The Dragon's Rose Read online

  She awakened with a start to an infomercial about cooking ware. Rogan had pulled the large fluffy throw from the back of the couch, and it was tucked around her. Her head was resting in his lap, and his head was thrown back against the couch with light snores emitting from his half-open mouth. Bella was about to move away, but then she found herself snuggling deeper into the covers. She listened to his steady breathing and the sound of the overly excited host on the television.

  It all seemed so normal that Bella could almost forget that he came from another world. She could imagine coming home from work and he’d be there. They’d talk about their crappy jobs and complain about bills, then they’d make love…..

  Bella stopped her mind from going there. She wasn’t ready for that. Or was she? She felt a blush run up her neck, and her face flamed. She tried hard to put the thought of him in that way from her mind. Her body still craved something she couldn’t quite identify, and she sat up slowly and pulled away from Rogan. She looked at his sleeping face and thought about how gorgeous he was, even in repose. His long lashes looked doll-like and perfect against his skin, which was unblemished and perfect. His lips were full, and his high cheekbones hinted at some exotic ancestry she probably couldn’t name.

  She was laying back on the soft cushions of the couch and ruminating about their predicament when she heard a loud noise outside, just beyond the border of where Rogan’s spell ended. Bella clicked off the lights and then crept over to the window. Her eyes sought to adjust to the dim light, but after a moment of staring, she saw it.

  It was tall and gangly, its face bereft of eyes, though it had some sort of deep indentations where eyes should have been. Its fingers were like skeletal twigs, its body was hunched over and, though it stood at an easy six feet, Bella could imagine it was probably much taller. She watched it and then realized that it knew she was watching it. She backed away slowly from the window and went back to the couch only to see that Rogan had awakened and was staring at the spot outside the window where the monster was.

  Rogan stood and traipsed over slowly to the window. He made a motion with his hands and then chanted. He said nothing for a time and then he turned and came back to the couch.

  “We are safe here,” Rogan declared.

  “What was that thing?” Bella asked, and Rogan said nothing for a moment, but then he grimaced.

  “An ashwalker. In my world, they are usually bothered with those who are sick or dying.”

  “OMG!! Am I dying? Are you?”

  Rogan cracked a small smile. “No one will die here, at least not for many years from now. No, that ashwalker was not here for us. He was drawn here by something.”

  “Are ashwalkers dangerous?” Bella asked, and Rogan nodded.

  “They can be,” he told her. “They are attracted to the scent of impending death.”

  “What do they do once they are--?” Bella trailed off.

  “They enjoy live prey. They will not go where death has been conquered,” he told her, and she shuddered.

  “But what was it doing here?” she asked, and he shook his head.

  “I donna know. But I will find out. Stay here.”

  Bella jumped up. “Wait, Rogan, you can’t go out there. What if it’s still outside?”

  “I am skilled in combat and spellcasting. And I am very much alive. It will not see me as prey.”

  Bella wanted nothing more than to pull him close and not let him go out into that darkness, but she could only nod. Bella ran to the closet, grabbing her uncle’s shotgun, and stood by the back door as Rogan ventured outside. She watched him walk around for a bit before heading beyond the line of protection. She couldn’t see the thing anymore, but she had an inkling it was still around, watching.

  She peeked around the curtains and could hear Rogan chanting, his magic flaring in response. She could still only see darkness. Then, as if from some distance away, she heard a growl, a high-pitched squeal and then the monster was on Rogan. Bella screamed and threw open the back door. She leveled the shot gun on the monster, who stopped its struggle with Rogan and turned to her.

  It loped quickly over to her and, like a rabid dog, charged with its head low. Bella aimed and squeezed out a shot. There was a loud boom, and then the thing was on the ground, whimpering. It kicked and sputtered as its life blood poured out. The wounds soon healed, and it was back on its feet. Bella backed up, and then Rogan was rolling flame in his hands.

  Rogan whistled, and the thing turned its head and body to him before charging once more. Rogan shot the flame into the thing’s chest, and it screamed piteously. It burned hard and fast before going into a crisp. The ashes were blown away by the wind, and Bella looked around, wondering if any of the neighbors heard the commotion. She sighed heavily when the sound of sirens approaching filled her ears.

  She pulled Rogan back to the house. “Let’s go,” she told him and put the gun away.

  The police arrived soon after, and she prepped Rogan, who sat quietly in the living room.

  “Ma’am, we got a report of suspicious activity and a gun shot from this address,” the young officer told her, and she nodded.

  “Well, I heard a noise, so my boyfriend,” she indicated Rogan, “went outside to investigate. It turns out, it was a rabid dog. It charged at him, and I took my uncle’s fire arm and shot at it to scare it away. It ran off, though.”

  The officer nodded and took notes. “What’s your name, sir?” the officer asked Rogan, and he stood.

  “I am Rogan Gunnar of the--”

  “Of the Iceland kickboxing team,” Bella interrupted. “He’s here on vacation. We’ve had a long distance relationship the past two years and well—you know, he’s not very well-versed on American traditions.”

  The officer looked at Rogan suspiciously. “You mind if I take a look around?”

