Dragon Bonded

A brutal scene with a glimpse of innocence attracts the flying beast from overhead. Blood, limbs, and carnage are everywhere painting the forests red instead of green. Precise vision from the winged creature tracks movement of a small human figure. The youth cries and wails as if in pain but no injury seems apparent. The dragon, beautiful and strong, continues to survey the scene. What happened here? It looks like a battle ground but yet everyone is dead and only a mere child remains. The body count is high and two humans lay at the feet of the small toddler as it continues to scream and cry as if injured. The dragon sits and observes using its cloaking abilities to stay out of sight. Human eyes can not see the trick of light that dragons have used for ions to stay hidden from this world. They do in fact still exist but few are aware. We stay hidden and to the few places on Earth that still remain light in human populations. We rarely trust those human creatures, they have betrayed us too many times and lessened our numbers to mere handfuls spread throughout the world.

The dragon can’t seem to break itself from the scene, maybe because of curiosity or perhaps because of the sadness the child exudes. The dragon sits and watches for hours until nightfall comes. In the night the toddler curls up next to the dead and falls asleep. The dragon remembers a time when its own young lived but couldn’t figure out how to protect itself and was lost to this world. A beast smelling the blood comes near and without thought the dragon eats it. Nothing more will happen to this young human. The dragon has decided to bond with the child. This hasn’t happened in hundreds of years and even the dragon can not recall when the last time it happened. The child already has an open wound from rolling over a stick so the dragon takes in a drop of the child’s blood. Next, the dragon takes its talon and pierces its own skin. Ever so gently the dragon places the drops of blood on the toddlers sleeping lips and says the words in a language that no mortal can understand. Immediately a mark looking like a tattoo appears on the child’s skin just below the ankle showing fire, water, air, and earth. This is a good omen the dragon thinks to herself. She quickly casts an enchantment to hide the mark. This mark is the only spot that can be used to kill a dragon bonded. Only those that know the spot will be able to enact a final death. The two are now bonded for life. The dragon has accepted the child as her own, the greatest gift that a dragon can bestow upon another. It comes with great power but as with all power there is a cost for both the dragon and the child.

“Mom, where are you? I’m hungry. Something is wrong though some of my teeth are pointed and I don’t know how that happened.” Kayda says from the back of the cave they are calling home. She is now a child of around 10, dragons don’t keep time like humans because they live millennia, time is irrelevant to a dragon who has surpassed 5000 years. The cave isn’t just any cave it is one of the many safe havens the Dragon Chumana has carved over the ions. The walls are lined with gold that shimmer when the moonlight enters. It looks more like royalty’s home than what you would expect of the dragon. Chairs lined with jewels, a roaring fire, and perfectly placed treasures are seen everywhere. Chumana enters the room with the child. “Kayda, you are now old enough to learn how to hunt for yourself. You must listen to instruction and pay close attention to details if you are to flourish. You are a dragon bonded child and in order to sustain yourself you must feed on blood once per year. Blood is a life force and essential to our diet. When your body is in need of blood your fangs will appear. Do not worry they will retreat as soon as you have given your body what it needs.

Kayda, thinks for a moment then asks “Am I a vampire? One of the books in the library talked about them. I don’t want to be undead and avoid the sun. OMG, I’m a blood sucker, see I know something is wrong with me, is my skin going to get all pasty now? I love garlic. It's like the greatest smell ever. Oh no this is terrible I’m a blood sucking vampire. Soon I’ll be staked through the heart and people will be coming with pitchforks. The child began throwing a tantrum in panic. “Enough, '' echoed Chumana’s voice. Vampires are myths but their stories do come from what you are. The story of vampires comes from those who are ignorant of dragon bonded children. Humans always have to fill in the blanks of what they do not know. You require blood and I will teach you to only take just what you need”.

