Dragon's Awakening (Heir of Dragons: Book 1) Read online

  Dragon’s Awakening

  Heir of Dragons Book One

  Sean Fletcher

  To those who feel different

  and

  To those who are different

  May you never change

  Contents

  Newsletter

  At the Start

  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

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Connect With Me

  More Books by Sean

  About the Author

  Newsletter

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  At the Start

  In ancient times, dragons roamed the earth.

  They were beasts of great power, immense in size, beautiful in structure, with magic flowing through their veins; beings as dangerous as they were wise.

  The dragons saw themselves as set apart from man. They thought man foolhardy, weak. They treated humanity as little more than playthings for their amusement to pass the centuries, and in response the humans came to fear dragons.

  But there came an age where dragons grew to stop reviling human-kind. They came to admire humanity’s persistence, their passion, their creativity. They began teaching them secrets acquired through the centuries. Alliances were formed. Respect was forged.

  And it came to be that some dragons even used their magic to take on human guises and build families with them.

  Naturally, this did not end well for everyone.

  Chapter One

  The last thing Kaylee Richards wanted to do on her final day of summer vacation was be charged with attempted manslaughter.

  Arson, yeah, that was understandable. Because she had caught that historical barn on fire, and it was nothing but a charred mess now. But that had been an accident. Plus, the attempted manslaughter was completely justified.

  Kind of.

  But nobody would believe what really happened. She didn’t believe what had really happened, and she’d done it.

  Allegedly.

  The day had started well enough. Not a few hours earlier Kaylee had been in her room, doing nothing important except having her closet torn apart as her best friend Jade searched for the absolute perfect outfit for Kaylee to wear. Kaylee knew she didn’t own anything spectacular among her Gap End-of-Summer sale pieces and consignment store pickings, but Jade was determined to try. After all, it wasn’t every day Kaylee went on a first date.

  Jade’s hand emerged from Kaylee’s closet, holding a dress. “How ‘bout this one?”

  “Too yellow,” Kaylee said.

  A snort. “Too yellow? If you don’t like it then at least come up with a better excuse than that.”

  An hour later Jade had fished out another sundress (not yellow) that Kaylee had stuffed somewhere way in the back. Jade then plopped her on the edge of her bed and took no less than another half hour to do what she claimed was the required amount of makeup for a first date. A first, first date. Like a for real, no joke, not middle school date that her mom had driven her to and then sat at the table with them like it wasn’t the most awkward thing in the world.

  No, definitely not that kind of date.

  “This is so amazing!” Jade gushed, in her excitement nearly jabbing Kaylee with an eyeliner pencil. Kaylee calmly gripped her hand to keep her steady, but really, it was to keep her own hands from not shaking so much.

  “I mean, a date,” Jade went on, oblivious. “And we haven’t even started high school yet, and this is going to be so great, and you have to tell me everything when you get back because if you don’t I know where you live and I will make you regret it.”

  Kaylee gave a slightly choked, forced laugh, causing the bed to bounce a little and Jade’s hand to almost skitter off track. Again.

  Jade brushed aside her naturally straight black hair. The movement caused the light to shine on her skin that was the color of a deep-sea pearl. “You okay?”

  “Fine!” Kaylee said brightly, her voice still coming off way too strained. She swallowed, hoping she’d remember how to talk before she left.

  Jade gave Kaylee a pointed look, her sharp, narrowed eyes shifting into an expression Kaylee knew meant she clearly saw right through her.

  “Right…Because if you’re nervous, that’s totally cool too. A first date, first day of high school tomorrow. It’s normal.”

  “Because you’ve had so much experience,” Kaylee said, joking. Jade pretended to toss her hair over her shoulder.

  “I am the queen of relationships. Just ask the string of non-existent broken hearts I’ve left in my wake.”

  Kaylee laughed, but Jade’s joke had done the trick. She pushed off the bed and took a look in her closet mirror. An older girl stared back. Not the middle schooler that had been there when the summer began, but a high schooler ready to take on the world. Her chestnut hair framed eyes as gray as a storm-tossed sea. Her arms were tinted tan from days spent out in the sun, with a smattering of freckles across the tops that matched those on the bridge of her nose. She could see, just a little bit, why she’d been asked out.

  The date had been totally out of the blue. Kaylee had heard of Brendan Jowkowsky in passing, mostly from the people she’d been friends with in middle school who were now going to the other high school. He was a junior. He played football. He went to Scarsdale Heritage High across town, the sister school to Kaylee’s Scarsdale Public High. She’d heard he was charming and nice, and yeah, Kaylee had to admit when she saw him, very handsome.

  Kaylee had been finishing her drink in front of Smoothie Surprise at the mall when Jade had started hitting her arm like she was playing an impromptu game of Whack-a-mole.

