by Aaron Crash
“Exactly,” Tessa said.
Bud glanced at Steven again. “You’ve been working out. Damn, I’m sorry. I never would’ve dicked with you if I would’ve known you’d try and get me killed.”
Steven shrugged. “Let’s call it even. So, tell us what you saw. Our friend is most likely up in that penthouse, and we have to rescue her.”
“You do know Aria, right?” Tessa asked.
Bud blinked in shock. “The foreign exchange student from India? Her?”
“Yeah,” Steven said. “She’s in trouble. We think she’s being held hostage up there. Did you see any sign of her?”
“No, not her.” Bud stood there for a minute, collecting himself. “So, the security guard in the lobby got all funny when I mentioned that name, Rhaegen Mulk. It was like a magic ticket. He walked me to the elevator, used a special key, and opened a hidden panel. Now, I was thinking this was all really cool, if a little strange. He hits a button, and I go straight up ...”
Bud went on to describe a short hallway that led to a set of huge wooden double doors. He didn’t need to knock. Three goons in black Kevlar flooded out, grabbed him, and socked him in the stomach and the face. They screamed questions at him—who was he, what was he doing there, how had he heard of Rhaegen Mulk. He kept telling them that Tessa was there, and he was there for the party. They laughed at that. Of course. Bunch of assholes.
Still, he managed to get a glance inside the penthouse, and it was swanky, expensive, but yeah, of course it was, with a view of the skyline and all. A whole panel of windows showing Denver’s lights. There was a woman in there, small, petite, and blonde. She simply smirked at him as if the whole world were some big, sick joke. She wore a slinky black dress. Hot—like knockout hot. Around her were men with assault rifles. And some guy in a purple silk suit.
At that point in the story, Bud grinned. “Yeah, seeing the woman and the guy surrounded by mercenaries felt off. Like those two were tougher than all those men with big guns. Something about them was just ... off. Weird, you know what I mean?” He paused, squinting. “Kinda the way you’re off, actually.”
Steven knew why Bud thought that. Two Dragonsouls, most likely—vassals to Mulk. Doubt gripped Steven. Could he take on other fully grown Dragonsouls? He felt powerful, but with dragons in the mix, as well as Edgar Vale, it felt daunting.
Tessa sighed. “But no sign of Aria.”
Bud shook his head. “Is she really up there?”
“We think so,” Steven answered.
Bud turned pensive. “We have to get her away from those people. We should call the police.”
“We think this Mulk guy owns the police,” Tessa said. “We’re going to have to rescue her ourselves, but this lot is on the lookout for us, which is why we recruited you.”
That made Bud laugh. “You two? No offense, but that is not going to happen. What have you been smoking, and can I have some?”
“Thanks for the intel, Bud,” Steven said. There was no way he was going to reveal his true self to this dipwad. “And we’re sorry for messing with you. It won’t happen again.”
Bud went and gripped Steven’s arm. “Look, whatever is between us, we can call it water under the bridge, okay. But please man, don’t do it. Don’t mess with those guys. They have guns, and they look like they know how to use them.” His voice dropped low. “Between you and me, they only let me go because I started to cry. Otherwise, I think they might’ve killed me. If you go in there to rescue Aria, they’ll definitely shoot you five ways from Sunday.”
“We can’t leave Aria. She’s with us now, like, we’re together. We love her, and she loves us,” Tessa said.
Bud quirked an eyebrow. “Like, love, like together, together?” His voice rose in a lilt.
Steven nodded and shook off Bud’s hand.
“Steven Whipp, damn, you’ve come a long way. I can’t believe it. Except I also can. You’ve changed, bro. You’ve changed like no one ever has.”
That was the understatement of the year.
Then Bud said the impossible. “If Aria is in trouble, I want to help more. Maybe I can be a distraction.”
“Really?” Both Tessa and Steven asked in complete surprise.
Bud turned pale and sweaty, but there was courage burning in his eyes. “Yeah, I’ve come this far. I have an idea. I go get pizza and take it up, like as an apology. No one is going to kill a dude bringing pizza.”
