The Fire Inside

by Skye Ryan

  “Give yourself a few moments to compose yourself.” Jessica stretched, thrusting out her chest making her nipples noticeable to the naked eye.

  “Rufus was a good kid until he fell into a bad crowd. Our mother died and he was sent into a tailspin of rebellion. The crowd he fell into twisted his thoughts and made him a believer. The leader of this bad crowd spoke with a deep resounding hatred for humanity. He delivered sermons and my brother ate it up like his own personal drug. He was addicted to the word. The man died and he felt compelled to pick up where he left off.” Jessica was listening attentively and didn’t feel any need to interrupt his revelations.

  Jack stood up and felt like his limbs had turned into lead. They had become fatigued in a state of rest. He cracked his neck and his knuckles with a sickening sound. It was the only way to bring him back to fighting form. He needed to be prepared to take the fight to Rufus.

  “He lost sight of who he was for a moment and then Magna came into his life. She drew him away from the crowd. He was going to have a family. Magna was pregnant when she was killed. His entire world was destroyed with one bullet finding its mark.” Jack couldn’t bear to look at Jessica. He felt responsible like he had let Rufus down by not being there when he needed him.

  “I get the feeling you feel like there was something you could’ve done differently.” Jessica went and wrapped your arms around his waist. She wanted to put his fears to rest.

  “I tried to convince him not to go out into the forest alone with her. He told me he was never happier and wasn’t going to allow anything to stand in his way. He was convinced the world was a safe place, but he was proven wrong.” Jack wanted to scream to the heavens above for the answer to his dilemma. He wasn’t sure he was capable of killing his own brother without just cause. Cold-blooded murder was not something he prescribed to.

  “Anybody would feel the same way in your shoes. What happened to Kenneth weighs heavily on my mind. I know it’s not my fault, but I think about all the things I would have done differently. I could’ve easily convinced him to play hooky for the day. We could’ve spent the time getting to know each other all over again. It’s irrational, but logical for the both of us to think like this.” Jessica could see the flaps of his wings emerging from out of nowhere.

  “We will always be responsible for the ones we love. We carry their sins on our backs. We don’t mean to, but it’s built into us. I would like to tell you more about my brother, but we don’t have the time.” Jack transformed. It took a lot of concentration to keep his face relatively the same.

  Jessica put her hand on his shoulder. “You don’t have to do that for me. I’ve seen your real face and I can’t ask you to be something you’re not. You’re obviously in pain trying to stop the transformation. It’s not necessary.” Jessica wanted him to know her acceptance of his true form was unconditional.

  “You have no idea how much your words mean to me. Your acceptance lights my heart with the possibility of our two kinds coming together with peace in our hearts.” He changed fully and felt more like himself than ever before.

  “I love you the way you are and I don’t want you to change.” She made an involuntary gasp. It came out as a girlish squeal of surprise. He lifted her into the air and this time they were able to enjoy the beauty of nature. The twinkling lights below were a magical sight which touched them very deeply.

  “Jack, I can’t get enough of you. I find myself anxious to return to the comfort of the sheets. I’m not talking about the ones in the motel room. They should be burned until only ashes remain. I feel this desperate need to be with you again. I long for your touch and the way you look at me with hunger in your eyes. You don’t have to try so hard to make up for what happened to Kenneth.” Jessica was the only one talking, but she was about to learn something about a dragon’s physiology.

  “I wasn’t sure about showing you this part of me. I can link with your mind and we can telepathically communicate. It’s only when I’m in dragon form I can do this. I want the same thing and I promise we will revisit our time together. It’s amazing to me I am even able to be near you without pulling you back into bed. We don’t even need a bed and I would say we got a little carried away back at the roadhouse.” Jack didn’t regret one single thing. His loins were aching for more of the same.

  “I want to bend until I break. With you, I can let my hair down and just be myself. It just feels so comfortable to be with you. I know how strange it is to hear me say that, especially after everything we’ve been through together.” Jessica thought for a moment his claws were going to rip into her flesh, but he was remarkably gentle.

  “My human side is only a small part of who I am. Not many are able to see me this way and accept it without screaming. You are in the minority and I couldn’t be happier.” Jack was in love, but he didn’t want to say those three words in case she didn’t feel the same way.

  “Stella has proven to be quite a thorn in our side. You can’t believe for one second it’s going to be easy to get anything out of her. The only thing she responds to is violence. I do have to ask how you can possibly know where she’s at. I’m not sure I want to know the answer.” Jessica saw the same motel coming into vision.

  “She finds a hunting ground and it becomes familiar. She’s like a thief. They go to the same store over and over again. They don’t think they’re going to get caught. Stella has made her claim to this place for many years. The danger of being caught is something of an aphrodisiac.” They both saw her standing at her door with an unsuspecting man with thinning hair. He was looking at her and undressing her with his eyes. He had come back to her room thinking this was a sure thing. He had no idea his life was about to be snuffed out.

  Not wanting the guy to feel compelled to tell his story on the 5:00 o’clock news, Jack landed on the dark side of the building. He needed time to change back to his human form. Jessica decided she wasn’t going to wait.