  “What is your problem?” Kaylee had exclaimed, yanking her arm back.

  “Jowkowsky at five o’clock! He’s spotted us! He’s—he’s coming over!”

  Kaylee had turned, and indeed, Brendan Jowkowsky in all his handsome glory had sauntered right over to their table and, without any hesitation, asked Kaylee out. Next Sunday before the first school week started? Sure, Kaylee had squeaked out. A picnic near the old Clydeswick farm? Sounded great, Kaylee had managed. Pick you up at one?

  Perfect.

  When it was all said and done, Kaylee was left blinking in surprise and wondering how she’d been reduced to a blubbering idiot within the span of five seconds. She never got this flustered—not even when her lab partner had caught her backpack on fire—and definitely never about boys. That was just stupid.

  So in the end Kaylee had assured herself that the whole date thing wasn’t that big of a deal. But Jade thought it was a Big Deal. In fact, she thought it was the Biggest Deal ever, and darn it if she wasn’t going to make Kaylee think that too.

  “There!” Jade said when Kaylee fastened the final latch on her wrist br
acelet. “Perfect.”

  A honk came from the driveway and Jade made some sort of indecipherable squeak of surprise. “He’s here!”

  “I noticed,” Kaylee said, picking up her small backpack (no way she’d be caught with a purse) from her bed. Jade stopped her in the hallway and straightened the jean jacket that hung over the straps of her sun dress. It acted both as fashion and a parent repellent in case Kaylee’s parents didn’t approve of the amount of shoulder the dress showed. Not that they were here to comment. Both were out buying school supplies for her younger brother Jeremy. And if she was lucky, they’d stay out for a while.

  “For the last time, are you sure you don’t want me to come along incognito?” Jade said. “I promise I’m super compact, perfect for fitting into any trunk or crawlspace.”

  Kaylee laughed again, but this time she couldn’t help feeling a little sad, too. This was one thing Jade wouldn’t—couldn’t—do with her.

  She and Jade had been best friends since they were six, when Kaylee had moved to Scarsdale. Their families had been friends, which meant many afternoons hanging out, which turned into sleepovers, school project partners, and summer camps, though the last few summers Jade had been away at some private camp she never talked about. They always walked to school together, and they always walked home. These past few weeks especially they’d been nearly inseparable, as if trying to latch on to the last fleeting moments of closeness before weathering the storms of whatever the next four years would bring.

  Brendan honked again. Kaylee took another deep breath and went downstairs. She gave Jade one last wave before heading out the front door.

  “Looking good,” Brendan said, grinning at her as she slipped into his Charger at the curb. Kaylee flushed. He’d complimented her. What did that mean? What was he saying? Did he want her to say something back? Should she—?

  “Kaylee?”

  “Y-yeah, you too? I mean, you too! You look good too.”

  Brendan grinned again, one arm draped over the steering wheel. He’d slicked back his normally long hair and tied it in a short pony-tail that somehow ended up longer than Kaylee’s own. He wore a casual button up with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows.

  He’s very handsome, Kaylee had to remind herself.

  “Let’s roll,” Brendan said. He shifted to drive and pulled onto the street. Kaylee glanced back at her house, and for a moment, swore she saw Jade in the upstairs window, a worried expression on her face.

  “You nervous?” Brendan said.

  They’d cruised straight through the main thoroughfare of Scarsdale and turned down a market road. It was only a ten-minute drive out to the pastureland and Clydesdale historical farm, and Brendan had filled it with idle chatter Kaylee had struggled to keep up with. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk to Brendan—she could keep up with useless conversation easily—it was she didn’t know what to say. Suddenly, unlike anything she’d experienced so far in her life, everything she did and said had to be analyzed. Was she answering his questions correctly? Was she smiling big enough? Laughing loud enough? Was she supposed to say something. What was she supposed to say? Would her foot ever stop tapping??

  Kaylee clenched her hands in her lap and resorted to rubbing her right thumb and index finger together. A static tingle built up between her fingers and then let off a small snap! Kaylee sucked in a calming breath as a trill of electricity arched up her hand. Snap!

  The habit had started last summer. Kaylee had no idea how she managed to create the electricity, but the effect was calming to her; like coming home to something familiar after a long day. Lately though, the sensation had been more…wild, as though something within her was coming unraveled, just waiting to escape. It didn’t seem dangerous, exactly, and Kaylee had chalked it up to pre-high school jitters.

  “Kaylee?”

  Snap! Snap!

  Brendan cocked his ear, his brow furrowing. “You hear that?”

  Kaylee buried her hands beneath her butt. “Did you ask me something?”

