Chapter 26

26

ARIA

A soft knock on my door jolted me from my miserable moment. For a moment, I considered ignoring it, not feeling up to facing anyone. But the knock came again, more insistent this time.

I shot up abruptly, realizing it might be Ossian. I was planning to wait a little longer before I went to find him before dinner.

But what if it was Chris coming back? I had no idea what to say to him.

I rose and paused before the door, my heart racketing.

I glanced back at my dragon still on my bed, watching me silently. I sucked in a breath, preparing myself, but the air whooshed out of me when I found Ossian waiting outside the door.

"I think we need to talk," he said as he stepped inside, his own dragon nowhere in sight.

"Where's your dragon?" I asked instantly as I closed my door.

"Morveen is in my room, he's letting me speak to you alone," he stated. So his dragon was male, and was talking too. How delightful.

"Okay, I think we do need to talk," I said and he nodded, although he made no move to enter my room further.

"What happened was a feeding thing, Aria. I shouldn't have allowed it to get to the point it did, but when there are emotions underlying, feelings…" his jaw clenched as he glanced at my dragon for a moment, "it becomes difficult to control or fight. You're feeding and your being driven by primal instinct and urges."

"So it didn't mean anything?" I whispered, my heart plummeting as I searched his face, hating the hurt coursing through me.

This should have been good news then, although fixing things with Chris wasn't going to be an easy thing, if even possible in all honesty.

He stared hard at me, a war raging behind his eyes.

"It shouldn't," he said, his voice low.

"Shouldn't or doesn't?" I found myself saying.

"I'm a vampire, Aria," he stated, and I just arched a brow as he shook his head. What on earth did that mean? Was he doing the whole immortality over mortality thing or ‘I'm a danger to you' crap? I'd seen my vampire love movies as a teen, I knew the spiel.

"We have bigger things going on to deal with than this," he said after a strained moment. "And you have your wolf."

His words hit deep, and I nodded as I pursed my lips.

"Well, that doesn't take back what happened, Ossian."

"I told you what could happen, and you wanted to do it anyway," he shot back quickly, and I stiffened.

"Yes, I know… did it work?" I mumbled.

He sighed as he pulled his sleeve up to show me his perfect skin, no hint of the blistering burn he'd sustained. It was completely healed.

"Thank you. Your blood helped me, Aria. But right now, I need to focus on keeping the vampires in check. Marcus has shown an interest in you, and I'm the only thing standing in his way. If he thinks there's more between us, he'll take it as an even bigger challenge, and we don't need that right now." Those dark eyes held mine as I nodded.

"So you want to keep your distance to protect me?" I said slowly.

"I'm saying whatever we feel, since it's clear there's something there after what happened, we need to shut it down. You have your wolf friend, focus on him," he said firmly.

"Yeah, well, he kinda knows something happened," I mumbled, and he sighed heavily.

"That's not something I can help with. You will figure it all out, Aria. For now, though, I think we should stay away from one another."

With that, he turned and left, the door clicking shut behind him as I stood there with my chest aching.

It shouldn't have meant a thing to me, and yet it stung like hell.

"Fuck," I muttered as hot tears broke free. "Why?"

I'd barely turned when another knock echoed through my room.

Who the hell was it now? Knowing my luck, it was Chris.

I sighed as I sniffled and wiped my eyes.

I'd done this to myself, whatever happened now, I'd figure it out, I'd take the harsh words and him ending whatever we'd been doing.

To my surprise though, it was Lydia at my door.

"Aria, crap, what happened? I saw Ossian come down here and then he left quickly. You've been crying, what happened?" She moved into the room, guiding me towards the bed where I sunk down.

Selis sat patiently at her feet, her scales glistening in the dim light of my room now that the sun had set outside. The sight of how much Lydia's dragon had grown only served to emphasize how small mine still was.

Before I knew it, I was spilling everything - my encounter with Ossian, Chris's declaration about mates and marking, the guilt that was eating me alive, now Ossian's words and dismissal, and Chris storming off. Lydia listened without judgment, her eyes filled with compassion.

