The Hailey Holloway Complete Series

by K. C. Stewart

  “How long?” she demanded.

  “You take on my lifespan.”

  She nodded and bit down on her trembling lip. “What do we do now?”

  “You pack and move.” Dacea said without hesitation. “Silas and his dragons are watching you. I know of a few safe places we could go till this blows over.” The “if this blows over” went unspoken.

  She opened her mouth to tell him just how she felt about packing up her life and moving away from everything she knew but held back. He was right; there was no other choice she could see.

  A knock sounded at her door. Hailey looked across the room unsure of what to do. She had so many conflicting feelings flowing through her mind, deciding if she should answer the door was over the line of what she could handle at the moment.

  “Dak, is it safe?”

  “I’m not sure. It’s not a dragon though.”

  Hailey reluctantly got up as the knock pounded again. Through the peep hole she found a woman who looked to be everything that was Hailey’s opposite. She was built like a model, tall and skinny with golden hair falling in loose waves down her back. Long lashes framed deep blue eyes that shimmered in the dull lighting of the hallway. Even distorted through the fisheye bubble of her peep hole, she was beautiful.

  Hailey hated her immediately.

  “Well now, this is an unexpected turn,” Dak said with amusement and if she wasn’t mistaken, lust.

  “Who is she?” The woman stared back through the peep hole at Hailey and gave a little finger wave.

  “A goddess.”

  Hailey frowned. “Well yeah she’s pretty and all, but who is she?”

  The woman smiled. “I am Thalia, bored muse here to help. May I come in?”

  Hailey had already dealt with dragons tonight, why not a Greek goddess to round out the evening? She hesitated but opened the door letting Thalia slip inside. “Look, I don’t mean any disrespect but why is a muse in my apartment?” Was it sad that she just accepted this woman as mythical without question? Hailey closed and replaced the locks on her door. Part of her wanted to be suspicious but in all honesty, she just didn’t care. When she turned from the door, Thalia was smiling at her.

  “I heard your prayer for help. Actually, we all did.” She wandered over to the couch and picked up a magazine. “You are a very persistent human,” Thalia continued and flipped the pages not bothering to look up. “But the other gods just found you to be annoying and whiney.” Dak chuckled. “I’m in between jobs at the moment and thought I’d see if I could help you at all.” The woman looked up from the magazine and smiled. Hailey wished she would stop doing that. It was hard to dislike someone with such a sincere smile.

  “I like her,” Dak said approvingly; which was just irritating.

  “Of course you do.” Asshat.

  “What’s the name of your dragon? Maybe we have met before?” She didn’t seem the least bit phased when Hailey spoke to herself. Ten points for the muse.

  “I’ve never met her before. I try to stay away from the Greeks types. The few I’ve met were all ego.”

  “His name is Dak. Err, sorry I mean Dacea. He says he’s never met you before but he’s old as dirt and his mind is probably going soft. I bet he can’t even remember what he did on his sixth birthday. I went to Chuck E. Cheese on mine, ended up hiding under the table the whole time because that mouse had it out for me. I did however, did get a tiara and a slap bracelet with my tickets.”

  “Hailey?” Dak cut her off as she began to tell them about her seventh birthday at Hershey Park. “You’re rambling.”

  “Right, shutting up now.”

  Hailey sat in the chair across from Thalia. Her mind was on information overload, too many things had happened in the last hour for her to keep up. Plus, her whole body throbbed in pain.

  “I need to pack,” she said out loud but mostly to herself. First and foremost, she needed to get out of her apartment, out of the city. The rest they could figure out later.

  Thalia flipped the page. “Where’re we going?”

  Chapter Four

  The motel was just off the turnpike. They drove for three hours before Hailey finally admitted defeat. Her tired eyes could only drive the car a few more minutes before accidents would ensue. Besides, Thalia changed the radio station every 30 seconds. Bloodying the muse at this point would probably be a step in the wrong direction but at least she would do it in a creative and inspired way.

