“I'm not going to let anything hurt you,” he said. “Ever. You're mine and I'm yours.”
“That sounds nice,” I said. “Really, really nice.”
Chapter Seventeen
“I know it's a lot to take in, but I know what I'm saying is right,” he asked, propping himself up on his elbow as he looked at me. “I've done a lot of research over the last couple of weeks and it explains everything.”
We were in his bed, lying together naked, enjoying the afterglow of some really good, really intense sex, and he brought up the topic of my past. It was uncomfortable and awkward timing, to say the least.
“I don't know what to believe,” I said, drawing circles on his chest with my finger, mainly to avoid looking him in the eye. “It's all a bit overwhelming.”
He took my hand, brought it up to his lips and kissed it gently. “I understand, Astrid. I'm only trying to protect you. And I think one of the best ways to do that is to tell you everything.”
“I know you're protecting me,” I said. “And I appreciate it. But everything else you just told me – I don't know what to do with it.”
Quint told me the reason the Shongtal were after me was because I was a child of prophecy. A child born of two worlds – humankind, of course, and something else called the Dragonborn. He'd said that my father was born of a clan that could harness the power of lightning – and that the bright white light that had apparently knocked me out the last time the Shongtal tried to grab me, had come from inside of me. From the powers my father had passed on to me.
He knew I'd been adopted though I never told him and he'd said that I was originally born in Chicago. According to his story, the night I was born, the Shongtal showed up to claim me. My father fought them, but both he and my mother died in the attack. They'd ensured my survival by sending me away with a friend who'd birthed me.
It was true that my adoptive mother was named Chelsea. I never knew my real parents – she never spoke of them. But that didn't exactly prove anything. It certainly didn't prove that I was some child of prophecy who had magic powers or could call down lightning.
How was I supposed to believe that? How was I supposed to believe any of it? Yeah, there was a lot I couldn't explain. A lot I wasn't sure really had an explanation. But that didn't mean I was what Quint thought I was.
I wasn't special. I never had been. There was absolutely nothing remarkable about me. Which was why at twenty-three years old, I'd had exactly one serious boyfriend. I'd just never fit in with people. I was always the outsider. The black sheep.
“The reason you felt like you never fit in your whole life,” Quint said as if reading my mind, “was because you didn't. Not really. You're human, yeah. But you're also something else. Something more.”
I looked at him, my head spinning. “What then?” I asked. “What am I?”
“You're – different,” he replied. “It's why the Shongtal want you. And it also explains that instant connection you and I felt – because we've got a lot more in common than just a love of reading.”
I let out an exasperated sigh. “Yeah, because that's not vague or anything.”
He looked at me, a small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Here, I want to show you something.”
He sat up and moved to the edge of the bed before standing up. He walked over to his closet – or rather, into his massive closet – and pulled out a box from a shelf inside. But the entire time he was doing that, all I could do was stare at his toned, tight ass. Because there was no two ways about it, he had an amazing body and I found it hard not to stare at him – especially when he was in the nude.
I giggled to myself. Just a few weeks ago, I was a shy, quiet wallflower type. And now, I was some sex maniac or something. Piper had told me I'd changed, but I didn't understand it. I didn't know when the shift in me had happened, or what the shift was, but I felt different. I felt bolder, more confident. I had to say, I liked the change for the most part.
He came back over to the bed and sat down, giving me an inscrutable look. Quint placed a book down between us and I could tell just by looking at that it was old. Very old. The cover appeared to be made of a soft wood and was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. The writing was done in a beautiful, ornate calligraphy that I wasn't able to read.
“What is this?” I asked.
“Being that you're a history buff and someone who loves books,” he said, “I figured you'd appreciate this.”
He opened the book and flipped through a few pages that still looked to be in good shape – considering the obvious age of the book.
“Here,” he said. “Read this.”
I scanned the page, reading what sounded like a really good fantasy novel. It was a story about how there would be a child born of two worlds -- both Dragonborn and human. And that child, had the potential to alter the two worlds forever. A smaller passage spoke about this child's potential to close the Dragon Doors, as well as a few other things that made no sense to me.
It was crazy to even consider, given that dragons didn't really exist – that much I knew.
“Just because it's written down in a book doesn't make it true,” I said.
“Keep reading,” he said.
I read more, and they described the child's powers – and much of it described what I'd been experiencing as of late. The rest of it, well, the rest of it sounded way too ridiculous to be true.
“Come on, Quint,” I said and giggled. “Do you really expect me to believe that dragons really exist? And that I'm part dragon? Why couldn't I have been part unicorn? I mean, at least then I would have been pretty and sparkly.”
Quint took my hand, didn't say a word as he got me to my feet and led me out of the bedroom.
“You have to promise me something, Astrid,” he said, his voice serious. “If I show you what I'm about to show you, you won't freak out. You won't say anything to anybody. Ever. I'm serious, not a word. Not even to Piper.”
