by R. R. Banks
“This is entertaining, but it's all for nothing, Warden,” the woman called to me. “I will only summon more of my warriors.”
“Then summon them,” I said. “I can do this all night.”
The man before me moved aside and I wasn't able to react in time. A knife shot out of the darkness of the living room, burying itself up to the hilt in my side. I grunted in pain as the blade tore through my flesh. I felt warm blood rolling down my body and then felt that something was wrong. My skin burned and there was a strange sensation coursing through my body.
“In case you wondered,” the woman said. “The blade of that dagger was coated in a rare poison. It's deadly to the Dragonborn. Or so I'm told. You'll have to tell me if that's true or not.”
“W – where did you get it?” I gasped.
It had been only moments, but I was already feeling lightheaded, my vision starting to blur and grow fuzzy around the edges. I tried to shift into my dragon form – an act of sheer desperation – but found that I couldn't. Whatever the poison was, it had me locked in my human skin.
“Doesn't matter where I got it,” she said. “It only matters that it's effective. And judging by the amount of sweat pouring off you, I'd say it is.”
I was dying. There really was no other way around it. I felt my body growing weaker with each passing second. Knowing that I was about to die, I wanted to see Jessica one last time. I stumbled back to the bedroom door, barely strong enough to hold onto my sword. When I got to the doorway, I threw it open, stepping inside clumsily, and then closed and locked the door behind me.
The Shongtal were in no hurry – they knew they'd won.
I sat down on the edge of the bed, swaying and unsteady. Jessica looked at me with tears in her eyes. She knew what was about to happen.
“I – I'm sorry,” I said. “I tried to protect you and I failed.”
She laid her hand against my cheek and through her tear stained face, gave me a small smile. “You did not fail, my love,” she said softly. “And if this is how it has to be, at least we'll be together at the end.”
Her strength and courage, even in the face of her own looming death, set a fire in my belly. I may not have much longer in this world, but I was going to make the Shongtal pay. I leaned forward and kissed Jessica, knowing it would be the very last time our lips met.
Standing up, I waited. The Shongtal were gathered on the other side of the door. More had come and they crowded into the hallway beyond the door. I could feel their dark malevolence growing and multiplying.
But I had a surprise for them.
Using as much strength as I could muster, I raised my arms, summoning the lightning outside. I spoke a few words of an incantation I knew and outside, the thunder boomed with the intensity of a cannon. It was what came next though, that brought a smile to my face.
I closed my eyes and I could sense the bolt of lightning as it shot out of the clouds overhead, streaking for the apartment. It came through the blown-out windows and straight down the hallway – incinerating the bodies of the Shongtal standing outside my door. At least, some of them. And judging by the intensely agonized screaming I heard coming from the hallway, that bolt of lighting had done damage to a good number of them.
It wouldn't kill them, but it would ruin the bodies they'd stolen enough that they have to go and find another.
The bedroom door burst inward and the woman stood there, clearly unamused. Half of her face was scorched and the smell of burnt flesh accompanied her. Three or four of her minions crowded into the room behind her.
I looked to Jessica and found that rather then terror, her face was set in an expression of grim determination and resolve. She clutched the swaddled bundle to her chest protectively, as if she was daring any of the Shongtal to take it from her.
And when one of the woman's minions reached for Jessica, she buried her silver dagger into his chest. The demon screamed and fell dead upon the bed, the red light in its eyes fading to nothingness. The woman looked at Jessica and then at me, slightly annoyed, slightly amused.
“Your woman is feisty,” she said. “I like that. But it's time to end this game.”
She turned and in one smooth motion, drew and hurled a dagger that hit Jessica in the forehead with a loud thump, the blade burying itself deep. I watched in horror as Jessica – the love of my life – slumped backward on the bed, her eyes rolled back, her mouth hanging open. She was dead. Gone. Forever.
I screamed out and using the last of my strength, raised my sword as the woman grabbed hold of the bundle in Jessica's arms. Two of her minions stepped forward and drove their swords into my midsection. Their steel hissed as it entered my body and I groaned in agony. I used the life force within me to charge myself, sending a bolt of electricity up through the swords, electrocuting both of the Shongtal fighters. They screamed and flew backwards, hitting the floor with a thud.
The woman though, howled in rage as she realized that she'd been duped. The bundle she'd taken from Jessica contained nothing more than another blanket. I smiled wide, knowing that my child was out of her reach, gone with Chelsea just as I'd instructed.
I'd failed in my duty to protect Jessica, but at least I'd managed to protect my child – and protect the world I'd sworn to serve by denying the Shongtal. It was the one thing I took comfort in as I felt my life force ebbing.
The last thing I saw was the woman turn to me, rage flashing through her eyes as she approached, the light in the room glinting off the edge of her blade.
Chapter Two
Astrid
Present Day...
I set the alarm and exited my shop, locking the door behind me before closing and locking the gate . You could never be too careful, after all. Though a bookstore wasn't the likeliest of targets for would-be thieves, you just never knew.
