We wanted answers as to why we were brought here. Something happened to me when we were forced onto this plane. My brother, Asyl, was perfectly fine in his human form, but I was fighting for my sanity. I’ve never been an angry Dragon, but since coming to this world, I've had this rage inside me that keeps trying to consume who I am. We have been searching for anyone who can help me. As Dragons were just myths, it has been frustrating.
We found only one family that was willing to believe us. The Millers found us on their farm shortly after we were forced here. They were kind enough to tell us about their Arkansas town, Marvell, and to teach us basics about this world. They gave us an old car they were planning on getting rid of, and an envelope full of emergency cash to help us on our journey.
Over the past three months, we’d been turned away from many towns as drifters. We'd been laughed at, called crazy, and even had a run-in with the police in Mississippi. So far, only the Miller family had believed us.
The rage was still manageable, but I didn't know how much longer I could go without giving in to it. A red cloudy mist coated everything I looked at and it made it hard to see anything in detail. I glanced up at the passenger-side visor mirror to check my eyes. My irises, which were once electric blue, were gone, and an onyx color had replaced it. I took in the rest of my appearance and couldn't stop the sigh that escaped my lips. Chestnut hair hung around my face in light waves. Deathly pale skin that normally had a slight tan hugged my skull and gave it a sunken look. Eyes that seemed too big for my face were even larger now. The overall look was quite disturbing to take in.
Asyl grabbed my hand and squeezed as I closed the visor. “We'll find answers. You know we will.”
I smiled and turned his hand over. His golden-brown hand seemed duller than it did before we arrived here. “I hope so.” I whispered, too low for his ears to catch. ‘We need to get you back to your mate or find her here before you become worse than I am,’ I thought as I gazed out the window, letting go of his hand. We were passing a sign that told us we had entered Durham, North Carolina.
I waited in the car while Asyl got us a room at the first motel we saw. It was a decently sized building and most of the rooms had lights turned on. I was confused as to why these humans insisted on naming their motels with numbers. Last night the motel had an eight in its name, and the one we were staying at tonight had a six.
Once he got the key card, he helped me get settled into the room. Asyl left to start gathering information, while I was left to pace in our motel room until nightfall. Shortly after the sun fell below the horizon, Asyl returned. He was cheerful, and he had brought company.
Asyl approached me slowly, knowing, by the look on my face, that I was close to the edge. His blue eyes glowed in the dim light. “Sis, this is Samson. He’s one of the locals here. He also knows about our kind.” Even through my misty red vision, I didn't miss the sharp glance Samson gave him when he said this. “He may be able to help you.”
I stared at Samson, my gaze locking with his. He was tall, muscular and his build was like Asyl’s. His full appearance was obscured, but the longer I examined him, the clearer it seemed my vision got. I turned back to my brother as Samson's eyes came into focus. He had startling blue eyes and he glared at me like he wanted me dead. He wasn't the first who had given me that look.
“You know what we are?” I snapped defensively. Asyl frowned at my tone. Closing my eyes, I counted to ten while holding my breath and then released the air slowly. I did this a few times then opened my eyes, avoiding direct eye contact with the stranger. “I'm sorry. That was rude. May I try again?” I knew my voice was still on edge but at least it was less hostile.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Samson nod. “I have an understanding of what you are and given the darkness in your eyes, the rage is consuming you. I would offer to take you two out to eat but villagers aren’t on the menu here,” he stated.
Asyl gaped at him in horror, and I knew I looked sick.
“What did I say?” he asked in confusion.
I held up my hand to stop Asyl from speaking. “We have never fed on humans or animals. Meat makes us sick. I believe you would call us vegetarians.” I tried to smile but was unsuccessful. The thought of a once-living creature in my arms while its blood filled my mouth was running through my head and making me sick. The rage fought for control, but I kept it under tight rein.
