by E. J. Krause
"Alexandria," her father said, a warning tone in his voice. Ben didn't like that his eyes were on him instead of her in the rearview mirror.
"What? You guys said when we get bound it'll be like getting married."
Mr. Thomas grunted, his eyes still boring into Ben. "Yes, but it'll be quite some time before it happens."
"We've decided that you two should wait until you're 18," Mrs. Thomas said. Her tone of voice made Ben think she hadn't agreed with the decision.
"That's typically the earliest a Dragon Guard enters the dragon's life," Mr. Thomas said. His eyes were thankfully back on the road instead of staring at Ben.
"Not that I'm arguing," Ben said, "but if we wait until I'm 18, won't Andi still be 15?"
"We're talking dragon years, sweetie, not human years," Mrs. Thomas said. "We'll bind you two soon, but it'll be a minor binding. This way you'll gain a few of the powers the full binding will bring, but they'll be muted. We're doing it because it'll put you, Ben, on a dragon life cycle. That means you'll both be the equivalent of 18 in about 150 years. Then we'll perform the full binding ceremony."
Ben took a deep breath and felt lightheaded. This was all happening. As a concept, it was a little scary, but not too bad. Now that her parents flat out said they were getting bound soon, even if it was minor, he wasn't sure what to think. He glanced over at Andi and saw she looked a little bit worried, too, maybe somewhat pale. He wasn't sure he was ready, but at least he wasn't alone in that feeling.
The rest of the trip was pretty quiet. Andi's parents talked in the front, but he couldn't hear what they said over the music. He and Andi played an unintentional game of avoiding each others gazes while simultaneously sneaking peeks and smiling. As nervous as he was, he had to admit his heart raced a little faster with each smile she gave him.
Chapter 8
Saturday morning started with a breakfast of bacon and eggs. Everything tasted great, and Mrs. Thomas insisted Ben have thirds because he needed as much energy today as he could get. Neither Andi nor her father ate much, and when he asked why, Mr. Thomas said they'd have their share later. Mrs. Thomas expanded on that answer by saying the wild animal population would take a hit this weekend.
After breakfast was cleaned up, they piled into the SUV and drove through the mountains until they reached the middle of nowhere. They needed to be far away from everything so no one could catch a glimpse of Andi or her father in their dragon forms. They drove over dirt roads that looked and felt as if they hadn't been used in years, and after about an hour, Mr. Thomas pulled into a small clearing with a scenic view of more peaks covered in evergreen forests. As soon as they parked, Andi leapt out and sprinted to the edge of the clearing. Her father wasn't as obvious about it, but he shared her enthusiasm.
"They don't get to let themselves go as often as they'd like," Mrs. Thomas said.
"Is it hard for them to stay human?"
"No, dragon evolution has seen to that, but that doesn't mean they don't prefer their natural shape."
Andi ran back and practically tackled him with a hug. "Are you ready to see me change?"
"Yeah, of course."
"Daddy, ready?"
"You first. Give the boy a show."
She leaned in and gave Ben a quick kiss.
"That's not what I meant," Mr. Thomas growled, a frown encompassing Ben.
She giggled and took a few steps back. "Ready?" she asked him, her voice a bit breathless.
Her transformation took mere seconds, but Ben saw every detail. Her skin went from soft pale-pink to a brilliant blue that matched her eyes, complete with scales that looked stronger than the shield he held earlier in the week. Even her jeans and shirt transformed along with the rest of her. She grew to the size of an elephant, and her legs expanded accordingly to support her new mass. Wings, the same blue color and easily the size of a small airplane, unfolded from her back and gave powerful flaps, fanning him with a blast of air. Her neck elongated, and her head morphed into that of a large reptile, like he remembered from the zombie attack at her house on Tuesday. But now with the rest of her transformed, it looked natural. To round it all out, a tail jutted out of her back.
"Wow," he said, and she let out a couple of low rumbles.
"She asked if you like the way she looks," Mrs. Thomas said.
"I thought you couldn't understand them," he said.
"I can't, but Lee can, and our minds are linked when he's in this form."
