Seed of the Dragon: A Paranormal Dragon Shifter Romance (8 page)

“I’m not giving my son to you,” I said harshly.

“You must! Or else something bad may happen!” Shawn pleaded.

“Like what? Getting pregnant and the father running away?” I said while my hand grasped at my tea mug with a hard grip.

“I’m sorry,” Shawn said, “but I didn’t know.”

“I tried to find you,” I whispered, “but you were nowhere.”

“I was in America, of course you wouldn’t find me,” Shawn said.

I had nothing to say. I looked up at the clock and then back down at my tea.

“Rachel…” Shawn whispered, “Please, I don’t want anything to happen to either of you two.”

“You can’t take Michael without me,” I stated proudly, “if he needs to go with you, then I am coming too.”

“What? Rachel, no! You can’t! It’ll be too dangerous,” Shawn said.

“So you think it’ll be too dangerous for me but not for my four year old child?! You insult me, you insult my child, you insult my very way of life! You think I didn’t work hard every day while modeling? You think I didn’t go to the gym, eat healthy, and watch my figure? You think I didn’t raise Michael by myself and did a hell of a good fucking job?” I spat.

“I don’t mean to insult you but-“ Shawn began.

“You did insult me. How dare you insinuate that I can’t take care of my own son, how dare you even suggest that,” I said.

“I-I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean it that way,” Shawn apologized.

“How did you mean it then?” I questioned as I crossed my arms.

“I only meant that it might be more dangerous for you to be with us than not,” Shawn explained.

“No matter, Michael isn’t going with you anywhere without me,” I said, “and even if this whole shifter thing is true, Michael wouldn’t want to go without me.”

“Then you will come with us?” Shawn asked.

“Why should I? What if we aren’t actually in danger and you’re lying?” I retorted.

“Trust me,” Shawn pleaded.

“Why should I? You have given me no reason to,” I said.

“I have never lied to you,” Shawn said.

“You said we would never see each other again,” I replied.

“At the time I believed that to be true. I didn’t think you’d get pregnant with my child,” Shawn said, “I wasn’t lying.”

“…I believe you,” I replied, “but I still don’t trust you.”

“You don’t need to trust me,” Shawn said.

“Are you a shifter then?” I asked.

“Yes,” Shawn replied.

“Prove it to me,” I said.

“Pardon?”

“Shift. Right now,” I demanded.

“Uhh….  I can’t,” Shawn said.

“What? Then you must be lying-“

“Wait! Wait, I can partially shift right now just not fully… because… I might break the house,” Shawn explained.

I looked at him in disbelief and motioned for him to continue. He sighed and held out his hand. He breathed in deep and I began to see his hand morph and change into something else. Scales began to appear over his skin, shining a brazen red, then his nails thickened and elongated into claws.

I was breathless for a moment as I watched. Then I held out my hands to Shawn, and he put his clawed hands in them. I touched the scales in wonder; they felt cool to the touch. I rolled up the sleeve of Shawn’s shirt and looked at where the scales turned back to skin. It wasn’t so much a simple line but just less and less scales as I went up his forearm. The skin there felt hot to the touch, as if it might burn me.

“My temperature gets heightened to the point where I can burn other people, but I’ve learned to control it over time which is why it only feels just hot to you,” Shawn explained.

“Is that what Michael did?” I asked.

“What exactly happened with Michael?” Shawn questioned as he shifted his hand back.

I sighed and looked towards the kitchen exit where Michael and my bedroom was. “I think he burned a man after he got scared and angry,” I explained.

“Who was the man?” Shawn asked.

“It was my agent. We had gotten into an argument since he was running a side business selling out models to photographers and other men… He wanted to sell me too but I refused, I didn’t need the money that badly so I ran home.”

Shawn listened intently and silently as I spoke.

“He followed me home and we had the argument. Michael refused to go to his room when he saw me and the man arguing. Then when Justin, my agent, grabbed me Michael tackled his leg, which made him squeal. Justin tried to grab at Michael but he quickly took his hand away as if touching him burned his skin.”

