The Blood of Dragons

by Victoria Mercier

  I threw lieutenant out of my head and focused on the situation at hand. Rox actually smashed a couple of buttons to pieces. I pressed those that still worked, but there was no telling where the elevator would stop. Because it was all I wanted now. I could take the stairs. I didn’t care anymore.

  Suddenly, the metal cage halted. Only a correct pose saved my face from sharing the buttons’ fate. Lieutenant wasn’t that fortunate. His head slammed against the floor, though not a single crack appeared on his skull. He was one tough bastard.

  My foot really longed to kick him, but then the doors opened, and an intoxicating voice asked me what was going on.

  I whirled around and met the fourth demi-dragon. I knew it from the start. Larger than any of the soldiers. Flame-haired like me, though he didn’t share the color of my eyes. His were somewhere between orange and grapefruit, or yellow? I couldn’t tell even if as they pulled me in. The contour of his facial features lay somewhere between Dramer’s masculine and Saaron’s feminine. Something made this one very hard to describe. His beauty unmatched, but elusive like wisps of smoke. Why couldn’t I hold his image in my head? Frankly, the gravitational pull didn’t work only on me. Flame-haired demi-dragon looked as fazed as me.

  “You’re the one,” he shook off the strange attraction and forced a smile. “Saaron already informed me that you’re coming.”

  “So, you’re his lackey?” I decided to show my cards from the start. No matter how hard I’ve tried to play it cool, I couldn’t. Fake faces weren’t a part of my repertoire. If demi-dragons couldn’t stomach my attitude, then to hell with them. Except, of course, Dramer. I wouldn’t want to see him go.

  “His lackey?” the flame-haired demi-dragon asked amused. “Demi-dragons serve no one. Ultimately, we’ll rule this world. Maybe not, slacker, he’s a shithead.”

  I knew he was referring to Dramer.

  “Say what?” a cold rage flushed my body. I wanted to claw this asshole’s eyes.

  “I’m joking,” he said. “My name is Lotian. Now, follow me. I’ll show your room.” He glanced once more at the elevator but didn’t mention it again. It looked like he wasn’t interested in that incident, after all.

  Despite my wish to be mad at him, his soothing voice had banished rage from my head until only traces remained. A bit of defiance still burned at the bottom of my stomach. I wasn’t going to follow him just because he’d said so. Something wasn’t right with me. I’ve never been so difficult to deal with while in the Wasteland. Or was I?

  Lotian had turned around, raised his right hand and beckoned me. An infuriating bastard! I peeled off my eyes from the back of his green silk tunic and focused on the surroundings.

  The corridors were spacious. The walls were decorated with paintings and exotic flowers I’ve never seen. As I passed some of the more colorful ones, my hands prickled. There was magic involved in supporting their lives. The orange light above my head wasn’t a substitute for the sunlight. Something unknown triggered my instincts, which in turn extended my senses. Only then I realized that the plants in this huge corridor were suspended by enchantments. But details were too much for my poor mind to handle. This place brimmed with magic. I sensed it from the red marbles under my feet and charcoal walls. Serious spells had been used here, but for what purpose? To sustain a few plants? It’d be overkill. A serious one, as if an atomic bomb was used to exterminate a group of ants.

  Lotian’s nonchalant stroll reminded me of Saaron. I didn’t feel right knowing that they’d be close to me. I wanted my Dramer to cuddle me. Sleep in his granite arms would fend off bad thoughts.

  We walked into a circular chamber with many sets of expensive-looking sofas, glass coffee tables and lamps suspended above it all.

  “That’s the mingling room,” Lotian said with amusement. While Saaron’s smile possessed a cold calculation, this one here was something entirely else. His expression promised mischief.

  It was late, but even so, I expected someone to be here. The chamber was empty.

  “Where is everyone and what the mingling room exactly means?”

  He had half-turned away, a smile deepened, and a shiver shot through me.

  “There are common and privet chambers within the Dragon House. You must have a good reason to stay here… like fucking chicks from other Houses, well, in your case, guys. Unless you’re into chicks, of course.” The fucker grinned as if I offered him a bag of candies. I was going to wipe this expression from his face.

