Chapter 17 #2
“What is that?”
“You can blow yourself up like a bomb and then your body reforms. It’s phoenix-like powers, and it’s awesome.”
I smile at his enthusiasm, but Tirrian just grunts. Silac’s eyes narrow, and his awe turns to mischief.
“Oh, and then there’s Tirrian’s favorite power. You can breathe fire.”
Tirrian scowls at the snake man and flips him off when Silac starts to chuckle. He is a shit stirrer.
“These are awesome powers. Okay, let’s do this.”
Silac and Tirrian move backward.
“Try not to kill us,” Tirrian says dryly.
I ignore him but angle my body more toward him rather than Silac. If anyone can survive out of control flames, it’s going to be the fire-breathing dragon. I don’t like the idea of roast snake. I saw it on TV once before, and it made me feel sad, not to mention I gagged when someone ate it.
I scan the fire Elementi, making sure I have all his features locked into my mind as the itch activates and I’m shrouded in mist. My body starts to change, but this one is not as dramatic as my change from human to Elementi.
I guess only a few things had to change around this time.
An inferno rages through my body, and unlike the calm, gentle emotions of the Earth Elementi, this one is angry and aggressive, and before I can stop myself, I raise my arms and feel my body engulf in flames.
The sound is like a firestorm in my ears, loud and crackling.
I can see through the flames, and I watch as Silac puts his hands up against the heat I’m producing and steps backward, grabbing hold of the two frozen Elementi and dragging them out of the line of fire.
Tirrian stands his ground, approval showing in his normal expression of disdain.
He steps forward, raising his hands like he’s trying to calm a wild animal.
“Come now, tián xīn. I know the fire feels good and makes you feel invincible, but you need to let the flames die. You don’t want to hurt everyone in the room,” he coos, and his words wrap around me, causing a shiver of something to spear down my spine.
His own eyes are glowing now, and he drops his glamour, showing me his half form.
His beautiful pink wings arch high above his body, shielding the people behind him.
“Can’t,” I grit out. “It wants to burn down the world and everyone in it.” It’s all I can do to hold myself immobile and not start splashing fire all around the room.
“Yes, it’s no wonder with everything that has happened to you in such a short period of time.
I’m not surprised there’s a whole heap of hidden, angry emotions inside you, and that is what the fire Elementi is feeding on.
Try thinking happy things.” He’s so close to me now, he almost has to be burning, but he just grimaces and grits his teeth and pushes through the flames, wrapping his arms around me and holding me tightly.
“Think of your babies and your mates, and saving John Adams. They need to be your priorities. Think about how they all make you feel.”
His embrace is tight and strong, and it allows me to feel a little more grounded, helping those happy thoughts and memories take root inside my mind.
Bit by bit, the flames recede until they completely extinguish, leaving me panting and breathless from the struggle.
I slump in Tirrian’s arms, and he scoops me up and hurries over to the bed, placing me on it.
He pushes my sweat-soaked red hair back from my face, his finger brushing one of my horns as he does.
I almost moan at the exquisite pleasure his touch evokes, but I manage to swallow it down at the last moment.
“Good girl. That’s it, just catch your breath, and I will get you something to drink.” The look in his eyes is softer than anything I’ve seen from him before, but he turns away before I can work out what it is.
“Whoa, I think it’s safe to say you are one powerful entity,” Silac says from his safe place across the room.
“Maybe too powerful,” Tirrian remarks as he programs the room’s replicator to get me a drink.
He returns holding out a bottle, and all signs of affection or softness have disappeared, replaced with the same look of disdain that is always in his eyes when he looks at me.
“Here, this is a drink we give our young dragons when they are learning to control their fire breathing. It helps replace the nutrients and electrolytes you sweated out.”
I take the offered bottle and, without even blinking, down the sweet but salty mixture. It’s not pleasant but not horrible either.
“Thank you,” I tell him, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. “I will need to practice with each of these forms, but I think I’ve got them locked in.”
“Good. I will take these two out and see if I can track down the warlock to wipe their memories. I will meet you two back at the ship. We need to be back on the mission.” Tirrian turns and leaves, his half form dissolving behind his glamour again.
I watch his back as he herds the two Elementi out of the room, the door closing silently behind them.
“Did you feel the urge to take his form?” Silac asks, grabbing my robe off the floor and hurrying over to me.
Oh right. I’m still butt naked. I gaze down at my body, getting a better look at this form now that I’m no longer shrouded in flames.
Okay, so same kind of body type. Good to know.
I let the form slide away, my original one taking front and center once more, and gratefully take the robe from Silac, wrapping it around my body.
“Not really, I was too distracted by not wanting to burn everything down.”
He heaves a sigh of relief. “Okay, good.”
A pang of disappointment prickles at me, but I push it away.
I’m sure there are plenty of dragons who would be happy for you to mimic them, stop being so silly, I tell myself, but I mean, none of them are really volunteering for the job, are they?
Thankfully I don’t actually steal their minds as well as their bodies and traits.
I’m still mostly me, and the inner beast is a completely new entity.
It would be horrible if the whole being transferred over.
It would be like having a million different personalities, and it’s hard enough with my kraken and whisperer.
Shit, I wonder if I will end up with inner beasts if I mimic another shifter too.
That’s a problem for future Lila. Current Lila needs a stiff drink and a nap.
Some blood will probably be good too. There’s a bag of Saxon’s on the ship.
He gave me plenty for Rilu, but told me I may need to assume one of my other forms because my DNA is part Vilaxian now.
The almost unending daylight might be a problem for me also.
Once we hit the caverns, I should be okay.
Xavier and I were planning on snatching a Rilu native for me to mimic once we got there, or that was the plan, but I’m pretty sure the Barcoa or either one of the Elementi will be useful on the desert planet as well.
“Well, come on then. Let’s not keep our surly dragon waiting.
I wouldn’t want him to shift and eat me before I can at least save Grandpa John,” I joke to lighten the mood as I tighten the robe around me.
I could shift to warlock form and conjure more clothes, but I’m incredibly tired all of a sudden.
That’s something to talk to the guys about.
This mimic stuff is going to be useless if I can’t actually use any of the forms because changing into them tires me out.
“Oh, I’m sure he wants to eat you, I just think he’s at war with himself regarding which way,” Silac jokes, following behind me.
“Yeah, and I’m pretty sure Rilu would need to turn into Iceen before that way was anything other than chewing on my bones.”