City of Dragons: Blood Bonds

by Adrienne Wilder

  City of Dragons: Blood Bonds

  Terms and Definitions

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  About the Author

  Other Books by Adrienne Wilder

  City of Dragons: Blood Bonds

  Gray Zone Publishing 2011 All rights reserved

  This story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons alive or dead, places, or events is purely coincidental.

  City of Dragons: Blood Bonds

  by

  Adrienne Wilder

  Dedicated to all the people who never stopped believing in me and didn’t think I was crazy when I started this adventure.

  And my mother—who always encouraged me to chase my dreams until I caught them.

  Dear Reader,

  Here you will find a much shorter version of the original Blood Bonds story. I have corrected many errors missed on the original E-book manuscript and I have done my best to cut any extra words. The first version of this novel was my first full length work and needless to say, I learned a lot in the following three years. If this is the first time you have read Blood Bonds, thank you for purchasing this book. If you have read the earlier version, thank you for your commitment.

  A special thank you to my GoodReads fans. You know who you are.

  Terms and Definitions

  Alchemy: Magical Science

  Ancient: Any Kin older than three thousand years old.

  Arena Fights: A cross between gladiator style fighting and sumo wrestling where Half-Breeds are pitted against each other for sport.

  Become: The process of the Human body going from physical to metaphysical as they Shift and become Lesser-Bred.

  Belong: To be bonded to another through metaphysical means. Humans who belong are not immortal, but they live a very long time and cannot live without the Kin they are bonded too. This term also refers to metaphysical bond between a Dominant and a Submissive. This is almost exclusively between Female who “owns” a Male.

  Blood Rage: Loss of control due to not Feeding.

  Bonded Pair: Two males who share metaphysical energy signatures. May or may not be Brothers. Always the same rank in the Food Chain.

  Brother: Males who emerge from the hatching ground together.

  Burn: Metaphysical surge. A feel good heat.

  Chela or Chelae: Claws

  Chetra or Chetrah: Humans. Olde Tongue for sweet meat.

  Clicking: A rapid fire tick-tick sound emitted by Kin and Lesser-Breds. This sound is almost exclusive to submissives within a group or white-scales.

  Dens: Territory owned by the Queen.

  Dominant: Male that has established dominance in the Dens. Dominants can be “made” from birth or a Male can fight his way to the top. A “true Dominant” is a Male who obtains the position because he is metaphysically potent–rather than by skill and brutality.

  dominant/dominance: social rank. One male maybe dominant over another. And may or may not be a Dominant.

  EFH: Earth for Humans. Anti-Kin Political group.

  Elder: Any Kin one thousand years or older.

  Female: A title. The highest level of dominance. Refers to Kin who take on a Human female form.

  Faerie: Singular version of Folk. Also a “slang” word for Folk.

  Feed: The act of taking Blood, Flesh, or Metaphysical energy.

  Folk: Faerie. Proper title for the species.

  First RHage: A Queen’s most powerful RHage. What she is imprinted with by her Mother. There are four: Fear, Flesh, Blood, and Violence.

  Food: Lower than a submissive. Sole purpose is to Feed others. Usually do not survive the hatching grounds. Also a derogatory name to reference another Kin.

  Food Chain: Dominance scale.

  food: Substance that is consumed.

  Food: When a Kin is a source of sustenance–a title.

  Gray-Zone: The multi-block area surrounding the Dens. There are no real markers for the Gray-Zone but the area is very dilapidated and the city does not enforce codes, taxes, or provide police protection. Utilities and housing are almost always free in the Zone, as well as the basic needs such as clothing and some food.

  Half-breed: Kin and female human offspring. Always male. Half-breed is not capitalized because the species views them as an abomination. Half-breeds cannot whirr-purr-or thrum. Some can whistle and click but most are mute. Half-breeds tend to have the intelligence of the average dog at best. Fertility is directly related to intelligence. The small number who are at a Human level of intelligence are the only ones which are fertile. Half-breeds do not feed but they can feed others because they heal Kin fast. The ability to be food is also linked to intelligence. Half-breeds are most often used by Humans and Faeries in the fighting arenas.

  Halvsie: Slang for half-breed

  Hatching Grounds: Where eggs are hatched and survival begins.

  Hive: The Queen’s domain. These are located below ground usually in major cities.

  Hot Load: Reference to blood and flesh that is not safe to consume. Usually found in half-breeds. Results vary.

  Impress: The act of acquiring phenotypic, genetic, and metaphysical, traits.

  Impression: imprint (see above).

  Kept: Term most often used when referring to Lesser-Breds who are under the protection of a particular Male. Lesser-Breds cannot belong, but they can be kept, scent marked and feed a Male giving them value and protection. Most often done by ferals who use Lesser-Breds as a source of income by selling their flesh, blood, and sexual favors.

  Kin: Dragon. Proper title for the species.

