by Lili Zander
And now, he’s calling them out. Pulling them out from under the shadows where they’ve hidden for over a thousand years.
He’s forcing them to act.
Dios mio, this is either a desperate gamble or a really bold move. Or both.
“What is he thinking?” Ferix wonders, his voice loud in the sudden silence. “This lost city of his is a myth. A futile quest to keep him occupied during the long years of exile. It isn’t real.”
I don’t answer right away. Dariux is crazy smart. If he believes that the lost city really exists, then I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
The puzzle pieces crash into place. Dariux’s cryptic utterances finally make sense. When he told me not to give up hope, he was giving me a hint. He was telling me something important.
If the lost city does exist, a city filled with Draekons, then maybe they’ve figured out, over the course of a thousand years, how to cure the fever.
Earlier this evening, I was filled with despair. I couldn’t see a path forward. I had no idea how to save Ferix and Rorix.
But now? Hope blooms in my chest.
I have a new plan.
Step One: Avoid the Zoraken looking for me.
Step Two: Locate the lost city and find a cure for the Draekon fever.
Step Three: Keep the guys from sexing me up long enough to do this.
A grin spreads over my face. Actually, now that I think about it, I’m not too fussed about Step Three. I was a virgin for a very long time. I have a lot of catching up to do.
16
Ferix
“You want us to locate the lost city?” I stare at Sofia in the darkness. My night vision has improved steadily in the last few days, a side effect of the dragon’s encroaching presence in my life. “Sofia, sweet one, the lost city, if it ever existed at all, is, well, lost. Dariux might have been the spymaster’s apprentice, but this quest of his is ridiculous.”
I expect her to protest. To my surprise, she nods. “Look, I know it’s a long shot. I’m not expecting a miracle. But when we went to sleep, we had nothing. No plan, no hope. Now, we have something.”
“We can’t rescue the others,” she continues. “And let’s be honest. Dragons hoard treasure. If I’m important to you, then, despite your wish that I return to the Dsar Cliffs, your dragons aren’t going to let me go, not without a fight.”
If I’m important to you? “You are everything to us, Sofia,” I say, my heart overflowing with emotion. “You’re my mate, my heart. My soul. You’re the first thought in my head when I wake. The last thought in my mind before I fall asleep. I love you, Sofia Menendez. I love everything about you. Your quiet strength. Your tenacity. Your stubborn insistence that we can be saved.”
Rorix leans his head on Sofia’s shoulder. His voice is layered with laughter. “I must confess I don’t always appreciate your cooking, sweet one,” he says. He kisses her lips softly. “But I love everything else about you.”
She kisses him back, and then she kisses me too. “On Earth,” she says, “Having two mates is not normal. My grandmother would have called it sinful. When I first got here, it was easier to believe that. Especially when I really liked both of you, and I wasn’t sure if you liked me back.”
“Beirax stranded you here…” I start, and she puts a finger on my lips.
“I know why you didn’t make a move,” she whispers. “You were following the rules of your culture. You were trying to be decent people.” She’s quiet for a little while. “I’ve learned something about myself the last few months. My grandmother’s values aren’t mine. I don’t need to live by anyone else’s rules. Just mine.” She smiles at both of us. “So when you guys get better, I’m looking forward to living happily ever after with the two of you.”
The picture she paints is so seductive. Living with Sofia. Waking up every morning next to her. Eating meals together. Long evenings filled with laughter and conversation and love.
If only we could make the fantasy a reality…
I can’t promise her the future. All I can do is give her what she needs in the present. As long as I’m still able. As long as I, Ferix und Kalox ab Kei holds sway over the dragon. “If it would make you happy to look for this city, then we will.”
She beams at us. “Thank you.”
I reach for her, brushing my thumb over her nipple. We should be thanking her, not the other way around. Luckily, I know exactly how to show my gratitude.