When I finished, she pulled me into a warm hug. "Oh, Aria, crap. You're in quite a tangle, aren't you?"

I nodded against her shoulder, fresh tears threatening to fall. "I don't know what to do, Lydia. I've messed everything up."

"Well, the whole Ossian thing is not a good thing in my opinion, but I'm biased too. I understand you guys are friends and you wanted to help, but it's clear there's more feelings there if it got that heated," she said as she patted my back and sighed. "Which then makes me wonder if Chris is right about it being a mate bond he felt with you. Because, if it truly was, you shouldn't have felt a thing for Ossian after meeting Chris, but clearly you do."

"So, what does that mean? That it isn't what he thinks?" I asked as I pulled back and wiped at my teary eyes.

"I think, because you're human, that makes it all the more harder to gauge. Shifters don't normally fall for humans, it's rare."

"But it happens?" I asked softly, and she nodded.

"But it's definitely not like the feral instant connection that shifters feel. Where the urge to mate mark hits so hard while you're together."

I nodded slowly, wishing someone could just tell me what the right thing to do was.

"Ossian wants to pursue nothing with you, so take him for his word on that. You guys may have gotten close, but he's right. Humans and vampires aren't a good match. Twilight be damned," she said with a slight smile.

I flicked my gaze to where my dragon was now inspecting Selis, the pair of them chirping softly. My little dragon was so small in comparison.

"I know, but things still… they still happened. After I was with Chris."

"True, but you also weren't fully aware of what can happen with a vampire bite. How could you have known? Yeah, it's not something we can just brush off, but it's not like you made a decision to go do it, right?" she said as she searched my eyes.

"I don't know, Lydia. I felt something for Ossian before anything happened, and I guess… I don't know," I mumbled. I didn't want to admit that being around him had me slightly excited, like a schoolgirl with a crush.

"Well, that's something you need to work through. Chris is all in, he's made that clear, so you need to figure out how you feel for him. A mate bond is special, and I've never heard of the other party not feeling it. I don't know if what you feel for Ossian is some weird thing, maybe to do with our Dracarian blood, but Chris… if he really feels this, then it's not something you should take lightly." Her brow was slightly furrowed as she stared at me.

"I know, and I've gone and messed that up, how on earth can I fix it? I wish I'd never wanted to help Ossian," I said as a few tears slipped free, a sob escaping my lips.

"Oh, sweetheart," Lydia pulled me back to her tightly and sighed. "You haven't messed it all up. You're in an impossible situation, trying to navigate feelings you don't fully understand. Be gentle with yourself. Leave Ossian behind, and focus on reviving everything with Chris. Like you said, it wasn't like you had an exclusivity chat, although we both know he was likely in that mindset."

"I know," I muttered, hating myself even more.

"But hey, if it's a mate bond, then it's meant to be. You need to talk to him, explain how it happened, and go from there," Lydia said as she pulled back, her hands resting on my shoulders.

"I don't know if I feel a mate bond, Lydia. I feel strongly for him, but a mate bond? That sounds like a marriage, and it's far too early for that. Hell, it sounds even more final than marriage."

"It is, it's for life," Lydia stated with absolution. "So you need to know it's what you want. I don't know if shifters can feel the mate bond again if for some insane reason the first one is never marked and fulfilled. I've not heard of anyone fighting it or not wanting it," she admitted. "But, in saying that, I've not known anyone that felt it for a human. It's all different."

"Great." How on earth was I supposed to figure this out? I'd been happy taking things slower with Chris, seeing how I felt fully.

I'd just had to go and fuck it all up with Ossian.

"Look, if it's meant to be, it'll be, but right now, I think you need a distraction." Her eyes lit up with an idea. "Why don't we go back to the training area? Maybe your dragon will do better without an audience."

I glanced at my dragon, which was watching us with those inscrutable purple eyes. It sat next to Selis, who was happily lounging on the floor, her wings folded up neatly. "Is that allowed?"

