dragons breath 01 - stalked by flames

by Susan Illene

“Do you think we could call them now?” I needed to hear their voices and confirm for myself that they were okay.

  He shrugged. “We could try. Depends on if there’s a satellite nearby we can connect to or not.”

  The satellites themselves had to be safe from dragons, but the companies who maintained them were another matter. How long could they keep them going before that avenue of communication was cut off as well? And would they bother to worry about people paying their bills for them until they went down?

  Earl pulled the phone from a drawer and handed it over. “Ran the generator earlier, so it’s charged up, but you’ll need to step outside if you want to catch a signal.”

  “Thanks.” I gave him a grateful look and followed him out the back door.

  His backyard was full of trees. It provided great cover against the dragons but made it hard to get a line of sight to a satellite. I walked around until I managed to get a couple bars and dialed the number Earl gave me. There’d never been a reason to memorize Grady’s sat phone number before. It was too expensive to use often.

  “…ello? Hello?” my stepfather answered after a few rings.

  Relief filled me at hearing his familiar voice. “It’s me, Bailey.”

  A pause. “Who?”

  “It’s Bailey,” I almost shouted.

  “My God, darlin’, how have you been?” Grady came through the line clearer. “We’ve been worried sick about you.”

  “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. How is everything there?”

  “We’re doin’ alright, but your mother’s been at her wit’s end since you didn’t make it home. Hold on a second. I’m puttin’ her on the phone for you.” The sound of muffled voices followed.

  Earl moved away to give me some privacy, but he kept his eyes on the sky looking for any signs of dragons. I watched for them, too.

  “Bailey, are you there?” my mother’s voice came over the line. Somehow, she managed to sound both relieved and worried at the same time.

  A lump rose in my throat. “I’m here. How are you, mom?”

  “You know Grady is taking care of us. I just wish you’d made it down.” Her voice was still beautiful, age notwithstanding. She could have been a singer if she’d wanted. Just listening to her reminded me of the times when she’d sung while doing the dishes.

  I closed my eyes. “I know. If I can find a way, I’ll get down there, but it’s too dangerous right now. There’s a huge chasm in southern Oklahoma and I’m not sure how far I’d have to go to get around it.”

  “We heard about that.” She sighed. “They’re saying it stretches from Arkansas to the Texas panhandle.”

  I’d heard that from Hank on the radio as well. There was too much open ground to drive that far around, especially since I didn’t know where all the dragons were concentrated. Never mind finding gas to make the trip and dealing with any people along the way who might try to attack or rob me.

  “Grady says you need to stay where you are,” my mother said. “He’ll work on finding a way for you to get here.”

  “Okay,” I agreed, not really believing he’d find one anytime soon.

  My mother gasped. “I have to let you go, honey, but please check in when you can.”

  “What’s going on?”

  The loud roar of a dragon came over the line, answering my question for me. I gripped the phone hard. Please don’t let it hurt my family.

  “I love you!” my mother shouted, a catch in her voice.

  “I love you, too…” I began, but the line cut off.

  My hands shook as I pulled the phone from my ear. Earl walked over and gently took it from my numb fingers. I couldn’t seem to move or speak. No, that wasn’t right. What I was really doing was fighting the urge to run all the way to Texas, leap over the damn chasm if I had to, and save my family.

  “Dragons?” he asked.

  I nodded.

  He gave me a reassuring look. “They’ve got their tornado shelter. There have been reports that going underground can protect you from the flames. Grady’ll make sure everyone gets to safety.”

  I knew he was just saying that to make me feel better, but he had a point. For some reason, dragon fire didn’t burn dirt like it did everything else. It was the only other thing I knew of aside from myself that seemed immune.

  “I hope so,” I replied in a dubious voice.

  The shelter at the ranch was only about twenty feet from the house. They could have made it there in time, but even if they did the dragon could wait for them outside. Supplies would only last for so long down there and my mother wouldn’t be able to get to her blood pressure medication.

  More than anything in the world I wanted to go home right then. I hated that I was stuck in Oklahoma where I felt helpless to protect my family. Sure, people needed to be defended here, too, but my mother and brothers came first. I paced the ground, kicking up dirt in frustration.

  “There has to be a way back.”

  Earl’s hand gripped my shoulder, stopping me. “If there is, we’ll find it. For now, you need to sit tight and stay safe. It’s what your family would want.”

  He was right, whether I liked it or not. But feelings of helplessness led me to other thoughts. Maybe there was a way for me to work it out so I could get home safely. A deal I could strike with a certain dragon shape-shifter.

  “I gotta go,” I said, pulling away from Earl.

  He gave me a disapproving look. “You’re not gonna do somethin’ stupid like tryin’ to head down there, are you?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “But I need to get back to campus.”

  Earl stared at me as if he debated whether to let me go or not. “Well, I ain’t gonna stop you, but you better be careful. It’s dangerous out there. I don’t want to be the one to tell your parents if somethin’ happens to you.”

  “You can find me at the library on campus,” I said, giving him a reassuring look. “If you hear from my parents, let me know.”

  He relaxed a little. “Yeah, I’ll do that, but you better check in with me again soon.”

