Dragon's Choice

by Juniper Hart

“Well… I…” There was no skirting around the issue. “Yes.”

  “Hmm,” said Atticus, looking ashamed. “What if Flavia comes with us?”

  Sawyer considered his proposal. Flavia had become a close friend, and she trusted her. Besides, she had never been to Paris, and she hadn’t seen the sun in weeks. She really did want to go.

  “If Flavia joins us, I would love to go.”

  “Fantastic. Get dressed, and I’ll let Flavia know about our plans.”

  The flight arrived just in time for breakfast, and Flavia couldn’t wait to dine at her favorite cafe. A car was waiting for them as they deplaned.

  “Oh, Sawyer, you’re going to love it! They have the most amazing crepes. And, they have vanilla almond milk lattes that awaken every taste bud on your tongue.”

  Sawyer’s mouth was watering. She skipped all refreshments she was offered on the flight in anticipation of everything she wanted to eat in Paris.

  As they stepped out of the car and walked into the café, Sawyer watched as people literally stopped in their tracks to stare at Atticus and Flavia. Women giggled as they came within a close proximity to Atticus, and one man tripped while looking Flavia, while trying to walk at the same time.

  “How do you keep a low profile? Everybody is staring at you,” commented Sawyer.

  “Oh Sawyer, don’t be so humble. People are looking at you, too. I don’t know why you don’t realize that you’re gorgeous,” said Flavia.

  Flavia had helped Sawyer with her hair and make-up and had picked out her outfit, which was a sleek, black dress that hugged her body in all the right places. She was getting more looks than normal, but the only attention she wanted was from Atticus. He was standing close to Sawyer, as if warning other men she was taken.

  When the meal was over, Atticus paid the bill, grabbed Sawyer’s hand, and leaned in to whisper, “Today, you are mine. We can do anything you want, and you can have anything you want. Money is no object. This day is yours.” He lifted her chin and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

  Flavia laughed, “Way to make me feel like a third wheel, brother. I think I am going to do some shopping on my own today. I will meet up with you for dinner.” Flavia left, without giving Sawyer a chance to ask her to stay. The only reason Sawyer had come to Paris in the first place was because Flavia had agreed to join them.

  “Looks like you’re stuck with me for the day,” said Atticus, who still had a tight grasp on Sawyer’s hand. “Don’t worry. I will take good care of you.”

  They started the day at the Eiffel Tower, but the lines were really long. The weather was perfect, and it was the height of the tourist season. Sawyer felt Atticus wrap his arms around her waist, and she felt her feet lift off of the ground. Sawyer closed her eyes from the sudden surprise. When her eyes opened, she was at the top of the Eiffel Tower, which was closed to visitors.

  “Did you just fly?”

  “Well, I wasn’t going to wait in line.”

  “Atticus, what if people see us?”

  “They can’t. Nobody is paying any attention to us. Besides, I’ve used glamour on everybody in eyesight. To them, we are invisible.”

  “That sounds ridiculous. You know that, right?”

  “Look around. Nobody is looking at us.” Atticus started screaming at the top of his lungs, “Hey, look at me!”

  He was right. Nobody even glanced in their direction. Apparently nobody could see or hear them.

  Sawyer decided not to ask questions and, instead, took in the view. They were alone, but Sawyer wasn’t afraid. Instead, felt drawn to Atticus. He had done everything in his power to create the perfect moment.

  “Sawyer, I know your situation is not easy, but I want you to be happy. I want to make you happy. You have to understand why it’s too dangerous to let you go back to your old life. I just couldn’t bear the pain if something ever happened to you.”

  “Bear the pain? You hardly know me, Atticus.”

  “I do know you, Sawyer. Who do you think picked out all of your clothes and filled the bookshelf in your room?”

  “I thought Henry did it.”

  “Henry? Why would he do that? Do you have feelings for him?” Henry looked worried, almost hurt.

  “Not at all. He was just so kind to me. I thought it was him.” She paused and remembered the bras. “How did you know my bra size?”