Ben glanced over at Mr. Thomas. He basically looked the same as Andi, but he was quite a bit bigger, and his skin and scales were a darker blue, like his eyes. Ben turned back to Andi and said, "Yeah. Tell her she looks way cool."
Andi let out a few rumbling coughs that sounded like laughter. "She says thank you," Mrs. Thomas said. "And you can talk right to her. She understands you."
"But I'll never understand dragon speech?"
Mr. Thomas barked out something, his voice, like his form, bigger than Andi's. "Be nice, Lee," Mrs. Thomas said. "He has no way of knowing." Andi let out a few rumbles at her father that sounded a bit chastising.
"You won't be able to figure out their language, dear, no matter how long you study it. There are too many inflections and minor nuances that only their brains can comprehend. Our brains transform to handle more during the binding, but not to that level. It may sound like grunts and roars, but it's actually a very sophisticated way to communicate. But, remember, once you two are fully bound, learning the language won't matter."
He walked up closer to Andi and said, "It's just weird that you can understand me, but I can't understand you."
She said something, which Mrs. Thomas translated through her husband. "She'll prove it. Just give the word."
What word? He frowned up at her and said, "Okay, prove it."
Her head swooped down and took his legs out from under him. Their shared momentum propelled him along her neck until he landed on her back, right between her wings. Before he could utter a sound, she took off into the sky, carrying him along. Once his mind worked its way around what just happened he screamed for her to take him back down, that he had nowhere to hold on, and that he was going to plummet to his death. A few seconds after that, however, he realized he didn't need to hold on; she flew in a pattern that kept him as safe and secure as if he were belted in.
"Wow, this is so cool, Andi!" She made the grunting cough again that had to be laughter. This must be what it was like to hang glide, slicing through the air, no sounds of motors, seeing all around. The sights all had a similar look of tree-covered peaks and valleys topped by bright blue skies with occasional white puffs of cloud. He'd love to come back in the winter after a storm had dropped some snow. That would be the only way this scene could be any better.
"It'll be neat to talk to you while we're up here," he yelled over the wind driving past them. "I'd like to know what you see, what you feel. This is the coolest thing I've ever done."
She turned her head and he could have sworn she gave him a wink. He laughed and rubbed her back, not knowing if she could feel it through her thick scales. She zipped down to the tree level, and then up as high as the highest mountain top, all the while keeping Ben perfectly stable. It was hard to believe this was his girlfriend, and that he was as happy as could be about it. He never imagined his life being so exciting, so exotic.
After a few minutes, Andi settled back down at the clearing. She helped him off and roared something before launching back out into the wilderness with her father. He and Mrs. Thomas watched until they disappeared around one of the neighboring mountain peaks.
"She says she can't wait until you two can talk up there, too," Mrs. Thomas said. "And she was glad that she could be there for the coolest thing you ever did."
"I guess she made her point."
"Yup. Exhilarating, wasn't it?"
"Yeah."
She headed back to the car. "They'll be gone most of the day, but that doesn't mean we have time to waste."
"Can yo
u still hear him?"
"No," she said as she rummaged around in the back of the SUV. "We need to be relatively close. Shouting distance, you might say." She pulled a large duffle bag out and tossed it to the ground. It made a loud clatter. "But I can sense him. I know exactly where he is, and what he's feeling. Emotionally, I mean, not physically." She gave a smile and gazed off towards the mountain they flew behind. "Right now he's full of pure, unadulterated joy. I imagine Andi feels the same."
"You can't sense her emotions?"
"No, that's for you and you alone. I'm her mother, but you're her chosen."
She reached into the bag and tossed him a sword, which he caught as if he'd been practicing with it his entire life. "Yes, that's definitely your weapon. When you and Andi are bound, you'll be one of the best on the planet. You might be able to take me out in a fair fight." She picked a small dagger out of the bag, held it for a second until it had a faint glow, and hurled it at a tree at the edge of the clearing. The tree exploded as if she'd thrown a stick of dynamite.
"Whoa," Ben yelled and jumped back.
