Raiya nodded and hopped out the side.
Jagger touched the side of the jeep and frowned. He looked at it like a friend that he was about to say goodbye to forever.
“You okay?” Raiya asked.
Jagger nodded, “Yeah… just have a feeling…”
“What?”
“I’m worried that I won’t see her again.”
“Like I said, we’re going to win!” Raiya said confidently.
“No, I know that… I just wonder if she’ll be here when we get back. I spent a lot of time on her… she’s pretty much my prized possession.”
“Well if she’s not here… I’ll help you build another one.”
Jagger looked up, surprised, “Really?”
“Yeah.”
“All right then, deal.”
WREEEEEE!
“Wyverns!” Raiya yelled as she reached for her blade.
“Quiet, shh!” Jagger scolded as he quickly pressed himself against the nearest tree. “It doesn’t look like they’ve seen us… and look higher up!”
Raiya followed his gaze until she saw the top of Mount Whitney. Her heart quickly sank, “Shit…”
Perched on the side of the summit was a massive flock of wyverns and drakes. Raiya hadn’t noticed them before because the sheer number had engulfed the side of the mountain, but now they were close enough to see just what they were up against.
“How the fuck are we supposed to get by them?” Raiya asked.
“We’ll just have to hope that our friends keep their words.” Jagger replied. “Come on, we’ve got a long climb ahead of us.”
Chapter 25
“This is insane, Eric!”
“What is, Mike?”
Michael, a stout man with a messy black beard and a rather bubbly tone spoke, “You think we have a chance against a horde of dragons?”
“Not alone.” Eric replied. “We’ll have the help of the Westcons and hopefully some of the remnants too!”
“Assuming they show up!”
Eric grimaced as he looked at his new army. The nomadic clans had responded, just as Eric knew they would. Unfortunately, they had been hunted to the brink by dragon packs. The force numbered about five or six thousand. That number did not include the make-shift tanks and artillery vehicles which had been built out of old cars, trucks, and whatever else they could get a hold of.
The weapons they carried were little more than an assortment of rifles, handguns, knives, and chainsaws. Each of them had seen violence at the hands of the dragons and it was shown on their faces.
It was a motley assemblage of people that seemed either too old or too young to be out there. Eric had no doubt that they would do their part, but if this was the only force that was to be thrown at the dragons, it would be a staggeringly short fight.
“They’ll show up.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Trust me.”
Eric sighed as he looked west toward the mountain range, “I’d rather be with them right now… I hope they’re all right.”
“You think that dragon girl you told us about has a chance?”
“You haven’t seen her fight… I have. Yeah, they’ve got a chance. We just need to keep the other dragons off them.”
Michael rubbed his chin, “Damn eczema… How will we know when they’ve killed the dragon lord?”
“No idea.”
“So, what then?”
“We just fight until we don’t need to fight anymore.”
“In other words, we fight until they retreat or until they’ve killed us all.”
“Exactly.”
“My kind of strategy…”
Eric sighed. Jagger, Raiya, you two better still be out there, because after what I’ve had to put up with here, if you two fail… I’ll haunt you to your graves.
Eric stepped out in front of the army that he’d been sent. He had never been a leader of any kind, but today, it seemed like he had been thrust into that roll. For better or worse, he was now in charge.
At that moment, the ground began to shake. In the distance, Eric could see something massive coming towards them. It appeared to be a huge assortment of vehicles, including tanks and other military and civilian transports moving in their direction. They were all moving slowly, keeping pace with the infantry that was with them.
Eric ran over to the old Land Rover that he’d been given and grabbed a bolt pistol out of the driver’s side pocket. He ran forward, struggling to set the gun to maximum output.
The gun screamed as it reached its high yield setting. Eric aimed it over his head and fired three blasts. The shots screeched upwards, flashing as they went.
The large force seemed to slightly alter course and head towards the nomads. The rumbling became louder as the army drew closer. It almost sounded like a massive boulder being rolled down a hill.
Eric remained frozen in place as one car that was in the lead, sped up and raced towards them. The car was an old Humvee from the days of the U.S. Military. It had been painted black with blue stripes going up the side.
Eric kept his gun ready until he saw the emblem of the Western Coalition on the door; a hand holding the severed head of a dragon. The car came to a stop right next to him, allowing a tall man in a dark green uniform to step out.
Eric smiled when he realized who it was, “Commander Bhatia, good to see you!”
The gruff-looking commander nodded, “Likewise, we’ve sent out everything we could spare to assist… and I see you’ve actually managed to put together a sizeable force yourself.”
Eric smiled, knowing that he was completely full of it. The look on Bhatia’s face was one of disgust. The nomadic army was a fair size, but everything they were using was completely outclassed by what the Westcon brought forward. “We’re ready to do our part.”
“Indeed.” Bhatia replied. “Very well then. We were planning on marching towards Death Valley. That should get us some attention. Our scout planes are going to launch when we’re a little closer and attempt to draw the dragons out.”
“How many men did you bring with you?” Eric asked.