  “Well, Sawyer, when you have been around for as long as I have, something like a bra size is pretty easy to gauge.”

  Sawyer remembered he had been with thousands of women. She pushed the thought from her mind. “So, what else do you know about me?”

  “I know that you grew up in seven different foster homes. I know that you thought you found a home with your last foster family, but your foster mother died weeks before you turned eighteen. I know that you studied art history in college, but quit after your sophomore year because you ran out of money. A man named Daniel had your heart for two years, but you found him in bed with a woman who you considered your best friend.”

  Atticus leaned down to kiss Sawyer. He was gentle as his lips lightly grazed hers.

  Atticus continued, “After everything you’ve been through, I know you have a hard time trusting people. I know you have been hurt your entire life, but still, you have a good heart. You’re special.”

  “How do you know so much about me?” asked Sawyer, as she felt tears welling up in her eyes. She had been hurt, and she had always felt alone. More than anything, she wanted to find a place where she felt loved. She wanted to find a home.

  “I have known about you for a very long time. I have been following you since you were born. The prophecy is unclear, and it’s possible you might destroy us. But I can only believe you will bring good into this world.”

  “I don’t know much about this prophecy, but it sounds like I have a pretty ominous future. Do you think the prophecy is wrong?”

  “No. I think it will come true. But, I don’t know what the prophecy means. The future is unclear. All I know is that I want to keep you safe.”

  Sawyer was silent. The sweet and caring side of Atticus was something she had never imagined, and she didn’t want the moment to end. He was so kind and protective. At one time, Flavia tried to convince Sawyer that this side of Atticus existed, but Sawyer refused to believe it. Now that she was seeing him in a different way, it was hard to believe she ever thought he was cruel.

  Atticus interrupted her thoughts, “There is so much to see, Sawyer. I was hoping to go to the Louvre next. I know how much you love art.”

  Sawyer couldn’t contain her excitement. They waltzed up to the front of the line and were let in immediately.

  “Did you glamour them, too?” asked Sawyer.

  “No,” said Atticus. “I am one of the museum’s biggest donors.”

  Atticus held Sawyer’s hand as they explored room after room. She wanted to hurry through the museum and see every work of art, but Atticus wanted to spend time enjoying each piece. Atticus had known many of the artists, and his stories made the art come to life. Sawyer no longer felt rushed, but instead treasured every moment with Atticus as she listened attentively to everything he was saying. He was such a wealth of knowledge, and art had been a lifetime passion for Sawyer.

  They had barely scratched the surface of everything that the museum had to offer, but Atticus said the day must come to a close as they were meeting Flavia for dinner.

  “Sawyer, I promise, I will bring you back to Paris another day. We will see everything you want to see.”

  Sawyer wanted to let go of all her reservations about Atticus. It was obvious he wanted her in his future. She was falling in love with him. Is it possible to fall in love with someone who isn’t alive? Sawyer didn’t care. Her world had been turned upside down, and she hoped to spend her remaining days with Atticus.

  Atticus wrapped his arms around Sawyer and kissed her passionately. It took every ounce of self-control not to rip his clothes off, but Sawyer finally pulled away.
/>   “What was that for?”

  “I just wanted to get that in while we were still alone.”

  Sawyer kissed his cheek, still flushed from the earlier kiss. “Did you have a place in mind for dinner?”

  “Of course.”

  The day had been magical, and the restaurant Atticus chose was charming. They were seated at a table outdoors. Flavia joined them. Candles lit the table, and the bright moon and stars overhead made Sawyer feel like she was in Vincent van Gogh’s painting, Café Terrace at Night.

  Atticus chose the wine, and Sawyer was grateful. She enjoyed wine, but had never been much of a connoisseur. After Atticus approved the wine, the waiter poured each person a glass. Just as Sawyer brought up her glass to cheers, the glass shattered in her hand. A bullet came within inches of her cheek as it whizzed by, making every hair on her body stand on end.

  Before Sawyer could scream, Flavia threw her to the ground and covered Sawyer’s body with her own. People were running in panic in every direction, but Flavia refused to let Sawyer move.

