The Dragon's Distrust

Heart of the Dragon, Book
4

The Dragon’s
Distrust

By:

Eva Weston

Heart of the Dragon Book 4 -- The
Dragon’s Distrust

Copyright © 2013 Eva Weston

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this
book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without
written permission of the author.

Edited by Cameron Hill

Cover art by Erin
Dameron-Hill
www.facebook.com/edhgraphics
,
www.edhgraphics.blogspot.com

Dedicated to the love of my
life who keeps me inspired and always craving more—this is to you
my darling husband.

Eva Weston’s Other Books:

THE DRAGON’S DESIRE Book 1
of the
Heart of the Dragon
Series.

THE DRAGON’S DEN Book 2 of
the
Heart of the Dragon Series.

THE DRAGON’S DALLY Book 3 of
the
Heart of the Dragon Series.

AWAKEN Book 1 of
The Dragon Lords Series.

THE CURSE OF DESIRE an Erotic Fairy
Tale.

SINFUL LUST an Erotic Fairy
Tale.

More books will be released soon
including the Paranormal Romance series, SUPERNATURAL LOVE, which
features werewolves, fey, aliens, werelions, and
chimeras.

COMING SOON!

CARNAL PERSUASION an Erotic Fairy
Tale

BETRAYAL Book 2 of
The Dragon Lords Series

THE DRAGON’S DESTINY, BOOK 5
of the
Heart of the Dragon
Series.

To learn more about upcoming releases
and the author, Eva Weston, please visit her blog,
evaweston.blogspot.com She hosts guest authors, has a FREE READ,
posts excerpts, and will begin posting special Dragon recipes that
are favorites of Aristo, Stephan, Emeril, Narcil, Robert, Patryck,
Baric, Brynt, Damon, and others!

Chapter 1

The situation was awkward. Intimate
acts changed everything. Princess Tania’s embarrassment knew no
bounds. Every now and then, raw images of Patryck atop her would
reveal themselves and she could feel her cheeks flush. Each time
her cheeks turned the color of apples, she knew Patryck was
smiling.

She could feel his emotions. It was as
if they were now linked and they shared private thoughts and
feelings.

Tania clenched her jaw and held her
legs tight against her chest. She hadn’t been the same since she
and Patryck entwined limbs. She felt guilty. She betrayed Aristo’s
trust. She was nothing more than a whore. She deserved to be cast
out, left in the woods, and left for the wolves to devour. Because
it was more than just guilt that gnawed at her—she still lusted for
Patryck. Her lust was a sickness—a sickness that grew in her mind.
She disgusted herself. Her father used to say, “Where sickness was,
so bad things followed.” He had said that when she was five years
old. A plague unlike any they had seen before had spread among the
village and neighboring farms. Once the people caught the sickness,
then food became scarce, soldiers could no longer guard or fight,
children were lost to Death, and all their stores
vanished.

Tania felt mentally sick and so she
knew bad things would soon come. It was inevitable.

She glanced across the campfire still
raging in the forest clearing. Patryck remained seated on a felled
log as he watched over her and the surviving, unconscious
prisoners. Thomas had yet to return with the other dragons. It had
been days since he left. During his absence, Patryck and Tania
rarely spoke. The days passed in complete silence. Tania supposed
Patryck was keeping his distance for her benefit and so he
should.

She ignored the fact she might be
pregnant. Out of sight, out of mind. Ignoring it was far easier
than facing the truth.

She had yet to forgive Patryck. She
didn’t believe she ever would.

Yet, she could not seem to turn her
gaze from him. Her stare wandered up every curve of his arm, along
his broad shoulders, down his strong chest, across his chiseled
abdomen, and…lower. Patryck did not bother to conceal himself—he
showed his nakedness to the world. Secretly, Tania enjoyed the
show.

Her gaze then turned dark. She hated
him and despised herself for her new feelings. If it wasn’t for
Patryck, she wouldn’t be tossing and turning in the night as
dragons made love to her. Yes, she had dreams of making love to
dragons. Each night, each time she rested and closed her eyes, she
had found herself intimate with yet another dragon. Patryck had
been the stone that broke the dam. He had given her these
fantasies, somehow he had. If she had Aristo with her…her inner
tirade was silenced. If only she had Aristo. Her heart broke a
thousand times with each thought of him. It took every ounce of
strength she possessed to continue on without him.

Tania’s musings quickly died. A loud
roar echoed throughout the forest. Trees were lit like torches as
thick smoke clouded her vision.

Dragons were coming. They were
searching for her.

She stood up and waved her hands in the
air, desperate to get their attention. She gestured at Patryck to
help but he shrugged and continued sitting.

“They have already found us. There’s no
need to flail,” he said grumpily. He had not been kind to her these
past few days. His ego had been badly bruised because of her
rejection.

Tania ignored him. A large grin grew on
her face as she spotted a golden dragon gleaming in the firelight
and sunlight. It was Stephan. He had found her. She narrowed her
eyes through the haze. There were no other dragons with him. He was
alone. Where was Aristo?

If Aristo was not with him, then was
Aristo able to fly? Had they found Aristo? Was he at the Den
suffering? Had her father tormented him beyond repair? The
questions did not ease her tortured heart.

The moment Stephan landed, Tania rushed
toward him.

With cracking bones and swirling smoke,
Stephan morphed into a man. His long, golden blonde hair reflected
the light as his green eyes shone like the brightest emeralds. He
stood tall and proud in his nudity just like every other dragon
except Stephan was the Master of all dragons. He carried a certain
air about him, an air that no dragon could match. His bearing said
he meant business.

