“Ryanna, wait up,” Harper says, bounding to my side. “So this should be interesting,” she says. “You, me, the guys, and Raiht’vi on a mission to find a way off this planet.” She raises her eyebrows as she mentions the scientist. “Is it just me, or does the way Raiht’vi says the word ‘human’ sound like an insult?”
I giggle, picturing the arrogant Zorahn. “Definitely not just you. I’m pretty sure she thinks we’re one evolutionary step above pond scum, bless her heart.”
Harper cackles. “This is why I love you, Ryanna. You’re so nice, and everything you say sounds so sweet in that Georgian accent of yours. But whenever you say ‘bless your heart’ I hear something else.” She winks at me.
“Don’t tell anyone.” I grin back at her. “My grandma used to say ‘bless your heart’ is Southern for ‘fuck you.’”
“Wouldn’t dream of it. All these Draekons think you’re a peach.”
“If they knew what a peach was.” I swallow as homesickness hits me hard.
“Yeah.” Harper sobers up. “You think this mission will work?”
“I don’t know.”
“Hey, at least you’ll get to hang with Thrax. What?” She shrugs when I stare at her. “I see the way you look at him. He’s cute. You should go for it.”
I stiffen. “No,” I say a little too sharply. “I mean… before I left, I had a bad breakup.”
More like a bad break. My arm, in three places, not to mention the bruises and a black eye.
“I’m sorry.” She pats my arm, an understanding expression on her face.
“It’s fine,” I shrug, wanting to change the topic. I don’t like talking about what happened back home.
Harper heads off to the house she shares with her mates. I’m not jealous, not exactly. Sure, I notice the way Vulrux and Dennox look at her, but when I imagine a man looking at me the same way… my stomach tightens. A loving look, a gentle touch—they all lead to darker memories. I’m never going down that road again. No matter how cute I think Thrax is.
Footsteps behind me make me whirl. I sigh in relief as Thrax falls into place at my side. The Draekon is almost two feet taller than me and ripped like a prize fighter, but I’ve never felt threatened by him. “You’re determined to come with us, aren’t you?” he asks me unhappily.
I will not live my life in fear.
“Are you going to try and talk me out of it?” In the time I’ve known him, Thrax has always treated me as if I were strong and capable. He’s never acted as if I was a liability. For him to try to dissuade me from this mission…
“Zorux is right. The Lowlands are dangerous.”
I’m used to living in a state of constant terror. No matter how dangerous the Lowlands are, I feel safer on the prison planet, scary predators and all, than I did back home in Georgia. “I’m not helpless,” I say quietly, trying to convince myself as much as him.
Without meaning to, I’ve scooted closer to him as we walk. The Draekon even smells good. A little smoky, like bourbon or tobacco. The scent reminds me the evenings my grandpa sat on the porch smoking his pipe. One of my better memories of Earth, of a time I was loved and safe.
He gives me a warm smile. “Not at all,” he agrees. “Your first day here, you faced down a trio of Dwals and shot two of them. You saved Sofia and Harper’s lives. How can anyone think of you as helpless?”
He’s right. I did do that. I smile at him, grateful for the words of support. “Thank you, Thrax.”
Goodbye, nice and safe Draekon camp.
Hello, crazy jungle world.
I’m ready for you.
There might be a way out of the prison planet. The only problem? I don’t want to go.
Back on Earth is a man who wants to kill me.
Back on Earth, I slept with a knife under my pillow to be safe.
There’s no coffee on the prison planet. No pizza. No chocolate.
I should be thrilled that there might be a way back home.
Except I don’t want to return.
Here, I feel safe.
Because Mike isn’t here.
And because Thrax and Zorux are.
But I’ve sworn off guys.
No matter how hot they are.
No matter how much I want to kiss them.
No matter how much I want to run my hands all over their hard bodies…
Because there are a hundred reasons why the three of us shouldn’t be together.
There’s still no sign of my friends.
The rescue attempt is spiralling into disaster.
And most importantly, I’m fairly sure that the Draekons I’m falling in love with aren’t my mates.
Draekon Heart is the third book in the Dragons in Exile series. It’s a full-length, standalone science fiction dragon-shifter MFM menage romance story featuring a wary human female, and two sexy aliens that win her trust and her heart. (No M/M) Happily-ever-after guaranteed!
