Page 1 of The Black Dragon
1
Sedona,Arizona
Spring of2017
She adored dragons.They reminded her of tumbleweeds, rolling on forever, free to roam wherever the wind took them. Even when dragons were spitting mad and only a few feet away, they still fascinatedher.
Powerless, immobilizedby iron chains her father had found on the internet, the black dragon roared and clawed at the air, his front feet tipped with razor sharpclaws.
A lump clogged Ariel Harrington’s throat. Poor, caged creature. She dared to draw closer to the iron cage holding the dragon prisoner. On her bottom, she scooted over the cold concrete floor and wrapped her fingers around the cage’sbars.
Even enraged, the black dragon was beautiful. Light shimmered off his ebony scales, making them glitter like onyx. Amber eyes with slit pupils gleamed as he bellowed. Two black horns grew from the top of his head, each tipped with sharp points. Pearly rows of knife-like teeth flashed as he bared his lips ather.
And the wings, ah, the wings! Folded back, they were not impressive, butwhen he unfurled them like a cape, they filled the width of thecell.
Flickering torches barely cut through the gloom in the deep, dungeon-like basement. Black smoke curled upward, and then caught in the air drafts blown through vents in the ceiling. The air was redolent with acrid smoke, charcoal andfear.
Not the dragon’s fear. Her fear for this magnificentcreature.
Herfather had constructed, at great cost, this room for the day he captured such abeast.
Two months ago, he’d succeeded with her help. Justin, the black dragon, had pulled over to aid her with a flattire.
And then her father’s assistant had thrown the iron upon him, rendering himhelpless.
Sinking to her knees, she stared at the great beast, a symbol of enormous magick. Magickher father envied and hated. Every chance she had, she snuck down here to talk to the mightybeast.
Ariel wrapped her fingers around the iron bars. “I’m sorry for what is happening to you,Justin.”
Dark eyes gazed back at her in thegloom.
What had her father done tohim?
Justin the dragon was a little older than her, but at 25, she had few experiences in life. Thisdragon had seen and explored theworld.
He lunged forward, nearly reaching the iron bars. Chains rattled and the beast roared again as the bonds restrained him. Overriding the scent of smoke and misery was a strong woodsy smell and a fresh, cleanfragrance.
It must be Justin’s ownscent.
Her powers as Mage grew stronger each day, especially her sense ofsmell.
Nostrilsflared as the dragon sniffed at her, and then his gaze centered on the glowing amber crystal hanging from a silver chain around herneck.
Ariel touched the crystal. Her father had told her that it had been her mother’s most precious possession. It was rare and endowed her with power when she woreit.
Leo gave it to her as protection from the black dragon. He’d been using other crystals,infusing them with dragon magick. Leo Harrington had become capable of healing the gravest ofwounds.
Or inflictingthem.
The balance teetered on a razor’sedge.
Ariel held out a hand to the black dragon. “I wish I had never agreed to this evil. I swear, I thought Father was sincere when he insisted he only wished to capture you for observation, not to torture you and drainyourmagick.”
Even as she blinked, the dragon shifted into a man. Hair dark as ink spilled to broad shoulders. With sculpted cheeks and face carved from a master artisan’s chisel, he was quitehandsome.
Andnaked.
Ariel licked her lips. She had never seen Justin shift into skin before. As a dragon, Justin was impressive, even whilepowerless.
