by Rosette Lex
“So…you really are an endangered species. Are you able to reproduce?” Sabrina asked with understandable clinical curiosity. However, my instincts burned hot in my chest and I wanted nothing more than to show her just how well I could reproduce.
“Yes, it is possible. Three of my brothers are mated now and our Lord Commander, Safir, his wife is already carrying their first child,” I answered instead.
“Oh wow…so would the baby be human or…?” I shook my head.
“No, our genes are very dominant. The child will be like us, though the fact that the mother is human makes it possible for her to have either a boy or girl.” Sabrina nodded thoughtfully.
“That’s interesting. So do you all find mates just by meeting someone and going on a few dates or is there something more to it?” Sabrina was smart. I smiled and then wondered how I would explain the process to her.
“There is definitely something more to it. Though it is difficult to explain. Once you meet her, your instincts simply fire on full alert. There is a need to…” I glanced down at her and saw her listening attentively, “be with her that is impossible to ignore.”
“It sounds so romantic,” she said with a small smile and I wet my lips before looking ahead at the never-ending line of trees. We were walking along a narrow deer path and from the light in the sky I knew it would be dark soon, it was time to turn around and head back.
“It can be yes, if we know how to deal with our urgings. Control it enough to properly court our mate before…ah…” Sabrina giggled and I looked down at her with a smile. “You know what I mean,” I said and she nodded.
“So I’m going to venture a guess and say that you don’t have a mate?” Sabrina asked innocently enough.
“I do not, though it seems to be a…snowball effect ever since Lord Safir found his mate, one by one my brothers have been finding theirs…” I said and looked at her meaningfully. Sabrina would find out soon that I’ve recognized her as my mate. I did not know how much longer I would be able to restrain myself in helping her to dress and undress.
“Is it hard for you?” Sabrina asked me curiously as we turned around to head back to the cottage. I hadn’t realized how far into the woods we went.
“What do you mean?” I asked her curiously and she made a vague gesture in front of her.
“Like to see all the other guys finding their mates,” I stared at Sabrina in a bit of surprise. How would she have known to ask me that?
“It is strange yes…it’s why I come out here, sometimes I wonder too much what it is like to have a mate and it can be distracting,” I said truthfully.
“I know what you mean. I sometimes think that I’ll never find the right guy you know; I don’t want to settle. But it’s hard…with the way I look—” I cut her off with a tsk and she pressed her lips together on a smile.
“You are beautiful Sabrina, don’t ever let anyone try and convince you otherwise,” I said solemnly and she nodded. Her eyes drifted from mine to look at the passing trees and her expression fell.
“But I won’t remember you telling me this, will I?” she asked me softly. I kept quiet and we walked in easy silence back to the cottage and got back just as dusk fell.
“Tomorrow perhaps, we can go into town and visit the club. I actually have a membership. Out of all the human sports my kind has grown fond of, I am the only one who likes to golf,” Sabrina smiled as she stepped inside and she looked up at me with bright eyes.
“That sounds great, I won’t feel like I’m being held hostage or anything,” Sabrina said as she walked over to the living room. I sighed and closed the door behind us.
“I hope that was more of your sarcasm?” I asked as I went to join her on the couch. Before I sat down though, I helped her out of the coat.
“Maybe,” she said succinctly and I smirked.
“There is television here, but this far out satellite reception is dodgy at best. I have a selection of movies though,” I said to her and Sabrina perked at the idea of watching something. I quickly went upstairs to hang up the coat and then I was back downstairs with her.
“You know…you really ought to give someone a heads up before you just…disappear,” Sabrina said with a hand over her heart. I couldn’t help but laugh at the exaggerated expression of shock on her face.
“I apologize, next time I will let you know before I speed away,” I assured her as I retrieved the remote for the television from the mantle.
“What are you in the mood to watch? I have a wide selection here,” I said and went to sit down next to her.
Chapter 5
Sabrina
Doran came back to the couch, it was also a bit freaky how I felt the heat come and go with his presence. Like he always had this fire inside of him. He lifted his eyebrows playfully and dangled the remote in front of me while he waited for my reply expectantly.
“Um…I know Christmas passed already, but I’m in the mood for something that will make me feel happy inside,” I said and Doran laughed at me. “What? I’m serious,” I said and smiled reluctantly at his full-bellied guffaw. What was so funny about that?
“I do have a Christmas movie, how about White Christmas?” Doran suggested. I nodded and he pressed a button that allowed two wooden panels above the mantle to slide open. I thought the intricately carved birch was a part of the mantle, but it was hiding a huge flat screen TV.
Doran turned it on and then got up to retrieve a DVD from one of the nearby shelves. He popped it into the side of the TV and the movie started to play after a brief moment.
“I can make hot chocolate too,” Doran said with a smile and I wondered how the hell a fire-breathing alien could be so perfect.