My bookstore – The Attic – had been open for a little over a year now, and it was doing pretty well. It encouraged me – and made me happier than I could say – that people still seemed to love the written word. Books were my life. Always had been. Within the pages of a good book, I could lose myself for hours, traveling to faraway worlds, meeting brave and dashing strangers, and having grand adventures.
Basically, within the pages of a book, I found lives that were everything my own life was not.
(Continued in Saved by a Dragon…)
United States
Other Countries
The doorways stand between two worlds – do they hold the keys that will unlock their survival as well as their passion?
Astrid lives a normal, unremarkable life. She owns and operates a bookstore, has a small circle of friends, and avoids social interaction like the plague. She's alone most of the time, but that's how she likes it. It's routine, there are no unexpected surprises – or chances of being hurt.
All of that changes though, when a chance encounter with a mysterious man turns her world upside down. Suddenly, nothing is routine and unexpected surprises are the norm.
Quint is a Dragonborn Warden, a guardian and protector of humanity. He takes his job as a sacred responsibility and is single-minded in his determination to wipe out the evil Shongtal where ever he finds them.
But when he meets Astrid, he begins to change. His priorities begin to change That singlemindedness slowly gives way to something else within him.
Astrid and Quint stir something deep within one another and it's a primal call that neither can deny – nor do they want to. But will they survive the coming fight to indulge in those primal passions that have set their minds and bodies ablaze?
Saved by a Dragon features a curvy redhead who comes into her own, becoming a regular spitfire and a tall, built Dragonborn shifter – both with a hunger for passion and insatiable desires.
This book is a standalone, no cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happy ending!
United States
Other Countries
EXCLUSIVE – SEAL’s Big Weapon (Never Pu
blished)
Chapter 1
James sat on the edge of the ship and looked back at his friends and comrades as the water was swept aside by the large cruiser. He dangled his feet off the side of ship, allowing them to float in the air while he his mind wandered. Too many negative thoughts filled his mind. His superiors, all screaming at him for his lack of quality performance, didn’t possess a great deal of compassion or concern for his general and mental well being. After several weeks in the field, taking part in multiple training exercises in the Middle-East and Eastern Europe, James was finally taking an opportunity to get some much needed rest.
Lieutenant James O’Conner did his best to rest comfortably while sitting on the deck of the ship. As a member of the infamous Navy SEALs, James was sent to all four corners of the world regularly to participate in military operations for the government of the United States and its allies. His dark hair, cut short and kept neat against his head, exposed his ears for the gentle breeze that swept by while the sun beat down from the sky on his tattooed back.
“You gonna do anything today, soldier?” asked a young man as he walked up the deck, looking out at James with a smile. “You haven’t moved from that spot since dawn!”
James turned and looked at the other soldier, Wilson Ramos. “This is what I do,” he answered calmly as he smiled warmly toward the younger sailor. “This is how I meditate.”
“Meditate?” Wilson asked as he walked up to the ledge and placed his hands on a railing. “I thought only young women and soccer moms did that.”
“Well, then I guess I’m a young woman, Wilson,” he quipped back sarcastically before reaching up and grabbing the railing to pull himself up. “With everything that I have to do with my commission, meditation clears my head and allows me to forget about everything that I’ve done and what I’ll be asked to do.”
The sailor nodded as he looked at the more muscular man. “What do they ask you to do?”
“I’m a navy SEAL, Wilson. Use your imagination,” he replied with a small chuckle before looking forward off the bow of the ship. “I’m just thankful I’ve finally been granted a short chance of leave.”
“Do you not get leave?”
“I don’t serve on a boat.” He laughed. “I used to back when I was your age; back when I was fresh out of high school and wanted to see the world. Now, I only get a short vacation when some event in the world isn’t occurring, which can end at any moment.”
“Oh,” Wilson said with in a glum tone. “So I take it that’s why you’re traveling on a cruiser instead of traveling commercial.”
James smiled as he Wilson started to understand what he went through. “You’re absolutely right,” he replied. “Unless I am deactivated, I’m not allowed to travel commercially. I have to travel on some military vessel.”
“That really stinks,” replied Wilson as he stood beside the Navy SEAL. “So you’re bound to go wherever a vessel is going?”
“Absolutely,” he replied. “At the time of my leave, I was able to look at everywhere that a naval ship or air force cargo plane was traveling to and realized that my best chance for any rest and relaxation was to come to the Philippines with you all.”
“So not Tokyo or Pearl Harbor?”
James smirked as he looked to his right, looking at the younger sailor as he leaned against the railing on the cruiser. “I’ve been to both of them and I honestly can’t get what I really want there.”
“And what would that be?” asked the curious sailor.