Samson was watching me like he was waiting for some sign I was joking, but when he glanced at Asyl, his eyes got wide. “I'm sorry, it’s simply with the stories I heard about Dragons, I assumed...” He cleared his throat, casting a worried glance at me. “I need to make a phone call.”
Asyl hesitated, then sighed. “Do it here. She'll hear anyway.”
With a nod, Samson took out his cell phone and dialed a number quickly. I could hear both sides of the conversation clearly, like they were standing in the same room as us. Asyl had a pained expression on his face. I hated it. “Jake, I need to talk—”
“Sam, where are you? We've been searching for hours. Amanda said she can't see anything around the area anymore.” The voice on the phone was annoyed, but authority rang with each word.
“I'm fine. Tell Amanda everything's alright—”
“Sam, everything isn't alright. Something is going on. Amanda has been getting weird visions for a while now—”
Sam snapped, “Jake, shut the fuck up and listen for a second. I need to talk with Jeb.”
“But Sam—”
“Now, Jake.”
“Well, he seems spirited,” I mused while Jake went to get Jeb. “Who is this person you wish to speak with?”
“He's the one that can help you. Me? I would rather kill you where you stand, but my information seems to be wrong.”
“Samson, who would you like to kill?” This voice was different. It was a deep, soothing rumble, even over the phone. When I heard the voice, the rage tried to take control again, not wanting to be pacified, and I growled in frustration.
“I'm in city with two… creatures from legends. There’s a male and a female. The male is under control but the female... she seems close to losing it.”
“Actually, it feels like someone is always stabbing me with a red-hot poker all over my body. I just don't say anything about it,” I snapped at him.
“Can she hear me, Sam?”
“Of course, I can hear you.” I was getting irritated fast. Asyl was at my side with both his arms around me, pinning me to his body. Hearing his breathing in my ear helped me readjust mine to the same rhythm.
“When was the last time you felt calm?” Jeb asked.
“It was before we got here.”
“Jeb, our source gave us poor information. How much of it can we trust?” Sam asked calmly.
“We'll come pick them up, Sam. Stay with them until we get there.”
The worst of the pain was at night. Asyl kept me in his arms and I kept my eyes tightly shut the whole time. I heard the door open and four people walked into the room.
“She's in a lot of pain. The only time that I have seen a similar display of pain was when your daughter was giving birth last month,” a smooth baritone voice said.
“Of course, I'm in pain. That's why I keep my eyes shut and try not to breathe. It helps,” I said through clenched teeth, but I hoped they would understand. Asyl's hold on me tightened.
“Let's get her home quickly,” Jeb said calmly. “Do you two have a vehicle?”
I felt Asyl's head nod on top of mine. “We do. We got a car shortly after coming here.”
“Alright, Mark, you drive their car and we'll take the girl—”
“I stay with her,” Asyl interjected.
Someone sighed. “Alright then, I'll go in your car with the two of you. I need to get your story and figure all this out before we get home.” I felt Asyl nod again and then we were walking out the door.
Asyl answered all of Jeb’s questions. He wanted to know about our home world and what kind of Drago
ns we were. He asked about the darkness appearing in the sky and sucking us in. He was astonished to find that Asyl and I were twins and that we didn't feed on meat but on fruits and vegetables instead. The driver said there was no way we could be Dragons because Dragons weren't real. Jeb told us he was a retired physical therapist. He checked everything but my eyes because I refused to open them. He tried to persuade me to open them only once, but Asyl growled at him to back off. I concentrated on keeping my breathing slow and relaxed into a light sleep.
I was startled awake by a cool feeling underneath me. I flexed my hands and as far as I could tell, I laid on a leather couch. I decided it was time to open my eyes. There was a man standing over me. Through my red vision, I could tell he was tall with gray-streaked black hair, broad, muscular shoulders, a strong jaw, and a dark tan. As I looked him over, I noticed that he was wearing a gray t-shirt that fit his torso perfectly, and blue jeans. Right behind him was Asyl, his eyes filled with worry.
