by Jadyn Chase
But then there was more stomping and thumping and banging all around the rocking, bouncing car, and she covered her head with her hands. A fight seemed to have broken out among the screeching dragons. Kaley could actually hear them slashing and biting each other and slamming each other with their wings.
Then one of the dragons fell down between the passenger side of her car and the car beside it – and stayed there, motionless, with one lifeless wing sticking up. Then it got quiet and still outside. The other ones seemed to have left.
Very slowly, Kaley sat up on the floor and pulled herself onto the back seat. She didn't much care if any dragons saw her, for she was going to die in this car anyway if she didn't get out and get some air – even very hot air.
But it was silent now. Were they gone? Could she get out? She looked out through the broken driver's side window.
A huge white dragon peered back at her.
Kaley could not even scream. She froze where she was. There was another huge thump as the beast jumped up onto the hood of the car, where she could clearly see it –
And then it began to change.
Fascinated, all she could do was stare. It was just like the drunken dragon she'd seen last night up in the parking garage, when it had laid down and begun shapeshifting.
That had taken several minutes. This seemed to be happening faster. The mostly white dragon contracted its body down and seemed to become formless, almost blending in with the car's hood; and then, as before, it stretched out into long slender arms and legs as the body and head took shape.
Along with shoulder-length blond hair and clear blue eyes.
It was Donovan.
For the first time since the end of the world, Kaley closed her eyes and fell down unconscious.
#
She woke up in Donovan's arms with her head against his broad chest.
Quickly she sat up and realized that he was carrying her across the parking lot. She pushed at his strong chest, and even though he could easily have held his grip on her, he let her get her feet back down to the ground, where she stood looking around in shock.
"Sorry," he said, stepping back from her. "Had to get you out. Too hot."
Kaley just nodded, steadying herself against the side of a car, as she remembered everything. Donovan had the shotgun across his back again, but no rebar. Then she looked up and expected to see a dead dragon wedged in and sticking up between this car and the one next to it – but there was nothing.
The world threatened to turn to black again. "Where did it go? Is it still hiding around here? Is it coming back?"
"No. Look." Donovan walked to the back of the car and pointed. Cautiously Kaley followed him, and saw only a man lying face down on the pavement. He appeared to be very dead.
"I guess they change back when they die," she whispered. "What should we do? Will they come back for him?"
"We do nothing."
"But – "
"They've already forgotten about him. Come on."
He led her inside, and she was very glad to be back in the terminal with its shade and locking doors even if it was nearly as hot as that car. She'd left the two cushions out in the office room – a slight case of optimism, perhaps – and she and Donovan sat down together.
"You're one of them," she said, swallowing thickly. She wanted to be scared of him, but she kept reminding herself that he had saved her life – not once but twice now. Somehow, despite the fact that she'd seen him change forms, she felt curiously safe around him.
Donovan reached into his backpack and gave her a bottle of water. "Yeah. But you'll notice I'm not too friendly with them."
She drank down half of the liter bottle and poured a little over her neck and face to cool down. "Then – you must know where the dragons are from! I mean, your history! Where do you come from?"
He was silent for a time. Kaley drank some more water. "Don't know," he said at last. "First thing I remember is Las Vegas. A lot of dragons there. I came here with this group. We followed the roads until we got to this city."
"Las Vegas," she repeated. "Were you – born there? Or what?"
"I said I don't know. And I don't. Wish I knew. I just remember being there. It was like this. Dry. Desert. Empty. We came here for more territory. Now we're here. That's all I know."
He didn't seem to be lying and actually looked genuinely frustrated with his lack of knowledge.
"Why come all the way down here, for more of the same? Why not just stay in Vegas?" Kaley pressed.
"Las Vegas is no better than this. Empty. No water. Hoover Dam some thirty miles away. The people were gone. The dragons wanted more, so we followed the roads south. Ended up here."
"Okay . . . so, why'd you leave the dragons?"
"This wasn't the first one I killed."
"Oh. I guess they kicked you out?"
"I was tired of them. Their meanness. Their stupidity. The world ends, but they destroy anything that could make life better. Nothing will get better while they're around."
Kaley gazed at him, beginning to understand. "You're their enemy, too."
"Yes."
"Okay, then."
Kaley closed her eyes and let out her breath. She dropped her head forward and covered her face with her hands. The close calls, the danger, the loneliness, the horror and hopelessness of it all . . . it finally closed in, and she began to weep, trying to keep silent but not doing very well.
She could feel Donovan getting up but didn't care. Most men didn't like seeing women cry. He probably wouldn't be around again for a while. But right now, she couldn't stop herself.
Then, she was surprised to find that he was beside her. He had crouched down, and he drew her head against his shoulder. She turned towards him and allowed him to hold her, taking great comfort from the simple companionship he offered her now.
