by Sariah Skye
My breath caught in my throat. His face was only mere inches from me; I could feel his warm breath on my cheek as he eyed me intently, his own chest heaving and falling at the exertion. Or the nearness, like I was.
I held back a nervous swallow. His proximity caused a flashback in my mind. He was on top of me once more, and we—
I had little time to dwell, because we were interrupted by a pointed cough.
“Dammit, guys, if you keep this up I’m going to need a cigarette or something!” Daniel quipped from nearby. This was met with a snicker from Kiarra.
I glanced at Maxxus hesitantly, his gaze confused and heavy as he peered at me. He sighed, and dropped the wooden sword he was pretending to fight with. He didn’t remove his legs from either side of my body, but he lifted his upper body to a sitting position. “Leo, if this had been a real fight, I could have decapitated you by now.”
I fixed my mouth in a severe line. Dreamy blue eyes or not, I would not let him get the best of me. So what if I was as agile as a drunk fly? Pffft. I had magic now, I was still tough! Just in a different way. I narrowed my eyes briefly and attempted to penetrate his mind.
He shook his head and let out a low growl, looking away. “Dammit, Leorah, you’re not going to get the chance to mind-control everyone you encounter!” He peeled himself off of me and held out his hand to help me up. Begrudgingly, I took it and he helped raise me to my feet.
I glowered at him. “Well, what the hell do you expect? Dammit, Jim, I’m a spirit magic user, not a gladiator,” I cursed, trying to avoid his stare I spun around, crossing my arms stubbornly over my chest and puffing out my lower lip.
Maxxus gazed at me, bewildered. “Who’s Jim?”
I sighed, while from nearby Gabriel let out a loud chuckle. The green dragon glared at him angrily. Letting out an uncomfortable cough, Gabriel finally spoke.
“She’s sort of right, ya know,” Gabriel piped up then. “Pink dragons in the past have been known for their pacifist nature. It’s like trying to teach a pig to be graceful.”
My mouth fell open and I gasped at him. “Did you just compare me to a pig?”
I heard a snort from behind me and I swiveled around to see the smirk on the green dragon’s handsome face. I wanted to stay angry at him—even though I had no real reason to be—because he was the one recruited to teach me how to hand-to-hand fight. Well, attempt anyway. But, after realizing years’ worth of memories of our closeness, friendship and romance, I saw him in a new light. And frankly, I didn’t want to fight with him. I wanted to… um…
He stepped closer. “Leo, I’m sorry to be getting frustrated. I just… what if I can’t protect you while we’re back in Anarach? What if you get cornered and you—”
“Silly, I’m a magic dragon. See?” I popped open my hand and with little effort, summoned a plasma ball and bounced it in my palm. “All I gotta do is smash this in Nicodemus’ ugly face, and—”
“But, what if there are anti-magic wards up?” Gabriel spoke.
I bit my lip, snapping my fingers together and extinguishing the magic. “Okay, well, you have a point.”
Maxxus stepped even closer to me and placed his hands on my shoulders, gazing intently at me. “Leo, I just couldn’t bare it, if—”
I swallowed, and nodded slowly. “I know. I just…”
“I know. You’re not a fighter. Well, fine… maybe we just need to change our approach.” He looked over, across the clearing in the woods we’d been at only hours prior. Kiarra, Gabriel and Daniel were sitting on a plaid blanket, chatting and pretending not to be watching us intently like a soap opera cliffhanger. I could feel the tension radiating off Gabriel like a greaseless gear. Our relationship was definitely strained now. Watching how he avoided looking at both Maxxus and me, the regret in his brown eyes as he kept adjusting his glasses. I felt incredibly guilty for the new development in Maxxus’ and my relationship, but I really couldn’t help it. It wasn’t my fault I’d had years of memories suppressed. I’d been more than friends with Maxxus. I’d been in love with Maxxus. We had a long, intense relationship. I couldn’t just ignore that.
And yet, Gabriel…
I sighed. I couldn’t deal with that right now. It was t-minus however long until we confronted Nicodemus… I needed all the help I could get.