He wore a large smile of relief as his
gaze landed upon Tania. He looked happy to see her.

Tania grabbed his hands, “Where is
Aristo?” She quickly remembered her manners and the strange
conversation she had with Stephan a few days ago and finished the
question with, “my Lord”.

His smile faded somewhat, “I am glad
you are safe, Tania. I ran into Thomas on the way here and he said
he had left you with prisoners and with Patryck,” he shot a
quizzical glance at Patryck, “I couldn’t decide which would be
worse for you.”

Patryck scoffed.

“What of Aristo?”

He sighed heavily, “We do not know
where Aristo is.”

“No,” Tania whispered. Her worst
nightmares were coming to life.

Stephan stepped closer toward Tania and
placed both of his hands on her trembling shoulders, “We will find
him.”

“Promise me, my Lord.”

“I promise.”

Tania reached forward and placed her
head on his warm chest. Baby fine blonde hairs tickled her nose.
She nearly sneezed but she continued to press her cheek against
him. He wrapped two large brawny arms around her and kept her
close. He kissed the top of her head, “I am so sorry we have not
found Aristo yet. But know that we will.”

Tania sniffled. Where was her Aristo?
Was he in pain? The thought of her father’s abuse on the prisoners
played in her mind as she imagined him hurting Aristo in the same
fashion. Tears clung to her face and she wept for her lost
lover.

“Please don’t weep,” Stephan said
gently. He placed another tender kiss on the top of her head. He
pulled her closer, if that was possible. As he took a deep breath,
he pulled back abruptly, “Why do you smell of Patryck?”

Tania’s lungs hitched. She would have
to confess. She dug her head into Stephan’s chest but he pushed her
back softly, “Answer me.” The look on his face would have taken the
heart of her. He was confused, angry, and most importantly, hurt.
Tania did not have to answer. He already knew.

With wet eyes she gazed into his sad
face. His eyes were no longer shining, instead a harsh shadow, like
that of a rabid beast, took up residence. Her lips trembled, her
hands shook, as she was riddled with fear, “Patryck…” was all she
was able to say before the man interrupted.

Patryck stood up and march toward them
with a determined look on his face, “Yes, blame me, Princess. It
was all my fault.” His sarcasm was showing, “She liked it, Stephan.
She begged for more.” He taunted the Sun Dragon like all immature,
angered young men will do. And just like all immature dragons, he
would find himself at the receiving end of Stephan’s
wrath.

Stephan tightened his hand into a fist
and slammed it into Patryck’s cheek. Patryck lunged at him. They
tussled and rolled in the cracking fire and burning leaves. Sparks
erupted like shooting stars as each landed punch after punch. Tania
had the feeling Stephan was holding back. He was. Stephan was the
Master dragon and all other dragons bowed to him.

Stephan stood up in the midst of the
flames and as Patryck followed suit, Stephan merely glowered. A
sound like that of thundered echoed in the forest clearing. Birds
took flight. Wolves howled in the distance. Tania glanced at the
trees surrounding her—worms, squirrels, and other small critters
scurried off in a hurry. She then looked at Stephan. He had just
commanded his dragon to relent. Patryck was kneeling in front of
Stephan with his head hung low.

“Now that the pettiness is over with,”
Stephan spoke evenly, “Tania, did this young dragon force himself
on you?”

It would be much easier if she was to
play the role of victim, but she could not. Secretly, she had
wanted Patryck’s attention. She longed to be the center of
attraction for all dragons. She could not deny that small piece of
her. But after Stephan’s power glare, she wasn’t sure if she should
tell the truth. Perhaps lying would save her from his disappointed
stare.

She pursed her lips and slunk to the
ground, crying, “No,” she sobbed.

A low, guttural growl escaped Stephan’s
lips and Tania shivered. She did not wish to be the cause of his
ire. She had always been afraid of him and now she was terrified.
Aristo was not here to protect her from the Master. Patryck would
not be able to save her. He was the youngest and therefore, he was
at the bottom of the hierarchy.

She closed her eyes and waited for the
Master Dragon to finish her for betraying his brother and for not
choosing him. She wanted to be punished. She deserved to be treated
with cruel malice. No wonder her father had beaten her—she was a
wretch of a human being and should never have been born.

Instead, something else happened that
took her by surprise. Stephan bent over her and pulled her into a
large hug, “I knew this day would come. I just hoped it wouldn’t be
with Patryck. I hoped it would be with me.”

Tania swallowed hard. She was very
confused, “What do you mean?”

Stephan sighed, “You are the Dragon
Mother. Do you know what that duty entails?”

She shook her head.

“It means you will desire every dragon
you come across so that you can be our legacy. You will long for
our seed even if you do not love us.”

Tania whimpered, “No. I don’t believe
it. I won’t. I love Aristo. What happened with Patryck,” she
gestured toward him and shook her head, “I didn’t mean to hurt
you.”

“You didn’t, Princess,” Patryck
responded.

“But I love Aristo.”

“You can claim that all you wish,”
Stephan said, “and you can believe it just as we do. But you will
continue to lust after other dragons. You cannot control the magic
inside you.”

“That seems like an excuse to…” she
couldn’t find the correct words to describe her feelings. It was as
if being a Dragon Mother gave her the right to be a whore. She did
not wish to be anyone’s plaything but Aristo’s. She belonged to him
just as he belonged to her. What if the roles were reversed? What
if Aristo could not help his lust and so he slept with every woman
he came across? She would not be forgiving. And she knew he would
not forgive her for this mistake no matter if she was the Dragon
Mother or not. He would despise her just as she despised
herself.