“Coward!” Rowan screamed at him. “You can’t even fight your own battles.” He raced toward Kingston, swords held high above his head. Just before he got to Kingston, Rowan veered left, which was the exact same direction Kingston moved. The sword sliced Kingston’s neck, just below his head. Rowan jerked the sword up, and Kingston’s head went flying. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, and as much as he wanted to revel in his victory, he didn’t even wait to see the great dragon fall. He raced to Skye as the birds took off. She lay slumped on the ground. Rowan knelt down and examined her face. She had gashes all over it.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She took a deep breath. I don’t know. My wings are shredded. I won’t be able to fly.
“That’s okay. If you change, I can get you out of here.”
He didn’t know what he was going to do. He had no idea where he was. He hoped they were close to a road. He watched her change. Her body shrunk, and she lay limp on the ground. His heart constricted. He’d imagined many scenarios over the last several days in which he could die, but he never banked on her getting hurt. Scratch and bite marks covered her arms. He was scared to lift up her shirt and see the wound on her back. Her legs had gashes but didn’t seem as bad as the rest of her. Her poor beautiful face was dripping with blood.
She tried to stand up but let out a squeak.
“Nope, you’re not doing that.” He sheathed his swords and scooped her up. Six months ago, he wouldn’t have been able to hold her, but now she almost felt light. She didn’t argue, and that’s how he knew she was hurt. She curled into him, and he tried not to jostle her as he walked through the woods.
She whimpered every time he had to adjust her. He wasn’t sure how long he walked before he saw the outline of a road, and he sped up. The wind whipped at him as he followed the road. The air was bitter, but there was no snow on the ground. After about ten minutes, a car pulled up behind him. He turned around as the ancient car slowed down.
The driver rolled the window down and gawked at Rowan. He was an old man with big bushy beard.
“You need a lift?” He smiled and had green stuff in his teeth. Rowan was grossed out, but the man didn’t seem dangerous. This would have to be their ride to town.
Rowan nodded. “How far is the closest town?”
“Oreana is about ten miles down the road.”
“Is there a hotel there?”
The man stroked his gross beard. “Yeah.”
“Can you take us there? My girlfriend is hurt, but she should be fine with some rest.”
Rowan cringed when he opened the back door. The stench of wet dog and onions hit him. He was scared of what had been on the seat, but he couldn’t think about that now. He put Skye in first, hoping he hadn’t set her in anything gross. She moaned, and his heart clenched, but he climbed in after her and adjusted her so she was lying across the backseat with her head in his lap.
The old man was quiet as they drove, and Rowan was grateful. Skye slept on his lap, and he worried that she was really hurt. They pulled up to an old motel. There were cigarette butts on the ground and a broken beer bottle in what should be a flowerbed. Right now he wasn’t picky. It had to be better than the car. He could pick up clean clothes for them at the shopping center across the street.
He shook Skye awake, careful not to hurt her. She sat up and gave him a weak smile. “Do you think you can walk?” he asked.
She nodded, and he helped her out of the car. Her steps were wobbly, but she made it as he guided her to a bench to sit. Skye started shivering. Rowan wanted to bring her into the lobby, but he didn’t want the front desk person to ask too many questions.
“I’m going to get a room.”
She nodded and slumped over. Rowan didn’t know what to do. He needed to pay for a room so they could get in and get her fixed up. But he was nervous to leave her for even a second. She could pass out, and then someone would call 911, and then he’d have to explain that she wasn’t human. Standing outside of the motel was getting her nowhere closer to a bed though. He took one last look at her broken form and marched into the office.
The woman behind the counter narrowed her eyes at him.
“I need a room.” He handed her Skye’s credit card. The woman looked at the card and then up at him.
“Can I see some ID?”
Rowan rolled his eyes and dug out Skye’s driver’s license. She examined the license. “This isn’t you.”
“I know. It’s my girlfriend. She’s outside. We’ve been hiking, and she got hurt. I need a room so she can rest.”
