First Blood Read online

  Florian wanted to be special. He wanted that more than anything. His treasure trove of secrets made him special, but those he kept to himself. Under Stitches’ tutelage, Florian could become powerful. He fought against the cloaked man, kicking his shins, and finally kneeing him in the nuts.

  The man fell to the ground, groaning.

  "Good boy, Florian," Stitches said, his voice sounding more like a hiss. "Now get those keys. Free me, and I will teach you everything I know."

  "Yes, master," Florian said. He grabbed the keys, sliding them off the incapacitated man's arm. He fumbled with the keys, shoving one after the other into the top lock, until one caused the tumblers to click and fall.

  Florian did it two more times, until the door swung open. Stitches sped out. With a heavy thrust, he stepped on the neck of the cloaked man. His bones snapped. Florian flinched. Stitches grabbed Florian's wrist, dragging him behind.

  "I need to feed," Stitches said, his voice filled with need.

  "When is the last time you ate?" Florian asked. He pulled the remainder of the pastry out of his pocket, offering it to Stitches. He hoped the man didn't find the few fuzzies from his cotton pants on the pastry.

  Stitches knocked the pastry out of Florian's hand. It fell to the ground and rolled in the dirt twice before coming to a stop in a puddle of mud. Stitches yanked on Florian's hand, dragging him away from the pastry won through magic.

  "I don't need human food," Stitches said. "I need blood. The blood of my kind. They caught me at a weak moment. My power is low. I must feed, or I fear I will lose myself."

  Florian wanted to ask what Stitches meant. Little of it made sense. His kind? He didn't need human food? Then what was Stitches? Because he looked like a normal man to Florian.

  "She's in here somewhere." Stitches turned to Florian, his eyes appearing as if they were on fire. "Where is she?"

  "Who?" Florian asked. He hadn't seen any women near the cave.

  "My mate. She's here somewhere. I can feel her in my blood. I can hear her thoughts. Though they are weak, she is pleading for me." He crouched down, nose to nose with Florian. Stitches grasped the boy's shoulders, shaking him. "I need to find her."

  Florian winced, as Stitches’ grip tightened. "I don't know. I swear it!"

  "Follow me, boy." Stitches swept past Florian, keeping a hold on the boy's collar.

  Florian stumbled after the man, whose desperation was stronger than the stench of his unwashed imprisonment. They made turn after turn in the tunnels coming upon many dead ends and hollows.

  Florian, tired of being dragged around, dug his heels into the ground. "If she's in here, I can find her, just as I did you."

  Stitches loosened his grip. "Please. She's all I have."

  Florian nodded, then closed his eyes to the faint light of the torch Stitches carried. His ears perked up as he listened for any sound that might indicate life. A strange scratching noise surfaced. Florian walked a few paces to the nearest branching of the tunnels. He listened at each tunnel mouth for the noise. There it was again! "This way!" Florian pointed down a tunnel.

  Stitches ran ahead, and Florian struggled to keep up. He wasn't athletic, and running was his least favorite activity. Unfortunately, he was too curious. This was proving to be a secret larger than any he had ever kept. It would be the diamond in his treasure chest.

  The scratching noise got louder. Stitches looked back at Florian, his eyes wide. "I hear it now. You are a wonder, boy."

  Florian smiled, pride puffing up his chest. Finally, someone recognize his attributes. He could be useful.

  Florian darted ahead, the scratching even louder, but the tunnel ended in another dead end. "I don't understand." He turned, fearing Stitches’ wrath.

  But the man had changed. He was different. His eyes flashed red. His hands had changed into scaled appendages with long claws. Stitches thrust the torch at Florian, who took it in his sweaty hands.

  Stitches scratched at the wall of dirt, clawing with all of his might, grunting with each effort. Soon the wall crumbled, leaving an opening. A woman was chained to the wall, her blond hair stringy and dirty. Slowly, she raised her head, her eyes red like Stitches’.

  Stitches smashed the rest of the wall down with a strength that belied his size. Florian stood back, suddenly afraid of the man and the woman who had been buried alive. He cowered next to the wall.

  "I knew you were alive." Stitches ripped the chains from the wall, and the woman fell into his arms.

  "Barely." She coughed. "Why did it take you so long?"

  "They had charms around their necks. I could only do the most basic of compulsion on them. It wasn't until this boy came along that I was able to escape. Florian saved us both." Stitches’ lips fell on the woman's cheeks and forehead, kissing every bit of her face.

  She slumped in his arms, too weak to return his affections.

  "We always wanted children," Stitches said. "Now he can be ours. We will take him with us."

  Florian crept farther away from them. He could have run, but part of him knew there were more secrets to be uncovered. He couldn't resist. He had to know what they were hiding.

  "Not mine," the woman said, sighing. "I will not make it back from this. I'm too weak."

  "I will give you my blood," Stitches said. "I will make you whole again."

  "No." It was the most forceful thing she'd said. "It is time for you to strike out on your own. Take my blood for the last time. Use it to strengthen yourself. Then fly to safety."

  Fly? Florian gasped. They could fly? How was that possible?

  "I can't take your blood. We will die together." Stitches pulled back, still holding her in his arms.

