Midnight_Nightmare Dragons

by Terry Bolryder

  He was good. Lillian knew. And especially compared to this other creature that apparently shared the same blood.

  Nathan had confused her and she’d run from him, but she’d never been able to hate him in her heart. Not even at the most difficult moments.

  It had torn her apart to leave him, but he’d scared her and she hadn’t known what to do.

  Even if she did love him, could she really condone a killer? Even if he did it for the best of reasons? To her, human life was sacred.

  “I can see it now, the disgust on your face,” the creature said angrily. “Your kind would dare to look down on us when you’re all filthy, disgusting creatures who deserve to be our prey.”

  She glared up at him, frustrated. “If you want to feed on us so bad, why haven’t you?”

  “I’m trying to figure that out,” it said, still pacing. It sniffed the air again. “You aren’t good because you left Nathan. But I don’t sense any darkness in your heart.” His eyes darted to Sasha. “And even less in the cream puff behind you.”

  Sasha let out an angry noise of alarm.

  “So it wouldn’t behoove me to eat you, at least until I figure out how you’re hiding what’s in your heart.”

  “So you wouldn’t be able to feed on me?” Lillian asked.

  The thing groaned, rolling its eyes. “Of course I could if I didn’t mind getting indigestion.”

  But Lillian wasn’t so sure this thing was as bad as it wanted to be.

  “So you’re Nathan’s brother.”

  It nodded, seeming almost taken aback that she was showing any interest.

  “And you haven’t been living like him. What have you been doing?”

  It blinked, sideways eyelids closing quickly before the top and bottom ones did as well.

  Holy shit.

  “That’s none of your concern.” The creature’s face distorted in disgust, and it took a step back as she stared at it. “We aren’t your kind. We never will be. You are only our prey.”

  She stood, feeling oddly brave as she walked closer. “You… aren’t as bad as you say you are.”

  “Shut up, human,” the thing said harshly, but it took another step back, putting a clawed hand out. “You want to make every monster into a hero, but sometimes that’s just not possible. Everything I am is the dark.”

  She took another step. This was Nathan’s brother. Inside that creature was something like Nathan, something that felt things, that had no one to connect with, that stood all alone.

  Even if she didn’t understand their exact purpose, they were still living beings with feelings of their own.

  “It must be hard,” she said quietly, looking at this thing, thinking about Nathan being one of them. Thinking of a lifetime of hiding something most would consider so terrifying, so ugly.

  Stalking in the darkness.

  Tenderness welled in her as she thought about Nathan, about his struggles to be normal. About the way he looked at news conferences, trying desperately to fit in.

  Even before she’d met him, she’d known he was hiding something.

  And what would she have done if she were born like him? Could she say she’d be any different? Could she even say she’d be as good as Nathan? It was more likely she’d be angry and cold and alone like the creature before her eyes.

  A creature that looked extremely uncomfortable in the face of her compassion.

  “Don’t pity me, human. I’m stronger than you could ever imagine, and I will kill you to stop you from hurting my brother. Even if it makes me sick.”

  “You care about him,” she said softly, still walking toward the monster as it backed toward the edge of the roof. Outlined by moonlight, she studied its form again and didn’t find it nearly so terrifying.

  “Shut up,” it said harshly. “Just shut up right now.”

  “You saw I was interviewing him—”

  “Stalking him,” the thing corrected.

  “Anyway, you saw I was trying to figure him out.”

  “You aren’t the first one,” it said. “But you’re the first to be so damn persistent.”

  “Lillian, be careful,” Sasha called out in warning, a tremor in her voice.

  “Stay out of this, snack. I’ll get to you later.”

  Lillian heard scuffling and looked back to see Sasha scrambling to her feet and walking up alongside her, rolling up her sleeves.

  “No,” Sasha said, looking up defiantly. “You’re not going to hurt my friend. Not without hurting me, too.”

  The thing stared down at her with utter disgust. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a less evil creature.” He said it as if it were a bad thing. “But as to eating both of you, yeah, that was the idea.”

  Sasha let out a little squeak but bit her lip, and Lillian placed a reassuring hand on her friend’s arm.

  “You can run,” Lillian said.

  “I’m not going.”

  “How sweet,” the thing said, its tone dripping with sarcasm. It clasped its clawed hands in front of its chest. “Now the humans are going to put on a little play about love and compassion.” Its hands dropped and clenched into fists, and its eyes narrowed to blood-red slits. “Too bad it’s going to make you taste terrible.”

  The creature raised its hand, and Lillian’s heart sank as she recognized it as the gesture Nathan had made when he was going to use his sleeping power on her.

  Her heart ached, knowing she’d never get to talk to Nathan again, tell him she believed him, try to find a way to understand all that he was.

  “Will you tell Nathan—” She was cut off harshly by the creature.

  “No, I won’t. You hated him, were disgusted by him. I don’t want him to remember you any longer than he has to.”

  “I know how I acted. I know I was scared. But I wish I could see him just once more, tell him how impressed I am by how well he did in comparison to how things could have been.” She gave the creature a meaningful look. “It’s amazing with how he was born that he still managed to open his heart.” She sighed. “I still pity you for everything you’ve gone through. For the loneliness I can see in your eyes.”

