Table of Contents
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Also by Erin Bedford
Also by J.A. Cipriano
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
Thank You for reading!
Author’s Note
Swallowing Fire
Starcrossed Dragons Book 3
Erin Bedford
J. A. Cipriano
Copyright © 2018 by Erin Bedford & J.A. Cipriano
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Contents
Want to get this FREE?
Also by Erin Bedford
Also by J.A. Cipriano
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
Thank You for reading!
Author’s Note
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Also by Erin Bedford
The Underground
Chasing Rabbits
Chasing Cats
Chasing Princes
Chasing Shadows
Chasing Hearts
Fairy Tale Bad Boys
Hunter
Pirate
Thief
Mirror
Stepbrother
The Celestial War Chronicles
Song of Blood and Fire
Visions of War and Water
The Mary Wiles Chronicles
Marked By Hell
Bound By Hell
Deceived By Hell
Tempted By Hell
The Crimson Fold
Until Midnight
Vampire CEO
Granting Her Wish
Also by J.A. Cipriano
The Pen is Mightier
World of Ruul
Soulstone: Awakening
Soulstone: The Skeleton King
Bug Wars
Doomed Infinity Marine
Doomed Infinity Marine 2
The Legendary Builder
The Builder’s Sword
The Builder’s Greed
The Builder’s Pride
The Builder’s Wrath
The Builder’s Throne
The FBI Dragon Chronicles
A Ritual of Fire
A Ritual of Death
Starcrossed Dragons
Riding Lightning
Grinding Frost
Swallowing Fire
Elements of Wrath Online
Ring of Promise
The Vale of Three Wolves
Crystalfire Keep
Kingdom of Heaven
The Skull Throne
Escape From Hell
The Thrice Cursed Mage
Cursed
Marked
Burned
Seized
Claimed
Hellbound
The Half-Demon Warlock
Pound of Flesh
Flesh and Blood
Blood and Treasure
The Lillim Callina Chronicles
Wardbreaker
Kill it with Magic
The Hatter is Mad
Fairy Tale
Pursuit
Hardboiled
Mind Games
Fatal Ties
Clans of Shadow
Heart of Gold
Feet of Clay
Fists of Iron
The Spellslinger Chronicles
Throne to the Wolves
Prince of Blood and Thunder
Found Magic
May Contain Magic
The Magic Within
Magic for Hire
Witching on a Starship
Maverick
Planet Breaker
1
I used to love snow, especially on Earth. The first few flakes seemed like a magical experience every winter. I anticipated the first snowfall every year, longing to see that white powder cover the trees and the ground.
Not so much now.
If I never saw snow again, I would die a happy woman.
In Waesigar, the snow was not magical. It was just wet. And cold. It crawled into every crevice of your clothing until you were soaked through and your skin went numb.
Flying through it was worse because the small flakes of snow which seemed so harmless on the ground were now flying daggers intent on ripping the skin from my face.
I couldn’t wait to get into something dry and warm and a hot bath? That seemed like a dream come true for my aching bones.
“Fuck it’s cold,” I cried, hugging myself as my new wings beat ceaselessly at the stupid frozen air. They ached like a son of a bitch because I still wasn’t used to them. Sure, being able to fly was awesome, but flying in a blizzard for days after getting said wings? Not so much.
“Well, it is the frozen north,” Jack said, smiling at me and trying to calm me with his stupid smile. “And we’ll be there soon.”
“You said that a week ago and yet here we are, still frozen.” I glared at him as Firestar flew over to me from where he’d been at the front of the group, but even his superheated presence didn’t help. He was but a candle to the wrath of winter.
“Are you doing all right back there?” Firestar asked, real concern in his voice. Jack and Raiden flanked me. On the surface, it seemed like we were making good time, but if I was being honest with myself, I knew I was holding us back and making us have to stay out longer in the cold.
“I’m fine,” I yelled back over the whipping wind, but it came out more like a breathless squeak.
Raiden and Jack signaled to each other, something they often did, and never stopped to explain to me what they meant.
“Let’s take a break,” Jack commanded, pointing down to the ground.
My pride wanted me to argue, to reiterate that I was fine, but if I flew anymore, I would crash down on the snow-covered ground below. Then there would be no point in being able to fly in the first place.
We descended from the sky, but sadly there was no pretty clearing to make camp in. Nor trees for wood to build a fire. There was only miles and miles of snow-covered hills. I had been lucky to buy some clothing from the village we had passed on the way, or I really would have frozen to death by this point.
