Grinding Frost: A Reverse Harem Dragon Fantasy (Starcrossed Dragons Book 2) Read online

  Table of 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

  Thank You for reading!

  Author’s Note

  Grinding Frost

  Starcrossed Dragons Book 2

  Erin Bedford

  J. A. Cipriano

  Copyright © 2017 by Erin Bedford

  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

  Thank You for reading!

  Author’s Note

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  Visit J.A. on Facebook or on the web at JACipriano.com or visit Erin on Facebook or on the web at ErinBedford.com.

  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

  World of Ruul

  Soulstone: Awakening

  Soulstone: The Skeleton King

  Bug Wars

  Doomed Infinity Marine

  The Legendary Builder

  The Builder’s Sword

  The Builder’s Greed

  The Builder’s Pride

  The Builder’s Wrath

  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

  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

  Nothing was more awkward than having lunch with my family. Correction. Nothing was more awkward than having lunch with my family and all three of my current lovers. Even more so when one of them wouldn't stop pawing me under the table.

  I flushed with pleasure and pushed at Firestar’s hand for the third time, but he was relentless. His fingers dipped between my thighs, and I snapped my legs together to squeeze them out. I shot Firestar a warning look as I picked up my glass.

  “So, Firestar,” my sister, Aeis, started and looked up from her meal, eyes full of suspicion. “What exactly happened when Aeis came to see your father? I thought you and he weren't speaking?”

  “We weren't,” Firestar answered placing his hand on top of mine and smiling. “But Maya helped us work through our issues and come up with a plausible solution.”

  I gave Firestar a small smile in return not because it was expected, but because I genuinely liked seeing him. If it hadn’t been for Firestar, I wouldn’t be in the mess I was in now, but I didn’t blame him for it. I’d known how my father would react when I’d brought Firestar home with me.

  That wasn’t the real problem though. Not really anyway. My anger had gotten the better of me, and I’d made a bad situation even worse.

  When I’d announced I was pregnant, my father, while angry for a time, rejoiced at finally having an heir to our legacy.

  My sister and mother had not.

  They had both looked at me with suspicious eyes. Since then, I hadn't given them any reason to doubt me. The guys had doted on me like expectant fathers. But behind closed doors, they found every opportunity to make me moan and scream. Except for Jack.

  This was the same Jack who'd gone out of his way to give me a small amount of time on Earth. He had let me show him all my favorite places. We were comfortable with each other now, so much so, we didn’t think about it when we casually touched each other.

  Sure, we had kissed and even had some heavy petting, but every time we came close to doing the deed, Jack pulled away. It made me wonder if it was me. I knew he could feel his desire for me. It pressed between my thighs while I sat on top of him. So, it couldn’t be the lack of want. Maybe my father wasn’t the only one who said something he really didn’t mean. Did he not want to be with me because of Raiden and Firestar? He’d said he was okay with it, but maybe he’d only said it so I wouldn’t turn him away. The very thought made my heart ache. I hated to have him with me and not be happy.

  My eyes glanced to the side, seeking out Jack where he stared down at his salad, a pinch of skin sat between his eyes as if he were thinking hard about something. My hand slid onto his thigh, and I squeezed. Jack's ice blue eyes jerked up from his meal and met mi
ne. The intensity there startled me.

  Something was wrong. I opened my mouth to ask him what, but then snapped it shut. Now was not the time. Especially if what he had to say had to do with us and my lies. Couldn’t have him airing our dirty laundry at the lunch table. If only everyone else at the table would learn to follow suit.

  “How are you feeling, Maya? Any morning sickness?” My mother asked before taking a sip from her water glass. She might be as suspicious as my sister, but at least she seemed to be letting me figure it out on my own rather than prodding me with questions every moment of the day, making me feel even guiltier. I had lied about being pregnant.

  “A bit,” I muttered, turning my eyes back to my own plate. I was never good at lying to her, and she could tell right away every time I did. My father, on the other hand, didn't pay enough attention to me to know my eye color let alone if I was lying.