  Thalia headed toward the office to get the rooms while Hailey pulled her duffle bag from the backseat. Even though she insisted on two rooms, the muse only came back with one key. Apparently being strangers meant nothing to a goddess. Hailey’s bubble of privacy was about to get a little smaller.

  The room made a cardboard box look like a Holiday Inn. Dark wood paneling covered every inch of the walls. “If Sam and Dean Winchester can do it, so can you,” she muttered to herself as she dropped her bag on the full sized bed nearest the door. The rest of the room held the typical motel fare: some basic wooden furniture that had seen better days, a small TV, a table with two mismatched chairs and a bathroom that would never get you clean enough. It was far from home but the water was relatively hot and the beds were reasonably soft. You just had to ignore the obnoxious floral pattern of the orange comforter. Her appreciation for Supernatural just went up tenfold.

  “I’m going to take a shower. Then we will all talk.” She gathered a change of clothes and closed the bathroom door. The TV turned on and muted voices drifted through the walls. Hailey ignored the fact that a muse was sitting in the other room of a crappy motel watching Lifetime. She long ago hit her quota for impossible things to believe for the day.

  The water was just under boiling and turned her pale freckled skin a bright red. She groaned as the weak spray hit each of her bruises. The heat helped soothe and relax her muscles. Hailey soaped and lathered three times before the water that pooled at her feet ran clear. Dirt and gravel from the alley was imbedded in her palms and forearms. She plucked as much as she could before the water ran cold. She wrapped her hair and body each in a towel and wiped the foggy mirror with her discarded shirt.

  What she saw reflecting back at her wasn’t Hailey. It was a beaten, hardened version of her former self. Dark blue spots had surfaced along her neck in a perfect handprint. “That’s going to be a bitch to cover,” she told her reflection. Tomorrow she would have to pick up more concealer. Her goal in life was to be left alone and get by unnoticed, but with these bruises she would be gaining a lot of unwanted attention. Her skin seemed paler than normal; all the color had drained and left her almost lifeless. She wanted to cry but was too hollow inside to find the energy.

  Once dressed in a clean pair of jeans and a t-shirt, she emerged from the bathroom and sat on her bed. Thalia turned off the TV and turned toward her on the other bed, crossing her legs in front of her.

  “Okay first of all, why are you here again Thalia?” Hailey still didn’t get why a muse was helping her and if she really was the Greek goddess for that matter.

  “Please, call me Lia.” She shrugged, “I had nothing better to do.” Well, that explains everything, Hailey thought sarcastically. “Ok so maybe that’s not the whole truth. We drew straws and I got the short one. What? Don’t look so offended, you were whining really loudly.”

  Hailey’s mouth had to be hanging on the carpet. Apparently, Thalia didn’t pack her tack gnome for this adventure. “Right, well at least you’re honest. Moving on. Dak, what do we do now?”

  “I’m not entirely sure. I need to get information on what is happening between Green and Red. That would determine where we head from here.”

  “Why would their situation affect us?”

  “It tells me who we can trust.”

  “So we can’t just run away to the Caribbean and hide there for a few decades till this blows over?”

  “No, please be serious Hailey. This is no time for jokes.”

  Scolded by the voice in her head. She had h
it a new low.

  “I need to see where the other dragons’ allegiance lies before we can tell someone our circumstances,” Dak explained.

  “Other dragons?” Hailey stared at a spot on the wall as she spoke to him. She still wasn’t sure where to look when they talked.

  “Yes Hailey, there more of us. Septs, clans, factions, call us what you like. We are four distinct groups of the same species; Red, Green, Blue, and Silver dragons. Each sept has a leading family; they have the purest blood and can still change form. It’s very much like a monarchy.”

  “So that’s not a common thing, the whole scaly bit?”

  “No.” He exhaled loudly in her head. “We’ve been mixed and diluted so often that having another form is a rare gift, one that not many possess anymore. The eldest of us do, but the younger generations just don’t have the magic.”

