dragon archives 05 - forever a dragon (26 page)

“Am I interrupting something?” Zach asked. Lleland stared at him for a moment as the burning desire he had felt a moment before turned to a sinking feeling of shame. He had treated Lydia like some common whore. He grabbed the tunic Zach tossed him and hurriedly pulled it on before turning to look at Lydia. She was leaning against the wall, her eyes closed, panting slightly. An irrational wave of anger washed over him. She’d done nothing to stop him from pressing his demands. In fact, he wasn’t even sure he could trust what he felt – perhaps it was only the cords that bound him to her that had made him act so.

“My apologies, Mistress,” Lleland said stiffly. “I don’t know what came over me.”

“You’ve finally been hunting,” Zach said, dropping down on the edge of the bed. “It raises other appetites.”

Lleland dragged his hand over his face. “I see.”

“It’s worse when you first start changing. After a while, you’ll be able to keep your desires in check.”

“Of course.” He glanced at Lydia. “Why are you in my chambers?”

“I wanted to find out how you are doing.”

“Well, I’m quite fine.” He turned and stalked to the window. “Good day, Mistress,” he said over his shoulder.

Lydia was silent, and after a moment he heard the door close softly behind her.

“You cannot keep blaming Lydia for what happened,” Zach said.

“She gave me her blood,” Lleland said. “She created a monster!”

“True, but if you’re going to blame anyone, blame Jack.”

“I do. But Jack didn’t use deceit and falsehood to gain my affection.”

“Is that what Lydia did? I thought she was ensuring her self-preservation. But no matter. You’re still attracted to her, and it’s clear she loves you, despite the way you’re treating her.”

“What just happened was nothing more than pure, primal instinct – the result of the monster she has created.”

“Very well.” Zach leaned against the window ledge, his arms crossed over his chest. “Aaron told me what happened this morning. That you refused to feed on a human. But you still hunted, and I can see you’re much stronger than you were.”

“Stronger? Perhaps. But also disgusted and ashamed. I hope this wears off quickly, so I can get on with my life.”

“You realize that may never happen?”

“I can’t even contemplate that.” Lleland paced the room. “What I need is to get away from here. From all of you. Perhaps being near Lydia,” he grimaced, “is keeping me this way.”

“You want to leave?”

“Yes. I need to return to Civitas anyway. Classes resume in October.”

“That’s still six weeks away!”

“It took me six weeks to travel here.”

“You traveled on foot. It only takes a few days to fly.”

“I’m human, Zach, and I will travel on foot.”

“That’s ludicrous.”

Lleland shrugged. “Call it what you want. It’s what I plan to do.”

Zach stood. “Well, I can’t stop you. We’d better go talk to Aaron.”

Chapter 29

“You left this morning,” Aaron said as Lleland and Zach entered the study. “You went hunting on your own.”

“I couldn’t stay and watch,” Lleland said.

“The animal blood helped. You look stronger. But you’ll need human flesh eventually.”

“Why?”

“A dragon needs it to survive. We can survive on animal flesh most of the time, but eventually our bodies demand human flesh – the essence of humanity. Just a few times a year will suffice, but a new dragon needs it sooner.”

“Well, since this change is temporary, I don’t think I’ll ever need a dragon diet.”

“Clearly what you had this morning is sufficient for now.” Aaron leaned back in his seat. “So you plan to leave Storbrook?” he said. “Getting away from Lydia is not going to make any difference.”

Lleland glanced at Zach, who grinned. Was there no privacy amongst dragons? “I must return to Civitas anyway,” Lleland said.

“We’ll have to have an oath ceremony before you go. We’ll keep it private, though. Just us.”

“An oath ceremony? What’s that?”

“It’s when you pledge your allegiance to me. I drink your blood, and you drink mine.”

“No. No more blood.”

“You must,” Zach said. “You cannot leave here without making Aaron your Master.”

“First of all, Aaron is the Dragon Master, and I’m not a dragon,” Lleland said. He looked at Aaron. “And if I drink your blood, it may strengthen the effects of Lydia’s.”

