by T. S. Ryder
The witch gagged, her head swiveling as she looked around the room. "What are you doing in here?"
Jessica rubbed the sore bump on her head, glancing briefly at the potion bubbling over the fire. She ducked her head as Pearl's gaze followed hers. The headmistress's mouth thinned. She put her hands on her hips and shook her head.
"Another love potion? You nearly poisoned yourself with the last one!"
"I used outdated foxtail last time. This time, I made sure that all of my ingredients were fresh."
Jessica set the jar of lizard eyes down and put her hands on her hips. Pearl ran the university like it was a boarding house from the 1950s. The 'girls'–they were all women twenty years and older, but Pearl insisted on calling them girls–had strict rules that they were meant to follow. Privacy was unheard of. Pearl never knocked when she entered dorm rooms. She was probably trying to catch them doing something that was against the rules.
Love potions weren't exactly against the rules, but Pearl was very clear that she disapproved of them. Jessica didn't care–she was a grown woman, and Pearl wasn’t her mother! She hated how Pearl treated her and the other students like they were children.
"You've done something wrong," Pearl said, walking over to the potion. She swirled it around with a wooden spoon and shook her head. "This would give you a bad case of indigestion and probably make you declare your undying love to any red-blooded creature you came across."
"I was about to add the lizard eyes," Jessica muttered.
She wouldn't have come to this school if she'd had a choice, but unfortunately it was the only local magic university there was. Without the coven, Jessica didn't know where she would be. Probably dead in the gutter.
Pearl shook her head, muttering something that Jessica didn't catch. "Where is your brother? The faucet in the third-floor bathroom keeps dripping."
"It's his day off," Jessica said, putting her lizard eyes away again. "He's probably off with his friends."
Pearl was stringent about the fact that only members of the female sex were allowed into the dorms. She wanted to ban all males from campus, actually, but Jessica's brother, Stafford, was an exception because he was gay, and so Pearl deemed him 'not a threat' to the girls.
Because men are threats, Jessica thought. Because none of us actually want to have sex or find a happily ever after.
Apparently Pearl thought they all wanted to be nuns for their whole lives, just like her. It was an all-female university, but the students were constantly sneaking off to town to spend nights with their boyfriends.
"With friends," Pearl repeated, her eyes narrowing. "You mean that dragon, Braden Clampett, don't you?"
That was exactly who Jessica meant, but she shrugged. "We haven't talked today."
Pearl's piercing blue eyes narrowed and she shook her head. "That dragon is a bad influence on your brother. I'll have to have a word with him when he gets home."
Jessica opened her mouth to tell Pearl that Stafford never found it easy to make friends and that it was none of her business anyway, but the headmistress had already spun on her heel, marching away. The younger witch shrugged and let her go. Arguing with Pearl wasn't her idea of a good time.
She turned to her failed love potion and sighed. It was now a putrid green. There was no salvaging it. Her only option was to dump it out and start over.
As she lugged the cauldron to the sink, her thoughts turned to her brother. Both of them had been adopted as babies, and Jessica would rather not remember her childhood. Her parents had been strictly religious and, from an early age, any sign of magic in her was severely punished. Not as badly as Stafford had been when he had come out to them as gay, but neither of them had any contact with their parents anymore.
Jessica told people that they were orphans; the people who raised them didn't deserve to be called parents. Stafford had been sixteen when they left, Jessica twelve. The coven had taken them in, and the two had never looked back.
***
Several hours later, Jessica's hair was standing on end from leaning over repeated failed love potions and, as she was out of althea root, she settled into the overstuffed chair in her room and plucked one of the well-worn romance novels from her shelf.
Her room was full to the brim with her special things, from magical supplies to porcelain dolls and, of course, her collection of books, which Stafford liked to call 'shelves of trash.' So what if she preferred historical bodice rippers to Charles Dickens? It wasn't like his comic books were any better! Besides, Shakespeare's writings were full of crude jokes, yet he was considered to be a great artist. Why were her romances 'trash', then?
Just as Jessica had gotten to the really good part of the novel, where she stopped reading and started daydreaming about the events happening to her instead of the heroine, she heard the sound of motorcycles outside. She jumped to her feet, abandoning the novel, and raced to her window. Her room was on the third floor, but a great big oak right outside her window blocked the view of the road. She caught sight of the back end of a few motorcycles and heard Braden's voice. Her heart jumped to her throat.
Instantly she chastised herself–she shouldn't react this way just from the possibility that she might see Braden! As her brother's best friend, he was completely off limits. Even if he was taller than an oak and sturdier than a bridge, with muscles that looked like they had been sculpted by the hand of God himself. She leaned further out the window, holding her breath.
A few of the bike's owners were in sight now, and they were definitely the dragons that Stafford and Braden rode with. The windowsill cut into her belly as she strained to catch a glimpse of the alpha dragon, the beautiful, incomparable creature that was Braden Clampett.
The carpet beneath her feet slipped. She gasped as her feet went up and her head went down; suddenly she was plummeting towards the ground. The wind howled in her ears but, before she even realized she was falling, strong arms plucked her from the air.
