The Phoenix Dragons

by Jadyn Chase

  It was a hundred and twenty miles to Sedona.

  #

  There was no moon and the night glittered with stars, as it nearly always did in the desert if there was no monsoon. Otherwise, the only light came from the many campfires and battery-powered lamps scattered across the city.

  At first, Donovan, carrying his backpack and his shotgun, led Kaley to the north along the lowest level of the massive freeway system. The roads were empty, of course, except for the many disabled vehicles.

  After about three miles, she followed him up to a pedestrian bridge over the ten-lane road. "Sit down. Drink some water," Donovan said. "You face that way. I'll face this way. We can both watch for trouble."

  "Okay. That makes sense." Kaley took out a water bottle and did as he asked, looking out one end of the bridge while he looked out the other and both of them watched for anything that moved.

  All she saw was the city firelights. No people or dragons. It was strangely peaceful, and frightening, all at once.

  "I figure we can average ten miles a day, maybe more," she said quietly, over her shoulder. "That would easily put us in Sedona within two weeks. Not bad." She didn't really like the idea of being out in the open for so long, but she trusted Donovan to keep her safe.

  There was no answer. It wasn't surprising, but after a few more minutes she became a little concerned.

  "Donovan?" Kaley couldn't resist glancing back. Donovan wasn't there – or at least, not in the form she was accustomed to seeing him in.

  In his place was a dragon, deep grey-black in color like the pavement beneath him.

  She gasped and leaped up, her heart pounding out of her chest as she looked up at the tall and powerful beast. But the dragon stood quietly, looking back at her, and then raised his head and wings to show that Donovan's backpack was hanging from a strap around his neck.

  "Oh," she breathed. "Oh, okay . . . "

  The shotgun lay on the pavement right in front of him. She picked it up and slung it over her back the way he had always done. Then the creature lowered himself down in front of her and stretched out one front leg to her, in a clear invitation.

  "Sure thing," she murmured, trying to act as though her heart wasn't about to pound out of her chest as she put both arms through the straps of her own backpack. Then, taking a deep breath, Kaley stepped up onto the dragon's foot and slid into place on his neck.

  She held on very tight as he spread his wings wide, hopped up to the railing of the bridge, and then leaped off to glide into the night. Beating his great dark wings, he gained a little altitude and then soared easily over the empty freeway.

  Kaley looked around, once again gazing down at a cityscape, and felt sudden tears sting her eyes.

  I thought I'd never fly again . . . until now.

  #

  Donovan carried Kaley north. He would glide for a time, for a few miles or a few hundred yards, before landing again on an overpass or a tall building or the side of one of the many mountains scattered all through the city of Phoenix.

  They made steady progress. It wasn't long – perhaps an hour or so – before they reached the northern boundary of the city. Occasionally Donovan would stop to rest and allow Kaley to dismount and stretch her legs; but they were soon on their way again, following the interstate highway with its many abandoned cars into the north-central part of the state.

  Quite soon, the air became cooler. They were getting into the high desert that would eventually reach up into the mountains. After the many weeks of blistering heat, Kaley began to wish she'd brought a jacket.

  They saw no other dragons. She prayed they would find none out here. Donovan seemed to think the creatures liked the cities because there was more to take and destroy – more prey, in the way of easily caught animals and humans. Kaley could only hope that he was right and they would not encounter them up north.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Eventually, to the right, the sky began to lighten. Had they really been flying all night? They must have been, for Kaley was able to see the ground more clearly. "Oh, look! There! The sign's still up," she cried out, as they continued along the freeway. "That's the exit to Sedona! It's not far at all after that!"

  The dragon swung left, following the twisting, turning side road, and then headed north once again. Kaley was delighted to see the rocky red mountains beginning to appear up ahead, dressed in dark green pine, cedar, and juniper trees.

  "We're nearly there! The city is just to the north!"

  The dragon glided in to land on one of those mountains. She slid down and they stood together on the wide ledge, looking out over the forest as the eastern sky continued to lighten.

  "Just like the pictures I've seen," said Kaley, breathing deep of the cool, clean air. "It's perfect!"

  She turned back to look at him and caught her breath at the sight. The other dragons, though they seemed to be basically a dirty white color, had always looked gray and black like ugly broken pavement and ruined buildings. Now, though, Donovan, in his dragon form, was adopting the reddish color of the rocks behind him and fairly glowed in the early light.

  His form was different from the others, too, she realized. They had been crude and ugly things, like misshapen dinosaurs. But Donovan was graceful and magnificent, the way she had imagined a dragon out of legend should look, with a fierce and beautiful face, a long slim body, and powerful wings.

  He took a few steps forward and positioned himself on the edge of the plateau so that the sun was rising alongside him. And then Kaley saw that he was taking on the delicate colors of the dawn, all pale gold and rose and blue, with his white wings outstretched above him like clouds over the rising sun.

  She sat down and watched him, and there were tears in her eyes again. Donovan had not only let her fly again, and shown her that there was still good in the world; he had shown her that there was still beauty in it, too.

