Thirty-Three
Kallie
Holy shit. Dragons. Real-life, fire-fucking-breathing dragons. “Callum.” I side-eye him, only to find he’s already descending down the hill. Keeping light on my feet, I bring my eyes back to the roaming beasts, not wanting to take my eyes off them for any longer than necessary, all while fighting the urge to make a break for it.
“ It’s cute that you think we could outrun them. ”
“Do me a favor, and stay out of my head. This is already freaky enough, and I could really go without your commentary right now,” I whisper-shout. “I’m nearing fight-or-flight mode—emphasis on the flight. ”
“Why do you think we had to land before crossing the barrier?” His words from earlier echo in my mind: Safety hazard.
“They don’t like unexpected guests. If we had flown overhead, we would’ve been a threat and then a pile of ash on the ground.” He paints a pretty clear picture. So this is real and not some hallucination.
Eyeing the creatures, they’re quite beautiful. Majestic. They walk with such grace, poised like they know they’re hot shit. The array of colors is impressive, ranging from reds, oranges, greens, and blues, all with varying vibrancies.
At least I know what the barrier is for.
Other than the sheer size of them, why keep them locked away? Some nestle one another affectionately, like they’re seeking comfort. Awe. Maybe they’re dating. Do dragons date? I’m really starting to regret limiting my questions.
“Mates.”
“What?”
“They’re mates.” Sorry, I don’t speak dragon terminology. About fifty yards away from the nearest beast, Callum stops abruptly. Instantly, my guard goes up, and I come to a screeching halt, thinking we’re about to be dragon food.
Callum turns to look at me, seriousness etched on his face. “I need you to understand that this is their territory. They call the shots. So stay close. Don’t make any direct eye contact—you will die. Don’t touch any of them—you will die. Do I make myself clear?”
“Trust me when I say you don’t have to worry about me doing any of that,” I reassure.
He gives me a curt nod before turning back around. I follow closely, my eyes staying glued to the wings protruding out of his back and not the fire-breathing monsters that appear in my peripheral.
Stay calm , his voice sings to me, and it’s like a breath of fresh air. Like I’ve been suffocating on fear, and he resuscitated me.
The ache in my chest grows, the tug becoming too much to bear. I rub circles over my heart, but it doesn’t relieve the pressure. It just grows heavier and heavier, the invisible string pulling me down until I feel like I’m going to burst.
My temperature rises, and I feel like my insides are liquidating, burning and turning to mush, and I desperately regret telling him to stay out of my head. Of course this would be the one fucking time he listens.
Callum keeps moving forward, but my feet turn to the left of their own accord. I don’t have time to think about it, the inferno growing inside of me with each step.
He must have realized I wasn’t behind him anymore, because I faintly hear my name, but it’s no use. I couldn’t respond even if I wanted to.
Before I know it, I’m standing directly in front of the most stunning creature I could imagine. Scratch that, not even my imagination could conjure this up.
Tilting my head up, I follow the scales of the dragon before me. Scales as white as snow start at the top. My eyes travel down its neck where they begin to suddenly fade to a gray, before fully bleeding into inky blackness all the way to the tip of its tail.
My insides burn, like a bonfire warring against a forest fire. I struggle to keep it contained, knowing if I release any of my power, the dragons would view it as a threat, and I would be dead before I could catch my next breath.
Kallie. Back away slowly, Callum’s voice rings, but I can’t bring myself to move. Stuck in a trance like I need to be here , the feeling is overwhelming.
The dragon lowers its head down until I’m staring right into the violet eyes of the beast.
Doing exactly what Callum told me not to do.
Kallie. For Gods’ sake, listen to me. Back up very, very slowly. I hear the panic in his tone, but I can’t bring myself to listen.
Instead, my hand reaches up, and the moment I place my hand on the top of its nose, everything else around me falls away. The burning ceases, and the agonizing tug relents and, instead, acts as cord snapping into place.
