Dragons' Prize

**Grab this sexy story in the Dragonflame Series and fall in love with two dragon warriors**

Reagan Brooks hopes that being a surrogate on planet Daeria will end the violence in her life. Earth gave her nothing but pain and she needed a fresh start. Except, now that she's there, she questions if this was the right decision for her. She doubted the massive alphas were the right men for her. Too late to change her mind. Time to sink or swim.

Ryse and Brazen, dragon shifter enforcers for the king, want a mate they can love and cherish and are willing to wait forever for her. When Ryse comes home with Reagan in tow, Brazen is caught off guard and wary. She’s beautiful and perfect, but haunted. She’s closed off her heart and refuses to trust. He’s not sure they’ll ever reach her.

Ryse and Brazen do their best to show Reagan they love her and will never hurt her. But her past won’t let her accept their love, no matter how hard she tries to put it behind her. When her mates are taken from her, it’s time for Reagan to fight or lose the love she dreamed of. A love she never truly believed she’d find in a planet full of predators.

Chapter 1

Reagan Brooks stepped out of the large transporter and fisted her hands to keep them from shaking. Every nerve felt like a live wire waiting to zap the fuck out of her at any moment. Why the hell was she so nervous?

The month-long space flight, and then meeting the dragon king at the spaceport was a breeze. She was thrilled to be on Daeria to help the planet rebuild and grow. A new adventure with the hope of finding a shifter mate who could love her.

All those thoughts were fairy tales that she’d clung to a lot longer than she’d liked. The dream of being in a loving relationship—even one arranged for the sake of keeping an alien race from dying out—was all she had hoped for. However, the first time a male pushed her or slapped her around, she was out.

She’d put up with that shit from her mother and then her first husband. She’d be damned if she’d let it happen again. Years of therapy taught her how to recognize toxic people and shove them out of her life.

Daeria and the surrogate program was her fresh start. A new beginning. 

She never thought she’d find a connection with anyone, but when the men showed up at the hotel and she locked gazes with him, her insides twisted and flipped. One minute she felt nausea and the next she was like “come to mama.” She was sure she was losing her mind.

Ryse was his name and he was sex reincarnated. He had blond hair that covered the tops of his ears and green eyes that seemed to look into her soul. His skin was tanned with a hint of an iridescent glow about it. And he smelled of exotic spices.

On the drive to what he called the royal estates, she studied his profile and noted along his temples were scales. He caught her staring a few times, which made her insides heat.

Standing beside the transport, she glanced around and noted they were inside a garage, but she could smell the sweet aroma of flowers mixed in with clean mountain air.

Ryse got out of the transporter and bumped into her, his hands going to her hips. She sucked in a breath as heat filled her, starting where his index finger touched her bare skin above the waist of her jeans. Her panties dampened and she fought off a moan.

Even though Reagan was curvy, she also had a semi-flat stomach. It was her wide hips, ass, and thighs along with more than a hand full of breasts that added to her curves. She loved her shape and showed it off whenever she was feeling sexy. Her husband liked it too, until he started using her as a punching bag.

“Excuse me.” Ryse’s silky smooth voice washed over her like a velvet touch.

She swallowed a groan and had to force herself to move out of his way. He rewarded her with a knee-weakening smile as he passed by her to the trunk. Oh, her bags! She scurried after him to collect her suitcase, but Ryse had it out of the vehicle and her overnight bag slung over one shoulder before she reached him. When she held out her hand, he took it in his free one, linked their fingers together, and started walking.

She frowned but didn’t let go of his hand. Not what she intended, but she’d use any excuse to touch him. His palm felt good against hers. It was like his energy melded with hers in a beautiful sense of peace and passion. The feeling was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. “I can carry my own bags.”

“So can I.” He flashed another panty-wetting smile and gave her hand a little squeeze.

