Ian's Fall (Brotherhood of Bandits (Mating Fever) Book 2)

  table of contents

  Back Cover

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Books by M. Malone

  About the Author

  Copyright

  IAN’S FALL

  When Ian Drake is shot down after visiting dragon territory, his only thought is to warn his brothers of the coming danger. Attacked with some kind of chemical weapon, he is unable to shift into his dragon form. For the first time in years, the protector finds himself vulnerable and his salvation comes in a form he’d never expect. A woman.

  Morgan Hall is not beautiful or charming but armed with her knowledge of herbs and her healing touch, she’s vital to her small community in the Virginia mountains. She leads a quiet life but one filled with purpose. Nothing exciting ever happens to her and she’s okay with that.

  Until a dragon crashes into her backyard.

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  chapter one

  As Ian Drake flew lower and prepared to shift, he observed his land with pride. The mountains spread out below him like a feast, bursting with the first colors of spring. Although it wasn’t his exactly, he felt a sense of ownership over these mountains after they had served as his refuge for so many years. A refuge that he and his brothers had sorely needed.

  After their parents had been executed for treason, they’d been cast out of their ancestral lands. In the blink of an eye, they had gone from the spoiled princes of Rivenell, one of the mightiest dragon clans in the world, to destitute outsiders. His oldest brother had kept them together and somehow managed to find work so they wouldn’t starve. Other the years, they’d managed to build a thriving business locating and retrieving priceless objects for some of the world’s most influential people.

  Although they’d managed to build their own small clan, Ian still yearned for the chance to make things right. His older brother was the rightful king and even though Nate didn’t seem to care, Ian wanted him on the throne. His desire to see justice done had pushed him into riskier and riskier behaviors over the past few years. But what he’d just done was up there.

  If he’d been in his human skin, he would have grinned imagining his cousin Avan’s reaction when he discovered the former regent’s royal seal carved into every rock, tree and hill that Ian had been able to find. Each branch of the royal family in Rivenell had their own crest. It had been years since his father’s mark had been seen and Ian knew it would send a strong message.

  Despite what Avan thought, there were still dragons who supported the restoration of the rightful king to the throne. If they could organize them, there was a chance they could overtake Avan and the current regime.

  A whistle caught his ear. Two figures waved from below. He recognized Jonas and Sam, the young boys his brother Gavin had taken on as apprentices. Ian let out a roar of acknowledgment. Distrustful of humans in general, Ian had thought it was a foolish move to allow humans into their small clan at first. But he’d eventually had to admit that taking on some help was a good idea.

  It turned out that the two brothers actually had some dragon heritage but couldn’t shift. Nulls were rare in the dragon community and weren’t generally treated any better than humans. But despite his defect, Jonas had proven himself an asset many times over. He handled all their dealings with the local humans. Everyone mainly gave them a wide berth but it helped to have someone non-threatening to deal with the locals.

  Keeping the peace with the humans was a delicate balance between fear and mutual respect. Something he wasn’t good at. He tended toward aggression first and conciliation second. As his brother’s right hand, it was his job to watch his back and keep their little clan safe. Being the regent’s second in a small clan was no less difficult than in a big clan. Probably more so because they had fewer resources to work with. The fact that he was currently on a mission during Mating Fever proved that fact. He should be locked in his den working off the fever with a willing female.

  Ian grunted, the sound coming out on a bark of fire. Once he got back to his den maybe he would put in a call to one of the local women. There were always humans fascinated by dragon males so he never had trouble finding female company. But despite the fire burning through his system, the thought held little appeal. As the years passed, it was harder and harder to work up the enthusiasm to entertain a human woman who just wanted the chance to say she’d ridden a dragon. Now that his older brother had found his one true mate, the secret yearning to find something real was stronger than ever.

  Something flew by his ear and Ian flinched. The motion put him off course and that’s probably the only reason he saw the dart fly past. The dart that would have hit him if he hadn’t moved. Ducking into a twist and roll motion, Ian streaked through the sky. He’d been flying almost as long as he’d been walking and after a lifetime of flying with his brothers was particularly skilled at evading capture.

  His mind raced as he flew lower and darted through the trees. Had someone seen what he was doing in Rivenell last night? Why wait until now to follow him? More importantly, where the hell was he going to go?

  The last thing he wanted was to lead them to his land. If there had been time to warn his brothers of what was coming perhaps but he’d die before he led trouble to their door while they lay unsuspecting.

  Something flew right by his face. His ears registered the sound right before pain exploded everywhere.

  Ian was aware of himself falling but all of his focus was on pulling air into the lungs that currently felt like they were on fire. Bones popped and stretched as he shifted. He passed out and then woke as he shifted again, the process completely out of his control.

  Aware suddenly of how fast he was falling, he stretched his wings trying to slow his descent. It was a struggle to get his limbs to respond, like they were attached to his body but outside of his control somehow. The world around him was a blur of blue, green and orange as he streaked through the sky falling end over end. The trees below him rushed up to meet him.

