Dragon Next Door: Forgotten Dragons Book 1

by Bolryder, Terry

  Dragon Next Door

  Forgotten Dragons Book 1

  Terry Bolryder

  Copyright © 2019 by Terry Bolryder

  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.

  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

  Also by Terry Bolryder

  Chapter 1

  “Stop it! No!”

  The words were quiet but panicked, carried on the wind from some nearby alley.

  Kelsie Lawton lowered her camera, no longer interested in the street art she’d been photographing.

  She waited for the voice to call out again, ready to get the police or run for help if needed, but heard nothing. Just the chatter of people on the nearby street making their way home, plus the rush of cars.

  Maybe she’d imagined it?

  The waning sun above her cast the sky in a brilliant display of orange and red and purple, reminding her that she needed to get home before dark.

  Kelsie shoved her camera in her backpack and pulled out her phone, checking the time and writing down her current address.

  No work by the famous—or infamous—street artist known as Astray at this location.

  She sighed as she dropped her phone back in her pocket, slung her backpack over one shoulder, and headed back toward the street.

  Then she stopped, listening once more as the wind died down for a moment. Fear dragged a cold finger up her spine as she realized that if she focused over the din of traffic, she could hear the voice again, still pleading with someone to stop.

  Then she heard other voices. Darker, angrier ones making threats. But above all, it was the shrill voice of a panicked child that made her turn and head back into the alley.

  She needed a better look just so she could figure out what exactly was happening and where and call the police about it.

  In this part of town, calls went ignored if they were simple public disturbances, so Kelsie needed proof that this wasn’t some joke.

  She kept her footsteps as quiet as possible as she walked along the wall toward the source of the noise. She ignored the rancid stink of nearby trashcans and the questionable, dark puddles along the torn-up asphalt.

  She turned down another alley and tried to stay in the shadows as she walked toward a dark space at the end between two tall redbrick buildings.

  The voices became louder, closer.

  Kelsie reached into her pocket and palmed the pepper spray she kept on her keyring. She also had a Taser in her backpack, along with a tactical flashlight that she kept on her at all times. Between those and a lifetime of self-defense classes at the community center, she might just have a shot at doing something if she was attacked.

  She passed through the small space between buildings and started down the next alley. Two-thirds down it, a smaller path appeared that jutted left.

  It was barely wide enough for a single car to fit through, probably an old service entrance or something that was no longer in use. She peeked around the corner, hoping to see what was going on before being seen.

  Between her and the spot where the tiny street emptied out onto a larger thoroughfare at the other end, Kelsie saw three huge men crowded around something.

  Huge was an understatement. From here, each of them looked big enough to be head bouncer at the sketchiest of clubs.

  As Kelsie’s eyes adjusted to the dim light, she could make out two more people, a man huddled into the wall of the building and a kid that was probably no more than nine. He was standing protectively in front of the man, who was probably his father.

  “This is your last chance,” one of the huge men said in a deep growl. He wore a nondescript black jacket and torn jeans, and his shaggy brown hair fell to his shoulders.

  “I told you I don’t have it,” the father begged from his place on the ground. “Please, just let us go.”

  “And we told you it doesn’t work that way. You pay in money, or you pay in blood,” the man with shaggy hair said.

  Another of the huge men stepped forward, this one balding and wearing a trench coat. He aimed a vicious kick into the father’s side, making him collapse to the ground with a groan.

  “Leave my dad alone!” The kid charged forward, swinging wildly as the men glared in dark amusement.

  When one of the kid’s stray fists connected with the bald guy’s abdomen, he frowned, then swatted the boy’s head with one hand, knocking him onto the hard ground.

  Kelsie clapped a hand over her mouth to cover her gasp and the rage that burst through her at seeing such a big man hurt someone so innocent.

  But could she even do anything to stop them? Was there time to call the cops?

  The man cocked back his leg, about to swing his booted foot right into the child, when everything in Kelsie just exploded and she leapt out from her hiding place, hands clenched in fists.

  “Stop it!” she yelled, drawing their attention away from the kid.

  Thankfully, the man stopped mid-kick as all three bullies stared in unison at the source of the sudden interruption.

  Kelsie stepped forward, producing the pepper spray and pointing it at the men. “Leave them both alone.”

  “What the fuck?” The third man, who had greasy blond hair and wore a sleeveless tank that showed off tattoos down both arms, stared at her as if unsure what he was seeing.

  The bald man just folded his arms, acting as if he hadn’t just been striking a helpless child merely seconds ago.

  The shaggy, dark-haired one who seemed to be the leader glowered angrily. “What did you say?” He took a step toward her, coming out of the shadows of the wall.

