The Dragon's Rose Read online

  Table of Contents

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  THE DRAGON'S

  ROSE

  A DRAGON SHIFTER ROMANCE

  SERENA ROSE

  Copyright ©2018 by Serena Rose

  All rights reserved.

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  About This Book

  Bella Rose was just a normal girl living a normal life.

  But all that changed dramatically when she found herself magically whisked away to another world. A world ruled by weredragons and other mythical beasts.

  It was there that she was told that her mother had made a deal with the dragon clan when she was a child.

  In exchange for peace, her first daughter would be promised to them once she became an adult.

  And now the dragons wanted what was theirs.

  Now it is time for Bella Rose to meet her fate and also meet her mate...

  WARNING: Only read this is if you love a hunky shapeshifting hero, fiery dragon fun and exciting plot twists. Oh and there is magic too!

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER ONE

  Bella let out a sigh as she backed out of the cracked driveway onto the street. It was dark outside, and the winds were whipping up into a frenzy as she began to roll slowly down the street. She quickly picked up speed and began bypassing a string of abandoned houses and burned-out storefronts until she hit the main drag. Rain began to pelt her windshield, and she groaned. She hated driving in the rain, but she had no choice if she wanted to make it to her destination before morning.

  She sighed and then slowly stopped at a stop light, being sure to keep her wits about her and her doors locked. She had never wanted to admit to her aunt and uncle that they were right, that her living in this section of the city was not the best idea she’d ever had. Yet, she could still say she was independent. She was living on her own, away from the clamor and distraction of college dorms and keg stand parties. Her job at the local newspaper didn’t pay much, but it was enough to cover rent and essentials, and she didn’t have to beg her aunt and uncle for things in the same way many of her peers begged their parents.

  The thought of all her fellow peers with their shining, happy parents made something inside Bella twinge. There was an old ache there, something akin to a dull throb each time she thought of her own parents. She always quickly dismissed the thought. Her parents were long gone; her aunt and uncle loved her fiercely and had worked hard to give her everything she’d wanted and needed.

  A thread of guilt flowed through her as she thought of her long-dead parents. It felt a bit like betrayal to think of them, to pull out the memories of them like dog-eared pages of a much beloved book. Still and all, she continued to think of them every once in a while, to caress the thoughts of them like stolen moments in her own mind.

  The light turned green, and she cruised through the intersection. The rain picked up speed and soon she was swept up in a torrential downpour. She thought briefly of pulling over and waiting out the worst of it, but then thought better of it and continued on. She sped through the shower and onto the highway ramp. The highway at that time of night was nearly deserted, and Bella merged smoothly onto the next lane. The cacophonous sound of the rain began to slow a bit, and Bella heaved a sigh of relief.

  She turned on the radio and crooned along to a top 40 song. She was hoping to be at her aunt and uncle’s by at least one or two in the morning. She smiled happily when she thought of them. Her sweet, nearly cherubic aunt and her brusque but loving uncle had decided to treat themselves to a vacation. She had urged them for years to go out and live a little; they seemed to always spend their time between her uncle’s business and taking care of things around the house.

  A chill swept through Bella as she drove on; there was no one on the road and she was alone. She turned up the radio a bit louder and tried to edge out the uncertainty she was feeling. A feeling of anxiousness was sliding through her, and she tamped down hard upon it, choosing to concentrate instead on the light pop tune filtering in through her speakers.

  By the time she had driven across state lines, she was feeling much better. The rain had died down, and she could see stars struggling to peek out from the dark curtain of night. She continued humming along to the radio and looked down at her gas gauge. She was only on a quarter tank and should refuel, she thought as she merged onto an exit. She looked for signs for a gas station and found one not too far from the highway exit.

  She groaned as rain began to fall once more. It was as if the weather was somehow following her. She shook her head clear of such thoughts and pulled near a pump. She took a moment to gather her purse and credit card. For a moment, an intense feeling of wariness came about her, and she found herself looking around her car.

  She glanced around the different islands of gas pumps and told herself she was being silly. She looked back over her shoulder to the left and spied a figure from the corner of her eye standing still, seemingly watching her. She gasped harshly and then blinked. The figure was gone. She furrowed her brow in confusion and then sighed. Perhaps she was dealing with some fatigue. End of the year exams had thrown her for a loop, and she was probably tired from all the studying she did, she assured herself.

