I nodded and reluctantly stepped back, resuming my place next to my brothers. My brows gathered when I looked at the jars my brothers were inspecting a few seconds before; different ingredients I couldn’t quite recognize were inside, they seemed mostly mineral, but one of them was filled with hair. She took out three empty glasses and placed them side-by-side, then distributed the ingredients equally—leaving the hair aside. Lastly, she poured a light blue substance into them and stirred. The ingredients disintegrated in the liquid, becoming an effervescent potion, and my stomach turned queasy.
I had a strange feeling she was going to make us drink that.
Opening the jar that contained the hair, she cut a lock from it and threw it into one of the glasses. A small puff of smoke came out of it, the hair disintegrating as a result. She reached for the blade she had just used, then approached Ash and I. “May I have a lock of your hair?”
“Sure, why not?”
“What?” Ash and I spoke at the same time. My head spun towards him, eyes wide.
“Well, it’s not the strangest thing a woman has asked me for,” he defended with a shrug.
I grunted and faced the Witch again. “Fine.”
Father’s lips twitched as she reached for my bangs and sliced them right off with her dagger. My hand flew to the top of my hair; she had cut it as short as it would go. I grumbled, while she proceeded to do the same with Ash and returned to the table, whistling a contented tune. She let our hair fall into the two remaining glasses and just like the first, a small puff of smoke came out of it. Grasping all three potions, she walked towards us and handed one to my brothers and I respectively. I instantly realized the hair in the jar had been Kyr’s. That explained what had happened to his long braids during his journey. She had cut it off him.
“I need each of you to blow into your glass.”
Her instructions were clear, but I was even more confused than when we began. Father nodded at us encouragingly, so we did. Inhaling deeply, each of us blew into the glass we held and the potion changed—looking much like liquid silver—each liquid turned a different color.
“Well, that’s interesting…” The Bloodcroix Witch hummed, stepping closer. “Shouldn’t they all be blue?” she questioned, while Father moved to her side. The sun now shone above us.
“They should,” Avra confirmed.
My brother’s and I looked at each other. Kyr’s liquid was an iridescent white with shimmers of blue, Ash’s was a jewel green, and mine was a golden yellow.
“Are we missing something?” Father asked, seeming worried.
“Nope.”
“Then why are they different?”
“I haven’t the slightest idea,” she replied with a smile and waved her hand at us. “Bottom’s up!”
We all looked at our father and he nodded, although his brow had dangerously furrowed. My stomach complained, but an order was an order. I chugged the drink back, swallowing as fast as I could to not taste it in the process. The tingling returned to my skin almost instantly.
“Kyr,” Father called, and my brother stepped closer, handing the glass back to the Witch. “Remove your clothes and access your energy like I taught you.”
Kyr seemed as confused as we were, but conceded. Once he was naked, he closed his eyes and the power pushed out of him, forcing us all several steps back—even the floating table. The next second, a wave of shimmering white scales pulsed along his skin, appearing and disappearing just like Avra’s did. Kyr gasped, but the sound was lost as he changed forms before our eyes, until an eighty-foot tall, white dragon stood before us.
“Fuck!” Ash cursed, staggering back as his neck strained to look at our brother.
Kyr’s scales were a pearlescent white, but unlike our father’s, they had an iridescent blue hue to them, and when the sun hit them, they turned the most amazing shade of sapphire. His eyes were the same vibrant tone, with an electrifying quality to it—just like the Dragon Lord’s—and he too, wore a crown of horns over his forehead.
He was magnificent.
Ash laughed incredulously, and looked at me. “Kyr’s a freaking dragon!”
I couldn’t speak. My heart was bursting from my chest, my throat had become dry and my mind was going a thousand miles with the implications. I was shocked speechless. Kyr walked a few steps as though getting acquainted with his new form, and extended his wings. I stepped back, gasping, they seemed to span twice his size.
“Kyr, son of Avra. Son, of Drayvok.” Father pronounced proudly.