The next morning, Sofia is in full-fledged healer mode. “Okay,” she says as we eat some freshly caught fish for breakfast. “I’ve been taking some notes. It seems like your dragons emerge any time I’m in danger.”
That sounds about right.
“Any other patterns you’ve noticed?” she asks.
“It seems worse as the day goes on,” I reply thoughtfully. “In the morning, it’s easier to resist the change, but by the time evening comes, it’s a real struggle. Last night was an exception.”
“Okay. I’ll keep tracking it, but let’s assume that’s your pattern. For the moment, I’m going to give you stratvi to keep your moods stabilized. The pasran essence doesn’t seem to be having much effect, but it’s not hurting anything, so let’s keep that dosage unchanged for the moment.”
She’s frowning in thought. I stare at her, fascinated by this side of my mate. “Is this what you did when you were a healer on Earth?”
She chuckles. “Not really. Medicine on the prison planet is very hands-on. I gathered the stratvi leaves, and I ground them into a paste. On Earth, there are specialized companies that make the drugs we prescribe, and they set the prices.” Her expression darkens. “Back home, people go bankrupt because of medical bills. My grandmother had heart disease, but she couldn’t afford the medication she needed to manage it.”
It’s clearly a sad memory. “I’m sorry, sweet one.”
“It’s in the past.” She forces a smile on her face. “Also, If I were back on Earth, the AMA, which is the body that regulates us, would take a very dim view of me having sex with my patients. It’s against the rules.”
“It’s a good thing we’re not on Earth then,” Rorix says with a wink. “Because that’s one rule I’d be breaking constantly.”
She flushes. “Me too.”
“You don’t miss Earth, Sofia?” I ask her, wanting to make sure. The prison planet is primitive and harsh. She’s left everything behind. Her home, her friends, her way of life. And for what? To be with us for as long as we can resist the fever. It doesn’t seem like a good trade. “Are you sure you don’t want to return?”
She gives me an exasperated look. “Will you stop asking me that? I know my own mind. Yes, I miss Earth, but that doesn’t mean I want to go back. My grandmother’s dead. I don’t have any family. I’d planned on moving from Houston to a new city when I returned from space.” She hands us small vials of parsan. “Instead of a new city, I get to move to a new planet. I’m good with that.”
I don’t ever want her to regret her choice. “We might not make it,” I warn. “The dragon could take over completely at any moment.”
“Yes, and you’ll become two savage creatures. I get it. When that happens, I’ll wear a golden bikini. You can put a collar around my neck and keep me at your side.”
What is she talking about? “Huh?” Rorix looks confused. “What is a bikini, and why are you going to wear one?”
She laughs. “It’s a movie reference. There was a princess who led a rebellion, and she pretended to be captured by a giant slug… never mind, it’s not important. Listen. I’m here, and I have no regrets. So stop asking me about it, take your medications, and let’s get on with the search for the lost city, okay?”
“Once again, that bossy streak comes out,” Rorix teases, his lips curling with amusement. “Okay. We’ll look for this mysterious city, even though I have no idea how we’re going to find it.”
“I’ve been thinking about that,” I say slowly. “Dariux hasn’t had much luck finding t
he lost city, but he was searching on foot and on skimmer, and he’s only looked on this continent. We won’t have his limitations. We, on the other hand, can fly.” I grimace. “Well, the dragons can fly. I’m not sure how well they take direction.”
Sofia bites her lip. “I know you don’t remember being the dragons, but I’m pretty positive something’s getting through. I mean, I talked about wanting my backpack, and poof, there it was. And then there’s the fact that the dragons know and recognize me.”
My dragon stirs restlessly inside me. “Mine,” it growls. “Mate.”
I push the creature back for the moment, though I’m going to have to loosen those bonds soon. If we must fly, we’re going to need the dragons. “The Zoraken are still after you.”
“We’ll dodge them,” Sofia says cheerfully. She jumps to her feet. “Shall we go?”
She’s so excited. I don’t want to feel hope, but I don’t want to crush hers either. “Okay. Let’s do it.”
