by Ruby Forrest
She wanted what was right, “Stop!” The dragon had been rearing back, poised to strike, as if it was about to kill the man where he stood, strike him down by some means, be it his weight, his claws or his fangs. At Janet’s cry, he stopped and his eyes turned slowly on her.
Janet felt a fresh wave of terror tearing at her heart and her mind. Had she made the wrong choice? Was he really just going to kill her too? Had she just put herself in more danger by calling out? She didn’t know. She was lost in a strange situation, in a strange country, all alone.
The dragon had saved her, but there was no guarantee that he would spare her a second time. She shuddered as he approached. He didn’t seem to be after her like he was after the other man, with a deep desire to hurt and kill. He moved slowly and Janet swore, just for a second, that the flashing blue of his eyes seemed so startlingly, achingly familiar. She could have sworn that she had seen those eyes somewhere.
Those eyes would never let her get hurt. Those eyes had saved her before. The recollection stuck her with startling clarity and she stumbled back. She was losing her mind. She was going insane. This dragon reminded her of Fang. A dragon!
She almost laughed. She was going crazy, cracking under the deep and persistent stress that was beating on her mind, body and spirit. She was going crazy. Janet almost laughed, but the situation was terrifying, not funny, and not funny in the slightest.
The dragon moved and for a second, Janet thought that he would roar again, but he didn’t. Instead, he shifted, kneeling down and lowering his great and powerful height. Suddenly, this towering creature wasn’t standing so far above her, so overwhelmingly, threateningly tall.
There was a low rumble in his chest, almost like a purr and Janet was filled with a bright, unexpected surge of warmth in her own chest, fluttering through her and leaving her breathless. It was perfect. In this strange moment, in the middle of nowhere, with a dragon, she felt safe. So safe.
The dragon snarled, a low sound. It was comforting in a strange way, and Janet bit her lip. She could feel the breath ghosting her skin, brushing against her and filling up her senses. She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling the flood of movement through her.
She breathed in the feeling, the odd sensation of both fear and peace tingling through her. There was a whoosh, the sound of air rushing around and through her. For a moment, she just kept her eyes shut, accepting of whatever came next.
Then she felt a hand on her shoulder and her eyes flew open in shock. Her eyes struggled to take in the shock of what she was seeing. She couldn’t believe it.
It was Fang. The huge, towering dragon was gone, nowhere to be found, not even a whisper of movement or a shadow in the distance. Instead, Janet was face to face with Fang, looking calm and concerned, like it was no big deal that he had shown up out of nowhere.
His hand was on her shoulder and he was grabbing her gently, “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” There was real worry in his voice, real concern seeping into his tone. For a moment, Janet found herself unable to answer, unsure what she was seeing, unsure what to say. Fang was here.
The shock shuddered through her system. Fang was here and the dragon was gone. Had she imagined the whole thing? Was she losing her mind completely? Janet felt her knees go shaky and she almost fell to the ground. In an instant, Fang’s arm was wrapping around her. He pulled her close to him and she almost fell against him.
She took in a great, deep breath and took a moment to try and make sense of it all, make sense of everything that was happening to her, flooding her senses. She bit her lip and heard Fang’s voice in her ear.
“Shh, it’s okay.”
He was warm and comforting and Janet nodded. He led her towards one of the sparse trees that was dotted along the landscape and helped her sit down. She sank gratefully to the ground, curling her legs beneath her. She took a deep breath, feeling the shakiness flood her system again.
Everything had been so normal up until this point, so comfortable, almost okay, even with the terror of the previous meeting. But this, this was something else and it had left Janet feeling very shaky and unsure of herself.
Fang’s voice was soothing and soft in her ear, his hands stabilizing her as he murmured, “Just take a moment.”
Janet followed his advice, taking a moment to just breathe, just let everything sink in and settle in her chest. It was a lot to handle, a lot to take in, but it was important that she calmed down enough to talk it through with Fang.
The sun was beating down fiercely on them, but the shade of the tree provided some respite. Eventually, Janet looked up at Fang, confusion written across her features, “What just happened? How did you find me?”
Fang took a deep breath, seemingly weighing his own options, his own thoughts on the matter, “Well, I knew that you had called a taxi, obviously….” He trailed off and Janet thought about the exchange that had happened in the hotel room. It felt like a lifetime ago, and still tasted sour. Still, she was removed from that now, in a way. Fang was here, when she needed him most and her life had almost ended, yet again.
“I followed you.” He admitted. The confession was stilted, almost as if he didn’t want to say it, “I wanted to make sure you were safe.”
Janet nodded, “How? I didn’t see any other cars…”
There was another long, lingering moment of silence, “On foot.”
Janet couldn’t fathom how that was even possible, “On foot? But that wouldn’t have worked…” She trailed off as well.
Fang sighed and rubbed his face, “Come on, Janet. You saw the….”
“The dragon?” The words spilled from her before she had a chance to take them back. She regretted them at once- not wanting Fang to think that she had completely lost her mind. She sighed, a shaky sound and shook her head, waiting for his response.
