Dane's Lair

  Chapter 8

  “What’s she doing here?” huffed Noah. Athens squeezed Dane’s hand as they stood in the doorway to Noah’s office.

  “She’s in danger,” said Dane.

  Noah grunted and motioned them in. “Just so you know,” he said, closing the door behind them, “I don’t approve of this… whatever this is.”

  “I don’t need your approval,” snapped Dane. Athens blushed and he grew angry with the old man.

  “You do if you want me to keep fixing your messes,” retorted Noah.

  Dane sighed and ran his hand through his unkempt hair. “Fine,” he grunted.

  Noah glanced at Athens and pursed his lips. “Have you told her?” he said.

  “If you mean whether he’s told me who he is,” said Athens, “he hasn’t.”

  “I think, m’dear,” said Noah, “the question you need to ask is not who he is, but rather what he is.”

  Athens’ tension filtered into Dane and he said, “This is not the place, Noah. Can we go below?”

  Noah nodded and walked over to a bookshelf next to his broad desk. Its weight made him grunt as he pushed it aside and opened a door in the wall behind. Noah reached into the darkness and flicked a switch. “After you,” he said, gesturing to a now-illuminated staircase.

  Dane led Athens down the winding stairs, holding her small duffel in one hand. She paused at the bottom of the stairs, her eyes wide in the dim light. Dane guided her into the room just as Noah shuffled past. He flicked on another switch and the bulb hanging from the wooden ceiling flooded the tiny room with its warm glow. The three stood awkwardly for a moment before Athens spoke.

  “Respectfully, sir,” she said to Noah. “I’d really like to find out what the fuck is going on.” She turned to glare at Dane. “And I’d like to know who, or what, you are.”

  Trepidation flooded Dane for the first time since he promised to reveal himself to her. He stared into her teal eyes, afraid to speak.

  “Dane’s real name is Djgarr,” said Noah. “He’s not human.”

  “Then what are you?” said Athens, her eyes never leaving Dane’s.

  “A dragon,” Dane whispered.

  “The Dragon Lord of the North, to be precise,” interjected Noah.

  A smile tugged at the corner of Athens’ mouth and she seemed to suppress a laugh. “That is… wow,” she said, shaking her head. “I’ve never heard such bollocks in my life!”

  Dane explored their bond. She was pulling away, trying to separate the connection he was sure she was unaware of. Despair tightened his chest and he moved towards her.

  Athens stepped back, bumping into the stairwell. “No,” she said, holding up her hand. “I think I’ve heard enough. Let’s stop at one lie tonight, please.”

  “Athens,” whispered Dane.

  “Told you this was a bad idea, bonding with your victims,” said Noah. “You should have taken her life force.”

  Athens’ eyes widened and Dane felt her terror as it filled her. He clenched his teeth as seething rage boiled up inside, daring him to lash out at Noah. He quickly clamped down on his anger as Athens’ terror intensified. He would have to control his darkness since she was aware of everything through their connection.

  “It’s not a lie,” said Dane. “Athens, please listen.”

  “All this work to find the right soul,” said Noah, “and he just-”

  “Shut up, Noah,” snapped Dane, turning to the old man. “Unless you have something constructive to say.”

  Noah held his hands up in defeat. Dane turned back to Athens who was on the staircase, three steps from the bottom and inching up the stairs.

  “I won’t hurt you,” said Dane, extending his hand. He forced himself to remain stationary, despite his desire to wrap his arms around her and pull her back into the room. Dane inwardly cursed Noah for his tactlessness. He reached through their connection, praying she could feel his gentle caress.

  “Stay away from me,” said Athens, raising a foot to make another step back. “Every time you come near…”

  Dane smiled as her voice trailed off. She sensed the bond too. “I won’t hurt you,” he repeated.

  Athens stopped moving and studied him. Dane continued to reach out to her through their bond, until her expression softened and she said, “I know.” She took Dane’s hand and his anxiety melted at her touch. He pulled her to him, breathing her scent in. There was no trace of the dullness that had inhibited her blood scent when they met. Instead, her richness filled him and his own blood thrummed with it.

  “Lovely,” said Noah from behind Dane’s back. “Now are you ready for the rest of the story? Or would you rather just get into an interspecies mating frenzy? I, for one, would rather not see it.”

  Dane growled but felt no antagonism as he released Athens. Her face was flushed and she fixed her eyes on the dull concrete floor.