  As he did, Kelsie realized he probably stood several inches over six feet and that he had a distinctive scar over his left cheek.

  In this dim light, his eyes looked almost yellow.

  “I said stop.” She kept the pepper spray aloft as she took a step deeper into the alley, summoning every ounce of courage she had.

  While she kept the thugs’ attention, the kid was able to crawl over to his father, who pulled him into his side. He watched with one eye, the other bruised shut.

  The leader took another step toward her. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

  He was so big, and the look in his eyes was so cold and evil that something primal in Kelsie started screaming at her to run.

  She ignored it, keeping her trembling index finger over the button on the small canister in her hand. “Just walk away, or I’ll call the police.”

  The leader continued toward her, each step reverberating off the walls in the tight alleyway. “You should have run. It would have been fun to chase you.”

  Her heart felt like it was going to explode in her chest. “Don’t come any closer,” she warned.

  When he was a few steps away, she quickly pressed the button down, sending a stream of burning liquid right into his face.

  Almost in the same second she did
it, the man rushed forward, swatting the can out of her hand and grabbing her backpack strap, which he used to yank her toward him.

  She scrabbled at his face, hoping to take advantage of the fact that his eyes were streaming with tears and red from the burning liquid she’d sprayed.

  But his pain-filled gaze was only angrier as it locked with hers. “You’re going to pay for that.”

  Kelsie had no idea how he was resisting the effects of so much pepper spray. Even the residual mist made her eyes and nose feel stung by thousands of tiny daggers, though it was nothing compared to how he should feel.

  She fought to keep her eyes open, focusing past the pain to try and think of a way out of the mess she’d just gotten herself into.

  “Stupid, stupid, stupid,” the leader muttered as he dragged her farther into the alley by her backpack strap.

  She jerked forward and twisted to the side, managing to slide out of the straps to make a break for it.

  But his hand caught her shirt, jerking her back so he could grab her arm and force her around to face him.

  His bloodshot eyes glared her down, pure evil. Her entire body recoiled, freezing against her own will.

  “You’re going to regret ever laying eyes on us.” His voice was a growl, barely intelligible.

  “Yeah, she is,” the blond, tattooed man muttered darkly from his side.

  Why had she done that? Why had she been so reckless?

  Because she’d refused to be another faceless person who walked past while bad men got away with doing bad things.

  And now she was going to die, probably.

  “I don’t know. Maybe we’ll—” But the man holding her cut himself off mid-sentence. Suddenly, the alley was silent and everything stopped.

  The leader didn’t slacken his grip on her, but his head cocked imperceptibly to the side, as if listening. Or was he, perhaps, smelling the air for something?

  It was then that Kelsie felt eyes on her, someone’s gaze, as goose bumps crept up her arms.

  All three men turned in unison to face the outlet of the alley. The sun had already set, casting everything in an ethereal blue darkness, punctuated by yellow hues from streetlights beyond the surrounding brick walls.

  And at the end of the alley, she saw a silhouette.

  It took a second for her eyes to focus, the lights from the street and passing cars casting him in almost complete shadow, but she could make out a man.

  One hand was stuffed in his pocket, the other holding at least a half dozen grocery bags. He wore a baseball cap and sunglasses that further concealed his facial features, but beneath the loose, odd-fitting windbreaker he was wearing, she sensed he was fairly large.

  An awkward silence settled over everything as the stranger just stood there. Not moving. Not saying anything at all.

  Just… watching.

  Kelsie met his eyes and silently begged him. Please, please don’t walk away.

  Chapter 2

  “Who the hell is that?” the blond guy muttered, eyeing the stranger from head to toe.

  The bald thug narrowed his eyes, then shook his head. “I don’t fucking know.”

  After what felt like forever, the stranger took in a long, deep breath, the silhouette of his broad shoulders rising and falling. His sigh was one of frustration, which echoed in the silence, carrying all the way to Kelsie’s ears.

  The big stranger was definitely going to just turn around and walk away.

  It was probably the smart thing to do. Maybe he’d at least call the police, or—

  But then he took a step toward them. Then another. His faded work jeans emphasized long strides, and he moved so quietly, so smoothly, he gave the impression of someone gliding across the asphalt.

  It was only as he came closer that Kelsie could make out more of his features. And realize just how big he really was.

  His wide shoulders seemed to take up all the room in the alley, even compared to the tall men currently threatening her.

  Though he seemed to slouch as he walked, as if somehow trying to look less intimidating, he had to be a good six and a half feet tall.

  Kelsie glanced up at the leader, who was still holding her by the arm. He was glaring at the stranger, his lips parted in a shocked grimace.

