Chapter 2
Khal
KHAL
Not now...
The itch has started, and that only means one thing.
Every inch of my skin feels like it's crawling.
It's time for my shift to shed—which means I need to find water or a wet area to help remove the scales.
On several hunting trips for the family, I've found a few small ponds and a stream that might work.
None are big enough for my basilisk to submerge fully.
My hands absently scratch at my skin as I walk around what's left of the town.
We've had several small skirmishes with rogue vampires and killed them off quickly.
The worst part of this is that it's usually my brother and me together, and we help each other.
It's times like this that I miss him. I wonder what he's doing.
Where in the faerie is he? Is his shift trying to shed as well?
Shaking my head, I walk back to camp. How am I going to teach Feray what to do and not turn her to stone?
Diaval steps into my line of sight and arches a brow. "I know that look. What's wrong?"
"I'm getting ready to shed. Most times it's my brother and I, and we help each other." I glance down before looking back up at him. "The conditions aren't ideal. There's no hot spring, and none of the bodies of water are big enough for me to submerge fully."
Diaval paces, then stops. "Feray has shed spray for you, and if Easton or I can warm the water from a pond, that should help."
Speaking of the sprite, she pops up with Easton and Torben in tow. "What's happening?" She scoots closer and hugs onto my side.
"I'm itchy, and that means it's time for my shift to shed." Feray looks up at me as I tell her my concern, and she smiles.
"Okay, we've got this." She turns and looks at Diaval. "We need the old grain silo on the ground and cut in half somehow. I think your giant, incredibly powerful dragon can do that. Can't he?" Feray moves from me to snuggle up to Diaval, nuzzling him under his chin.
"Yes, he can. We'll get right on it." Diaval kisses Feray and walks off.
"I'll get Diaval's dragon to use the other half to scoop water from the ponds to fill the silo. Then it's up to Easton to heat the water for you." The way Feray says it makes it seem a million times easier than I thought.
"What do you need from me, little wolf?" Torben says lowly as he presses himself to Feray's back. His large hands rub her rib cage in a soothing motion.
"I need your giant teddy bear to knock some trees down to use as supports to hold the silo in place."
"You're thinking under the sides to keep it from rolling?" Torben tilts his head, then presses his lips to her temple.
"Like this." Feray moves away with her water bottle and uses sticks under the sides to demonstrate.
Torben nods along and smiles. "I see what you mean, little wolf. Soon as Diaval has it in place, I'll create a support so he can fill it." He walks past me and gives my shoulder a squeeze.
"Khal, you better shift so I can spray you with the shed spray and let it start soaking in." Feray pushes me away from the others. Easton whistles, getting her attention, and shows her the box of sprays.
"Don't look. I'm gonna shift." I press my lips to her temple and breathe in her scent. Feray slowly turns from me, and I shift. It's always so surreal when my eye caps whiten and I can only see things in a cloudy haze. I thump my tail on the ground and wait to sense her movement.
"Oh my goddess, Khal—can you see anything?" Feray shouts, and I shake my head no. Going to thermal, I can see her heat signature, but that's about it. Gently, I bump her with my nose, then tilt my head so she can see my thermal pits.
Silence embraces us for several moments, then a giggle.
"Sneaky male. You're using your infrared receptors to see for now.
Follow me back—I heard Diaval drop off the silo.
" Feray moves slowly in front of me so I can follow her.
Occasionally, she reaches back and guides my head away from obstacles.
It's not easy to navigate like this, but with how careful Feray is, I feel safe.
I feel when the water hits the silo, then the flare of heat when Easton shifts.
These glimpses are frustrating. I'm missing out on so much.
"It should be hot enough." Easton calls.
His heat signature moves closer, and I can tell he's examining me.
"You've almost waited too long, my friend.
Feray, spray his face. Basilisks shed from front to back.
When you go to help pull off his eye caps, close your eyes.
His nictitating membrane can't close over or under the old eye cap. "
"Okay." I hear Feray rustling around. "I'm going to spray you now, Khal.
It might be cold." The first spritz hits my scales, and it feels bubbly.
It helps the old scales release the new ones by getting between them.
When Feray has my face covered, she rubs at the scales, and I feel her claws at my mouth.
She frees my nose, then pulls the nose cones out and the cones from the receptors.
She's very careful as she inches the old skin back.
Feray moves to my lower jaw and starts working on that next.
"I'm close to your eyes." She pauses. "Let's get you into the water to soak a little before I continue." Carefully, she guides me to the silo. I can see the faint thermal glow.
"I'm going to help you find the top edge." Torben's deep voice catches me off guard as his hand rests under my jaw. He guides my head up until I touch the edge of the silo.