She swore she heard a hint of play in his tone. That made her wonder if she’d been paired up with someone who was as much of a smart ass as she was. That would be Karma working overtime. She snickered and when Ryse lifted his green gaze to her, she shook her head. 

Glancing over her shoulder, she met the gazes of her travel mates: Gianna, Vanessa, and Katrina. Each gave a wave as they were led in different directions by the male they were paired with. Or did these men choose them?

After all, Reagan and the other women were told they would be going to Wintervale, which was a wolf pack. These men were dragons. “Where are we going? Why weren’t we taken to Wintervale?”

Ryse chuckled, mischief lighting up his eyes. “We stole you from them.”

One corner of her lips lifted. So he had a wicked side. “Like a practical joke?”

He turned left down a stone walkway and tugged her to follow. “Nope. We’re keeping you.” He stopped outside a two-story dome-shaped house and faced her. His eyes glowed with an internal magic. “You are mine. The wolves can never have you.”

Her anxiety rose, scaring away all playfulness. His possessive tone sent a wave of dread and fear inside her. She let go of his hand and stepped back. “What does that mean?”

“You belong with me.” He reached out to her and she took another step back, shaking her head.

“I’m not property to belong to anyone.” I’m a strong, independent woman. She chanted one of the affirmations her therapist taught her. She tried to take the suitcase from him, but he wouldn’t let go. “Give me my bags. I’m going back to the hotel. I…I can’t do this.”

Her heart hammered in her chest and the shaking had returned. How did she think she could be happy after a lifetime of abuse? She should have sworn off all men and lived as a hermit with fifty cats.

Ryse surprised her by letting go of the suitcase and closing the distance between. He framed her face in his large, warm hands so she locked gazes with him. She froze in place. His features softened and he drew his brows together. “Why are you afraid? You weren’t moments ago.”

She shook her head and started to tell him she wasn’t scared, but he’d know it was a lie. Their sense of smell was too powerful not to pick up on the changes her body went through with strong emotions. “I’m not anyone’s property to do what they will with.”

He jerked his head back and dipped his brows. “No, you’re not property. But you are my mate. That makes you mine.”

All the air she’d been holding rushed out of her and she relaxed, wanting to cry and laugh at the same time. He recognized her as his mate. She’d read about how they mated and what it meant to them to have a true mate that called to their animals. It was powerful and once the bond was set in place, they’d go to great lengths to protect their mate.

It was all in the lessons she took on the ship during the space flight to Daeria, but she doubted it was real. Despite the fact she had a friend on earth who was mated to a wolf shifter, Reagan’s mind wouldn’t accept that true love existed.

She wanted that kind of connection with someone so deep, it touched her soul. However, she hadn’t a clue what it meant on an emotional level. Or was she even able to love someone? 

That’s why the surrogate program was so appealing. The shifters on Daeria needed mates to bear their young and repopulate the planet. But that wasn’t all they wanted. They needed companions to share their lives with.

Reagan feared she was too broken to love, but she could share a life with someone. As long as that someone didn’t slap her like every other person in her life.

“Reagan? Are you all right? You got quiet on me.” Ryse touched her cheek with the tips of his fingers. She jerked back out of reflex before she could stop the reaction. 

When he dipped his brows, she took his hand and pressed it to her face. “Sorry. It’s a lot to take in. Sorry I freaked.”

He pursed his lips before leaning in and pressing them to her forehead. The touch was light and warm and did crazy things to her insides. “You never need to apologize to me for anything.”

Much too soon, he stepped away and resumed pulling the suitcases down the sidewalk. The warmth of his body was gone, and she wanted to grab him and snuggle into that warmth. Needy much? 

His words touched a chord somewhere in her soul. It wasn’t the actual words because lord knows she’d heard them plenty of times. This was different. Ryse was different. The tone he used told her he spoke only the truth.

She followed him while watching his shoulders flex and roll as he moved. A smiled lifted her lips. At least she could have fun until the honeymoon period was over.