  “Huh, dragons who can’t actually be dragons. Wouldn’t they technically be a different species then? Like Human 2.0.”

  “Hailey please…” She knew that tone. Her mother used it all the time. “As I was saying, Silas, the one I was fighting the day we met,” he explained as if she forgot, “is the ruler of the Green sept. I was, at one point, the ruler of the Red.”

  “Holy shit balls Batman! I’m royalty by default? Sweet.”

  “I guess you could say that, but the point being, I was the King and they think I’ve been dead for a few years now. I’ve stayed as far away from dragon politics as I could in that time.” She sensed a ‘but’ coming. Hailey adjusted in her seat but stayed focused on the spot on the wall. “But Silas found me a few months ago. He’s been hunting me ever since.”

  “Did he tell anyone you were alive?”

  “Not that I know of, he wanted to take care of me himself.”

  They all sat in silence for a few moments. Lia hadn’t said a word, but she was also only getting half of the conversation. Hailey took the moment to fill her in on what they had been discussing.

  “I think I might have something to help with your dragon knowledge, or lack thereof.” Lia reached for her bag and pulled out an old book. It was at least three inches thick with a worn brown leather cover. There was no title, no symbol, no indication what was held inside. Lia ran her fingers over the cover and smiled. This book, whatever it was, meant a lot to her. Hailey met her eyes as the book was handed to her. There was power in these pages. Not physical power, but knowledge.

  “What is it?” She didn’t open it, not yet. Instead she enjoyed the heft; it always surprised her how heavy a book could be.

  “It is a tome of creatures. It holds information of everything from vampires to werewolves, witches to fae, even dragons. I took a chance and guessed that you didn’t know much on anything outside of your human world and thought it might be of help to you.”

  Hailey really didn’t have any words. She opened the book and flipped to the index. It would take her months to read through it all and she looked forward to each and every word.

  “Thank you.”

  “It’s a tad on the ancient side of publishing so it might not be the most up to date.”

  “By a tad you mean?” Did she even want to know?

  “Eh, six maybe seven hundred years old, but it’s been updated over the years with notes.”

  “So don’t spill coffee on it. Gotcha.”

  Lia snorted and turned the TV back on. There really wasn’t much else they could do tonight. Dak needed to find out what was going on with the other septs before they could continue, which in turn meant she had to find out about the other septs. Hailey settled back on the bed and began the chapter on dragons.

  *****

  Section 1: Dragon Basics. Dragon (drag·on/dragən) One of the most feared, yet secretive creatures. Dragons are comprised of four groups, known as septs, separated by color. Each color has their own unique characteristics but all feature large wings and scaly serpent-like skin. Horns, or a crested head, are common as well as enormous claws and tail. They can range in size from 30-85 feet in length. Eye color often will match the scale color. A dragon’s pupil is oblong, which allows in much more light aiding in night vision. All dragons are male while their Mates can be any creature. (See Dragon Mates in section 3) An average lifespan is 5000 years.

  Hailey knew most everything so far, either by her own experience, or from what Dak had filled in. Her eyes found the word “Red dragon” on the page and she skipped ahead promising herself and the book that she would go back and read the rest later.

  Red dragons are considered the guardians of dragons. They are known for their hot-temper but intense passion. They fiercely protect what is theirs, whether it is gold or their Mate. Red dragons are highly intelligent and have exceeded in modern times with the introduction of computers. They breathe and are immune to fire. Known for its large wings and forked tongue.

  Well that’s all pretty cool, Hailey thought. She stuck her tongue out but noticed hers was not forked. Maybe if Dak changed fully it would be forked. Had she been talking funny back with Silas? Dak hadn’t really changed much then. Hell, could he be a full dragon in her body? Was it physically possible? More and more questions ran through her mind. Part of her wanted to see if he was awake and could answer a few for her, but she glanced over to Lia and decided not to take the chance of waking her.