  “It’s not your fucking business.”

  He yawned.

  “It’s becoming stale and boring,” he said with a tired voice. “You better up your game or this place would leave ashes of your pathetic existence.”

  “Don’t be so sure,” I barked at him. My fires returned and promised to not abandon me again. There was something different about them, though.

  “Yeah, I’ve seen many self-proclaimed alphas in this academy,” he dismissively waved a hand at me. “I’ve wiped the soles of my shoes with them. Now, go into that corridor and find a sleeping room numbered 69. I lost interest in you.”

  Lotian left without saying goodbye. Not that I cared much. He went into the corridor opposite the one he pointed to me. Could I trust him? Of course, not. But what choice I had? A sleeping room 69? Fuck you. Even if there is such a room, I won’t enter it. I’ll take a nap here. I had no possession. Everything stayed in the Wasteland. Not that there was much, to begin with.

  I picked the most comfortable-looking sofa that stood the farthest from any entrance. I was well aware that pranksters wouldn’t refuse a chance to do something nasty to me while I was asleep. After all, everyone had access to this room. I looked up and except the enormous dimmed sphere that gave off warm light nothing looked out of ordinary. It was strange that they didn’t have CCTV here.

  Oh well, I had no choice. If someone would be stupid enough to cross me, then I’d use him or her as an example of why messing with me should be out of the question.

  I dropped on the sofa and let my consciousness drift away.

  Chapter 10

  Nix

  Luckily, we managed to get Flare to safety before Mirenne and administration of the academy got here. It wasn’t as bad as their previous fights. But Dramer had received a warning from our father already. There was no telling what would happen now. Though, my true worry lay in the fact that he wanted to break up with Selene. Their marriage was the sole reason he wasn’t moved to another Great City or sent to take part in some military operation that would last years. Dramer was my brother and ally but also a liability.

  Mirenne passed through my Dragon Soldiers as if they didn’t exist. Her powers were formidable. Long silky and pure white hair that radiated gently, silver thigh-high boots with suspenders, white skirt and a matching shirt of crazy rare unicorn-hair that could burn eyes of unwanted gawkers. It was best to not glare openly at the slit in her shirt that revealed much more bosom than normally was accepted. She wore a lot of jewelry that shone brightly. Mirenne possessed mysterious faint white tattoos on her face. Even, our father didn’t know the origin or purpose of them.

  She stopped between Saaron and Dramer. Her face blank. No emotions whatsoever. One day I’d master such a control over my nature. It didn’t really lie in our genes to be calm. Dragons were notorious hotheads, even in their homeworld.

  Saaron adjusted his sleeves and looked as if nothing has happened. Dramer gritted his teeth not satiated with the outcome of their brawl. There had been a time when a direct hit from Dramer would knock out Saaron cold. Time has changed. Our red-eyed brother’s strength has increased dramatically since we had been cubs.

  Suddenly, everyone except Dragon Soldiers and us, began leaving, that included the director’s lackeys. The director must have issued a mental command to the gathered students. It’s always shocked me that no one protested or even murmured when she ordered people around. Her authority greatly surpassed demi-dragons. This should not be. The military should be at the pinnac
le of the chain of command. Not some academy administration. If the forces of the darkness decided to assault the Great cities, it’d be us, soldiers, who would fight.

  Don’t be so sure, demi-dragon, a voice said, and my heart fluttered at its mesmerizing power. A cold sweat flushed my body. I was a demi-dragon! I couldn’t be seduced by mental tricks.

  It’s not proper to eavesdrop someone else’s thoughts, I said in the most composed manner I was able to muster at the moment.

  There was no reply from her. I did best to shut my mind to the outside, but with the damned unicorns, it wasn’t so simple. They possessed unparalleled psychic powers that greatly surpassed the dragon’s skill.

  “Get the fuck out of my head, Mirenne,” Dramer hissed. “I’ve told your kind many times that if you want to speak to me do it a proper way.”

