Dragon's Requiem - CH 1 - Little Sister

Chapter One
Little Sister

The music thrummed through my body like blood, living and breathing inside my veins, pushing my limbs to move, to dance. I swayed my hips seductively as the huge fire beside me flared with renewed life, the heat beating into my sweat soaked skin. I ignored it and the babble of people around me, becoming one with the music, letting my body flow, and ripple with sinuous rhythm. The feel of my skirt rubbing with ease against my thighs and the beads dangling from my belt, thumping against my hips propelled me on.

The forest around me was a deep recess of darkness that ingested the light from the fire, making me blind to every direction except north where the flames reflected in the river. It didn’t matter- I didn’t need to see to dance, to feel the rhythm take over my body and caress me in such a provocative way.

My eyes darted to the glitter covered sky, taking in the familiar constellations, twinkling above me, frozen in their stationary structure. I clenched my bottom lip in my teeth, remembering a time and a place where stars moved to tell stories, a realm where I could manipulate nature.

“Stop, Kiri,” Aidan pleaded, laying his hand on my shoulder, his sleek brown hair fluttering in the light breeze. Since he was the only uninebriated person for miles, I considered his request, but just for a moment. Unimpressed, I moved away, refusing to abandon the dance. He pulled me back toward him and held me tight in his muscular arms, lifting his blue eyes to the mix of people on the other side of the fire.

I growled, aggravated that he had stopped the flow of music through my body. I watched them- young, high school kids, hiding their underage drinking from their parents and the law. The boys were what Aidan wanted me to see, and I knew it. Their eyes wandered over my body, shamelessly examining every little bit of flesh left exposed.

“At least wait till they leave,” Aidan whispered. The dragon tattoo on his arm caught in my sight and I sucked in a breath through my teeth. “I really don’t want to have to kill anyone tonight.” The light of the fire danced in his eyes, making him look demonic as though he really would kill someone.

When I nodded, he set me free, releasing the iron grip he had on my arms. The rustle of the corn behind us drew my attention, and I gazed back at the field, longing to lose myself in the thick foliage. It had been years since I was last here. These boys, who were taking over the safe setting, and replacing it with loud, madness, would have been in grade school. With a laugh, I wondered if they had permission to be here. My friends and I had long ago acquired the farmer’s consent to come to the back of the field and light a fire to fish by. The fact that our fishing poles left the car once in a blue moon was something we never considered telling the owner of the land. As long as we were quiet, the man never questioned us.

Ignoring my surroundings, I left the heat of the blaze, pausing long enough for Chade’s contagious smile to fill my own face. He had a broad mouth and vast teeth that would have come across impractical on anyone else. For his happy go lucky attitude, the combination was perfect. He pushed brown hair out of his eyes and stared back at the fire as though in a trance, leaving me grinning about nothing.

My eyes lifted to Wes, perched on the back of Aidan’s car, a bottle of liquid gold dangling from his hand, long black hair cascading over his shoulder into his half unbuttoned long sleeve shirt. Tanned skin peeked from beneath the fabric, beads of sweat made his muscular chest slick. Gold hoops dangled from both ears, he twisted one with his fingers. He didn’t watch me like the others. Wes’ black eyes connected with mine, and I couldn’t look away. Tantalized, I walked toward him. His lips pursed as he watched me, that half smile that twisted his mouth, causing his left cheek to dimple, and manipulating the perfect black mustache and goatee, but his inky eyes remained locked on mine, never faltering, never wandering, offering safety in his embrace.

I leaned against his legs and watched the fire, knowing that the younger people close to us would never understand my relationship with the men around me. What appeared peculiar for most people was ordinary to me. My best friends were the opposite sex. With them, nothing could hurt me. They would make sure of it. They were the safety net that buffeted my carelessness, keeping me sane in a world not my own.

“Maybe we should get out of here.” Aidan sighed, eyeing the boys skeptically. He towered over everyone, but had a tendency to slouch, hiding his colossal stature.

“Are you afraid your little whore will let us all have our way with her?” a vicious voice beside me said. I felt hands slip around my waist, pushing my skirt down over my hips.

