by Aaron Crash
Magica Defensio
Magica Cura
Magica Impetim
<<<>>>
He so wanted to try True Form and become a full dragon, but he wasn’t sure he was ready for that yet. The combat skills were interesting. He’d managed to enhance his armor somehow, but if he could become stronger and faster, that would be useful. Checking out the wings of the skill tree, he recalled the ink tableaus and what they had shown him. The sorceress had used magic missiles to kill the two Dragonsouls who had been a part of the Drokharis clan. That had to be Magica Impetim—Attack Magic. And the Toxicity exhalant? That had helped kill his real father when the five other dragons had teamed up on him.
He thought about the shape-shifters that had been Rhaegen Mulk’s army as well as the numerous warriors he’d seen, strong and fast, skilled in a variety of weapons. And the sorcerers hadn’t seemed like Dragonsouls, so how did that work?
From another room, Tessa gave out a woot of triumph. “What has two thumbs and finds all of the secret passageways? This girl!”
Both of the women came out of a hallway covered in dust. “We found a way down to the fourteenth floor. What would you like to eat?” Aria was still naked.
Steven realized he was staring a bit too long and getting turned on. “I’ll eat literally anything.”
“No time for that, big boy,” Tessa teased. “I have plans on what we can get. And yes, Aria should put on some clothes. I’m getting a bit distracted myself.” She playfully smacked Aria on her bare butt.
Aria grabbed Tessa’s hand and pulled her into a kiss. Lust and hunger played around in Steven’s belly until hunger won out. “Guys, uh, stop that. I have to concentrate.”
Tessa cupped one of Aria’s little breasts. “Clearly, we’re not guys. But we’ll behave.”
Aria jogged forward and said to Tessa, “I’ll meet you in the fourteenth-floor suite. I’ll gather my clothes.” She hit the landing and transformed into her scarlet dragon form and flew off.
Tessa came and kissed Steven’s cheek. “See you soon, Steven. Study hard!” She then disappeared down the hallway to whatever kind of secret passageway she’d found.
Steven returned to the book and found the pages that had been blank now were filled with writing. The ink from the chest had done its job.
There were instructions on how to focus his mind to channel the Animus into his various abilities. It wasn’t just the words, it was the feel of the book in his hands, the smell of the dust in the pages, and the texture of the leather cover. The pain in his chest, that horrible heartburn, lessened, and he felt himself relax.
And that was the key: to relax the mind and to surrender to the thriving energy swirling inside him. He couldn’t fight the hot pain in his chest, but he could lean into it and accept it as a part of him. As he did, it was almost as if his cells melted into the inferno of power. Yes, he could see how he could change his shape now. He’d subconsciously been able to access Partial Transformation, Homo Draconis, and DarkArmor through urgent need and instinct, but now he could unlock new abilities by choice.
Spells were still beyond him, as were the Exhalants, but his body? That he had control over.
Now, when he imagined the skill tree, it was in complete focus, and he could decide on where to channel the Animus he’d collected. In some ways it was very much like playing a video game, just as he’d imagined all along. He gained Animus from battle and sex, but he also gained some sort of intangible experience which allowed him to “level up.” As he gained levels, the amount of Animus he could hold grew and grew, as did the raw force of his abilities.
True mastery over the energy, though, involved the application and focus of the power.
He decided to take his new abilities for a test drive, channeling his Animus into the DragonStrength ability. If he managed to unlock DragonStrength, it would permanently increase his strength in both human and dragon form. He put the book down, inhaled, closed his eyes, and focused his will. He was sitting on the couch, the outside doors to the landing platform were open, and a cool breeze blew in. He was glad he was alone in the Aerie, or Aria and Tessa might have distracted him. Yes, both of them were very distracting. Aria, with her long, lean body and small breasts and Tessa, with her curves and large chest.
He blinked. That wasn’t helping. Something else was wrong, though.
He checked the book. A sketch showed a man, Stefan Drokharis, sitting cross-legged, spine straight, chin lifted, his hands folded in his lap. No, not folded. The fingers of his left hand rested on his right palm. The thumbs weren’t touching, but they were only millimeters apart. The diagram was annotated, and it mentioned that his mouth should be slightly open, the jaws relaxed, and he should breathe in through his nose and out through his mouth.
