A high-action paranormal romance with dragons, dangerous deals, and a monster hunter who’s done running. Book 6 in the Convergance Series—readable as a standalone.

I'd been running from monsters for so long, I'd forgotten what it was like to stand still.

Working as a nanny for a former dragon king isn't smart, but the pay is too good to refuse. All I have to do is survive three days before my charm wears off and the dragons turn on me.

Too bad it's suicidal to argue with a dragon...

But when my past catches up with me in the form of an armored monster I once commanded, I realize my greatest threat isn't what's hunting me—it's what I'll become when I stop running.

Monster Queen Alpha is a novella featuring a tough-as-nails southern elf with a traumatic past, a former dragon king with unexpected depth, and the monster she never thought she'd see again. Expect action, romance, and found family in this urban fantasy adventure set in a world where magic and technology collide.

No explicit content, standalone novella in the Convergence series. For fans of feel good, family friendly fantasy.

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With dark elves hunting her family, a former fighting pit monster seeking her out, and a dragon king offering protection with strings attached, Dixie Jones must decide whether to keep running or finally stand and fight—not just for herself, but for the makeshift family she never expected to find.

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Chapter 1

Hello, dragon

Dixie listened to her gas tank tick as she stood by the side of the road, waiting for the traffic on the one lane bridge to clear. The wooden bridge was hastily constructed post Convergence and in dire need of an upgrade. Traffic to the city had increased; the highway patrol was successfully keeping the monster population under control, but the department of transportation hadn't caught up. Cars were forced to take turns from each side, making morning traffic a nightmare.

She blew out a breath and looked away from the convoy of rusty old cars, horse drawn buggies and lone horsemen. She rode a motorcycle because gas was expensive and horses got eaten by monsters. It usually meant she could weave in and out of traffic jams, but there was no way around the stalled car clogging the bridge. All the cars had pulled to the side of the road to let a big 4x4 hook a tow strap to it.

She was stuck under the broiling sun with twenty-seven cars ahead of her. Her jeans and combat boots were good for preventing burns and road rash, but right now they stuck to her skin in a slick of sweat. That was okay; it matched the one gluing her t-shirt to her chest. She'd removed her helmet and armored motorcycle jacket, and flicked the tail of her light brown French braid off her shoulder. She'd tried wearing it short, but the stuff always got in her eyes, usually when there was killing to do. There was nothing worse than being blinded by your own hair when beheading a three headed snake.

Braids were easier, even if they exposed the tips of her pointed ears to sunburn. That sucked, but even trailer trash elves had healing, so she got by. Not enough to heal the scars that snaked over her forearms, neck and torso, but she'd learned not to mind. She was alive, wasn't she?

The shoulder holster made sweat collect under her shirt, so she shifted it to try and get some airflow. She'd never take it off; the other gun at her hip and the machete poking over her shoulder were necessary to a girl with her particular talents.

The tow strap broke, provoking a heated argument. Even with keen elf vision, she had to squint to make out what was happening. Someone finally produced a chain, and they hooked up again.

She decided to remain standing, fluff her butt a bit. Straddling a bike seat for hours at a time tended to numb it.

The river was wide and looked inviting, but she knew better than to dip her toes in unknown waters. This was a northern river, but who knew what kind of crazy fish had spawned? Since Earth and Gwsyllon, known in human mythology as "Underhill" had converged, magic and science had united, producing a generation as likely to see sea monsters and dragons as it was to own a cell phone and email account.

She wasn't too keen on dragons; seemed like another kind of monster to her, and she had enough monsters in her life.

They were pulling the dead car to the side of the road now. Looked like traffic might get moving shortly.

The river stirred. Her hand dropped to her gun as the ripple revealed a wide green back. What was the chance that was an elderly turtle, peacefully going about its business? Probably about the same as her getting a PhD in math or science.

The creature lifted its head and growled, the short tentacles around its eye ridges wiggling. It focused on the dead car, wet fish eyes the size of hubcaps sizing up the occupants.

Oh, crap, Dixie thought, and sprinted for the bridge.

Shozan was minding his own business when screams from the river caught his attention. Angling his leathery wings, he corrected course to investigate. Cars were fleeing the river, crashing and scraping each other in the frenzy. Others parked nearby as heavily armed motorists fired on a monster in the water. The bullets did little good, seeming to enrage it. The heavily armored beast lumbered for the bank, as big as a two story house.