He stood up, lifting her up in his arms. Instinctively she reached up and put her arms around his neck, keeping her face nestled against his warm, comforting shoulder. Donovan carried her a short distance, and she realized he'd brought her inside the cage. He pushed the door shut with one foot, and she heard it lock behind him.
But she didn't mind having him there in her safe place.
Donovan set her gently down on the cushions where she slept. He sat down beside her and folded his hands, as though intending to keep watch over her while she rested.
But that wasn't enough right now. With the adrenaline and emotion still surging through her, Kaley sat up and took him by the shoulders and drew him down to her.
CHAPTER SEVEN
It was always hot inside the cage, but right now Kaley welcomed the warmth and weight of Donovan's body. He didn't struggle or push her away, even though right away, his body became very tense – nearly hard as iron, all over.
He stared at her for a long moment, close enough that Kaley could count his pale eyelashes where they lay against his skin. Slowly, she closed the gap between them, kissing him questioningly. Still Donovan didn’t pull away.
The kiss was soft and tender, surprisingly sweet. Kaley didn't know what she had expected – Donovan was in charge, certainly, but without the forcefulness that he could have used. His lips moved unhurriedly against hers, as though they had all the time in the world to explore one another's bodies.
And Kaley felt like her whole body would combust with the strength of her need.
There was no turning back now. Donovan sat back from her, and Kaley sat up and stripped off her boots and jeans. Then she boldly reached out and unzipped his jeans, freeing his thick member and giving it a few rough strokes, marveling at how soft and velvety the skin was.
Donovan groaned and did not hesitate to lie atop her once more.
Yet he still took the time to place his cheek next to hers and simply hold her close for a moment. Kaley hugged him back, as tightly as she could, knowing this must be his way of showing his human side – the kindness, the understanding, the protectiveness that she had already seen from him.
She forgot all about her usual wariness in the airport. She forgot all about the disaster that had become the world. No, everything narrowed down to the way he was moving his hips, pumping in and out of her, pressing at a bundle of nerves within her. Her blood sang in her ears, and it was all she could do to cling to him, to try to meet his movements.
Slowly, his gentleness began to slip away, his movements becoming more jerky, more rough. But all it did was make Kaley beg for more. And he gave her exactly what she needed.
Kaley practically screamed as they both climaxed at the same time, his seed spilling hot inside of her as her walls contracted around him. She shivered, but he was there to soothe her back into awareness, his hands stroking over her skin.
He might be one of the mandragons, but there was something more to him too – a kindred spirit of sorts, such that Kaley finally felt, for the first time since the world had ended, that she might not have to spend the rest of her days alone.
#
Eventually, when the light coming in through the terminal windows began to fade, Kaley opened her eyes. She must have fallen asleep, for when she sat up – still wearing only her long t-shirt – she saw Donovan once again sitting out in the office room on the cushions.
Immediately she looked for her key. "It's right there, just inside the door." And so it was. He'd taken it, but he'd also put it back.
"Sleep," he said, getting to his feet. "I'll be back later. Don't go out at night."
She nodded wordlessly. His fair skin, blond hair, and white shirt fairly glowed in the last rays of the setting sun as he picked up his backpack and walked out of the building.
Kaley sat down on the cushions again, reaching for the comfort of a blanket even in the very warm building. She felt more at peace than she had for a long time and wanted to enjoy it while it lasted.
There was no telling whether she would ever see Donovan again. It could well be that having gotten what he'd come for, he would simply move on. Mandragon or not, in the end, he was just a drifter like so many in this world.
The thought of never seeing him again made tears prick the corners of her eyes, and she angrily dashed them away. She couldn't help it; she had wanted something for herself in this nightmare, an end to the loneliness.
But part of her knew that she ought to just be grateful for the time she did spend with him. Almost certainly, it would be all they would ever have.
#
Kaley slept longer, and better, that night than she had for a very long time. In the morning the office room was empty, but she'd expected that.
She found she was still at peace with her decision to do what she had done with Donovan, and told herself to expect nothing from him – certainly not a future. Yet she could think of little else.
No one should ever dare hope for such a thing in a world like this one. But if nothing else, he was taking away some of her fear. She was not afraid of Donovan, even knowing what he was, for she had clearly seen that his human side was in control of his dragon side. That was the difference between him and the violent gang of beasts infesting the parking garage.
If she was not afraid of Donovan, maybe she did not have to be quite so afraid of this world, either. He had shown her the best possible thing: that there was still some good in it.
#
For about another week, Kaley went about her usual routine of scavenging for food and, especially, water. She could not bring herself to look through cars again, but she continued exploring every last room and shelf and desk and locker and suitcase she could find inside Terminal Two.
It was getting tougher to find things that hadn't been spoiled by the heat. Her collection for the week, picked out of abandoned suitcases and a desk drawer, was a few cans of mixed nuts, some unopened jars of peanut butter and jelly, and a considerable supply of hard candy. There was no telling what people felt they couldn't live without on a trip.
If they only knew.
