Smitten by the Dragon Read online

  Table of Contents

  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

  Dragonspark Brothers

  About the Author

  Smitten by the Dragon

  Dragonspark Brothers - Book 1

  Tully Belle

  Contents

  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

  Dragonspark Brothers

  About the Author

  Copyright © 2017 by Tully Belle

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover design by Melody Simmons.

  Created with Vellum

  1

  A huge dragon, dead for over a month but well preserved, lay at the end of the training hall. It’s body was close to fifteen feet long, it’s wings the same length although now tucked over it’s back, it’s tail added an extra ten feet. Dark scales with shades of blues and browns glinted under the fluorescent lights giving it an unnatural sheen. This was a small creature compared to some other sightings, but it was the only one that Caran Rivers had seen in person.

  Caran’s dark hair swayed as she turned and fired an arrow at the dead carcass. The group of women to her left did the same, letting the arrows fly in an arc aimed straight for the dragon’s face.

  Most of the arrows bounced off the tough thick scales harmlessly, only one piercing the dragon’s closed eye, embedding itself through the leathered lid. It was not Caran’s arrow. The woman who had landed the shot turned to see the reaction of the others.

  Elle Wilde, second in command at Princess, nodded her head in approval. “Well done. As you can see, steel can't penetrate the scales, even hardened metal like the ones we use. We have to be smart and careful.”

  “What about bullets?” asked one of the recruits who had been here less than a month. Caran hid her boredom at the rote answer that was about to be given. Bullets, steel, etc. etc. Can’t hurt them, yada yada. She had wondered many times why these training sessions were even necessary and why they didn’t get straight to the point about what did work. But she was sure there was a reason why they went through all this first.

  Elle raised an eyebrow and turned her lips up in a half smile. “Why don’t you find out?” She flicked her finger in the air and the women, including Caran, returned the bows to the ammunition cupboard at the back of the training hall.

  Elle locked it before moving to the next cupboard. The women huddled around her, eagerly awaiting their chance to use firearms instead of the ancient weapons they had been training with. Caran hung back. She’d been through this training procedure before and knew how it would go. The only reason she was still in the beginners group was because she had not yet landed a kill shot. Most women advanced after six months. It had now been twelve for her.

  “Here, they’re loaded, but you’ll have to unlock the safety before you fire. And, don’t fire until I say so,” warned Elle.

  Caran’s face remained impassive as Elle handed her a gun. It was small, hand sized. The dark metal had lost its sheen over the years. She didn’t feel comfortable holding it and doubted she ever would. Still, if she was to get past this group and into the inner circle, become promoted to be a trusted member of the dragon assassin elite, then she’d have to make herself comfortable with it.

  Elle showed the women how to unlock the safety, how to stand, how to aim.

  The women lined up each taking the same position as before.

  Caran extended her arms, not worrying about where she pointed it. It didn’t matter. At other sessions she’d shot at the tail, the head, the body, the legs. She knew what would happen.

  “On three,” said Elle, standing back and covering her ears. “One, two, three.”

  An explosion of fire rang out, the sound bouncing off the walls as the bullets left the guns and headed toward the dragon. Caran felt the jolt in her shoulder as her gun fired.

  Most of the women aimed for the dragon’s face, thinking that because the arrow had landed, that bullets would as well. Two did. Most didn’t. The bullets that hit the dragon’s scales stopped, pausing, suspended, before falling to the ground.

  The woman who had shot the arrow that was still in the dragon’s lid, gaped as her bullet lay harmlessly next to it. “It didn’t go in, it didn’t bounce off.”

  “That’s because the dragon’s hide acts as a shock absorbent,” said Elle. “It can take the full impact, slow the bullet, even stop it, yet it won’t pierce the skin. It’ll bruise the creature but there won’t be any lasting damage.”

  “Then how do we kill it?” asked another.

  Caran glanced over at Elle, hoping that this time she’d be forthcoming. She already knew that knives, bullets, arrows didn’t work. She suspected the real method was far less dramatic. Perhaps poison, or even a biological weapon of some kind. That would make much more sense.

  Elle smiled. “It isn’t so easy, but we have ways. That’s what we’ll show you over the next few months.” Caran resisted rolling her eyes. Unlikely at this level of training. Elle walked over to the dragon and pulled out the arrow that was still embedded in the lid. A glop of pus dangled on the tip, dripping onto the floor. “Clean up and head to lunch.”

  The women, including Caran, headed toward the dragon to clean up the stray bullets and arrows.

