Liza (Dragon Isles Book 1)

  LIZA, DRAGON ISLES 1

  Shelley Munro

  Table of Contents

  Introduction

  Note to Readers

  1 – The Last Dragon

  2 – She Wanted a New York Times Bestseller, Dammit

  3 – Rescue From the Lidless Box

  4 – Gwenyth, The Beautiful

  5 – No Ceremonial Ring

  6 – I Want to Kiss and Make Love to You

  7 – The Truth Comes Knocking

  8 – Flying Attracts Bugs

  9 – Lots of Kissing

  10 – Leonidas, You’ve Brought Dinner

  11 – Things Take a Bad Turn

  12 – Trouble. Big, Big Trouble

  13 – Orders and Obedience

  14 – She-Wolf in Dragon Scales

  15 – Leo, I Didn’t Know You Cared

  16 – Our Mate is Alive

  17 – Survival is My New Middle Name

  18 – Release Me. Let Me Go

  19 – The Past Returns

  Afterword

  About Shelley

  Shelley’s Titles

  Copyright Page

  Introduction

  A dragon shifter and a human woman meet…

  …Two worlds collide.

  The encounter shouldn’t have occurred, and the dragon species must battle the consequences.

  Elizabeth Carrington: single-mother with a daughter and an obnoxious ex who refuses to leave without a chunk of her inheritance. An aspiring writer, she glimpses the unbelievable during a research trip, and when she awakens after the resulting car crash, she isn’t in England any longer. Not that she understands this calamity, because a knock to the head has stripped her memories. She is a woman with no past and no perception of dragons or their danger to her.

  Dragon shifter Leonidas, Champion of the Skies, is the youngest son, and his parents have arranged a betrothal for him with Nandag, The Strongminded. He rejects this match his parents insist will bring peace and cement bonds between the Dragon Isles.

  Once Liza crashes into Leo’s life, everything changes. While his family, friends, and neighbors are baying for her death, instinct propels Leo to protect this attractive stranger.

  Their friendship deepens from respect to love as they attempt to discover how and why they met. What they learn will rip apart the dragon world and propel the inhabitants of the Dragon Isles into an unknown future.

  You will love this first book in the Dragon Isles trilogy because it introduces a courageous and sexy dragon, a feisty human battler, and a new world full of mystery, magic, and mayhem. Plus one or two dragon-caused infernos when tempers race out of control.

  Author’s Note to Readers

  The idea behind the Dragon Isles series was two-fold. First, I spotted a pre-made cover designed by Croco Designs. It featured a woman with a land and sea view behind her. The clouds above were in the shape of a dragon, and the title was The Mystery of Dragon Island. I fell in love with the cover and purchased it even though I didn't have a story ready to go with it.

  Many months later, I was watching one of my favorite programs, Escape to the Country. They always have a special interest item on the show, and the particular one I saw was about Newcastle Emlyn, the village where the last dragon in Wales supposedly died. I immediately thought of my cover, waiting for its story and blended the two ideas.

  This trilogy wasn't a story that came easily. The three books are interconnected, and I struggled to pull the threads together. But I'm stubborn and determined, and although I grappled with my characters and plot, the romances proved the perfect way to occupy myself during our COVID lockdown here in New Zealand.

  THE SETTING

  I adore England, and each time I visit, it's like coming home. The story concept I visualized suited an English setting, but it took a long time to decide where to place my islands. To those readers who live in Northumberland or those who are familiar with the area, please forgive me. I have played fast and loose with the geography of the region. Some of my setting is real and is what you'll find in the area while in other places, I've used artistic license. There are cliffs in my story, while in reality, the area is much flatter. I have placed trees where there are none.

  Just go with it, okay? Enjoy the romance, and please forgive me for my writer's imagination because I couldn't find everything I needed in the way of a setting to keep things real.

  I hope you enjoy the adventure and soar with the dragons.

  Shelley

  P.S. If you'd like to keep up with my upcoming releases and news, please subscribe to my newsletter.

  1 – The Last Dragon

  Castlenew Emlyn, Northumberland, England

  Late, again.

