by N. A. Carson
Zoran stroked his companion’s scales. “Keep an eye on things in the pass for me. Make sure no one wanders out. We’ve done enough damage to the mortals for today.”
The dragon snorted. Zoran shook his head and dismissed the beast. Uther took flight and nearly knocked me over with a blast of air from his wings.
Chapter 16: My Purpose
Zoran walked toward the columned arches that were tall enough for Uther to fit through. I shuffled to the railing and looked over the side. We were at least forty feet from the ground. The lava lake sat below me, surrounded by green plants. The tree trunks seemed to glow as the veins in them shone red. All the different streams led to the lake, which fed one wide river that carved its way down the ravine until it disappeared around a bend.
“Fin,” called Zoran.
I staggered back before jogging toward the archways. I pulled back the thin fabric hanging down from the ceiling and peeked inside. Zoran was sitting on a bed big enough for Uther. The room could have fit hundreds of those bed if it hadn’t already been filled with different devices, stacks of wooden crates, pieces of furniture, and even a few statues.
“When I call, I expect you to come.” Zoran didn’t look up from the scroll he was reading. “And I don’t mean just standing there in the doorway, either.”
I walked to the side of the bed. “Your home is really nice. I wasn’t expecting anything like this.”
“Hmmm...” He rubbed his forehead with his index finger. “So, you were expecting a god to live in a cramped hut cluttered with useless things?” He glanced up at me.
“No,” I said softly, bowing my head. “I guess not.”
But he did seem to have slight hoarding tendencies.
Zoran put down the scroll. “Everything in this room has significance. There are objects in here that would do more than burn a couple buildings down. So don’t touch anything.”
I nodded.
He looked me in the eyes. “I only keep things that are of use. Remember that, Fin. You’re a rare breed, but you’re not one of a kind.” He returned to studying the scroll.
I sat down by his feet. “So there are others like me?”
Zoran sighed and tossed the paper to the side. “I’m a busy man, Fin. Even gods have work to do. I don’t have time to inform you about things that I have already made clear.”
“I was just wondering,” I muttered.
“Yes, Fin,” he stated sternly. “There are three others.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Can I meet them?”
Zoran scoffed. “The horrible little vixens. My brothers’ demon messengers who have been left to roam and do as they please for centuries. They’re conniving and deceitful.” He leaned back and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. “And yet, I still wanted one.”
My eyes grew wide, and I quickly looked away. “So that’s my purpose? To be a messenger?”
Zoran smiled and took a deep breath. “Being a god has some drawbacks. Being one of fire has even more. Options are limited when it comes to certain things.” He stood on the bed and walked to one of the corners. Grabbing one of the ropes used to tie back the curtains, he sent a wave of heat through it. It shone a bright red but didn’t burn.
“Everything around you can resist extreme temperatures. The plants and animals outside live off the heat, so I don’t need to worry about burning anything.”
He stepped off the bed and grabbed an apple from a bowl sitting on a long table. A fireplace stretching from the floor to the ceiling stood behind him.
Taking a bite, he looked me over. “Do you want to know why little sparrows like yourself were created?”
I nodded.
“My brothers worked with numerous mages to take a weak, fragile mortal and make them withstand fire. Took centuries. Went a lot quicker once I got involved.” He took another bite of the apple. “Then Fiona was born.”
“That’s one of their names?”
He laughed and shook his head. “Well, eighteen years of mortality didn’t fare well for her. My brother accidentally incinerated her when she was sixteen. Honest mistake, really. Trial and error.”
“It took a few more accidents like that before we realized that eighteen was the magic number with Amber.” He bit his upper lip in disgust. “That horrid woman became my eldest brother’s first firebird. She’s a hellfire creature of her very own.”
He tossed the remains of the apple at the fireplace. It erupted on contact.
“Before becoming an adult, she had two children. A few of the others also had children before their accidents. But that’s what happened when they’re given access to everything they desire. The little parasites enjoyed themselves a little too much while in the realm of mortality.” He unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it onto the back of a chair.
“But the mistakes worked to our benefit. Those children passed along the mutation, and if everything mixes just right, a firebird will be born. It’s very rare, and the majority die. Hence, there are only four of you that have made it to adulthood.”
“Because they all had accidents?”
A smirk spread across the man’s face. “Now back to your original question.” He walked over to me. “The whole reason I didn’t let Edgar kill you.”
He grabbed my chin and lifted it until I stood. The heat entered my body, and I fell against his chest.
“You crave this, don’t you?”
I bit my lip to stop from answering.
“The fire, you’re always be searching for it. Males need it for”—he laughed—“certain things.” He hit me with a blast, and my lower body started to react. “I’m pleased you never tried anything because similar to me...” He pushed me onto the bed and loomed over me.
I just laid there and stared up at him as he undid the coat and exposed my reaction to his fire.
With a smile, he leaned down. “Well, similar to me, when caught in the moment of ecstasy, you lose all control.”
“What do you mean?” I breathed.
“Fire, Fin,” he whispered, leaning close to my ear. “We combust when our bodies are consumed with passion.” He kissed my neck.
My heart was beating against my ribs as another blast of heat burrowed into my core.