I’ve been waiting for you, Firebird.
My eyes widen in surprise. Did it just talk to me?
I am not an it . My name is Voraxis . I see lover boy over there hasn’t taught you any manners.
A laugh bubbles out of me at the comment. “It seems he hasn’t taught me much of anything.”
I can see that.
“Kallie,” Callum says concerningly. Truth be told, I almost forgot he was here.
“Callum.”
“What in the Gods are you doing?” he asks.
“You can’t hear him?” I ask, brows furrowing. He looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “He talks to me like you talk to me.”
“It can talk into your head?”
Again with the ‘it’ comments. Please inform him, or I’ll have to take matters into my own hands. You people have no respect.
“This is Voraxis. And don’t call him ‘it.’ He says it’s disrespectful.” I rub along his nose, my smile wide with amazement.
Smoke curls out of his nostrils, the hot air nearly blowing me over. Callum catches my elbow, his eyes still trained on Voraxis.
“He’s not going to hurt me,” I say reassuringly.
I felt your presence the second you stepped foot into this realm. I was pulled to come here, seeking you out, only to find I am not permitted to go over the hill. So I’ve waited for you, hoping the tug would call you here.
“This is wild,” I say, unbelieving. Turning my head, I look at Callum who is now standing slightly behind me, watching our exchange.
I am yours, and you are mine, Firebird. His mouth slightly opens before his tongue snakes out and licks the side of my face. Dropping my hand, I use my sleeve to wipe off the slobber. “That is disgusting.”
Without taking my hand off Voraxis, I lean over to whisper to Callum, “This is my dragon. I have a fucking dragon!”
Callum and I wander through the open field, Voraxis following close behind. “So, was this the only thing on the agenda today, sergeant?”
“This wasn’t even on the agenda,” he mumbles under his breath.
Say the word, and he’s fossil fuel, Voraxis says, and I have to suppress the chuckle threatening to escape.
Callum gives me a sideways glance, looking annoyed.
“Awe, don’t be all bent out of shape because you’re not the only one with full-range access in my head.” A grunt is all I get in response.
Another twenty minutes pass, and I’m dying. My legs ache, and my body is coated in sweat. Just as my mouth opens to complain, Callum says, “If you’re tired, Princess, all you have to do is ask.” He sounds amused, and I slam my mouth shut. I’ll pass out before I give him the satisfaction of proving him right.
You’re in pain, Voraxis states.
I look behind me, where he’s moved slightly closer.
“I’ll be okay,” I whisper, stepping into another forest of trees.
I notice Voraxis isn’t behind me anymore. He stands just before the entrance of the trees. My brows furrow in confusion before he launches off the ground and into the sky.
The treetops obscure my vision, only brief breaks through them. Hurrying forward, my eyes search, trying to find him.
A deep roar sounds, resonating deep inside me. And I see him, for just a moment. A flash of white appears before disappearing.
I’ll be close by. His hostility is suffocating.
Callum stops a few paces ahead, and once I catch up, he continues without a word.
Not too much farther and we approach a cave nestled on the side of a mountain.
Leaning my head inside, I take one look at the never-ending darkness and pull back, “I’m not going in there.”
“Sure you are,” he says, like there’s no question. I realize a split second too late that he’s right, because one second I’m standing upright, and the next I’m upside down, being hauled over his shoulder.
“Really? This again?”
“Seems to be the most effective method.”
“Put me down. I promise to follow you down the deep, dark, scary cave.”
I have half a thought to sprint outside the second my feet meet the ground, but his hold tightens on me, and I know he heard every bit of that plan.
Fuck.
“Nice try, Princess.”
Hanging upside down, my eyes fight to make out the outline of his ass. It really is a great ass.
Goddess, all the blood must be rushing to my head.
Callum’s chuckle rumbles under me, and I roll my eyes. He could at least pretend like he didn’t hear that.
Where’s the fun in that?