“Perhaps Finnian has a potion to help you?” Kiarra suggested, trying to speak over the uncomfortable tension, mounting all around.
“Can’t always depend on potions, ya know,” Gabriel spoke. He stood, and with a reluctant expression crossed the clearing to us. He looked at each of us in turn, smiling reluctantly. “Perhaps, instead of teaching her to fight, you should teach her how to defend.”
Maxxus arched one eyebrow at his suggestion. “A wise observation, magic boy.”
I snickered. Gabriel swallowed down what I assumed would be a snide comment and just forced a smile. “Is it possible for you to do that? Do you have that in your scary dragon repertoire?”
I slapped my hand against my face. “None of this. Zip up your pants and save the pissing match for later, ‘kay?”
Gabriel smirked. “Leo, I know you’re trying to read him; figure out his next move. That makes sense, you’re a spirit user. But sometimes, people will be blocked or for whatever reason you won’t always be able.” He looked at Maxxus and nodded his head off to the side. “Sit down, dragon boy. Daniel is really good at this. He can help her.”
Maxxus glared his eyes at the sorcerer, and the two of them stared each other down for a moment. Daniel interrupted their silent display of dominance by standing and joining us in the clearing, leaving Kiarra behind on the blanket nearby. Maxxus let out a glare, flaring his nostrils at both of them before reluctantly stalking through the clearing to join Kiarra on the blanket.
“Long before Gabriel was the badass he is now—” Daniel spoke, and this earned a chortle from Maxxus. Daniel gave him a flippant look and with a snap of his head, ignored him pointedly. “Well, as I was saying, to make him feel better years ago I taught him how to escape strangle holds, and dodge blows and what not. It’s very easy.”
“It is. Just…” Gabriel, in his blue jeans and athletic ringer shirt spread his legs shoulder width apart and bent his knees slightly. He formed fists with both hands and kept one across his chest and the other up over his face, about a foot or so in front of him. I tried to mimic him, but the loud giggle from Kiarra indicated that I probably looked like a deranged praying mantis instead.
Daniel sighed. “I think you’ve actually gotten more awkward since we began all this training,” he said.
I glared and flipped him off.
Gabriel waved his hands in my face. “It’s confidence. She doesn’t have any. Come on, Leo. You’re a badass too. Your best defense is, you don’t look it. You look innocent and sweet, like Tasha Yar. Remember her?”
I gave him a strange look. “Of course I do. What’s your point?”
“Bad example, bro. Tasha Yar got her ass beat by a garbage bag,” Daniel kidded but wiped the smirk off his face when Gabriel and I both glowered at him severely.
“Don’t ever speak that way about Tasha,” I wiggled my finger at him warningly. “I can make you do things you don’t want to, remember. I know someone around here would be willing to lend you a dress, and a bottle of coke and—”
He held up his palms. “Okay, okay. Uncle!”
Gabriel snickered. “Step back, we’ll demonstrate.”
I did as he asked, and they both stood feet apart from each other, in fighting stances. Daniel swung out and the two circled each other around the clearing. Agily, and surprisingly, Gabriel dodged each of Daniel’s blows by blocking with his forearm, ducking or at one point, even falling to the ground and somersaulting backward.
“Is it wrong that I think this is really hot?” Kiarra said, with a giggle. I looked at her and offered a wink. Two cute boys pretending to spar and get sweaty? Yeah, could be worse.
“Your turn,” Daniel said, standing
normally briefly to smooth out his white T-shirt over his tight bootcut jeans. He ran a hand through the long strands of jet hair, falling out of his careful coif and got into fighting stance. “Come at me, bro. Err… wait that doesn’t work.”
I let out a low growl. Gabriel helped pose me into an appropriate defensive stance and soon we were slowly circling each other though I was awkward, trying not to trip over my own feet. “This would be much easier if we could stand still!”
“You don’t fight standing still, Leo,” Gabriel insisted. For the second time in just minutes, I flicked off another O’Donnell brother.
“Hey, just keep doing what you’re doing,” Daniel said, a rebellious glint in his eyes. He nodded at me. “If I were straight, that show down your shirt would be enough to distract me.”