  Flavia hissed in Sawyer’s ear, “You need to stay still and stay down. If you get up, you’re going to die.”

  “What’s happening?” asked Sawyer.

  “I’m not sure, but as long as I can shield you, you’ll be all right. Atticus will find out what’s happening. Please, just don’t move.”

  Sawyer found it in her best interest to listen to Flavia and stopped squirming.

  Sirens began wailing in the distance.

  “What’s the meaning of this?” shouted Atticus.

  Sawyer heard footsteps approaching, but Flavia was covering her head, so she couldn’t see any faces.

  “Atticus,” said an unfamiliar man’s voice.

  “How dare you address me so informally,” roared Atticus.

  “I am so sorry, Your Majesty,” said the voice, in a sarcastic tone. “Let us have the girl.”

  “Do you really think it’s wise to make demands of me?” asked Atticus.

  “You must kill her!” said another voice, this time a woman’s. “You know the prophecy!”

  “The prophecy says she will spill blood and be turned into a vampire. We don’t know what that means, but I do know that I have no intentions of turning her into a vampire. We can’t kill her because we don’t know if there was another curse if she’s killed as a human. The best we can do is keep her in our control to ensure she stays human.”

  All of the kindness Atticus had shown earlier was gone. Sawyer believed Atticus kept her alive because he felt something for her, but instead, he was keeping her alive because he was afraid she was cursed.

  “Kill the girl!” rang a chorus of voices.

  Flavia jumped off Sawyer, and then there was silence. Sawyer waited a few seconds before raising her head off the ground to see what happened.

  Flavia and Atticus were in a heated discussion. Both had blood dripping from their hands and mouths. Sawyer looked at the carnage surrounding her. She counted eight dead bodies. Some with their heads removed, and others with wooden chair legs protruding from their chests. I guess a wooden stake to the heart isn’t just a legend, thought Sawyer.

  Sawyer listened to their conversation, while simultaneously trying to calm herself down. Before meeting Atticus, she had never seen one dead body.

  “They’re turning against us, brother.”

  “I am not going to kill her.”

  “Of course not! That’s not what I meant. We need to turn her. Maybe turning her will stop the killings.”

  “Not another word, Flavia. We must return.”

  Atticus swooped Sawyer into his arms as she felt her body lift off the ground, higher and higher, until she saw the lights of Paris beneath her. Within minutes, she was back on the jet, on her way back to Siberia. The perfect day had come to a disastrous end.

  Nobody spoke a word during the flight.

  When they arrived back at the fortress, Atticus stormed off, with Flavia following after him. Sawyer retreated to her room. Henry was waiting at her door.

  “Do you really think he loves you?” shouted Henry. “He is only using you like he uses everybody else. I have done everything to make you comfortable since you arrived, and you just run to him when he shows an iota of interest in you?”

  Sawyer was shocked by Henry’s words, and she didn’t want to deal with any more drama. The day had already been stressful enough. “Henry, what do you mean? We are friends. No words of commitment or love have ever been spoken between us.”

  “I thought I had made my feelings pretty obvious! I guess that means nothing to you.” Henry stormed off.

  Sawyer didn’t go after him. She didn’t have the energy. Instead, she went into her room to take a shower. Too exhausted to think, she crawled into bed and was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

  Sawyer woke up early the next morning, and put on her running shoes. She hoped to run into Atticus again at his hot springs. The day in Paris kept playing in her mind. Regardless of thinking she was cursed, Atticus had to have feelings for her, and she definitely had feelings for him. The physical attraction she felt for him was stronger than anything she had ever felt.

  Even if it doesn’t work out, maybe we can at least be friends with benefits while I live out my days here. But that wouldn’t be enough. Sawyer kept telling herself she would be satisfied with a purely physical relationship, but it wasn’t true. She wanted his heart as well as his body.

  Even after the horrible events from the night before, she couldn’t wait to see him again. Hopefully he could explain what happened and calm her fears. She tried to remember the way to the hot springs and eventually came to doors she recognized. Butterflies were fluttering in her stomach. She opened the doors to see Atticus, lying on the ground, fully clothed, staring up to the top of the waterfall. He turned to see her.