Commander Bhatia looked behind him as the massive force he led continued to advance on their position. The dust they kicked up made it impossible to even guess how big the force was, “Ten thousand. That includes infantry, armored units, chopper teams, and artillery.”
Eric nodded, “Where do you want us?”
“Fall in behind our infantrymen. We’ll supply you with what equipment we can spare. When the fighting starts, try to put some distance between yourselves and our heavy armor.”
“Understood.”
“Come on, Jagger!”
“I’m trying… it’s just… it’s so cold…”
Jagger struggled through snow that was about six inches deep, “You would think a couple of jackets could have been included in the supplies the Westcon gave us!”
Raiya sighed as she turned and looked up the mountain and then back at Jagger, “I think we’d better find a place to camp out for the night.”
“I’m sorry… it’s just…”
“No, I know.” Raiya replied. “We’re in for the fight of our lives. It’s late and it’s only going to get colder when the sun disappears. I’m not going to be any good in a fight if I’m half frozen either. Come on, let’s find a place to hide out for the night.”
“Right…”
Raiya focused her ears and listened for something, anything, that might help them find some shelter. She could hear the wind caressing every rock as it passed by. Her head darted to the left, then to the right.
She’d caught the sound of something, but what could it be? The sound was hollow, almost like an air tunnel or… or the entrance to a cave. Yes!
Raiya grabbed Jagger’s arm and tugged, “Quick, this way! It’s not far.”
“What isn’t?”
“Just trust me.”
Jagger forced his legs to move and pushed forward. Raiya moved like she knew exa
ctly what she was looking for. She pulled him a hundred feet further up, then immediately shot to the left.
They quickly moved behind a large fissure and found a small opening buried deep beside it. The opening was roughly four feet across and seven feet in height. It was just enough for someone to get in comfortably.
Raiya went in first while Jagger caught his breath outside the cave. The inside was far different than what she expected. The walls were smooth, and the opening led to a large chamber that was easily almost seven hundred square feet in space, and ten feet in height.
It was dark, but she could quickly fix that, “Jagger, get in here!”
Snow poured through the entrance as Jagger slowly entered the cave, “Well… this is convenient.”
“Tell me about it…”
Raiya began feeling dizzy. Her eyesight shifted, causing the world to get blurry. Jagger noticed it and grabbed her before she could fall over, “Raiya, are you okay?”
“The cold… I feel like I’m losing consciousness.”
“It must be your blood.” Jagger replied. “You said you can’t regulate your heat… you must be cold blooded. That would mean…”
“That I’m going into hibernation.” Raiya replied.
Jagger nodded and helped her sit down, “I saw a fallen tree outside… I’ll be right back.”
“You’ll freeze.”
“Nah. I’ll only be gone a few minutes.”
“Be quick.”
“I will.”
Jagger disappeared outside. Raiya rubbed her arms in an attempt to keep warm. It wasn’t working. Her eyes continued to flutter, “No… no… not time to sleep… I’m not… hibernating!”
She quickly clicked her teeth together and unleashed her fire breath. The floor in front of her lit up momentarily in a bright flame. It didn’t last long, but it was enough heat for her to warm her body and stay awake.
She extended her arms as the flame quickly died and warmed her skin. She could feel the heat reinvigorate her body, but only for a moment. It wasn’t enough. The fire would need to last longer.
“I’m back!” Jagger called from the entrance.
He had a large stack of wood in his hands, “One sec, there’s more.”
Jagger brought in two more bundles and set them off to the side. Raiya looked at them oddly, “Where did you find all of this wood?”
“Outside.” He replied. “There were several downed trees, broken branches, and a lot of small twigs.”
Raiya’s eyes began to flutter again, “The wood… it looks wet.”
“Light it.” Jagger replied. “Your breath should be able to dry it out.”
Raiya nodded and unleashed her breath for a second time. The wood immediately went ablaze and lit up the entire cave in orange and yellow light. She closed her eyes as her body became reinvigorated. The heat passed through her skin and slowly revived her.
Jagger had taken a seat close to the flame and was holding his hands over the fire, “How you feeling?”
“Better…”
“How did you handle the cold when you were alone?”
“I didn’t, I went to warmer climates.”
“I think a lot of people did that.”
Raiya looked over at him, “Jagger…”
“Yeah?”
“I really am glad you came with me on this… I… This is my curse to deal with. You didn’t ask to be thrown into it, but you still stepped up without a complaint.”
Jagger shrugged, “Yeah I know. I never would complain. Something about you… just made me feel like I could do something awesome as long as I stuck around you.”
Raiya slowly got up and moved over to Jagger’s side of the flame. She sat down next to him and huddled up against him, “I thought you were a careless idiot. You almost got yourself killed. I was actually amazed that you managed to survive as long as you did.”
“That so?”
“It is… but as the days went by… well… I don’t know.”
“Go ahead, you can say it.”
Raiya bit her lower lip, “Well… I guess that I’ve become attached to you. I know it’s absurd… I mean we’ve only known each other for what… a week? Yet like you said… there’s something about you…”
Before Jagger could say anything, Raiya dug her teeth into the side of his neck. She bit down enough so that he couldn’t pull away while she caressed his skin with her tongue.
