by Zara Zenia
“Okay,” she states diplomatically. “I’ll just follow you.”
“That’s the spirit.” I give her a warm smile. “The more cooperative you are, the easier this will be for us.”
Katie doesn’t ask too many questions. Her pacified and tranquil expression reassures me that she understands that the answers that she needs will be discovered in time.
“I’m sorry about all this,” I say, feeling the need to apologize before we officially get moving.
“What do you mean?” Katie furrows her brow in confusion.
“I just mean…well I’m sure this is all very frustrating for you. Like I said before, and I’ll say it over and over again if I have to…the answers will come.”
Katie stares straight ahead. “I know,” she whispers faintly. Her voice is like a feather floating through the snow.
I am drawn to her in ways I can’t explain. She makes me feel peaceful, even though I’m not bold enough to admit that out loud to her. I need to keep the upper hand. I know she’s coming with me of her own accord, but I need her to realize I’m the one in control of this situation.
“The car is just across the street,” I tell her as we make our way to the edge of the university campus. I point to where we are going.
Katie eyes the car with shock. “We are getting…in that?” She points to the pine colored, brand new Porsche in front of us.
“Yep.” I nod humbly as I flick keyless entry remote to unlock the doors. “Get in,” I instruct. I’m careful to keep my voice friendly so she won’t become skittish and unagreeable to drive off with me.
I watch as Katie mechanically climbs into the Porsche as if she’s reaching far outside of her comfort zone. Her actions are almost robotic, and her expression is blank.
“Is everything okay?” I eye her with suspicion at this demeanor flip she’s exhibiting.
She stares at me as if I’m the crazy one. “Yeah?” She states as more of a question than a reassurance. “Why?”
I shake my head and place my hand on the wheel. “Nothing.” I push the button to engage the engine. It cranks instantly and purrs like a baby kitten. “It’s nothing.”
We sit there for a few minutes, idle and unmoving. I stare straight ahead, out the windshield. I feel like I need a few minutes to collect myself and prepare for the journey ahead. I have a lot riding on this and enormous responsibilities to fulfill.
“What are you doing?” Katie’s voice pierces through my thoughts and penetrates me with a chill.
“Huh?” I glance over at her.
She’s staring at me expectantly. “Why aren’t we moving?”
“I’m sorry…” I trail off. Now, suddenly I am the one feeling like a robot. I don’t understand why my emotions seem to be mirroring Katie’s, but on a delay.
“You are freaking me out,” Katie mentions.
Now I’m scared. I glance at her and grip her hand. She gasps and instantly tries to pull away. “Don’t do that,” I order her.
Katie looks frightened for the first time since I ran into her after her class.
“I mean, I’m not going to hurt you, but I insist, you must stay in the car.”
“I know.” Katie’s voice is somewhat defensive.
I prop my elbows on the steering wheel and cradle my head in my hands. Everything is so complicated. I’m new to all of this. I’m still trying to adapt to becoming a vampire. I feel like I have too much on my plate. The fact that her blood smells amazing and that I’m ravenous doesn’t help matters either.
“Roger?” Katie’s voice is a wind chime tinkling in a soft breeze.
“I’m fine,” I lie.
“You don’t seem fine,” she points out the obvious.
I lean my head back on the head rest of the seat. Then I embark upon a new tactic. I need to be open and honest with Katie from here on out. She’s putting forth enormous effort to accommodate my wishes. I need to return the favor.
“You shouldn’t be scared,” I begin and look her in the eyes.
“I wasn’t until you started acting creepy.” Katie’s expression is crinkly with skepticism.
“I just want to make sure everything works perfectly,” I tell her.
“Where are we going exactly? Can you tell me that?” Katie pauses, and I hear her breath freeze in her throat as she anticipates receiving an answer from me.
“We are going to the den,” I confess.
“Your den?” she quizzes.
“Kind of…” I say. It’s hard to explain.