I gasped, briefly looking down. My black tank top was low, exposing ample amounts of cleavage and the edges of my gray bra. Before I realized it, Daniel swung out. Before I could dodge him, he grabbed the base of my hair, spun me around and yanked me in towards his chest.
“Fucker,” I spat at him as he had me in a headlock.
“You know, Leo, that’s not the first time someone’s been able to grab your hair,” Maxxus said. I frowned. He was right. It was in a braid I tried to keep behind me, but it kept trailing over my shoulder instead. Maxxus had pointed that out several times before and tried showing me what a disadvantage it was by reaching out for it. He didn’t grab like Daniel did, but his strong grasp hurt my scalp. He released and I stepped forward, rubbing the nape of my neck. “Ow!”
“He’s right though. Can you wear it up, or—” Gabriel asked.
I shook my head. “No, not really. It gets too heavy that way.” I sighed. I pulled at the hair forward. “I guess I could get a haircut.”
“Might not be a bad idea. Everyone’s expecting a long-haired, redheaded Leo.”
I glared at her. “I’m not a redhead,” I protested. Strawberry blonde meant just a hint of ginger, dammit. I was still mostly a blonde.
She gave a short laugh, amused. “Whatever, Leo. You know what I mean. But, it might help disguise you a bit.” Kiarra eyed Maxxus and raised a brow. “Depending on your magic fully is not a great idea—she’s good but, anything could go wrong, and—”
“She’s right,” Daniel said.
I groaned. “Fine. Anyone got a knife or something?”
Kiarra’s mouth widened. “Oh no. You’re not cutting it yourself!”
“Girl, no way. Let someone give you a new look,” Daniel insisted, his tone full of attitude.
I sighed. “Fine. You wanna do it?” I asked, hoping that the stylish gay stereotype was accurate and he was just as good at doing hair as he is his own dress.
Kiarra stood up. “Oh no. There’s a salon owned by several fae. All fae are really good at beautifying everything, but these fae are really good at hair and makeup. We’re going.”
I gave her a strange look. “Oh?”
She looked back at the boys. “Leo’s had enough anyway. Nothing will get accomplished when she’s so frustrated.” I grunted a yes of approval.
She continued, “We’ll meet up later.” She threaded her arm in mine and we left the boys, bewildered in the clearing
I allowed her to lead me through the Square to a cute little hut between a Café and another building. I couldn’t tell what it was. It sort of resembled one of the mushroom houses one might see in The Smurfs except that it wasn’t a giant mushroom, but the patchy mud atop the hay-covered roof made it appear so. I raised an eyebrow. “These are the fae that ‘beautify’ things?” I asked, making quotation signs with my fingers. I wrinkled my nose, feeling skeptical.
“Oh Leo,” she said, with a chuckle. “You must remember, not everything is as it seems!” She urged me through a wooden door and a bell chimed and I entered a very modern looking salon, decked out with all the latest hair appliances, recent photos of human celebrities and their famous ‘dos… all decked out simplistically in black and white.
One fairy—a cute little sprig of a thing—with curly golden hair that trailed down her back and playful blue eyes (they were nearly violet in color) turned to us from her workstation and grinned. “Kiarra! What brings you here?” she asked, leaping up gracefully and joining us in the front lobby area.
Kiarra nodded towards me. “I don’t believe you’ve met—”
“—Leorah, pink dragon at large,” she said, with a musical giggle. She only came up to my nose, and it felt strange looking down on her, but she was pleasant to be around. Instantly I felt more relaxed. “Are you here for a new look, dear?”
I nodded slowly. “I guess so.”
“What did you have in mind?” her voice was almost musical as she spoke, like a cheery little song. I had to force myself to look away from her fluttery wings that glittered in the artificial light and scan the photos on the walls that surrounded us.
“What about that?” Kiarra pointed to a photo of a brunette with a shoulder length, layered haircut and long, sideswiped bangs.
I thinned my lips in concentration. “Eh… it’s kinda boring.” I kept scanning the bobs, the shags and the “Rachel” until I landed on a familiar looking blonde with a short, cropped cut. I pointed. “That. I like that. No one would suspect that of me, you think?”
