Page 1 of Savage

Chapter 1

“Savage!”

“Savage?”

“Savage.”

No matter how his name was said to him, it sounded different but never did it sound like anything but a curse word. Sometimes, it felt like that, a curse. Why would anyone name him something akin to a monster? He wished all this time in the new world that he’d been called a different first name than everyone calling him a monster. Not that it would make a difference now. After all these years, he could no more remember his first name, even if he’d had one, than he remembered the faces of his long-lost parents. Not that they had made much of an impression on him as he would have liked.

Savage had been wholly ignored when he’d been born a male. He did wonder, at times, if he’d been hatched as a female, what his name would have been. Not that it mattered anymore. The family that he’d had, as well as his first name, was long forgotten.

The poke to his side reminded him that he wasn’t alone in letting his mind wander. There were questions that he had to answer and he had a few of his own to ask. Looking at his cousins who had been willing to come with him, he then nodded at them. They were by far the only family that he’d ever had, and even now, he’d lay down his life for them. He did have a sudden thought that if they regretted their last name as much as he did. All of them were hatchlings of one family. The Mercury and Helen Savage grandchildren, who at one time were considered the best family of dragons born to this earth. Standing up, he cleared his throat and asked if it might be heard.

“Mr.….err…Lord Sav…” The man looked at his paperwork. To buy himself time or to look at his notes, he didn’t know but he did wait for him to continue. “Mr. Savage, what is your first name for our records?” It was his cousin Kingston, another wonderful name one of them had been given stood up and said that his first name was Tucker. When he looked at him with a questioning brow, he told him that it was as good as any and to claim it. “Thank you, young man. You may proceed, Mr. Savage.”

With another quick glare at Kingston, he turned and started speaking to the members of the committee that they’d been called before. They wished to live here, the four of them, but they had to come clean as to what they were. And, in turn, what they could do to benefit the community. Money is what they wanted to hear. They could care less as to what they were, so long as their money was good and they didn’t burn down any houses while out and about.

Not that they had a good business plan to help the town help itself. Not with the magic that the four of them had. No. It was just plain, hard earned by their own hands and wit, money. It made him feel dirty when they moved to someplace different. This was through no fault of their own to move halfway across the country was like all the other times they’d had to pack up and leave. Because the land where they’d been could no longer support their lifestyle. Lifestyle? Was it because they were dragons and were a drain on the land surrounding them? It was that they stopped giving out money for every whim that the town had. Supporting causes that only benefited the people in office and their friends. That had been why they’d been asked to leave.

That wasn’t right either. It was because they refused to fund the city in what he thought of as robbing them and stopped putting up money for every little project that they wanted. It was draining on them to have to be working hard for money while the cities would continue to grow because of them. No, this time was going to be different. They were just going to be helpful men, and that was all.

“I say there. You seemed to have skipped over my question about funding that you’ll put forth for your being here. In order to make sure that our town doesn’t end up like others that have dragons in their cities, we’re going to have to make sure that there are previsions in place to make sure thatwe can go on if you decide to leave. Not that we’ll not run you out if there is any trouble. No, sir. We want to be assured that there is a town here when things are finished here.” He gathered up his things, thinking that there wasn’t enough money in the world for him to stay here, when Kingston stood up and pushed him back into his seat.

He was sure that his cousin had just saved the town from being burnt out. He’d had enough of humans in his lifetime. Kingston was much better at calming the beasts that they all had. He didn’t understand why he didn’t speak in the first place.

“We’re just men who happen to turn into dragons. If you’re speaking of a monetary donation to the town, we’ll be paying our taxes on time. Making improvements on the homes that we planned to purchase. Things that any other law-abiding person would do.” He asked him what sort of compensation they’d be paying. “To be honest with you, sir, I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Do you mean to blackmail us into being able to live here?”

“Yes, you could say that. I want this town to shine, and since I know that you have all kinds of money then I’m going to get as much money as I—where do you think you’re going? We’re not finished here yet. You people have a seat and listen up to what I’m saying to you. I’m not nearly finished with my demand…my needs. The town needs here.” Savage was glad to be out of here. Since they had several places that they’d looked into to live, this was just a mark off the list of places for them to have a nice life. “Perhaps we should start over. I’ll listen to your demands, and we’ll go from there. Come back here. I want you to stay here, but you must understand that it’s not going to be at no cost to the town proper and those who are in charge of such things. Come—”

“Have a nice life.” They were all four out the door in record time. He inhaled deeply of the nice air and decided that he was going to find a place that had no pollution in the air so that he could feel like he did right now. Cassian asked if they wanted to get lunch. “Anywhere but here. They’d accuse us of something nefarious, and the only way we’d get out of jail was to agree to their terms. Thanks, but no thanks.” The other three agreed that it might be a good idea to leave while they could. There was no point in poking the bear as he’d heard all his life.

They decided on a little diner right outside of town. It was a quint little place and had good portions for the food that they ordered. On the way out, they talked to the owner and decided that if they were in this part of town again, they’d stop by. It was a nice place despite living in the town close to it.