“Why do we have to go there?” Katie wrinkles her nose and shakes her head.
“You agreed to get in the car with me,” I state defensively.
“Yes.” Katie’s voice is forced. “I know that.”
I look at her with a plea in my eyes. I know Katie can see it because her features instantly relax somewhat. “The den is the only place we can go where it’s safe to talk.”
“Okay…” Katie trails off as if she’s waiting for me to continue.
“Anyway,” I say. “It will take a while to get there. Are you alright with that?”
Katie contemplates by waiting to respond. She glances outside the passenger window. A Turkish looking man rolls past while pushing his hot dog cart. His skin looks tan and weathered.
Katie looks back at me with a determined reflection flickering in her eyes. “Just promise me one thing,” she demands.
“What is it?” I ask, not knowing what to expect but understanding that I have to be ready, no matter what it is.
“If at any time I want to leave,” she says while keeping her eyes locked on mine. “You will bring me back to campus. Back to school here in New York. Safe and sound. No questions asked."
I can tell by the tone of her voice that this request is not up for debate. She’s either in or out. If I agree to her terms, then she comes with me. If I don’t then I risk losing her.
I nod before my mouth forms the words. “Yes. I will do that for you. I already promised you before that I won’t harm you.”
“Good.” Katie crosses her arms, clearly satisfied with my answer. “Now drive.”
Chapter Sixteen
Carl
I glance at the clock on the wall in the den. Roger is late. I’m nervous that something might have gone awry during his plan to coax Katie to come with him. Roger is the calm one. He told me I had to step down and let him take control over this one if we ever want the plan to work, and I trust him.
“Where is he?” Brent snarls and glares over at me. He curls his lips up in a sneer of annoyance.
“He’ll be here.” I swallow hard and square my jaw. I can’t let these foreign alien guys know that I’m even remotely jittery about the situation or Roger’s whereabouts.
“You said that an hour ago,” Ken, Brent’s younger brother and annoying minion hisses.
I stare at him as if I wish I could slice through him with daggers using only my expression. I shift my weight uncomfortably and glance sourly at the floor.
“If you are lying…” Ken states. He’s egging me on and he knows exactly how to push my buttons.
I stand up and ball my fists. I know I won’t win in a fight against a dragon shifter from the planet Ethwan, much less two. They have me outnumbered in both quantity right now and physique.
“I’m not lying,” I roar.
“Silence!” Brent, the more level headed one of us holds up a hand. “Nobody is lying, and nobody is going anywhere. Most definitely, nobody is going to fight.”
I sit back down and sullenly cross my arms over my chest. I refuse to look at either of them. They are shifted into human form even though I know their natural appearance is enormous in stature, tall and well built. They normally have olive skin, but their skin matches mine right now. The only thing that sets them apart and makes them look a little more unusual is the fact that their olive green eyes are glowing unnaturally.
“I told you, he’ll be here, and he’ll bring Katie with him. I have confidence in Roger
. He knows exactly what he’s doing.” I want to say he’s more charming than me when it comes to women, but I hold my tongue on that confession.
“We need each other,” Brent agrees as he stares at his younger brother Ken as if he’s lecturing him to keep his cool. “We don’t have to like each other to do business together.”
Ken groans as if he disagrees with his brother, but respects him too immensely to argue the point.
I tap my foot anxiously against the floor of the den. I’m afraid that if I make eye contact with either of them, then my fear will pronounce itself. I don’t want to put myself in any more danger than I have already.
Ken stands up and begins pacing the room. It’s an action I want to participate in as well, but I don’t want to go anywhere near the two of them. I prefer to keep my distance and stay right here, tucked away and safe in the corner.
Brent sighs dramatically and leans back in his chair, sagging his shoulders. He grumbles something inaudible under his breath and glances up at the ceiling of the den. He looks impatient, but he doesn’t verbalize any frustration.
