“I … I’m really sorry,” Jenny said, sitting down next to Mia.
“Don’t be! It’s not your fault!”
“Then you’re not cross with me?”
“Why should I? You could be cross with me. After all it was my boyfriend who tried to rape you – and kill you.”
“Not your fault that he turned out to be a psychopath.”
“But I’m mad with myself for not seeing it. I thought … I thought he would be a nice guy and …”
“You deserve to meet a nice guy. One who loves you and all that. But thanks to me, you’re trapped here. – Sorry!”
“Believe me, I’m not looking for another man anytime soon. I’ve had enough for now. It’s better to be here with you – after the thing with Rodriff – then being with the others, meeting all those blokes who are looking to hook up with me. That’s the last thing I need right now. I quite appreciate the seclusion here.”
“Looks like we have to make the best of the situation. How about some exploring of the gardens?”
“I’d like that.”
“Can I speak to you – alone?”
Jenny stopped and turned. She was on her way back to her room, after the dinner was over.
“I am really tired and …,” she started.
“It’s important,” Farron persisted. “Don’t worry! I’m not going to touch you or anything. But we have to talk!”
Jenny straightened her back.
“You’re right. We should talk.” She turned to Mia. “I’ll come soon.”
Mia nodded. She gave Farron a suspicious glance, then turned around and climbed the stairs to the first floor.
Jenny’s heart hammered when Farron gestured her to follow him. They entered a little library. Jenny inspected the high bookshelves, which were filled with old books. Some looked ancient.
“Have a seat,” Farron said and sat himself into a chair by the window. Jenny sat down on the opposite chair.
She wondered, what it was, he wanted to talk to her about. She tried to calm down her galloping heart. Slowly she looked up and gazed at Farron.
“Within the next days you’ll shift for the first time,” he addressed the topic without preamble. “I want to help you. I … I know that we hadn’t had the best start, but I am your mate and want to be there for you. – I want you to know that I am prepared to die for you if necessary. I would never harm you. Gaining your trust will take time, but … I ask you to give me a chance. Let me prove to you, that you can trust me and count on me. No matter what. I’ll try my best, to … to make you happy.”
“I never wanted to be anybody’s mate!” Jenny replied agitated. “I know, you saved my life and I … I am grateful, but I will never … be intimate with you. We can be friends – with time – but never think there will be anything else. I … I’m asexual!”
“What does that mean? Asexual?”
“That means that I am not interested in either men or women. I don’t feel any sexual needs. I can never feel more for you than – friendship.”
“I don’t believe it!” Farron said firmly. “Not after that kiss we shared. You were aroused – you can’t deny that, I know the truth. – I could smell you!”
Jenny blushed. Damn alien with his good nose. He was right; there was no denying that. What now?
“I don’t want you,” she said, trying to distract from her defeat. “Don’t you get it? I don’t love you. Never will! A mere physical reaction won’t change that!”
“That remains to be seen,” Farron replied calmly. “However, there is still the fact that you’ll change soon and you’ve no idea what you’re in for. – Let me at least help you with that!”
Jenny got up, glaring at Farron.
“Thanks – but I think, I’ll manage!” She turned him down. She was scared out of her mind, but that was something, she would never admit.
“You can’t do this alone – believe me! It’s too dangerous. I will not allow you to put yourself in danger. You’ll sleep in my room, so that I can keep an eye on you – like it or not!”
“I will do no such thing! I’ll not sleep with you in one room. – Forget that!” She yelled and tried to storm out of the room, but Farron grabbed her by her arm, holding her back. Before she knew it, he had her hanging over his shoulder. She screamed and kicked, but his grip was like iron and he carried her out of the room.
Farron
Farron climbed the stairs, balancing his struggling mate on his shoulder. He had wanted to deal with the situation as calm and reasonable as possible, but she had left him no choice. To let her go through the transformation on her own was out of the question. Too much could go wrong. Also the first shifting was often the most painful. He would be there for her, no matter what or how she felt about it.
When he reached the landing, the door to the women’s room opened and Mia, alarmed by Jenny’s screams, hurried out of the room. She starred at Jenny, then at him, her eyes wide with shock.
“What’s going on!” She asked, clearly upset. “Where are you taking her and what are you going to do to her?”
“I’ll take her to my room to protect her from her own stubbornness,” Farron growled.
“Let me down at once – you alien bastard!” Jenny yelled and hammered with her fists on his back.
“Let her go!” Mia said angrily, blocking his way.
Farron cursed under his breath. It had been a stupid idea, to take Mia along. He should have insisted of going alone with Jenny. How was he supposed to care for his mate when Mia literally stood in his way?
“Out of my way, Mia!” He demanded icily. “Let’s not make more drama than this whole thing already is. Jenny will calm down when she realizes that I’m not going to harm her!”
“Lory promised you wouldn’t force her. – Now, as I see it, you are doing just that! If she doesn’t want to go with you, then you can’t just throw her over your shoulder like a Neanderthal, to carry her off to your cave!”
“I’m not bringing her to my cave – I’m taking her to my room,” Farron said irritated.
