Dracian Legacy

by Kanaparti, Priya

  I turned to glare at her, hoping to burn her alive. Who needed a nose-butting best friend anyway?

  Axel chuckled. “I’m Axel.”

  “Sooo,” Pey drawled. “How do you know each other?” She arched her eyebrow with suspicion.

  I jabbed her in the ribs and turned to Axel. “What are you doing here?”

  Axel reached out and secured a lose strand of my hair behind my ear. I stared at him wide-eyed, my head spinning. However simple the gesture was, it felt intimate. It wasn’t like there was anything going on between us… was there? He flashed a sideways grin that melted my embarrassment away.

  He walked around me and held a chair, gesturing for me to have a seat. It didn’t go unnoticed that he didn’t answer my question, only distracted me enough to avoid responding. He seemed to be good at that.

  Avoiding questions.

  As I took a seat, I noticed Pey watching us without missing a beat of his chivalry. She winked at me as she continued with her conversation.

  “…quiz by the end of the week. I really don’t care how our cells work,” said Pey, irritated.

  “You have Mr. Webet for biology? You’ll love him!” Ella shrieked with excitement.

  “No. See. I love these fries. I love my hair up with braids. I don’t and will never as long as I live love biology.”

  “A little dramatic, don’t you think?”

  “Shut up, Dean.” A few fries flew in his direction.

  “How did school man-whore hook up with school geek, anyway?” Christian asked.

  Dean leaned down and gave Ella another kiss. “A gentleman never kisses and tells.”

  “Well then, that shouldn’t be a problem for you, should it?” I crooned.

  He gave me the most endearing look, which made me blush. Then he looked away, chuckling.

  Jerk.

  Dean was the most-wanted hunk-a-dunk sex-on-a-stick that strutted around school and anywhere else like he owned the place. He was way too gorgeous and his luscious faux-hawk head full of jet-black hair, bright blue eyes, and bad boy looks didn’t help his inflated ego.

  And worst of all, he knew it. He knew just how much he affected the girls. Sometimes, I thought he even knew how much he affected me. I hated the fact that my heart fluttered when our eyes met or when he smiled at me or how his touch sent a soothing sensation through me.

  Girls knew he was a heartbreaker and yet they threw themselves at him. Some had claimed he was a sex god and being with him even for a night was worth the suffering.

  As if…

  “I see you guys have met my boy Axel here?” Tyler said.

  “Dude. Don’t. Ever. Call me your boy,” Axel responded, elbowing him in the gut. Hard.

  “Yeah, like that’s ever going to happen.” Tyler chuckled with a pat on Axel’s shoulder.

  “Ren,” Axel said. “Can we talk?”

  I nodded. “Bye, guys. Gotta run,” I quickly said to my lunch buddies, shouldering my book bag. I followed Axel.

  My heart raced with excitement as we slowly pulled away from the crowd. He stopped right before the gymnasium and turned around. We stood there, silently, making me feel more uneasy.

  “I see stalking is your hobby. Perhaps I should consider a restraining order?” Good God. What the hell is wrong with me? I’m always finding different ways to make a complete ass of myself.

  His eyes locked with mine and a delicious smile formed over his lips. “If I knew you were friends with Tyler, I wouldn’t have stalked you.”

  I gasped. Oh!

  He chuckled.

  My heartbeat quickened. A thousand butterflies bloomed in my gut as his laugh wrapped its tendrils into the core of my existence.

  “Well, finally a confession,” I said, biting my lip to hold back a smile.

  “Do you have any plans after school today?”

  I shook my head.

  “Okay. If you’d like, I want to answer your questions.”

  Finally.

  I tilted my head to the side, looking at him through my eyelashes. We were a few breaths away from each other and my gaze dropped to his delicious lips.

  “Okay.”

  He nodded in approval.

  “Nuh-uh… No way I’m getting on that thing.” My voice trembled.

