HI kids! Nothing' new on this end. I'm watching music videos! Linkin park
came out with a new one, yay! Breaking the habit. Good song but I like
figure .06 better. Oh well can't win em all.
Ah my dear Dpscythsln, why do you think I would kill you? Ah that list... hmm well since you reviewed, you're off the killing one! Yay! Ah jk my friend, jk, you know you're loved.
Shall I write? I shall.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sasha could only blink as she stood before a woman not much older than her. She had similar facial structure as her and brownish red hair. Her eyes were vibrant green as she studied Sasha. She wore long flowing green, olive and black skirts with a tight black long-sleeved shirt. A small emerald hung from a sliver chain on her neck. Sasha read her aura again, reassuring her initial sense of her own magic reverberating off of this woman before her.
"Uh, who are you?" Sasha stuttered.
"Omi, my name's Omi," she answered slowly. "Who are you?"
"Omi..." Sasha said slowly thinking.
"Wow, same names," Omi said with a smile.
"No, my name's Sasha. Didn't you disappear, like, eighty years ago?"
"Yes, yes I did. I take it they still teach history?" Sasha didn't need to ask her who "they" were.
"Yeah, all the way back," Sasha said with a laugh. Then, shaking her head, she remembered her plight. "Do you know a good place to hide so I can find a way to unbind my magic?"
"You can stay here, nobody really comes here, it's mostly just me and Athens," she said vaguely. "Stay here and fill me in on the current events of the family."
Omi closed the door as Sasha took a few more steps in. The room was well furnished, if not lavishly. There was a large four poster bed in the center of the back wall with heavy green curtains all around the bed. The hard stone floor of the hallway was covered in thick rugs and blankets on the floor. There was a lit fireplace cracking low on the wall adjacent to the bed with two large sitting chairs looking at it. There were shelves upon shelves of books. All of them look well read and taken care of. There were soft electric lights along the walls and a small alcove with a closed door that Sasha assumed was a bathroom.
Omi walked to one of the chairs facing the fire and sat down, motioning for Sasha to do the same. Sasha sat, drawing her legs up Indian style beneath her.
A moment of silence passed between them, neither knowing what to say. Finally, Sasha got the never to speak.
"I hope to not sound disrespectful or anything, but why do you look only a few years older than me? From what I learned, you were in your twenties when you disappeared and shouldn't you look, well, older?"
Omi laughed lightly. "Technically, yes. But my blood and their blood work like a pause button. When they combine, your body stops aging. So I'm eternally twenty-one. Pretty cool huh?"
Sasha smiled weakly, letting it fall. "What do you mean 'their blood and ours combining'?"
Omi's smile dimmed but she held it. "You don't know? So that means they haven't bonded you," Sasha shook her head negatively, "Oh. Well, how far did you get in your studies?" Omi was obviously avoiding the question and Sasha was happy to oblige.
"Not very," she studied the hem of her pants; "my little cousin got a little more training than me."
Omi understood immediately and smiled. "Let me see them," she said gesturing to her back.
Sasha sighed. Her wings appeared behind her and Omi was obviously surprised.
"Dear gods," she whispered, "how big were hers if you didn't get trained?!?!"
Sasha laughed to herself about her assumption. "Hers were not longer than my forearm. She just had a natural talent and small wings; I have big wings and little talent, so they shunned me and I left."
Omi watched the girl sitting in her room attempt to hide the anger and hurt in her voice.
"Well then, I shall teach you. It's only right that you know your heritage," she paused and made a sour face at the door. "It appears that you shall get a lesson sooner than I thought. Climb into my bed and pull the curtains around, leave a bit so you can see. I believe we're going to have company."
Omi stood and righted her skirts and looked expectantly at the door. Sasha hid among the drapes and blankets, watching Omi watch the door.
Ryan burst in the door, panting and sweating as if he had been running for a while.
"Where's Sasha?" he demanded.
"Who's Sasha?" she asked. Her lying was effortless.
"Don't give me that shit! You can sense her! Find her! I need to explain!"
"Explain what? If you made another girl run away, do you think she's going to listen to you? Have the others?" Omi's words were harsh and were as sharp as any of Sasha's knives.
Ryan's face clouded and he began to walk in.
Omi waved her hand and a blue wall surrounded him, preventing him from entering farther into the room.
"You know the rules, you don't come in unless I bid you to," Omi hissed.
Ryan sighed hard. "I know the laws, sorry."
Omi nodded and dropped the wall.
"If you see her," Ryan said stepping toward the door, "please, let me know."
She nodded and he left. Omi closed the door and looked at her bed. Sasha pulled the curtains aside and sat on the end of the bed.