Before I know it, a sapphire hue blinks throughout my vision, breaking up the darkness.
Callum swings me upright, and all the blood rushes down. Quickly losing my balance, I sway side to side before his hand lashes out and grabs my elbow, steadying me.
I admire the beauty around me. At the end of the cave, a blue pool rests with crystal-clear water, allowing me to see all the way down to the bottom. Disguising itself as a shallow pond, but in reality, the depths are far out of reach, like it’s trapping you in a false sense of security.
There’s a large window-sized opening carved into the wall, showcasing the mountains and the setting sun behind them.
“This place just continues to surprise me with its beauty.”
Callum doesn’t respond, and I turn around to face him, but the sight causes my breath to hitch.
His shirt lays on the ground, his boots resting just to the side of it. His pants hang off his hips, leaving nothing to the imagination. Callum’s arms cross over his chest, standing there looking like the gods sculpted him themselves. It’s truly unfair.
I snap back to the present and slap a hand over my eyes. “What are you doing?” The question comes out rushed, my nerves fully present.
“Waiting for you to follow suit,” he answers.
“Yeah, keep dreaming, buddy.”
I do. His voice sends a chill over me.
Does he mean that he dreams of me? Nope, I’m not thinking about that. But it’s too late. My heart rate picks up, my palms turning clammy.
I don’t hear him walk toward me. Only when I peek through my fingers am I met with the hard ridges of his chest.
Slowly lowering my hand, my gaze moves up to meet his, and we don’t say anything while his eyes bounce between mine before dipping down to my lips and back.
I try averting my eyes when he slowly starts sliding off his pants, never taking his gaze off me. Then he steps around me, the sound of him plunging into the water letting me know it’s safe to turn around.
“Come on, Princess. I don’t bite.”
“Somehow, I sincerely doubt that.” A wicked grin forms on his lips, and I know I’m slowly being pulled under by his current.
“Turn around,” I demand. Once his back is facing me, I strip down to my undergarments. Slipping into the water, I want to moan with relief. The icy cool water feels insatiable as it glides over me, cooling me down instantly.
I never knew you to be so modest.
“That’s because you don’t know me.” When he turns around, we’re only a foot apart. My eyes drift over his body, trailing the tattoo I’ve been so interested to know about. I gasp, noticing his skin is littered with scar after scar.
What happened to you? I want to ask, but though he can read my mind, I don’t. Despite everything, it seems invasive and personal. More personal than I want to be with him. Choosing to ignore the raised flesh, I bring my hand up, tracing along the ink with my finger.
Starting at the top behind his ear, moving down his neck, the design branches off into different symbols and images that I’m sure tell a story—one I’m not able to decipher. Continuing down his arm and following as it seamlessly continues on his ribs, I come to a stop at his waist band, where it stops—or not, I don’t know. But part of me wants to find out.
Yanking my hand back, I feel color stain my cheeks as I pull my gaze away from him and look past at the setting sun.
“What is this place?” I ask, wanting to break the silence.
“This is my sanctuary of sorts. I come here when I need to think. It’s quite peaceful.”
“That it is,” I agree.
“How are you feeling?” The question catches me off guard, and it takes a few beats for me to give an answer.
“I’m fine.” I’m always fine.
“You don’t have to be so strong all the time, Kallie.” His comment isn’t mean. It almost sounds sympathetic. I scoff and shake my head.
“What are we doing here?”
“We are training.”
“Hate to break it to you, but I already know how to swim. And if I didn’t, you picked the smallest body of water to teach me.”
“You want to know how to keep me out of your head, how to channel thoughts through your bonds. That’s what we’re working on today.”
“And we had to come all the way out here for me to learn that?”
“Not necessarily. However, here is quiet, peaceful. Somewhere you can clear your mind.”
“I don’t think my mind has been clear in a long time,” I mutter under my breath.
Try it.
With a heavy exhale, I close my eyes, blocking everything out until all I’m left with is my thoughts—and that might be the most terrifying thing about it.