“That would be amazing actually. I’d love some hot chocolate,” I said and Doran went into the kitchen to get it started while I watched one of my Christmas favorites.
It was strange, but after walking with Doran, my chest didn’t feel as tight or painful and my head was feeling better too. I thought a lot about what Doran said on our way back to the cottage though. He seemed like he wanted someone, like he was lonely.
It was crazy to think that someone as gorgeous as he was could be lonely, but there he was in a cottage in seemingly the middle of nowhere. I started to feel conflicted, I mean there he was and there I was, we could be together. That is if he was attracted to me and would let me have my memories of him. I could imagine myself being a dragon shifter’s wife. It was about time I settle down anyway and have kids of my own. I was beginning to think that I’d never have that.
“I have the perfect cup of hot chocolate, here you are.” Doran appeared next to the couch and handed me the big green mug of hot chocolate, it smelled amazing. As soon as I had a handle on my cup, Doran disappeared and then reappeared next to me. I gave him a stern look and he smiled sheepishly.
“I’m sorry, it is second nature,” he grinned like a little boy looking to charm his way out of trouble. I couldn’t help but shake my head and smile. Doran was quite adorable when he wanted to be. I settled in with my hot chocolate and took a sip. It tasted like heaven melted and mixed with ambrosia perfectly delivered in a steaming cup. Needless to say, I couldn’t help but moan when I tasted it.
“This is amazing Doran…oh my God…” I moaned again with another sip and then realized Doran hadn’t said thank you or anything. I glanced over at him and found him gripping his mug tightly and watching me closely.
His blue eyes were glowing again under slightly lowered eyelids. I wasn’t sure if I was seeing arousal on his face or not.
“I am…glad you like it,” Doran said eventually, his voice was gruff and I bit my lip in a gesture of self-consciousness. He set his mug down on the coffee table with a thud and stood up abruptly.
“Excuse me…” Doran disappeared before I could ask him what was wrong. I took as deep a breath as I could and exhaled on a sigh. Maybe I was mistaken on the few subtle cues Doran gave me, maybe he wasn’t attracted to me.
But was simp
ly a nice guy who wanted to help with my self-esteem issues while he held me captive until my memory could be erased. I focused on the movie and decided to simply enjoy the ridiculously delicious hot chocolate.
Doran came back around the time the movie ended. He didn’t say much when he stepped inside, simply puttered around the kitchen and went upstairs to the bedroom. I debated finishing his untouched cup of hot chocolate; though eating when I became anxious was what I believed got me to that situation in the first place.
If I stayed thin through college, I would have met a nice handsome guy who would have swept me off my feet. Not extra curvy, alone, nearly raped by some crazy scientist and being held hostage until my memory could be wiped by an alien that could turn into a freaking dragon.
“I’m sorry I left so abruptly, it’s just that…you make me feel out of sorts sometimes,” Doran appeared right next to me and he seemed contrite.
“Out of sorts…how?” I asked, half afraid it was out of sorts in a way that meant he could turn into a dragon at any second. Then, half hoping it was out of sorts in a way that meant he was attracted to me. I hoped for the latter.
“I do not know how to explain it, but you make me…you make me want you,” Doran admitted. My jaw dropped out of shock and I think he mistook my reaction because he averted his eyes and went to gather my empty mug and his.
“I’m sure you would be disgusted by an alien wanting you though. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No…I mean, I didn’t mind I was just surprised is all,” I said quickly and Doran looked up at me with a strange expression in his eyes.
“Okay then,” he said and then turned to walk into the kitchen. Or more like step into the kitchen as the place wasn’t that big. It really was only made for one
“So what do you want for dinner? I have mostly meats and greens,” Doran called over from the refrigerator.
“Um, I wouldn’t mind something green,” I said with a smile and Doran pulled out some kale, mushrooms, and other veggies I couldn’t quite make out.
“We shall have stir fry then,” he announced and placed all the ingredients on the counter.
“Can I help?” I said and Doran gestured for me to stay when I made to get up.
“Of course you can, but don’t try and get up on your own if you’re in pain,” Doran said sternly. “It is more than likely that you can hurt yourself further by doing this,” he said and then helped me up off of the couch.
“I just want to get better already is all,” I sighed and walked over to the kitchen counter with him.
“You will, don’t worry. It all takes time and patience.” Doran assured me. “You can help me cut up the vegetables in the mean time,” he flashed a charming smile at me and I found an extra cutting board and knife.
“So, what is your life like back in Keene? Other than your love life,” Doran asked conversationally.
“Well, I work with local vendors for a farmer’s market in Elizabethtown. It’s a bit of a commute, but not too bad…my parents live in the city. Why they chose to retire there I’ll never know, but they love the excitement I guess. I visit them every once in a while,” I said, there wasn’t much to my life, there was work and work friends, then my parents when I went to visit. Then the occasional guy, which always tended to be a douche, so those relationships never worked anyways.
