by Katie Cherry
“Well, that explains it!” she accepted with a relieved smile. “Myra, you look great, and honestly, I’m proud of you for being so accepting of such big changes!”
“Thanks, Harper.” You have no idea what kind of big changes I accepted! she thought to herself with a smile.
“So, are you two like, dating now?” Daniel asked.
“We are,” Rhys responded with a happy smile. “But we figured she probably shouldn’t move in just yet, right?”
“Uh, right,” Myra replied.
“So, I brought her back to you- but I hope to be able to see her often,” he added with a wink. Myra’s heart warmed. Even though she had decided to make the change to be a dragon, he wasn’t making her give up her human life.
She could have both.
“See you tomorrow?” he asked, turning back to Myra.
Smiling, she nodded enthusiastically. “Of course, Mr. Rune,” she giggled. Smiling back at her, he bent and kissed her knuckles gently.
“Goodnight, Myra.”
“…Goodnight, Rhys.”
Dragon Soul
Dragon Blood Trilogy
Book Two
Katie Cherry
Dedicated to those who feel
they don’t belong.
You do.
Chapter One
The steady hum of chatter, dishes clinking, music, and laughter warmed the air as Myra stepped inside the restaurant, bringing a small, contented smile to her face. She paused for a moment to enjoy the simple atmosphere and quiet music before walking over to the table that she knew Adam would be at. Adam was a creature of habit, though Myra supposed everyone was to some degree, and he always reserved the same table- the one closest to the corner where bands would come and play for tips and exposure. He loved supporting local artists. It was how they met, actually, when he'd attended an art fair she was in. He himself was no artist, by his own claim, but that was because he worked too hard in his job to be able to devote any time to expanding his own skill set among the arts.
"Myra!" he greeted happily when she came up from behind and kissed him on the cheek. "Congrats again!" he continued as she sat in the seat opposite him, his pale blue eyes lighting up at her presence. "That was a huge sale! I'm so proud of you!"
"Thanks," she replied with a shy smile, tucking a lock of her hair back behind her ear as she dropped her gaze to her menu. "I think my dry spell may finally be ending. Which is a relief- I feel so bad for having been a burden on you financially this past year."
"Oh, please," he chuckled, waving her concern away. "You are the least high-maintenance girl I've ever met, let alone had the pleasure of dating. Besides, it's been nice having you live with me," he continued, a light blush crawling up his pale cheeks.
"I've enjoyed it too," Myra replied with a soft smile. When the food arrived, they didn't talk much, but ate in companionable silence. The drive home was much the same, but Myra enjoyed the quiet, easy thing she and Adam had going. She had, after all, chosen to pursue a normal life over the magical, adventurous one she'd had with Rhys and his clan, and Adam was giving it to her.
They headed to bed early again that night, but again, Myra had trouble falling asleep. Her day had been too uneventful for her to feel tired enough to fall asleep, despite being able to sell a few of her paintings for the first time in a long time. As rain pounded on her window from the storm, she smiled and closed her eyes, allowing herself a rare luxury... remembering Rhys, the clan, and her own awakened dragon side.
After about an hour, she started to doze off, but was awakened by a sudden, heavy pounding on the door. Yawning, she grabbed a robe and headed to answer the door, knowing that Adam, in the next room, slept too heavily for the knocking to wake him up. When the knocking came again, sounding more urgent, her frown deepened. Who would be knocking on their door this late at night? Perhaps a neighbor who needed help because of the storm?
Her mouth fell open in shock when she saw who was standing at her door, slowly dripping rainwater onto the welcome mat. Rhys gave her a small, sheepish smile, his dimple appearing as he did so, one hand pressed to his abdomen. "Hey, Myra. ...It's been a while."
"R-Rhys? What... what are you doing here? How did you even know where I live now?"
"I'll explain everything," he replied with a wince, pulling his hand away from his belly, revealing his shirt soaked in blood. "But first, I could use a little help."
