by S. E. Smith
You are just a figment of my imagination. Trisha said angrily. You don’t really exist. I am human. I can’t change into a dragon. I have to go home. I have to find my dad. I didn’t ask for any of this.
The creature inside her seemed to shrink at the anger in Trisha’s voice. I do exist. I want out. I want to touch my mate just as you have touched yours. Why? Why do you keep me inside? It whimpered.
Trisha could feel the pain radiating out from the creature. It spread through her body reminding her how it felt to be trapped in a body that didn’t work anymore. To be hopelessly trapped with no way out.
Trisha felt something inside her crack, as if a dam that held to much water behind it and could no longer contain it finally reached its breaking point. She was flooded with memories. Memories of her dad’s gentle teachings and loving support, of always having Ariel and Carmen to hang with, to tell her dreams and wishes to, of Ariel’s mom and dad and the love they always had for her. She remembered the bad, as well, but it didn’t seem to have the power to hurt her like it did before. She recognized the girls were just jealous of her ability to do things they couldn’t. She knew the guys were just flirting with her in their adolescent way. And, Peter was just Peter. She saw what she wanted to see, not what was real. But, most of all, she remember Kelan’s gentle touch. She remembered the crooked little smiles he gave her and how patient he was on board the warship that brought her here. He didn’t try to pressure her, he accepted her – hang-ups and all.
Trisha imagined reaching out to the shivering creature inside her and recognized it was a part of her. The part that was scared, unsure, young and vulnerable. It was a younger version of her and just as new to this world as she was.
Sh, it’s okay. I’m here. Trisha murmured softly as she gently stroked the small delicate dragon. I’m here. I just need a little time. That’s all I’m asking for. Please be patient for just a little longer and I promise we will go find our mates.
Our mates are beautiful. It whispered shyly.
Trisha couldn’t contain the small chuckle that escaped her. Word to the wise, guys like to be called handsome. They get offended if you call them beautiful. It just isn’t masculine enough for them, I guess.
The delicate dragon inside her snorted before replying, I still think my mate is beautiful. If he doesn’t like it, he can get over it.
Trisha giggled. Yup, the little dragon inside her was definitely a part of her. Trisha let the warmth of the fire outside and the warmth of the love inside wash over her until she fell into a deep, restful sleep.
Chapter 13
Kelan stared out at the raging storm through the narrow entrance to the cave. Palto talked to one of the men at the palace an hour ago during their regular check-ins and was informed the storm would be dissipating in the next few hours. The storm had raged for the past two days. Kelan thought about trying to go out in it to search for Trisha, worried she could be out in the raging fury but all four men pressured him to use his head. Gone was the calm self-discipline, gone was his ability to remain in command in any situation, only his skill at handling any challenge remained in a tattered mess. He would not stop until he found her.
Kelan leaned back against the hard stone wall listening with half an ear as the men talked quietly. He gently stroked his symbiosis as it lay stretched out beside him. They were discussing all the new strategies they learned while tracking his mate. The new skills for evading capture needed to be explored more in depth and implemented into their training programs, Palto was insisting. It wasn’t until one of the warriors turned and asked him a question that he forced his attention back on their conversation.
“Kelan, where did your mate learn such survival skills?” Kor asked again. Kelan told all four men to drop the ‘Lord’ part the night the storm hit. It was getting on his nerves.
“Her father taught her.” Kelan responded with a smile. “She told me of how he trained her since she was a little girl. He taught her how to hunt, track, and defend herself in the remote regions of her world.”
Gunner looked grimly at the fire for a moment before he turned his intense gaze on Kelan. “Why would a male especially the father of a female, teach his daughter such skills? He should be protecting her until she is mated.”
“Their world is different from ours. It is not uncommon for the females to live alone, away from all males. My mate was in their military. Her father taught her to be strong. She loves him very much and wishes to return to her home world so she can bring him back with her. I have promised her I would do this.” Kelan said calmly understanding Gunner’s initial resistance to teaching a female how to defend herself. It has always been the responsibility of a Valdier warrior to defend those who were weaker.
Gunner looked down again at the flames before he spoke quietly again. “Is it true she bears the mark of the dragon? That she is your true mate?”
Kelan nodded realizing all four men were intensely focused on his answer. “Yes…she bears the mark and is my true mate.”
Jaguin finally spoke up from where he was sitting by the mouth of the cave watching the storm. “I wish to go with you when you go to her planet. I wish to see if I can find a true mate from among the females there.” He said quietly not looking at the other men but just staring out into the storm.
Kelan glanced at the other men and realized they were waiting for his answer. “For your help in finding my mate, I will take you. But, you must understand. Her world is different from ours. None of the women were happy about being taken without their permission. In addition, the species of her world are unaware of life outside their planet. I can make no promises to you that you will find your true mate among her people.” Kelan said.
Gunner stood up, throwing a stick into the fire and watching as hot sparks flew out in all directions. “You get us to her planet and we will take care of finding our true mates.”
The other men nodded silently in agreement. Kelan nodded in return. He could make no promises to them. His gaze turned inward as he felt his dragon stir. It lifted its head, listening carefully.