“Listen carefully, when you drink it is only a few drops. The donor never has complications if you do it correctly. If you take too much you will retain your donors memories. If you take even more you will gain power and if you take it all you will gain even more power but at the cost of darkness on your soul. It will taint you and create a monster who will never be sustained. Hundreds of years ago our numbers were great but we created our bonded children. Some did not listen to the rules. Some wanted power and greed at any cost. This is where the legend of vampires comes from. As they became more greedy they lost their souls. This was a dark time for man as well as dragon. Man began hunting dragons in large numbers. We made a pact with the magic users to cloak our havens and convince mankind we were no more but at the cost of all dragon bonded, who met their end as did their makers. Our lives are intertwined within our bond. This is what allows you to have access to my power that you will learn to use over the centuries”.

“I am a rare dragon, my grandfather was an earth dragon controlling the land, an art lost to my kind. My grandmother was a water dragon controlling the elements of water, which is why you never have to come up for air when we visit the ocean. My mother was an air dragon which to most of my kind is unsubstantial since we almost all can fly anyway and my father was a fire dragon. Most dragons do not breed outside of their element but my mother was a rebel due to so many seeing her insignificant with an air element. I have control of all 4 elements and all these elements were passed to me, which I gave to you, my daughter. I never thought I would create a dragon bonded but I became your mother in the woods against our laws but I knew that day you were my child.

My family was put down due to the hearts of the children they created. We lost many when bonded children roamed the earth in numbers. Our hearts were filled with sadness over the loss of our own. Together we formed a great council that meets every 1000 years, we then forbad the dragon bonded from creation. Dragons don’t have real laws, we live alone or in small isolated groups but this law has been followed until the day I became a mother the moment I saw your tiny face and thus my material instincts went above the law. Let us go hunt now. I will teach you more as you grow and you will know our ways”. Another 5 years passes with minimal incidents and a few accidents during feedings, nothing damaging.

Chumana awakens her daughter in the middle of the night as walls shake and shutter. She has reached somewhere around a decade and a half. She will not risk her child in a fight, their only choice is to run. Chumana has amassed several safe havens over her years so this place is of no value, but they must escape. If the other dragons found out about Kayda they would kill her and thus kill her child. “Child, grab what is necessary we must leave now”. The walls shake and Kayda begins to cry. “We don’t have time for human fears, pull out your dragon heart. They have come, the dragon guards. Your last flying trip probably made them investigate but so far they have no proof. We need to move now”. Kayda stops crying while Chumana uses her earth powers. She digs a new tunnel for their escape and while they are inside collapses their old home. “I will always keep you safe, my daughter, you are my everything and I will give my last breath for you”. The two escape as dragons enter what looks like an abandoned dragon haven. Earth dragons are extinct so they will never know of their escape but they can not return to their home and must go to another safe haven. Chumana has decided that she has not seen her home in the Americas in centuries so this may be a time for the distance that home provides.

Kayda felt her fangs in her mouth as she woke. Ugh! Another year has passed making her somewhere in her early 20’s now. Her mother has taught her how to use the elements but she is far from a master. Kayda is very good at water and air elements but fire and earth come when her emotions are high and out of control. Kayda has very little engagement with humans unless it’s time to feed. Most of Kayda’s knowledge comes from mistakes where she took too much blood and retained the memories of donors. She has never killed a donor, that would make her a monster but she did twice take too much and was plagued with dreams of a human life. A human life that made her fearful but at the same time intrigued her. After the first incident where she took too much she learned about birthdays. Kayda decided that every year when her fangs grew was her birthday. Dragons don’t have to feed but once every 1000 years but as a bonded child she was forced to seek blood every year. Her mother was sleeping, getting extra rest before a trip to see the council. At this point she was able to hunt for herself so she decided not to wake her mother before she went to find some blood.

