by Lucy Lyons
“Well, forgive me,” huffed Ryan, “Miss Marine. And I supposed you served overseas.”
“In Afghanistan in an artillery unit. I told you that story about the dragon in my unit.”
“Yes, you did,” said Ryan chastened.
But Ryan’s words did not mollify her, and she continued to stare out the passenger side window. As she looked into the side-view mirror a shadow behind the Escalade caught her eye.
“Ryan,” she said, “a car is following us.”
“Let me look.” He peered out of his side mirror and cursed.
“Dammit!” He put his foot on the gas and the SUV sped ahead. Steph looked out the window and confirmed what she suspected.
“They’ve sped up,” she said.
“I see that,” gritted Ryan. He jammed his foot on the gas pedal, but this wasn’t a Porsche with an engine or body designed for speed. Even though she had her seatbelt on she gripped the seats. She was used to danger, but she already had one bad experience with Ryan in a car.
But no matter how fast the SUV took the road, the car behind then kept pace. Then Steph’s heart nearly stopped when the car pulled alongside them on the narrow road.
“Ryan!”
The car hit hard into the passenger side. Metal collided with metal in a sickening squeal and Steph jerked toward the center console.
Ryan held onto the steering with an iron grip but the Escalade skidded and spun crazily. She watched him spin into the turn to regain control and he righted the vehicle, but another crash sent the SUV into the oncoming lane. At the same time a truck came into view by coming to the top of a small hill in the road. Steph saw it on his face. He had no choice. He hit the gas again and smashed into a fence at the edge of a pasture. This time Steph flew forward and hit her head on the dashboard.
The airbags shot out and slammed Steph in the chest for the second time in as many days, and this time she thought she had more than bruised ribs.
The SUV lurched to a stop, and Ryan ripped the seatbelt off of Steph. With one huge tug, he pulled her over the center console. She gasped at the pain and hoped a rib didn’t spear anything critical.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry,” he said repeatedly. He held her close, standing in the field as military vehicles pulled up and soldiers spilled out.
“We have to get out of here,” he said.
“You can’t shift,” she said with a wheeze in her voice. “That would only confirm their suspicions.”
“We can’t stay here.”
Steph felt him gather intent in his mind to call out his dragon form. She felt heat shimmer around her and she heard a tremendous roar.
Both her and Ryan looked to the sky where a great form blotted out the sun. And then it descended, trumpeting. A great bronze dragon dropped to the ground, extending his wings, and spitting fire.
“Wow,” said Ryan. “I want to learn how to do that.”
A rhythmic thrumming built around them, but then the dragon stamped its great claw impatiently.
Seneschal! Cannot your dragon speak?
It was a voice in her head, much like Ryan’s but it sounded different.
“Ryan just learned he was a dragon yesterday.”
The dragon trumpeted his disapproval but she wasn’t sure if it was for Ryan’s inability to speak to the dragon or the advancing soldiers who formed a line at the edge of the road.
“Come,” said the dragon extending his foreleg. “On my back.”
“Ryan, the dragon says to get on his back.”
“He talks to you?”
“Yes, like you do, in my head.”
“Well, fuck. I’m really behind the learning curve, aren’t I?”
“Ryan?”
“Get on. I’ll be there in a sec.”
Steph struggled to climb to the dragon’s back while Ryan dashed the few feet to the SUV. He pulled out the backpack then ran up to the dragon and nimbly up his foreleg. He settled behind Steph behind one of the spiny appendages that rose evenly along the dragons back.
“You okay?” he asked.
She leaned against him. “Hold me, Ryan. Take the pain away.”
“Okay, baby,” he said. Concern choked his voice as he wrapped one arm around her. The other, she felt at her back, clutched the appendage between them
The dragon rose amid the shouts of the soldiers. Stephanie heard the too familiar sound of a grenade launcher and she braced for impact. But incredibly the dragon snaked his head and swallowed the grenade. His stomach rumbled ominously and then the beast circled and spit fire at the offending military men. Steph had a moment’s pity. They were only doing their job. But she also noticed that the dragon only caused the field to burn and didn’t touch the men.