Braden hovered in the air, tightening his grip on her. Jessica squeaked as she threw her arms around his neck. He was in a half-shifted state, wings crumpling his leather jacket, his long black hair standing in spikes and his mouth full of razor teeth. His normally black eyes were electric blue.
Stafford rushed over to them when Braden landed.
"Jess, are you okay?" He reached to steady her when Braden set her on the ground.
Jessica ducked her head, straightening her dress. Her face felt like it was on fire, and she pulled away from her brother. "None of you better have looked at my underwear!"
The other dragons, Braden's 'flock' as Jessica liked to call them, all chuckled. One of them whistled, but a black glare from Braden silenced them. He was always like that, treating her like she was his little sister, making sure that none of the other dragons flirted with her, let alone anything else. At first, she thought it meant that he was possessive of her, and she imagined him sweeping her off into the skies, but as the years passed it had become painfully apparent that he didn't feel that way about her.
So, really, Stafford forbidding her from expressing interest in his best friend was a moot point.
"Pearl was looking for you," Jessica said to her brother, trying to cover up her embarrassment. "There's something wrong with one of the faucets in the bathroom or something. And she's not happy that you've been hanging out with the dragons again."
Braden snorted. He was shirtless beneath his leather jacket, and detailed tattoos rippled across his chest as he breathed. Jessica had to work hard not to stare at his perfection.
"That woman is the worst thing to happen to dragons since the dark ages," he muttered, shaking his head. "Old bat… but anyway, Jess, you ought to stay away from downtown tomorrow."
She hadn't been planning on going anywhere, anyway, but Jessica frowned. "Why?"
"It's the spring equinox. Dragons go crazy around that time." Braden's expression darkened briefly, but he shook it off and gave her the smile that always made her weak in the knees.
"So just do me a favor and stay on school grounds, okay?"
Jessica shrugged. She seemed to recall being told this before, but she never really paid attention to that sort of thing. "I'll probably stay in and read."
Braden nodded. He clapped her on the back in a gesture that was far too brotherly for her liking and turned back to his flock. "Better get away before the old bat decides to hex us. See you in a couple days, Ford?"
"Yeah," Stafford replied, lifting a hand to wave then dropping it. "See you."
Chapter Two
The next day there was a gathering at the university that all students had to attend. Jessica always found Pearl's lectures boring, so to keep herself awake she stared at the space above the headmistress' head and worked on the romance novel she was going to write someday. However, Pearl seemed to notice that she wasn't paying attention and, when all the other students were dismissed from the lecture, Jessica was pulled aside and told to help spread protective wards around the dorms.
Jessica groaned as she was given a bag of sticky roots that left a yellow stain on her hands. "What are these for?"
Pearl shook her head, clearly at the end of her patience with the young witch. "How old are you again?"
"Twenty-two."
"And you live in a community full of dragons, and yet you know nothing. How have you managed to survive all these years?"
Jessica gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes. "What do you have against dragons? It's not like they hurt anybody!"
Pearl marched away, her spine ramrod straight, and spoke over her shoulder. "It's the spring equinox today, Jessica. As soon as the sun goes down, they revert to their base natures. Any virgin who crosses their path won't be a virgin in the morning. It's why fairy tales are full of dragons demanding virgin sacrifices. They'll ruin her and never think about her again."
"I'm a virgin," Jessica said, not hearing Pearl's bitter tone or much of anything else she said.
Blood rushed to her cheeks as she imagined Braden picking her up, his muscles bulging against his golden skin, his black eyes staring at hers, their clothing shed everywhere. Heat pooled in her lower belly, making her want to moan. How amazing that would be…
Stop it, she told herself. Even if he wasn't Stafford's best friend, he doesn't think about me that way. It's creepy to imagine having sex with someone who is clearly not interested in you.
She tossed a root to the ground at the corner of the dorm building while Pearl chanted, weaving complex spells in the air.
"It would be terribly romantic," Jessica sighed without thinking, her mind going back to Braden.
Pearl hated him more than most dragons because of his motorcycle, tattoos and the way he flaunted his disdain for her no-males-on-campus rule, but that just made him more exciting to be around. He took Jessica flying occasionally, and she never felt as free as when she was on his back, hugging him with her thighs while the wind blew through her hair.
Thinking about flying made her think of what else she could do with her thighs around him, and she missed the way Pearl stiffened at her words.
"What are you saying?" The headmistress's words were sharp.
Jessica continued to ignore the warning signs. "To be mated to a dragon. It would be so romantic."
Pearl closed her eyes, her hands clenched. "You stupid girl," the headmistress choked from tight lips. "You spend too much time in your romance novels. Dragons rarely take mates. If you did sleep with one, he'd leave you the next day. They don't care about anything except their own pleasure."
"That's not true. You talk like they're monsters, but they're not. Braden is a great guy."
"All he wants is to get in your pants."