There was a car dead at the water's edge, the parents frantically unbuckling screaming children from car seats. The man had one leg in a cast and the woman was heavily pregnant.

A young woman stood between them and the thing on the river. She had a gun in one hand, but it was pointed at the ground. Was she frozen with fear?

The monster in the water paused, its head swiveling to view her with widely spaced eyes. It seemed confused...and then it caught sight of the family fleeing the bridge. It lunged, strings of saliva flying from its immense mouth. It was a foot away from the family when Shozan struck, driving it into the gravel bar. Gravel exploded as the impact of their massive bodies shook the ground, and monster bones snapped. He could have flamed it, but the girl would have burned.

Despite the injuries, the monster tried to bite, tail lashing. With a dragon's full weight pinning it, it was hopeless. One snap of Shozan's massive jaws broke the monster's neck and a quick jerk ripped it half off. It convulsed, blood tinting the river as it died.

Shozan wasn't the type to play with his prey. Besides, he had a business appointment that afternoon and no time to waste; although it had been a fun diversion. He'd have to make sure he went hunting more often; it was such a wonderful stress release.

He looked for the girl and saw her scrambling up from the dust, eyes wide. Most likely she'd tripped over her own feet trying to flee.

Well, he was terrifying. He took stock of the situation, noting the twitchy-fingered gunmen. Bullets merely tickled, but it wasn't good for the human's state of mind if they started firing. "It's all right, the monster is dead. I've got it under control. Has anyone called highway patrol? Are there any injuries?"

It took a moment for the shocked motorists to respond, but Shozan's natural command soon brought results. Any injuries were minor. Also, since the road was now clear, it was an easy matter for people to start driving over the bridge, and they eagerly hurried on their way.

Shozan noted the bridge with disapproval; it was obviously past time for expansion. He would speak to those in charge, see that it was taken care of.

He found the girl swearing at her bike. He vaguely recalled seeing a jacked up truck crunch over it as the owner fled. The front end was totaled, both tires mashed. "Do you need a lift?"

She eyed him with open suspicion. "I'm good."

He rumbled in disapproval. "I'm Shozan," he said, leaving out the many honorifics. "Why didn't you run from the monster?"

She made a face. "Usually, monsters love me. I have a gift. Too bad water monsters don't seem to feel my charm."

"Do you have a job?"

She blinked. "I'm between jobs. Why?" Her drawl was deeply southern, smooth and feminine. She would be easy to listen to.

"What's your name?"

Her brow furrowed. "Dixie Jones. What's yours?" Scars snaked around her arms, neck and slid under her shirt. Faint lines showed around her nose and eye, as if something had bitten her. If so, the damage had been expertly repaired.

"If it's true you charm monsters, I have a job for you. I pay extremely well."

She surveyed him in disbelief. A towering, midnight blue dragon in his prime, he'd just killed an enormous river monster in front of her, and it had only taken seconds. "I'm having a hard time believing this."

He grinned, and she took a quick step back from his dagger teeth. "No offense intended."

His laughter boomed. He liked this girl. "I'll give you ten thousand dollars for three day's work. We'll negotiate a salary after that. This is a long term problem, but I see potential in you."

She studied him for a long moment. She'd heard of the Sky Lord, king of dragons. Dangerous, but definitely good for the money, she could do worse. Still... "Three days for something you could do yourself."

"I'm a busy dragon, Ms. Jones. You'll work with the team I've hired to take care of such things. This was fun, but my business affairs don't allow time for me to flit about, killing vermin. I have a company to run."

"Do you consider yourself a monster, Mr. Shozan?"

"Absolutely. I'm also a stickler for contracts, which I will require you to sign. Ten thousand dollars is a large retainer, even for a dragon."

Ten thousand dollars. He watched it sink in, the cautious excitement creep into her eyes. "A contract would be good, but..." The excitement dimmed. "I can only work for you for two days. I have...other commitments."

He frowned. "This could be a very lucrative opportunity for you, Miss Jones. If things work out, I could offer long term employment."

She grimaced. "I'm afraid I can't do more than two days at this time. Are you still interested?" She didn't look hopeful now.

He considered. He'd heard of Dixie Jones, wanted to see for himself what she was capable of. "It's a start, but of course I'll have to reduce the size of the retainer. Do we have a bargain?"

She smiled. "We do." She pried her saddlebags off her mangled bike, stuffing loose clothing back inside. One of the straps had broken, but she fixed it with a piece of duct tape. "I'm ready."

