I was playing Legos with a couple boys, I’d met before. They were six and eight and they were probably going to be gone before another year passed but I tried not to think about that.
Ethan was the eight-year-old, and he had the wide, bright eyes of a kid who believed in magic. He always wanted to talk about knights and wizards and werewolves and things like that. But he was human and so was Mickey, the six-year-old who got caught up in Ethan’s excitement. The two were a pair, both gaunt and weak and never able to play for a very long time. Sometimes it was all I could do not to spill everything and tell them that everything they believed in was actually real. It would have made them so happy.
“Do you live in a castle?” Ethan said, and it made me smile as I pieced a few Legos together. The kids knew I’d paid for the toys and even if they didn’t know who I was exactly, they knew that I raced cars that I owned. They knew I was very rich.
“It’s sort of like a castle,” I said, chuckling. “No moat or anything. Why don’t we build a castle?” I crawled up on my knees and pawed around in the big Lego box, looking for a kit for a Castle.
“I want to live in a castle,” Ethan said, pushing out his lip. “Before I die.”
My heart ached at that and Mickey piped up, “Me too!” He tended to just agree with whatever Ethan said.
“But real castles don’t have dragons,” Ethan said sadly. “I mean...I know in fairy tales the dragon isn’t usually in the castle but sometimes there’s one in the woods or something? Or in a cave?”
“I want to see a dragon,” Mickey added, looking very serious.
That was when I got a really stupid idea. But the two of them were so little and sick with their big eyes and the dark circles under them and swimming in their too-big hospital gown. Mickey was hooked up to an oxygen tank. I couldn’t help myself and I didn’t want to. The Lego part of the play room was in the corner and the entire back wall lined with giant windows that looked out on the big alley and a mural painted on the opposite wing of the hospital so they would have something approaching a nice view. So it was...sort of hidden. The children’s ward was also on the tenth floor which was very low...but my little stunt would only be for a minute and anyway, I’d tested out the ward on Manhattan plenty of times before with much bigger acts of daredevil shifting.
“Hey, Ethan...Mickey.” I bit my lip and eyed the windows and then met the boys steady gazes with my own. “I need you to do something for me.”
I’ve found that little kids, especially ones that feel sick and helpless love to be given something to do or a task to follow through on. It makes them feel like they can do something.
“I need you to stay right here, looking out these windows,” I said quietly. “I have to go now…” I checked my watched. I’d been hanging out with different kids for a few hours now. I’d even taken a break and had coffee with the nurses but it was probably about time I should be going. “But I want you to keep looking out these windows for me, okay?”
It wasn’t really necessary for me to say but at least it gave them the idea that something exciting was about to happen. They nodded, looking very serious, and I grinned before wishing them and the other kids farewell and making my way out.
I had to get to the roof and quick.
“Jude!” That was Evelyn again. She was smiling now. Apparently I’d manage to cheer up even her, and now she touched my arm and bit her lip just as I was trying to back away toward the door. “Hey. We’re so glad you stopped by. You do such great work for the kids.”
“Oh, it’s no problem,” I muttered, glancing toward the boys by the window. But when Evelyn squeezed my arm with a little more intention, I raised my eyebrows.
“Listen, I was wondering…” She batted her eyes at me. She really was beautiful and yet in that moment I couldn’t even remember why I’d been interested before.
She just wasn’t Sierra.
“I was wondering if you still wanna go get dinner or something?” Evelyn said. “I feel like I… I didn’t give you a chance when I should have. I was just in a weird place and…”
“Oh, that’s not a problem,” I said, dismissing it with a wave of my hand. “You know what, I’m pretty busy now? I’m just not really…” I swallowed. I had no decent excuse. I would never have turned down a date with Evelyn before. Even if I didn’t intend on anything long term, she was hot and pleasant to be around if nothing else.
But since Sierra had come back from London, I just couldn’t pretend anymore. There was nobody for me but Sierra.
I mumbled a few more excuses, practically making a run for it out the door.
By the time I got up to the roof, I’d forgotten all about Evelyn but I could just imagine explaining what I was about to do to Sierra. She’d both love it and think I was crazy.
On the roof of the hospital, I walked to the edge of the side where I knew that line of windows facing the children’s ward was. The magic wards on New York could hide a lot of things, but it wouldn’t be able to hide an encounter this close. The children would see it. They’d see it and they’d remember and they’d have it to hold onto. If some adults saw it too, well then adults would suddenly believe that dragons were real.
I stood on the ledge of the building and all at once I shifted before hopping off and flying down to the tenth floor. There was just enough room between the two wings of the hospital for me to hover right at the windows. It took a little finagling, and every second seemed like another moment when the people of New York might finally realize that a whole lot of magical creatures resided alongside them. But I didn’t care now as I found my big, horned green dragon head level with the window where Ethan and Mickey were seeing me now, their mouths agape, their noses pressed to the glass. I saw the entire crowd of kids in the playroom run toward the window and I tossed them all a wink before flapping my great wings and shooting straight up into the sky and away from their dazzled gaze.
