by J N Moon
As my little car trundled and bumped down the lanes away from Conor’s home, Luke turned to me, his face consumed by a cheeky smile, “Did I play my part well?”
Grinning but not taking my eyes off the road, “Affirmative. You were excellent.”
“Something’s changed, you gone off lover boy? Well, I’m not surprised, I mean I ask you, can he fly? I think not,” he roared.
“Luke, actually it’s...”
“Don’t tell me, you’re a shifter-groupie? Or is it my stunning looks?” I slapped his arm, keeping my other on the wheel. “I want to tell you something, I’ve been Dream-Walking. I wielded light, or fire from my hands. I don’t know if it means anything but I don’t want to tell anyone yet. Can you help? Does it mean anything?”
Sitting up straight he was looking right at me, though I had to look at the road. “For sure, shit Emma. You haven’t told anyone, when did this happen?”
“Last night.”
“Shit! Wow! Fire and wolf, no wonder the Nuckelavee wants your blood. Ok, what do you want to know?”
“How to wield it, if I can, like now? What it means, kind of everything really? Can we go somewhere before seeing Lauren, can you show me now?”
Glancing, I saw that Luke’s eyes were wide with wonder, he stared out of the window quiet for a while. “I’d be honoured to help you Em. We need somewhere private, take the next turn off to the right, I’ll direct you to a place I go to, not many miles from here. And thank you for asking me, for trusting me.”
Smiling over, I looked for the turning but said nothing. Could I trust him? God knows but right now, I had to. Anyway, I had bigger worries like hacking off the head of a demon, making sure my mum was safe, saving Lou and God knows what else.
It was a good job Luke had a sense of direction because I had zero idea of where we were or how we got there, so many bends, climbs, descends and tight lanes. Eventually we came to a tiny clearing, and he said to stop.
“I’m glad you know where we are, I’d never have found this.”
“Well Em, that’s the point. I see a lot that land creatures miss,” he said almost dismissively. I didn’t want to appear being in awe that he was a dragon shifter, for one I wasn’t a shifter-groupie and two, well two I just wanted his help as a friend. I guessed he probably met a lot of others that were more impressed with what he was rather than who he is. I was the latter.
Getting out of the car, I followed him through a small wooded area, I stopped, shocked. “This is where I was last night,” I squeaked rather embarrassingly.
He turned, frowning hard, “You sure?”
“If we carry on that way,” I said pointing forward, “We come to a ledge, you look across a deep valley, and almost hidden from view, all on its own you see a small wooden cabin? But it’s weird because in the dream I was in the Black Forest, but it’s the same, the exact same here.”
Luke’s face turned ghost white, biting his bottom lip, I reached out to him thinking he might fall over. He grabbed my arm to steady himself then whispered, “You didn’t go into the cabin, did you?” My face must have changed because he continued, “You went into the cabin, didn’t you? That’s where you wielded fire.” Looking away, he murmured, “I know what you saw.”
“How, I was dream walking?” I frowned, “No one can get into another’s dream.” The dream itself came back in full ferociousness and I looked about and sat down. “What I saw was a culmination of fears, of muddles from everything that’s happened in the last weeks,” I stated shaking my head. “It wasn’t real.”
Luke sat on the ground next to me, looking at me empathically. “You weren’t alone, were you?” His eyes darted around, looking at the trees behind me, as if looking for clues. I’d not seen him this calm, this quiet in the short time I’d known him, he was like a completely different man to the bravado he showed to everyone else.
I watched his expressions change, his eyes slowly widening along with his mouth. His face was softer when he smiled. “Black Shuck was with you, wasn’t he, he is your guardian, your protector. Conor attacked you-werewolves in their half-state can be ferocious and unwieldy. They kind of know what they’re doing but they usually lack control.” Gazing away he pulled his legs to his chest, staring before him thoughtfully.
“And you? Do you turn into a half-state as a dragon?”
Impulsively he laughed hard, “Ha! No chance. It’s all or nothing.” He gasped, “I’ll show you, but not today, not now. I am in control in my animal state-I have to be, otherwise I’d have been found out by now.”