  Elizabeth Carrington—Liza to her friends and family—grabbed her handbag from the passenger seat and exited her car. The heels of her boots tap-tap-tapped the pavement as she hustled onto High Street and scanned for the teashop Mrs. Manson had mentioned during their last phone call.

  Her bloody ex. If he were within reach, she’d loosen the ties on her temper and strangle the selfish, calculating, cheating—

  Ah! She hot-footed it to a brick building with a bay window and a bright red awning. A sign in the shape of a woman announced this was Barbara’s Café.

  Liza spotted the elderly couple, her stress leaving her shoulders. Mrs. Manson had informed her they’d sit in their usual corner. She’d suggested Liza buy them a cuppa, and they’d tell her the tale of the last dragon spotted in the region.

  “Mr. and Mrs. Manson?” she asked, forcing brightness and enthusiasm into her voice. The eager part was simple. The sunny happiness proved more difficult since her ex-husband had dropped a bombshell this morning and disrupted her routine.

  Bastard.

  She hated Tony Richards. Detested that he’d tricked her into thinking he was decent while he’d hidden the greedy and corrupt man beneath his handsome shell. Tony refused to leave her alone, refused to let her and their daughter move on with their lives, refused to grant her a divorce.

  Gritting her teeth against a snarl, she shoved her personal drama back to focus on her book of dragon myths and legends. Far more exciting and inspiring. Her new work-in-progress, The Magic of Dragons, fueled her creativity. Her gut told her this book would galvanize publishers. Liza pinned on a smile—stiff and uncomfortable, but enough to show the couple polite interest.

  “Tom and Miriam, dear.” Mrs. Manson beamed, interest flashing in her brown eyes. A cream hat, adorned with brown and orange flowers, perched on her gray curls while she wore a cream twinset and a tweed skirt. A string of lustrous pearls circled her neck.

  Mr. Manson—Tom—appeared uncomfortable in his white shirt and paisley tie. His thin hair lay in neat strands across his head, the comb marks still in evidence. Liza couldn’t see his trousers from where she stood, but his shirt buttons strained over his belly.

  “I’m Liza Carrington. I’m so sorry I’m late. Can I order you a tea or coffee? Something to eat?”

  “We’ll have a cream tea,” Miriam told her with a decisive nod.

  Liza held back her amusement. “I’ll be right back.”

  With their orders placed, Liza joined Tom and Miriam at the table. She pulled out her notebook and her phone. Her pen hid at the bottom of her handbag, but she finally plucked it free. One day, she’d Marie Kondo her handbag into neatness and practicality.

  One day.

  “Is it true you’re writing a book of dragon tales?” Tom demanded.

  “Yes, dragons have always fascinated me. I figured with the rise in popularity of the fantasy-based movies and television shows, now was the perfect time to write my book.”

  “Are you published?” Miriam asked.<
br />
  “Not yet,” Liza said. “But I’m motivated to change that with this book.”

  A plump, height-challenged woman, wearing black clothes and a scarlet apron, bustled over with a tray of cups and a teapot. After setting them on the table, she retreated and reappeared with a plate of sandwiches, two scones, a dish of jam, and another of clotted cream.

  With the arrival of the tea, Tom relaxed. It was apparent Miriam had bullied him into his best clothes to meet the lady author. A little polite chatter and Miriam might calm too instead of behaving like a Regency dowager and crooking her little finger as she sipped her tea.

  “Have you lived in the village long?” Liza asked.

  Miriam picked up her napkin and leaned closer to her husband to dab a spot of cream off the corner of his mouth. “We were both born in Castlenew Emlyn.”

  “Aye, our families settled here four generations ago.” Tom rolled his eyes at his wife in affection. “My older brother lives in the original cottage, although the family has added to the building’s footprint over the years.”

  “June and Alf modernized the kitchen and the bathroom last year,” Miriam shared. “George, our eldest son, works with Tom at the manor house. June and Alf’s children have left. I doubt they’ll be back. Joy is engaged to a boy from New Zealand. Imagine that.”

