Dragons' Savior

When the courts end Dr. Vanessa Bryant’s career, she’s contacted by a secret government facility to work as a doctor—on another planet. Having no other option, she agrees. On planet Daeria, she finds her two escorts are sexier than sin. She’s going to have problems keeping her hands off them and staying professional.

Madden and Kian, dragon-shifters from Daeria, have been closer than brothers all their lives. Sharing one surrogate is more than ideal to them. They are overjoyed with the idea of becoming parents to help repopulate their planet. The problem is their female isn’t part of the program.

Vanessa is there as a healer, not their surrogate. Plus, not everyone’s happy about her presence. In fact, they’d kill to have her gone. When Vanessa disappears, Madden and Kian learn they need to save more than her life alone. It’s a race against time to convince her they’re her perfect mates and creating a family isn’t impossible.

Chapter 1

Long Beach, California, Earth - One year ago

It’d been over twenty-four hours since the trial and still no word on the medical board’s decision. Sadness replaced the dread in the pit of Vanessa’s stomach. She really didn’t expect to hear good news. None of the study cases and research notes on alternative procedures and practices that related to her case did any good. She’d spent her savings over the last six months on defending her case.

And her lawyer was no help.

Her career was over. She was jobless and moneyless. Who the hell would hire a doctor who killed her patient? No one. She’d filled out applications and sent her resume with credentials to medical facilities throughout the United States. Both private and government owned. 

Yet, she got nothing. No interview requests. Not even a kiss our ass.

She sighed and took a sip of her wine while staring at the TV. Some romantic comedy was on that she couldn’t remember the name of. She muted the romcom hours ago. The sound of people talking at the moment racked against her nerves.

God, she needed to get out of the house. Go for a walk on the beach. That always made her feel better. Usually.

Her phone rang, and she closed her eyes while counting to three. Her insides churned with anxiety. After clearing her throat, she answered, “Dr. Bryant.”

“Hi, Vanessa.” Tiffany, a colleague from the hospital she used to work at, sounded disappointed. 

Vanessa’s chest tightened and her gut twisted into a knot. Dread flared like a wildfire threatening to break her down. “Hello, Tiffany. They’re taking my license.”

“I’m sorry. The nurses and I tried. The sentencing is tomorrow if you wanted to come.” Tiffany fell silent.

“No, I don’t.” She didn’t need to be there for them to tell her she couldn’t practice medicine anymore. Gripping the phone tighter, she tried to calm the raging anger building inside her. The sorry ass excuse of a lawyer she hired should have been the first to tell her. “Thank you for the heads up.”

Vanessa ended the call and tossed her phone on the couch cushion beside her. It bounced and fell to the floor. She left it there while she waited for the emotions to overwhelm her. Yet, no tears formed. In fact, she felt nothing. She was numb.

After a few minutes, her phone rang again. That’d better be Frank, her lawyer calling. Anger surfaced. He was supposed to be the best out there. And he was supposed to be her friend. That last thought hurt her heart. He could have tried harder.

Snatching up the phone from the floor, she hit the button to answer without looking to see who it was. “Thanks for nothing, Frank. I already heard they are suspending my license. Did you even try to build a case with all the research I did?”

There was a moment of silence before a male’s voice she didn’t recognize spoke. “Dr. Vanessa Bryant?”

Her heart dropped to her feet. “Yes. Sorry. It’s been a rough day.”

“Sorry to hear that.” He paused, and she heard the rustling of paper before he continued. “I’m Jon Stone with Delta General. You submitted your resume to us a few months back. Upon looking over your credentials, we believe you would be a good fit for an upcoming program. We’d love for you to come in and talk with us. How is tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m.?”

Words failed her and her mind swirled. Delta General? Did she apply there? Where was there? “I, um…Yes, I’ll be there.”

“Great. I’ll email you the directions to our facility. We look forward to meeting with you.” He disconnected the call.

Vanessa stared down at her phone for several long moments. She had an interview. Right after being kicked to the curb by the medical board. Her phone chimed, and the email notification popped up. Curiosity nagged at her and she opened the email. Delta General wasn’t a hospital, but a privately-owned aerospace company.

What kind of program did they have that needed a doctor? She guessed she’d find out in the morning.

