Frost Fire

by Emma Layne

  She did? All of a sudden, her palms started to sweat.

  “Why?” Molly asked the question, even though she already knew the answer. She wanted them to admit it.

  “Because she’s worried about you.”

  “Please tell her I’m fine.” Once her mother got home, they’d clear this all up. Molly would even submit to a psych exam if it made her feel better.

  “We will, but we need you to come with us.”

  She folded her arms across her chest. “No, I’m not going anywhere with you. I have responsibilities, classes to attend, a job.”

  Bill reached for her, but she batted his hand away.

  “I want you both to leave now.” Molly crossed to the door and opened it. A blast of chilly air made her teeth chatter, and Molly wrapped her arms around herself.

  Ivy raised a brow, but she was still on the call.

  Molly mouthed, “I’ll fill you in later.”

  “I’m sorry, but we can’t, Molly.” This time, Peter reached for her, grasping her by the arm, and she couldn’t get away from him.

  “Let me go.”

  Ivy got off the phone. “Take your hands off my friend. Now.” She turned to Molly. “What the hell’s going on?”

  “My mom thinks I’m nuts, and she sent these two to round me up.” She glanced up at Peter for confirmation.

  “Your mother didn’t say anything of the sort, Leslie wants us to watch out for you until she returns.”

  “Put this on.” Bill grabbed her jacket and held it out.

  “No, because I’m not leaving.” Molly tried to shake Peter off again, even as he raised her arm, as though she were a Barbie doll he was dressing.

  Ivy rounded the desk. “Don’t make me hurt you. Release her.”

  Just then, Blaze walked in the door. He was streaked with soot and wearing a pair of overalls, along with thick work boots.

  His expression was thunderous. “Who are these men?”

  “They’re my mother’s colleagues.”

  “This is for your own protection,” Peter said.

  “Unhand her, this instant.”

  Blaze stepped closer, and the two men backed off, pressing themselves against the wall instinctively. It was a good thing, too, because Blaze was twenty years younger, and had at least a foot on each of them, probably seventy pounds, too.

  They were no match for him.

  “Why are they trying to abduct you?”

  “They think I’m insane.”

  “We never said you were crazy, and we weren’t kidnapping you.”

  Ivy rolled her eyes. “No, they were removing you from the premises against your will, which is totally different.”

  “She’s not a lunatic.” Blaze stepped in between her, and the men.

  “And if you could convey that message to my mother, I’d be grateful.” She poked her head around Blaze to scowl at them.

  Molly understood Leslie’s concerns, but she was frustrated. Sending two grown men to kidnap her, was unacceptable. She made a mental note to Skype with Leslie, if only to prove her own sanity.

  “I believe the lady wants you to leave.” Blaze nodded to the door.

  Bill and Peter made no move to retreat. Instead, they stood there, staring at her.

  “You heard him, go.”

  Reluctantly, they shuffled out, and Blaze slammed the door behind them.

  Ivy let out a whoop. “Way to go, Cap.” She held out her fist. “Bump it.”

  With a frown, he touched his knuckles to hers. Just then, a couple of senior citizens walked to the other side of the counter.

  “I take back everything I said about you, you’re awesome.” And then Ivy rushed over to assist them.

  “Why’d she call me Cap?” Blaze asked. “And what did she say?”

  “It’s a long story.”

  “Hmm, you seem frazzled. What aren’t you telling me?” He led her into the Great Room, and they sat by the fire once more. Molly felt marginally better, but she had a lot to sort out.

  “Molly?” Blaze prompted, cupping her cheek. “What is it?”

  She bit her lip, hesitating. Could she tell him? Amy said they were dangerous, and then she’d started bleeding.

  “I can read the pain on your face. Please tell me what’s wrong.”

  Molly was being ridiculous. Blaze had never been anything but kind to her, even when he was trying to seduce her. She couldn’t imagine him harming her, under any circumstances.

  “I told her my theory about you.”

  “Which is?”

  She didn’t reply.

  “We can do this all night, my dove. I can be a patient man at times, and I will get the answer out of you eventually.”

  There was no point in holding back anymore. This was as good a time as any. There was no one else in the room with them, and while Ivy was in earshot, she was preoccupied with the couple at the counter.

  “You’re an alien, aren’t you?”

  His eyes widened. “What makes you say so?”

  Hmm. Most people would’ve categorically denied it, but instead, he hesitated, which was a dead giveaway.

  “Because I tested your DNA.”

  Molly reached into her pocket and handed him the comb. She’d retrieved it from the lab earlier, if only to have some physical reminder of what she’d discovered and it hadn’t all been in her head.

  The color drained from his face.

  “I know you’ve been looking for this and I’m sorry for borrowing it.”

  His forehead creased. “You mean nicking it.”

  She winced. “Borrowing it, because I returned it. See? You can’t steal something if you give it back to the owner.”

  “I see.”

  “Well?”

  “Well, what?”

  “You’re avoiding the question.”

  “Which question?”

  “Blaze!” She fisted her hands. “Are you an alien?”

  “This makes lying much more difficult.” Blaze studied the comb, running his fingertips through the tines.

