The Dragon’s Gift

by Chase, Anastasia

  Jen remained like that for a few minutes, her hands around her neck, to ensure that she was truly dead. That this wasn’t some trick to get her to drop her defenses. And when she was sure the other grew cold beneath her touch, she finally let go and stood up.

  She couldn’t help but wonder if Wendy would have done the same for her. If she would have taken it upon herself to enact revenge. If she would have stood up to them to save Jen from their clutches. She wanted to believe so, to think that Wendy had given up on that grudge a long time ago. But truly, she would never know.

  An icy cold lump settled in the middle of her chest as she shifted back once more. Staring down at the woman, she looked so small. So insignificant.

  To think that such a little thing made of flesh and bone had been responsible for this mess. Responsible for the death of people who people cared about. The woman was gone but that wouldn’t bring the others back. Sore and tired, Jen took to the air once more.

  The morning sun felt warm on her scales and instilled the sense of peace she needed for the moment. Coasting back, she marveled at just how much destruction they had caused.

  Trees were crushed and broken in half, flattened like simple blades of grass. Long deep trenches had been dug into the ground, and blackened spots of soot stained the soil from their fires.

  She was still coming to terms with all the power she truly wielded. Her tired mind could only take so much before she had to block out the rest.

  Jen caught sight of her reflection in a nearby lake and now understood why Dominic had marveled at her so much after her first shift. Her scales were of a pure white, dotted with freckles of purple across her back. The leather of her wings were a pale sky-blue, and her horns were more impressive than what she had felt of them. One was stained with blood, and there were bruises on some parts of her body. Still, her appearance was quite impressive.

  She soon found the clearing once more where she had left them. Dominic hadn’t moved an inch since he had given his orders, remaining by his father’s side until her return. Why, she didn’t know.

  She thought it would have been more important to inform the people of the city so that preparations could be made. But it wasn’t any of her business; she was just here for support.

  Jen towered over the small forms of Dominic and his father. As she landed on the ground, she shifted behind Dominic and went to rest her chin gently on his shoulder.

  “Dom. I’m so sorry. If I hadn’t...” Big fat tears rolled down her cheeks and cooled the skin of Dominic’s back. It was a soothing gesture, both physically and emotionally.

  He only shook his head and knelt before the king. He rolled him onto his back and folded his hands over his chest. His discarded and crumpled crown sat to one side in the dirt. Dominic didn’t dare to pick it up. It just wouldn’t feel right. Not yet.

  They sat like that for a while, even as the pale sun rose higher and higher into the sky and the birds in the trees started to sing their morning songs.

  It was almost peaceful, almost like that of a fairytale as the sun’s rays finally fell upon the king’s dead form.

  Jen’s entire body ached.

  “Should I go get someone? Do you want some time alone? I don’t know what to–”

  Dominic raised his hand and she went silent. He shook his head, lowered it.

  “He told me to be strong, but I don’t know how to do that. He never showed me.”

  Jen threw her arms around his shoulders and pulled his cold body against hers, burying his head against her neck for comfort.

  He was taken by surprise until his arms slowly looped around her waist, their bodies falling into the comfortable curves and dips of the other that made them fit together so perfectly.

  “You are,” she whispered despite her shaking. “You are stronger than you think. You just haven’t seen it yet.”

  Dominic took comfort in those words, though a small part of him didn’t believe them. It was hard enough to think he was worthy of anything, let alone praise, from his father’s constant mistreatment of him.

  “Tough love” everyone else called it. Dominic only considered it pure disappointment.

  Jen allowed him his mourning and finally convinced him to head back, glad that this was all over. What lay ahead of them, she didn’t know.

  All she knew was that she had done what she could to make his life better. Easier. There would be no regret or danger from that horrible woman in the future. The memory of her crushed windpipe made her sick, the feel of her entire body going limp. Jen swallowed hard against the bile in her throat and quickly swept the memory away. It would be her secret to keep.

  Chapter 17

  Ever since that day, things became both easier and complicated for the two. The old king’s funeral procession and burial were events for the history books.

  People wept for his death and cheered in celebration of his father’s efforts. Colorful wild birds and their songs filled the sky, and flower petals were strewn all around to add color to the city.

  All of it brought a tear even to Jen’s eye, despite her not being close with Dominic’s father.

  She remained by his side during his mourning process too, holding his hand and providing the much-needed shoulder to cry on during those nights when the work all became too much.

  It was her support that kept him on his feet, and what had made him fall in love with her even more. He didn’t know what he would have done without her at his side.

  Then came the coronation. It felt unfair for him to take his father’s place but Jen continued to reassure him it was what was best. The people needed someone, and it might as well be him.

  There were other choices, better choices, he was convinced. But no one stepped up to claim his place. They accepted him.

  Or they had some reason to fear him.

  He heard the inkling of a rumor about what happened to Daji. How someone found her body in the middle of the forest with her windpipe crushed.