“I didn’t mean that literally. What I meant … Forget it! Fact is: you can’t force her to do something she doesn’t want to do. That’s barbaric!”
“I wouldn’t need to force her, if she would let me help her!”
“I don’t need your help!” Jenny shouted.
“You can’t go through the transformation alone. Since your health is in danger, I will use all means to keep you safe!” He turned his gaze to Mia and growled. “GET out of my way!”
Jenny
Jenny was lying under the blanket, her heart pounding in her chest. She listened to Farron’s tossing and turning on the couch. She nearly felt guilty that he had to sleep on the sofa which was much too short for him, while she had his massive bed all for herself – but only nearly!
After Mia got out of his way, Farron had carried her to his room. He had given in a code for the door, so that only he himself could open it. First he had tried to argue with her, but she had been stubborn, so eventually he gave up. After he had fetched her stuff from her room, he had told her that she could have his bed and he would sleep on the couch. Jenny persuaded herself that she was glad that she did not have to share a bed with him, but a secret part of her wished, he would have insisted to sleep with her in the bed.
Sighing, she turned to the aquarium, which stood between the bed and the sitting area. She couldn’t see Farron, since the aquarium was filled with many plants, but she knew, that he was there, right behind it on the sofa.
‘Our mate!’
‘What? Where does that come from?’ Jenny thought startled. She sat up. With a galloping heart, she looked around, but couldn’t see anybody. It had been a female voice.
When she didn’t hear it again and also couldn’t see anybody, she lay back on the bed again. Her thoughts went wild. What, if she had stayed on earth? Or – at least – would not have wandered around the ship alone?
‘Then Mia would still be in
a relationship with a violent maniac,’ she thought uneasily.
It took a long while for Jenny, to finally fall asleep.
She stood on the balcony leaning on the rail and starred into the black night. Oddly, she could see every detail of the garden, even when the moon and stars were hiding behind thick clouds. Her vision seemed to be better than ever, also her sense of smell. She could scent every flower, and could even tell them apart. The night was mild, no breeze cut through the sweet smell of the night. She tilted her head upwards and looked up to the starless sky. Somewhere out there was her home planet. Earth! How far might it be?
With a deep longing she stretched out her wings and lifted up from the rail. Suddenly her heart got lighter, when she flew over the treetops. She didn’t know before, how wonderful it would be. How thrilling! First, her moves were a bit clumsy and the flight unstable, but the longer she flew, the better she got at it. She even started to get a little reckless, fly a somersault or two. She laughed in delight and didn’t notice, how raspy her voice sounded. It was more a croaking sound than a laugh.
Farron
Farron awoke when his dragon started to get restless. Alarmed he sat up and felt a sharp pain in his back. This damn sofa wasn’t made for somebody his size sleeping on it. Cussing, he stretched his limbs.
‘What is it?’ He asked his dragon.
‘Our mate!’
“What about her,’ Farron demanded to know and got to his feet.
‘She’s gone!’
‘How is that possible?’
Hastily he ran behind the aquarium and noticed that the bed was indeed empty and Jenny nowhere to be seen.
“Fuck!”
Where could she be? The door was locked by the security code. No way could Jenny have gotten out that way. He checked the bathroom, but she wasn’t there.
‘Concentrate! You’re a dragon – use your abilities!’ He reminded himself.
He inhaled, to get her scent. Slowly he approached the bed, where the scent was strongest, and then he followed the scent trail to the balcony door. It stood ajar, so his mate must have woken up and was now outside on the balcony to get some fresh air. Relief flooded him and he opened the door, to join her.
‘She’s gone,’ the dragon wailed.
‘She is only getting some fresh air!’
‘No, she’s gone!’
Farron stepped out onto the balcony and his heart stopped. His mate was not there, as his dragon had said. She had vanished into thin air.
‘No, not vanished! Transformed,’ his dragon reasoned.
“How is that possible?” Farron murmured.
She couldn’t have gone through her first shifting without him noticing. It must have been painful. He would have woken up from her groans. – But still, it was the only logical explanation of how she could vanish with the door sealed and the balcony on the second story. It would be impossible to survive a jump from this height and there were no trees close enough to get onto. Now, she must have been flying.
Chapter 7
Jenny
Jenny woke, feeling fit like she had never felt before. She had had a wonderful dream about flying. She hadn’t had a dream like that since childhood. Snugly she stretched her limbs and opened her eyes.
She cried out in panic, when she sat up, seeing her surroundings. Where was she? How did she come to be here?
“Oh my god!” She murmured horrified and disbelievingly.
She was in a cave and it was still night. Surprisingly she could see every detail of the cave, even if it was still pitch black. She shook her head, dazed, and then she slowly stood and approached the entrance cautiously.
“Uaahh! Fuck!” She screamed horrified when she reached it and saw that the cave was so high up, that she felt immediately dizzy. “What the fuck?”
Hastily she stepped back from the abyss.
She had no clue how she had managed to get up here. She had never before sleep walked. And even if – she was sure that she would have never been able to climb up that rock face. Not even while sleepwalking. Had Farron brought her up here? But why and where was he now?
