Dragon Bites

by Badger, Nancy Lee

  “Did I hear ye tell that man with the roaming fingers that yer from the islands? Ye told me yer from the slums of Inverness.”

  “The man ‘twas too familiar with me, so I told a tale,” she whispered to her friend. Dru hated lying to Maggie. She’d sorely miss Maggie once the fighting started and she and Shaw flew far away.

  After serving the crusty fried chicken wings to the uniformed men, her conscience moved her to offer the platter of succulent spiced meat to the black dragon. Ignoring the man would raise suspicion. With his gaze on her face, he slowly removed a black glove, picked up a wing, popped it into his mouth, and swallowed.

  Bones and all.

  When he licked his lips and grinned, shivers raced up and down Dru’s human spine. Doing her best to ignore him, Dru turned and raced back to the kitchen. Grabbing a platter of lemon tarts, she threw back her shoulders, raised her chin, and returned to the main table.

  If he wants a tart he can get it himself.

  As she filled the tea cups for several of the officers, Dru listened. The conversation took a sudden turn, when two young officers shoved aside cups and plates before she could collect them. One soldier unfurled a large map upon the table. Murmurs grew, tension spiked, and Dru did her best to listen.

  And learn.

  When the general beckoned, the Black Dragon strode forward. The general whispered in his ear, and the man passed around the missive he carried.

  “Are you sure?” one man asked after reading it.

  The black dragon nodded. “A federal ship will arrive any day.”

  “We kept ships like The Star of the West from delivering food and ammo,” the general said. Several soldiers grunted in agreement.

  “A stroke of luck. I've learned that another ship will deliver more food. Also, hundreds of federal soldiers are aboard.”

  “If they safely reach Fort Sumter, our siege will be for naught. We must act,” an officer said.

  All eyes turned to General Beauregard. Dru listened while she pretended to gather the silver. She tiptoed toward the table laden with pitchers, leaned against a wall, and kept her eyes averted. She dared not move until the general replied.

  “Then, we shall attack first. Inform the batteries on both Morris and Johnson Islands to prepare for battle. Once we have turned back or destroyed the ship, we will demand that Major Anderson surrender the fort.”

  “Are you sure this is the sensible course of action, General?” Mr. MacCrave asked.

  Several officers glanced from him to the general. Dru couldn’t hide her interest, either. The Black Dragon, eerily familiar in his human form, locked his black gaze on her. She shivered.

  Beauregard nodded. Dru looked away, gathered up a stack of dirty dishes, and walked toward the kitchen.

  “What of the soldiers at the fort? Are they to be prisoners of war?” another man asked him.

  “No. We have no need for prisoners. We want them off our land, and out of our territories. We shall allow them safe passage home via a ship of their choosing.”

  “They should all be shot.”

  Dru whirled around, and nearly dropped the plates. She gasped at the man in black. His horrid statement caused several officers to jump to their feet, teacups flying, and she hurried to the kitchen to grab a cleaning cloth. A horrible thought stole her breath. Had the creature, her former lover, voiced his opinion in order to cause her pain?

  He knows about Shaw.

  Others began talking at once. Dru had no need to listen any further, and slipped into the kitchen. What she’d heard must have shown on her face. Maggie sighed, then collapsed with a grunt into a rickety kitchen chair.

  “War?”

  Dru nodded as she stacked the dirty plates on the counter. “Do not say I said so. They might not act too kindly. I eavesdropped.”

  “I will try to act surprised.”

  “When they spoke about the regiment stationed at Fort Sumter, one man said they ought to shoot the soldiers.”

  Horror etched Maggie’s face. She cupped a hand over her mouth, stood abruptly, and headed for the privy.

  I know how she feels.

  Dru had to get this information to Shaw. She needed to remove him from the fort before artillery rained down upon him and his men.

  Tonight.

  Tonight would be soon enough. The general’s messengers needed time to reach the places mentioned, and more time for them to ready their guns.

  She hoped.