  The young officer moved further into the house, followed by his partner, who looked at Rogan with narrowed eyes.

  Bella led them through the house and showed them the backyard. There were animal-like prints out in the yard.

  “Doesn’t look like dog tracks,” the officer murmured.

  “Well, it looked like a dog,” Bella offered.

  The officer nodded. “Well, this could be a feral coyote or wolf. We need to get animal control out here. Next time you see an animal, call us first before discharging your weapon.”

  “Yes, sir,” Bella agreed, and the officers went back through the house and out the door.

  After they left, Bella let out a sigh of relief. “I am so glad that’s over.”

  Bella let out a yawn. “Let’s go to bed.”

  Rogan charged at Bella and kissed her with such passion that her legs trembled. He pushed past her tongue, massaging the inside of her mouth with his knowledgeable tongue. She moaned as he pushed her against the wall. She pulled her legs up and wrapped them around his waist. He was moving quickly to the stairs. He was murmuring, and Bella giggled.

  “To the left, last door down the hall,” she told him, and he obliged by speeding down the hallway, pushing the door open and depositing her onto her bed.

  He looked down at her, his eyes flashing colors. “You are so beautiful,” he told her, and she blushed. “I thought I would lose you today. I never want that, my love. Even without the promise, I’d be drawn to you.”

  Bella couldn’t help but simper wildly beneath his gaze. He pulled off his shirt, and Bella didn’t stop him. He lay upon her, his weight feeling good to Bella’s body, and she clasped his back and then ran her fingers through his hair as he kissed and caressed her. He sat up a bit and pulled off her shirt, revealing her generous breasts encased in a lacy bra. Bella looked down, embarrassed. Rogan gently lifted her face and kissed her sweetly. They continued in this vein for several minutes before Bella reached for Rogan’s pants.

  Bella then heard the door open downstairs and the alarm beep only to quickly shut off. Rogan and Bella both jumped up and raced downstairs. They expected more of the same they had
with the ashwalker, but instead, her aunt and uncle stood in the doorway, soaked to the bone by the now torrential rain. They were staring at Bella with a mixture of shock and anger. Bella looked down and realized she was only wearing a bra, while Rogan was shirtless. Oh shit, she thought.

  “Um—Aunt Sue, Uncle Jeremy,” Bella squeaked. “Um—this—this is so not what it looks like. Okay, maybe it is. But—I—this is Rogan, my boyfriend.”

  Bella could only stare in helplessness as her uncle pushed past her aunt and headed straight for her.

  *

  Her uncle hadn’t so much as yelled as he threw his jacket at her. He then glared at Rogan and his aunt followed suit. Bella raced to her room to throw on a shirt and passed Rogan his. They sat awkwardly in the living room in silence, with her aunt and uncle boring holes into her head with their angry stare.

  “Young lady, you know we’ve talked about this before,” her aunt began.

  “I know, Aunt Sue, but I didn’t expect you two to be back, and I’m sorry!” Bella whined, and her uncle cleared his throat.

  “We’re happy you have a boyfriend. Hell, we’d thought you weren’t interested in anyone that way,” her Aunt Sue continued. “But--”

  “But we would rather you not do anything inappropriate in this house,” her uncle scolded, and she dropped her head. “Is that understood?”

  “Yes, sir,” she said.

  Her uncle blew out a breath. “Young man, you’d do right to introduce yourself.”

  Rogan stood and shook her uncle’s hand. He took her aunt by the hand, bowed light and kissed her hand.

  “I am Rogan Gunnar of—of the Iceland Kickboxing Team,” he told them, and her uncle stared at Rogan suspiciously.

  “That doesn’t pay much, does it?” he said, and Bella gasped.

  “Uncle Jer!”

  Rogan grinned, amused. Just then, his aunt caught sight of one of the bracelets circling Rogan’s wrists.

  “That’s lovely!” she said, her hawk-like eyes looking over the jewels. “I have never seen so many rubies and diamonds on a bracelet like that. And what metal is that?”

  “It is—a family—heirloom. My father is the--”

  “High councilman or prime minister of some small, very small country in Europe. He left there to play sports. Tell them how much you like to play sports,” Bella said and caught his gaze.

  “Yes, and I enjoy my position on the—kickboxing team.”

  Her aunt sat back, suitably impressed. Her uncle, however, continued to look at him suspiciously. Bella smiled guilelessly.

  “Anyway, why are you two back? I thought you all were going to have a vacation?”

  It was all she needed to get them to back away from Rogan. Her uncle slapped his hand angrily on the table.

  “Can you believe it?” he began. “Our flight was overbooked? So, of course, they start picking people to get off the plane, and they pick us!”

  Her aunt sighed and shook her head. “Now, Jeremy, remember your blood pressure.”

  “We don’t have rights anymore, Sue,” he ranted, and her aunt nodded.

