How Not To Fall For A Dragon

How Not To Fall For A Dragon

Kit Bryan · Ongoing · 93.2k Words

562
Hot
3.3k
Views
150
Added
Add to Shelf
Start Reading
Share:facebooktwitterpinterestwhatsappreddit

Introduction

I never applied to the Academy for Magical Beings and Creatures.

Which is why it was more than a little confusing when a letter arrived with my name already printed on a schedule, a dorm waiting, and classes picked out as if someone knew me better than I knew myself. Everyone knows the Academy, it’s where witches sharpen their spells, shifters master their forms, and every kind of magical creature learns to control their gifts.

Everyone except me.

I don’t even know what I am. No shifting, no magic tricks, nothing. Just a girl surrounded by people who can fly, conjure fire, or heal with a touch. So I sit through classes pretending I belong, and I listen hard for any clue that might tell me what’s hidden in my blood.

The only person more curious than me is Blake Nyvas, tall, golden-eyed, and very much a Dragon. People whisper that he’s dangerous, warn me to keep my distance. But Blake seems determined to solve the mystery of me, and somehow I trust him more than anyone else.

Maybe it’s reckless. Maybe it’s dangerous.

But when everyone else looks at me like I don’t belong, Blake looks at me like I’m a riddle worth solving.

Chapter 1

LEXI

Birthdays mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. For some, it’s all about tearing into shiny wrapped gifts or gathering every single friend they’ve ever had for a big, noisy party. For others, it marks a milestone, the year you’re finally old enough to drive, to drink, to leave home, to start something new. No matter what, birthdays usually represent change, and change is almost always anticipated. You see it coming, you plan for it, sometimes you even chase it down. But for me? Turning twenty-three feels less like a beginning and more like an ending. I’ve almost finished my nursing degree. Three exhausting, sleepless years, so one more to go and then it’s time for the so-called real world with its waiting and endless job applications, awkward interviews, and first-day nerves. That’s a problem for another time. Today is Sunday, and on Sundays, especially when it happens to be my birthday, I have absolutely no intention of being productive. My grand plan? Stay wrapped up in bed like a burrito, maybe binge watch something mindless, maybe eat cake. No resumes, no planning, no stress. Just quiet. At least, that’s the plan. I roll over, nestling deeper into the cocoon of blankets, when the most horrific screeching sound tears through the air. My body reacts before my brain does, jerking me upright, heart thundering against my ribs. What the hell was that?!

Blinking hard, I scan my room with bleary, half-asleep eyes. Nothing seems out of place, my cluttered desk, the pile of laundry in the corner, the soft glow of morning light peeking through my curtains. Then it comes again, sharper this time, accompanied by a loud, deliberate tap tap tap against my windowpane. The glass rattles in its frame, making me flinch. What in the world is going on?! I stumble out of bed, feet tangling in the sheets, and stagger across the room toward the window. On instinct, I snatch up a sneaker from the floor. I’m not entirely sure what for, am I planning to throw it? Wave it around like some kind of ridiculous weapon? Whatever. The point is, something is banging on my window and ruining the peace of my birthday morning, and I am so NOT okay with it. I yank the curtain open and squint into the flood of early sunlight. My frown deepens. There, perched primly on my windowsill like it hasn’t just shattered my eardrums, is a massive black bird. It sits with eerie calm, glossy feathers catching the light, sharp eyes locked on me as though it knows exactly how close I was to launching a shoe at its head.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I groan, tossing the sneaker back to the floor and stomping back toward my bed. I flop down with theatrical defeat, burying myself under the pillows. My alarm hasn’t even gone off yet! it has to be before eight, and that is way, way too early to deal with nature’s alarm clock. But of course, the stupid bird doesn’t care about my suffering. Almost the second I settle in, it unleashes another round of piercing screeches, each one accompanied by the sharp tap-tap-tap of its beak against the glass. The sound drills straight into my skull. Two minutes. Two whole minutes of agonizing, nails on chalkboard screeching later, I snap.

“That’s it!” I growl, dragging myself back out of bed. I march over to the window, fully intending to scare the feathery menace away. But as soon as I get close, it quiets down again, tilting its head at me sweetly. Suspicious. Too suspicious. That’s when I notice it. Clutched tight in one claw is… a piece of paper. No, not just paper, a folded letter. My brain stutters. Who in their right mind sends letters by bird? That’s not a thing. Maybe it stole it? Birds collect shiny things, right? Maybe this one has taken up mail theft as a hobby. Still, curiosity prickles at me, outweighing my annoyance. I inch the window open with the careful slowness of someone diffusing a bomb. 

