Dalton had barely survived the ambush. Her sister, Luann, had taken out a life insurance policy on her and had decided it was time to collect. Luann hadn’t counted on Dalton surviving the hitman’s attack.
Lord Kipling Newton, Duke of Winehammer Castle, watched his mate, Dalton, breathing from the hospital bed. He had just given her his blood to help her heal when the monitors started screaming. He thought his dragon’s blood had killed her for sure. Now she was resting and would recover.
Dalton wasn’t happy that all her choices had been taken from her. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Kip, it’s that she wasn’t asked, she’d told her grandmother. But Dalton was soon to discover that a few choices were the least of her worries. Her sister and brother were out for her blood.
Kip had his own issues to deal with. The only way to protect Dalton from his family was to marry her as soon as possible. Once she took the title of Duchess of Winehammer Castle, his parents couldn’t harm her, or could they?
Trouble had a way of finding them. Was the new love they now shared strong enough to survive the rough roads ahead? Find out in the final installment of the English Dragon Series—Kip.
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Danburn English is the ninth earl of the English castle. He and his dragon alter ego have been on this earth for a very long time. Danburn is accustom to his orders being followed to the letter, no questions asked, so when this feisty young woman bucks his authority he is beyond angry.
Kendrick Barrera can’t seem to get caught up. Every time she turns around, her sister is in trouble again. Now, because of her sister’s new mess, she’s being evicted and has nowhere to go.
Danburn’s intentions were to defend her honor, but when Kendrick intervenes, she steps in front of a punch intended for her mouthy landlord. Now Danburn has to step back and take a good long look at himself, and he doesn’t much like what he sees.
Kendrick doesn’t care for the overbearing lord of the manor and makes no bones about telling him so either. No one, especially him, is going to tell her what to do or how to act or dress.
There is something about the feisty woman that has touched Danburn’s heart. She has a rare honesty and bravery that has him take notice. A woman like that is hard to find and should be protected and cherished. The chemistry is there, they’ve both felt it, but controlling his mouth just might get in the way of winning Kendrick’s heart….
Cassie had just arrived in Danburn’s territory and she knew as a dragon she had to report to him. Whether she liked it or not, she’d gone from one ruling male, her father, to another. Being a female dragon, and unmated, she felt cursed for her lot.
Everette Welsh, Rett to his friends, was having a hard time making ends meet. He was a good attorney, but it seemed to do him little good. His good friend, Danburn, insisted he quit his job and come work for him. Rett had no intentions of taking Danburn up on his offer, but when his boss called him into his office and was demanding that he apologize for threatening a man who blackmailing him, the words “I quit” spilled from his mouth without thinking. However, once said, he felt better for it.
Rett found himself on the wrong end of a shotgun blast, and Cassie gave a bit of herself to save him. There were only three conditions of taking dragon’s blood that a human would survive, and the other two didn’t apply to him. Rett and Cassie were mates.
Only two things stood in their way: Rett’s obnoxious mother, and Cassie’s father, a lethal combination…
Quinn Langley knew her mother didn’t have long to live. Soon it would just be her and her little sister, Carmine. Nearly recuperated from her own injuries, Quinn knew the first order of business would be to find a job and get out of Danburn and Kendrick’s hair.
Danburn had invited his friends to his home to spend the holidays, and that included his good friend, Hanson McClain. Hanson’s parents had run off and left the estate in a shamble and near financial ruin. It had taken Hanson months to repair the damage, and he was ready for a break.
Quinn had no idea that her cousin, Kendrick, was mated to a dragon, and that she and her sister were the only humans in the house. And now, the handsome stranger, Hanson, also a dragon, had claimed that she was his mate. It was time to leave. The ever practical, Quinn didn’t want solutions just handed to her on a silver platter. She’d make it on her own. But in life things don’t always go as planned. Like it or not, Hanson’s parents were a problem she’d be forced to deal with, and she discovered her sister, Carmine, had abilities Quinn didn’t quite understand.
Thrust head first into a world of immortals, Quinn found she had a whole new set of problems. Now, the first order of business would be to protect her little sister and hopefully not die in the process.