“There are many dragons in Civitas, Lleland,” Aaron replied. Lleland’s eyebrows rose fractionally at the thought. Had he been walking past dragons every day and not known it? “They’ll recognize you for what you are as soon as they see you, and if you don’t create a bond with me, they’ll know that too. You’ll be considered rogue, which means they are free to do with you as they will.”

“Then let them know what happened,” Lleland said.

“Absolutely not! The dragons of the clan have sworn their allegiance to me, but I cannot control all their actions, especially those further afield. If word got out that Jack created a dragon by giving a child his blood, who knows what will happen.” He pushed himself from the desk. “This must remain between us. I won’t even tell the elders.”

Lleland paced over to the window. “I still won’t drink your blood,” he said.

Aaron was silent for a long moment. “I cannot force you to join the clan, Lleland. But if you don’t, your life could be in danger.”

“I understand. Let’s see what happens.”

“You’re just delaying the inevitable,” Aaron said. “When do you plan to leave?”

“At first light.”

Lydia was not in the hall that evening, and Lleland was relieved. It was, after all, better not to see her again. It was because of Lydia that he had become a monster. She meant nothing to him anymore. Even if he did have feelings for her, he could not trust that they were real. Not after she bound him with her blood. And given his behavior that afternoon, her absence made things less awkward. No, he told himself, he definitely did not want to see her. But that conclusion did nothing to lift his spirits and relieve the melancholy that settled over him for the remainder of the evening.

He left as soon as the sun reached the horizon the next morning, following the path that led from the mountain castle. Aaron and Zach circled above him, a pair of huge, golden dragons. “Do you want a ride to the village?” Zach asked, dropping closer as Lleland scrambled down the path.

Lleland frowned. “No.”

“Halfway down the mountain, then?”

When Lleland remained silent, Zach swooped away with a laugh. “Don’t get sore feet,” he said.

It was nightfall when Lleland reached the village, but he did not stop. Instead he skirted the buildings and headed to the west road. Even though it was dark he could see clearly, and despite a full day of walking, did not feel weary. The moon was waning but shone brightly in the night sky. Between the trees a nightjar chirred, while from farther away came the hoot of an owl.

It was already past midnight when Lleland finally stopped to rest. He found a tree a short distance from the road to lie beneath, and placed his things on the ground beside him. Sleep came easily, and he dreamed of soaring above the trees and climbing the heavens to reach the stars. He was powerful, and he threw back his head and roared his strength to the night sky. When he awoke, he saw that the trunk of the tree he lay beneath had been singed with flame.

He gathered his things and carried on walking. He soon passed the place where Francis had been attacked, and saw a broken arrow on the path. Had it only been three days ago? It felt like a lifetime had passed. The smell of human blood assailed his senses. He could tell that some of it was his, but the rest belonged to the other men that had been killed.

As Lleland walked, he thought of his mother, his students, and the work he needed to do to prepare for his classes. Anything other than dragons. And Lydia. He pushed himself to walk as far as possible each day, taking his body to the brink of exhaustion. As the days passed, he noticed his abnormal strength lessening. Did that mean he was becoming human again?

Lleland had been on the road for a week when he reached a large town. The first inn he stopped at was full, but he was directed to another a short distance away, and he stepped into a large hall filled with the scent of humanity. He waved over a barman and ordered an ale before dropping his bag and taking a stool at the bar.

“Lleland Seaton? Is that you?” Lleland turned around to see Francis pushing his way towards him, and he groaned inwardly. “I thought you were dead!”

“As you can see, I’m quite alive.”

“But how did you escape?” Lleland could smell his confusion. “You were badly wounded and when that creature grabbed you, I was sure you were doomed.”

Lleland shrugged. “It meant me no harm. As soon as I was well, it let me go.”

“It let you go? And you traveled all this way with a stab wound?”

“It was merely a scratch.”

“A scratch? I saw the blood gushing from your chest!”

Lleland turned in his stool and took a long swig of ale. “It must have been the other man’s blood,” he said.

“I didn’t think he was wounded.” Francis eyed him skeptically.

“Well, as you can see, I’m fit and hale.”

“Yes, so I see.” Francis studied Lleland for a moment, then turned and waved for another ale.