Something about visiting the kids really got to me and I found myself brooding when I got home, ignoring my phone. I’d had it set to airplane mode at the hospital. I never wanted the kids to feel like I had something more important to do but I didn’t want to worry about missed calls or anything either. Now at home, I made myself an espresso. I wasn’t about to go near booze after last night’s shenanigans although I knew I probably would soon enough.
I found myself sipping my coffee and staring out my window as the sun was setting. I was thinking about how I might possibly convince my father to put a little more money into Fairchild Company’s charitable programs. I felt myself pulled in two directions when I thought about where I should devote most of my time. I was good with the car design. I’d learned on my feet, growing up inside the company and a voice in my head that sounded like a little boy wondered if my dad wouldn’t finally give me some credit if I devoted my time to it serious. Yet when I hung out with those kids, I felt like I was really doing something important. I also had ideas about doing work for shifter kids in particular. I was proud of my heritage as an aristocratic dragon shifter and all, but we did tend to ignore our own kind when they weren’t of our class. I didn’t like that feeling. I thought it needed to change. I was taking out my phone to text my friends in the Alpha Dragon Club when I remembered my phone was still on airplane mode after all this time. I snorted at my forgetfulness and turned it off, immediately seeing all the messages Sierra had left me. I’d only answered one earlier but now she wanted to meet up and I’d never answered.
Oops.
I can meet up anytime. Free tonight?
Sierra replied quickly but when I saw her answer, it I felt a wave of jealousy roll through me: Sure, later. I’ll come over at 9. Out w/Eddie Didion now.
Eddie Didion.
I hated Didion.
I didn’t have much to go on for a good reason to hate Eddie Didion yet, other than the obvious. But I still hated him with a passion.
No- we’ll meet at Cones. 9pm.
Sierra sent me an enthusiastic yes in response
and I felt slightly vindicated. Cones was an ice cream parlor near her parents' place. It was like an old fashioned Victorian type of ice cream parlor with the scalloped awning and clerks wearing red and white stripes and straw hats. It had been a fixture for us growing up together. It felt like a sort of victory to know that no matter how perfect Eddie Didion was, he didn’t have this history with Sierra. Nobody had that but me.
At nine o’clock I had a table for us at Cones and Sierra sat down in front of me with her own strawberry sundae, the same thing she’d been ordering there since the seventh grade, which was as long as we’d been coming here.
“I thought you were flaking out on me today,” Sierra said, raising an eyebrow.
“I wasn’t.” I rubbed my eyes and sighed even as I dug into my two scoops of black cherry. Sierra always got her old reliable strawberry sundae, but I was always trying something new, always looking for the next thing. It said a lot about who we both were as people really. “I went to see some terminal kids,” I mumbled. I still felt sad about that but I didn't feel like opening up about it.
“Are you okay?” Sierra said. I thought I had a fairly blank look on my face but Sierra had read me perfectly, of course.
“Yeah,” I said, shrugging. “I’m fine. So your meeting went well?”
“Yes!” Sierra said brightly. Her reddish hair was blowing around in the breeze, catching the light, and it almost looked rose gold. Her eyes were a bright green usually, but today they almost looked hazel as they sparkled when she smiled.
I had loved her since we were both eleven.
“I actually have a proposal for you,” she said, licking her spoon. “But if you don’t want to do it, don’t feel like you have to.”
She was ridiculous, my Sierra. As if there was anything in the world I wouldn’t do for her. She had new freckles dotting her cheeks. I noticed them now because that nurse had so many freckles.
I liked Sierra’s freckles better.
“What is it?” I said, leaning on my hand. I tried to tear my eyes away from Sierra and poked at my ice cream.
“The editor wants me to write about you,” Sierra said, actually seeming nervous. It bothered me a little that she’d be nervous around me. We’d always been so comfortable around each other before, even as I’d pined for her. “About us… I mean not that there’s an us, but you and me…”
I smiled, a shit eating grin growing across my face. Sierra was so goddamn adorable when she was flustered. Not that she had any reason to be flustered with me. “Sure, I’ll do that.”
“But I…” Sierra shook her head, seeming surprised. “It might be pretty personal? I didn’t know if-”
“I don’t care.” I looked down at my black cherry and took a big bite. Sierra writing a big article about me meant she’d have to spend a lot of time with me. She used to before, of course. But she was clearly set on moving forward with her life and leaving the old days of us making trouble in her past. She was clearly going to leave me in her past and “probably marry” that slick douche, Eddie Didion. The thought was too painful to think about, but I could at least take advantage of such a perfect opportunity before she inevitably found a mate and became only a casual friend to run into at formal events. “I’ll do it. No problem.”
“Really?” She beamed at me and it was like staring into the sun. “You’re the best, Jude.”
“On one condition!” I said, holding up my spoon.
“What?” Sierra said warily.
It was around ten at night. For me, that often meant I was just getting started. I didn’t know what Sierra was like these days but I guess I’d find out.
“Go flying with me tonight,” I said softly.
“Jude,” Sierra said laughing. “I was going to ask you the same thing.”