The injured women in the bed, Emerald, had been poisoned with lead. Dana could smell it on her and he wondered why Danburn hadn’t. With Danburn being the king of the dragons he should have been able to smell it right off, or at least Dana thought so anyway. With the woman’s surly temper Dana should have left her there to suffer alone, but he could smell his mate on her. Since Em was an emerald dragon he deduced that his mate must be another gem to compliment his diamond.
Sapphire had been summoned with the rest of her sisters, Ruby and Opal, to Em’s side. The young girl, Carmine had powerful magic that could extract the lead from Em, but she wasn’t strong enough to get it all out on her own. The sisters would have to combine their magic with Carmine’s or Em wouldn’t survive.
Sapphire knew instantly that Dana was her mate and she wasn’t thrilled about it either. She and her sisters had been around for thousands of years, why did a mate have to muddy the waters now?
Dana wanted to take it slow. They had the rest of their lives to get to know each other. He wanted to court her and ease into the relationship. They were both immortal, so time was on their side, right? Melville James had other ideas. If he couldn’t have the emerald dragon he’d just take the sapphire. After all, her mate hadn’t claimed her yet, and by dragon law that made her easy pickings.
Griffith was a very old and powerful dragon and just the opposite of his twin James. The only thing they had in common was their looks, they were identical. James, although first born and immortal, didn’t inherit the dragon gene and had held that over Griff’s head their entire lives. Anything Griff got, James felt it should be his instead.
Griff found his mate, Lilac, by chance. She had just barely escaped James’s evil clutches, and the moment she saw Griff she was terrified that they were one and the same.
Lilac was a water faerie and daughter to the queen of faeries which made her queen of the water, but that was a secret she would have to keep to herself. That knowledge in the wrong hands could spell disaster, especially if James found out. Lilac was slow to trust, but Griff made it difficult not to love him. And when Griff suddenly disappeared, would he be able to forgive her for holding such a secret? Trust worked both ways and that was one huge secret.
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Kip watched Dalton breathing. She was hooked up to a lot of monitors still, but she was doing very well now. Just seconds after he’d given her his blood, he thought for sure he’d been too late. Every single thing in the room had gone off like a testing zone for sound. Not only had he been afraid, but the nurse that had brought him in the room had shoved him back, then called for the crash cart. It was over as quickly as it had started. Not only was the heart monitor going again, it was going at a steady beep, as well as a little faster. But her doctor assured everyone that it was normal, and they happily went back to their jobs. Christ, he was sure that he’d aged a hundred years in those few seconds. Dalton still had the heart monitor on, and a few times over the last ten days it had gone off. Not because it had stopped, but because it had sped up in a way that had startled all of them. However, in between the fast and the really fast, she was doing well. “Mr. Newton, I was wondering something.” He’d gotten to know her uncle Eric very well over the last few days. But it was her grandparents that he’d fallen in love with more. Charley, her grandda, was who he was sitting with today. “When you shift, what happens to yourself?
I mean, you’re still there, aren’t you? Please don’t think I’m being nosey. I just have never had the opportunity to have a straight forward conversation with a dragon before.” “I don’t think that at all. And Charley, you’ve talked to a great many dragons over the last week.” The man grinned hugely, and that made Kip smile too. “I’m still there. I can talk to my dragon, but I can’t make him do anything if he feels his way will keep me, or anyone I love, safer. I want you to know that as soon as I gave Dalton my blood, you three became my family as well.” “Thank you for that. I started to call you young man, but I’m thinking that you’re a great deal older than myself and my wife.” Kip told them that he was, a great deal so, and left it at that. “Yes. My granddaughter, she means the world to us. Even before she was born, we didn’t want to have much to do with the other two. I’m sure you’ll meet them soon enough. I don’t want to color your opinion of them, but I think we might have done that already.” “I have a few friends. You’ve met Kendrick and her husband Danburn. They have contacts in very high places.” Charley nodded and said government. “No. Higher than even that. The queen of faeries, Kassian. She can keep tabs on people all over the world if need be. She’s been keeping us updated on not only where the other two are, but also how close they’re getting to us. Cassie and the others too. They have connections beyond what the government will ever be able to top.
” “I’m glad to hear that.” Charley looked over at Dalton and continued. “When she was no more than about four, her brother locked her in a closet. I found out about it later, when she was already out of it. He had it in his head that no one would miss her if he starved her to death. I suppose in a way he might have been right in relation to those at the house.