  Speak of the dragon.

  “Let's not talk about such things right now, I'm eating,” My father, the Lord of Waesigar, said, clearly disgusted by the talk of my pregnancy symptoms. As if he wasn't the one pushing me to get pregnant in the first place.

  “Lord Dannan,” Raiden interjected. Bless his heart. “My brothers have sent word about more raids on our lands. Have you heard any news of them?”

  “Oh, yes.” My father turned his attention away from me and to my suitor. “I’d meant to speak to you about those. Your father must have his hands full dealing with raids on top of your brothers’ fight for the throne.”

  While my father went on about the newest raids, I mouthed thank you to the black and white-haired lightning dragon. He winked in return.

  Of all my suitors, Raiden was the easiest to get along with. From the beginning, we’ve had an intense attraction to each other, combine that with a personality that made it impossible to stay mad at him for long, well, it was easy to see why I enjoyed his company.

  …And it didn't hurt he was a complete alpha in the bedroom.

  When the lights went out, those playful eyes turned hard and controlling as he demanded my pleasure while rarely caring if he found his own. The very thought of it shot straight to my core, making me press my thighs together.

  The chair next to me jerked back from the table, and Jack stood abruptly, making my hand fall from his lap. “Please excuse me, I have business to attend to. My lord, ladies?” He bowed slightly, and his eyes met mine briefly. The pain within them hit me like an arrow to the heart before he turned and walked away.

  I sat there for a moment stunned by what I saw before I wiped my mouth and also stood from the table. My movement startled the others, the conversation died out as everyone’s eyes turned to me. I couldn’t be bothered by their questioning eyes, my own gaze following Jack’s back.

  “Maya? Is everything alright?” My mother's concerned voice pulled my attention. The look in her eyes made me straighten out, clearing my face of all expression.

  Placing a hand on my forehead, I tried to sound exhausted. Though, it wasn’t that hard to fake. “Just feeling a bit tired. I think I'll go lie down.”

  My mother nodded, though her eyes told me she didn't believe me. I didn't doubt she probably knew I was going after Jack but thankfully didn't voice her opinion to everyone else.

  I glanced at both Raiden and Firestar who each waved me off with a knowing look. Hell, Firestar seemed more interested in his meal than our fourth member. I tried not to think much about that as I left the dining room to find Jack.

  I checked his room first which had been moved closer to mine as well as the others. Better to have them close for when the baby came, was my mother's thought. I had been grateful because it made it easier to hide how hard we were working to get me pregnant. I rarely slept alone, but sadly it was never Jack.

  I really needed to remedy that. While I had no reason to be so needy, the desire to have him in my bed was overwhelming. Maybe it was the thrill of the unknown that made me crave his touch so much. Would Jack be a patient lover? A dominating one like Raiden? I needed to know!

  Stomping my foot in frustration, I realized the ice dragon wasn't in his bedroom. I frowned, staring at the empty room and wondering where he was. Had he gone to the gardens again? He often liked to go there to think…

  Only, I hadn't any need as I passed by my room, I saw him lying in the middle of my bed. Unfortunately, he was fully clothed, and something about the look on his face told me that was unlikely to change.

  “Jack,” I said his name slowly as I walked toward the bed. His almost translucent hair created a curtain around his face, making it impossible to see his expression. “While I love the idea of you in my bed, I’m guessing this isn’t a, um, social call. What’s wrong?”

  “How long do you expect us to keep up this charade?” His voice though muffled by his hair, came out tortured and exhausted. I knew the feeling. Lying had never been my forte, and the guilt always ended up eating at me until I eventually gave in and told the truth. But this time I couldn't. It was imperative that my father didn't find out I'd lied. If he did, I was pretty sure Firestar would mysteriously disappear.

  Worse, if he did find out, he wouldn’t just blame Firestar or me, he would blame Raiden and Jack too. Both of them would be in danger of my father’s wrath. That I couldn’t have.

