by Jaymin Eve
Gerard started to chatter; he was our tour guide. “There are five areas here in the sanctuary. This is the desert, where the heat loving races make their residence.”
So far I couldn’t see any inhabitants, just long plains of red dirt with a few mountains and rocky crevices scattered around, the sand shifting as we walked. There were some pathetic plants, mostly surrounding small ponds of water. The florae were hardy, cacti-looking species.
Gerard pointed to a long, craggy cliff that was off the far edge. “Stay away from that range of cliffs. That is the territory of the Jinn. They are not very friendly.”
Jinn … genie. I thought they were freaking myths, or at least so well hidden that I’d never meet one. Information on their race was scarce, but we’d done one subject on them in school. Extremely powerful, they’d been rulers of the fire lands of Faerie, and there was even some truth to the wish-granting legend. Of course, you’d be an absolutely moronic moron to trust them with anything, let alone promise them something for a wish. A few desperate humans had found that out the hard way. Despite their evil doings, I was pretty sure no jinn were in the prison system. They were impossible to find, let alone incarcerate.
We were about halfway across the red plains when my thoughts on jinn were distracted by unexpected movement. One of the mounds – which I’d thought was a small mountain – was starting to rise. Holy flying crap! That was not a part of the environment, it was a red dragon. Not a shifter, but an actual dragon.
It was a little smaller, more animal-looking than our dragons, but still in full possession of deadly fangs and fire.
Braxton’s gaze locked onto the magnificent vision. “You have native dragon breeds here?” He sounded both impressed and hesitant.
Couldn’t blame him for that. He more than anyone knew the danger of a dragon with no human instincts. Though I often thought human instincts could be the most dangerous of all.
Gerard took a moment to examine Braxton. “Yes, each of these territories has a different species of dragon calling it home. Dragons were hunted; we keep them safe. But they can be as ferocious as you suspect. Best to not approach them.”
Easy for him to say, because clearly red dragon didn’t know the rules and was heading in our direction. Braxton reached out and captured me under one arm and Mischa under the other. Before either of us could even blink, we were back behind him and he was stepping to the front of our group.
“Why is it approaching us?” I heard Grace whisper.
Tyson’s features tightened, a reaction to the distress in her voice. Damn Louis, forcing someone as soft and gentle as Grace out into this world. She didn’t need this fear. Although, as she cleared her throat and straightened in confidence, I wondered if I was underestimating her. There was fire beneath the gentle. I’d seen it before, but I still worried.
Gerard answered. “They will be curious of the dragon energy riding this group. You have two strong marked and a shifter. It’s a big deal.”
Wait, how did he know Mischa was marked also? Her energy and physical mark were still spelled. “How do you know there are two marked in the group?” I decided to ask.
“We are the dragon mystics,” was his reply, and judging by their closed expressions, it seemed to be the only explanation we were getting.
Our attentions were diverted to the red beast, the dragon no more than ten feet from us now. I could scent the wild magic on it. Dragons were innately connected to the magic which weaved the lines of the Earth. They were unlike any other creature to roam this world, or even the fey’s dying lands.
“Stay back,” Braxton warned us. “If I have to shift, you’re all too close.”
Murmuring amongst themselves, the mystics looked like they were going to object, but they didn’t actually say anything in protest. They had stepped into the role of a neutral party, giving no opinion on whether we should take on a dragon or not. Or it could be that they seemed to know that Braxton was a dragon shifter. The race with the best chance of dealing with the natives.
The mystics moved away in a single unit, while Jacob and Tyson dragged the other girls back. Maximus and I didn’t leave.
“What are you doing, Jess?” Maximus barked at me. “Get your ass out of the strike zone.”
I shook my head. “No, you should leave. I could possibly help.”
Braxton threw me his trademark grin, the one which gave me shivers down my spine for more than one reason. That look meant people were about to die. Then, in a blink of an eye, he had snatched me up and I knew I was about to be thrown back to one of the quads. Before I could protest, there was a horrifying roar that rocked the ground.
Braxton spun around with me still cradled in his arms. Gah! The red dragon was like a fucking inch away. My heart literally stopped beating. Then as I came face to face with it, the dragon’s roar began to taper off and this strange purring-hum noise started deep in the heavily scaled red chest. It vibrated up through to the masses of razor sharp teeth which were far too close to my face for comfort.
Just as I was about to insist Braxton get-me-the-heck-away, heat unfurled from inside of me. Tingles started on my back and I could feel that my dragon mark was reacting to this wild creature. Without stopping to think about it, I reached for him. Somehow I knew it was a male.
“Jess…” Braxton’s voice was low. I could tell that he was trying not to set off the beast, but I heard the warning.
And yet, I still couldn’t stop myself from placing both hands onto his scaled nose. A puff of smoke emerged, coating the air in the scent of sulfur. Then the dragon closed its eyes, the large black domes disappearing under scaled lids.
I don’t know how long we stayed like this, but eventually the dragon pulled its snout back, gave me an odd head bob, and strode off back into the desert land it called home. As it moved further away, I started to come back to myself. I don’t know where I’d gone during those moments of connection with the dragon, but it had been red deserts, ice lands, oceans of blue and green plains. Masses of dragons ruling the land and air.