The storm is fading. Find my mate. It growled as it unfurled its massive length inside him. He could feel it claw at him, impatient to get back to the hunt. This time, it would not stop until its mate was under its wing. As if the other dragons sensed the same thing, all the men stood as one. Palto quickly put out the fire. Gunner was the first one out of the cave. He knew where the other caves were located. They would search every damn one until they found her.
Trisha giggled as she watched bronze, gold, and black scales dance along her arms. For the past two days, she and her dragon had taken the time to get to know each other. Trisha learned it would not hurt to transform into her other self. That it would actually be a wonderful experience. While she didn’t have the courage yet to change completely, she and her dragon had experimented with just letting the scales roll over her in rippling waves. Trisha began recognizing the faint tingling feeling that came over her right before they appeared. In addition, she understood her dragon’s need for her mate. It was the same clawing need that was eating away at Trisha to be with Kelan.
Trisha no longer had any doubt that everything around her was real. There was no government experiment, no drugs, no mind meddling. She blushed at how stupid she was for becoming so scared and running off the way she did.
Not stupid, just scared – like me. Her dragon said softly. This is new. Too much, too soon. Kelan bad mate for pushing you without telling you. It coughed out angrily.
No, he’s not a bad mate. It is a learning experience for both of us. Trisha replied calmly. She was beginning to like having her dragon there all the time. She never felt alone.
Wait until we have our mates and his symbiosis. Her dragon giggled. It will be crowded then, yes?
You haven’t been talking to Bio have you? Kelan won’t know what to do with three of us girls giving him fits. Trisha teased back.
Bio? Her dragon asked curious.
Kelan’s
symbiosis. I nicknamed her Bio. Trisha explained.
Trisha’s dragon rolled over in laughter. All symbioses are male except for the queen which never leaves the hive.
Well, shit. Trisha thought. No wonder the damn thing was playing her for a fool. It was just humoring her. Trisha blushed when she thought of how many times she got naked in front of the damn thing. Her blush turned even darker as her dragon let a long peal of laughter loose as she remembered the damn thing healing her after her and Kelan’s intense love making sessions. Well, double shit.
Kelan’s dragon stood on a branch high above the empty cave far below. It was the last one and still nothing. Kelan gritted back his roar of rage. His only thought was Trisha never found shelter. She must have been out in the storm and there was no way she could have survived two and half days of the intensive weather. Kelan felt his dragon’s snarl of denial. It did not believe its mate would not have found some type of shelter. His symbiosis sent a wave of warmth through him in agreement. It felt strongly their mate was too smart not to have found someplace safe to stay.
“Kelan.” Gunner landed next to Kelan.
“What?” Kelan growled back in dragon-speak.
“There is one more. I didn’t think it a possibility because it is small and is very difficult to see unless you know what you are looking for. I used to hide there when I was a boy.” Gunner replied in a subdued voice. “It is highly unlikely anyone else would find it but your mate is very skilled. If anyone could find it, it would be her.”
Kelan’s sharp eyes studied the surrounding forests. Gunner was right. If anyone could find a hidden cave and seek refuge, it would be his mate. Kelan let his huge head turn towards Gunner and stared at him intently before nodding his reply.
Trisha watched as five dragons flew over her still form. She was lying under some branches about fifty feet in the air above the cave. She wanted to take a look around before she headed out. She decided that morning she would return to the palace and Kelan. She organized her little hide-away thinking it might be nice to bring Kelan back one day to visit. After she cleaned the cave, a habit left over from her father’s lectures of always leaving an area cleaner than when you got there, she began the tedious task of camouflaging herself again. While she didn’t care if Kelan found her now, she didn’t want to run into any of the other large predators she saw during her earlier travels. She was probably only about a hundred yards or so from where they landed. Trisha hushed her dragon when it would have cried out with joy at seeing her mate. Trisha was curious as to how they found her.
Want my mate. Her dragon whispered fiercely.
Hang onto your pantyhose. I want to see what they do. Trisha replied. It was always good to study those who were hunting you so you knew what to expect the next time.
Watch later. Her dragon snarled impatiently.
Oh, come on. Just for a few minutes. Trisha said quietly an idea forming in her head. She bit back a grin as she slowly reached down into her back pocket. A bow wasn’t the only thing she had made during her time in the cave.
Kelan lowered his head as relief washed through him. She was here. He charged up the slope when he heard Gunner yell down to him that the cave had been used recently. Kelan’s large frame could barely fit through the narrow opening but he squeeze until he was through. Inside he could see the neat circle of stones and the emptied moist ashes from the fire in a far corner. A small pallet with a woven leaf cover was lying near the fire pit. He saw the remains of several empty seed pods. It looked like she used the empty hulls as dishes.
“Look.” Jaguin said, pointing to the wall.
Kelan looked at the wall and felt his breath leave him in such a rush he was almost dizzy. Trisha left him a message, written in his language. She said she was heading home to the palace. She missed her true mate. Kelan’s fingers trembled slightly as he reached out to touch the words that went to his heart. She acknowledged him as her true mate. She accepted they were one.
