Claimed By the Shadow Dragon: Shadow Dragon Book 1 (Dragon Shifter Romance)

1

Worlds alongside ours. Worlds of darkness and light. I didn’t know about any of that until that fateful night.

Or rather, I should say I’d forgotten all about it.

It wasn’t really my fault, but I’m getting ahead of myself. This story-my story-starts at the beginning, or what was the beginning of my life out in the big wide world. I had spread my wings from college and joined the ranks of the working class in the city of my birth and upbringing. It was just like any other city with streets, cars, and more people than you could count outside of a census. One of those people mattered more to me than even myself.

There I go getting ahead of myself again. Let me start on that warm day, a day that feels like so long ago.

You’re looking at the clock again.

I started out of my reverie and whipped my head around to the desk that shared my small, lifeless cubicle. A smiling woman of twenty sat there with a headset dangling from one finger and a grin on her brown-hair ringed face. The mischievous little elf, who went by the name of Roxie, leaned forward and her eyes sparkled with mischief.

That’s the fourth time in ten minutes you’ve looked at the clock on your computer, she teased me.

I spun my chair back to face my computer and shrugged. I guess I can’t wait for the weekend.

It’s Wednesday.

I’m getting a head start, I defended myself as I tapped away at a few forms on my screen.

The young woman rolled her chair over to my side and leaned an elbow on my desk. ‘Fess up, you have a date with that handsome sketcher of yours.

Painter, I corrected her as another minute on the clock ticked away.

I keep forgetting, my friend mused as she tapped her lower lip with one finger. How long have you guys been together?

Four years, right after we both graduated college, I told her.

She furrowed her brow. Didn’t he want to be a shrink and analyze your lost memory or something?

That was my first boyfriend, I corrected my friend as I winced at those lost-suppressed memories. "And the less said about that relationship the better."

Weren’t you in that program to try to figure out what happened? she wondered.

Some of my good humor fell away as my face fell. Yeah, but I never could get my memories back from before I was ten. . .

My friend clapped a hand on my shoulder and grinned. Don’t look so down. What’s that old saying? Look forward or you’ll trip and fall flat on your face.

I couldn’t help but snort. Who said that? Socrates? Plato?

Roxie, she informed me as she leaned closer and wagged her eyebrows. "So has your handsome painter painted you yet?"

I snorted. You mean a la the Titantic? No. He prefers still objects and landscapes so I can be jealous of fruit and happy little trees.

My friend winced. He doesn’t say that, does he?

Another minute ticked away and the clock proverbially struck the hour. A pity digital clocks were so quiet. No, he has the same reaction as you when I bring it up, I told her as I began to gather my things.

He really should make his hobby his work instead of working that night-to-five job in that office, she suggested.

I laughed and shook my head. He can’t quit his day job until painting pays that much, and that’s going to take a while.

Well, maybe he could paint stuff people wanted, she mused.

I slung my bag over one shoulder and shrugged. He’s just not that kind of painter, but I really need to go. He gets off soon, too.

We exchanged waves and I hurried from the vacuous office building that I called home for nine hours out of every weekday. Some days I wished I could run away from home and make a new life at my apartment. That is, before I was thrown out for not paying my rent.

I joined the throngs of office workers on the busy streets of the bustling city. Skyscrapers towered above us, dazzling we simple ants with their crystal-clean windows. The concrete jungle was swinging with taxis and cars as people hurried to leave its steel confines for the wide open spaces of suburbia and beyond.

I swam against the current to one of the larger buildings where the shimmering wall of glass held the man with whom I had fallen in love. The lobby bustled with last-minute work-a-holics and overachievers, while those like me crammed the front doors eager to leave.

I caught one of the few elevators going up and climbed to the midsection of this vast sailing vessel, powered not by wind but by cold, hard cash. Most of the high finances of the city passed through this building, as evidenced by the expensive furniture and exotic plants that decorated the hall as I stepped off the elevator.

My destination was a quiet little office tucked away in the far corner. I met a familiar face on the way there.

Hello, Elly, the man called to me.

I stopped in front of him and grinned. Hi, Jeff. Teaching the kids art?

He tucked a crayon deeper into his front vest pocket and chuckled. Nothing gets past you, does it?

Just a few minutes with Alec will teach anyone to spot a colored pencil a mile a way, I returned.

His humor faltered a little and he glanced over his shoulder in the direction of the tell-tale office door to which I was headed. Have. . .have you noticed something odd about Alec lately?

I tilted my head to one side and furrowed my brow. Odd?

Jeff nodded. Yes. He seems rather distant today. I had to speak to him several times to catch his attention, and even then I’m not sure he was listening to what I was saying.

I frowned. I haven’t noticed, but I’ll talk to him about it.

Jeff grinned and patted me on the shoulder. I appreciate it. If he’ll listen to anybody, it’ll be you. Now if you will excuse me, I have some finger painting to admire. He winked at me and continued on to the elevator.

My heart wasn’t so light nor my step so bouncy as I walked down the hall. The office door with the name ‘Alec Blackwell, Financial Adviser’ on the front was closed. I rapped my knuckle against the hard wood.

Come in, came a soft and tired voice.

I stepped inside and paused on the threshold to take in the view. The office was immaculate, with a perfect balance of simplicity and elegance. There was a filing cabinet, large, thick-legged desk, and a great view to my left of the streets below. One of the drawers to the filing cabinet just to my right held folders in perfect alphabetical order.

Alec Blackwell himself sat behind the desk. He faced the large windows and one leg was folded over the other. The sun settled on his perfect features and added a tinge of gold color to his otherwise jet-black hair. While others looked stiff and puffed up in their suits, he wore the creased pants and vest like another layer of skin. Then again, he always looked perfectly dressed, even in jeans and a t-shirt.

