1. Chapter One

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Glancing over the top of my laptop screen that held my homework assignment for Journalism of Fashion, I saw my best friend Sasha flashing her cell phone screen through my window.

It was September 10th. The Dragon Reign.

Not that I had forgotten by any means. How could a human girl forget the day dragon shifters became a part of our society? The day that the royal dragon family showcased the best firework show from here to Timbuctoo?

"I'm coming," I hissed.

I didn't know if my stepmother and stepsisters had left to see the fireworks yet, and I couldn't risk them knowing I was sneaking out. Or finding my laptop. If my stepmother knew I was taking college classes ... well, I didn't even want to think about that one.

It was enough that I was forced to live at home with my stepmother because my father left it in his will that she needed to take care of me. I was unable to do it myself due to a condition that my biological mother had which caused hallucinations. I'd been on medication for so long that I couldn't remember any hallucinations but apparently, I had them often when I was young.

In the meantime, I was to help run the restaurant, help around the house, and do my stepmother's bidding. It was the perfect Cinderella story, one in a world where Dragon Shifters ruled the surrounding area, and we were just peons in their way.

Scurrying off my bed, I dropped to my knees, and lifted the board closest to the underside of my bed, and slid my laptop underneath the old wood. Stepmother was adamant I spent all my time keeping up the house and working in the restaurant, for the experience. Getting a degree in fashion with every grant I could find, was my dream, but no one ever asked me about that.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

I popped up and glared at Sasha from over the side of my twin-size bed. "I'm coming," I mouthed.

I grabbed my light jacket that Sasha bought me for my birthday earlier in the year because she couldn't stand the sight of the vintage one I snagged at a local flea market, and I hopped into my boots.

Grabbing the edge of the window, I pulled it up, and a blast of cool air swept into my room. "Geesh, it's colder than I thought," I said.

Sasha sighed. "We're twenty-five, Amara," she said.

I eyed her over my shoulder as I shut the window, and started the journey along our roof to get to the wall that separated our kingdom from the outside world.

"Did I miss your birthday?" I asked, stopping to twist my blonde hair into a bun on top of my head. "It's in December, right?"

"I meant that I'm climbing a trellis to get my adult best friend from her attic bedroom at the age of twenty-five. When are you going to say to hell with the house and restaurant and leave? Your stepmother is the Bride of Lucifer, and I'm about ready to put on my boxing gloves and knock out that shiny golden tooth of hers."

I burst out laughing as Sasha ducked and weaved her imaginary opponent, and put her hands on her thick hips. Sasha was a curvy brunette that said everything that came into her mind. The exact opposite of me.

I cowered away like the sad pup my stepmother thought me to be.

"I can't let her have the estate or the restaurant, Sasha. My grandpa built them both with his bare hands. It'd be a disgrace to let her have it, plus," I said, leaping from our rooftop to the wall with a grunt, "that is what she wants. That is why she has so many rules and keeps me up doing her bidding. My father doesn't think I can survive on my own, and if I do leave against his will, she will run the restaurant into the ground. She doesn't care about it. She cares about his money. She won't break me, Sasha."

Sasha rolled her dark chocolate-colored eyes. "Okay, Ms. Dramatics. Let's get to the bridge before the fireworks start. My feet are killing me. We had a school tour at the museum today, and I had to chase an eight-year-old around for nearly thirty minutes, the little hairy dildo laughed at me too."

We scurried down the top of the wall, holding onto the rails, and ran as quickly as we could to get to the bridge. The bridge wasn't meant for humans. The royal family had it installed to connect the wall to the royal palace for dragon use only.

On a normal day, there would be guards surrounding it, making sure no humans or unknowns made it into the castle. Today, they all went to help with the crowd of people in the courtyard out to watch the fireworks.

It was something Sasha and I had done since we were thirteen years old. I wasn't one to go against the rules of the kingdom, but this was worth every second of it.

The bridge overlooked the mountains, and the moon always looked close enough to touch while the fireworks danced around it.

It was magical. As magical as it could get in a kingdom full of sexy dragons that flew around in the midnight sky.

"Hurry," I hissed over my shoulder.

"Oh, now who is in a rush?" she asked.

We made it toward the center of the bridge, squatted down, and let our feet dangle off the side, as we wrapped our arms around the lowest rail and readied ourselves.

Sasha brought out a flask from the inside of her coat and grinned. "Where did you get that?" I laughed.

"My dad's liquor cabinet. He only has ten of them, he'll never notice. Plus, I don't live with my parents, so I'll blame it on my brother."

She chugged it back and offered it to me.

I pressed the cool container to my lips and tossed it back. I wasn't sure how liquor would mix with my pills, but at this point in my life, I would never get to drink if I didn't take a chance. The liquor scorched the back of my throat, and I coughed like the newbie I was. Sasha laughed and rested her head on my shoulder.