  Sawyer made her way into the room and sat down next to Atticus.

  “Sawyer,” he said. “I didn’t expect to see you.”

  “Well, I hope you’re happy to see me.”

  He looked over at her with uncaring eyes. “I wish I could let you go and live your own life. Then, I wouldn’t have to deal with any of this. But you can’t leave, and we both know that. So, I will just have to pretend you aren’t here. You are no longer welcome in my quarters. Please leave and don’t return.”

  “I just thought—”

  “Whatever you thought we had meant nothing, Sawyer. I have been alive for thousands of years. Humans come and go. Soon, you will be gone, and I will be here enjoying the presence of another beautiful woman.”

  Sawyer wanted to say something to make him hurt as much as he had hurt her, but instead, she stood up, turned on her heels, and left the room, running as fast as she could back to her living quarters. She flopped down on her bed and wept into her pillows. She wrapped herself in her blue duvet cover that was embroidered with flowers to try and hide from her embarrassment and rejection.

  The next few days, Sawyer stayed in her room. Flavia visited every day to brighten Sawyer’s mood, and Sawyer tried to put on a happy face for the sake of her friend.

  Henry didn’t visit. Sawyer had not only lost Atticus, but she had also lost Henry’s friendship.

  One afternoon, Sawyer asked Flavia if she’d take her outdoors again.

  “Sawyer, we can’t. It’s just too dangerous. You’re too vulnerable.”

  “Why?”

  “Both sides want you dead.”

  “Both sides? I thought I was the last Vasile. How are there two sides?”

  Flavia sighed. She didn’t want to explain further, but finally, she gave into Sawyer’s pleas.

  “Two-hundred years ago, a few vampires appeared with enhanced powers. We discovered another fiery willow tree. They began killing for pleasure, just as the Vasiles did. We destroyed the tree, but the roots had already been harvested. We have been trying to find a way to stop them, but every time we kill the ones we think are causing problems, more appear.”

  “H
ow many are there?” asked Sawyer.

  “We don’t know,” said Flavia.

  “Why is it dangerous for me?”

  “The vampires on our side want you dead because they believe you will one day be the leader of these vampires, killing everything in your presence. The vampires who have taken the drug want you dead because they believe that the prophecy foretells your victory against them.”

  Sawyer couldn’t imagine herself leading a pack of killers. “What do you believe, Flavia?”

  “I believe you are good, like Dimitri.”

  “But Atticus believes I am evil?”

  “He believes you’re good. But he doesn’t know what will happen if you’re turned. He’s trying as hard as he can to stop the prophecy, even though he doesn’t believe he will be successful. His uncertainty is the reason why he’ll never allow you to be turned.”

  “Well, maybe I don’t want to be turned.”

  “It’s not really up to you, Sawyer. Whether or not you’re turned into a vampire will be for the greater good.”

  “What do you mean my life is not up to me? I never wanted any of this! It’s not your choice to make. And besides, what if I am not the one? What if my parents had another child? What if my parent who carries the Vasile blood is still alive? Maybe he or she is the one the prophecy talks about.”

  Flavia tenderly grabbed Sawyer’s hand and, with sympathy in her voice, said, “Sawyer, your parents are dead. They died protecting you.”

  “How do you know?” asked Sawyer with her voice wavering. Like all orphans, she always hoped her parents were out there searching for her.

  “Atticus found the vampires who killed your parents and had them killed. But, before your parents were killed, they hid you within the foster care system, knowing that you were in danger.”

  Sawyer couldn’t hold back her tears. “I had always hoped I would find them one day.”

  Flavia hugged her friend. “I know what it feels like to lose a parent. It’s not easy.”

  “I didn’t even know them,” said Sawyer. “I guess I am mourning the hope of finding my family.” Sawyer thanked Flavia for her concern and pulled away from the embrace. “Well, I must have cousins, or there has to be someone else who has Vasile blood.”