“It probably did,” Shawn said.

“Why?” I asked.

“When a shifter gets excited, scared, or angry, sometimes we partially shift without noticing, which is why it’s important to learn how to control your powers so you don’t hurt the people around you,” Shawn explained.

I hummed in understanding. “How come normal humans don’t know about you?” I asked.

“I’m not sure how it came to be but most shifters know each other and collectively have agreed not to mate with humans since then we’d have to explain the kid’s powers,” Shawn said.

“Like you are right now, then?” I laughed.

“Exactly like right now,” he said.

“How do you know another shifter?” I asked.

“Usually we don’t, it’s just that there’s so few of us that most of us know each other through the factions across the globe. So for example, I know most shifters in New York City but I don’t recognize any of them here in London,” he said.

“Shawn…”

“Yes?”

“What animal are you?” I asked.

“I’m a dragon,” he said.

“A… dragon?” I repeated.

“Yes,” he said.

I felt myself get light headed. I looked down at my tea and then took a large gulp. Most of it had cooled down so I just chugged the rest down. “We can’t leave just yet,” I said.

“Why not?” Shawn asked.

“I have things left to do and business to finish. I can’t just leave in the middle of the night with you when I don’t even trust you,” I reasoned.

“How long do you need?” Shawn asked.

“Give me three days,” I said.

“Three days is a long time…” Shawn trailed off.

“Take it or leave it,” I said.

“Fine, fine,” Shawn said with a laugh.

We looked at each other and smiled. Long ago I used to dream about that face, I used to try to recall it in my memories but always had a hard time, but now with him in front of me I felt  like I could never forget again.

“You can sleep on the couch,” I said to Shawn. I got up and grabbed my mug and his glass to put them into the sink. Shawn followed me out of the kitchen into the living room and I gestured to the large three-person couch.

“I’ll get you a pillow and some covers,” I whispered, hoping our conversation didn’t wake anyone.

I exited the living room to grab the stuff I mentioned out of the linen closet. When I returned, Shawn was sitting and gazing outside the window. He had a sharp jaw but his eyes looked burned out… something about him seemed tired and worn. I placed the covers and pillow at the edge of the couch.

“Let me know if you need anything,” I said and left.

I walked into mine and Michael’s room, opening and closing the door as silently as I could. Michael was snoring in his small bed on one side of the room. I tiptoed towards my bed and slid in quietly. I lay on my side, facing towards my son. He looked so peaceful sleeping like this, and I was about to shake his life up once again. I closed my eyes and breathed all the air out of my lungs. I paid attention to my breathing and tried to even it out the best I could. Whatever came the next day, I could take it. I could do it.

CHAPTER SEVEN

“Shawn” 

“Mom!” I heard my own voice call.

I was in my childhood home with my parents… we were playing a game. A game of hide and seek. In this game, I had a feeling I wouldn’t find them. I ran through the hallways of my home, opening doors and looking through cupboards. I looked under all the couches and chairs, I even checked the closets but no one was there.

A knock at the door gathered my attention and I went to open it. At the door was a tall man in a black suit with no face.

“I’m sorry to inform you but your parents passed away, Shawn,” he said.

I kicked him in the shin and then ran back into the house. The suited man yelped in pain and then chased me. We went around and around and around the kitchen table, knocking over a vase and two plants. I ran upstairs and into my parents’ closet, locking the door behind me.

The man in the suit started knocking at the door viciously and yelled, “THEY’RE DEAD, THEY’RE DEAD, THEY’RE DEAD,” over and over again.

I placed my hands on my ears to shut the man out I curled into a ball and began to cry. The sound became muffled almost and soon it disappeared. I felt as if I was floating, but warmth engulfed me. I felt so calm and collected now, so I looked up. My mother was hugging me. She smiled at me as she tightened the blanket around me.

“Did you have a nightmare, Shawn?” she asked.

I felt myself stumble over my words so I just nodded yes.

“Oh no,” she said as she hugged me close.