“That better be some tasty fucking pizza,” Tessa breathed.
While he listened to the exchange, Steven couldn’t help but wonder if this was how Dragonsoul Primes got vassals. Were people just drawn to him now? It made sense.
“No, I want to help,” Bud said, resolute. “I know an all-night place not too far away from here. Give me a few minutes.” He got out his phone and called an Uber. “I’ll be right back.” A few minutes later a Prius showed up, Bud got in, and the car drove off.
“We should talk him out of it,” Tessa said, watching the car zip around a corner.
Steven wasn’t so sure. If Bud could get the attention of the goons up in the penthouse, that might be the edge they needed. It was 5:20 p.m. They didn’t have much time. At least Edgar wouldn’t be there at 6. Or so they hoped.
But what if they got into the penthouse and Aria was gone?
Well, at least Steven would get more Animus from the battle. And it would draw Edgar back to his boss’s Aerie. Worst-case scenario? Mulk was there, and Steven would find himself fighting the Dragonsoul Prime himself.
Despite the wet chill, Steven shed his clothes. He then went Homo Draconis. He growled out the plan. “Bud keeps them busy by the door. And we go in through the window. But I’ll have to fly up there. Time to practice.”
Lucky the streets were empty. Steven easily transformed into his True Form. In a heartbeat, a thirty-foot dragon stood on Seventeenth Avenue in downtown Denver. He ran down the middle of the street, loping along like a wolf on the prowl. He raised his black wings and pumped them, acclimating to the new muscles in his shoulders, and then launched himself into the air. Lifting off was more effort than he’d imagined, but then he was off. Flying!
Then a wing dipped, and he came tumbling down onto the pavement, ass over teakettle. He thwapped his head on the road painfully.
Tessa’s laughter echoed off the surrounding buildings.
He got to his feet and turned to her, lips pulled back to show his formidable fangs, which were like chunks of black diamond. “Laugh it up, magic girl. But I better get this right since you’re going to be riding me.”
“Been there, done that,” Tessa quipped.
That made Steven chuckle. A car’s light flashed in the distance. Steven turned back into a very naked human and dashed to the side. The car drove past. Marijuana smoke fogged up the interior.
“Colorado.” Steven grinned. “Amiright?”
“Right you are,” Tessa agreed. “Now try it again, dragon boy.”
He shifted back into a dragon and went sprinting down the street once more. This time, he managed liftoff much quicker, but when he tried to climb he went careening to the right and hit a building—morphing into a Homo Draconis at the last minute so he’d cause less damage. To the building. Not to himself.
He landed on the ground, human butt first. “Any suggestions?” he asked, shaking his head.
Tessa made a face. “Uh, I’ve never flown before. But maybe it’s too hard to both take off and fly. Maybe if you jumped off something tall?”
“Damn. Are you trying to kill me?” Steven hated the idea. It would make the crash even more painful. However, it was difficult to get enough lift while trying to maneuver in the relatively narrow streets. “I’ll try it. But ... ouch,” he muttered, gaining his feet.
“You’ll be fine.” Tessa whipped out her phone. “Let me text Bud that we’ll be at the parking garage on Sherman Street. We can try it off the top of that. It’s only like five stories. You’ll be fine.”
“Says you.” Steven threw his clothes back o
n. Another quick change. How did Superman and Peter Parker do it?
Then they were running down the street to the parking garage. They found steps and started up.
A thought hit Steven. “If Bud sees me as a dragon, he’ll know my secret.”
“There are spells we can use. I’ve been studying.” Tessa gasped from the physical exertion of sprinting up the concrete stairwell. “No more talking. I’m so out of shape.”
At the top, they jogged to the edge of the parking structure. The street looked small from so far up. It felt like ten stories, even though Steven knew intellectually that Tessa was right, and it was only five.
Steven once again shed his clothes. “I’m gonna get those snap-away clothes for quick changes—the ones those male strippers use—’cause this sucks. Hard. I’m getting chafed.”
Tessa was bent over, hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. “That’s the least of your worries,” she panted. “I’d be more worried about going splat at this stage.”