Hold on, the dragon said. And they rose into the sky, the dragon flapping his great wings. Steph felt sick to her stomach.
Are you not well, seneschal? Steph had no idea why the dragon kept using that strange word for her but she decided that explanation could wait.
All the things that happened to her crossed her mind.
You are injured. Did not your dragon seek to care for you?
Yes. Steph replied. But we were in danger from the government men.
We have no means to care for you. Seneschal, you must seek care from your own kind.
He banked and flew. Before long they came to a city though Steph was thoroughly lost now and had no clue as to where they were. But they flew by a hospital and the dragon circled and then landed on its helipad at the top of the roof.
The dragon dropped his foreleg.
Go, seneschal. Get well.
But?
“What’s happening?” said Ryan.
“The dragon tells me to go.”
“Okay, we’ll go.”
Not the dragon whelp, said the dragon in her mind. He must come with me.
“Ryan, he said you must go with him.”
He took a deep breath. “Maybe that’s the best thing.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Ryan
He couldn’t take the look on Steph’s face, like he was breaking a promise by telling her to stay here. But even he could tell her breathing was ragged, and she needed medical care. His tough Marine wouldn’t show it, wouldn’t even admit it to herself. But the problem was, the longer she remained with him, the more trouble she was in. This dragon, whoever he was, provided a perfect cover story by appearing when he did. Ryan would be a fool to waste it. And he’d be crazy to expose Steph to more danger.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she said. “I’m your lawyer. You need me.”
Yes. He suspected he did need her very much.
“What I need is you off this dragon right now,” Ryan said coldly.
“Hey,” said another voice. “Who the hell are you.”
Ryan looked over the dragon’s wing to see a man dressed in dark blue hospital scrubs.
“This woman is hurt. Her car was run off the road by government operatives. She’s injured and needs care.”
“Ryan, don’t do this.”
“Come on, lady.”
“Her name is Steph Brooks, a lawyer with Peters, Watins and Roe. And no, contrary to reports, I did not kidnap her. She was assigned to keep me out of trouble, which due to no fault of her own, she couldn’t. And this dragon here showed up and got us out of a bad situation. I don’t know why. But you must take her now. She’s putting on a brave front but she’s in pain. She was hit by an air bag two times in two days, and her forehead hit the dashboard before today’s deployed.
The man in the scrubs extended his arms. “I’ll catch you. Come down and we’ll help you.”
“Ryan?”
He couldn’t take the plaintiveness in her voice or the sadness on her face. She had to leave, now. Because if she didn’t he wasn’t sure he could let her go.
“Ms. Brooks,” he said as steadily as he could, “you’re fired.”
Steph blinked as if she couldn’t believe what he said. But she stood and crawled backwards dow
n the dragon’s leg. Thankfully, the man in the scrubs caught her. Ryan looked away, not wanting to see pleading in her eyes asking him not to go.
Ryan!
The final plea in his head was too much.
“Let’s go, dragon,” he yelled.
The dragon took several steps to the ledge of the building and leaped. With powerful sweeps of his wings he rose higher toward the clouds. The air grew chill. The dragon looked over his shoulder toward Ryan and the young man got the idea. He clutched the ridge that rose before him and the dragon dove. Ryan held his breath as absolute cold clothed him like a shroud. But this dragon, unlike Ryan, knew exactly what he was doing. Before Ryan could blink, they were diving into atmosphere again.
They leveled out over a mountain range and they swept over the majestic snowcapped peaks. Ryan was cold, and the air was thin but the view was breathtaking. If he didn’t feel the tug at his heart for leaving behind Steph, he would be gloriously happy. There was a reason this dragon came for him and Ryan hoped he would get answers to his many questions.