  Liza grinned. “My mother is a New Zealander. I went to school over there.”

  “What made you come to England?” Miriam asked, diverted, curiosity sparkling in her lined features.

  “I wanted to know my father. He’s English. My parents divorced when I was four and I never saw much of him. My mother died in a motor vehicle accident five years ago. I didn’t have other family in New Zealand, so it wasn’t a tough decision to move to England.” And she’d thought she’d escape Tony. Unfortunately, her husband had learned her father possessed money and he’d clung to their wedding vows and followed her to the UK. It was a pity he hadn’t behaved that way during their years together. His constant cheating, the last time with her friend, had been the impetus for her to kick him out and make changes.

  “Do you enjoy living over here?” Tom asked.

  “I do. My daughter loves it, and we’ve made friends in the village where we live.”

  “You have a daughter?” Miriam asked.

  “Joanna. She’s six-years-old.”

  Liza reached for a sandwich and caught Tom’s furtive gaze on her plate. He’d finished his scone, his plate holding mere crumbs. “Have a ham sandwich, Tom. I doubt I’ll get through them.” She nudged the plate in his direction. “Now, this dragon. Describe him to me.”

  Tom and Miriam exchanged a glance.

  “You color the scene, Tom,” Miriam prompted and added. “This tale has passed down through generations of Tom’s family, even though this encounter supposedly occurred hundreds of years ago.”

  Tom lifted his cup and swallowed a mouthful of tea. “The dragon was black as midnight. A gigantic beast. I heard his teeth were half an arm in length, but folks might’ve exaggerated. The villagers spotted him flying through the sky long before he reached the castle walls—such was his massive wingspan. Soldiers shot arrows at him. The creature roared, and its fiery breath rippled over a wheat field, setting the crop on fire. For a while, the villagers feared the dragon might retaliate and attack, for he was a ferocious beast. His black scales sparkled under the sun, and malice glittered in the creature’s red eyes. Aye, a formidable sight, this demon beast. While the villagers raced to put out the fire, the dragon landed on the castle battlements.”

  “The castle on the village outskirts?” Liza asked, recalling the ruins she’d driven past before entering the village center.

  “The very one.” Miriam leaned nearer, caught up in the tale. “Can you imagine the shock of an enormous dragon turning up without warning?”

  “You said the dragon had red eyes? That sounds unusual.”

  “My grandfather told me what his grandfather told him,” Tom said. “The creature had irises the color of green gemstones, but when his mood worsened, the dragon’s eyes turned red. At the height of his rage, the dragon’s eyes resembled rubies.”

  “An estimate of his wingspan?”

  Tom scratched his chin. “From what I’ve heard, the creature cast a massive shadow. I was told the dragon wielded his tail, knocking a dozen men to the ground as they attempted to creep up behind him.”

  “The dragon most likely smelled them. Our ancestors weren’t as keen on bathing as us.” Liza jotted notes in her standard shorthand. “Did any of the arrows pierce his body or was his hide too thick?”

  “That I don’t know,” Tom said.

  “If the dragon grew angry and attacked in return,” Miriam said. “My guess is at least one arrow struck the beast. I understand the local museum has a handwritten account of the attack. A priest witnessed the dragon’s arrival and mentioned the excitement in his monthly update to his superior. The museum curator opens several days a week.”

  Tom scratched his chin. “I’m uncertain of today’s hours.”

  “I’ll check once we’re finished. What happened after the dragon perched on the castle walls?”

  A chuckle burst from Tom. “You’ll never guess. He only went to sleep.”

  “He had a snooze.” Miriam chortled. “You’d think the dragon might’ve wanted to find food, or wreak revenge, but no. He went to sleep.”

  Liza tapped her pen on her notebook. “From what I’ve learned, dragons were intelligent creatures and misunderstood. In those days, people feared what they didn’t understand. Perhaps the dragon required a haven.”