  Lesser-Bred: Half-breed and human offspring or any generation thereafter. Lesser-Bred should be capitalized. Because Lesser-Breds can be safely used as Food, which means they have value. Side note: The further away (genetically) a Lesser-Bred is from it’s half-breed sire, the more likely they are to go through physical mutations. The closer they are to their Half-Breed Sire, the more Human they can appear. This is the general rule–although not set in stone. 4-8 generations removed usually have the strongest blood for feeding, and obtain some of the ethereal appearance of their Kin ancestors.

  Link: Human Metaphysically tied to a Kin. Humans who “belong”.

  Made: To be designed through metaphysical and genetic manipulation.

  Male: A title: Refers to all Kin who hold the shape of a Human male. Males can be high or low on the food chain.

  Mark: Male Kin marked by a Female.

  mark or marked: The scar left by a Kin, Male or Female.

&n
bsp; Metaphysics: The energy emitted by all Kin and Lesser-Breds. It is also studied as a science.

  MKFK: Man Kind For Kin: Kin activist group who view dragons as gods. Powerful political organization.

  Mother: Term reserved for the Female who nurtured a Female or a Prince.

  Need: The biological requirement to feed.

  Nevus: Unique birthmark found on all Kin.

  New: Same thing as the word young and more accurate because Kin are not born but made.

  Owned: To be under the control/protection of another.

  Pet: Humans who are owned by Kin often serve a Queen but are not her Link. A Female can “own” a Human and endow them with strength and longevity through her mark. A Male can only “own” a Human by scent marking them. Being owned by a Male does not increase longevity or health.

  Physical form: Most often refers to a Human shape.

  Purr: This sound is a cross between the purring noise made by a large cat like a lion or tiger and the churring sound produced by whales. It can be a continuous tone or rise up and down. Purring stokes metaphysical heat and can create a euphoric feeling. The sound has a positive effect on cellular reproduction and represses pain receptors.

  Rage: Anger caused by a loss of control over instinct also a biological boiling point due to self-neglect or deprivation of meeting ones need.

  RHage: A Queens preternatural power. There are four distinct types, Fear, Violence, Blood, Flesh. A Queen can only have one first Rhage, but she can posses all four.

  Rise: Biological surge, the wave of metaphysical power or physiological changes as the body reaches a peak. Also refers to approaching one’s need. Rise is also a term used by Lesser-Breds who are at the peak of their Shift when they go from Human to inhuman.

  Roll: The act of a Metaphysical Feed. This is usually only done by Females. Dominant can also do it to lower ranking Males or Lesser-Breds. Lesser-Breds can perform this on Humans which is why Lesser-Breds are valuable as whores. Only the Female Roll is upper case. When a Male performs this act or a Lesser-Bred it is roll with italics.

  roll: Act of domination of one Kin over another, can result in sex, feeding or both.

  Scent: Act of drawing air over the palate to taste.

  Shift: To change from Human form to Kin (dragon). Or go through the metaphysical transformation where Humans become Lesser-Bred.

  Son: A Prince to a Queen. One Male, specifically designed for the purpose of supplying metaphysical variation, for breeding. Usually a gift to another Queen.

  Stain: The metaphysical burn mark left on a Lesser-Bred’s body where their Kin self attempts to rise to the physical world. This happens during the first phase of the Shift. The marks can be very small and well hidden, or they can be large enough to paint a significant amount of a Lesser-Bred’s body. A stain can be physical, to the point the Lesser-Bred doesn’t even look Human. Most commonly, are under the skin color splotches, and eye color change.

  Submissive: Social rank within a group or pair.

  submissive: social rank being lower than another. A Male may be dominant over one Kin and submissive to another.

  Taste: Flavor.

  Thrum: The proper term for the sound a Kin or Lesser-Bred makes when emitting metaphysical wave pulses with the purpose to assist someone in healing.

  Thumping: Another sound which is more felt than heard. The purpose is unknown (and the dragons are not talking). It is a sound almost exclusively produced by a dominant Kin in a group. While the purposed is unknown the rate at which a Kin or Lesser-Bred thumps is in direct correlation to their heart beat. Side note: Sound is most often made when hunting.

  True Form: A natural metaphysical state.

  Ulysiss Gland: One located between the shoulder blades (upper) one located at the base of the spine (lower) under the skin. They cannot be seen. They fuel the biological engine which controls the Shift. Pushing it can have an orgasmic effect.

  Wall: Structure surrounding the Dens. Man made.

  Whirr: A higher pitched version of the purr, does not have as much of an effect on healing. The whirr is a sound usually associated with pleasure. Things that feel good will often make Kin and Lesser-Breds whirr.

  Whistle: A high pitched sound, made almost exclusively by submissives within a group or white-scales.

  White-Scale: Newly Hatched and not fully formed with a Human shape.

  Wizard: People born leaking magic.

  Chapter 1

  This was it.

