by Skye Ryan
Jessica could see out the window and felt like she was in the presence of something bigger than she was. Learning about what her brother was fighting for had made it necessary for her to pick up where he had left off. She thought what she was doing was the right thing, but seeing Rufus made her wonder if this wasn’t a mistake.
There was no doubt in her mind of how much time was needed for Jack to heal from his wounds. She tried to remain hopeful, but the overwhelming force outside the window was causing her to choke on her words.
“He has always been this way. He likes to gloat, but I never thought that I would be in his sights. We’ve always been matched when it comes to our mindsets for battle. We know what the other is thinking which doesn’t bode well. He can sense my pain and he’s waiting to see me stew in my indecision.” Jack made no bones about his prowess on the battlefield, but he was not a hundred percent. He was barely fifty percent and that might have been good for some, but it wasn’t for what he was going to have to contend with.
“You obviously have insight into him. You know each other intimately, I sense a personal connection. Friendships are hard to come by and to lose one can be hard to swallow.” Jessica looked at Rufus and Jack staring daggers at one another.
“I don’t want to talk about it. I wish things could be different, but I know they can’t. We both made our decisions. It’s not like we can go back to how it was. I would give anything to change his mind, but losing someone pushes you to the limit. He had somebody he loved and she was taken away by violence. It would be one thing had it been from another faction of dragons, but it was a drunken hunter with a gun. He didn’t know what he was doing, but he paid for with his life. I watched him burn and scream in agony. Rufus changed after his mind broke.”
Jack and Jessica were temporarily distracted and didn’t see that Rufus and two of his lieutenants had broken formation. The window at the far side of the room exploded with the red dragon of Rufus taking the lead. He landed and changed back to human form with no shame for his nudity. He walked with confidence, his hair long hair reaching the small of his back. His two lieutenants were ready to back him up, but he motioned for them to stay back unless requested.
“It looks like you’re not at your best. I don’t like the idea of killing you this way. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I can’t in good conscience do this. I mean no disrespect, but there’s no challenge. We need to finish this the right way. I hate to say this, Jack, but this human bitch does not do you any favors. I saw the way you came to her rescue not even thinking about your own safety.” Rufus saw Jack and this woman holding his gaze and felt compelled to give veiled threats.
“You may as well just do it. It’s not like things are going to change between us. You killed a friend of mine and her brother. You can’t come back from that. We will never stop hunting you.” Jack understood the reason why he was being spared and it had nothing to do with his injuries.
“I hope you’re not trying to get me mad…you know what happens to me. I would seriously consider not opening your mouth until spoken to. This whole thing could have been avoided had you just taken my offer. We were quite the team at one time, Jack, but things are not the same. Losing Magna was the worst hell of my life. Killing the man responsible was not enough. I had to make sure the earth was salted by killing all those walking on two legs without the possibility of flight.” Rufus took a step back, shaking his head and wondering how they had possibly gotten here.
Jessica wasn’t saying anything and there didn’t seem to be anything for her to say. This was between two warriors with similar styles and a kinship born from a long-forgotten past. She understood the admiration and the respect they gave each other. There was still something missing and she was damned to know what it was.
“You are so pitiful. It seems anti-climactic to do anything but look at you with disdain. You should have realized how detrimental it was to your health to let her live. You would never have shown mercy back in the day. I want you to think twice about coming after me. You still have an open-ended invitation to join me. Instead of fighting me, we can make this world into something we dragons can be proud of. We don’t have to hide from lowly creatures barely able to get out of their own way.” Rufus knelt on the floor, putting his hand on Jack’s chin. Rufus wanted his message to be crystal clear.
“I don’t like this any better than you do. You also have a choice, but I’m sure it’s not one you’ll easily accept. We have fought against each other, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We can be brothers again. Show some forgiveness to the human race. I understand the mentality for killing the one responsible. I have a similar one-track mind of killing you for Kenneth. You may never forget what they did to Magna, but forgiveness is yours to give.” Jack knew his plea was nothing more than words.
“I look at how far you have fallen and it would be so easy to put you out of your misery. You don’t have the same fighting spirit which I have come to know and respect. It staggers my imagination for you to spend your time with a human woman. They don’t have the same passion. You could die here with the hopeless sound of defeat in your heart. I give you fair warning and believe me, it’s not what I usually give my enemies. Leave this alone or the next time there will be nothing standing in my way of killing you.
“Why would you give me this chance to regroup, Rufus?”
“I like competition and I’m going to give you time to rally some kind of defense. You know as well as I do why I’m giving you this chance. Don’t do anything you’re going to regret.” He reached over and grabbed Jessica by the hair, lifting her to her feet and pinning her against the wall with obvious intimidation.
Rufus used his enhanced smell to relish the scent of fear in the air. She was trembling to his touch and pulling her hair was an enjoyable way to remind her of her status in life. He looked her up and down, finding her visually pleasing, but the obvious chemistry of the dragon was missing.
