Dragonkin Are from Mars, Changelings Are from Venus

by Devin Harnois

  Tiago cut through the houses, hoping there wouldn’t be a fence or something in the way. The tornado siren kept wailing in the distance, and several car alarms were going off. All the noise hurt Tiago’s ears and scraped against his nerves.

  He made it one block and another, looking at the magic flashing through the sky to make sure he was on the right track. With a quick check to make sure there wasn’t a dog behind it, Tiago jumped a chain-link fence and sprinted through a backyard. Jumping again, he made it into the alley.

  The tornado siren abruptly cut off, and Tiago let out a sigh of relief. Then he heard the footsteps running toward him. He spun and his heart stopped.

  His parents rushed down the alley, eyes glowing and teeth bared. Tiago tensed, ready to run, but a little voice whispered, You always run from them.

  Because they’re stronger than me. But was that true anymore? He’d grown in the years since he ran away from his parents, honed his skills in Practical Senses class. Trained with Aiden and sometimes even with Dylan. Fought alongside them last year against people much more powerful than his parents.

  The little boy inside him wanted to run. Or cower and beg not to be hurt. But Tiago wasn’t a little boy anymore.

  With his heart pounding and his stomach quivering, Tiago stood his ground. Like he’d told Aiden, courage meant being afraid and doing it anyway.

  His parents stopped a few feet away.

  “You think you can fight us?” his father said.

  “I think I can win.” Tiago wasn’t sure, but saying it made him feel better.

  His father’s eyebrows went up slightly. “Maybe I was wrong about that fag boy turning you into a pussy.”

  Rage filled him until he was almost choking on it. With a cry of anger, Tiago charged. He slashed at his father’s face. His father blocked with a hiss of pain, and Tiago raked at him with his other hand.

  Claws sliced into Tiago’s back, and he spun to face his mother. These were the people who were supposed to love him unconditionally, take care of him and make him feel safe. Instead, they filled him with fear, beat him, called him names.

  He dodged their attacks, lashed out at them with claws and feet, doing everything he could to return some of the pain they’d inflicted on him.

  Tiago’s foot slipped on a patch of ice, and he went down hard on the concrete.

  Then his father’s weight landed on him, angry yellow-green eyes staring down at him. “You’re going to pay for that, you little bastard.”

  Strong hands gripped his arms, holding him down. Tiago remembered how his father had beaten him when he’d somehow guessed Tiago was gay. How much worse would it be now that he knew for sure? Now that Tiago had dared to fight back? Fear tried to swallow him up.

  A hard blow landed on his cheek. The pain was familiar, throbbing through his face. Would his parents kill him? Tiago bucked, but his father was too heavy to throw off.

  Another punch, and another.

  “You’re strong, but not strong enough. Your old man’s got a few lessons left to teach you, huh?”

  The blows rattled Tiago’s brain.

  Standing above them, his mother said, “It’s for your own good. Someday you’ll understand that.”

  Not planning to kill him then. Somehow that was worse. Were they going to drag him away, torture him until he agreed to do whatever they wanted?

  Tiago couldn’t go back to that life. He pictured Aiden’s smiling face, and his heart lurched at the thought of never seeing him again.

  If Tiago shifted, he’d get tangled in his clothes, but it was the only thing he could think of. Drawing on his magic, he turned into his jaguar form. His pants and shirt ripped, and his shoes squeezed painfully. One of them shredded under the pressure.

  His parents exclaimed in surprise. The change in Tiago’s body shape made his father lose his grip, and Tiago thrashed as hard as he could.

  His father’s weight shifted to one side, and Tiago scrambled out from under him. Tiago didn’t get far, his clothes tangling just as he’d thought, his intact shoe clamping painfully around his paw.

  His mother lunged at him, and Tiago twisted. He fell, but from his awkward crouch he was able to bring one paw up, slashing deep across her face. She fell to her side, clutching her cheek.

  Tiago shifted back to human form, crying out as his human feet were crushed into his shoes at awkward angles. He yanked the shredded one off and reached for the other.