"I hope that you caught a little of how I made the wall. I had to make it fast, but I can make it slowly for you to learn if you need it," Omi said warmly.
"No, I caught it. Who were the other girls you talked about to him?"
"Ryan has," she paused looking for the word, "bonded many, sometimes only halfway finishing the job. The girl would run off and he'd be without again."
"Oh," Sasha said pondering.
Omi frowned. "Let's teach you some magic neh? I think now is an excellent time to learn!"
................
They had spent most of the day with Omi showing Sasha various spells and wards. Sasha was a quick student; Omi would only show her once and she had it mastered when she tried the first time. Sasha relaxed in her company, comfortable with anyone of her family for the first time in her life. Sasha smiled after they had been at it for several hours.
"I think that's all for now, I'm beat," Omi said sitting on the edge of the bed, "I'm not as young as I want to think I am."
Sasha smiled. "Are you sure? Come on a little more, please?"
Omi smiled knowingly. "Sometimes it's easy to forget that you have to learn the things I know. It makes me smile seeing you so eager to learn. You remind me of, well, me."
Omi's smile faded when she felt the door open. Sasha paled, quickly recovering her scowl as she caught Ryan's eye in the door. Sasha's tawny wings flared aggressively and her crimson eyes burned amber.
"I thought you didn't know who she was, witch," Ryan said without taking his eyes from Sasha's.
"I hold my loyalty to my niece rather than you," Omi spat.
Ryan's determined and cold expression cracked and he sighed, looking at the ground.
"Sasha, I'm sorry," he began, "I lost control. I let him get to me. I don't know what happened. But I do know one thing; I can help you get Trevor back to who he was. I can help you undo the damage the bear-sark has done."
Sasha's left eye had faded to crimson, her right a hard amber.
"What do you mean? What's the catch," she asked suspiciously.
"Forgive me, that's all I ask. I want you to forgive me for what I have done," his eyes were cast downward as she studied him. His usually happy and determined demeanor now seemed small and dejected.
Sasha's mental scales weighed his offer.
Omi saw this and reached in her collar, pulling out a second necklace on a long leather thread. The end held a fire opal glistening in the waning firelight.
"Sasha," Omi said taking the girl's palm and placing the gem in it. "Take this. It's a token that I back whatever you choose. If you wish to run, I will equip you and fight them off as long as these old bones allow. If you decide to stay, you are always welcomed in my room and my teaching is always yours to learn." Omi closed the gem in Sasha's hand with a smile.
Sasha met her eyes, crimson to green, and smiled. She then turned back to Ryan. Her smile fell.
"Fine, but only if you swear on your life that you will help me. I don't want any of this 'I lost control' bullshit ever again. I want you in control our out of here. Understood?"
Ryan nodded slowly.
"Good," Sasha said coolly. "Go get Trevor and bring him here so we can start."
Ryan nodded sharply and he disappeared.
"I think I know a better place to keep your bear-sark while you bring him back to what he was," Omi smiled warmly. She grabbed Sasha's hand and a cooler wind picked both of them up.
Sasha opened her eyes she didn't even know she had closed tightly. She observed her new surroundings. It was a huge room, less furnished than Omi's though it had something that Omi's room did not: a very large dragon. Sasha gaped up at the beast. It easily filled the room with its bulk, wings being most of it. The dragon was crimson that matched Sasha's eyes with black scaly wings. She met eyes with the giant lizard, her quizzical crimson ones meeting its solid black ones. It yawned wide showing off its saber-like teeth and massive jaw expanse.
'Who is this Omi? I hope not someone else to pester me,' the beast asked leaning his large head closer to Sasha.
"Athens, I'd like you to meet Sasha. She's my niece," Omi said proudly.
'I didn't know you had a niece. It is a pleasure to meet you, Sasha,' Athens thought to her. Sasha nodded her head.
"Athens," Omi said, "would you mind if one of Sasha's friends stays in here with you? I think it's the safest place for him."
'For you Omi, anything,' Athens thought with a nod to her.
With Ryan's impeccable timing, he appeared with Trevor in tow, arguing with him. Trevor stopped when he saw Sasha. He broke into a smile, totally ignoring the large dragon beside him.
'The bear-sark! You want me to baby-sit your bear-sark!?!' Athens said exasperated.
"No Athens, I want him to stay with you in here. It's safer for us because they aren't to know that he's gone. I know that you are the one thing here that they will not mess with and that's putting it lightly," Omi said with a smile.
'You always know how to flatter me, don't you Omi? Fine, I'll watch your bear-sark,' Athens's attempt at a smile only made him look more menacing.
"Do you want to start now or should we wait until later to start?" Ryan asked.
"Start what? Oh yeah, let's do it now I guess," Sasha said dismissively.