* * *

Delta General was much more than a medical facility. The campus was a mix of military base and NASA. Suspicion nagged at the back of Vanessa’s mind as she rolled through the security checkpoint, then parked her car.

She entered the large main building and went straight to the circular wooden receptionist desk in the center of the room. Her heels clicked against the polished white tile floor. When she reached the desk, the receptionist glanced at her and smiled. “Hello, how can I help you?”

“Dr. Vanessa Bryant. I have an interview with Jon Stone.”

The receptionist nodded, her brown eyes sparking with interest as she typed on her keyboard. “He will be out in a few. Please have a seat.”

“Thank you.” Vanessa moved to the far wall and studied the hanging pictures. Some were of space. Others were of spaceships and rockets. Definitely not your typical hospital.

The sound of footsteps in the distant drew her attention to the hallway on the other side of the receptionist’s desk. An older man advanced toward her. When their eyes met, he inclined his head and offered a small smile. 

Vanessa met him halfway and held out her hand. “Mr. Stone?”

He shook her hand. “Yes. It’s so nice to meet you.” He motioned for her to follow him down the hallway. “The program will benefit from someone with your experience and knowledge.”

They entered an elevator and Vanessa frowned. “I’m sure you know the medical board had suspended my license to practice.”

“It is why I had to wait to contact you.” He swiped his badge then met her stare. “I’ll explain in the meeting. There will be two others joining us. It’s best that you hear us out before making a decision.”

A sensation of weirdness crawled up her spine. She wanted to ask what type of program would need a doctor that couldn’t practice medicine, but she figured he wouldn’t answer her questions until they were in the meeting room. She opted to remain silent, for the time being.

The elevator door opened to a large room with a couple of sofas, chairs, and tables arranged like a lounge or coffee house. Jon directed her to the left where a conference room was framed in glass. A man sat at each end of the long rectangle table. When she entered the room, they both stood. The one closest to the door offered her a handshake.

She noticed how warm it was and how his blue eyes seemed to glow from within. A shifter. It was no secret shifters lived among them. Rumors floated that they were aliens who settled on Earth hundreds of years ago, maybe thousands. Vanessa had treated a few who’d been brought into the ER.

“It’s good to meet you, Doctor. I’m Nigel, the program liaison.” A playfulness mixed with excitement lit up his features.

“Nice to meet you too.” Vanessa released his hand and moved to sit at the center of the table.

Jon walked around to the other side to sit across from her. He motioned to the man at the other end of the table. “This is Bob; he’s the program manager.”

Vanessa nodded in greeting. “Good morning. What is this program and why do you need a human doctor?”

Nigel laughed. “What makes you think it is a non-human project?”

Vanessa pulled out a pen and a small notebook from her tote bag. “Then why are you the liaison?”

“Touché.” He smiled wide. “I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors that shifters are from another world. Well, they’re true. My planet, Daeria, is dying. We are a little over a year out from a war that killed off our females. Our council, in conjunction with Earth officials, has developed a program to help rebuild our planet and our species.”

When he paused, Vanessa stared at him with her brows raised. He lifted a manila folder out of his messenger bag and handed it to her. “It’s a surrogate program. We are asking volunteers—females—to move to Daeria—”

Vanessa held up her hand. “Wait a minute. A surrogate program? So, we volunteer to be sex slaves for an alien shifter planet?”

Nigel frowned. “Not slaves. And you can return to Earth anytime you want if you decide it’s not for you. Yes, you will be there to help fill the void, for lack of a better phrase, that was created when our females were poisoned.” Darkness clouded his features for a brief moment before he forced the pleasant smile back. “Being a surrogate would be like an arranged marriage. You’re not expected to have children right away. You call the shots and move at your own pace.”

Children were something Vanessa had never considered. It wasn’t that she didn’t like kids. She just wasn’t interested in having any of her own. She loved her career too much. Being a doctor kept her busy enough to not think about marriage or a family or how lonely she was. “What if the shifter that a surrogate is paired with isn’t a fit for her? Like their personalities clash.”

“You can request to be moved or go home.” Nigel reached over and opened the folder in front of her. “This outlines your terms.”

Vanessa glanced down and gasped as she read the first couple of lines.

All debts the Surrogate has accumulated will be cleared and forgiven with no penalties. She will also be reimbursed for her recent legal fees.