As we landed on the ground, my boots sunk into the foot-deep snow, and I rubbed my hands together to try to get some feeling back into them.
Glancing over at Jack, I noticed he wasn’t pink-cheek
ed and shivering like the rest of us. “Cold really doesn’t bother you, does it?”
Jack shrugged an elegant shoulder, still only clad in one of his expensive suits. “Not particularly. Low temperatures don’t bother ice dragons much.”
I wrapped my arms around myself, shivering through my thick jacket. I let my wings disappear, no longer having the energy to keep them out. Raiden brought me one of the blankets we kept rolled up in our packs and wrapped it around my shoulders. I took it with a grateful smile and watched as Firestar made our camp.
Out of all my dragons, Firestar was the one I worried the most about in the cold weather. Hot by nature, I’d thought he would have it worse than me, but he barely had a pink hue to his cheeks and only wore a leather jacket over his shirt and pants. Maybe his inner flame was keeping him warm?
He and Raiden cleared out some of the snow revealing the frozen ground beneath it. It looked like they were going to make a fire, but even if they did, there were no trees to burn.
“I really hope your brothers thought of everything or this is going to be the world’s shortest pit stop,” Firestar said, pulling out a dark purple bag with an intricate design of magic symbols that Raiden’s brothers had given us before we’d fled their lands.
“Me too,” Raiden replied, rubbing his hands together as Firestar began to rummage around in the bottomless bag. “It’d be silly not to pack firewood though since it can hold a nearly infinite amount of stuff.” He snorted. “That’s why they cost more than most kingdoms.”
“Guess wishes are horses.” Firestar reached into the bag and withdrew a bundle of wood before holding it out triumphantly. “Your brothers aren’t as dumb as I’d thought. Thank god.”
Raiden snorted before taking the wood from Firestar. “Here let me set it up. I’ve got a special trick that makes it easy to light no matter the weather.” He nodded to himself as he began to arrange the wood on the driest spot he could find, which wasn’t much since the snow had made everything damp. He carefully arranged the differing branches into a teepee where the inner layer was made from the thinnest, easiest to burn twigs before moving to heavier and heavier sticks.
“There.” He nodded triumphantly to himself when he was done. “Now let me just get the flint and we’ll—”
A ball of white-hot flame burst from Firestar’s outstretched hand, whipping right by Raiden and smacking into the fire with a whoosh.
“Hey!” Raiden shouted jumping up from the ground and beating at his clothing where the fire had singed him. “Watch where you’re aiming that thing.”
Firestar grinned, not at all sorry. “Then learn to move.”
He plopped the bag down on the ground and held his arm out to me. I didn’t think twice about curling into his warm embrace, his internal heat was far greater than my own.
Leaning my head against Firestar’s chest, I watched the flames burn and tried to be grateful that no one had chased us so far.
Instead, I did my best to let the fire melt all my troubles and over analyzing away. I wished I could be as carefree as the flames. They jumped and swirled almost like they were dancing. It was so mesmerizing I didn’t realize I had fallen asleep until Firestar shifted to wake me.
“Come, Maya,” he murmured into my ear and gave me a little nudge. “We must keep moving. It’s not far now.”
“Mmm,” I mumbled, snuggling close to his warmth. “Just five more minutes.”
“No.” Firestar stood, causing me to face plant into the cold ground.
Mother fucker. Mouth full of wet ground, I sputtered as I sat up. Letting out a growl, I glowered up at the fire dragon. “What was that for?”
Smirking, Firestar began to pack up the camp. “I know you well enough to know five more minutes means five more hours.”
I couldn’t really argue with that. I wasn’t a morning person. Hell, I wasn’t even a day person. If there was one thing I valued more than anything in this world, it was my sleep. I doubted that would change when I finally became pregnant. In fact, it would probably be worse, and I for one was looking forward to squirreling away my pregnant self for the winter and sinking into blissful slumber.
“Still! You didn’t have to drop me,” I snapped as I climbed to my feet. “I’d have gotten up … eventually.”
“Yes, well, I’d like to get to Jack’s home before nightfall, and we’ve already waited long enough.” Firestar nodded toward the sun only a few feet above the horizon. We wouldn’t make it by nightfall if I flew, I knew that better than any of them.
“How are your wings?” Jack asked, rubbing his hand on my back.