I was covered in tranquil and a complete feeling of calm. It was as if I was in a warm bath and the water enveloped me from the neck down. I nudged my head into my mother’s neck and hugged her back.

“I missed you,” I said.

“I missed you too,” my mother said back.

I felt so small, like I was a child again, so soft and innocent. I felt as if I could redo my life and fix all of its problems, felt recharged with energy. My mother began to pull away from me.

“Don’t go,” I said.

“It’s time to wake up, Shawn,” my mom said.

*   *   *

“Please! Not yet!”

“It’s time to wake up!” Rachel said.

I looked up, completely out of it. Rachel was standing there instead of my mother, her hand shaking my shoulder lightly.

“You awake?” she asked.

I cleared my throat and responded, “Yeah, I’m awake.”

“You’ve been sleeping for over twelve hours now so I thought I should wake you,” she explained.

“Thanks,” I said, “I appreciate it.”

I must’ve been tired from being up all night, plus the flight. All in all, my body was completely exhausted and needed a break so it slept all those hours.

“Do you usually sleep this much?” Rachel asked.

She had her hair in a bun atop her head and was wearing an apron. There were sounds in the kitchen along with the laughs of a young child. Rachel’s blue eyes sparked like sapphires and although she looked older, she was still just as beautiful as when we first met. It was a wonderful sight to greet me in the morning for once.

“Not really, but I haven’t slept in a while,” I said.

“Well you look much better today than you did yesterday,” Rachel laughed.

She was looking atop my head so I brought my hand up to feel whatever she was laughing about. I had a huge cowlick that stood out and I felt my face redden. I pushed it down with my hand but it did nothing since it’d only just spring back to life. Rachel laughed and grabbed at her stomach.

“How cute,” she said.

“We’re having lunch in a bit if you’d like some!” another voice called from the kitchen.

It must’ve been Rachel’s aunt.

“I’d love some,” I called back.

“The bathroom is over there if you’d like to freshen up,” Rachel said while gesturing to a door down the hall.

I got up and was about to walk to where Rachel had gestured, but for a moment our eyes met. It was as if time stopped for that one section of time as I couldn’t help but admire the baby blue of Rachel’s eyes. Rachel’s mouth opened and closed and I watched her lips move in that hypnotizing fashion.

“Sorry,” I said, turning away.

I felt embarrassed, as if I was doing something that I shouldn’t. I looked at the ground as I walked past Rachel into the bathroom and let out a huge sigh. I had morning wood and that eye contact for that little moment did very little to help it go down. I breathed deeply and willed my body to stop pumping so much blood into my nether regions. I even turned on the tap and splashed some cool water on my face and neck.

I grabbed at the edges of the sink and gazed at my reflection. I looked much less tired than yesterday but I had a terrible bed head. My hair was sticking up every which way and I had creases on my cheek where I had laid on my pillow.

I decided to take a shower since I felt sort of gross after sitting out in the rain. I got into the bathtub and closed the curtain. I turned on the faucet, waited for it to get warm, and then pulled on the plug to make it go through the shower nozzle. I stood under the warm water, just enjoying the sensation. I liked being able to enjoy the little things like this, like those little shivers of pleasure from the hot water. I shampooed my hair and then washed my body, taking extra care so that I truly was clean. I even went between my toes.

A knock at the door took me out of my thoughts. I stopped the water.

“Yes?” I answered.

“I got you a towel,” said a voice that sounded like Rachel.

“Thanks,” I said.

I heard some shuffling and peeked around the shower curtain to see Rachel placing a towel onto the closed seat of the toilet. She looked up at me in surprise.

“Ah, I also have an extra toothbrush for you,” she said her voice wavering a bit.

“Are you alright?” I asked.

“I’m fine, it’s just a bit hot in here with all the steam,” she replied but her face was beginning to redden.

“Thanks,” I repeated myself.

“N-no problem,” Rachel said and then quickly exited and closed the door behind her.

I hummed. I wonder what was making her act so strangely. Then I looked down and realized that the shower curtain… was see-through.