  “Caran, wait,” said Elle. “Tessa wants to talk with you.”

  Caran turned. “Tessa wants to talk with me?” The other women glanced over at her, looking impressed that the leader of Princess would want a meeting with her. That rarely happened if you were in the beginners group.

  “Yes, she has an assignment for you. She’s waiting in her office.”

  Caran nodded and quickly left the training hall trying to wrack her brain why Tessa would want to give her an assignment when she still hadn’t progress
ed. Unless someone was injured again. Caran finished medical school and had been one year into residency before leaving to join Princess. Her medical training was the only reason she believed she was still here.

  She pressed the button for the elevator and waited until it reached her. The training levels were on the ground floor, Tessa Fuller’s office was at the top.

  It didn’t take long for the lift to ascend to the top floor and the doors opened directly into Tessa’s office. It was sleek and modern, much like most of Princess headquarters. Walls of stark white contrasted with soft grey floors. Most of the furniture was an industrial style with clean lines — wood and metal, yet softened with flowers and cushions.

  Tessa was sitting at her stained wood desk, her glasses on, and staring at her computer screen. Her dark hair was styled into a neat bun on the top of her head and she was wearing typical work wear — a grey pencil skirt and white button down. You would never had known that she was the head of a group of women dragon assassins by looking at her. That was the point.

  Behind the desk, full glass windows gave a view of the city surrounding them. Tessa glanced up as Caran stepped into the room.

  “Caran, good, come sit down.” She took off her glasses and placed them on the desk, waving her hand forward to indicate the chair in front of her.

  Caran took the seat. “Elle said you wanted to see me.”

  “Yes, I have something important I need you to do.”

  “Who’s hurt?”

  Tessa laughed. “Oh darling, is that why you think you’re here?”

  “I assumed.”

  Tessa smiled and leaned forward. “I think you’ll like this assignment. It’s fieldwork. Very hands on.”

  “You're promoting me?”

  “Well, not quite. Maybe.”

  She furrowed her brow in disappointment. She suspected that if she failed whatever assignment Tessa wanted her for that she’d be out. Even though she had no close friends at Princess, being here was better than sitting in a tiny apartment with nothing for company except potted plants. At least she’d feel like she was doing something important rather than watching the injustices of the world. “Okay.”

  “Listen, I’ve got word that some of the members of Dragonspark are going to be at a hotel in Greenslopes County tonight. You’re from that area aren’t you?”

  “My mother has a farm out there, but I haven’t been back in years.”

  “Excellent. You’re to go to the hotel and find one of the members. Your assignment is to find out where they are holding the dragons.”

  “They aren’t going to just tell me that.”

  “I’m sure you can be persuasive.” Tessa raised an eyebrow making it crystal clear what she meant.

  Caran dragged her tongue across her bottom lip. “I don’t know. I’m not sure I’m the best person for this assignment.” She’d never been in close contact with anyone from Dragonspark. What if they found out who she was? It sounded dangerous.

  “You want to destroy all the dragons left in the country, don’t you?”

  Her flesh pricked. Dragons had done so much harm to innocent people. One person in particular. She gritted her teeth. “Yes.”

  “Then what harm will a little fun on the side be?”

  “Okay, I’ll do it,” said Caran. She stood up and shook hands to finalize the deal. “I’ll find out where they are.”

  “I know you will,” said Tessa. “And once you do, we can finally rid this country of these vermin once and for all. They’re nearly all gone, Caran. I want to make sure they never come back.”

  2

  Ash Dragonspark and his two brothers spoke in Mac’s private living quarters high in Mount Pike. It was the only place they could talk without anyone overhearing.

  “Why does it have to be me?” asked Lyson. He ran his hand through his short spiked hair. “I did it last time.”

  “No, I did,” said Ash. “It’s your turn.”

  “Fine.” Lyson gritted his teeth and paced across the room. “I’ll transform after I’ve eaten. The greet isn’t for another two hours, I hate going days without food.”

  “We can bring you something,” said Mac.

  Lyson rolled his eyes. “I’m not eating a sheep again, do you know how disgusting that was?”

  “Whatever, little brother.” Ash clapped him on the back. “Just look intimidating when they come.”

  Lyson groaned and paced over to the small refrigerator in the corner of the room.

  Ash knew why his brother didn’t want to transform into a dragon. Neither he, Lyson or Mac ever liked doing it, yet they had to show the people that came to ask them favors the power they had. It was an image thing.

  It was different when they were younger. It had been fun then. Now, with the world hell-bent on wanting to destroy what they were, not so much.