Steven sat down on the floor, assuming the position, and immediately, the pain in his chest eased. It was like someone had reduced the heat on a gas barbeque. The flame flickered still, but it was far less intense. He envisioned his black dragon skill tree, fixing on the glowing orb labeled “DragonStrength.” The effects were immediate. A wave of weariness swept through him, like he’d been up for days and working hard. At the same time, his muscles thickened. His pants split, as did his shirt. It had been awkward, sitting upright with his legs crossed, but with the added strength, it was easy.
Dizziness spun through Steven’s head, and his stomach boiled with nausea. He slumped to the side, breathing hard, trying to get control of the vertigo. He reached out, and for a moment, he didn’t recognize the flexing muscle. Holy shit, that was his bicep. Excitement flooded through him, wiping away the queasy, light-headed sensations. He stood, and his pants fell off him in tatters.
No wonder Dragonsouls had to acquire Hoards; they had to keep replenishing their wardrobes with every change.
His shirt fell from his back. Standing in his straining underwear, he looked down at the hard ridges of his body, his six-pack, the swell of his quadriceps. He put a foot out behind him and cranked his head to admire his calves. He was well below ten percent body fat. More like two percent. He picked up the couch easily, and with a grunt, he hefted it over his head. Was this really his body? Sure seemed like it. An angry grumble exploded from his stomach. Yep, I’m your body and I need food, that grumble seemed to say.
He set the couch down and leafed through the book.
The sections on the Spells and Exhalants were still blank.
That made sense. He’d found the Gift of a Book and the Magic of Ink, but he still needed the Power of the Pen.
With perfect timing, Tessa and Aria bustled in through the secret passageway, chatting amiably. Steven grinned. His transformation had diminished his Animus, but he knew exactly how to replenish it. First, he’d take care of his hunger, and then he’d deal with his lust and build his Animus back up.
Suddenly, having an Escort of women made perfect sense.
He turned—
On the breeze came the strong scent of leather mixed with citrus, like someone had poured lemon juice on their old leather jacket. It was unmistakable.
Steven didn’t think anything of it, but it put a bad feeling in his stomach. He thought it was his stomach, howling with hunger.
It wasn’t.
Chapter Twenty
TESSA SHOWED STEVEN the secret passageway while he gnawed on a rib. They’d gotten BBQ, heavy on any vegetable they could find: greens, corn, okra, and a variety of carbs like sweet potatoes, doughy potato rolls, corn bread, and French fries. There was easily a hundred dollars in BBQ of all kinds. Aria carried an enormous box, and now Steven knew how. She had the strength skill from the tree.
Tessa had one of the jeweled daggers that were sprinkled liberally around the suite. On the wall was a bright metal plate in the shape of a starburst with a slit in the middle. Inserting the dagger into the slot and turning it opened the wall. Small circular steps led down to another sliding panel at the bottom. Another gold plate was on the wall to open that door.
Back i
n the main living room, Aria used another dagger to close the sliding doors to the landing platform. The golden starbursts on the wall looked like the Drokharis markers on his pendant map. Cool that he could see the similarities. More and more he was feeling like a true Dragonsoul.
Another dagger plate opened the wall to the right to reveal a dining area. It was like Hogwarts, with how easily the walls moved. It seemed they could magically reconfigure the suite to whatever shape they wanted. Steven, Tessa, and Aria sat down at a rough-hewn wooden table that could seat twelve easily. They clustered at one end, surrounded by a ton of food.
“Something is different about him,” Tessa said, eating cornbread slathered with butter and honey. “Is it his hair?”
Aria studied him, got up from her plate of ribs and vegetables, and felt his arm. She then caressed his face. “He’s using his Animus to progress along the skill tree.”
Steven nodded. “Yeah, Strength. The book is showing me how to harness the Animus. Once I get more, I want to see if I can achieve my True Form.”
Aria sat back down. “I think that is an excellent idea.”