The second place was no better. Once they heard the word dragon, it was all over for them to be living a quiet and peaceful life. This man even told them when he wanted extra money, they’d have to cry for him. He didn’t understand where people were getting their information but to cry for gems was only true if they had a reason to create tears. Fresh tears wouldn’t produce anything more than tears if there was no emotion behind them.

This man, another mayor looking out for his town, said he had a friend who could exchange gems for ready cash right away. Savage asked if this friend knew about the cost it had on them, and they were waved off in favor of money that all he could get.

It was late when they found them a place to have a meal. Not only that, but there didn’t seem to be any place for them to stay other than the bed and breakfast that was in the middle of town. Walking to the only restaurant in town, they noticed that the town was down on its luck. Even the sidewalks needed a good going over or replaced. If the town had charm it was long since gone. The schools looked as if they’d been built sometime in the later century and needed an overhaul more than anything else.

“This place isn’t on our list, but it looks like it could use us.” Savage agreed with Kingston. “Not to mention the fact that there are signs all over the place that were for a presidential election some years past. Do you suppose they have just given up? Simply don’t care if people are here or not?”

“It makes me nervous to think this, but it looks like a ghost town. Did you notice the football fields behind the old high school? It looks like it’s not had a game in it for a decade. I don’t know if we could help them or simply start over after burning it to the ground. It might be cheaper.” He looked at Brenin, who rarely said much, and asked him what he thought.

“I’d be afraid that if they hear the word money or even dragons, they’ll suddenly start burning places down to start over. And we’d be taking the blame for it. I’m of the opinion that we let this one slide. It’s just too risky for us to step in and help them.” He agreed that Brenin might be right. He usually was, anyway. “Do you suppose that they have ever had a single visitor to this place? There wasn’t even a single pizza place and we all know that every small town in America has at least two of them. There isn’t even one of those ice cream places where kids hang out on Friday night. Nah, I think we should just stick to our schedule. Leave this one to die all on its own.”

They ate their dinner and went back to the bed and breakfast. He did wonder why someone would have one in the dead town but didn’t ask. The beds were comfortable and clean, and the showers seemed to have the comforts of home. They’d be driving again before the place opened up for breakfast in the morning, so he didn’t get a chance to ask the proprietor why things were so down.

It was nearly five when they got up the next morning. They had paid their bill the night before, so they didn’t feel bad about leaving before they ate in the kitchen with the owners. He’d bet his last nickel that it was the first time anyone stayed there in a long time. The couple seemed to be unsure as to what to do when they showed up. To help out, instead of sharing a room with each other, they each had their own room which he enjoyed too. It was nice not having to be crowded into a room with someone else for a change.

As the sun was coming up, they were nearly to their next destination. The town was barely bigger than the one they’d only just left but it had nice yards, a couple of churches as well as not just two pizza places but also a place called Dairy Twist. He was going to have a banana split when they were ready to move on, as well as a creamy chicken sandwich. His all-time favorite of sandwiches. Even if they didn’t stay here, he’d get his treats and enjoy them very much.

The meeting was set for noon, an odd time to meet with the mayor. When they entered his office, they were all impressed with the setup that greeted them. Not only were there bagels with butter and jams but there was a cooler, an actual cooler of sodas and water there for them as well.

“I’m sorry about the time. But it’s my birthday, and the office had me a nice breakfast this morning. I’m so full I’m about to pop.” He liked the mayor and thought perhaps they could get a good deal from him. “My wife looked you up, Mr. Savage and was told that you and your brothers—” He corrected him, telling him that they were cousins. “Oh yes. I knew that as well. Yes. But she said that you were wealthy and have been in the market for some time for a place to start your businesses. If you don’t mind me asking, why here? We barely have enough teachers to work at the schools. The last time the heat bill came for this building, we had to pay it over time. What I’m saying is, we have very little to offer men like yourself.”

“We just want a quiet place to live. And enough land that would be used for a plant like the one that we had where we came from. Businesses that will be able to hire people to work at it and make a good income. There will be perks, too. We’ll hire only locals or, if need be, as close to locals as we can get. A staff for our homes. We’ll be either building or buying, depending on what is available.” Mayor Glenning was nodding as he spoke and seemed to be excited about the prospects of them living there. “We all have different projects that will require a great many employees and land to fill out with factories and manufacturing plants, too. Not just for building a business but for working the lines that will be needed.”

“I say, that’s a good deal. I have to ask, why did you think it necessary that we know what it is you have planned? Why not just move in and do what you wanted anyway?” He told the man and he seemed confused. “Yes, well, we know what you are, gentlemen. I’m sure that in this day and age, there will be plenty of people coming into towns all over who aren’t fully what they seem. Why, I myself am a wolf. I knew that you were different, but not what you are. Being a dragon is something new to me, but not a deal breaker on if you wish to live here. I’m doubting that we’ll have any trouble with you and I know, other than a few people that live in town, you won’t have any trouble with us either.”

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