  Pey and I have been carpooling since we both got our licenses. Today, Pey drove us to school. So, letting Axel drive us where he wanted to take me for the big reveal seemed logical. That was until I stood in front of his ride. It was a blood-red motorbike with designer black markings. The passenger seat was… Well, there really wasn’t one. I might as well have crawled onto his lap.

  He handed me his helmet. “Come on, Ren, Dulcea is safe.”

  “No… Wait, you named your bike Dulcea?” I laughed, momentarily distracted.

  “Shh…” He rubbed his hand over her. “She has feelings.”

  “Whatever. I’m not riding your Dulcea.” Savannah and Rachel, queen elite gossip cheerleaders, walked by just as those words slipped out of my mouth.

  Kill me. Kill me now!

  They looked to Axel, then me, and then back at him. They walked backward, giving me a thumbs-up and giggling. My cheeks were on fire.

  Axel graced me with the cutest little pout, completely oblivious to what happened.

  “Fine. But if my head splits open like a watermelon, it’s on your conscience,” I said.

  And. Then. He. Smiled.

  My heart filled with joy, like a bucket of warm water. I didn’t know why and it was utterly ridiculous and I was definitely high on dead brain cells, but in that moment, I knew what I wanted. I wanted him to keep smiling and I would do everything in my power to make him do so. I never knew seeing someone else smile would be enough for me. I liked it.

  Screw that. I liked it a lot, especially when it was… because of me. For me.

  I took the helmet from his hands and placed it over my head.

  “Where are we going?” I asked.

  “Well…”

  His cheeks turned red as he placed his hand behind his neck, looking nervous. There was nothing more gorgeous than that! My fingers fumbled with the straps of the helmet, trying to adjust it on my soon-to-be watermelon mush.

  “Here, let me,” he said.

  He closed the distance between us. I stiffened and held my breath as he buckled the helmet under my chin. His fingers gracefully touched my skin along my jawline. My eyes studied him. They were in exotic Candy Land. That was for sure.

  I wondered what he would do if I reached up and kissed him right on those delicious lips. He had to be a great kisser. I mean, who would have lips like that and not know how to use them to their full extent?

  You freak, get a grip. I’m pretty sure you’d get arrested for attempted rape.

  Apparently, mentally slapping myself wasn’t enough, so I mentally drop-kicked myself in the gut.

  “Now your pretty head is safe.” He patted the helmet.

  I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. He smiled enthusiastically, crinkles drawing at the corners of his eyes. I gaped at him without shame as he straddled Dulcea before his eyes locked with mine.

  “One leg at a time, Ren. Here first.” He pointed to the foot pegs.

  Okay. Here we go, then. I hesitated. After all, he was a very hot guy and my body was about to get up close and personal with his. I sighed deeply before carefully placing one leg on the foot peg and then swinging the other over the seat.

  “Hold on,” he said, looking back at me with a twinkle in his bright blue eyes.

  I nodded and placed my arms on his waist, trying to keep some distance between us.

  His shoulders vibrated. Was he laughing at me? “I don’t bite, unless…” He shook his head like he was trying to purge that thought.

  Unless what? His hands grabbed my wrists and pulled them around to the front of his stomach. My front was flush against his back and I sucked in a surprised breath. My body hummed at the contact. Everything around me zeroed in on him, hi
s body against mine, his smell that reminded me of spring, his touch… I cleared my throat.

  He overlapped my hands one on top of the other over his abs—his rock-hard abs. My heart thumped against his back as I pressed against him even tighter and my thighs lined against the length of his legs. I blew out another breath to shake off the nerves from the intimacy of the touch.

  “Lean in the same direction I do,” he instructed, almost in a hoarse whisper. He cranked the brute and I could feel every rumble. I was dreading the ride before it even began. He placed his hand on my bare knee to soothe me.

  “I’ve got you, Ren. Trust me. Hold on.”

  “I trust you,” I whispered. I didn’t know when or why it happened, but that was the truth.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  “Stop. Stop. Stop,” I yelled as it started to drizzle.

  The bike came to an abrupt stop. Axel turned to me with a concerned expression and a crease between his brows. “Is everything okay?”