Hello? I say into the abyss. Growing frustrated, I feel Callum’s hands on my arms.
It’s a light, like a string, an extension between your mind and mine.
There it is, just like he said, nestled away like a forgotten toy in the attic. There are two. I’m assuming the other one belongs to Voraxis.
One is stark white, the other golden. Something pulls me toward the latter, and I send a thought down.
Callum? Did it work?
I wait patiently. Maybe it takes a few moments for it to travel through wherever it goes. I’m about to wash my hands with this whole thing when I hear his voice.
It did.
My eyes spring open, and I’m met with Callum looking down on me. The smile he wears has a sense of pride shooting through me.
Now, can you keep me out, Princess? He gives me a challenging look before continuing, Imagine a wall being pulled up, severing the end of the line with the rest of your mind.
I do what he says, willing the wall to rise. It comes up easily, but once it reaches the top, it falls back down. I try again and again.
Goddess, this is exhausting.
This time, when the wall goes up, it stays. Callum’s eyes search mine as I keep the wall intact.
“Very good,” he finally says. Excitement washes over me, and without thinking, I throw my arms around his neck. He stiffens under my touch, and I immediately retract, humiliation taking over my features.
“Sorry, I don’t know what got into me.” Embarrassment hits me like a freight train going full speed.
“It’s fine, Kallie.” Kallie. I didn’t realize how much I’ve grown to like the nicknames he’s given me.
Everything okay? Voraxis asks.
Just peachy.
“We should probably go. We have a long way back.” When I turn around, Callum’s hand grips my arm, stopping my movements.
“I didn’t mean to upset you. You just caught me by surprise.”
“You didn’t upset me,” I say too quickly.
“I don’t have to be in your head to know what you’re thinking.”
“It was dumb. I don’t even know why I did it.”
“We can stay. The view of the stars is spectacular.” I know he’s just trying to make me feel better, but the stupid organ in my chest thumps a little harder at his suggestion. I nod before settling my arms around the edge, keeping my eyes trained on the sun setting behind the mountain.
He settles in next to me, and I’m all too aware how close we are. His body heat contrasting with the chill of the water, the slight brush of his leg against mine, sends a shiver casting in my bones.
“I never imagined a life like this,” my comment echoes through the empty space.
“And to think, there’s so much more you have yet to discover.” I think about what he said and wonder what other realms are out there. Hope blossoms in my chest, like a forgotten box just opened, and I’m overwhelmed with the feeling I haven’t allowed myself to have.
Lost in my own thoughts, I don’t notice Callum looking at me, like he’s trying to break through the wall I haven’t let fall.
“It’s frustrating, isn’t it?” I whisper, looking into his darkened eyes.
“Immensely.”
I wet my lips, and his eyes dart down, tracking the movement. My breathing picks up, my heart rate following suit. I don’t move or say anything, afraid if I do, the moment will be lost.
I find our tether, following the line down like he explained to me earlier today. I see a sliver of light break through, and just when I’m about to peek, it slams shut.
Callum clears his throat, his attention pulled back toward the mountains. Rejection settles inside me, curling around my heart before it can splinter.
Don’t let those tears fall, Firebird. I shut him out too before climbing wordlessly out of the pool. Dripping wet, I grab my discarded clothes and head toward the entrance.
I lower the wall a sliver before speaking, “ I want to go home.” And without waiting for a response, I close it again.
Callum meets us outside the tree line. Voraxis kept me company in my self-loathing, and I can tell he’s getting annoyed. Getting myself dressed was a hard task, but I’ll be damned if he gets to see me vulnerable again. So I put up every shield of armor I could, and when we reach the barrier, I wave goodbye to Voraxis, who takes off into the night, and step through the iridescent wall.
Neither of us says anything as Callum picks me up in his arms. I don’t make a sound as his wings spread wide, and he pushes off the ground, taking us toward the shimmering stars.