Lydia shrugged. "I don't see why not. Besides, it can't hurt to try."

I nodded, knowing sitting here wallowing was not going to do me any favors or solve this entire pickle I was in. She helped me to my feet, and we headed out. We made our way through the winding corridors of the Keep, our dragons following close behind. As we turned a corner, we nearly collided with Eirian.

"Where are you two going?" he asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

Lydia smiled warmly. "We thought we'd get in some extra training with our dragons. Aria's been having a bit of trouble, and we thought a quieter session might help."

Eirian frowned before glancing down at the small creature behind me beside Selis. "You shouldn't go to the training area alone. It could be dangerous if something goes wrong."

"Then why don't you come with us?" Lydia suggested, her tone light.

Eirian sighed, but I saw a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "Very well. Lead on."

The training area was eerily quiet without the usual bustle of activity. Our footsteps echoed in the vast space as we made our way to the center, the obstacles strewn all around us.

"Alright," Lydia said, Selis already creating small spheres of liquid in the air with ease. "Let's see what these little ones can do. Selis, let's start and guide Aria's little one. How about we throw some spheres through the hoops then do some flying stuff?"

Selis nodded, and I watched as she launched into the air. Lydia was clearly focusing mentally, guiding Selis and relaying quietly to me what she was planning on doing before she did it.

Turning to my own little dragon, I tried to summon that same connection. "Okay, little one. Let's try this again. Show me what you can do."

But as before, my dragon merely tilted its head, those purple eyes regarding me with what almost looked like amusement. No matter what I tried - encouragement, commands, even pleading - it remained stubbornly inert.

I could feel Eirian's gaze on us, his disapproval burning into me. Finally, he spoke, his voice tinged with frustration. "Perhaps... perhaps yours is a reject."

"What?" A chill coursed through me at the painful thought.

Eirian at least had the grace to look uncomfortable. "It's possible. The lack of color, its refusal to demonstrate any abilities... it could have a birth defect, or simply lack magic altogether."

I sank to the ground, my dragon immediately curling up in my lap. "I guess that figures," I said, unable to keep the bitterness from my tone. "We both have no special powers. What a pair we make."

Lydia joined me on the ground, her face full of sympathy. "Don't say that, Aria. You're both special, powers or not."

We sat in silence for a moment, the weight of everything - the expectations, the confusion, the homesickness - pressing down on me.

"I miss home," I admitted softly, stroking my dragon's scales. "My apartment, my best friend Dana, my dad. It all seems so far away now."

Lydia nodded with a small, knowing smile. "I know what you mean. I miss my kids so much it hurts. I keep wondering if time moves differently here. What if I miss their birthdays? What if... what if they forget me?"

Eirian, who had been standing awkwardly to the side, cleared his throat. "Time moves much the same in both worlds," he said, his voice gentler than I'd ever heard it. "A day here is a day on Earth."

I looked up at him, curiosity momentarily overriding my melancholy. "Zephyr mentioned that the fae live in a strange part of Earth, like a separate layer. Is Dracaria like that?"

Eirian shook his head. "No, Dracaria is its own realm and world, linked with Earth but separate. If anything were to happen to Earth, Dracaria would survive. The fae realm, being a part of your world, would not be so fortunate."

I nodded at this knowledge, although it did nothing to ease my sorrow right now.

"Eirian," I said, remembering something I'd been meaning to say. "Thank you. For saving me when the dragons awoke, I mean."

He blinked, surprised. "It was my duty," he said, but there was something in his eyes, something that intrigued me.

Before I could dwell on it, Eirian straightened, his face masking over. "We've been here long enough. Your dragon isn't proving itself to have powers, and we should return to our quarters before dinner."

The mention of dinner sent a wave of dread through me. Facing Chris was almost too much to bear.

"Come, let's head back." Lydia offered me her hand, and I accepted as I juggled my dragon with the other.

The dining hall was the last place I wanted to be right now, and yet here I was. Chris sat at the far end of the table, pointedly avoiding my gaze. He ate quickly and left abruptly, barely speaking to anyone.

