by Sher Dillard
Dragon Blaze
By
Sher Dillard
Copyright 2016 Sher Dillard
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof in any form. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means. This is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author's imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Cover designed by Melody Simmons
Purple Herb Publishing
You can contact the author at
[email protected]
Other books by Sher Dillard
Dragon Fire
Dragon Heat
Dedicated To
Keith and the Tibetan Monks
Dragon Blaze
Chapter One
Rebecca gasped. Men like that didn’t walk into her library. Men like that didn’t read. They were too busy leading lives of action and adventure. Too busy creating stories, not reading about them in books.
Bigger than a small mountain, with a hard, handsome face that looked like it had seen too much too soon. A sharp scar along his jaw, another on his hard, chiseled forearms.
A sword on his hip spoke of his warrior status. If that wasn’t enough, the missing the tip of his left pinky finger confirmed it. Scholars didn’t lose body parts.
This was a man who had lived a hard life. What did he want in here? she wondered, as she fought to control her racing heart.
Touching her hair, she made sure everything was in place, then berated herself for acting like a silly school girl. It was obvious the man wouldn’t be interested in a woman like her. Those deep brown eyes of his would melt most women’s will. He didn’t need a librarian.
As she watched from under her brow, the man looked around the room. Taking in the leather-clad couches and the shelves of books.
A feeling of warm pride seeped into her. This was the second largest library in Carster. Rivaling the famous University Library itself. Her father had spent his life making it so.
“Excuse me,” the man said, as he stepped towards her. His voice was deep velvet wrapped around pure steel. A small shiver ran down her spine. A handsome man from a distant land.
‘It’s only a voice, Rebecca,’ she said to herself, as she fought to gain control of her own.
Looking up, she gave him a small smile, swallowed, and said, “May I help you?”
Dressed in simple black wool trousers, a white linen shirt, and a long leather coat. The man moved like a cat as he advanced into the room. Smooth, graceful, every muscle working in unison.
Rachel bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from staring. He’s only a man, she reminded herself. Not some distant God sent to tease her.
The big man smiled, and her heart jumped. The smile reached into her soul and tugged at her very core.
“I hope so.” the man said. “Is Jacob Hopson available? I was told that this was his library.”
A brief sadness flashed through her at the mention of her father’s name. “I am sorry,” she said, “my father passed, late last year.”
The tall man frowned, “I am sorry,” he said. “I hadn’t heard.”
Rachel smiled sadly. She had only recently begun to get past the loss of her father. He had been her best friend. The center of her universe. Now, alone. She was finally able to face the day with a weak smile.
“Might I be of assistance?” she asked the big man. Her eyes were drawn to his. Unable to look away. As if trapped in his stare.
“I am sorry for your loss,” the big man said. “Your father was very much admired. I have heard about his library as far away as Quaster and Lushcany.”
Rachel nodded her head in thank you, unable to speak at the moment. This was not the first time she had heard men from distant lands mention her father with kindness and respect. But, still, it was always nice. It always sent a warmth throughout her body.
Why was this man here? she wondered. Everything about him said warrior, not scholar. Although, something about his eyes spoke of intelligence. Almost a kindness. His gentle brown eyes did not match the scars and hardness of his body. It was as if a giant beast had trapped a kind spirit inside him.
“My father’s library is still open to visitors,” she found herself saying. Afraid the man would leave, and she would never see him again. “For a small fee, you can read my father’s books, here in the library. We have over a hundred and twenty books to choose from.”
The man smiled softly as he lowered his leather pack to the ground.
“I came to give him this,” he said, as he removed a small black, leather bound book from his pack.
Rachel’s brow creased in a frown as she accepted the book from him. Their fingers briefly touched and a shock of tremor traveled through her entire body to her heart.
She blanched and stared up at him. What was it about this man that he could do such things to her with a simple touch?
Pulling her eyes away, she glanced down at the book he had handed her and gasped.
“A Velenciter. Volume Three?” she whispered in surprise. “How… Where…” Looking up she tried to understand.
“A merchant in Trollsdad mentioned that your father was looking for one. I knew of a copy.” He shrugged his shoulders as if he had brought her an apple from the market.
“I can’t afford this,” she said with regret. It had been her father’s deepest wish to complete the set of Velenciter books. To have all three volumes in one place. Something that even the University Library couldn’t boast.
“Consider it a gift,” the big man said with a gentle smile.
Rachel’s heart stopped. What did he want? Her sense of alarm began to rise. What was this strange, beautiful man doing here?
“What is it you want Mr. …”
“Thad,” he answered. “You can call me Thad.”
Reaching out a hand, he held it there for her to take.