No one cared for her there. I digress. She was locked in there for over a week. When Louis went to check on her, to see how weak she’d gotten, not only was she just fine, but she also knocked him on his butt with a ball bat that had been stored in there. You see, unbeknownst to her family, after the first time he’d done this to her, she began storing food in different areas of the house. Not only that, but water and something to use as a bathroom. Dalton, she learns fast. A hard lesson to be sure, but I think—I hope—it’s what made her be able to survive what happened to her the other day.” Charley excused himself when he started sobbing again. He had been doing that a great deal, also saying he wished that he’d been there more for her when she’d needed someone. Kip looked at the young woman that he’d be spending the rest of his life with and moved his chair closer to her bed. Taking her hand into his, he kissed the back of it, careful of the IV, and told her what he knew so far about her family “We have a good lead on this James person. I’ve not told your family as yet. I don’t want them to feel like they’ve failed you more than they already think they have. He was hired by Luann. Cassie believes that she’s taken out an insurance policy on you, and that they’ll be able to collect as soon as you’re dead.” Kip wasn’t alarmed when her hand squeezed his; she’d done this before. But he looked at her hand as he continued to speak to her.
“We think that they’ll be showing up any day now to see what happened in that you’re not dead.” “I’m a good deal stronger than they think.” He looked at Dalton when she spoke. It was only just above a whisper, but he could hear her fine. “Where am I?” “Ohio State Hospital. You’ve been here for a little over a week.” She nodded, but still hadn’t opened her eyes. “I’m supposed to let the staff know when you’re awake. Do you want me to do that?” “Not yet. I have a few questions of my own. Is Uncle Eric here?” He told her that he was, as well as her grandparents. “Do I know you? The reason I ask is, you’re holding my hand like I do, and I feel strangely attracted to you.” He laughed. “You don’t know me as yet. I’m Kip Newton. I gave you a little—well, a lot of my blood to save you.” She said he wasn’t human. “No, I’m not. Dragon.” She must have drifted off for a few minutes, but he had time to wait for her to wake again. When he was sure that she was out for a little while longer, he contacted Griff, his best friend of all the dragons that he loved. Have you found out anything else about her family? Griff told him that the grandparents were broke more than he’d been told in the first place. You mean they’re more than just behind on a few payments on their credit cards? They’re set to lose their home. Or were. Danburn took care of that for them today. I tried to do it myself, but he said that he didn’t want them to stress any more than they already are. Kip said that he’d thank him later. Also, this hotel is not something that they can afford. If I were you, I’d put them up in your house.
Everything has been taken care of—and so you know, you don’t want to ask. But the house is completely furnished, and all of Dalton’s things have been moved in as well. The faeries needed something to do, and you were top on their list.
I’ll make sure that I put them out something sweet for this. If you could take care of the hotel for me, as well as take their things to my home, I’d be grateful. Anything else? He knew that there was. Griff would tell him too, but in his own way. They’re on their way. I kind of figured that out on my own. But what aren’t you wanting to tell me? About fifteen years ago, your mate was in a car accident. No one has been able to put the blame on her siblings, but that is what the police are saying—off the record, of course. He asked him what had happened that made him mention it now. Someone saved her. She shouldn’t have been able to survive it—the accident had her running up under a semi’s rear. By all rights, she should have lost her head. Not only was she all right, but she was awake and coherent. We were all wondering if you’ve had a taste of her. Just a little would tell you what sort of creature saved her. Hang on and I’ll do that now. He didn’t want to. Kip wanted to make sure she was going to be all right with him doing such a thing to her. But he also knew that if someone had saved her before this, he would need to not just thank them, but also find out why they’d done it. Closing his eyes, he licked the back of her hand that he was holding. Kip, are you all right? He wasn’t sure, and told Griff that. I lost you there for a moment. It was almost as if you’d died or something. I’m processing. He was too.