  He had to shift. His scales would protect him somewhat and he’d sustain far fewer injuries in his dragon form. But as he concentrated with all of his focus, the part of him that was dragon was completely silent. It was like he was alone in his body for the first time since he’d shifted as a child. His dragon wasn’t going to be able to save him this time.

  As the ground got closer all he could think was, This is going to hurt.

  Morgan Hall examined the root in her hand carefully, looking for imperfections. She planned to use the sage in a special tea blend for her neighbor who was complaining of stomach pain. Plucking a few more leaves, she carefully tucked them into the satchel at her waist and continued walking, inspecting the new shoots she’d just planted the week before.

  The land she’d inherited from her grandmother had plenty of room for her to grow all the herbs she wanted but she’d erected a greenhouse as soon as she’d saved enough money. Unrestricted by the finicky Virginia seasons, she was able to grow everything she needed year round. She wasn’t blessed with great beauty or charm but being born into a long line of healers had its advantages.

  The people in the small community of Rivers End respected her and relied on her just as they had relied on her mother and grandmother before her. She had a place here. A purpose. Even if she sometimes wondered what else there might be out there in the world.

  She
pushed aside the thought. Her parents had tried for years to have a baby, finally blessed with a child in their forties. They called her their little miracle and loved her to pieces. She was so lucky to have parents who adored her. Even if their love was a little stifling at times. Sure, she wondered sometimes what it would be like to travel the world and see fantastic things but her parents would be lost if she left them. No matter how much her heart yearned for excitement, she couldn’t take it at their expense.

  At the thought of her parents, she doubled back and snapped off another sprig of sage. Her father’s arthritis was a constant source of pain but the balms she made for him helped. She wasn’t sure if he needed more yet but it was a good excuse to visit. She’d sent her assistant and best friend, Hailey, home early since she wasn’t feeling well so Morgan figured she might as well take a little break as well. It was a good day to visit her parents. Now that they were getting older, she worried about them puttering around their old cottage alone.

  A crash sounded right outside and the ground shook beneath her feet. Morgan covered her head instinctively at the loud sound.

  “What on earth was that?” Rising slowly, she glanced around. Several of the plants on the table had shifted but nothing had fallen at least. Had they had an earthquake? Earthquakes were pretty rare in Virginia and she’d only experienced one for the first time the prior year. It hadn’t been that scary, more like a mild trembling, so she didn’t think that was it. She opened the door and peered out. When she didn’t see anything, she walked out into the flat land that led directly to her cottage. That’s when she saw it.

  It was a dragon.

  Morgan covered her mouth with her hands and backed up slowly, hoping not to attract its attention.

  She’d seen a dragon before, of course. The dragons were considered the protectors of all of the small mountain communities. They sent representatives to trade for them and in exchange, they protected the towns. It had been that way for centuries, long before the rest of the world became aware of the existence of the drakaaren, as they called themselves. But seeing them from afar was nothing like what she was seeing now.

  The creature was in pain, that much was clear. Its head thrashed back and forth, displaying rows of razor sharp teeth. It was beautiful in a terrifying sort of way, all gold scales and powerful limbs. Morgan watched in shocked fascination as the scales retracted and the wings shrank, leaving a man writhing in the leaves. A roar pierced the air and then several more dragons flew overhead. He let out a soft mournful sound. Then he turned his head toward her and time stood still. Even through the pain in his eyes, Morgan felt the connection.

  He was afraid.

  Later, she’d probably wonder what the hell had been going through her mind but in that moment, she just reacted. Gathering leaves in her arms, she covered his torso and legs. Her wheelbarrow lay a few feet away, the herbs she’d gathered spilling out of it when it overturned. She picked up the handles and rolled it closer, placing it directly in front of his head. His pale skin was still visible in a few places so she kicked leaves over him until he was completely covered. There was another roar overhead and her heart dropped.

  They were getting closer.

  As she covered him, he rolled slightly and turned his face away from the dirt and leaves falling over him. He made another soft sound and Morgan glanced around frantically. She put a gentle finger to his lips.

  “Please, you have to be quiet. Your life depends on it.”

  Another roar sounded from above and Morgan knew she was out of time.

  chapter two

  Ian rolled over and tried to breathe through the scent of death. His mind was churning and even in that state, he knew that something wasn’t right. He was in danger. He tried to shift and felt terror unlike anything he’d ever known when nothing happened.

  He was completely defenseless.

  Then in the midst of the chaos in his mind, he smelled something perfect and right. A feminine fragrance that reminded him of sunlight and gold and blue skies. Something that was his alone. His dragon rumbled approvingly.

  My mate. Mi tesarik.

  A soft hand landed on his mouth, bringing the sweet fragrance closer. “Please, you have to be quiet. Your life depends on it.”

