Author:
Cindy Spencer Pape firmly believes in happily-ever-after and brings that to her writing. A multiple award-winning author, she has published almost sixty novels and stories. When not hard at work writing, she can be found restoring her 1870 house, dressing up for steampunk parties and Renaissance fairs, or with her nose buried in a book. Visit her website: www.cindyspencerpape.com.

Computer science professor Eric Gordon has to find the hacker responsible for a virus on campus. When his investigations show some sort of reptile may be living in the steam tunnels under campus, he turns to biology professor Lori Tremain for help. 

Lori’s life is crazy with her tenure review looming, but she’s too curious and way too attracted to turn down Eric’s request.  Together, Lori and Eric uncover things that their scientific minds can barely imagine, along with a passion they never expected.  She doesn’t have time for love or dragons, but adventure and romance find her anyway.

Dragon in the System

The dragon shared a look of masculine tolerance with Eric while Lori looked sadly at the scar on the dragon's scales. Apparently even male dragons understood softhearted females, Eric thought. He wrapped an arm casually about Lori's waist and settled back against the cool limestone wall of the cave to listen.


"The storm, which I still believe was magical in origin," the dragon remarked, "tossed me in great circles above the Atlantic Ocean for hours, perhaps days. At some point, I lost consciousness and glided, unaware, on the air currents provided by the storm. When I finally awoke, I flew on for a while, attempting to get my bearings. When I saw these hills, so familiar yet so different, I began to realize that I was, indeed, a long way from home."


The great golden eyes were clouded, with memory or sadness, Eric wasn't sure.


Chapter 33