  #

  There was a winding creek at the base of this mountain and Donovan flew her down to the banks. "Oh, this is my idea of heaven," Kaley said, sliding from his neck to look at the wide and gently flowing creek. Tall trees leaned over the clear water on either side, and big clumps of fresh pale green grass grew all along the banks.

  "Look! Is that fish? Trout? If we can catch them – and build a fire – we've got breakfast!"

  At that, the dragon raised his head and stood motionless in front of her. Kaley took the hint and unstrapped the backpack from his neck. "Okay," she said and placed the backpack on the ground beside hers – and the shotgun. "I'll see about a fire. You go and – "

  He walked along the banks, disappearing farther down. Kaley could hear him pushing through the brush and splashing in the water.

  She found matches in his backpack and got to work building a fire ring and getting some fuel. By the time the dragon came back, this time maintaining his own natural soft white color, Kaley had a good fire going.

  "Oh! You're back. Did you get any – "

  He dropped a large mouthful of whole fresh trout onto the ground at her feet.

  At first she just stood there, shocked, but then burst out laughing. Well, he didn't exactly have hands when he was a dragon, did he? So, Kaley washed the gorgeous rainbow trout in the creek and, with the knife from her belt, placed them on flat clean stones to prepare them for cooking.

  Soon the fish were sizzling on heated rocks beside the campfire. The dragon simply crouched down to rest under the trees. He must have eaten his fill of raw fish while catching these, for he seemed quite content, but Kaley privately thought he could not have enjoyed them half as much as she was enjoying these crispy-hot beauties.

  Eventually, every bite of the wonderful filleted trout was gone. Kaley buried the scraps and then looked in her backpack for the clean clothes she'd brought, as well as the washcloth and little unopened bar of soap she'd found in a suitcase back in the terminal.

  The white dragon slept beneath the trees. No doubt he was tired after carrying her all the way up here. Kaley int
ended to take the chance to get a lovely bath in the creek.

  After stripping off the very dirty clothes, she soaped herself down and then rinsed while still on the bank so as not to get the soapsuds in the creek.

  Then she quietly stepped down into the cold water and found a place near the bank where the depth was about three feet. It was very cold but just heavenly after the weeks of heat and grime in the city. She sat down on some large rocks and let the sweet clear water flow over her.

  Perfect.

  Then she turned to see Donovan standing very still on the bank in his human form, as naked as she was. It hit her like a punch in the gut, her eyes roaming hungrily over his body as he raised an eyebrow, smirking at her.

  Kaley rose up in the water and stepped up on a rock so he could see her the way she was seeing him. She nearly forgot that she was naked as she looked at him, smooth and strong and perfect. And as human as she was.

  She smiled, feeling suddenly shy as he walked to the bank and waded in, standing in front of her.

  It seemed that somehow Donovan had always been part of her life, instead of only being in it for a few days. As he pulled her close and held her tightly by the arms, kissing her with a fierceness that had not been there the first time, he was exactly like the fantasies she'd always had of a strong and beautiful man . . . a man who would not leave her behind, but would stay and protect her to the end of the world . . . and even after.

  And right now, as he bent down to kiss her breasts, she could not help but hold him tight and let her head fall back in happy surrender. His body was so strong, yet his skin was velvet soft and felt hot even in the cold water.

  Her fingers slipped across his skin, aided by the water. He gripped her hips and pulled her closer to him, pressing his naked body against hers. Kaley moaned, instinctively lifting her legs and wrapping them around his body.

  Donovan slid into her without any preparation – but she didn't need any. She whimpered as he began to rock into her, moving slowly, the cold water moving in waves around their body even as waves of pleasure crested inside of her.

  They kissed again, their tongues tangling together, each battling for dominance. It was tender, like the last time, but with a hint of animalistic fierceness as well, evident in the way Donovan's fingers pressed bruises into her buttocks and the way she raked her fingernails down his back, making him groan. Finally, Kaley was able to forget all about her long nightmare of unbearable heat and starvation and darkness and monsters. There was only this rushing water out here in the forest, where the air was cool and fresh, and she and Donovan were lovers.

  It was over all too soon – but Kaley knew this wasn't the last time they'd do this. She smiled at the man, leaning into his warm body as they slowly sat down together on the rocks, letting the creek wash over them and carry away all their loneliness and pain.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Eventually, Kaley began to feel cold, and she was glad to get out of the water. She and Donovan stood together and embraced on the banks while she soaked up the human warmth of him under the tall leaning trees. She closed her eyes and enjoyed it while she could, grateful that he did not seem to mind the affection. Some men –

  "I really should go and get dressed again," she said, looking up at him. "Though I don't think it gets any better than this. Soap, clean water, lovemaking – "

  His expression was gentle as he watched her, looking as peaceful as she had ever seen him. "Trout."

  She laughed. "Okay. Trout, too."

  Suddenly he braced himself and pushed her back. "Get in the trees. Hide. Now!"

