I’ve hit my head. I’m concussed. There has to be a rational explanation. I’m reeling, trying to explain this all away, when I catch the face of the older guy as he runs away. He has one eye. It’s in the middle of his forehead. He’s huge and ugly. He…doesn’t look human. No way!
Bolt turns. His eyes are glowing. They’re a bright, light-gray, almost blue color. He looks beautiful. There’s blood too. His lip is cut. So is his right eye. There are gleaming scales on his chest. I look closer and gasp. His throat.
“Bolt!” I shout as his knees buckle.
I run to him. “I’ll call an ambulance,” I tell him. “You’ll be okay,” I lie. His throat is crushed. It’s crushed.
Tears are streaming down my face. I’m struggling to breathe.
He’s shaking his head, his lips are moving, but he doesn’t make a sound.
“Don’t try to talk,” I tell him. “I’m calling an ambulance.” I’m digging in my purse. It takes an age, but I find my phone. “I’m calling for help.”
I see him shaking his head. He’s wheezing, having to work hard to get air into his lungs. He’s dying, I can see it. He’s dying right in front of me. “Hold on.” I swipe my code to open my phone, and Bolt grabs it from me.
He works my device with one hand and then hands it to me. It’s dialing someone. Bolt has dialed someone’s number into my phone. “What?” I say. “No! You need an ambulance.”
He shakes his head, imploring me with his eyes. “Night,” he croaks. I’m surprised he can talk at all. “Night,” he pushes out a second time.
At least, I think that’s what he says. It doesn’t seem logical. Then he…he…dies.
I scream when the person answers. I scream long and hard. I keep screaming Bolt’s name. It takes a full minute for the person on the phone to get me to calm down. Turns out, his name is Night.
30
Bolt
I sit up and snarl. My hands are bunched into fists.
“Easy, man…you—” a voice says.
Adrenaline is coursing through me. Before I can register who or what or why, I start throwing punches. The first one connects with a crack.
“Ow…fuck!” Then I’m being restrained.
I feel my claws and scales erupting. I feel my muscles start to lengthen and rope. I—
“Stop it, Bolt!” It’s a voice I recognize.
“It’s us, you asshole,” Trident says.
Trident.
Night.
I slump back in the bed, my hand reaching for my throat.
“You’re nearly healed,” Night says. “Gave us quite a scare. You almost died, you asshole. Why did you wait so long to shift? Oh yes, you didn’t tell your girlfriend who you really are and tried to cover up the fact by not shifting. You could have died.”
Tri is rubbing his jaw. “I’m pretty sure you did die.” He smiles but winces, his hand still on his jaw. “I have this theory that… You gave me quite a punch.” He narrows his eyes on me.
I’m trying to piece together what Night and Trident are talking about. Next instant, my memory comes flooding back. “Ashley,” I sit up…again, “where is she?” I growl, my hand going back to my throat, which is throbbing. I don’t give a shit. I need to find her.
I try to stand, but Night puts a hand on my chest. “She’s fine. A bruise here or there but she’s—”
“Where is she?” I practically snarl. I’m looking around, still trying to get up, but Night is stronger. I’m at Night’s house. “Where is—?” His face gets this look I don’t like. “Where is she?” I demand, despite my throat protesting.
“Gone,” he says.
“Gone where?”
“She was freaked out at first, and then…she got upset. We had to fill her in on a couple of things,” Night says.
“Yeah, she wasn’t happy.” Trident shakes his head. “You fucked up. You should have told her.”
Night elbows Tri. “Quiet!”
“What things? You said you had to fill her in… Tell me what you told her.” I know exactly what things. Fuck, she saw me in my dragon form. I tried hard not to shift. I tried to fight those fuckers off as a human, but it didn’t work, seeing as they weren’t human. When I saw that prick with his hand around her throat, my dragon surged to the surface. All bets were off.
“It sounds like a couple of cyclopes jumped you,” Night says.