Before my mind registered what was going on, Aidan’s fist flew at the boy behind me. Wes snatched me out of the way, as the white knuckled bludgeon whistled past my ear. A teenager with a mop of curly blond hair suffered Aidan’s powerful swing to his face. He stumbled back a few steps before looking up with his fingers pressed to his already swollen eye. His gaze flicked over me, fire eating its way into his stare. “Fuckin’ whore,” he hissed.

My mouth dropped. “Since when is dancing a sign of the profession?” Wes stood behind me, arms wrapped protectively around my waist, a glass bottle of beer still dangling from his long fingers- I meant the question for him alone.

Wes smirked, enfolding his arms rigidly around me, pulling my body against his where the smell of cedar and sweat filled my lungs, making my head swim with thoughts of him. “It may be the way you dress.”

In front of us, Aidan’s fist smashed into the kid’s face again. He stumbled further back this time and turned his head up with a matching set of black eyes.

Caressing his fist, Aidan stepped forward. “If you ever look at her again, if you ever touch her, or even whisper her name in your filthy dreams, I’ll rip your cock off and shove it so far down your throat, the stomach acid will eat it before you ever reach a hospital.”

The blond rag turned, only to find Chade behind him, glaring, looking like he wanted a chance to hit him. The dragon tattooed on his arm braced for attack. My eyes traveled the length of the pastel swirl of colors that matched Aidan's perfectly. I swallowed knowing I'd caused the dragons to show themselves.

A crowd from the other side of the fire gathered around the fight, blocking any path the little snot had out. “Asshole,” he said when he turned back to Aidan, his fingers delicately touching his cheek.

I thought the kid had learned a lesson, but I was wrong. Aidan would take a whole mess of insults, but that wasn't one of them. I couldn’t believe the kid's friends weren’t standing up for him, but I saw a few girls in the crowd of people smiling approval. This wasn’t the first time the boy had overstepped his bounds.

Aidan’s jaws clamped together and his fist rose once again. The crack of bone meeting bone rung through the air, and I buried my face in Wes’ warm chest. The teenager stumbled, this time falling to the ground in a heap. Aidan spun on his heel. “Let’s go,” he growled.

Liquid gold poured from the bottle to the ground as Wes looked down at me, his eyes filling me with a sense of security that Aidan’s only hinted at. “Time to go.” We had no choice in the matter- Aidan was our ride, and we left when he left.

“Sorry,” I whispered, clutching Wes to me.

“It’s not your fault there are assholes in this realm,” Wes said loud enough for everyone to hear. Behind us the bloody mess snarled and pushed himself to his feet. Wes turned with me under his arm. His intense black eyes flashed crimson, a look that I was glad he never directed at me. The kid flopped back onto the ground, mopping the blood from his face.

We piled into Aidan’s little compact car. Wes opened the back door for me and I climbed across the seat long enough for him to get in, and then situated myself in his lap, my legs stretching across the seat, my back pressed against the window. Chade took up the passenger’s seat while Aidan struggled with the driver’s side door that never wanted to open.

One of the young girls ran up to the car and grabbed Aidan’s hand- the dragon on his arm tightened its grip, digging its claws into his flesh. “Thank you,” she said. “We didn’t invite him or his friends. They just sort of showed up. Thanks to you, they’re leaving now. Consider staying, won’t you?” Her eyes beamed as she watched him, another girl fallen prey to his good looks and brutally compassionate manner, but the girl was too young for Aidan and even though anger was evident on his face, he forced a smile and courteously declined the offer.

“Is it broke?” I asked when Aidan settled into the seat and cradled his right hand to his chest, his knuckles red and already swollen.

He pulled out of the field and onto the dirt path that would take us to the road before turning his glare on me. “I asked you to stop. If it were just us, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. I'd have nailed Chade to a tree if he touched.” He glared at his best friend then stared at me in the mirror. “Next time I ask you to do something you damn well better do it, or Chade and Wes will have to pull me off of you.” He turned back to the road and pressed a little harder on the accelerator as he growled.

“I wasn’t doing anything,” I snapped back, feeling rather than hearing the laughter in Wes’ chest. I leaned my head against the window, and my stomach churned, protesting the mix of beer and motion. At least there hadn’t been drugs. Last time we partied in the forest beside the river, there had been so many drugs that I had a contact high just from being around them. Drinking was a different story. I could drink all night and not get sick until I got in a car. Alcohol had a more relaxing effect on my kind than humans. Now and then one of the guys would convince me to take a hit off a joint, but cocaine, X, and meth were a whole other variety of nasty intoxicants. Even the thought of putting something so chemical in my body made me sick.

Wes’ arms wrapped around my waist as my head lulled to the side, my stomach tying itself in a knot. “Relax,” he whispered. “Aidan is just pissed right now. He'll get over it.”

“Where to?” Chade asked as the car swung wildly around a curve, forcing my weight against the door.

I shuddered and repressed the urge to throw up. I would never get in a car with Aidan when he was angry again.

“I’m taking Kiri home,” Aidan grunted, his eyes flashing to mine in the rearview mirror. The blue depths seemed to shimmer with frost as his brow crinkled.

“Uh, uh,” Wes muttered, staring at me, his black eyes filled with genuine concern. “Your place, Aidan. If we take her home like this, Miry will kill us.” He adjusted my weight back into his lap and laid a soft kiss on my forehead, making me clutch my arms around his neck and lay my head on his shoulder.

“Glad we went to get groceries today.” Chade laughed when the car reeled around a corner. “Last time she ate everything in the house.”

“She tends to do that,” Wes muttered, pushing my head back up, concern written across his face. “Can you try not to drive like you’re playing a damn video game?”

“I’m fine; it’s just this stupid car.” I sighed, snuggling my head deeper into his shoulder and trying to concentrate only on his scent and the feel of his skin against mine.

“If he wouldn’t drive like an idiot, it wouldn’t be so bad,” Wes whispered.

“You will be back to the regular old Kiri in a minute.” Chade supplied.

The car slid to a stop and I moaned as I fell out the door. If it weren’t for Wes’ strong arms around my waist, my face would have looked like the blond mop’s. He stood me on my feet and lifted my chin with his finger. “Walk,” he instructed.

I nodded and staggered in the direction I thought the house would be in, my stomach flip-flopping. Apparently, I went the wrong way because seconds later, Wes had me cradled in his arms, carrying me up the stairs. He pushed his way inside, toward the kitchen and stood me in front of the fridge. “Eat.”

I pulled it open, grabbed a bottle of water, a bag of beef jerky and a bottle of aspirin and made my slow sluggish way to the couch where I flopped down. They watched me scarf down the food and guzzle the water with looks of amusement, my head clearing as I filled my belly.

“I wish I could bring myself back that easy,” Josh said with yawn and a shiver of disgust. He pushed his dark curls out of his deep blue eyes. “I can’t even imagine eating right now.” He rolled off the couch and made for his bedroom. He was Aidan's little brother and though I didn't hang out with him much, I would have trusted him with my life, just like any of the others.

“You’re drunk. Kiri’s just car sick,” Wes declared, leaning against the pristine white wall. The house, though lived in by three men in their twenties, was always in complete order. Not one speck of dust rested on any of the tables or shelves. The carpet, couches, curtains and walls were a blinding white that seemed to illuminate the room without the benefit of light. Everything had its place, a sign of Chade's perfectionism. I never had figured out exactly how Aidan and Josh managed to live with him.

With a sigh of relief, for having settled the mania in my stomach, I swore off cars for the rest of the night. My house was less than a mile down the road and a walk would do me good. I kicked off the annoyance that were my shoes, and curled my feet under me while I watched everyone relax. I knew they were all thankful I wouldn’t be getting sick all over them.

“Aidan, can you get Kiri home all right?” Wes asked, gazing out the front door, a far-away look in his eyes.

Aidan nodded, although his irritation with me was still painted across his face. Wes pushed the door open and left. I wasn’t surprised. With his car parked in from of the house, I knew there was no way he would stay here long. The neighbor girl had a way of turning up and throwing herself all over him. Still, I couldn’t help but feel saddened by his exit. I had hoped he would take me home and spend the night in my bed.

“Feel better?” Chade asked, flopping down next to me with a nefarious little smile and a gold bottle.

I wiggled my nose as I eyed it. “Better not. I still have to get home.”

“Come on,” Chade said as he stood and held his hand out to me. “You can lay down in my bed for a bit.”

Like the rest of the house Chade's room was immaculate. It kind of reminded me of a hotel room. I knew for a fact that Aidan and Josh left their rooms trashed on purpose. Chade wouldn't even open their doors and complained non-stop about the smell that emanated from under their doors.

