Dragon Amour (Dragon-Half Breed Book 1)

by Robin Ambrozic

  Her blue eyes grew sad as I watched them, which opened a pit in my stomach, the likes I’ve never felt before. A cold sweat broke out on my forehead and I could feel the tears starting to fill up my…

  “Hey, breakfast is ready.” Gabe announced as he barged into Brooke’s room.

  Brooke jumped up so fast, her gown flipped open, “I’m naked in here you jerk!”

  I turned to witness Gabe’s embarrassment as he turned back around and exited the room in a rush, slamming the door.

  Brooke huffed, wrapped her robe around her, turned her head very slowly around and looked at me while an evil grin spread across her medusa face.

  “I hate you.” Escaped my lips as I jumped out of the chair and charged her.

  Her snake filled blue hair bounced easily to the side as she stepped back and used my momentum to push me forward onto her bed. I felt her jump onto my back, digging her knee between my shoulder blades, “Calm down.”

  I struggled, “You fucking bitch!”

  “Awe, come on JJ. I was just having a little fun.” She laughed. “I didn’t really think I could make you believe he was dead.” Her laughter sounded like glass being rubbed against concrete.

  “I hate you!” The pillow took most of my scream, while my flailing arms and kicking feet did little in their futile attempt to get her off my back.

  “I just wanted to see how much you have fallen for him. Jeez.”

  My face was flushing and not because of the exertion of trying to get her off my back, but because the empty feeling in my stomach had turned to an unexplained joy at seeing his face. I stopped flailing about and laid there with my face down on the pillow, wondering what had happened in the short time of knowing him that could make me feel the way I do.

  A knock came at the door. “Everything okay?” Mr. Wasabi voice echoed from behind it.

  “Yes, dad. Just us girls having fun.” Brooke rolled off my back, but I continued to lie there.

  “Okay, well hurry up and get to breakfast.” He replied from the other side of the door.

  “Okay.” Brooke said.

  While I laid there listening to Brooke getting dressed, my mind kept cycling through the same four thoughts. What is wrong with me? Why did I feel that my world had stopped? Am I really in love with him? When did that happen?

  Brooke slapped my butt. “Let’s go.”

  “Ow. What happened last night?”

  “You got sick, but don’t feel too bad. You could have done a lot worse. You could be in love with Set.” Her laughter echoed down the hallway.

  I crawled off the bed, stretched my shoulders to get the knot out of my back left by her knee. I didn’t get sick. Something is going on, but when my face passed in front of her mirror, I didn’t recognize the look that stared back at me. Normally, the face was calm, eyes calculating, relatively pretty, clear of pimples, and mostly composed. Now, the face was flushed, the eyes bright, and a silly smile that wouldn’t go away. It was unfamiliar but welcomed. Winking at my reflection, I strolled off down to breakfast.

  The drive home was quiet. My dad had no idea what happened last night. He and Mr. Wasabi had put back a few sake bottles and he was still asleep when I went down and sat next to Gabe for breakfast. Set wasn’t there and no one seemed to be worried. Brooke was nice enough to not tease me, though she continued playing with her left hand ring finger. I ignored her.

  “Can’t you turn that down?” My dad moaned from the passenger side of my jeep.

  “I can’t do anything about the wind, Dad, it’s a soft top.”

  “Drive slower.”

  “I can’t.” I said sweetly.

  “You’re in an awfully good mood.” He growled.

  My silly smile widened even more.

  “What, something you want to tell me?”

  “Not, really.” I didn’t think my smile could grow any further, but it did. “I’ll need the credit card. I have to go shopping.” Then giggled.

  Out of the corner of my eye, my Dad rolled his head and looked at me. “For what?”

  “Wedding dress.”

  If his eyes could have popped out of his head, they would have. “He asked you to marry him? That’s not what he said he was going to do?!”

  “Maybe?” I giggled again.

  “No. I strictly forbid it.” He sat up straight and he winced in pain.