  Her breath caught. “Wait a minute, just say it, in plain English.”

  “I’m saying, you’re right, I am an alien.”

  ***

  “Wow, okay, you’re from another planet.

  “Yes, I’ve said it several times.”

  “From another world.” It still hadn’t sunk in. Molly was reeling from the overabundance of information.

  “That is the extraterrestrial understanding of the term, yes. I’m not from another country.”

  Molly scowled.

  “Right. Sorry, please continue.”

  “This is a lot to take in.”

  Molly wished she’d gotten some hot buttered rum from the kitchen. It might help the news go down a little easier. They were in her room, sitting on her bed because this wasn’t a conversation they could have out in the open.

  “I know.”

  Molly’s world had turned upside down, and she was dealing with a flood of new knowledge. The revelations had come at a furious pace, and while she was still struggling with one fact, another one would hit her.

  To his credit, Blaze had been open with her, which was more than she’d expected. Maybe Amy had this all wrong? They weren’t dangerous, merely cautious.

  Molly held up a hand. “Hold on a minute. Let me see if I have this straight.”

  “Proceed.” He waved a hand at her.

  “You’re from Iradia?”

  “Yes, I’m Iradian.”

  “And a Knight?”

  “A Drakeborne Knight, yes.”

  “Which means, you’re a dragon?” Like Smaug from Lord of the Rings.

  “We call them drakes, actually, but yes, I’m part dragon and part human.”

  This explained the results. Molly supposed a dragon was no different than a dinosaur when she thought about it. Both were large, with razor-sharp teeth, and claws, although he looked human. She still wasn’t clear on how it all worked.

  “And alchemists
created your brothers?”

  “Yes, except Link.”

  “Because he’s an android, a being with artificial intelligence.” Molly massaged her temples, to ease the ache.

  With the exception of Link, the men were seven feet tall and fierce looking. Link definitely stood out from the rest. His features were perfectly symmetrical, and he reminded Molly of a model.

  “Yes, you’ve got the way of it.”

  “And how did the alchemists do this exactly?”

  According to her mother, an expert in the field, editing someone’s genes was a science in its infancy. And yet, the alchemists on his planet had fused two different species together. It was mind-boggling. On some level, it reminded her of H.G. Well’s The Island of Dr. Morrow. In the novel, a castaway washes up on an island of human-animal hybrids.

  Chimera indeed.

  He smirked. “Well, I wasn’t there for the procedure.” Blaze frowned. “Actually I was, in a manner of speaking, but I wasn’t yet aware of what would happen to me. Essentially, there’s a genetic component, along with a supernatural one. They fused our spirits as well as our DNA.”

  “It sounds mystical.”

  “On Iradia, the mythic, and scientific work in concert. They aren’t seen as two separate disciplines.”

  “So you have dragon characteristics?” Molly peered at him.

  “Yes, and you’ll learn more about it soon. I plan on showing you my other form, at some point.”

  “Okay.” Molly didn’t question him further because she just couldn’t handle it at the moment. “Tell me more about the drakes.”

  “Dragons are known for their enormous appetites, and I’m not only referring to their hunger for meat. They are sensual creatures, like me. Drakes adore finery—gemstones, silks and surround themselves with treasures. My brothers have often said, this was one aspect I inherited from the dragon.”

  Molly could see it. He had a penchant for nice clothing.

  “You were all, er, created from one dragon?”

  “Yes, the leader of the group donated his DNA to the cause. The King’s guards, and their wives gave their issue to the crown as well.”

  “So you have different human parentage, but the same drake fathered you?”

  “We call it sired, but yes, his blood runs in our veins.”

  “What’s the dragon’s name?”

  “Marek, a very fierce, wise old drake.”

  “You’ve met him?” Molly couldn’t imagine being face-to-face with a real live dragon. She didn’t know if it would be terrifying or just plain amazing.

  He inclined his head. “From my understanding, it was one of the stipulations of the agreement.”

  “And what’s he like?”

  “Marek’s cunning, ferocious and prudent. He agreed to help us, to save his own kind, although it was clear he had reservations, and rightly so.” Blaze shrugged. “Despite myself, I like him.”

  “So he’s still alive?”

  “I think the scaly old bastard will outlive us all.”

  “Hmph. Wow, so, you really are brothers.” Even though there was little resemblance between the men, other than their size.

  “Yes and we were raised together, by the former Captain of the Guard, before Mydon took over.” He took her hand in his. “Please understand, you can’t share this information with anyone, especially Mydon.”

  “Mydon is your leader?”

  “Yes, and you can’t let on that I’ve told you any of this.”

  “I won’t, but why?”

  “Let’s just say he wouldn’t react well.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “When Amy, and I talked about this earlier, she got a nosebleed. That’s connected to this somehow, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, but you don’t have to worry, since he’ll never find out what you know, right?”

  “Yes, but how did she get a nosebleed?”

  “Mydon has the power of push, and he can inflict his will on others.”

  “Woah.”

  “Yes, we all received different gifts, but his is potent.”

  “What’s yours?”