“Easy there, birdie, just… don’t attack my face.” I mutter under my breath. The instant there’s enough of a gap, the creature barrels forward with a rush of wings. I yelp and duck as it swoops into the room, circling overhead like some feathery hurricane. My heart slams against my ribs. It’s definitely enjoying this. Oh yes, this demon bird knows exactly how much it’s freaking me out, and it’s loving every second! Sharp claws, gleaming beak, sure, it’s just a bird, but those little talons look like they’d make short work of my skin. I crouch and throw my arms over my head as it makes another pass, feeling the whisper of air as it swoops low enough to ruffle my hair. Finally, the bird drops the letter onto my floor. Then, as if to drive home its point, it sweeps directly over my head, so close I feel the wind of its wings against my neck, before darting back out through the open window. I rush after it and slam the glass shut with far more force than necessary. 

“Absolutely not. Not again.” I glare after it. For a moment I just stand there, breathing hard, adrenaline still buzzing in my veins. Then my eyes fall to the envelope lying innocently on the carpet. It could be nothing, it probably is nothing. It’s most likely something stolen, something random. But I’m too curious to leave it alone now. I scoop it up and collapse back onto my bed, holding the letter carefully between my fingers. My pulse is still racing, but a spark of anticipation slips through the fog of irritation. Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe it’s junk. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s something interesting. It had better be worth the freak out that bird just gave me, because there is no chance I’m falling back asleep now!

The envelope feels heavier than I expected, the paper thick and luxurious, definitely not the kind of cheap junk a bird could have plucked from somebody’s letterbox by mistake. I run my fingers over the surface. Smooth, weighty, expensive. The only time I’ve ever touched paper like this was at a wedding, when some distant cousin sent out ridiculous embossed invitations with gold filigree. I flip it over, expecting nothing, and then freeze. There it is. My name. Alexis Elle. Written in the kind of elegant, flowing script you only ever see on calligraphy TikToks or in old movies. For a moment, all I can do is stare. So the bird really WAS a messenger bird. And the letter really IS meant for me.

“Great, but why send a demon-bird-from-hell instead of, I don’t know, the postman? Or an email? It’s the twenty-first century, people.” I mutter under my breath, although I’m more curious than angry. I rub the last of the sleep grit from my eyes, half worried I’m still dreaming, and carefully ease the flap open. The paper is too nice to rip. It feels almost… sacred. A faint smell of ink and something sweet, like pressed flowers, drifts up as I slide the contents free. Something metallic clinks onto my blanket. A key? And not a boring modern one either, but old fashioned, ornate, the kind you’d expect to unlock an ancient chest or a castle door. Its surface gleams silver, polished but clearly aged, the pattern on the top intricate and curling. A delicate chain threads through the loop, long enough to wear around my neck. I swallow. A necklace. A key. What in the actual hell? With trembling fingers, I pull the folded sheet of paper free. The script matches the writing on the envelope, flawless, elegant and completely intimidating.

Congratulations Alexis Elle,

You have been accepted into the Institute for Magical Beings and Creatures for this academic year.

Please present yourself at the Academy gate no later than 9am on Monday the fifteenth of February.

Please find enclosed your room key. Food, clothing, and all other necessities will be provided. Please only bring the items which you cannot be without.

We look forward to meeting you and working with you.

Signed,

Ms Sherry Istvan - Principal

I gape at the letter, read it again, then drop it onto the floor as if it might burn me. A second later, I’m scrambling to pick it back up, reading every word like maybe the message will change if I check enough times. Spoiler, it doesn’t. The Institute for Magical Beings and Creatures… I know what it is, everyone knows. It’s the most prestigious magical school in the country, the kind of place that people with real power and magic go. And the number one rule is no non-magical creatures allowed. And me? I’m… human. Normal. Ordinary. At least… I think I am. But even if I wasn’t, even if there was some tiny shred of weirdness about me, I never applied! You don’t just get into the Institute. There are waiting lists that stretch generations. People sign their babies up before they can even crawl, just in case. The rest? They buy their way in with enough zeroes on a check to make my bank account cry. And yet here it is. A letter with my name on it. An acceptance. A key. Panic crawls up my throat. My pulse hammers. This has to be some kind of mistake. Taking a deep breath that doesn’t help even a little. So I do the only natural thing.