  Despite the engagement with Selene, there was no love between my brother and unicorns. Dramer wasn’t stupid to trust them. More than that, he hated their scheming nature. It ticked him off too easily, though.

  “As you wish,” the director of the academy said. She didn’t seem offended by his outburst. This was baffling that she let him go this far.

  “I don’t mind either way,” Saaron said nodding with respect. The asshole would lick dirt for the show if it benefited him. How low could he fall? He was a demi-dragon for god’s sake! One of the strongest beings on this planet. His behavior brought shame to our name. Why our father couldn’t see it?

  “Fine,” Mirenne said. “I believe it’s the internal matter of the academy. We’re no longer need your assistance, Dragon Soldiers. You’re dismissed.”

  Bitch! She dares to dismiss my soldiers? Rage appeared in my mind and with it flashed the visions of destruction that it’d bring if I let it go. She attempted to provoke me. I stilled my face to give nothing.

  “Anything that happens in this city is considered our business until we decide otherwise, director,” I said icily. Unfortunately, I had a feeling that a trap just snapped. The question was; who set it? Saaron or Mirenne. Antagonizing openly the full-blood unicorn was a political blunder. No matter if this was a sophisticated snare or not, I couldn’t let her diminish the importance of the military.

  “As far as I’m concerned, you’re only a captain of the City Guards. Your duty is to repel dangers from outside the city. The matters within, can and will be dealt through non-military channels. In other words, your authority ends where I say it ends. I hope it’s understood, demi-dragon. If you wish to lodge a complaint, then hand it to your superior or send it to the academy board. We’ll consider it.”

  It was a public humiliation. As hard as it was to swallow, I was defeated. Knowing that she was right, did little to diminish my anger though. For years, I’ve managed to keep it checked.

  Until now.

  Draconic blood sang in my veins. The power, that could boil away the hardest metals, now demanded to be released. Why I can’t control it? Why has it awakened? Why… now?

  You should know better than crossing the elders, boy. You, be it demi-dragons or demi-unicorns have a strange conviction of your own righteousness. Maybe one day, you will inherit this world. But for now, you’re nothing more but pawns on the board. So, now take your pitiful ego and puny rage, and begone, demi-dragon.

  An instinctive urge fired up and for a split-second, I was ready to charge her. Then, an icy wind swept my mind and the scalding rage was gone. Mirenne used her power on me. She dispelled my anger without a blink of an eye. This woman was truly terrifying.

  I saw Dramer’s shock. He felt it, too. The last wisps of steam raised and disappeared in the air. A fire that burned inside him had been extinguished. How could we fight someone who can take a will to fight without breaking a sweat?

  Saaron’s expression was clouded, even to my senses. Was he appalled, too? Or did he expect this?

  “I apologize for this,” he said, his fist clinging to his chest. “I’m taking full responsibility for the accident.”

  The Dragon Soldiers were already leaving. They didn’t wait for my order.

  “I…” Dramer tried to say something, but the words didn’t seem to come around.

  How deep the rift in his personality did she just make? The unicorns’ powers should not be very effective on dragons. Even demi-dragons possessed a certain resistance to mind control and persuasion. What then happened?

  “You’re banned from coming closer than a mile from the Dragon Academy, Dramer,” Mirenne announced. “This order comes into life with the arrival of midnight. That’s everything for now. Saaron, return to the Dragon House. I believe there are two soldiers in the academy that need to be taken away.”

  Two Dragon Soldiers? We sent only one. Who was the second?

  “I’ll take care of it,” I said.

  “You have no business here, captain. Don’t push your luck.”

  “How… how long will the ban last?”

  Mirenne slowly turned to him.

  “Until I lift it. It might never happen.”

