Scales and Flames

by Catherine Banks

  He stood looking at me until the silence became too much to bear. “Who was that?” I demanded from him. He began to smile, but quickly controlled it and resumed a stoic expression.

  “He’s Samson, the one we met at the hotel. You should probably get to know him.”

  “What do you mean 'get to know him.'? I don't want to have anything to do with him!”

  “Oh really?” he asked with a knowing grin.

  “Yes really,” I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

  He arms over his chest. “This will be entertaining.”

  Suspicion ran through my head, as I started putting it together. “What. Did. You. Do?” I asked with venom dripping slowly off every word.

  “This is the only house with a spare room for us.” There was a glint of mischief in his eyes. Slowly his words registered within my head.

  My eyes grew wide as the realization sunk in. I started backing away. “No... No, I can't...” I stuttered as I continued to back away. “You cannot make me live with him! Please Asyl! We can find somewhere else to stay.” My heart was racing in my chest as fear and longing coursed through my body, fighting for control. I was being torn in two. Part of me wanted to run away and never look back, and the other part wanted to run straight to Samson and never let go. ‘What the hell is wrong with me?’

  Asyl's face turned cold. “You have no choice. Look at your arm.”

  Reluctantly, I glanced down and gasped. My arms which were normally a light tanned color, now shimmered with a silver tint. “No... It can't be...” I whispered, looking up at Asyl, the fear and acknowledgment clear on my face. “This isn't possible. He’s human and from a different world!”

  Asyl shook his head. “It’s possible. Rare, but possible. You need to come to terms with it. The fact that your mate is here is surprising, but it's true.”

  “But he's human,” I repeated. I couldn't believe what was right in front of me. I had been ignoring all the signs that should have been obvious: the intense rage, the barely controlled emotions, and the sudden raw need to make him mine. “No. I can't do this,” I whispered, shaking my head. I forced my body to shift into that of a thirteen-inch small Dragonling with pre-wing nubs and ran blindly away from everything.

  Two

  I returned to the house after several hours had passed. Even with the early spring warmth of the day, the temperature dropped quickly at night. I cautiously made my way into the house. I hid in the shadows to avoid the inhabitants. I could hear the muffled snores of people within the house. I heard someone yelling my name from one of the back rooms. I decided to follow the sound and investigate. As I came to the door where the sound was coming from, I saw that it was ajar, and snuck inside.

  Once inside I hurried to hide underneath a chair near the door. I looked around and realized that this was the room I was originally brought to. Asyl was sitting in the chair I was crouched under. The couch I had been on was off to the right side of the room, pulled away from the wall. Jeb, Amanda, and the redhead from earlier were standing around the room and had concerned looks on their faces. Everyone was looking at Samson, who was standing behind the desk, facing them all. Samson's voice drew my attention. He no longer wore the hoodie he had on earlier but a dark blue shirt with a red and yellow triangle and an S in the center. He was glaring at Asyl.

  “Bullshit! You're her brother! You should be more worried!” he yelled at Asyl, who was lounging in the chair. He slammed his fist on the desk in frustration. “She could be lost, and you sit there like you couldn't give two fucks! What the hell is wrong with you? Our nights get extremely cold and she could freeze out there! Why won't you go look for her?” Shock coursed throughout my small body as the reality of the situation hit me. Samson was worried about me! I found it funny that the guy who was arrogant enough to have his initials on his shirt was losing his mind over the fact that I left.

  Asyl stretched. “She's fine, relax. I told you already, she will be back. She won't be able to stay away—”

  “I don't care what you believe! You need to get your ass out there and search for her!” Samson slammed down his fist again, and the desk shuddered. Asyl was looking at Samson like he was one of the most amusing things in the world. The anger on Samson's face started to concern me.

  He stretched again but glanced my way and winked. Of course, he would have sensed me coming into the room. Turning his attention back to Samson, a grin formed on his face. “And what will you do once she's found?”