I smacked my head against my hand. How could I be so stupid? I was just so tired and out of it that I hadn’t realized. I smacked my head a couple more times before sighing. I got out of the shower and dried myself with the towel that Rachel had brought. I then looked atop the sink to find a brand new toothbrush, still in its packaging, sitting there.

Rachel and her Aunt were so sweet and welcoming. It was a wonder they were being so nice to me considering the news I had brought with me. This is the first time in my life that a regular human has known so much about me and my people. It would most likely put her in danger. However, she had insisted she needed to know and otherwise I couldn’t take Michael with me.

Michael. I was excited to meet him, my son. I wondered what he was like. What toys he liked, what shows he liked, what was his favorite color, and what his favorite game was. I couldn’t wait to see if he had Rachel’s beautiful eyes or not. Either way, Michael must be beautiful since he has Rachel’s genes.

After I brushed my teeth I got dressed in the same clothes that I had slept in. Then I exited the bathroom and began to head back into the kitchen.

“Hello,” I greeted.

Three faces looked at me.

“Hello darling,” an older woman said, she must be Rachel’s aunt.

“Hey,” said Rachel.

“Who is that?” a child whom I could only assume was Michael asked.

“That’s…. Shawn,” Rachel answered. She kneeled next to her son and whispered into his ear.

“Hi Shawn!” Michael exclaimed.

“Hi Michael,” I responded.

The small boy gasped. “How do you know my name?!” he exclaimed.

“Your mom talks about you all the time! Didn’t you know?” I said in an excited tone.

The boy’s eye sparkled and I noticed how familiar they were… they were mine. I felt a pang in my chest for a moment but I tried not to show my surprise. I could see Rachel’s features in the boy too, could see her nose and lips. This was most definitely
our
child. I could feel tears start to build and I tried my best to will them away.

“Shawn?” Rachel’s aunt called, “are you alright?”

“Yeah,” I cleared my throat, “I’m perfectly fine.”

“Shawn!” Michael yelled.

“Yeah?” I answered.

“Play with me!” he yelled and ran out into the living room.

“Rachel”

I looked on as Shawn played with Michael in the living room.

“You like him,” Auntie smiled.

“I do
not
,” I responded.

“Then why do you have that soft look on your face, darling?” Auntie asked.

I sighed. “I can’t control it,” I admitted.

Auntie smiled at me. “Just do what you think is right,” she said.

I crossed my arms and watched as my son and his father sat on the floor together, bonding. What was the right thing to do in this situation? What would Auntie do in my situation? What would my mother have done? I sighed, I couldn’t look to other people for this decision.

My mind flashed back to what I saw in the bathroom: Shawn, completely naked behind that see-through shower curtain. Heat rushed to my cheeks, I hadn’t had a man since I had Shawn and to saw that the experience was just good was undermining how absolutely wonderful it had been. However, I didn’t trust him. I couldn’t. There was no way that I was going to trust him so easily and quickly after five years apart. I wanted to trust him... but I knew that I shouldn’t, not without reason. Shawn would have to prove himself to me in order to truly have my trust.

I felt a shiver down my spine, which made me turn around quickly and look outside the kitchen window. There was nothing there but the beautiful backyard garden that my Auntie maintains. It was the same feeling I had gotten around Justin, so I knew I wasn’t wrong… but perhaps I was imagining things? After all, it has been very stressful for me lately moving to a new place because of my creep of an agent.

“Rachel?” Auntie called.

“Yes?” I answered.

“No, you just seemed… lost in thought is all. Could you put the plates on the table?” Auntie requested.

“Of course, Auntie,” I replied and did as I was asked.

"Michael! Shawn. Breakfast is ready,” I called the two boys over.

Michael ran excitedly while Shawn trailed behind slowly. “What’s for breakfast?” Shawn asked.

“Food,” I answered.

“That’s not an answer,” Shawn argued.

“I’m not wrong, though,” I shot back.

Shawn had a tilted smile on his face that looked like it belonged on someone ten years younger than him. It looked mischievous and coy. I couldn’t help but return his smile, but caught myself only moments after and cursed internally.