"Excellent. Shall I give you a ride to the city? We can be at my lawyer's office in minutes." He called ahead, left a message with the secretary to expect them. He'd feed her while they waited for his attorney to draw up a document, bind her to a contract…and then they would see if Miss Dixie Jones really could charm monsters.

Sand snapper

With a newly minted contract in her pocket and a fat bank account, Dixie was in an exceptionally good mood. She stood on the sands of the Quarry's arena and took stock.

The problem with merging mundane Earth and a magical world was, the magic was distributed unevenly. Sometimes, there were magic pools that expanded and spat out monsters, eating up real estate. To combat that, the city of Spokane contracted with mages to anchor the magic, preventing its spread. If the mage succeeded, they owned a nice chunk of land. All they had to do was survive…

The Quarry had originally been a gravel quarry, but the spreading magic had decimated the business, driving the original owners to bankruptcy. The dragons had seen an opportunity and sponsored a rock mage to come in and clean the place up, making it ripe for development.

Now it was the heart of a growing stone city, owned by corporate dragons and hosting sporting events featuring monsters, it seemed. High concrete walls topped with electrified fences ringed the pit, ensuring that anything dangerous stayed out of the stands. "So you bait monsters here?"

"No. We train monster hunters here. Our contractors hire out for security detail as well; we're a well-rounded company."

"So you have mercenaries?" She didn't care much for the breed, but she'd met one or two well-disciplined outfits in her time. Shozan struck her as a dragon who ran a tight ship.

"We do. I'll give you a tour of the facility later. Are you ready?"

She looked at the big steel doors at the end of the pit and felt a spurt of panic. "What? With you standing here?"

"I am a dragon," he said dryly.

"In human form," She scanned him, worried. Monsters liked her; they thought anyone with her was a snack.

It hadn't escaped her that Shozan was attractive, in the way of fit, dangerous and clever men. Taller than her, his eyes were dark blue, his hair black. Like all dragons in human form, his scales had become a band around his throat and the back of his hands, and his wings transformed into leather clothes. Black leather pants, polished boots and a short sleeved shirt of fine, glittering blue scales made him look polished, and he positively reeked of confidence.

He looked at the door, bored. "Proceed."

Dixie swallowed against a panic attack and drew her gun, released the safety and chambered a round. She debated offending her new boss and decided politeness was overrated. She still had nightmares about people being eaten on her watch. "Always ready," she murmured. "Please stay at my side where I can keep an eye on you. I hate it when people bleed on me."

"Of course." He smiled faintly.

The monster scuttled into the pit, an insect the size of a VW Bug. The bug was tan, armed with snapping mandibles, crushing claws and a scorpion's tail.

"Sand snapper," she identified it, pushing her mind into business mode. "It's nice to have a spear when killing them, but I once killed one with a broken shovel handle; there's all kinds of soft stuff if you get between the neck plates. Otherwise, I just shoot it in the head."

"What if your gun jams?"

"Machetes don't jam. There's a reason I carry a blade."

The bug scuttled right, edging closer to Shozan. She pointed the gun at it. "No."

It waved its claws in frustration, but seemed to realize she was serious. Resigned, it stopped moving, watching her with fascination. Bugs didn't show emotion in human terms, and she wasn't about to let it groom her. "I can kill it now. I could also send it away, but it will come right back."

"Fascinating. You say the effect wears off in three days? I wonder if the creatures develop immunity to your charm with prolonged exposure?"

Her face was grim. "Don't know about that. I've sent things away, avoided them for a couple of days, but on day three…" She gestured to the scars on her arms. "Not worth it. Better to kill them first." She raised her gun.

"Not this one. This is a training specimen. There's a monster truck demo here tonight and a dirt bike rally after that, but they'll deal with it in a couple of days."

She gave him an odd look. "Dirt bikes."

He smiled. "We like our entertainment, and it draws big crowds, which fund our building projects. Please send it back now."

She sighed and stared at the bug, willing it to go back through the doors. She kept her gaze on it as it reluctantly scuttled into the dimly lit tunnel, the doors sealing behind it. She relaxed when it was out of sight, thumbed the safety and holstered her gun.

"You'd think there would be a way to harness that ability," he said thoughtfully as they walked across the sand in the opposite direction. "Although that was impressive by any standard."

She grunted. "That was harnessed. You should have seen the mess it used to be. I had monsters following me around, snacking on animals, people. I learned to kill them fast."

"That must have been hard for you."

"Yeah, being a teenager sucks."