  No one had seen a thing, nor was there any evidence to point at a culprit. But Dominic knew in his heart of hearts who was responsible. The very woman who had become his wife.

  After the events of that day, the way they walked back to the city, Jen had had a new sense of confidence within her, walked without a care or concern. She never raised a question about Daji again; which meant she had no fear about her return. And that could only amount to one thing.

  Every time he looked at her smiling face, he knew there was a fierce woman underneath who would do anything to protect him, to keep his best interests at heart, even if her actions went against his wishes.

  Epilogue

  Dominic was crowned the new king. Life went back to almost normal. His duties were just as stressful, but also had a relaxed feeling to them without being under his father.

  His wife continued to flourish in their home. Even years later, he still smiled when he remembered this soft, curvy woman by his side was a killer. She had killed for him.

  His wife, the one who gave birth to their first son, and amazing mother, currently pregnant with their second and third: twins. Twins. He wondered if this was an omen of some kind. Twins had been killed so that twins could be born.

  He shook his head. He didn’t want to think about it.

  “Hector, stop that!” came a yell from the other room.

  The child’s giggle echoed around the home as Jen gave chase. As well as she could, anyway. Her five-month-old belly was already getting in the way, forcing her to waddle instead of run, when she chased her son around the dining room table.

  As much as she enjoyed this game, she was becoming more and more winded, unable to maintain this makeshift game of theirs.

  “Dom, would you please talk to your son and tell him why he has to finish his plate?” she bellowed across the room.

  Dominic was dealing with some affairs of the city, making new laws and eradicating old ones. It had become a self-appointed duty once he had been crowned the new king four years ago. He ha
d wanted to make a change, but not like this. Not without his father at his side.

  “Hector, please listen to your mother.”

  With a pout, the little boy came running into Dominic’s office and crashed against his leg.

  “That stuff is yucky!”

  “Yes it is, but you have to eat it if you want to be big and strong.”

  “Being big and strong is dumb. Bullies at pre-school are big and dumb and I don’t like them.” Hector buried his face against his father’s pant leg. The boy had always been shy, never really one to stand up for himself. He much preferred hanging behind the skirt of his mother and receiving all of her affections instead.

  “Bullies? What bullies?”

  “Ones who keep telling me I was a monster because mommy isn’t one of us. She came from a far land, so that makes her an alien. I’m half-alien?”

  Dominic’s mouth twisted to one side as he tugged on the end of his short ponytail.

  “Even if she came from a different planet, that doesn’t make her any less than one of us. She can turn into a dragon, right?”

  “Right.”

  “She can fly, spit fire, and her eyes glow, right?”

  “Right.”

  “That means she is just like us. Those bullies don’t know what they are talking about.” Dominic smiled as he pulled his son up and onto his bouncing leg.

  But the pulse of his heartbeat raced. Bullies. He was getting so sick of their existence, no matter where he went.

  His son wanted to know what he was working on, what all the words meant. Even though he knew Hector couldn’t understand it all, he explained anyway.

  Soon enough, within the blink of an eye, he would be taking Dominic’s place once he became too old.

  It was a good enough distraction until he heard Jen yelling for their son again. The forgotten meal was still on the table.

  “Go out there and listen to your mother, okay? You don’t want to make her and your siblings upset.”

  Hector pouted; that was one thing they could always guilt him with. Ever since Jen had become pregnant again, the little boy doted on taking care of his mother as best as his almost four-year-old hands could do.

  “Okay,” he complied unwillingly and toddled back into the kitchen. Dominic heard the clatter of utensils against the plate and chuckled to himself at the expression his son would be pulling as he finished the rest of his meal.

  The sound of running water and dishes being washed followed after, as well as quiet conversation between mother and son. It was perfect. Almost perfect.

  He just needed to get through the rest of this paperwork to get the everything rolling. The city would change for good, be better. No more stealing of women from other planets, no more forcing them to adhere to the rules of their planet. And no more in-fighting between clans.

  His title as king would only be representative of their culture, a remnant of how things were. Ruling this place would fall to several heads now instead of just one.

  “You missed dinner,” a voice suddenly whispered behind him before he felt a kiss on his cheek. He looked up to find that the sun had already gone and he’d been sitting in darkness for a while now.

  “Hector?” he idly inquired, lowering his head once more to go back to work.

  “In bed.”

  “Did you eat?”

  “Without you?” Jen wrapped her arms around his shoulders and placed another kiss on his cheek. She peered over his shoulder to see what he was working on.

  “I’m not the pregnant one,” he reminded her.

  “And I’m not the one making all these changes for the betterment of the city’s people. What’s your point?”

  Dominic huffed and shrank the holo-screen before him, tossing his digipen to one side. He got the feeling she wasn’t going to stop interrupting him like this until he got up and had dinner with her. Probably for the best anyway. His mind was starting to feel numb.