“MUUUUUUM!”

Last Chapters

You Might Like 😍

After the Affair: Falling into a Billionaire's Arms

After the Affair: Falling into a Billionaire's Arms

986.8k Views · Ongoing · Louisa
From first crush to wedding vows, George Capulet and I had been inseparable. But in our seventh year of marriage, he began an affair with his secretary.

On my birthday, he took her on vacation. On our anniversary, he brought her to our home and made love to her in our bed...

Heartbroken, I tricked him into signing divorce papers.

George remained unconcerned, convinced I would never leave him.

His deceptions continued until the day the divorce was finalized. I threw the papers in his face: "George Capulet, from this moment on, get out of my life!"

Only then did panic flood his eyes as he begged me to stay.

When his calls bombarded my phone later that night, it wasn't me who answered, but my new boyfriend Julian.

"Don't you know," Julian chuckled into the receiver, "that a proper ex-boyfriend should be as quiet as the dead?"

George seethed through gritted teeth: "Put her on the phone!"

"I'm afraid that's impossible."

Julian dropped a gentle kiss on my sleeping form nestled against him. "She's exhausted. She just fell asleep."
Omega Bound

Omega Bound

976.2k Views · Completed · Veronica White
Ayla Frost is a beautiful, rare omega. Kidnapped, tortured, and trafficked to rogue clans and corrupt alphas to do with as they pleased.  Kept alive in her cage, broken and abandoned by her wolf, she becomes mute and has given up on hope for a better life until one explosion changes everything. 

Thane Knight is the alpha of the Midnight Pack of the La Plata Mountain Range, the largest wolf shifter pack in the world. He is an alpha by day and hunts the shifter trafficking ring with his group of mercenaries by night. His hunt for vengeance leads to one raid that changes his life. 

Tropes:
Touch her and die/Slow burn romance/Fated Mates/Found family twist/Close circle betrayal/Cinnamon roll for only her/Traumatized heroine/Rare wolf/Hidden powers/Knotting/Nesting/Heats/Luna/Attempted assassination
The Prison Project

The Prison Project

803.1k Views · Ongoing · Bethany Donaghy
The government's newest experiment in criminal rehabilitation - sending thousands of young women to live alongside some of the most dangerous men held behind bars...

Can love tame the untouchable? Or will it only fuel the fire and cause chaos amongst the inmates?

Fresh out of high school and suffocating in her dead-end hometown, Margot longs for her escape. Her reckless best friend, Cara, thinks she's found the perfect way out for them both - The Prisoner Project - a controversial program offering a life-changing sum of money in exchange for time spent with maximum-security inmates.

Without hesitation, Cara rushes to sign them up.

Their reward? A one-way ticket into the depths of a prison ruled by gang leaders, mob bosses, and men the guards wouldn't even dare to cross...

At the centre of it all, meets Coban Santorelli - a man colder than ice, darker than midnight, and as deadly as the fire that fuels his inner rage. He knows that the project may very well be his only ticket to freedom - his only ticket to revenge on the one who managed to lock him up and so he must prove that he can learn to love…

Will Margot be the lucky one chosen to help reform him?

Will Coban be capable of bringing something to the table other than just sex?

What starts off as denial may very well grow in to obsession which could then fester in to becoming true love…

A temperamental romance novel.
From Substitute To Queen

From Substitute To Queen

951.2k Views · Completed · Hannah Moore
For three years, Sable loved Alpha Darrell with everything she had, spending her salary to support their household while being called an orphan and gold-digger. But just as Darrell was about to mark her as his Luna, his ex-girlfriend returned, texting: "I'm not wearing underwear. My plane lands soon—pick me up and fuck me immediately."

Heartbroken, Sable discovered Darrell having sex with his ex in their bed, while secretly transferring hundreds of thousands to support that woman.

Even worse was overhearing Darrell laugh to his friends: "She's useful—obedient, doesn't cause trouble, handles housework, and I can fuck her whenever I need relief. She's basically a live-in maid with benefits." He made crude thrusting gestures, sending his friends into laughter.

In despair, Sable left, reclaimed her true identity, and married her childhood neighbor—Lycan King Caelan, nine years her senior and her fated mate. Now Darrell desperately tries to win her back. How will her revenge unfold?

