Fire In Their Hearts

by Lilly Wilder

  “I know it’s difficult to believe but I promise you that this is real.”

  “How?”

  “Dragons have been a species for thousands of years. Our numbers have dwindled significantly. To save ourselves, we learned to blend in with humans. So, with time, the humans thought us extinct and we became a legend.” Vern explained as he nibbled on a chocolate frosted donut.

  “So, you’re telling me that there could be a bunch of dragons just walking around town right now.”

  “That’s correct.”

  She got up and started to pace back and forth. “And how did you get involved in all this?” She stopped to look at me. “I mean, what convinced you that it would be a good idea to have a relationship with two – not one – but two – dragons?”

  “Well, that’s just how they operate.”

  “Oh, of course it is.” Becky threw up her hands. “I didn’t know dragons were fans of threesomes. Is there something wrong with monogamy?”

  “Nothing at all,” Lyle interjected. “And for most species, it works but for dragons, having two male partners allows further protection for offspring.”

  “Offspring?” Becky bellowed. “Please don’t tell me you’re pregnant.”

  “Please, you’re taking this out of proportion.” I took her by the shoulders but she pulled away.

  “I think I have a right to react this way. You had a threesome with dragons!” She held her head in her hands. “Now that’s a sentence I never thought I would say.” She paused. “Have you lost your mind?”

  “Um… well… have you seen them?” I said in a meek whisper. “It’s kind of hard to say no when two Greek Gods want to take you to bed.”

  She froze in place, considering my words. Suddenly, she turned around, eyes wandering over the bodies of my boyfriends. “Do all dragons look like you? I mean, physically?”

  “For the most part,” Lyle answered. “We are required to train from a young age so we can protect our clan.”

  “Clan?”

  “It’s where we live.” Vern was on his third donut but even as he stuffed his face, he managed to answer her.

  “So, there’s a lot more of you?”

  “About fifty or so.”

  “And how many are available…?”

  “Oh, so now you’re interested.” I poked her side.

  “Hey, you said it yourself, these two are hot as hell. If there’s a chance I can hook up with someone half as hot as they are, I’ll be one lucky girl.”

  “I can tell you that mating with dragons is one of the highest honors,” Lyle said. “We are proud people and we choose our women very carefully. For that reason, we cherish and protect them. You’d be in very good hands.”

  “I’ll be the judge of that,” Becky said. “Now when do I get to meet these so-called dragons.”

  “Right now, if you’d like to accompany us. Ari has to receive her blessing from the elders so she can carry our children.” Vern licked his fingers of frosting.

  “Children? Seriously?”

  I nodded. “You know I’ve always wanted kids.”

  “Aren’t you moving a little too fast?” She asked, suddenly serious. “I mean, you’ve only known them for a short period of time.”

  I shook my head. “It’s a feeling that I can’t really explain to you.”

  She studied my face, her brows knitted together in confusion.

  “But I just know that this is the right thing to do.”

  She rested her hand on top of mine. “If that’s how you feel then I will support you every step of the way.”

  Chapter 24: Lyle

  “We should get going. The blessing ceremony occurs at high noon,” I said. “And the sooner Ari receives her blessing, the sooner we can start a family.” I never thought I’d be able to say those words. They filled me with such happiness.

  The girls followed us into the yard where I did a full transformation. Becky was nearly knocked off her feet with surprise. “Whoa… he looks like he belongs in a movie or something!” She inched forward. “Can I touch him?”

  I nodded and craned my neck so my head was right in front of her. With a trembling hand, she reached forward and pressed her palm against my snout.

  Once she pulled away, I picked up Ari and she climbed into place.

  “I can’t believe this is actually happening…” Becky mumbled underneath her breath.

  Ari held out her hand and helped her friend.

  “All set?” Vern asked.

  “Mhm.” Ari had a bright smile on her face and it only got wider as we took off towards the clouds.

  “Holy shit!” Becky screamed as she held on for dear life. “Can you tell him to slow the fuck down?”

  Ari laughed. “Faster!”

  “This isn’t funny!” Becky protested.

  By the sound of it, Becky was on the verge of shitting her pants and Ari was getting quite a kick out of tormenting her friend. Figuring I would add fuel to the fire, I swooped down low before doing a spiraling twist toward the heavens.

  “He’s trying to kill us!” Becky dug her nails into my scales.

  “He’s just having some fun.” Ari patted the side of my neck in a sign of thanks.

  All too soon, our fun was over. I touched down. Becky was quick to scramble to the ground. Her knees knocked together as she struggled to stand. Her face was pale and her eyes were close to bulging out of their sockets. “You know what? I think that dating a dragon might not be the best thing for me. I don’t really think they’re my type.”

  “You’re already here, you might as well give it a shot.” Ari dragged her forward.

  “Do you think this was a good idea?” I whispered over at Vern once I transformed into my human form.

  “Absolutely. I haven’t laughed this much in a long time.”

  “I wonder how the elders are going to react.” I thought aloud.

  “I doubt they’ll give it much thought. In fact, they might thank us for it. If Becky finds herself some suitable mates, then that just means our clan will grow. We need some whelps in our folds if we are going to survive.”

