Rafe: The Dragon Knight (Dragon's Blood M.C. Book 10)

by B. A. Stretke

  RAFE:

  The Dragon Knight

  Dragon’s Blood M.C. Book 10

  By: B.A. Stretke

  Copyright © 2019 by B.A. Stretke

  Published by Superiorland Publishing

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person (living or dead), place, or event is purely coincidence.

  CHAPTER ONE

  The Dragon Circle led by King Duncan Adair completed their relocation from the Shetland Islands to Laramie Wyoming. The Quest of Clan Keith had been successful, mates were found, children were being conceived and they'd established the dragon presence in a new land of opportunity and growth. They were dedicated to this land, which would provide for the continued existence throughout the ages of the, now, Laramie Dragon Circle.

  Most of the members resided on the mountain that was owned by the Circle out of the hustle and bustle of the city life. Some, mostly the younger dragons and those eager to mix with the locals, human and paranormal alike, chose to take up residence at the Lodge that was home to Clan Keith or in nearby fortified housing built and secured by the Circle.

  King Duncan gave Calum, the Chieftain of Clan Keith and the leader of the Quest that brought them all here, the first line of command within Laramie proper. He gave his Knights first line of command on the mountain. The King was the ultimate ruler but left the day to day business to his commanders.

  The Circle was getting settled with commands back in place and business underway. Life here was felt to be truly abundant with the birth of the Circle’s first dragon baby in over two hundred years, Calum and Chance’s son Liam Keith. Life was good.

  The only issue that still needed to be dealt with was Rafe, King Duncan's brother, and First Knight. Rafe was the eldest and most powerful of the Dragon Knights. His disrespectful and dismissive treatment of Lyle Davis, mate, and consort to King Duncan couldn't be ignored. He possessed an underlying distrust and hatred of humans that had become unacceptable.

  Rafe had some bad experiences over the years and antipathy had taken shape. In his opinion, humans could not be trusted. Granted, if he'd known that Lyle Davis was Duncan's mate, he probably would have treated him better, but that was water under the bridge now. What's done is done.

  Duncan decided that it was time his brother came to terms with his attitude and learned to accept each individual on their own merit and not based on a prejudice formed so many years ago. There were too many human mates present and more being found every day, it seemed, so to hold a belief of conceited superiority was not conducive to a happy home.

  Rafe would be sent to reside at the Lodge in Laramie under the Command of Calum Keith. There he will live with humans and dragons alike and be forced to learn to get along. Duncan saw it as not a punishment but rather an opportunity for Rafe to learn and grow as a Dragon Knight who serves his King and his people.

  Rafe felt like he was being put on a boat to a Penal Colony, cut adrift in this cesspool of humanity. His worst nightmare was becoming real, living with humans in close quarters and having to share his space. He was not happy, but he was there to serve King Duncan and not himself. He was the First Knight and he would strive to make the best of this very bad situation.

  …

  Rafe took a seat at the kitchen table and drank his coffee. Most of the residents clustered around the breakfast bar, so he had the table to himself, thank God. He'd been at the Lodge nearly a month now and it felt like forever. The humans running around were at a number he had never before encountered in his private life and space and he didn't like it.

  There was a clear understanding of what his brother and King was trying to accomplish with banishing him to this pit of human interaction. Duncan thought constant contact would cause him to soften and accept humans into his life as friends, family, perhaps even a confidant. But he couldn’t see that ever happening. He could learn to tolerate them and possibly even recognize their value as it related to others in his Circle, but that was the best he could hope for.

  If Duncan thought that Rafe would ever allow a human into his heart or life, he was sorely mistaken. Humans were traitorous by nature and could not be trusted. The fact that many were now mated to his brother dragons did not alter his opinion. Rafe would do his time here at the Lodge immersed in the human and dragon population, but he doubted it would change his mind because, beneath it all, humans were basically selfish, it was part of their DNA.

  Most of the mates here at the Lodge were human. Even the Chieftain’s mate Chance, who just bore him a son, was human. The only non-human mate was Will, Donell’s Fae mate. Two other members of Clan Keith were mated to vampires, but they didn’t reside in Laramie, they lived with their mates in the Coven up North.

  Rafe recognized and accepted the fact that he had to try to play nice and get along if he ever wanted to get out of this place. The only problem with that was Rafe had never learned how to play nice.

  “You mind if I sit here?” Rafe looked up to see Bryn, Calum’s brother standing there. Rafe gave the slightest of nods and Bryn smiled and sat down.

  He stared at him, thoughtfully for a moment before speaking. "Look, I get that this is not the place you want to be, but for now you have to make the best of it." Bryn leaned forward with his arms on the table. "You were clear and upfront with all of us when you arrived and we appreciated your honesty. So, we know why King Duncan sent you to us and what he hopes you will learn while you're here." Bryn glanced at the men standing and sitting around the breakfast bar, talking and laughing and then turned his gaze back to Rafe.

