Dragon Drive

Chapter Six:

In Blood

Obane watched as his mate slid helplessly into sleep. He watched her struggle and fight a natural occurrence for the sake of her own will. It was a curious concept to the dragon.

Slowly his form melted down to a more humanoid base, as the remedial clan of misfits had deemed appropriate for living so close to humans. Even with this in mind he refused to let go of his roots, refused to let anyone forget for even a second how powerful he was. His eyes turned from the glittering bronze scales of his female to the male who had assumed his place as her Guardian, “Milk?” he asked Roume carefully.

“Yep,” He said, “I had Dante let the meat marinate in it all day. Trust me, it’s better this way. He probably won’t wake up for at least a day and I know he’s not happy being stuck like he is.”

Obane frowned, finding it curious and rather insulting how Roume continuously referred to his mate as a male in context. As if he would debase himself with such perversion; he knew many other dragons had succumbed to their baser urges since the fall of the females, mating with other males or worse, with humans to slake their lust. “You make her sleep away her problems.”

“Would you rather his body reject the child? Bane, the kid is still trying to get his head sorted out and here you swoop in and knock ‘em up!” Roume’s blathering was already causing the dragon to lose interest, especially when he began using human language he had no understanding of. At Obane’s confused expression he cleared his throat, “My point is, he’s new to our world, and without even getting to know him or better, let him get to know you, you try to impregnate him.”

“Better me than another male, Roume.” Obane stated pointedly, “At least with me she will be comfortable and protected, and I will see to it that she is happy. No other male will bother her, and any who try will be put down by my claw.” He frowned suddenly, “You should know something about that.”

Roume let out a loud snort, “I don’t question your power, Obane, but you’ll never be able to make her- argh, him, happy. Not after what you did. He may be a dragon but he grew up a human, do you understand? A lot of our traditions, a lot of the things we grew up with that seem second nature to us…well it’s not for him. He doesn’t understand any of it, and damn it all if he doesn’t dig his heels in when he gets scared.”

“How is it that she supposedly hosts the shape of a man outside of her scales, Roume? That makes little sense. We may be shape shifters but we cannot change our genes.”

He shrugged, “I actually don’t know, it’s why I asked Ytal to come. He’s a doctor after all, if anyone can understand the science or magic behind it, it’s him.”

“You planned to give her to Ytal.”

“I didn’t plan to give him to anyone!” Roume snapped.

“And you thought that hiding him here was a good idea?”

He growled, “Hardly. I knew something was going to have to happen.”

“Tell me Roume. You were there when I mated her, if my actions upset you so much, why did you not stop me? I saw you hiding in the trees.”

“You’d already mounted by the time I showed up, trying to stop you would have been suicide and I got more than her-“ he sighed, “Him to look out for. Besides…” he sighed again and grumbled under his breath. Obane never ceased to be amazed at the stubbornness of Bronze dragons, “Thelrian told me you were coming. He…told me to set the kid up. But fuck, I didn’t think you’d rape him!”

Obane lofted a finely scaled brow as he realized what the new information meant. “So you intended for him to escape?”

“He wouldn’t have done it otherwise,” Roume folded his arms over his chest and squared his stance, “You’d have shown up at the door and James would have dug his heels in and spit acid until he was blue in the face. No, he needed to meet you while he was a dragon.”

“And here I thought that only eastern dragons were capable of such cunning and underhanded tactics.” He looked over to his female, watching her sleep. Her paw twitched and she let out a growl, as if she knew even in a state of unconsciousness that he was watching her. “I will make her happy.” He stated, “I will have my heir and more.”

Roume growled, “I’m trying to do what’s best for everyone Obane.” He turned and stormed towards the door of his den, slamming it on his way inside.

Obane thought to himself how so many of his kin had become domesticated and placated by simple things, and thought about how if Roume’s words rang true, his mate was the worst of it all. He would have to teach her as he would a whelp, he would show her that being a female was a true honor.