  “You have a point.”

  We had reached the great bonfire. Ari was pushing her friend toward one of the other alphas. He was one of the strongest warriors and handled the front lines whenever there was a major battle. I could tell by his stance alone that he felt an instant connection. “Leave them be,” I whispered in Ari’s ear. “And let the chips fall where they may.”

  “Oh, come on, I have to see this.” Ari protested.

  “It’s rude to stare.” Vern backed me up and together we dragged her toward the elder hut.

  As always, they were in the middle of a prayer. Patiently, we waited for them to finish. Only then did they look up and acknowledged us. “You have returned.”

  “We have,” I answered. “And we have brought a new member to our clan.” I motioned to the mark on her chest. “Last night, the Aetos attempted to imprint on her but we broke the bond.”

  Our leader rose to his feet. The headdress he wore seemed a little too big but he held it with poise as he shuffled over to us, relying heavily on the support of his staff. “Ah. Then it was a mark of true love.”

  I nodded. “We realized the risk.”

  “Were you aware you could have died?” He asked Ari.

  “Yes. They told me.”

  “And you decided to mate with them regardless?”

  “Yes.”

  The elder offered a smile. “Then you are indeed their one true mate.” He lowered his head. “And I welcome you into our clan. We will begin the ceremony shortly. The clan sisters will assure that you are properly prepared.”

  “Thank you.” Ari showed our leader her utmost respect, almost like she had been raised under dragon law all her life. “But may I have a moment with my mates?”

  “Certainly.”

  We stepped outside.

  “Is somethin
g wrong?” Vern was the first to ask.

  “It’s just… I’ve been thinking.” She fidgeted with her fingers. “This ceremony is the okay for us to start having children, right?’

  “Correct,” I answered.

  “And I want to have children, I really do, but… I’d like to wait a little bit.”

  “May I ask why?” I pressed, trying to get inside her head.

  She ran her tongue across her lips, wetting them. “Well, I feel like there is so much I want to do with the two of you. I want to explore the world. I want to live my fullest life and a child, at least right now, would only get in the way of that.” She shifted her weight to her opposite foot. “What I’m trying to say is that I’m not ready to settle down.”

  Vern stepped forward. “And that’s nothing to apologize for. We’ll wait as long as we need to until you’re ready.”

  “We’ll never force you to do anything,” I added. “That is the difference between this clan and the Aetos. We listen to our women and do what is necessary to keep them happy.”

  “So, you aren’t angry with me because I want to hold off on having kids?”

  “Not at all,” I assured her. “We will start our family when you’re ready.”

  “Lucky, dragons have built-in birth control. If at least one of us pulls out, you’ll never get pregnant.” Vern chuckled. “And next time, it’s your turn.” He pointed at me.

  “Hey, I’m the alpha here.”

  “Last time I checked, we were partners.” Vern countered. “Which means it would only be fair if we switched off.”

  “He has a point,” Ari said. “There’s no need to be so greedy.”

  “It’s not my fault,” I whispered against her neck. “I just can’t get enough of you.”

  Chapter 25: Ari

  The clan sisters made me feel like royalty. A few of them brushed through my hair while a couple of artists painted my arms with a bright red dye. It reminded me of a henna tattoo I had gotten at a festival once, only this was much more ornate.

  I watched them work, mesmerized by their skill. “Where did you learn to do that?” I asked.

  “My mother taught me,” the woman on the right answered.

  “And she taught me.” Other pointed at the first. “You see, I’m an outsider, just as you are but the clan is very loving and accepting. I felt like a member of the family in a short amount of time.” She smiled. “Everyone helps everyone out. It’s nothing like the outside work where everyone’s at each other’s throats.”

  I listened to her words. It was almost like she radiated with happiness. Was this what happened when a girl joined up with the dragons?

  “There.” They said in unison.

  I examined their handiwork. “That’s amazing.”

  “Now for your dress.” They helped me slip it on. The fabric hugged my body in the most intimate of ways. It flowed beautifully, like living water lapping against my skin. “You look stunning,” said the oldest woman. “You will make a fine addition to our clan.”

  I beamed at her compliment.

  The final touch was for them to weave roses into my hair to symbolize the fiery blood now coursing through my veins. With that complete, I was led outside.

  On my way to the great bonfire, I passed Becky. She waved and pointed excitedly at her newest catch.

  I chuckled underneath my breath hoping she could find the happiness I felt.

  There wasn’t enough time to check out her partners because I was swallowed by the growing crowd. They urged me forward.

  I held my breath as I saw the flames licking the sky and the eldest of the clan standing before them. He held a great big tome in his hands that looked like it must weigh a ton. Yet, despite his age, he held it with a steady hand.

  He looked up. His eyes were a milky blue. If I had to guess, he was partially blind. “Come forth, my child.” He beckoned with a wave of his wrist. He seemed to stare right into my soul, making me feel vulnerable.

  My steps were small and shaky but I managed to reach my destination. It was then that I noticed that both Lyle and Vern were standing on the other side. They wore nothing but small pieces of fabric around their hips. Everything else was exposed from their broad hips to their muscular thighs. My face flushed as erotic thoughts flashed through my mind.