  “You can’t do this alone. Stella will see you coming. I don’t want anything to happen to you. There’s already enough animosity between the two of you as it is. Wait for me and we can do this together.” Jack felt his pleas were falling on deaf ears.

  “I think by now you realize I can take care of myself. I do believe Stella and I have some unfinished business.” Jessica felt violated and needed to insert her own independence to feel whole again.

  She had hidden a weapon found in the break room of the factory. She had it in her hand and the cold steel felt like an extension of her arm. She licked her lips with the anticipation of catching Stella with her guard down.

  “I don’t know how I got so lucky.” Blathered the man with thinning hair as he started adoringly at Stella. “A guy like me should never have a chance with a girl like you. You are so out of my league.” The man’s voice was laced with a hunger for something more than talk.

  “You have no idea how much I need this right now. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into you.” Stella purred seductively, knowing that was precisely what she was going to do. She was anxious, wired and ready to skin this man alive. It was only a small pittance compared to the grand plan of her Master Rufus.

  “This must be my lucky day. I’m definitely going to have some bragging rights. I’ve never been tag teamed before, but there’s always a first time for everything.” He was looking at the woman standing behind Stella and the smile was bewitching.

  Stella not understanding his comment turned and found a knife pressed up against her throat. The woman holding it was Jessica. She found it galling that Jessica would be able to catch her before she was able to snatch the knife out of her hand.

  “I don’t need this” The man stammered, backing away from the two dangerously beautiful women. “This is only a midlife crisis. I’m beginning to think what I have at home is what I should be fighting for.” He was all ready to sink into the warm confines of her thighs, but the cold water of reality splashed him in the face.

  Jessica held the knife firmly to Stella’s ne
ck as she spoke to the stranger in front of them. “I would seriously consider not talking to anybody about this. I don’t want to have any reason to come looking for you. Do yourself a favor and forget this even happened. You have no idea what I have just saved you from. It’s better you don’t know. I don’t even want to know.” Jessica could see Stella was not impressed and decided to give her something to think about.

  Stella felt the blade sinking in deeper to the soft tissue of her human neck and her eyes went wide at the reality this could be her last and final breath. She had let Rufus down. She thought back to when she had Jessica hanging in the air with her feet dangling in the motel room. How easy it would’ve been to snap her neck then, but Jack had interfered where he didn’t belong.

  Stella couldn’t understand the appeal of being with a human woman. They were frail and broke easily with very little effort. This was not going to be her final and last stand. This woman dared to stand up to her and was going to feel the wrath of the dragon inside. The look on her face would be priceless when she was set on fire. Watching her burn would be intoxicating and would feed her need for killing humans.

  They stared at each other, unblinking and wondering which one was going to make the fatal mistake. The blade was dug in deep and the only thing Jessica could see was her brother’s face. This fueled her rage and decisive action had to be taken to send the right message.

  They both heard the footsteps and knew Jack was not far away from this altercation. They both had to wonder what his reaction would be and which side he was going to take.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Jack could only watch horrified by how Jessica had turned the tables on Stella. He moved quietly not to disturb the way they were looking at each other.

  “Stella, this would be a good time for you to tell us where Rufus is. She’s not fooling around and you really did strike a match to her anger. There is no love lost between the two of you.” Jack was waiting for Stella to use the dragon to make Jessica pay for her insolence.

  Stella looked from Jessica to Jack. She almost laughed at the absurdity of a human woman taking this kind of stance. She would never have believed in a million years she would be in this position. This woman shouldn’t have been able to get close enough to place the knife up against her throat. It was about time she learned a valuable lesson. She wanted to leave some permanent scars. Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth and found the fire unable to emerge.

  “I know what you’re trying to do. I’m using the same technique Jack used in the motel room. The blade is deep enough to stop you from burning me alive. I wouldn’t move and my hand isn’t very steady. My brother’s death has affected me deeply and my grief has overshadowed everything else.” Jessica could see her stunned reaction to this latest turn of events.

  “I’ll tell you where he is, but it’s not going to change anything. He’s hiding out in the very same place the both of you have spent time together. He thought it was poetic justice. I’m sure you don’t see it that way, Jack, but he has changed from the man you know. Go after him at your own peril. We both know he has always gotten the best of you and this time won’t be any different.” Stella saw Jessica lean back a little and decided it was best to lay low for a while until the heat died down.

  Jack saw Stella make a move and the blade slid across her throat. It cut her main artery, a wound specifically designed to bring down a dragon with no chance of healing. In human form, she was unable to transform and before long fell to her knees clutching her throat with the shroud of death standing close by.

  Jessica was shocked beyond belief. She had no idea she was capable of something like this. She was momentarily frozen in one place and then she acted without thinking. The motel door was opened a crack. She kicked it wide and grabbed several towels from the bathroom. She came back and pressed the material against the wound.

  Both Jessica and Jack watched as Stella lost the battle between life and death. She sputtered one last time. She lay still without any movement at all.