“You look familiar. Do I know you?”
Rowan paled. If this woman had seen his face pasted all over the news, he was in trouble.
“We’re from out east, so I doubt it. The room please.” He pointed to Skye out on the bench.
The woman craned her neck. “Does she need to go to the hospital?”
Why wouldn’t the woman give it up?
Rowan shook his head. “Just some bandages and rest.”
The woman frowned but ran the credit card anyway. She handed him the key. He grabbed it before she asked any more questions.
He scooped Skye up and walked across the parking lot. He slid the key into the lock and carried her across the threshold. He’d thought of this moment before, but in his imagination it was their wedding night, and Skye was conscious. He looked at her face. Maybe he should take her to the hospital.
No. She’d kill him. Most of her injuries seemed pretty shallow.
The room was old, but clean. The bed had a thin brown blanket tightly tucked in. Rowan gently laid her down on the bed, and she grabbed his wrist as he stood. “Don’t leave me.”
“I’m not going to. But I do need to run and grab some bandages and Neosporin. Is that okay?”
She nodded. He hated leaving her there. He sped through the Walgreens. In addition to all the medical supplies, he got shampoo, soap, toothpaste, and some deodorant. They needed to feel human after all this.
When he got back, Skye was asleep on her stomach. The whole bottom half of her shirt was bloody. Rowan gently peeled it away. He was surprised to see that it didn’t look nearly as bad as bad he’d thought. There was a long gash along her lower back, but it appeared to be healing already. Maybe it was a dragon thing. Rowan let out a breath of relief. He still wanted to clean her up, but she’d be okay. Thank goodness.
Skye was completely out and didn’t stir even when the cold antiseptic wipe hit her skin. He placed a wide bandage over the gash and set to work on the bite and scratch marks from the hawks. Most of them had already disappeared, but blood still covered her skin.
The room was cold, and he didn’t want her to get sick, so he turned the heat up to high. He’d be sweating in fifteen minutes, but this was for her.
He cleaned her up as best he could and was tired, but he didn’t think he could sleep. He sat on the bed next to her and flicked on the television. It was the middle of the day, so there wasn’t much on. He stopped when he saw his face on the news. He barely recognized himself. If anyone saw him on the street, they wouldn’t attach his face to the one on TV.
“The search has been called off for eighteen-year-old Rowan Winters. Rangers have concluded that he was, in fact, eaten by the gold dragon that continues to plague Yellowstone. The park has been shut down until the dragon is killed and authorities believe that it is safe for tourists once again.”
Rowan’s thoughts and feelings were so conflicted. They’d finally written him off as dead. If he showed up, he’d give his family a heart attack. They’d be starting to grieve. He was disgusted with himself for putting them through this. It felt wrong. He could end it now. Call and tell them he’d be home tomorrow. But that might alert the white witch and her spies to their location. He flicked off the news and found an old eighties movie.
Three hours later, Skye stirred. She stretched her arms above her head and blinked her eyes open. She smiled at him.
“You okay?” he as
ked.
“Never better. Thanks for taking care of me. We dragons heal pretty quickly, but sleep is required.”
Rowan nodded, freaked out by the speed at which she healed. She peeled the Band-Aid off her back, and the wound was completely gone. Skye stood up and looked in the mirror next to the television. She ran her hands through her hair and pursed her lips. Then she frowned.
“Ugh. We need new clothes again. What’s around?” Rowan was baffled that the first thing she asked for was new clothes.
“There’s a strip mall across the street.”
“Can we go now? I’d like to shower, but I’m not putting these clothes on again.”
Rowan shrugged. He was happy to see her alive and not hurt. He didn’t even know where they were heading next. He figured it was Sid, since he could actually read the prophecy, but Skye had surprised him before. He’d go wherever she wanted though. That much he knew.
In the store, Rowan snatched a pair of blue jeans and a gray t-shirt with the name of a band he didn’t recognize. Skye had an armful of clothes when she came over to him.