"You will have to do most of it, he's the one that listens to you. I can help you along and tell you what to do, but you'll be the one that has to do the actual work," Ryan admitted.
"Fine, let's start then," then looking to Athens Sasha added, "if that's ok with you that we do it here,"
'It doesn't matter, it might actually be nice to have more company than just Omi,' Athens said while settling his wings, 'proceed.'
Sasha smiled to him then nodded to Ryan.
"Ok then," Ryan said sitting, "go into his mind. Sense all of the beasts moving about in him. Can you?" Sasha nodded with her eyes closed. "Good, now choose one and hold it in your mind. You should be able to feel the bear-sark in that spirit. Take it out and let the animal go. Grab another and do the same. It's simple really, just tedious and tiring."
After several hours of Sasha systematically pulling apart the bear-sark in Trevor, she sighed and opened her eyes. Trevor had rested against the wall long ago and his slow snores set a rhythm for her. She finished tearing the bear-sark from her current animal, a falcon, and sat down next to Ryan. She decided a moment's rest wouldn't harm him more than his weeks already past. Omi had left several hours ago to bring them food. It now lay on a platter untouched by either in the corner. The stew had cooled significantly and the hot, fresh bread now no longer filled the room with its aroma. Sasha reached for her bowl of stew, but thinking better of it, grabbed a small loaf of crusty bread instead.
Ryan had yet to look her in the eyes yet and had a very vulnerable feel about him. He was currently staring at the ground between his bent knees.
"Ryan," she tested in a soft tone. He turned his head to face her but his eyes remained on the floor. She gently took him by the chin and lifted his head. "You need to let it go. I have, mistakes are made. It's part of living."
For the first time in several hours, Ryan's eyes met hers. He still held the guilt in them but it was a start. She smiled warmly; he followed suit with a feeble smile. To Sasha, the sad attempt at a smile was a big step. She was about to speak again when a high pitched scream filled her head. She covered her ears in a vain attempt to keep the noise out. Ryan just sat and watched her puzzled. He heard nothing but the way she was acting was as if someone was screaming in her ear.
"Sasha," Ryan asked concerned, "Sasha? What's the matter? Sasha!"
Sasha could only hear the scream. Omi appeared beside them. Ryan looked at her worriedly.
"They're calling her," Omi said simply and just as vaguely as ever. "I can still hear it, it's dull, but they want her home."
Sasha was kneeling with her head bowed. A tear slid from her clenched eyes.
"How can we stop it? It's killing her!" Ryan demanded, his voice rising with anger and his confidence finding him again.
"You'll need to bond her. There's still a lot I'd like to teach her, but I think it's the only way that you can stop the noise," Omi said sadly.
"I don't want to do it against her wishes, I can't screw up like I did before," he roared.
"If you don't, she will go mad with the noise," Omi said simply.
Ryan growled and looked at Sasha on the ground.
"Sasha," he whispered kneeling next to her. She turned her head slightly so she could see his lips. As he spoke again she read them as she was deafened by the scream. "The only way I know to stop the noise is to bond you. I will not do it without your permission. But if you don't, I fear that I might lose you. Please, let me help you."
Sasha waited a moment and nodded to him before doubling over once more from the agony of that scream.
Ryan nodded to no one in particular. He moved behind her and gently wrapped one hand around her waist and another tipped her chin back. His eyes immediately saw the strong pulse in her neck. After a moment's pause, he leaned his head in and elongated incisors punctured the skin. Immediately, the deafening scream was quieted by Ryan's mind as it touched hers. Her rich warm blood coursed into him. Somewhere deep in her mind she wondered why it didn't hurt. It felt as near to flying as Sasha could compare anything; weightless and euphoric. She felt his mind brush against hers, leaving her memories as open books. He avoided most of them as best he could, but some leapt at him. Her memories of her brothers, her powerful cousin, her old school, Xavier's mansion all flowed to him through her blood.
He let go after a few minutes that lasted a lifetime. Ryan licked his teeth as he held her carefully. She looked at him through heavy eyelids. She felt no anger nor disdain for him, she was too weak. Her head began to lull backward as he supported her neck with his hand and forearm. With his other hand, he drew a small knife from his back pocket. He made a small cut slightly above his collarbone and replaced the knife. Sasha sensed his blood and closed her heavy eyelids. He brought her closer to the cut, but she pushed back weakly.
"No," she whispered.
"You must," he insisted in a quiet whisper.
Touching his index finger to the blood he put some on her lips. She licked it away greedily and when he brought her closer again, she did not resist. She drank until he pushed her away gently. Her eyes had not opened and he felt her go limp in unconsciousness.
