Stealing Hope: a Dragon's Fated Heart, #1

By Beverly Ovalle

The apocalypse has come and gone. 
Those who survived learned to adapt. 
Dragons awaken to once again reign over the skies. 

Upon eruption of a volcano, Ari awakens to a changed world, and a knowing that his dragon's mate is near. He saves her twice—once as a dragon, and again as a man—and wins her confidence. 

Hope cried out, moaning, “just change me with pleasure?” 

Hope is restless and unfulfilled until she meets Ari, the man of her fantasies. The sensual tension between them heightens with every touch. When their passion explodes, Hope gets pulled into the dragon's mating ritual...and into a world of erotic sensation she never dreamed existed but now cannot live without. The dragon binds his mate to him with a ritual that shows Hope her true nature in this humorous erotic romance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: MIdwest Dragon Press
• Release date: Feb 11, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386257240

Beverly Ovalle

Beverly Ovalle dabbled with writing on and off for years when her best friend finally dared her to submit a story to a writing contest. Beverly decided she had nothing to lose and since she'd always wanted to be an author sent it in and agonized for months waiting to hear back. Contract in hand she has never looked back. Beverly has been obsessed with dragons and romance since she was a young girl, collecting dragon books and reading everything she could find on them even down to the care of real life dragons. She's always been slightly panicked that the world as we know it will end, so has prepped for it, haunting survivalist pages and prepper projects she felt she needed in the event SHTF. An avid fan of all romance, Beverly's goal is to share her love of the written word and write the hot and erotic romances that she enjoys. She writes what she loves to read and it was only a matter of time before her obsessions crept into her writing for her to share. She hopes you enjoy her tales as much as she loves writing them. A Navy Veteran, Beverly has traveled around the world and the United States enabling her to bring her settings to life, meeting and marrying her husband of twenty five years along the way for her own romance. Reading romances since the fourth grade she's followed as the genre changed and spread into the vast cornucopia of romance offered today.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Ari stirred, sniffing the air. It was different again, cleaner. He wondered how many years had passed since his last awakening. He set his head back on his hatch mate’s back. Raising his head up again, Ari glanced around, his golden eyes whirling with color. He no longer had a desire to sleep.

Ari stood, sniffing and stretching. Looking around, he noticed some of his hatch mates also rising.

It smells different. Juevatorj rumbled. Her eyes were whirling, sparkling in the darkness of the cave. It is clean.

Ari sniffed the air again and rumbled in agreement. Crag stretched his wingspan to full-length. All around wings were stretched and tested. Air moved quickly with a half a dozen of them waking up to the world again.

Not everyone is waking up. Ari peered at the ones still curled up together. They blinked at those of them moving around and closed their eyes, not yet interested in the outside world.

Juevatorj bumped heads with Ari. That’s okay.

Yes, that is okay. A deeper baritone wound through the cave. All of those awake turned their heads toward the sound. Come my little ones. I will explain.

Ari, Juevatorj, Crag, Belisa, Hark and Rog lumbered off after the sound of the voice coming from a tunnel that wandered through the cave. At one point they had to swim through the lava. Warmth wrapped around them and they played until they were sharply called to follow. The second voice was a lighter tenor, firm and insistent; one they knew better than to disobey. At once, they ceased their games and continued the circuitous path, sniffing at the gold and silver, and collecting bits of colored gems they dug out of the walls.

Ari was the first to stumble out. Rearing back, he was shoved from behind, pushed into the light. His eyes whirled in the too-bright sun. He rolled forward, his momentum stopped by a rock. He and his hatch mates chirped in distress, the sudden light harsh against eyes that had spent centuries in darkness, relieved only by the glow of lava.

They all came to rest outside. Deep trilling came from their throats. Their sire and dam hummed at their less than graceful exit.

Juevatorj, come out of the cave. Their sire spoke and Juevatorj crept out, belly against the ground and head tucked low. Do not be afraid. They had learned to trust that voice since before even hatching.

Use your first lids, protect your eyes. Their dam spoke.

Ari and his siblings rumbled happily. Her voice was one of their first memories in the egg. Their sire and dam spoke often to them, comforting them in the shell. Letting them know how wonderful they were, how beautiful and strong. They greeted them upon each awakening.

Ari blinked and opened his eyes again. He discovered that the light was now diffused. He trilled in triumph, arching back and spreading his wings in joy.

His siblings learned to control the brightness, too. They bugled forth their joy. So much had been forgotten during their hibernation that they would have to relearn.

Very good, my little ones. His sire had a look of contentment on his face. We can once again join in the world. We have been sleeping a very long time.

It is time to explore your new world. His dam joined in. We have watched over you while you’ve grown, and kept an eye on the world.

