The Dragon's Charm

by Emilia Hartley

  “At least it’s quiet,” Jo said to herself, aware that she hadn’t seen a single other traveller in her two hours of driving. “And that’s probably because everyone else is flying,” she muttered, grimly. This simply didn't seem worth it, not for any job. Jo shook her head to herself, fully aware that she wasn't happy. At first, being the Artist Liaison Officer of the prestigious Liberty Art had been a dream come true, until she'd met Brian. He was the Gallery Manager and insisted that she travel here, there and everywhere to secure new artists. Initially, Jo had loved every minute of it, before slowly realizing that she was being paid to travel great distances via her own little car. She was reimbursed, of course, but the travel was beginning to seep tiredness into her bones. Even though she'd discussed the matter with Brian and begged him to hold the purse strings a little less tightly, nothing had changed.

  On her next assignment, Jo had been told that she was to go and meet with the agent of the amazing Martin Fresnel. It was her job to get his work in their gallery, and Brian had expected her to drive there, as per usual. Jo had argued over and over until he'd harshly reminded her that her job was to ‘liaise' and if she did not fulfil her job's criteria, then he would have to look for her replacement. It had been a thinly veiled threat but it had done exactly what he'd wanted. Jo had stared at him for a moment before silently leaving his office.

  That had been the day she’d started hating her job. Now she could hardly face the thought of where he’d make her go next but if she wanted to keep her job, she had to do it.

  “Maybe I don’t want my job anymore,” she voiced aloud, the shock of her statement rushing through her. “Well, maybe I don’t!” she continued, a little defiantly. “I could do something else, couldn’t I?”

  Not in the same town, a little voice said. You’ve just gotten a house here. Do you really want to uproot yourself and start all over again?

  Frowning, Jo held back a groan. She liked having a house of her own, having a job to go to. There was a sense of security there. To quit her job would throw all that away. Would she be able to cope?

  Deciding that she needed to focus on something else, Jo glanced up at the views, noticing that the clouds were still dark and the sun almost entirely hidden. Everything around her was gray and gloomy which didn't help to lift her spirits. Even the trees were beginning to become a little more dense. "Looks like the road goes through a forest," Jo mused. The tall trees hid even more daylight and branches littered the ground. Knowing that she would have to be careful, she slowed the car down, flicking her lights on for good measure.

  Out of nowhere, a large brown object came flying down one side of the road, as Jo quickly caught it out of the corner of her eye. Slamming on her brakes, she screeched to a halt as the large object hit the side of her car with immense force.

  “What on earth?” Jo exclaimed, breathing hard from shock. The car had been pushed to one side from the impact although, thankfully, it had not gone over the verge. Pushing down on the brake firmly, Jo grasped the steering wheel as though her life depended on it. The brown object turned out to be a great brown bear that slowly got to its feet and looked her directly in the eye.

  CHAPTER 2

  Jo stared at the beast as it slowly stood up to its full height. It was both utterly majestic and completely terrifying. Trying desperately to remember what you were meant to do, should you be faced with a bear, Jo tried not to move. The bear tipped its head a little to the side, as if it were contemplating her.

  Slowly pulling her fingers from the steering wheel, Jo reached down to put on the handbrake just as the engine died, watching the bear give itself a shake. Managing to lock her doors, Jo tried to breathe normally, even though she knew that the locked doors meant very little to a mighty bear. It still gave her a slight sense of security, however ridiculous. Thankfully, the bear seemed completely disinterested in her now, meandering away on all four paws. It certainly was magnificent, the way the fur rippled as it walked away, the immense strength it held hidden under its dark coat. It had one long strip of gray fur on its right side, which glistened under the light. Hoping that her car was not too badly damaged, Jo mentally urged the bear to keep walking, so that she could at least get out to check. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck when there was a bear in the vicinity. If it didn't work, then she'd be stranded and completely without help. Hoping that her cell phone had some kind of signal, Jo breathed a sigh of relief as the bear continued to amble away from her car.