  I put on my most dejected and hurt face I could muster and turned it towards him.

  It didn’t take long for his stern face to soften, though the sake helped to break him down quicker than normal. “Honey, getting married is a big commitment,” he started before I interrupted him.

  “He just asked me to the dance.”

  “That’s it?” He said disappointed.

  “You hypocrite.”

  “What?!”

  “You’re disappointed he didn’t ask me to marry him!”

  “No, I’m glad.” He settled back into his seat again, then whispered, “although, he’s probably the best you’ll get.”

  I tried to get angry, but my mood was too good. “Just give it time.”

  My Dad’s smile matched my own.

  The Saturday afternoon sun warmed the air quickly. I helped my dad up to his room, where he pointed to a cabinet with the credit card, and fell right back to sleep. Picking up the American Express Card, I walked to my room, showered, picked out something easy to take on and off, so it would be easier to try on dresses, and left the house. Normally I would have called Brooke or someone to go with me, but I wanted to pick this out for myself, so Gabe would be the first person to see me.

  Sante Fe was crowded and the drive to Downtown took longer than I expected. I parked near the 16th street mall and began my trek to the store with the red dress. Lots of people were out and about enjoying the afternoon sun. I strolled along carefree and that silly smile kept making its way onto my face no matter how many times I tried to stop. The sound of conversations mingled with the sounds of the cars and busses running along the mall. Everything appeared clearer, sounds crisper and my whole body felt more alive than it ever had. My feet skipped up to the edge of the street; I waited for the cars to pass, waited for the light to turn green, then skipped across the street and stopped.

  Skipping? Really? Dork. Yet I continued skipping down the mall. I stopped at the store. The bell rang loudly and the smell of cloth and perfume tickled my nose. A lady walked out from the back in a nice long green dress that shimmered in the light coming in from the window. Gorgeous, thick white straight hair hung down to her waist that framed a beautifully marble chiseled tanned face. Hazel eyes peered at me. Her walk and dress flowed like snow drifting over a dense green forest as she approached. She stopped and looked me up and down as one observed a piece of art. I lowered my head.

  She placed her hand on her slender, pointed chin, “Prom?”

  I shook my head. “Formal dance”.

  With a curt nod, she strode away.

  Unsure what to do I waited. When she didn’t come back right away, I busied myself around the shop looking at the expensive dresses made by some of the top designers. Dad was pretty generous with his money, since he knew I wasn’t the spending type, but even these prices were beginning to make me doubt my choice. I wondered if I shouldn’t just leave. As the uncertainty was settling in my belly and my feet began to walk involuntarily towards door, I heard the store lady’s feet returning from the back.

  “Uh, hum?”

  My legs froze. I slowly turned around and in her hand was the perfect dress. The elegant red dress hung loose in her arms like a golden fleece. The softness of the color, the simplicity of the design, and the suppleness of the fabric combined to make a dress that would transform the wearer into a mythological goddess. My breath caught.

  A knowing smile flashed and vanished on the store lady’s face. “You like?” her deep accented voice asked.

  My head was bobbing before I even realized it. She strolled over to me, gently took my hand like a mother handling her
wayward child and guided me towards the changing room. She gently placed the dress on the plush cushion of the bench, then slowly, and distastefully I noticed, began to undress me. I stood there like a child until she had expertly disrobed me down to my granny underwear and woefully in adequate blue bra. Her face held the serene niceness of a person helping a valued customer, but she couldn’t hide the contempt and superiority of her heightened fashion sense. Just as I was wilting under the gaze and the blandness of my body, the store bell rang.

  Relief flooded both our faces.

  “Are…” She started as I interrupted her.

  “Please, I will be extremely careful with the dress.” I earnestly told her. “You should help whoever is out there.”

  Relief flooded her face, though a concern smile appeared. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call upon me.”

  I nodded. “I will.”

  She strolled out and I felt a huge amount of pressure leave my chest.

  “Ah, Mistress Pendragon, a pleasure to have you back in my humble cave.” The Store Lady’s voice held much respect.

