Love of A Dragon (Exalted Dragons Book 1)

by K. T. Stryker

  “Mom,” Ashe said in a tentative voice. Stevie looked up at her with wide, fearful eyes. Peter’s put his arm around Ashe’s shoulders, giving her the confidence to continue. “It’s alright. I’m not hurt. I’m not... one of them.” She glanced apologetically at her father sitting at the table.

  Her mother took a quivering sip of her tea but did not look at Ashe.

  David reached across the table to grasp his wife’s hand. “Stevie, honey. Our daughter has something to say to you. I think you should listen to her.”

  Ashe spoke again, stronger. “I know you’re worried about me, worried that you’re going to lose me like you lost Dad. If it’s not graduating college or a vampire bite that takes me away from you, it’ll be something else. I have to grow up eventually.”

  “I know,” her mother replied quietly. “Your dad said the same thing. But he doesn't know you like I do. He didn’t watch you grow up. You’re still just a child, Ashe. I mean, look at what happened to you.” Stevie’s eyes filled with fresh tears.

  “Stevie,” David said warningly, but Ashe didn’t need her father’s help with this. She knew what needed to be said and she was no longer too embarrassed to say it face to face.

  “I’m sorry, okay?” Ashe said, her words coming out far harsher than she had meant them to. She forced herself to calm down before continuing. “I blamed you for Dad leaving, but it wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t mine either. I love you and I’m sorry for everything. But you have to start to trust me.”

  “She saved my life,” Peter said suddenly.

  Ashe’s mother looked at Peter as if she had just realized he was there.

  Peter explained. “When I was fighting with Landon, I slipped up and he almost got me, but Ashe saved me. Even frightened and injured, she found the strength to fight. I don’t think you have to worry about sending your daughter out into the world. She’s a fine young woman and she can take care of herself. Besides—” Peter squeezed Ashe’s shoulder— “I’ve already promised her I’ll protect her as long as she lives. That is, of course, if you’re both okay with that.”

  Ashe’s father’s face immediately broke into a smile, but her mother just stared as if she’d been struck in the face.

  “You’re one of them, though,” her mother said.

  Ashe felt red in the cheeks.

  Peter didn’t try to contradict her. “Yes, and so is your husband. Think about what he’s done to protect your family. I will do nothing less for Ashe and you have my word that my clan has made the same promise. No harm will come to her as long as I’m by her side.”

  Stevie went back to staring at her tea. Ashe knew she had a lot to process and wanted to give her the time to do so.

  “Why don’t you go lie down for a bit? You’ve been up all night,” David told his wife. Ashe hoped her mother would take the suggestion, as she looked just as weary as the rest of them. She must have spent all night waiting up for them, not knowing where they were and worried sick.

  Stevie stood unsteadily and teetered past Ashe into the other room. When she was fully out of earshot, David said, “Peter, we need to discuss a few things. First of all, your family.”

  He motioned for the two of them to join him at the kitchen table. Peter took the chair across from her father where her mother had been sitting only moments ago. Ashe, however, declined to sit, instead deciding to busy herself with refilling the pot of tea on the counter.

  David cleared his throat. “I’ve been working for your family for a long time now and I like to think I know them well.” He paused, choosing his words carefully. “Which is why I worry about them. Your clan is fighting a losing battle as it is. How many years have you gone without a live feeding?”

  Ashe purposely clanged the metal teapot down hard on the stovetop to mask any answer Peter might have given. It wasn’t time for her to start digging into his past. He would tell her in his own time.

  “The point is,” David said, sighing. “You may be satisfying the immediate hunger with the blood I provide you, but you’re doing nothing to stop the underlying cravings. Refrigerated blood sucked out of a plastic bag is nothing compared to the warm vitality of the real thing. You have a reason to protect Ashe and the humans around you, but I don’t think your family feels the same way. They’re listening to you for now because they love you, but if they can’t find their own reasons for protecting human life, they’ll soon revert to the old ways.”

