Taming the Dragon Collection Read online

  Alek surveyed the crowd before shifting into his human form, catching everyone off guard. They had known he could do it, but it still must have been shocking to them. Magic wasn’t something that dominated everyday life in the village.

  “Villagers,” Alek said, his voice loud and booming as if enhanced by magic. “I have brought my very own food stores to you. My maids will set up shop and begin to cook stew for you so you may regain your strength. The food is bountiful, so please fill your bellies and regain the strength that the snake knight has stolen from you, for when he returns I will hammer his forked tongue to the ground before I cut off the head it is attached to.”

  The crowd erupted into cheers at the dragon’s promise of retribution.

  “After you regain your strength I will need the strongest men to join me in the forest with the biggest cart you can find that I can pull behind me. We will collect wood and stone and we will rebuild the silos so that you will have somewhere to store your harvest and the food I have brought.”

  The crowd was in a frenzy, cheering and proclaiming Alek their savior. Pretty soon the entire crowd was chanting for the dragon.

  “I am no hero,” Alek said. “I am merely a man, a man in love.”

  Many turned to look at Mara as she felt the familiar sting of embarrassment running through her entire body.

  It didn’t take long for Priya and Abigail to set up, but soon they were brewing stew and the townspeople were gathering around, each with a bowl from their home in hand. Alek smiled and walked over to Mara, picked her up off the ground in an embrace and spun her around.

  “I missed you,” he declared.

  “I missed you too,” Mara said, kissing him quickly on the lips. “You’re a hero. Now more people will worship you as a god.”

  “They’ll get over it,” Alek said.

  “Stew,” she said, crinkling her nose. “Again?”

  “What is wrong with stew?”

  “I suppose it’s good for feeding this many people, I’ve just grown weary of it.”

  “Then we will try new dishes.”

  “You certainly have changed,” Mara said, looking into his sincere eyes.

  “I realized something when I saw you with your father,” Alek said.

  “What?” Mara asked.

  “I saw how old he was and how the years had caught up to him. I realized that would happen to you one day.”

  Mara shook her head. “You shouldn’t be thinking like that. It will just bring up the hurt again.”

  “You’re right,” Alek said. “I should not be thinking that way. And that’s what I realized at that moment. Yes, the years will catch up to you, as they do every human. But why do I have to sit and worry about that? Why do I have to take my past hurt out on you? I have to make the years we have together count and that’s exactly what I intend to do. They’ll be the happiest years of both our lives.”

  Mara couldn’t believe how gentle and eloquent a man she had thought was such a brute could be. She wiped back a tear and pulled him in close, hugging him tight. “I love you, Alek.”

  “I love you too, Mara.”

  The week passed with the townspeople looking better and better every day. Even the mud in the streets seemed to dry up and things took on a cleaner and more sanitary feel. Alek and the men left every day to chop down trees and gather stones from the mountain, returning several times throughout the day to drop off their haul. Alek pulled the cart with ease, no matter how full it was. He never gave up and he never quit on the townspeople.

  Each night he returned to Mara and lay in bed with her, staring into her eyes until they both fell asleep. The first night Alek had reached under her dress, grabbing one of her heavy breasts in his hand as he leaned in for a kiss, but she had quickly shut him down and explained it was disrespectful to her father to do this in his house.

  The sexual frustration was growing in Alek, and she knew he was going to take all his anger out on Val when he arrived. In fact, she was counting on it. But as the weeks turned into a month and the month turned into two they began to wonder if Val would ever arrive.

  The crops were growing, the silos were finished and the town was thriving again—all thanks to the dragon savior. But there was still no dragon knight on the horizon. The people of the city began to grow complacent and many declared Val’s threats empty. But every day Alek took flight and flew around the area looking for Val’s convoy. He was ever vigilant, refusing to give up until his mortal enemy had made his presence known.

  Finally, as spring gave way to summer and the heat intensified, a young boy ran into the village, screaming and yelling for anyone.

  “What is it, child?” Alek asked, bursting out of Erik’s house and dropping to his knees in front of the boy.

  “My father’s crops!” the boy said. “They’re on fire.”

  “What?” Alek asked, his face becoming a mixture of anger and confusion. “Who did this?”

  “I’m not sure,” the boy said. “There’s a lot of them. They’re flying some sort of banner that has a dragon’s head with sword crossed over it.”

  “Val Woodshadow,” Alek said, releasing the boy and standing as he clenched his fists. “The scoundrel has finally returned.”

  A crowd was gathering now and many of them were whispering Val’s name after listening to Alek. Mara stood in fear at her doorway with Erik, who was gripping his walking stick tightly. His health had improved tenfold since Alek had arrived, but the memories of pain from Val’s last visit were hitting him hard. This was the moment of truth; he had come.

  “Everyone, please stand back,” Alek said. Nobody in town questioned Alek now. He was the undisputed ruler, even above Erik. The crowd all moved to the sides of the road, leaving Alek alone in the town square.

