by A. Bulthuis
Chapter 4
"Welcome to my humble abode, only the finest for us...royal...hard workers." He stumbled over his title carefully slipping in a different word before revealing certain information. "If you'll wait here I'll get you some clothes. They are gonna fit a bit long and hang weird but they are at least dry. Check the kitchen for a snack to feed that monster in your belly too. Hate for the guards to think you were sprouting an alien and take you down." Avoiding the shoe missile she had chucked at him, he ducked down the hallway with his laughter left in his place. The opening and closing of drawers, slams of cabinets, and the tinkle of glasses rattling as the refrigerator door opens echoes from the small room.
Coming back into the kitchen a few minutes later with fresh clothes and a towel around his shoulders he takes in the damage the lone female could accomplish in a short time, especially a hungry one. A bread package was spread open across the counter joined with a package of Swiss cheese and Cajun turkey. A mayonnaise jar was open with a knife sticking out of the top. To top it off there was a half carton of milk gone and a split bag of nacho cheese chips littered beside the rest. It was like a hurricane. Standing in the middle was the eye, her mouth shoved full, sandwich in one hand, and glass in the other, crumbs littered down the front of her shirt.
The noises she emitted while eating should be illegal. He'd never heard eating sound so much like sex before in his life. Clearing his throat he hid his discomfort behind the island and looked at her as she swallowed hard, wiping a smear of mayo from the corner of her lips. Gulping down the remains of her milk she giggled looking over the mess she made.
"Um, I suppose I was hungrier than I thought. I apologize for my mess. Here I'll clean it up for you." Embarrassed by her behavior she scurried around and put away the cheese and meat, closing the chip bag and snagging the milk to toss back in the fridge. When she went to grab the bread an arm snuck around her waist and pulled her into a hard warm body. Shifting to give him a piece of her mind she was shushed as he pressed a finger to her lips. Her eyes widened as his grew darker, the pad of his thumb swiping at her bottom lip before it popped into his mouth.
"You had a little mayo left. I, um, just thought I'd help you clean it off."
His stormy green eyes made her tense. She was not going down this road ever again. Not even for a pair of sparkling green eyes as deep as the sea.
Sighing he saw her close off from him, dropping his arm he stepped back. The clothes he brought in for her lay heaped on a bar stool.
"Here are some clothes. I hope you don't mind boxers. I don't keep an extra drawer for women. There's a belt for the pants too. I'll uh be waiting outside. The bathroom is the first door to your left down the hall. Don't take too long or I'll have to come find you." He said with a wink before walking thru the front door and gently closing it behind him. He appeared to take her rejection pretty well but didn't want to test his patience and be caught with her pants down literally so she peeled out of her wet clothes throwing them over the shower rod and used a towel to wipe away any extra moisture before tossing on his extras. They smelled faintly of sunshine and coconut. Twitching her nose she tightened the belt to keep her pants up and tried stretching the tight material compressing her chest. She felt more exposed than if she were in a bikini. Not seeing any alternative she huffed and tied her hair up into a low braid. The cool stone floor eased under her soles wishing the coolness could ease the tension ringing in her ears.
While outside he paced back and forth not believing his own stupidity. Holy hell what was wrong with him. He needed to get her to Eryavin and soon before he lost his mind. He was still pacing when she stepped out of his home. Seeing him so unsettled made her want to laugh in payback. Serves him right for all the crap he'd put her thru. But it had to come to an end if she wanted to get out of here.
Clearing her throat she watched him come to a stumbling halt. Geesh he wanted to drool, his eyes nearly popping from his head, She was damn near indecent in that shirt but they didn't have time for her to change. Clearing his mind he offered his arm bowing his head. "Shall we go now?" Nodding she took his arm and kept her amusement to herself.
The archway they passed opened into a small stadium with small rows wrapping around an open dirt arena. Directly across was a set of chairs that were placed higher than any others and surrounded by a railing. In the middle chair sat a large man, not rotund by any means but bulky and intimidating. The lightest blue eyes she had ever seen was staring back at her watching her every move. His expression was clouded, undecided. He looked from her to her escort, his brow arching questionably taking in their comfortable demeanor. Meeting Eryavins’ eyes he inclined his head and released her arm. "Well met my Lord. It's my pleasure to introduce our guest....uh..." He looked over at her realizing he hadn't ever asked her for her name.
"Autora, My Lord, My given name is Autora VanDromen."
"It's a great pleasure to meet you young lady. I hope Fadan has treated you well and taken care of your needs?"
"Ah so that's his name, I had taken to calling him Idiot."
Fadan blushed slightly and made to explain when the elder suddenly shook with laughter. "A girl after my own heart. If only I were brave enough to call him as I see fit too. He only let's those he likes give him pet names. Yours is by far the best I've heard in my lifetime. My, my young woman you certainly know how to make an old man feel young again. Fadan bring her closer so we might talk without having to shout over the meeting grounds."
