Free Reawakening the Dragon: Part One by Jessie Donovan

Chapter One

    Jane Hartley plumped up her breasts in the low-cut dress and decided it was time to quit stalling. She had a job to do.
    As she walked into the Fox and Stag pub, she gave a cursory glance around the crowded room. The bar was wooden and worn. The nicks spoke of more than one pub fight.
    A billiards table was at the far back and the rest of the space was dotted with tables and patrons. Most of them were men, although there were a few other women here and there. All of them were dressed in more casual clothes than Jane’s tight dress, which was already attracting notice. One or two men gave her lewd glances, but she merely smiled and headed for an empty seat near the bar.  
    Despite the heavy make-up, tight dress, wig, and heels, Jane wasn’t there to pick up a man. According to one of her contacts in Manchester, some of the former Carlisle-based dragon hunters liked to have a few pints there on Fridays. Since the pub was full of somewhat shady-looking men, the hunters should fit right in.
    She hoped to find out something useful or she’d have to reevaluate her strategy. She’d already wasted two days of her vacation tracking down the Fox and Stag in Newcastle. The former hunters’ hangout in Carlisle had been abandoned after their loss to the Stonefire dragons earlier in the year. Who knew how long they’d use Newcastle and its surroundings as their new base. If she couldn’t find the hunters, she couldn’t write the story that could change the course of her career. Jane wanted to be more than a pretty face on camera, interviewing passersby. She wanted to be a true journalist.
    The thought of never reporting stories that could make a difference in the world made Jane clutch her purse strap tighter. Working with the Stonefire dragon-shifters had reignited her drive to find out the truth and she would find her story even if it killed her. After all, no human had ever revealed the inner workings of the dragon hunters.  
    If Jane could do it, not only would she have the story of the year, she could also help sway public opinion even more in favor of the dragon-shifters. She knew firsthand from her interactions with Clan Stonefire that they weren’t monsters. The trick was proving it with facts and a narrative that would tug at the public’s heartstrings and make a lasting impression.
    Reaching the bar, Jane slid into an empty seat and smiled at the bartender. It was time to get to work.
    After asking for a pint, Jane casually staked out the room from the corners of her eyes. The largest group of men was seated behind her and to the left. Inspecting her nails as she waited for her drink, she listened to the group.
    One of the men said, “Check out that bird. She’s well fit. I’m going to chat her up.”
    The man didn’t speak with a Geordie accent, but rather a Scouse one, which meant he was from Liverpool. Since Liverpool didn’t have a dragon hunter branch, the man could be from the Carlisle group. One of the trademarks of the Carlisle branch was that they recruited from all over Great Britain.
    She needed to talk with the men behind her and find out if her hunch was correct.
    Jane’s lager arrived. Taking a sip, she waited to see if any of the men would approach her. If not, she’d have to take matters into her own hands.
    She didn’t have to wait long. Less than a minute later, a man of average height, wearing jeans and a button-up shirt with the tails hanging out appeared on her left. His voice matched the Scouser from before. “Hey, beautiful, did you fall from heaven?”
    Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Jane forced herself to smile and change her voice into a flat American accent. “I guess that line works on either side of the pond.”
    The man smiled. “You’re American.”
    “Yes, I’m here on a little vacation.” She leaned forward a fraction and the man’s eyes darted to her cleavage. “It’s been awesome so far. Everywhere I turn, the men have such sexy accents. I can