  “I still don’t get this… dragon story,” she said.

  Noah rolled his eyes and motioned to Dane. “Take your shirt off,” he said. “Show her your wings.”

  “His tattoos? I’ve seen-” said Athens.

  “His wings,” corrected Noah. Dane removed his shirt and let it swish to the floor beside him. With his back to Athens, he focused on bringing forth his wings. Scales crackled along his back as they rose from his skin. Athens gasped and Dane’s heart quickened with the thought that she would still flee.

  “Djgarr,” said Noah. “I know I am nothing but a harvester, but-”

  “What did you say?” whispered Athens. Both men turned to her pale face. Her eyes were wide and her hands trembled as she focused on Noah’s wrinkled face. Dane stopped focusing on his transformation to reach out to her through their bond.

  “He’s my harvester,” said Dane. “He helps me to find…”

  “Human lives to sustain him,” finished Noah. He turned to Dane and said, “You need to feed, or you will lose immortality. And you will not be able to save her.”

  You will not be able to save her.

  Dane’s face reddened, suddenly conscious of his semi-formed wings, barely rising from his back. Undoubtedly caused by his lack of sustenance.

  “Save who?” asked Athens. “Save me? From what?”

  “There’s another dragon nearby,” said Noah. “The one whose harvester you murdered.”

  Tears filled Athens’ eyes and Dane twitched under the blow of anguish that hit him through their bond. “He killed my family,” she said softly.

  “No, Athens,” said Dane. “A dragon did.”

  “What? No! I saw him leave,” she said. “The police said-”

  “They were wrong,” said Dane.

  Athens was silent as the news tumbled around in her mind. Dane experienced her turmoil washing over him, mingling with his own. “Please, sit,” he said, motioning to a tattered armchair at the corner of the room. “We’ll tell you everything.”

  “I’d rather stand,” said Athens.

  Dane spoke, “The dragons had inhabited the earth for many years before man. We roamed freely, dominating other life. I was Dragon Lord of the North and we had our territorial disputes, like humans. We fought many battles to bring peace. For several thousand years, the northern dragons of the ice lands lived without interference from the south dragons… I was born during that time.

  “Then humans started slaying us, calling us monsters. We avoided them when they first populated the world… they came after us, hunting us down like…beasts.” Dane spoke through clenched teeth and his steel eyes flashed.

  “I’m sorry,” said Athens, stroking his cheek.

  Dane closed his eyes and let her soft hands soothe the burning inside him. “The Romans almost wiped out the southern dragons,” Dane continued. “I led the northern dragons down to help them.”

  “That’s when the dragon became human,” interjected Noah.

  “Became human? How?” said Athens.

  “We were losing,” said Dane. “And… I made a deal with one of their druids to g
rant us immortality so we could turn the tides of war. He tricked us.”

  “He made a mistake,” interrupted Noah. “His potion was never intended to make you human.”

  “How the fuck would you know that, harvester?” growled Dane.

  Noah said, “The lessons from Caius were passed down through millennia, even as the Great Dragon Lord of the North slept.”

  Dane swirled to face the old man. “A mistake? Is that what you believe?” As Dane’s anger grew, the small room appeared to shrink around him.

  “Dane,” said Athens softly. She touched his lower back tentatively.

  Suppressed agitation made Dane’s chest heave. He opened himself to the ripple of soothing warmth from Athens’ touch and room gradually returned to normal size.

  “I don’t mean to anger you, Dane,” said Noah. “I’m only saying what I know.”

  Dane nodded stiffly.

  “Tell me more,” said Athens, grasping Dane’s clenched fist. He allowed his hand to unclench and her fingers entwined with his.

  Dane continued, “We took his potion and became human. We gained the ability to live forever, but at a price. We needed to take the life force of humans to keep us alive and in dragon form.”

  “Caius wanted to betray his own kind,” said Noah. “He made the potion so the dragons would feed on his country’s enemies. He wanted victory for the Romans.”

  “His potion cost the lives of many dragons,” said Dane as his earlier angst dissolved into a deep sorrow.

  Noah reached for a large book and gently dusted its cover. Flipping through its thick, yellowed pages he turned to what appeared to be the most read page of the book. “The Dragon Lord of the North, Djgarr,” he read, “fell in love and had a son.”

  Dane’s head jerked to face Noah who glanced at him over his spectacles.

  “The woman’s name was Aelia,” continued Noah. “Her son was called Tzgarr.”