  With a shriek, Jo saw another bear come hurtling out of the woods to her right, driving itself straight on top of the first bear. Her hand to her mouth, she watched with wide eyes as they began to pounce on one another. Rolling across the ground, they slammed into the front of her car again and again. “What do I do?” Jo whispered to herself in disbelief, her hand trembling slightly. Thinking that she was going to see the bears tear each other to pieces before her eyes, Jo couldn’t help but cringe with every swipe from a giant paw.

  After a few minutes, Jo began to stop shaking. Studying the bears with slightly narrowed eyes, she realized that this wasn't a fight to the death. Do adult bears play fight? she thought, frowning. Frustration slowly began to replace her fear, the build-up of her long drive and Brian’s cheapskate ways bubbling to the surface. Now, on top of all that, her car was damaged and she was sitting, waiting for two bears to get out of the way! She’d have to get herself to the nearest town and get her car repaired, provided the car even started at all. This is getting ridiculous, she thought, the car jolting as the larger of the two bears slammed onto the bonnet. Never taking her eyes off them, Jo suddenly leaned heavily on her horn, completely surprising both herself and the bears.

  The shock of what she’d done sank in immediately. It had been completely on impulse but it had also been a terrible mistake. The two bears turned towards her, their play stopping at once. Her hand at her throat, Jo stared at them both, waiting to see what they would do. She felt trapped.

  To her complete surprise, the bears appeared to be very aware of her presence, rising to stand on their two feet as though looking over the damage they’d created. Then, the larger bear looked at the other, before dropping to its four paws and running off to the side of the road, disappearing out of sight. The slightly smaller bear followed after, giving her a final look over its shoulder. It all happened so quickly that Jo could hardly believe she was finally alone. Her heart still hammering, she sat completely still for a good few minutes, just to make sure they had really gone for good.

  Unlocking her door, Jo slowly opened it carefully, looking all around her. Rubbing her hands up and down her arms to try to stay warm, she made her way to the front of the car, trying not to shiver. Her heart sank as she surveyed the damage. The front right wheel looked to be completely buckled, even though, thankfully, the tire was still on. There was a severe amount of damage to the bonnet and side of her car, and all the lights were smashed. “I’m going to have to find a mechanic now," she sighed to herself in frustration before getting back into the car. Beginning to worry that her trusty car wouldn't even start again, she turned the key, hearing it attempt to start for a few moments, before dying again. Putting her head on the steering wheel, Jo closed her eyes tightly. She needed the car to start. She had no idea where she was and if there were bears in the woods, Jo didn't exactly want to start walking. Waiting for another motorist wasn't exactly a bright idea either, given that she hadn't passed a single car for hours. "Please work," she muttered aloud. Turning the key in the ignition, again and again until she finally heard the engine suddenly spark to life. Hardly daring to touch the steering wheel, she waited for a few moments with baited breath, before grasping the wheel and attempting to drive down the road.

  The drive had been difficult since the right side wheel was at a very strange angle. Various warning lights were on in her dashboard and Jo had prayed that she’d make it to the nearest mechanics. Thankfully, it hadn’t been too long until she’d seen signs for a place called Woodhave
n, which was only a few miles further. The car had limped along the road, relief filling her as she arrived. Seeing a few passers by giving her strange glances, Jo rolled down the window to ask for directions to the nearest mechanic.

  “Have you had an accident?” an older lady asked, peering into the car window with concern. “You’re not hurt, are you?”

  “No, not at all,” Jo replied, reassuring her. “There were just two bears that managed to hit my car when I was driving through the forest back up the road.”

  “Bears!” the lady gasped, her hand to her mouth. “There are quite a few in these woods, but we very rarely see them. They’ve done some terrible damage to your car, haven’t they? What bad luck!”

  Jo grimaced. “Yes, it is. Is there a mechanic in town?”