"Lightweight."

The sound of thunder echoed across the sky in the distance, and Sasha squealed. "They're coming."

Dragons crisscrossed in the sky, slicing across the moon, and twirling through the clouds when the first firework exploded. Sasha looped her arm through mine and rested her head against my shoulder. Several of them blew fire into the night and made both of us gasp. "One day I'm gonna bang me a dragon."

I smiled and patted her head. "Keep dreaming, Sleeping Beauty."

"You never know. I know it's few and far between, but some dragon shifters mate with humans."

I always envied the humans that mated with dragons. Dragon men were dominant, and no one could cross them. It was protection at its finest. And I do mean, finest.

"You're the one that keeps that picture of the Dragon Prince in your nightstand drawer," Sasha teased.

"Oh puh-lease," I said. "Like he isn't the most gorgeous man you've ever seen in your life."

"I'm not arguing. I'd drop my panties in a heartbeat. But we both know, even if it was the Dragon Prince, you would make him wait."

A blush brushed across my face, even in the dark, it embarrassed me. "Sue me for wanting to give it up to someone that gives a damn about me. I don't know about the mating process though. The mark they leave on a human's neck—,"

"I think it's hot," Sasha said. "It's saying that she's mine, don't touch her. I'm sure it hurts, but I bet it goes away quickly."

I shuttered at the thought of a dragon piercing me with the edge of their wing. Not that I needed to worry about it. It wasn't going to happen.

The fireworks began to pick up, and bright colors brightened the sky. Sasha passed me the flask again and I took another brave drink. The minutes ticked by, and I felt the breeze pick up. I curled into my jacket to shield myself from the cool air.

A piece of stray hair flew off my shoulder from the growing wind and then began to twirl around as if a tornado was above—oh no, dragon.

Sasha glared at me, and hurried to her feet, offering me her hand. A thundering noise drowned me, and fear snaked into my body.

We'd have to go in front of the king if we were caught on the bridge. My stepmother would find out, and everything would go to Hell. "Hurry," Sasha said, trying to pull me up.

I tried to stand but something tugged me back. My jacket caught on something. The noise grew closer, and I tried to shimmy my arms out of the sleeves, but I couldn't get it off quickly enough.

"Go," I yelled over the noise. "Go!"

Sasha looked torn and continued to try to help me out of my jacket, but I shook my head. "Go! I"ll get out. Go!"

Sasha cringed but ran down the wall. There was no sense in us both getting caught. My body grew numb from fear as I finally got my jacket off and crawled to my feet.

The thump of his landing stiffened my spine. The shadow of his wingspan shaded me, making me feel tiny.

Knowing I was caught, I dropped to my knees and glared at his feet. His black boots were large and shiny. His jeans were dark, though I couldn't see everything like I would have in the daylight.

"Get up," he said.

His voice was deep, sliding over my skin like silk, and leaving me gooey like chocolate. I slowly stood to my feet, keeping my eyes cast downward, as the wind picked up and my nipples hardened underneath my thin dress.

My gaze shifted toward my jacket hanging on a loose nail.

"Please let me go," I whispered. "I promise I won't come back up here."

The dragon stepped over toward the rail, snagged my jacket, and handed it over to me. "Here. I don't care about that stupid rule. Put that on, you're shivering. And stop looking at my feet. It's annoying."

Reluctantly, I grabbed my jacket and slid my arms into it, daring to face a dragon this close for the first time in my life.

The dragon shifter in front of me was ... him. The Dragon Prince. Dear God, I"m going to be locked in the dungeon.

My mouth opened in awe at seeing him this close. His scent was delicious, like a fresh bakery, and his body.

God, I can't look.

Well, maybe just a peek.

The curls of ebony hair on top of his head fell onto his wide forehead, and his heavy brow was pulled inward as if he was concentrating. His bright green eyes were vibrant, and raking me of my innocent. Everything about him screamed male. His broad shoulders, the way his brows slanted so harshly, and his full mouth were hard, yet lush.

I stepped back from him. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I shouldn't be here. I will never come back."

He took the step with me, his arm reached out toward me, but all I could think about was my stepmother and the punishment I would get for sneaking out.

His coiled forearm tightened, and his muscles flexed in his broad chest. Everything about him was driving me into a lust-filled frenzy. With all the courage I could muster, I turned and ran from him.

I didn't look back to see if he followed.

Why would the Dragon Prince follow a human girl who wore out-of-date clothing, and broke his family"s law of not using the bridge?

Only to find she lived in her stepmother"s attic and was bossed around like a little Cinder Girl.

But the better question was why he didn"t turn me in, and why his green eyes looked so ... interested.