Rorix chuckles at her enthusiasm. “We don’t control the transformation, Sofia. Any ideas how we’re going to change into dragons?”
Her lips twitch. “Funny you should ask,” she says, as she pulls on her strange Earth footwear that she calls ‘sneakers.’ “Because I do.”
“What are you doing?”
“Running away,” she says. She starts to move toward the mouth of the cave. “Are you going to catch me?”
My eyes glint. “If the dragons catch you, they’ll claim you,” I purr. “Possess you.”
“Oh dear.” There’s laughter in her voice and a vibrancy that was missing last night. “I guess that’s a chance I have to take. Give me a head start, okay?”
17
Sofia
I run at full speed, laughing in sheer delight. I can’t remember feeling this free, ever. I know that the road ahead is not going to be easy, but at least we have a road ahead. Right now, I’ll take that as a win.
This part of the prison planet is sparsely covered with vegetation. There are scraggly purple trees and a few thorny bushes. The ground is sandy, and the air isn’t humid and moisture rich, not the way it is in the Lowlands. The sand makes it hard to run, but hey, at least I’m getting one hell of a workout.
Of course, I’m also burning a ton of calories with my newly active sex life.
I’m looking at the ground, not wanting to trip over a tree root or a bush, when I hear a thud ahead of me. Two people seem to drop from the sky, and before I can swerve, they grab me.
“Stupid human,” a female voice snarls. “Do you really think you can escape us?”
It’s the Zorahn soldiers. The guy who beat Dariux up, and the stern-faced woman who searched me.
Crap, crap, and double-crap. My Draekons are right behind, chasing me. They’re going to catch up at any moment.
I don’t want them to get hurt. Hell, I don’t want anyone to get hurt. I’m a doctor, after all.
“Are you crazy?” I try and twist away from their grasp, but my efforts to escape are futile. “Have you forgotten the last time you tried to keep me prisoner? Remember the two silver dragons that destroyed your camp? They’re my mates, and if they see you trying to take me away from them, they will tear you apart.”
The man gives the woman a nervous look. “We don’t have the Adrashian stunners,” he says. “Only the commander does. And he’s ordered us to cease hostilities for the moment.”
“It doesn’t matter,” the woman retorts, though her grip on me slackens ever so slightly. “We have light guns. Remember the bounty, Murox. The High Emperor will reward us richly for the human women.”
Their split-second hesitation is all I need. I wrest away from them and reach for Dariux’s ring. Any moment now, Rorix and Ferix are going to crash into this mess, and I need to handle this situation before anyone gets seriously hurt.
Pull the hinges apart.
I pull the weapon off my finger and follow Dariux’s hastily whispered instructions. A dull thud booms in my eardrums, and I wait for the soldiers to fall to the ground, unconscious.
Nothing happens. Nothing at all.
Triple-crap.
What the hell, Dariux? That was supposed to stun them.
The soldiers are shaking their heads and slapping the sides of their faces, but in less than a minute, they’re back to full alertness. I’m seized by them again.
“Where did you get an Adrashian stun ring?” The man demands, a shocked look on his face.
Why aren’t they down? Shit.
The woman laughs mockingly at my confusion. “You don’t even know what you have, do you? Stupid human. Your ring won’t work on us. Just on the mutants.” She cocks her head, and her smile widens. “I hear your dragons approach. How convenient that your ring will subdue them. I’ll take it from you now.”
Quadruple-crap. From the frying pan into the fire.
We’re in trouble now. I can hear the thud-thud-thud of running footsteps. Rorix and Ferix are nearing, and the man is drawing his weapon, while the woman tries to wrest the ring from me.
Okay. So far, everything I’ve done has made things worse. Time to turn this around.
I twist away and drop the ring down my front. Soldier-bitch wants my ring? Let’s see how quickly she can grope me.
