Page 12 of The Exiled Dragon

It wasn't just any treehouse; it was an old abandoned one with no roof. How this would protect us, I didn't know. "That doesn't look safe. Are you sure?" He pulled my finger again, begging me to climb. My ankle wasn't going to survive this. In fact, it was going to make it worse. Trusting the flying not-Fairy person, I took the long trek on the hammered planks on the tree.

The little person sat on my shoulder while I used my good leg and arms to make up for the lack of a leg I had. Once we reached the top, I was exhausted. Wet, cold, and most likely sick. I crawled on the front ledge of the treehouse. No roof. The door hung to the side. The only thing we managed to do was get closer to the sky and feel the rain.

Little-not-Fairy-man waved me over while walking through the door. He disappeared on the other side. My head perked up in astonishment. The little-not-Fairy-man had vanished in front of my eyes. I grumbled to myself because this place was getting weirder by the second.

Sticking my hand through the same door, my hand disappeared. Time to be like Alice. Crawling through the doorway with the very little strength I had left, I entered an alternate universe.

It wasn't the old, abandoned treehouse at all; it was a large room filled with light-colored wood floors, beautiful white furs, and wide-open windows. A chandelier hung in the middle of the room, and a large mattress lay on the floor. The bed is covered in beautiful linen, blankets, and furs. My mouth hung open only for the little-not-Fairy man to close it while I still lay on the floor. His bells rang a few times, pointing me to another door.

Hobbling over, it was a bathroom. I sighed and almost cried at the look of the shower. A shower! Here! I didn't care where the water came from and how this all worked; I was going to shower!

"Who lives here?" I asked aloud. The little-not-Fairy-man had already used the sink to wash his body from the rain. He was as naked as the day he was born with no shame. I yipped, closed my eyes, and blurted out, “Sorry.” He didn't seem to care, hopping down from the counter. He asked to be put up on a table by the bed in wild hand movements. Complying, I closed my eyes and felt his little feet stand on my palm. He hopped off my hand once I had risen to the correct height and jumped on the table next to the bed. A tiny little bed lay waiting for someone his size.

"Is this a safe house or something?" I asked again, curious. He shook his head and lay on the fluffy cushion closing his eyes.

All right then? Don't mind me, I guess?

Feeling incredibly awkward staring at the not-a-Fairy guy, I went to the bathroom again to shower myself off. My bandages were all soiled and dirty. Removing them was disgusting; I wasn't sure what type of salve Prince Charming had put on, but it stunk terribly. Wincing as the hot water scalded my wounds, I washed quickly, not knowing if whoever lived here would return soon.

The towels here were the softest I have ever felt, sewn straight from the clouds. How could a land like this have something this elegant? Wrapping the fluffy white towel around me, I washed the tunic I took from Prince Charming. It would need to dry overnight so I could travel again tomorrow. I couldn't stay here. This was someone's home. I felt bad enough as it was staying here tonight, but we really had nowhere to go.

Prince Charming was so angry when I left; I just hoped I warned him in time before the Vampires came. They wouldn't stop just because I ran away. No one ever got away from them, especially their source of food. In the short time I knew Prince Charming, he was nice while it lasted, but it was the right thing to tell him. I couldn't live a lie and put his own life in danger when I knew a herd of wild demons were after me.

Then again, it looked like Prince Charming was some sort of demon himself. I shivered, recalling the last look in his eyes; I crawled to the floor next to the bed. I didn't feel comfortable sleeping in someone else's bed that was not meant for visitors. I grabbed a blanket and curled up on the furry rug.

Tomorrow, I would continue to head east to find some work. Maybe be a maid or a tutor to a low-income farm family, if they even had farms. If they even needed tutors! I pulled my hair. My situation seemed hopeless.

I wouldn't give up, however. I made it this far. I survived as a blood bag for six months and ran on little to no energy.

I sighed, snuggling into the blanket a bit more. Hearing the little tinkling of snores of the not-a-Fairy-man, I fell into my own deep sleep while listening to the rain pounding the magical roof. Only to hear the mighty roar of an evil beast a few hours later.

Chapter Nine

Creed

Odessa'shandstrembledwhileI held them. She wouldn't even look at me while recalling the tale that led her here into my territory. The scars on her delicate arms became more prominent to my Dragon. He homed in with his intense eyes, memorizing each purple scar that littered her frail body.

For six months, she endured more than I thought a human could. Humans were said to be frail, fragile, and weak. Odessa looked more vulnerable than the ordinary human. Her body held enough meat on her bones to still produce the amount of blood that could be collected daily from her.

Vampires didn't need much blood, yet they acted as if they did. They pretended that they could drain the life out of a person, but that was a farce. They would throw up most of it if they even dared try. My Dragon heaved in my chest, pounding against my heart to be let out. He was in so much pain, and I couldn't understand why. Odessa was a human we had found at the base of a tree; it didn't matter that we felt drawn to her; our own eyes could see she was scared and bruised like we were so long ago.

Forty years ago. Forty years it had been since I had sustained my injuries while Odessa's had been fresh. Scar tissue was to be thick to help bind the sinews of the skin to keep it from tearing again. Not Odessa's skin. Was it a common trait among humans not to have skin as strong? My finger could easily pull the wounds apart without trying.

My Dragon reverberated again, pounding my head with his own, beseeching to be released. I felt outraged for Odessa's pain; she was nothing but an innocent fawn that went to a slaughterhouse. Her own mother got rid of her like a piece of meat. My heart ached, my Dragon fumed, feeling smoke escape my nostrils.

It was white smoke, not the typical dark you would see falling from my lips during a fight. Odessa's eyes came up to meet mine, only to try and find comfort. She confessed she was nothing but a danger to me, that she would lead many Vampires to my home. Our home.

My stubborn Dragon came forth, pulling me under. Odessa's eyes were full of fear as the growl escaped our mouth. It was a battle cry; we hurt for Odessa and wanted nothing more than to avenge each and every scar that painted her porcelain skin. Odessa stuttered, unsure of what she said; our ears were flooded with rage that only a slow killing could sate.

The Duke was a cold-hearted devil.

Ever since King Darius was put to death months ago by the future King and Queen of the Cerulean Moon Kingdom, Vermillion had been in an uproar. Their new queen leader was a hybrid, a cross of Witches and Vampires. It was unheard of, but the gods always had their reasons if she genuinely was a hybrid.

Now the dukes and duchesses had caused a coup. Vampires, Witches, and a few rogue dark Fairies had taken it upon themselves to try and race to the throne. There was even a rumor to capture Shifter Dragons to take their blood to create new unstoppable magic. Each Duke was racing for the new magic.

Odessa was caught between it all. The laws were broken to bring unsuspecting humans here so Vampires could taste what they really craved. Vampires grew tired of animal blood and donations from other species; they wanted what they were created for. The sweet taste of humans.

My Dragon brought me back to the present, trying to force a shift in the cave. His fixation with Odessa, hell, my new obsession with her, made me unsteady. I had not lost control of my Dragon in many moons, and here I was as a pubescent teen shifting in a cave that would not fit our body.

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