My Life isn't a Fairytale prt 9, a short story by J.Morgan. Date added: 2011-12-18. Times viewed: 608.
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The glare of headlights made it hard to see straight as I tried not to stray from this course, so that Drake could find us. I wasn’t sure if he would bring his motorcycle. If it was just me he wouldn’t, but Beth was with me, making this whole deal much more complicated. The end of Baybark Ave came up and I turned left hitting the light just as it turned green. “Why the hell are so many people out tonight?!” I screamed laying on the horn when someone cut us off.
“Sam!” Beth shouted and I looked over at her. “What is going on?”
I sighed through the panic and calmed myself. “Look, sweetie, that woman… well let’s just say she’s dangerous. Whatever she wants, you can be sure it isn’t good.” But I knew what she wanted. She was a Golden and they only want on thing with humans. Though what was bothering me was the fact she seemed interested in Beth. Of course I knew I wouldn’t be appetizing to a Golden, my manna was too low.I was lower than a rock in threr eyes. But if she wanted Beth than she must have a higher amount. I wondered if Drake knew, of course Beth could just be appetizing enough for a good meal. I wasn’t sure how the Goldens chose their food.
“Sam watch out!” she snapped as a form landed ten feet in front of us. I swerved and a wall came up at us. I slammed on the brakes and turned the wheel just avoiding hitting the building straight on, though the car scraped into the alleyway and ran into a large dumpster causing it to shift into an angle. Beth was slumped forward and I groaned after being slammed into the steering wheel.
“Shit.” I looked around not seeing anything in the wide alley we ended up in. The front end was smashed and when I tried to turn the engine over I wasn’t surprised when it didn’t work. “Shit!” I smashed my fist into the dashboard.
Beth was holding her chest as she leaned back with pain creasing her face. “Okay, I’m driving next time,” she mumbled.
“Yeah,” I said wondering if there would be a next time. The headlights of my car were still on shining into the alley abstractedly from the impact, allowing me to see movement in the darkness. “Beth, I need you to get out of the car slowly,” I said opening my own. The hinges squeaked loudly, though stealth wasn’t exactly needed. The car wouldn’t be much protection, running wouldn’t work either but it was better then just sitting and doing nothing.
I was glad when she listened, though it seemed she was having trouble breathing. I almost forgot that she’d been shot a few weeks ago, she’d healed so quickly. I rounded the car to Beth’s side and kept my gaze flickering from where I saw movement and up. The royal blue of the night sky was clear and bright compared to the dark alleyway. “Okay, now we need to slowly back out of here,” I said taking her hand.
“I don’t think so.” Her voice made my eyes snap to my left in an alcove caused by the connection between two buildings. “There aren’t many who know about my kind. Who are you?”
I glanced at Beth and then back to the darkness, I wasn’t about to start talking to this woman, not here in front of Beth when we were just going to die. The poor thing shouldn’t have to go through finding out the truth right before she dies either, so I just kept my mouth shut and squeezed Beth’s hand tightly.
The woman slowly stepped out of the shadows and I breathed a sigh of relief, she at least was in human form. Okay I know it’s stupid to care about something like that, but the last thing I needed was a hysterical Beth on my hands, screaming and trying to run. “Answer me or I’ll find your favorite body part and tear it off.” She snapped and involuntarily I cringed a bit. She was more than capable of tearing every limb away from my body with both her teeth and hands.
“My name is Sam, and I would be happy to speak at length with you how I know, but first I should think we need to be alone. How about we let this little piece go eh?” I motioned with my head to Beth, who tightened her grip on my hand. I groaned inwardly knowing that she would never leave me. Stupid girl has to be so damned noble all the time.
It didn’t matter because the woman tilted her head, aiming those golden eyes at me intensely. “But then I wouldn’t have anything to eat Sam. And you will talk, with your legs or not.”
“Ok,” Beth started sounding as if she were still in pain but the weakness in her voice was overcome with shaky anger. “Are you a runaway psycho?! Look Ms. Hannibal Lector I don’t know who the hell you are, but if you don’t get the hell out of here I’m calling the police.”
The Golden laughed softly, it was an empty sound really. “I love it when they fight, it makes it so much more fun.” The tone of her voice rolled like a purr as she stepped forward, I could see her muscles tensing for the change. The welcome sound of a motorcycle’s engine roared and I looked at it came barreling into the alley and stopped right between us and the woman. Drake’s gaze only flickered over us before it snapped to the woman.
I held Beth’s arm back and motioned for her to be quiet. I wasn’t sure how Drake was going to get us out of this, short of killing the Golden, but it wasn’t going to be pretty.
“Drake,” the woman purred but this time the sound held more familiarity. Drake was sitting back easily on the bike, though there was a slight stiffness to his back.
“Aria,” Drake said in a monotone voice.
A smile spread across Aria’s face, nothing like what I’d seen on Beth before, more mature and confident as she walked over and with a smooth motion, mounted the bike backwards, intimately close to Drake. Her hands slipped up his chest and he didn’t move as she basically positioned herself on his lap. “To what do I owe this pleasure?” she asked seductively. “Or is it pleasure?” She seemed to have forgotten all about us, but if we tried to move I was sure she’d still be on us instantly and Drake would be forced into a conflict that might not have to happen.
He still hadn’t moved, to touch her or to push her away. “I came to the call of my pets.”
Her back stiffened and she looked at us critically then back to him. I felt Beth shivering, she inched closer to me. I glanced at her and wasn’t surprised to see her gaze locked on Aria and Drake, sitting so intimately on his motorcycle. Hints of tears threatening but never fully forming in her eyes. I felt for her, but to be honest, if Drake had to have sex with Aria right here just to save our lives, I wouldn’t argue. “Pets.” Aria sounded disappointed making my attention turn back. “You’ve got to be joking.”
Drake quirked his eyebrow. “Sam, show her.”
I grimaced and disengaged my hand from Beth’s giving her a comforting look that I hoped said it would be alright. I took off my jacket and lifted my shirt almost all the way up then turned to allow her to see the tattoo on my left shoulder blade. It was the mark of Drake’s family, like the one he had on his shoulder blade, with only a few small differences. Then after a moment of scrutiny and seeing Beth’s defeated stare I pulled my shirt back down and turned grabbing her hand again.
“The girl is new,” Drake continue ignoring Aria’s disparaging expression. “Sam was lonely and you know it’s best to keep them happy.” I kept my eyes down slightly, mimicking the proper behavior of a Green’s pet. It’d been a long time since the last incident of running into another one of Drake’s kind. But I’d learned quickly how to act, and the consequences of not keeping a proper distance and attitude with them.
“I will never understand your need for keeping them as pets.” Aria pouted, it was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen and I was sure she meant it that way. “Are you sure I can’t have the girl? She has such a strong scent.”
Drake gave her a flat stare. “I wouldn’t care, but Sam would be too distressed to be of any use to me.”
I wound my arm around Beth’s shoulders and hugged her to me. It would seem to Aria that I was trying to keep her safe, but really I was holding her up, I could feel she wasn’t going to last much longer without bursting into tears. And Drake was playing his part well, he hadn’t even looked at Beth. Aria sighed, “He does seem to care more about her life.” Her golden eyes closed slightly as she nuzzled Drake’s neck and purred caressing him like a dog in heat. Drake returned her affection minimally, but it was enough to make Beth tense further. Of course Aria didn’t care in the least about us at this point. Her lips grazed Drake’s earlobe. “You’re going to have to make this up to me. Meet me in three hours at Saint Michael’s church.”
Drake swallowed and growled low tightening his grip on Aria’s waist then lowered his gaze to her. “See you there.” I saw a quick flicker of his eyes come to Beth before he kissed Aria. It wasn’t passionate, though it was close. Beth turned and bent her head into the crook of my neck, not wanting to watch this, which was good because Aria decided to change right there in Drake’s lap. Her hair reformed into curved horns as her smooth perfect skin broke into layered and beautiful bright scales. Her face was angled and her jaw sharp. Drake snarled loudly while lifting her up and threw her in the air as wings burst from her back. Long and thin, her pale golden wings flapped creating a gust of wind that I was afraid would make Beth look so I tucked my arms over her head in a tight embrace.
Aria blew Drake a kiss, flew up over the buildings and was gone. I swear the sounds of the city turned off as I let Beth go. Drake stood and stepped off his bike, I gave him a look that made him stop. “She’s gone Beth, we should get you home now.”
“Beth,” Drake said and her eyes snapped to him as she pulled away, I nearly stepped back at the intensity of the anger that was instantly in them.
“So this is it?” she asked, almost sounding calm.
“It?” Drake whispered, confused.
Beth laughed mirthlessly and shook her head. “I can’t believe I fell for it. Perfection is in the eye of the beholder. God I’m such an idiot.” Wiping a straggling tear from her face she lifted her chin. “Well, come on. Aren’t you going to tell me you can explain?” It was a challenge, but Drake hesitated. Of course I had no idea what he could say without telling her the truth.
When Drake just stood there, looking like a statue Beth’s anger melted though she didn’t allow herself to break down. I had to respect her for that. “Not even that huh? I’m so out of here.” Her hands came up as she turned and began a fast walk away.
Drake moved to follow but I stepped in front of him. “Let her go,” I said and Drake glared at me.
“No.” He pushed past but I grabbed his arm.
“Drake, she’s alive and safe; but unless you plan on telling her everything. Let. Her. Go.”
He growled threateningly forcing me to release his arm. “I can’t Sam. I can’t tell her the truth, but I can’t let her go either.” With that he jogged down the alley catching up with Beth. I watched him reach out and take her hand stopping her. I couldn’t hear anything but I did notice her body begin to shake, then Drake’s seemed to grow still and suddenly convulsed, I realized something was wrong. I launched into a run and by the time I got to them Beth was on her knees, with Drake’s hand firmly grasping hers, the tips of her fingers turning white from lack of blood.
“Let her go!” I wasn’t sure what was going on but I knew he would break her hand if he didn’t stop. I saw his face, his mouth was open as if he couldn’t catch his breath. I grabbed Drake’s hand and pried his fingers from around hers. Beth gasped collapsing on the cold ground while Drake stumbled back shaking. “What the hell?” I said crouching down to see if Beth was alright.
“I couldn’t let her go. I can’t,” Drake said his voice lowering into a painful rumble. It was then I noticed he had a line of black hair on his head. Okay I know… what a thing to notice, but trust me it’s important. Drake began to change right there in the mouth of the alley. I looked around to make sure no one was watching, though it wasn’t like I could do anything about it, if there was. Beth was unconscious as Drake grew larger, the black hair changing into spikes lining down the center of his head and spreading down between his shoulder blades. The muscles on his arms flexed and tore through the sleeves of his t-shirt. I’d witnessed Drake change before, but this was different. I took hold of Beth and pulled her back to give him more room as he grew larger, his wings spreading out wider than I‘d ever seen. Then Drake howled in pain, his body shrinking down slightly the violence of his change seemed to retract and finally calm.
I watched him get up from the pavement, the hook on the tips of his now wider and larger wings coming around him and hooked together draping around his shoulders like a cloak, his Draconian eyes fixed on me then slid down to Beth. I got up and backed away as he came over kneeling down on one knee. “Take my bike to the house,” he said to me while lifting Beth carefully. She was like a child in his arms, even with how gently he moved it was easy to see how fragile she was compared to him.
“What about Beth?” I asked, seeing that her chest was barely rising.
Drake’s angled face glanced down at the woman in his arms. “She’ll be alright.” The way he said that, was as if he was just hoping that she would be. I had no choice but to trust him for now.
***Drake***
I couldn’t think about the pain that wracked my body after ingesting more of Beth’s manna. It was a sensation that I’d never felt before, I thought I was going to die. But then again after what I did, it would have been a just punishment. I just couldn’t stand the thought of her leaving me. Not only would her life be in danger, if another Draconian were to find her, but just the idea of being without her physically hurt me. So I drained her like a leech, I purposefully hurt her just to keep her near me. I wasn’t sure how I did it, but as it flowed into me I realized it must have something to do with her emotional state, or perhaps the adrenaline that was coursing through her veins. It was a link that I felt the moment I touched her, I knew I had to stop her from leaving, so I fed on her manna to weaken her.
Her pulse was slowly getting stronger as she lay in my arms, the wind was strong tonight helping me to carry her weight as I pushed off the tops of buildings and glided quickly towards the house. The added strength her manna gave me was a double edged sword, it helped me to gain height but I could still feel a strange ache inside of my body. I wondered if I still wouldn’t die. Perhaps there was something about taking manna without sacrificing the vessel that made it different. I wasn’t sure. But I knew something was wrong.
Then of course I had to deal with Aria. I landed on the roof of the house, using my clawed feet to balance easily before checking below as Sam pulled up to the house. I took one last small leap and landed on the small flat ledge in front of the rear window where I usually entered and exited when I had to. My wings, that had changed, tucked easily around me and hooked by the edge claws. Slowly I lifted the window and ducked us inside stepping down, hearing the boards squeak under our combined weight. Of course since I weighted roughly five hundred pounds Beth’s added one sixty five wasn’t really much. I knelt down near the only soft spot in my portion of the house, a bed of blankets; and laid Beth down. Her skin was soft against my scales, even pale and weak I couldn’t help but want to touch her.
The front door slammed and I heard Sam’s footfalls coming up the steps. I gritted my teeth and breathed out trying to revert. When nothing happened I tried again and grunted forcing my body to change. Sam came though the door, I could hear his movements like thunder in my ears. The scratching of his clothing, held the irritation of a thousand mice eating away inside of the walls. Still there was something preventing me from changing back to my human form. “No.” I groaned, my body wracked in pain.
“Sienna once told me about the effects of manna on a Draconian.” Sam said, his tone holding no care for the fact I was stuck in my Draconian form. “Aria could smell Beth’s manna, but you knew about it already. Didn’t you? Is that what you did? Did you drain her manna?!” Sam wasn’t normally very forceful, he was sly and manipulative, but this time he bent down and grabbed what was left of my shirt lifting my upper body up slightly so I was staring at him. I was in too much pain to care that hate filled his features. “You cold hearted bastard!”
I averted my eyes, even through the agony as my body shuddered still trying to revert but unable to, like a muscle incapable of relaxing; his words sunk into me just as acid would, through my flesh and melting away all the pretense. “What do you want me to say?” I asked him, staring at Beth’s unconscious body. “I couldn’t let her go. You don’t understand…I couldn’t.” Being without her, would have been like stopping myself from breathing.
Sam pushed me back and in my weakened state I fell to the floor unable to do anything about the pain, but try not to move. “Bullshit,” Sam said. “Don’t talk as if this is love Drake. All this time, you were sapping her; using her as she fell for you. Do you think this is any better than killing her?” Sam stopped there and walked out, slamming the door. I knew he wouldn’t go far from Beth, but he need to get away from me.
I laid there, unmoving, barely breathing; with my gaze locked on Beth. Her hair lying like a pillow under her and around her, framing her face. Sam’s words made something inside of me snap. I stopped trying to revert and suddenly the pain vanished.
This is my punishment, I thought.
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