  He opened his eyes briefly and beheld the face of his angel. Then he was covered with something and he couldn’t see. It took a few minutes before he could understand what was happening. She was covering him with something wet and soft. His initial instinct was to fight. It was disorienting to be covered like this, the earth on his face blocking his sight and dulling his senses. That would have been his instinct under any other circumstances but instead a sense of peace and calm flowed through him. Her scent comforted him. He wasn’t sure how he knew but his mate was trying to protect him.

  The next time Ian woke, he could smell his mate but this time her scent was mingled with the scent of another male. Several other males. His heart started beating faster. He needed to protect her.

  His muscles tightened and he braced for his scales to descend. Nothing happened. Panic clawed at him as his memory started to come back. He’d been shot with something and couldn’t shift. Although he wasn’t sure exactly where he was, he’d been flying close to his land when he’d fallen.

  Ian recalled the fall, especially hitting so many trees on the way down. It had hurt but likely they were the reason he was relatively uninjured. He’d managed to shift into dragon form for the worst of it otherwise he’d have a few broken bones at least. Dragon shifters healed quickly but even they needed a few days to heal a broken bone.

  He didn’t remember anything after hitting the ground, just waking up to his angel’s sweet scent. His mate had covered him with leaves to keep him hidden from those men. He didn’t even know her name and he already owed her his life.

  Her voice drifted to him and he was finally able to make sense of what she was saying.

  “I heard this awful noise. Then it sounded like something thrashing around in the ravine. What’s going on? Is it safe for me to be here?”

  “It’s perfectly safe, Miss. We lost one of our comrades. He would have landed somewhere near here.”

  The male voice that answered her wasn’t familiar. Ian tensed anyway, every part of him wanting to rise up and tear the male standing near his mate to shreds. But thanks to whatever they’d shot him up with, he couldn’t do that. As weak as he was, he’d be lucky if he could even stand. The knowledge that he couldn’t protect himself or his mate was humbling and terrifying simultaneously. But his mate seemed to be handling things. She was as clever as she was beautiful.

  “Oh my. How scary. I hope you find him.”

  “He’s injured so it’s important we get to him right away. He needs medical attention.”

  Ian waited to see how she would respond. Would she believe it and tell them where Ian was hiding? Humans didn’t have a mating instinct the way dragons did so it was entirely possible that she didn’t feel the connection between them. He was just some wild creature that had fallen from the sky and possibly scared her.

  Don’t believe him, angel.

  “Oh no! What if that loud noise I heard was him falling in the water? He could be drowning down there.”

  Her voice was perfectly even and Ian closed his eyes, the sound igniting something deep inside. He didn’t hear the response and it seemed like ages passed before he heard footsteps. Hands brushed over him, clearing the leaves and debris from his face. The sunlight was harsh and he squinted in the late evening light as he struggled to roll over. Once all the leaves fell from his face, his angel came into view again. His heart thumped in his chest as he watched her. Long brown hair hung in unruly tangles around a heart shaped face. Eyes green as grass watched him warily.

  “I’m sorry. I had to wait until they flew away. I knew there was no way I could lift you so I borrowed this flatbed cart from my neighbor.” She glanced behind her at the wooden cart a few feet away.

  His pride swelled. “Tha
t’s not necessary. I can walk.” He pushed up onto his hands and then groaned as his head swam. He clamped his lips shut before he completely humiliated himself by vomiting on her shoes.

  “I don’t think so, mister. Here, lets get you up.”

  She clucked softly, the maternal sound making him want to curl up at her feet and whimper. When she put her arm under him, he instinctively gravitated toward her warmth. She was built solid, with large breasts and wide hips, exactly the way he liked. Desire ignited and he anchored an arm around her, pulling her against him. He buried his face into all that softness, groaning as her chest pillowed his head perfectly.

  “Oh! What are you doing?”

  Her shocked gasp drew his attention. Enough of his reason came back for him to acknowledge that burrowing into her cleavage probably wasn’t making the best impression.

  “Sorry.”

  “Well, I guess you don’t really know what you’re doing, do you? Up you go then.”

  Ian was ashamed to find that her assistance was completely necessary as she helped him to the cart. Luckily it was a flatbed, probably intended to transport dirt or building materials so he was able to curl up with only his legs hanging off the end.

  “What is your name, angel?” he mumbled, turning slightly to look at her.

  “Morgan.”

  “Ian.” The little bit of strength he had fled then and his head flopped down on his arms.

  “Nice to meet you.” She sounded amused.

  He wished he had the strength to look at her. He wanted to see her smile and watch those exquisite eyes twinkle. But when he tried to lift his head, he could barely lift it off his arms. He made a frustrated sound that she must have interpreted as pain.

  “Don’t worry, once I get you home I’ll get some medicine for your head. For now, you should rest. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.”