Alice's Dragon (The Challenge Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

you help me with this? I can do it alone, but with another who understands dragons as well as the island, the endeavor cannot fail.”
    She sighed, still figuring her angle. The women in her line had taken slaying and made it a full-time occupation through skill, slight fabrication, and plain old whoppers. Bade needed her, giving her leverage she had to use.
    “For a price.” She shrugged when he narrowed his gaze. “Hey, you murdered my proverbial cash cow. I might have been able to handle Rusty, but we can’t know that, because you killed him.”
    His jaw dropped. “Are you joking? The beast ripped your arm off.”
    “True, but you don’t know what would have happened next.”
    He groaned and stared at the ceiling. “Fine. Name your terms.”
    She threw out a number matching roughly what Henry gave her each year. “And I need that amount every solstice.”
    He went to work on the third squirrel. “I will consider your terms if they also include room and board. Here.”
    “You want to stay in this hole?” She didn’t bother to hide her surprise. “Why?”
    “The young feel very comfortable here. Just look at Walter, his scales shine and he’s barely cried,” he said. “I don’t want to interrupt their birthing or continuity of care by moving now or introducing you later. The babies learn best if they are in contact with their human hosts every day. Practicality demands we stay close.”
    She’d grown accustomed to living alone—had planned on continuing her solitary existence until she died. The family tradition of heading off island and shacking up with hot sailors until pregnant hadn’t appealed to her. She’d thought to play with Rusty until they both cocked up their toes, ending their lines.
    “I suppose you can’t get enough of my sparkling personality,” she joked.
    He cocked an eyebrow.
    “What?” She lifted her hand, palm up, and shrugged her good shoulder. “I’m nice to everybody.”
    His expression didn’t change.
    She rolled her eyes. “Fine, so I’m not nice to everybody . I’ll agree to take you on here, if you build your own room. We’re not going to be like those rubes who share a tiny space. No way. And I have a good parcel of land here, so we should be able to construct a fence and still have beach access.”
    Bade’s suspicious expression turned over with a grin. His eyes sparkled and the stress lines on his face, eased, making him look younger and carefree. He stood straighter, happiness radiating from him. Alice wracked her brain in case she’d missed part of their conversation that would leave her screwed later on.
    Bade clapped his hands together once and held them together a moment. “Wonderful. I’m glad you’re at peace with our terms. Continue to allow Walter to eat. I will go and fetch red meat for you. You are pale.”
    She felt fine, but if he wanted to find her a nice hunk of beef, she wouldn’t argue. She patted Walter again, the blood pool diminishing with every passing minute.
    “Welcome to my world, buddy. I’m glad you’re here.”

 
     
    Chapter Seven
     
     
    Alice grinned at the rocking eggs, hoping one would chip open. She squatted low and eased to her knees, thrilled when she didn’t need to grab the nearby chair for balance.
    “Good morning, ladies and gents. Bade is out hunting for something yummy, should any of you decide to make an appearance today. Walter is getting mighty lonely.” She lifted the sleeping dragon onto her lap.
    So far, she preferred to sit while holding him. Despite her boast about never dropping things, she feared she might lose control of the delicate one and hurt him. Without a left hand, she had little hope of catching him. She’d been lucky enough to have a second chance at life, thanks to Bade, but didn’t dare press fate for more assistance.
    “My grandmother would have loved you.” She stroked Walter. “My mother, too. She never got to meet a baby dragon. I’m pretty damn lucky to get to meet six. She