  “Shut up,” it said, nearly screaming at her. “Shut up! I don’t need your pity!”

  “But you have it,” she said quietly. “Just like Nathan will always have my love.” She closed her eyes and felt warmth move through her as she thought of his face. “I just wish I hadn’t been scared. I just wish I had a chance to make it all better.” She swallowed tightly, trying not to blame herself for being scared. Knowing anyone would be.

  But despite all that, she desperately wanted to try again, to find a way to help him, to do something together in this world that would make them both be less alone.

  “I truly do love him. I just wish he knew.” She braced herself for the wave of sleep, knowing death would inevitably follow.

  But then the roof shook as something large crashed down onto it, and she turned in shock to see another creature striding toward them, straightening to its full height as its wings unfurled.

  “Let her go,” the new creature said quietly in a voice that was so like Nathan’s that it took Lillian’s breath away.

  “I guess he knows,” Nathan’s brother said with a sneer.

  Lillian and Sasha stumbled back as the two monsters circled, but as she looked up at the thing that she knew deep down was Nathan, she was surprised to feel no fear.

  Now that he was here, nothing would happen to her. It was just who he was, and the feeling in the air when he was around was the same as when he looked more human.

  She stared right at his tall, intimidating form and was surprised that she didn’t feel any less love. He was Nathan who helped children, Nathan who could have been living a life of luxury yet was showing up at fires and robberies.

  He was unlike anything in the world, and he was hers. At least, that was how her heart felt deep down.

  She shouldn’t be relieved that he was a monster, but she was relieved that she finally k
new the truth.

  Now they could move on and work on the future. That was as long as they could overcome the even bigger monster standing in their path.

  Chapter 26

  Nathan paced as he stared at his brother, still unable to believe his audacity in interfering with his life.

  And his woman.

  He’d never thought about going up against Dare. His brothers had been the only ones who could presumably understand him. What was the point of fighting his own kind?

  Unless Dare had never been on the same side as him. Suddenly, the urge to actually see his brother’s ledger was very strong.

  He’d always known Dare was off-kilter, that he hated humans and did his duty only reluctantly, but he’d never imagined he could stoop to this level, threatening humans who possessed not even a hint of the dark.

  He loved his brother, at least he thought he did, but that didn’t mean he could let him hurt Lillian or Sasha.

  He strode forward and got right up in his brother’s face, horn to horn.

  He was relieved that he’d been able to maintain his transformation even when he reached Lillian, as a part of him hadn’t been sure he’d be able to since being with her had somehow suppressed it before.

  Dare, for his part, just stepped back a few paces, frowning as he studied Nathan. Then he laughed, throwing his head back as if sharing the funniest joke in the world with the moon.

  Then his red eyes narrowed on Nathan. “Give it up, Nate. You know we aren’t going to do this.”

  “We are if you’re threatening Lillian.”

  Dare’s eyes flashed in frustration, and he threw an arm out to the side. “Really? You’d fight your own kind? For a human?”

  “You know how I feel about humans.”

  “I do,” Dare said darkly, scoffing as he walked a few steps away to the edge of the roof. “You’ve always been too soft on them. You and Theo both, though Theo knows how to maintain a professional distance. A low profile.”

  Dare whirled around and pointed at Lillian and Sasha. Even pointing at them made Nathan want to tear out his own brother’s heart.

  He was born with powerful bloodlust after all, and he was realizing it was never stronger than when his woman was in danger.

  “We have hidden our kind for over a hundred years, and now you go and blow it and you expect me to just let it go, to put all of our family at risk just so you can go on playing some fantasy where you can be accepted by a human?” Dare folded his arms and glowered darkly. “We both know that is not going to happen.”

  Nathan’s heart was still wounded from earlier, from knowing he’d scared and disappointed Lillian, but he’d known from the moment he’d met her, fallen for her, that things weren’t going to be easy.

  They were from different worlds with different moral codes. There were things he did that she would never understand. The world had always been a dark and lonely place for him.

  But despite all that, all he wanted was to remain by her side. He could put up with anything, wait as long as she needed, as long as he could have that.

  Still, he didn’t dare look Lillian in the eye. Yet.

  Dare laughed again, the sound of it anything but funny. Harsh. Scary as it echoed in the night. Dare was inarguably the strongest of their kind, though Theo could be the most brutal.

  But when it came to protecting their identities, Dare was supreme.

  Nathan had always suspected Dare kept tabs on things, but he really hadn’t wanted to think about what that included.

  And Dare had always stayed out of sight.

  A slight longing rose in him for what they had as children, before they were totally alone.

  But Dare was grown now, a different person, and based on the way he was staring at all of them, he had totally hardened his heart.

  After what had happened with Lillian, Nathan sort of wished he had hardened his heart as well. But without any vulnerability, there was no hope for connection, and despite everything that had happened, Nathan still had hope.

  After a hundred years and nothing ever changing, hope was all he had left.