  “Something you need?” the bald thug asked, stepping forward with a casual tone meant to hide the fact that they were assaulting three defenseless people.

  The stranger finally came to a stop a couple yards away. When he did, he stood up a little straighter, towering like a giant over the thugs crowding around them in the brick-walled passage.

  “Actually, yes, there is.” His voice was low and calm, as beautiful on the night air as the parts of his face she could make out in the darkness. Straight nose. Jaw that could cut marble. Stubborn chin. “I’d like you to release the woman immediately and then let the other two go as well. They need medical attention.”

  While he spoke, he straightened his sunglasses on his face, drawing her attention to long, elegant fingers and strong hands.

  The bald guy and the tattooed guy looked like they didn’t know whether to laugh or attack, but the leader who was holding Kelsie just scowled, loosening his grip on her slightly as his focus was drawn to the stranger.

  “This is none of your business,” he growled. “Walk away.”

  The stranger shifted his weight from one foot to the other, making the grocery bags and their contents in his right hand jingle and clank. “I don’t want any trouble. Just let them go, and we can all head home and enjoy our evenings.”

  His tone was placating, but the deep timbre of his voice, coupled with his incredibly intimidating height, made a shiver go up Kelsie’s spine.

  As he took a step forward, she could make out high cheekbones and full lips that belonged to someone you might find on the set of a superhero movie, not in a dark alley.

  “One last warning. Walk away,” the leader said, releasing his grip on Kelsie’s shirt so he could shove her behind him, sending her stumbling onto the ground by the father and son sitting back against the wall.

  When she looked down at them, the father mouthed, I’m sorry, but didn’t say anything else as all eyes turned back to their potential rescuer.

  Said rescuer just shook his head once, and his fist tightened on the grocery bags in his hand, making them crinkle. “I can’t do that.”

  When he spoke, he looked straight at Kelsie. And from behind his sunglasses, she could see a flash of blue eyes so vivid they almost seemed to glow in the darkness like blue flames.

  Suddenly, her legs felt weak. But that was probably just the adrenaline and fear taking its toll on her body.

  “Fine,” the leader said, cracking his knuckles as he walked forward, the horrible sound echoing in the alley. “I guess you and this stupid chick will have to learn a lesson together about minding your own fucking business.”

  As the leader kept the stranger’s attention, Kelsie noticed the tattooed guy leaning down to pick up something off the ground. A heavy metal pipe.

  Kelsie watched in horror as he circled the stranger to the side, but the stranger paid no attention to him.

  Tattooed guy raised the rusted, thick lead tube above the stranger’s head and Kelsie opened her mouth to scream out a warning, but it was too late.

  Thwack!

  Kelsie’s entire body braced from head to toe at the sound of the impact, and her eyes clenched shut. But when she peeked one open, then the other, the stranger was miraculously still standing.

  And the pipe, still in the thug’s hand, was bent like a paper clip.

  Kelsie’s mouth fell open in shock.

  “I hate that you’re making me do this,” the stranger said, pulling his neck to one side, then the other, rolling his shoulders as if shrugging off a bit of stress rather than the impact of a heavy, blunt object.

  Then suddenly, he whirled around, sending the bulky contents of his grocery bags right into the tattooed guy’s midsection with incredible force. A
ll at once, glass and metal cans and something red that looked like salsa flew out as the bags bowled the dude backward from the sheer weight of them.

  At once, the other two men charged forward. And despite the fact that they were really big and intimidating in their own right, they seemed small compared to the outsider as he turned back to face them.

  The bald guy was the first to reach the stranger and swung at him wildly as the stranger simply side-stepped, making him miss completely. Then, like a flash, his fist rocketed into the thug’s chest, and Kelsie heard a whoosh of air as the wind got knocked out of him. But sunglasses-at-night didn’t hesitate, following up with another swing into the guy’s jaw, hitting him so hard that he twirled comically before collapsing face first into a heap on the ground.

  The leader approached more cautiously, swinging once, then twice, but hitting nothing but air. The stranger moved with the grace of a professional fighter with years of training but hit with the ruthlessness of a rampaging bull.

  One jab sent the leader toppling backward. But a second later, the tattooed guy came at the stranger from behind, covered in sauce and bits of bread and something leafy that looked like salad.

  The stranger turned around in an instant, pulling the tattooed guy forward by his collar and head-butting him so hard that even Kelsie felt a little dizzy at the thunk sound it made.

  By now, the leader had gotten back up again, and he looked desperately at his opponent, then behind him, perhaps considering making a run for it.

  “What… what are you?” The leader’s voice was enraged, half-cocked. Blood streamed between his matted, shaggy hair. He’d scared her before, but now he looked like a small, weak animal cornered by a much stronger predator.