An Excerpt From: Dragon's Heart

© Copyright Patrice Michelle, 2003.

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave, Inc.

Chapter One

KERED: Why must you always arm yourself to the teeth?

Sydney could almost hear his chuckle as she read his note. She scooted her chair closer to her desk, typed in a message, and hit enter. The game’s standing music played in the background, waiting for them to get started. Its staccato cadence reminded her of Kered’s impatience. Did the gaming company do that on purpose?

SKYLAR: You can never have too many weapons.

She smiled and moved her mouse over a particularly menacing looking sword. Click. She was now the proud owner of an ancient ginblade.

KERED: **Sigh** Really, Sky, you’re spending all your money. If you listen to me, you’d last past the first two rounds. Kildred isn’t the most challenging level.

Sydney laughed at the tone of his message and just for spite added some spinning knai stars to her weapons’ arsenal. Click.

KERED: More! Should I go take a break and come back?

Sydney smirked and responded.

SKYLAR: Smart-ass. I’m done.

She grinned while Kered’s character took direct hits from the Red Dragon’s steel-spiked tail. His life force drained fast.

KERED: Some help would be nice!

She snickered and tapped out her response.

SKYLAR: Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to deplete my weapons too soon, since I rarely make it past round two.

KERED: SKY!!!

Sydney laughed. She clicked the mouse button and sent her weapons into the fray. The Red Dragon fell and the Black Dragon turned toward her character. She pulled closer to the keyboard, waiting. “Come and get me, big boy.”

KERED: Sky, hit ‘em with your best shot.

She waited like any good cop would do, drawing the bad guy in, waiting for the perfect opportunity.

KERED: Sky!

The dragon, almost upon her, pounded the ground with its tail. Sydney waited. Her shield’s power finally failed. “Take that.” She clicked the mouse button, retrieved her ginblade, and plunged it into the heinous creature’s belly. The dragon shreaked in pain before it fell over, dead.

KERED: Well, done! Hope you don’t take chances like that in the real world.

“You have no idea, Kered.” She chuckled and moved her fingers over the keys in response.

SKYLAR: **Laughing** That’s the great thing about video games. You can be as aggressive as you want to be. Well, gotta go. Have an early day tomorrow.

KERED: I thought you said you wanted to learn the game.

SKYLAR: I did. I do. I have learned so much, thanks to you.

KERED: That sounds like a permanent good-bye. Are you tired of playing, gorgeous?

Sydney hesitated a bit. She really liked Kered. He’d been nice enough to show her how to play Dragon’s Heart when she’d posted in the game’s online chat room two weeks ago. He might not be the board’s moderator, but he really seemed to know his stuff, answering questions people posted, making suggestions to help them improve their skills. That’s why she thought he’d be the best to teach her the game. Before she had a chance to respond, Kered typed in another note.

KERED: I’m tired of playing, too. I want to meet you. I like the Skylar I’ve gotten to know. I want to put a face with that competitive streak and fun sense of humor.

Sydney’s eyes widened. Talk about aggressive. Me too, she wanted to say. She was drawn to his obvious intelligence and quick wit. She tucked a strand of her shoulder length hair behind her ear. Hmm, wonder if he likes brunettes? She typed in a response.

SKYLAR: Much as I’d love to feed the fantasy, now isn’t a good time in my life.

KERED: Are you married?

SKYLAR: No.

KERED: A lesbian? Though there might be some fringe benefits to that scenario.

SKYLAR: **LOL!** No.

KERED: Um… You ARE over eighteen, right?

SKYLAR: **ROLLING IN LAUGHTER** Yes, I’m thirty.

KERED: See, perfect match. I’m thirty-three.

Sydney sighed. She wished she had the time to indulge, but her life would be really hectic in the next few weeks, maybe even months. Starting tomorrow, she’d be leading a double life with her new job. Uncovering her brother’s murderer came first and foremost. Too much personal sacrifice had gone into establishing her undercover status to jeopardize her situation with a personal relationship.

