by Arizona Tape
I pushed my thoughts aside. They weren't going to end well for me at the moment.
"Yes, together. What have we got in?" I gave him a killer smile, hoping to distract him from my out-of-characterness, and hopefully from the crying too.
"Erm, good question? Want to go check?"
I nodded eagerly and he helped me out of the chair, his warm hand firmly around mine and sending tingles up and down my arm.
Oh damn, I had it bad.
I sang along to the music Devon had put on, barely able to hear it over the food processor I was using. Their kitchen was an absolute dream. I'd always dreamed of having a kitchen like that.
"You nearly done?" Devon spoke into my ear, there was no other way for me to hear him. Not that I was complaining. Not when it involved a large hand on my back, and gentle breath fanning against my ear. I might not be able to go any further with him, but I could still enjoy the little moments...couldn't I?
"Just about." I nodded, while turning off the blender. While the curry paste might still have a few lumps in it, they'd cook out during the next bit. I loved laksa, but didn't get many opportunities to make it. As tasty as the sweet and slightly spicy Malaysian curry was, it was also time consuming to make, and Sian wasn't a massive fan. Devon, on the other hand, seemed to already be excited by it. At least, if the way his eyes had lit up when I'd said the word 'curry' was anything to go by, he was.
I emptied the paste into the wok that Devon had already lined with oil, the sweet smell assailing my nose. I was in my element right now. I was creating something delicious and healthy-ish, and that would bring us closer together.
"What would you like now?" Devon asked, his voice half way between playful and serious. Considering he'd been surprised by me, no by Tate, wanting to cook, he'd taken to the role of helper surprisingly well.
"Nothing yet, we've got to cook this for a fair while now."
He nodded along with my words, and I smiled. He trusted me then. Good. I liked that. Far more than I should really.
I sang along as I stirred, glancing over at Devon who was chopping vegetables with a relaxed smile on his face. Satisfaction stirred within me. I might not be Tate, but it was me bringing this out of him. We cooked in surprisingly comfortable silence. Well, surprising for me. Maybe this was the norm for Devon. I had no idea what his normal relationship was like. Maybe they were silent all of the time?
After what seemed like an age, but only because I was conscious of every moment I spent with him, and when it'd be time to return back to my proper body, I set a bowl of curry in front of him, before sliding into the adjacent stool at the breakfast bar. I could have suggested setting the dining table I'd seen, but something felt a lot more intimate about where we were.
It was probably the increased chance of brushing knees, or how close we were sat full stop. I could feel the warmth radiating from Devon. Though I supposed it was radiating off me too. I was a dragon too.
Huh. How hadn't I been thinking about that much? And I was pretty sure there should be an urge to shift, or something.
"Hmm."
"Everything alright, Tate?" Devon asked, taking a bite of his dinner. Damn, had I made my thinking sound aloud? That wasn't good.
"Oh, sorry, just thinking about shifting."
"Oh?" He perked up instantly. Well wasn't that interesting. Was this not something he and Tate did together? Or was it a Sian and I situation? He was desperate to, but she refused, much like I did with blood. "Do you want to try again? You got those scales this morning, maybe this is it, Tate. Maybe it's time for you to properly shift!"
Wait...
Properly shift? Did that mean I couldn't?
Oh, poor Tate.
Suddenly things started slotting into place. How her family treated her, how Devon had reacted to the scales on my face, how isolated she seemed to be. But maybe I was the key to unlocking her dragon. If we never swapped again, and I could manage this for her, then it would be worth it. Even if that meant never seeing Devon again.
"Yes," I said softly, really hoping that it was the right answer.
"Really?" His eyes brightened, and he dropped his fork onto his plate. Which said a lot. This curry was delicious, even if I did say so myself.
"Yes, really," I said with a laugh.
"We can go to the lake tomorrow if you want? You might be able to shift in the garden if we get the hose out -"
"Whoa, no way are you hosing me down." I held out my hands, and he laughed more at the look on my face. I beamed back at him, his happiness contagious.