“Your work sounds good, do you travel a lot?” Doran was curious about my job, which a lot of people usually were. What it takes to get a farmer’s market together and keep it going wasn’t common knowledge.
“I do, visiting the local farms in the Adirondacks. Most of the people who sell at our market aren’t even really farmers; they simply grow fresh products in their back yards. Everyone just has so much land up here that it’s easy to call them farmers.”
“We grow most of our own foods and hunt it as well. The human foods you’d find at a store do not agree with our kind if it has any preservatives, MSG, or that fructose nonsense. If we have to shop, we do it at farmer’s markets where everything is fresh.” I smiled, well no wonder he seemed to be in such good shape.
“So, you all really have your own community in Keene?” I asked and Doran nodded.
“Yes, we’ve learned to build our homes so that we would not have to be connected to any power networks or plumbing systems. We make money through the logging business and other than what little we do go into town for we are completely self sufficient.” That sounded amazing, they had their own little world pretty much.
“It sounds like a life I’d like to visit.” I said softly and Doran stopped his dicing.
“Visit and not have?” He was all of a sudden serious and I wasn’t entirely sure where it came from. Or what it meant.
“Ah, forget my question, are you done with the mushrooms?” Doran started up the wok on the gas range and emptied my cut up veggies into the large bowl in between our chopping stations. “I will take over from here, you can pick out another movie if you like,” Doran said and he popped a raw mushroom into his mouth.
I realized it was the first I had seen him eat anything. I wandered into the living room and picked out another Christmas movie, we’d have a double feature of the original Home Alone movies.
As soon as Doran started cooking, my stomach started to growl. I glanced over at Doran who glanced at me in surprise; his mouth was obviously trying not to smile. My cheeks heated in embarrassment and then I just started to laugh, Doran laughed with me and I laughed so hard that I forgot about my bruised ribs.
“Sabrina, stop, stop you’ll hurt yourself,” Doran said through a chuckle. I wiped the tears of mirth from my eyes and held on to my side, because it was indeed cursing me out in pain inducing Morse code.
Doran’s expression became concerned when my face pinched from the pain. He took the pot off of the fire and walked over to me. “Describe the pain to me Sabrina,” Doran said soothingly while he sat me down on the couch.
“It’s like…someone is sitting on my side…and poking through to my lungs at the same time…with like a burning hot branding iron…” I said between breaths.
“Okay, just rest a while, the pain will subside,” Doran said with a comforting tone. He went back to cooking and I decided to start watching the first Home Alone movie. Doran set the table for us to eat and he came over to help me up so we could eat, it was starting to get a little annoying that he had to help me do the easiest things like getting up from the freaking couch.
“You seem annoyed, are you alright?” Doran asked as I began eating without much comment.
“I just…this is all ridiculous, I hate that Angel hurt me and now…I can’t even wash my hair,” I said in frustration.
“You will heal in due time Sabrina, we can do exercises together to speed up the process if you like, they will be painful for you though,” Doran offered cautiously.
“If it will get me better quicker than by all means, lets do them,” I said and he nodded before he took a bite of his food. The stir-fry was delicious; it wasn’t too salty and had just a bit of sweetness to it.
“This is really good by the way,” I commented and Doran smiled shyly.
“I am glad you like my cooking.” I nodded and took a few more bites, then remembered what he said about barbecuing.
“I’d like to taste your barbecue one day,” I said with a smirk and Doran chuckled.
“My methods are unconventional I must warn you, but the final product is quite delicious,” I gave a half giggle and Doran smiled at me adorably.
“You’re really…handsome you know?” I said and Doran’s smile became a bit embarrassed.
“Thank you…I have not heard that compliment before.” Doran was bashful and it made him that much cuter.
“So you have trouble washing your hair?” he changed the subject abruptly and I paused before answering.
“Yeah, I can’t I have to angle back and that really hurts.” Doran nodded thoughtfully and then he seemed to grapple with something.
&nbs
p; “I could…I could help you with that if you want, I know bathing must be difficult if you need help to dress and undress even,” Doran said quickly almost as if he just wanted to get rid of the words before he could convince himself otherwise.
Then, I realized that he just basically offered to help be shower. Immediately all I could think about was Doran’s soapy hands running up my legs or massaging my scalp.
“Um…uh…I guess so; it is hard for me. I’d appreciate the help, yeah,” I pretty much convinced myself as I answered him. Doran nodded, though he didn’t look at me, his face was angled down towards his food. I did feel the swell of heat that resonated from him though and I was quickly learning that was a sign of his being excited about something. I just wasn’t sure if it was a good excited or bad excited.
“So when you go back…to your life, how often do you spend time away from Keene?” Doran asked almost anxiously.