“You didn’t have to come with him. I know he was your brother and I sometimes forget death leaves loved ones to pick up the pieces. You haven’t been on your best behavior. I have no problem punishing you for your insolence by coming after me. What exactly did you think was going to happen? I am far superior to you in every way and for you to even think about killing me is laughable.” Rufus felt a fire down below and there was always room for something pleasing to the touch. He didn’t want to dirty himself by touching a human, but using his desire to translate to Stella was another matter altogether.
“I had to come after you, there was no choice. I’m not going to rest until there’s nothing left of you. I have made it my life’s mission to call you out for what you did. Give me any weapon and I will use it to bring you to your knees. When you’re begging me for your life, is when I will finally end it.” Her conviction was strong, but facing an enemy was not for the weak of spirit.
“I like the fire coming from you and maybe there is hope for humanity. It doesn’t matter because they won’t be around long enough to know the sacrifice you made in their name. You have this one time. It’s the only reprieve I’m giving the both of you.” He went back over to Jack and wiped the droplets of blood from the corner of his mouth. He tasted it and smiled knowing there was more from the source.
“This is but one battle. Enjoy this short-lived victory because it will be your last. You want me at my best. I would say you should be careful what you wish for and you just may get it.” Jack was not in the habit of giving up on what he believed in. It didn’t matter if he was ready to fight. He would lay waste to anyone standing in his way.
“We both know fighting me is only going to put you on the losing side. Let this be a painful reminder of how long my arms are. I have people everywhere. I’m not one to wait around for something to happen. I make the rules and everybody else follows. This is something you have forgotten. We could’ve been the rulers and I would have gladly made room for you by my side. We could’ve shared everything, including Stella.” Rufus went ba
ck to where his lieutenants were waiting for him impatiently.
“Stella is really too much woman for one man to handle alone.” Jack sneered. “I should know. I had her before you and I gave her up because we didn’t see eye to eye. I could have her back and you know I’m right.” Jack worked tirelessly to get underneath his skin and could see the crack in his armor.
“I would be very careful about opening up old wounds. There’s just so much I can take before I answer with less than kindness.” Rufus morphed into his dragon form while he was running towards the window and took flight to join those ready to act in his name.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Standing up against was not easy for Jack. He was still feeling the effects of the arrow. There was a reason why he was spared. He fell to one knee holding onto the only lifeline presented which was, of course, Jessica.
“I find myself happy he didn’t kill you but also confused why he didn’t. He had you where he wanted you and could’ve easily disposed of you. There had to be a reason why he would say those cryptic things.” Jack was in no condition to offer any kind of explanation. She could see from his breathing that he had possible internal injuries.
“I think we should take a moment to give thanks to those looking out for us. We must have guardian angels at our backs.” Jessica nodded, her arms crossed in front of her in conviction.
“I certainly don’t deserve a heavenly rescue.” Jack scoffed. “You are my angel, Jessica, I don’t need anything more than you in my life.” Jack struggled to a standing position, holding onto the window ledge to look out at a retreating Rufus and his posse. They were mere specks in the distance, but he swore to himself this was not the last time he was going to see Rufus and Stella.
“You are purposely evading the question and I want to know the reason why. I don’t see any good reason why he left you alive. I can see the reason why he didn’t think of me as a threat. I thought I was strong, but he is something more than evil. He could kill me at any time and there would be absolutely nothing I could do about it. Giving you time to restore your strength was a mistake. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad he didn’t kill you, but I’m still puzzled by his mercy.” Jessica scratched her head, trying to figure it out.
“I’m trying to forget about how easily he could have killed me. Give me a moment to rest and I promise it will all make sense. You only know half of the story. These injuries will heal and my fast metabolism can withstand just about anything. Don’t kid yourself; he will try to kill me when it’s the right time. It’s a long and complicated story with too many twists and turns to get into right now.” He wanted to appease her, but he didn’t know how without the truth.
“You’re not going to get out of it that easy. You have enough strength to tell me a story. You have a captive audience, and I need to believe every word you say to me. There’s no reason to hide anything from me, I just want the truth and don’t you dare say I can’t handle the truth. I’m stronger with you than apart. The only way I’m going to entertain the idea of being here for you is if I can trust you. Don’t you think I deserve to know your connection to Rufus?” Jessica was waiting with bated breath. It was taking a lot to pry the words from his lips, but she sensed his resolve crumbling.
“I never meant for any of this to happen. I’ve tried to play nice, but he won’t hear of it. His blood lust for vengeance has taken control of his mind. He has become an island onto himself with many followers including Stella. I was one of them at one time and it was a long road of self-discovery. I had to forsake Rufus and everything he believed in.” Jack sat down leaning against the wall much the same way he was when Rufus was looking down on him.
The bandage was no longer sopping wet, it seemed the blood had slowed to a trickle. His healing capabilities were strong, but he still needed time to mount any kind of attack.