“I finally have my little sparrow,” he whispered. “The only shapeshifter that can withstand the heat of a fire god’s lust.” His flickering red eyes met mine. “That is your purpose, Fin: to do nothing more than satisfy my sexual desires.”
Chapter 17: Fire Sirens
Upon hearing Zoran’s words, I snapped out of the trance he’d put me in and shoved him off of me. He rolled to the side as I crawled to the opposite end of the bed. The god laughed and relaxed into a pile of pillows, placing his arms behind his head.
I quickly closed the coat. “You’re lying. A man would not do that with another man. It’s wrong.” Even as I said that, though, I couldn’t deny it: my body had reacted to his touch.
Zoran shrugged. “It’s only wrong because that’s how you were taught. There are plenty of civilizations around the world who don’t mind in the slightest.” He gave me a smirk and sat up. “Rhoda!”
A very short, round woman entered through a hallway on the other side of the room, carrying a platter. “You’re late, Zoran,” she said sternly. “The food was getting cold.” She placed the tray on the table.
“I had problems of my own.” He stood and glanced my way before walking over and lifting the lid off the silver plate.
He was too occupied with picking at some slab of meat to notice the woman staring at me. I clutched the blanket to my chest. Her hair was a bright red and slicked back into a bun. She narrowed her eyes at me. They were strange to look at. The pupil was only slightly bigger than a pinprick. She cleared her throat, hovering in the air on translucent little wings.
“Rhoda, this is Fin. My firebird.”
Her expression softened into a smile. “Thank the heavens. I thought you were a mortal. What a mess that would be in th
e morning.” She shook her head. “I haven’t cleaned up after one of your romps through the sheets in a long time.”
Zoran scoffed. “There’s nothing satisfying about sleeping with mortals.”
The woman motioned for me to come to her. I didn’t move.
“He’s a bit timid,” she said, concerned.
Zoran chuckled. “Give him a week and he’ll be just as big of a nuisance as the others.”
“Well, I best be off. I’m behind in my work already because of your delay.” She eyed Zoran.
“Blame the boy.” He sat down in a chair and stabbed the meat with a knife. “He wouldn’t come, so I left him. Didn’t take long for him to change his mind.” He flicked his hand, and a goblet appeared in his hand.
Rhode picked up a pitcher from the tray and quickly filled it. “You need to be careful with him. Who knows when you can find another.”
“Fin’s an adult. He’ll blow up anything that gets too close.” He took a drink and went back to eating.
The woman smiled at me. “Have a good evening, Fin. Zoran’s not as bad as he seems.” There was a loud pop, and the woman was gone. A light the size of my head fluttered in the air and sped outside.
I swallowed hard and just stared at the exit.
“Come here.” Zoran kicked a chair out from the table.
Crawling off the bed, I crept over and sat down.
“Eat.” He waved his hand over the creature on the plate.
“What is it?” I picked up a fork and poked it. The meat oozed some weird green liquid.
Zoran smirked. “A lava serpent. My dragons love them almost as much as tar beetles.”
My stomach clenched. “No, thank you.” I grabbed an apple from the bowl on the table.
“I didn’t ask you if you wanted some. I told you to eat.” He took the apple from me. “Besides, it would insult Rhoda if you didn’t.” Taking a bite of the apple, he stood and wandered toward the balcony. He peered out into the garden.
“What is she?” I asked, ripping off a small piece of snake. My nose scrunched up when more green liquid drained out.
“Come look for yourself.” The cup on the table disappeared with a puff of smoke and reappeared in his hand. He took a sip.
I put my silverware on the platter and went to him. With a wave of his hand, Zoran made the thin curtains part. Little yellow lights were zipping through the trees. We walked out to the railing. Everything the lights touched would curl in on itself, and a deep red glow would emanate from the stems and trunks. Zoran held one of the ivy vines in his hand. Purple and red flowers grew along it. A smaller yellow light flew over and touched each one. The petals folded into the center.
“Let me see your hand.”
I held it out, and he placed the vine in it. A steady heat pulsed from the plant.
“The temperature shift at night will kill plants like these, so the sirens put them to sleep.”
“Sirens?” I leaned over the side and watched the little women engulfed in the yellow glow work her way down the vine.
“Similar to fairies, but not as friendly. You hurt a fairy's garden, they’ll mourn the loss and go about helping the forest heal. Hurt a fire siren’s garden, and they’ll burn you alive.” He took the plant from me and lay it back along the railing. “Rhoda is the leader. She oversees my household and keeps my affairs in order, and in return, they can live here without having to worry about mages harvesting them.”
“Harvesting them?” I said in shock. “People harvest them?”
“They’re a great source of light and a needed element for some elixirs. Everything in this world is prey to something else, Fin. It is the same for the sirens.” He turned and walked back inside.
I hurried after him. “But that’s horrible, having to worry about being killed for something as stupid as an elixir.”
Zoran pivoted sharply and grabbed my chin. “I use them for mine. Some of the bottles in my room have bits and piece of sirens in them,” he said simply. “That’s part of the arrangement. When a siren’s light goes out, I get the remains. It’s either that or they can take their chance outside my realm. The other gods and mages are not so kind.” He released me and went to the fireplace.