“Hello, Dyka. My name is Jeb Carlson. How are you feeling?” the man said to me, forcing my focus back on him.
“I feel the same. How do you know my name?” I struggled to sit up, only to realize Asyl was holding me down. I didn't even see him move. I glared at him in disbelief. He shrugged as his calm gaze met my concerned one.
“Asyl introduced us at the motel. However, you were in and out of consciousness at the time. What was told to me was disturbing. I don't know what will happen when we get Amanda in here to check you on a spiritual level.” Concern was written all over his face, which made my panic rise.
The door opened, drawing my attention to the small woman walking in. Through the haze, she appeared to be floating as she began to move across the room.
“Jeb, something’s wrong," said a man in the corner by the door.
As the woman came closer, my rage built to right below the boiling point. The cloudy red mist in my vision started to get thicker. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to push the building rage deep down inside me.
As I lay there trying not to listen to their worries, I closed my eyes. I felt something cool being placed on my forehead. It was smooth like a stone, but it didn't have the weight of a one. My eyes shot open and I was fixated on the face of the young woman.
“Try to relax,” she said soothingly. “This will help.” She placed a second one of the objects on my chest, and another right below my belly button. Once all three were placed, I began to feel a pulsing sensation running through me. It wasn't painful. It was more like the tingling of numbness, like warming my hands from a freezing temperature.
I concentrated on the pulsing coming from the stones and let my eyes fall closed again. I could no longer feel the rage; my entire body had lost all sense of feeling. Someone started shaking my shoulder. I opened my eyes to see Asyl and Jeb leaning over me, the red cloudy mist gone.
Asyl's slight smile didn't hide his distress “How are you feeling?”
“I'm not angry anymore, if that's what you are asking.” I smiled up at him, focusing on my emotional state. “I actually feel somewhat normal again.”
I glanced around the room. Amanda, the woman from before, stood beside me. Her blonde hair fell past her waist. Her chocolate eyes were flecked with gold, that if not careful, could entrap you. Her skin was so fair that she looked like a porcelain doll, and the forest green dress she wore was barely kept from touching the ground. There was a guy who was standing off in the corner glaring at me. He had dark hair, and a similar build to Jeb, but he had more of a bronze skin tone. He looked as though he could be Jeb’s son. Both had the same strong jaw and muscular bodies. They reminded me of bears. There were two more men in the room, both with different colored hair and pale skin. The taller one appeared to have a broad torso but it was hard to tell with the hoodie he wore. His auburn hair reminded me of the sunsets back home. His eyes were the strangest slate blue I had ever seen, but they seemed familiar somehow. He had a slight smirk on his face that was accented by his strong jaw with a little stubble and he was also glaring at me. He reminded me of a great jungle cat stalking his prey. As I stared at him, I started to feel something strange. Before I could process what I was feeling, my eyes moved to the next person in the room. The man standing next to him was shorter and had bright red hair and green eyes. His lean form was dotted with freckles, but not in an unattractive way. His boyish appearance reminded me of the Fae back home. He had a wide grin that was framed by his soft jaw line that was shaved smooth and his eyes held mischief in them. I looked at Asyl and he stood out greatly among them. My brother was the tallest person in the room—he was six and a half feet tall, with broad muscular shoulders and torso. He looked like the warrior he was. His bronze skin had more of a gold color in it, giving away the color of his Dragon scales. His eyes were electric blue with an inner light to them that made them glow slightly. His dark blonde hair was cut short, almost to his scalp. The look he gave me was full of concern and he wore a scowl on his face.
Jeb smiled warmly. “That’s good. We were afraid we’d be wrong.”
I looked up at him in confusion. “What does that mean?”
Shaking his head, Jeb held out his hand to help me sit up. “I'll let Amanda explain that in a moment.”
I glared at Jeb. I didn't like being kept in the dark, but I would deal with it since I had no other alternative. Only now did I notice everyone leaving. “Where is everyone going?” I asked quietly, more to myself than anyone else.