  His father was pulling off his shoes too.

  Fingers shaking, Tiago couldn’t get his laces undone. Bringing out his claws, he slashed through them. The shoe loosened, and he stripped it off, tossing it aside. His mother grabbed for him again, and he kicked to knock her hand away.

  Tiago stumbled to his feet and ran down the alley. As he did, he tore at his shirt, shredding it and tossing it aside. How close were they? Had his father shifted yet? Tiago fumbled with his belt. How was he supposed to get his pants off while running?

  Awareness crawled up his spine, and Tiago dropped to his knees, almost without thinking. His father, in jaguar form, barely missed him and landed with a snarl.

  Tiago shifted again, praying he’d be able to kick out of his pants before they trapped his legs. His father whipped around and lunged. Tiago met him with a fierce blow of his paw, feeling his claws catch in the flesh of his father’s shoulder.

  They batted and bit at each other while Tiago struggled to get his back legs free of his jeans and boxers. He finally got them off just as a heavy weight landed on his back. Teeth sank into him, and he yowled in pain.

  He managed to throw her off. His parents circled him, teeth bared and growling. Outnumbered and injured, Tiago wanted to run, but he kept repeating to himself, I have to be brave. I have to be brave.

  So he went for his mother. She was smaller than him now. Although she hadn’t been his primary abuser, she’d hit him too. Taunted him while his father beat him. Tiago let his anger fuel him, and he used all the skills he’d learned in Shadow Valley.

  Surprise flickered across her face as Tiago tore into her. The taste of his mother’s blood in his mouth. It made his stomach turn, but he kept on fighting. His father came at him, dividing Tiago’s attention.

  Tiago fought them both, desperately looking for an advantage. They expected him to lose, to run. That gave him an idea. Tiago leapt over them and sprinted as fast as he could. Drawing on his power, he shifted as fast as he ever had. Then he turned.

  His mother, the lighter and faster of the two, was just behind him. She sprang at Tiago, but he was ready for her. Blocking her teeth with one arm, he spun and slammed her as hard as he could into the wall of a garage. Her claws sank into his thigh, but he kept his grip and knocked her into the wall again.

  His father had caught up to them, and Tiago threw his mother as hard as he could on top of him. It bought Tiago a few seconds. Reaching down, he snatched up a loose brick. When his mother came at him again, he swung the brick as hard as he could.

  It caught her in the side of the head. The force of the blow sent her crashing into the wall a third time, and she went down heavily.

  Snarling in rage, Tiago’s father came after him. Tiago dropped to his hands and knees and shifted into jaguar form again. Not fast enough—his father’s teeth latched onto his shoulder. Tiago rolled, trying to shake him off.

  Both of them twisted, and in the confusion his father’s back leg came close to Tiago’s jaw. Tiago bit down as hard as he could. The sickening crunch of bone filled his ears, and Tiago’s father let out a shriek.

  Tiago dropped him and took human form again, running to snatch up the brick again.

  His father was back in human form too, glaring at Tiago and clutching his mangled leg. “You gonna kill me then?”

  Tiago stood with the brick. He could bash his father’s brains in. Or take jaguar form and tear out his throat. But the thought made him sick.

  Was it cowardice? Or not wanting to stain himself with their deaths? “If I ever see you agai
n, I’ll kill you.” Was this a mistake? Would he have to keep worrying that his parents would come after him again?

  But he saw something different in his father’s eyes: fear.

  Tiago hurled the brick as far as he could. The sound of it clattering against the concrete filled the alley.

  Very deliberately, Tiago turned his back on his father. Then he shifted and ran as fast as his injuries would allow.

  The extremists were still attacking, and he needed to find his friends.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  They’re really here. Aiden couldn’t stop looking at Nuala and Oisin. Aiden hadn’t even had time to hug them with everything going on. At least they hadn’t gotten into a fight with Mr. Johnson. And Dylan was alive.

  Aiden didn’t want to think about what might have happened if Bryn hadn’t shown up. He wished he could’ve stayed with his friend, but Aiden needed to help fight the extremists. And make sure the wardens didn’t try to attack the light fae.

