by Angel Black
She was a busy woman, devoted to her job. It would take a spectacular man and a lot of love for her to feel like she was meant for motherhood. Still… the thought was nagging at her, pulling at her mind.
Truth be told, Lynn’s probably right. Just a dry spell gone wrong.
That thought comforted her more than the alternative of simply being a crazy person, and she headed towards the doctor’s with that firmly in her mind. She would talk to the doctor about this, get it all cleared up, and go home. A long sleep, a good shower and some time off would do her the world of good.
She’d be back at work the next day, feeling fine and ready to take on the world again, just like she used to. It was all but a given, and she was relieved to think that all of this would blow over quite quickly.
Alexandra just wanted things to go back to normal, but she had the nagging feeling that that might not be what ended up happening. She remembered one of her last months with Jeremy:
There had been rain on that night, gushing rain that rattled against the roof of Jeremy’s downtown apartment and against his floor-to-ceiling windows. He lived at the Zenith, a beautiful high rise apartment that glowed with a pink luminescence at night. She came out of his bathroom and he just sat there, on his large king sized mattress, looking at her. They had been trying for months. She hadn’t been feeling well that morning, and Jeremy insisted they get a take home kit. He was sure that it finally happened.
“I’m sorry, Jeremy,” she had said.
He hadn’t said anything. Instead, he just looked out of the window, staring off into the rain, his black eyes dead in his skull as he looked out.
Chapter 3: The Face of My Seducer
Alexandra had been waiting for ages in the waiting room. Honestly, though, Alexandra was just being antsy. It had been about an hour, which was a pretty reasonable wait, considering she didn’t have an appointment. Alexandra glanced at the clock and tried to read the magazine, The Paris Review, although she was finding it harder and harder to focus and concentrate on anything but the thoughts swirling in her head.
“Alexandra?” She heard a polite voice call out from the doctor’s office and she quickly set the magazine down into her purse, grabbed her bag and got up, lifting a hand to signal that she was here. The doctor smiled a warm smile. “Follow me, please.”
Doctor Silverstein was a woman about ten years older than Alexandra. There was a very professional air about her, but she seemed friendly enough, smiling when Alexandra entered. She pulled up a seat for Alexandra and sat down, looking her dead on.
“Now, what seems to be the problem, Alexandra?” She looked at her, carefully.
Alexandra took a deep breath, stealing herself a little. “Well, I’ve just been feeling tired lately, tired and a bit sick.” Alexandra shrugged. “I suppose I just haven’t been at the top of my game with work.”
The doctor nodded and scribbled down a few notes. “How long has this been going on?”
Alexandra considered. “A few weeks?”
The doctor nodded slowly, taking notes. “Are you on any medication?”
Alexandra shook her head.
“Any known problems or medical history?”
Again, Alexandra shook her head.
“Have you been sexually active within the last three months?”
Alexandra shook her head. “No, definitely not.”
The doctor nodded again, looking at her carefully. “Let’s have a quick examination on the bed, okay?”
Alexandra didn’t mind and she slid onto the bed, like instructed. The doctor was very gentle, careful and patient, feeling around her stomach very gently for any pain, checking her breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate. Everything seemed to be in order and Alexandra was feeling a little bit sheepish for wasting the doctor’s time.
The doctor, however, didn’t seem phased. She smiled when they sat back down, and gave Alexandra a long look. “It was good of you to come in today, Alexandra. Symptoms like those should never be overlooked. However, in your case, I think that perhaps, you just need some rest.”
Alexandra swallowed. She had known that she just needed some rest. Going to the doctor was not something that she had felt the need to do, but she’d been far too exhausted to keep working and keep making mistakes. She felt sheepish, but at the same time, there was a quiet tug of relief that moved through her. It was good to know that there was nothing seriously wrong with her, although she hadn’t really thought that there was.
The doctor tilted her head. “Do you have a stressful job?”
Alexandra considered her question. “I suppose so. I’m an associate at a law firm.” The doctor nodded knowingly. “Ah, I see. I don’t doubt that you have a lot of responsibilities to take care of.”
Alexandra nodded softly. “I suppose so.”
“Well, I’ll grab you a certificate for work… I assume you need one.” The doctor smiled,
“And then you can be on your way. I’ll write out a prescription for a couple of supplements, just to get your energy up and maybe help you get better rest. Hopefully, they should help you feel a little better. That, and, I suggest that you take it easy wherever possible.”
“Thank you.” Alexandra smiled. A thought tugged at her mind, and she frowned softly as she considered it. She wanted to ask the doctor about the possibility of being able to fall pregnant, but it was difficult for Alexandra to voice.
As the doctor made to stand up, Alexandra blurted it out, “Um, I do have one more question.”
“Yes?” The doctor sat back down and looked at her with that careful expression of hers.
“Well, it’s just…” Alexandra shifted. “I’m not sure if it’s anything to worry about, but…” Alexandra shrugged. “I was wondering if I am able to fall pregnant…”
To Dr. Silverstein’s credit, the woman didn’t even blink. “Ok.”