  Brendan eased off the gas and let his car coast. Up ahead was the white siding of the Clydesdale barn. Beyond it the farmhouse and gravel walking trails led to some nearby woods. A couple cars were parked in the parking lot. Probably walkers, though there was nobody out.

  “I was just saying,” Brendan said in that easy way of his, “Freshman year, right? You excited?”

  “A little. I’m pretty nervous, to be honest.”

  Brendan nodded sagely. “Starting high school can be rough. Making new friends, new classes, figuring out what you want to do with the rest of your life…”

  Kaylee sank farther down in her seat. Static built up in her fingers but she ignored it.

  “It can be a lot. But I have a feeling you’ll do just fine.” He flashed her a grin. “I mean, you’re with me right now. That’s got to count as a good start, right?”

  “Right!” Kaylee said brightly, making sure she smiled wide enough.

  Snap! Snap!

  Brendan wrinkled his nose. “Do you smell something burning?”

  Kaylee cracked her window.

  Brendan parked his car on the far side of the lot and grabbed a picnic basket from the trunk.

  “I know a good spot we can have some privacy,” he said, taking her hand. A sudden jolt of electricity traveled down Kaylee’s arm and zapped him.

  “Ouch! What the…” Brendan examined his fingers.

  “What was that?” Kaylee said, pretending like she had gotten shocked too.

  “I’m not sure,” Brendan said. He glared at his hand, then gingerly reached for hers. “Shall we try again?”

  Kaylee took a deep breath, swearing to keep whatever the heck that had been under control, and took it.

  The sky was a clear azure, wisps of lazy clouds drifting back and forth overhead, creating pockets of shadows on the ground below. Bees buzzed through swaying bunches of grass. The wind spread the lingering scent of late summer wildflowers.

  Brendan took her behind the barn, out of sight of the parking lot, to a small patch of soft grass that looked padded down with use.

  “Make yourself comfortable,” he said, placing the picnic basket on the ground and starting to unpack everything.

  Kaylee examined the crest of the barn, trying to imagine what it must have been like out here when it was first built. Scarsdale was definitely a city, big enough to have two different high schools within the district. But there were still sections of countryside like this anyone could easily escape to. Often during the summers, she and Jade rode their bikes out of town down the winding country lanes, whittling away the time looking for nothing in particular at all.

  “You’re lost in thought again,” Brendan said.

  Kaylee’s head snapped back to him. He was holding out a sandwich. “Pastrami on rye. Hope you like it.”

  “Thanks,” Kaylee said, internally cursing herself. She was being stupid. She never zoned out this much.

  A sudden sensation of a power welled inside her. She pushed it back down and refocused her thoughts in the moment by tearing into her sandwich with such ferocity that Brendan momentarily stopped to watch.

  “Ah, okay then. I guess pastrami is your favorite.” He winked. “I’ll have to remember that for next time.”

  Kaylee’s stomach trilled at those words. Next time.

  Brendan scooted a little closer. “So I was thinking—”

  Something in the woods behind them snapped. A branch falling. Possibly a hiker on one of the trails. In a second Brendan had rolled to his side and slid his hand behind his back. Kaylee stared at the woods, then at him.

  “What the heck was that?” She asked.

  “Nothing. Probably a deer or something.”

  “Not that. You. Why’d you freak out like that?”

  Brendan cleared his throat and settled back on his side. He took a bite of his sandwich. “I didn’t freak out, I’m just cautious. There are some dangerous things out there in the world, Kaylee.”

&
nbsp; “Sure, but not in Scarsdale.”

  Brendan met her eyes, and instead of the sizzling heat she’d heard was so common when one was staring into the eyes of their one-true-crush, instead there was a growing sense that Brendan thought she was a complete and total idiot.

  “There are things far deadlier out there than you think, Kaylee,” he said in a low voice. “Even in Scarsdale. That’s why it’s up to some people to keep the rest of us safe. That’s what I want to do once I leave high school.”

  “What, like join the police force?”

  Brendan hesitated. “Yeah, like join the police force.” He leaned back and sighed. “Think about it: being the only person standing between someone and certain death. Has a sort of heroic quality, doesn’t it?”

  Kaylee stared at him, trying to figure out if he was being serious or not. She was simultaneously glad they’d cut the small talk, and worried by the direction this conversation was heading.

  The woods had grown quiet again and a large cloud covered the sun, cloaking them in a swath of shadow. “I…guess. I haven’t really given much thought to what I want to do after high school.”

  “Of course you haven’t,” Brendan said. He scooted a little closer. One of his fingers traced down her leg. Kaylee found that the last bite of sandwich had stuck to the roof of her mouth. She quickly hurried to swallow it.

  “New school, new everything,” Brendan said. “You must be nervous.”