  What? Lifetime ban? But Flare has just been admitted. It meant that Dramer wouldn’t see her now. It was a cruel move on Mirenne’s part. She calculated it well. There was no doubt that she already knew about the rift between Selene and Dramer. Did she worry that he might bail out on the engagement? However, it wasn’t the worst. I couldn’t believe it, but some portion of me felt relieved from the separation of Dramer and Flare. Their romance came out of nowhere. It wasn’t fair that he got her all for himself. The idea of sharing her didn’t sit well with me either, but my mind couldn’t stop thinking about her in the most carnal ways. So, was it wrong that Dramer was taken out of the picture? Now, it left Saaron and Lotian. If I’d find a way to bring them down… oh, gods. What’s happening to me? Dramer is an ally and brother, not an enemy. Still, an invisible hand was pulling me to Flare.

  The director didn’t wait for my departure. She was on her way back to the building. Her feet skilfully evaded the rubbles and shards of glass. Saaron waited for a moment. Did he have anything to say to us? Or he simply wanted to see us off?

  “Farewell, brother,” he said to Dramer and followed the director.

  The words were aimed at me. He meant it, he knew I was still in the game. It was a promise of the next round.

  “My rage is gone,” Dramer said stunned. “I can’t bring it back. She has defeated me… just like that.”

  I wanted to tell him to think about Flare. Her beautiful emerald eyes and yet I remained silent. Encouraging him would mean hurt to everyone. If he ignored the order from Mirenne, it might end up with his expulsion from the city. Perhaps, he’d be sent to one of the deep inland bases protected by the weaker seals. The war with the darkness still raged in many places all over the planet. The outskirts of the Great Cities were calm, but the rest of the world didn’t have that much luck.

  “You must wait this out. Make up…”

  “No,” Dramer said resigned. “I’ll find my rage again. If the slut thinks she can beat a demi-dragon so easily, then it’s time to wake her up. This fucking city will burn. No one will keep my Flare from me.”

  He walked away.

  Soon, the site filled with workers who began fixing the mess. Some used magic, but most were just ordinary humans. It’d take them the entire night to reverse the damage caused by Dramer and Saaron. They didn’t even go serious. It was just tensing muscles. Flare, stay strong. Don’t let them bend you. I hope we’ll meet soon.

  Chapter 11

  “Wake up.”

  “Leave me alone.”

  “Interesting offer, but I must refuse.”

  I opened an eye. Saaron’s look had too much beauty for my comfort. Why was I even attracted to this asshole? Since when I’ve become so shallow that the appearance had this much importance to me?

  A shadow of a smile flitted from one corner of his lip to another and disintegrated. An annoying yellow light didn’t dim even a bit.

  “It was hard to fall asleep in the first place. W
aking me up isn’t very smart. I can be testy without enough sleep.”

  “I’ll take my chances,” Saaron nodded toward the corridor that led to the elevator. “What happened with Dragon Soldiers?”

  “They tried to bend or beat me or something like this. I made sure they failed,” I gave Saaron a cold smile that meant to convey a simple truth; would he try the same, he’d fail.

  The demi-dragon straightened, his expression clouded for a heartbeat, then reverted to its cool self. He adjusted his sleeve.

  “They’ll suffer consequences,” he said. “Especially, this lieutenant. He should know better than trespassing the academy’s ground.” It was rather strange, but Saaron almost seemed to be on my side. But the initial impression of him held a strong image of an asshole.

  “Where is Dramer?” I asked. “When will I meet him.”

  “He’s away for now,” Saaron replied. “You’ll meet him at the first possible chance.”

  My heart warmed. I needed Dramer’s touch. The moment our bodies entangled some kind of a bond formed between us. My body demanded more of the demi-dragon.

  “But for now, you must go to your dorm.”

  “There is no fucking chance I’ll take a room with a number 69.”

  Saaron frowned, then understanding dawned on him.

  “Lotian.”

  “A jerk.”

  “I’d avoid speaking like this to him,” Saaron said half-serious. “He might be the youngest of demi-dragons, but that doesn’t make him the weakest. Be careful.”

  I didn’t know what to make of the change in his attitude. Was he trying to make up for being an asshole in the beginning? Surely, the time would tell.

  “I don’t care who he is,” I snapped, suddenly irritated. The lack of sleep just kicked in. From now on my mood would be riding a carousel. “If he tries to cross me again, I’ll make sure he’ll regret it.”