  And it was all centered on one stubborn, frustrating, beautiful, brave little human.

  A human who had asked for his help.

  “Stand aside, Nathan. We both know this is not what you want to do.”

  “I’ll do what I have to,” Nathan said, spreading his stance for more balance. His wings extended slightly to the sides. He’d never had to fight one of his brothers, but he could be as vicious as any of them if he wanted.

  Especially with his mate on the line.

  Mate. Perhaps it was the long-buried dragon blood inside him, the part that was suppressed by the darkness, leaving him at war with himself.

  The part that, if he’d had more of it, he never would have been abandoned, sent into this world alone.

  Now that there was no hope of going back to the world where he was created, he might never know. But that was okay as long as he could stay with Lillian in this world.

  “You should have heard her babbling about loving you,” Dare said acerbically. “Lying straight to my face in order to save her own cowardly skin.”

  “I wasn’t lying,” Lillian snapped, stepping forward. She looked so beautiful with the wind whipping her dark hair and the moonlight on her features. “I do love him.”

  She didn’t face him. Maybe she felt as awkward as he did about what had happened between them.

  But hearing her say she still loved him after seeing what he was, after knowing what he did, sent warmth through him unlike anything before.

  He felt he was going to burst from all the light flooding through him. It was as if, after a hundred years of darkness, the sun had come out at last.

  “Do you mean it?” Nathan asked quietly.

  Dare pointed a finger at him. “Don’t you dare believe her. She’s manipulating you. She left you.” He glared at Lillian. “You saw what he is. What he does.” His sneer deepened. “You’re a human. You’re disgusted. Afraid. I’ve seen it in your eyes.”

  “I’m afraid, yes,” Lillian said, glancing back at Nathan over her shoulder. The sincerity in her eyes made him ache. “Of course I am. I’m only a human. But humans have the capacity to forgive. To try and understand. To sympathize. To have empathy. I have the ability to put myself in someone else’s shoes, and while I have a hard time understanding what it would be like to be one of you, once I think about it clearly, all I can see is how it would be really hard.”

  Dare cocked his head. “That’s like saying it would be hard for a snake to bite a chicken. You make no sense.”

  “And you aren’t the monster you want to be,” Lillian said, walking forward, jabbing a finger in his direction.

  For the first time Nathan had seen, Dare looked genuinely off-kilter. His panicked gaze met Nathan’s and then hardened.

  He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. You know who we are, and we have to kill you.” His tone grew desperate. “We don’t have a choice.”

  Dare walked to one side and then the other quickly, wings drooping slightly, and Nathan could sense a genuine conflict in his brother as to what to do next.

  They had the rules they’d been given by their creator, but then they’d had a hundred years to make rules of their own.

  And Dare’s rule, from what Nathan could make out in their yearly meetings, was that all humans that didn’t need killing were either to be avoided or loathed.

  But was that simply a defense mechanism? Deep down, was Dare as lonely as him?

  Dare sent him a look that was downcast. “I don’t know what you want from me, Nathan. I can’t believe you let this happen to our family. Does your need for approval from humans really run so deep?”

  “Look around you, Dare! There is no one else! Humans are the only ones around us, and with our creator not coming back, we are never going to get the chance to go join ‘our kind.’ If any more of our kind even exist. We were cursed when we were born, and we know that!
Deep down, we knew it was hopeless all along. I have always tried to get along with humans because, in reality, they are all we have.”

  Dare’s gaze darkened. “We feed on them. Have you gone insane?”

  “We protect them! Even you, Dare. For all of your talk, I know you only consume darkness and only as compelled. I know how we look. I know that it feels hopeless. I know that after midnight, everything is all wrong! But if we are going to have any hope of not being alone, we have to be open to change.”

  Dare pointed at Lillian once more. “And that means exposing us to humans? You were careless, so don’t pin this on me!”

  Nathan looked at Lillian and Sasha. “They have no darkness inside them. If you had any reason to kill them, you already would have. But you can’t. That means that deep down you know there are good humans out there.”

  Now Dare was practically spitting mad. “I’ll believe that when the stars fall from the heavens! I’ll believe that when we don’t look like monsters in the night!” His hands turned to fists and his wings spread wide and menacingly behind him. “No one in this world will ever accept us!”

  Lillian, for some reason, picked that moment to run into Nathan’s arms, grasping him tightly. As he held her, it felt everything was right for a second, like the world was a little brighter, like he hadn’t been born as a blight.

  His arms curled around her, and he heard Sasha run over as well.

  Dare’s talons cracked the cement of the roof as he continued to grow more agitated, and seeing Lillian embracing Nathan didn’t seem to calm his ire at all.

  “She is sucking up to you! She is simply a craven human who will even fuck a monster to save her own hide! Look at yourself!”

  And Nathan did, seeing the white scales on his hands, his long black claws, his vast height compared to Lillian.

  Yet she kept her arms around him, didn’t flinch. And when he reached down gently with a knuckle and tilted her face up, leaning down as far as he could, she didn’t flinch in accepting his kiss.

  It was so odd to kiss her in this form but so good to be accepted.