  "With that said, you've been here nearly a month and you still go out of your way to avoid all contact with the humans living and around you." Rafe nailed him with a stare that warned him to watch his words and not overstep the boundaries between Warrior and Knight. Bryn instantly raised his hands palms out, indicating no offense intended. "Why not join us tonight at the Red Lion and try your hand at mingling, a little."

  The Red Lion was previously known as the Federal and had been the seediest bar in town, from what he’d heard. Now it was owned and operated by the twins, Flynn and Forbes and their human mate Hunter. It was a bar that catered to humans and paranormals alike and was still a place that garnered a less than stellar reputation which continued to make it appealing to a lot of locals.

  "Baby steps, Rafe," Bryn added when all he got was silence for his suggestion.

  "Okay, I'll meet you there tonight," Rafe stated and Bryn looked a bit surprised by his easy agreement but recovered quickly.

  “Alright, good.” Bryn smiled wide. “Things start hopping around nine.”

  "I'll see you there." Rafe wasn't sure why he agreed, but maybe it was because Bryn took a big risk sitting down and challenging him the way he did. Rafe respected risk takers.

  Rafe had stopped by the Red Lion earlier in the week but had not stayed long. He was simply getting the lay of the land. He had spent the bulk of his time over the last couple of weeks familiarizing himself with the area and the people. He needed to know what and who he was dealing with in this dusty town. He was assigned to Chieftain Calum Keith as additional security and there was no telling how long King Duncan would leave him there. It could be months, or it could be years.

  This was not a
demotion; he maintained his title of First Knight, but for now, instead of serving his King he would be serving the Chieftain. He took his position seriously and found pride and purpose in providing protection to Calum, his family, and his Lodge. Baby Liam was an absolute treasure and over time Rafe would force himself to get used to Calum's human mate Chance as well as the other human's residing here. In the meantime, he would simply do his job as he always did and see where life took him.

  …

  Noah Owens was new to this area of Wyoming. He was on the run and in the last two weeks, he'd been everywhere it seemed, from Idaho to Florida and most places in between. This was the first time he was making his way through Wyoming.

  They’d tracked him down and nearly caught him outside Austin after he’d used his debit card, but he was able to get away when he received a heads up from a truck stop waitress. She let him know a couple of low life biker types were waiting for him out front of the restaurant.

  Even though he hadn’t seen them, he knew it was the jackals. She helped him escape out the back and he caught a ride with a trucker just in the nick of time. That trucker dropped him here in Laramie.

  It was late and although he had six hundred dollars in his pocket, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to waste any of it on a motel. He wouldn’t be able to access his account again for some time, so the money he had would have to stretch a long way. This was so fucking brutal, constantly moving, constantly living in fear, where would it end?

  He was walking the main street keeping his head down and moving quickly. There was an all-night diner a few blocks from the university. He saw it advertised on a billboard and it sounded like his kind of place. It was currently well past midnight so he could hang there for at least an hour or maybe two if it was busy. It would give him a chance to sit eat and consider his options while having the protection of a public place.

  …

  Rafe sat at a side table with his back to the wall and a clear view of the front and back doors. Bryn and his mate Cameron were dancing while Angus and his mate Juan were at the bar talking with the bartender, Briggs, a big bear shifter. This left him to settle in and watch the room. The clientele was a bit sketchy, but according to Forbes and Flynn, they'd cleaned the place up considerably. If this was classed up, he couldn't even imagine what the place was like originally.

  He was used to some rough establishments and kind of wished he could have experienced the Red Lion in its natural state, it must have been quite the dive. As it was the paranormals wholly outnumbered the humans which was fine in Rafe’s opinion.

  Cameron was a decent human, he had to admit that much. Not that he wanted to be friends by any stretch, but Cameron was different. His overwhelming love and devotion to Bryn was clear and evident with every look and every touch, but that was for Bryn alone. Everyone else had to earn his warmth and regard. From what Rafe had observed, he was trusting of the leadership and several of the warriors and mates. But there were many still going through a kind intellectual and analytical observation that kept Cameron a step back but did not lessen the manners and respect required of these individuals.

  Rafe found himself on the very edges of Cameron’s analysis and concern, as he should be. He was here probably for the short term so why try to figure him out beyond the rudimentary. Cameron accepted and acknowledged him as far as what was expected and did not pursue anything further. Rafe hated to admit it, but he could learn something from this human.

  "You look like you could use some company." The drunken bobcat sauntered over close and bent over, making his intentions clear. "Want to dance? I'm a marvelous dancer." The man was bold considering everyone else in the place was giving Rafe's table a wide birth, not wanting to interrupt or disturb. He gave off the kind of vibe that made a person straighten up and use caution.

  “Thank you, but no, I don’t dance and I’m not looking for company.” Rafe tried to sound firm but not angry because the bobcat was harmless. He didn’t want to hurt the guy’s feelings, he just wanted him to go away. The bobcat looked surprised by the abrupt dismissal.

  “The guy at the bar said you were lonely and that you loved to dance.” Rafe shot a sharp glance to the bar and saw Angus staring at him with a grin that said it all. Rafe nailed him with a look that could kill and he quickly hunched his shoulders innocently as if he didn’t understand and turned his attention back to the bartender.