"Oh... of course, come in," Myra urged before racing to grab the first-aid kit. He closed the door behind him and stood there uncertainly until she returned and instructed him to sit on the couch. As she helped him remove his jacket and shirt, she let more questions run from her mouth like a river. "What happened? Where is everyone else? Why'd you come to me for help? Are you in trouble? ...Is that trouble going to follow you here? Are Adam and I in danger?"
"Whoa, whoa," he grunted as she pressed gauze to the wound, which luckily wasn't deep. "One question at a time."
"Fine," she replied, sitting back in relief once the wound was taken care of. "What happened?"
"We were attacked," he admitted, his gaze dropping to the space between them. "I know we haven't spoken for two years, but I need you... the clan needs you."
Myra's mouth hardened into a thin line. "You know I care about you guys, but I told you when we broke up... I didn't want any part of that life anymore. I just wanted to be a normal person. I still do. You helped me get my life back, but I decided I didn't want to be a dragon... I want to fit in with society."
"I know, and that's why I've left you alone all this time, just watching from afar to keep you safe."
"Sounds stalkerish," Myra muttered in response, though she couldn't help but feel a spark of happiness that he'd kept an eye on her all this time.
"I just had to make sure you'd be okay," he murmured, the tips of his ears burning in embarrassment. "...Anyway, I had to come, because... the clan's been attacked."
"What? Who would attack a clan of dragons?" Myra replied in surprise.
"Another clan of transitioned mutts," he sighed, finally looking back up at her. "They let me go so I would fill their demands to get the clan back."
"Which are what?" Myra asked, feeling her guts sink.
"They asked me- well, demanded, that I find the Elder Dragons and request that their clan be recognized as full dragons."
"Wait, I thought you said they had transitioned? And who are the Elder Dragons?"
"They did, but we're still considered mutts in the eyes of the Elders, and only they can decide who to mark as ‘full’ dragons- or Dragonkin. To some mutts, it's obviously important enough to them to shed blood to get there. Myra... I have three weeks to find them and return bearing the news of their appointed Dragonkinship."
"I still don't see why you need me, though," she insisted, moving closer to him.
Swallowing hard, he avoided her gaze. "The Elders haven't been seen in decades, at least. And I have no way of finding them myself."
"And you think I can?"
He nodded hesitantly, his blue eyes still lowered. "There is a way for a dragon to find them, but honestly, our dragon blood has gotten pretty watered down over the generations. Although you can still only find the Elders if you're a part of their clan. Which is how you got singled out." Taking a deep breath, he finally looked back up at her. "Myra... your dragon heritage leads back to one of the Elders. I'm not sure how, but the clan that attacked us figured it out."
"Wait... what? Really?" Myra gasped, her mind spinning. She didn't know much about her family, thanks to an accident that happened when she was young, sending her to live with an aunt until she was old enough to leave. She'd never even bothered to be curious about it before, but now... she could meet the dragon behind her dragon powers, the dragon who'd caused the chronic pain she'd suffered from until Rhys came along... the dragon who had the power to save her friends. She owed them that much, after they'd saved her from her own chronic pain, and they had accepted her immediately. "O... okay. Bu
t you just said we aren't dragon enough to find them."
"Right, and that's where these come in," he admitted with a grimace as he pulled a container of pills from his pocket. "The clan gave me these for you. It amplifies your dragon powers temporarily- don't ask me how... I don't think we want to know. While your powers are heightened, you should feel a connection to the Elder you're related to, and that'll be how we track them down." Setting the bottle onto the couch beside him, he leaned forward, looking at her intently, an apology swimming in those blue eyes. "Myra... I wouldn't ask you to help with this if there was any other way. But this clan has been searching for the Elders for decades and haven't found them, and I only have three weeks before they start killing everyone. I know you wanted a normal life..."
"No, it's okay. It's just a few weeks, right? They need my help. I can't let them die for me to continue living as a human. It's not worth their lives." Taking the bottle of dusty red pills into her hand, she gave him a tight smile. "I'm in."
