Page 21 of Adam

As the meadow opened up, relief flooded her. Finally, I’m home, a voice echoed in her head. No, not home, she reminded herself, just a nice bed of grass to lay her head down in.

Ella made her way to the exact spot Adam had set up the picnic at, and she laid back, letting the gentle breeze flutter the long blades of grass around her. The scent of earth filled her as she closed her eyes. She was intent to enjoy every moment of this peacefulness for as long as possible, she knew deep down this would be the last peaceful memory she’d take with her into death. What was coming was going to be painful beyond measure, and she knew she would succumb to it…but for now she would stare up at the sky and imagine a different life, a different ending filled with joy.

CHAPTER11

Adam rushedto the roof of his condo, once there he muttered a spell he’d used a million times to cloak himself from the prying eyes of humans. With a roll of his neck, he let out a deep breath and let his dragon surge forward. His body morphed from human to a large black dragon with a silvery scar running through his eye in a matter of seconds. His dragon roared, and inwardly Adam chastised him. The spell would not mask the sound of his anger.

Without holding himself back any longer, Adam pushed off the roof and took to the sky. Flying would get him to where he needed to be without the hassle of traffic jams and road construction. His leathery wings beat against the wind, carrying him higher and further in his quest to find Ella.

He could see her within minutes of taking flight. She was exactly where he knew she would be. She looked like she was sleeping in the field of green grass, and for a moment he panicked, thinking she may be dead. But then Osiris’s warning of what would happen echoed in his head. He wasn’t too late. He still had time.

Adam landed in a smaller clearing nearby and shifted back to his human form. His dragon soul wanted out, he wanted to check on their mate, but Adam couldn’t risk scaring her right off the bat. He’d try to reason with her first. It only took a few extra minutes to make his way out of the trees and into the meadow where Ella laid. He quietly moved closer and finally whispered, “Ella?”

She sat up with a start and stared at him. “Adam? What are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be here.”

He kneeled down next to her and smiled. “You didn’t think I’d let you just go off and die, did you?” She didn’t answer, but stared at him intently. “I know how to fix this.”

That got her to snap out of her shock. Ella shot to her feet and growled. “No, you don’t. You can’t fix this. I already know that I die tonight. You can’t stop it.”

“I can.” His dragon bristled against his insides at her growl, and he was well aware that it was her dragon wanting out that made the sound.

“Really? How? More potions from Osiris?” He blinked. That took him by surprise. “Or will some demon come to help turn me into the undead. Or how about your son Cain just take me out for the Patriarch.”

Adam coughed at the stream of revelations. “Ella, I—”

“I know everything, Adam. I know who you really are. Both sides of you. I know about Mel, all of it.”

He shook his head. “You don’t know all of it.”

“I know that being near you makes me feel like I could live forever and be content with nothing more than you, but at the same time, it makes me hurt because I have to leave.”

He reached out for her, but she pulled away. “Ella, you don’t have to leave. The sun is starting to set, we have to do this now.”

“Do what?”

“Make you shift.”

Ella gave a manic laugh. “What?”

“You’re a dragon, Ella, like me.”

She shook her head furiously. “No, no. I’m human. See.” She spun in a circle. “Just a human.”

“No, you’re not. That coin you wear,” He held up her necklace and continued, “is a sign your clan of dragons served the goddess Isis.”

“It’s just a necklace.” Her voice quivered, and he knew she hurt at that moment. Finding out and fighting against the lies you were made to believe was a pain he knew all too well.

“You have a voice inside your head, don’t you?” She nodded and he smiled. “That’s your dragon soul trying to talk to you. Os thinks she’s spent all these years suppressing her urge to shift because she knew you would fight it, since you didn’t grow up with parents to teach you about the other half of you.”

“Well, if that’s the case, then she is the one that said you can’t save me, so what about that?”

“Maybe she’s right, I can’t save you, but you can save yourself. You just have to let go of control and let her come forward.”

“It’s going to hurt. It’s going to be painful.” Ella’s shoulders trembled. “I don’t want to hurt anymore.” He shook his head, but she protested. “How is a giant dragon body going to come out of me without ripping me apart?”

Adam sighed. “That’s exactly what is going to happen if you don’t embrace it. You’re going to fight, and she won’t be able to hold back any longer, and when she forcibly shifts it will rip you apart, and she will die with you.” Ella’s face went sheet white at the affirmation of what would happen. “But if you let go, it won’t hurt. I promise you. You can let go now. You don’t have to fight this change. You’ve been fighting against it your whole life, you’re tired. She’s tired. It’s time now.”

Ella shook her head, tears streamed down her face as she screamed out. “I don’t know how! How do I let go? How do I hand over control? I am all I’ve ever had.. How do I just—”

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