  I nodded with a wicked smile, taking off the helmet and handing it to him. I dismounted the bike easily.

  “It’s going to pour soon, Ren.”

  That was precisely why I needed him to stop. Rain in August was very rare so I had every intention of enjoying it. I ran forward, arms wide open and face tilted toward the sky as small droplets welcomed me with soft kisses of unspoken peace.

  I kicked and jumped and ran in the puddles, embracing the cold raindrops washing over my face, arms, and entire body. I felt like I was five again. This felt amazing. I had been grounded countless times for playing in the rain and getting sick. But it was worth it every time. There was nothing like the feel of cold rain kissing my skin on a hot summer day.

  I twirled around as the shower came to an end. I scowled at the sky for taking away my serenity so soon. Axel stared at me, equally drenched. His brown hair drooped over his eyes and his shirt hugged every ripple and contour of his body. I wondered how long it took God to create that sculpture.

  I bit my lip to keep myself from saying something stupid. It was hard to breathe when he looked at me like that, like I was someone he’d been longing for.

  “What?” I asked, walking toward him.

  “You’re ridiculous—”

  Heat crept up my face. “Well, you’re a pompous ass.”

  He surprised me with a smile. He parked his bike off the side of the road in the gravel and walked toward me—every step measured and decisive.

  “You’re ridiculously beautiful,” he said, tucking a strand of my wet hair behind my ear.

  My heart pounded against my ribcage. His eyes stared into mine. Why is he looking at me like that? The backs of his fingers grazed my cheek gently. I swallowed hard at his tender touch. He dropped his hand and leaned in closer. A whiff of his scent engulfed my senses. I inhaled deeply and sighed. Blood rushed faster and time froze, pushing everything else into oblivion. It was just him and me.

  His lips moved against my ear seductively. “We’re here.”

  Sweet. Lord.

  “You coming?” he called over his shoulder, chuckling.

  One word snuck into my head. Addiction.

  “Do you trust me?” Axel asked in a thoughtful voice.

  Emotions I never thought possible surfaced when I was around him. I felt vulnerable. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for him. This new revelation scared me senseless. Why now? Why him?

  Why? Why? Why?

  “I’m here, aren’t I?”

  He smiled that smile that could easily break millions of hearts, including mine. “Close your eyes,” he instructed, holding my hand, leading the way into the mysterious cave.

  He was precise in providing instructions on things to watch out for—step down or up, move to the right or left, etc.

  I trusted him completely and knew deep down that he would die before anything happened to me. Who was I kidding? That is what I wanted to believe. God knows he didn’t feel that way.

  His soft lips grazed my ear. Again. “Open your eyes, Meus Aeternus.”

  I think I just turned into a… Yup. Puddle of useless ooze. God, what was he trying to do me?

  I slowly opened my eyes to a breathtaking view. My words were lost in my throat. I didn’t know what to say. This was what heaven must look like. I was sure of it. I held onto his hand tighter as I ran forward to explore.

  “What is this place?” I asked, trying to figure out if it was real.

  The cave was large enough to hold at least a thousand partygoers. There was a little pond in the middle about ten feet wide. Lotuses bloomed beautifully in the middle. Trees decorated the ancient walls of the cave with flowers I’d never seen. I could smell a combination of honeysuckle, jasmine, lotus, the breeze over pure water…

  The smell of spring. The smell of Axel, I noted.

  My senses were in hyper drive. It felt exhilarating. I was joyful. I was at peace. I looked up to find an opening drawing in the last of the sunlight. If gods were to descend, this would be the place. It was purely magical. It felt like home.

  I turned around to find Axel staring at me, possibly concluding I was insane.

  “What?” I asked, embarrassed.

  I started to pull my hand back, but he tightened his grip and squeezed. “It feels complete.” Now that you’re here, his eyes whispered.

  I sucked in a breath, my heart kicking into high gear. That wasn’t what I expected him to say. All the same, at that moment, my obsession intensified.

  Great. Just. Freaking. Great.