  “So you have a son,” said Athens flatly. The twinge of jealousy in her words made him turn to face her glare.

  “He died,” said Dane. “As did his mother.”

  Athens blinked at him and a jumble of her emotions rolled into him. Surprise. Relief. Guilt. Sorrow. “I’m sorry to hear that,” she said softly.

  Noah continued reading, “The Dragon Lord returned home and, in desperation, he went to another druid.” He looked at Dane and said, “Still didn’t learn your lessons about druids, did you?”

  Dane glared at Noah who went back to reading the large volume. “Djgarr wanted to forget the woman and their child. The druid’s potion did not work, and instead of forgetting, Djgarr hibernated for thousands of years. The unknown druid then hid the Dragon Lord and passed away with his secret. Caius’ attempts to find Djgarr were futile and he soon died.”

  “Wait,” interrupted Dane. “Why didn’t you ever tell me about Caius’ end?”

  “You never asked, son,” said Noah.

  “Son?” said Dane. “I’m thousand-”

  “Yes, yes,” said Noah. “You’re ancient. And old men like you need to feed.”

  Dane sighed and rubbed his face. Noah’s words reminded him of the emptiness he had been avoiding. The craving for human life so he could claim his dragon form. He reached out and squeezed Athens’ hand, yearning for reprieve from the void. Reprieve that only she brought.

  “How did you wake up?” asked Athens.

  “What?” asked Noah. Confusion crossed his face at her simple question.

  “How did-” she repeated.

  “Yes, I heard you,” interrupted Noah. “I… uh, I don’t know.”

  Dane shrugged but Athens’ question lingered in his mind. “How did you know where to find me?” he asked Noah. The room had suddenly become ice cold and it took Dane all his energy not to shiver.

  “At the edge of the forest,” said Noah. Dane glanced up at the slight tremor in Noah’s voice.

  “That’s not what I asked,” said Dane, regarding Noah, willing him to respond. Knowing there was more.

  Noah’s jaw tightened and Dane stepped closer. “Listen, harvester,” growled Dane. “If you know something, you’d better say it right now, or you’ll be my next meal.”

  Noah closed his eyes and sighed. He threw the bulky book on the ground and it landed with a loud thud. The air was heavy with the tension filling it and Dane felt Athens’ anxiety throbbing behind him. “Speak,” Dane bellowed.

  “Fine,” said Noah. “But not here, not now.”

  Dane growled in frustration and clenched his fists at his side. He turned to face Athens as he fought to suppress the urge to wrap his fingers around Noah’s neck and strangle him.

  “Besides,” said Noah, “you have a bigger problem.”

  “I fail to see how that’s possible,” said Dane, turning to face Noah.

  “Look at her aura,” said Noah, motioning to Athens. She sat silently in the armchair, looking up at the men wide-eyed.

  Dane knew before he looked. “White,” he said softly.

  Noah nodded.

  “What?” said Athens, her eyes darting from Dane to Noah and back. “What are you talking about?”

  Dane held her hands in his. “You’re pregnant,” he said.

  Athens’ face turned as white as her aura. “What?” she whispered. “No!” She shook her head violently but Dane sensed her heart racing with… what was it? Anticipation? Excitement?

  “Yes,” said Noah.

  Dane opened his mouth to speak.

  Bang!

  Athens jumped and the men looked at the ceiling. Dane glanced at Noah, whose eyes were wide behind his spectacles. The heavy thumping of footsteps shook the ceiling and dust sprinkled down on them.

  “What-” Athens started.

  Dane’s hand clamped over her mouth and he shook his head, only removing his hand after Athens nodded. Noah motioned wildly for them to follow him and Dane noticed for the first time that there was an open door under the stairwell. Dane hesitated, debating whether to stand his ground as the Dragon Lord. The look of sheer panic on Noah’s face and the new life growing quietly in Athens decided it for him and he walked towards Noah. The thumping grew louder and Dane shuffled Athens into the darkness, realizing too late that he had no shirt on. Noah shut the door behind them and they stood in silence for a moment, not daring to breathe.

  “Take my hand,” whispered Noah. Noah’s clammy fingers grasped Dane’s arm and he tug him away from the door. Dane gripped Athens with his other hand, remembering the small duffel still lying at the foot of the stairs of the room they had abandoned.

  The dank, earthy smell surrounded them as Dane and Athens followed their guide into further darkness.