Zephyr, ever observant, leaned in. "What's going on? Did the lovebirds have a fight?"

Lydia shot him a warning look. "Zephyr, not now."

Unable to bear the scrutiny and the oppressive atmosphere, I excused myself before the meal was over. My dragon followed close at my heels as I hurried back to my room.

I had just reached my door and opened it when a gust of wind nearly knocked me off my feet. The door flew open, a figure flitting past and shoving me inside. The figure stood before me now, one I'd hoped never to see again alone - Marcus.

"Well, well," Marcus sneered, his eyes glittering with malice, his own dragon struggling to perch on his shoulder with its larger size. "Look at you and your useless little dragon. I hear it can't even perform the simplest tricks."

I backed away, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst from my chest. My dragon, sensing my fear, pressed close to my legs, its small body trembling but stance defiant. The door was still open behind me, and I wondered if I stood a chance running straight back out into the hall.

Then again, he could flit, and he could stop me in an instant.

"I'm under Ossian's protection," I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the terror coursing through me. "You can't touch me."

Marcus's grin widened, revealing his razor-sharp fangs. "I don't see Ossian anywhere, do you?"

Before I could react, he lunged forward, his movements a blur. I braced myself for the impact, squeezing my eyes shut and waiting for the pain of his bite.

But it never came.

Instead, a sound like thunder filled the room, accompanied by a flash of light so bright it was visible even through my closed eyelids. I heard Marcus cry out in shock and pain, followed by the thud of a body hitting the wall.

My eyes flew open, and I gasped at the scene before me. Marcus was slumped against the far wall, a smoking, circular burn mark on his chest, his grey dragon standing on the floor staring at him curiously.

And there, standing protectively in front of me, was my dragon.

Its eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, a deep, mesmerizing purple that seemed to pulse with power. Wisps of the same colored energy curled from its mouth, and the air around us crackled with residual magic.

I stared at my dragon in disbelief, my mind struggling to process what I'd just witnessed. This tiny creature, which I'd believed to be powerless, had just taken down a vampire with a single blast.

"How..." I whispered, my voice shaky. "How did you do that? I thought the Keep's magic was supposed to prevent dragons from using their breath abilities."

My dragon turned to look at me, its purple eyes swirling. It chirped softly, and the sound eased me for some odd reason.

Marcus struggled to his feet, his face contorted with rage. The wound on his chest looked painful, but it wasn't as severe as I'd initially thought. "You little beast," he snarled. "I'll kill you for that!"

He moved to attack again, but suddenly, his own dragon turned on him, shooting into the air and clawing at his face with a shriek of defiance. At the same moment, the female vampire - Valeria, I remembered - appeared in the doorway, her eyes wide with shock.

"Back off! She's protected!" she shouted, her voice filled with authority.

But my dragon wasn't finished. As Marcus fought off his own dragon's attack, mine reared back, its small body glowing with that strange purple energy. I felt the air around us grow heavy, charged with a power I couldn't comprehend.

Then, with a sound like a thunderclap, my dragon released another blast of purple energy. This time, the beam was even more intense, filling the entire room with its radiance. Marcus didn't even have time to scream before the blast hit him, sending him flying back against the wall. He hit it hard and slumped down, wisps of smoke rising from his motionless form.

For a moment, everything was silent. I stood there, my mind reeling, unable to fully process what I'd just witnessed. My dragon, this tiny creature I'd believed to be defective or powerless, had just taken down a centuries-old vampire. Twice.

I looked down at my dragon, which now sat calmly at my feet as if it hadn't just displayed power beyond anything we'd seen from the other hatchlings. Its purple eyes met mine, and I saw in them not just intelligence, but a deep, unwavering loyalty.

Valeria approached cautiously, her gaze flicking between me, my dragon, and the unconscious Marcus on the floor. Her expression was a mixture of awe and wariness.

"I've never seen anything like that," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Your little one is full of surprises."