Gunner, Jaguin, and Kelan turn as one towards the entrance of the small cave when Kor’s surprised shout filled the air. Kor was yelling they were under attack while Palto was cussing up a blue streak. Gunner moved out of the entrance in a blur of speed. He leaped down the twenty feet to the moist forest floor below. His feet no sooner hit the soft surface when a bright red stain soaked the front of his shirt right over where his heart was. He stared down in disbelief as the stains dripped down in a river of red.
Jaguin yelled for Kelan to stay back just as he was hit in the side of the head, throwing him back into Kelan. Bright red was splattered through his hair and ran down his neck in a stream of sticky ooze. He shook his head as he tried to clear his vision.
Kelan lowered him to the floor with a growl and burst out of the cave, shifting into his dragon. His symbiosis quickly formed thick gold armor over his chest, arms and legs. Long claws covered in gold glimmered from his front and back claws. A helmet of gold formed around his elongated head, protecting his forehead. He snarled as he landed in front of the other men who were busy trying to get the red, sticky pulp of the fruit they had been attack with off of their bodies. Kelan’s eyes narrowed as he searched the dense forest for the slightest hint of where the threat might have come from. His dragon rose up on his hind legs and roared out a challenge. No sooner had the roar left his mouth than a piece of red fruit came at him, striking him in the throat. Luckily, his symbiosis was able to deflect it.
Move to the left, Palto. Kelan snarled in rage. He was not about to let anything stop him from reaching his mate. Kor, you go to the right. Gunner, Jaguin go up.
Trisha watched carefully as the men separated. It was a typical military maneuver. Trisha knew her scent was covered by the plants she used and she was well camouflaged. The only way they would see her is if she moved to rapidly. She remembered her daddy’s instructions. Wait them out, baby girl. Let them come to you. Take out the leader if you can. This way you cut the head off the snake. Remember to be patient. It could mean the difference between life and death. Always think about your opponents and study them. Everyone has a weakness, including you. Your job is to make sure they don’t find it.
Trisha sank back down under the dense growth already moving from where she fired last. She slowed her breathing until it seemed she only took a breath every couple of seconds. She gripped the slingshot tightly in her hand and carefully crawled on her belly, moving so slow a snail would win a race against her. She was looking to get to the rock outcropping about eight feet away from where she fired her last shot. She chose the spot for several reasons. It was thick enough to hide her, she was able to move without leaving any tracks, and once she moved a couple more feet she would be out of their line of sight, even from above. She would use the rock overhanging to give her the cover from above and the rock surface she was now on covered her tracks. Her objective was clear – capture the leader a.k.a. Kelan. Trisha wiggled and crawled until she was on top of a small ledge. She was now behind the men. If Kelan moved about six feet to the left, she would be able to drop down onto his back. From this view, she could see the symbiosis covered him with armor in all but one vulnerable place, the junction between his wings. It left the dragons susceptible to an attack that could kill them. She would have to point that out to them. Her dad would love it here. He could train all the warriors on guerilla warfare, Trisha thought wistfully.
Kelan reached out with his senses trying to discover the scent of their attacker. His dragon growled in frustration. All it could smell was the natural forest around it. It did not scent anything out of the ordinary. Kelan’s eyes narrowed as he watched the men with him spread out silently in the hope of surrounding whoever was attacking them. He crouched down onto all four of his powerful legs and moved slowly to his left, keeping the rocky slope to his back. He growled menacingly while swinging his head back and forth. Where was the bastard? Kelan thought in frustration. Since the last piece of jaka fruit was fired at them there was nothing. He let his gaze sweep over to where Kor and P
alto were. Each gave a negative shake of their head as they moved silently through the dense undergrowth. He let his gaze turn to where Gunner was in one of the high trees above them. Gunner motioned with his hand that he saw nothing. He was just turning to check with Jaguin when he felt a flash of warning right before a wet river of jaka spilled down his side from between his wings.
Kelan let out a roar at the same time as a small figure leaped onto his back. It gripped him tightly with its legs, wrapping its arms around his neck. Kelan lowered his head twisting at the same time as he struck out at the figure with his spiked tail. The figure let go of his neck and did a flip over his shoulder, rolling across the ground. Before Kelan realized it, his dragon let loose a long stream of dragon fire at the creature that attacked him. Kelan’s cry of horror was echoed by his dragon and his symbiosis as they recognized the tiny figure of his mate a split second to late.
Trisha was expecting Kelan’s defense. It only made sense. It wouldn’t matter because if this were a real military situation, all of the men would be dead by now. Technically she ignored the others as she killed them with each of her first shots. She knew their symbiosis could heal them in most cases but a kill shot was a kill shot; hit the victim where the damage could not be healed fast enough to recover. With Kelan, he would have died the moment she drove the lance, or in this case the piece of fruit representing it, through his heart. If by chance he would have survived the initial blow, her second attack would have finished him off. She made a provision for his being able to throw her from his back and the knowledge he might use his dragon fire on her. By the time the flames where within reach, she was already disappearing into the undergrowth like a ghost. She sank down becoming one with the native flora.