by Jadyn Chase
“Are you crazy?! Do you have any idea what they were doing to me in that place? Where did you get this?”
“One of the pets saw it and thought I should see it. Preston gave it to me,” he snarled. That irritated him even more. Neither of us needed Preston to have a reason to question our decisions. “We were supposed to be in and out. No one was supposed to know, and now you’re the leading man of this romantic tale. Oh wait, here, it gets better.”
He played the clip of Shaw and me fighting outside, right before Addison fell off the cliff. It showed me leaving Shaw and running after her, diving over the edge.
“I see you made it,” Bart shook his head, “What about her?”
“That’s what I’m here to talk to you about. The guy working there and that guy whose face is buried in the mud are responsible for that extra movement down by the docks. They have this crazy shit that stops us from scaling. That’s how they got me. When we swarmed the building something pricked me in the back of the neck, and I’ve been trying to get back here ever since.”
“Bartholomew,” Aya called to him.
He craned his neck around to see her sitting across from him, “My apologies, Aya. I didn’t realize he’d brought you in here.”
“I wouldn’t dare bring Addison back in this place,” I mumbled, and as soon as the words slipped out I instantly regretted it.
Bart stood up, cocking his head to the side, it clicked. Racing toward me, I was too tired to react, even if I wanted to. He gripped his hand around my throat and slammed me against the wall. With flames spitting out after every angry word, “I knew I recognized that cunt. That’s the same trash Trevor brought in here, trying to make us like Preston. Not you too? Not my number one. You let her turn you against me, against us?”
“No,” I choked out.
“We need to go, so show him,” Aya commanded. I pulled the vial out of my pocket showing it to him.
“This is why I came here. They have another lab somewhere in the city. I couldn’t track them. I’m exhausted. We need to get in there and destroy it. This stuff? It’s dangerous. It’ll kill us all,” I told him hoping he’d listen.
Bart’s eyes moved from me to the vial in my hand, to Aya’s nodding head. He let me go.
“SETH GET IN HERE! Bring Troy in with you,” he shouted.
The other guard came in, with one of the smaller guys in our unit. We used him to crawl into tight spaces, to flesh out Anthros that could be in hiding waiting to ambush us. I gave it to Aya to show him how it worked. She placed a drop of the serum into a gas mask and set fire to it. It turned to a gas faster than I thought as she slipped the mask over Troy’s face.
We all stood back and watched as he choked, gagged, and threatened to scale right there in the conference room. Scales flashed up and down his body, but they stopped before he could release his dragon. He snatched the mask off of his face.
“What the hell is this shit?!” he asked in a panicked tone. He flexed every muscle in his body. Fear rippled down his face as tears began to fall, “I can’t scale! I CAN’T SCALE! What the hell did you do to me?! Help me! HELP ME!”
Aya took a handful of some dust out of a pouch and blew it in his face forcing the young soldier to pass out.
Bart and Seth stared in astonishment for a few seconds before calling others in to carry the guy out of there. I felt bad for him. I panicked the first time I realized I was under the serum, but I’m sure if Aya hadn’t put him under, he was about to do it himself.
“So there’s more of this stuff? How much more?” Bart asked.
“They grabbed Addison down by the docks, I assume it’s to make more, but I lost track of them. Pull up the security footage and see where they went. No sneaking around this time. We need to go in, torch the place and all the work they’re doing inside of it.”
Bart finally listened to me as he began reviewing different camera angles from down by the docks. I’d never seen my dragon on screen before, but there I was shooting a direct beam at the armored vehicle. My wings flapped in slow motion allowing me to hover in one spot. I didn’t realize how big I actually was either. And to think Aya was twice the size of all of us. No wonder the Anthros wanted us to stop scaling. There’s no way they’d win a battle against us. With that notion resting on my mind, I knew I was done fighting. After this, I couldn’t stay in Black Harbor to fight a battle I no longer believed in. I wanted everyone to just go on living peacefully. More importantly, I wanted to live my life like Aya, quiet, no more trouble.
18
Addison
“Stupid Eric. Stupid Serum. Stupid lab,” I mumbled the phrases constantly as I moved around the space with a heavy shackle around my ankle. It was chained to a loop sticking out of the ground that let me walk around the radius of the lab but nowhere else. I couldn’t believe he expected me to help them.
“How much longer is this going to take?” Shaw barked as he stormed into the room.
I refused to acknowledge his presence, keeping my focus on the tubes in front of me. I poured one into another, watched the reaction, and wrote down the changes I observed. There was a cooled drawer of fresh scales that I had to pull from to test my results. It creeped me out. I didn’t even want to know how or who they got them from.
“It’s going to take as long as it takes. You coming in here every five minutes doesn’t speed up the process either. Eric has a lot of junk complicating what you guys are trying to do here. I’m simplifying it so it will be easy to reproduce, even by someone of your intellect,” I lied. I was killing time. I actually did the work but only made one gas bomb so Eric could test it. When they would let the others off in the field, it wouldn’t release anything but teal water drops.
“Hurry up,” Shaw demanded, “Who knows what that boyfriend of yours is up to. We need to be ready when they strike.”