It was too much of her. Whatever had saved her had been very powerful, and had put a spell over her to keep her safe. They’d also shared a little of themselves with her, so Dalton had a great deal of magic. But only in the sense that it gave her a boost in protection and safety. The best I can tell is it’s either a faerie, a vampire, or both of them. I have no way of figuring out which. Christ. Kip felt the same way. When Dalton squeezed his hand, he looked at her, then to the bottom of the bed where she was looking. I have to go. We have company. I’m betting that I’ll have more information when I get back to you. Griff told him to make sure that he did. Later. “Hello.” The being, he wasn’t sure what she was, seemed to be transparent. He wasn’t sure that she was able to answer him when he spoke again. “You saved her. Both times, I would imagine. I wish to thank—” “There is no need for that. I am only happy that she is with you now.” Dalton asked the creature if it was safe to be around. “I am. I have no form except one that makes you comfortable to look at me. This, I thought, would be fine in that I showed you my true self. I am a—I guess you would call me friend. Dalton, you saved me once, a very long time ago.” He looked at Dalton, but he could see that she was confused.
“I don’t remember you. Perhaps, as you said, you were in a different form?” The being nodded and changed. “The lady down the street. The one that my brother terrorized a great deal. I was only at the right place at the right time, Miss Haggard. You were in trouble, and I was there to help you.” “Yes, but you were injured yourself, and did not let that stop you.” She looked at him then. “Lord Newton, you should be aware that I have also made it so that your parents are delayed in coming here. A little magic here, a little there, and I have slowed them widows to not arrive until you have death the problem with the young lady’s family.”
“We’re keeping tabs on them. They’re on their way.” She nodded and touched her fingers to Dalton’s toe. He felt the magic that she’d given her, and could see a vast improvement in Dalton’s health. “You enhanced her, and in turn, did the same to me.” “Yes. You are her mate, and in that, you would have received it as well even not touching her. I have no way of helping you any more, my dear friends. You will be as safe as you can be from now on. With the added magic that I have given you, and you being a dragon, Lord Newton, there is very little that will be able to defeat you. That being said, you still must take care. The world needs you both.” With that, she was gone. Kip looked at Dalton, who was staring at the place where Miss Haggard had been. When he said her name, she looked at him finally. Asking if she was all right, she nodded, then shook her head. “I would imagine that I could say the same for myself. When she said that you were hurt when you saved her, what happened?” She just stared at him, then laid her head back on the pillow. When she let out a long sigh, he thought that he could have gladly kissed her right then and there. “You’re my mate. Now, while I have no problem whatsoever with you being that, there are a few things that I should point out to you first. None of them are going to be anything that you can change, but you should know them all the same.”
He said that he could live with that. “Okay, first and foremost, you cannot make me do anything that I don’t want to. Secondly, I don’t know how to be a lady. I noticed that she called you lord. I’m assuming that means you have money and a title, correct?” “Yes. So do you.” She nodded and closed her eyes. “That’s all? I mean, you only have two points. I can live with both of them, by the way. I want to point out that you have money because I do. Also, I’ve had some friends take care of your grandparents.” “What’s wrong with them?” He told her when she sat up and glared at him. “I didn’t know. I mean, I knew they were having a little bit of trouble—their words, not mine—but I didn’t know they were that broke.” “They aren’t. Not anymore.” She nodded, lying back down. “You want more, or are you wanting to rest a little?” “I want to rest. While I do feel better than I did, I’m still feeling off my feed.” He didn’t say anything as her eyes stayed closed longer each time she closed them. “Don’t get too cozy in thinking that I’m always this laid back. I’m not.” “I never thought that you were.” When he was sure that she was resting again, he decided to find something to eat. Just as he was pulling on his jacket to leave her, Charley and Fern showed up with sandwiches and drinks. Kip figured it was time that he talked to them anyway. ~*~ Fern was glad for the new lease on life. Having things taken care of by the big man had been more than she’d ever thought to happen. Today he’d brought in a rocking chair so that she could sit with Dalton. It was the little things, she knew, that made her feel much better about Dalton and Kip.
“Did you know that I can hear you breathing hard? What is it, Grandma, that has you so worked up that you’re about to rock a hole in the floor?” Fern got up and sat on the side of the bed with Dalton. “You look amazing.” “I feel that way too. Kipling, he helped us out, did you know that?” Dalton nodded. She didn’t seem to be fighting off the drugs when she had a conversation as much as she had been before.