I nod. “Two of them. They were after Ashley. They thought she was the harpy.” I can’t believe I didn’t think of this potentially happening. We posed for those fucking pictures. A four-page spread in one of the most popular magazines. The publication also has a strong online following. I run a hand over my face. “I fucked up big time,” I say to myself. “Did she go home? Are you sure she’s fine?” I start getting up. “I need to fix this.”
“Lie your ass down.” Night’s eyes are filled with concern. “You’re in no shape to go anywhere. She’s fine. Give it a few more hours.”
“I need to talk to her. Why did she leave?” I know why, but I ask the question anyway.
“Um…she saw her boyfriend turn into a dragon. She thought you were a human. I didn’t tell her about the demigod part of the equation. I thought I’d leave that up to you,” Tri says.
“If it’s any consolation, she sat on that chair,” Night points to the one right next to the bed, “until she was sure you were going to be okay. She cried a lot.”
“It was ugly crying,” Tri chimes in. “She didn’t believe that you were going to make it, at first. It took a while for your coloring to come back.”
“Your chest barely moved, and your heart-rate was thready. You were as white as a ghost.” Night looks solemn. “I wasn’t sure you would make it either.”
“But then the awful wheezing started. At least you were getting air in.” Tri sticks his hands in his jean pockets.
“It wasn’t too long after that you improved immensely, and…” Night stops talking.
“Ashley left,” I fill in. I feel desolate. I should have told her.
“She started asking some hard questions.” For once, Tri is serious. “She realized that you’d been lying to her.”
“I wasn’t totally honest, but I wasn’t exactly lying either,” I retaliate. “Not really.”
“If you say so, bro.” Tri puts a hand up.
“We all saw that article about the two of you being an item. You didn’t answer your phone. You ignored it flat. I tried to call you last night…for the third time yesterday and you—”
I groan and run a hand through my hair. “I wasn’t ready to face up to reality. I didn’t want shit from you guys, and I was…” I swallow thickly. “I was mostly afraid of losing her.”
“She loves you, Bolt,” Night says.
“Did she say that?” I ask, hope surging.
Tri shakes his head. “She didn’t have to, you could see it from a mile away. She’s really hurting. She wouldn’t be so upset if she didn’t care. She’s trying to process all of this.”
“You need a few more hours to heal up, and you should probably give her some space anyway,” Night says, his expression solemn.
“I have to talk to her.”
“Text her.” Tri hands me my phone. The screen is cracked. “Oh! It happened when you shifted…I think. I found it about fifteen feet up the sidewalk from where you were lying when we found you.”
I have a burning question inside of me. It’s eating at me. I have to know. “Did she ask about Gabby?”
Tri rubs the back of his head and looks at the floor. Night gets this ‘deer in the headlights’ look. “She wanted to know what a harpy was. She said that the cyclopes mistakenly thought that she was someone else. The guy who had her kept talking to her like they had met before. He kept telling her to give him his power back. Poor bastard. About that…” he narrows his eyes in thought, “I assumed everyone got their power back when she died. Can’t be the case, though.”
“That is a good point,” Tri chimes in. “Maybe it was becau
se Lyre was there when she died. Maybe she chose to give his power back. Maybe—”
“Who gives a fuck!” I boom. “We’ll never know. What did you tell Ashley? About the harpy that is? About our connection.”
“I just said that she was someone from your past,” Night says. “She asked if you two had been together.”
“What did you say?” I finally ask when he doesn’t go on.
“I said, not exactly.” He winces. “She tried to push me to say more, but I told her it wasn’t my place.”
“Not exactly,” I groan. “That sounds bad. It’s a fucking mess.”
“She wasn’t impressed at all,” Tri throws in.
“What did she say?” I ask.
“She didn’t say anything,” Night says, sounding frustrated. “She didn’t have to. Text her. Get some rest and then go and fix it. I’m sure she’ll understand. This is not the kind of thing you spring on a person.”
“I’ve known her for weeks. We got serious nearly two weeks ago already. I should have told her. I was going to.”