  “Mayhap,” Tom said. “But you’re right about the villagers being afeared. The most important thing on their minds was getting the dragon to leave, or even better, killing the creature. They were holding a market day. Drovers had driven livestock into the village—sheep, pigs, goats, and horses to sell. There were jugglers to entertain the people, fortune-tellers for the lassies, a pie merchant, a bread vendor. Old crones hawking apples and others embroidered handkerchiefs. The dragon’s arrival spoiled their fun while the drovers worried the beast might seize their livestock for a snack.”

  “What did they do?” Liza asked.

  As always, Liza experienced a sneaking sympathy for the mythical dragon. Humans had misunderstood and underappreciated the legendary creatures, the tales she’d researched full of knights and locals who’d bested the magnificent beasts. She imagined meeting a dragon if she’d been alive hundreds of years ago, and the questions she might ask if the creature could communicate with her. Was it exhilarating soaring through the sky? What was their favorite snack? Was there a dragon language? Was it easy to learn? Yes, so many questions. A grin curled across her lips. Her father had told Liza her thirst for knowledge could drive a man to drink. Curiosity hadn’t worked with Tony. He’d hit her whenever he’d decided she needed to cease her chatter.

  “Well, one of the castle soldiers was a wily, battle-hardened man. He picked up his bow and arrow and a bright red shawl,” Tom said.

  “You’ll never guess what he did next,” Miriam said, her brown eyes wide with anticipation.

  “What?” Liza asked, content to let the expectation build.

  “This soldier waded into the river that ran past the castle walls. Once he stood in the middle, he shot the dragon with an arrow. An extraordinary shot since the arrow hit the dragon on his vulnerable belly. The beast awoke with a mighty bellow and spied the man in the river. The soldier draped the red shawl over his head and dived beneath the surface of the water. He swam underwater until he reached the far bank of the river and crawled into the trees.

  “Meanwhile,” Tom continued, “the dragon was furious. The arrow dug into the dragon’s stomach, and it was in agony. He spotted the soldier with his red shawl and flew from the castle walls in a fury. Fatally wounded, the dragon swooped and attacked the floating red shawl, seizing it with its talons and destroying it during the last moments of his life. The beast succumb
ed to death, sank below the surface, and vanished. The people crept from their hiding places and cheered the brave soldier since they’d had a lucky escape. And to this day, the residents of Castlenew Emlyn—indeed, the entire country—have never spotted another dragon.”

  Liza’s pen raced across the page. “Wow! The last dragon ever seen in England.”

  Tom nodded. “Dragons are extinct now. It’s sad, even though they caused fear and chaos during their time.”

  “Do you believe dragons were real rather than fictional beasts?”

  Tom smiled. “You tell me. You’re the one who’s doing the research and listening to the tales. Is there an element of truth in the stories?”

  “I’d like to presume so,” Liza said. “I imagine seeing a dragon might change a person.”

  “Aye,” Tom said with amusement. “It might put the fear of God into you too.”

  “Do you have everything you need for your book?” Miriam asked once the teapot was dry, and crumbs littered their plates. “I thought I’d take this opportunity to clothes shop for the family wedding next month.”

  Tom grumbled under his breath, and Liza grinned.

  “Thank you so much for meeting me. Apart from the museum, is there anywhere else I should visit while I’m in Castlenew Emlyn?”

  “A wander through the castle ruins might help you get an idea of how things were when the dragon arrived,” Tom suggested. “The outer wall is intact and a true replica of back in the day. The river, too.”

  “Excellent,” Liza said. “I have a camera. Thanks again. It was lovely meeting you. Which way will I find the museum?”

  “Turn right on leaving the café,” Miriam said. “Walk along High Street until you come to the secondhand book store and turn right. You’ll find the museum at the end of that street.”

  “Thanks,” Liza said.

  Miriam rose and dragged a still-grumbling Tom from the café. Liza took a moment to jot a few more notes and impressions before she packed away her notebook and phone. She’d check out the museum opening hours first before she visited the castle and snapped photos to go in her book. Her best friend, Cherry, had told her she’d pick up Joanna from school if Liza were running late. If necessary, she’d call Cherry to organize a pick up once she’d determined her plan of attack.