Page 9 of The Dragon and Her Thief
She opened one door and slipped inside. There was a wide, winding staircase with lit scones on the stone walls.
“Wow.” She immediately felt as if she were being transported back in time as she began her descent to the lower level. There was a slight chill in the air that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.
Arriving at the lower level, she found herself in a foyer of sorts, with a slate tiled floor that was more modern than she expected. She crept forward and took in the room off to the side. There was a small fireplace that was empty and dark. A thick cream shag rug was placed in front of the hearth. The room looked as if it were a small library. Shelves filled with old books lined the walls. The medieval architecture showed off the spectacular woodwork. She breathed in the smell of books and sighed, and her eyes landed on a large chaise built into the wall.
Backing away, she turned, and her target came into view.
The vault.
“Wait a minute.” She strode over to it, fear mounting in her chest. This wasn’t an old vault hundreds of years old. “Dammit.”
The door was enforced steel, with an elaborate electronic keypad that was far beyond her means of getting into as a petty thief. The panel on the wall next to the door looked like something out of the movies. The little tools in her bag wouldn’t even put a small dent in the steel.
What did you really think? The dragon would remain back in the olden days?
Kelsey’s shoulders slumped. It didn’t look as if she was breaking into a vault and retrieving anything tonight. She was going to have to come up with another plan.
“Fuck.” She didn’t like the feeling of defeat. She gripped the handles of her bag and went back into the library. Her eyes swept the area again before she continued into the room.
The shelves of books were interesting. Some appeared to be hundreds of years old. Seeing how the dragon shifter was just as old, it made sense.
Kelsey continued strolling along. This room was fascinating. There were some artifacts that should’ve been in museums. Kelsey was no expert, but the items looked as if they would be worth a shit ton of money.
One item in particular caught her attention. Sitting on a stand, covered in a black velvet material, was a medallion made of red ruby.
“It can’t be,” she whispered. Her pulse pounded at the sight of the beautiful piece of jewelry. It was just as her mother had described. “Unbelievable.”
This was truly too easy.
It had to mean she was meant to reclaim this for her family.
She reached for it.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a husky voice called out from behind her.
Kelsey paused, the sound of the woman’s voice washing over her. A tingling sensation rippled through her body. The sound of her roaring blood filled her ears. Kelsey jerked her arm back.
What the hell was she going to do?
“Put your hands up where I can see them,” the woman commanded.
This must be security. She should’ve just left the moment she saw the vault was too complicated, but her curiosity got the better of her.
“I haven’t taken anything,” Kelsey said. Hopefully, this would make things go easier. She could possibly talk the woman into letting her go. She raised her empty hands in the air.
“Turn around. Slowly.”
Swallowing hard, Kelsey did as she was ordered. Her gaze landed on the owner of the voice and her eyes widened.
Mythia.
If she was standing here, then who was the dragon who flew off earlier? Mythia’s amber eyes glowed, the light from the scones shining off her warm brown skin. Her body was covered in leather, as if she were poured into it. Her feet were encased in heels, and her long dark hair flowed around her shoulders.
She narrowed her eyes on Kelsey.
Instantly, Kelsey knew she was in trouble.
Her breaths were starting to come fast, and her core pulsed. There was something about this woman. She was unsure as to why she was reacting the way she was.