Or maybe he just looked perfect all the time.

A few whispered words passed over his lips. Fear is natural. Your response is what defines who are you.

I froze thinking my presence had been found out, but he didn’t turn to me. There was something sad about those words, sad and a little bit terrifying. Still, I mustered my confidence and leaned my arm against the door frame and smile. Hello, stranger.

Alec started from his reverie and whipped his head to me. His somber expression changed to a grin as he leaned back in his chair. Have I ever told you you have a talent for catching people off their guard?

It wasn’t too hard with you, I returned as I walked over and seated myself on the edge of his desk. You looked like you were in another world.

His smile faltered and he returned his gaze to the window. Maybe I was. . . I tilted my head to one side, but he shook himself from his reverie and leapt to his feet. He wrapped his arms around me and swept me into a long, passionate kiss.

By the time we broke apart I was all flushed and out of breath. What was that for? I asked him.

He cupped one of my cheeks in his hand and brushed his thumb against my warm skin. I just want to remind you that I love you.

I smiled and tapped the end of his nose with my finger. How did I manage to catch you?

With both our lucks, he teased before he glanced at the clock. But what are we staying around here for? There’s a chicken salad in my fridge that’s waiting to be eaten.

I snorted as he wrapped one arm around my waist and led me toward the door. That wouldn’t happen to be the same salad that was there when I visited two days ago, would it?

He grasped the door knob and flashed me his wicked grin. Perhaps.

I hope it hasn’t gotten so bad that it’s held up the rest of the food for their condiment money.

Alec bowed his head. If it has, I’ll fend it off.

A soft rumble made us pause, and Alec whipped his head toward the window. I followed his gaze and noticed a dark cloud on the horizon. Looks like a storm, doesn’t it? Alec didn’t respond, but I noticed he clenched his left hand so tightly that his flesh paled. Alec?

He shook himself and looked back to me. What?

I leaned back and examined his tense face. Are you okay?

He nodded. Yeah. I was just. . .just thinking, that’s all. Now let’s get to that grub.

2

Alec was one of the lucky people to have a car in his company’s underground parking garage. In a few minutes he had whisked us away from the hectic life in the city and out to quiet, slower suburbia.

It was during that drive that I had my chance to examine my handsome man. He didn’t look quite himself. His face was a little pale and there were shadows under his eyes. Though he smiled, the corners of his lips were tense, like he was forcing himself to keep them up.

Are you feeling okay? I asked him.

He sheepishly grinned at me. It’s that obvious?

My pulse quickened. You’re not sick, are you?

Alec’s smile faltered and he shook his head. I’m fine, I’ve just. . .well, I just haven’t been sleeping well, that’s all.

Nightmares? I guessed.

I’d rather not talk about it, he replied as he turned us down a street lined with apartment buildings.

My face fell and I set a hand on his arm. Even with me?

It’s. . .it’s really nothing, he insisted as he reached over and gave my hand a squeeze. I’ll be fine.

There was something strange in his voice that told me it was more than nothing, but I dropped the subject and instead turned my attention to the night sky. The promise of stars had been spirited behind the ominous dark clouds we had seen at his office, and far off I heard another quiet boom of thunder.

By the time we turned into one among many parking lots the air was full of the smell of rain. A two-floor apartment building stretched out before us. The weathered decorative window shutters and gaudy green color bespoke its age, but the paint was fresh and the ground, what little there was, was well-kept. We climbed out and headed to the front door, a plain metal entrance with a single dead-bolt against the trespass.

The door opened and a kindly old woman stepped out. She wore a flowered dress and her hair was tied up in a plastic hair net. Good evening! she greeted us with watering can in hand.

I smiled at her. Good evening, Miss Hazel. How have you been?

The woman heaved a great sigh as she sprinkled the water over the flowers in the pots on either side of the door. Oh, my dear, what a day it’s been. Most of my children- I couldn’t help but smile wider at the name she had for her tenants, -have been behaving, but I’ve had to tell little Tommy to put his tricycle away three times today. It just should not be in the hall or poor old Mr. Johnson will trip over it again, and you know he doesn’t bounce like he used to. But that’s enough about me- She interrupted herself as she looked over us with her kindly smile. You two look like you have plans for tonight, so I won’t keep you longer.

She stepped aside, and with a knowing look that age grants let us go on our way. I followed Alec upstairs to his second floor apartment. There were only four rooms, but Miss Hazel had made them as neat and efficient as possible. The kitchen and dining room occupied one, with a living room, bathroom, and large bedroom occupying the others. The apartment was at the corner so that the living room and bedroom had windows that looked out on different sides of the building.

The thunder I had heard earlier returned, but with more gusto. It was also joined by a flash of lightning that lit up the sky a few miles away.

Nice night, I quipped as I shrugged off my coat.

Yeah, was the bland reply I received from Alec as he tossed his own coat over the back of the couch.

Mine joined his as I watched him walk into the kitchen. Hard day at work? The boss didn’t reject your proposal, did he?

It was fine, he assured me as he pulled a bottle of drink from the fridge. Want a little pick-me-up?

Do I ever, I replied as I plopped myself onto a dining chair. Alec pulled down a few glasses and popped open the whiskey bottle. And put an extra ‘up’ in mine so I can get through the rest of the week.

I noticed Alec paused for a moment as he was about to pour the alcohol into the cups. Sure thing, he replied as he poured out the alcohol.

I leaned my elbows on the table closer in his direction. Are you sure everything’s alright?

Work’s fine, he assured me as he added water and ice.

That’s not what I asked, I pointed out as he joined me at the table and held