Dragon Storm (Dawn of the Dragon Queen Book 2) by Tara West

Author:Tara West [West, Tara]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Shifting Sands Publishing
Published: 2015-12-25T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Duncan left his child with a mixture of heaviness and joy in his heart. After all he’d put Safina and her mother through, his child had forgiven him so easily. What a sweet lass she was, her eyes the same as his, but she had her mother’s captivating smile and beautiful hair. He was looking forward to getting to know his daughter. Hopefully, in time, her mother would learn to forgive him as well.

He stopped for repast at the first open tavern, helping himself to three bowls of barley beef stew and bread. He wasted no time with the flirtatious barmaids as he paid his tab and hurried out the door. There was an important matter to be settled.

Duncan found his way back to the brothel easily enough, since most of the streets in Galveston were either lettered or numbered. Though he didn’t care for the establishment’s seedy element, he needed to find Bess, the prostitute who’d saved him, and thank her. More importantly, he wanted to find out the whereabouts of Dr. Straw. It was time Duncan paid that man a visit.

No sooner had the young maid taken his hat and coat, and ushered him into the gilded parlor with burgundy satin walls and velvet drapes, than he heard a blood-curdling scream coming from upstairs. He ran into the hall and raced up the stairs two at a time.

He found himself back in the bedroom where he’d spent the past three days, recovering. His heart caught in his throat when he saw Bess lying on the floor, staring vacantly up at the ceiling, blood pooling from her throat, which was slit from ear to ear.

A young blonde woman, dressed only in a thin shift, was huddled in the corner, sobbing into a pillow.

Duncan had seen gruesome deaths enough times before, but it didn’t make witnessing Bess’s murder any easier. Careful not to step in the blood, he leaned over her, shutting her eyes while murmuring a soft prayer for her soul. The prayer was to no god in particular. After five centuries of roaming the earth, he’d been exposed to many gods and religions. Still he continued to pray, hoping one deity among them would hear his plea.

He walked over to the crying girl. She’d removed the pillow from her face and was staring at him through puffy slits with wide-eyed fascination.

“What happened here?” he asked.

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, smearing the black streams of makeup that ran down her face. “I heard Bess scream, but I came too late.” She pointed a shaky finger at the open window. “I saw Dr. Straw escaping.”

Duncan’s gaze traveled to the window, and back to the corner of the room where Bess had kept Dr. Straw’s cane, not surprised to find the weapon missing.

A stout man with peppered hair ran into the room, brandishing a pistol. “Hands where I can see them!” The man waved the gun at Duncan’s chest. “Who are you?” he asked accusingly.

Duncan slowly raised his hands, careful not to make any sudden moves.

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