  Pendragon? Ms. Pendragon?! Is she here? Panic gripped me. I have to make this last until she leaves. How embarrassing.

  “Hello, Vanca.”

  “Where is Shapoc Tiberius?”

  “Ah, who knows? Outside somewhere.” She sounded exasperated.

  Vanca’s laugh was deep and full, almost like a man’s. “Children will play.”

  “That they do. Has my dress come in?”

  “Ah, yes,” Vanca’s footsteps recede into the distance. Then her muffled voice called from somewhere in the back. “Lady Phebos sends her compliments and wanted to know when you will be visiting her.”

  I was halfway through putting on the red dress, when the door busted open, and Vanca stepped in. Her voice was a controlled measure of impatience. I noticed that her white hair seemed a bit whiter.

  “Done?”

  “I…” I stammered.

  “Take your time.” She sweetly said and disappeared. Then her voice echoed from the store, “The changing room is occupied at the moment. Do you wish to wait?”

  “No, that’s fine. I’ll just take it. She never makes a mistake on her dresses. Let her know it will be awhile still.”

  “Very good.”

  I heard some low talking that I couldn’t understand and then the doorbell chimed.

  The door opened again and Vanca entered with a smile. I immediately noticed that her body language had changed and there was a more personable air as she spoke to me.

  “Let me see.” She gently pulled the strapless dress up, adjusted the front, which involved a readjustment of my breasts and stared again at me critically. She then took a piece of chalk out of her dress, I’m not sure where she had it hidden, and made some marks around my butt, chest and hips.

  “Please, take off.”

  I quickly obeyed and she left with the dress. I again found myself standing semi-naked in the dressing room, starting to feel a little uncomfortable staring at myself in the mirror. Luckily she returned quickly and I tried the dress on again. It fit perfectly, except for the extra tightness that gave me more cleavage than I normally would have. She caught me staring and she placed her head next to mine as we looked at each other in the mirror.

  “He’ll love it. Trust me.” She said as her eyes took on a mischievous air, then for a split second I thought they flashed white with vertical black pupils, then back again. I blinked and her hazel eyes looked back at me.

  “I hope so.” I breathed.

  She packed it up in a nice box; I paid, and walked out feeling even better than I had when entering the store. Looking up at the clock tower, the adventure had taken little more than an hour and my rumbling stomach told me I was feeling hungry. I carried the box like it were a priceless treasure and made my way to down to the Tilted Kilt. My friends give me a lot of grief about this place, notably because of their notoriously scantily clad waitresses, which has been pointed out to me are worse than Hooters, but I go for the food. Brooke does it because she knows she’s more beautiful than anyone there.

  The hostess showed me to a vacant seat out on the patio that was in full sunlight and on the rail, so I could look out onto the 16th Street Mall. I gently placed the box next to me on the chair to my left, picked up the menu and waited to order. It wasn’t long before a voluptuous waitress with a huge tattoo on her back amid several others scattered along her arms approached.

  “Hi, my name is Ester, what can I get you to drink?” She asked.

  “Coke”

  “Pepsi okay?”

  “Yep”

  “Do you know what you want to order?”

  “I’ll take a Big Arse burger, medium, Swiss, mushrooms, and fries.”

  “Garlic fries?” She inquired.

  “No thanks.”

  “Very good.”

  She took my menu and left. I watched people walk by. Tons of people were out and about, a bunch of them were couples. A smile come to my face knowing I’d be one of them soon. Not much later my lunch came, with a refill on my Pepsi and I ate my fill. I only got through three quarters of my hamburger, but ate all of my fries. I asked for a box that was brought presently along with my check. I didn’t pay right away as I wanted to sit and enjoy the sun and the good feelings that penetrated my body.

  Then something strange happened. While finishing my drink and getting ready to pay my bill, a man walked up to me on the other side of the rail.

  “Hello, miss.” He said.

  “Hello.” I said politely.