I returned to the table and sat down. “Are firebirds used for anything?”
Zoran sighed. “Hair, nails. Simple things. If you try to take more, they tend to explode.” He glanced over his shoulder at me. “Besides, like I said, you have your purpose, and the sirens have theirs.”
I sat up straight. “I will not do those kind of things with you. It’s wrong.”
“How would you know?” said Zoran plainly. “You’ve never had sex. I’ve had my fair share. Having a male firebird wasn’t my first choice, but it’s not a bad second one, either. I’ve waited long enough that gender doesn’t really matter to me anymore.”
“You’ve killed people?” I clenched my fist. “For your own pleasure?”
“I’m a god,” he pressed his hand to his chest, “and I get bored. Mortals engage in it, why shouldn’t I? They’re not the only creatures on this planet with sexual desires. Besides, I’ve killed mortals for less significant reasons, so why not let them go out with a bang?” He waved his hand through the air.
“Mortals don’t burn people alive,” I stated, rising to my feet and pounding my fists on the table.
In a rush of air, Zoran appeared with his hand around my throat. He picked me up and slammed me onto the table.
“You would do the same,” he whispered in my ear. “If I let you live with the mortals, one day you’d fall in love with some pretty girl.” He flicked a strand of hair out of my eyes. “At first, you’d say ‘We’ll just live off love. Nothing physical.’ Until one day you have a little accident.” He tightened his grip on me. “Even if you stopped yourself before the climax, you little lover would be blistered and charred. She’d beg you to kill her. You’re the same as me, Fin.” He jolted me back. “Remember that.” He returned to the fireplace.
Sitting up, I rubbed my neck. “I’m fine living alone. I prefer it that way.”
“Don’t argue with me.” He rubbed his forehead. “You belong to me now. Try and leave, and I’ll send the dragons to hunt you down. They’d burn everything to the ground until only one small, pathetic little sparrow remained.”
“Why do you call me that? A sparrow.”
He shrugged with a smirk. “They’re fragile, small.” He walked over to me and picked up a strand of hair. “Gold and red. I think it fits you better than you’d admit.” The god patted my cheek and went to the bed. Zoran laid down and watched me for a moment. “It’s late, and I’ve had an overly eventful day.”
I chewed on my lip. He wasn’t the only one. I was exhausted, too. “Where do I sleep?”
Zoran ran his hand across the mattress. “You really don’t catch on very quickly.”
I shook my head and backed away. “I will not share a bed with a man, and definitely not with a man like you.”
Zoran laughed it off and slipped the remainder of his clothes off. He dropped them on the floor and pulled the blankets over his legs. “Enjoy the floor.” He snapped his fingers and all the lights went out.
The last of the sirens flew away and all was still. I hugged the coat around me and sat down next to the fireplace. I had slept on the floor before, but the stones felt abnormally cold. I wasn’t going to sleep well tonight, or any other for what sounded like the rest of my life.
Which meant the rest of eternity.
Chapter 18: Ash Showers
My back crackled as I slowly lifted myself off the ground. This was worse than sleeping in the attic. At least the Haywoods gave us some kind of cushion. I twisted side to side and glanced at the bed. Zoran was still sleeping. Looking outside, I saw that the garden was slowly lighting up. The sirens were zipping about waking up the plants.
Rising to my feet, I wandered out onto the balcony and fixed the coat tangled around me. For a fire garden, it was surprisingly cold. I res
ted my arms on the railing and watched the fish below. Incredible—fish that could survive in lava. This place was paradise.
I heard noises coming from the bedroom.
Well, it was paradise except for one thing.
A dragon flew across the garden. Hurrying back to the bedroom, I hid behind a pillar. It looked like Uther, and I had a feeling the dragon didn’t care much for me.
“What are you doing?”
I glanced over my shoulder to find Zoran buttoning his shirt.
“Trying to make a run for it?”
I shook my head.
“Good.” He went to the table and clapped his hands together. A pile of scrolls fell on top of it. Flicking his hand to the side, he made a quill appear. I shuffled closer and stood on my toes to get a look at the paper. I knew how to read, just not whatever he was writing. It was filled with different symbols and graphs mixed in with some words that I could make out. Numbers and diagrams ran all the way to the bottom, none of which make any sense.
“I’ve burned the eyes out of mortals for doing less.” He tapped the quill on the table.
Flinching at the statement, I backed away and leaned against the fireplace. “So is this like a god going to work?”
Zoran’s pen stopped for a second before he went back to writing.
“Are these for The Great Creator?”
The scrolled rolled up, and a new one took its place. “Are you normally this talkative?”
I shrugged. “I’m just curious.”
“Curiosity will get you killed.”
“You said I couldn’t die. I’ll just blow up. Like when I fell off the cliff.”
Zoran turned in his chair. “Correction: I threw you, and there are worse things than dying. Unlike mortals, you don’t have an easy way out.”
I glared at him. “Since when has dying been considered an easy way out?”
A whiff of smoke lifted my chin. “I think I made it clear. Unless you’re going to sing me a tune, remain quiet.”