“Don’t even think about passing out on me. This is too important. Continue and don’t you dare leave anything out.” She went to him and curled into his arms to hear his heartbeat. Her fingers drummed against his chest like she was playing the piano. “We’ve come too far and I haven’t even begun to fight. I don’t care about dying by his hand. It would be my honor to die in my brother’s name.” Jessica felt more connected to Jack, but there was still some wall keeping Jack from saying what was on his mind.
They were up against insurmountable odds. Rufus was hell bent on destroying the human race. His patience was legendary and his message had crossed paths with many dragons. There were a lot buying into his cause. Many took his words to heart in an extreme way.
“I’m just tired of fighting with everyone. I’ve never been one to show violence, but sometimes it’s necessary. I make no apologies for anything we’ve done together. I should have told you the truth, but I was afraid of what you would say. I still look back at the past and wonder how I got here.” Jack felt her body against him, but he was in no condition to supply her with more than a comforting embrace.
“I need to know what’s going on. It’s obvious you were friends at one time and then Stella came around to get in between you. It couldn’t have felt very good the way she gravitated towards him. I know you let her go for a reason. You say it’s complicated, but I think it’s a cop-out. You need to give it voice, so it has no power over you. Once you relieve the burden, you’ll be able to think clearer and I won’t have to lose any more sleep.” Jessica was praying hard for his recovery, but it was slow going. She was counting the stars and watching one blaze across the cosmos in a dazzling display.
“I look at this world and I feel this desperate need to protect it. Rufus is doing the wrong thing, he’s been blinded by his grief. He was never one to speak out against the human race, he was always willing to live together in harmony. We spent many a day in debate, but we always came to one inevitable conclusion. We were all destined to walk this path together.” Jack whispered hoarsely into the night
“There weren’t any guardian angels. There was something else preventing Rufus from laying waste to his enemy. You both have strong beliefs and you grew up together. It could be as simple as camaraderie, but I think there’s more to it. Let’s get it out in the open. I have a right to know.” Jessica saw in his eyes the answer was coming.
“I want you to know Rufus was never like this before Magna was killed. He was kind and compassionate to everyone. He was known in our circles as someone to count on in times of crisis. He has come to the rescue whenever somebody needed him to. When he lost his beloved, his mind shattered and his belief system became something unrecognizable. He disappeared for years until the fateful day Stella brought me into his path.” Jack needed Jessica to understand.
“The man you are describing doesn’t sound like Rufus. Losing somebody you care for can have a profound effect on someone. There has to be a way for you to reach him. I don’t know if I will ever forgive him for killing Kenneth, but maybe in time. I would need a damn good reason to even consider it.” Jessica was opening her heart believing Jack would do the same thing.
The chill from the night air penetrated through her clothes, but she gave no voice to her discomfort. It was an awkward silence which was going to be filled with something of a surprise. She thought she was ready, but she didn’t know the extent of their connection.
“The factions didn’t splinter easily, but they did fracture into two sides. It doesn’t matter what family you were born into. Differences of opinions are healthy, but sometimes they can be hard to stomach. I allowed Rufus to get into my head. I was looking for direction and it didn’t hurt that Stella was a stone-cold fox. Amazing sex can make a man blind to what really matters.” Jack was setting the stage and leaving hints without saying it out loud.
Jessica was confused, but there was something about what he was saying. Family could be at each other’s throats. She couldn’t grasp why Jack was saying any of this. She needed clarity, but she wasn’t sure she was going to get it from Jack.
“I’m sure what you are saying make sense in y
our head, but it doesn’t to me. Rufus was your friend and he was starving for retribution. He strayed from the path into one of least resistance. You are brothers from another mother. Wait…are you trying to say what I think you’re trying to say?” Jessica looked at his downtrodden expression and found the truth in the liquid pools of his eyes.
“I don’t want you to think any less of me. Rufus was older and wiser. I followed his lead like a lost puppy dog. My brother was my life and I wouldn’t even think about lifting a finger against him. The only reason why he spared me was because my father made us both promise to fight together. We didn’t think we would ever be at odds.” Jack felt whole lot better getting this off his chest. It gave him the freedom to understand Rufus was his problem to deal with.
“I didn’t know he was your brother. No wonder, you have a hard time thinking about hurting him. I couldn’t even think about hurting my brother. This has to be a heavy burden but it doesn’t change the facts.” She turned to him with her eyes wide open and found he was sleeping soundly. She thought the truth was revealed, but there was still more to it.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Jack only slept for a couple of hours before he felt ready to attack this problem head on. He listened to Jessica softly breathing in his arms. It made him smile to think of the way he had made her breathe in the throes of passion.
“I would love to let you sleep like the angel you are, but we don’t have a moment to lose. If we allow Rufus to get away, then he will disappear until it’s time to strike at the heart of the human race. I don’t know what his plans are, but I have a feeling Stella does. She can be reasoned with, but it’s not going to be easy.” Jack had left out a crucial piece of the information about his brother’s past. It was a dark time.