Soon enough a line of broken buildings broke into view. The crumbling walls circled a large grassy area. The dragon backstroked slowing his descent, and then lightly landed on the grass. Ryan was amazed at the grace that the large dragon displayed. The dragon trumpeted and then shifted to human form.
The human form of the dragon was dark skinned and had piercing black eyes. With a shock Ryan recognized him as Calvin Porter, one of the dragons that escaped from English prison. The man crossed quickly to a large stone table in the center and put on a cloak that covered his naked body. Then he turned to Ryan.
“The queen comes,” he said urgently. “When she arrives bow before her.”
Before Ryan could ask question, a woman swept out from shadows in the ruins. She was tall, and stately, and her perfectly proportioned face was framed by long blonde hair that flowed like a waterfall down her shoulders. But though her face was lovely, her eyes were cold and Ryan thought she could make ice freeze with her gaze. She stopped before the dragon and Ryan. The dragon bowed and remembering his words, Ryan bowed as well.
“Rise, Captain. And this is one of our weyrlings?”
“Yes, your majesty,” said the captain. He has the name Ryan Kaur.”
“Rise Ryan Kaur. Welcome home. Long have we missed you.”
Ryan stood as she circled him looking him over.
“You’ve grown well in the care of humans.”
“He does not know our language,” said Calvin.
“That is to be expected. Do you know who I am, boy?”
Ryan bristled at being called a boy. “Your captain here called you the queen of the dragons.”
“That’s right. My name is Rhea Gentrix. It is acceptable that you don’t know my name. I am also your parent.”
“Parent, as in mother?”
“If you want to use the human term.” She spoke in a bored tone, as if the subject was not important.
“And my father?”
“Dragons reproduce in different ways, as those of our kind can. Females have the ability to reproduce asexually. You have no father, Ryan. Your genome is mine and only mine.”
“Now let me think back on biology class. Asexual reproduction produces only females.”
“In other species, yes. Not dragons. In a sense, we are both male and female though one gender tends to assert itself more than the other.”
“My lady,” said Calvin. “The lad’s past few days have been strenuous.”
“Of course. You will come to dinner later and tell me about your life in the human world. My captain will see to your needs.”
“Excuse me, your majesty,” said Ryan. He found it difficult to keep sarcasm from his voice. “I appreciate the offer but I must get going. My father will be very worried.”
“And did I not just explain to you that I am your family? Captain, did the weyrling get hit in the head?”
“Not that I’m aware, my queen. Go and attend to other matters. I will talk to the boy.”
Rhea Gentrix nodded and walked serenely away from them. When she receded into the shadows of the building Calvin turned to him swiftly.
“Do not anger the queen!” said Calvin. “You may be her child, but you are one of many. She does not have the instincts of human mothers, but a dragon’s. If you prove to be a problem she will have no problem ending your life.”
“Well, gee, Cap. Thanks for the warning. This sounds like the perfect time for me to take off.”
“You do not understand. You have placed your seneschal in grave danger. The queen has many connections in the human world, one of them the law firm in which your seneschal is employed. She needs to send but one message and your seneschal shall be murdered. Rhea is aware that Stephanie Brooks is a seneschal from the reports she receives from her contacts. It was her that arranged for Ms. Brooks to work with you hoping that the bond between seneschal and dragon would form. That would give her leverage against you. The thing that Rhea does not know is that you mated the seneschal. Never, never let Rhea know this. She will kill both of you.”
“I don’t understand. You said she wanted a bond to form between Steph and me.”
“Dragon and servant only. Not the bond of mates. That is against Rhea’s law.”
Ryan threw up his hands. “Where on this earth am I not fucked?” He began to pace a patch of grass now worried sick he delivered Steph into the hands of people that could do her more harm than good. His concern grew for his father who faced more enemies than he knew.
“Stop, weyrling. This will do you no good. There are things you must learn and it is best you do it here. Your Steph will be safe as long as you remain at this palace and you refrain from saying or thinking stupid things. Remember, here a great many dragons can read your thoughts. Not all of them, but many.”