  Peter ran a hand through his hair. Ashe could see the long years of his existence in his solemn expression. “My sisters can be impulsive, but they’re not a threat.”

  “Even Penelope?” David asked.

  The teapot started to whistle and Ashe jumped. She quickly took it off the stove.

  Peter replied, “Landon manipulated her. He manipulated all of them. That’s what his clan does. I love your daughter and I barely made it out of there without making an irrevocable mistake. Penelope didn’t know what Ashe means to me, but she knows now. You have my word she won’t harm her.”

  “Then I’ll keep you to your word,” David warned.

  Ashe came over with the teapot and refilled her father’s mug before taking the empty seat by Peter’s side. David nodded at her in thanks. Without his usual hat, he looked almost small. His curly hair came up in wisps from the top of his head, giving him a halo under the kitchen light. Ashe thought about just how delicate they all were, the vampires, even if they were somewhat immortal. They needed Ashe just as she needed them. She would be their reminder of the importance of human life.

  “Landon’s still out there, too,” David said.

  Ashe had a flashback of Landon jumping out the window and running away from the house. He could be anywhere right now.

  Peter frowned. “He’s hurt. He won’t be showing his face any time soon. His clan doesn’t like confrontation. They’ll probably lie low until we leave town.”

  “I still don’t like the idea of them out there,” David said. “It’s too dangerous. We can’t stay in the city.”

  Ashe protested. “I’m not leaving. I want to graduate. You said you would help me pay for my last semesters here.” She was so close to getting her degree and if she moved schools now she’d lose half her credits and be stuck in school another year. Maybe it was okay for Peter to repeat classes over and over, but Ashe didn’t have eternity. She was getting older year by year and she couldn’t stay in school forever.

  David looked sympathetic but shook his head. “I made that promise before I had a chance to think it through. If Landon’s clan is still around, we simply can’t risk it. I won’t put you in danger again.”

  Ashe knew her mother must have said something, and that was why her dad was now second-guessing himself. It was her mother’s worry, not David’s.

  “Believe me, they’re gone,” Peter said. Ashe was relieved to know he was on her side, though she knew it would take more than Peter’s word to convince her parents.

  David sipped his tea. “We’ll see,” he said.

  Peter nodded at Ashe to leave David to his thoughts. Nothing more could be accomplished with all of them as exhausted as they were. He got up from his chair and Ashe followed.

  Once they were alone on the upper landing, Peter said, “Your mom cares about you a lot, even if she can’t say it right now. Your dad does too.”

  “I know,” Ashe replied, pushing open the door to her room. Though she understood why her parents were fighting her, it didn’t make her any more inclined to listen to them.

  Ashe was weary and her bones felt like lead. It seemed like forever since she had last slept. All she could think about was her nice, warm bed. She crawled under the covers, feeling her body sink into the mattress. It was like heaven.

  Peter lingered by the doorway looking unsure of what to do. Ashe pulled back the covers a bit. “I don’t know if your kind naps, but I’d really like you with me right now. I don't think I could sleep otherwise.”

  Peter smiled softly and went to the bed. “Lucky f
or you, we do sleep.” He scooted in beside Ashe and she curled up by his side. His strong arm wrapped around her waist and held her close to him. After everything that had happened, she was glad to have him by her side. The worst was past them and now they could focus on the future. Ashe tried to ignore the worrying thoughts in her head about where Landon had gone and what the rest of his clan was up to. She tried not to feel anger towards Peter’s sisters for something she knew wasn’t their fault: even Penelope who had bitten her. Such problems could wait until after she slept.

  The bite wound in her neck throbbed and her head felt like it was filled with shards of glass, but she let the muscles of her body relax and her mind let go of consciousness. It only took a few minutes of listening to Peter’s even, practiced breathing for Ashe to fall into her own state of relaxation. She didn’t even remember falling asleep.