"Okay, the lake it is then," he said with finality, and I smiled to myself. Yes, this firmness definitely was what I'd been missing with Sian. Though a part of me was also a little sad that Tate would be the one enjoying the lake trip and not me.
Chapter 13
"Rise and shine, honey." Devon's voice roused me from my dreams. They'd been full of adventures, mostly to do with the sea, pirates and mermaids. Apparently, that was what discovering you're a water dragon did to you. Good to know.
Wait…
Devon? I was still in Tate's body? But that meant...
"I get to shift today," I murmured aloud.
"Hopefully," he responded, and I could feel the satisfaction flowing from him. He must have been particularly stressed over Tate not shifting much. Or at all, if I'd read the situation right.
"What do I need to do first?" I asked, opening my eyes and trying to rub away the sleep. Saying that, I seemed to have come around pretty quickly when I realised I was still in bed with Devon. Falling asleep in his arms last night had been perfect. No. It'd been beyond perfect. It'd felt right, and warm, and I'd pressed my back into him as his arms tightened around me.
I didn’t think I could have stopped myself if I'd tried, and Devon certainly hadn't tried either. He also hadn't tried anything on with me, for which I was grateful. But it did raise some interesting questions. Most notably, what Tate and he actually did. So far, he hadn't actually tried to do much more than kiss me, and he'd backed off pretty quickly when I'd freaked out yesterday morning. So apparently that hadn't been out of the ordinary either. It was all a little...odd. I couldn't make head nor tail of it.
Ha, tail. I was going to have a tail at some point today.
I wasn't sure what made me so certain that I could shift where Tate couldn't, but it felt right to say it in terms of the future. Maybe my body knew something I didn't. Wouldn't be the first time if I counted my disgust over blood. Maybe I was always meant to be a dragon.
"You don't need to do anything," Devon said, landing a soft kiss on my nose.
"Huh?"
"You asked if you needed to do anything before we go." He laughed lightly. "Are you so excited you can't keep your thoughts straight?" There was a lot of affection beneath his tone and my heart lifted.
No, Ayra, he's not yours.
"Oh right. So I don't need to wear anything special? Or wash in any holy water or anything?"
He frowned at me. Shit, should have thought about that one. Tate was a dragon, therefore she'd know all this anyway, and here was me asking easy as questions.
"No, but you know all this, you've been going to the lake for years. Ever since we were children."
"Oh, right, yes. Sorry."
Wow, Ayra, smooth.
"No need to be sorry, the excitement must be getting the better of you. And just in time for your birthday too." He beamed again. Wow, he was really chirpy in the mornings. Maybe it wa a dragon thing. Or maybe it was just a Devon thing. More likely, coffee ran in his veins.
"I should shower," I muttered, sitting up and watched the bed sheet slip away from me. If only I hadn't been wearing Tate's modest pajamas. That might have captured Devon's attention.
"Tate, you don't need to, we'll be swimming in the lake in a couple of hours. Save your shower until we get home."
Oh, right. Yes, that made sense. He really was addling my brain.
"Okay, I'll get dressed."
"Good.
" He kissed my nose again. "I'll just pop and make some breakfast." He slipped out of the bed and padded from the room, towards where I now knew the kitchen was. Hopefully he made something tasty, though from what I'd seen so far, there was no real doubt of that.
"We're here," Devon said, throwing the car into reverse and backing it into a space. I was glad he'd told me, because I had no idea, and after my faux pas earlier, I didn't want to raise his suspicions any further.
"I'm nervous." My words came out a lot weaker than I'd anticipated, which was annoying. I didn't want to come across as pathetic to him, even if he thought I was Tate.
"Don't be." He leaned over and took my hand in his, giving it a squeeze. "Whatever happens, whether you shift or not, I love you. You're the one I want to be with, and that won't change."
"Okay," I replied, my heart constricting over his words. It was painful to hear him say. I didn't want him to love Tate, I wanted him to love me. What more could I do though? It wasn't like I could just blurt out that my name was actually Ayra and I was secretly a vampire.