Laying her gently on the floor, he stood. He glanced at Trevor to make sure that what was left of his bear-sark hadn't taken his action as a threat to her. The boy was still soundly asleep against the wall. He turned to Omi who was standing some feet away. Her face was schooled into an emotionless gaze but her eyes screamed of fear and worry.
"She's fine. She'll sleep for a few hours then wake up hungry. I suggest some bread and milk, they do best with the hunger that comes with being bonded," Ryan said somberly.
"I'd forgotten what it entailed. I do hope she doesn't have to endure what I did when I woke," she muttered. "I'll get the bread and milk. If she's really my niece, she won't sleep long. I remember waking earlier than anyone anticipated. She'll need the bread," Omi trailed off. She pursed her lips and disappeared.
Ryan turned to Athens. "Please watch her a moment for me. I am going to get something more comfortable to lay on than this floor,"
Athens nodded his great head and Ryan was gone.
The dragon leaned his head over to Trevor. The boy made him curious. He knew about his ability to shape shift, but there was a deeper curiosity within him that made him so intrigued by the boy. Trevor's eyes slowly opened as Athens's deep breathing ruffled his hair. When he saw Athens, he made no move to run, nor did he seem afraid. They just stared at each other, not making a sound.
'You are an interesting creature, did you know that?' Athens asked Trevor.
"I've been told once or twice," he returned.
'Have you ever been a dragon?' Athens asked after a moment.
"No,"
'I highly suggest trying it sometime. It is quite exhilarating. One piece of advice though, when Ryan returns, keep your cool. He saved your girl over there,' at that Athens settled back against the far wall and curled up for a nap.
Ryan appeared shortly with several pillows, cushions, and blankets with him. He arranged them then moved to Sasha. He bent down and scooped her up. Before standing again, he met eyes with Trevor. When Trevor made no move to stop him, Ryan lifted her and carried her to the makeshift bed. He lay her down gently. A lock of hair had covered her face in the process. Ryan gently moved it from her face and sighed.
"She seems different," Trevor said and Ryan turned his head.
"She is, slightly. I had to bond her to save her life," he responded carefully.
"I see," Trevor answered.
He had nothing more to say and went to the other side of the large room with Athens. Trevor situated himself against his tail. Athens opened his eyes momentarily to see who had come to rest on him, but did nothing but lay his head back down and fell back to sleep.
Ryan scratched his head in confusion, thanking the stars that neither dragon or boy erupted in anger.
Behind him, Sasha stirred and groaned painfully. Ryan turned in surprise. It had been minutes since she fell into unconsciousness, fifteen at the most. He shook his head in dismay; Omi had been right.
At the thought of her, Omi appeared in the room. She held several small loaves of bread in a towel under one arm and a goblet of milk in the other. She frowned when she heard Sasha. She shooed Ryan off the end of the bed and replaced him.
"Prop her up so she can eat," she ordered. Ryan placed her against him and Omi sighed. She somehow felt she should have been a little more specific. Pushing the thought from her mind, she broke a loaf. She tore a small piece and put it in Sasha's mouth. Omi grabbed the goblet and poured a tiny amount in. The bread began to soften and become soggy. Omi closed Sasha's mouth and the girl swallowed it. This seemed to liven her a bit and Omi repeated the process until the girl opened her eyes. She seemed slightly confused and alarmed. She tried to sit up, only finding her muscles scream in pain. Trying again, she found movement less painful. She groggily remembered Omi.
"Why does it hurt?" she asked. She didn't need to ask what had happened as her awareness and memory came crashing back painfully.
"Our blood is different from theirs, they fight for a bit. Give it a few more minutes and you won't feel a thing," Omi said with a smile.
Sasha's eyelids began to feel heavy again and she leaned back. She glanced up and saw Ryan. He smiled a smile of pity and regret.
"Rest," he said softly, "you're safe now."
Sasha's eyes became too heavy and she fell asleep in his arms. He looked to Omi.
"If she is truly safe from your family now," she said, "take her to my room and she can sleep on my bed. It would be much more comfortable than this floor and she will not need worry about being found."
Ryan nodded and disappeared with Sasha.
Omi walked over to Trevor. He was sleeping soundly next to Athens. She smiled.
"Athens, watch over him," she said before disappearing also.
'I will, old friend, I will,'
WOW!!! EIGHT BLOODY PAGES!!!
I really wasn't planning on adding a dragon in this, but a boy I met at a swim meet reminded me too much of one so I added him. He's named Athens because of the Olympic rings that the boy had tattooed onto his bicep. So sue me, I'm a girl without a boyfriend. I'm allowed to do whatever I want!
Ok well I'm off. I have to go coach my second to last swim meet! My little kids are doing so well! Wish us luck!
