sweat, and an odd musky sweetness that caused Combs’ blood to pulse faster through his veins.

Hmm. Interesting.

Stay here, Combs rumbled.

He crept forward, his tail twitching as an odd sense of anticipation coursed through him.

When Combs was within twenty paces, the human’s head lifted. Dirty, shaggy brown hair hid most of his features, but he spotted one brown eye through the curtain of locks. The male lifted a hand and shoved his hair back, revealing high cheek bones, a nose with a bump—attesting that it had been broken at least once—and thin lips that surprisingly were curved into a wide smile.

"Well, well. I