“I worry, I suppose. I mean… I was trying with my last boyfriend, which was about six months ago, but nothing ever happened. I mean…” Alexandra blushed. “We were definitely trying about, so I’m not sure…”
There was a serious look in the doctor’s eyes now, and she nodded. “We can do some tests, have a look at that. I’ll write those down as well. Have the receptionist book you in, okay?”
The doctor turned and started to scribble some more things down on the paper.
“Alexandra, the possibility of you being infertile aside, do you think all of this might be due to stress?”
Her words sent a jolt through Alexandra. She wanted to agree with the doctor. She really did. Stress sounded like such an easy fix, such an easy way to feel better and finally get her life back on track.
“Maybe…” She murmured slowly.
“Just, with a job like yours, you are bound to feel a bit under the pump and that can play havoc with your system, leading to things like fatigue, sicknesses, and so on… it’s worth having a look into that, seeing if there are ways you can reduce the workload you take on, or maybe schedule in some time away from it all.”
“Yeah… okay… thank you so much for your advice.” Alexandra forced a smile. She didn’t believe that all of this was due to stress, but it was hard for her to disagree, especially when the doctor was being so helpful and thoughtful and considerate, with how she had listened to all of Alexandra’s concerns, without hesitation.
The doctor smiled and handed her a few pieces of paper. “Take these to the front, and pick the rest up at your pharmacy. Hopefully they will help you in the meantime, until the tests have been booked in.”
Alexandra nodded and stood up. “Thanks, so much.”
The doctor showed her out of the office and Alexandra obliged. She headed towards the front desk and gave the paperwork to the receptionist.
She thought about what the doctor had said about stress, and how that might be what was affecting her. Alexandra wanted to agree, but it just didn’t feel right. It felt like something else. She couldn’t stop thinking about all of the strange dreams tha
t she had been having. They were terribly unusual and she hadn’t wanted to bring them up.
Still, they were keeping her awake and leaving her far more exhausted than stress. She didn’t mind working hard at her job—that had never been a problem before. But now, these dreams were leaving her exhausted and unable to deal with the challenges that her job was throwing at her.
She booked in appointments for the tests and collected her certificate, to show Rex that she had been to the doctor. Then she headed outside, feeling the sunshine on her skin, warming her up.
She sighed softly, remembering the dream that she had had the night before. Her mind drifted to the sensations that had overwhelmed her. The dream had definitely been more sexual than any of the past dreams. In this one, she was making love, swept up in the pleasure and enjoyment of the sensations on her skin. She remembered the love and happiness bubbling up inside of her. She remembered that her partner didn’t seem entirely human… but that was not unusual for these dreams. None of the people within the dreams ever seemed entirely human, entirely normal, but it never bothered her while she was asleep.
The thing that stood out the most from her dream, was the persistent feeling of contentment and knowledge that she was going to become a mother, going to become pregnant from the glorious love making and sensations that were wrapping around her.
She felt safe and contented in a way that Alexandra couldn’t remember ever feeling in her life. She had known, right there and then, that this was where she was meant to be. She was happy, happy and content and in the right place.
But the dream itself had morphed very quickly, leaving Alexandra with the sensation of having a baby in her arms, feeling a small child against her body, before a strange hand had pulled the baby away, out of her arms.
Alexandra had woken up, sweat pouring from her skin, leaving her hot and shaky and panicked. She didn’t know why her panic was so intense, but it was. It was as real as anything in the waking world and Alexandra was left feeling exhausted and out of sorts. No wonder Rex had asked her to leave work today. Alexandra probably still looked like a mess, even several hours later, after the baby nightmare.
She sighed and headed back for her car, sliding into the seat and settling back. She tried to shake the thoughts of the strange dream, from her skin, but it was almost impossible. The dream was persistent and it curled around her and left its tendrils on her skin, even when she was awake.
Alexandra started her car and decided to go home as soon as she possibly could. She needed to get a handle on these dreams, needed to get herself sorted and ready for work. It was important that she didn’t lose her job.
After all, what else did she have left in this world, but her job?
But how do you fight something like a dream? How do you fight men who are not human, and live to tell of it?
She glanced at the clinic one last time. Then she saw it, his face, clear as day. She could feel his breath warming her cheeks, and she stared at all the little flecks in his eyes. She felt his large thumb, gentle in spite of its size, stroking at her lips. “We are one, you and I. We are the Twin Flames.”
Chapter 4: Breathing Fire
Falon stared into the portal in front of him. It was calm, like staring at a cloudy piece of glass. It was big, big enough for a dragon to step through easily, which was, of course, the point.
Falon sighed. There had not been so much as a ripple in the glass for centuries. It was unheard of for a dragon to go to the human world, and even more unheard of for a human to find their way into the Pax Gloria realm. Of course, it had happened in the distant past, but that was unfathomable now. Falon watched the portal, staring into its depths.
Falon had been living in the Pax Gloria for all of his life. Of course, as one of the dragons of this world, it was not unusual. Most dragons of his generation had never even seen the human world, except for the Sigmas who had to act as enforcers.