  It was nearly dark when Peter opened his eyes. He looked at Ashe, who was curled up asleep, with her head nestled in the crook of his arm. She felt so warm against his skin, so alive. Peter was glad that he no longer felt the desire for her blood, not since David gave his clan all the blood that had been promised to Landon’s. Peter had no idea what had happened to Landon’s clan. He was under the impression that most of them had a place out of the city where they spent most of their time. Landon had mentioned such a place in passing before. They would have other sources of blood out there, ones that were not so kind. Peter didn’t want to think about what Landon might be doing, right about now, as the sun was sinking into darkness below the horizon.

  Ashe stirred and moaned. Peter placed a small kiss on her forehead as she woke. She smiled and sat up a bit in bed. “What time is it?” she asked.

  “Almost dark,” Peter replied. He glanced over to her bedside table. “A little after six.”

  Ashe rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sat up more fully. She yawned. All the little human habits she had, like yawning, were a wonder to him. He found them adorable. She also tossed and turned quite a bit in her sleep, Peter had found, and he wondered if her dreams had been troubled with visions of the things that had happened to them. He hoped not.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked her.

  “A little out of it,” Ashe said. “But not tired anymore.”

  Peter glanced toward the curtained windows. He could see a slit of pale bluish light where they hadn’t closed all the way. Apparently the sun had just set.

  “I kept dreaming about Landon,” Ashe said, hugging her arms around herself.

  “Me too,” Peter nodded. He hadn’t dreamed so much as worried. He doubted he had even slept a couple of hours in all that time.

  Ashe brushed down her hair, which had been mussed while she slept. “We need to go back to the house,” she said.

  “The clan will be long gone,” Peter replied. “If they were there at all to begin with.”

  “Maybe there’s something that could tell us where he went, to convince Dad that it’s safe for us to stay here.”

  Peter had to admit that she had a point. Landon would be on the run right now and not thinking straight. He would have fled to any place he knew to be even remotely safe. Maybe there was something at his house that could tell them where the clan spent their time in the country. If it was far enough away, this calmed David’s fears about them coming back any time soon.

  “Okay, but we can’t let your parents know. David wouldn’t want you getting involved in anything dangerous again.”

  Ashe got out of bed and pulled on a sweater before searching for her discarded shoes. The sweater was the black one Peter liked, with the holes in it. She went over to the window and, pulling the curtains aside, shimmied it open. A blast of cold air came in the room, making Ashe draw in a sharp breath.

  “You sure you want to do this?” Peter asked, coming up behind her.

  Ashe nodded. “I won’t be able to rest if we don’t,” she replied.

  There was a tree outside Ashe’s window, its thick branches bearing the last few brown leaves from fall. It wouldn’t be too long before a thin veil of snow replaced the leaves. Ashe climbed through the open window with confidence and lowered herself down until the soles of her shoes made firm contact with a tree branch below.

  “You don’t need any help?” Peter called from above.

  Ashe shook her head and with a look of determination let go of the windowsill. She tottered for a moment before grabbing hold of another branch to her left. She gave a thumbs-up to Peter and then a sign to keep quiet as he followed her. Peter had no trouble navigating the way down to the ground from Ashe’s second story window. He could have easily jumped the distance, but he didn't want to remind Ashe of Landon’s escape. Peter wanted so much to be human for her. If there was a cure for vampirism, he would have taken it in an instant. But there wasn’t and he had to make do and pretend for her sake that he was not so different from her after all.

  Ashe landed on the grass with a soft thud and started off toward her dad’s car, which was sitting in the driveway.

  “You don’t have the keys,” Peter whispered.

  Ashe smiled and reached in the open window. Her hand came back with a ring of keys held in it. “He doesn’t think anyone would steal this piece of junk,” she said. Peter had to admit David was right. It was an old maroon sedan that even a car thief would have been embarrassed to drive to the chop shop.

  Peter got in the passenger seat and Ashe put the car in neutral. It rolled at a snail’s pace backwards down the driveway toward the street.

