Deadly Skies

By Savannah Hartley

Kidnapped and mated to a dragon, Jamie is having more than just a ‘bad day’. However, as Jamie explores this strange new world, he’s faced with new concerns and new dangers. Soon, the startling facts of what Jamie is, and his growing affection and hunger toward Aidan, puts his new mate in peril. Hidden on earth, Jamie had been safe from an ancient enemy. But, now there is nothing to protect him from being hunted by the evil stalking him from the shadows.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Savannah Hartley
• Release date: Aug 26, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463012017

Savannah Hartley

Born on the Big Island of Hawaii, Savannah moved to Oregon with her family, where she still lives with her three children. She passes her time with her head in the clouds, her nose in a book or pounding away on her keyboard.

Book preview

KINGS OF ETERNITY

SAVANNAH HARTLEY

DEADLY SKIES

Copyright © 2018 by Savannah Hartley

Editor: Trisha Thompson

Cover Art:  Reese Dante   http://www.reesedante.com

Cover content is for illustrative purposes only. Any person depicted on the cover is a model.

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, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the author.

READERS: This book uses US English. Thank you.

All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names within this work of fiction. Any resemblance within this work of fiction of an individual known or unknown to the author is incidental and are pure invention.

Trademark Acknowledgement

The author acknowledges the owners of the trademark and trademarked status of the wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction.

CONTENT

Title Page

Copyright

Trademark Acknowledgement

NEW WORLD

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

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 33

CHAPTER 34

CHAPTER 35

CHAPTER 36

CHAPTER 37

CHAPTER 38

CHAPTER 39

CHAPTER 40

CHAPTER 41

CHAPTER 42

CHAPTER 43

CHAPTER 44

CHAPTER 45

CHAPTER 46

CHAPTER 47

CHAPTER 48

CHAPTER 49

EPILOGUE

Titles by Savannah Hartley

Coming Soon

About the Author

NEW WORLD

Twisting his body to see what had caused the sudden ripping sound to fill the air, Jamie shouted in terror when the world split in two, and in the middle of the split, the night sky of another world shined back at him.

He screamed, kicked, bit and clawed Aidan’s shoulders and back. But, nothing he did stopped Aidan from advancing forward. Jamie's last scream for help echoed down the alleyway before paved road changed to green grass. His last scream for help echoed down the alleyway before it disappeared from his sight.

Groaning, eyes wide with fright, Jamie’s throat was raw from shouting. His body tingled strangely after entering the rip that separated his world to the one Aidan crossed over to. He began to hyperventilate as the jagged doorway slowly closed with a dreaded sense of finality, and the sight of an unfamiliar landscape greeted him.

Alien stars bedded in darken skies twinkled back at Jamie when he lifted his eyes, and in those skies two unnaturally large moons welcomed Jamie, casting their frighteningly reddish light upon him.

Foreign scents assaulted Jamie’s senses. Choking back his panic, his head whipped to the side as rustling came from the night-blackened forest surrounding them. Dozens of pairs of unblinking, glowing, yellow eyes shined out from the void. Confusing whispers drifted to Jamie on the wind, and on the ground, eerie shadow-arms slivered quickly towards him.

Snarling, Jamie swiped his claws at the long witch-fingered hands just as they were about to touch him. The arms retreated, but still followed. Silent serpents matching each step Aidan took, and from within the ink-like substance those appendages appeared from, a high pitch child’s laughter rang, chilling the blood in Jamie’s veins.

Exposed and vulnerable, Jamie began his struggles anew. His short skirt did nothing to protect his ass from Aidan’s stinging slap, a silent command to cease his movements. Regardless of the wordless warning, Jamie still fought for his freedom from his captive perch on Aidan’s shoulder.

Be at ease, Jamie. They mean no harm. They’re just curious, Aidan calmly said, continuing his journey through the darkness. To where? Jamie could only fear. And despite Aidan’s reassurance, Jamie continued to growl in warning at the unseeing things following, the creatures stopped only after Aidan stepped out of the black forest, and out into a clearing of tall grass.

Release me! Jamie growled, digging his claws into Aidan’s back. He was startled when Aidan suddenly halted and, with sickening ease, lowered Jamie from his shoulder and slowly down the full length of his hard body.

Aidan did not bother hiding his aroused state as he held onto Jamie a moment longer, before allowing his feet to touch the ground. His legs were wobbly. Aidan held onto him, so he didn’t embarrass himself by falling flat on his face.