Steven climbed up onto the concrete guard and stood there, swaying just a little. This was it. If he messed this up, he’d break a bone, or all his bones—assuming he didn’t just die outright—and then their plans wouldn’t mean squat. He threw his arms around himself, teeth chattering. It was so fucking cold! Still, he could feel himself sweating. This was crazy. He was trying to teach himself to fly. Still, there was no other way, and nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Before he could talk himself out of jumping, Steven dropped off the side. Stupid, there was no place for his wings. He was too close to the edge.
He assumed his partial form and kicked off the building, then turned into a dragon as he plummeted, the ground rushing toward him. His wings loved the feel of the whistling wind under him. He craned his neck, arched his back, and stretched out his wings, which allowed him to bank up—gliding more than flying. Damn! That was so much easier! He pumped his leathery wings a handful of times, gaining altitude, then wheeled around a corner and saw the pot-smokers in their car again. Good thing they were stoned, or they might’ve been surprised to see a dragon.
But his scales were midnight black, providing him natural camouflage in the night. He beat his wings again, harder this time, and rose higher. He was doing it! He was flying!
It was like a dream, where he could control every aspect of his flight. His wings now felt like an integral part of him, and he knew it was partly because of his heritage. The Drokharis weren’t normal Dragonsouls, he knew that. They were special, which meant he was too.
He soared up higher and higher, until he was coasting above the skyscrapers. Clouds swirled overhead, but there was little wind, and the snow had completely stopped. He wasn’t cold now, not a bit. He saw Tessa standing on the parking structure, next to his bundle of clothes.
Uh, he’d forgotten one little detail.
Landing.
He drifted down.
This was gonna hurt.
That was when Steven saw Bud holding the pizza boxes on the street. The guy’s mouth hung open in shock.
Well, there went the big secret thousands of Dragonsouls had kept for thousands of years.
Leave it to a butthole like Bud to blow the whistle.
Chapter Twenty-Six
STEVEN COULDN’T WORRY about Bud learning the truth. He had to focus. He didn’t like the idea of going directly from the sky and hitting the top of the parking garage at full speed. And he didn’t think he could poof his wings out like a parachute.
Then an idea hit him.
But it would give Bud an eye full.
Steven glided down the empty street, next to the parking garage, careful not to hit either side of the steel-and-glass canyon. He beat his wings once, which gave him enough lift to get to the top of the parking structure. He banked right.
He nearly took off Tessa’s head. She ducked as he came down onto the roof. It was only a six-foot drop, but he was going way too fast. His front feet hit, then his back, but then the weight of his tail flipped him over, and suddenly he was several tons of dragon rolling out of control across the top of the tower. The world became a blur. He ended up on his back, as a human, staring up at Tessa, who had her phone to her ear.
“No, Bud, I didn’t see a dragon. You feeling okay?” Tessa asked.
Steven stayed on the ground and wrapped his arms around himself. He hurt from the terrible landing, but he was still alive, and he hadn’t broken a bone. He had a handful of bruises and scrapes, but nothing that would keep him down for long. Besides, he hardly even noticed them because he was absolutely elated with the fact that he’d flown! Yes, he had everything to learn, taking off, landing, all that. But that first flight, beneath the clouds, above the city, the wind on his face and the breeze under his wings, holding him up, it had been magical.
He grinned.
Tessa frowned. “Bud, you shouldn’t go up there. It’s crazy. They might kill you.” A long pause. Then Tessa sighed. “And he hung up on me. Bud’s on his way up. He said he’d text me from the elevator. He totally saw you.”
“Yeah, that’s a problem.” Steven sat up with a wince.
“Well, that might not matter. If things go off the rails with the pizza, we might’ve seen the last of Bud.”
“I flew, Tessa,” Steven said softly. “My landing was terrible, but I think it might’ve been momentum and the weight. I’m going to try changing into Homo Draconis next time, and maybe try to bank it better so my speed is less.”
“Hopefully, we’ll have Aria with us and she can help you with all that madness,” Tessa said. “Otherwise, Bud’s sacrifice will be for nothing.”
