by GRP
I heard footsteps on the stairs leading to the roof where we stood. More of what had been in Aaron's apartment maybe? My options were pretty limited at the moment, and Ozy was looking at me, waiting.
“What am I supposed to do?” I asked.
Ozy looked toward his back, as if trying to tell me something, and a moment later, I realized he wanted me to literally come with him.
As in climb onto him. Ride on his back.
“Not only can I not believe this is real, I can't believe I'm doing this –” I said, but he nudged me, helping me on my way.
And as soon as I took a firm grip, he took to the air. Screaming at the top of my lungs, we flew away. Me, riding on the back of a dragon – a dragon who'd once been one of my favorite customers.
I still wasn't convinced this wasn't all a dream.
Chapter Nine
I didn't even know how long I had slept before my eyes abruptly opened. I was suddenly awake, alert and half-expected to see Aaron beside me in bed and an alarm clock ready to go off so I could head into work. I'd expected that I was waking up from one of the most profoundly bizarre dreams I'd ever had.
But instead, when I opened my eyes, I found myself in an unfamiliar bed in a strange room.
“Where am I?” I asked, sitting upright in bed.
The surroundings were nice. Incredibly nice, in fact, with décor that seemed more fitting of a Renaissance faire than an actual bedroom. The bed I was in was surrounded by four tall posters and blood red curtains, shielding out the sunlight. Pushing it back, I saw that the walls were made of stone and in the corner, there was a fire in a fireplace, keeping the place warm and cozy.
And of course, there was Ozy, sitting in a large, plush chair by the fire, reading a book.
As soon as I saw him, I remembered everything that happened. Or at least, what I thought had happened. If I'd been drugged – as Ozy had said I was – my memories couldn't be trusted. But I thought that one thing was certain – I'd watched Ozy kill my boyfriend.
“Jessica, you're awake,” he said, sounding relieved. “I wasn't sure what he used on you –”
“Who?” I asked, still confused over whose side I was on.
“Aaron,” he said.
“You mean the man you killed? My boyfriend?”
My eyes filled with tears at the mere mention of his name. As much as he'd bored me, and as uncertain as I was about a future with him, he was still a good man. Or at least I thought he was. Nothing seemed right anymore. Ozy's eyes softened as he looked at me.
“I'm so sorry,” he said. “I tried to convince it to leave his body, but I failed. I had no choice –”
“It? Leave his body? What in the hell are you talking about, Ozy?” I asked. “None of this is making any damn sense.”
Ozy sighed, staring at his hands, and for the first time, I heard him talk. Really talk. I saw him for who he really was – and in my mind, that was a crazy man. Had I not seen everything myself, I would have thought he was a lunatic.
Still, because I'd seen everything, I had trouble reconciling it all. Even as Ozy explained it to me, piecing together the events, I shook my head, trying to deny them. And yet, there was some small part of my mind that whispered to me that what I was hearing was true.
I'd ridden on the back of a damn dragon. Could evil spirits be any stranger than that? Any more far-fetched?
“So, he was possessed?” I said. “Like by a demon?”
“Something like that, yes,” Ozy said.
“And you tried to convince it to leave,” I said. “Why didn't it?”
“They can choose not to leave their host, there's nothing I can do,” he said. “I can't force a Shongtal to leave its human husk. Besides, I fear he was too far gone anyway.”
“Too far gone?”
“Yes, I fear the Shongtal –” he cut himself off and cringed at his own words before even speaking them. “See, these creatures live off the life force of their human hosts. And most often, they use the life force of the human up until they die. Once they've sucked the life out of one host, they move on to another, and then another, and then – well, you get the picture. Just like the one that was coming for you.”
I remembered the shadow, and how Ozy had cut through it with his blade.
“It was trying to inhabit you,” he said. “If it had, I wouldn't have been able to help you.”
“So, these things had Aaron? And the others? Just to get to me?” I asked. “But why? Why come after me, I'm nothing special –”
Ozy looked away, as if he knew something I didn't. Hell, he knew a lot of stuff I didn't. But I could tell he really didn't want to talk about it. Given what I'd gone through though, there was no way in hell I was going to let him off without giving me some answers. He owed me that – at the very least.
“Spill it, Ozy. I need to know the truth,” I said. “Or at least your version of the truth. I need to understand and try to figure out what in the hell I'm going to do next.”
“They weren't after you,” he said quietly. “Not really.”
“What?” I asked. “Then who?”
“They were after me. You were merely bait.”
“Bait?” I scoffed. “Why would I be bait? I'm nothing to you.”
But as Ozy looked up at me, I saw something in his eyes that told me different. Something that took my breath away. In his eyes, I could see the truth – that he cared about me.
“You mean, all those times you came into Perky Beans –”
“I don't like tea that much either,” he admitted. “I usually poured most of it out.”
“So, you came in to – see me?” I asked softly. “But why didn't you ever say anything?”
