Seed of the Dragon: A Paranormal Dragon Shifter Romance (4 page)

The confident woman who pierces my heart with her stilettos has the same effect as the woman with the homely looks and the mouth of a sailor. Women… are so wonderful. They come in so many varieties and all are sweet and quench my thirst. I just didn’t like shifter women for some reason…

“Shawn?” Rachel questioned.

“Sorry, was just caught up in thought for a moment,” I waved my hand, “would you like to go on a walk?”

“A walk?” Rachel asked.

“Just for some fresh air,” I assured. “It’s stuffy in here.”

Rachel looked behind her and then to me. “I’d love some fresh air,” she said.

I smiled at her and she smiled back. Her long, blond, curled hair shined and bounced as she grabbed a hold of my jacket sleeve and pulled me along.

Outside, clouds moved along the sky, covering most of it. The wind was cold as it rustled through my hair.

“I really didn’t want to come to this party,” Rachel confessed.

“You don’t seem like the type,” I agreed.

“I just… ugh, my agent made me, said it will be good for making connections,” Rachel complained, “I’m just so sick of doing things that don’t include actual model work. I’m not a model if I’m not in shows and ads…” she sighed. She sat down on a bench off to the side of the porch by what looked like the hotel’s garden. I sat beside her and looked on sympathetically.

“I know what it feels like,” I admitted.

“How so?” Rachel asked.

“I know what I want to do with my life… but a lot of people say it isn’t what I’m meant for,” I said.

Rachel hummed. “I know that feeling. No one wanted me to become a model but it was something I really enjoyed,” Rachel sighed.

“Doesn’t sound the same right now, though?”

“That’s just because of my agent, Charlie. He doesn’t understand I want more than just to socialize,” Rachel explained.

“Maybe you need a new agent,” I suggested.

“I like Charlie though, he is really understanding…” Rachel said. “How about you? What do you do for a living?”

“I’m a freelancer,” I began, and I wasn’t lying.

“Doing what?” Rachel asked.

“Small jobs, whatever people need done,” I said.

“That sounds… really sketchy to be honest,” said Rachel. “Why are you at this party if that’s what you do?”

“I had business here, but it’s finished now,” I skirted.

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Rachel said with a bit of anger. Her eyes seemed to flit and realized something. “Sorry, I shouldn’t be so nosey.´

“It’s alright, I understand your curiosity, I’m just not allowed to tell you,” I explained.

“Fair enough, Shawn,” she said.

We sat for a moment in the silence. The breeze picked up and I saw Rachel shiver from the corner of my eye. I took off my jacket and placed it on her shoulders. She looked up at me in surprise.

“Thank you…” she said.

I just smiled in reply. I wanted to put my arm around her shoulder but knew that would be crossing the line.

“Sometimes I wonder why the world is so unfair,” I mused.

“What do you mean?” Rachel asked.

“Giving us gifts for things that we don’t enjoy,” I said. “Being good at math but not using it seems like a waste, but if it’s not chasing your dreams, then it’s not something you will enjoy,” I explained.

“I understand what you mean,” Rachel agreed.

The moon peeked out from the clouds, bathing us both in its light.

“Let’s go back inside,” Rachel said.

“Sure,” I agreed, we were teetering too much on a subject that was close to my heart.

Inside, I followed Rachel up some stairs. Suddenly, she turned around and smashed her lips against mine. I was so surprised my eyes went wide and I almost partially transformed from the excitement. Rachel pulled away.

“Is this okay?” she asked with confusion clear on her face.

“Its fine,” I said and kissed her lightly back, “as long as it’s okay with you.”

CHAPTER THREE

 
“Shawn” 

The air was filled with the chirping of birds. Spring was here and the flowers were returning after the cold winter. The sun was high in the sky and the weather was the perfect combination of refreshing and warm. Mom was in the kitchen peeling apples for me as a snack, I hated the skin. I kicked my feet back and forth underneath me as I sat in a chair too high for my small childish stature.

“Mom?” I called out.

“Yes, Shawn,” she answered.

“Do you think I’ll be a sparrow like you one day?” I asked.

“You might be a snake like your father,” she said.

“That’s okay! They’re both good!” I smiled.

“And why is that?” my mother asked happily.

“That’s because both are good for being an assassin!” I answered.

“That’s very true, my love. Both are very good for that,” my mother agreed.

“I can’t wait to find out what kind of shifter I am,” I said with excitement.

“Well you might be a snake because of the scales there,” my mother said while putting down the apples in front of me.

“Scales!? Where!?” I exclaimed.

“Right there!” my mother pointed to my face.

I felt the rigid things on my cheek and smiled largely. “I’m a snake!” I said.

“Or a lizard!” my mother said, “You won’t know for sure until you can fully shift.”