“Really, that’s what you’re buying?” she said.
“What’s wrong with this?” Rowan was suddenly self-conscious.
“My dear Rowan, you’ve turned into the quite the badass dragon slayer. You should dress the part. Here hold this.” She dumped her clothes into his arms and fingered the clothes on the men’s racks. She picked out a pair of black jeans, a small looking t-shirt, and a black jacket. “Try this on.”
Rowan took the clothes into the dressing room. The jeans fit nicely, but the t-shirt was too small. He shrugged the jacket on and barely recognized himself.
He stepped out of the dressing room. “I think the t-shirt is too tight,” he said expecting to see Skye. Instead he was face to face with two giggly thirteen-year-olds.
“Nope,” one of them said. “That shirt is most definitely not too small.”
Skye came out of the dressing room next to his. She looked him up and down, placed her hand on his abs, and leaned up and whispered in his ear. “I agree. I think it’s perfect. Let’s get you a couple of different colors.”
Rowan’s entire body stiffened, and his mind raced. Skye’d never touched him that way before. He reveled in the moment, smelling her jasmine-scented hair and the softness of her cheek next to his. This was the closest Skye had ever come to acting like she might want him as more than a friend. She disappeared into her own dressing room, and he did the same, trying not to hyperventilate.
SKYE WOKE UP sweating and looked at the clock. Two a.m. She flung off her blankets. It had to be ninety degrees in the room. She found the thermostat and turned the heat off all together. She was wide-awake. Her nap this afternoon was too long. She sat at one of the little tables and pulled the book out of the bag. The letter fell out, and she picked it up. Once again, she tried to slide her finger under the flap, but it still didn’t budge. She had hoped that when they found the prophecy, she’d be able to open the letter, but no such luck. She thought about fighting with it, but opened the book instead. They were planning on going to see Sid in the morning, but she couldn’t help but try to understand the words.
The letters all ran together, and she could pick up a word or two. Like dragon and king, but other than that, there was nothing she understood. This was impossible. She slammed the book shut, moved to her bed, and sat down. She stared at Rowan. The light from outside was streaming over his face. She’d never reacted to him like she had this afternoon. Everything about him drew her in. His smell, his eyes, his crooked smile. She hadn’t meant to touch him like she did, but she had wanted to kiss him, and that scared her. Because maybe she could kiss him, but she would be reminded of that wretched hole in her chest the second their lips met. She knew it. She didn’t think those feelings were possible anymore.
He’d kicked his covers off his feet. Must have been hot as well. Skye moved to the foot of his bed and tugged at his blanket so she covered them up now that she’d turned the temperature down.
He had something odd on his ankle. She leaned down to look at it more closely. A mark. Exactly like the one she had on her own ankle a few months ago.
Oh, hell no.
She flipped on the light to see what color it was, but she’d bet anything it was a silvery blue. Rowan blinked his eyes open and sat up.
“Is everything okay?”
“No, everything is not okay!” she shrieked. And then she realized he wasn’t wearing a t-shirt, and she desperately wanted to touch his pecs. When had they become so defined? No. She couldn’t think like that. He’d crossed a line, and they needed to fix it. She knew how to get rid of his sealing, and she’d make him if it was the last thing she did. How could he do this to her?
“What’s the matter?” He rubbed his eyes.
She flipped the blanket over. “This is what’s the matter,” she said, pointing.
Rowan blushed. “Oh, that.”
“Yeah, that.” She sunk down onto his bed. “What were you thinking?”
He shrugged. “Um, I didn’t even know it was possible until it showed up.” He seemed so cool and collected. Skye wasn’t used to seeing him like this. Nothing seemed to scare him now.
“How long have you had it?” she asked.
“Since before I found out you were a dragon.”
Skye shook her head. She couldn’t believe it. She needed Rowan to be her friend. Now she was going to have to leave him. But not until she helped him get rid of the mark.