“Because you're beautiful,” he said. “And because your smile always made me happy. Does it have to be all that complicated? As for why I didn't say anything, I did it to protect you. For all the good that obviously did.”
I was taken back by his admission – that I meant something to him. Or at least, someone out there assumed I did. And the fact that it worked – well, partially at least since it seemed Ozy had come out on top – shocked me to no end.
“So, let me get this straight,” I said after a few moments, once I could find my voice again, “These creatures, whatever they are, they wanted to get to you. So, they worked through me because you like my smile? None of this makes sense.”
“Of course it doesn't,” he said. “Because you're human and this is all new to you. I'm sure it must sound nuts and be overwhelming. But believe me, Jessica, these beings are very bad news and I just wanted to keep you safe. That's all. I wish no one had to get hurt, but that's out of my hands. I'm a Warden and my job is to protect humanity and destroy the Shongtal.”
“So, did you really turn into a dragon?” I asked after a few moments.
He smiled, but looked away to hide it. There was more to this mysterious man than I'd ever imagined. He was cocky, or at least he seemed to be when it came to that. He was proud of the fact that he could become a Dragonborn or whatever it was. He was proud that he was a – Warden? He enjoyed it. Took a fierce pride in it, that was plain to see.
“Yes, I did. Because I'm a Dragonborn Warden,” I said. “Meaning I walk between two worlds – yours and mine – and can shift between human and dragon on command. Ordinarily, I would have never let you see me shift. But we were in a desperate situation. Humans can never know we exist or that our purpose is to protect them.”
My jaw nearly hit the floor. I still couldn't believe it, even though I saw it with my own eyes. I was having a hard time wrapping my head around it all. He'd been right when he said it was overwhelming. I just didn't know what to believe.
“And where am I – your world or mine?”
“This is my home. In LA,” he said with a grin. “My home is specifically warded to protect us against the Shongtal. They cannot enter here. I brought you here to keep you safe while I find the rest of those i
nvolved in this plot and clean up this mess.”
“Will others have to die?” I asked, suddenly thinking about all the people who'd died already.
“Possibly,” he said softly. “Probably, if I'm being honest. I try to spare as many humans as possible, but we can't let the creatures inside them live. They're dangerous to humankind as a whole.”
“I understand,” I said, feeling terrible for people I didn't know. “Anyone else I care about in danger?”
Ozy leaned forward and put his face in his hands. My heart sank as I realized he was preparing to break some very bad news. And I wasn't sure I could take any more heartache tonight.
“Chelsea –”
“No,” I begged, tears coming to my eyes. “Please, no...”
Before I knew it, I was sobbing uncontrollably, shaking, crying and screaming, as if somehow that would make it all go away. Ozy rushed to my side and pulled me close. I didn't even think about being afraid of him – I just felt so safe wrapped in those muscular arms. I let myself fall into the embrace and my tears flow.
“She got away,” he said, whispering softly. “She's still alive, and I will do everything in my power to keep her alive, Jess. I swear to you. I will do everything I can to talk the creature out of her.”
Which sounded great, except for the fact that there was no guarantee he could save her. It was a promise to try, to do everything he could, but there was still no guarantee my best friend would be coming out of this alive.
I shook my head, feeling a hundred different emotions at once – and none of them good. I did my best to shut them all away, to lock them in a box, and simply be numb to everything.
“I'm coming with you,” I said, wiping my eyes with my hand.
“Jessica, no –”
“I have to,” I said. “If this is the last time I see Chelsea, I need to say goodbye.”
In reality, I wanted to be there to make sure Ozy kept his promise to do his best to spare her. And I'd try to keep her alive too. He mentioned convincing the creatures to leave their bodies – perhaps we could work something out. Make some sort of deal or something. I didn't know what I could do, but I was going to do everything I could for my best friend.
I looked up at Ozy, “Do you have a best friend?” I asked.
He cringed, nodding but said nothing, obviously knowing where this is going.
“And would you do anything to save him?” I asked. “If you could?”
“Of course.”
“Then you understand why I have to go with you. Why I have to help you try to save my best friend,” I said. If I don't, I'll live the rest of my life wondering – what if? And I can't live with that. I simply can't. I won't, Ozy.”
Ozy frowned, he so badly wanted to fight me on this. But deep down, he knew he wasn't going to win.
I was going with him. Whether he liked it or not.
Chapter Ten
Ozaryan
“So, is your name really Ozy, or is that a lie too?” she asked.
“It's a nickname,” I said. “And I haven't lied to you, Jessica. Not about anything.”
“Uhh, how about being human?”
“I never told you I was human,” I said. “You merely assumed that. Not like I could come up to you and say, 'hi, my name is Ozaryan and I can turn into a dragon, would you like to grab dinner sometime?”
“Well, that would be one hell of a pickup line –”
“I was trying to stay away from you, Jessica. Trying to keep you out of the middle of all this,” I said. “The less I spoke to you, I thought the less likely you'd prod into the parts of my life you're not supposed to know about.”