SKYLAR: Another time, another place. Signing off.

KERED: Wait!

Sydney closed the screen with regret. She had a feeling she and Kered would have gotten along famously in person.

* * * * *

“This will be your new home,” Elaine said as she preceded Sydney into the spacious office, flipping on the lights. Sydney took in her new digs. The smell of industrial strength lemons assailed her. The office sported the same color motif as the rest of Virtual Lexigen, Inc. A black and steel contemporary desk, credenza, and a small round meeting table, complete with a glass top, graced the room. Soft yellow and bold plum paint covered the walls and corner columns in alternating patterns. She knew the colors were meant to create a calm working environment, but Sydney felt anything but calm. Anger simmered just below the surface.

She walked to the window, noting the gorgeous view of Stone Mountain. Well, what she could see of it anyway. The sun hadn’t quite burned off the early morning fog. Only the top of the mountain pushed through the thick mist. She turned to her new boss and smiled. “Thanks so much for showing me around, Elaine.” When Elaine had introduced her to the Lexigen owners, Michael and Wolfgang, it was all she could do not grab the two men by their necks and bang their heads together. Instead, she dug her nails into her palms and gritted her teeth behind a friendly smile.

Elaine nodded and her short blonde hair bobbed as she glanced at her watch. “We have a staff meeting at three o’clock in the art design conference room. I’ll leave you to get settled in.”

Sydney set her briefcase on the desk and ran a hand across its cool surface before she turned back to the window. Well, I made it, Mark. It took two years of night classes to learn every single freakin’ piece of 3D software on the market, but I did it. Although her artistic ability gave her confidence, she yearned for Mark’s programming skills. But she would hop across that bridge when she got to it.

Her cell phone rang, interrupting her train of thought. Sydney reached for the slim flip phone in her briefcase.

“Hello?”

“Hey ya, Johnson.”

She glanced to the open door and turned back to the window, lowering her voice, “Hey, Mac. Long time no talk.” She pictured her old partner, kicked back in his squeaky chair, feet up on his paper littered desk, his favorite coffee mug in hand. “What’s the flavor of the day?”

Mac gave a hearty laugh. “You don’t forget a thing.” He lowered his voice. “It’s hazelnut.”

She chuckled. Every morning Mac stopped at his favorite gourmet coffee shop and camouflaged the flavored java in a plain mug. He knew better than to give the boys something to rib him about.

Mac continued, “I hadn’t heard from you in a while. Wanted to see what you’ve been up too since you left me high and dry. Solve any mysteries lately?”

She snorted. “You probably thanked your lucky stars the day I resigned. My PI business is doing well, thank you very much. The job allowed me enough flexibility during this last year to finish up my classes.” She paused. “I have a new job now.”

He sipped his coffee before he spoke. “Oh, really. Doing what?”

“You’re talking to Virtual Lexigen’s new Assistant Art Design Director.” Sydney held her breath and braced herself for the tirade.

“You’re what!”

A distinct squeak came across the line. She knew he’d jerked himself straight up in his chair. Sydney moved to shut her door and held the phone away from her ear while Mac shouted obscenities. Finally spent, he asked, “What’re you thinking?”

“I’m thinking the only way I can prove Mark didn’t commit suicide is to be on the inside.”

“Syd…” Mac started to say, keeping his tone calm, even though she knew better.

She interrupted before the lecture started. “Mac, the investigating unit had their chance to prove my brother was murdered. Instead…well, you know the outcome. Now Sydney’s on the job.”

“Syd, the evidence pointed to suicide.”

“What evidence? A hastily scrawled suicide note that had a drink spilled all over it, making it barely legible? Or the bullet in my brother’s head?” Her voice hitched on the last words. Her chest contracted and tears clouded her vision. She sniffed them back. It had been two years and she still got a lump in her throat.

“Sydney, I’m sorry.” He sighed. She imagined him running his fingers through his hair. He always did that when he got agitated. Mac had never been very good at emotional stuff. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

She smiled. “I know, Mac, I know.” A light knock sounded at her door. “I gotta go. Talk to you later.”