“Your grandda, he’s having lunch with the rest of the dragons to figure out what to do about Luann and Louis.” “You’d think they were twins, wouldn’t you? I mean, who names their children such alike names?” They both laughed. “I talked to Kip last night when he was here. He told me that you were going to be living with us. Since I’m sure that I have no idea what that might entail, I’m very happy that he’s taking care of you guys. You and Uncle Eric are all I have in the world right now.” “Luann took out a policy on you. What a thing to do. And now she’s all up in arms because she wasn’t able to collect.” Dalton asked her if she’d spoken to her. “No. But Kipling’s friends, they’re very informed. Louis was in jail. Did you know that? I didn’t. but I guess he’s going to be set free soon. I guess that the witness that they had somehow ended up getting killed. That is being looked into as well. These two…. I swear to you, Dalton, I have no idea how they are related to you.” “Me either. I guess they think that since I’m the black sheep of the family, they can do just about anything they wish to me.” Fern told her about the family that she was mated to. “We’re still working out the details about that, too. I’m not sure that I want someone in my life that can do the same to me as the other two are.” “I don’t think you need to worry about him, honey. Kipling seems to me like a very nice man. I’m sure that as a dragon— Just listen to me. Talking about a dragon like it’s nothing but a hound that came to wet on the front stoop.” “Where on earth did that comparison come from? Grandma, you’ve been hanging out with Grandda a lot since he retired, haven’t you?” Fern told her that she wanted the man to get a job. “He’s in his late seventies, and I’m pretty sure that he’s sick of working.” “Yes, well, he could be a greeter or something. I need my peace and quiet sometimes.” They laughed again, and Fern knew that she was only kidding. Charley had been her rock since the day she’d met him. “Enough about that. Tell me how you’re really feeling.” “Like I need to get up out of this bed and run. I have been feeling like I’m only here for some kind of newspaper shit. I would really like something to do.” Fern didn’t point out that she’d been napping a great deal and must have needed the rest. But she also thought that she understood Dalton better than most would. She didn’t need to run so much as she needed to be needed. “I’m to understand that you have a job picking out the living room furniture for your new home.” She made a sound that Fern was sure she’d gotten from some wild animal. “Didn’t Kip ask you to have some input on the house that he purchased? I’m enjoying the hotel, but I have to tell you, Dalton, having a home is so much better. It’s roots you can put down.”
“I had roots, Grandma, and some dickweed came and fucked it all up for me.” Fern didn’t bother asking her to watch her language. She would, if asked, but it wouldn’t last very long. Besides, Fern wasn’t too happy with the events that had brought Dalton here either. “Where are my things? Hopefully someone had enough sense to put in a new door.” “I heard Kip talking to someone yesterday, and all your things have been packed up and taken to the new house.” She started to complain, but Fern cut her off. “You have been hiding from Luann and Louis for years. Now that they’ve found you, I thought it was best that you moved again. I’m sure that they’ll never get to you where you’ll be living.” “That’s another thing I don’t like about any of this. I’ve had no say in what I wanted in anything.” Fern watched her pout, something that Dalton rarely did. “I’m sorry. I was out, so that was just mean of me to say. But I’m out of sorts, Grandma. I need to do something productive.” Taking the little computer that Kip had brought in for Dalton, Fern brought up the pictures of the house that he’d taken them to see yesterday. It was a huge home, lovely too, with all the decorations for Christmas. Although Kip had explained how it had come to be his home, neither she nor Charley had objected to the way things looked— inside or out, as a matter of fact. “Here. He said that if you don’t cook then to skip the kitchen. It’s lovely, by the way. I love all the new tile on the floor and the beautifully decorated back splash. Kip said that the faeries made it so you’d always feel like you were out of doors.” Fern handed the tablet to Dalton. “I’d start with the dining area if I were you. There is a table in the room that was left behind, I believe he told me. As well as a desk that they couldn’t remove from the home.” “There are built in china cabinets—did you see that?” Fern had, but looked at the pictures with her granddaughter. “Hardwood floors too. And the large doors leading out to the deck are great. Very open looking.” “The chairs are still being redone, he told us. I haven’t anything to tell you about those.” Dalton nodded and said she’d not change a thing in that room. Then she asked what the view might be out the doors. “There is a garden back there with bulbs, he thought. Also, there is a small pond that doesn’t have any fish in it, but could should you want them. Not a koi pond, but a real pond to fish in. Your grandda is happy about that.”
