by Aaron Henley
***
The mistress wanted her trophies but we had no idea we were dealing with weres! We’re too undermanned to get all three. I hope she can be satisfied with one. I just hope she’s too pleased with what she’s getting that she doesn’t decide just to eat me on the spot!
***
What happened? ALAN! Wait, why can’t I move? As Kiera started to regain her senses, the first thing she saw was the open and fixed eyes of the man who saved her life. Oh no. Carl! Wait. Where’s Marcy? Turning her head slightly, she saw the woman hiding under the table, frozen in shock and weeping furiously. I’m sorry Carl but I have to move you. How am I going to tell Becca about this? She’ll be devastated. Rolling to her side, she was able to extricate herself from Carl’s corpse and then she immediately crawled under the safety of the table to reach for her husband. I have to stop the bleeding! Alan! Hang on! I can’t lose you! Not now! Grabbing the closest rag she could find, one of the cloth napkins from the table that fallen, she shoved it onto the small hole in her husband’s chest. Oh baby. I’m so sorry. Please don’t leave me! Don’t leave us! Where’s Becca?! She should be here helping! Turning her head, she saw a man in full combat gear carrying her daughter across the room and heading for the remains of a window. Becca wasn’t wearing a red shirt was she? No, it was---GODDESS! NO! Something long buried, forever out of reach, within her broke open.
A roar of pain and anguish that hadn’t been heard on this planet in millenia suddenly boomed from a corner of the now destroyed dining room. It froze both the defenders and the few remaining attackers. No one moved. All they could do was stare in complete disbelief as something out of storybooks and fantasy novels stood before them and she was pissed.
A seven-and-a-half foot tall woman stood before them. Twin curling horns spread upwards and out from her head like a crown of spears, her entire body thick with muscle, long claws stretched from arms and legs, her body balanced on the base of her feet while crimson scales covered her body from head to toe, its face a lizard-like snout, sea green eyes burning red hot in their intensity, a long and thick serpentine tail flicked wildly behind her like a whip. Yet all of that wasn’t what grabbed everyone’s attention. No...it was the fifteen foot wide wings stretching from her back. They were so massive that one brushed against the wall, the other knocking debris aside without any effort. With the flames of a dozen little fires set by random shots casting shadows all over her, she looked like a demon straight out of Dante’s worst nightmares. For the men who had the sheer gall to hurt her family, Lucifer himself would’ve been kinder.
She didn’t even appear to move, even to werewolf eyes. One moment she was standing over Alan’s body, a heartbeat later she was next to a soldier. Without the slightest sound of effort, she threw him one-handed out the front picture window they had broken through out into the yard. One by one, she threw all the remaining four men into the yard. Terrified beyond belief, they huddled together like frightened children.
“You dared to attack my home,” the demon said in a voice as cold as the grave. Her voice rose with each cold statement. “You dared to attack me?” She strode over to the broken window, ignoring the gore and glass being crushed under her reptilian feet. “You dared to attack my husband?” She was now outside and heading straight for them, her wings wrapped around her like the cloak of the queen she was. “You dared to attack my daughter?!”. The men were now openly weeping, begging for forgiveness and mercy. If she heard their pleas, she didn’t react. “Then burn.” Her wings opened as wide as they could go and the demon began to inhale. With a mighty exhale, a flame that hadn’t been seen on Earth for thousands of years, a flame that was now only myth and legend, engulfed the soldiers. It wasn’t quick. Unlike a regular flame, this flame answered to her mistress’s demands and she wanted them to suffer. So they did. Richard and Steve will never forget that sight till their dying day; both pleased and horrified as to what they witnessed. After a few minutes of indescribable torture, Kiera allowed the flame to end their pain. When the flame was finally extinguished, the only thing left of four human beings was a crater of melted glass and rock.
She turned to face the two werewolves, “Thank you my friends for your aid. Now you need to get everyone to a hospital. Quickly. I’d help you but I’m a little tired right now.” With that, Kiera Elizabeth Daniels, Queen of the Red Dragon clan collapsed.