  Kaley didn't ask why but just ran into the trees, hiding in the underbrush. Donovan did the same a few yards away from her. It was awful to be naked out here, but it was too late to do anything about that now.

  And sure enough, not far overhead flew one – two – three large shadows. One perched on the trees that leaned out over the wide creek, a short way down from where she hid. A second was on the banks of the creek, out in the open and just down from Donovan. The third one was behind them and let out a loud screech.

  They were surrounded. The beasts had them in sight. There was nowhere to run.

  Her instant fear was that Donovan would shape-shift and try to fight them – but even he was no match for three other dragons. They were here to kill him and take her back with them, making an impression on anyone else who might kill other dragons or leave the group. Or just steal from them, as she had.

  Kaley refused to let that happen. But she had to act fast, before Donovan could change to dragon form and attack.

  She stood up, still entirely naked, and walked out of the trees to the banks of the creek. She went right past the dragon that had landed there and walked into the middle of the creek, up to her chest.

  It was even colder this time. But she was counting on that. She made herself smile at the three dragons and act as if the creek was warm. "The water's fine," she called to them, splashing a little over her face. "If you'll come in here with me, I'll go with you. I don't want anything to happen to him. Come out here in the water to show me you'll be fair and strike the bargain."

  The dragons all looked at each other and hissed, swinging their ugly heads back and forth. They seemed to be laughing.

  Laugh all you want, monsters. Just come out here in this very cold water. I know how much you like the heat.

  She tensed, but kept smiling, as the three of them approached the water. "Jump in! Jump in!" she called, and to her amazement – they did.

  Kaley moved as fast as she could to get out of the way, moving farther upstream. The three huge beasts came splashing in but immediately threw their heads up and screeched in anger and shock.

  The cold slowed them down almost right away. She was betting that they were already chilled from the altitude and the long flight out of Phoenix and would have little tolerance for the very cold mountain creek water soaking their thin-skinned bellies. And that's exactly how they were behaving.

  It was hard enough to move herself, for being in this water again was draining the heat from her body, too. She turned to look back, still wading upstream into waist-deep water, but the breeze hitting chest felt even colder than the water.

  Two of the dragons continued floundering and crying in the deeper water where she'd led them. But a third, apparently a little stronger, meaner, and angrier, somehow found the determination to keep chasing Kaley.

  The thing was so large, and she was moving so slowly, that it was almost within reach of her. Once again, she thought it might be the end.

  Then a deafening shot rang out and the dragon screeched and fell over in the water. The shotgun shell had torn a hole in its chest. Donovan stood on the bank, cocked the big gun, and aimed it at the other two.

  The one nearest to him bared its teeth in aggression and started towards Kaley. There was another blast and that one dropped into the water, too, dead almost before it hit.

  Then Donovan trained the gun on the third dragon. Apparently not as brave – or as stupid – as its companions, it gave a little screech and tried to flounder out of the water onto the opposite bank. But it was struggling and getting colder and more panicked by the second and made little, if any, progress.

  "Kaley! Get out of there!" cried Donovan, and ran to the edge of the bank with the shotgun in one hand and the other held out to her.

  "I'm – I'm coming," she said, her teeth chattering.

  Finally she reached him and he pulled her out, sending her staggering alone the soft earth of the bank. She nearly fell, but he kept her on her feet, and she managed to grab her backpack as she stumbled past it.

  Right now I don't care if that dragon's after me. I want my clothes!

  Donovan's iron grip kept her moving until she was safe. Once they were many yards away from the creek, he stopped and held her close against him so that once again she could share his warmth.

  When she finally drew back, she saw that he'd also had the presence of mind to grab his backpack. "I g
uess you were cold, too," she said.

  "What?"

  Kaley couldn't help it. She began to laugh, until she collapsed into the warmth and safety of Donovan's arms once again.

  #

  Kaley and Donovan moved to a new camping spot farther upstream, where they rested for one more day near the creek. Kaley didn't know what became of the third dragon, but she suspected that right now there were three dead mandragons in the stream . . . and she had no sympathy for any of them.

  That night, careful not to be seen, a dragon with a woman on his back flew silently up to one of the great red-rock mountains overlooking the city of Sedona.

  The next morning, a man and a woman looked down onto the small city and were pleased to see that it was faring quite well. "Not bad for the end of the world," said Kaley, watching a number of people walking in the streets, driving makeshift horse-drawn wagons, working to build homes, and even tending gardens.

  "Smaller place. They'll know how to live out here, no matter what."

  Think we can find our own place with these people?"

  "I know we can."

  Kaley started to head down the trail that led to town, but Donovan stopped her. "I found this while I was out getting fish yesterday. I think the cool weather kept it fresh."

  He handed her a white rose, soft and fragrant. "Found it in a garden. Late in the year, but this one was left."

  "Oh," she breathed and felt tears burning her eyes. "Oh, Donovan . . . do you know what my middle name is?"

  "I know," he said quietly.

  She took the white rose from him and tucked it into her hair; and then they walked hand-in-hand down the dusty red trail, into a new life together.

  THE END

  Table of Contents

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE