by Eric Vall
“I told you I was done talking about this!” she hissed.
“You are so fucking hot when you are angry,” I said as I blew her a kiss.
“And you are the most frustrating male I’ve ever met!” she growled and crossed her arms over her chest. “Yes! I enjoyed it when you filled me. Yes! I want your offspring. Yes! Yes! Yes! Is that what you want to hear?”
“Yep!” I grinned. “And don’t worry, I’ll make sure you are safe. If anyone wants to harm your sister’s egg or our future eggs, they will have hell to pay.”
“I am more than capable of handling any enemies on my own, Evan,” she snipped out, but her words carried no heat.
“Yeah, yeah. I know, you’re the Crimson Dragon. You can handle anything.” I tried to hide a smile. “Except when you get infected by a death curse.”
“Go away, you nuisance,” Valerra frowned, “I think it’s time you returned home anyways. The sun is about to set.”
I looked toward the desert to the west and saw she was right. The sun was indeed set low in the sky. I’d been here a lot longer than I had thought.
“You’re right. I should head home.” I paused before I looked back at the dark spot along the ground where the ashes of the driders sat. “Do you really think more of them will come?”
Valerra followed my gaze and shook her head.
“No, driders have become increasingly rare. This was my first encounter with them this close to my cave in a few centuries. They were most likely wandering around, caught our scent, and figured we could be an easy meal. As long as we don’t leave any opened food around, we shouldn’t have any more surprises. Most are smart enough to leave a dragon’s den alone.”
She stood from where we sat and turned back to her lair.
“I hope you’re right,” I called after her.
“I’m always right,” were her last words before she disappeared into the darkness.
“I’ll see you in the morning for our patrol!” I yelled over my shoulder.
“No, you won’t,” she shouted back from the darkness. “I was supposed to have peace today, and you bothered me anyways. We won’t have another patrol again until I say so.”
“Fine, you know where to find me when you start to miss me,” I snickered.
She huffed in aggravation, and I smiled into the cave.
Then I leapt off the ledge and flew back to Hatra.
Before I knew it, I was outside the walls of the city, so I shifted back into my human form and walked through the front gate. The citizens of Hatra bustled around me as I watched them clean up the debris from the echidna attack, and I felt a pang of guilt when I realized I’d left everyone alone to clean up all day. With my strength, I could have finished this a lot faster than they could.
Then again, it wasn’t like I was asking to be attacked by giant spider people.
I quickly scanned the area for any friendly faces and found Laika and Alyona as they loaded up the carcasses of echidnas into a wagon.
“Hey,” I greeted as I walked toward them.
Their heads both turned quickly, and Alyona ran over to hug me.
“Evan, thank goodness!” The princess tightened her arms around me and buried her head in my chest. “We were worried something had happened to you when you didn’t come home after a few hours.”
“Yeah, sorry about that, I went to cool off at Valerra’s and lost track of time,” I replied as I wrapped my arms around Alyona and returned the hug. “I didn’t think a princess would have to be on the clean up crew, though.”
“I wanted to help,” Alyona sighed as she tensed in my arms. “How could I lie around all day while my people cleaned up after a battle? I should be here, not locked away in my room.”
I smiled before I pressed a kiss to her head.
“You’re doing a great job. I was just surprised to see you out here.”
“Thank you.” The beautiful woman grinned as she pulled away, “I want the people of Hatra to know they can count on me for anything.”
“You smell strange, are you alright?” Laika asked as she joined us and sniffed the air.
“Yeah,” I grinned, “Valerra and I got attacked by a couple of driders, but no worries. We took care of them easily enough.”
“Driders?” Laika asked, and her gray wolf ears twitched in surprise. “I never heard of them being this far away from a major city. They typically live off the vermin. They are a sort of clean up crew, and they rarely attack other beings.”
“They claimed they hadn’t eaten in weeks,” I explained with a grimace. “One of them even ate the first one that died.”
The image of the female devouring her mate was not something I’d be able to unsee for a while.
“I’ve heard of that happening with them,” Laika mused with a furrowed brow. “Without a normal food supply, they can go mad from hunger and eat anything they can find. It’s quite sad, actually.”
“I wonder if they were on their way to Hatra, since they like cities,” Alyona suggested. “We are slowly growing, maybe they were drawn here.”
“I suppose that is a possibility,” Laika hummed, “but they’re gone now. I guess we’ll just have to be on guard for any others.”
I nodded in agreement, and the conversation of driders was dropped after that as I helped the ladies clean up.
“So,” Alyona began after a few minutes of silence, “what was the phoenix tribe like?”
I blinked in surprise, but then I realized with the echidna attack and everything, I hadn’t really gotten the chance to talk to my lovers about my little trip into the desert.
“They were pretty cool, actually,” I replied with a grin. “Their way of living was different, and I don’t think I’d like to do it long term, but for a week or so it wasn’t bad. Chief Fiyero is a great leader, and I admire his determination to keep his people safe. Ravi is a lot like her father in that way. She actually ran away from her tribe to come here and get my help.”
Alyona smirked knowingly at my mention of the phoenix princess.
“So, you and Ravi have grown close then?” she asked.