“Farron?!” She squeaked. Then louder: “Faaaarrrooon?!”
‘Okay, okay! Don’t panic. Use your brain. You got up here – you must also get back down. Just don’t loose your head!’
She laughed hysterically.
‘Yeah, great! You could loose your head – literally – if you fall into the abyss. Best to keep your ass nice and safe. Wait until somebody comes to rescue you!’
She paced the cave, thinking hard.
‘Who shall rescue you? Farron? He must find you first, if he is to rescue you. – There has to be another way! There has to be!’
Frustrated, Jenny went back to the entrance and starred up into the night sky. She remembered her strange dream, how she was flying through the night.
“The dream!” She gasped. Could it be? Could it be that the dream hadn’t been a dream, after all? Did she really fly up here?
Farron
“How was it possible that she had shifted without waking me?” Farron asked frantically.
“I’ve no idea!” His brother Ferrek answered. He had learned from his parents this morning that Farron was here and had come immediately to Farron’s house.
“We must search for her! Get a few people together and let’s search the mountains. Every cleft. Every cave.”
“Of course. I’ll go immediately!” Ferrek promised.
“Thanks!”
Ferrek stood and patted Farron encouragingly on the back.
“We’ll find her! Don’t worry!”
After Ferrek was gone, Farron paced the yard, now and then looking up to the sky, to see, if the search party had arrived. Orrigh came running, as fast as his old feet would carry him. He had visited the village to ask if anybody had seen Jenny. Farron stood and looked at the old man expectantly.
“News?”
“I fear – no – but I learned from one of the seniors that the shifting could have been different with your mate not being a Moliwe. There is no telling if the change harmed her or not. Many years before, a similar case occurred. The woman was not a Moliwe and was not in tune with her dragon. She had no control over it. The dragon took over completely. It got very aggressive. Our ancestors had to put it down.”
Fear tightened Farron’s chest. What if Jenny had similar problems? If she could not control her dragon – could not turn back?
“Damn!” He snarled. He wanted to do something, wanted to search for his mate.
“They are coming!” Orrigh’s voice cut of his thoughts and Farron looked up.
Relief filled his heart. There were at least a dozen dragons, heading towards his house. Friends who would help him find Jenny. But he had to warn them that it could be that Jenny’s dragon might be aggressive.
Jenny
She had no idea what time it was. The sun stood high and she guessed it could be around noon, but didn’t know much of this alien world, to be sure. She had approached the edge on her belly several times, to look down into the abyss. It was unthinkable to get down there. She had no clue how to transform into her dragon. She’d tried and failed. She wasn’t even sure if she wanted to turn into a dragon and fly. The thought made her uneasy, it scared the shit out of her. Sure, she had dreamed about it, or maybe it hadn’t been a dream and she had actually been flying. In her dream, flying hadn’t been frightening at all. It had felt incredible. Her dragon had enjoyed it, but now she was good old Jenny, and just thinking about going off that edge made her stomach turn.
What if the transformation worked only a certain time and she would turn back into herself – her non-flying-self? She would fall and break her neck. No! She had to find another way. She wondered if Farron was looking for her right now. He had sworn to protect her – with his life – if necessary. Well, he didn’t have to risk his life – just come and get her out of this fucking cave. But then what? Would she have to fly on his back? That didn’t sound much bette
r than flying herself. She liked adventures, but she was very much afraid of heights.
Suddenly something darkened the entrance to the cave and she turned her head to look what had caused it.
A big dragon with red and black scales sat there and starred at her out of light brown eyes.
“Umm, hello,” she greeted with a slightly shaking voice. The dragon looked frightening, even if he must have come to her rescue.
“Are … Did you come her accidentally or to save me? Are they looking for me? You … you’re here to … take me back?”
The dragon didn’t reply but let out a deafening roar. He came closer and suddenly she had the feeling that this dragon wasn’t here as her friend and rescuer. She backed up in a sudden panic. The beast opened his snout and showed her two rows of needle sharp teeth.
“What do you want from me?” She asked, trying to keep her voice from shaking.
The dragon growled, then he let out another loud roar and charged at her. Everything happened so fast. One moment she saw the dragon coming towards her, the next moment she charged at him with talons as sharp as razors.
‘Let me handle this!’ She heard a voice in her head – oh damn – she didn’t have a head, not her usual one anyway. She was somehow in this dragon, heard its voice.
Her dragon hit the red and black dragon with its enormous tail. The other dragon threw his tail in return, and Jenny felt the blow and the following pain as if it was her own.
‘It is my pain. The dragon and me – we’re one!’
Both dragons fought now with talons, fangs and tails. It was a matter of life and death. Jenny could feel her dragon weakening. She had no idea how long it could keep this up, taking now more, than giving. It seemed to be only a matter of time until the other dragon defeated her – her dragon. The pain with every blow was unbearable. Her dragon was bleeding from so many wounds. The red and black tail with its nasty spikes hit her dragon’s head and her vision went black.
Farron'S Rebellious Mate (English Edition) (Lords of Arr'Carthian 2.5) Page 5