Slowly he walked over to the female and knelt down beside her, reaching out to rest a hand lightly on her jaw. She stirred just slightly, however Obane knew that there was little capable of rousing her from her current state. It did not matter to him, however, as he would watch over her as she slept and when she awoke her mate would be there waiting.

His form returned to its natural draconic state and he looked down at his female. He scented the air and he could tell something was already different about her scent. Her body was changing, accepting his seed. Despite all of the accusations pointed at him, his female had been a willing participant in their mating until after the fact. Obane knew that she felt as strongly as he did that they would produce strong offspring, the likes of which would promise a long line of an otherwise dying race.

Obane settled behind her and curled around her sleeping frame. He ignored her slight protests and watched with curiosity as her head shifted and rested upon his paw. It fascinated him how her mind and body appeared to be two separate entities, each acting on their own set of standards. Her mental rejection of him was an astounding testament to a strong will, though those stubborn qualities would have to be curbed in order to make for a happy pregnancy and healthy offspring.

Her muzzle wrinkled in discontent; Obane lowered his head and licked the soft spot behind her jaw and felt her whole body relax and melt against him. Instinct was a powerful thing. Though he had never before mated with another he seemed to understand how to handle his female properly.

His large wing curled around her frame and he prepared himself to guard over her while she slept…

 

#-#-#

When the morning came, Obane was still beside his mate. She had slept through the night peacefully with his assistance and Obane could feel that her dreams were much kinder to her than they had been before. He only hoped that good rest would mean she would be in better spirits when she awoke.

The door to the den opened with a loud creak, drawing Obane’s attention. He watched as a violet dragon in human guise walked out and made his way towards his resting mate. He wrinkled his nose and growled as the other got closer.

“Relax Obane,” the Violet said, pushing some of his purple hair out of his face. He had a case in one hand, and knelt down beside the female, “I need to take some blood samples.”

Obane would not accept this, and reached out to place his paw between the two with another deep growl.

“Don’t you want to know if his body accepted your little donation? Besides Obane, if what Roume says is true then his physiognomy is a lot different from ours. By all technicality he might not even be able to get pregnant, or better yet, he might hold the secret to allowing more dragons to become fertile. I have some theories, but just…move…you paw please!” He huffed, opening the case. Inside was a collection of syringes and vials. He pulled out a syringe first, then gave a pointed look to the dragon who still had not budged.

“I can do it now, or while he’s awake and I don’t think that will be pleasant for anyone.” The Violet stood up and tried to move around Obane’s paw, only to find that the dragon moved with him. “You selfish son of a bitch, do you realize that this female might have solutions for more than just your own problem?”

Obane had no interest in appeasing the Violet’s games. He snorted and took a breath, feeling the swell of energy fill his chest, the first stimulating and undulating until it pulsed with wild and raw energy. The Violet stepped back when he heard the crackle of lightning that flashed between his jaws.

“Obane.” Roume approached in his dragon form, his Draconic rough and rusty as if he had not used it in many years. A fact which was probably the truth, Obane thought to himself. “Let Ytal take the blood he needs. It is for the benefit of your mate and my family.” The stocky dragon came closer, holding Obane’s attention for the moment, “Should he be harmed Ytal would be hard pressed to escape the wrath of eight very angry dragons.”

The dark dragon growled, the lightning fading in his jaws, “What is the purpose of this? The Violet rambles, I do not like his scent!” He glanced down and quickly swatted at Ytal as he tried to move around Obane’s paw to get at the female’s belly.

“Ytal studies dragons, he has aided many of us over the years. He is trust-“

“That is not what I asked!” Obane boomed with a roar.

“He wishes to see that your mate’s body will accept your seed. He wishes to see why it is that his body changes from male to female when he transforms. Most of all, he wants to see if it is possible to replicate your mate’s ability to change gender for other dragons. It could be a means to continue our race.”

There was a long, tense pause as the two dragons stared each other down. Obane looked to the female beside him, watching her sleep peacefully. Slowly though, very slowly, the black dragon shifted and with a belligerent grunt he pulled his paw away and settled it back beneath himself. His eyes fell back to Ytal, glaring at the man but he did not move to stop him as he shifted closer.