  Blue dragons are known throughout mythology as “Sea Serpents.” They typically live near water and swim easily, unlike the other septs. Blue dragons can wield the most magic. They are excellent trackers and the most logical. Every move is planned and done with reason, because of this they are also the least likely to fight with the other septs. They are known for their vibrant color.

  Green dragons are the most common. They make their homes in forests or mountainous regions. Powered by greed, they will do anything to get what they want. They have the ability to create a poison emitted through their breath or talons. Green dragons are of average intelligence and not overly aggressive, would rather scheme than fight. Green dragons are known for their cunning and laziness, always doing the least amount of work for the biggest payoff.

  She groaned. It figured that the one chasing Dak was the schemer. Although, if Hailey could she would add “overly confident” and “could use a manicure” to the book. She touched her neck remembering having Silas’s hand there, cutting off her breathing. Maybe she’d send him a nail file as an olive branch.

  There was only one page left in the first section. Her eyes were starting to droop but she needed to finish at least the page.

  Silver (or Black dragons) are the least common. They make up the smallest sept but are the largest in size. Silver dragons are often solitary, living in caves or mountains. They are known for their healing abilities; however they do not share such. Silver only use their power for themselves.

  She gave her own classification to each sept, hot-headed, nerdy, greedy, and selfish. With that Hailey closed the book and set it beside her. Her mind was already shutting down and she doubted she would remember some, if not most, of what she read in the morning. Turning off the light she settled into the bed and wished for the thousandth time that night that it was her own bed. “Goodnight Dacea,” she whispered to the dark room.

  *****

  “They look to be staying the night, Sir. I will let you know if anything changes.”

  Silas hung up the phone, not bothering to respond. Dacea was on the run and that was all that mattered. He loved this part of the game, the chase. Soon enough Dacea would slip up and he would finish what he started four years prior.

  He picked up a rag and started to wipe and polish the blood off his ring. Soon he would have to find a new Red dragon to punish. This one just wasn’t reaching his usual standards. He was weak, not at all like the others.

  Silas was a little off put that Dacea didn’t mention anything about his extracurricular activities earlier. But he never did stop to think that maybe Dacea didn’t know about what he had been doing to his Red dragons. He truly was secluded from their
world while living with that human.

  Once the ring sparkled again he slid it back onto his finger. Silas left the bloodied and broken body on the floor and motioned for his soldiers to take care of it.

  Dacea would hear about it soon enough, he mused.

  Chapter Five

  She was skimming over the section on Gargoyles when Lia opened the driver’s side door. They had woken up and agreed to head north to a friend of Dak’s. He hadn’t given much information about the friend other than the town they were travelling to.

  Hailey looked disheveled at best with her hair piled in a bun on top of her head and a sweatshirt at least two sized too big. She was making due with a coffee from the gas station next door and was seriously concerned about their idea of “freshly made.” Lia refused the cup of coffee Hailey had gotten her with a look that said “Are you trying to kill me?”

  The blonde beauty looked like she spent four hours getting ready, instead of the five minutes it actually took. Hailey wanted to hate her but really couldn’t find the energy this early in the morning.

  “Look, you’re gonna need to calm down on the goddess good looks or I’m likely to develop a girl crush on you.”

  Lia flashed her brilliant smile and wiggled her eyebrows.

  “Now that’s something I’d pay to see,” Dak said with a brush of a smile against her mind.

  “Perv.”

  “Hardly. Any male would say the same thing.” Hailey frowned and chose to ignore the part where he was right. Lia was laughing as she pulled out of the parking lot and back onto the highway.

  The plan was to drive the three hours north to meet Darby, a friend of Dak’s. Apparently she was a witch and might know a spell to help free him. Being the skeptic that she was, Hailey was completely convinced this would be a dead end.

  Then again, she was traveling with a muse and a disembodied dragon. Who was she to judge?

  Dak hadn’t been his normal grumpy self that morning, instead she felt a tiny bit of worry from his quiet mind. She had wanted to ask him about it but with Lia so close in the confines of the car, there was no way she could bug him. So she would do the next best thing and bug Lia.