Steven got to his feet and jogged over to the edge of the building again. “I think it will work better if you’re right on my back when we dive off. And we are going to have to dive. I was too close to the parking structure last time.”
Tessa let out a long breath, hands balled into fists, eyes pressed tightly closed. “I don’t know if I can do it. I’m not a fan of heights. And I hate flying on airplanes.” She opened her eyes, lips pressed into a thin cut. “Maybe you should go on without me.”
Steven didn’t say a word for a long time. He’d been so caught up in his plan, he never realized how crazy it was. And that there was a very real chance Tessa might get hurt. Or even die.
“You’re right,” he said. “I can’t ask you to go. And especially since I’m not a very good flier yet. I completely understand if you want to stay here.”
Tessa was quiet for a long beat, her face surging through a range of emotions—fear, worry, anxiety, disgust—before finally landing on determination. She slung her purse so it crisscrossed her chest. Then she rushed over to him and shoved him. “Never, Steven. I’m in this with you to the end. I’m going with you. You fight. I’ll find Aria. If we can get her into the action, they won’t stand a chance. And if shit goes sideways, I’m going to fucking cast a spell and fix it. Because I’m a Magician. Remember in the coffee shop, when we talked? We both knew we were special. Well, this is my chance to prove it. And I’m going to. Case closed.”
Steven drew her in and kissed her. And then he hopped up onto the edge. He put out a hand and drew Tessa up onto the concrete wall.
“I’m keeping my eyes on you, Steven,” Tessa said. “I’m not looking down.”
“Okay, we’re going to run to the end and we’re going to jump. I’ll turn into the dragon, and you’ll grab hold of me. Okay?”
“You have a cute butt,” Tessa teased in a breathless voice.
Steven rolled his eyes and grinned. “Let’s get through this and then you can look at it all you want. Now let’s do this thing.” Steven jogged with Tessa behind him, and then he launched himself off the top of the parking garage. He immediately started falling, but at the same time, he transformed into a dragon and spread his wings wide; he tried to give Tessa the biggest target possible.
The minute his wings caught the air, he rose, and Tessa slammed down onto his back with a whoof. She rode on hi
s right side, gripping one of the spines on his back. Her legs were near his right wing. She scrambled, pulling herself up, until her legs straddled him, her hands clasped around the spikes jutting up near his neck. Steven had never been more focused in his life. He couldn’t mess this up. He wouldn’t. He loved how Tessa felt on his back, her warm body, and he loved her trust in him. She was afraid of heights, and yet, here she was, riding on a dragon through the air.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this!” she screamed out. It was part terror and part happiness. Steven raised and lowered his wings and got a good bit of speed going.
He felt Tessa kiss his back. “And I love the way you smell!”
The wet stink of the city was eclipsed by his smoky orange blossom odor. Steven turned slightly, carefully, so Tessa wouldn’t be thrown off. He spiraled around the Wells Fargo building, rising higher and higher. The night would hide him, and yet he knew that the first order of business needed to be the hiding magic, which was part of the Magica Defensio spell family.
His ears twitched when her phone twittered. That would be Bud, in the elevator, hell’s own pizza delivery service. He circled one more time, gaining elevation. He leveled off and streaked toward the windows. He hoped he’d timed it right or Bud might find himself on the wrong end of a bullet enema.
Steven accessed the skill tree in his mind and focused his Animus on the DarkArmor ability. He thickened the scales on his tail until they were stronger than steel.
“Hold tight!” he roared to Tessa.
She dropped low, pressing her body into him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he banked his wings. He bashed his extra thick, extra heavy tail into the windows, shattering them. It was like the Incredible Hulk had come with an iron whip to break through the windows. Glass and metal rained down to the streets below.
Steven flapped away, spun, and then stormed in through the gash in the side of the building. His landing was going to be as terrible as it had been on the parking deck, but fuck it. He and Tessa couldn’t fight if they weren’t inside the penthouse.
She continued to grip him as he turned into his partial form. Then they were both rolling across the floor. He bounced through a glass coffee table, and it shattered into a million pieces. He was up in seconds.