  Lyson scoffed down cold pasta from a leftover takeaway container. He walked over to his brothers, the fork still sticking out of the top. “Want some?”

  Ash screwed his nose up. “Are you sure that’s still good?”

  “Of course it is,” said Lyson. “Here have a sniff.”

  “No thanks,” said Ash as Lyson pushed the container under his nose. “I don’t want to die today.”

  “Suit yourself.” Lyson sat down on the brown leather sofa and continued eating.

  “What is it?” asked Ash as he walked over to Mac.

  Mac was busy staring at his cell phone screen. “Investments are down. We need a big job to replenish the funds or I won’t be able to keep us in the lap of luxury.”

  “I’ve got a good feeling about today,” said Ash. “Someone is going to come through with what we need.” It wasn’t just the money; the Dragonspark brothers hadn’t had a good job in weeks. Ash was itching to get into mischief again.

  “You better be right.” Mac turned to Lyson. “Hurry and finish that, we need to get ready.”

  The cavernous chamber had been hand carved out of the side of the mountain, away from the midday sun. It was lit with old-fashioned fire torches rather than electricity. It was done more for effect than requirement.

  The greet was open to anyone who wished to come and ask favor from Dragonspark. The brothers only held such meetings once a month now, having no need to take on more requests from those that sought them.

  Lyson had already transformed into a dragon that was triple his size both in height and width, and he sat in the corner of the room, each breath exhaling a soft cloud of smoke. There was a metal collar around his neck, fastened to a thick chain that attached Lyson to the spot. Not that he would go anywhere, but the visitors needn’t know that, and the theatrics amused Ash greatly.

  At the head of the chamber, were three chairs that the brothers sat at during the greet. It was comical really, how the visitors would come down the middle section and address them. Mac leaned back on the tall metal chair, Ash decided to stand.

  “How many are here today?” Mac asked John, one of the Dragonspark members, who had come to watch the greet.

  “Just four today.”

  Just four. Mac glanced quickly over at Ash before nodding his head in thanks to John.

  “Bring in the first.”

  A balding man clinging to his cloth hat was the first one to enter. His request was for Dragonspark to eliminate the fox pests that threatened his chickens. His offer was three thousand dollars.

  “We will consider it,” said Mac. “Sit there.” He pointed to a group of chairs at the side of the platform.

  The man sat down, looking nervously over at Lyson who snorted sparks, causing the man to gasp.

  “Next.”

  The middle two people were together, a man holding his arm possessively around his wife’s shoulder. “We need you to burn our insolent neighbors house to the ground. He is a tyrant and means to do my wife and children harm. He needs to go.”

  “I will need to see proof of his behavior before I will consider your request.”

  “Everything is here,
” said the man as he handed over a thumb drive. “I’ve been secretly filming him.”

  “And our compensation if we agree to this?”

  “Twenty thousand dollars.”

  “Fifty,” added Ash. “Burning down a house takes significant risk and we will not include your neighbor in said fire, just the house, that will be enough to get him out of your life.”

  The man looked at his wife who nodded. “Agreed.”

  “We will examine the footage and let you know our decision.”

  Fifty thousand dollars to burn a house. Ash looked over at Mac and knew he was thinking the same thing. It was a definite maybe. Definitely better than chasing away a few foxes.

  The last person to come into the chamber was a woman in her early fifties. Her name was Anne Rivers and she worked at the local town council as secretary to the mayor. Ash had dealings with Mrs. Rivers before, since knowing what when on in the town was important in their line of work. She was a good woman.

  “Mrs. Rivers,” Ash addressed her. “We’ve not seen you request anything here before.”

  “I’ve not needed to until now.”

  “Go on,” said Mac.

  “I’ve come to learn that the very council that has provided me with an income over the past twenty years has now stolen our retirement savings. They had planned to move the money before declaring bankruptcy so we wouldn’t get a cent of it.”

  “How much money are we talking?”

  “Sixteen million dollars. My share is half a million, with the rest allocated to the others. I have talked with my co-workers and we agree to give Dragonspark one million of that money to recover the rest of the fund.”

  “A million dollars.” Mac glanced over at Ash with the beginnings of a smile crossing his lips. “And what do you need us to do for that?”

  “Break into the chambers, steal the money back, and destroy every damn corrupt office there be,” said Anne. “They owe us that money. Those bastards are not getting it, not after everything we’ve done for them.”

  Ash nodded to Mac. “Looks like we have a deal.”