  Jessica cupped her hands to her mouth, wanting to scream, but finding nothing there other than racking sobs of regret. It was only supposed to be a scare tactic but had turned into something deadly and unforgiving.

  Jack took a moment to grieve for an ex-lover and then he put his hand on Jessica’s shoulder to let her know it was time to let her go. The only thing he could do was hold her close. It was unnecessary to say anything and there was no way to fix what had already been done.

  He turned in a moment of weakness and let fly a stream of fire from his lips. It burned from the inside out. He changed halfway with his face morphing into the dragon.

  “There will be time later to punish yourself, but this isn’t it. My brother needs to be stopped and it appears I’m the only one able to do it. I would never presume to tell you what to do, but I would really like you to stay here.” Jessica showed her misery with streaks of salty tears down her face. Through the haze of her regretful action, she showed him the determined woman underneath.

  “If you think you’re going anywhere without me then you have another thing coming. We need to finish this together. Agree or disagree, the result is still going to be the same.” Jessica stood strong and then she was weightless in the sky about to face her destiny.

  There was no need to speak and the only thing going through their minds was what would happen if they failed. The landscape flew by quickly as they skimmed the trees with her feet catching a couple of branches. She was lucky not to be pulled from his grip.

  Jack came in low and saw the numbers were against them. He decided to level the playing field by taking one of the scouts and cutting him down before he had a chance to send out any warning.

  Jessica witnessed how easily he had used his razor-sharp wings, but she suspected he found no joy in killing. This time there was no point in trying to take them by surprise. The area was wide open and his approach was detected after he had breached the perimeter.

  Rufus was standing at the window wearing a dark black cloak, watching his brother come to end this sibling rivalry once and for all. He smiled knowing killing Jack would finally free him from the promise he made his father on his deathbed.

  “You know you’re on the losing side of this, brother. Come for me if you want, but this only ends one way. I gave you a chance to reconsider your position, but you are determined to die by my hand. You know better than anyone I’m not one to play fair. I doubt seriously you’ll be able to weather my forces.” Rufus watched as the fire erupted around the building they used to call their home.

  One of Jack’s wings was burned and he felt a horrible searing pain grip him by the throat. It wouldn’t let go. He buried it deep and continued forward with his wing charred. He decimated three of the dragons watching as they fell like sacks of cement onto the ground. Their blood would forever be on his hands. This was a cross he was going to have to bear.

  “I can’t let you do this to the human race. They deserve a chance to find their way. We may not understand why they kill one another but aren’t we doing the same thing? Being superior doesn’t make us the rightful owners of the throne. I’m sorry it had to come to this, but you’ve left me no choice.” His other wing was burned. He turned and cut off the head of the dragon who had decided to be a sacrificial lamb to the slaughter.

  The sound of motorcycles was heard approaching. The chapter of the flaming skulls arrived to take flight against the enemy. They were not appreciative of Jessica taking one of their bikes. They were able to track the location with GPS and they would’ve been there sooner, but they were in no condition after a night of drinking and debauchery.

  Rufus was not happy with what he was seeing and decided a strategic retreat was in order. He just couldn’t leave without finishing the one who had become an albatross around his neck. He made sure Jack was able to see him leaving the window of his bedroom.

  “We finish this here and now, Rufus. By letting you live, I will be responsible for millions of hum
ans losing their lives in a war they didn’t even know they were fighting.” Jack saw him moving through the house and into the living room where they had their family meetings. He crashed through the plate glass window with a grimace of pain from the shards digging into his flesh.

  Rufus looked at his brother, thankful for the chance to end this chapter of his life. “If we are really going to do this, then let’s do it the right way in spectacular fashion.” Rufus changed, morphing into something beautiful and deadly at the same time. There wasn’t much room to maneuver. Rufus used it to his advantage by acting quickly without mercy. His wing spanned and outstretched long enough to slice across the underbelly of his brother.

  Jack felt the sharp pain, but he decided to push through it to the other side. He attacked Rufus and they both went through the wall leading to the kitchen. They slammed into the table, with the weight of both of their dragon forms collapsing it until they were rolling around at each other’s throats.

  They spewed fire at one another looking to end this early. They accomplished setting their family home ablaze. The crackling of the wood was a reminder of old times turning to ashes.

  “The only way you could’ve found me was through Stella. By her absence, I have to assume she didn’t make it out alive. I hope you were the one to do it and not that ugly excuse for a female.” Rufus propelled him into the stove with such force the metal conveyance buckled in on itself. The smell of the propane cutting off from the source exploded them both back the way they came. The whitewash of flame burned them, but neither one was willing to concede defeat.

  Rufus crawled towards his brother in human form through the debris. He could feel his scorched flesh hanging off his body. He fed on it like it was a drug. He stood over Jack, lifted him by the throat and watched as his life slipped away. Jack had transformed into human with his brother’s smug look of victory staring him down.

  He tried to reach out to exact some sort of revenge, but his grip did not have the strength of the dragon. His life force was ebbing. The smile on his brother’s face gave him a reason to fight for however long he had left.