  Mara couldn’t help but notice a smile play across Alek’s face as a trumpeter blasted his music down the road. A few moments later Val’s caravan appeared over the horizon. Squires and bards led him into town as he sat on the back of his armored horse, trying to appear as regal as possible.

  “Hear ye, hear ye!” the trumpeter screamed as they all came to a stop just a few feet from Alek. Val was looking at the people. Mara realized that who Alek was didn’t even register with Val. But who Mara was certainly did. His eyes landed on her and grew wide. His mouth hung open as he turned and looked at Alek, the wheels finally turning.

  “I present to you the brave, powerful…hey!”

  The trumpeter never finished his proclamation. Alek strode forward and grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off the ground like he was a rag doll. With ease Alek tossed the trumpeter into a squire, knocking him off his horse and bringing them both crashing to the ground.

  “I know who you are,” Alek said, his eyes never leaving Val.

  “And now I know who you are,” Val said. “So this is what the people of this town want to do? They want to throw their lot in with a dragon? An evil creature that seeks to harm and destroy mankind?”

  “He’s done more for us than you ever would!” Mara spat. It was hard for her to hold anything back; she wanted to rush forward, pull Val off his horse and claw his eyes out.

  “The dragon whore speaks,” Val said, an evil grin playing across his face.

  “Enough talk!” Alek bellowed. “There is a clearing just outside town. Join me there to end this fight, if you are not a coward. No bait, no sneak attacks—just me and you.”

  “Lead the way,” Val said.

  “If you can keep up,” Alek said, turning and shifting so quickly that everyone in town jumped back in surprise. Alek took to the sky, flying to a spot above the forest. Everyone stood in awe as he began to circle, marking the spot where his final confrontation would ensue.

  The villagers murmured and yelled before all of them began to head in that direction, Val leading the way.

  “Father, do we join them?” Mara asked.

  “I supposed we must,” Erik said. “Our village depends on it.”

  Mara and Erik b
rought up the rear as Mara felt butterflies in the pit of her stomach. She would either be a widow or a happy woman in a few short minutes.

  Chapter 25

  By the time Mara reached the clearing Val was off his horse and making a show of swinging his sword Heartfire through the air, creating a light show that amounted to nothing more than a few pretty colors.

  Alek had landed and was sitting on his haunches, watching the treacherous knight with a look of amusement on his face. He obviously wasn’t impressed by Val, or intimidated. Mara was beginning to see Val for what he was: a slithering serpent that only achieved victory by striking from the grass. When it was time to stand up and face someone one-on-one, he had no answers. He was not a brave knight, he was a coward.

  “Didn’t you say they fought to a stalemate before?” her father asked.

  “Well, yes,” she answered, looking between her father and the posturing. The villagers allowed Erik and Mara to step to the front to see the fight. Luckily they maintained a safe distance so as not to be caught in any crossfire.

  “Why should this fight be any different? The dragon has spent his time in his lair with you. How do we know Val hasn’t been training? What if he has a new magical item to protect himself or deal damage to Aleksander?”

  Mara didn’t want to hear that right now. She was confident Alek would win, but she didn’t want any doubt to creep into the back of her mind.

  “Because, Father,” she said in a huff. “Alek has rage and love on his side now. He wasn’t ready for a fight before and Val got the jump on him. He wants to punish Val now and he’s ready for battle.”

  Erik just nodded his head. “They’re going!”

  Mara turned away from her father to see Val charging across the battlefield, Heartfire held low by his side. Just before he reached Alek he stopped and shot off one foot to the left, swinging Heartfire in a sweeping arc through the air as he did so. Mara’s eyes grew wide as a strip of fire flew through the air, singing the grass and nearly catching Alek in his wing.

  Alek moved the same direction as Val, landing on all fours so that none of his soft underbelly was exposed. Mara had never seen him look so intimidating as he crouched and prepared to attack from the position he was in.

  Val’s eyes were wide. Clearly, he hadn’t expected his surprise move to fail. Alek hadn’t taken any damage and Val was suddenly caught flatfooted. Alek sprang, all of his gigantic form bearing down on the much smaller man. Val lifted Heartfire in defense, but Alek was ready for it. At the last moment his wings pushed him to the side and his tail, which was longer than three Vals put end to end, swung behind Val, catching him across the back and sending him to the ground. Heartfire clattered to the ground beside Val. He moved quickly to grab for it, but Alek brought himself out of the air, directly on top of Val.

  Mara heard a sickening crunch as Alek’s hands landed on Val, smashing him into the dirt. His claws were not in contact with Val, but the meat of his hand was enough to pin the boastful knight to the ground.

  This was the first time she had realized how truly large Alek was in his dragon form. It was foolish of Val to think he could fight such a large and powerful creature in one-on-one combat. He had told her some of his dragon-slaying stories. It wasn’t something he normally did alone, except for the black dragon he had gotten the jump on. He’d needed a sorcerer to defeat the green dragon that he had fought at another time.

  This was retribution and he deserved what was about to happen to him.