  “Oh, yes,” the lady replied. “Just down the road, take a left and then it’s on your right. Close to the edge of the woods. It’s run by Nick and Tom Brewer.” She paused for a moment. “We don’t see them much in town, but they’re friendly enough. You don’t need to worry about them ripping you off either, they’re always fair.”

  “Thank you,” Jo said, gratefully. With a wave, she drove off, making the turns as the older lady had suggested. The road became a little uneven as she drove closer to the woods and further out of town. Jo began to wonder whether the lady had, in fact, given her the correct directions. Driving slowly, worrying that her car would just stop completely, Jo kept on looking, hoping desperately that she’d find the mechanics soon.

  It turned out the lady had given her the right directions, for soon enough, tucked away among some trees, was the shop. It looked a little run-down but there was a big red sign at the front, labeled ‘Brewer Mechanics'. There were a few cars littered about, but no sign of anyone working. Hoping that they’d be able to get to her car straight away, Jo pulled up, put on the handbrake and turned off the engine. Sitting back in her seat with a sigh of relief, she closed her eyes for a moment, before getting out of the car.

  CHAPTER 3

  Tom nudged his brother. “Looks like we’ve got a customer.”

  Lifting his head from the notebook he was writing in, Nick studied the woman for a moment, already sensing her frustration. “She looks mad.”

  “Getting that feeling off her already, are you?” Tom grinned, ignoring the look Nick sent his way. “Car looked a bit funny coming in.”

  “Wheels, maybe.”

  “Guess we’re going to need to take a look!” Tom pasted a smile on his face as the short, auburn haired woman walked through the door of their small office that backed onto their workshop.

  Jo hadn’t seen a glimpse of anyone as she drove in. Hoping the mechanics would be around somewhere, she got out of the car, locked it and walked slowly towards what appeared to be a small kind of office. Quickly glancing over her damaged car, she shook her head, muttering to herself as she walked in.

  Pushing open the door, Jo was greeted by one of the two men behind the counter. When the woman had said ‘Nick and Tom Brewer’, she’d immediately pictured a father and son, but they were both around the same age. One of them was smiling at her whilst the other simply watched her come in.

  “Hi,” the smiling one said. “Can we help you?”

  “Are you the mechanics?”

  He nodded. “Yup, you found us all right! I’m Tom and this here’s Nick.”

  “Glad to meet you,” Jo replied, automatically, wondering if the two men were brothers, given the similarities in their features. “I’m here about my car….?” There was something about Nick that was putting her on edge, and she didn’t appreciate the way he was looking at her. It was too intense. Trying to stare right back at him, Jo felt her body shiver with a sudden awareness. Dropping her gaze, she turned her attention to the other man. She was still aware that the first man was continuing to study her with dark, piercing eyes so she simply turned a little further to the side, so she couldn’t see him. “I mean, obviously it’s about my car.” She felt flustered - stupid, almost.

  “What’s wrong with it?”

  She shrugged. "I don't know. That’s why I brought it to you guys." Struggling not to give him a sarcastic answer or even roll her eyes, Jo gestured towards her car which she could see clearly through the window. Her eyes drifting to the wheel. "The wheel’s at an odd angle and there are a few big dents. My lights are broken… I’m just glad I got here before dark."

  Tom frowned, coming out from behind the desk. “That doesn’t sound good. How did that happen? You weren’t in an accident, were you?”

  “No, nothing like that. I was coming through the woods, a little further up the road - ”

  A strange look came into Tom’s eyes. “Around fifteen miles back?”

  Jo shook her head, frustrated that he’d interrupted her. “I don’t know. I guess so. Anyway, there were two bears. I mean, there was one at first but then another one came and –” She gestured hopelessly towards her car. “That happened.”

  “I see.” Tom threw an inscrutable look at Nick. “From the sounds of it, I’m quite surprised you got here at all!”

  Jo said nothing, leaning heavily on the counter with one elbow, pushing her hand into her hair.

  “I’ll – we’ll just go take a look at it now for you.”