Ytal placed a cautious hand on the female’s soft underbelly, watching Obane for a moment more before returning his full attention to his work. The tip of the needle slid into the female’s body with practiced ease, but his mate flinched within her sleep as if in pain. Obane’s growl filled the area.

“He is fine, Obane.” Roume rumbled, “That instrument is made to withstand the heat of his blood, and the needle strong enough to pierce his hide. There is some pain.”

It did not make the dark dragon any less annoyed at the situation. He growled again, but allowed the Violet to continue his work. He pulled the instrument out and watched a drop of blood well over the wound. Obane leaned his head down and flicked his tongue out to lap up the blood, that single drop enough to spark a wild array of delicious flavors on his tongue. He felt it arouse him slightly, in the same way his mate had become aroused when she had tasted of his blood after their fight.

The wound was already sealing beneath Obane’s tongue, to his surprise. Regeneration was a property that was primarily a male trait.

Ytal noticed this as well, “Interesting,” he mused, “Some of his male attributes do carry through.” He stood up and started walking towards the female’s lower half. This earned a deep snarl from the Omega as he began to lift himself up. “Calm down, relax… I’m just taking a sample of her-“

A booming roar filled the air, making the Violet jump back in shock, and Roume moved forward, “Obane, it is for the sake of our race. He means only for a small sample.”

“That is not his to be concerned with!” Obane snarled, lowering his head as he stepped over the female and forced the Violet away as he crept closer, “He has as much as he will get, leave now or I will take a sample of his blood with my teeth!” He snapped his jaws together to make a point.

Roume shifted out of his scales and explained to Ytal that he was not going to get anything else. The Violet seemed distraught, but Obane could care less. He slowly returned to his place at her side and growled again, watching both men escape inside of the den. They were lucky that the Omega did not burn down their den, that he did not slay every male in the territory as he so desperately wanted! However this was Thelrian’s child, and Roume was of his family. That debt was only just enough to stay his rage.

He settled in once more, prepared to guard his mate as she slept.

 

#-#-#

It was in the dead of night when the den’s door creaked open. Obane’s head whipped to the source instantly and he let out a warning growl. At first there was no movement, then slowly there was the pad of footsteps across wood followed by the crack of bone as human guise shifted into dragon form.

The figure that stepped into the moonlight was small, smaller even than the bronze dragons. White scales and feathered wings denoted that it was the white dragon, and the gentle scent that hit him confirmed this. He noted again how this one had a scent mixed with Roume’s, and he lamented once more in the perverted fall of his kin. He was creeping closer however, and Obane let out another warning growl.

“I only wish to comfort him.” Came the gentle Draconic voice. It was a wonder any of the white dragons still existed in Obane’s mind, they were every part opposite of black dragons, they lacked strength, pride, power… Worthless in all respects.

Obane grunted, “She sleeps, and I am here to comfort her.” He spoke firmly.

The little white dragon stepped closer still and Obane allowed a crackle of energy to form between his jaws. The white’s head lifted, but still he stepped closer and lowered himself down to rest his head against the female’s arm. The defiance was like a personal attack against the dragon who let the energy crackle louder before slowly letting it die. The pathetic dragon could do no harm to he or his mate…

“Roume’s stubbornness is rubbing off on you.” He growled.

The white wriggled closer and shifted to settle his head on the female’s shoulder, tucking himself against her body in a display of bravery, “I will not stand to see my clan-mate in pain.”

“She is of the bronze scale, she is not in pain, only stubborn. She takes after her father in every way.” He was reminded of Thelrian, perhaps the only dragon he truly respected. Throughout the years, the darkest times of their kind, he had remained firm in their beliefs. He had stood by tradition.

“He reminds me so much of Roume I find it funny.”