  “It wouldn't be such a lie if you and I slept together,” I suggested, my fingers tracing the design on the bedspread.

  Jack scoffed his head angling toward me slightly. “And have our first time be tainted by the pressure of your father? No thank you.”

  “Then when do you think we'll be able to?” I asked, sitting next to him on the bed. “If one of the others gets me pregnant that solves only one problem, but then we would still have to pretend.” I placed my hand on his leg and leaned forward so I could brush his hair away from his face, tucking it behind his ear so I could see his pale blue eyes. They were so full of anguish, my heart hurt even as I told him the hard truth. “And then there will be no chance it will be yours.”

  “As if I have a chance now?” He shifted away from me his shoulders tense. “Raiden and Firestar are in your bed and between your thighs at every chance. I don't have much of a chance as it is.”

  I sighed as aggravation started to sink in. I wasn't going to feel guilty for having sex with the others. The whole point of this was to get me pregnant. It wasn't my fault Jack had hangups. I had tried my best to make sure they all felt equal. Even Firestar who had been against our foursome had come to share better than Jack did.

  Instead of venting my frustrations out on him, I moved closer until I sat between his thighs. Then I wrapped my arms around his neck, my fingers tangling in his long, lustrous hair. “No one's between my thighs now.” I coyly grinned. “It’s a problem to be sure.”

  Jack opened his mouth, and for a moment, I swore he was going to push me away again, but then his arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me close.

  “I suppose I will have to remedy that,” he murmured, bringing his face to mine.

  A brush of lips turned into a fight to breathe as we tried to devour each other. I crawled up into his lap so that I straddled him, my lower half grinding against him. Jack grunted, and his hand clutched in my dark tresses, pulling me closer to him.

  My hands pulled at his shirt, his usual suit jacket already tossed in a chair before I’d entered the room. I hurried to undo each button, but my over-excited fingers couldn't get them undone fast enough. With a twist of my wrist, I used my magic to pull the shirt open, causing a few of the buttons to pop off.

  Jack pulled away from our kissing to frown at me. I smirked, daring him to chastise me but in an out of character move, he flipped us over, so my back pressed against the bed. Laughing, I wrapped my legs around his waist to keep him close.

  My laughter died in my throat as my eyes met his exposed chest. Long lines of pale muscle showed through the flaps of his shirt, and my hands itch to touch him. Giving into the need, I traced my fingers along the contours of his chest
, reveling in the hard strength beneath them. My fingertips trailed down his abs and along the line of pale hair ending at the top of his pants.

  Locking eyes with Jack, I licked my lips before unsnapping his pants and reaching inside. I grasped him in my hand. Far thicker than the others, it was like warm steel wrapped in silk. The dragoness inside of me craved every last inch of it, but the other half of me wondered if he'd even fit.

  “Don't worry, Maya. I would never hurt you.” His words came out a breathy groan as he placed his hand on top of mine slid our hands together along his length.

  I sat up on the bed, my hand still on his as my mouth sought his. Tongues tangling, Jack released my hand, and the coolness of his touch found my skin beneath the bottom of my shirt. I shivered but didn't pull away as the contrast of our temperatures nearly overwhelmed me with ecstasy.

  Reluctantly I let go of Jack long enough for him to pull my shirt over my head, revealing my naked breasts since I’d neglected to wear a bra today.

  The moment the cool air hit my nipples, they pebbled, but it was Jack’s need that truly set me ablaze When Jack's eyes settled on them, his pale blue orbs filled with hot desire that warmed my skin.

  Urging me onto my back, Jack slid down my skin with his lips while his hands went to my pants. His nimble fingers quickly untied my pants, dipping them inside briefly, teasing me so I squirmed on the bed.

  Jack’s mouth trailed along my stomach, and I arched up, making it easier for him as he pulled both them and my panties down my legs. Now completely bare to his view, insecurity filled me. Raiden and Firestar had never been quiet in their praises of my body, but Jack had a stoic way about him that made it impossible to tell what he was thinking.