“You can do it now. Tell her how you really feel about her,” Trident says. “Ashley loves you. She’ll forgive you. I know she will.”
I nod.
“Try to sleep first. You’re going to need your strength. Women can be—”
“What’s that, hon’?” Shannon says as she walks through the door. She’s carrying a tray.
“Nothing, babe. Just saying how women are godsends.” He kisses her on the cheek and takes the tray.
“I made you some chicken soup.” Shannon smiles at me. “How’s your throat feeling?”
The sound of thunder cracks above us and the first drops of rain start to fall. “I don’t think it’s his throat that’s the problem anymore,” Tri remarks.
Another clap of thunder sounds and the heavens open.
“Not again!” Night groans.
What have I done? Fuck! I was about to tell her. I was starting that conversation when I was tackled. It’s probably why they were able to sneak up on me in the first place. I was so busy trying to formulate what I was about to say to her, I didn’t hear those fuckers. I know Ashley’s feelings on honesty. I know that she was afraid to start a relationship with me. That she took a real chance. I know even more acutely than ever that I let her down. I hope she’ll give me a chance to fix it. I know deep down that it probably won’t happen. I’m such a fucking asshole!
31
Ashley
A storm has been raging for hours. Funny how the weather is a perfect reflection of how I’m feeling inside. I’m a war of emotions. Anger – plenty of anger – and then there’s pain. I’m hurt. Seriously and deeply hurt.
Maybe I’m silly to feel this way. Bolt and I haven’t been together for very long. I’m certain he was going to tell me. At least I think he was. I hope he was. I can’t be sure of that. I’m not sure of anything anymore. That’s the heart of the problem. The reason I’m so broken up over this.
I really thought we had something special. Something deep and meaningful. He should have told me. He should have told me ten times over by now. We’ve talked about everything, and I knew…deep down inside, I knew he was holding back. I knew he wasn’t being completely open with me. I chose to ignore it. I had that little voice inside warning me, even before we slept together. A warning bell. It was soft, barely audible, but it was there. Yet, I flat out ignored it. I’ve had several texts come through over the last few hours. I read them, but I haven’t responded.
Bolt: I’m sorry!
Bolt: I hope you will be able to forgive me.
Bolt: I was going to tell you. I swear!
Bolt: We need to talk. Please, can we talk? Can I come over?
Bolt: Ash? Please!
The last one came through an hour ago. I’m so raw. I’m broken. He’s not the man I thought he was. He’s not even a man. He’s not human.
When I saw him lying there, his chest still, I thought he was dead. I lost it for a while. It was only when he started breathing again that I could too. It was only when his friend, Night, said that he was going to make it that I could feel the blood flowing through my own veins again. It was only then that I could feel my heart beating too. Despite everything, I still love him. I love him deeply and to my core. It doesn’t matter what he is, I still love him. I’m just not sure I can forgive him. I don’t know that I can be with him.
More thunder crashes above, more rain lashes at the windows. The wind is howling. There is a knock at my door. I know it’s him. I know it like I know my name. I don’t want to answer. It’s for the same reason I don’t reply to his messages. It isn’t over yet. I don’t want it to be over.
Bolt: I know you’re in there. Please open. We need to talk.
He’s right. I can’t delay the inevitable. I trudge to the entrance and open up. Bolt is wearing a leather jacket, and he’s soaking wet. “Can I come in?”
I realize I’m just looking at him out there, and so I nod. I step to the side and close the door behind him. He takes off the jacket and gives himself a shake, running a hand through his wet hair. I hate to say it, but he’s gorgeous dripping wet. It makes my heart ache to see him.
“Are you okay?” He cups my jaw, his eyes moving over my face, lingering on a bruise on my cheekbone.
He lifts his other hand to touch me there, but I flinch and pull away. “I’m fine. I have a scrape on my knee and this,” I touch the small bruise, “but otherwise…I’m…” I don’t want to say fine again…because I don’t feel fine. “Okay,” I finally push out.