James paused as he thought about what he really wanted, which was the opportunity to have a conversation with a woman who was smart, quick on her feet, and compassionate. While traveling the world and serving his county, he didn’t have a moment to take to his personal life. He had yet to cultivate a relationship that could stimulate him in manners that he couldn’t on his own. While traveling around the world, James experienced a plethora of things, especially involving women and the things he enjoyed doing with them. However, no matter what he could do to a woman and what she did to him; it could never satisfy him emotionally. He wanted to connect to someone for more than an evening, though he knew given his current circumstances and occupation, that would be incredibly difficult. “Just some peace and quiet,” he answered after a brief delay.
Wilson grinned as he turned around. “Then I’ll leave you to the sounds of the waves as they crest against the hull, sir,” he said while walking away from James, leaving him to his thoughts while he looked off over the horizon toward the islands of the Philippines.
Chapter 2
Anna sat in the café, looking out at the water crashing into the pier at the harbor. Her mind dwelled on the past, thinking about how she ended up in the Philippines and why she was choosing to stay there. “It’s for the children,” she reasoned as she sipped on her coffee. “I do it for the children.” Dr. Annabelle Richardson looked on in deep thought as she thought about her life. At 28 she was still relatively young but highly distinguished and successful. Having graduated medical school two years prior to her trip to the Philippines, Anna joined a charity organization that helped bring modern medicine to children in underdeveloped areas. She was originally sent to the Ivory Coast and Ghana in Africa before being sent to the Philippines.
She finished her coffee and stood up, pushing the chair back under the table and stepping away from the café. Her brunette hair waved in the wind as she stepped along the rocky path. Her skin was tanned, having changed slightly after being in the sun constantly for the past two years. Her smile was her best feature and could brighten up a room while her blue eyes were magnificent and looked like the clear blue waters. She wasn’t very tall, though was close to eye level with most of the women in the villages she visited; many of the men did tower over her though.
A light vibration rang in her pocket, prompting her to reach down and pull her phone out. “Hello?” she said as she placed it up against the side of her face.
“Anna, it’s Marco!” announced the Italian male on the other side of the phone. “How are you doing?”
Anna smiled as she listened to the voice ring her ear. Marco was an old friend that she met in medical school who tried to convince her not to go into public service and instead go into research and hospital work. “I’m doing well,” she said as she pondered the reason he could be calling her. “How are you doing?”
“Oh, I’m doing absolutely perfect,” he replied. “I wanted to call and talk to you about something that was offered to me in Los Angeles. Do you have a few moments?”
She sighed as she continued to walk along the rocky path toward her domicile in the center of the village. “Yeah, I’m just walking to my apartment,” she answered.
“Great,” said Marco. “Look, I don’t mean to be too forward, but how attached to life in the Philippines are you?”
Anna smirked as she walked along the path, thinking briefly about what all was missing from her life since she decided to move to small country in the Pacific. “I’d move for the right opportunity but I do enjoy working with people who need help,” she explained as she walked along the path. “I don’t want to be a part of a system that only caters to those with money.”
“I respect that,” said Marco as Anna continued to walk through the village, looking around at the wooden structures that lined both sides of the street. “What if I told you there was a position inside an organization that helps people all over the world; but, instead of stationing yourself in one locale, you travel every few weeks to a new place. It would allow you to see the world while also helping those who need help.”
She continued to walk as she looked around. “Go on,” she stated curiously as she listened. “You have my attention.”
“I figured this would be something that you would be interested in,” Marco said. “This company is out of Los Angeles but services various locales around the world. You will be sent to places that need a doctor and, once the need subsides, you’ll be sen
t to another place that needs you.”
Anna smirked. “Sounds like I’ll be going to put band-aids on people after natural disasters and treating those with the sniffles during outbreaks.”
“More or less,” replied Marco. “However, it’s an opportunity to see the world and it’s something that will allow you the chance to see the world. You’ll be able to go to Korea, India, Europe. Heck, you’ll even be able to practice some in the United States.”
“Then why aren’t you jumping at this?” asked Anna. “You always talked about how you wanted to see the world.”
“I would if I didn’t have the current position that I’m in,” he clarified. “Honestly, this is a great opportunity, and I’m jealous that I can’t take it, but when they asked if I knew someone who would be potentially interested in this, you were the first person I thought of.”
This was a great opportunity. She knew that, given the circumstances, would be capable of fulfilling the role that was being asked of her. However, she knew her life was missing something and traveling the world might not satisfy it. She had yet to experience the interaction with the opposite sex that she had yearned for. Throughout her entire life, she craved the attention and affection of a man. Taking this job would potentially hinder that, as she would be unable to satisfy that craving. She would never be in a place long enough to create a relationship that would build, grow, and ultimately, become fruitful. “No man would wait long enough for me,” she thought to herself as she left Marco on the phone. “Tell you what, let me think on this,” she said. “I’m interested, but I want to make sure it’s the right fit before I make my move. Is that ok?”
“Absolutely, but you can’t take too long,” he replied. “They’re interviewing people right now but my recommendation carries a lot of weight. If you tell me you want it, the job is yours.”