Mrs. Thomas winked at him. "But only in a fair fight."
He strapped his shield to his left arm and took a few practice cuts with the sword. He was a great sword fighter in video games, but he never thought he'd have a chance to do the real thing. Without saying a word, Mrs. Thomas lunged at him. He didn't have time to think; he threw his shield up, blocked her attack, and spun out of striking distance.
"Good instinct," she said. "Later you'll know how to turn that into an offensive opportunity, but for now that's your best move. Until you have the minor binding, I want to get you comfortable with having those in your hands."
"You said when the full binding takes effect, I'll be good enough to beat you. But what does it mean for the minor binding?"
She thrust at him again, and this time he parried the attack with his own sword and threw in a clumsy counter-attack, which she easily blocked. "You'll be an excellent fighter, as good or better than most, but still far from perfect. That's why I want to train you. You'll keep this knowledge in the minor bind."
She attacked again, and he blocked it with his shield and threw a foot out to trip her up. She hopped out of the way as if he hadn't even tried.
"Again, excellent instinct. After today, you'll be dangerous without either binding."
They practiced for a couple of hours until Mrs. Thomas let him collapse in the shade at the edge of the clearing. She proved to be an excellent teacher, armed with an endless supply of patience, and a knack for explaining things in an easy to understand fashion. His right hand felt as if it was made of a huge blister topped with dozens of tiny blisters, and both arms were about ready to fall off. She assured him he'd feel better after lunch. She brought a small cooler over from the SUV and set it next to him.
"Not nearly the feast they're enjoying," she said, motioning out towards the mountains, "but we'll make due."
She handed him a roast beef sandwich and a cold soda. There were also a few bags of fresh fruits and veggies in the cooler, which she encouraged him to eat plenty of to rebuild his energy. Gripping a couple of ice cubes also helped his sore hands.
As they ate, a question he'd had since Tuesday, which burned brighter this weekend, popped into his head. "How come Mr. Thomas doesn't like me?"
She laughed. "You haven't dated many girls, have you?"
"Just one."
"Dads tend to be protective of their daughters, but with those two, it's a bit different, a bit more complicated because they share that extra bond of being dragons."
Ben must've given her a funny look because she laughed again. "Just know that he doesn't hate you. It might not seem so at times, but it's true. Okay?"
"Okay. But I don't like some of the looks he gives me. They're scary."
"Yeah, they'd probably scare me, too, if I were in your shoes. But don't worry. Treat Andi right, as I know you will, and he'll warm up."
Before long, lunch was over, and she pulled him back to the clearing for more training.
*****
Andi zipped through the treetops of the valley, hot on her father's tail. They'd fed on some deer not long ago and now played follow the leader. She had a good time with her dad when they were human, but he was at his best in his natural form. Their flight times usually turned into bouts of tag, follow the leader, and other fun games.
Dad plummeted down to the base of the trees, pushed off the ground, and rocketed back up into the sky before barrel-rolling back into the treetops. She followed every movement, which had been intended to throw her off track, but didn't have time to be smug as he dove into a few more complicated maneuvers. They'd played these games all her life, but it wasn't until recently that he started flying faster and pulling off more difficult tricks. Today he was doing things she'd never seen before. It had to be because of Ben.
Ben. Had she really kissed him in front of Mom and Dad? That was reckless, but she couldn't stop herself. Besides, maybe the flight afterwards erased it from their minds. Dad praised her for keeping him safe even when she flew her fastest. She took that as a good sign.
While she contemplated it all, she missed a dive and flew over his head. She headed back to see if he wanted to play something else, but instead he hovered there, seething with anger.
"You can't drop your concentration, even for an instant, Alexandria." Though Dragon Speak came easier for her than any human language, she marveled at how Ben would never be able to understand it. Probably not what Dad wanted her dwelling on at the moment.
"It's just a game," she said. "No need to get upset."
"A game now, but danger is coming. Not only should the undead have shown you that, but the boy's presence, as well. He shouldn't be here for another couple hundred years. That he is means you need to be constantly vigilant. Your mother and I will protect you the best we can, but you'll need to stay on your toes."