Fang winced, “Yes.”
For a moment, Janet was convinced that she had heard that wrong, “You…you saw it too?”
Fang seemed to be growing more and more uncomfortable. He shifted, wiping his hands on his pants and leaning back against the tree. Janet almost expected him to jump up, despite that. He seemed so jumpy and unsure of what to say. Janet had never seen him like this. He was usually so confident, comfortable and sure of himself. To see him like this, concerned and unsure was a very strange thing to behold and it was making Janet uncomfortable.
“No, I didn’t see it…It’s complicated.” He winced and Janet had a growing sense of disbelief. He had been there almost right after she had seen the dragon. She had only closed her eyes for a moment. He had been there, and followed her, found her. How had he done it?
The realization was growing, steady and strong and Janet was finding it harder and harder to believe. There was no way. The thought was absolutely insane, absolutely unheard of. She had to be dreaming this all up. And yet, yet…it seemed to be the only answer that made any sort of sense.
She stared at Fang, her words deserting her in a rush. How did you confront someone like this? How did you assert such a crazy claim, such a crazy idea? Fang winced and she saw something flicker in his eyes. Those eyes, so blue and inhuman.
“It sounds insane, Janet. You must realize that.”
Janet swallowed, “So you…you were the…?”
“The dragon, yes.” His words were curt and defiant and sudden. It must have been impossible hard for him to say, but Janet couldn’t focus on that, not just yet. She felt the awe catch in her throat, move down her body and leave her shaky all over again.
She was suddenly, very, very glad that she was sitting down. She shuddered, feeling the rolling waves of disbelief wash over her. No, not disbelief. She knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he was telling her the truth. Janet was having more problems handling the nature of that truth. How could it be possible?
Fang had gone white and Janet realized, with a pang, that he looked far more worried than she had ever seen him before. He was calm in the face of attackers, ca
lm in the face of their breakup, and calm in the face of impossible odds. And yet this, telling her the truth and judging her reaction, was enough to leave him openly concerned.
He was worried about what she thought. He was worried about how she was going to take this and how she was going to relax. He cared. He still cared about her. The realization sent a violent jolt through her body and she felt tears well up in her eyes.
He hastened to speak, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier. You wouldn’t have believed me, and I didn’t want to put you in any further danger-”
Janet didn’t give him time to say more. She flung her arms around him, pressing herself flush to his body, “You idiot!” The words were out before she could stop them. She pressed her head against his neck, breathed in the smoky, sweet smell that seemed to permeate every inch of his body. She almost laughed. Now she knew why he always smelt like smoke and fresh air, all at the same time.
It was crazy. This was crazy! None of this made any sort of sense, but Janet didn’t know what to do about it. It was what it was. It was the truth that she had seen with her own two eyes. It was incredible in so many ways and it was terrifying in so many others.
Fang made a sound of surprise, but he wrapped his arms around her and held her gently, tightly, against himself.
“You should have told me.” She murmured against his skin, “You idiot, Fang.”
He laughed and the sound was lighter than she could have imagined, full of relief as he nodded, “Yes, I should have.”
For a long moment, they stayed like that, Janet in Fang’s arms, him holding her tight as she settled herself and got comfortable again, with the huge shift in her world. After a long moment, Janet pulled back and looked up at him.
“I want details.” She managed a small smile and Fang nodded, “Yeah, but now might not be the time.” His voice was soft and comforting and Janet realized, with a jolt, that it was probably best to get back into town, get somewhere safe.
That said, she felt safe as long as she was with Fang, feeling his strong arms around her. No one would hurt her while he was around. She knew that without a shadow of a doubt. She had known that he was strong and capable, but she had had no idea just how powerful he really was. She felt warmth flicker in her chest.
He was here, by her side, “You’ll stay?” She murmured, her voice soft and almost unsure.
“I’ll stay.” His voice sounded thick with relief and happiness rose up in her chest, sending soft shivers of excitement through her. She was safe and Fang wasn’t going anywhere. What more could she ask for? What more could she hope for? This was perfect, and then some. She was so lucky to have him, so lucky to be alive.
Janet knew that she was so lucky to have survived two attacks and both times, she knew who she had to thank for it. She pushed herself up and Fang quickly helped her to her feet, “We’ll talk later, though.” She looked at him with a sternness in her gaze and he smirked, “Yes, Boss.”
Janet laughed and, suddenly, the sound felt really sincere, bubbling up in her chest. Not forced, not put on or pushed out. No, just true happiness despite all of the terror and confusion. She wasn’t out of the woods yet. She still had meetings, still had issues to deal with, deals to seal and people who were trying to kill her. It wasn’t smooth sailing, at least, not yet!
But Janet had faith, had confidence that everything was going to be okay. She was going to have him by her side and, together, they would take on the world. Janet had a job to finish and this time, she knew that she could count on Fang.