Now that I know how far up I have to go, I coil my body and rise the rest of the way.
Inch by inch, I slip my body over the edge, and eventually gravity helps me slide in.
The water is warm against my scales and soothes my body.
Between the shed spray and the warmth, I feel my old skin loosening the longer I slither in the silo.
"Feray, get down here!" Diaval yells.
A plunk, and I feel the ripples in the water. "He can't see, and he needs help." Feray's voice is a growl, and I can feel the disturbance in the force. Her hand rests on my body, and the ripples of the water lick against my form. "Give me your face."
I turn toward the sound of her voice, and she grips me.
She presses my nose against her chest and slowly peels back the scales close to my first eye.
I hear her draw in a deep breath. "I'm closing my eyes and shifting my hands back to remove your eye caps.
" She almost whispers as she slides her hands along my freshly exposed scales.
She wiggles the skin until the first cap pops free.
I watch as her hands leave my face to feel the skin.
"Good, I got it. I'm going to do one side at a time, Khal.
" Her hand moves to grip the skin near my middle eye.
The cap wiggles, then pops free. She repeats the process with the last eye, and I blink several times, adjusting to the light.
My nictitating membranes close over my eyes, and I nuzzle Feray to get her to look at me.
"One side down, one to go. I think I can do it from this side without going in blind.
" Feray moves carefully alongside my body, avoiding my sharp teeth.
She presses my face against her stomach as she reaches over and starts working on the opposite side.
One by one, the eye caps pop off, and I can see the world again.
As my mate finishes removing the last traces of shedding skin from my face and head, relief washes over me. There's a tingling sensation as the fresh air kisses my newly exposed scales.
With her gentle touch, she ensures every inch is free from the old skin, her fingers deftly navigating the contours of my basilisk form.
As she moves down along my body, her hands gliding over the sleek scales, I revel in the sensation.
Her touch is both comforting and invigorating, each stroke igniting a spark of energy within me.
Together, we navigate the water, my movements slow and deliberate as I slither through the warm liquid.
The water envelops me in its embrace, its gentle currents caressing my skin as I glide forward.
With each passing moment, I feel myself shedding not just old skin, but also any lingering traces of fatigue or tension.
As Feray deftly pulls free the last remnants of shedding skin from my length, a wave of relief floods over me—akin to shedding a heavy burden.
I can only hope my twin has as easy a time wherever he is.
I draw in a deep breath, savoring the sensation of newfound freedom.
With each inhale, I feel rejuvenated, as if I've emerged from a long slumber.
But along with this liberation comes vulnerability. I know from past experience that for the next few hours, my scales will be soft and pliable, leaving me as defenseless as a common snake. It's a trade-off for the growth that shedding brings—one that leaves me acutely aware of my surroundings.
"Your scales are so soft and smooth." Feray's voice breaks through my thoughts. I slither around the water, reveling in the buoyancy it offers, the sensation of weightlessness easing any lingering tension.
Diaval pokes his head over the edge. "We need to burn the shed to hide that we were here."
His reminder jolts me back to reality. I hadn't even considered the potential consequences of leaving evidence behind. Thankfully, Diaval's pragmatic approach serves as a timely reminder of the dangers that lurk beyond our bond.
As Feray pushes part of the shed toward Diaval, I watch them work together to remove it from the silo. The sound of scales scraping against metal fills the air, accompanied by the rhythmic thud of their movements. With each tug and pull, the shed inches its way over the edge.
Satisfaction settles over me knowing that our tracks will soon be covered.
As I observe my smaller shed making its way out of the silo, a pang of excitement courses through me.
I know that with each shed, my basilisk form grows incrementally larger.
The anticipation builds as I contemplate my new size.
Will I have gained six inches? A foot? Judging by the looks of it, I've grown at least a foot or two this time.
Pride swells within me at the thought of surpassing my previous size.
Yet mingled with that pride is a twinge of mischief.
I can't help but wonder how Khol will react if I've outgrown him again.
A playful smirk tugs at my lips as I imagine the look of jealousy on his face.
But for now, as we dispose of the shed and prepare to cover our tracks, I push aside thoughts of rivalry.
The family's safety is paramount. I slither out of the silo and coil around the fire, starting the curing process for my scales.
At home, I would lounge under heat lamps.
For today, the small fire and possibly some help from Easton will have to do.
Feray settles beside me, her hand resting on my coils. The warmth of her touch mingles with the heat of the fire.
I'm vulnerable right now. Soft-scaled and defenseless.
But with my family surrounding me, I've never felt safer.