“Have you spoken to Natalie lately?” I asked him
He laughed, “Don’t try to distract me. Your feminine wiles won’t work on someone like me.”
“I know because you’re in love,” I smiled.
“Huh? No!” he denied.
“So what if I told you The Rock was destroyed and the others didn’t make it off there alive?”
“I’d kill you because you’d be the reason that Scaler got loose in the first place!” he said through gritted teeth.
“Well, I’ll tell you that Natalie is alive, but The Rock is gone. She said something about you guys remaining neutral in this battle, and you let Eric corrupt you. You let that sniveling, whining, I don’t know how to take rejection so I’ll kill everyone weasel, manipulate you into fighting a battle you can’t possibly win. What was wrong with the way you were living at that station in the middle of the ocean? What was wrong with it?”
I could tell he was mulling over what I’d just said. I hoped it would sink in, but if it did, he didn’t show it telling me, “Just hurry up. The quicker we finish things up here, the quicker I can get back to Natalie.”
“Why don’t you just go to her now? You and Eric are the only reasons The Rock isn’t a functioning facility anymore. You brought Maverick in there and he did exactly what he said he was going to do. He torched that place to the ground. We don’t have any business tampering with their biology. We can leave. That’s the beauty, well that was the beauty of a place like the station. You guys were there for how long? And it took a few hours to destroy what took years to build. Don’t let Eric walk you into this battle only for you to die and for Natalie to lose the love of her life.”
“Just get back to work, Addison,” he told me softly.
A man like Shaw couldn’t deny reasonable logic. He didn’t want to see that Eric was manipulating him, but at that moment I knew it was over. The only things left for me to do is to get inside Eric’s head a bit and then free myself from these stupid chains.
It felt like hours had gone by before Eric came running into the lab. He was covered in soot with his lab jacket ripped and sounds of explosions following behind
him.
“Just give me what you have now!” he demanded.
“It’s not done yet!” I scolded him swatting his hands away from my work.
He grabbed me by the arms, shaking me, “We don’t have time for this! Give me the darts!”
“The darts aren’t done, Eric. You specifically told me to work on the gas bombs first. You said that you wanted to be able to take out a lot of them at once since the dart can only be used on one person at a time.”
“Don’t call them people,” he sneered, “They’re anything but.”
“Eric, focus!” I snapped my fingers in front of his face, “I need you to calm down and set me free. I’m no good to you dead, and if we’re under attack they’re going to kill me thinking I’m one of you. We need to get out of here … together.”
I almost threw up in my mouth a little, but I needed him to get this damn shackle off of me. His anxiety-ridden eyes glanced back and forth between me and the door. He was frozen.
“Hey! Get it together, man!” I shouted at him, “If Maverick went back to the Scarlet Wings for help, they’re going to burn this place to the ground. They won’t care who’s inside. You have to get me out of here, Eric. You have to take me with you out of here.”
I tried to sound as helpless as possible, placating him into a false sense of chivalry. I believed it was working but as he bent down to unlock the chain. Maverick burst through the door. He was in full combat gear with a gas mask over his face. I only knew it was him because he lifted it to speak, “Are you alright? Where’s that sniveling little twit, Eric?”
I didn’t think Eric knew it was Maverick. I nudged him with my foot as he cowered in fear behind my legs. I could feel his incessant shaking.
“Where’s Shaw?” he cried.
Maverick called out, “Shaw took off his gear, hopped in a boat and headed out to see. I think he’s about done with this battle, like all of us are. We just need to close this loose end up Eric, and that’s you. So come out here! I can see you behind her!”
Before I could do anything to stop him, Eric grabbed a scalpel off the countertop and wrapped his arm around me with the blade to my throat.
“You let me go, and I’ll let her go,” he shouted from behind me.
I could see the frustration bubbling over Maverick, “We can’t let you leave this building knowing what you know with plans to go and do it somewhere else. You’re far too dangerous.”
Thankful for Eric’s smaller stature, I elbowed him in the gut forcing him to bend over in pain while I spun away from him. He got tangled in the chain and in an attempt to remove it by slipping it over his head, I took advantage. I grabbed both sides and twisted as he tried to free himself but eventually left him with it cinching around his neck. Maverick moved in close while flexing his arm to reveal his talons plunging them deep into Eric’s chest. When he pulled them out, Eric’s lifeless body fell to the floor.
Maverick held the chain up and broke it off its post in the ground and ripped the shackle off my ankle with his bare hands. He kissed me. Inhaling every bit of his tongue, I kissed him back as if we’d never be able to kiss again.
“We have to get out of here. I’ve gotta torch this place,” he said tossing pouches all over the room.
“Where are we?” I asked him as he led me out. He constantly looked over his shoulder as he brought me out into the night time air. I could tell the sun was about to rise as the aroma of burning metal filled the air.
“We’re at The Rogue Station, close to the forest. We should leave now before Bart,” he paused as his eyes grew wide with noticeable fear. He pulled me behind him, away from the leader of the Scarlet Wings.
“You know I’ve always taught you to never play with your food,” he laughed. “Let her come on out, Maverick. She started this and needs to die for her crimes against our brethren.”