Laika smiled next to her, and my two lovers shared a mischievous look.
“What?” I glanced between them and narrowed my eyes in suspicion.
“Well, I for one approve of her,” the princess said, and she failed to hide a smile as she toyed with one of her dark forelocks.
“I like her as well,” Laika chimed in. “She fought bravely against the echidnas even though she’d just traveled far and was still tired from her own battle in the desert. She was a sight to see as she attacked with her dagger. It was admirable.”
“Ravi is pretty incredible,” I agreed. “People seem to underestimate her a lot, and she knows it, but she’s a lot stronger than people give her credit for. Speaking of Ravi, have either of you seen her today? I wanted to find her earlier, but obviously I lost track of time.”
“I haven’t, I’m sorry.” Alyona shook her head.
“I saw her on the airship when I went to wake up Milady for our meeting this morning, but I haven’t seen her since,” Laika said.
“You should go find her,” Alyona offered and smiled gently. “We can handle this.”
Laika nodded and tossed a leg of an echidna into the wagon.
“Are you sure?” I asked them both.
Alyona gave me a light glare. “Go.” She pushed me slightly, but her glare turned into a smile.
I kissed her cheek and waved to Laika. “Okay, I’ll see you both later then.”
They both waved before they turned back to the echidna body parts strewn about the area.
I began to walk around the city, but most of the clean up had been taken care of, and it seemed like Alyona and Laika were in one of the few areas that still needed to be cleaned. Green blood was splattered across the ground and on some of the buildings, but everyone was too afraid to touch it in case it burned them. We could figure out what to do about that tomorrow, though.
Most of the buildings in the city were fine, there was minimal damage to them, but some sections of the walls were cracked and chipped along the top. We could fix them easily, thankfully, so most of the clean up was getting rid of the bodies of the creatures. I frowned when I passed the kitchens and noticed a few of the echidnas sat outside the doors. Then I had a sudden memory of Valerra telling me people ate echidnas and considered them a delicacy, and my stomach twisted at the thought.
After battling the bastards for days, I didn’t think I could stand eating them, but I wouldn’t begrudge others for it. To each their own.
I strolled casually through the streets and stopped to ask the people of Hatra if any of them knew where Ravi was. No one had seen her, though, so I continued to walk and waved to any citizens who greeted me. I nodded to a group of young girls, and then I smirked as they began to giggle and gossip about me as soon as I passed them.
Over half an hour passed as I searched my city for Ravi. I was about to give up hope and just let the phoenix princess find me, but then I caught a glimpse of dark orange that made me whip my head around to find the source. Thankfully, I found her quickly. The phoenix sat on top of the roof of an abandoned, rundown house, and I shook my head in relief as I turned and headed toward the small building.
It only took me a few minutes to reach the stone home, and I quickly looked around to find a way inside. There were a few windows that led onto the rooftop, but they had to be accessed from the second level. So, I circled the house and found a giant hole that gaped where a front door should have been, and I slowly walked inside and was mindful of the precarious structure of the building.
The house was dusty and crumbled around me, and the stone walls were riddled with cracks and cobwebs. The windows were overgrown with ivy that crept in from the outside, and I coughed as I breathed in the dusty, stale air. Finally, I climbed up the stairs and onto the second level. There were only two doors on the upper floor, so I picked the first one and slipped inside. It seemed to be a bedroom, with a small child sized bed in the corner. A window was across from the bed, and I pulled it open. The roof was below me, so I slowly stepped out the window, but I was careful to watch my step and not fall through the weakened shingles. Then I climbed along the roof as I walked toward Ravi.
The phoenix sat still as stone, and her beautiful face was turned toward the setting sun with her blue eyes closed.
“Hey,” I called out to her, and she slowly opened her eyes to look at me. “You can be really hard to find, you know that.”
“Hello, Lord Evan,” she replied and then smiled. “Sorry, I wasn’t aware anyone was looking for me.”
“Why are you out here alone?” I asked as I carefully sat down next to her.
“I’m not alone, you’re here now,” she said and closed her eyes again.
“You know what I mean, Ravi,” I chuckled. “Are you okay? Yesterday was kind of intense for you and Alyona.”
“I’m fine,” she assured me with a soft smile. “It was nothing a good night’s rest couldn’t fix.”
“I still don’t think you should be out here alone,” I said gently. “We actually have a rule in Hatra where we want everyone to travel in groups of two or more. It’s safer for everyone that way.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she blinked up at me and frowned, “I wasn’t aware. I’ll make sure I am with others from now on.”
“Thank you.” I smiled.
“Of course, Lord Evan,” she replied, and then we both turned our heads back to the sun.
“So, why are you out here anyways?” I asked after a few minutes.
The phoenix shrugged. “It helps to be close to the sun. My people’s power comes from the Sun God, and whenever I feel lonely, it helps to sit in his light. It was something my father taught me.”
She sighed and seemed to deflate at the mention of her father.
“I’m sure he misses you, too,” I consoled her.
“I wanted to come with you,” Ravi smiled softly and leaned her head on my shoulder, “but now I feel foolish. I’ve only been gone a few days, but I miss him so much.”