  Haley Night’s three inch heels clicked off her steps in the sterile, white, high-walled tunnel as she moved deeper into the Atlanta Draconian Prison Facility--the ADF, as it was known to the Humans and those who worked with them. All the while her emotions ricocheted between anticipation and dread.

  Anticipation, because after fifty-some-odd years with the Center for Folk and Kin Relations--ten of them with official Agent status--Haley was finally flying solo. No escort. No babysitter.

  Only because everyone else was too scared to go with her.

  Whatever. She’d take the cards that she’d been dealt and run like hell. If she could show the Administration she could handle this on her own, they’d give her other assignments. Q and A with uncooperative Male Kin was getting sort of old.

  But isn’t that what I’m doing here?

  Yeah, it was, but at least it wasn’t going to happen down in one of the interrogation Tanks in the Center basement.

  Nope.

  This was way better.

  So here she was, twelve stories down under millions of pounds of concrete, taking a long walk down a very narrow hall that led ... where else ... but the basement of basements in the ADF. And thinking about that fueled the dread. A thin sheen of sweat dotted her upper lip.

  Now, Kin are cave dwellers by nature, but this wasn’t anything like a cave. A cave has multiple tunnels, several ways in, several ways out, rooms, even hidden passageways. This place was nothing more than one giant roach motel. People check in but they don’t check out.

  Haley reminded herself she was here on behalf of the Bureau, at the request of the D.A. himself ... and because Niles Fury scared the piss out the Humans.

  Literally.

  Haley had to give the A.D.A. Bob Crane credit. At least he tried. Niles scared most dragons, so it wasn’t a surprise that Bob pissed his Mark Nasons full. It had been a bad idea to send a Human anywhere near Niles. They don’t do well with the idea they’re just snack food waiting to happen. After all, that’s exactly why Niles was here. Crimes against Humanity. Specifically, eating them.

  They should’ve sent Haley the first time. She had the experience and she was Female. It gave her the upper hand in the Tanks on a daily basis. Ten minutes in a room with the most difficult Male and she could have them eating out of her hand.

  Or at least licking her palm.

  It would have saved time and a good pair of shoes. ‘Cause no one likes to ruin a good pair of shoes.

  Haley stopped in front of the last of eleven steel doors leading into the depths of the ADF and hit the buzzer. She checked her watch. It was five after. Her appointment was at nine sharp. She was late and late wasn’t acceptable.

  The guard in the view screen ate his sandwich.

  “I.D. please,” he said around a mouthful of ... was that tuna? At nine in the morning?

  Five after nine, chickadee. You’re late.

  “Look, I’ve just shown my I.D.” Haley glanced over her shoulder and tried to remember how many check points she’d passed. “Six times? Seven? Can you just let me in?”

  The guard gave her a bored look and sucked a wad of mustard off his thumb.

  “I.D., lady. Regulation eight point eight...”

  “I know, I know.” Haley put down the brief case and fumbled with the ID fastened to the hem of her skirt. She undid the clasp and slid it out of the plastic sleeve, a battle all its own ... because regulation eight point nine something dictated that an ID could not be obstructed by foreign materials. ‘Cause a clear plast
ic sleeve is really going to keep someone from being able to tell the difference between a fake ID and a real one from the other side of a monitor.

  No need to rehash that argument. Door keeper number three had already made it perfectly clear he didn’t give a flying flip. The regulation book was gospel and that was that.

  Haley held her ID up to the screen. The guard on the other side was too distracted by his sandwich to even look at it.

  Jerk.

  The lock buzzed and the door, all nine tons of reinforced carbon steel, slid open with surprisingly little sound.

  Haley wasted no more time and went in.

  Inside it was just a whole lot more white, but the walls were easily twenty feet high. For decorations, they had cameras. The little red lights next to the lenses blinked down at her. Haley scanned the rest of the room. What the hell was it with Humans and the color white? She suddenly wished she’d worn something other than black. Both her skirt and blazer were black. Her blouse matched the paint job. Her shoes matched the skirt and blazer. Hey, at least she was color coordinated. Still, it was hard not to feel like a lost ink blot in a giant drawing pad.

  The only real color in the room was the orange jump suit worn by Niles Fury. Prisoner 0984632 according to the numbers stamped on the back of his prison issued threads.

  Nile’s shackled arms were spread wide on the steel slab and building supports posing as a table. Its legs were bolted into the floor. Probably to keep him from picking it up and throwing it at someone.

  Pleasant thought, that.

  Haley’s gaze went back to the chains going from his arms to his waist and then the floor. They could anchor a battleship.

  I wonder if the Yamamoto is missing some gear?

  Niles raised his head. His shoulders spread, and the orange jumpsuit strained to keep him covered. His skull was smooth except for a single black braid cultured from a patch of hair at the back of his head.

  Haley was used to seeing big Human shapes on Kin. Most used it to gain a size advantage they didn’t have in their natural form. It was a way to bluff wing span and strength.