OH WAIT!!! Next chapter, I promise violence. Who was I kidding, thinking I could write a story where nobody dies? Oh heavens no! But who shall I kill.....?
Ah my dear Dpscythsln, why do you think I would kill you? Ah that list... hmm well since you reviewed, you're off the killing one! Yay! Ah jk my friend, jk, you know you're loved.
Shall I write? I shall.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sasha could only blink as she stood before a woman not much older than her. She had similar facial structure as her and brownish red hair. Her eyes were vibrant green as she studied Sasha. She wore long flowing green, olive and black skirts with a tight black long-sleeved shirt. A small emerald hung from a sliver chain on her neck. Sasha read her aura again, reassuring her initial sense of her own magic reverberating off of this woman before her.
"Uh, who are you?" Sasha stuttered.
"Omi, my name's Omi," she answered slowly. "Who are you?"
"Omi..." Sasha said slowly thinking.
"Wow, same names," Omi said with a smile.
"No, my name's Sasha. Didn't you disappear, like, eighty years ago?"
"Yes, yes I did. I take it they still teach history?" Sasha didn't need to ask her who "they" were.
"Yeah, all the way back," Sasha said with a laugh. Then, shaking her head, she remembered her plight. "Do you know a good place to hide so I can find a way to unbind my magic?"
"You can stay here, nobody really comes here, it's mostly just me and Athens," she said vaguely. "Stay here and fill me in on the current events of the family."
Omi closed the door as Sasha took a few more steps in. The room was well furnished, if not lavishly. There was a large four poster bed in the center of the back wall with heavy green curtains all around the bed. The hard stone floor of the hallway was covered in thick rugs and blankets on the floor. There was a lit fireplace cracking low on the wall adjacent to the bed with two large sitting chairs looking at it. There were shelves upon shelves of books. All of them look well read and taken care of. There were soft electric lights along the walls and a small alcove with a closed door that Sasha assumed was a bathroom.
Omi walked to one of the chairs facing the fire and sat down, motioning for Sasha to do the same. Sasha sat, drawing her legs up Indian style beneath her.
A moment of silence passed between them, neither knowing what to say. Finally, Sasha got the never to speak.
"I hope to not sound disrespectful or anything, but why do you look only a few years older than me? From what I learned, you were in your twenties when you disappeared and shouldn't you look, well, older?"
Omi laughed lightly. "Technically, yes. But my blood and their blood work like a pause button. When they combine, your body stops aging. So I'm eternally twenty-one. Pretty cool huh?"
Sasha smiled weakly, letting it fall. "What do you mean 'their blood and ours combining'?"
Omi's smile dimmed but she held it. "You don't know? So that means they haven't bonded you," Sasha shook her head negatively, "Oh. Well, how far did you get in your studies?" Omi was obviously avoiding the question and Sasha was happy to oblige.
"Not very," she studied the hem of her pants; "my little cousin got a little more training than me."
Omi understood immediately and smiled. "Let me see them," she said gesturing to her back.
Sasha sighed. Her wings appeared behind her and Omi was obviously surprised.
"Dear gods," she whispered, "how big were hers if you didn't get trained?!?!"
Sasha laughed to herself about her assumption. "Hers were not longer than my forearm. She just had a natural talent and small wings; I have big wings and little talent, so they shunned me and I left."
Omi watched the girl sitting in her room attempt to hide the anger and hurt in her voice.
"Well then, I shall teach you. It's only right that you know your heritage," she paused and made a sour face at the door. "It appears that you shall get a lesson sooner than I thought. Climb into my bed and pull the curtains around, leave a bit so you can see. I believe we're going to have company."
Omi stood and righted her skirts and looked expectantly at the door. Sasha hid among the drapes and blankets, watching Omi watch the door.
Ryan burst in the door, panting and sweating as if he had been running for a while.
"Where's Sasha?" he demanded.
"Who's Sasha?" she asked. Her lying was effortless.
"Don't give me that shit! You can sense her! Find her! I need to explain!"
"Explain what? If you made another girl run away, do you think she's going to listen to you? Have the others?" Omi's words were harsh and were as sharp as any of Sasha's knives.
Ryan's face clouded and he began to walk in.
Omi waved her hand and a blue wall surrounded him, preventing him from entering farther into the room.
"You know the rules, you don't come in unless I bid you to," Omi hissed.
Ryan sighed hard. "I know the laws, sorry."
Omi nodded and dropped the wall.
"If you see her," Ryan said stepping toward the door, "please, let me know."
She nodded and he left. Omi closed the door and looked at her bed. Sasha pulled the curtains aside and sat on the end of the bed.
"I hope that you caught a little of how I made the wall. I had to make it fast, but I can make it slowly for you to learn if you need it," Omi said warmly.