I crashed into the bed and sighed. “Chade?” I whispered, wondering if he was still in the room.

“Hmm,” I heard from the closet.

I contemplated how to phrase my question. I didn't want to upset him, but then, this was Chade after all. “Was it really that bad, what I did tonight? Aidan acts like I committed all seven immortal sins, but all I did was dance. Was it really that... raunchy that some kid would try to attack me?”

“Nah, Kiri. It was just the dragons. They do crazy things to us. Make us feel all powerful and full of that testosterone shit.”

After falling back on the bed and staring up at the ceiling for a moment, I let out the breath I’d been holding in since I spoke. Chade perched over me with that goofy smile that never failed to make me laugh. I shoved him away with a giggle and sat up.

“What was that all about?” he whispered.

I lifted an eyebrow. “He gets so angry with me, like he hates me.”

Chade’s face was smooth for a moment. “We both know he doesn't. Just the opposite.” When he fell on the bed laughing, I leaned close with my fingers to my lips, begging him to quiet down, trying not to laugh myself. Chade’s moods were always infectious. It took me by surprise when he kissed me. It was not something I expected, at least, not from him. I pushed away, making him grin.

“I’ve always wanted to do that.” He laughed and jumped off the bed. “Interesting. I can understand Brody’s fascination.”

I chased after him when he left the room, intent on questioning his meaning. Aidan caught my arm as I passed and pulled me into his lap. “Are you ready to go home?”

“I’ll walk,” I said, refusing to get back in a car.

“Walk?” Chade yelled from the kitchen. “Can I come? Do you think your mom has any of that delicious pie left?”

“I’ll come too.” Aidan stifled a yawn and rose to his feet. “Let’s go, little sister.”

I rolled my eyes, knowing there was no way around it. They would see me safely home whether I liked it or not. I snatched my shoes off the floor, considering Aidan’s choice of words. I wasn’t his little sister but I was the closest thing he had. My brows drew down. Are his words meant to settle me? Does he know what had happened in the bedroom?

We walked, even though Aidan’s car sat in the driveway. My bare feet slapped softly against the pavement as I walked between my hulking guards. I hurried my step when we passed my old babysitter’s house and slowed to enjoy the freedom of the swamp just before home. When I was a teenager, I’d walked this road many times and always feared this quarter-mile stretch where strange noises ruled. I would often run through, not daring to look back, but in recent years I’d found a sort of peace with the quagmire.

The pavement turned to gravel, and Chade snatched me off the ground. “You’re going to kill those delicate little feet of yours.” He laughed.

I wriggled in his grasp. “Put me down,” I protested, beating him with the shoes that dangled from my hand, but he held me until we reached my yard where he stood me in the soft grass.

The house looked peacefully dark, and I rushed up the stairs to push the door open and light the steps for my friends. They stumbled into the house, Aidan making his way to the couch and Chade raiding the kitchen. I ignored them as I slipped into my bedroom and closed the door. Situated at the back of the house, nestled in between two huge willows that grew just outside my windows, the room stayed cool even without the benefit of an air conditioner. The gray painted cement floor felt like ice beneath my bare feet. I let my skirt slide down over my hips and tossed my top away, not caring where it fell. I slid under the thick covers of my bed. Aidan and Chade will just have to fend for themselves. They were more at home in my house than their own.

Unable to sleep, my mind tumbling in a thousand different directions, I got out of bed and tossed on a pair of flowing cotton pants and a camisole before creeping out the back door of my house. Sometimes just being outside, where I could see the sparkle of the night sky and feel the vigorous flow of nature helped settle my mind. I was trapped in a world not my own, a world where my naive disposition put me in peril, a world that would never understand me, leaving me making one wrong decision after another. If not for my friends and their undying concern for me, I was not sure what would have happened tonight, or many other nights when I carelessly left myself open to attack.

Staring up at the moon, I shook my head, knowing that in my world, there were other dangers, though most were of a different quality than any trouble I could get myself into here. Born with the marks of a Royal and a Sentinel, my parents decided it was best to hide me here, in the waking world, until I could gain control of the power that thrived in my body, but the results were that I knew little of the force that dwelt within. If cataclysm ever did strike my world, there would be nothing I could do to save my people.