Her mind was still reeling with information, but she wasn’t afraid. She could work through it, and deal with the strangeness of the world and of their relationship. Everything was going to be okay and they could take it all on- together. Janet had never felt surer of anything in her life.
She took his hand, and got to her feet. They made their way to the car like that, hand in hand.
They could do this and she couldn’t be prouder to be trying, with Fang at her side.
Chapter 12
The ride back passed in relative silence. Janet was still trying to compose herself and she could only assume that Fang was working hard to get them back home safely. Janet checked her clothes. They were dirtied and worse for wear. She knew that there were scrapes across her skin and she frowned in quiet, personal disapproval. She looked over herself again. She knew that she had just been through hell but she had a meeting to get to.
She fished into her purse, which Fang had retrieved, and had a quick look at the time. Her phone was still out of range, but according to her clock, she still had time to make it to the meeting.
She had a realization, sharp and curt in her mind. She wouldn’t let this define her. There would be time to rest later, time to rest very soon, to move on and make everything right again. There would be time to cry and grieve and process the horror of the attempts on her life.
But right now. Janet had a meeting to attend. She had a deal to close, a company to save. She wasn’t going to lay down and die. She looked towards Fang as the car pulled into the city itself, “Take me to a clothing shop.”
There was a finality to her words that surprised even her. She was sure about this. Fang looked at her with an air of surprise and Janet smiled, “I’m not going to the meeting dressed like this.”
Fang laughed as he returned his eyes to the road, shaking his head, He sounded surprised, but this time, he didn’t argue with her, didn’t resist or tell her to stop. This time, he seemed surer of her than he had before, “Okay.”
He turned off into the nearest mall, shifting the car into park. Janet smiled and jumped out of the car. It didn’t take her long to find something that was suitable. She didn’t want anything fancy. She opted for pants and a neat blouse, with a fitted jacket. Formal, attractive, but perfect for kicking butt in if anyone tried something again. She stepped into the bathroom, hastily fixing her hair and straightening her clothes. She didn’t care about looking pretty, she cared about getting things done. Although, even if she did say so herself, she was looking pretty good for a woman who had tangled with death twice and gotten out both times.
As they slid into the car, Fang glanced over with a smirk, “Where to?”
“Where do you think?” She answered easily. Fang didn’t say another word, but his smile grew as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards the offices. Janet didn’t feel the normal nervousness in her stomach. She didn’t feel the shaky discomfort that she was used to feeling, didn’t feel the uncertainty, the fear and the worry. Instead, she felt sure of herself, felt confident in herself.
She didn’t care if they thought she wasn’t skilled. She didn’t care if they thought that she was too young, or that she couldn’t do it. Janet didn’t give a damn. She had proved to herself that she could overcome almost anything that she could get through a life or death experience and walk away.
What was one business meeting to her now? Her boyfriend was a dragon, she’d been thrown out of a window and lived, thrown to the ground with a gun at the back of her neck. She almost laughed out loud. It sounded insane. It was insane! Everything that she had been through didn’t seem like it could be real, didn’t seem like something that belonged in her life, and yet, here she was. She shook her head as they approached the buildings and Fang drew the car to a stop.
She had done the impossible, believed the impossible, lived through the impossible. She wasn’t going to let a meeting with a few old men scare her. Not anymore. Janet knew who she was, knew what she was capable of and it was a lot. She knew what she was worth and she knew what her company was worth.
It was no longer a burden that her father had left her with. It was a gift, a blessing, it was something special, something empowering and something that she was lucky to have. She was going to make a success of this and nothing was going to stop her. She was going to succeed and she was going to take this company to new heights.
And as she glanced at Fan
g, who stepped out of the car with her, Janet felt surer than ever. This time, she had his support and that, on top of everything else, made all the difference in the world.
Janet grabbed her bag, straightened up tall and made her way to the front desk. Fang stepped back as she made her way to the desk. The woman looked up at her with a snooty expression on her face and Janet couldn’t help but smile in response, the challenge clear as day.
“I’m here for the 12 o’clock meeting.”
The woman glanced at the clock above her desk, sniffing. The clock read 12:10.
“I’ll have to see if they are still available…we are on a tight schedule, and since you’re so late…”
Janet leaned forward, pressing her hands onto the desk. She met the woman’s eye and smiled, “They will see me. If they want the deal to go through, they will see me and they will see me now. Understood?” There was a cool bite to her tone that Janet was unfamiliar with, but she found that she liked.
There was no need to be rude or cool towards someone who was polite and professional, but Janet was finished with letting people push her around and treat her as less. She was absolutely finished with it and she was making that known, not only to the world, but to herself. And it felt good. It felt very, very good.
The woman’s eyes grew wide, her cheeks flushing with indignation. She stood and turned without saying and word, walking towards the back of the office. A few moments later, she returned, the flush still very much present on her cheeks, but there was an air of resignation about her, “Come through.”
“Thank you.” Janet smiled and nodded to Fang, who was looking on with an amused expression on his face. He followed her into the office. The woman looked hesitant, but Janet simply smiled, “He’s coming in.”