Kyr opened his mouth—I assumed to speak as Avra did in his dragon form—but no words reached us, instead, a weird cry came out.
Father chuckled. “I shall teach you how to speak soon.” His gaze went to Ash. “Step forwards and undress.”
“Hell yeah!” Ash woohooed, and began removing his clothes.
I would have rolled my eyes if I weren’t finding it hard to breathe at the moment. Every muscle in my body was tense and I was having palpitations. Once naked, Ash walked towards our father but gave enough space for his transformation. When the wave of energy shot out of him, we were pushed back once again, and the pulsing scales appeared on his skin, moving over his arms and chest as they appeared and disappeared, except his were green.
The pulsing accelerated, and in the blink of an eye, Ash had transformed. A large emerald green dragon stood in front of us. His scales sparkled like jewels in the sun, and he roared, freely stretching his body and wings. Ash was large in this form, yet he seemed a bit smaller than our brother, perhaps by ten feet, not more. His eyes were a brilliant green, although lighter than that of his scales.
“Ash, son of Avra. Son, of Drayvok.”
Father’s eyes settled on me and I adamantly shook my head. The air was wheezing out of me by this point, and I was certain I was having a panic attack. Whirling around while my body slightly shook, I marched towards the gate. But before I could reach it, a force pulled me back, throwing me onto the grass. I looked at the sky, gasping, while the Bloodcroix Witch’s face appeared on top of me.
Her lips twitched as she held her staff. “I had such high hopes for you.” She tsked. “Get your ass off the grass.”
I grunted and did as instructed. “I think she broke my spine,” I huffed, while Avra laughed. I scowled at him.
“Undress, come on,” she encouraged and my eyes widened.
I wasn’t undressing in front of that woman, it took days before I finally felt comfortable enough to let Kah see me naked, and she was my mate.
The woman arched a brow at me, clearly amused. “The only thing that can result from me seeing you naked is you getting a spanking. Now stop behaving like a bratty child, and undress!”
I took deep breaths, trying to calm my anxiety while I frowned at her. Father’s hand grasped my shoulder and I jumped. I was too on edge, but they didn’t seem to understand that.
“I don’t like change.” I explained in ragged breaths. “I never have, I never will. It gives me anxiety. I like knowing exactly what is going to happen, when it’s going to happen, and what to expect from everyone around me. I respond better when I have control. I don’t like change and this, this….”
My hands motioned to my brothers, who were now attempting to bite each other, it seemed. I frowned while I gasped for air as my throat constricted.
“This is too much, at once. It’s too much!”
Avra regarded me for a moment while sympathy filled his gaze, and placed his hand on my chest. His warmth instantly seeped through me. “You are not experiencing anxiety, son. We, Drayvok, are dragon and man at once. Selenia’s spell was placed on you while you were in your mother’s womb, preventing your dragon side from showing once you were born. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop him from doing anything possible for you to feel him as part of you. In every moment of your life, when you needed him, and during every change.”
Shock traveled through me at his words. “How?”
He smiled, nodding. “The shortness of breath, t
he accelerated heartbeats, the feeling of constriction within you, it’s your dragon side fighting to come out, and make its presence known. You have caged it for too long.” He rubbed my chest and it was then I realized the feelings of what I thought to be “anxiety” were gone, and I could breathe freely. “Your first mistake is thinking about this as change. You have always been Drayvok, son. Your dragon side has always been there. You can’t choose between breathing or seeing, anymore than you can choose between being man or dragon.”
“The pulsing scales,” I whispered and he nodded, approvingly.
“Yes, the dragon is pulsing within you like the beating of your heart. All you need to do is allow it to take over. Imagine yourself smiling. You are still yourself when you smile, yet your face has transformed. Just like so, you can be dragon or man. All you need to do is allow it.”