Obane snorted, “Speaking of Roume…” He mused, “I finally recognize you…” Indeed, the familiarity of the white dragon finally sank in, “You saved his life after our battle. You were foolish enough to step between us, to stop our fight before I delivered the final blow…”

The little white dragon seemed to flinch at this, “He was in pain… You would have killed him, and he was only in pain over losing his mate.”

Obane pondered on this. So many years ago, during the plague, many males lost their mates. Many males who had a bond beyond procreation went insane, and Obane had taken it upon himself to put down those who were too far gone to recover. Roume had been among those who had lost his sanity, he had gone feral and sought to test his new supposed strength against the Omega. Obane had been poised to deal the final blow when the fledgling white dragon had rushed onto their battle field and curled himself over the body of the fallen Bronze. Why Obane had not simply slain them both remained to be a mystery, however he wondered now if any of the other slain dragons may have been savable. “We lost so many…” He finally said in a moment of reverie.

“Do not lament what you do not understand.” The bold words took Obane by surprise. He looked down and gave a snort at the little white who continued on, “You did not suffer the pain of losing a mate. An unborn. Did not suffer through watching them slowly waste away. I did not either, but I can see in Roume’s eyes, he is haunted to this day…”

The dragon gave pause to this, “His mate was carrying?”

The smaller nodded slowly, “She got sick during gestation. She struggled, tried to stay alive long enough to give birth. Roume tried to save the egg, but the illness had taken that from him too…”

Obane rumbled softly, “I did not know.”

“He treats this one like the son who was taken from him. Thelrian refuses to cross the ocean, refuses to leave his territory.”

“I can understand his plight, however to leave his offspring away from him at all.” That thought was still confusing to the dragon, though he trusted with wholeheartedness that there was sound reason.

Obane felt the smaller shrug, then curled closer to his mate. “I believe he trusted Roume with this task.”

Another thoughtful rumble, “Perhaps…”

They fell silent after this, no more words needed. Obane listened to the white’s breathing slowly even out, and his mate even appeared to rest easier with the new presence, so he allowed it. Aggravating as he was, the white dragon had a bravery that was beyond what was known of his kin, and he would respect that as a small shred of dignity. He settled himself in once more to guard his mate.

 

#-#-#

Roume came from his den in the early morning and provided Obane with fresh meat, the white dragon left with Roume, and after Obane checked to make sure this was not tampered with as his mate’s had been, he accepted the offering with grace.

When the female awakened it was a gentle stir, a rumbling rouse before her eyes opened, still heavy with sleep, and she stretched where she lay before opening her jaws for a long yawn. Finally she looked up to Obane with consciousness in her eyes and there is no hesitation in the deep, rumbling growl rolling from her throat. She stands with swiftness and pads away.

The mid-morning sun was warm over them both, and despite the lack of sleep Obane is relaxed and at peace. His female glared at him with fire in her eyes, let out a barking roar and backed away further, but Obane could not bring himself to care for her strong will brought him amusement. Few female dragons he had ever known had the ferocity that this one did, and though she would eventually have to learn to be subservient to her mate, the change was refreshing.

Then he saw her form begin to shift and he was already rising to stop her. Her snarl was swift and violent and she lashed out with powerful claws. Obane was forced to back away in reflex, remembering her last angry outburst. As she began to shift again Obane once more stepped closer but saw that it was too late. He let out a panicked sound and was shifted back to flesh far faster than her.

The figure before him was tall and strong, with lightly bronzed skin and a powerful jaw line. The humanoid was decidedly male by human standards, and Obane could not help but notice the penis that hung flaccid between his legs.

Regardless he ran to catch her as her knees gave out to pain, followed by a soft cry. Obane caught her in his arms and gently guided her down to the ground, her upper half resting on his thighs. Her eyes were squeezed closed in obvious pain, the source of which was evident by the swollen abdomen that stuck out abnormally. This was not the doing of his egg within her, but the remainder of the plug her body was still trying to absorb.

“You changed back too soon.” He told her in a voice that was both stern and concerned.