  “I will.” I rushed off.

  Chapter 16

  Bailey

  I had about a quarter tank of gas left in my truck. Enough to make the trip there and back with a little left over, but I’d have to think of ways to get more fuel soon. It was frustrating passing gas stations, knowing they were useless to me. That wasn’t the worst part, though.

  All along Lindsey Street I saw crashed vehicles, the remains of charred houses, and the occasional dog or cat roaming around. Sometimes I caught people moving between buildings. They took one look at my truck and ran. Whatever was going on in this part of Norman didn’t look to be any good.

  Tires squealed and gunshots rang out, coming from a cross street up ahead. I turned on the next road and parked in front of an empty house. Sometimes hiding in plain sight was the only thing you could do, and there were plenty of other cars around the neighborhood to help me blend in. Hunkering down low in my seat, I only kept my head up high enough to see out the window.

  A minute later a car full of men sped down Lindsey Street. Two guys hung out the back passenger windows shooting pistols into the air. They were carrying on and laughing like they’d just robbed a liquor store. Who knows? Maybe they had.

  A few minutes later I started my truck and got back on the road. Staying alert for any potential danger, I drove as fast as I could. Eventually, the road led me out of town and into the countryside. Small and large houses dotted the landscape. I caught sight of the occasional cow or horse, but no people or dragons. It was a relief to be away from town for a little while.

  After a couple of miles, a house up the road caught my attention. It was a single story brick home with a small front yard, a fence running along one side, and an outbuilding on the other end. None of that was what interested me, though.

  It was the middle-aged woman tending a garden out front. She didn’t appear to have a care in the world. I couldn’t help but slow down t
o get a better look at her. She wore khaki shorts, a white sleeveless blouse, and a straw hat on top of her head. It covered straight brown hair that reached just past her shoulders.

  She didn’t turn or acknowledge my truck coming her way. Her hands worked to pull weeds from the dirt where a beautiful rose bush grew. I couldn’t remember seeing more vibrant red buds in my life. Without even realizing it, I pulled into her driveway. It wasn’t until I put the truck into park and pulled the keys from the ignition that I realized what I’d done. Why had I stopped? I didn’t even know this woman.

  She turned and smiled at me.

  “Oh, good. I’m glad you’re here.” Her voice filtered through my half-open window. She sounded friendly enough.

  I found myself opening my door and stepping out to meet her across the grass lawn. “Um, aren’t you worried about the dragons seeing you out here?”

  It was all I could think to say.

  She lifted her gaze to the sky and gave it look of disgust. “No, I’m not. They won’t come to this place.”

  The woman had a faint Irish accent. As if she’d been born and raised in Ireland but had moved to America a long time ago. There was a sense of utter confidence about her, yet there were also secrets in her hazel eyes. It made me think she had answers to questions I didn’t even know to ask.

  “Okay,” I said in a hesitant voice. “Look. I don’t know why I’m here…”

  She held out her hand. “I’m Verena. And you are?”

  Against my better judgment, I shook it. Her palms were rough but warm. She tightened her grip on my hand for a moment before letting go. I had the urge to rub my palm on my pants, but managed to refrain.

  “I’m Bailey. I’m not sure why I stopped here.”

  Verena cocked her head. “I suppose it’s because I wanted you to. Where are you headed?”

  My mind turned hazy, as if my thoughts were somehow being clouded—or directed. “Um. To the lake?”

  “Ah. You’ve made your decision, then. I’m glad to hear it.”

  “Decision?” She couldn’t possibly know anything about me.

  “You’re going to train to be a dragon slayer. A wise choice.” She nodded approvingly.

  “How could you…?”

  “We’ll meet again soon.” She smiled. “Next time I’ll have a gift for you.”

  This was some sort of twisted dream. I was sure of it. “What will you have for me?”

  “You’ll see.” She waved me away. “Now run along. You’ve got a long day ahead of you.”

  Before I could ask anything more, I found myself heading for my truck. Though I tried to stop, my feet wouldn’t cooperate. In less than a minute, I found myself back on the road, driving east again. The fog in my head lifted about a mile after that. When I looked in my review mirror, there was no sign of the house I’d just visited. I couldn’t even remember what happened there.

  Chapter 17

  Bailey

  Lindsey Street ended with the road turning north just as Aidan had said it would. I worked my way over to where it started again off of 84th Avenue and continued until I reached the end of the paved road where a solitary red sign stood. Beyond it, there was nothing but thick bushes and trees. A couple of gravel roads branched off to the north and south, but closed gates blocked them.

  I’d come to the right place. The only problem was I’d arrived a little early. I pulled the truck off the road and parked it under a row of trees, shutting the engine off. The stillness around me was almost unnerving. Birds chirped nearby and insects buzzed around, but there were no signs of people. It had been a long time since I’d felt this alone.

  I looked up through a break in the trees and caught sight of a dragon flying in the distance. It was red like Aidan, but a little bigger and the coloring was darker. When it continued south, I relaxed in my seat.