“It’s not foolish,” I reassured her as I placed my cheek on top of her head. “You left your people for the second time in as many weeks, and you don’t know when you’ll see them again. You’re allowed to miss them, but it’ll get easier with time.”
I spoke from experience. Although I loved this new world I now called home, my first few days were nothing more than confusion and discomfort. Sometimes, I would still think of my Aunt Emma and be struck with a sharp sadness that I’d more than likely never see her again. I sighed deeply as I wondered what had become of me back on Earth. Was I still a missing person or had they finally given up and declared me dead? I wondered if Aunt Emma planned a funeral or if she’d stayed firm in her belief that I was still alive.
“Lord Evan, are you alright?” Ravi asked as she lifted her head from my shoulder, and her blue eyes were dark with worry.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts. “Yeah, sorry. I’m fine, don’t worry. I was just thinking about Earth.”
“Oh, I am so sorry!” she gasped, and her eyes went wide in surprise. “Here I am worried I won’t see my father or my people for a long time, but you might never see your home world again. You are just so comfortable here, it’s easy to forget you were raised in an entirely different world.”
“It’s alright,” I said with a smile. “I’m kind of over Earth at this point. There are things I miss, sure, like my Aunt Emma and some of the food, but Inati is my world now. Hatra is my home, and I’m sure with some time you’ll feel the same way.”
I reached out and grabbed Ravi’s hand with my own. Then I squeezed slightly, and she looked at me with a smile.
“Yes, I’m sure I will feel at home here soon,” she murmured softly.
I stared into Ravi’s blue eyes as our heads drifted closer together, and then our lips met in a brief kiss. Her mouth was soft and warm, like fire, and she tasted slightly like smoke. The phoenix slowly deepened our kiss, and as she moved into me, her hands drifted to the top of my neck and pulled me in closer. My hands tangled through her thick hair as I held her mouth against mine, and she let out a soft moan. Then her lips curled into a small smile when I pulled away.
“As much as I’d love for this to continue,” I sighed as I stood and stretched my arms out, “we are still on an unstable roof, and I don’t really want to crash through this house. Why don’t we head down to the temporary palace? I have a room where we can continue our … conversation.”
“That sounds like it could be fun,” Ravi laughed and bit her lip. Then the phoenix princess stood, and her red robes clung to her curves. I let myself admire her figure before she turned her head and smirked.
“See something you like?” she asked coyly.
“A few things.” I smirked.
She laughed quietly, and her eyes sparkled with interest as I offered her my hand.
“How did you even get up here?” she asked as she grabbed my hand and stumbled a little on her feet. “Sorry, I’m still a bit tired. My magic was nearly exhausted last night, and I barely had the strength to transform to get up here. I don’t think I have the energy to shift right now, and I don’t think your dragon form could land here.”
“Oh, I actually climbed out a window.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “I see, you know, maybe I can find the strength to transform after all.”
She tugged on my hand to return back to the opposite edge of the roof.
“Come on, I’ll help you,” I chuckled. “I don’t want you exhausting yourself. It wasn’t hard at all. Just be careful once you’re inside. I don’t know how stable this old house is.”
“I will be extra cautious,” she said as we tentatively approached the window.
I held her hand and helped her step inside. Once I was sure she was safe, I quickly followed in behind her. Then I led her down the stairs and back out of the giant hole that gaped from the doo
rway.
“So,” I asked as we walked back to the temporary palace, “if your magic is really so low, why don’t you just burn? Wouldn’t that help and be faster?”
“It could help me yes, but my father always taught me a burn is a last resort,” the phoenix explained. “That’s why my first burn took me nearly a hundred years. I was always so sheltered in my village, I’d never had a reason to. You only burn if your magic has somehow been repressed or if you are about to die. If you live your entire life burning yourself after every little thing, you will never learn. We can live forever, so it’s important to remember we are not gods. We can still be killed and suffer. To allow ourselves to heal after something like this helps remind us of our limits. It may seem silly, but it’s important to my people. Only burn when you have to. The elders burned the other day because they were run down after the party, but their bodies had grown old. My father was still furious with them, though. He said they were reckless and endangered their lives for selfish reasons. It was actually kind of funny to see these phoenixes who I’ve admired my entire life get scolded by my father like they were chicks.”
She laughed quietly, and the sound was like a tinkling wind chime.
“I guess I understand that,” I mused. “You don’t want to think you’re indestructible.”
Ravi nodded. “I’m sure it has something to do with too many burns as well, since my father is always anxious when someone burns. That was another reason I waited so long for my own. He never said it, but I’m sure it’s because of my mom. He was afraid someone was waiting for me to burn so they could kill me, too.”
“He just wanted to keep you safe, and after all that happened with your mother and brothers, I can’t blame him,” I told her as we walked hand in hand toward the palace.
“I know that now, but as a chick, it was hard. I just wanted to be like everyone else.” Ravi finished her story as we reached the temporary palace, and then she cocked her head to the side. “You know, this doesn’t look like a palace.”
“No, I know,” I laughed. “The real one hasn’t been rebuilt. We are only using this so the Elders, Alyona, and I all have a decent place to stay.”