Staring at me, “I rarely change-due to my size, when I do it’s at night in a place like this. Unless I’m helping others, but then none of us shift in broad daylight in front of humans.” He looked at my arm, I was sat cross-legged, he kept looking at my arm, then at me, trembling slightly he reached out to place his hand on my arm, then clearing his throat, “I’ll be happy to help you when you change. I know you’ve asked... others. But they’re used to the transformation, they had help from their family. I was alone, as I told you and once I’d realised I wasn’t dreaming or hallucinating, I was so terrified I shook for hours. I’d appreciate if you never mention that to another. Dragon-shifters have a reputation as mean and hard, even cruel. I like that, it keeps others away and mainly it means I don’t have to change-don’t get me wrong, I love my creature self, but as I explained, I want to live so I keep him in hiding.” Moving back a bit, “Well, my offer is there should you want it, but now I’d better help you learn to use fire, seeing as that’s why you wanted to be with me.”
I couldn’t help but grin, and playfully push him over, “Oh, Luke Philips I only want your knowledge and skills, get out of here. I didn’t realise there was more of you, you come across as a bit of a player, to me anyhow.” He shot me look of playful horror, “Though I know nothing of any use about the male species, let alone shifter ones. God... I wish none of the other stuff existed. We could just talk and smell the air.”
“Well, I thought you a tad defensive and I was sure you were smitten with Conor. It was that dream last night wasn’t it, now you’re not so sure?”
“You know something you’re not telling me, I can taste it.”
“Emma, I wouldn’t presume to change your mind, but know that I’ve got your back, that’s all. There’s strange shit going on all over, you’d be wise to trust no one, except yourself.”
“Not even you?”
“Not even me-don’t look so freaked out, look what happened to Steve and Lou? That’s what I mean. Now, fire training, we still got to see Lauren. I’ll text Sabian and let him know we’re ok. So tell me when you were dream walking, how did you create fire?”
“I was afraid, and angry. I felt energy building in me, I tried to push him away, to get his hands off of me, and the fire came, except... I don’t know if it was fire. I felt its heat, but it was golden, like a glowing golden ball of light. It burned him, I think, either way he let go and I fled. And you’re right, with Shuck.”
“Shuck didn’t help?” Luke frowned, confused.
“Shuck was shut outside, I didn’t think he wanted to go in.”
“Next time, if Shuck doesn’t go in, neither do you. Sorry, you didn’t know, now you do.”
I interrupted him, “I didn’t want Shuck to go in, I was protecting him that time.”
His smile wide, he gazed at me with a warmth I didn’t know he could have. “Emma,” he laughed, “Kind, you are very kind. And that’s a great quality, endearing but you’ve got to be tougher now. A golden light, fuck me... that isn’t fire, it’s um, more... celestial than that.”
Raising my eyebrows at his words, he comforted that, “No, you’re not an archangel or anything... ah, yes,” he looked down, his face thoughtful and then blurted out, “You’re the direct descendant, we know that anyway, the first of the Wolf Born.” Sighing, he continued, “That’s why the Nuckelavee is after you, and you specifically. It probably thought your uncle had this gift, who knows, maybe h
e did, but it will hunt you until it is dead.” Sighing, he placed his hand on my arm again, tentatively, “I don’t mean to scare you but at the same time, I’m not going to sugar coat it, I’d rather you knew, but as I said you’re not alone. I’m half dragon, you have that, I know you have to severe its head, that should be easier with a dragon beside you, breathing out flames,” he smiled.
“Luke, I don’t want you risking your life on my behalf. If you get hurt, or....”
“To bad Emma Blakesley, you got me. Now for this fire or energy of yours, show me.” Standing up he offered me his hand up, which I took. “Concentrate on something that fuels your anger, I’ll be honest that isn’t the best way to do this but to start with it’s what we’ve got. Another time, later I’ll teach you-if I can, how to control it without anger.”
“Ok. I’m a bit nervous.”
“Good, you should be, being afraid can keep you alive, being reckless won’t.” Laughing he added, “Ha, I know I seem a fine one to talk, I come across like I’m never afraid but as I said, I have an image to keep. If people, mortal or otherwise knew the dragon boy was scared, well... you know what would happen. They’d want me to prove it an all.”