“I won't freak out, silly,” I said, shaking my head. But Quint looked serious. Too serious. “Fine. I promise. And I swear I won't breathe a word of this even to Piper.”
He looked at me and nodded to himself as he opened his patio door and stepped outside. The cool, night breeze filtered inside, as I joined him on the patio. It was a private patio, so no one could see us, or else I might have thought twice about stepping outside completely in the buff. But honestly, it felt nice and freeing to be outside like that – especially with Quint.
“You might want to step back inside for this,” he said.
“Why?”
“Because there's not much room out here,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Not much room for what –”
He shot me a look that said I was asking too many questions, so I did as I was told and stepped back inside the apartment to wait for – whatever he was going to show me.
Then, right before my eyes, I watched as Quint transformed into – something large. Something large and red, with scales, claws, a long tail and wings. I didn't know what I was seeing at first. I couldn't put a name to it. My mind couldn't rationalize what I was looking at, so I just stared, mouth wide open, as I found myself backing away slowly.
“You're a –”
For someone who loved reading as much as I did, who lost herself in worlds of fantasy and science fiction, I couldn't bring myself to say the word. I couldn't find the right word to describe what I was looking at. Beings like that didn't exist, they were fictional. They were fantasy. Nothing more.
But there we were, in reality. And the large, red dragon craned its long neck down to stare me in the eyes. In its eyes, I could still see Quint – but he was a dragon.
Quint changed back into his human form, rushing over to me as I sat down on the couch in his living room, nearly fainting of shock.
“What in the –” I stammered. “How in the –”
“I am Dragonborn,” he said as if that explained everything. “That book I showed you – that's p
art of my legacy. And part of yours too.”
“Mine? How?” I asked. “I can't turn into – what you just turned into. How is it part of my legacy?”
“Because your father was Dragonborn. Like me,” he said. “Except, he was of the Lightning Clan. That's why your gift is the ability to harness the power of lightning.”
I looked at him, my stomach twisting in knots and my eyes growing wide. “You spit fire at those Shongtal,” I said. “So, that means –”
“That I am of the Fire Clan, yes,” he said. “Each clan has their own special powers and attributes.”
I sat back, stunned. Trying to wrap my head around what I'd just seen. The world as I knew it was – well – not the world as I knew it. Creatures from fantasy novels walked the Earth – and were hunting me.
“I just – I –”
“It's overwhelming, I know,” he said. “But time is running short and I need to know if you're ready to learn how to use your powers? Because I can show you. I can help you, Astrid, if you let me. If you don't learn to channel your power properly, you could kill yourself. But if you do learn to channel it properly, you might just be able to get the Shongtal to leave you alone forever.”
“How?” I asked, hope blossoming within my chest.
“Let me show you,” he said, giving me a lopsided grin.
Chapter Eighteen
Quint
I'd been training Astrid for a month and she'd taken to it easily. There was still a lot of nuance and finer points we needed to work out, but overall, she was doing really well. The biggest lesson – and the one that eased the burden on my mind – was that she'd finally learned to call up her power without running the risk of turning herself into a human time bomb.
Every once in a while, she had a flare-up of disbelief and would go crazy for a little while, but in the end, she always came back around. She couldn't deny the things I was showing her – the things she was doing.
No, Astrid was different from most all other people. Slowly, but surely, she was beginning to accept that. It wasn't going to be sunshine and roses every day. I knew there would be days where she had a complete meltdown about one thing or the other.
But, it came with the territory. Eventually, we'd be able to smooth out all the rough spots and let her be the person she was meant to be.
It had been a month and there hadn't been another sign of the Shongtal. They were obviously laying low and doing everything they could to avoid attracting notice.
Truth be told, the quiet made me nervous. I knew they were out there, planning and plotting. But I had no idea what they were up to. Were they going to try to make another grab at Astrid? Smart money said yes, but when and where?
I walked around my apartment, unable to shake the feeling that something wasn't right. I looked at the clock and saw that it was nearing five. With this feeling making my gut churn, I wasn't going to let Astrid be alone.
I pulled out my phone and shot her a text message telling her that I'd be by to pick her up and to not leave her shop for anything. She sent a reply a minute later letting me know that she'd gotten my message and would be waiting.
“Zyn,” I called to the man standing beside the elevator. “Go grab the car, please. We need to go retrieve Astrid.”
The large man nodded and took the elevator down to the garage. A few minutes later, I was in the car heading for her, that feeling of foreboding only growing within me. I had no idea what it was, but I just had the feeling that the Shongtal were going to make themselves known once more.
As the car made its way through the streets, I racked my brain, trying to figure out what the Shongtal were up to. With a feeling in my gut this strong, I had to believe that something was about to happen. And given their obsession with Astrid and sealing the Doors, I had to believe it had something to do with her.
Zyn pulled to the curb outside of Astrid's store and I jumped out, scanning the street around us but seeing nothing and nobody. But that feeling in my gut persisted. Astrid came out and I escorted her to the car, putting her in first before climbing in after her.
She looked at me and smiled. “You seem tense,” she said. “Everything okay?”