Chapter Two
Myra hardly slept that night and got up even before Adam did so she could explain everything to him before he stumbled upon the unexpected guest on his couch. She gently woke Rhys up before Adam's alarm was scheduled to go off and made breakfast for the three of them, denying Rhys's insistence to help and instructing him to rest while he could. Still, she was acutely aware of his gaze on her as she worked, his longing for her felt from the other room.
As she finished cooking, Adam stepped out of his room, a surprised look on his sleepy face. "Myra? What are you doing up so early?" His gaze then took in their unexpected guest, and he glanced from Rhys down to his own pajamas with a frown. "And who's this?"
"He's a friend of mine," Myra rushed to explain, abandoning the breakfast burritos and rushing over to introduce them. "Adam, this is Rhys. Rhys... my boyfriend Adam."
"Pleasure," Rhys mumbled, shaking Adam's hand with a heavy look on his face. "Sorry to just drop by out of the blue. I need Myra's help with something."
"Oh, well, my home is your home," Adam smiled, relaxing now that he had an explanation behind such a strange morning. "Myra's the best, isn't she? So willing to help," he cooed, stooping slightly to land a kiss on her cheek. "And you made breakfast! Such a sweetie," he continued, landing a kiss on her lips before happily heading to the table to start serving up breakfast. Myra followed, feeling acutely aware of Rhys's plummeting mood and the way his eyes bored into the back of her head as he followed the couple over to the table.
"So how do you know Myra?" Adam asked, mouth full of food.
The two glanced at each other before Myra quickly replied. "Remember Harper?"
"Of course, our first date was attending her wedding," he chuckled.
"Well the day she had me cut my hair and dye it purple, she also took us to a pub. Rhys kinda owned the place, and Harper pushed us together. And... we just... became friends," she stumbled, feeling her face heat as she avoided mentioning that they'd dated… after he'd helped her transition into a dragon.
"Nice! That's awesome," Adam chuckled, serving himself another burrito. "Harper is one crazy girl, but I'm glad she pushed you out of your bubble, or I would have never met you!"
"So what do you do, Adam?" Rhys asked through clenched teeth. It was clear to Myra that he was still hurt about her dumping him, though Adam didn't pick up on it.
"I'm a dentist," he replied as he happily chewed. "Makes enough to live comfortably, and it's straightforward work, so I enjoy it."
"That's great," Rhys replied, forcing a smile onto his face. "Explains the nice house, too. ...I'm glad you've been able to provide for her and help her live comfortably."
"Of course," Adam slowly replied, realization beginning to dawn on his face as his eyes darted between Myra's face and his. Rhys abruptly stood from the table, the chair scraping harshly against the tile floor, and walked over to the door. "Thanks for breakfast," he called back, though he hadn't eaten much. "I'm just going to go pick up some things at the store. Meet you there, Myra?"
"Of course," she mumbled in response, barely getting the words out before he'd firmly shut the door behind him.
Adam turned back to Myra, wide-eyed. "I take it you two dated."
"Yeah. Just for a few months," she quietly admitted, standing and clearing off the table from breakfast. "We really are just friends now, though. Promise," she said with a tight smile, giving him a quick kiss before heading to the door. Stopping, she realized she still needed to explain why she was about to leave for a few weeks. "Um... I have to go. He needs help with something urgent."
"Okay... for how long?" he questioned, his concern ringing through the air.
"...A few weeks. I'm also looking into my family while... he's in town to help me."
"I can help you," he sadly said, coming up and wrapping her in his arms.
She gently pulled away, giving him a small smile that was supposed to be comforting. "Not with this. I'm sorry. I'll be back in a few weeks, okay? Please try not to worry." Leaving him with a kiss, Myra walked through the door, guilt causing her gut to clench. Adam was a good guy. He didn't deserve this. But what else was she supposed to do? She had lives to save. She'd just have to figure it out when she got back. ...Assuming he'd still be willing to take her back in three weeks.