  “Something tells me you’ve done this before,” Peter commented.

  Ashe only smiled that inscrutable smile of hers that Peter appreciated every time he saw it, even if he didn’t always understand the joke.

  As they neared Landon’s house, Ashe slowed the car. Her face was set into a scowl and she seemed to be building up her courage to make it all the way there. Peter didn’t blame her. He wasn’t so eager to go inside himself. As much as he had reassured everyone that Landon’s clan had fled the city, doubt was starting to creep into his own mind. If somehow they had stayed and were in the house waiting, lurking...

  Ashe parked the car a little ways down the street. There were no lights on in the windows and no sign of anyone, living or dead, inside. The street itself was dead quiet as well and Peter had an eerie sense that many of the houses now sat empty. Landon’s clan might have been far larger than he could have fathomed. Or maybe Landon had been the only one.

  Peter got out of the car and waited for Ashe to join him on the sidewalk. He twined his fingers with hers as they approached the house. Even from afar, they could see that the front door stood ajar. Peter quickened his pace and, when he reached the door, did not hesitate to go inside. Ashe hung back on the doorstep.

  Peter thought he heard her say his name. Her voice had sounded scared.

  “It’s okay,” he reassured, her squeezing her hand.

  Their footsteps were now oddly resonant in the house that had been loud with fighting only hours ago. The empty bags of blood were still strewn about the kitchen, as well as a small black puddle where Penelope had gorged herself. Despite her modest appearance, she could be a complete heathen, Peter thought. As much as he hated to admit it, Ashe was lucky to have gotten away with just a bite wound.

  The kitchen was empty, as was the living room. They made a cursory sweep of the second floor as well but found nothing. When they got to the room where Landon had held Ashe hostage, Peter told her to wait outside.

  “It’s okay,” she said. “I can handle it.”

  The air inside the room was freezing; the window was still open as it had been when Landon had fled. Furniture lay in splintered ruins and the curtains were hanging half-way off the curtain rod.

  “Did we really do all this?” Peter asked. He could barely remember the fight itself, only the desperate need to hurt Landon and protect Ashe at all costs. He also remembered the tang of Ashe’s blood in the air and felt sick to his stomach.

  Ashe appeared
at his side. “Come on, let’s go. There’s nothing here,” she said, taking his arm to lead him out of the room. Peter paused to pick up a broken table leg.

  “Just in case,” he said to Ashe, who was eyeing him with concern.

  It was now pitch dark and Peter wanted more than anything to turn on some lights, but he knew that if the clan was still nearby the lights would be an instant signal of their presence in the house. Ashe stayed close by his side as they searched the rest of the upstairs rooms, never letting go of his arm. She shouldn’t be here, Peter thought. He should have insisted she stay home. But if he had, he would have been no better than her parents. He would have to be able to protect her and trust her at the same time.

  Back downstairs, Peter told Ashe, “We need to find a way down into the basement.”

  “Why?” Ashe asked.

  There was a small study off of the living room that had piqued Peter’s curiosity the first time through. He answered Ashe’s question as he approached it. “Vampires tend to sleep where the sun can’t get to them during the day. Basements are perfect for that. As we get older, we get more sensitive to sunlight. I’m still able to go out during the day fairly normally, but Vanessa, for example, wouldn’t survive a sunny day. Landon’s clan would have holed up somewhere underground until nightfall.”

  “It’s already dark,” Ashe pointed out.

  “Then we don’t have much time.”

  Peter started searching the desk in the center of the room while Ashe wandered over to the wall of bookshelves on the side. Peter marveled at how she was drawn to the books even at a time like this. He could hear Ashe muttering to herself as her finger traced the spines of the dusty old tomes.

  Peter pulled open drawer after drawer, looking for anything that could tell him where the clan’s hideaway was. If he could find that, there would be no need to go down into the basement. He could torch the house and then go to their lair in the country and take care of the remaining survivors. It would be easy to do and Ashe would never need to know.