“Please, let us go. You’ll never hear from us again Bart, please,” he pleaded with him.
“Fine,” he said simply. It didn’t take much convincing, but it wasn’t that simple, “I’ll let you two leave. You’ll have a 24-hour head start but if my men find you and kill you this is done. If they find you and don’t kill you, this is done. Either way, I have to send them after you to keep up protocol. You understand right?”
We both nodded. I watched as Maverick walked up to Bart. They grabbed each other by the hand and pulled in for a hug. He was giving all of this up to protect me; his family and his home. I didn’t know how I’d ever repay him for this.
19
Maverick
Watching Addison waddle around our home, nestled on a cliff in the mountain tops, brought me more joy than I could ever imagine. We were chased by some of the best Scarlet Wing soldiers, but I’d trained with all of them. They never stood a chance. One by one they came, and one by one I sent them back to Black Harbor, all alive but with messages that they couldn’t complete their mission. I knew that if I ever set foot back in that city, Bart would have to uphold the legacy of our brethren, no matter how much he cared about me. I’d be killed on sight and so would Addison.
That’s fine with me. I had no reason to ever go back. I’m more than happy living out the rest of my days in with my little family in our little house.
My two boys ran around shooting fireballs at one another, with Addison warning them, “Bartholomew and Victor! You cut all that running and flaming out before you set us all ablaze!”
“Yes Momma,” they called back to her with smiles and laughter on all of their faces. She just sat back rubbing her belly where our little girl hunkered down for another few weeks. I dragged in the stag I’d just hunted and brought it out back to a shed where I could butcher and store it. We’d come a long way to live this life, and I was happy we chose each other to live it with.
Life was good. Life was different. Life was simple. While I never pictured myself a family man, or being in love, it truly ended up being my dream come true.
Reign of Ash Preview
Scalers have overthrown the human race, forcing them to hide underground only coming out when absolutely necessary.
Some of the more healthy and beautiful examples are taken as pets while the rest struggle to stay off the menu.
Ashton Cane has been tracking Whisper for as long as he could remember.
He never wanted to keep her. He only wanted to keep her out of trouble.
But she attracts it like smoke follows fire.
He’s drawn to her.
He dreams of her.
He can’t get her out of his mind, and after a few close calls now he has her in his chambers.
Only, Whisper has different plans.
Whisper could never stand the idea of being the pet, or the appetizer course for the winged demons plaguing the sky. She only wanted to live out her days in peace and without having to dig through the ashes for her next meal.
There was one Scaler in particular that she swore followed her around but pushed that out of her mind.
It had to be a figment of her overactive imagination.
It isn’t until he saves her a few times and brings her to his chambers that she begins to believe they’re all not the same.
Love is in the air as Whisper takes a leap of faith.
Ashton swears to protect her at all costs, even if that means turning his back on everything he’s ever known.
But to the both of them, love and happiness, is all worth the risk.
Chapter 1: Ashton
Black Harbor had been my home for longer than I could remember. The city was decimated long ago after we, the Scalers, decided to stop hiding in the shadows. My kind, we paved our war path in flames and ashes, until every last Anthro was driven underground. Bags of flesh without a scale, wing, or flame to be seen. I’d always wondered why we were afraid of them to begin with. Their weapons were useless against our united front, and now we reigned supreme.
The scent of soot and fire continuously burned through the air. Every city bared the scent, the aura, the
rubble and ruin of what was once a vibrant place for all of us. But we weren’t free to be ourselves. I’ll take the ruins any day than have to hide my wings. Honestly? I preferred to keep my scales and wings to myself. I’d been using the motorcycle gifted to me by a Scarlet Wing. The wind whipped around my face. It was a better feeling than taking flight.
Its thunderous motor blazed over the ash paved streets. Rubble glistened with scorched rock that burned into molten glass pebbles mixed in with cement crumbs and scattered debris. Abandoned buildings had toppled ages ago. Many stood half erect letting vegetation and vines overrun their remains. Two Towers stood erect amidst the desolate city. The floors from the ground up to the 15th were all empty, windowless, blacked out from smoke, fire, and ash. My brethren, the Black Sapphires, occupied those towers where we wielded control over Black Harbor.
Being a Black Sapphire Dragon, Scaler, whatever we’re called these days… had its advantages. One of them being this right here; the ability to ride through the city undisturbed, without the need to chase or hunt food. We kept plenty in stock at the Towers, and we weren’t the ones being hunted.
Wildlife was scarce, and if smaller animals weren’t available, an Anthro would tie most over. They weren’t a favorite of my particular palate. Perhaps it’s just that I didn’t like to eat things that looked like me. Granted my appearance shifted, but still, I spent most of my time in my Anthros form. I didn’t want to look into the eyes of someone that could have had wings when they were alive. It gave me the chills just thinking about it.
Suddenly, like a cool breeze on a hot night, her scent cut through the air. The only one who held my attention in her favor. Sweet and tender, I didn’t want to taste her in a way to devour her flesh. I only wanted to see if she was as sweet as she smelled. Her scent always found me. No matter where I was in the city, I could just about pinpoint her exact location at all times. This time, however, she was in trouble. But what else was new?