Jamie tried to be as inconspicuous as possible as he glanced around him. Trying to locate paths he could take—routes that would to give him a better chance at escaping. However, any thoughts of flight evaporated as Aidan began to strip out of his torn, bloody shirt. Exposing broad shoulders, hard pecs and rippling abdominal muscles.

The wound Jamie received from the vicious bite Aidan ‘gifted’ him with throbbed, as did another part of Jamie. His mouth watered as he stared at the delicious sight of Aidan’s naked chest. An equal amount of shame also filled him. Here he was, lusting after his abductor. Scenting his desire, Aidan smiled at Jamie and raised an arrogant brow.

Angered at his body’s reaction, Jamie turned his face away only to look back when Aidan gave a large sigh of relief. Magic that Jamie never felt before caressed his skin as it whispered around him, and in the middle of that strange magic stood Aidan.

Jamie paled.

Large, golden-scaled, leathery wings spread out in a frightening display from Aidan’s back. And, Aidan…

Jamie’s eyes traveled up…and up. He stared with shock at the unearthly beautiful, and wide chest of a much bigger man than who had stood before him a second ago.

Jesus… he had to be, at least, seven feet tall!

Being the rational person that he was after witnessing such a display of magical wonder, Jamie turned tail and tried to run.

Steel beams for arms locked around Jamie’s waist, and with a shout of terror his feet lifted from the ground—ground that began to disappear as Jamie was taken up in the air.

Shh, I have you, Aidan whispered into his ear.

Shifted in his arms, Jamie wrapped his legs tightly around Aidan’s waist, his arms around his neck, and then squeezed his eyes closed as wind rushed through his hair and against his body.

Cold, tired, hurt, and freaked beyond imaginable, Jamie finally succumbed to the welcoming darkness that had been beckoning him since he’d been captured by Aidan. He gave himself up to the fearful winged creature holding him securely in his powerful arms, carrying him off into the unknown.

CHAPTER 1

He’s here.

The dragon king has brought the Elddencer home.

For twenty human years his assassins tried to kill the male on the human realm. But, the Elddencer and his vampire family had thwarted every one of their attempts.

So many of his finest killers murdered by vampires or consumed by the Elddencer. None, however, had broken when the vampires had gotten their hands on them, interrogated them. Their secrets were still safe.

But, now the Elddencer was here. There were no Seekers to track magic users—outlaws not authorized to be in the human realm. No vampires protecting the Elddencer. No escape. Their chances at successfully removing the alpha predator could not be higher.

The dragons would prove to be problematic, but the dragon king knew nothing of the creature he’d been forced to take as his mate. The dragon king would do his duty, but he would do nothing more to ensure the Elddencer’s protection.

All he had to do was wait for an opening to strike.

CHAPTER 2

Aidan stood watching the sunrise. Today would be the last day his mate would be confined. A full month he’d forcefully kept Jamie away from everyone else. One whole month of dealing with his advisers and generals, because he’d winged home with his vampire mate in his arms.

That wasn’t the last time he’d held Jamie, spoke to him, or stared into those fiery green eyes. But, it had been the last time he took Jamie into the air, flew with him in his arms. He could still remember the flight to get back to his kingdom. How he had tightened his arms the moment he felt Jamie’s grip slacken around his neck. He had been thankful the stress of crossing over had finally taken control, and his stubborn mate had passed out.

Aidan had contemplated flying off somewhere secluded. Somewhere he could hide his little treasure away, just until he freed Jamie from the fear he’d seen flashing in those amazing green eyes.

He regretted not doing just that, because he had been more than a little rough with him. However, Jamie’s rejection had sent him into a rage. The two months he’d watched Jamie while in the human realm, wanting him, while looking for his unclaimed mate.

To learn Jamie had been the one he’d been searching for... Then to listen to the one he desired telling him he wouldn’t accept him, had stolen any gentleness Aidan had fought to hold onto. His passions had run so high he’d lost control and marked Jamie savagely, had inflicted nothing but pain when he had let his dragon take over.

He had also forced Jamie into drinking the essence of his dragon, the intoxicating blend his kind fed once and only once to the caller of their soul. His actions were one of a handful of reasons why he hadn’t run away with his mate, his truemate. But, he did lock Jamie up for his own protection.

His people had already been on edge, anger and tension dangerously high after a Seer had announced that his future mate would not be a dragon. Such a thing had never happened before.

However, not being paired with another dragon had always been a possibility. His family had always held the crown. Although, being king had nothing to do with birthrights and everything to do with power. Raw magical and physical power.

And he had proven his strength in spades.

But, that power, and adding onto that power, came at a cost. To ensure the next generation was strong enough to hold the title of king or queen, his bloodline had given up their rights to choose their mates. They had given them to Seers who found them ‘breeding mares’ to bare their children. They did not even get a say on what gender they preferred for their potential mate.