Steven had lost count of the number of ribs he’d eaten. Several pigs’ worth, at least. He followed Tessa’s lead by combining cornbread and honey to make a delicious dessert. “So, Aria, where are you at in the skill tree?”
“I’m still learning,” she admitted with a shrug. “For a Dragonsoul, I’m young, only a few years older than you. We are similar there, though I’ve been able to achieve True Form since I was a child. As for spells and Exhalants, I’m still practicing.”
“How long do Dragonsouls live?” Tessa asked.
“No one knows,” Aria answered somberly. “Most die in battle. If we stopped fighting one another, we might be immortal. There are stories of ancient dragons who were around during the time of Hammurabi that have withdrawn from the constant war. If such Dragonsouls exist, they will want to remain hidden.”
Steven let that sink in. It was tragic, unnerving, but Aria had warned him days ago: if he accepted his life as a Dragonsoul it would mean endless warfare and struggle.
And yet, sitting there, feeling his strength, eating with two beautiful women, war seemed a small price to pay.
“Okay, next question,” Steven said. “With the ink tableaus, I saw what looked like werewolves. Were those Dragonsouls?”
“Morphlings,” Aria said. “Some humans have some Dragonsoul in them, half human, half dragon, and if they find a teacher, they can access some aspects of the Dragonsoul powers. For example, humans who can shape-shift we call Morphlings. Those that gain access to the combat skills are known as Warlings. We use the word Magician to describe humans who can cast spells.”
Tessa listened closely, not eating and not saying a word.
Steven frowned. “So Rhaegen Mulk has Morphlings, Warlings, and Magicians on his side, as well as other Dragonsouls.”
“Yes, he has many vassals in his command,” Aria whispered. Fear filled her eyes as she looked off into the distance. “And Mulk will not stop until you are dead. Then the women in your Escort will be forced to marry him.”
“That is so not happening,” Tessa said abruptly, throwing down a half-eaten piece of cornbread. “We aren’t just going to survive Mulk’s attacks. We are going to bring him down for what he did to all those people. And I have to say, if Dragonsoul Primes can force women to marry them, that shit needs to stop. Like yesterday.”
“Revolution,” Steven said softly, thinking of what his real father had said to him in his vision.
“Right fucking on.” Tessa stood and went to him. She kissed him hard, right on the mouth. Her mouth tasted like honey, and she smelled like a day of travel, and he loved every bit of it.
“I think it’s time to make some Animus,” she said.
He was strong enough to pick up Tessa, walker over, and lift Aria. He wasn’t just human strong, he was dragon strong now. He carried the women to the master bedroom suite and the canopied bed there. He flung off the thick, dusty, embroidered bedspread, and it sank to the ground. The sheets looked brand new and clean, and he laid the women down on the soft mattress.
Their eyes twinkled up at him. Both were smiling. And then Aria grew serious. “I want you, Steven. I want to join your Escort and live my life with you. You are good, strong, and brave. And if I am to die, I want to die a free soul—and I know you will give me that freedom.”
“No one is dying,” Steven said with a lopsided, cocksure grin. “And you both will always be free to do what you want.”
“I won’t be once we make love,” Aria murmured. Tears coursed down her face. “I’m afraid, but I want this.” She faltered. “I want you.”
Steven wasn’t sure what Aria was talking about. After they had sex, things wouldn’t change, but he figured he could talk with her afterwards. He stripped off his shirt.
“Damn, Hulk out much?” Tessa giggled. “Look at him, Aria. He’s beautiful.” She traced her nails over his abs. “Gorgeous.”
Aria’s face glowed. “It’s the power of him, the Animus. He’s chosen DragonStrength off the skill tree. And yes, he is gorgeous.”
Steven felt himself blush a little. He’d never had anyone look at him twice, and now he had two women drinking him in with their eyes. It was intoxicating. He felt a little drunk as he helped Tessa out of her jeans. She in turn slipped Aria’s dress over her head. They were all naked now, both of the women lying on their backs with their legs spread.
Steven went back and forth, kissing them, teasing them, tasting them, until first Tessa then Aria shuddered in ultimate bliss. Steven went to Tessa. He climbed onto the bed and between her legs, but Tessa stopped him.