We can safely let you go. You need to explore. You need to learn the world around you again. His sire nodded while he spoke. The world has been purified. But there are rules you need to follow. You cannot be caught. It would endanger us all. If you want to see the humans, to meet them, you need to make sure you change first. We do not know if man has changed enough to accept us. You are the first group that has awakened. Remember to take supplies you might need to blend in.

Ari and his siblings looked at each other and nodded. On occasion, he and Crag had snuck out and gone closer to the surface, curious. But in the past few centuries nothing had called to them, nothing more exciting than the lure of gold to add to their stashes, or digging raw gems from the earth. Now Ari’s senses tugged with an insistent pull towards the north.

Crag snuck similar peeks in that direction. They would explore together once more, like they had done as hatchlings.

You all feel a pull. They nodded at their dam’s words. This happens when your mate is born. Follow the direction to where your heart pulls you. They might have years to go to be ready for you, so acquaint yourselves with the world around you. She proudly gazed at them.

Be cautious. Be careful. Your mates will need you to be strong and brave in this world. You must fit in to survive. They nodded, taking his words to heart. Their sire cast a look, the look in Ari and Crag’s direction. You two. Behave.

Their dam shook her head, amused exasperation in her eyes.

Ari and Crag’s eyes whirled in amusement.

Now, you need to explore. Fly over the area, look around. Have a meal, but avoid any humans you see. Their dam instructed them.

You do not need to change today. Feed and build your strength and stamina up. Your change will be strong and easy when you are in peak condition.

Sire, will they be dragons? Our mates? Juevatorj asked.

He shrugged. Maybe. It matters not. Once you mate, they will be.

Juevatorj ducked her head. Belisa came and wound her neck with Juevatorj.

Crag came up and butted Ari in the head. Common playmates, Crag and Ari had been in plenty of mischief together. Hark and Rog would occasionally join in and the four of them had been kicked out of many places when they were just hatchings due to their rambunctious behavior.

Of all the siblings in the nest, the six of them were the closest. They had been the first half dozen to hatch by days, dragon nests sometimes taking a month to hatch them all. The first week together had bonded them. Though the girls were sometimes easy prey to prank, when they got mad, the boys ran for cover to their dam’s amusement. And so it had gone for years.

Some awakenings, they had explored the outside world but it had been many years. They were not proficient at changing, but well enough if they did it in private. None of them wanted to change in front of the humans. Chances were they would be killed if that happened. Those were the old stories and no one wanted to be the first to test it.

Come on, Ari. Crag nodded to the north. Let’s go take a look around.

Ari peered at the others. His sire and dam were sitting, tails entwined and watching over them all. Rog and Hark were conferring in whispers to the side.

All right. Ari nodded at Crag. Rog, Hark, did you want to come with? They looked over at them, faces alight with mischief.

No. They both shook their heads. We are going to explore this side of the mountain.

Belisa cocked her head at them. She didn’t look like she believed them either. Shrugging it off, knowing they would do what they would do, Ari turned to Crag. With a grin and a run, Ari dove off the mountain, wings spreading to catch the air and cushion his flight. With a roar, Crag followed behind.

They leisurely viewed the world around them. Flying, diving and circling each other and remembering the joy of their many flights, Ari and Crag conversed.

What do you think they are up to? Crag circled, diving lower to check out the ground below.

Who knows? Ari flew lower. Look. He grinned at Crag. Ready for a meal?

They flew down, diving in a steep arc. Below were cattle, nice and plump, just the way they liked them. Before they could catch them, Rog and Hark dove out of nowhere, landing on their backs, tumbling the four of them to the ground. The cattle ran for cover, scattering far and wide. The huffs and snickers from Rog and Hark proved that they were amused at getting the drop on Crag and Ari.

Crag stood, flinging Hark from his back, to the further amusement of Rog. He laughed so hard he rolled from Ari’s back without Ari even trying to dislodge him. Ari shook his head.

I knew you two were up to something. Have you nothing better to do? Crag sounded disgusted. Rog and Hark grinned and shook their heads.

No.

Crag rumbled in aggravation at Hark’s response.

I thought you were checking out the side of the mountain. Crag griped. Why are you bothering us?

Rog laughed.

Didn’t think we needed a reason to. Rog laughed at Crag. Come on, you knew something was up. We saw the way you looked at us.

Crag growled.

"Um, I’m hungry and the way the cattle ran when we fell, Ari eyeballed Rog and Hark, We’ll have to work for a meal now." From the snickers Ari knew they didn’t care. He thought it was kind of funny himself. Crag was just upset because he didn’t like anyone getting the jump on him.

Rog and Hark laughed and jumped up, pumping their wings to fly away. Don’t worry, we’re not hungry. We snagged some goats on our way down.

Crag was grumbling and Ari didn’t feel like spending the day with his attitude.