Hiding his embarrassment he led her around the walkway and up to the gathered chairs. Up close the deep etches around Eryavins eyes and mouth softened with laughter, a streak of silver ran from his widow’s peak and towards the back in an elegant sweep. Instead of ice for eyes they seemed like a clear summer sky free of clouds. For an older man he was still toned like a twenty year old not a gentleman in his sixties. Were all the men here this amiable?
Looking back and forth between the two she noticed subtle similarities. They had to be related. Deep blue robes flowed around his ankles, sleeves falling to mid elbow hemmed in silver, the colors accentuating his chestnut hair. Feet bare and slightly webbed. Reaching out his warm rough hands grasped her small one in between them.
"Welcome my dear, welcome to our humble home. I am so grateful you joined us." The warmth in his voice kept her from stating that she didn't come of her own free will. She turned her gaze to the younger version of this charming man for help. The smile on his face shouted loud and clear that he wasn't going to be of any help to her. Swallowing her pride she plastered on a warm smile and bowed her head.
"Please Sir, I am grateful for your help. If it wasn't for Fadan I would be a charred strip of meat only fit for the flies at the bottom of a ravine. You both have my gratitude for it." Her grinning face turned to Fadan and glared at him furiously.
"Oh you poor thing. Then it was good that Fadan stumbled across you and brought you here to heal. Our underground spring is quite rejuvenating." He pulled her down into the chairs with him, Fadan settled behind her seat with his elbows resting along the top of the chair. "I do believe you about that underground spring. It definitely cleared a lot of things up for me. You've been most kind and I couldn't possibly intrude on your home any longer. I should report the accident to the car rental and get back to my own clothes. I have friends that will be looking for me before too long." While she tried to ease herself from the conversation the two guys carried an internal dialogue.
(E)~ What the hell did you think you were doing by bringing her here?
(F)~ She had paperwork containing a report on the climate changes. I had no idea she would react to seeing me that way.
(E)~ Why did you show yourself like that in the first place? Now you have her suspicious. You could have just spoke to her and eventually got what she was doing here without the mess.
(F)~ I know I know. There was just something about her. I don't think there was any way to reason with her. She brings out the idiot in me.
(E)~
Well that's for sure. I haven't seen you so tied up before. Oops, I think we've been quiet for too long.
Glancing back and forth between the two it was like a staring contest gone wrong. Clearing her throat she waved her hands back and forth in front of her.
"I apologize my dear, you were saying?" She had to bite her tongue to keep from retorting angrily. "Yes I had been saying that I didn't want to keep you any longer. There are things I need to do back in town. So if it's not an inconvenience I'd appreciate if I could go back." She looked at both of them with a mix of expectation and frustration, her feet bounced up and down nervously. Eryavin winced slightly turning towards her he placed a warm palm on her knee, the muscle jerking to a stop.
"We can see to all of that for you. We'll call your car rental, have someone pick up your belongings from the hotel and we can leave a message for your friends telling them you’re alright. I want to make sure you are perfectly fine before you leave. Please you won't be an inconvenience on us. It isn't often that we have visitors. You'd even have Fadan as your personal escort. Won't you stay with us a little longer?"
If it weren't for the bitter taste of desperation and nerves coming off of him she would have believed they honestly wanted her company. Moving her legs to the side she tried dislodging his hand from her knee without tearing it off, but it was like a leech, suctioned to her. She'd had enough of this. Fadans hand cupping her shoulder was the final straw.
"I don't know what the hell is your problem but you cannot keep me here like a freaking prisoner no matter how fancy the words and packaging! Get your filthy hands off me before I chew them off!" Her eyes flashed a stormy silver and her incisors elongated, scales erupting down her arms and neck. Both men jumped back and stared at her in amazement and just a tinge of fear. The sweet scent making her toothy grin even bigger.
"I'm getting out of here and don't you even think of following me. Something is seriously wrong here and I'll get to the bottom of this." Walking backwards she hissed, narrowing her eyes, turning her head back she made the mistake of looking behind her. Before she could make it thru the archway Fadan had shifted to a space in front of her retreating form. her snarl of anger was cut short as he pounced on her and pinned her arms behind her back dropping them to the floor on the thresh hold of the arch. Fadans body encompassed Autoras keeping her anger from rebounding. Pressing his head to hers he forced her to look at him in the eye.
"Oh hell no! Get off me you freak! I'm not joining your cult, or you lair, or freaking be your captive bride. You have all those other women to be with so let me go!" She screamed at the top of her lungs and squeezed her eyes shut, her nostrils flaring in outrage. A small crowd formed around the couple grappling on the floor. Her instincts kicked in as the change embraced her body, her skin tearing and long spikes erupt down her back and arms. Realizing what was happening Fadan jumped off her and ordered everyone to back up.
Erupting before them with an earth rattling roar Autora stood on all fours a magnificent specimen covered in scales the same shade as pearls from the sea. Talons etched deep grooves into the floor as she sweeps her tail in a 20 foot arc around her. A small trail of smoke lazily streamed from her nostrils, a slight electrical charge released a waft of ozone around her body.