I had to blink rapidly in an attempt to clear my head, regain composure.
“Did that just seriously happen?” Mischa’s voice had me focusing on her tiny person. At some point everyone had moved closer.
Jacob and Tyson didn’t look as calm and collected as usual. The wizard had yellow threading his eyes. He’d been pulling magic in case something went wrong. Maximus cut off my view as he stepped to Braxton’s side, lowering his face to meet mine. His eyes were black, fangs partially descended. Come to think of it, he was probably getting a bit blood hungry.
“What is wrong with you, Jess? Do you have a death wish?” Maximus snarled, his tone harsher than he generally used with me. “A child listens more than you.”
His anger awoke my own, clearing the last of the melodic song which the dragon had created inside of me. I struggled against Braxton, needing to stand on my own feet.
Once I was down, I stalked into the vamp’s personal space. He didn’t back away. I only came up to his pectoral muscles, but calling on my wolf brought forth my alpha energy. I was still dominant enough to challenge him.
“Talk to me like that again, Max, and the next conversation we have will be with fang and claws.” Each word rumbled out through bared teeth.
He leaned into me, using his height as a domination tactic. “You’re so frustrating. I goddamn love your stubborn, stupid ass and I can’t stand by and watch you destroy yourself. I don’t know what’s happening to you, but it has to stop.”
He was talking about more than this moment. It was still between us, me lying about the mark and taking off into Vanguard on my own. Some of my anger faded out.
“Max…” It was a warning from Braxton. The vampire snapped his head to the side and locked on his brother.
“You of all supernaturals must agree with me,” Maximus growled.
Braxton’s eyes caressed my features. I noticed the tension in his body, but otherwise he seemed composed. He t
urned those calm eyes on all of his brothers, but mostly Maximus.
“Jessa wears a dragon mark,” he said. “She’s special. When beings are chosen for something greater than the ordinary … well, there are always risks. We are her pack, we must support her.” He softened his tone. “You fight against change, Max, you always have. But adaption is what we need now. We can still protect her, we just have to identify the new enemy.”
Jacob shook back his white-blond hair. “She just patted a dragon. Where exactly do we draw the line on dangerous activities?”
I threw my hands in the air, annoyance flooding in again. “One: you don’t draw any lines, I do. Two: since when are dragons the enemy? That one wasn’t even dangerous.”
Gerard cleared his throat. “She has a point. As long as we steer clear of their territory, we do not have trouble from the dragons. Although they don’t like being challenged.”
I smirked at Braxton. “Dragons don’t like to be challenged … shocker,” I drawled, my sarcasm alive and well.
The quads exchanged looks, commiserating mostly, but I was used to that. There was no more arguing. The fight was done. Although judging by their resigned expressions, we’d probably revisit this conversation at some point.
We resumed our travels with the cloaks across the sand. I was marching along, my feet slamming into the ground with the same ferocious beat as my heart rate. Which was racing.
I wasn’t really pissed at the Compasses, I was used to their overprotective bullshit – even though they’d certainly stepped it up a notch since we’d been on the run. No, my real concern aligned with Maximus … what was happening to me?
That moment with that dragon had been weird.
I didn’t know what to make of it, but there had definitely been some sort of recognition … which was freaking me out a little. Why had Gerard said my mark was different? Why was I a dual shifter? The only dual shifter that had been recorded. Why were real dragons approaching me like I was the dragon whisperer?
I didn’t want this crap, I didn’t ask for this crap, so why the hell was I neck deep in so much crap?
A stare was burning into me, and I knew who it was without turning my head. Braxton had defended me earlier. Generally, he was the most possessive-bossy-asshat of the quads, and yet he had defended my right to make choices. I didn’t face him, but I held out my hand. My heart settled the moment his huge, overly warm palm wrapped around mine.
Touch was so therapeutic for shifters. Braxton’s presence created a chemical cocktail inside of me. Similar to what I guessed a mixture of the human drugs speed and valium did. He calmed me down and hyped me at the same time.
Our group was quiet as we finished crossing the desert. The heat never abated, the sun beating down with intensity. Just as we looked to be nearing the forest zone – which I was really looking forward to exploring – the grays shifted to the left and started to walk along the border between desert and forest. After a while buildings appeared in the distance and I realized what the fifth zone was. It was a city area, right in the center of the other four regions.
As we crossed closer, I could see a dozen or so large buildings and many smaller structures scattered throughout. I’d guess it probably housed the same amount of supernaturals as Stratford, but the city part was a little more condensed.
One of the grays decided to fill the silence. “This is where everyone sleeps, eats and convenes. You will be assigned rooms, and then your personal belongings will be magically delivered.”
“We need to speak with Quale,” I repeated. There was a reason Louis had told us to find him.
Gerard nodded. “I will let him know, but he appears only when he wants to.”
Well that sounded promising.