“This ruins everything.”
Rowan creased his eyebrows. “Why?”
She started to cry. Rowan pulled her to his chest, and she sobbed. The room was still blazing hot, but he held her anyway. Her whole life had been turned upside down, and the one person she’d been counting on to stay with her was now off-limits. She didn’t even know where to begin.
After a few minutes, she felt the tears subside. Rowan handed her a tissue.
“Thanks,” she said and blew her nose.
“Could you please explain?”
No. She didn’t want to. But she owed him an explanation.
“You have no idea how flattered I am that you chose to love me, but I can never love you back.” She spoke the words quickly. She’d never said them before.
“Why not? I mean, I always knew it was a long shot, but you’re acting like it’s physically not possible.”
She pressed her hands to her stomach. The place where the ache often sat. “It’s not physically possible.”
“What do you mean?”
“Okay, this is a long story.”
“It’s the middle of the night. We’ve got time. Come here though. I can’t stand to see you shaking like that.” She curled up to his side and laid her cheek on his chest, set her hand on his stomach. He tensed, but she didn’t care.
“You know I was in love with Sid, right?” She let out a breath. She wasn’t looking forward to rehashing all of this.
“Yeah. Before Aspen.”
“That’s right. Before Aspen. Before he became king. I had a mark like yours. Sid was smart enough to not seal back, but I still loved him desperately. When he became king, I left him and fully intended to hole up and never come out. I hated the world for what it did to me.
“But Everett found me. He told me he knew of a way to take away the mark.”
“And did he?”
She held out her ankle. “Do you see a mark?”
“Nope. But I’d like to. Except with my name, not Sid’s.” He gave her a cheeky grin. She wanted to give him one too, but she couldn’t. Not now. She usually turned off her ability to feel his emotions, but she was struggling to make sense of the situation. She felt his underlying love that he always had, but there was something new. Something like hope.
She sighed. “That’s the problem. I won’t be able to ever seal myself to anyone again. That was the cost of having it removed. If I wanted to wait for it to fade naturally, I’d be able to, but forcibly removing it l
ike that leaves scars. That’s what the other dragon meant by me being sick. I’m not physically able to love.”
Rowan chuckled, and she sat up, upset that he was laughing at such a serious matter.
“This isn’t funny,” she finally said, understanding how he felt when she’d laughed at him over the dragon-mating story.
He sobered, looked her straight in the eyes, and said, “You know, you don’t have to love me to want me.”
She opened and shut her mouth again, not sure how to respond. It was such an un-Rowan like thing to say.
“Uh, I guess not.”
Rowan dropped his eyes for a second. “That came out wrong. Did he say anything about love or did he say that you couldn’t seal yourself to anyone?”
Skye thought for a second. She stared around the dingy hotel room while she thought. Earlier, she’d been too out of it to notice anything, but now, she noticed the dust-covered lamp shade and the cigarette burn on the nightstand. Skye thought back to the moment when Everett had explained to her how everything would work. He had clearly said seal. But to dragons there was no difference.
“They are the same.”
“Not to humans.” The look of hopefulness on his face was almost too much for her. She dropped her eyes. Love wasn’t the same for humans. She wasn’t sure if she could love as a human. She sat up and stared at Rowan. He scrambled out of the covers and sat on his knees facing her. She had to force herself to look him in the eyes. All that working out had done wonders for his physique. He took both of her hands in his own.
“I’m totally and completely in love with you. I can’t imagine my life without you. That night you came into my room and told me you were leaving nearly broke me. Look at what that love did. It took a boy who couldn’t even walk out his front door and made him brave. I know Murdoc cured me, but I overcame my anxiety time and time again for you. I never thought I’d find an emotion that was stronger than the anxiety. But I found it when I found you. Skye, I don’t care if you can never seal yourself to me. But I think you love me as much as I love you, but you won’t let yourself.”
Skye: The Dragon Kings Book 4 Page 14