"No, I caught it. Who were the other girls you talked about to him?"
"Ryan has," she paused looking for the word, "bonded many, sometimes only halfway finishing the job. The girl would run off and he'd be without again."
"Oh," Sasha said pondering.
Omi frowned. "Let's teach you some magic neh? I think now is an excellent time to learn!"
................
They had spent most of the day with Omi showing Sasha various spells and wards. Sasha was a quick student; Omi would only show her once and she had it mastered when she tried the first time. Sasha relaxed in her company, comfortable with anyone of her family for the first time in her life. Sasha smiled after they had been at it for several hours.
"I think that's all for now, I'm beat," Omi said sitting on the edge of the bed, "I'm not as young as I want to think I am."
Sasha smiled. "Are you sure? Come on a little more, please?"
Omi smiled knowingly. "Sometimes it's easy to forget that you have to learn the things I know. It makes me smile seeing you so eager to learn. You remind me of, well, me."
Omi's smile faded when she felt the door open. Sasha paled, quickly recovering her scowl as she caught Ryan's eye in the door. Sasha's tawny wings flared aggressively and her crimson eyes burned amber.
"I thought you didn't know who she was, witch," Ryan said without taking his eyes from Sasha's.
"I hold my loyalty to my niece rather than you," Omi spat.
Ryan's determined and cold expression cracked and he sighed, looking at the ground.
"Sasha, I'm sorry," he began, "I lost control. I let him get to me. I don't know what happened. But I do know one thing; I can help you get Trevor back to who he was. I can help you undo the damage the bear-sark has done."
Sasha's left eye had faded to crimson, her right a hard amber.
"What do you mean? What's the catch," she asked suspiciously.
"Forgive me, that's all I ask. I want you to forgive me for what I have done," his eyes were cast downward as she studied him. His usually happy and determined demeanor now seemed small and dejected.
Sasha's mental scales weighed his offer.
Omi saw this and reached in her collar, pulling out a second necklace on a long leather thread. The end held a fire opal glistening in the waning firelight.
"Sasha," Omi said taking the girl's palm and placing the gem in it. "Take this. It's a token that I back whatever you choose. If you wish to run, I will equip you and fight them off as long as these old bones allow. If you decide to stay, you are always welcomed in my room and my teaching is always yours to learn." Omi closed the gem in Sasha's hand with a smile.
Sasha met her eyes, crimson to green, and smiled. She then turned back to Ryan. Her smile fell.
"Fine, but only if you swear on your life that you will help me. I don't want any of this 'I lost control' bullshit ever again. I want you in control our out of here. Understood?"
Ryan nodded slowly.
"Good," Sasha said coolly. "Go get Trevor and bring him here so we can start."
Ryan nodded sharply and he disappeared.
"I think I know a better place to keep your bear-sark while you bring him back to what he was," Omi smiled warmly. She grabbed Sasha's hand and a cooler wind picked both of them up.
Sasha opened her eyes she didn't even know she had closed tightly. She observed her new surroundings. It was a huge room, less furnished than Omi's though it had something that Omi's room did not: a very large dragon. Sasha gaped up at the beast. It easily filled the room with its bulk, wings being most of it. The dragon was crimson that matched Sasha's eyes with black scaly wings. She met eyes with the giant lizard, her quizzical crimson ones meeting its solid black ones. It yawned wide showing off its saber-like teeth and massive jaw expanse.
'Who is this Omi? I hope not someone else to pester me,' the beast asked leaning his large head closer to Sasha.
"Athens, I'd like you to meet Sasha. She's my niece," Omi said proudly.
'I didn't know you had a niece. It is a pleasure to meet you, Sasha,' Athens thought to her. Sasha nodded her head.
"Athens," Omi said, "would you mind if one of Sasha's friends stays in here with you? I think it's the safest place for him."
'For you Omi, anything,' Athens thought with a nod to her.
With Ryan's impeccable timing, he appeared with Trevor in tow, arguing with him. Trevor stopped when he saw Sasha. He broke into a smile, totally ignoring the large dragon beside him.
'The bear-sark! You want me to baby-sit your bear-sark!?!' Athens said exasperated.
"No Athens, I want him to stay with you in here. It's safer for us because they aren't to know that he's gone. I know that you are the one thing here that they will not mess with and that's putting it lightly," Omi said with a smile.
'You always know how to flatter me, don't you Omi? Fine, I'll watch your bear-sark,' Athens's attempt at a smile only made him look more menacing.
"Do you want to start now or should we wait until later to start?" Ryan asked.
"Start what? Oh yeah, let's do it now I guess," Sasha said dismissively.
"You will have to do most of it, he's the one that listens to you. I can help you along and tell you what to do, but you'll be the one that has to do the actual work," Ryan admitted.
