Once I returned, they tried to flee. We surrounded them and cornered their leader.
“Things will not be the way they were in the past. I will not allow myself to be fooled into getting trapped in a volcano again. I want no war; I only want peace and to be left alone. If you cannot respect my wishes however, I will be forced to show you what I am capable of. That is not something that I want,” I told him.
He smiled a sly smile and I knew right then that I was going to have trouble with them.
“Oh, my dear boy, it is not about what you want or what I want. It is about honor and loyalty to the kingdom and if I did not vanquish the son of my father’s enemy, then what would that say about my loyalty to my father and his kingdom?” He spit.
“It would say that you had grown and matured and no longer felt the need to hurt others for no reason. There was no good reason for the war back then except that your father was greedy and wanted my father’s throne too. You must think long and hard about this Cassius because as much as I do not want it, I will give the war that you want and you will not like the outcome,” I threatened.
Cassius laughed a belly laugh and pretended to wipe tears from his eyes. He had always had a flare for the dramatic.
“You will give me the war I want will ya? With what army? It is only you and your four caretakers,” he sneered.
“That you know of. You only know what you see, Cassius. Please, consider what you are about to do. We do not need to keep shedding the blood of our people just because our fathers did,” I said.
“You remember what I said also, Mishal. The time will come and when it does you will need to be ready,” he said as he shifted and flew away along with his people.
From that moment I spent my days scouring the planet trying to find any survivors from my father’s kingdom. I knew if Cassius came with a war now, we would be sorely outnumbered and I could not let that happen, not after everything we had been through. I had spent too much time trapped in a volcano for someone else to jeopardize my freedom and the freedom of my people.
We searched for weeks that turned into months and luckily Kyal found a village not too far outside of Tokyo where a large group of our people had located after the war ended. I was pleased when Kyal brought them all back to the treehouse with him, but realized we were going to have to expand the tree house and make them their own.
My mind was always on June even in the busy times and I wondered if she ever thought about me. I knew I needed to go back and find her again, but I could not leave the people just yet. The tree homes had just been finished and everyone was just learning what their jobs were in order to contribute to our makeshift kingdom. Kyal and the others had also started training them to fight in case Cassius came looking for war. I knew the men had fought before under my father, but their children had not.
Danol taught a self-defense class for the women and children so we would not have to worry about them as much if it came to war. I hated that word. I hated even thinking that it was a possibility. I knew that I needed to find June as soon as things were stable at the compound so I could see her in case war would come. My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at my door.
“Come in,” I said as I moved from the kitchen to the sitting area by the door.
Danol entered the room and I motioned for him to sit down.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of your company, dear friend?” I asked.
“I just wanted to let you know that while searching for survivors I went to the place you said June was living and she was no longer there. I could still smell her scent however, and I followed it to a tall building with many different houses in it. I saw her there with another woman who I heard June call Samantha. I tried to get as close as I could, but someone shot me with some sort of dart. It had no poison or anything, so I do not know what the point of it was unless it was to scare me. I just thought you would like to know,” he said.
“Thank you, Danol. That means a lot to me. At least now I know she’s safe with her sister,” I said, my mind a million miles away.
“You are welcome, Mishal. I am sure the people will get the hang of the routine soon and you will be able to go see her again soon. I know you must miss her terribly,” he said as he stood to leave.
“Danol,” I called after him.
He turned to face me at the sound of his name.
“Yes, Your Grace?” He asked.
I narrowed my eyes at him as he knew I did not like for my friends to use the professional protocol unless we were in a public setting.
“Thank you for everything you have done and are doing. Nothing we have done so far would have been possible without all of you helping. I am very grateful to be able to call you my friend,” I declared.
He smiled and nodded, heading out the door. I walked to the window and watched him walk down the wooden stairs that led to the base of the tree. I felt safer knowing that he and the others that had been trapped with me were taking turns guarding the compound along with others that were being trained. I watched him take his post and went back to the kitchen to finish making my nightly snack.
Once I finished my snack of fruit salad, I climbed into bed. I laid my hand on the empty pillow beside me and wished that June was with me. I knew it would not be too much longer and I would be able to see her again and held on to that thought as I drifted to sleep.
Weeks had passed and things were just as I wanted them. Kyal and Danol went in search of more survivors but found no more. We were not a very large group, but what we lacked in numbers we made up for with heart. Everyone had learned their jobs and were excelling in their battle training. I decided that since everyone was doing so well, I could take a trip and see June. I still had to clear it with Kyal and the others of course, I did not want to leave them if they needed me to stay.
Just as I headed to talk to Kyal, Danol rushed to me, panic on his face.
“Danol? What is it?” I asked, concern growing inside me.