“How has your journey been?” Lleland asked.

“No more thieves or bandits, I’m sorry to say.”

“That’s a good thing,” Lleland said.

“It makes the journey so dull and tedious.”

“You’re supposed to be doing penance.”

“True.” Francis grimaced for a moment, but then grinned. “There’ve been some rather accommodating barmaids along the way.”

Lleland groaned. “That’s what got you in trouble in the first place.”

“Ah, but I’m not giving them my name! And my father is not around to know what I’m doing.”

“I wash my hands of you,” Lleland said, swallowing the last of his ale and standing. “I’m going to find a bed for the night.”

“I’ll see you in the morning,” Francis said cheerfully.

Lleland left before first light and did not see Francis again. He had taken some bread and cold meat from the inn, and ate as he walked, but it did little to relieve the gnawing hunger that had been growing in the pit of his belly for the last few days. His throat was continuously parched, and no amount of ale or water could quench his thirst. Aaron would say he needed blood, but he refused to consider it. If he faltered in his resolve to resist the urge of the dragon, all would be lost.

The days passed. When he was able to find an inn, he slept there, but just as often he slept beneath the stars, under a tree or bush. He refused to think of Lydia as he walked, but he could not keep her from his dreams. Sometimes she came to him in human form, and she’d take him by the hand and lead him to a pool of calm water. Her lips would touch his, and he would wrap his arms around her and whisper her name. Other times she came to him as a dragon, her huge wings spread over him, until he too changed form and chased her into the skies. She was hugely, savagely beautiful. Her fiercely spiked tail would wind around his, and he would drag his forked tongue down her neck as her eyes flamed with heat. He woke from these dreams panting, longing to feel her in his arms, until he remembered that she was a monster and he could no longer trust the feelings he had for her, and he would push the thoughts away with a growl.

As the days passed, Lleland’s legs began to ache, and his body was no longer able to endure long hours of walking. It was late one evening when Lleland stopped for the night near a river. He had not eaten since the previous day when he had enjoyed a bowl of stew at an inn. But there were no inns in the country that surrounded him now.

He placed his satchel on the ground and taking his bow and a few arrows, headed towards the water. His plan was to hunt a small animal to roast over a fire. He sniffed the air. Something was approaching downwind of the river. He crept forward with as much stealth as possible, then paused and sniffed again. The animal was coming closer. He notched an arrow on the string of his bow, and crouched behind some bushes. A large elk appeared from behind some trees and stopped to nibble the leaves. Lleland paused a moment; the creature was large, and he was just one man, but hunger gnawed at his stomach. He drew back the string and loosed the arrow, watching as it hit the animal in the neck.

Blood spurted from the wound as the elk fell, and instinct took over as Lleland dropped his bow and ran towards the kill. His wings opened on his back, shredding his tunic and propelling him forward, but he didn’t notice. He fell to the ground next to the animal and yanked out the arrow before sealing his lips to the wound. Blood gushed into his mouth, and he swallowed with pleasure as the burn in his throat finally subsided. Using his knife, he sliced open the belly of the huge animal, then used his teeth to rip the warm flesh, burying his face in the carcass. In the distance he smelled a wolf approaching, and he growled, a deep sound at the back of his throat. He heard the creature turn aside as he tore off more flesh. Flames roiled within him, burning the fresh meat as soon as it hit his stomach, and he filled his belly. When he had finally had enough, he lay down on the ground beside the carcass and slept.

The sky was still dark when he opened his eyes, awoken by leaves crackling beneath the soft paws of an animal. The wolf he had smelled earlier stood on the other side of the elk carcass, watching him. It stepped forward, then back, clearly unsure what to make of the man lying on the ground. Lleland glanced at the remains of the elk, then turned away in disgust. His memories were hazy, but he knew that the bloodied carcass was the result of his frenzied eating. The taste of flesh and blood were still in his mouth.

He rose to his feet, and frowned at his bare torso. He glanced over his shoulders to see a pair of black wings spread out behind him, trailing on the ground. He stared at them for a moment before folding them onto his back. They disappeared beneath his skin, leaving only ridges that ran the length of his spine. The wolf edged closer, eyeing him warily.