  She grabbed her credit card and stepped out into the deluge. She raced into the brightly lit station, smiled half-heartedly at the obviously tired clerk, paid and then headed back out to her car. She shook off the rain as she pumped, her eyes scanning the surrounding area. Satisfied that the earlier incident was just a figment of her imagination, Bella finished pumping and climbed back into the car. She drove for a bit, her eyes growing heavy as the rain continued to inundate the area, causing the drops to settle onto the hood and roof of her car in a way that was nearly soothing.

  She opened her eyes wide and cracked open the window. Yawning loudly, she cranked up a tune and tapped the wheel along with the rhythm. She was rounding a curve when she saw the same figure ahead of her, standing lit by the beams of her car.

  She swerved, and the car spun. She tried to regain control of the car, and it finally seemed to respond. Breathing heavily, she took a quick inventory of herself and her surroundings. Luckily, there was no traffic behind her and, glimpsin
g out of the windows of her car, she saw that the figure was gone. She ran her hands through her thick mane and sighed. She silently berated herself as she pulled the car back into its lane. She put the car in drive and continued on, trying desperately to shake off the feeling that someone was watching her.

  After two hours of driving, she made her way across the broad connection of highways through at least three major cities and was moving rapidly near her aunt and uncle’s small town. Dawn was still some time away, but she began to feel lighter and less weighed-down the closer she got to their home. She smiled as she thought of all the home-cooked meals they’d eaten at the table and how much her aunt enjoyed cooking. Bella’s stomach growled as she thought of all the great meals that were had in that house, and then she thought of all the greasy, sloppy fare she’d been eating since she’d gotten to college. She then thought of all the entreaties she’d been given from her aunt to come over and feed her, and yet Bella was determined to prove she could make it on her own.

  Bella’s thoughts were awash with a litany of musings about her upcoming year and how expensive tuition was despite her having a scholarship. She never wanted her aunt and uncle to worry, so she tried hard to get any part-time jobs that were available. Growing up, Bella had never wanted anything, but there were times she could see that money was tight and things were strained. She knew how much her aunt and uncle had sacrificed to raise her.

  They never had any children of their own, and when her father and mother had died in a car crash years before, it was her father’s brother, her uncle Jeremy and his wife Susan, who took her in. Those early memories had grown somewhat hazy over the years and were tinged with something akin to anguish, so she tried hard not think of them, instead opting to guiltily think of how her parents were before their untimely death.

  She did remember quite a bit about her mother. She had been a light-hearted woman who loved to joke and tease, and she often told silly stories to Bella about a world with fairies and talking familiars that made her laugh. Bella had only been about five when her parents’ car had been jackknifed by a semi-truck. Luckily, Bella had been at school at the time and wasn’t in the car. Bella pushed aside an intense feeling of sadness and focused on the road ahead of her.

  Her mind kept going back to her mother and how much fun she’d had with the crazy games she and her mother used to play. Her mother talked incessantly about a place that was filled with magic and fantastic creatures, and her father would kindly berate her mother by saying, “Don’t fill her head with nonsense, Anna!”

  Bella loved those stories and games, and she looked forward to coming home from school to see her mother waiting for her at the bus stop. She’d eagerly await the next tale of princesses, magic and amazing swordsmen who vanquished monsters in caves and lakes. And though her father often told her those tales were just that and that there were no such things as monsters and fairies, a part of her still wanted to believe that they were real.

  After she’d gone to live with her aunt and uncle, they’d raised her with a strong sense of pragmatism, and anytime she’d talk of the things her mother often said, they’d give her a stern lecture on how things worked in the real world. As the years went by, the stories and tales slipped from her mind’s grasp until Bella could only focus on what was in the here and now. She’d gone off to college to pursue a career that relied heavily on science, facts and figures, and spent much of her days thinking of how she could revolutionize the field of medicine using what she could see, feel and hear.

  However, there was a small part of herself that still reveled in the idea of magic and mythical beings. She often availed herself of a plethora of fantasy and sci-fi novels only to hide them in her bags when she’d visit her aunt and uncle or spent time out with friends. She didn’t want anyone to know that she found excitement and adventure in such outlandish stories.

  She was finally exiting the highway and onto street traffic when she began to see the familiar sights of her hometown; the small café on the corner, the movie theatre in the small business district and the old “Welcome” sign all seemed to beckon to something deep within her, filling her with a kind of warm nostalgia. She grinned as she maneuvered down the narrow streets and turned down a beaten road that boasted wild foliage and large, leafy trees. She pulled into the gravel-packed driveway of her aunt and uncle’s cottage style home.