Kiarra’s eyes widened. “Oh… but that’s so short!”
I just shrugged. “So? It grows back.” With our dragon metabolisms, I’d have a chin-length bob back in about two weeks, so it wasn’t that daring.
The fairy squealed, clapping her hands together excitedly. “Are you sure, dear?”
I nodded. “Yeah, go for it. At least no one will be able to grab that!”
Kiarra grinned impishly. “Well, they could if they were really close.” She cackled and made bow chicka wow noises as I shook my head, laughing.
“Cause that will happen anytime soon,” I snickered.
“You ready?” The stylist asked, and I nodded. The fairy draped a glittery cape around my neck, pulled out her shears and got to work.
After nearly two hours, I left the Fairy Salon with a brand new ‘do: a short, “pixie” style cut with longish bangs off to the side and light brown in color. The fae stylist, named Caprice, insisted on adding some streaks of pink and teal which I was all for, but I was reminded that we needed to remain inconspicuous. Dragons rarely had rainbow-colored hair. She acquiesced when I agreed to come back after our “mission” was over and get the colorful streaks put in.
As we walked back to her cottage, I kept feeling the short hairs at the back of my neck. I felt a little trepidation. Suddenly, my comfortable ponytail was gone and I could no longer hide my mark. But, why should I?
Deal with who you are, Leo. Even if I’d never be fully accepted in dragon society, at least here, I could be amongst a melting pot of humanoids and mythos creatures.
I forced myself to pull my hand away from my neck and inhaled a breath, forcing my head a little higher.
“Having second thoughts?” Kiarra asked, with a smirk.
“No!” I said, a little too quickly. “No. It’s just… different is all.”
“What do you think the boys will say?” she asked, cocking one brow.
I shrugged. “I am not sure I care?” Though, I was pretty sure I cared what one of them thought. A lot. But I wouldn’t voice that.
Kiarra chuckled, patting my arm playfully. “Good girl.”
In my front jeans pocket, my phone starting vibrating. I didn’t recognize the number.
Leo, it’s Kit. I’m using Becka’s phone. Thankfully, I remembered your phone number, lol. Are you free? Can you stop by for a minute?
I grinned. “It’s Kit!” I quickly tapped in that I’d be right there.
“Going to see her?” Kiarra asked, as I nearly flew right to Esmè's cottage.
“Yeah!” I called back.
“Okay, well… Finnian wants us to meet in a couple hours, and talk about your mission so meet at the Loremasters’ build
ing in two hours?”
I nodded, waving as I ran the short distance through the edge of the woods to Esmè’s.
The second I stepped on the welcome mat before the door, the door creaked open. Kit’s smiling face beamed around the opening. She immediately gasped, tossing open the door.
“Oh my fucking god, Leo! What did you do!”
I pulled open the door and her hand immediately went to my hair. She tousled the bangs out of my forehead, her mouth and eyes agape.
“Like it?” I asked hesitantly, in a small voice.
“I love it!” she squealed. “What made you do this?”
“Eh, it was just getting in the way,” I explained, nonchalant. “How are you today?”
Kit smiled and said brightly, “I feel much better today, actually.” I grinned at my friend, giving her a once-over. She was up and active, her eyes were bright and she was grinning ear to ear. Her long hair was braided to the side and she was wearing a simple black sweatsuit; she looked well. She looked healthy and healed. It made me feel good inside—and relieved—to see she had fully recovered. Amazing what a good sleep (and a lot of healing tonics!) could do!
Kit smiled. “Yes! Well, mostly. Esmè said that, if it weren’t for my witch background, I might not have recovered so quickly or almost completely!” She continued, lowering her voice slightly. “Esmè thinks I may have some suppressed, latent powers. Actual powers! Me! I can be like you, too!” Kit was elated at the possibility.
“Really?” I asked cautiously. “That isn’t… necessarily a good thing.”
Kit waved me off. “Oh, it’ll take years to master, but Esmè thinks I could be a great alchemist and a potion master like her!”
“Now that I definitely believe,” I said in agreement.
“That being said, there’s something I want to ask you about…” Kit began, coughing nervously. “What do you think about me selling the shop?”