  However, if the Black Dragon had joined the ranks of secessionist messengers, there was no hope. The beast could fly across the harbor, turn into his human persona, and spread the news within the hour. Hopelessness was a useless emotion. She would think of something. In the meantime, she grabbed a clean cloth, sucked in a breath, and returned to the dining hall. She'd keep an eye on the Black Dragon, and find out what else he planned.

  She loved Shaw, a human, with her entire being. She'd fallen fast and hard, when she only meant to end her loneliness. Shaw Stenhouse brought more to the table than companionship. No one-time lover dare try to put a wedge between what they'd found. Nothing could change the love in her heart, and if it meant killing the other dragon to keep Shaw by her side, Dru would not hesitate to accomplish that feat.

  ***

  “I have a bad feeling,” Shaw said to his companion. The older corporal leaned against the wall that housed the fort’s enlisted men’s quarters. Others inspected and cleaned the guns facing the dozens of batteries aimed at Fort Sumter. A fort under siege needed its soldiers to be combat ready at all times.

  Though they had not witnessed any aggression by way of the southern militia forces, Shaw realized that Major Anderson knew General Beauregard—he’d trained the man at West Point, and feared the man who’d risen through the ranks faster than the major. With that in mind, they kept the few guns they had positioned in the partially completed fort ready and waiting.

  The sun lay low against the western shore, and with it went the warm breezes of early April. The nights were still chilly so he ordered the enlisted men to finish their duties then head inside to supper.

  A large pelican dipped, and then plummeted into the sea. He grinned when the feathered creature surfaced in a plume of white foam. As the bird headed toward the island of nesting seafowl a fish tail flapped in its beak, a sudden image arose of Dru eating and flying in the same manner. It blinded him, but only for a moment. When his vision cleared, he ran nervous fingers through his hair, knocking his hat to the ground. A slight breeze pushed it toward the edge.

  The corporal ran and intercepted it. He brushed it off and handed it to Shaw. “Lieutenant? Are you ill?”

  Shaw turned to the man. Had he fallen asleep? The nightmare filling his head with dark, terrifying images seemed very real. “I’m fine. More tired than I realized.”

  “Best get to bed early. I notice how you walk the sea-facing balustrade late into the night.”

  He’d noticed his walks? What if Dru had happened upon him while his fellow soldiers watched? Explaining Dru would prove impossible.

  “The walk relaxes me. Sea air and all.”

  “You were walking a bit stiff today.” The man chuckled and walked away.

  “I strained my back late yesterday, and didn’t feel the effects until I hit my bunk.”

  “Whatever you say, sir.” The man muttered something else, not as encouraging, and disappeared down the far end’s stair tower.

  Shaw hated to lie. However, if he had blamed his lack of sleep on lust-filled dreams and darker faerie tales, no one would understand. He loved Dru.

  That’s a given. But, can I love all of her?

  Accepting a dragon for a life mate did not seem a sensible thing for a military man. Certainly not now. Marrying, while at war, was impossible. “But, we are not at war.”

  “Ye soon will be,” growled a low voice in the distance.

  Shaw glanced at the sky. Shadows played games with him, as did his ears. He turned and headed for the stairs even as the
hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

  CHAPTER 13

  Dru had observed Shaw’s movements for a quarter of an hour. Unluckily for Shaw, the Black Dragon also watched him from afar. Before the creature could take his revenge on Shaw, she quietly dove, raked a talon across the creature’s temple, then flew away.

  The stupid creature forgot about Shaw and gave chase. Centuries had given her agility, and her small stature out-flew the beast. She streaked across the sky, then dove beneath the sea. After she traversed the harbor, Dru discovered she’d escaped. She returned her gaze down upon the fort.

  Shaw leaned against the wall closest to Charleston, talking with another officer. The sun, still high above the western marshes, proved too bright to approach him as the Black Dragon had, the idiot. What if the soldier had seen him?

  She'd flown high above the sea, and had followed a line of pelicans as they fished farther out, snatching the last one for her dinner. She preferred Maggie’s biscuits drenched in rich, creamy butter. She also adored her friend’s warm lemon tarts. In her dragon form, she could easily eat the tavern’s entire day’s worth of southern fried chicken and never feel full.