The next room that was in the grouping of pictures was the living room. Fern thought that Dalton’s little couch looked out of place in the huge room, but she did enjoy the colors in it. There was also a fireplace in the room that took up nearly an entire wall. “I would do this room in earth tones. It would be something to cozy up on the couch and watch a football game there.” Fern could see that too. A fire going, a group of people over enjoying the game with you. “I was thinking that the room could use two couches, but I could be mistaking the size of the room.”
“I was thinking that you could do one of those corner things. Do you know what I mean?” Dalton looked confused. “I have since changed my mind anyway. But if you’re going to go with only two couches, you should be aware that his friends come to each other’s house often. And they’re all big men. Like Kip.” “Would three couches fit in there, you think?” Fern nodded, and told her that she’d have room for a couple of recliners as well. “Yes, I think you might be right. I haven’t any idea how wide the fireplace is, but if those bricks around the sucker are standard, it has to be a least ten feet wide.” “I do believe that is what he told us.” She looked for the picture that Kip had had her ask Dalton about. “He wondered if you’d be all right with a large television here, over the mantle. He said that he has paintings in storage if you’d like to go that way, I guess. He said that he could put a TV in any room to watch games on.” “He watches football?” There was excitement there. Then Dalton looked at the pictures again. “I’m betting he watches things like a bunch of grass faeries, doesn’t he?” “No, I watch football. I played too, when— Well, I played it before too.” Kip kissed her on the cheek then sat down, pulling out food from the large bag he’d carried in.
“They said that if you’d like, we can go home tomorrow. That way you can have a nice look around the house before you decide on anything. However, because of all the to do about your being shot, we’re going to have to make sure that no one knows that you’re healed. Dalton, your grandda is coming up with drinks, and he said that you loved hot and spicy, so that’s what I got you.” Fern loved this man. She wanted to think of him as her grandson, but knew that he was a great deal older than her. And Charley had been going to hang out with the men of the family more and more all the time. It was good for both of them for Charley to spend time with someone he could talk to. Fern kept an eye on Dalton. She enjoyed the spicy sandwich, and like Kip, kept adding sriracha sauce to each bite. The smell of the dark red substance smelled too hot for her, but they were having fun outdoing each other, Fern thought. After Charley asked her for the third time if she was ready to go, they left the couple there to deal with the clean-up. As soon as they were in the elevator, she asked him what was going on.
“He needs to talk to her about Luann and Louis. The morons are on their way here.” She said that she knew that. “Yes, but they’ve purchased guns this time. It seems they’re thinking about taking care of Dalton all on their own. Also, Eric has decided to retire from his job. He’s looking for houses to be close to all of us.” “What does he have to say to her that he couldn’t say when we’re around?” Charley told her. “Oh. Well, I guess she would need to know some of that. The magic that he has, do you know how powerful he is? I mean, we both know with age comes more of it.” “He’s very powerful. Danburn, the man we had dinner with last night? He’s the king of all dragons, so he’s like super powerful.” There were faeries too that Fern had met. One of them, named Dot, had been with her every time she left the house. It was both nice and a little disconcerting to have someone right there that very few could see.
“Fern, we—you and I—we should go out and have us a nice meal tonight. Celebrate, I guess. Dalton is in good hands. We’re all paid up on our bills and house. I’d just like, this one time, to go out to eat and not have to look at the prices first. What do you say?” She wanted to point out that they’d not been the ones that had paid off everything, but he was right too. They did need a time to have a little fun like that. The two of them had been pinching their pennies until they about screamed at them. If she never ate another peanut butter and jelly sandwich again, she’d be fine with that. “All right. Let’s do it. But no more, Charley. I don’t want us to get like this again.” Charley said he didn’t either. “Good. Let’s go. I’m starved for someone to wait on me like I’m the queen of Sheba.” They were both laughing as they got into the long limo that had been there for their use. Whatever this man did for a living or had done, Kip was certainly taking very good care of them.
Author Kathi S Barton 