From substitute to queen—her revenge has just begun!
Accardi

Accardi

503.9k Views · Completed · Allison Franklin
“I thought we discussed this earlier, Weakness? I warned you. His death is on your hands.”
“I thought you said you were done chasing me?” Gen mocked.
“I am done chasing you.”
Before she could formulate a witty remark, Matteo threw her down. She landed hard on her back atop his dining room table. She tried to sit up when she noticed what he was doing. His hands were working on his belt. It came free of his pants with a violent yank. She collapsed back on her elbows, her mouth gaping open at the display. His face was a mask of sheer determination, his eyes were a dark gold swimming with heat and desire. His hands wrapped around her thighs and pulled her to the edge of the table. He glided his fingers up her thighs and hooked several around the inside of her panties. His knuckles brushed her dripping sex.
“You’re soaking wet, Genevieve. Tell me, was it me that made you this way or him?” his voice told her to be careful with her answer. His knuckles slid down through her folds and she threw her head back as she moaned. “Weakness?”
“You…” she breathed.


Genevieve loses a bet she can’t afford to pay. In a compromise, she agrees to convince any man her opponent chooses to go home with her that night. What she doesn’t realize when her sister’s friend points out the brooding man sitting alone at the bar, is that man won’t be okay with just one night with her. No, Matteo Accardi, Don of one of the largest gangs in New York City doesn’t do one night stands. Not with her anyway.
The mafia princess return

The mafia princess return

610.5k Views · Completed · Tonje Unosen
Talia have been living with her mother, stepsister and Stepfather for years. One day she finally get away from them. Suddenly she learn she have more family out there and she have many people that actually love her, something she have never felt before! At least not as she can remember. She have to learn to trust others, get her new brothers to accept her for who she is!
The Biker's Fate

The Biker's Fate

1.2m Views · Completed · Piper Davenport
"You are absolutely my fucking woman, Dani. Got me?"
I squeezed my eyes shut.
"Dani," he pressed. "Do you get me?"
"No, Austin, I don't," I admitted as I pulled my robe closed again and sat up. "You confuse me."
He dragged his hands down his face. "Tell me what's on your mind."
I sighed. "You're everything my parents warned me against. You're secretive, but you're also honest. I feel wholly protected by you, but then you scare me more than anyone I've ever known. You're a bad boy, but when I dated a so-called good one, he turned out to be the devil, so, yeah, I don't get you because you're not what I expected. You drive me crazier than anyone I've ever met, but then you make me feel complete. I'm feeling things I don't quite know how to process and that makes me want to run. I don't want to give up something that might be really, really good, but I also don't want to be stupid and fall for a boy just because he's super pretty and makes me come."
Danielle Harris is the daughter of an overprotective police chief and has led a sheltered life. As a kindergarten teacher, she's as far removed from the world of Harleys and bikers as you could get, but when she's rescued by the sexy and dangerous Austin Carver, her life is changed forever.
Although Austin 'Booker' Carver is enamored by the innocent Dani, he tries to keep the police chief's daughter at arm's length. But when a threat is made from an unexpected source, he finds himself falling hard and fast for the only woman who can tame his wild heart.
Will Booker be able to find the source of the threat before it's too late?
Will Dani finally give her heart to a man who's everything she's been warned about?
I Slapped My Fiancé—Then Married His Billionaire Nemesis

I Slapped My Fiancé—Then Married His Billionaire Nemesis

356.5k Views · Completed · Jessica C. Dolan
Being second best is practically in my DNA. My sister got the love, the attention, the spotlight. And now, even her damn fiancé.
Technically, Rhys Granger was my fiancé now—billionaire, devastatingly hot, and a walking Wall Street wet dream. My parents shoved me into the engagement after Catherine disappeared, and honestly? I didn’t mind. I’d crushed on Rhys for years. This was my chance, right? My turn to be the chosen one?
Wrong.
One night, he slapped me. Over a mug. A stupid, chipped, ugly mug my sister gave him years ago. That’s when it hit me—he didn’t love me. He didn’t even see me. I was just a warm-bodied placeholder for the woman he actually wanted. And apparently, I wasn’t even worth as much as a glorified coffee cup.
So I slapped him right back, dumped his ass, and prepared for disaster—my parents losing their minds, Rhys throwing a billionaire tantrum, his terrifying family plotting my untimely demise.
Obviously, I needed alcohol. A lot of alcohol.
Enter him.
Tall, dangerous, unfairly hot. The kind of man who makes you want to sin just by existing. I’d met him only once before, and that night, he just happened to be at the same bar as my drunk, self-pitying self. So I did the only logical thing: I dragged him into a hotel room and ripped off his clothes.
It was reckless. It was stupid. It was completely ill-advised.
But it was also: Best. Sex. Of. My. Life.
And, as it turned out, the best decision I’d ever made.
Because my one-night stand isn’t just some random guy. He’s richer than Rhys, more powerful than my entire family, and definitely more dangerous than I should be playing with.
And now, he’s not letting me go.
The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride

The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride

442.4k Views · Ongoing · Riley Above Story
On the day Evelyn thought Liam would propose, he shocked her by getting down on one knee—for her stepsister, Samantha. As if that betrayal wasn’t enough, Evelyn learned the cruel truth: her parents had already decided to sell one daughter’s future to a dangerous man: the infamous War God Alpha Alexander, who was rumored to be scarred and crippled after a recent accident. And the bride could’t be their precious daughter Samantha. However, when the "ugly and crippled" Alpha revealed his true self—an impossibly handsome billionaire with no trace of injury—Samantha had a change of heart. She was ready to dump Liam and take Evelyn's place as the family daughter who should marry Alexander.
Yet Alexander made his decision clear to the world: “Evelyn is the only woman I will ever marry.”
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother

Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother

759.7k Views · Ongoing · Harper Rivers
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother.

"What is wrong with me?

Why does being near him make my skin feel too tight, like I’m wearing a sweater two sizes too small?

It’s just newness, I tell myself firmly.

He’s my boyfirend’s brother.

This is Tyler’s family.

I’m not going to let one cold stare undo that.

**

As a ballet dancer, My life looks perfect—scholarship, starring role, sweet boyfriend Tyler. Until Tyler shows his true colors and his older brother, Asher, comes home.

Asher is a Navy veteran with battle scars and zero patience. He calls me "princess" like it's an insult. I can't stand him.

When My ankle injury forces her to recover at the family lake house, I‘m stuck with both brothers. What starts as mutual hatred slowly turns into something forbidden.

I'm falling for my boyfriend's brother.

**

I hate girls like her.

Entitled.

Delicate.

And still—

Still.

The image of her standing in the doorway, clutching her cardigan tighter around her narrow shoulders, trying to smile through the awkwardness, won’t leave me.

Neither does the memory of Tyler. Leaving her here without a second thought.

I shouldn’t care.

I don’t care.

It’s not my problem if Tyler’s an idiot.

It’s not my business if some spoiled little princess has to walk home in the dark.

I’m not here to rescue anyone.

Especially not her.

Especially not someone like her.

She’s not my problem.

And I’ll make damn sure she never becomes one.

But when my eyes fell on her lips, I wanted her to be mine.
Invisible To Her Bully

Invisible To Her Bully

193.6k Views · Ongoing · sunsationaldee
Unlike her twin brother, Jackson, Jessa struggled with her weight and very few friends. Jackson was an athlete and the epitome of popularity, while Jessa felt invisible. Noah was the quintessential “It” guy at school—charismatic, well-liked, and undeniably handsome. To make matters worse, he was Jackson’s best friend and Jessa’s biggest bully. During their senior year, Jessa decides it was time for her to gain some self-confidence, find her true beauty and not be the invisible twin. As Jessa transformed, she begins to catch the eye of everyone around her, especially Noah. Noah, initially blinded by his perception of Jessa as merely Jackson’s sister, started to see her in a new light. How did she become the captivating woman invading his thoughts? When did she become the object of his fantasies? Join Jessa on her journey from being the class joke to a confident, desirable young woman, surprising even Noah as she reveals the incredible person she has always been inside.
My Possessive Alpha Twins For Mate

My Possessive Alpha Twins For Mate

800.5k Views · Completed · Veejay
"No... You can't do this to me..." I almost squeezed the words through my teeth, my voice trembling.
My drunk stepfather remained indifferent, his weight suffocating, making it hard to breathe as my heart raced.
Suddenly, the door slammed open, and two figures burst in.
"Get off her!" a deafening roar echoed.
I didn't expect the twin brothers who'd bullied me at school to come charging in like gods to save me.
After my grandmother passed, I had to move in with my mom and stepdad, who treated me like a servant. I prayed every day for my 18th birthday to come, so l could leave and escape this broken home.
However, on my first day at my new school, l encountered the legendary twins everyone feared.
To make matters worse, the Moon Goddess revealed they were both my mates!
After helping me out with my stepdad, my twin mate cornered me, played with my hair, and whispered possessively, "You belong to us, our little mate..."