"Dad, he has a name, and it's not That Boy."
"But he is still a boy, as you are still a girl. You may think you're all grown up, but you're not, despite how many years you've been on this earth. And now whatever is after us is tying to rob you of that innocence of youth. When fate decides to present you with your guard this early in life, hardship cannot be far behind."
She wanted to roll her eyes and tell him he was overreacting. The zombies were easy enough to kill, and she liked being with Ben, more than she'd ever liked being with anyone before. What was the problem with them being together, especially if they weren't going to be allowed to be properly bound anyway?
But whatever with all that. For now she wanted to fly. She zipped past Dad, slapped her wing against him, and yelled, "Tag!" She darted as fast as she could through the treetops of the valley floor towards the nearest mountain peak. She didn't have to check to see if he followed as his laughter proved he was already gaining.
Chapter 9
The sun had just set as they pulled onto the Thomas' street. Mrs. Thomas wanted to grab a wooden practice sword for Ben before they drove him home. She felt it important for him to practice the stances and thrusts she taught him, but not with the real sword. That should stay hidden in a place where he could get it without trouble. As for the shield, he could use that, as long as he was careful. It wasn't like that would be confused for a deadly weapon.
The sword and shield from this weekend were now his, a gift from Mrs. Thomas. He tried to refuse, but she assured him she had others. It felt strange accepting those and now a wooden practice sword, but she insisted. Though it wouldn't be official for quite some time, he was now family. He'd smiled when she said it, but the thought gave him a stomach ache. All he could think about was how awful his parents treated each other, and he didn't want that with Andi.
As they pulled into the driveway, the buzzing hit the back of Ben's neck, and he managed to spit out, "Zombies." Mr. Thomas slammed the car into park and leapt out, followed closely by Mrs. Thomas. Ben and Andi unbuckled their seatbelts and raced after t
hem.
Once they reached the front door, Andi's parents had already dispatched the first undead creature. Ben had no idea how many were in there, but it was more than the one. They raced through the living room, which hadn't been disturbed, and found two in the kitchen. While Mr. and Mrs. Thomas took them out, the warning on the back of Ben's neck intensified. He spun and found another lumbering up behind him and Andi. Without thinking, he lunged at it with his sword, just as he'd practiced all weekend. The blade slid though the zombie's chest, and he swung his shield into its pale face to distract it while he pulled the sword free. Andi transformed her neck and head into her dragon form and struck, ripping the zombie's head off and tossing it across the room.
"Nice job, you two," Mrs. Thomas said as she hacked the arms and legs of the zombie into pieces. "We'll burn them when this is over."
"How many more?" Mr. Thomas asked before it hit Ben that he'd helped kill a zombie.
"I don't know. I can only tell that there are more, not how many."
"Fair enough," Mr. Thomas said, and he zipped out to check the rest of the house. It didn't take long to discover the downstairs was clear, so they hurried upstairs, Andi's parents in the lead. Once on the second floor, two more attacked, but Mrs. Thomas quickly dismembered them with her blades.
The prickles on Ben's neck almost knocked him over as he stepped towards what he guessed was the master bedroom. He gripped his sword tighter and said, "Over here." Andi's parents pushed the door open. Inside stood another zombie. It looked like the others, except it didn't move.
"A trap?" Mr. Thomas asked.
Mrs. Thomas approached it with caution. "Probably. Andi, Ben, go stand in the doorway and be ready to duck out of the way."
They complied, Ben's muscles tight in anticipation. He looked over to Andi, and mouthed, "Be careful." She nodded, and they turned their attention back to the still-inert living dead creature.
"Here goes," Mrs. Thomas said. She drew back the sword in her right hand and stabbed it through the neck. A quick twist of her wrist snapped off the head, and the body tumbled to the floor. In its place stood a ghost, or what Ben assumed was a ghost anyway. It was mostly transparent, and looked like an ancient, hump-backed man wrapped in a black robe. The only bit of skin showing was his face, and it was wrinkled and droopy, reminding him of Emperor Palpatine in Return of the Jedi.