He laughed. "And how are you enjoying adulthood?"

She smiled slightly. "There are perks." They exited the arena and entered one of the towers; of course Shozan had a top floor. She looked approvingly at the fortified doors and listened attentively as he talked about security measures, unbreakable glass and tower guns. In addition to the large population of dragons, it was one of the best secured places she'd ever lived. "I'm impressed. I bet your Dragon Haven is pretty safe, too…for dragons, that is." The dragon capital was in the mountains and was supposed to be a sight to see.

His smile was wolfish. "Our guests, too. We enjoy hunting, and monsters make tasty snacks. When word spreads about your talent, you'll be very popular. You'll have to fend off drakes looking for a hunting partner."

She made a dismissive sound. "I like your elevator." It was nice to look through the glass front at the lobby, and she was pleased to see all the open, well-lit space; it was always good to see danger coming. The balconies on every level would be a good place to shoot from, very defensible.

"I'm glad you approve."

The elevator door opened on a wonderland. Dixie froze, astonished. Noticing that Shozan was holding the elevator for her, she stepped out in a daze. Stained glass and tall red and gold pillars made the room seem like a cathedral. Everything else was white and gray marble, the windows the only ornamentation. "It's beautiful."

He watched her with quiet pleasure and let her look her fill before guiding her to a door in the side of the hall. "Welcome to my home," he said, holding the door open for her.

The interior was restful. His couches were brown leather, the colors masculine and sedated. The floor was tile, as were the backsplashes in the modern kitchen. A woven wool rug defined the living room seating area, and a coffee table made of reclaimed wood held a neat stack of books and a laptop computer. A flat screen TV was mounted on the wall over the gas fireplace, which was flanked by wooden panels that might conceal recessed bookshelves.

Like most bachelors, there weren't any feminine touches and no clutter. Feeling a touch nervous, aware that they were alone, she wandered over to the balcony windows to take in the incredible view.

The panorama stole her breath. From this height, the Quarry spread out like a living map. The tall stone towers gleamed in the late afternoon sun, their shadows stretching across the wide, clean streets. Beyond the developed area lay the arena, its sand pit a perfect circle against the darker earth. Further still, she could see the outer perimeter where construction teams were extending the defenses—a strange melding of modern technology and ancient magic that defined this post-Convergence world.

To the east, a river wound its way through a swath of dense forest, silver against emerald. To the west, mountains rose in jagged silhouette against the sky, their peaks dusted with snow even in this season. The northern horizon was dominated by what looked like a massive construction project—probably more of the Quarry expanding.

Most striking of all was the sky itself. Since the Convergence, the heavens sometimes shifted in ways that defied explanation. Today, ribbons of aurora danced across the blue, though it was full daylight. Dixie had heard scientists argue about whether it was atmospheric disturbance or visible magic, but whatever caused it, the effect was stunning.

"You have a really nice home," she said, understatement of the year.

"Thank you. Would you care for ice tea? Water, juice?"

"Water would be nice, thanks." It would give her something to do with her hands.

In the elevator, she'd been surrounded by heady dragon musk, and it was all she could do to act casual. The man was her boss and a dragon, and she wasn't sure if that made him a monster or not; for all she knew she'd have to flee for her life in a couple of days.

Totally worth it, but she kept her eyes open for exit routes, just in case.

"Do you have family, Miss Jones?" Shozan handed her a glass of ice water and gestured to the couch.

She took a seat and carefully set the water on a wooden coaster. "Lots. Don't know most of them, but there's my younger brother and sister, plus Mama."

"Do you like children?"

"Sure. Who doesn't?"

He looked pleased and gestured for her to follow him. "I have someone for you to meet."

The living room and kitchen were in one open room, and he led her past that to a room with a soft throw rug and two cribs. A dragon woman looked up from her magazine and smiled. "My Lord. You're just in time; they're waking up."

"Thank you, Kia. Please warm the bottles, and that will be all for today." Shozan picked up one of the babies from the crib, humming when the little one smiled. "Dixie, allow me to introduce Malcolm and Zanith, my adopted sons. We call them Mac and Z."

Charmed, Dixie looked at the little bundle in his arms. "What a pretty baby. May I hold him?" she asked softly.

Shozan carefully settled the baby in her arms, but he didn't have to show her how to support his head. She'd taken care of her little brother often enough, it was second nature.