“So, you're not really shy either?” she asked, giving me one of those stunning smiles.
In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to kiss her. To feel her soft lips against mine. But I knew the timing was horrible. And that it would have been bad. Very bad.
“We should go,” I said, pulling away from her.
I comforted her when she was sad, but even that felt more intimate than it should have. I couldn't allow myself to get too close. It was dangerous. It was foolish. Everything that had happened proved to me that I couldn't afford the emotional entanglements. That nothing good would ever come of them.
“The sooner we find Chelsea, the better our chances at saving her,” I said.
She nodded. “Of course,” she said.
“Are you feeling well enough to stand on your own?” I asked. “Whatever he gave you was strong. He wanted to keep you asleep for a while apparently.”
“Apparently so, but yes, I'm better now,” she said. “I also needed the sleep, badly. So that didn't help matters, I'm sure.”
I wanted to ask her more about her life, but knew we didn't have the time. We had a mission, this wasn't the time to play twenty questions. That, and I still needed to keep my distance from her.
“How do you move between the worlds?” she asked.
“Through the Doors,” I said. “Just like you would move through rooms in your home.”
“Like regular doors?”
“Pretty much.”
“Huh. Who'd have thought –” she said, staring at the room around us.
I wanted to try and talk her out of going with me, but knew that she wasn't having it. I'd been fighting the Shongtal for ages. I knew just how dangerous they were. But she was determined. And the fate of a loved one was hanging in the balance. I know in her place, I would refuse to be left behind. So, rather than risk her doing something stupid on her own, I thought it better to be able to keep an eye on her.
But there were going to be some ground rules. I turned and looked her in the eye, trying to convey exactly how serious I was.
“This is dangerous,” I said. “Very dangerous. People very well may die. And I don't want you to be one of them. So, if you're coming along, you will do exactly what I say, when I say it. That's the deal. If you don't want to take that deal, you can stay here. And I'll have somebody babysit you to keep you from doing something foolish.”
She looked at me and I saw a grim determination in her eyes – one I hadn't seen before, but I wasn't surprised that Jessica had a core of steel inside of her. I'd always had that impression. And now I was seeing it live and in the flesh.
“Deal,” she said.
Chapter Eleven
I had to admit, I loved watching the expression on her face as we walked through my house. She was like a kid in a candy store, eyes wide, taking in all of the things I had collected through the centuries. In fact, I was so caught up in watching her, I didn't even notice that we were holding hands.
As soon as I realized it though, I took my hand back. She looked at me, almost like she was surprised by it as well, but neither one of us said anything. I cleared my throat and looked away, the air between us taking on the distinct aroma of awkwardness.
“Huh,” Jessica said, staring at the buildings around us. “So, one minute, I'm in the most gorgeous museum I've ever seen, the next minute I'm literally in the crappiest basement in all of LA. Nice.”
She was laughing, so that was good. And I couldn't help but laugh either.
“Truthfully, I never really thought about it,” I said. “But you're right, this place is pretty crappy.”
We were standing in the basement of my building for no other reason than I wanted to show her one of the Dragon Doors. I knew she was still having trouble believing everything – not that I blamed her. It was a lot to process.
We'd made sure to acquire the land on which the Doors sat, and we'd built up around them. Though our buildings were usually quite stunning, I guess I hadn't thought about the basement. Scratching my head, I looked around and realized that my kind hadn't done much with it. It literally was a room with four grayish white walls and no windows in the middle of downtown LA.
In the middle of the room though, stood one of the Dragon Doors. It was a tall, rectangular doorway between our two
worlds. It hovered a couple of inches off the ground and glowed and swirled with multicolored lights. I'd always thought of it as kind of a kaleidoscope – the shapes and colors in the doorway were perpetually changing. In a way, it was beautiful in its own right.
Jessica looked at it, the glow of the Door reflecting off her smooth, milky skin. She was the most beautiful creature I'd ever seen and it was killing me to not be able to reach out and touch her.
“So, stepping through that will take you to your home – what's it called again?” she asked.
“Chondelai,” I said.
She nodded. “Chondelai,” she said. “I'd like to see it.”
“One day,” I said. “Perhaps I'll take you there.”
“I'd like that,” she said.
The more she talked, the more I liked her. She was funny and charming, and was handling all of this like a pro. Most people would have broken down. Others would have simply given up.
But there she was cracking jokes and laughing, even as we prepared for a battle with creatures that should have terrified her. Or maybe they did and she was able to channel that fear into something more productive.
“So where do we find these creatures?” she asked. “Or rather, how can we find them? Do they have a hangout, something that gives them away –?”
“Umm well, not really a hangout,” I said. “But I can smell them.”
“Smell them?” she asked. “What do they – never mind. I don't need to know.”
We left the building and found ourselves on the busy street, not too far from Perky Beans.
“Now I see why you stopped in every morning,” she said, staring wistfully at what was probably her former place of employment.
“Maybe they'll take you back?” I said. “It's not really your fault. You were drugged.”