  With every minute that passed the heat grew more oppressive. Sweat beaded on my forehead and no amount of fanning my face helped. The rain had stopped about a week ago and it had been getting hotter ever since. Yesterday someone found a temperature gauge. We were reaching temperatures of up to one hundred twenty degrees in the mid-afternoon. Oklahoma could get hot in the summer, but not that hot. It had to be the latest side effect of the dragon world colliding with ours.

  My eyes drifted shut as I thought of better times. Days when the heat got to be too much back on the ranch. When it was really hot my brothers and I would go out to the creek, swim to cool off, and take naps afterward under the trees. Sometimes we’d speculate on how it would be when we grew up. All of us had planned to live at the ranch forever. We’d loved it there. Back in those days I never imagined life would become this complicated—or dangerous.

  Please, God, let my family be okay. I’ll get to them soon if you’ll just watch over them for a little while longer.

  ***

  A loud bang woke me some time later. I gripped the armrest and sat straight up. Everything around me was shaking and there was a tree limb on my hood. The earthquake wasn’t as bad as the ones that struck around the time dragons first invaded, but enough to bring me to full wakefulness. When it ended, I took a deep breath and let it out. Sometime soon I hoped the extreme weather and regular earthquakes would stop.

  Movement down the south gravel road caught my eye. Aidan was in his human form, wearing the same black outfit as the last two times I saw him. He walked toward my truck with the grace of a predator who knew he was at the top of the food chain.

  As he drew closer, I noticed his expression was stormy. Maybe he’d had a bad day? I was half-tempted to start the truck and take off, but I resisted the urge. Aidan came to stand next to my open window, appearing more intimidating than ever.

  “You’ve decided?” he asked.

  There was something in his stance and voice. It was like he was almost feral.

  “With conditions,” I replied.

  His jaw hardened. “What conditions?”

  “When this is over and your clan has control of the area I want you to take me home.”

  His brows furrowed. “Home? Where?”

  “South to Texas,” I said, speaking in a firm voice that meant business. “My family lives down there, but there’s a huge chasm between us now so I can’t get to them. I’ve been stuck up here ever since you crossed over from that other dimension.”

  A few seconds passed.

  “Pure dragons rule down there. It would be better if you stayed here.”

  “I don’t care.” I gave him a determined look. “My family is in danger down there and I can’t help them if I’m up here.”

  He shook his head. “It’s impossible.”

  “Then we’re done here.” I reached for the keys in my ignition.

  He reached out and grabbed my wrist. “You don’t understand. What you ask is too dangerous for both of us. The clans down there are large and they patrol the chasm regularly. No matter how well I train you there is no way we can face that many. It would be suicide.”

  Maybe he was right. I hadn’t been down to the chasm since it first opened up. A lot of dragons had crossed over since then, but I couldn’t give up that easily.

  “Then give me another option,” I demanded, jerking my arm free. “Some way to help my family.”

  His face turned stony. “You will train with me and we’ll think on a solution. It will be months before you’re ready to fight—more before my clan will hold this territory. Other possibilities may open up for us by then.”

  Thinking of my family and how even now they might be dying made me desperate. I didn’t know if they’d make it out of the dragon attack today, but I had to do whatever it took to reach them if they did survive.

  “I need a promise, Aidan. You have to swear you’ll do everything in your power to help me return to my family. I can’t do this if I can’t see some kind of light at the end of the tunnel.”

  He let out a heavy sigh and turned away. His back was rigid. I could see defined muscles where his leather-like cloth
ing didn’t cover the ends of his shoulders. Though I didn’t doubt his strength, it still amazed me a man of his size could turn into such a large creature. Where did the rest of his mass go when he was in human form?

  Long minutes ticked by. The only sound was of bugs swarming around. The birds had turned silent and no other wildlife came close. Aidan’s presence must have scared them all off.

  Hesitantly, I opened the door and climbed out of the truck. The fact he was even considering my plea told me he needed me more than he was letting on. Somehow, his plans hinged on me. I could use that to my advantage so we both got something out of the deal. I touched his shoulder lightly and he turned around.

  “Do you have family?” I asked.

  He studied me for a moment, then nodded.

  “Do you care about them? Enough that you would protect them?”

  He worked his jaw. “There are some I would die for.”

  “Then you have to understand how I feel.”

  His eyes blazed. “You ask a lot.”

  “No more than you’re asking me,” I pointed out. “Before you and the other dragons showed up I had just finished school. I was about to go back and help manage my stepfather’s ranch. Now you’re asking me to become some kind of warrior woman who faces down creatures up to ten times her size.” Bigger, if you counted their wings and tail.

  He looked up at the sky. “In the old days you would have been raised with the knowledge of your heritage. It runs in the family and they would have taught you.”

  It couldn’t have been my mother—she didn’t have a fighting bone in her body. That left my father. He’d already proved he didn’t want anything to do with me by leaving soon after my mother got pregnant.

  “Where are the others of my kind? Why choose to work with me?” That question had been running through my mind for days.

  His gaze turned guarded. “There were some of them living in the other world. I know not whether they’ve crossed yet, or where they may have gone. Only that none of them are near here.”

  I wished I could have met another dragon slayer like me.