I felt my cheeks hurt as I smiled wider. I was so excited to finally figure out what I was. Unlike the other kids, I was a late bloomer and hadn’t fully shifted yet. There were signs sure, high body temperature, scales, two pronged tongue, double eyelids, but nothing was for sure until the full transformation. All the kids my age already knew what they were and had started their training. I too started training, to be an assassin like my mother and father, since all had assumed I’d be a snake like my father because of the scales.

Of course that wasn’t to be, and no one had realized until my transformation happened.

It was a hard day at training. I was getting angry and frustrated since I wasn’t allowed to fully immerse myself in the art of killing until I was able to fully shift. I was already 10 years old and hadn’t fully transformed. Most kids started around 4-5 years and I was already years behind them. It felt as if I was a failure; I wasn’t worth the time and effort my teachers put in on me.

I was good at everything I had done so far: knife training, martial arts, and stealth classes, but something was missing. At this point in my life, people stopped saying I was a late bloomer and started saying that maybe I was a rare breed that could never fully shift. I couldn’t take it anymore, so I exploded.

“I
WILL
SHIFT EVENTUALLY,” I screamed at my teacher who was trying to explain the rare disease that most assumed I had.

“Shawn, please calm down,” my teacher tried to soothe me.

Rain and hail started pelting at the windows hard. Winds howled and I felt my breath grow hot. I felt heat pool in my stomach until I felt the need to let it out, and I did. Out of my throat came a beam of fire that roasted the chalkboard and desks. I felt myself half shift like usual out of excitement; I had claws for hands and felt my scales come out from underneath my skin.

Then I felt something different, my bones started to break and mend themselves. My form began to grow larger and larger, engulfing the classroom with my scaled flesh. I stretched myself and broke through the roof, revealing the storm that raged above us. I let loose the fire in my belly on the sky and screamed in rage.

“My god,” my teacher said, awed.  “He’s a dragon.”

                                                                                *   *   *

“Rachel”

Shawn stroked my cheek as we lay together. His eyes were a glowing gold that seemed to hypnotize me. He was saying something, his lips moving, but instead of words, it was the sound of his voice washing over me, completely engulfing me. The feeling was warm and inviting, as if I was home. Shawn stopped speaking and smiled at me. He seemed so at peace, as was I. It felt like in that moment I was complete, like everything I had ever wanted was now mine.

The cold greeted me in the morning. I groaned at the memory of my wonderful dream. The sun filtered through my blinds as I stretched my tired body. I felt a shiver run up my spine as the duvet fell off my torso. I yawned and slid out of bed, leaving the warm comfort behind me.

I made my way to the bathroom and started to brush my teeth in a lethargic fashion. As I walked around my apartment while brushing, I looked at the blaring red numbers of my alarm clock that read 5:56 am. It would go off in another four minutes. Returning to the bathroom, I spat out the toothpaste and then rinsed my mouth.

I ran some cold water and splashed it onto my face, hoping it would wake me up. Hoping that maybe what I was experiencing in my heart was a lie. My memory shot back to two weeks ago at that hotel party with Shawn…

I was lonely. I was used to being alone but not being lonely, not this aching pain to be with someone specific. If only I hadn’t met him that night, I wouldn’t be dreaming of him. He was so kind and gentle… it made me think back to my time with Dan. The years we had spent together in a monogamous and loving relationship, the time we had spent trying to fix our problems with no success. I didn’t regret it since that time together we had loved each other, but now I feel something similar for Shawn.

I shook my head. It was so stupid, it had already been two weeks and I still couldn’t get the damn guy out of my head. Even my fantasies featured what happened during our night together, I couldn’t dodge it.

I turned off my alarm before it had a chance to annoy me. Then my phone began to ring from its place on the nightstand.

“Hello?” I asked into the phone.

“Hey, darling,” a familiar voice cooed.

“Hey Charlie,”

“Are you ready for today’s shoot?” Charlie asked. “You better hurry because it was pushed a half hour earlier.”

“A half hour?! I just got up!” I said in a panic.

“I’ll pick you up, just be waiting for me outside in 20 minutes okay?”

“Got it,” I said and then hung up.

I went about my morning routine as quickly as possible: showering, eating breakfast, attempting to towel dry my hair. I quickly went through my purse to make sure I had the essentials before heading out the door, locking it, and sprinting down the stairs. I ran through the lobby and saw Charlie’s car waiting for me outside.

“Sorry I’m a little late,” I apologized.

“Just get in, we’re already running late,” Charlie said sharply.

“How was I supposed to know that the shoot was going to be earlier?” I said.

“Sorry, I’m just on edge lately,” Charlie said with remorse as he began to drive.

Sitting in a car for once instead of taking public transit was really refreshing. I looked out the passenger side window and watched the dark clouds gather in the sky.

“You think it’ll rain?” I mused.

“Probably,” Charlie laughed.

I sighed and continued to look outside. The sights of London so early in the morning were so gloomy. It was still dark out but there were quite a few people on the streets.