“I’m sorry that happened.”
“It’s not your fault. Just some crazies who…” I’m trying to explain this away. “Cyclopes…just a couple of cyclopes trying to get their power back.” I need to say it like it is.
He gets a sheepish look and pulls in a breath. “It was just the one who was trying to get his power back. The other one was fine.”
I wondered about that. They were both huge and muscular, like bodybuilders on a double dose of steroids. They were also ugly as sin. Then there was the whole one-eyed thing the older guy had going on. Although, when I first saw him, he had two eyes. I’m sure of it. The one who kept begging to get his power back never did the one-eyed thing. He probably couldn’t. It might have had something to do with his missing power. “Good thing you could shift into your dragon form and save us.” I narrow my eyes at him and fold my arms across my chest. I’m wearing old sweats but I’m still feeling cold.
His jaw tightens. “I was going to tell you. I swear…” His eyes have this desperate look. “I was starting to tell you when they jumped us. I can’t believe it was such bad timing.”
“You were about to tell me about being a dragon shifter?” I sound skeptical because I am. “Right at that moment?”
“Yes, I—”
I snort out a laugh. “That’s convenient.”
“I’ve been wanting to tell you. Everything…all of it…every single part of it, but I’ve been…” His chest is heaving. Bolt stops talking for a second. His eyes are blazing. His jaw is tight. “I was…I was so afraid of your reaction. I was afraid of losing you. Ash,” he takes my hand, “you’ve come to mean so much to me. You’ve become my whole—”
I pull my hand away. I don’t want to hear him say this. I need to know everything first. “You can start talking right now.” I push my hands into my armpits and hold myself.
“We should go and sit down first. Can I get you a blanket?”
I shake my head.
“We’re going to do this here…in the hallway?”
I nod. “It’s as good a place as any.”
He pushes out a breath. “Okay then, I’m a dragon demigod.”
I frown. “Demigod?”
Bolt nods. “My mom is a dragon shifter, and my father is a god.”
“A god?” I know I’m repeating everything, but… Shit! Come on!
“I’ve never met the guy, but my dad is Zeus. The Zeus.” He holds his hands up
and, I swear they start to glow and crackle. “I need to be careful. I don’t want to hurt you, Ash.” The glowing goes away. “I’m not in complete control of my emotions right now, hence the storm outside. I can make lightning bolts, and I have influence over the weather. I can normally control it better, but…” he looks up, “I’m all over the place right now.”
A thought occurs to me. “The flash of light last night…” I say more to myself.
“I struck that cyclops fucker with a lightning bolt to get him off me so that I could shift into my dragon form. I needed a few seconds.” He sighs. “I know that humans can’t always get their heads around…us. Not that we’ve told many people. The dragon shifters have never fully accepted us. We’re…lost.” I feel sad for him but quickly push the emotion aside. Bolt is the last person who needs my pity. “I feel like I found myself when I met you.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you, Ash—”
“Me…really? If that’s true, then you should have told me by now. If you care for me so much – if I ‘complete you’, and all that crap – you should have respected me enough to tell me who you are. And about the harpy. Your friends wouldn’t say much, which spoke volumes.”
His throat works. “I was going to tell you about her as well. I would have started with not being human, and then…I would have told you about…her.”
I feel my whole body tighten. “Tell me now.”
“There isn’t much to tell.”
“What exactly is a harpy? We’ll start there.” Who’s doing the prompting now? Funny how the wheel turns. In this case it’s sad. So incredibly sad.
He clears his throat. “They aren’t human. As far as I know they’re always women, but I could be wrong on that note. There isn’t much known about them.”
Again, he stops talking and chews the inside of his cheek and again I prompt him, “Tell me what you do know.”
“They’re beautiful and cunning. They’re vile and evil. They live on power…like leeches or parasites.” He looks angry. His eyes darken. “I had the misfortune of running into one.”
Lord of Rain (The Dragon Demigods Book 5) Page 25