  Except one of them wasn’t a light fae. “What about Oisin? He doesn’t have magic.” He was only human. Maybe they should have left him with Dylan and Bryn.

  “He knows how to look out for himself,” Nuala said. She didn’t look worried at all.

  Aiden had so many questions. Why had his brother decided to come over? Were they all going to leave when the fighting was over? Would his birth mom and brother stay? Would they leave behind everything they’d known just so they could be with Aiden?

  The way his parents had.

  Mr. Johnson was shouting into a radio and directing them to the left. The fighting had moved down the street while Dylan was performing the ritual.

  Through the flashes of spells, Aiden tried to figure out what was going on. A few people were pinned down behind cars while others attacked. For a second he wondered which were the good guys, then he saw a bluish-white-skinned fae grinning as he flung a ball of ice.

  “Go!” Nuala shouted, pointing at the attacker.

  Several light fae raced ahead. The dark fae turned and saw them, his face first surprised, then afraid. There were ten light fae, plus Aiden and Mr. Johnson. The dark fae had two companions with him.

  Mr. Johnson went to check on a small group taking cover while the others attacked. It didn’t take long for the extremists to be overwhelmed. One of them ran, but the two others, including the dark fae, were taken down. One of the light fae went up to deliver the killing blow, and Aiden turned away.

  That was when he realized he couldn’t see his brother. Aiden’s heart shot into his throat. Looking around frantically, he spotted him standing up from behind a pickup truck. He must have hidden during the battle.

  “What are these?” Oisin asked, pointing at the truck and the closest car as Aiden hurried over to him.

  Aiden realized there was a lot to explain about the human realm. “They’re, um…” But that was for another time. “I’ll explain later.”

  Everyone regrouped as Mr. Johnson spoke to a panicked man over the radio. Morgan was on the west end of Main Street with the majority of the extremists, and the defenders had been forced to retreat several blocks.

  Aiden looked over at his birth mom and the other light fae. They had help now, people who could match the group of dark fae. Dylan had risked his life to bring them here, and this had to be worth it.

  “Lead the way, Warden,” Nuala said. She looked fierce, eager to fight. Aiden certainly didn’t take after her in that respect. Or would he have been different if she’d raised him?

  Oh God. What if she died here?

  Stop being a pessimist, Aiden scolded himself.

  Mr. Johnson turned to him, digging in his coat. “You should have this.” He held out a dagger. Even covered in a sheath with only the handle showing, Aiden recognized the weapon with a chill. The same one a dark fae had stabbed him with two years ago. Dylan had turned it against its owner, using the dagger to kill the dark fae.

  Aiden leaned away from it. The dagger didn’t have the creepy aura of being lost and helpless in the dark anymore, but he still had no desire to touch it.

  Mr. Johnson moved closer. “It can kill a dark fae. You might need it.”

  Remembering how easily Morgan had shaken off a gunshot to the chest, Aiden took hold of the dagger. As he was securing the sheath to his belt, Nuala stepped over and held a hand a few inches from the weapon. The dagger shimmered and disappeared, making Aiden jump.

  Nuala smiled. “A cloaking glamour. The dagger will be more effective if they do not see it coming.”

  Aiden brushed tentative fingers against the spot at his hip, and sure enough, he felt the cold metal handle and the thick leather sheath. “Thanks.”

  “Come on.” Mr. Johnson ran toward the lights flashing in the sky.

  Aiden wanted to be running as far away from Morgan as he could. Instead, he took a deep breath and went straight toward the most terrifying person he’d ever met.

  * * *

  “Stay close to me.”

  “I heard you the first hundred times.” Dylan didn’t want to admit how hard it was just to keep up with his mom.

  She saw right through him though. “Do you want me to change back? I can carry you there.” She’d shifted to human form so the extremists wouldn’t see her coming from a mile away and so she wouldn’t smash into everything.

  “No!”

  Mom stopped to give him a look. “It would help you save your strength.”