She met Nigel’s gaze. “Is this legal? It’s buying us off.”

Jon cleared his throat. “No, it’s a trade between one planet and another. Our government forgives your debt. Daeria pays for your travel, your food, your housing, and—in your case—your legal fees, including a large settlement for the family of your patient.

“There are other terms that benefit you as well. You don’t need a license to be a doctor on Daeria. You will train and work alongside the healer of the house you are placed with. We actually prefer our healers to think with their emotions and intuitions. It’s how their magic works.” Nigel handed her a pen. “Your level of excellence is what we need. Our healers don’t have much experience with humans. We are uncertain if their abilities even work on your kind.”

“I’m not sure about volunteering as a surrogate. A doctor, yes.” Vanessa glanced at the file again and scanned over the pages briefly. Leaving Earth didn’t bother her. The surrogate part of the deal was another issue. 

Bob chose that moment to speak. “The terms aren’t negotiable. Everyone who goes will be placed in the program.”

Vanessa didn’t like Bob. “Then the answer is no.” She stood and held out her hand to Nigel.

He glared at Bob and she could tell he didn’t care for the other man either. “I have the authority to negotiate your terms. If you will consider going, I’ll make sure you are not placed with a male as a surrogate.”

Vanessa nodded. “Thank you. I’ll need some time to think it over. Can I have a couple of days?”

“Of course.” Nigel pulled out his business card. “This is my Earth comm…um, I mean, cell phone. You can reach me via text or email as well. I’ll be here for another week.”

“Thank you.” She repeated then turned to the other two men. “It was nice meeting you.”

She left the conference room and didn’t let out her breath until she was secure in the elevator. Go to another planet and work as a doctor? Could she do that? It wasn’t like she had a job or a family holding her in place.

Still, it was a lot to consider. Was she being crazy for wanting an escape from her pathetic life? She wanted a fresh start. A new life. On an alien planet.

Ten months later

Planet Daeria

Madden parked the transporter—aka bus—outside the hotel the four females were taken to after they arrived on Daeria earlier that afternoon. Azar—the dragon king’s right hand and best friend—was the first out of the bus. Madden shook his head. It wasn’t like Azar to go against the rules. That was precisely why Madden came along. As did Shade and Ryse. 

The four of them had known each other for most of their lives. Trained together, fought together, and with each other, and protected their king together. They were brothers in all the ways that mattered. And they each had their roles as part of the Royal Guard.

Madden was the dragon prince of the Nightflames dragons. In a lot of ways that made him the beta. But he was also the dragon healer and preferred to heal his people instead of ordering them around. 

Shade and Ryse were enforcers who worked directly under Daven, their military general.

When Madden exited the transporter, the scent of rosemary and mint hit him full force. Instant desire filled him. What the fuck was going on?

“Fuck me,” Ryse said as he emerged from the transporter. “Do all females smell this damn good?”

Madden frowned and glanced at Azar as the male stepped ahead of them, leading the way to the side entrance of the hotel. When they reached the door, Azar stopped them before opening it. “We are to get in and out.”

Ryse chuckled, quickly turning into a full-on laugh. He pointed at Azar. “Oh man, I am so glad I came along. The high and mighty Azar is breaking rules. And I get to witness it.”

Rolling his eyes, Azar ignored the dragon. “In and out. No drawing attention from anyone. The Wintervale wolves can’t know until Voss fixes the paperwork.”

“Roll on, outlaw.” Ryse snickered as if holding in his laugh.

Madden smiled and followed the others inside. This was getting better and better. However, the closer he got to the females’ room the more on edge his dragon became. The intoxicating scent he caught outside intensified, sparking off embers of desires he hadn’t felt in a long time.

When the door to the room opened and they entered, Madden saw her. Her blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders as she walked across the room to throw something in the waste can.

Azar rushed forward, crossing the room to a female with brown hair. “Gianna, you’re sunburned.”

She met Azar’s gaze and closed her fingers around his like she was comfortable doing so. “It was worse earlier. We went out to the pool and I fell asleep.”

Madden closed the distance, going into healer mode. Without touching her, he noted her skin was pink and seemed to be fading. “How did it heal so fast?”