Holding her breath, Rachel shook his hand and said, “I am Rachel Hopson.” They smiled at each other for a long moment, continuing to hold each other’s hand as if the world had stopped spinning and time had come to a halt.
At last, Rachel pulled her mind back to the present.
“Well, Thad,” she said, his name tasted sweet on her tongue. “A person doesn’t just give away the third volume of a Velenciter. Not if they know anything about the value of books.”
The big man laughed, and his eyes twinkled. “Oh, I understand its value. Believe me. But, I have read it several times. Along with its brothers. I no longer need it. I had hoped to enlist your father’s assistance. I was told he was one of the leading experts on dragons.”
Her heart fell to the floor. “You are one of those,” she said with disappointment.
“One of those?” he asked.
Sighing, she slowly shook her head. “One of those men in search of dragons. One of those young men who hope to claim fame and fortune by killing a dragon. They would come to my father every other year. Hoping to learn a secret. Silly men with silly dreams. Each wasting their life in search of a myth.”
Thad didn’t stop smiling back at her. “You don’t believe in dragons I take it.”
Rachel slowly shook her head. “I don’t believe in fairy tales. I don’t believe in things I can’t see with my own two eyes.”
The big man stepped back and studied her. His eyes traveling over her. Not in judgment, but in an attempt to understand. At last, he nodded.
“I understand,” he said simply. As if her words explained everything.
“But, you believe in dr
agons?” she asked.
He laughed gently. “I believe in a lot of things I can’t prove.”
“Such as?”
The big man paused for a moment. “I believe that being caught in a summer rain is good for the soul. That a child’s laughter is the most important sound in the world. And, I believe that the love of a good woman should be treasured more than gold or rubies.”
Rachel froze in place as she stared back up at this strange man. His sharp accent, the smooth tone of his voice was intoxicating. He seemed to know every vulnerable spot in her very being.
Swallowing hard, she focused once again on the small volume in her hand.
“Thank you for your gift,” she was finally able to say. “It would have pleased my father very much. Of course, the library is open to you. Anything you might wish is yours.”
Thad smiled back at her, raising an eyebrow. It took her a moment to realize what she had said, and how it could be misinterpreted. Blushing to the very roots of her hair she turned away. Unless he see the secret desire in her eyes.
Swallowing hard, she busied herself looking at the inside of the Velenciter book.
He laughed and turned to study the books on the shelves.
“Are you looking for something in particular?” she asked. ‘God, did she say something and not someone?’ she asked herself. Her mind frantically questioning every action, every word, even every thought.
What had come over her? A strange man from a faraway land comes in, and she starts falling all over herself. This was not like her. Men did not make her nervous. She was not some silly school girl in search of a husband. She didn’t need some man.
Yet, there was something about this one that struck at her very core.
Thad turned from where he was inspecting the books, his eyes narrowed in thought. “I am looking for one of several books. Anything that will help me find something.”
“What are you looking for? Maybe I can help,” she said.
He hesitated for a moment. “A coin,” he said, holding up his long fingers and forming a small circle. “A gold medallion. With a two-headed dragon,” he said, his eyes searching hers.
Rachel flinched inside. It took every bit of will not to reach for the medallion hanging around her neck. She sent up a secret prayer of thanks that the medallion lay hidden beneath the collar of her dress.
“Really,” she said. “Why is it important?”
He studied her for a long moment. She looked back, holding his stare. If she moved, he would know the truth.
At last, he seemed to accept her word and shrugged his shoulders. “Oh, it was just something mentioned in another book I read. I was curious, and hoped to locate one.”
“One?” she said. “There are more than one of these medallions?”
“Oh yes, there were five struck.”
Rachel was shocked. She had always thought her coin, her family’s secret, was the only one in existence. Now, here was this strange man telling her there had been five of them and he was looking for them. Why?
Fighting to maintain control she said, “No, I haven’t seen any mention of such a coin. But, we have two books of Numismatics, the study of coins…”
“I know what Numismatics means,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.
Rachel blushed. Obviously, this was no simple soldier. For some reason, his intelligence was more disconcerting than his large, hard body.
“Yes, well,” she said, as she tried to gather herself. “I believe they are located on the lower left shelf.”
The big man continued to look at her for a long moment. She forced herself to breathe normally. This man, this Thad, could not be allowed to learn her secret. Obviously, if he knew of the coin, he knew of its power. He would want it for his own.
She must not allow this. Under no circumstances would she allow this man to take what was hers. The books in the library might be her inheritance. But, the coin was her heritage.
At last, the big man nodded his head and turned to find the books he wanted. Rachel relaxed, at last able to breathe. Her heart raced and her skin prickled with fear. She would need to keep a close eye on this man, she realized. Not only because he sought her family’s medallion. But, because he did something to her insides. Made her feel soft and feminine. A feeling she was not familiar with.