  Rafe looked back at the crestfallen bobcat who still hadn't gotten the message. "The guy at the bar was bullshitting you, so why don't you go find someone who does want to dance." Rafe shooed him away and finally, the guy turned and walked none too gracefully away. Rafe doubted the guy was actually a good dancer considering that simply walking appeared to be a challenge.

  "Just trying to loosen you up a little," Angus said as he and Juan returned to the table and sat down. Juan smiled up at his mate and snuggled close to his side. Juan was a needy mate, but Angus appeared to eat it up. It was nice seeing all the new bonds and realizing all the possibilities of the Circle. But with that said Rafe was in no hurry to find his own mate.

  He preferred to keep his own company and was in no mood to have to take on the constant care and feeding of a mate. They turned your life upside down and took over your thoughts and emotions in a most unbecoming fashion. He’d seen it many times over and everyone claimed to be happy and completed by the bond and the intrusion into their life, but it just looked like a hell of a lot of work to Rafe.

  "I'm as loose as I care to be Angus," Rafe stated and took a drink of his whiskey.

  "I realize humans aren't to your taste, but there are plenty of good-looking shifters in here who could make a pleasurable evening for you," Angus commented and then added. "But none are as handsome as you baby." He said to Juan and kissed him, and it just proved Rafe's point that mates screw with your head. Angus wasn't allowed to appreciate the beauty in another man without securing the tender feelings of his mate first.

  "I know Angus, I'm not that insecure," Juan answered with another possessive smile and his admission surprised Rafe. They did seem like a perfect couple.

  “How about I let you two enjoy the rest of the evening and I’ll head back to the Lodge?” He said as he finished his whiskey and stood.

  “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, Rafe.” Angus apologized. “I’ll stop trying to hook you up, promise.” Rafe squeezed his shoulder and moved away from the table in the direction of the door.

  “You didn’t make me uncomfortable. I had a good time.” Rafe explained. “I’ll see you back at the Lodge.” He said as he exited the main door.

  “Why’d you chase him off, Angus?” Bryn demanded to know as he and Cameron sat down.

  “I didn’t chase him off, he was just ready to go.” Angus defended.

  "Rafe is the type of person who can only do crowds like this for so long and then he has to have his space," Cameron interjected and then took a sip of his beer. "He's fine around his brother dragons, but other paranormals and humans tend to irritate him after prolonged exposure." He added thoughtfully.

  "And that's the problem right there," Bryn spoke up. "He needs to learn to get over himself and let people in."

  “Are you going to tell him that?” Angus laughed.

  “No, I don’t believe Rafe is in the state of mind right now to welcome personal critiques.” Bryn clarified. “But if he doesn’t figure himself out, he’s going to be spinning his wheels here in Laramie for a long time.”

  …

  Noah quickly tried rushing past one of the local bars that opened onto the main street. It was at a time when the patrons were coming and going, and the revelry was spilling out onto the sidewalk. He just wanted to go by and get to the diner at the end of the block. He should have crossed the street, but he didn't want to draw attention to the fact that the crowd made him uneasy. Unfortunate for him was the fact that a majority of the revelers were shifters and his uneasiness shone like a beacon. Now he was a target, fuck.

  CHAPTER
TWO

  "Hey, babe, where are you running to? Come here, let me buy you a drink." A man in a leather jacket with chains and worn jeans called out and started moving towards him. Noah stayed silent with his head down and kept moving. "Oh, don't be like that precious. We won't hurt you, much." With that, they all started to laugh hysterically.

  Noah was ready to run when suddenly someone stepped out onto the sidewalk and everything went silent. This man was huge, even in shifter terms, he had everyone beat. Noah had learned to recognize most shifter species, but this guy stumped him. He got no scent or vibe he could categorize.

  The guy had thick black hair that swept low over the left side of his face and his deep green eyes which were taking in every individual and action present were mesmerizing. "Leave him alone." The guy said with a deep and thick accent that thrilled Noah but caused everyone else to take a step back giving the big guy all their watchful attention and careful respect.

  This man scared them, he didn’t need a menacing leather jacket or torn jeans to look tough all he needed were those eyes. He stood there in nothing but simple dark jeans and a black t-shirt and he took Noah’s breath away. This man was afraid of nothing, this man ruled his own world. What Noah wouldn’t give for even a tenth of his presence and confidence.

  “We meant no harm.” The guy in the leather jacket began to whine. The man said nothing just continued to stare at the guy until leather jacket dropped his head and moved away and the others followed. The man then shifted his gaze to Noah.

  “You alright?” He asked and Noah nodded. He wanted to speak, to say something, to thank him, but the upset of these hooligans combined with the trauma that was his life and his desperate need to keep moving had him abruptly turning and running away.

  Rafe watched as the little redhead took off down the street. He looked scared, more scared than he should have considering the situation. The man was about five-foot-seven, roughly one-hundred thirty pounds, which put him on the skinny side. He was exhausted. The look of him showed days of stress, tension, and insecurity. This dust-up with the wolf shifters was probably just a blip on the screen of what was really going on in the guy's life.