“Like Rhea.”
“Most certainly Rhea. I will teach you to shield your thoughts, but it will take time. And I will teach you other things, like how to travel between dimensions so you can travel anywhere in the world.
“Why do I get the sense you aren’t entirely the faithful captain Rhea seems to think you are?”
“Make no assumptions about dragon loyalties, Ryan. The situation here is complex. Many threads are pulled at the loom of fate. When the final threads are pulled, we may all be surprised at the result.”
Ryan blew out a long breath. “Well then, I won’t be placing any bets.”
“It is best not too,” said Calvin.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Steph
For a second time in two days Steph found herself tied to tubes and wires. It infuriated her along with Ryan leaving her behind.
You’re fired.
The words tore a deep hole in her heart. She took shallow breaths to hold on against the pain in her body and soul. Steph wouldn’t give into the spiral of dark despair that Ryan abandoned her. She would hold on and survive.
Improvise, adapt, overcome.
Yeah. And when she caught up with Ryan Kaur again, he’d find out his stupidity in flying off without her.
A woman in light blue scrubs with a stethoscope hanging off her neck pulled the curtain around the bed.
“I’m Doctor Matthews, Ms. Brooks. How are you feeling?”
“Sore,” said Stephanie succinctly.
“I can imagine. Three cracked ribs, multiple bruises. No clear breaks though. Let me check a couple things.” The doctor took out a pencil thin flashlight from her pocket and flashed it in Steph’s eyes. She then asked Steph to hold out her arms and touch her nose. Steph was no stranger to these tests. Any Marine in a combat zone got similar screening by a medic after a bomb blast. And the Marines taught her to self-assess her fitness level. She was sore and had flashes of pain in her side but she was okay.
“What’s the verdict, doc?”
“For what you’ve been through you are in good shape.”
“Thanks.”
“Do you have someone to watch you ton
ight?”
“Yes,” said a voice from the doorway.
Both the doctor and Steph shot looks in that direction. A blond-haired man dressed in a close-cut Italian suit stood in the doorframe. His neutral expression betrayed no warmth, just cool efficiency.
“I’m Jared Harrison and I work for the same firm as Ms. Brooks. They sent me here to take her home.”
The doctor studied Jared Harrison but apparently decided he was okay. Maybe it was the suit. Or the otherwise nondescript expression on his face. He looked normal.
But working for Mr. Watins, a man who adopted out dragon babies, she had an inkling he wasn’t that.
“She shouldn’t be alone tonight,” said the doctor. “Someone needs to wake her every hour.”
“We’ve booked a private duty nurse for Ms. Brooks. Nothing is too good for our associates.”
“It’s up to you, Ms. Brooks,” said the doctor. “You can stay overnight for observation or go home.”
Steph cast another glance at Jared who impassively waited for her answer. It surprised her that Mr. Watins sent him, especially since she could not reach Mr. Watins or Jared by phone. And now they hired a private duty nurse? This was extraordinary and Steph’s inner warning radar blared. She was a first-year associate, the lowest of the low, and they do that? In any other universe that would make no sense at all.
But in a world where dragons existed and were the clients of a high-end law firm? How could she disbelieve anything now?
Steph decided that she was too rattled by the events of the past two days to make judgments on anything. She had been handed an impossible assignment, involved in not one but two car crashes, met a dragon and then went to bed with him. Sure. It was perfectly normal for her law firm to hire her a private duty nurse.
Jared gave no hint or clue to his thoughts in his expression, and the doctor was waiting for her answer. If she left, Ryan wouldn’t know where she went. But then he did fire her, didn’t he?
“I’ll go home.”
“Fine, I’ll write the orders and send a nurse in to remove the IV’s. Then you can get dressed.
“Thanks,” said Steph.
“I’ll wait in the hall,” said Jared.