  “Mercy,” Val called from underneath Alek. “Grant me mercy and I will leave this place forever.”

  The villagers began to boo and throw stones at the two combatants—hissing and spitting that Val deserved no such reprieve.

  “You who are without mercy now beg for it?” Alek asked. “You tried to rape my wife. You tried to kill me. You tried to destroy these people’s way of life. What makes you think you deserve any mercy?”

  “I was just doing my job,” Val said. “The king wants us to kill dragons, because they’re a threat to our lives. It’s what I do. If it isn’t me, he would send another.”

  “And I would destroy the honorless dog just as I have you.”

  “I can go back and tell him to leave this area alone. You will never be harmed again.”

  “Your squires will return and tell of your defeat and warn of what will happen to others.”

  “Let me live,” Val cried out, his voice streaked with agony.

  “You are already dead,” Alek said. “Every bone in your upper body is broken. You will not survive, as I’m sure your insides have been smashed. I could grant you mercy or I could leave you here to be eaten by wolves.”

  “He doesn’t deserve mercy!” the crowd screamed. “Leave him to suffer!”

  Alek looked back at the crowd as if he wanted answers, but his eyes landed on Mara and stayed there. It was a bad idea to leave Val alive; he would find a way to survive. She was sure he had healing potions and other means of magic to heal his bones. He would return. She wasn’t keen on killing anyone, but his life had to be ended.

  She lifted her thumb in the air as the crowd grew silent, watching the exchange between husband and wife. Alek was frozen in place, waiting to hear his wife’s decision. Mara never opened her mouth. Instead, she turned her thumb to the ground, signaling that his life had to end.

  It was quick and bloody, but Val’s life ended in a flash as Alek moved one of his massive claws to the side, slicing through Val’s muscular neck and taking his head clean off his body. The crowd rushed forward to congratulate Alek, but he pushed past them, shifting just as he reached Mara and Erik.

  He stood in front of father and daughter, his arms falling casually to his sides as he looked back and forth between them.

  “I must admit,” he said. “I did not feel the satisfaction from that I thought I would.”

  “Nor did I,” Mara said, feeling a little empty. “But it had to be done. That man could not be allowed to live any longer.”

  “Agreed,” her father said, nodding his head and rubbing his chin. “His death will bring peace to our village. And the union of my daughter and the great dragon will bring good tidings to our village.”

  “Husavik will have protection from now on,” Alek said, crossing one fist over his chest and bowing his head.

  “Father,” Mara said, grabbing him by the shoulder and shaking him. “You mean we have your blessing to wed?”

  “Of course you do,” Erik said, laughing. “This one is the only one worthy of protecting my daughter.”

  Mara pulled her father into a tight embrace before releasing him and jumping into Alek’s arms. Their lips met immediately and sent waves of passion through the air. She had tamed the dragon, and he was as much hers as she was his. They would have their wedding and they would have a life together, one that would transcend time.

  “I love you,” Alek whispered.

  “The great dragon Alek loves a human,” Mara said with a smile she knew wouldn’t soon leave her face.

  “Don’t go sharing that,” Alek chuckled. “I have a reputation.”

  “I love you too,” she said. ‘Your secret is safe with me.”

  They kissed again, sparks flying as the villagers erupted into cheers.

  Epilogue

  Mara rubbed her stomach as she walked through the halls of the great house that Alek had built for them in town. Her belly had swelled over the last six months, making it hard for her to get around and tend to her daily life. But Alek was there at every turn, doting over her and his unborn child, protecting them at all times.

  He still made trips to his mountain lair to check on his hoard, but everything else had been brought to Husavik. Alek had had a taste of village life and he wanted more of it. She knew it played to his ego to have the people of the village worship him and defer to him for everything. He still saw himself as being above humans, and this did nothing to dissuade his inflated opinion of himself.

  She didn’t care, though. He
could be as cocky as he wanted to be, because he was the savior of the village. They owed everything to him and they owed their continuing prosperity to him. He truly was their savior.

  Besides, he had told her he would love the child no matter which parent it resembled. Mara knew what the child was—it was human. She felt it kick every day and she just knew. It was a boy, she was sure of it, and it was going to be a strong and hearty boy with the blood of a dragon flowing through his veins.

  She stopped in front of a mirror and looked at herself, rubbing her stomach as she felt the baby move and twist, wanting to be released from the prison he was held in now.

  “Soon,” she said, looking down at her stomach. “You will be freed soon and you will do great things because your mother and father will always be here for you, little Aleksander. Your father will love you just as I will. Naked pink butt or white scales, I will love you just as I love your father.”

  Life was good and Mara could only see it getting better. She turned to the door and smiled as she heard the beating of wings just outside their home.

  “Daddy’s home,” she whispered.

  The baby kicked in response as Mara grabbed onto a table for support. Suddenly her stomach was growing very cold, like something was freezing it from the inside out. She couldn’t help but laugh as she felt the baby move.

  “Maybe you’ll be more like your daddy than I thought.”

  THE END

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