Once a breeding mare birthed a minimum of two hatchlings, they were free to break their mating bonds and seek love elsewhere. Unless you permanently bonded the essence of your beast—your soul—to that mate, like he had done, which was why his kingdom was in discord.

His people had accepted a vampire only because he had—with loathing in his words and his demeanor—made it undeniably clear that he would do his duty, and then ‘remove that fucking vampire’ from their territory.

Now his people were in an uproar. He had not hidden what he had done, and most of the population accepted his choice. They had faith and trust in him, knowing he would not have done such a thing if Jamie was anything less than worthy.

Those that had not accepted it, like, his advisers and generals. Well, there was a reason why he was king. With fire and claws, he left those who opposed him unconscious and bleeding on the ground.

He gave no warnings, no indication of the violence he planned to inflict. He had tucked Jamie into bed, made his announcement to his people, then met with the outraged, high-ranking members of his court and took them down. Making it clear nothing and no one would threaten his truemate, and death would be the only punishment if someone dared.

But, they were fire drakes. Tempers took longer to cool. Time, a firm grip, and with a few more rakes of his claws, he brought his men to heel.

He also took this month to think about the mystery that was his new mate. Because, his Jamie was more than just a normal vampire. The memory of Jamie’s blood was a constant thought. Aidan had tasted vampire blood before. Centuries of warring with the nightcrawlers and tearing into their flesh, there was no mistaking the revolting taint within their veins.

Yet, Jamie’s blood had been different. A sweetness that had confused his senses—that whispered seductively of secrets he would learn if he could only taste it again.

In that moment — before Jamie had bit him back— Aidan had tasted dragon, vampire, elven, and an array of shifters that was impossible to be true, with that slight pull of his mouth. And because of his confusion and not wanting to harm Jamie more than he already had, Aidan had hesitated a moment too long after Jamie threw the table at him, giving Jamie time he needed to flee.

If not for Jamie’s wounds, slowing the young man down, Aidan knew he probably wouldn’t have been able to capture Jamie, not if what he had tasted was any indication of the power hiding in his mate’s veins.

Vampires were a race of deceivers, yes. However, to Aidan’s knowledge, no vampire had the power to fool others to this degree. You could not change what you were on the inside.

He’d even considered that Jamie could be a Cast Out—one of the less insulting names the creatures were called. Caught between magical territories, any children born between borderlines became mutated, like the creature Tiffany had dragged back, who had helped Jamie try to escape him. Part tiger, part bird of prey, it had taken seven of his men to take the male down.

But, Aidan had fought for and against many of their kind before, and the taste of a Cast Out’s blood was nothing like Jamie’s.

Aidan did not know with certainty that Jamie was not one of those creatures. Cast Outs were still a mystery, secretive, and typically hostile to everyone that were not of their own ink.

Regardless of the headache Aidan would receive if Jamie was one of them, he would never release Jamie from his grasp.

Aidan had wisely kept the strangeness of Jamie’s blood to himself. For now. His wild little fighter would have plenty of problems when his people officially bowed their heads and swore their loyalty to him.

And they would, because Jamie would be by his side forever.

CHAPTER 3

"Sometimes running… is harder than it seems…"

Jamie paused from trying to pick the lock for the ten thousandth time. Listening to the muffled voice sing was the only other person besides Aidan he’d heard in a month.

People walked past the intimidating door he currently was trying to open, but no one ever responded when he called out to them. Aidan was his only source of human contact, and the guy wasn’t even human! And he spent the entire time in Aidan’s company protecting his ass from getting fucked.

He didn’t know how much longer he could hold Aidan back. The fucker seriously had some smooth moves. The little touches. The soft seductive whispers and aggressive flirtations.

Aidan was the only food offered to him, too. The damn bastard always came to him shirtless, veins popping, and Jamie always found himself straddling the guy and sucking on his neck. Never the wrist, but the neck!

The only time Jamie ever fed from someone’s throat, was when he was killing them. The act outside of murder was…

Jamie’s face exploded with heat.

Anyway, it was only a matter of time before he succumbed to Aidan’s charms and gave up the goods, and he really wanted to give it up.

But, Aidan seemed to be the type of guy that wanted a long-term relationship, not a fuck and run. Jamie had never been in a relationship before—had never been teased and tempted by anyone. He was a virgin, as embarrassing as that was for someone of his age.

"And fleeing from the one you love, can force you to stumble and fall..."