“Do you remember when I told you someone shot me with a dart, but I did not know what its purpose was?” He asked, voice shaking.
“Yes, I remember. Are you okay, Danol?” I said as I assessed him for injuries with my eyes. I saw none.
“I think I know what its purpose was now. I pulled this from my leg while I was on watch and I looked to see humans on the horizon. I think they tracked me here, Mishal!” He exclaimed.
“Calm down Danol, it will be all right. They must have had a reason to do what they did, if they approach, we will confront them and see what they say for themselves,” I said as I tried to stay calm.
I climbed to the top of the watch tower and saw the humans approaching at a high rate of speed. I knew I needed to act fast to protect my people. I started ringing the warning bell vigorously and everyone headed to their places. I wondered if June or her sister were with the humans that were coming or if these were humans that stumbled upon us by accident. I knew it was possible that we would be seen when I visited June, but I never thought it would happen.
I climbed down from the watch tower and met the humans outside the gate. There was a man with giant muscles in the front.
“Welcome! Are you in need of assistance?” I asked the one who was in front.
“Why yes, yes you can,” he said with a sly grin.
11
June
It had been six months since I had seen or heard anything from Mishal, and I had begun to wonder if he had forgotten me. I had heard Kyal pecking on the balcony door that night and listened to their conversation while I pretended to be asleep, so I already knew what his note said when I read it the next morning. I knew how he felt when I left because it still hurt that he went even though he left a note. I understood why he had to leave; I had just hoped for a bit more time with him before he did so.
I had stayed in the hotel a few more days after that, but them Samantha made me come to her place. We had been working on mending our relationship and she was trying not to be so much like
mother. She helped me find a job at a rock-climbing facility so I could get paid for doing what I loved. Things were great except for the fact that I missed Mishal terribly and wanted to see him again.
I was getting ready for work and watching the morning news when I heard the reporter say something about Tokyo. My eyes darted to the screen and my heart sank to my stomach. There on the screen being led away from his home in chains was Mishal. I could not believe what I was seeing. Why was he not shifting into the magnificent beast I knew he could be? Tears welled up in my eyes and I started screaming at the top of my lungs. Samantha ran out of her bedroom and grabbed me as I fell to the floor.
“June, what is it? What is wrong?” she asked concerned.
I did not speak as I could not make words come out of my mouth, so I pointed toward the tv. She gasped and put her hand to her mouth as she looked at me.
“I am so sorry, June. I never should have said anything. Please forgive me,” she begged.
I looked at her with a confused look as I tried to understand what she was saying.
“What do you mean you should not have said anything? What the fuck did you do Samantha Rain Meadows?” I demanded, anger welling up in me.
“I did not do anything. I had nothing to do with what is happening to them right now. All I did was tell a colleague of mine a story about dragon people that Ming told me while I was with her waiting on you. I guess he believed me,” she replied.
“Damn you, Samantha! It is not a story! It is the truth! You have just ruined the lives of all those people and one of them I happen to love!” I screamed at her.
“Wait a minute, do you expect me to believe that Mishal turns himself into some sort of dragon creature? That is the stupidest thing I have heard in my entire life,” she scoffed at me.
“Believe what you want to Samantha, but because of your flippant conversation with a money hungry colleague, Mishal and his people are in trouble and I am going to go help them,” I stated as I started gathering clothes to put in a duffle bag.
“June, you cannot go up against those guys. If they think for one minute you are there to stop them from getting what they want, they’ll hurt you,” she warned me.
“If you knew he was like that to begin with then why would you even say anything to him about Ming’s story? Did you not think for one second it could be true? There are a lot of things we do not know about the world yet, Samantha. There are things that we have yet to discover and Mishal’s people were one of those things and now because of your big mouth, they are in trouble. Do not think for one moment that you are going to stop me from getting on a plane and helping them,” I ranted as I finished packing my bag.
Sam crossed her arms and sighed loudly but she said no more about it. She knew she would lose if she kept arguing. Anger seeped out my pores as I thought about Sam’s colleague holding Mishal and his people captive. Just as I headed to the door to go to the airport another news report came on and I stopped when I heard the word Tokyo again.
“Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, today we are reporting on a strange occurrence in Tokyo, Japan. It appears that several Americans have taken several members of what appears to be a clan captive and are planning to bring them back to the United States. The reasoning for this is unclear at this time, but reports have been made that the people in captivity can change themselves into dragons. We will have more on this story at ten so stay tuned,” the reporter said before signing off.
My heart sank to my toes again and I looked at Samantha with tears pricking at the corners of my eyes.
“You told that son of a bitch about them so he could use them as lab rats? How could you, Samantha?” I asked as I begged my voice not to crack.
“June, I swear all I did was tell him the story that Ming told me when I was there, that is it,” she promised.