"Fine, let's start then," then looking to Athens Sasha added, "if that's ok with you that we do it here,"
'It doesn't matter, it might actually be nice to have more company than just Omi,' Athens said while settling his wings, 'proceed.'
Sasha smiled to him then nodded to Ryan.
"Ok then," Ryan said sitting, "go into his mind. Sense all of the beasts moving about in him. Can you?" Sasha nodded with her eyes closed. "Good, now choose one and hold it in your mind. You should be able to feel the bear-sark in that spirit. Take it out and let the animal go. Grab another and do the same. It's simple really, just tedious and tiring."
After several hours of Sasha systematically pulling apart the bear-sark in Trevor, she sighed and opened her eyes. Trevor had rested against the wall long ago and his slow snores set a rhythm for her. She finished tearing the bear-sark from her current animal, a falcon, and sat down next to Ryan. She decided a moment's rest wouldn't harm him more than his weeks already past. Omi had left several hours ago to bring them food. It now lay on a platter untouched by either in the corner. The stew had cooled significantly and the hot, fresh bread now no longer filled the room with its aroma. Sasha reached for her bowl of stew, but thinking better of it, grabbed a small loaf of crusty bread instead.
Ryan had yet to look her in the eyes yet and had a very vulnerable feel about him. He was currently staring at the ground between his bent knees.
"Ryan," she tested in a soft tone. He turned his head to face her but his eyes remained on the floor. She gently took him by the chin and lifted his head. "You need to let it go. I have, mistakes are made. It's part of living."
For the first time in several hours, Ryan's eyes met hers. He still held the guilt in them but it was a start. She smiled warmly; he followed suit with a feeble smile. To Sasha, the sad attempt at a smile was a big step. She was about to speak again when a high pitched scream filled her head. She covered her ears in a vain attempt to keep the noise out. Ryan just sat and watched her puzzled. He heard nothing but the way she was acting was as if someone was screaming in her ear.
"Sasha," Ryan asked concerned, "Sasha? What's the matter? Sasha!"
Sasha could only hear the scream. Omi appeared beside them. Ryan looked at her worriedly.
"They're calling her," Omi said simply and just as vaguely as ever. "I can still hear it, it's dull, but they want her home."
Sasha was kneeling with her head bowed. A tear slid from her clenched eyes.
"How can we stop it? It's killing her!" Ryan demanded, his voice rising with anger and his confidence finding him again.
"You'll need to bond her. There's still a lot I'd like to teach her, but I think it's the only way that you can stop the noise," Omi said sadly.
"I don't want to do it against her wishes, I can't screw up like I did before," he roared.
"If you don't, she will go mad with the noise," Omi said simply.
Ryan growled and looked at Sasha on the ground.
"Sasha," he whispered kneeling next to her. She turned her head slightly so she could see his lips. As he spoke again she read them as she was deafened by the scream. "The only way I know to stop the noise is to bond you. I will not do it without your permission. But if you don't, I fear that I might lose you. Please, let me help you."
Sasha waited a moment and nodded to him before doubling over once more from the agony of that scream.
Ryan nodded to no one in particular. He moved behind her and gently wrapped one hand around her waist and another tipped her chin back. His eyes immediately saw the strong pulse in her neck. After a moment's pause, he leaned his head in and elongated incisors punctured the skin. Immediately, the deafening scream was quieted by Ryan's mind as it touched hers. Her rich warm blood coursed into him. Somewhere deep in her mind she wondered why it didn't hurt. It felt as near to flying as Sasha could compare anything; weightless and euphoric. She felt his mind brush against hers, leaving her memories as open books. He avoided most of them as best he could, but some leapt at him. Her memories of her brothers, her powerful cousin, her old school, Xavier's mansion all flowed to him through her blood.
He let go after a few minutes that lasted a lifetime. Ryan licked his teeth as he held her carefully. She looked at him through heavy eyelids. She felt no anger nor disdain for him, she was too weak. Her head began to lull backward as he supported her neck with his hand and forearm. With his other hand, he drew a small knife from his back pocket. He made a small cut slightly above his collarbone and replaced the knife. Sasha sensed his blood and closed her heavy eyelids. He brought her closer to the cut, but she pushed back weakly.
"No," she whispered.
"You must," he insisted in a quiet whisper.
Touching his index finger to the blood he put some on her lips. She licked it away greedily and when he brought her closer again, she did not resist. She drank until he pushed her away gently. Her eyes had not opened and he felt her go limp in unconsciousness.
Laying her gently on the floor, he stood. He glanced at Trevor to make sure that what was left of his bear-sark hadn't taken his action as a threat to her. The boy was still soundly asleep against the wall. He turned to Omi who was standing some feet away. Her face was schooled into an emotionless gaze but her eyes screamed of fear and worry.