“What are all these people doing out on a Saturday?” Charlie complained.

“I have no idea,” I agreed.

I saw a couple linking hands and flashed back to Shawn, imagined what his hand might feel like in mine… they were soft but callused when they touched me. A shiver ran down my spine.

“Cold?” Charlie asked as he put up the heat in the car.

“Just a tad,” I replied, cursing internally.

***

My stomach churned in the morning and I had to rush to the toilet. I unloaded chunks of my dinner from the night before in unfashionable plops into the water. I tasted the acid on my tongue and teeth as I dry heaved until my stomach calmed down. I felt so dizzy and light headed, but I had a shoot today. Once I felt like my legs wouldn’t collapse from underneath me, I got up, but soon fell to my knees again and grabbed a hold of my stomach in pain.

Something felt off. I didn’t know what it was, but something was wrong. I had to get up, though. I needed to go to this shoot; they wouldn’t be okay with some amateur blowing off a shoot… I’d be blacklisted in the industry. So I picked myself up the best I could and flushed the toilet. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and sighed. I looked terrible, my hair was a mess and my eyes were puffy.

“You can do this,” I cheered myself on. “You can make it through today.”

I brushed my teeth. After moving around for a little while I felt better which was good. That episode in the bathroom had me on my toes now, but what could it have been? Perhaps something I ate last night, or a stomach bug. I also haven’t had my period in two months… so could it be?

My phone rang which almost gave me a heart attack.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Hey Rachel, the shoot has been moved an hour later so don’t rush yourself,” said Charlie on the other end.

“Thanks for the heads up,” I thanked.

With my extra time I could double check and make sure that I was just being paranoid. I had missed periods before because of stress so it was probably that, not… a baby. My mind flashed back to when Shawn had come inside me a few months ago. I should check, just for my peace of mind. There’s no way, not while I was on the pill.

At the drug store, I bought a pregnancy test and then headed back home to find out the truth. Now the stick lay on the bathroom sink as I waited for the lines to appear for the final verdict.

“Oh no,” I muttered.

I double-checked the back of the box and the stick to make sure.

I was pregnant.

I was… pregnant.

What was I to do? It was Shawn’s kid… would they have his eyes? I shook my head, my career would be impossible while pregnant. However, I didn’t want to have an abortion… something told me I had to have this child. A whispering in the wind spoke into my ear. I needed to find him. I needed Shawn.

***

“I need to stop working, Charlie,” I said.

“What?” Charlie asked looking completely shocked.

“I need to stop working,” I repeated.

“What do you mean?!” he exclaimed. “I just got you a photoshoot with-“

“I can’t!” I said exasperated.

“Why?” he asked.

“I’m pregnant,” I admitted.

“Oh fuck no, Rachel.”

“I was on the pill,” I said attempting to soften the blow.

“No condom though?” Charlie sighed.

“Let my sex life remain private alright? What’s done is done and I’m not going to abort this kid,” I said sternly.

“Why not?” Charlie asked, “We were just about to break some new ground in your career.”

“I just… can’t Charlie. I can’t,” I sighed.

We sat in the car in silence.

“So I’ll cancel your schedule?” Charlie asked.

“Please,” I said.

“So this is it, then,” Charlie said.

“Yeah,” I replied.

“I don’t know when or if I’ll ever see you again,” he said sadly.

“Maybe I’ll try to come back.”

“Maybe?”

“Maybe.”

“You know, it’ll be near impossible after a pregnancy,” Charlie said.

“You think I don’t know?” I asked, a little insulted.

“No, I know you know… I just want to make sure that you’re making the right decision.”

“I am. I know I am.”

“Will the father be taking care of you?” Charlie asked.

“He doesn’t know yet.”

“Yet?”

“I’ll tell him,” I said,
when I meet him
I thought.

Charlie slowed down his car as we returned to my apartment building. He stopped short of the front door and shifted into park. “If you ever decide to work again, come see me,” Charlie said in a quiet voice. “I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too,” I admitted.

“It was nice working with you,” Charlie said with a smile.

“Same here.”

I exited the car with my backpack and headed back into my apartment. I needed to figure out how to find Shawn. First, however was lunch so I turned on the television and grabbed some ingredients out of the fridge. I started to chop up some onions and peppers as the news started.

“Next up: giant flying creature sighted over London by elderly man.”

I laughed. What ridiculousness were they airing on television nowadays? I started to fry the vegetables as I changed the channel.

“The minister has been missing for approximately two months now. He was last seen at a party at a hotel on the upper west side,” the television buzzed.

“Huh, was that the party I was at?” I muttered to myself. “That would be quite the coincidence.”

I began to chop up some meat. I thought that maybe I should go job hunting soon… although who would want to hire a pregnant woman? Luckily, I had a large family who would support me. I still had to tell them, so I might as well start now.