Within seconds, she could feel his skin break out in goosebumps, “Raiya?”
She released him and moved softly to the side. As soon as he was in her field of view, she sat back on her knees and bit her lower lip. Her figure was menacing in the fire as her yellow eyes stared deeply into Jagger, piercing him, as though they were staring into his soul. It was an intensity that was equaled only by the heat of the flame. It lasted only a moment, but it felt like much longer.
………………….
Raiya was biting her lip so hard that the skin was at the point of breakage. She slowly reached down to the hem of her black shirt and lifted the top over her stomach. Her hands gripped the shirt as they moved just below her chest. They shook, though she couldn’t decide if it was nervousness or anticipation.
Raiya shuddered, this was a new feeling for her. Over the last few days, Jagger had seen her naked a few times and she had felt little to no shame from it. She never even gave it a second thought, but this was different. She was undressing in front of him for a different reason now. In the past, when he looked away or tried to ignore her, she didn’t care. If he did it this time, it would hurt.
She raised the shirt over her chest, and then over her head and threw it against the wall. She then worked on the tight undershirt that she’d been wearing. Again, she slowly raised the hem of the shirt until it reached her breasts.
Jagger’s eyes were dilated. He hadn’t said anything. It didn’t seem like he even knew what to say, assuming he could speak.
This was it, there was no turning back. Raiya slowly exposed her breasts and lifted the shirt over her head. The chill of the air mixed with the heat of the flame and made her shiver.
Jagger looked at her like he’d never seen any of it before, “Raiya…?”
“Shh… no more words…”
She tossed the shirt aside before slowly undoing her pants and sliding them down to her knees. Her skin chilled as it left the protection of the fabric. It took a little adjustment, given the position she was in, but she managed to quickly wiggle out of her pants.
Her naked silhouette slowly moved towards him like a sleek panther, ready to pounce. She ran her hand up the inside of his thigh until she reached his crotch. His pants were tight and she could feel a stiffness there.
She carefully unbuttoned his jeans and reached her right hand down his waist until she had him in her hand, “You… want me… don’t you?”
Her voice was little more than a whisper. A seductive whisper that was closer to the hiss of a snake. Jagger could barely breathe. He sucked down what air he could, but could only utter one word, “Yes…”
Raiya smiled as she slid his pants down to his ankles. She felt his hands explore her body as she slowly returned her attention to his face. His hand had discovered her womanhood and had begun to part it. She was now revealed. Her wetness was a complete giveaway.
Wave upon wave of emotion traveled through her body as Jagger’s right hand worked its magic. Her whole body began to tremble. Whatever he was doing, it felt good, but it wasn’t enough. It was a tease and little more. It couldn’t push her anywhere near the edge and certainly couldn’t push her over it.
She’d never done this before, but she knew that there was a threshold that she had not yet reached. Above all at that moment, it was something she wanted to experience.
As Raiya looked at the man she’d chosen to share it with, she slowly moved closer to him and lifted her right leg over his waist. She slowly lowered it over him, trying to build up as much tension inside of her as she could.
&nbs
p; Her legs were spread wide over him as she lowered herself. She took it slow, unsure of what to expect. At first, it seemed as though Jagger was going to allow her to call the shots, but the anticipation was apparently too much. He quickly thrust upward, burying himself in her.
Raiya’s eyes widened as her mouth dropped open. She wanted to cry out, but couldn’t find the voice to. Her body had been spread and he was now completely inside of her.
Pain immediately shot from her insides all the way through her body. The pain was quickly replaced by wave after wave of intense pleasure. Each wave was like a gust of heavy wind, beating against her mercilessly. She closed her eyes and ran her claws down his spine as she bit into his neck, desperate for relief.
Raiya’s bite was light. She didn’t intend to cause harm, but her teeth were sharp and cut through skin like it was butter. A trickling sensation against her lips caused her to pull back. Her eyes widened when she saw a drop of blood fall from Jagger’s shoulder, “Jagger… I’m sorry… I didn’t…”
A look that was fueled by pure adrenaline appeared on his face. He lowered his hips before quickly thrusting them up again. Raiya gasped as she felt her body being penetrated over and over. Was this revenge? If it was, she wasn’t about to let him get away with it. She clenched her jaw and ran her nails down his back, causing red lines in his skin.
Her hips began moving in a circular pattern. Each time her thighs tapped against his hips, another wave of pleasure hit her. She arched her back and ran her sharp tongue over his neck and then kissed the moistened skin.
Jagger leaned forward and cupped her breasts in his hands. Her skin was the texture of fine-grain sandpaper, but he didn’t seem to care. He continued to explore her like he’d never seen a woman before.
The first thrust into her was slightly painful, but as her lower extremities became more lubricated, it was easier for her to move. He lay back, barely, struggling to breath, “Shit… you’re tight…”
“Shh…”
It was happening. The buildup was becoming too much. Raiya could feel herself losing control of her entire body. The intense pleasure flowed over her until she couldn’t take it anymore. Her thighs and stomach clenched in a futile attempt to contain the imminent explosion.
Drakin: The Story of Raiya Page 29