Gianna pulled her hand away from Azar’s grasp and darted into her room. A moment later, she came back with an amber jar in her hand. She handed it to Madden. “One of the hotel staff gave me that. It’s like a magical burn cream.”

The female with the blonde hair stepped up next to Gianna. Madden stiffened, and his body hummed at the nearness of the female. “We don’t know if he worked for the hotel. He said it was made with abretty berries and scianna bark.”

Madden opened the jar and sniffed, then frowned. It was as she said, but with other ingredients. “Abretty sap is also in here. The berries help to cover up the natural scent of the scianna bark.” He lifted his gaze to Gianna. “Did you have a reaction to the cream? Like a rash or discomfort of any kind?”

Gianna shook her head. “No. The redness and sting from the sunburn faded almost immediately.”

Madden relaxed and handed the cream back to her. “Sorry to alarm you. I’m not sure what humans are sensitive to.”

Gianna’s features relaxed and then brightened. She took the jar back as Azar introduced Madden. “This is Madden. He’s the Nightflame healer.” 

The blonde straightened and stared at Madden with interest. “A doctor?”

The low hum in Madden’s body turned into a vibration. His dragon paced. The beast wanted out to meet the female. “Yes. I run the medical center in Night City.”

She smiled wide and Madden was lost. His dragon growled out, “Mine.”

The female was his mate.

* * *

Vanessa’s insides were a bundle of nerves as she sat in the passenger seat of the van-size transporter. Which didn’t make sense to her. During the processing, testing, and studying all she could about Daeria, she remained calm and a little excited to start her new adventure. And she was relaxed during the space flight to the planet. 

However, since Madden—dragon hottie and healer—picked up her and her friends, Raegan, Gianna, and Katrina from the hotel, Vanessa’s insides began to shake. Butterflies swarmed in her belly and a wildfire of desire flooded her system. Why was she so nervous?

She glanced to the backseat to the other women. They were engaged in soft conversations with the guys. Madden, however, didn’t speak much on the drive to his home. She wasn’t sure what she expected him to say. The whole program was as new to them as it was to Vanessa and the other women. It wasn’t every day that an alien shifter planet made a deal with Earth to set up a voluntary surrogate program to rebuild and populate their dying planet.

However, Vanessa wasn’t a surrogate. She was there to work beside the healers, learn from them, and be the doctor she’d always dreamed of being.

Falling for the healer next to her wasn’t part of the agreement. 

Madden pulled the large bus into an underground garage and parked. He was out of the vehicle and opening her door before she got her seatbelt off. Vanessa sucked on her bottom lip and met his gaze. Sparks of light like tiny stars brightened against midnight-blue irises. Her heart sped up as she lost herself in those eyes. Heat filled her, doing crazy things to her insides.

She wasn’t the type that believed in instant love. Lust, maybe. But there was something alluring about him. It made her want to know everything about him. When he held out his hand, she took it. Tingles of awareness nipped at her skin like tiny electric currents. That had to be the lust talking.

“Our house is the first one along the path. It’s not far from the main house.” He helped her out of the transporter then collected her bags from the back.

She followed him while smiling politely to Gianna, Reagan, and Katrina as they went their separate way with their guy. She noted Gianna and Azar heading to an elevator inside the garage. Turning her attention back to Madden, she asked, “Main house?”

He tilted his head up to gesture above them. “The Royal Estate is above the garage. The main house is where Azar and my brother, Voss, live.”

“Oh.” Vanessa watched Madden balance her overnight bag while he popped up the handle on her larger suitcase. “Do you need help?”

He shook his head as he pulled the handle then placed the overnight bag on top of the suitcase. “I got it.”

Leaving the garage, they walked up the driveway then along a stone walkway. The evening was somewhere between warm and cool—pleasantly comfortable. Floral scents fragranced the air. Some were familiar like the hint of rose mixed with other scents she’d never smelled before. “Is there a garden nearby?”

“Yes.” He stepped closer to her so that their hands brushed together. The electric feeling twisted around her arm. Madden pointed to the right. “We can walk through the garden if you like. My mom planted each tree, bush, and flower in there. I’m amazed it survived the war.”

There was a hint of a growl in his tone at the last statement. His features darkened slightly, and he dipped his head, hiding his reaction from her. Not knowing what else to do, she stretched her fingers out so they touched his. Instantly he linked their hands, then released a sigh.