“Keep me informed,” he insisted.

“Bye, Mac.” She snapped the phone closed, pulled the door open, and the most devastating sight she’d seen in a long time greeted her—six feet two inches of prime male flesh filled her doorway. She clocked him at around thirty-two, give or take, certainly not more than a couple years older than her.

“Hello, neighbor.” The dark haired man extended his hand. “I’m Jake.” He grasped her hand firmly in his. “It’s Sydney, right?” At her nod, he smiled warmly. Perfect white teeth flashed. Vivid green eyes crinkled in the corners. “I just wanted to welcome you aboard.”

Her heart rate soared as he squeezed her hand and leaned in a little, whispering, “I think Elaine has been a little overwhelmed with the latest push for new products, so it’s a good thing you’re here.” His scent permeated her senses. He smelled good—like spicy soap, clean but decidedly all male.

“I heard that, Jake Taylor.” Elaine walked up with a good-natured smile on her face. “And if the VP of Marketing would stagger the proposed product launches, my life would be so much easier,” she finished with overt sweetness Sydney hadn’t seen before. It took her a second to realize that Jake was the VP Elaine meant.

Sydney looked at Jake in surprise. Why was he down there with them and not upstairs with the rest of the senior staff? “You just like hanging with the peons?

Jake grinned. “There was a leak above my desk, so I’m down here borrowing space until the roof and ceiling are repaired.”

“Oh.” Realizing Jake still held her hand, she pulled away from his warm grasp and faced Elaine. “Did you need me?”

Elaine’s gaze darted between them before she addressed her. “Yes, I wanted to take you around and introduce you to the members of your team.”

Sydney briefly returned her attention to Jake who stood with his hands in the pockets of his neatly pressed dress pants, a half smile on his face.

“Nice to meet you, Jake.”

“Welcome aboard, Sydney.” He smiled once more before he turned back to his office.

Elaine introduced her to a group of six young, enthusiastic men and women. After Elaine left, Sydney relaxed and hung around to get to know the crew.

After some get-to-know-you chitchat, one of her employees, a redhead named Tommy, said, “We’d like to take you out to lunch to welcome you to Lexigen.”

Making friends could go a long way in helping to discover what happened to her brother. “That’d be great,” Sydney replied with a smile before she made her way back to her office.

Settling in her chair, she booted up her computer and glanced at her watch. Eleven thirty. Until she received her passwords, she only had access to the Internet. Since her team wanted to leave early for lunch, she had a few minutes to kill.

Guilt weighed heavily on her for cutting Kered off so abruptly last night. She doubted he would be online, but decided to log on to the chat room anyway. If she logged in from home, she’d be tempted to talk longer. This way, her lunch appointment gave her an excuse to keep it short.

Her heart pounded when Kered’s message immediately popped up.

KERED: Fancy meeting you here.

SKYLAR: Can’t talk long. Just wanted to say I’m sorry for cutting you off.

KERED: Private chat.

Sydney looked up. Her desk faced the door, so nobody could see her monitor unless he or she walked around it and stood behind her.

SKYLAR: Okay.

She switched over to a private chat session with Kered.

KERED: I want to meet you, Sky.

Sydney shut her eyes for a moment. She knew this wasn’t a good idea.

SKYLAR: I told you, now isn’t a good time.

KERED: There’s something about you. I don’t know…a connection.

Sydney chuckled.

SKYLAR: It’s the computer’s modem cable.

KERED: Smartass. No, I’m serious.

SKYLAR: I like you, Kered. It’s been fun, but I have things I need to do right now, things that take priority.

KERED: Can we at least keep in touch via email?

Sydney sighed. She wanted to. She really did. But Kered struck her as the type of man that would eventually not take “no” for an answer. She knew she wouldn’t want to say no. And remaining focused was vitally important.

Tommy poked his head in her door. “Ready to go, Sydney?”

“Yeah, give me two minutes.”

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