  "Thanks." Realizing that she was going to be left alone in the office, Jo wandered over to the small row of seats, sinking down with a sigh. Watching the two brothers examine her car, she wondered how on earth they could be out in the biting wind and cold with nothing but a t-shirt on. Here she was in the warm office, with not two but three different layers on, and her toes were only just beginning to warm up. Spotting the coffee machine, Jo pressed various buttons while keeping her eyes on the oldest brother as he walked around her car. "He didn't say a word to me," she muttered to herself, grouchily, wandering back to her seat. A sudden rush of heat filled her core as she caught sight of him leaning over the bonnet, the wind whipping up his shirt. "He is pretty striking, though.”

  Nick followed his brother without a word, highly aware of the woman left in the office. Something about her had struck him straight away, something he couldn’t quite place. His senses were going haywire. He could tell she was frustrated and worried, but his immediate attraction to her had him fighting for control. He’d left the talking up to Tom. Looking over the car, he shook his head. “We sure did a lot of damage.” There were dents and scrapes everywhere, and each light would have to be replaced individually. He’d not even taken a look at the wheel.

  “You mean, you did.”

  “If you remember, you shoved me down the hill!”

  Tom couldn’t deny it, a grin on his face. “Sorry.”

  Leaning over to have a look at the wheel, Nick waited until Tom emerged from underneath. “What’s the damage?”

  “Not good,” Tom replied, getting to his feet. “Looks like it needs a new wheel, plus control arms and bearings. Then an alignment before it’s ready to go back on the road.”

  “Have we got everything in stock to do the job?” Nick replied, rubbing the back of his head.

  Tom grimaced, mentally going through their spare parts. “Don’t reckon so. Think we’ll need to send off for the control arms.”

  “Can we do it today?”

  “We can order it, but it’ll take a couple of days to get here.”

  Nick nodded. "Fine. We can get on to fixing up the lights and the surface scratches while we're waiting."

  “It ain’t going to be cheap, Nick.” Tom looked up at his brother with a gleam in his eye. “You want to tell her, or will I?”

  Narrowing his eyes, Nick frowned. “I’ll do it.”

  “Good,” Tom replied, cheekily. “You’ve not said a word to her since she came in, Nick. She probably thinks you’re either rude or just a grouch.”

  “I just let you do the talking,” Nick said, defensively. “I’ll make sure to play nice now, alright?”

  “Uh huh,” Tom commented, skeptical. Nick had always been the qui
et one, working away in the background while he took on the majority of the handiwork. Tom was the one who always interacted with customers, took phone calls and generally dealt with people. It wasn’t Nick’s thing. “Just make sure you find out her name, okay?”

  Muttering under his breath, Nick strode away from his brother and up to the office. Pulling the door open, he walked in and tried to rearrange his features into something of a smile. "Good afternoon, miss. Realized I never greeted you when you came in. I'm sorry about that. Just been a busy day." His smile didn't quite reach his eyes as he hid from her – and from himself – the heat he felt for the woman sitting in front of him.

  "That's not a problem," Jo commented, faintly. He looked quite foreboding in person, standing tall and strong in front of her. His black hair was wild, sticking up at all angles, and his dark gray eyes held a hint of danger. His sculpted jaw was clenched tightly, his deep voice vibrating through her. In spite of that, there was something incredibly attractive about him, the gentle scent of his cologne wafting over to her. The strong, silent type, she mused to herself.

  “Seems as though you’ve had a rough time of it,” he continued, sitting down opposite. “We’ll be happy to fix up your car for you.”

  “Really?” Jo let out a sigh of relief, forcing her eyes to stay on his face and not travel down his body. “How long will it take?”

  “Depends,” he replied, non-committal. “You got somewhere to be?”

  “Yes, I have a client to meet in Dornwich in a couple of days’ time.”

  “Ah.” His frown told Jo that this wasn’t going to be good news. “You might have to rearrange that.”