"She's fine. She'll sleep for a few hours then wake up hungry. I suggest some bread and milk, they do best with the hunger that comes with being bonded," Ryan said somberly.
"I'd forgotten what it entailed. I do hope she doesn't have to endure what I did when I woke," she muttered. "I'll get the bread and milk. If she's really my niece, she won't sleep long. I remember waking earlier than anyone anticipated. She'll need the bread," Omi trailed off. She pursed her lips and disappeared.
Ryan turned to Athens. "Please watch her a moment for me. I am going to get something more comfortable to lay on than this floor,"
Athens nodded his great head and Ryan was gone.
The dragon leaned his head over to Trevor. The boy made him curious. He knew about his ability to shape shift, but there was a deeper curiosity within him that made him so intrigued by the boy. Trevor's eyes slowly opened as Athens's deep breathing ruffled his hair. When he saw Athens, he made no move to run, nor did he seem afraid. They just stared at each other, not making a sound.
'You are an interesting creature, did you know that?' Athens asked Trevor.
"I've been told once or twice," he returned.
'Have you ever been a dragon?' Athens asked after a moment.
"No,"
'I highly suggest trying it sometime. It is quite exhilarating. One piece of advice though, when Ryan returns, keep your cool. He saved your girl over there,' at that Athens settled back against the far wall and curled up for a nap.
Ryan appeared shortly with several pillows, cushions, and blankets with him. He arranged them then moved to Sasha. He bent down and scooped her up. Before standing again, he met eyes with Trevor. When Trevor made no move to stop him, Ryan lifted her and carried her to the makeshift bed. He lay her down gently. A lock of hair had covered her face in the process. Ryan gently moved it from her face and sighed.
"She seems different," Trevor said and Ryan turned his head.
"She is, slightly. I had to bond her to save her life," he responded carefully.
"I see," Trevor answered.
He had nothing more to say and went to the other side of the large room with Athens. Trevor situated himself against his tail. Athens opened his eyes momentarily to see who had come to rest on him, but did nothing but lay his head back down and fell back to sleep.
Ryan scratched his head in confusion, thanking the stars that neither dragon or boy erupted in anger.
Behind him, Sasha stirred and groaned painfully. Ryan turned in surprise. It had been minutes since she fell into unconsciousness, fifteen at the most. He shook his head in dismay; Omi had been right.
At the thought of her, Omi appeared in the room. She held several small loaves of bread in a towel under one arm and a goblet of milk in the other. She frowned when she heard Sasha. She shooed Ryan off the end of the bed and replaced him.
"Prop her up so she can eat," she ordered. Ryan placed her against him and Omi sighed. She somehow felt she should have been a little more specific. Pushing the thought from her mind, she broke a loaf. She tore a small piece and put it in Sasha's mouth. Omi grabbed the goblet and poured a tiny amount in. The bread began to soften and become soggy. Omi closed Sasha's mouth and the girl swallowed it. This seemed to liven her a bit and Omi repeated the process until the girl opened her eyes. She seemed slightly confused and alarmed. She tried to sit up, only finding her muscles scream in pain. Trying again, she found movement less painful. She groggily remembered Omi.
"Why does it hurt?" she asked. She didn't need to ask what had happened as her awareness and memory came crashing back painfully.
"Our blood is different from theirs, they fight for a bit. Give it a few more minutes and you won't feel a thing," Omi said with a smile.
Sasha's eyelids began to feel heavy again and she leaned back. She glanced up and saw Ryan. He smiled a smile of pity and regret.
"Rest," he said softly, "you're safe now."
Sasha's eyes became too heavy and she fell asleep in his arms. He looked to Omi.
"If she is truly safe from your family now," she said, "take her to my room and she can sleep on my bed. It would be much more comfortable than this floor and she will not need worry about being found."
Ryan nodded and disappeared with Sasha.
Omi walked over to Trevor. He was sleeping soundly next to Athens. She smiled.
"Athens, watch over him," she said before disappearing also.
'I will, old friend, I will,'
WOW!!! EIGHT BLOODY PAGES!!!
I really wasn't planning on adding a dragon in this, but a boy I met at a swim meet reminded me too much of one so I added him. He's named Athens because of the Olympic rings that the boy had tattooed onto his bicep. So sue me, I'm a girl without a boyfriend. I'm allowed to do whatever I want!
Ok well I'm off. I have to go coach my second to last swim meet! My little kids are doing so well! Wish us luck!
OH WAIT!!! Next chapter, I promise violence. Who was I kidding, thinking I could write a story where nobody dies? Oh heavens no! But who shall I kill.....?
