Alice's Dragon

By Stephanie Beck

Dragon Charmer—taking care of your pesky dragon problem—for a price.

Business is good for Alice, right until her dragon goes crazy and bites off her arm. To make matters worse, a tall, dark stranger kills the cash-cow dragon before her eyes.

Instead of dying from her wounds, Alice finds herself under the tender care of Bade, a gentle-handed Bulgarian far from home with secrets in his satchel.

If they can scratch each others backs, the secrets might live on and Alice might still have a job. She’s never backed down from a challenge, but she’s in for more than she bargained for with the tall, dark stranger.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Decadent Publishing
• Release date: May 27, 2013
• ISBN: 9781613335369

Book preview

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement (including infringement without monetary gain) is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in, or encourage, the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Alice’s Dragon

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2013 by Stephanie Beck

ISBN: 978-1-61333-536-9

Cover art by Tibbs Design

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

Look for us online at:

www.decadentpublishing.com

Decadent Publishing Recent Releases

Flyover by Desiree Holt

Birthday Bash by Kelli Scott

Accidental Romance by Jessica Subject

Island Bound by Kiru Taye

Pulse by B.L. Bonita

Virgin Under Ground by Kate Richards

Bella Ink by L.C. Dean

Blade Dance by Danica St. Como

Sweet Cravings by Eva LeFoy

Marry Me, I’m Irish by JoAnne Kenrick

Two Men by Kate Richards

Lorelei’s Song by Maureen O. Betita

Home to Hellas by Stephanie Beck

Something to Howl About by Azura Ice

Mergers and Acquisitions by Sorcha Mowbray

Escape to My Arms by Heather Thurmeier

Crow Magic by Mary Quast

Rugged Hearts by Amanda McIntyre

Pajama Party by Kelli Scott

One Night With the Bride by Sara Daniel

The Midnight Masquerade by Monica Corwin

The Perfect Sub by Jayson Locke

The Governess and the Beast by Karyn Gerrard

Also by Stephanie Beck

1Night Stand Series

Panties Optional

The Edge

Smut Therapy

Searching for Smut

Smut Interrupted

Challenge

Home to Hellas

Writing as Stephanie J Grace

Felines and Flowers

Easy Peasy

Alice’s Dragon

The Challenge Series

By

Stephanie Beck

~DEDICATION~

For my dragon-chasing friends.

Chapter One

Alice stepped up to the gate and shook her fist into the cool night air. Henry, you dirty son of a bitch. Give me my money.

Their small cove community belonged only to itself, and though he had no real power, Lord Henry claimed jurisdiction, which meant he needed to pay her.

For generations the residents of the Island of Aden had lived a sequestered existence, taking on the rugged, independent nature of their homeland. After the last few hurricanes, fewer and fewer ships came by for fear of getting marooned. More people left than were born. It was only a matter of time before the population died out entirely. Alice was happily stuck, as was Henry. Only, she would last longer than the cheap, decrepit fart.

When the old man lumbered out of his stately stone home, a small satchel in his hand, Alice hid her sigh of relief. She’d expected him to balk, as he had the month before, with fairly justified cause. The dragon she distracted had seen more ferocious days. His scales flaked and he’d lost another two teeth. Terrifying didn’t quite describe him, but she’d done her job and the village remained unravaged. Therefore, she had earned her pay.

Limping and holding his robes closed, Henry reached her, his scowl lit by the torch the young servant beside him carried. Neither appeared happy to see her.

You couldn’t come at a proper time, could you, Dragon Charmer?

I never do, she chirped, accepting the offered money sack.

I can’t wait for this to be done, Henry muttered.

Done? Oh, my lord, this will never be done. As long as there are dragons, you’ll need a charmer, and I’m the last of my line.

Henry perked up. Yes, and the dragon is the last of his. There hasn’t been a new one in decades. We won’t be needing you.

You’ll always need me, Alice snapped. If he dies, another will take his place. Don’t expect me to come and help you for free when your shit is on fire.

The wicked sparkle in his eye gave her a bad feeling in her gut. "Whatever you say, Dragon Charmer, but if I were you I’d consider a new vocation. Charmers and slayers are no longer necessary in the modern