Water remained her greatest worry. She set out empty plastic trashcans, cleaned as much as possible with rags and a little diet soda, near the terminal doors in hopes of catching rainwater from any monsoon storms that rolled through. She'd managed to get a little but could use far more.
One day, while setting out more trash cans for water, a movement in the parking lot caught her eye. Instantly she jumped back inside, but when she looked out through the window, she saw not dragons but a coyote dashing away – two, three of them. There were vultures too, rising up from the far side of the car she'd been trapped in that day when the dragons attacked.
Some things never changed. Nature was taking back the body of the mandragon who died there. At least that was one less thing to worry about.
There was no sign of Donovan.
#
One morning, Kaley woke up after again sleeping fairly well. The air was slightly cooler after last night's heavy rain. She sat up, anxious to get out and check the trashcans she'd left a few feet from the door. There should be a good supply of rainwater today, if she could get it safely inside. The thought of being able to have a nice all-over wash got her to her feet.
Then she froze.
Donovan sat out in the office room on the cushions, as though he'd never left.
"Pack up," he said, standing up. "We're leaving."
"Leaving? Where are we going?" Kaley asked blankly. She pulled her boots on and got them laced up before unlocking the cage door.
As she walked out, she felt a surge of real affection – and, of course, a heated bolt of lust – at the sight of him. He looked just the same. She couldn't help but smile. She wanted nothing more than to put her arms around him – but she held back, not sure what he must be thinking after having been away for so long.
She really hadn’t expected to see him again.
He handed her his backpack. "More water. Save your collection for a bath."
She sighed. "I'd love too. Plenty of soap and stuff in the checked luggage. But – "
"More food, too. Eat. We have to go. As soon as it's dark."
Food. Maybe there would be more cans of soup.
This time, the backpack held dried meat – jerky strips – along with boxes of raisin bran and more bottles of water. "Thank you! It looks wonderful. I don't suppose there's any milk to go with the cereal," she said, ripping open one of the boxes and eagerly digging in.
"No. Not much of anything left in stores or homes. Not in this heat."
She became more serious as she dug into the raisin bran. "Ish dat why we haf to leave?" she said, around a huge sweet mouthful.
"Yes. No food. Just people willing to do anything to get what's left."
"Okay. But – "
"Dragons, too."
"I've hardly seen the dragons all week. Maybe you put them in their place after – after – "
"No. They're watching us. Waiting for the right time. They want us both. That's why we can't stay here together."
CHAPTER EIGHT
"They want us both," Kaley repeated. "I stole from them, and you – "
"I'm a traitor. I've killed two of them. I'd kill more if I could. They know that," said Donovan. "We have to go."
"But – " Kaley was surprised to find how much the thought of leaving the relative safety of the airport frightened her. "Donovan, we can survive here. There's still food. There's rainwater. They can't get in. How could we possibly be safer out in the open?"
"Because they won't be expecting it." He was trying to be patient, but she could see that that would not last.
"Okay, I get that," she said, trying to get him to talk it over. "But wouldn't it be better to stay here for now, with the heat and the storms, and try to get somewhere cooler once the wint
er sets in?"
He just stared at her.
"Winters are nice and cool and dry in the desert," she went on, talking fast. "We could go north, to the high desert country. Or south towards Tucson. Yeah, Tucson is hot too, but not as bad as Phoenix. We could – "
"No!"
She flinched and took a step back.
"We can't stay here," Donovan said. "It's too hot. Too dry. Too dangerous. Nothing here but starving people and vicious dragons who see us as competitors – or prey."
"Okay," she whispered. "Then maybe you should go. I'll just keep on like I have been, and – "
"No." His voice was softer but just as definite. "If you stay, you put me in danger, too. I will not leave you here alone. I'll have to stay, too."
Silence fell between them. Kaley had no answer for that. "Okay," she whispered. "I'll pack up a few things."
"We leave at dark," he said. " We'll go north. Not as far too higher elevations."
She nodded, smiling weakly. "Sedona," she said. "I hear Sedona is very nice this time of year."
#
After eating her fill of the delicious raisin bran, washed down with sweet bottled water, Kaley spent the rest of the day making one last run through the upper level of Terminal Two and scraping up whatever food she might have missed before – as well as saying goodbye to the place.
Before everything changed, airlines and terminals like this one had been a wonderful part of her life. This terminal had allowed her to stay alive, even through the end of the world, and in a strange way, she was grateful to it.
She went down the stairs to the lost-and-found cage without looking back.
As the sun began to set, Kaley finished packing. She filled the largest backpack she could find with as much concentrated food as she had – the mixed nuts and peanut butter, not the jelly – and only a little candy. The rest was bottled water and two folding paper maps, one of the United States and the other of Arizona.
"I guess roads aren't much good for anything but walking on now," she said. "But at least we'll know where we're going."
Donovan nodded, and then they left. The glass door to Terminal Two fell shut behind Kaley for the last time.