  Samson blinked a few times. “I... I...” He was at a loss for words. Everyone could tell he had no answer. Looking around the room, I realized what was wrong with Samson. I couldn't stop myself from pressing closer to the ground as the tension from the argument drifted around me.

  Asyl sighed. “Can everyone leave us alone for a moment. I need to talk to him about this situation.” Everyone seemed to agree and quickly left the room. Jeb was the last one out. He paused at the door with one last glance back at Samson before he closed it behind him.

  I was about to turn and follow when Asyl pinned me with a look. His face said that I had no choice in the matter. I scooted further under the chair, to show him I understood.

  He sighed and turned his attention to Samson. Samson was still standing silently trying to control his rage. “Look Samson, you are losing it over Dyka…”

  “Just say what you're going to say. The quicker you get it over with, the quicker you can go find her and bring her back.” Samson narrowed his eyes, the threat fully evident in his voice.

  Asyl let one of his arms drop over the side of the chair. He positioned it so in the form I was in, it would be easy to climb onto his hand. Sensing that was his intent, I carefully moved over to his hand and allowed him to pick me up. As Asyl draped me over his lap, I noticed that Samson wasn't paying attention to him anymore. He was glaring out the window and into the night.

  Asyl ran his hand down my quivering back. I could feel the rage pouring off Samson and it was terrifying. “You need to calm down Samson. You're frightening her.”

  “How did I frighten her? Tell me that! How did I frighten her away when the only interaction I had was at the hotel and watching earlier?”

  “I didn't say you frightened her. I said you are frightening her,” Asyl clarified, still stroking my back in an affectionate way. Samson caught his movements and looked right at me. I couldn't suppress the shudder that wracked my tiny body. I instinctively buried myself deeper into Asyl’s arm. Asyl grabbed me around my belly and held me up. “No. You stay where he can see you. You have caused a lot of trouble with your disappearing act earlier.”

  I heard Samson rush around the desk. “That's her?” I felt less of the anger coming from Samson, so I twisted to look at him. Samson knelt beside the chair, looking at me with concern. He held up his hands tentatively and I couldn’t help but think he wanted to hold me. I wriggled a little in Asyl's hands and went to Samson. He brought me close to his chest and attempted to hug my small form as he moved to sit. Being this close to him helped the tension leave my body and I relaxed into the awkward embrace. I felt my body start to revert into its humanoid form. As my body grew larger, Samson's arms readjusted around me. Even though the shift took only a minute to complete, I was mildly surprised that Samson was still holding me when it was over. I felt his clothes pressed against my naked flesh, his arms now tight around me as I was curled into his chest and lap. Not remembering when I closed my eyes, I opened them to see Asyl had moved from the chair. I lifted my head to look for my brother and Samson grumbled reluctantly as I moved my body away from his.

  As I turned my head to glance behind us, a heavy blanket was draped over my shoulders. I looked up, into the knowing eyes of my brother. “I thought some modesty may be appropriate when you stand,” he laughed. I looked up at Samson and noticed the redness in his cheeks and couldn't help but smile. Samson quickly helped me to my feet as he stood up and averted his eyes.

  I turned to look at my brother. “Thank you Asyl, but where a
re my clothes?” Asyl answered my question with a shrug.

  Samson cleared his throat. “Now that you are back, I will leave you in the care of your brother.”

  As he went to leave, Asyl grabbed the back of his shirt and spun him to face me. “Nope. We all still need to talk. Dyka, you know what is happening, but Samson does not.”

  “Please, call me Sam,” he interjected.

  Asyl nodded, focusing on Sam. “Alright. Now, have you noticed how you went from flipping out to calm as can be?” Sam, nodded. “Good. That is because of what we call the Merging. The beginning stages can cause extreme emotions. Normally when someone starts showing these signs they are sent to the clan’s main habitat to get help dealing with the new strong emotions. Males tend to go through more violent emotions than females. On occasion females can become violent if they do not find their mate within a timely manner.”