He’s different than Ken in that respect. Ken does whatever Brent tells him to do. There’s no equality there. It’s chain of command and it’s the way they run things on Ethwan.
Ken glances over at his brother as if he’s pensive about something, but he doesn’t speak. Finally, he stares so intensely at Brent that Brent shoots a gruff expression over at his brother.
“What is it, Ken?” he asks with a flare of annoyance as his voice turns gruff.
“I want to get out of this fucking den.” Ken slaps the cold wall with his fist. “It’s so damn dark in here.”
“Patience,” Brent states as I inspect the two of them during their little spat.
“This place is as dark and sinister as the vampires who dwell in it,” Ken snarls and directs another glare at me.
I can tell by the menacing way that he’s staring at me that he loathes me as much as I despise him. Like Brent stated earlier though, we must put our differences aside for now and look out for the greater good. It’s time to band together and join forces.
“You don’t have to stay,” I snicker at Ken. I’m taunting him and if he takes the bait, that’s his own fault.
“You aren’t going anywhere.” Brent’s voice bellows with warning through the room.
Ken’s eyes flash with fury as he sits back down aggressively in his chair. “I can’t breathe down here. I need to be out in the open.”
“That’s because you are a wild animal,” I retort.
Ken flashes across the room, charging at me in an instant. I know I should be keeping my mouth shut. It gets me into trouble far more often than it should, which is part of the reason I agreed to let Roger be the one to persuade Katie to join us.
Brent is beside me in an instant, shoving Ken to the side before he can barrel into me with a slam of his fist. I grimace and brace for impact anyway, but the blow never comes. Brent has control over Ken as they pant with anger in the corner across the room.
“Don’t tempt me to kill you, vampire,” Brent warns aggressively. “I’m trying to be impartial here.”
“He’s the one who’s trying to start a fight,” I whine. I point to Ken whose expression is full of loaded ammunition.
Brent waits a few moments for his younger brother to calm down a few notches before agreeing to let him go. They both sit back down, and we sit in silence as the seconds tick away into minutes.
Where the hell are they? Even I am beginning to doubt Roger and his advances toward Katie. They really should have been here by now.
“Does he know the way?” Brent looks up at me quizzically.
“Who? Roger?” I ask and raise an eyebrow.
“Who else would he be talking about?” Ken erupts, jumping into the conversation.
“Yes.” I nod vigorously. “He won’t get lost.”
Roger has been here before. He’ll make it. I just have to keep the faith. I have confidence in Roger. He may not be my blood brother like these two dragon shifters in front of me, but I trust him with everything. I would be nothing without him.
“I want to be free,” Ken groans again. He’s behaving far beyond restless, even though I can understand how he feels. He glances at Brent as if he wants to bargain with his older brother. “Are you sure that I can’t go up for a little while and shift back into a dragon? I need to stretch my muscles.”
“No,” Brent states defiantly. He’s the king of Ethwan. He is used to hashing out commands and expecting everyone to obey. “You might scare the girl.”
“The human girl?” Ken scoffs. “What do you care?”
Brent gives Ken a knowing look between them, but doesn’t say anything. Ken grumbles and goes back to pouting in his chair.
“We need the girl on our side,” I mention after a few moments of quiet. “She’ll come with Roger, I just know it.” I chew on my fingernail nervously.
“Roger is taking too long,” Ken spits. “This is just another reason to prove that vampires cannot be trusted.” He points an accusatory finger at me.
“Neither can dragons,” I fire back, leaning up in the chair.
“Enough!” Brent’s face flushes with agony. “We must wait and have patience. All of these animosities will fade eventually.”
I glance at the floor. I don’t believe that dragons and vampires will ever be able to keep the peace, but I do as the king of Ethwan says and keep my mouth shut. I sit in silence while I wait for the emergence of my best friend.