  They slid their arms around each other as they wandered to the dining room. Two plates still sat there, filled with food. It was all probably cold by now.

  A wave of Jen’s fingers, however, and steam soon started to rise from the meals. She had learned so much. Dominic was impressed with her progress.

  “Samantha and the others have been begging me to tell them the names we picked.” Jen took a seat and pulled the chair closer.

  “You mean the names we haven’t picked out yet?” That had been a note of contention with the council too, especially for those who were still stuck in the old ways. What did it matter what names his children had?

  “You know I couldn’t tell them that.” She hungrily bit into a piece of meat and then let it fall to the plate, a look of disgust on her face. Pregnancy was making food taste weird.

  “We should probably be thinking about names anyway. We wait any longer and they’re going to be here. That’s not something I want to wait for until the last minute.”

  She was right, he knew.

  “If it is two girls, how about Jessamine and Hyacinth?”

  Jen looked at him with a wrinkled nose.

  “I’m not giving birth to grandmothers. Those names are way too old. What was your mother’s name?”

  “Jessamine,” he replied around a mouth full of food. Jen turned beet red.

  After dinner, they retired to the garden to stretch her feet and get a little walk in. The twin moons rose as they always did and greeted her as she strode on the dewy grass with bare feet. Tiny glowing flies zipped around her and the flowers, which were now in full bloom.

  Dominic strayed behind to watch her. This wasn’t the first in a long time they’d taken this walk; in fact, they took this walk every night, yet it felt like the first time every time.

  The glow of pregnancy on her face, her light waddle... It was hard not to stand back and just stare.

  So that’s just what he did.

  Until he was caught, of course. Jen pretended as if she couldn’t see what he was up to each night, pretended as if she was alone out here so he could enjoy his moments watching her.

  “You’re staring, love.” She wandered to the edge of the grass and rested a hand on her belly.

  “Can you blame me?”

  Jen only smiled. She stared up into the night sky, wondering which one of those stars was Earth. What it was like there now if it remained how she had left or if it had started to heal. Not that it would make a difference now, there was no place for her there.

  “I could, but it wouldn’t change anything.” She held out an arm for him and he ventured close.

  “It’s nice to finally see you being happy for once. Truly happy.” Dominic leaned over and kissed her deeply, his hand finding hers on her belly. They hummed against each other in the kiss until Dominic broke away with a surprised sound in his throat.

  “I think one of them just kicked.”

  “You’re telling me, I had to feel it from the inside. Definitely have your strength, that’s for sure.”

  “Both our strengths.” He kissed her again. “Give yourself some credit.”

  She had grown into a beautiful, strong lovely woman. A woman he was proud to call his wife.

  “What about Wendy for one of the girls, and Dennis for a boy?” Jen interrupted wistfully. She didn’t know why she hadn’t considered those names sooner, but it only felt right to name them after those who’d been dear to her once.

  “Perfect. I love them.” Dominic kissed her on the head once more before sweeping her up into his arms and carrying her past the edge of the grass and down the crest of the hill. “Let’s take them on their first flight, shall we?”

  Also by Seth Eden

  Taken by the Vampyren

  He was a conqueror. A warrior come to Earth to kill. On his own planet he was a prince. On Earth he was a murderer. On Earth, he was her owner. But Cassi's no passive frightened girl. She stands up to him the first time she ever sees him. She's going to stand up to the Vampyren every time. Even if it kills her. But neither
of them is quite what they seem. What fate has sown together maybe shouldn't be torn apart.

  Find it here on Amazon: http://bit.ly/TakenSethE

  * * *

  Bought by the Vampyren

  When the Vampyren came to Earth in the summer, they took over every city, every country. Every person. She was working as an escort in Sin City – Las Vegas, paid to look pretty and sometimes to act as a lover. Not what Mindy had ever expected for herself. Alek was a unit commander, a Vampyren, a conqueror, one of the invaders bringing Sin City to its knees. Exactly what he expected to be doing. But life can change on a dime. Mindy became a warrior, ready to fight for everything that mattered to her.

  The sworn enemies of the Vampyren were on their way and Alek also expected fight. But never did he expect what awaited him when he met her… Will the two find a way to leave their past behind and their passion loose? Or will the need for revenge be stronger than the needs of the heart?

  Find it here on Amazon: http://bit.ly/BoughtSethE

  * * *

  Property of the Vampyren Prince

  She remade herself in the wake of the alien invasion. Kiera could work on cars and plumbing, and scavenge for food.

  She didn't know how to survive the attention of a Vampyren prince, one of Earth's invaders.

  He was seventeenth in line for the Vampyren throne. Just enough privilege to ask the Council to give her to him, and to keep her family alive.

  Not enough to save her from brutal punishment when her actions threaten Vampyren interests.

  Their different worlds make them opposites of each other.

  Opposites attract.

  Find it here on Amazon: http://bit.ly/PropertyPrinceSethE

  Also by Anastasia Chase