Jamie grit his teeth and pushed Aidan’s hotness out of his head. He needed to concentrate on getting out of his plush prison. When he did get out, the first thing he was going to do is shut that guy up. Every day, the same damn song. He was going stir crazy as it was. No TV. No Smart phone. No video games, and he’d already looked at all the pictures in every book on the bookshelf.

He preferred to read the books, but they were in a language no human had probably ever seen before. So, having to listen to that guy sing the same song six to ten times a day was driving him up the wall.

He blocked the horrible singer’s voice out as much as he could and continued to work on the lock. The first time he tried to escape, he nearly had a heart attack. He’d woken up in a strange bed. He’d hopped up and dashed out through one of the many large archways curtained with thin material that gave the illusion of rippling fire, only to trip over his feet and nearly land on his face.

The archway—all the archways—were open doors that led out onto a railingless balcony. Jamie had caught a glimpse of how high he was, crawled his ass back into the penthouse-like bedroom, and had counted his lucky stars that he hadn’t fallen to his death.

"But if you trust him…you can follow him…"

Shut the hell up already, Jamie mumbled as he twisted the long-bejeweled hairpins he’d found, in the lock. He could only imagine the chick those pins belonged to, then cursed when visions of Aidan and that unknown woman filled him with unwanted jealousy.

He shouldn’t care about who Aidan had fucked or was fuc—

Jamie froze as the telltale click of the door unlocked. He did it. He actually did it! Jamie quickly withdrew the pins. He hesitated for a moment before twisting the doorknob…and the door did not open.

"Because escape is impossible from where you stand…"

Shut up! Jamie growled. Frustrated beyond measure, he slammed his shoulder into the door. Anger fueled him—shoving his fears and anxiety away, and it gave him the strength he needed to send the three-inch wooden door swinging violently open.

"Running far…and running fast…will do nothing to falter his path…"

The burst of adrenaline left as swiftly as it came, as Jamie stared at the open doorway. He panicked for a second, thinking he’d just fucked up. But, the door remained on its hinges. No breaks, no splinters. Nothing to signal to anyone passing by that he wasn’t where he shouldn’t be when he left.

"To keep you chained to his side…"

He’d expected the voice to get louder, but it stayed just as muffled as if he were still locked up. This time, however, he at least had a direction of where the singing was coming from. He quietly closed the door, then took a hesitant step forward, then another and another until he was running down a darken hallway, lit by strange glowing balls of light hovering an inch away from the stonewalls, six feet in the air.

Jamie had no idea where he was going. His only goal was to find the owner of that voice. He’d nearly ran into a few people. Servants, if he could guess from the way they were dressed. Uniformed, but in a none-threatening kind of way. Threads that made him think of the butler and maids that worked in his father’s house.

A few had stopped to look around when he’d dove for cover, but they’d always shrugged and walked away. His prayers of wanting them to fuck off having been answered each time he asked for it.

His journey took him down flights of stairs. Lots of stairs. Lots and lots of fucking stairs. And, the darker the hallways got, the less noticeable he became to anyone that passed by. Shadows had always been his friend. He always had the ability to pull it towards him, hug it around him.

"But if you trust him…you’ll follow him…"

The singing was getting louder now…and the place he’d followed that singing to was dark, dank, and smelled of rotting meat. Running into people became far and in between. Gone were the servants, and in their place, were two huge motherfuckers that Jamie made damn sure to stay far away from. He hid and prayed that they didn’t find him.

There was no mistaking where he was. A dungeon, like, a real life friggin’ dungeon. As if passing the numerous barred cells hadn’t been clue enough, he still couldn’t believe it. Movies and pictures in history books paled in comparison to this hellhole.

"Even though you want to flee as fast as you can…"

Crouched low to the ground, Jamie peeked around the corner. The two monster-sized men stood at attention in front of a cell. The cell the singing came from…

Damn it… Jamie whispered. He could have turned around a long time ago—should have turned around and gone back to his comfy prison cell…if he hadn’t recognized a scent of someone he knew halfway into his search.

"Run far and fast!"

Janis—or whatever that bitch’s real name is—was in that cell. He needed answers, and he couldn’t trust the honey words flowing out of Aidan’s sexy mouth. He didn’t know if he could trust Janis, either, but that hoe was the only person he knew in this freaky world.

How to ask his questions, though… There was no way Jamie was going to get past those guards. They’d pulverize him.

"Do all you can to block his path!"

Shut up! one of the guards bellowed, slamming his palm against the bars while the other guard sighed.

You shut up, dickhead. My singing fucking rocks.

Whoever the guy was, he had to be related to Janis, Jamie had no