“It should be Aria this time—it’s her first time with you, after all,” Tessa said. She kissed him softly and then turned to kiss Aria even more gently.
Steven moved over to Aria, admiring her long, slender brown body, her small breasts, and the little tuft of hair below her taut belly. He positioned himself to enter her, but before he did, he gazed into her bright green eyes. “Are you sure you want this?” he asked.
“Yes! More than anything!” the woman breathed.
And then Steven was inside her. The heat around him, the energy of her body, and the glow of the Animus passing between them almost pushed him over the edge. He scrambled to regain control. And then he was kissing her, moving slowly and steadily, enjoying the soft cries of her pleasure. Tessa caressed them both, kissed them both, until Steven lost control and let himself be consumed by the love and lust on that bed.
Afterwards, kissing Tessa brought new life to Steven’s libido, and they made love while Aria watched. Again, Tessa’s eyes radiated a bright brilliance as they shared Animus until both were sent spiraling into heaven.
“I want another turn,” Aria said with a warm smile. “Can you manage it?”
To his surprise, Steven could. “I guess the DragonStrength skill comes with other benefits.”
Hours passed, and the sun set. Eventually, the three found themselves sitting on the landing platform, wrapped in blankets, looking up at the stars above, the mountains in front of them, and the streaming glow of I-25 traffic below. The chill air felt good after their hours of sweat and heat. Again, Steven smelled the leather and citrus smell, but it soon faded into a damp scent of snow in the air. Spring in Colorado could be stupidly hot or wintery cold. You never knew.
“I bet it’s going to snow tomorrow,” Tessa remarked absently. “I love how the air smells. And I love snow. So win, win!”
Steven stood up and let the blanket drop. He was naked, but he was so comfortable with Tessa and Aria he didn’t care. “I want to try True Form,” he said. “After our, uh, marathon, I have a ton of Animus in me.”
Aria and Tessa moved back, giving him room, which was smart since he wasn’t sure how big he was going to get.
He envisioned the skill tree, focusing intently on True Form, and then felt the familiar itch of scales taking over his skin. He fing
ers became claws and a tail sprouted from his spine. He could easily achieve his Homo Draconis form, but now it was time to amp up the power and go full dragon. He concentrated. The burning in his chest exploded in new white-hot fury that felt like the birth of a star. He growled in pain but didn’t let go or lose focus. He’d grown bigger.
He towered over the women now, and the cold felt nice on his scales compared to the agony within. His back felt raw, wounded, but he ignored the hurt as he tried to push wings out of his shoulder blades. He grew another foot, focused, and the Animus welled up inside him. Light emanated from his skin and even from his talons.
Doubt filled him. What if someone saw the light show on the landing platform at the top of the tall hotel? What if he hurt himself trying to achieve True Form too soon? One wing emerged from his back, but it wasn’t formed well. The other remained tucked in the flesh of his back, refusing to come out.
He finally dropped to his hands and knees, reverting to his human form. He gasped. “Not yet. I couldn’t get there, not yet.”
Aria and Tessa came and knelt by him.
“It’s okay, Steven, it happens to all guys at some point,” Tessa joked.
Aria took up the joke. “Yes, performance issues aren’t anything new. You’ll get it up eventually.”
Steven rolled over onto his back, still sucking wind. “Funny, guys. At least I could perform in the bedroom. I came close to True Form, but I got worried about being seen. I lost focus.”
“Wise.” Aria nodded. “We have to keep ourselves secret. That should always be your main concern.”
Back in the bedroom, Steven found another starburst slot. With the twist of another jeweled dagger, the rock wall parted to reveal a balcony. He decided to keep the wall open, letting the cold air swirl around. He remembered how hot he’d gotten the night before.
He kept the fire going in the fireplace for Tessa, and all three climbed into the bed, under the sheets. Curled up in their arms, listening to the fire crack and pop, feeling the cool air and smelling the snow in the night, Steven found sleep easily. He’d never been so comfortable. Money would no longer be a problem. His mom could quit her job. He’d set her up in a nice neighborhood, maybe in Littleton, with a park close by.