“Just concerned,” I said. “It's been a month and we've heard or seen nothing from the Shongtal.”
“Shouldn't we consider that a win?”
“I wish it were that simple with them,” I said. “When they're this quiet, it usually means they've got something in the works.”
Astrid flashed me that smile that usually melted my heart. But I was still a little too tense and on edge. She took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before bringing it to her mouth and placing a soft kiss on the back.
“Ever think that maybe you're just being a little paranoid?” she asked.
Honestly, I didn't think I could ever be too paranoid or cautious when it came to dealing with the Shongtal. Especially not when there was so much hanging in the balance – Astrid's life, the fate of Chondelai, as well as the world of man. It was my job as the Warden of this area to be vigilant at all times.
“It's a beautiful night,” she said. “How about we go out for a drive and have a little fun. We've been on lockdown for weeks now and I'd love to have just a night out.”
Zyn looked at me in the rear-view, waiting for my decision. I looked over at her and smiled. It probably wasn't a good thing, but I found that I couldn't deny Astrid anything. Besides, getting out for a bit might help clear my head. Help me focus, perhaps.
“Zyn,” I said. “Let's go out to Santa Monica.”
He nodded and started the car, pulling away from the curb, and zipped off into traffic. Astrid squeezed my hand and squealed. It took us about half an hour, before the lights of the pier came into view. Zyn dropped us off and went to look for a spot where he could wait for us to call him to be picked up.
Hand-in-hand, Astrid and I walked through the crowds on the pier. The cool ocean air was refreshing and filled with the sound of laughter – not to mention a thousand different foods. We stopped at a stand selling Churros and I ordered a couple, handing one over to her.
We snacked and talked as we strolled along the pier. On a silly whim, we rode the roller coaster and played a few carnival-type games. I had to admit, it was a fun evening and by the time we were walking back out to the street, my belly was full and I was feeling slightly better about things.
As usual, traffic on the street was thick and I knew it would take Zyn forever to get to us. So, I pulled out my phone and shot him a text message, asking where he'd parked. His reply came a minute later, letting me know that he was a couple of blocks over in a lot behind a hotel.
Astrid and I made our way along the street and I spotted the hotel Zyn had directed me to. It was under construction and was currently abandoned. The sign announced some shiny new upgrades to the facilities were less than a year away.
We walked around to the parking lot at back of the building and immediately the warning bells in my head started to sound. I looked over at Astrid and saw that she too, was feeling what I was feeling.
“So much for paranoia,” I said quietly.
The lights in the parking lot had been broken and the area was dim and gloomy. Only the ambient lights from the city and the moon above lit our way. We got to the car and I opened the door. Zyn's limp, lifeless body spilled out onto the pavement with a meaty thud.
“Great,” I muttered.
“Warden,” came a voice from the darkness.
I turned toward the sound of the voice, using my body to shield Astrid. Coming out of the gloom was a tall man with a shaved head and a long, bushy goatee. He was muscle bound and had an imposing air about him. Behind him came half a dozen more husks in support. But it was clear that the big man was the leader of the group.
They stopped about fifteen feet from us, their faces angry and full of bad intentions. Behind them in the dark, I saw dozens of pairs of glittering silver eyes – Shongtal who were not in a husk. It was curious why husk-less
demons would be in attendance. But I could deal with them just as effectively as those who were walking and talking in human shells.
“And you are?” I called.
“My name is Poa,” he said. “And you have something that belongs to me.”
“I do? And what might that be?”
“The girl,” he said. “She belongs to me.”
I laughed and shook my head. “Belongs to you? How do you figure that?”
“I claimed her,” he said simply.
“Well, I'm afraid you're going to have to get used to disappointment.”
“There's something different about him,” Astrid whispered from behind me. “He's not normal.”
I looked closer, extending my senses out. She was right, there was something different about Poa, but I didn't know what it was exactly. He was Shongtal, that I could see clearly enough. But was he somehow more than that? And if so, what?
“Hand her over, Warden,” Poa said.
“That's not going to happen.”
“So be it.”
The six husks behind him rushed me at once. I summoned the fire within me and released a thick column, which temporarily kept them at bay.
“Get behind the car,” I hissed at Astrid. “And remember what you've learned if it comes to that.”
She ducked down behind the rear of the car as I withdrew my curved daggers. A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth as I watched the six husks coming at me. It probably wasn't a good thing, but I did enjoy a good fight. I enjoyed a challenge. And six on one was a pretty good challenge.
I darted forward, my blades a whirling blur. I'd cut through the first husk and had gotten behind the other five before they even knew what happened. They pivoted as a group and charged at me again. I waited until they got in close before dropping down and sweeping the legs out from two of them. They hit the pavement with a grunt and I was on them, quickly driving the point of my dagger into their hearts and just as quickly dancing away.
Red light flared from the eyes of the two corpses and then they went dark forever.
“Three down, Poa,” I grinned. “You guys really don't train very well do you.”
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