The oxygen flowed freely into my lungs as I stared into my father’s eyes, analyzing his words. I glanced at the Witch and found her nodding encouragingly. “Allow myself to be the dragon.” How difficult could it be? I huffed at my own assessment and reached for my pants and boxers, letting them fall at my feet. “Just like smiling, just like smiling,” I chanted.
Lowering my hands, I covered my private parts from the woman’s gaze, and walked towards an empty patch of grass. She chuckled behind me.
I turned, facing the idiotic dragons before me, who were clearly trying to tear each other’s heads off, and threw one last glance at my father. He smiled, eyes shining with pride. Releasing a settling breath, I closed my eyes and connected with the energy inside.
I’m sorry you were hidden for so long.
I pushed the power out of me—like I had during my argument with Kyr—and heard the excited claps surround me. A smile stretched my lips as tingles erupted along my body, the same ones I had felt many times before, and I began to change. My bones swiftly shifted but there was no pain. I had no logical explanation for it, but the change felt smooth and soothing as bones rearranged inside me. My skin stretched while the scales multiplied, and it felt like armor over my every inch. Wings protruded from my back, and my claws sank into the fresh earth beneath my feet.
When I opened my eyes, I silently cursed. I could see my broken glasses in between soft strands of grass. I gasped, yet a weird screech came out. My brothers’ rumbling laughter reached me, but I was still focused on the blades of grass, upon which a small ladybug rested—right between my claws. I could see them. I could see clearly. Everything was crisp, bright, and I wasn’t wearing my glasses. I grunted, yet it came out a gargled roar. I liked my glasses. Straightening, I observed my brother’s and realized I was the same size as Ash. A seventy-foot tall dragon. Much larger than the average Drayvok, from what I had read.
“Are you all right?” Kyr asked, and I stumbled back as I understood he was speaking into my mind, yet it wasn’t quite his normal voice. Not the one I heard when he had reached my consciousness before. It was similar, yet deeper, and it somehow resembled Avra’s low and throaty timbre.
“Of course he is; he’s more than okay. He’s a freaking dragon! We all are!” Ash answered and my eyes widened. I could hear him too. His voice was also similar to the one I was accustomed to, but it had a deep and husky quality to it.
“How can I hear you both?” I inquired.
“The Bond of Three?” Ash answered in question form.
I nodded. “Perhaps.”
“You are a golden dragon, Nyx.” Kyr sounded awed.
My eyes flew down to my body. I lifted my hand, observing it, and found long fingers with claws, scales covered the top while my skin—although tough—was smooth underneath. My scales were a deep, rustic golden tone, and when the sun hit them, they seemed made of gold.
“Nyx, son of Avra. Son, of Drayvok.”
When my eyes met Father’s, the frost white dragon stood before us. He smiled, and my lips stretched in response. “Connect with your energy once more, except this time, let it flow through your throat, then speak.”
Kyr nodded and closed his eyes, while Ash slightly jumped on the balls of his feet. He was overjoyed by this development. I chuckled. I was inclined to agree, although it was still hard to believe I was a dragon.
“Father… I have no words… this is amazing.” Kyr’s voice rumbled out of his chest and Avra roared, pleased.
Ash tried it next. “This is the best transformation I have ever experienced!”
“Well done, son.” Avra praised him and focused on me.
I felt the energy unfurl within me and visualized it traveling to my throat. “I’m going to need new glasses.”
They all laughed. I searched the ground for the Bloodcroix Witch, but she was already gone. Avra pressed his forehead to each one of us, embracing us as dragons, and an energy exchange occurred between us. It hummed inside me, satisfied. Father took a few steps back and his majestic wings extended behind him.
“Who is ready to fly?”
Chapter 7. The Man I Am
NYX
* * *
Kah’s hands slipped through my hair as I kissed her breasts, nibbling and sucking her nipples. Her scent danced around me, sending need through me, while our bodies moved in unison. My arms pressed her to me as my hips rocked into her, feeling resistance. She began to tremble against my skin. She was close to the edge, and would fall apart in my arms any second.