Standing there I scrunched my eyes and thought of my uncle, the anger welled in me like a torrent, building faster, seeing his body covered with a blanket. Why hadn’t the police come back, I knew they couldn’t help, there must be shifters at the top, something like that would make national news. Why hadn’t Conor helped Ethan, or woken me earlier? So many unanswered questions, I never really knew what my uncle wanted to tell me. He’d trusted Conor where I hadn’t. Ethan, his lifeless torn body... No one should die like that.
Suddenly I became aware of a soft voice beside me, Luke. Could I trust Luke?
“That’s good, keep your eyes closed for a bit longer, it’s building, yes Emma, try and maintain your emotions.”
Now I fought to keep my eyes closed, I wanted to see what I’d thought was a dream, heat penetrated my palms, I squeezed my eyes tighter until my eyelids hurt.
“Good, now holding your thoughts, your anger, I want you to open your eyes slowly and look at me, don’t look at your hands... yet, ok?”
“Alright,” I yelped.
Luke stood right in front of me. His eyes were wide with wonder, smiling, looking at me, as our eyes met relief swooped through me and I smiled back. Grinning, he spoke quietly, “Now, how does that feel?”
“Like I’m bracing to be honest,” gasping, I realised I’d been holding my breath.
“I’m going to try something,” he looked me in the eye, then down at our hands, his eyes narrowing in concentration. Placing his palms lightly on either side of my hands, the brilliant golden light grew hotter, bigger.
“Wow! You’re doing that, too? I didn’t realise you could produce flames in this form.”
Sighing and smiling, he looked up and then back at our hands.
We were transfixed, hues of dazzling gold light flecked with crimson and sparks of glacial white, the energy expanded. A diaphanous form seemed to flood out from it, and into our hands, arms and through our bodies, causing Luke to sway, my legs trembled. I felt the weight of his stare, his eyes glistened that brilliant green, pupils changing shape slightly from round to vertical, like a dragon. Darting his tongue out to wet his lips, then gulping, he went to speak, but could not.
Slowly, breathing in and out I steadied myself, he moved his palms in closer touching my hands. Shuddering, a jerk of power thrummed through me and into me, the energy that flowed through us grew brighter, stronger. A smile flashed across his lips, sensual, almost wicked, without moving his head we caught each other’s gaze. No words could describe, we shared in silent union, our power. Stepping closer, his scent like honeyed almonds, adding a heady intoxication of his vitality, his force, not overpowering, just a gentle strength.
“Emma,” He whispered, his voice hoarse, glancing back up again into his eyes, a sudden bolt of energy shot through me.
“Ah...!” falling to the ground on my knees, Luke stepped back and aided me to the ground quick as a flash. “Oh my God, are you alright?” His face pale as snow, round eyes as horror shook through him.
“No.”
“Ok, just rest a while, that was intense. And wow!”
“Have you done that before?” I managed to ask, my voice weak.
“No, I’ve never met anyone with your... abilities. Emma, you’re right not to speak of this to anyone but we should tell Sabian and Lauren. I trust Sabian implicitly and he should know. You can trust them with your life, as you can trust me, I give you my life, and my word. Come, you did amazing,” he smiled.
“Before we go, let’s see the ledge, I want to look over the valley waking, I feel safer doing this with you.”
Blushing, he put his arm out in a gesture to follow him and led the way. A mixture of emotions, feelings whirled inside me, this experience with him, the nightmare about Conor, the things I had yet to do... And after all that, if I survived I’d have to go back to work. Not sure I could just step back into my past like that.
Coming to the ledge, standing there in the waking world, overlooking that place, tingles of sensation danced down my spine. “Luke, I’m glad you’re my friend.”
“And I’m glad you’re my friend, Emma.”
The sunshine breaking through the midday cloud was comforting as we ambled back to my car to go see Lauren. Treading lightly like I was walking on air, ease oozed through me, I had been completely wrong about Luke, knowing I had this secret power, him as a friend and Shuck, I felt calmer, stronger as we walked back to my car.
