Ari and the Beast

By Devon Cross

Cursed by the fates to a single form, Devlin has no interest in taking on a mate, especially not a mortal one. Having gone down that road once before, Devlin's still dealing with the aftermath along with the scar it left on his heart. The fates may have fooled him once but he'd have to be out of his mind to fall for their tricks again.

 

However, when the presence of a tiny fox thrusts him from a trance, Devlin's hard-pressed to turn it away regardless of how much pain he's in.

 

For Ari, slipping inside a dragon's cave to escape a human pursuit probably isn't the best of ideas. It isn't until Ari tries to leave without the dragon's notice when his fox urges him to stay. Considering everything Ari's gone through including the loss of his parents, he's pretty sure his fox has gone mad.

 

Coming face to face with a dragon is as terrifying as one might expect, but there's something about Devlin that pulls on Ari. Something he can't explain.

 

There's pain there and secrecy as well, but what worries Ari most of all is Devlin's refusal to reveal his dragon form.

 

Ari wants to help, but if Devlin won't set foot in the light, what else could he hiding?

 

More importantly, why is Ari so determined to find out?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Devon Cross
• Release date: Jun 13, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386374541

Book preview

Chapter One

Ari

Hooves thundered behind Ari, forcing his heart into the back of his throat as he leaped over raised tree roots and rushing streams. His lungs burned with every strangled breath as he jumped, weaved, and dove between obstacles, putting whatever distance he could between himself and the men pursuing him.

Blinded by panic, Ari’s fox pushed him forward, silently nudging him as every muscle in his body complained, which became even worse when he landed too hard on his forepaw. Wincing around the pain, he picked himself up and veered off to his right along the mountainside. Mindful of the gopher holes strewn across the ground, Ari hoped the men on horseback wouldn’t be able to navigate the winding path as easily as he could. There was no way the hunters could follow him on foot. If the horses couldn’t keep their footing along the steep slopes, even better.

There. His fox’s surge of anxiety alerted him to a small ditch capable of hiding his tiny form. He hurried into the dugout and had just enough time to get low before an arrow flew over his head. Knowing more arrows were about to follow, Ari bolted from his hiding place, hugging the side of the cliff as he tucked his tail between his legs. If only he’d been born with a gray coat instead of one as red as dragon’s fire, maybe then he’d have an advantage.

Focusing on his escape, Ari didn’t care where he ended up so long as it was far from the hunters chasing him. Tears bit at the backs of his eyes as the flicker of a memory walked through his mind, one of his father and the fear that shone in his eyes once he pushed Ari away.

Ari scolded himself, dismissing the memory completely. He couldn’t think about that right now, not in the open and certainly not with the hunters closing in on him. He’d have more than enough time to mourn his loss later, but unless he wanted to follow his family into the dark abyss, he had to keep going.

Fighting back another memory—this time of his mother—Ari continued upward, leaping from one rocky ledge to another and doing whatever he could to keep his footing. Pain laced its icy fingers into his right paw with every step, growing in intensity the longer he climbed. He’d feel the full weight of the injury once the adrenaline left his system, but for now, he ignored what pain there was while the humans whooped and hollered behind him.

Someone laughed. A horse whinnied. They were still following him!

Thunder rolled in the distance, a handful of large drops plopping on his back. Sure. Now it rains. Ari bit back a growl at the gods and whatever fates were watching him in hopes of gaining their respect and his escape. His village was gone, engulfed in flame. The fates hadn’t intervened then and they probably wouldn’t help him now. Hoping for such things was a childish dream and something he should’ve given up long ago.

The rains were harder now, making the cliff face slick and difficult to climb. It still wasn’t enough to slow the humans down. While Ari struggled to continue along the cliff, the men following him were prepared. A grappling hook shot past him, the long rope going taut once it clicked into place.

At this rate, the humans would reach the top of the cliffs and whatever freedom Ari hoped to find well before he did. But where else could he go? The forest floor was littered with men on horseback who were probably more familiar with the area than he was.

Lightening cracked to his left, illuminating the cliffs to his right. Ari’s heart skipped. Apparently, the gods were watching him after all. Lucky for him, they gave him an out. He’d have to thank them later, but for the time being, he took his chances and slipped inside a dark crevasse much too small to fit anything larger than himself.

Hidden by the jagged outcropping of stone and debris, Ari took a deep breath and held it. The air rushed from his lungs and his stomach knotted with nerves once the humans continued northward. He expected one of them to peek inside the hole and shine a light on him, but they never did.

Consumed by the thrill of the hunt, five riders moved on while who-knows-how-many returned to the base of the cliff. Those who continued northward would probably double-back once they realized he was gone. By then, Ari would be far away from this place.

A long tunnel snaked its way in front of him, the walls incredibly narrow. Sharp edges on the wall combed through Ari’s fur as he crouched low to the ground. Something shifted under his feet, the distinct crunch of bone sending a wave of nausea up his throat. He fought the nausea back and held his breath.

The small entryway reeked of rotten flesh and human feces. If not for the humans outside the tunnels, he would’ve left as soon as he’d arrived. It was easy to see he wasn’t the only one who’d found his way inside the tunnels. Sadly, those who came before him never left.

Having one less human to worry about would’ve pleased his fox if not for their current predicament. Human remains lay all along the corridor, their clothes torn from their bodies until nothing but bone remained.

Unnerved but not wanting to deal with the hunters, Ari pressed on. Bit by bit, the tunnel opened up. The walls grew farther apart, allowing him to stand without having to worry about the jagged rocks digging into his fur or clawing his skin. If he’d had enough time to grab a pack of clothes back home, he might’ve stopped to shift into his human form.

While his fox had no problem navigating and could see the bit that was there, Ari would’ve felt a lot better with a torch in one hand and a sword in the other. Not that it would do any good, Ari growled under his breath.

He was too small. Too weak. As the runt of the litter, he’d never been able to wield a sword much less use one. If he were a skilled fighter like his uncle, he might’ve been able to save his family.

Ari’s fox scratched at the back of his mind, nudging him forward. With his panic gone, his mind filled with thoughts—thoughts he couldn’t afford to have in a place such as this.

It was strange, Ari realized, to find a series of caves so high off the ground. He’d been in more than enough caves to recognize ones made from the passages of time and those made by something else.

His father had told him stories, of course. Stories about large passages carved from the heart of a mountain, but they weren’t natural. They weren’t man-made, either, which worried Ari most of all. There were only a few creatures in this world that could dig through stone, none of them friendly.

A troll maybe? Ari mused as he continued through the walkway, pausing once it opened up to a single chamber. Unlike the tunnel he’d come in through, the chamber was clean. A ceiling rose far above him, each of his light steps echoing off the surrounding walls. Instinctively, his ears flattened against his skull and he