  “Asyl, can I leave? I don't need to hear this from you. I've already learned about it when you went through it—”

  “No, you must stay. It'll make everything easier.” His gazed pierced through me and I had to shrink back. I didn’t know if Sam noticed that he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and drew me close. As soon as he did realize what he had done, he released me and stepped away. Despair settled in the pit of my stomach as I felt the crushing blow of rejection with the space he put between us. Asyl noticed the movement and placed a firm hand on Sam's shoulder. “You cannot push her away like that. Sit and talk with her. You will want to see what happens next. Granted it looks like you already know what I'm talking about.”

  At Asyl’s words, I glanced down, drawing attention to the massive bulge in Sam's pants. Blushing at the sight, I turned away, trying to control the unfamiliar heat coursing through my body. The heat pooled low in my belly and brought with it an urge I had never experienced before. I refused to do anything while my brother was still in the room.

  Asyl started to explain the finer details about the Merging of our kind. Sam stayed quiet throughout Asyl's ramblings, but all I could focus on was the heat coursing through my veins as I felt Sam's eyes on me. I refused to look at him and wrapped the blanket tighter around my body. All my senses were heightened, and my body felt alive under his gaze.

  “Has this ever happened with a non-Dragon before?” Sam asked.

  “It’s rare. As in once every thousand years, if that, rare. We’ve never gone to another world before either though and I’m not sure how that would affect Dyka.”

  “It shouldn't be happening at all,” I muttered. I could feel Sam's gaze boring into the side of my face.

  “What do you mean by that?” There was an edge to his voice, almost like he was holding himself back.

  Asyl sighed. “Males go through the Merging at a younger age than females. Even though Dyka is my twin, I went through this several years ago. Dyka still had a few more years before it should happen to her. Since we were forced here, it must have sped up the cycle and something in you called to her. We should probably find out why later. I’ll wait until after you guys are done.”

  Sam wouldn't look away from me. I fidgeted under his gaze, and I knew my face red. The new feelings were making me uncomfortable and my brother was still in the room, making everything more awkward.

  Asyl quickly glanced between us and smiled. “You both have a lot to talk about. I'll give you two some privacy for a little while.” He turned and went to leave the room.

  “Asyl.” He paused at the mention of his name and turned and to look at me. I couldn't meet his gaze, so I looked at my feet.

  “It’s okay, Dyka. Talk to him. He's probably feeling the same way you are right now.” With that, he left the room, closing the door behind him.

  Once he was gone, the tension in the air seemed to increase. Knowing I was now alone with Sam, I started feeling extremely nervous and wanted to run away. I kept my feet firmly planted on the floor, looking everywhere else except for Sam. We both stood in silence for a while, avoiding the obvious.

  “Dyka.” Sam sounded nervous and I made the mistake of looking at him. He was breathing heavily and his bright eyes were dark with need. He closed the small distance between us and crushed my mouth with his. I lost myself in the feel of his mouth on mine and instincts I didn’t know I had led the way. My body moved against his, like it had a mind of its own. My arms wrapped around his neck trying to bring him closer, wanting the skin to skin contact. The blanket that was around my shoulders dropped to the floor, forgotten. A low growl sounded in my throat as I tugged at his shirt. Sam picked up on my need and started shedding his clothing, relinquishing my mouth only once. As he yanked his shirt over his head, I lowered my hands to undo his pants. An almost primal sound escaped Sam's throat as he started moving me backward and pushed me onto the couch. As I lay there, I enjoyed being fully exposed to his wandering eyes. I let my own gaze stray and took the opportunity to admire his body. He had broad shoulders, tight muscles, a chiseled stomach, and a chest with a light dusting of hair. My eyes traveled down his body to below his waist. He was a magnificent sight, fully erect.