  “Thank you… for this. I don’t think I’ve ever been so awestruck by nature.”

  He continued to watch me with an ethereal look on his face.

  When he didn’t respond, I cleared my throat and took a seat by the pond. I ran my fingers back and forth in the cold water, creating a soothing rhythm. He walked over and sat next to me.

  “God is bipolar,” I said.

  “What?” His voice was low and surprised.

  “I mean, how can he create something as astonishing as this and also create those things? Goarder, I think you said?” I shivered, remembering the blood-red eyes, sharp teeth, and snake-like tongues.

  “Ying, yang, good, evil. It’s the balance of life. It keeps the universe moving forward.” He shrugged. “When the scales tip one way or another, nature takes control to balance it out. I think that’s how we Kshadrias were initially born,” he said carefully.

  Kshadria, I thought. That’s what he is.

  Axel leaned back on his elbows and looked at the sky above us as he spoke. I tilted my chin up, taking in the beauty of the darkened sky. The sun had gone down, leaving us with millions of sparkling stars and the moon illuminating the sky.

  Breathtaking. Beautiful.

  I sighed tranquilly.

  “Tell me your story, Axel. I want to know… about you.” All of you, I thought.

  My head turned to him and our eyes found each other’s.

  His were pale blue, as if he was troubled and conflicted, like he was fighting an inner battle. Then his features relaxed. I saw the determination and knew his mind was made up.

  “I want you to know me. Ren, I need you…” He shook his head.

  My heart did funny things. I knew it was stupid since I barely knew the guy, but I couldn’t control what my damned heart or hormones wanted.

  “Once you’ve heard it, if you want nothing to do with me, I’ll never bother you again.”

  I considered what he was saying. Why would it matter what I wanted? No matter what he said, it wouldn’t change how I felt. And it was the strongest feeling I ever experienced toward anyone.

  There was no doubt in my mind. I wanted to know him. “Are you human?”

  He lay back and concentrated on the night sky. A cool breeze passed around me.

  He let out another deep sigh.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “We’re a race of humans called Kshadria, consisting of Dracians and Telalians,” Axel said. “I’m a Dracian.”

  I r
aised my eyebrows.

  “We’re kind of like Asians or Europeans or African Americans, only our race is gifted with blue eyes and the ability to control and command magic.” He cleared his throat and continued. “There are four distinct groups. First, we have Charmers. Most of them are in leadership, teaching, or medical roles, providing us guidance, knowledge, and protection through herbs, amulets, and charms. Then we have the Sorcerers. Sorcerers utilize magic within themselves and their surroundings to protect our kind.”

  “What kind of magic?”

  “The Charmers can use herbs to reduce fever, while the Sorcerers can use Reiki, the ability to manipulate the mind to achieve the same results almost instantly.”

  “So, why not just use that magic all the time to cure diseases?” If such power existed, it should be used to help others, not stay hidden.

  Axel laughed, almost to say, Isn’t it obvious?

  “Other than the fact balance needs to be maintained, Reiki utilizes the Sorcerers’ own energy bank to heal the injured.” I looked at him questioningly. He lifted his right hand. “Remember my stab wound from the Goarder?”

  I nodded, shuddering as I remembered those nightmares—Goarders.

  “I used Reiki to heal it. I used part of my energy, my essence to heal myself. If I got hurt beyond repair, it would take a lot more to recover.”

  “What happens if you lose all of your essence? Will you, like, putrefy or something?” I asked with more curiosity.

  “Not necessarily. See, we can fuel ourselves with time or by the food we consume.” He laughed. “So, if you ever see me eating like I haven’t eaten in years, well, now you know. Now if you see Tyler doing that…” He paused. “Well, that’s just Tyler being a pig.”

  We both laughed. Realization dawned on me. Axel just mentioned Tyler. He was a super? How did…?

  “Tyler’s…?”

  “Yeah, and it really doesn’t help his alter-ego issues.” He chuckled, running his fingers through his hair sheepishly. “I don’t know how we’re even related.”

  “Wait, you and Tyler are related?” Broken record much?