Then Rorix and Ferix are in sight, running full tilt toward us. Even from a distance, I can feel the anger radiating from them, the dangerously hot rage. Their skin is bronzing into scales, sparks everywhere, and their roars of fury shake the ground.
My dragons are here to rescue me.
“Let go of me,” I hiss at the soldiers. “Don’t you understand? They will tear you to shreds.”
The soldiers finally choose self-preservation. They fling me away, and I lose my balance, trip over my feet and fall to the ground. Rorix growls, a puff of smoke escaping from his jaw.
“Watch out,” I yell at my mates. “They have guns.”
The man aims his weapon at Rorix and Ferix and starts to shoot. Rays of light erupt from his gun, but even as the first beam hits my dragons, they leap toward us, and they transform in mid-air.
I’ve never seen anything like this. Anything so jaw-droppingly sexy, so wild and primal, feral and attractive.
The rays bounce harmlessly against the silver scales. The dragons open their jaws, and twin jets of fire streak out toward the nearby soldiers.
“Don’t kill them,” I shriek. “Please.”
The dragons swoop down. Dragon-Rorix grabs the soldiers, one in each massive claw, and takes off, his giant wings beating up and down, toward a mountain in the distance. Dragon-Ferix lands on the ground, throwing up a cloud of dust. His giant wedge-shaped head swivels around, and he gives me a quizzical look.
Get on, he seems to say.
I clamber on his back, settling myself between his spikes. With a jump, he takes off into the air, in the same direction as Rorix.
From a distance, I can see Dragon-Rorix drop the two soldiers at the peak of a mountain. My lips curl into a relieved smile. He heard me, he understood, and he did as I asked. He hasn’t harmed the Zoraken; he’s just temporarily stranded them. It’ll take them a few hours to climb down and get back to their skimmer, giving us the head start we need.
Then the two dragons wheel right. I see the ocean shimmer in the distance, blue and vast.
We’re leaving this continent and heading off into uncharted territory.
Lost city, here we come.
18
Rorix
Time blurs for the next few days, and our lives settle into a bizarre routine. We wake up, we eat breakfast, and we talk. Sofia tells us about her life as a healer on Earth, about her non-existent relationship with her mother, and her much better one with her grandmother. We talk about the homeworld and our families, but those memories are few and far between. Much of our lives have been spent here, on the prison planet. We tell her about that first bewildering rainy season, when the skies opened up and threw deluge upon deluge on us, seemingly intent on flaying u
s alive.
Ferix tells her the story of how I brushed against the same fungus that Harper did. “He would remember nothing,” he says, his lips curling with amusement. “We were all very worried, of course, but it was also a great opportunity for us to play pranks on him. He’d do his chores, and then he’d forget he’d done them, and so we’d pretend that he hadn’t done them.”
“That’s mean,” Sofia says indignantly.
I chuckle at the expression on her face. “Vulrux put an end to it when he found out,” I assure her. “And he was furious. The guilty parties were on latrine duty for months.”
Ferix grimaces ruefully. “We were,” he confirms. “That was… unfortunate. Especially because that was also the time we were discovering which plants and animals were safe to eat, and which ones would make us virulently ill.”
Sofia laughs. “Good for Vulrux,” she says approvingly. “We’ve had it a lot easier than you. We crash-landed on this planet, and in less than a day, you rescued us.”
Technically, I suppose that’s true. We did rescue the human women. Viola Lewis was being attacked by the dwals when Arax and Nyx found her. Harper was in a coma, affected by the same orange fungus as me, until Vulrux and Dennox’s blood pulled her out. Ferix and I, along with Vulrux and Thrax, had found Ryanna and Sofia wandering around, hopelessly lost, shouldering an unconscious Harper between them.
Yes, they would have most likely been dead without us. Without the survival skills we’d learned because of being exiled here for sixty years.
But the truth is, the human women did something far more valuable. They made our lives worth living.
And now, as I near the end of my natural life, I appreciate what Sofia has given me more than ever.