Chapter Seventeen
Ken
I already know I can take Carl out, if it comes to blows. I eye him with devious distrust. He’s smirking at me, mentally taunting me with brain waves. He’s sly. He wants to torment me without engaging Brent. He knows that I’ll be the first one to crack and he can get a rise out of me, making me look like the bad guy.
I know better than that. It’s not the first time that a slimy vampire has tried to play mind games with me. I can do without the head tricks. I glance at the ground. It’s damp, cold and dirty under my feet.
I hate being in this den. I loathe this situation with an intensity that floods me with empowerment. I know I’m the supreme species, entitled to far beyond anything a vampire has to offer the world.
Carl is still staring at me. I shift my eyes across the room to distract myself from his mental taunts. He’s inferior to me, and the only way he can make peace with that revelation is to try to gain the upper hand. It’s never going to happen.
I groan and stand up, huffing as I pace about the room. I want to make Carl stew. Getting him uncomfortable is my ultimate goal in this situation. Brent casts me a lecturing glance. I don’t want to get into it with him tonight.
“You’re anxious.” It’s my older brother Brent that gives me the scowl of disapproval.
“I just hate being in this godforsaken den with…that.” My finger floats up to point degradingly at Carl.
Carl’s fists ball at his sides. His glare is full of angst. He’s all talk and no bark. He’s a bloodthirsty animal that I could destroy into ashes if I wanted to.
“You don’t expect me to call you a human, do you?” My sneering laugh howls through the room, echoing off the dark walls.
Carl is obviously insulted. I watch as he stands up. He’s no match for me, or Brent for that matter. We are dragon shifters. I take a few strides in Carl’s direction, leering down at him as I breathe with hasty aggression. My heart races with the impulsive desire to throw him through the wall.
I’m at least a foot, maybe two, taller than he is. The shades of my olive complexion contrast and bounce off his white, almost opaque gray skin tone. “Don’t try anything foolish, stupid animal.” Growling, I edge even closer to him.
He recoils slightly, giving me a thrill. I want him to be afraid of me. Pure joy emanates from my senses as he visibly cowers in front of me.
“Easy…” Brent’s voice slashes through the air between us, warning me
to keep my distance.
My expression forms a glare aimed directly at Carl. My feet crunch against the barren floor as I take a few steps backwards.
“You are nothing,” I egg the vampire on.
“But you need me anyway,” he retorts with a smirk now that he has gained a safe distance between us.
“I don’t need you,” I snarl.
“Then what are you doing here?” He’s trying to bait me.
I crack my knuckles and glare at him. I hope that I’m threatening enough to keep the blood thirsty piece of shit at bay. If we weren’t in this cave, I could shift and burn him to a crisp in mere seconds.
Pleasure envelopes me as I fantasize about being about to release the blazing fire from my dragon mouth. “I’m here because my brother needs me.” Nudging my head in Brent’s direction, I meet his gaze.
“We all need each other,” Brent confesses.
I wish he didn’t feel the urgency to be noble all the damn time. “He will only slow us down.” Leaning against the wall, the earthen shaped area makes my skin crawl.
“What do you know?” Carl fires back.
“More than you!” The roar of my voice ripples through the air.
Carl trembles. I know he’s afraid of fire. He can’t die, but he can be destroyed. Fire is one of the slim cracks to slip through in order to take him down.
“Save the scare tactics.” Brent’s olive hand waves in front of my vision.
“He’s just a foolish kid,” I protest.
Carl’s brow furrows with disapproval. “I am not.”
“The older vampires are wiser,” I retort.
“Are you giving us a compliment?” Carl raises a skeptical eyebrow.
“Not you.” Crossing my arms defiantly, I lash at his soulless body with glares of hatred.
“The vampire is young, yes,” Brent agrees. “But they all have to start somewhere. Even the wisest ones were all stupid at one time. He’ll grow into his own.”
Staring at my brother with an appalled sense of disapproval, a cynical snort erupts from my belly and flows through my nostrils. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”