  “May I join you?”

  I wasn’t sure what to say, when Ester walked up and greeted him warmly. She even gave him a hug over the rail.

  “Hello, Cedric.” Ester squeaked. “Your regular meal?”

  “Please, Ester,” then he looked at me. “May I?”

  I waved to the chair to my right.

  He hopped easily over the rail and sat down. His blond hair was well kept and short. He had on a nice flowered Hawaiian shirt with khaki shorts and running shoes. He had an air about him that was arrogant, but tempered with a wisdom that seemed beyond his years. Despite his easy demeanor, he had several worry lines between his brows, though overall he seemed kind enough.

  “Are you a modeling agent?” I asked.

  His laugh was full and deep, though it appeared it didn’t come naturally to him. “No.”

  “Photographer?”

  This time he just smiled. “An inquisitive mind, I see why the gold is attracted to you. But are you intelligent?”

  My eyes narrowed. “You can leave if you are going to be rude.” I growled.

  His eyes lightened. “Feisty. That explains the blue.” He placed his hands together on the table, leaned forward and stared at me. “But why the black?”

  “Black?”

  He leaned back in his chair as Ester brought him a dark beer and a basket of fries.

  “That it?” Ester asked him.

  “Yes. Thank you my dear.” He stuffed a few fries in his mouth and took a drink of his beer. He winced slightly as he swallowed. “Not nearly as good as Random’s.” He sighed.

  “Nor is the food.” A woman’s voice said.

  Turning, Ms. Pendragon stood on the other side of the rail. She was holding onto the hand of a very handsome man. His black hair was pulled back into a ponytail and his almond shaped green eyes glistened with merriment as they watched Cedric and the surrounding area. The odd thing that caught my attention was that even though they were holding hands, the man was behind Ms. Pendragon like they weren’t exactly equals.

  Cedric’s body tightened a little as if he was expecting something bad to happen to him. He tried to control his voice, but it was easy to hear the fear and awe wrapped up in his words. “Just having lunch.”

  “Where is Aguavey?” Ms. Pendragon inquired.

  The man nudged her shoulder, which made her scowl slightly, and motioned his head in the direction down the street. A m
an was standing on the corner watching us, intently. He was dressed in casual clothes and had dark sunglasses on.

  The man with Ms. Pendragon shook with excitement. “May I go and play?”

  Perturbed she spoke. “Just a moment, Tie.”

  Tie calmed his body, but it sagged a little disappointed.

  “You are breaking the Law, Cedric.” Ms. Pendragon coolly said.

  He laughed. “You lecturing me on the Law, Piccolo?”

  Piccolo? That’s Ms. Pendragon’s first name?” I thought.

  A nasty snarl, one many students would have given their lives to avoid, appeared on Ms. Pendragon’s face. “You presume to lecture me on the Law?”

  “Don’t forget who the keeper of the Law is, Piccolo. It’s the only thing keeping order,” Cedric snarled.

  She laughed. “And that’s why we are where we are. You and the others insistence that order is something to be controlled. Order is stagnant. Order is decay. Order is death.”

  The argument sounded old, like a regurgitated worm, as she spoke, but her grip on Tie’s hand firmed and it was turning white. The merriment never left his eyes.

  “Then the alternative would be chaos? That may be good for the gray, but the rest of us need some resemblance of balance.” Cedric said. “You thought the same at one time. Remember?”

  Ms. Pendragon let go of Tie’s hand. “Go play.”

  Tie sprinted off down the street faster than I’ve ever seen anyone run before. The other man looked surprised, then bolted off down a side street.

  “Why are you here, Cedric? This is my territory under the Law. You are not here with permission.” She stepped up to the rail and the hair on the back of my neck rose.

  “The Law states that the Law Keepers can travel to opposing territory if a need arises.”

  “I know the Law, I helped write it.” Ms. Pendragon said.

  “With as many clauses as Selckar put in the original Law.”

  “Lord…” Ms. Pendragon hissed.