Chapter 5
It had been a stressful night for Richard and Steve. Trying to help Marcy come to grips with the fact that two friends were actually werewolves - never mind that werewolves were actually real - but with the loss of her husband was an experience neither wanted to ever repeat. They were able to get Alan’s bleeding stopped but he would need immediate surgery to remove the bullet. The doctors weren’t optimistic he’d make it through the next day.
Upon collapsing, Kiera had reverted to her human form and Steve wrapped a blanket around her to keep her warm and also hide her naked form. Just what the hell is she? I have never seen anything like that! My God...what about Becca?! Is she that...that...demon too? I need to have a serious talk with my mother-in-law-to-be right the hell now! Becca---, his head drooped in shame. How did I miss those bastards taking her?! It wasn’t enough that they killed her but they had to steal her body too?! What sick fuckers are these people?
His wolf growled. I don’t know but you know damn well we won’t rest until all of them feel the touch of our claws and we get her back.
For once, I’m in complete agreement with you.
Good, his wolf then retreated to the back of his mind. Steve could still feel him pacing back and forth, a hunter impatient for the scent of his prey; the chance to tear into throats and feel their blood pour out against his tongue; Steve didn’t mind that one little bit.
Once everything had settled down, Richard and Steve sat in one of the waiting rooms of St. Christopher’s to hear how Alan’s surgery went and for Kiera to regain consciousness. There wouldn’t be too much of a problem with the investigating authorities and medical staff as to why a full-on assault on one of the most well known families of Derrick’s Falls occurred. All the police and a fair number of hospital administrators and doctors were all part of the pack. The cops were doing all they could to find out who was behind the attack on their Alpha and his family, while the ones in the hospital were either with the injured or sat there with Steve and Richard in support. One of their own had been hurt, their Alpha attacked and no matter how “domesticated” these wolves had become, some things were just ingrained in the blood. A sense of restlessness permeated the room, many there licking their lips or throwing glances all around trying to catch an unseen prey.
The hours ticked by without a word. Night turned to dawn to mid-day. Steve just sat there in his chair frozen stiff as if carved from marble. When Dr. Hooper, chief of surgery and a fellow wolf, entered the room all the muted conversations stopped instantly as everyone waited for the news he was about to deliver. “Alan’s alive,” he said. A deep gasp went through the room as a dozen throats let out a shared breath. “I don’t know how. The bullet tore through his right lung, bounced off the shoulder blade and wedged itself into an artery. He should have died instantly. There is no medical reason he is alive but he is all the same.”
“When can we talk to him,” Richard, in his role as Alpha, asked.
“He’s in a coma right now. His vitals are weak but gradually improving. However, he shows no signs of regaining consciousness.” Dr. Hooper’s voice was the controlled tone every doctor quickly acquired when it came to telling friends and family news of this sort. “I have no idea when or even if he will come out of it. We’ll take care of him no matter how long it takes Richard. My word as a doctor and wolf.”
“Thanks Gerald.” Richard rested his hand on the other man’s left shoulder. “I appreciate it and I know Kiera would as well. How is she?”
“Apart from a massive case of exhaustion, there isn’t anything wrong with her. She is resting now but has asked to speak t
o Steve.” Steve shot up out of the chair at once. “If you’ll follow me please.” As both Richard and Steve started to follow him, Dr. Hooper paused for a moment. “Forgive me Alpha but she asked to speak to him alone first. She knows you have questions and will answer them but she asked me as a doctor and friend. I’m afraid I’m obligated to obey her wishes. I don’t want to cause my patient any more stress than what she has already gone through.”
Richard nodded. “Fine. Just let her know that no matter what, she’s still family. We all have secrets and pasts we hide. Considering what I just saw her do last night, I think she has earned my trust.”
“I’ll inform her at once. Now Steve---” he gestured for the young man to follow him and they proceeded down the hall.
After Dr. Hooper had delivered Richard’s message, he left the room and shut the door. Afterwards, he went to the nurses’ station to make sure that no one was to disturb them unless absolutely necessary.
Kiera was dressed in a hospital gown, leaning against the raised half of her bed to look at her future son-in-law eye to eye. Even still, her head was bowed and she had trouble meeting his gaze.