  “No,” he repeated, walking on as fast as he could. They were headed toward the entrance to Shadow Valley. Dylan wondered if Aiden was there already or if he and the others had gotten caught in a skirmish along the way.

  The noise of battle grew louder as they neared: zaps and explosions of magic, people shouting and screaming, things crashing. The scent of ash filled the air with a sharp chemical undertone. Tires and plastic. Columns of smoke rose into the sky, indicating at least two or three buildings were on fire.

  If it were just the extremists, Dylan would have been excited for another chance to fight them, but remembering how easily the dark fae had overwhelmed him—and everyone else—made a thread of fear wind around his heart.

  But we have fae of our own now. Dylan rubbed at the wound on his arm.

  Rounding the corner, they came out onto Main Street. The place was in chaos. It was even worse than city hall had been last year. A building that housed a clothing store and a hair salon was ablaze. Farther down, another burning building had partially collapsed into the street. Between them, the wreck of a car sent up boiling black smoke.

  And there were bodies…

  Half a block up, a line of people marched forward. The woodsy scent of light fae magic filled the street as spells streaked through the air. Behind them, others faced the sides and back, watching for attack from all directions.

  Ahead of the light fae, the extremists were being forced back. Dylan’s heart swelled. His sacrifice hadn’t been a waste. They were winning.

  Even from behind he recognized Aiden, and Dylan moved to join his friend. One of the defenders broke away and came running toward Dylan and his mom. Within a few steps, Dylan recognized Sakura, and he sighed in relief. She was safe.

  “Dylan!” She hugged him. Then she pulled back and punched him in the arm. “You asshole. You didn’t wait for us.” Her face was streaked with soot, and her hair was disheveled.

  “Uh, sorry.” He hadn’t even thought about her and Izume when they left city hall. What a great boyfriend.

  Speaking of Izume, she appeared from somewhere and hurried to join them. “God, I’m glad you’re here.” She wiped her forehead. Her sleeve was torn and burnt.

  “Bryn, up here with us!” Mr. Johnson had stopped while the front line kept moving ahead. “Dylan, help guard the rear.”

  Dylan opened his mouth to argue.

  “Just do it, please,” Mom said.

  “I can fight fine. And you said to stay with you—”

  “Stay with Sakura and Izume.”

  He
didn’t need bodyguards. And he wanted to fight alongside Aiden.

  “Now!” Mr. Johnson snapped, and that only made Dylan want to disobey more.

  Sakura took his arm. The one he’d sliced open. He let out a hiss of pain and pulled his arm back as she gave him a wide-eyed look. If he stayed at the back with her, he could explain what happened. Maybe make up for ditching her and Izume at city hall.

  The extremists tried to circle around and attack the group from behind a few times. Between fighting, Dylan filled the fox sisters in on what had happened. Sakura yelled at him for taking such a stupid risk. For a moment he was confused. She’d always seemed to like his bold nature. Realization dawned. He was an idiot—Sakura didn’t want him to die. Of course she didn’t.

  Sakura and Izume said they’d gone straight to Main Street, and things had gone badly until Aiden showed up with the light fae. As if to prove their words, they came across more bodies as they neared the entrance to Shadow Valley.

  Dylan glanced at them, stomach sinking whenever he recognized faces. One of the wardens he’d seen in city hall a few times. A woman who worked at the bowling alley. A kid who’d graduated last year.

  Tearing his gaze away from the twisted, bloody body, Dylan drew on his magic as another group of extremists rushed at them from the intersection. Dylan could at least admit to himself that staying in the back was a good idea. Physically and magically, he was struggling. A rare chance to let loose with his magic, and he was running on half a tank.

  They quickly took out the group. The last of the extremists turned and fled rather than face being burned alive. Dylan was relieved. For all that he fantasized about burning cities, he didn’t enjoy killing people. He didn’t regret those he had killed—it had been to protect himself or others. But it definitely wasn’t fun.

  A large animal darted out from between two buildings. “Another one!” Izume shouted.

  “Wait!” Dylan knew that cat. “It’s Tiago.”