  “I have the power of touch.” As if to demonstrate, he laid a hand on her shoulder and once again, she felt calm. “My touch is influenced by my emotional state. I can heighten lust, soothe others, and when I’m angry…well,” he trailed off.

  “Your hands become deadly weapons?”

  “Yes, I’ve killed before with my bare hands.”

  She shivered. It was hard to believe, and yet she didn’t doubt it.

  “Thank you for keeping this secret.”

  “Who would believe me, if I told them?” Besides, her mother already thought Molly was insane, and she wouldn’t add more fuel to this particular fire.

  His smile seemed sad, almost wistful. Molly doubted he’d told her everything, but if he was a military officer, he had to keep certain secrets. It was the nature of the job.

  “You aren’t afraid of me, are you?”

  “Why should I be? You’re more technologically advanced than we are, but I’m fascinated by the process.”

  He smiled. “You’re taking all of this rather well.”

  “As you pointed out, I’m a scientist, and I’ve seen some proof already, but I’d love to have more details.”

  “Ask, and I’ll tell you.”

  “You said Iradia’s in trouble?”

  He nodded. “Yes, our sun is fading fast, it grows colder every single year. Soon, we won’t be able to sustain life on the planet. You would be quite at home on Iradia, the temperatures are similar to an Alaskan winter, although ours are more severe.”

  “Which is why you’re mining scandium?”

  “Yes, to build spaceships. It’s a surprisingly rare mineral in the universe and essential to our plan.”

  Molly had heard of scandium before. It was used in the space program, as well. Although, she doubted the aliens had contacted the White House and asked permission to mine it.

  “And you’ll be taking the drakes with you when you leave the planet?”

  “Yes, we use to be mortal enemies, but we are united in a desire to save ourselves. Negotiating with them took years, and eventually, a treaty was agreed upon by all parties. Before the agreement, my brothers and I quashed rebellions for the better part of a decade.”

  “Rebellions? Doesn’t everyone want to leave?”

  “There are some who believe this is the natural order of things and we were meant to stay on Iradia, and then perish.”

  Molly understood, even if she didn’t agree with the sentiment. In a way, it was natural selection at work, on a global scale.

  “So you’ve located a new world?”

  “Yes, and it’s close. New Iradia, as it has been named, should suit our needs.”

  At least they weren’t interested in Earth as a potential settlement, which was a relief. Pop-culture aliens always came here to invade, and subjugate the human race.

  “I hope it works out for you.”

  “Me too.”

  “And our two civilizations aren’t alone in the universe? There are many other humanoid races.”

  “Yes, my planet belongs to something called the interstellar Parliament, a consortium of humanoid cultures, which I understand, is much like your United Nations.”

  “And we aren’t members?”

  “No, a planet’s government isn’t contacted until they’ve traveled beyond their own solar system in a manned spaceship.”

  Molly sighed. “So, eventually the Earth will join, and then we’ll take our rightful place with all of you.”

  It gave her hope for the future, and where the civilization was headed.

  ***

  “Where’s Iradia?”

  Blaze hated keeping things from Molly.

  He felt guilty but didn’t have much choice in the matter. No wonder Faro had been conflicted. He had to pick and choose his words very carefully. Blaze refused to tell her outright lies, but he couldn’t be completely honest with
Molly either.

  Technically, his species had no quarrel with her’s, but her planet was in trouble.

  “Iradia and Earth are in the same galaxy, although we’re in different solar systems. It boggles the mind, but there are around two hundred billion stars in this galaxy alone. And yet, you could call us neighbors.”

  Molly squeezed his hand. “Thanks for telling me everything. I feel a lot better.”

  He bit back the guilt.

  “You don’t think you’ve gone around the bend any longer?”

  She nodded.

  “Unless you’re imagining this conversation as well?” He raised a brow.

  She playfully slapped him. “Hey!”

  Blaze had meant to tease her but he noticed tears suddenly welled in her eyes, and he felt like an arse.

  “It was a jest.”

  “I know, but it hit a little close to home.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  Molly took a deep breath. “My brother had a psychotic break a few years back. Marshall is several years older than me, and my mother left me with him, after school. One day, he lost it.”

  “I’m sorry, I wouldn’t have joked about the situation if I’d known.”

  “It’s okay.”

  “What happened?”

  “I’m not sure. My mom came home, and she found me on the floor. I don’t remember everything. According to the psychiatrist, I blocked it out, but there were marks around my neck from where he choked me.” She rubbed her throat.

  “Why did he hurt you?”

  “Marshall said I was a CIA agent, spying on him. I’m not sure where he got the idea, maybe because I was a nosy younger sister. Looking back on it, there were signs and symptoms, but we didn’t see it.”

  “Like what?”

  “Little stuff. He started ditching class, his hygiene got worse, and he was crankier than usual. Marshall stopped seeing his friends and spent a lot of time shut up in his room on the Internet. And ever since then, I’ve been afraid.”

  “Of what?”

  “I don’t know, what if it happened to me? What if I lost my mind? Schizophrenia runs in my family. It’s always in the back of my mind, especially when something out of the ordinary happens.”

  “Don’t doubt yourself, dove.” Blaze tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.