We hadn’t seen any other supernaturals except the weird fey grays, but once we entered this main center zone, filled with the many varied stone buildings, there were a lot of them mingling around. Old and young alike. I felt joy flitter through my body as I locked in on some of the tiny faces. I hoped this was where all those children who had been imprisoned were now enjoying life.
I was barreled to the side as a group of six young supernaturals rushed through our group. The sound of their laughter trailed after them.
This was what children should be doing, not chained up and locked away. Thinking of what the Four had done had my temper spilling over, rage as strong as I’d ever known searing through me. They had to be punished, it was not right. I couldn’t even think of the years of suffering endured by so many.
Several of the faces which turned toward us were more weathered than I’d expect from supernaturals. And all of them appeared to be distrustful and suspicion.
Cataloguing the inhabitants I noted supernaturals from all five races, including demi-fey, and many more were adults than children. Trolls and gargoyles lined the buildings high up, some made of stone, others wood. They often sought out the high and safe harbors. The gargoyles flew in the light of the moon, spending most of the sunlight hours as stone. I wasn’t sure how it worked in a world which had fake skies, but probably still the same way.
Conversations seemed to cut off as our group strolled along one of the laneways.
“I’m guessing they don’t get many visitors,” I side-whispered to Mischa.
She ran her hands up and down her jeans, a nervous gesture, fitting for all the wary glares smashing into us. I had so many questions to ask, but the grays didn’t seem to be interested at the moment. They were conversing amongst themselves. They spoke about the weather outside, the dinner last night, and a few other random things. But something told me there was more to the conversation than what I was picking up.
More supernaturals appeared as we traversed further into their territory. It was like a small town here, cobbled paths through shops, houses, and large buildings. Everything was in neutral colors, nothing bright that stood out. Quite bland, eerie even, especially with what felt like seven thousand eyes on us.
“We will spread the word of your arrival, the curiosity will die down soon,” said the gray closest to me. I nodded my head, but didn’t drop my gaze. I was focused on not locking eyes with anyone. In my current state-of-unease my wolf would see it as a challenge, raise her silky black head and shit would go down. And right now I just wanted to clean off the shit already coating me; too much drama could wear down even the most resilient of us.
A few shops caught my eye as we weaved through the streets. They seemed to be pretty self-sufficient in this little mountain range. I was guessing if they never wanted to leave, they never had to. There were grocers, hair dressers, restaurants, clothing stores, spell weavers, apothecaries – shit, even a movie theatre. They were actually better outfitted than Stratford.
The Compasses – who moved in a single line of muscle – were definitely on high alert. A regular supe wouldn’t see anything besides the calm and controlled exterior they presented, males without a care in the world, but I knew them as well as I knew myself. There was tension riding every rigid plane of their bodies. Not to mention their smiles didn’t reach their eyes and not a single dimple was in sight.
We veered sharply into what seemed to be a deserted alley. But before I could express any concern, another turn had us arriving at the front of an enormous apartment building. A skyscraper.
I tilted my head back to try to take in its full height. I’d seen skyscrapers on television of course, but had never been in one. There were none in Stratford.
My wolf whined a little inside. Even my dragon started to move around. As shifters, all of that stone and brick and timber piled on top of each other made me quite nervous. It wasn’t natural.
The grays paused just before the revolving door. Gerard waved toward the glass monstrosity. “My brethren advise that we have three dwellings available. You can split and be in two double-bedrooms, or stay together in a four bedroom. How would you prefer to stay?”
“Four bedroom!” all the Compasses shot out.
Mischa, Grace, and
I exchanged commiserating grins and sighs. Over-protective and domineering men were fine ninety percent of the time. But there was always that ten percent you wanted to fight them on.
Right now I was in the ninety. I wanted everyone together and safe. The only problem with this was finding a moment away from Grace so I could tell Jacob and Tyson about my dual shifting ability. I was done having any more secrets within my pack.
We were led into the building. As I stepped into the rotating doorway, I somehow managed to get my arm caught, almost killing myself. Thankfully, Jacob was quick enough to yank me free before the next go-around snapped my bone. I seriously needed less metal and more forest around me, I wasn’t cut out for this shit. When the silver elevator doors opened I clenched my hands tighter in the jacket I was holding. Once inside, the small panel numbers lit up as we rose in the tiny death box. I was astonished that a place like this existed within a mountain – a place so rustic seeming to have such modern, human amenities. It was weird, and after all that had happened, weird put my senses on high alert.
The Compasses pretty much filled the elevator with the rest of us crammed in around them. Including the grays. I glanced between them. “I’ll bet we’re over the weight limit with you four in here.”
The quads just grinned.
I felt a small hand snake its way into mine. I looked down. It was Mischa. She appeared to be as freaked as I was, but one would assume she’d been in a lift before.
“Sometimes I’m claustrophobic,” she said, as if she’d heard my thought. “Elevators are one of the things which trigger it. I avoid them at all costs.”
It had probably been her suppressed wolf trying to force its need forward. She’d never known about her heritage while living in the human world. I’m sure it made for some confusing little quirks.
“Almost there. Floor twenty-two,” Gerard said.