  He was able to hold himself back for a few seconds before he climbed over the top of me to reclaim my mouth with his. His skin felt amazing against mine. My arms circled his neck as his tongue danced with mine, making my heart beat faster. He left my mouth, sliding down my body to capture one of my hardened nipples between his teeth. My hands went to his shoulders, my nails digging into his skin as the feel of his slight stubble scraping my skin aroused me more. My back to arch into his sensual embrace, forcing more of my breast into his mouth. As his mouth sucked and nibbled on my breast, he shifted slightly. He glided his hand down my flat stomach to my pulsing core. A moan escaped my throat as I felt his fingers start circling my mound. His fingers kept brushing over my heated entrance causing me to shudder. Sam lifted his head and stopped moving his fingers. The look in his eyes told me he was enjoying himself.

  “Do you want me to stop?” His husky voice was low and he waited for my answer, not moving an inch. The feel of his body on mine, his hand cupping my core was driving me insane. Not trusting my voice, I shook my head no. He smiled in response as he began lowering himself further down my body. He draped both of my legs over his shoulders and began licking around my core. He lapped and sucked at my swollen nub. My soft moans filled the silence around us as he continued to taste me. I gripped the couch for support. I felt like I was ready to explode from the pleasure. Just when I thought I couldn’t take anymore, I felt him touch my core, pumping his fingers in and out. My sharp intake of breath caused him to pause for only a moment before he resumed his relentless assault.

  Never before had I felt like this. Sam refused to give me a moment to catch my breath. He forced my pleasure higher and higher. When I didn’t believe I could feel anymore without bursting into flames, Sam hooked his fingers inside me and sucked hard on my throbbing mound. My body started to shake within his grasp and my thighs tightened around his head. I screamed his name as my back arched off the couch, forcing his mouth deeper around my core. I came with such force I thought it would never end. Sam refused to stop his lapping until my shaking started to subside. I was panting by the time he was done. And I could do nothing but watch as he unwrapped my legs from around his head. He moved back up my body and positioned himself against my swollen lips. I thought I was spent but as I felt the tip of him waiting, my arousal started to climb again. I wrapped my legs around his waist, inviting him to plunge into me.

  He didn't need any more encouragement. He shifted slightly and then thrust deep into me. I couldn't help the guttural cry that was torn from my throat. He took control of my mouth as he held still for a moment, letting my body adjust around his. I could taste my juices on his lips but I didn’t care. I moaned into his mouth as he started moving inside me.

  As he sat up to gaze down at me, my arms slid down his torso to rest by my hips. He moved slowly at first, but quickly started thrusting faster and faster until my screams filled the air.
I didn’t care that my brother or anyone else could hear us. Both pain and pleasure coursed through my veins as I met each one of his thrusts. I dug my nails into the arm rest above my head as the urge to grip something overwhelmed me.

  With each thrust, I was taken to new heights of pleasure. I never knew it would be like this. His hands gripped my hips to help keep momentum and I could feel another climax coming fast as he gave me no respite. When my second release did come, it held more force than the first one. His movements became even faster as he was reaching his own climax, causing my third to rise within my core. He removed one of his hands from my hips and began rubbing circles over my clit. Between his assault on my core and his hand caressing my nub, my release hit me hard and fast as I felt myself squeeze around him. I screamed his name again and again as the waves of pleasure blinded me. With one final thrust, I felt him pulsing inside me with his own release. It took me a moment to realize he was slowing his movements. He captured my mouth in a sensual kiss as he finished emptying himself inside me. After a few moments, he moved to rest his head in the crook of my neck and we lay there on the couch, entangled in each other's arms catching our breath.

  “Dyka,” he breathed into my neck.

  “Yes, Sam?” I whispered, my throat raw.

  “Why do I feel like I love you? I don't even know you.” He sounded bewildered. He raised his head to look at my face.

  I gently pushed on his chest and realized how tired I felt. “That's what the merging does. After the two are mated, they feel all-consuming love for each other. I don’t understand why it is happening with you though. Asyl said merging with a human was rare. I’ve never experienced it before. I’ve never felt anything like this. Maybe it has something to do with the crossing of worlds.” I was afraid my idea was wrong. What if he wasn’t my mate? “Do you love me?” I asked hesitantly.