I smothered a giggle. I was a vampire who was about to shift into a dragon. While the dragon whose body I was in, couldn't do that. The universe really did work in mysterious ways. "I love you too," I added hastily, the words nearly sticking in my throat. I'd only ever said them to Sian before, and now I couldn't even tell her. Even if I wasn't in love with her anymore. Or maybe ever. It was very confusing.
I was so lost in thought, I barely noticed Devon walk around the car and open my door. This time, my heart swooned. I could pretend it was me he was being so sweet for. All it would take was a little denial.
"Thank you," I said, rising from my seat and looking around.
Holy freaking hell. This place was beautiful. The lake was huge, stretching almost as far as I could see, with a salty smell drafting up from it. The early morning sun was shining down and glittering across the surface, making it look like little fire flies were dancing across the surface. Around the lake, the late spring weather had brought out the whole place, with the greens, yellows, reds and purples all eye-catching and vibrant. It was almost like a painting. Stunning, untouched and peaceful.
And I was going to become a dragon here. That seemed a little at odds with the place before me, but I doubted Devon had brought me to the wrong place.
He took my hand and led me towards the water, his step light and carefree. When we got to the edge, he began to strip away his clothing, revealing tight toned muscles and vast expanses of skin. Hmm. I could get used to looking at that.
Snap out of it Ayra.
"Aren't you joining me?"
"Erm..."
"I know you don't like Mondays, Tate, but do they really make you this slow?" he teased, the twinkle in his eye telling me he was only being playful. But shit. It was Monday? Why wasn't I at work? Okay, I knew why I wasn't at work, it'd be quite difficult to turn up while I was in a different body. Though maybe they wouldn't have noticed. Oh, wait, it was a bank holiday. Panic averted. Tate wouldn't be learning how to become an architect today. Though maybe I should come up with a contingency plan just in case she did end up having to do my job. And I really needed to find out what she did.
"Sorry." I spoke quietly, not really needing him to hear. Nervously, I drew my shirt over my head, before unbuttoning my jeans and pushing them down to the floor. I was nervous about Devon seeing me naked, which was beyond ridiculous. He and Tate lived together, and they shared a bed, the chances of him not having seen her naked were slim. My gut twisted. That was another thought I didn't like apparently. This got more and more complicated by the moment.
"Come in when you're ready," he said, wading out into the water before diving under, his powerful back muscles flexing as he did. I stared at the place he'd disappeared for a moment, hoping he'd resurface and I could see more. There were certainly some parts of his anatomy that I was particularly looking forward to encountering.
I finished stripping and ran for the water, even though I knew he wasn't watching. In fact, he hadn't resurfaced at all yet. I'd be worried except for the fact he was a water dragon and could probably breathe under water. Well, looked like I was about to find out on that front.
My feet touched the water and I was surprised to discover it was warm. Actually, it was verging on hot. But that only made it easier for me to slip beneath the surface, and I was soon covered up the my neck. Beneath the surface, the lake was calm.
Strong arms wrapped around my waist and Devon pulled me back into him. I could feel him against me, all hard and ready for far more than just a swim. But he said or did nothing. I admired his respect, but it did make me wonder what his relationship with Tate was really like. It was all a little...odd.
"Are you ready to try shifting?" he whispered against the shell of my ear, sending a shiver through me and goosebumps on my arms.
"Yes," I whispered back despite my nerves.
"Okay, I'm going to let go of you now."
I nodded. His arms left my waist and I felt bereft until he swam around to face him.
"Talk me through this?" I asked, hoping I'd phrased it in a way that didn't let on how clueless I was, and it was something Tate wanted every time they came to the lake.
"Okay. Close your eyes and focus on the water around you," he instructed, and I did exactly as he said, surprised to find I could feel more than just the water against my skin. It was kind of like threads all connecting around me, and being tangled in a web. A little exhilarating, and I could feel the power surging within me. "I feel it," I whispered reverently.
"You do?"