Crag, mellow out or I’ll leave your cranky tail behind. He jumped up and with a mighty pump, caught air under his wings and glided after a few of the cattle that had settled down. Come on, let’s eat and explore.

Wait for me. Crag leaped into the air, his wings gave a mighty swoosh and he followed on Ari’s tail.

Ari flew higher, the air currents assisting his glide. He circled the cattle, looking for a tasty specimen. Off to the edge, there were two cattle grazing on the side of the field. He looked back at Crag who nodded. Circling tightly, they dove sharply down, picking up the unsuspecting cattle in their claws and flying away to the mountain.

They circled and landed with their prey in a spot that they had visited often when younger. The trees were bigger, but the rocks, lake and soft ground were still comfortable and big enough for them to relax in comfort. They demolished the cattle and digested them.

Ari burped. A long, drawn-out, satisfied affair.

Crag snorted. Be glad mother didn’t hear that.

Hey, it’s just air build up. I couldn’t help it.

Likely story. Crag snickered and stretched. They lounged by the small lake, high in the mountains; it was a favorite spot. The snow melt ran and was caught in a natural stone basin that was also spring fed. The volcano vent kept the water warm. They had often rested here when they were younger, before the years of sleep and growth.

Crag, how long do you think we slept?

Don’t know. Father dragon said that it could be a half a century or more. Our wings had to develop more strength for longer flights.

Hmm. I remember waking up once before. The air smelled bad so I didn’t leave.

Do you think we should ask?

Well, we won’t know otherwise will we? Ari’s eyes whirled, showing his agitation. I want to know. Ari’s wings jerked, tiny trembles that showed his upset.

Crag cocked his head, peering at Ari. Why are you so upset?

I don’t know. Something is wrong. I can feel it. He leaped into the air. Crag, let’s go back to the nest. He gave a mighty stroke of his wings and flew up, turning to head north towards the nest. I think we need to hurry.

Crag leaped, following Ari into the air, their scales glistening into the sun. They streaked toward the nest, the sharp lines of Ari’s face showcasing his urgency. They flew, their wings pumping, until they reached the nearest entrance to the cave. Shooting in, they ran towards the nest.

When they arrived, their parents were in their alternate forms, leaning over Rog, tending him. Hark sat next to him with their necks entwined.

What happened? Ari rushed forward to see.

Crag was right behind him. Is Rog all right?

Their dam and sire were tending to the blood oozing out of his side.

Rog whimpered with each touch from their dam.

Move back. You’re crowding me and I need room. Their dam elbowed Ari in his chest, causing him to move back and run into Crag.

Move. Ari shuffled back, forcing Crag to do the same. What happened to Rog?

Their sire snorted. Damn tom foolery. Hark and Rog were chasing after a pride of cats. They got too close and cornered the cats. The cats attacked and Rog caught a side full of claws. Their sire shook his head and glared at Rog and Hark. You should have known better.

Rog whimpered and lowered his head.

Hark rubbed his jaw along the top, comforting him.

There, all done. Their dam stepped back, Rog’s side glistening with the poultice she’d applied. Now, no jumping in the lava or playing in the water for a couple of days.

And no damn horseplay. I don’t want to patch up the two of you again. Their sire glared at them; in no way did his form diminish the power he held. I think you two will just have to wait a little bit before going out again.

Hark and Rog nodded, disappointment evident in the lines of their bodies.

Their sire whipped his head around to glare at Ari and Crag. What are the two of you doing back here anyway?

Ari and Crag blinked, not saying a word.

Well?

I knew something was wrong. We headed back because of it. Ari was a bit bewildered. Rog getting hurt was nothing new. I don’t understand it.

His dam and sire exchanged a gaze. Do you still feel the distress?

Ari thought for a minute and nodded.

Yes. But Rog is okay. I’ve never been bothered by him being hurt before.

Thanks! Rog snorted and flinched when their dam slapped his leg. Sorry.

Ari, go out and follow the distress you feel. His dam looked worried. It could be your mate.

I don’t feel anything, inserted Crag.

His sire rolled his eyes.

"That just means it isn’t your mate in distress."

Oh. Crag looked surprised. I never thought of that.

His dam growled, causing Crag to step back. She raised her eyes to the ceiling of the cavern. I swear I’ve raised a bunch of turnip brains. She glared at their sire.

He backed off, raising his hands in supplication.

Hey, don’t go blaming me. He turned to Ari and Crag. Go. Ari, follow the feeling. Your mate may need you. Be careful. Don’t scare her. Crag, go help your brother.

They nodded and turned to leave.

They heard their dam grousing at Rog and Hark. You both just better hope your mates have more sense than the two of you. Then again if they do, the two of you will be out of luck.

They exchanged glances and muffled their amusement. Ari and Crag left. They stopped at the edge of the mountain that jutted out past the entrance and looked out.

"Well, Ari