  Not now, I chastised myself. Not in front of all these people.

  But I just couldn’t keep my eyes off them. They looked like Gods ready for battle. Their skin was bronzed and painted with the same design I had creeping up my arms.

  The elder cleared his throat which helped direct my attention away from my attractive partners.

  He opened his mouth and was about to say something but all of a sudden, a horrible gust of wind tore through the land, extinguishing the great fire.

  Some of the women shrieked and pointed at the sky. “Aetos!” Someone called out.

  Chaos exploded through the crowd as everyone scattered in different directions.

  My eyes widened with horror as I watched one man getting swept off his feet and thrown into the air. A second later, a dragon rushed in and gobbled him up. I swear, I heard his bones crack.

  Lyle picked me up and ran off with me. “What’s happening?”

  “We’re being attacked,” he said. “Aetos had this all planned, I am sure of it. Everyone has been gathered for the ceremony so our defenses were done.”

  “You mean, I caused this?”

  “No,” Vern added. “This isn’t your fault.”

  “But if I hadn’t…”

  “Shh.” He silenced me. “We’re going to handle this. Don’t you worry.”

  I glanced beyond Lyle’s shoulder and saw the clan getting ripped apart. Horrible gusts of wind tore through houses while green-colored dragons terrorized all those who were defenseless.

  “Now, I need you to stay here. Do not make a sound and do not come out under any circumstances. Do you hear me.” Lyle looked me in the eyes. “I need you to help win this fight and I cannot do that if I am worried about your well-being.”

  “I can’t just let you go out there and get yourselves killed!” I protested. “What if I never see you again?”

  “Jeez, I thought you’d have a little bit more faith in us than that,” Vern said, feigning offense. “We are trained dragons. We know how to hold our own in a fight.”

  Tears welled up in my eyes. “I’m just scared of losing you,” I whispered. “I feel like I only just got to know you and now you’re being ripped away from me.”

  He wrapped his arms around my body and held me close. “Nothing is going to happen to us. You just have to trust us on this one.” He planted a gentle kiss on my lips. “Now, don’t worry yourself too much. I don’t want that hair of yours to go gray.”

  I punched his arm and he laughed.

  “We will see you in a bit.” Lyle kissed the top of my head. He then transformed into a dragon and off he went. I sunk against the cave wall and listened to the sounds of battle. I felt so useless and helpless.

  There had to be something I could do to help.

  But I was just a normal human girl. I couldn’t sprout wings or spit out a fire.

  I was completely and utterly helpless.

  Chapter 26: Vern

  Anger raged inside my soul. The Aetos were really getting on my nerves. First, they had tried to take away my mate and now they were threatening the safety of my people.

  Despite my role as a beta, I did my part to protect the women and children. All those who opposed me were met with my marksmanship. That’s right, dragons have guns too. They are pretty damn effective at piercing through dragon hide. All you have to do is aim at the right place and…

  Bang!

  I fired at an incoming Aetos, hitting their underbelly. The pain of it sent them crashing to the ground. Lyle was quick to swoop in and take them by the talons. The enemy dragon didn’t stand a chance.

  “Shouldn’t you leave the f
ighting to the alphas?” Came a voice as vile as sewer water. I turned around and came face to face with Hector.

  “You’re the one behind this, aren’t you?” Without another word, I held up my gun and fired. He was quick – quicker than I expected.

  Before I could stop him, he had his hand around my throat. His fingers tightened in a choke hold as he lifted me off the ground. Desperate to free myself, I flailed my legs but they didn’t make contact with his body.

  I became lightheaded with the lack of air. My vision blurred.

  Was this the end?

  Hector laughed and it raised the hairs on the back of my neck. “I always knew you were pathetic, I just had no idea you were this bad. You’re nothing more than a bug. And do you know what happens to bugs? They get squished.”

  At that moment, I managed to throw a good enough punch that it threw him off balance. He stumbled back and wiped the blood from his mouth.

  On the ground, I gasped for air, unable to get up.

  The tip of his boot came flying into my midsection. “I’m going to have so much fun torturing that mate of yours,” he snarled as he kicked me again and again and again.

  I coughed up blood. This guy was going to kill me and it seemed there was nothing I could do to stop him. That’s when I spotted my gun. It was just within reach. I stretched out my arm only to have him stomp on my hand.

  Pain shot through my joints. He had broken something, that much I was sure of.

  “She was supposed to be mine, you know, but she wasn’t really my type. I just wanted a reason to invade your clan. And it worked. Every alpha of the Aetos is at my disposal. They have killed countless of your members already.”

  “No…”

  “Oh, yes.” He leaned down and grabbed me by the chin. “And do you know who was one of the first to go? She begged for her life and pleaded with me but I couldn’t stand that annoying little voice of hers, so I ended her right then and there.” His smile became sinister. “I think her name was Jordan.”

  My eyes widened. “You bastard!” Hearing about the death of my sister made me lose it. A newfound strength coursed through me as I lunged at the enemy leader. I have no idea who took over at that moment but I hacked and I slashed until there was nothing left. Hector died choking on his own goddamn blood.