––––––––
“Argh!” My body jerked forward violently, thrown to my knees, my breath knocked out of me. Fear seized me, gasping for air, spinning mind, vaguely aware of Luke’s arm around me, his voice. Shuddering, I started to convulse, I remember thinking now I am going to die. The demon has me, my heart pounded against my ribs, my soul ripped from my body. Sweat poured as I heard a terrible scream that stung my ears, my eyes so wide I thought they would pop out, until I realised the screaming was me. Uncertainty gripped me, ripping my life away.
Looking at my arms, flesh ripping open, bones crunching-abject horror, my body was being torn apart. I wanted to pass out, closing my eyes, argh, they too stretched, my face pulled out. Panic completely consumed me, clammy hands on my shoulder, Luke?
Shaking uncontrollably, stomach wrenching I managed to turn my head, see Luke there talking to me, no idea what he was saying. For a second, I was still, tears rolled down his face as he tried to comfort me, to help, his face strained as he choked back the emotion. Trying to reach out to him, I didn’t want him to see me like this, some freak monster, human but looking down I realised they hadn’t been lying. Now I wasn’t human, now I was wolf.
Surreal, it was like being in a dream and seeing through the eyes of another. Suddenly blasted with senses, every noise, crack of twigs, scent from birds from leaves filled me, spilling through my mind. Anxiety and instinct bolted through me as I smelled Luke, padding backwards away from him, but I knew, deep down I felt he was safe. Thinking as human and wolf, though trepidation tingled through me, I knew he was no threat.
Luke crouched down, eyes averted to the ground, talking softly, looking up at me in short moments then down again, submissive stance to show he was no danger.
The breeze whispering through the branches, the leaves, the rustle of tiny creatures I felt oddly at ease, free. Walking slowly over to Luke, I brushed into him, smelled his overpowering human scent, soapy and sweet and his cool, clammy hand on my back.
Hues of greys filled my sight, my vision and all around me another world buzzed with sounds that were so loud. Knowing he was a dragon helped, not being able to talk threw my mind into panic, and though I looked calm on the outside, inside my head was like a child lost in a crowd, scared and confused. What do I do now? But before I had the luxury to contemplate that, a purple mist descended from the tree top
s, fast and thick, crouching up, tail between my legs I circled Luke as he slowly stood up, puffing himself up ready for whatever was coming at us. It wouldn’t be good, that I was sure of.
From green to emerald, like precious stones Luke’s eyes shone though that hazy cloud, a beacon but for me I saw shapes, iridescent and mostly diaphanous moving about. In my gut I knew this had something to do with Lou, the same non-corporeal thing’s, spirits looming to possess souls for whatever ends. At first, they hid behind trees, warped human looking creatures, almost shadows. As they edged forward, a growl instinctively came out of me, Luke raised his right arm, his hand facing them and started quoting some spell or magic. Similar to my experience, except his was a true flame, not some divine energy, flames shot from his palms towards them, they screeched and hissed back.
Suddenly I felt something grab my tail, turning I saw three of the things right behind us, Luke spun around, now both arms outstretched. One facing front and the other behind he chanted loudly. They were flung backwards by his incantations, but it was too late for me, the anger swelled inside me like a raging storm, and pain shot threw me again. In that instant I knew exactly what was happening. Luke had said, we can be either wolf or werewolf, and now threatened by a magic so dark, my spine shivered in reaction to the evil present, an evil so intense I hadn’t picked that up as a human when I’d been at Steve’s.
Howling cries like ice splintered on metal, cracked out of me as my body spat and cracked into defensive mode, the beast was coming out. I wasn’t as horrified as I should’ve been, the threat to my soul, to our lives was all too real.
Luke kept chanting, trying not to watch the change into the hideous, perversion of nature before him, trying to stay calm. Roaring in pain, in rage of the threat my inner creature burst through the timid wolf and morphed into a beast towering over Luke. A thunderous howl came out of me, shaking the trees around us, birds flying off, their caws of fear alarming every creature in the forest.
Turning I looked at Luke, I felt an instinct of survival and courage I had never known before. A slight sheen of sweat on his head, I heard his heart pound faster, breathing deeply he realised I was no threat, and he winked. I nodded, the monster that I was primal, savage but understood the bravery of a fellow creature, a being I knew who was trying to protect me, but this all came in a clamber of instincts, of knowing, not in words or structured thought.