Neither knew where to begin. The silence stretched out between them. Steve was having trouble reconciling the demon he saw last night being the same woman who had always smiled at him and let him sneak a fresh cookie or two from her most recent batch while Kiera was dealing with finally admitting the secret she had kept not only from him but from everyone since the day she arrived in Derrick’s Falls.
“So ---”
“Are you ---”
Both stopped and chuckled as they started speaking at the same time. Steve waved to her. “Ladies first.”
Kierra gently smiled and then spoke. “Are you and Richard okay?”
“Yeah. A few days healing will take care of us. We’ll be spitting and crapping out bullets for the next night or two but we’re okay. None of the bastards seemed ready for werewolves so neither of us were hit with silver. They seemed to think that all they were dealing with was a bunch of regular humans.” He paused for a moment. “But what I still don’t get is why? What possible reason could a bunch of heavily armed commandos want with any of us?” A soft growl exited his throat. “Why steal Becca’s body?”
Kiera looked down at her chest and softly whispered. “Because of me.”
Steve waited for her to continue. He could see the woman trembling before him, tears running down her cheeks and, if it meant answers, he would wait till he died of old age before forcing her to respond. Reaching over to the tray stand by her bed, he grabbed a tissue and handed it to her. She nodded gratefully and wiped her eyes.
She quickly composed herself. “First, I need to tell you exactly what I am for you to understand what happened,” she said in a more confident tone and meeting his gaze firmly. “Despite what you may think, I’m not a demon. I’m a dragon.” Steve’s eyes just about shot out of his head. “Yes. A dragon, just like the storybooks. A sixty-five-feet long; massive creature breathing fire; the terror of knights world-over.” She chuckled. “But what you saw, that was my hybrid form. In a similar way to your wolf-man form, I can become what I was last night. Though to be honest, that shouldn’t have been possible at all.”
“What do you mean?”
“All of us so-called “fantasy” creatures have a reservoir of magic inside us. For you, it allows you to shift and allows me do the same, breathe and control my flame or cast spells. But that reservoir can be depleted forever if we aren’t careful to keep it maintained and strengthened. If that happens,we end up trapped in whatever form we’re in at that moment. Think of it like a person building muscle. Once they stop, that muscle begins to lose the strength they had until finally it becomes weaker than when they had first started. For a very, very long time, I had stopped building my magic reservoir and, what little I had left, I had spent years ago.”
“How? What I saw last night---”
“Becca.”
“WHAT?” Steve leapt out of the chair he was in and looked at her in shock. “What do you mean Becca? She’s a dragon too?!”
“No,” Kiera replied firmly. “No, she’s not. That’s what I spent my magic on. I made sure that she was only one-hundred percent human. It took everything that I had --- well, thought I had ---to do it. Yet I would gladly do it again. Now please sit down before you start pacing dear.” Steve returned to his seat, grasping the armrests tightly. “Dragon traits are dominant dear. If I hadn’t done what I did, she would have been born with everything you saw last night. Granted, this town is used to a little unusual but eventually the story would get out. The world isn’t ready to believe that humanity isn’t the only intelligent race on the planet right now. In fact, they never were.”
Steve’s eyes begged the question. “Dragons have been around for millions of years, we live a very very long time. Let’s just say that it wasn’t just a meteor that killed the dinosaurs.”
“You’re shitting me,” Steve softly whispered.
“Language dear.” Steve immediately blushed in reproach. “Don’t worry. I’m not quite that old. Though my great-grandfather did tell me that Tyrannosaurus meat was some of the best he had ever had and it was a shame they didn’t make it through the Cretaceous era. I think that was sometime during the Renaissance.” She shrugged. “Then again, after a few centuries, things tend to get a little blurry.”
“Wait a minute---just how old are you?”
“Why Steve,” Kiera raised her arm in mock surprise. “Surely Richard taught you better than to ask a lady her age.” Steve started to grin. “That’s better. Let’s see---” she started counting on her fingers. “---about fifty.”
“Hundred?”
“Thousand dear.”
