by Aaron Crash
Contents
Summary
Aaron Crash's Mailing List
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
TWENTY
TWENTY-ONE
TWENTY-TWO
TWENTY-THREE
TWENTY-FOUR
TWENTY-FIVE
TWENTY-SIX
TWENTY-SEVEN
TWENTY-EIGHT
TWENTY-NINE
THIRTY
THIRTY-ONE
THIRTY-TWO
Books, Mailing List, and Reviews
Other Works by Aaron Crash
Books from Shadow Alley Press
About the Author
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Copyright
Summary
Gather an escort. Acquire a dragon hoard. Build an empire …
Steven Drokharis finally has his own Primacy, and he will stop at nothing to defend it.
Luckily, Steven has a new Magician in his Escort, and she’s as beautiful as she is powerful. And yet, they are still on a journey of vengeance: his now dead enemy, Rhaegen Mulk, wasn’t working alone. At the same time, Mouse wants her own form of vengeance against the Prime who now rules the Rocky Mountains. That’s a whole lotta hate, and Steven and his Escort need to unlock the forbidden magic in the third volume of the Drokharis Grimoire if they hope to stand against a world of dragons trying to destroy them.
Disclaimer: Denver Fury (American Dragons Book 1) is a shoot-em-up, action adventure, urban fantasy novel which is not intended for readers under the age of 18. This novel contains swearing, violence, and a harem of beautiful shapeshifting women that the hero regularly sleeps with—and he does so gladly.
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ONE
Mouse slept behind him, an amber-colored dragon lying among the sagebrush, yucca plants, and harsh yellow grasses that marked the Great Plains. He would let her sleep.
She’d need all her energy for the coming battle.
In his human form, dressed only in jeans, Steven Drokharis stood on the edge of a narrow canyon, looking down at the green waters of Guernsey Reservoir two hundred feet below. The sides were sheer all the way down to the lake. He was on the top edge of the western cliffs; to the east, the sun was barely a red smudge on the horizon. Early June, and the air was already warm and dry. The murky odor of the lake wafted into the dry air. A light breeze tousled Steven’s midnight-black hair.
Aria and Tessa had spent the night in a tent on the eastern rim of the canyon. In a few hours, the boaters and water-skiers would come tearing through the canyon creating wakes and arcs of water. But there wouldn’t be that many. Memorial Day was a week ago, and the place wouldn’t fill up again until the Fourth of July weekend—a month away. Steven had been to the lake before, with a friend, during middle school. It was a popular destination for Coloradans willing to make the drive.
What would his life look like on Independence Day? He had no idea. It had been two months since Aria’s kiss, the kiss that had changed his life forever. He’d gone from a normal human to a Dragonsoul, and not just any dragon, but one with amazing power … because of his father, the great Stefan Drokharis.
Steven’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He took it out and saw a text from Liam Strider, the mysterious Yellow Ronin who’d become one of Steven’s vassals. The text said that Liam’s Magica Divinatio spell had worked, and he’d found the Dragonlord and his servants flying toward the remote lake in Wyoming. Steven’s newest enemy would be there in forty-five minutes.
A lot had happened since Steven had killed Rhaegen Mulk, the dragon who’d murdered his father on the orders of the Dragonsoul Conclave. Not much of it very good. Steven and his Escort had stayed hidden, living in the Jayco trailer Bud had bought for them. They drove from place to place, finding remote campgrounds and RV parks, staying under the radar.
Liam had cast magic to see if anyone was looking for them, and someone was. Liam had finally pinpointed who had been scrying them, a Dragonlord from Australia, from the Queensland Primacy to be exact. That was who was flying in on them.
Steven was done hiding—it was time to be found and, in turn, to find some answers. Answers about Mulk and his business partners, and more importantly, about the folks who had played a role in the death of his family. Steven also wanted to get information on exactly how many dragons wanted him and his Escort dead. So, they’d scratched a line in Mouse’s tattoo, the hurricane circle on her chest that kept her hidden from scrying eyes. And just like that, with one little scratch, they were visible to the world again.
Steven shed his clothes, so he wouldn’t ruin them. Then he cast a Magica Defensio spell to hide from any human eyes that might be around. Unlikely, since it was so early, and Guernsey Reservoir wasn’t exactly on Wyoming’s list of must-see attractions.
He shifted into his True Form. As a thirty-foot-long black dragon, he scooped up his jeans with a claw. Then he flung himself off the cliff and caught the wind in his wings as he hurtled toward the water. He shot across the surface of the reservoir and up the eastern side of the canyon. He wanted to do a little recon before he woke Mouse.
He flew over the pines and crags, wings pumping gracefully, until he found the orange tent where Tessa and Aria had spent the night. He’d slept peacefully as a dragon, curled up with Mouse, their bodies hot enough to blister the plants around them. Back when he started, shifting into his Homo Draconis or his True Form had been difficult and had taken a lot of Animus. But as he’d levelled, his ability to process the mystical energy had improved greatly. The thought made him smile. At one time, even a little Animus healed him. Now, his cells worked differently, and it took a lot more Animus to repair wounds. On the plus side, being in his True Form had become second nature to him. It was his favorite way to sleep. Unfortunately, unless he was out in the boonies, sleeping as a full-sized dragon was simply too dangerous. As a Dragonsoul, he had to stay hidden from the humans.
A light glowed inside the orange tent. That would be Tessa on her phone. Most likely Liam had texted them the warning, which was good. Liam was the most powerful Dragonsoul on Steven’s team, but he was also a strange one. He didn’t have an Escort and didn’t pursue battle, so he gained Animus slowly. Steven couldn’t imagine living that way. Liam mostly stayed in his Nebraska house, casting spells and recovering Animus—the mystical energy that powered dragons and some humans who had access to the dragon skill tree abilities. Like Tessa, their master Magician.
Rounding out Steven’s team was William “Bud” Novak, their consigliere and liaison to the world of lawyers, money, and contracts. Bud’s father owned a big-time law firm and had taken Steven on as a client. They were fighting to get Mulk’s fortune transferred over to Steven—as was his right—but were having issues. The Novaks found themselves in a legal war; Steven wasn’t exactly beloved by the Dragonsoul community, and someone was actively blocking them with a team of lawyers from all over the globe.
Steven wheeled away from the tent and checked the surrounding campgrounds, boat docks, and houses. Every one of them was empty. Good, he didn’t want humans around
when the Australian dragon finally showed up.
When he returned to Mouse on the western canyon rim, the red glow of the rising sun painted her crimson. He landed next to her and nudged her awake with his fearsome snout.
Her yellow eyes flickered open. “Why are you waking me up? For the love of biscuits, it’s practically still night.”
“We have about forty-five minutes until the Australian Dragonlord shows up. He’s flying in.”
Mouse shifted into her human form, suddenly naked and beautiful. She rose, stretching, her arms above her head. Her little breasts pulled tight. Her nipples hardened. Lust tickled Steven, giving him a few ideas on how he’d like to spend the few minutes before the battle.
Mouse was a slight woman, petite and slender, with long blonde hair and pixyish features. Behind her was a plastic box of supplies. She went over and dug out a little stove to boil water. She sighed. “Where’s Tessa when I need her? I totally don’t feel like making coffee. And yet I need it so.”
Steven dropped his jeans from his claws and shifted human. Naked, he got the stove working and soon had water boiling. Mouse, with a blanket over her shoulders, watched him.
He poured the hot water over Starbuck’s mocha powder. While he preferred his coffee black, when it came to instant, he might as well get something sweet. It wasn’t like the midnight espresso that Tessa was probably brewing up on her stove across the way.
He handed Mouse the cup, and she sniffed it. She took a sip, eyes closed, still trying to wake up.
“You seem to be pretty chill with this whole situation,” Steven said. “Are you sure you don’t mind being the bait in our little trap?”
Mouse pinched her brows together. “First you wake me up, and now you want to talk? Fuck me.”
“We have time,” Steven said, cocking an eyebrow suggestively.
Mouse smiled. “You boys, always so horny in the mornings. But to answer your question, I don’t mind being bait. After all, the Dragonsoul community has certain ideas about me … that I’m difficult, flighty, a drunk. That might have been true before you, Steven. Now? I’d like to think I’m a little easier to get along with.”
“And you do drink less.” Steven sipped his mocha. Not bad. Starbucks had done a good job on making instant coffee tolerable.
Mouse sighed. “Funny thing, I don’t miss it much. I have to say, I do miss all the money. Being rich your entire life kinda messes you up.”
“Being poor does too,” Steven said. “Bud keeps saying we’re close, but he’s been saying that for a month. Lucky his cryptocurrency gambles are still paying off. Not that I understand any of how that works.”
Mouse gave him a gentle look. “Steven, I didn’t mean to complain. The Jayco is comfortable. It’s good. We’re alive. You know I don’t blame you for anything, right?”
“I get that,” Steven replied. “And eventually, we’ll have enough cash to build the Infinity Ranch, and then I can really pamper you. I just need to know how many Dragonsouls are gunning for me. It seems like the entire world wants me dead.”
Mouse rose and walked over to him. She curled up against him. He loved how her bare skin felt on his.
“I know it might feel like that,” she said, “but I think if that were the case, we’d be up to our asses in dragons. We cut through the hurricane circle last night, and bam, we have one big bad wolf show up on our radar. Once this fucker shows up, we’ll pump him for information.”
Steven chuckled and pulled her closer. “I think there will be a lot of fighting and killing and not a lot of talking. But we can try. We’ve been practicing. Tessa figured out stun bullets for her Peacekeeper.”
“And I have my next Exhalant ability ready,” Mouse said.
Steven checked the dragon skill tree.
Transformatio (Head of the Dragon)
Partial Transformation
Homo Draconis
True Form (Dragonsoul)
Pugna (Tail of the Dragon)
DarkArmor
DragonStrength
SerpentGrace
ShadowStrength
IonClaws
Exhalants (Left Wing of the Dragon)
Inferno
ElectroArc
Toxicity
ArcticWind
ShadowFlame
ChromaticFury
Veneficium (Right Wing of the Dragon)
Magica Defensio
Magica Cura
Magica Impetim
Magica Incanto
Magica Divinatio
Magica Porta
After finally being able to use the Inferno Exhalant against Mulk, he’d leveled up not once but twice. He’d also unlocked two new abilities in the process: ShadowStrength from the Pugna abilities and Magica Impetim. He’d practiced throwing magic missiles, so he felt confident about that one. As for ShadowStrength? That one was far trickier. Liam was amazed at how fast Steven was gaining in abilities, but then the yellow Dragonsoul figured it was due to the Drokharis blood in him. Stefan’s power had been off the charts.
Like father, like son.
Steven blinked and let the skill tree go. He knew he probably should meditate before the battle, but they still had half an hour, easily. And he had a big, stiff problem between his legs.
Mouse reached down and circled her hand around his shaft. “How about we make sure our Animus is topped off, huh? The coffee was fine, but I know a better way to wake me up.”
Before he could answer, she knelt in front of him. He quickly forgot about everything except for her mouth and her strong hand. His knees weakened at the bliss of it. Mouse knew exactly what she was doing.
The blanket slipped off her shoulders. Standing over her, he reached down to cup a breast in his hand. She was soft and warm, and he liked feeling the hard knot of her nipple against his palm. With his other hand, he caressed her blonde hair. He noticed she was caressing her own sex while she sucked on him. At one point, she stopped, held him, and shuddered through an orgasm. The smell of her, roasted almonds, filled his nose. Her skin glowed as a fresh surge of Animus flowed into her.
Then she went back to working on him. After a month of sex, she could anticipate his every desire, and she knew how close she could take him to the edge without pushing him over it. That was the amazing part, having her stop right before he erupted.
She finally drew back. “Oh, you are horny this morning, my Prime. But I want a little something as well.”
He laid her down on the blanket, then knelt to push her legs apart. She was glistening and pink.
“Should I lick you?” he asked.
“No, I’m ready,” Mouse gasped. “And you’re not going to last long, which is good since we have a battle to fight. I’ve already come once. If you do me good, I’ll come again.”
“But not with you on the bottom.” Steven loved how this next part would go.
“Good point.” She swung him around. He lay back on the blanket.
Mouse liked it on top, doing all the work. She straddled him, and he slid into her warmth. She rode him until she was coming again, rubbing her special spot as she rose and fell. Watching her orgasm triggered his own climax.
The ecstasy was amazing, as was the Animus warming his chest. He knew he was glowing—burning like distant stars—they both were, but that was okay. The sun was up, shining down on them. No one would see the light.
Mouse fell on him, and she kissed him sweetly.
She said, “This Dragonsoul shit can be a pain in the ass, but I have to say, powering up through sex makes it all tolerable.”
Steven grinned and then turned serious. “Maybe someday we won’t have to power up to fight. Maybe I can change things so all we’ll have to do all day long is have sex and laugh and eat.”
Mouse rolled her eyes. “I don’t see that ever happening, Steven. But it’s a nice thought. And you’re sweet to think you can change fifty thousand years of Dragonsoul shit.” She paused. “But if anyone could do it, it would be you. You’re amazing, Stev
en, and I feel so lucky to be with you.”
She colored. Yeah, she’d gotten mushy, and Mouse hated being mushy.
She got off him, turned, and ran across the land, through the sage. She went from human to a dragon, smelling of almonds, fifteen feet long with wide wings and a slender tail. She launched herself off the ground and took to the sky.
Flying down to the water, she used her newest Exhalant, ArcticWind, to breath ice into a platform. Still a dragon, she landed on the layer of ice covering the reservoir between the sharp cliffs.
Steven heard his phone tweet. He’d gotten a text. He retrieved it from his jeans. It was from Tessa. She and Aria were in position on the other side of the canyon, ready for whatever shit the Australian Prime pulled. Now, all they had to do was wait for the guy to show up and play his hand.
Steven just hoped that in all the fighting he’d get a chance to talk to his enemy to see if he was only the first in a long line of dragons coming to murder the last scion of the powerful Drokharis family.
TWO
Rahaab didn’t knock on the front door of Cassius Pine’s Aerie. No, too much had happened—he had no time for such human niceties. Even now, hundreds of miles away, Jaxon Wenck was going after Mouse, who’d finally appeared to the eyes scrying her.
Rahaab doubted that Melissa “Mouse” Craygore would be alone. No, the Drokharis child would be with her. Perhaps Jaxon could take care of the problem that Rhaegen Mulk had failed so spectacularly to fix. Perhaps. But the ancient dragon didn’t think so.
Rahaab flew down out of the morning sky as a silver dragon, fifty feet long, with white hair and gleaming white claws, which shimmered opalescent in the light. He landed on top of the mansion, which overlooked the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone in northern Wyoming. In the distance, a geyser exploded out of the earth. Steam and water gushed into the air.
Cassius’s Yellowstone house had a landing pad on the roof with a wrought-iron circular staircase leading down to an outdoor living room where a fireplace burned to fight the high-mountain morning chill. That was where Cassius Pine and his Escort currently lounged.