  “Well, anyway,” her aunt said. “They offered us a buttload of money to catch another flight, so that was good. But then, we get to the resort, and there was major flooding to the entire place; the only place available was a flea bitten motel down the road that had roaches the size of door knobs and other bugs. No, thank you. I tell you, we got right back on the plane, got our money back for that vacation and put the extra money the airline gave us right into savings. It was just not meant for us this year,” her aunt sighed. “I would have loved to go someplace warm and magical--”

  Her uncle Jeremy took her aunt’s hand. “It’s okay, honey. . I’ll run ya a bath, and we’ll get caught up on all our shows. We’ll plan better next year.”

  Her aunt nodded sadly. “I just wish we could have had a nice vacation.”

  Bella felt bad for her aunt and uncle. She really wished she could have saved them from what sounded like a bunch of inconveniences and given them somewhere nice to go. She could hear her aunt and uncle trudging slowly up the stairs. Bella let out a pent-up breath and then looked over at Rogan.

  “This is not what I had in mind when I thought of going back home.”

  Rogan laughed, and the sound of her uncle’s voice carried down the stairs. “You’re staying in the guest bedroom, young man!”

  “And no hanky-panky!” he aunt supplied, and both Rogan and Bella chuckled.

  “Is that what humans call it? Hanky-panky?”

  Bella shrugged. “Well, yeah. I mean, it’s called all sorts of other things, too. But anyway, I’ll show you to the guest room; it’s not what you’re used to, but--”

  The front door blew in, and a maelstrom flew inside the living room. Bella screamed. Her aunt and uncle came charging down the stairs. The maelstrom died down, and suddenly, Bella was looking at none other than the Shadow King.

  Rogan charged, spitting flame and throwing spells. Bella’s uncle looked on in shock before running to the closet to grab his shotgun. He cocked it back, took aim and fired.

  The Shadow King took a direct hit to the chest and seemed to crumple to the floor. A puddle of blood was fanning out from the wound and spread across the impeccable tile. Bella let out a breath of relief, and Rogan stood at the ready, his hands still engulfed in flame.

  Bella could then see the flow of blood was reversing, changing direction and being sucked back in. She watched in horror as the Shadow King rose up, the hole in his chest healing over and the bullet dropping to the floor. Bella’s Aunt Sue screamed, and her uncle took aim once more but was knocked aside with a flick of the Shadow King’s hand.

  “She belongs to me,” the Shadow King was saying to Rogan. The Shadow King flicked his hand once more, and the furniture in the living room moved to the side as he and Rogan circled one another.

  “I knew who she was before you and your stupid spellcasters even had the thought to find her. My shadow minions were trying to retrieve her. But she somehow ended up in your clutches.”

  Bella thought back to the shadowy figures she had seen shortly before being thrown into Rogan’s world. “That was you! This whole time, you’ve been following me!” Bella remarked, and the Shadow King smiled.

  “Of course. I was told by a priestess long ago that the one who would come to the dragon clans would be a woman not of the realm, a La’Draiochta living amongst common humans, possessing great power. Any bairn born from her would be powerful and would bestow upon her betrothed even greater power as well. I intend to make you mine. You will have my bairn and give me power.”

  The Shadow King’s figure shimmered like water, and then he was suddenly in front of her, touching her face like a long-lost lover. Bella pulled away and spat in his face.

  “I will never be with you!” she yelled. The Shadow King’s eyes slithered into pointed irises like a cat’s, and he grinned. He slapped her across the face, and Rogan roared. Rogan was tearing off his shirt and charging the king, who shifted in and out of place, turning up in different places across the room.

  “Fight me!” Rogan yelled, and his wings came out his back. Rogan half-morphed, and a powerful snout replaced the chiseled planes of his face. Bella looked over at her aunt, who shrieked and then passed out. Bella ran to her aunt, checked her pulse and was relieved she was still breathing. Her uncle was just coming around, and she ran to him and helped him up. He quickly rushed over to her aunt and then turned to see Rogan’s half-dragon form. He fell back in astonishment and fear.

  “What the hell?” he began, and Bella pulled her uncle’s face back around.

  “I have no time to explain! He’s a dragon, I’m a queen or whatever and the Shadow King wants to marry me, and that is so gross,” Bella told him breathlessly.

  “Get Aunt Sue to cover,” Bella instructed, and her uncle could only nod dumbly as the Shadow King charged. Rogan dodged his attack only to spew a long stream of flame at the Shadow King’s face. The evil k
ing managed to move to the side, and they continued circling one another.

  “Please! Hurry! Get away! Save Aunt Sue!” Bella pleaded, but her uncle shook his head. Her aunt was coming to, and she was breathing in deeply. She looked up at Bella and smiled, and then blanched when she saw Rogan and the Shadow King.

  “That there King or whatever fighting Rogan wants to take our Bella away,” her uncle explained, and her aunt shot up.

  “I don’t know what the heck is going on, but no one messes with family!” her aunt declared.

  Rogan and the Shadow King were tussling and wrestling on the floor. Errant spells flew in every direction, and Bella ducked. She shrieked when one whizzed right by her, but her aunt grabbed a baseball bat from the hall closet with a determined look on her face. She watched a moment as the two beings fought, and then she went to her purse, grabbed something and marched back in the living room.