“They are giving us some privacy,” Jeb answered.
Nodding, I glanced around the room. There were a few bookshelves, a couch, a chair, and a large desk with a computer sitting in the middle of it. Getting up, I went over to the computer to look at the keyboard. I wondered if it was like the one the Millers had in their office at the farmhouse.
I glanced up and noticed Jeb gazing at me with a smile on his face. “Yes?”
“Do you like technology?”
Shaking my head, I answered. “You humans and your technology. I don't dislike it. It's simply different. I don't think I'll ever get used to it.”
“Did you have technology where you are from?” Jeb questioned.
I replied, absentmindedly, “Most people still traveled around on horseback. If we needed information, we would seek out a mage.”
“How did you prefer to travel?”
“I rarely was in my human form so most of the time I would fly. I stayed clear of the towns, so I wouldn't have to shift.”
“Did your people often avoid the towns?”
“In my clan, Dragons kept to themselves until they were mated. As soon as they found their mate, most became quite content with conversing with the different races. That was how we became a mountain-appraising clan. A few of our clan happened to be at the right place at the right time and met some Dwarves looking for a new mine. Ever since, most of our dealings were with Dwarves and the Humans they introduced us to. They would hire our clan to investigate mountain areas in hopes that they would be a good investment for ore or gems.”
“Why was your clan doing this?”
I met Jeb's questioning eyes. “We can change our size. Our clan has a unique ability that allows us to take the shape of any stage of our lives that we have already lived. We also have an enhanced sense of smell. For this reason, we are better at tracking people than the rest of our kind, though we are nowhere near as good at it as Vampires or Werewolves.”
Jeb seemed to think about what I told him for a moment before commenting. “That's very interesting. Maybe someday you can demonstrate the form-changing for us. Are there any inhibitors to your tracking?”
Asyl usually answered these questions and I felt awkward. I rested my hip against the desk and looked at the computer to avoid Jeb’s gaze. “If the person has a strong smell that is their own it’s easier. A person’s scent is strongest when they are under stress. Maybe we can put on a demonstration for everyone. I would love to fly under your moon. It's really different from ours.”
&
nbsp; “We'll have to make that happen, then.” I jumped at the voice beside me. Turning toward the sound, I was face to face with the blue-eyed man. There was a light behind him from the open door that led to the porch outside. The light threw a shadow over his face, but I could still see he had that same smirk on his face. I felt the sudden need to remove the final few inches between us and have his mouth on mine. I had to suppress a deep want that was forming down within my loins.
“You like sneaking up on people?” I snapped, fighting my new urges while moving to gain distance from him. Someone chuckled and I looked at the other door in the room. Asyl was leaning against the open-door frame. My jaw dropped in disbelief at his mischievous grin. “Why are you smiling?”
Shaking his head, Asyl turned to Jeb. “She’s back to her normal self, for the most part. If it’s alright, would we be able to stay here for a few days?”
Both Blue Eyes and I said no as we watched Jeb smile. “Yes, I believe that would be for the best. We should monitor her progress, to ensure the illness is under control.”
Asyl's grin got larger. “Oh, it’s under control.”
I eyed my brother. “What are you up to, Asyl?”
If I didn't believe his grin could get wider, he would have proven me wrong. He snickered at me. “You'll see.”
Knowing Asyl, he wouldn't tell me until he was ready. It was a trait that had annoyed me ever since we became fledglings. I felt at odds with myself as my feelings pulled me in two different directions. My eyes locked with Blue Eyes and I felt a jolt of energy course through my body. I wanted to look away, but my body wouldn't move. I felt trapped, while new emotions started to flow through me.
Someone cleared their throat, thankfully, and broke the hold on me. I quickly turned and fled the room, needing to get away. I moved through the house barely paying attention to anything around me. I sensed Asyl following me. I was surprised to find myself outside and I turned to faced him. His serious expression told me there was something important on his mind.
Scales and Flames Page 10