Yes, most definitely, this man must be watched. He must be handled carefully. For more than one reason.
Chapter Two
Thad turned his back on the pretty woman and started to inspect her library. But, for the first time in his life, he found himself drawn away from the books before him and towards the woman behind him.
This was rather unusual, he thought. He was in a library, one of the few places he enjoyed more than the fighting rings of Belvar or the bordellos of Chilsom. A library full of books he had not read, the soft smell of leather and parchment soothed his soul, yet his mind was drawn to the woman.
Her soft brown hair glistened, her sweet, heart-shaped faced made his insides curl up. The gentle curve of her waist, the swell of her breast. It was enough to make a man forget he wasn’t an animal and take what he wanted.
And those large almond shaped eyes of hers. They were remarkable. Almost like they held a secret magic meant only for him. There was something about her that tugged at him. Brought the beast inside of him alive.
Swallowing hard, he pushed the beast back down and studied the books on the shelves. He had located the two books on coins, but he searched the rest of the library for anything that might lead him to his goal.
He had been saddened to hear about the woman’s father. He had desperately wanted to talk to the man about what he knew. The old man had been a leading authority on dragons and dragon lore. If anyone had known where one of the coins could be, it would have been Jacob Hopson.
Thad needed to find that coin. Both of his older brothers had found a coin during their exile. The coin’s possessor could demand anything, even the entire Kingdom. His family could lose everything.
He must find it. Like his brothers, he couldn’t really return home until he had. But, in all of his travels, not a hint, not a whiff of the coin.
This was to be his last and best hope. All he needed was a clue. Something to lead him to the next stop. But, no. He was out of ideas.
He would read every book in the library if necessary.
Pulling the two coin books from the shelves, he settled into one of the comfortable chairs and began to read. He hadn’t gotten far into the first book when he found himself lost, unable to concentrate on the words in front of him. Instead, he thought about the woman across the room.
What was her story? Alone, running this library. Surely, it could not be very profitable. How did she survive? Why wasn’t she married? A woman as beautiful as her would not be in want of suitors.
Or, was she married? Her husband off running errands. Even now, he might come through the door and kiss his wife. The thought sent a cold shiver down his back. No, she wasn’t married. A proper, married woman wouldn’t have looked at him the way she had stared into his eyes. Innocence and need wrapped up together.
He smiled to himself and returned to the book. Pushing the thoughts of the woman to the side, he soon became enmeshed in the details. Lost in the minutia of the chase for information and facts.
His labors were interrupted when Rachel approached him, a small tray of bread and meats in her hands.
“I thought you might wish to take a break and have some lunch.”
He raised an eyebrow. “An unusual offering for a library,” he said. “Do you treat all of your customers this way?”
She smiled. “Only those who bring me the third volume of Velenciter’s book on medicinal herbs.”
“He made several mistakes,” Thad said.
Her eyes creased in a deep frown. “Are you an authority on medicinal herbs?”
“No,” he said. “But, he contradicts himself in chapters three and twelve. And his recipe for burn ointment forge
ts the crucial ingredient of wolf’s bane.”
She stared at him, her eyes big, obviously fighting to comprehend how such a warrior could know the details of an obscure book.
He laughed, “I’m not an apothecary, just very familiar with burns.” He indicated that she should take the seat across from him and join him.
Rachel smiled and folded her dress under her as she sat down. He noticed that she sat on the very edge of the chair. Ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble. This was a woman who was not used to being around men. Or at least not around men she was attracted to.
“So, tell me, Rachel Hopson,” he said, as he made a quick sandwich of sliced sausage, heavy cheese, and sour bread. “Why is a beautiful woman, such as yourself, stuck in a stuffy library? I would have thought you should be married with four or five children.”
She blushed for a moment, then glared back at him. “Not all women have to lead a life of domestic drudgery. Serving a man’s every whim and need. My father wanted more for me.”
Thad laughed. “Some women enjoy men. In fact, some women believe raising children is the greatest of life’s rewards. You don’t like children?”
She vehemently shook her head. “No, it is not that I don’t like children. I just refuse to settle for a man I don’t love just so that I might bare his children.”
He took another bite and nodded. “Perfectly understandable,” he said.
“What about you? Do you have children?” she asked, looking at the piece of cheese in her hand.
“Me? No,” he said. A sadness passed through him. The feeling surprised him. He had never really thought about having children, not in any depth. But, suddenly, the idea didn’t seem preposterous. In fact, with the right woman, it might be perfect.
“Why?” she said. “I would have thought a handsome man like yourself would have four or five children by now.”
He threw his head back and laughed at her mocking of him. Smiling at her, he nodded his approval of her barb, and reached to take another sausage.