  Dru continued to fly high in the darkening sky until the sun set in the west. She watched until Shaw walked alone, then sniffed the air.

  No Black Dragon within several nautical miles. Good.

  When Shaw reached the wall that overlooked the sea, clasped his hands behind his back, and closed his eyes, she sighed with relief. He looked well.

  She sneezed, and unwittingly emitted smoke from her snout. The sun’s last rays melted away, and she laughed when he spotted her. She drew her wings close to her body and dove.

  “Ye seem surprised to see me.” Her unladylike tone erupted in a snarl. She rarely spoke in dragon form.

  “Shift and hide!” Shaw nearly shouted, but the message, fueled by the glare he gave her, was loud and clear.

  Dru shimmered into her human form. Shaw snatched her from the edge, pulled her into his chest, spun them both, until shadows enveloped them in the corner near the stair tower. Feeling mischievous, Dru squirmed and pressed her arse to his groin. Evidence of his attraction for her, even after witnessing her true shape, nudged her back. She spun, then kissed him before he could speak, and before she gained the courage to tell him of the opposing army’s devious plans.

  What about the danger she put him in, because of the Black Dragon’s jealousy? Jealousy? She hardly knew the creature, but with few dragons left in the world, the bastard had a point.

  “Yer in danger, and I am taking you with me. Tonight,” Dru said. She stepped towards the edge, but Shaw pulled her back into the shadows.

  “Tell me what you’ve heard. I must warn my commander.”

  “The supply ship’s approach is no secret.”

  “The Star of the West?”

  “Nay, but a ship that will not make berth without an attack.”

  “Without those supplies and extra men…”

  Dru understood. His thoughts were for his men, but her only concern was for him. “General Beauregard has ordered the gunners at Fort Johnson, on James Island, to make ready. They plan to bombard the fort if you do not surrender.”

  “Surrender.” He uttered the despicable word as a statement, not a question. Soldiers would not bandy about such a term, without understanding the implications. She learned that from Scottish Highlanders.

  “Aye. General Beauregard wants to provide safe passage home. At least northward.”

  “Ha! As if Major Anderson would comply.”

  “Others want you all shot dead.”

  She could barely read Shaw's expression inside the shadowy corner. His breathing hitched, and he laid a hand on her shoulder. Heat, and his obvious concern made her giddy. But, she stiffened when he said nothing

  Does he not understand the danger?

  “Relay the news and return to me, Shaw. We must leave soon.”

  “Leave? I can’t leave. I told you this earlier. My place is with my men.”

  “You might die!” Dru glanced over his shoulder, searching for the Black Dragon. Time was of the essence. Either the war would soon start, or a jealous creature would catch him, kill him, and end everything.

  Her terror must have concerned him, because Shaw quieted her with a kiss. Her outburst was dangerous, but the remedy was heavenly.

  “No,” she cried, pushing him away. “There is more at stake here than you could ever perceive.”

  “Dru,” he said, stroking a few loose curls from her face. “I love you, lass. You are my life, no matter your origins. However, I am a soldier. I have a duty to my men, to my country, and to you. Trust me.”

  “ ‘Tis someone else I cannot trust. He is vile, and wants you dead.” Dru broke out of his grasp and ran to the edge, searching the skies with her Dragon vision. She sniffed the air. No, he is not near. We have a chance.

  “Who are you talking about, Dru?” Shaw grabbed her, turned her into his chest, and kissed her with such force, she moaned. Dru opened her mouth under his assault and their tongues tangled in a dance of love, heat, and promise.

  “Mast on the horizon,” a soldier shouted nearby.

  “I'm serious, my love. Heed my words, and leave this place,” Shaw said.

  Dru reached up and kissed his cheek then turned towards the sea.

  “Go!” Shaw smacked her on the arse and a sense of relief swept over his face.

  Her transformation into her natural form hurt. For the very first time, her heart and soul felt human.