Steve eyes once again boggled at what she had just told him. “Well you sure don’t look like it.”
Kiera laughed out loud. “Thank you Steve. To be honest, I am rather on the young side. In human terms, I’d be about twenty-five.”
“But---forgive me for this---if you’re so young, relatively speaking, how do you have gray strands in your hair?”
Kiera leaned over to him and whispered in his ear, “Hair dye.” Leaning back against the bed, she continued. “Surely Steve, you had to have wondered at least once why a woman in her mid fifties didn’t have a single wrinkle on her face?”
“I just figured since you guys were wealthy, that it was either really good makeup or plastic surgery. It wasn’t my place to impose.”
“Good boy. I knew Becca had chosen well.” She sighed deeply. “Now that you know the what, it’s time for you to know the why. There’s a very good reason why we were attacked because I know who was behind it.”
Steve was literally on the edge of his seat waiting with anticipation as he could now have a target to hunt.
“Her name is Lilith. It was during the second world war in Austria and we didn’t exactly part on pleasant terms. In fact, until last night, I fully believed she thought I was dead. As long lived as we are, dragons tend to have feuds that last not just centuries but epochs of times. She is the queen of the Violets just as I am of the Reds.”
Ok. I’m going to ask just what the hell that means but I’m not going to interrupt her now. I have a name and I will find her.
“Our clans had been in a bit of cold war ever since I was a hatchling. Even I’m still not sure of the exact cause. It was just the way it is. Turns out humans aren’t the only species who can act irrational and carry a grudge. Well, the reason I was in Austria was that there were rumours in our little community that one of the Violets had broken the Truce.”
“The Truce?”
“A pact made by all the dragon clans to not get involved with human affairs and allow them to live their own lives. There’s a very good reason for that but it’s not important right now.”
“So what were these rumors?”
“That one or more Violets were openly aiding the Nazi war effort by using their abilities to shift the tide of the
war. Unfortunately, the rumor was true. There was a family of Violets, two males and a female. As bad as the possibility of three dragons helping some of the vilest scum humanity ever produced could be, it was even worse than any of us feared. It was the ruling family of the Violets. The queen, her mate, and firstborn had betrayed the sacred oaths that bound us all and there was only one consequence for their actions. As a queen, it was my duty to make sure they did.”
“You fought three dragons by yourself?” Steve whispered in complete awe of the power the woman before him must have possessed.
“Oh no. There were four of us that night. Myself, the queens of the Blue and Green clans, and the Violets youngest daughter.”
“Lilith?”
Kiera nodded. “It was difficult but she knew that if we didn’t stop her family, then her entire clan would pay the same price. Dragon politics tend to be quite firm in the application of justice. By the end of it, the Violets and the Blue queen were dead, the Green severely injured, and me and Lilith the only ones left standing. I thought it was over. I truly did. To my eternal shame, I can never undo what happened next. I was so lost in my battle rage that I didn’t have any sense left. A young human male, Violet’s lover, came up behind me. He touched me. All he wanted was to make sure I was safe. Instead, I twisted around and cleaved him groin to head. As he fell lifelessly, Lilith became enraged. I didn’t blame her. How could I? I had murdered an innocent. Reds are sworn to the preservation and protection of life. I broke that sacred duty, no matter the reason. Lilith blasted me with everything she had. Acres of forest became wastelands in an instant. I was thrown I don’t know how far. My body burned and twisted almost beyond my ability to cope. But she wasn’t done. She leapt upon my tortured body and started clawing and tearing. I passed out from the pain fully expecting to never wake. Yet, Rochelle, the Green’s queen, took pity on me. Lilith had flown off to bury her lover fully thinking I was dead. Rochelle used her magic to help me heal. Over the next decade, I slowly recovered. I never replenished my magic or resumed my place as queen. I allowed the world to think I was dead and move on. I never transformed into either my full or hybrid selves again.” Tears kept flowing down her cheeks, a pile of tissues on her bed growing exponentially. “I don’t know how she found out I was still alive let alone who I was or where my family lived. Regardless, she tried to finish the job she started all those years ago. I fear she won’t rest until she does.”