I tried to put on a strong face but failed. Sighing, I rubbed the back of my shoulders myself, trying to help Jack ease the aches. “Sore, tired. I’m not used to flying so much. Or at all.”
“It’ll get better,” Jack reassured me, his hand still caressing my back. “You have just begun to learn. You can’t push yourself so hard. No matter what anyone says.” He shot an icy glare at Firestar who ignored him.
“He’s right, Maya,” Raiden said after he finished putting out the fire. The cold winds that replaced it made me miss it already. “Even as children, most of us could only fly for short periods at a time in the beginning. You’re already doing far more than you should.”
“I know,” I sighed and flipped my braided hair over my shoulder. “I was just so happy to not be a burden anymore. I couldn’t bear to ask you to stop or carry me.”
“Maya.” Firestar snapped his hard gaze on me. “Do you really think we’d stick around for all this crap if we thought you were a burden?”
“Well, no.” I frowned and shuffled my feet.
“Then don’t bring it up again. We’re here for you. If you need something, tell us. If you’re tired, say so. And if you want one of us to carry you, just ask.” Firestar stopped in front of me and smacked me on the backside, making me yelp. “Or I’ll throw you over my lap and tan your hide red.”
Raiden smiled broadly at his words, and I knew the dragon was all too eager to have the threat come to life.
“Fine, fine,” I finally conceded and turned to Jack. “Would you mind carrying me the rest of the way?”
“It’d be my honor,” Jack half bowed, making me giggle as he stood and pulled me into his arms.
The ride this time wasn’t as bad. The air was still cold, and Jack’s frosty body temperature didn’t really help, but at least I wasn’t tired. I probably should have asked Firestar to carry me since I wouldn’t have been so cold, but my backside still stung after his little stunt, and I didn’t want to give him the opportunity for more teasing.
Eventually, when the sun had just set, we landed on a large hill just outside of a village. The wind had died down, but the snow had begun to fall. Even back on Earth, I’d never seen so much snow in one place, and I’d lived on the upper east coast.
Jack’s home reminded me of those little elf towns they made back on Earth during their winter celebrations. The homes looked to be wooden huts with chimneys blowing gray smoke into the air, twirling above the rooftops in wispy curls, almost making a design. The palace itself wasn’t a stone and mortar type of home like the rest of ours, but an even larger wooden hut with metal reinforcements holding it together. I suddenly wondered where the humans had gotten such an idea from and if it had been us or them who had stolen it.
“Jack,” I gasped, my mouth open as I stared at the sight. “It’s wonderful.”
“Yes, it is,” he agreed with that soft smile that was usually reserved for me alone.
“So, if you are the nephew of Lord Fafnir,” Raiden asked and pointed down into the village, “where do you live? Certainly not the palace?”
“, I do,” Jack answered, and a sadness covered his face. “My parents passed away not long ago, and since there is not a lot of wood to spare, we tend to live with relatives even when we have a family of our own.” He gave Raiden a smug look. “So, I do live in the palace.”
“Oh,” was all Raiden said in re
sponse. He wasn’t the only one who didn’t know how to respond to Jack’s reveal of his heritage. I wished I’d learned about it long before now.
I stood and placed my hand on Jack’s arm, knowing it was the only form of comfort I could provide that he would accept for something like this. He glanced down at me, his pale eyes filled with emotion, and it almost had me in tears.
“Jack, I-” I started to say but was cut off when something hit my nose. It was an awful scent, a mixture of burning meat and rotten eggs that made me gag. I barely spun around fast enough before my body rejected the contents of my stomach.
I threw up until there was nothing, but dry heaves left. A hand rubbed my back as another held my hair away from my face. My chest heaved as I glanced to see Jack and Raiden helping me. Firestar stood a bit apart from us, looking a bit green himself.
I was lucky we hadn’t eaten much on the way here, or I’d been throwing up even more. Why the sudden smell had caused such a reaction was beyond me. I usually had a strong stomach, so much so that Ryan on Earth and I used to have eating contests to see who would eat the most disgusting concoctions.
Well, except when I was on my period. Usually, during those times, I just wanted to roll in piles of chocolate and watch sappy movies. Now, though, even the thought of chocolate made my stomach jump, and I braced myself for more dry heaving.
When none came, my mind reminded me that my period should have hit on the way to Jack’s home. The fact that it hadn’t made my stomach roll. Sweat dripped down my back as a horrible realization came to mind.