It wasn’t uncommon for young dragons to hear tales of the human world, usually as a warning, but often just as a fairy tale. Falon was no longer a young, teenage dragon, although he was not even nearing middle age yet. He had centuries to go before that.
Falon always enjoyed the stories about humans, when he was younger. He still enjoyed them even now, and as he stared into the portal, he couldn’t help but conjure up some of these stories, some of these experiences that he had read about, heard about.
Did I just see a human face looking through that portal?
He started to wonder if he had read too many human and dragon stories.
Most of these stories talked about how frail humans were, how easily they could die, be harmed, or lose themselves. These stories, however grim, also dealt with the concept of sacrifice. Humans had the power of martyrdom.
Falon hadn’t understood the concept very well when he was young. After all, dragons were not threatened and their lives were planned out in a strict hierarchy, so what danger was there? There was no need to sacrifice yourself for another dragon, or give something up so that another dragon could prosper.
There was no problem of overcrowding in the dragon realm, no problem of a lack of resources, or competing for love. Things ran smoothly, unlike in the human world.
Still, the thought of being moved enough to sacrifice your own desires, or even your own life, for someone else, intrigued Falon. Between that, and the stories of ancient dragon blood carried by humans… it was intriguing, and Falon had long thought about how it would feel to visit the human world.
But Falon valued the law and his life, and dragons were forbidden from travelling into the human realm. No one had been granted permission for the longest time and Falon doubted that he would be granted permission just to satisfy his curiosity.
It was the opinion of the Supreme Dragon, Aedan, that the sovereign kingdoms, the undersea realms enclosed in an impermeable domes, were safe enough, were infallible enough to sustain the dragons, with no need for them to ever leave the realm.
Falon shifted, glancing upwards at the towering dome. The dragon realm was not without its problems, no matter how much the king, and everyone else, tried to pretend as such. One of the biggest problems was the problem of fertility. No one knew why, but the dragons had been unable to produce offspring for the longest time. In fact, it had been centuries since the last dragon had been born.
It was a problem that most of the kingdom didn’t like to talk about. It was easy to put the problem off, because the dragons had such long lifespans. But talk was starting to surface, as the time dragged on. Some people were starting to get worried and Falon was one of them.
They all still treat me as a child, even Aedan. To them, since I am the youngest living dragon, I am their son, to one and all.
If there were no new dragons born, they would wither into obscurity, a proud race leaving behind nothing but relics of a time gone by. The thought made Falon uncomfortable, but he was not sure what to do about it.
Falon was startled out of his thoughts by a voice behind him.
“Your shift is over, Falon.”
Falon turned around and was greeted with the face of another Valonis. He was in his human form, dressed in the comfortable clothing that most dragons wore, a fabric that the humans called “Under Armour,” according to the latest anthropology papers about humans. Valonis wore all black, instead of his usual royal colors that he donned.
“Is it over already?” Falon smiled and moved away from the portal. “Time passes so quickly.”
The other dragon snorted. “Only you would think that. I find this absolutely mindlessly boring.”
“Guarding the portal is an important job.” Falon pointed out.
The other dragon shrugged. “Sure, you say that, but I don’t see the point, really. I mean, it’s been centuries since we saw so much as a ripple in the portal. I’m not sure why I got this assignment. I never work the portal. My dad must be pissed at me. Say, wait a second, don’t you volunteer for this shit?”
Falon chuckled.
“Don’t say that. Maybe, if you’re lucky, someone will throw a pebble through the portal and you’ll get some action. But uh, yeah, I do.”
“Hah! I should be so lucky.” He snorted in amusement. “Guarding the portal is the worst duty to be assigned to, simply because there is no action, ever.”
Falon chuckled and shrugged. He thought that guarding the portal was a waste of time, but it was a waste of time that left him in peace, to work through his thoughts and that was worth-while, at least.
“Speaking of action,” Valonis said, glancing at Falon, a sly expression on his face, “How are things going with Elemanias? Shouldn’t your union be close at hand?”
Falon wrinkled his nose, a look of disgust passing across his face. Elemanias was a female dragon from a neighboring sovereign realm, eligible and wealthy, in the right age bracket, and a perfect match for Falon.
Except for the fact that he hated her and he was pretty sure that the feeling was very, very mutual, from the way she had treated him. He had been willing, to a degree, to at least try and get along with her, but she seemed to show no inclination and it had only driven Falon further away.
“I am… unsure of when the union will happen,” Falon answered stiffly, feeling discomfort and anger twist inside of him. He was in no mood to discuss this and in no mood to spend any time with the female dragon that had been forced on him.
The other dragon snigged, an almost mocking lilt to his voice, “So, I take it the appeal isn’t going well? Are you sure you have any hope at all? I mean, Aedan isn’t likely to change his mind…”
His appeal to Aedan, the leader of the Supreme House of Aurum, and the Dragon Supreme, had been for him to either hold back or drop the arrangement completely.
Falon knew that he was asking a lot, but he didn’t know what else to do. A formal appeal was the only way to overturn these sort of decisions, as dragons, especially in this time of scarcity in numbers, one didn’t usually get a say in who they married.