"Shit! Everyone out, one small spark and it would ignite the whole room! Go! Now while she is still preoccupied." Watching the masses scurry like vermin she chuckles loudly, the sound harsh and grating. Her large head swung back and forth till her huge swirling gray eyes settled on the lone male figure. Crooning tauntingly she took a step forward when she felt the first brush of magick tingle up her spine. Growling she slammed her tail down savagely sending dust and dirt to fall from the ceiling. Her spikes quivered on outrage. Instead of her target there stood a tiny woman with her arms out in front of her. Painted blue swirls covered her palms. Short red pixie cut hair swayed with the ripple of energy that emanated from her hands. Shrieking Autora tried pushing forward only to hit a barrier. Her maw opened wide releasing a stream of fire that formed around her in a wide arc, a few sparks skittered like fireworks around her open mouth.
"Oh Shit! Autora don't!"
Chapter 5
Fadan ran toward her waving his arms. The look of panic on his face was the last she saw. An explosion rocked the cavern. The screams of the unprotected echoed thru the dim light that filtered thru the dust and debris. Huge chunks of the cavern ceiling lay littered along the floor. Coughing roughly Fadan swiped his hands back and forth in the air clearing his field of vision. A small heap caught his eye as it lay next to a pool of blood. Grabbing at the fae woman’s arm he dragged her over to the crumpled body. Dropping to his knees he rolled over the still form.
"Autora...Autora...wake up cailin dathuil...Come on...please..." Fadan gently slid a palm under her neck and the other around her waist, pulling her up against his body. Her nude body from shifting was covered in blood, her dark locks glinting ruby as they lay limply against her head and across her shoulders. Holding her softly to his chest he leaned his head down so that his ear was by her parted lips internally begging for even the barest brush of moisture and heat. Gulping when he thought it was never going to come he visibly shook as the first puff of warm air brushed past the edge of his ear.
"Oh thank goodness. You stupid, stupid girl. And you call me the idiot. Come on beautiful open those pretty eyes for me. You know you want to wake up and scream at me." Shaking her head back and forth lightly, his eyes burning with tears when he feels a small hand land on his shoulder.
"Prikhodite molodoy I privesti yeye."
The faes rich Russian calmed his anxiety. Picking up the woman’s slackened body he trudged behind the fae and tried not to jar Autora too badly as he jumped around the debris left behind from her explosive discharge. If she would stay with him, he could only imagine the power they could wield and what their group could accomplish. Looking at the destruction and the clean-up crews busying themselves with the mess he wondered how the hell had he not ever heard of destruction like this in one of the major cities before. This woman’s temper seemed almost legendary. He thinks even some of their toughest warriors would have a hard time standing against her. With his arms curled around her he tried to block her nudeness from on lookers, growling possessively at several males staring at her lewdly. They were a few who had seen her shift and knew her power.
He had to admit that she was extremely intoxicating and that was even before her show of anger. That level of power made her down right irresistible to unmated males. A shiver stole down his spine to think of what a mating ride would be with this one. If she was awake she would have smacked the grin from his face before clawing at him especially knowing his train of thought. For fucks sake she was unconscious and drenched in her own blood and here the lot of them were thinking about one thing. S.E.X.
Shaking his head he berated himself once again for these perverted thoughts. As they passed into where the hot springs were housed, his thoughts travelled back to just this morning. Wow it had only just been this morning that she was first in his arms. It was almost uncanny. Perhaps it was fate that brought all of this together. His thoughts drifted back even further to last night. Patrols earlier in the day had noticed a rogue satellite had been circling the island. Someone was awfully curious. That night he landed at the top of the extinct volcano and looked up into the night sky, winking with not only stars but hundreds of satellites. None of them seemed particularly focused on them but who knows who was watching. What their group was doing here had to stay quiet. If they came under watch by the Evren Corporation then they were all dead. They wouldn't stand for rogues in their world. As if they ruled everything. He stayed there on the edge of the world all night, ever vigilant.
His father kept pushing this unusual climate on the island causing further damage to the environment. Someone was bound to notice. He tried telling him that to set up this lair on an island that sees some of the highest annual rainfall was madness. He supposed that it does cr
eate a large barrier between them and any other dragon communities.
At the break of day he pushes off the ledge using his back legs and at the peak of his jump unfurls his wings. Like emerald jewels the sun reflected prisms of color on the foliage below. Keeping to the less populated side of the island he dipped back and forth, running his wing tips across the water, his claws snatching at waves and cradling fish for breakfast, the heat from the tempered climate warming his back. Turning on his back he laid the fish to cook on his stomach. When they started to sizzle he plucked them into his massive maw and with a satisfied belch he flipped over and landed on a small rocky outcropping. Cleaning his claws in the scrubby grass that broke and pretty much turned to dust underfoot. He snorted in disgust.
A loud rumbling came from the road. Knowing he stuck out he shifted back and crouched down. A rather noisy truck ambled down the road and seemed to slow down when it reached the welcome sign to Alaka'i Wilderness Reserve. Pulling off to the side of the road it grumbled to a halt. The cab door opened and out stepped one of the most enchanting creatures he had ever seen, even for a human. She appeared to be studying the sky and the mountain. From where he stood crouched he could barely make out what she was saying, only catching the anger radiating off of her.