  The woman bit hard, until blood pooled on her pink lips. "Take it, Stitches. You know it is the only way. We mustn't both die. Take my blood, then turn the boy. Make him one of us. Spread your blood across the land until we outnumber the humans."

  "No." Stitches shook his head.

  "You know you want it." She leaned in, resting her lips on his. Stitches’ tongue, forked like a lizard, snaked out of his mouth and licked the blood.

  He groaned.

  Florian felt uncomfortable. He had heard those groans from his parents. He knew what it meant. He looked away, unable to watch them as the sound of lips sucking and hands moving over clothes echoed in the tunnel. She made one final, shuddering breath, and then Florian looked back. The woman was limp in Stitches’ arms, her head resting on his forearm, which appeared much larger than before, as if his muscles had tripled.

  But that wasn't possible. It was only a trick of the light.

  Stitches laid her down carefully, running his hands over her hair. Then he turned slowly, his eyes locked on Florian. "Do you know what you saw, boy?" His fingers fumbled at his breeches, pulling the strings tight over his spent manhood.

  Florian nodded. They had joined bodies, just as his parents did when they thought he was asleep in the bed next to them. He wasn't old enough for such things yet himself, but he knew what they were doing.

  Stitches had sex with the woman until she died.

  Stitches laughed. "You only think you know. Soon, you will understand." Stitches’ hands stretched out toward Florian.

  The boy cowered against the wall, his hands trembling.

  "You will be like me. Like she once was. You will be magnificent. You will remember this day for all eternity." Stitches bit his own arm, drawing blood. "Drink."

  "No!" Florian shouted. His throat went dry. "That's disgusting."

  "I once felt the same, but you will come to see how powerful blood can be." Stitches squatted down next to Florian. "Do you remember how powerful you felt when you used the magic I gave you?"

  Despite his fear, Florian nodded.

  "Do you want to feel that one hundred fold? Do you want to be invincible? Do you want others to cower in your presence?"

  Florian bit his lip. He wanted all of that, and more.

  "Then drink." Stitches held his bloody arm to F
lorian's lips.

  The blood settled on the tender skin, seeping into Florian's mouth. He closed his eyes, swallowing.

  Power shrieked through his veins. Florian's eyes snapped open. He felt strong. Alive. Florian bit into Stitches’ arm, taking more blood from the man, slaking a thirst he'd never known before.

  Eventually, Florian gave up, full. He tore himself away from Stitches and leaned against the wall. "What am I?"

  But Stitches did not have to answer. Florian knew. He'd tasted the blood. Truth flowed in his veins.

  "Come." Stitches stood, holding out a hand to Florian. The boy took it, hauling up to his feet.

  At first, he wondered if he'd be shaky, but he'd never felt to strong.

  Together, the two made their way through the cave. The guards had awoken and were looking for them.

  "Do you want to, or should I?" Stitches asked Florian.

  Florian ran in front of Stitches, leapt into the air, his teeth changing into shiny points, his hands now claws. He fell upon the first man, ripping his face off with one bite. Florian swallowed. More flesh. More blood.

  The second guard ran out the cave, screaming like a child.

  Florian laughed, blood dripping down his face.

  "You need to get out of this cave," Stitches said, smiling, "or you might get stuck when you change."

  Florian ran with surprising speed to the mouth of the cave. He emerged into the midday sunlight. His body contorted, his skin ripped. Instead of pain, he only felt joy. His torn clothes lay on the ground, the five bits his father had given him scattered in the grass.

  Florian stretched his neck, looking at the black dragon behind him. Stitches. His new father. Florian glanced down at his four legs, strong, steady, and golden. His scales glittered in the sunlight. He looked at the sky, pressed on his back legs, unfurled his wings, and hurtled into the sky.

  He flew until he reached the town of Trapper's Glen. Humans screamed at the sight of him. Florian knew, for the first time, the villagers respected him. He was no longer the boy with the pounding headaches and a penchant for the night. Now he was their worst fears come to life.

  Dragon.

  Myth made reality.

  Florian reared back, blowing fire into the air, raining down embers upon his town.

  Stitches flew next to him. "Curious. You are not the same color as the other dragons I have known. We will get to the bottom of that eventually. Follow me."

  "Are there others like us?" Florian asked in Stitches’ mind.

  "Only one other, now. My brother. But he is of no consequence. We will spread our blood and we will rule the land. Our land."

  "The Dragonlands," Florian thought as he followed Stitches to his destiny.

  -end-

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  Read the Author’s Note to find out what to read next!

  Author’s Note

  Thank you so much for reading First Blood. It is the first in a series of short stories surrounding the origins of the Dragonlands. My hope is that this story will intrigue new readers to continue with the Dragonlands series, yet still whet the ravenous appetites of fans of the USA Today bestselling series.

  Dragonlands:

  Hidden, #1

  Hunted, #2

  Retribution, #3

  Desolation, #4

  Reckoning, #5

  A huge thanks to Joelle Sisto for her awesome proofreading skills!!!! Blowing a big, wet kiss to the hubby for taking a final read before publishing. *mwah*

  XoXo,

  Megg

  http://www.meggjensen.com