Heaving a heavy sigh, she turned her thoughts to running to the nearest store, happy to exercise as she had the past couple of years as a way to burn through all the energy she got from her dragon side. A couple of years ago, she never would have imagined herself getting up so early in the day, let alone running. She'd had no spare energy at all, and getting out of bed was an immense struggle, even around noon. Now, she regularly got up around nine in the morning, usually earlier, to run. She'd had to reach out of her comfort zone once more when she discovered she had extra energy to burn, having to try new things, like working out and going for long runs.
She liked the new her. She just wanted to have a normal life to go along with it. Not that she didn't miss opening her wings and flying through the air. She just wasn't comfortable with being a magical thing. And especially as she helped Harper prep for her wedding, the longing increased to live a normal life like her friend. Find a good, normal guy, settle down and work a job for a while before eventually having normal kids. One thing had begun to weigh on her, though, about that. The pain and fatigue that had weighed her down throughout her life was due to having dragon blood rushing through her veins. There might have been a chance of it being toned down for her kids before she transitioned, but since she'd chosen to embrace her dragon side, there were sure to be repercussions for any kids she may have. At best, they'd go through the same thing she had, which she wouldn't wish upon anyone. Even if she was able to help them transition once they were old enough.
It was ironic that Rhys had returned so soon after she realized she couldn't do that to any future kids. She had even begun to wish she could retract her return to normalcy. How could she choose that over her kids' futures? Still, she had no idea if having dragon babies would be any better. Would they be dragons, or still have the repressing magic strong enough to just ruin their human lives? She'd have to ask Rhys if he knew what would happen.
But I can't do that, Myra reminded herself, slowing as the store came into view. I made my choice... which Rhys is obviously still hurt about. I can't torture him with asking if our kids would fare better than any kids I would have with Adam! That's far too personal a question. ...Maybe I'll be able to ask the Elders when we find them. Rhys doesn’t ever need to know I've been tempted to go back to him and choose the dragon life once and for all. No need to give him false hope. I still haven't given up on a normal life anyway. Yes... I'm admittedly a little torn, but that's because I need to start planning for my future, and I don't know which option is actually best.
Whatever happens on this trip, I do know one thing, she thought as she entered the store doors, a little winded from her run. I cannot let Rhys know that I'm still in love with him.
"Myra," Rhys greeted, his mood much improved, when she found him in an aisle with backpacks. "I expected you to be longer. I just got here myself."
"Yeah... well, there wasn't much I could say to explain myself," she chuckled to cover up her thoughts of how much she'd missed that adorable dimple of his. "I told him I'll explain more in a few weeks when I get back. He's worried, though, and I feel bad that I can't tell him anything besides I'm helping you and finding out more about my family."
"Which are both true points," he argued, handing her a backpack and keeping one for himself. Leading her down the aisles, he pulled down everything he could think of them needing. "I said something similar when I took the next three weeks off of work, claiming family emergency. My clan is my family, so again, not a lie." He paused as he grabbed First-Aid kits from the shelves and glanced back at Myra. "Are you sure this is what you want? Living a life of half-truths and secrets? You made the choice so easily the first time to embrace your dragon. Why'd you suddenly decide to turn your back on her... on us?"
"It wasn't meant to be an insult to any of you," Myra sighed as she helped stuff some rolled-up blankets into the backpacks. "I just wanted what everyone else has... a normal, run-of-the-mill life, with a good, normal guy to take care of me and to raise a family with."
Intense pain flashed behind Rhys's blue eyes at the words, causing them to burn gold with magic for a moment until he was able to regain control of his emotions. He jerked his face away from her and didn't respond, opting to silently pull things from the shelves and shove them into the backpacks, which were quickly growing heavy with supplies. After a few minutes, Myra attempted to break the uncomfortable silence. "Speaking of... how was the clan doing? Any other mutts been saved lately? Has Jasper found himself anyone? Or Cynthia?"
"Yeah, a couple of them have found someone to date. ...Most of them, actually."