“Then how the hell would he have found them?” I asked curiously.
Samantha looked at me with a look that told me she knew more than she was telling me.
“Sam, if you know something, please tell me. I need to know how to help them,” I pleaded.
“Do you remember when you first came back her and you tried to tell me the story of Mishal and I did not believe you?” She asked.
“Yes, I do.” I replied.
“Well, I told him that Mishal followed you to the airport hotel and I think he started following you, but I am not for sure. I do know that he became really obsessed with dragons after I told him the story and it started to creep me out. I am so sorry, June,” she said.
My mind was reeling, and my heart pounded in my chest. I did not know how I was going to help Mishal and his people and I was pissed at my sister for putting them in the position they were in.
“Do you know where he will be taking them once he gets them back here?” I asked in hopes that she would be helpful instead of destructive.
“I have no idea, June. His office is not big enough and I am not sure about his lab. I can try to find out though,” she offered.
“That would be great! I need to know where to go to get them out. He had no right taking them from their home to use them as science experiments,” I said.
“June, please tell me you do not really believe these people are dragons,” she said.
“Sam, I have seen Mishal shift in front of my eyes! I know it sounds crazy and maybe it is, but I have seen it and they are such beautiful creatures. They do not deserve this, Samantha. Please do not doubt me, help me,” I pleaded.
She nodded her head and I got busy unpacking my bag. I was somewhat relieved they were going to be brought back here. I knew my way around here better than Tokyo and I would be able to get them to freedom better. I unpacked my bag and went back to the tv to see if anything else was being reported but nothing was being said. My heart pounded and my hands shook from the adrenaline that pumped through my body. All I could think about was finding out where they were going to be taken so I could rescue them somehow.
I turned the tv off and headed to the kitchen for a drink when I heard Sam talking to someone on the phone. Her voice sounded like it was coming from her bedroom which was right next to the kitchen, so I tiptoed into the hall and pressed my ear against the door to hear the conversation better.
“What the hell are you thinking, Jonathan? You cannot just kidnap a whole group of people! It is all over the news and everything. You are bringing so much attention on yourself and those people. What good is going to come out of this?” she asked, pausing for a response.
She was quiet for a few moments and I assumed she was getting a long, drawn out explanation. I heard her sigh heavily several times and then she started to speak again.
“Jonathan, you can save your reasons why you needed to do this because I do not buy it. There is no reason at all why people should need to be kidnapped. You should have asked them to participate in a study and if they did not agree, you should have left them alone. You are infringing on their rights,” she yelled into the phone.
She was silent for a moment and I pressed myself closer to the door so I would be sure to hear everything.
“Of course, they have rights Jonathan! They are people whether they can change into dragons or not. I personally do not believe that they can, I think that is just a story the natives of Japan tell people,” she said.
I knew one day soon she would get to see what I had, and it would terrify her. I hoped it did not happen before I could get her to help me set them free or she might change her mind and agree with Jonathan. I heard her end the call, so I moved away from the door and went back to the kitchen. I busied myself in the refrigerator as I heard her door open.
“Did you get the information you wanted, nosy?” She asked.
“What do you mean?” I replied.
“Oh, do not play stupid with me, June. I know you were at the door listening I could see your shadow from under the door,” she stated.
I felt myself blush as I knew I had been caught. I knew she understood why I did, and
she did not seem mad about it, so I smiled at her.
“Yeah, your friend Jonathan seems like a jerk. I hope he realizes that there are laws he is breaking,” I said.
“I am sure there are, but I am not sure how the laws affect them since they are not completely human if what you say about them is true,” she said.
I knew she was right and the only hope they had was if they could keep from shifting and pretend to be human. I was not sure if they could do that though, I knew that once they got angry, they would shift. I wondered how they had gotten as far as they had with Jonathan and not one of them had shifted yet.
“Did he happen to tell you where he is taking them once they get back here?” I asked Samantha.
“No, he did not tell me that, but a friend of mine who had been on a few dates with him got him to tell her where he was going to keep his new top-secret project. It is a big lab space on the other side of the city,” she replied.
I smiled as I hugged her. I was finally beginning to feel like I actually had a shot at setting Mishal and his people free.
“You really have a thing for this guy, don’t you?” Sam asked.
“Oh, Sam it is not a “thing” as you say. I care for him deeply and I see myself possibly having a future with him,” I replied.
She grinned a sly grin and playfully punched me in the arm.
“Have you fucked him yet?” She asked.
“Sam!” I exclaimed. “That is none of your business,” I told her.
“Oh, so you have then?” She asked teasingly.
“No, we have not gone that far. Not that it is any of your business,” I replied.
The King 0f Fire: Dragon Shifter Romance Page 8