Chapter Six: Sierra
Jude was singing as we walked to the park and I felt like a nervous teenage girl again as he slung his arm around me and turned his head to laugh into my hair. This was my favorite type of Jude. This was the Jude who was playful and funny, almost as if he was drunk even when he’d had nothing to drink but then abruptly he could turn on that serious kind of alpha charm and you’d sink into his eyes and want to melt into his arms. Not that we did that but sometimes I wanted to throw caution to the wind and risk completely fucking things up with my best friend in the world.
“Did you date in London?” Jude said now, as we made our way through the park to our favorite deserted spot where we liked to shift and take off into the late night starry sky since we were kids.
“Here and there,” I said. “Nothing serious.”
“No,” Jude said, sighing. “Saving that for Eddie. Eddie is serious. Isn’t he?”
“I know you’re protective of me,” I said, rolling my eyes. “But what’s the matter with Eddie?”
Jude only shrugged and I couldn’t help but laugh. We’d always been like that with each other; constantly disapproving of the other’s new boyfriend or girlfriend. I couldn’t deny that there had always been something there between us, but I was never going to be the one to put myself out there like that. Jude had never been in love with anyone that I knew of. I couldn’t stand the thought of being another one of the notches on his bedpost. I didn’t think my heart would be able to take it.
Jude looked like he was about to say something that might piss me off but then he only shook his head and deflated a little even his arm around me squeezed me a little tighter. “Nothing. I just… I’d like to, I don’t know, look into him. Make sure he’s on the up and up.”
“My protector,” I said, but the assurance that he was always looking out for me did give me the warm and fuzzies even though I thought he was being a little silly.
“I’m always your protector,” Jude said. I was going to joke around again, but he was looking so serious then as we walked between the trees. I knew he meant it. He’d always meant it. Now he winked at me in that dashing way of his, and gave me that same charming grin that had made panties drop all over Manhattan. “Come fly with me, Sierra.” Jude let me go and walked backwards in front of me and winked and then all at once he was that forest green dragon with the curved over horns on his head who I’d know since we were only the size of ponies.
I shifted too, and it felt damn good. I’d had a little plot of vacant space outside London to shift in but there were very few dragons who lived there and shifters in general had to be a lot more careful than in New York. I’d missed this kind of freedom as I felt the pull and stretch of my muscles, my silver scales rippling as I took after Jude and flew up into the night.
Just like that, nothing felt weird at all. We were both young again; just two young dragons playing around and chasing each other in and out of clouds, and flying so you’d have thought we were reaching for the stars. Birds shrieked and went soaring out of our way as we made the sky over Manhattan ours, staying well away from the low flying planes near the airports. The magical wards over New York were good and Jude had always been a whole lot more daring than me but why tempt fate? We flew toward the Lower East Side and feinted and soared up again over Wall Street and the Battery and over the water, looping in and around each other and it was so reflexive and so relaxing to fall into that easy dance with Jude. I felt as if I’d only just come home as I shared the sky with him.
I couldn’t lie to myself and say that it wasn’t a turn-on too when we flew together. I’d met Jude in the sixth grade and not too long after that, puberty had followed. Jude had been at the center of my sexual awakening. He was my favorite sexual fantasy even if I knew I couldn’t keep him forever like that if I’d wanted to. Flying had always aroused me when it came to Jude. Not all dragons are equally good fliers and Jude was better than most. He could make thrillingly sharp turns and gain an impressive amount of speed. He could dive so steeply and then turn his snout up and shoot right back into the air. It was really a shame that humans didn’t know about us. They would have been so impressed by him. I suppose his flying talent had also made him a g
ood race car driver, even if he wasn’t a professional. That kind of feel for movement was just a part of him somehow.
Now Jude dove and turned, and I knew somehow that he was headed back to his place though we hadn’t discussed it. The two of us had always had sort of a mind meld with each other when it came to flying. We could anticipate each other’s moves. I felt the fire of my dragon hot inside me as I followed him to his building’s roof. I was more turned on by us flying together than I’d ever been before. I’d always been able to hide it but sometimes when my dragon got riled up, it was difficult to disguise. I’d made quick getaways after flying with Jude in the past, only to go home and touch myself, thinking of him or call up whatever guy I was seeing at the time.
We landed neatly on Jude’s roof and he looked just as riled up and high on the flying as I was as I watched him shift back into his human form and throw his arms up in the air, howling into the night.
“WOOOOO!” Jude hooted.
That was the Jude I loved so much; happy and free and wild. I hated it when he was sad. I had landed on my hind legs and Jude ran toward me just as I shifted, laughing even as I felt myself back inside my human body. I had hardly gotten by bearing before Jude was throwing his arms around me and swinging me in a circle, as we laughed and shouted our pure joy at the rest of the city, the air warm but breezy.
“Oh man, it’s been too long,” Jude said, still holding me around the waist as we caught our breath. My hair was flying around and it gave me a slightly crazy feeling, the two of us holding onto each other on the roof. Jude was beaming and staring into my eyes with the intense gaze he always got after he shifted and I felt that buzzing heat between my legs, not wanting to let him go.
“Way too long,” I said softly. He started to let go, and I pulled him closer.
We’d fooled around once when we’d been about seventeen. We’d both fumbled our way back into being friends and never really even talked about it, the two of us mutually and silently deciding that it was for the best.
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