Her eyes opened, brilliant shades of amber that flashed with fire and rage. Fists clenched at her side twitched and before Obane had the sense to react, she turned and made a wild swing that caught his mouth at a downward angle. Obane flinched back and reached up to cover the bleeding, the female getting up while he was distracted to stagger a few steps away.

“Look what you did to me!” He bellowed, voice tinted with panic. One hand was curled around the curve of his stomach, gripping it with pain, “Son of a bitch! I’ll kill you!”

What was intended to be a charge ended up to be a swift waddle towards the stunned dragon; he could see that she was plagued by lances of sharp pain curling up her belly with each stomp. Obane, worried that she would trip and harm herself further, stepped forward to wrap his hand around her elbow…

The sound of a dull thump was realized before the pain, deep throbbing lashes across the side of his face from the claws at the tips of each finger. Still too stunned to react, and afraid that she might harm herself, Obane braced his stance as the female, James, continued her assault, holding firm to Obane’s arm as she readied another strike. He pulled his head back for the second hit and her claws instead fell to his neck and collar bone, tearing deep lashes through flesh and bits of scale.

Her hand raised for a third hit and Obane would take no more. His free hand flashed upwards and grabbed her wrist in an iron hold as he bellowed, “ENOUGH!” The final syllable was tapered in a growling snarl intended to display his dominance and force her to submit, however even as he saw the surprise in her eyes she fought against him and pushed against his own strength. To Obane’s surprise he had to struggle to hold her back, though he knew a female was supposed to take on the rank of her mate the raw power was substantial even for him.

The surprise lasted only a moment before James’ face twisted in a snarl, “No! Not after what you did to me!” The hand on his arm shifted, caught his side and raked a long lash across his ribs. He grabbed that hand as quickly as he could, but James twisted and wrenched back, jerking free of Obane’s hold only to stumble back and half-collapse onto his back.

“Fine then!” She spat, “I can’t kill you, but I’ll rip this out of me!” Obane’s eyes opened wide in shock as the female’s hands made to claw at herself. At what would soon house his offspring.

Obane had never moved so quickly in his life, had never felt such unfaltering fear as he did in that moment. He lunged, and though he could not pin her down in time, he threw himself down and curled his body over her stomach and not even a second later felt the first searing tear rake across his back. This was soon followed by more deep wounds being cut across the expanse of his upper back and shoulders, and though the anger rose he would not act in violence against her.

A yelling voice approached quickly, Obane was able to focus on this as his torn back had gone numb moments before. Roume was running up, along with another male who’s voice he did not recognize. The claws stopped and suddenly James was yelling as well.

“What the fuck happened!? God kid, look what you did to him… Christ… Bane, you alright?” Roume had concern in his voice, but Obane flinched away from the sting of his hand against his torn flesh. “God… Dorn, go get Ytal.”

“You bastard! Why are you concerned for this son of a bitch after what he did to me!” James struggled beneath Obane, but he had no strength to move away for fear of what could happen.

Very slowly though, Obane lifted himself just enough to see the scene around him. Roume knelt beside James, struggling and only just barely able to hold to James’ bloody wrists, and James had spatters of blood across her skin and face, a snarl on her lips, but the fire in her eyes was gone, replaced by tears. Obane focused on this, wondering why she would display such a desperate look in her eyes. Was he truly such an unsatisfying prospect for a mate that she would go to such length to defy him?

More footsteps, running, “Fucking hell!” The shocked voice drew his attention, he glanced to the side and saw the violet who had drawn James’ blood approaching with a leather bag in hand. There was more yelling, but the world was spinning and colors were beginning to blur…

Obane turned back to James, the effort causing his stomach to lurch and make him nauseous, and the look in her eyes was still that of fury. She was without remorse for her actions against him, and he knew that given the chance she would draw more of his blood.

His head suddenly felt heavy…all of him felt so heavy. He felt himself lowering, felt the press of James’ flesh against his cheek. The skin was hot with rage, and consciousness finally failed him with the sound of her racing heart beneath him as the last thing he heard.