  She let loose a heavy breath and collected her bags before stepping out of the car. She walked briskly up the walkway to the front door and rang the bell. The house was dark, and she was sure both her aunt and uncle were sleeping. She tapped her foot rhythmically against the step and waited until she spied the lights being turned on before rapping softly on the door. She smiled broadly as her aunt pulled back the curtain on the door and peeked out at her, an expression of surprise written all over her face.

  Bella could hear the locks being pulled back, and then the door was flung open. Her aunt rubbed her eyes tiredly and stared back at Bella with wide eyes.

  “What are you doing here? I thought you’d try flying in.”

  “Tickets were too high. I decided to drive instead,” Bella answered and moved to walk in as her aunt moved aside.

  “You drove all the way here? Why didn’t you call? We could have figured out how to get you a ticket. It’s dangerous for a young lady to drive by herself at night!” her aunt harangued her, and Bella shrugged.

  “I made it just fine, Aunt Sue. Nothing to worry about.”

  “Well, your uncle will be very upset to know you drove all the way here. Are you still in that dreadful place off campus?”

  Bella resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Instead, she took in a steadying breath and nodded. “Yes, I am, Aunt Sue. I’m fine, really.”

  Bella could tell her aunt was unconvinced as a tight expression bordering on disapproval marched across her aunt’s face. Before her aunt could launch into a lecture, Bella spoke.

  “How’s Uncle these days? You guys excited about the trip?”

  Her aunt stopped and then heaved a sigh. “He’s just fine. And yes, we’re quite thrilled. Don’t think you’re off the hook, young lady.”

  Bella shot her aunt a cheeky grin. “I’m doing well. The newspaper is awesome, and my grades are great--,”

  Her aunt harrumphed. “I’m not worried about your grades or your job. I worry about you living in that place. They sell drugs there, don’t they? Is there even a police station nearby?”

  Bella scoffed. “Auntie! It’s not the greatest place, but rent is really reasonable--,”

  “Your uncle and I could get you a really nice place in the city. Something safe and roomy. Why do you want to live in a crime-ridden area--?”

  Bella groaned. “We’ve been over this. I don’t need you two to break the bank trying to pay for some ridiculously overpriced apartment in the city. Besides, I’m not that far away from campus. I don’t have to worry about roommates, and I work on my music whenever I want.”

  At the mention of music, her aunt began to beam. “You’re still singing? I always thought you were so talented. I was just telling my bridge group the other day, my girl is going to be a star. I think you should try out at the orchestra hall upstate. They’re holding auditions--,”

  Bella laughed. “No thanks,” Bella smirked and shrugged. This was also an old argument. Bella’s success as a former piano prodigy and current alternative/indie singer caused her aunt to constantly urge her to pursue a career as a professional pianist. However, Bella had chosen to go into the medicine instead, much to her uncle’s delight and her aunt’s chagrin.

  The thought of her uncle seemed to conjure his presence as he came barreling down the stairs and into the room.

  “Bella,” he said, surprised, “How’d you get here?”

  “I drove,” she told him and threw her bags down onto the sofa. “Aunt Sue already gave me the third degree, so don’t bother,” she said, smiling, and she came to stand before him and drew him into a hug.

  Her uncle h
ugged her back and then stepped back. He looked down at her from his immense height and then grunted, his lips twisting back into a grimace.

  Bella rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell me I’m getting another lecture.”

  “You need it. You know better than to drive all the way out here by yourself. Couldn’t you at least have gotten some friends to come with you?”

  Bella was silent a moment. She’d thought that college would put an end to what seemed like her exile into loneliness, but to no avail. As a whiz kid who’d easily aced classes and trumped everyone in their small town, she’d had no luck with friends. Sure, no one was rude or mean to her, especially since everyone in town respected her aunt and uncle, but her weekends were never filled with parties and, she had been snubbed socially time and again until she’d gotten the message and stopped trying.

  The trend seemed to continue in college. She’d hooked up with a band and played a few gigs here and there, and was acquainted with a few groups of people across campus, but she didn’t by any stretch of the imagination have any friends. It was as if people sensed something different about her and made sure to keep her at arm’s length. Her aunt and uncle had tried to remedy the problem over the years, but Bella had decided to take it all with aplomb and wash away their worry with bright smiles and funny remarks. She never wanted them to be preoccupied with her social plight, and Bella always told herself that things would change. So she simply shrugged and threw herself across the overstuffed sofa and shook her head.

  “No, Uncle. Besides, do you really want a bunch of giggling girls here?”

  Her uncle seemed stricken, and Bella laughed. “Thought so.”

  “Well, it’s a whole heap better than you running out here all by your lonesome, I’ll tell you that,” he admonished her lightly, and Bella shot him an innocent grin.