“Open up to me, Kah, please. I choose you.” I whispered in her ear and closed my lips over hers, kissing her deeply while pushing harder and faster into her.
Moans erupted out of her, becoming stronger, louder with every stroke until her back arched against me, and a strangled sound left her. She fell over the edge while my hips relentlessly rocked into her, hoping she would open up to me after falling apart in my arms, after I had asked her. It didn’t happen. I lay on my back and brought her with me, holding her close as our breaths returned to normal.
A tear grazed my skin, and my chest constricted. Reaching for her chin, I looked into her eyes. “Please don’t cry.”
She shook her head. “What is wrong with me?” She whispered.
“Absolutely nothing.”
“Then why haven’t I opened up to you yet?” Another tear left her. “You are sweet, funny, strong… and you are my friend. You’ve always been there for me, and no one has ever made me lose myself intimately like you do. Still, I can’t open up to you.”
“There is nothing wrong with you, Kah. Maybe we just need more time together, getting used to each other this way. We’ve been friends for so long… this is new. That’s all.” I lowered my head and brushed my mouth against hers, placing a small kiss on her lips. “Also, you forgot to say brilliant.” She chuckled, and I smiled, kissing her again.
“You are not as smart as you think you are, mister.”
I frowned. “That is just mean.”
She chuckled and kissed me. “Thank you for being so understanding.”
“There is nothing for which you need to thank me.”
“Did you enjoy it?” she asked, coyly.
I frowned. “Of course. I always enjoy being with you.”
“But you didn’t…” she let the words fade and I understood. “I’m sorry.”
“Shhhh. Don’t. You don’t have to worry about me.” I kissed her deeply, trying to ease her mind. “I’m fine, I promise. I just wanted to make sure you enjoyed yourself.” A small smile curved her lips and she nodded, kissing me. “Now, apologize for saying I’m not as smart as I think I am.”
Kah snickered and stood from my bed, walking to the partition to dress while my gaze followed her. She had moved into my room since we told the others about being together a week ago.
“You knew, didn’t you?” I questioned, standing from the bed, and reaching for my robe. It was time to train with Father, and my brothers and I had begun using robes for our sessions. There was no logical scenario in which it made sense to dress, only to undress again at the garden—as he called it.
“About what?
” She replied, over her shoulder, slipping the burgundy dress over her form. The low back showed her royal marking beautifully.
“My brothers and I being Drayvok. You knew all along about our dragon forms.” I stated as a fact.
I moved towards the mirror, staring at my reflection while I still held the robe within my grasp. Just like I had witnessed on my father, a wave of golden scales moved over my skin, pulsing with the rhythm of my heart, always present, always thriving. It was my dragon form. The other side of me that had surfaced since the day I first transformed. It was mesmerizing to watch. As bad as it sounded, I was in awe of my new self. I could feel it tingling over every inch, alive in me. It roamed my chest and back, my arms, abs and thighs as it appeared and disappeared, slithering along my skin, like a snake marking its territory.
“It feels amazing, you know,” Kah stated, wrapping her arms around me from behind, her hands settling on my chest. “To be against you now that you are like this, it’s enticing.” A moan left her as my scales appeared on my back, grazing her nipples over the fabric.
I turned, her hands falling from my body, and kissed her briefly—I had to leave. “I’m glad it does.”
Desire appeared in her eyes. She smiled and blinked, trying to regain her composure after the effect my new form had over her. “Yes, I knew. Every member of the Dragon Lord’s guard is aware of their true form, and that Drayvok sons are always Drayvok.”
I nodded, but something else occurred to me then. “Why does the Dragon Lord need a private guard? Why does the most powerful being in this realm need protection?”
Kah’s lips curved into an amused smile. “He doesn’t, but the people he cares about do. My family has been part of the Drayvok guard since almost the beginning of our existence. Each of us is assigned to one person who is important to the Holy Dragons, for protection. My guardians and I were assigned to protect Queen Serene, and her sons.”
Everlasting Kingdom Page 11