I could have sworn his excitement was an actual palpable thing. It filled the air around me, and added to my own. I might actually be able to do this. I might actually be able to be a dragon. Hopefully this would unlock things for Tate too, and then at least I'd done something for her other than ogling her fiancé.
"Yes."
"Try pulling the water into you, and once it's there, just let go," he said. Huh, sounded a bit like an orgasm to me. Even so, I did as he said and pulled the water into me, feeling it build inside. Yes, definitely like a building orgasm. At least, it was that intense feeling that came before one. "Let go, Tate," he said softly.
I did. The explosion flowing through my entire body in a flash. I was oddly aware of the change, but it wasn't actually painful. It was more like an awareness of my body changing.
The pull and explosion faded, and I saw the world through different eyes. The colours around me seemed clearer, the sunlight glistening all the more. It was beautiful, and breathtaking. I sucked in some air, before exhaling, small flames licking around my snout. Oops, should maybe have thought about that first.
Note to self, don't accidentally breathe fire.
"You're beautiful." He sounded wistful, and I leaned down to nudge him with my now much larger head. He patted my scales, the feel of his hand against my skin kind of soothing.
I was floating in the water, my legs moving naturally, much like a duck does, which was interesting. I hadn't quite expected that. Nor the wings I could feel protruding from my back. I gave them a flap, and failed miserably. They moved completely out of unison. I tried again, but the same thing happened. Okay then, flying was for another day. That was an odd thought. What if I never got a chance to be in this form again? Then again, what if I did? I couldn't decide which of those was the scarier option.
As quickly as it had come, the water and the power flooded out of me, and I could feel my wings and tail drawing back into me, but like before, it was over in a flash, and I returned to my human form.
My eyes lost focus, and everything faded into black. At first, I thought it was just a side effect of shifting back, but it soon became clear that it was more than that.
Oh no. Please not now. Please.
Chapter 14
I blinked a couple of times, trying not to believe what was in front of me. This wasn't a lake. I was completely dressed, and if I was smelling things right, there was bl
ood in my yogurt. So vampire breakfast it was. Damn it. Sian knew I hated the stupid yogurt she made. And yet, here she was feeding it to me. No, not to me, to Tate.
"You were giving her blood?" I asked, meeting the deep dark eyes of my now ex-girlfriend. Pain flitted across them as she realised it was me again, and something twisted in my gut. We might not be together anymore, but that didn't mean I wanted her to be unhappy. Quite the contrary. Part of me was convinced that Tate was the key to that happiness too. I just needed to make Tate herself see that. Somehow. Okay, there were a lot of issues with my plan. Like the fact I'd never actually communicated with Tate and everything I knew about her was pure guess work. She might even be completely straight for all I knew.
"She asked for it," Sian replied, the hurt straining her voice. Shit, not my intention in the slightest.
I sighed and pushed the bowl away from him. "You need to eat that," Sian said, far more forcefully than I'd ever heard her before.
"I'm not eating it, Sian. You already know how I feel about blood." Or at least, I thought she did. I guessed I'd never really talked to her about it, but how hard could it be to pick up on the obvious signals like avoiding it if there was even the slightest chance that I could.
"You have to eat it, Ayra. If not for you, then for Tate. And if not for her, then for me."
Oh wow, that was really out of character. What'd got into Sian.
"I hate blood, Sian," I spelled out, just in case she'd missed the memo somewhere along the line.
"Yes, I'd figured that out," she muttered. "But when it was just you you were starving, there was nothing I could say. But it's not now. It's Tate too. Can you honestly put her at risk like that?"
"Risk of what?" I half-shouted. "All it does is make us feel a little better," I responded, something snapping inside me.
"How can you be so naive? We're fucking vampires, Ayra. Not drinking is dangerous." I'd never heard her so angry before. Her arms were ramrod straight and braced against the breakfast bar as she stared across it at me. Her eyes almost glimmered with anger. This wasn't the Sian I knew. This was a predator. This was someone not to be messed with.