The baby yawned and blinked sleepy blue eyes. That fast, she was a goner. "Aren't you precious?" she cooed. The tiny silver scales on his neck and the back of his hands were different, but not so alien that it bothered her.

"That's Mac," Shozan said, his voice deeply pleased. He gathered up the other baby. "Why don't we take them to the living room? They're going to want their bottles shortly."

Sure enough, the baby was beginning to cry by the time she settled on the couch, snuggled into the pillows so she could feed him. "It's so rare I get to hold a baby. I forgot how relaxing they are."

He chuckled, a baby in his own arms. "I've heard them called many things, but rarely are twin boys 'relaxing'."

She waved that away. "You know what I mean. There's nothing more soothing in all the world than rockin' a baby to sleep."

"I'm glad to hear you say that, since these are the little monsters I hired you for."

Dixie froze. "What?"

"They need looking after, protecting. Who better than a woman like you?"

"A woman like…do you know what I do for a living?" She would have gotten up, but the baby needed her. "I kill monsters!"

"Exactly. When I saw you standing between the monster on the bridge and those children, I knew you'd make an excellent guardian."

Her mouth dropped. "That was totally different!" She lowered her voice when the baby began to fuss. "Shh, darlin'. It's okay." She glared at Shozan, but kept her voice down. "You already have a nanny."

"Today was her last day. She’s going on vacation."

Her eyes narrowed. "Do you want them to die? The monsters will have them for breakfast. I have to sleep some time."

"Your monsters don't have the ability to teleport through solid walls. I'll be here, and they have other bodyguards. You'll all be safe."

She looked at him sharply. "All of us? Are you trying to save me?"

"I've hired you to do a job, Miss Jones. Are you saying that you can't do two days of work? You've already signed a contract."

There were a lot of things she could say to that, but he had a point. "Fine, but why are you doing this? Anyone can watch a baby."

"True, but few people can stop a monster in its tracks, and it's the rare soul who will stand between strangers and a hungry monster. No one paid you to do that. You have a bodyguard's instincts and you like children, so why not get paid what you're worth?"

Dixie scowled, but couldn't hold the expression when she looked at the baby. He was done with the bottle, so she grabbed a burp rag and put him over the shoulder that didn't have a machete handle poking over the top. It provided an excellent opportunity to pace. "I really don't get you. You realize the babies will hate me after three days, too?" Wouldn't that suck.

"If we were monsters."

"So now you're not? Because you said you were. What if you wake up enraged and decide to try to kill me on the third day?" She could imagine a smart dragon tracking her with human tools, maybe putting a bounty out on her. It wouldn't be pretty.

He tilted his head. "A valid point. That's why I've decided to wait until tomorrow to introduce you to my son. If I do attempt to devour you, you can hide behind him. He'll have plenty of backup." He paused, watching her closely. "You can use the time to get to know the hatchlings."

She blasted him with her eyes. "So you're happy to wait and see?" It was depressing, thinking of babies hating her. It would definitely be a low point in her life.

"I'm reasonably confident we'll get on fine, but precautions have been taken if not. Why don't you simply relax and enjoy the moment? You're safe, comfortable and have a baby to cuddle. I'm planning to have dinner delivered and we have a wide selection of TV and video options." He picked up a remote and pointed it at the wooden panels beside the fireplace. They slid aside, revealing shelves of DVDs and a large collection of video games, complete with the latest gaming equipment.

Frustrated as she was, she couldn't ignore the lure of the shiny game console. It was rare she had the chance to play, but she loved them like a dragon loved firethorn tea. "You have FALCON 5!" Somehow, she hadn't pictured a dragon liking video games. "What's your online handle?"

"GamerKingZ."

Her jaw dropped. "You're kidding! I played with you on your last op. I'm MonsterQueenAlpha." Strange coincidence, but life was funny like that.

He laughed. "See? It's fate. I bet you love Star Wars and Pacific Rim, too."

She wanted to hold onto her bad mood, but video games were her kryptonite. Life had taught her to live in the moment, so she gave into her inner geek.

Besides, if she acted like she was going along with him, it would be easier to outfox him. Even a dragon could be lulled into complacency, and friendly people were perceived as less threatening. Playing along would make it easier to bolt if necessary. "Who doesn't love giant robots squishing monsters? And the latest Godzilla was awesome."

"I don't know. Speaking as a giant lizard, I had some issues with it."

She laughed. He was handsome, he had babies and he spoke geek. If she weren't careful, she'd be in real trouble.

Good thing she knew better than to trust a monster.