  She hurtled higher and higher than searched out the ship. If she discovered an enemy vessel, the crew would soon feel her Dragon breath. She'd burn it and sink it beneath the waves. If she identified it as a federal supply ship, Shaw was still in grave danger.

  Dru's Dragon eyesight recognized the uniforms, similar to Shaw's. A Federal supply ship. If it made it safely to the fort, maybe the hostilities would stop. “I pray the end is near.”

  “ ‘Tis closer than you think, wench.”

  “You! Stay away!”

  “Dare you threaten me?” The Black Dragon grinned hideously, exposing his fangs. His wings beat the air, tossing her comparatively small body toward the sea.

  She would never win a fight with him, but she needed his attention in order to keep Shaw safe. Dru regained her balance and rose toward the moon. Under the cover of darkness, she could easily outmaneuver him. However, the Black Dragon laughed, or made a sound that she assumed was a laugh. He did not follow her, instead he swooped lower and headed for Fort Johnson.

  “Nay!” He'd seen the ship, and he flew off to alert the enemy. Before Dru could return to Fort Sumter, cannon fire exploded.

  ***

  Shaw tensed, then stared in awe as smoke and flames erupted from the ship. Cannon after cannon discharged, their smoke and flame hailing from the shore batteries. From this distance, there was little he could do to save the ship, but he ordered his men to make ready. The gunners loaded the cannons in silence. Everyone looked on edge and they all had reason to worry. If the supply ship sank, they were in trouble. And where was Dru?

  A small skiff approached the fort’s landing wharf, and a contingent of men went out to meet its occupants. Shaw stood beside Major Anderson, just inside the door. A message was relayed and even at the ungodly hour, both men feared the words it contained.

  Major Anderson accepted the missive and tore it open. He scowled. “Beauregard is a man of his word. The bombardment will begin within the hour.”

  “Orders sir?” Shaw straightened his back and laid a hand on his sidearm. The war was on and he still had no idea where Dru had gone. Was she safe? Major Anderson muttered something, and Shaw snapped to attention.

  This is not the time, nor place to forget my duty.

  “Sir?”

  “Tell the men to hunker down. Let the secessionist forces attack, but be prepared to retaliate at dawn. No sense shooting at shadows.”

  “May I remind the major
that we have no fuses? All we can do is hit them with non-explosive cannon balls.”

  “Hit them with bricks and potatoes if you have to.”

  “Yes sir.” Shaw looked at the sky, searching for a familiar shadow. Dru in her dragon form was at risk once the cannons fired.

  Shaw spoke to each gunman, then relayed the major’s orders to the rest of the enlisted men, instructing them to batten down the hatches, protect the food stores, and get to safety as best they could. Fort Sumter sat surrounded by dozens of armed fortresses, less than a mile away. Built to protect Charleston Harbor from seafaring forces, no one ever expected a civil war.

  CHAPTER 14

  Dru raced across the sky, as dawn approached. Hundreds of cannons along the shore around Charleston Harbor had bombarded the Fort for hours. The federal soldiers on Fort Sumter's battlements, had not fired one gun in retaliation. What were Shaw and his men doing? She'd seen the walls when they crumbled. She'd watch the enemy soldiers clap and yell in triumph when shells hit their mark.

  How long will this last?

  What if the attack injured Shaw? Or worse. Another question rolled through her like an itch. Where had the Black Dragon gone? He must have warned the southern batteries at the harbor entrance since they quickly turned the ship away with cannon fire. The current fate of Shaw and his soldiers loomed as an unknown that Dru wanted to rectify at once. Without federal reinforcements, Shaw and his men were all alone.

  “Not alone. I will help them.”

  “Not while I am here.”

  Dru’s wings wavered, and she tumbled toward the sea. In her moment of despair, the Black Dragon had surprised her, but she gained her balance and returned to face the aggressor.

  “Still here?” she asked while gathering her balance. “I assumed the loud noises had scared ye off, ye coward.”

  Flames erupted from his mouth, and he bared his fangs.

  “Shouldn't you be on your way home? To Scotland?” she teased. “ ‘Tis lovely on the moors in spring, as I remember.”