"He's never made any sort of advance towards me." Jessica threw the bag of roots down. Why did she have to put up with this again? "And maybe it's me who wants to get into his pants! Not that it's any of your business. This is a university, and it's freaking 2016. You act as if we'll die if we dare to have sex, but guess what? Everybody in this school is having sex and nobody has died yet! You're the headmistress, not our mother, and—"
"And I am the one who is going to decide where your assignment after graduation is." Pearl's expression was cold. "Remember that, Jessica. Your inattention to your studies is already harming your future prospects. Do you want to end up sterilizing sewers for the rest of your life?"
It would almost be worth it to tell Pearl exactly what she thought of her, but Jessica sealed her lips and didn't answer. But as she picked up the roots again and continued spreading them, listening to Pearl build wards to keep out any dragons that might be drawn to the university–supposedly populated by virgins–her mind was elsewhere. Specifically, with Braden.
Stafford was determined that nothing ought to happen between the two of them, but seeking the dragon out that night wouldn't hurt, would it? If dragons were really drawn to virgins on the spring equinox, then she could at least find out whether Braden really thought of her as a little sister–whatever the spring equinox did, he wouldn't make advances towards her if he felt brotherly towards her, would he?
Or would he, and would he regret it in the morning? Jessica's brow furrowed, and as soon as she was done with Pearl's task she raced back to her room, falling twice on the stairs and bruising her knees. It was too late to try to whip up a love potion that would guide her to her true love, but she had a backup plan.
Her magic eight ball was dusty, but Jessica lovingly cleaned it off and shook it, muttering the spell so that it would actually work the way it was supposed to, instead of giving out random answers. Her pulse raced as she closed her eyes.
"Should I find Braden tonight?"
When she flipped over the magic eight ball, she was too afraid to open her eyes. What if it told her no? What if she had done the spell wrong and it gave her the wrong answer? What if Braden really didn't like her that way? What if, what if?
Well, this was ridiculous. Jessica pried her eyes open and looked down at her answer. Her heart began racing. Yes.
***
There was a club in town frequented by dragons. Jessica often heard Stafford and Braden talking about it when she found time to hang out with them. She had never been there herself, but it was easy enough to find. Listening to the beat of music coming out of the building, she wished she had dressed in something sexier. She'd thrown on old jeans and a cardigan, hardly an outfit made for clubbing. Would the bouncer even let her in?
She tugged her loose cardigan tighter around her frame and, as a stiff wind blew her curls into her face, she shivered and hurried towards the club. All day she had been imagining what would happen when she entered the club; Braden would turn to stare at her the moment she came in, and rush to her, sweeping her off to Vegas.
She hadn't expected it, of course, but now even the fantasy seemed naive and immature. If she hadn’t been so cold, she would have turned around and gone right back the way she had come.
The bouncer eyed her when she came to the door. He was a dragon; his sheer size and bulk indicated that. His nostrils flared when Jessica stepped up to the door and he moved into her path, holding up a hand.
"You shouldn't be here tonight."
Jessica's teeth chattered. "I know it's the spring equinox."
"You're a virgin."
"And by the morning I won't be," Jessica snapped, sick and tired of everybody acting like she ought to be glad to be a virgin, ignoring the fact that she had sexual desires of her own. Even if she mostly fantasized about true love and a big white wedding, she never thought that at twenty-two she would never have been kissed, let alone still be a virgin.
She didn't want to be a virgin anymore. And shouldn't that count for something?
"I don't think this is a good idea," the bouncer said, his frown deepening. "You should go back to your home. If you want dragon sex, you ought to do it when it's not the equinox."
Jessica put her hands on her hips and tossed her head, although the action immediately felt foolish, rather than haughty
as she had intended. "Let me in. I know what I'm doing."
The bouncer hesitated a moment longer, then shrugged. "Fine, if that's what you want. But if you change your mind, just scream. I'll get you out."
Scream? Why would she need to scream?
A shiver that had nothing to do with the cold ran down Jessica's back, but she ignored it, striding past the bouncer into the club. A breath of warm air wafted over her, letting her relax. Music pulsed through her, heating her blood, and she loosened her hold on her cardigan. Inside, the club was populated solely by young dragon men, ranging from the early to late twenties, maybe with a few thirties.
It wasn't until she was at the bar that Jessica realized every eye was on her. All of the dragons had stiffened and were silent. If she hadn't been looking for Braden in the crowd, she doubted that she would have noticed the stares she was receiving at all. The dragons closest to her, next to the bar, got to their feet and a few took a few steps towards her. Lust burned in their eyes.
Jessica swallowed nervously. She wasn't used to being lusted after. Was this why she was supposed to scream?
A familiar voice rang through the club, thundering over the still-pounding music. "Touch her and die!"
Her heart leaped to her throat as Braden pushed his way through the crowd. His eyes were electric blue as he glared at his fellow dragons. There were a few growls from those in the crowd, but when Braden stepped up next to her, wrapped a possessive arm around Jessica's waist and snarled, they dropped their gazes and backed away.
An electric thrill shot through Jessica. She loved the way he clutched her waist, the way he glowered at the dragons that laid their eyes on her. It was everything she had ever wanted from a boyfriend, this possessive need for her–the magic eight ball had been right!
Or was it? Her heart began hammering again. What if this was just him being everything he had always been to her–an overprotective big brother? At least in his mind. He was anything but a brother in hers!