Town was both frightening and exhilarating. People walking the streets, shops open for what humans call business. People moving and trying to get places as fast as they could without even stopping to appreciate the brilliant sun that shines down. A woman walks by and scoffs at Kayda’s dress. Kayda took it from the treasure room figuring it would do but apparently not. Luckily humans love gold so she had enough to stop in and find something a bit more appropriate at one of the shops. When she enters the shop the saleswoman glares at her “do you belong in here? I think maybe you need to go to the budget bin down the street for clothes.” says the woman behind the counter. Kayda shows a gold piece and the woman laughs “honey if you don’t have cash or credit you can get out of my store right now until you find an exchange office”. Kayda decides that this woman is not worth the effort and retreats from the store to find an exchange office. There she gives her gold and gets worthless paper, strange that paper is worth more than gold but Kayda goes on about her day.

Kayda does in fact go to the budget bin. Inside are lots of styles and fabrics. A young girl who looks like she’s Kayda’s age smiles and asks to help her. The girl helps Kayda with several different outfits and things that fit into this world. “There, I think you now have a full wardrobe and great savings.” Kayda hands the girl more money than the clothes are worth. The salesperson hands her back more paper and coins that are made from copper and nickel. “My name is Mariah, there’s a party here tonight for an opening promotion. I hope you come, I’m new in town and would love to have someone to talk to”. Kayda has read about the word friend before and wondered what it would be like to have one. “Okay, how do I know when to come?” The girl hands her a watch and says “this is free with your purchase, come when it says 8:00. It’ll be fun, wear the blue dress you just bought with the heeled shoes”. Kayda agrees and walks out of the store. Kayda isn’t looking where she is going and walks right into a man on the street.

Eyes lock between Kayda and the man outside the door. Scenes pass in Kayda’s mind and the man also seems to be having the same experience. Time seems to sit still as memories are passed between the two. A family with love, brothers and celebrations are seen in Kayda’s mind. An explosion on a boat where the man before her was thrown into the water is seen. Death to all those on the boat circles this man's essence creating a sadness that oozes into his soul. Kayda remembers her parents being torn limb from limb. A dragon memory trait, where the young never really lose their memories. She doesn’t know why they were killed but remembers the scene and remembers the love she felt. Her heart breaks for this man. His heart knows the same pain of loss. At that moment she reaches up and kisses him. He deepens the kiss, which causes her fangs to pierce her own lip. With the taste of blood in her mouth she breaks the kiss. They continue to stare at each other without a word until the man whispers the word “dragon”. Fear overtakes Kayda. She must get away; she can’t have anyone know about her or her mother, it would be a death sentence. Kayda runs while the man chases her but she is an element user, he will never catch her. Kayda reaches her home and decides that it is best to not tell her mother. She doesn’t want to move again, she likes America but her heart feels weighed down and for some reason she is sad that the man didn’t catch her.

Andrei couldn’t catch the girl he bumped into on the street. Andrei had always been the fastest and most agile person around so it made no sense. Andrei had a heritage that few knew about. His mother was a dragon bonded who passed some of her traits on to him. His life was long lived. He had been on this earth for over 200 years changing his identity and moving throughout the human world. His mother outlived his human father of course but did not outlive the dragon killing 100 years ago. All those that created a dragon bonded were killed. Dragon bonded children were seen as a threat because of the damage most had created so all dragons with created children were killed, thus ending their child’s life as well. His mother died in front of his eyes. The rest of his family tried to bond with him from his father’s side. Great, great, great grandparents stepped in as his primary family but unfortunately on a boating trip over 50 years ago something happened to the boiler room that caused an explosion killing everyone he considered family. Since then Andrei had turned off his feelings and basically was living a life of surface level enjoyment not sure what he was waiting for.

What was it that happened between him and that girl on the street? This is the first time in over a century he had been intrigued with something. Andrei decided to go into the store the girl was leaving and try to find some clues to the girl’s identity. Once inside he sees a single salesperson and asks “did you help a girl in here earlier with brown skin, hazel eyes, and streaks of purple in her hair”? “Yes, why is something the matter?” Andrei doesn’t want to upset the salesperson so he tells her she dropped her wallet and he wants to return it to her. The salesperson explains that she’ll be at the party tonight. The pit of Andrei's stomach turns, what is this, excitement? Andrei hasn’t known excitement since his family died all those years ago. He has led an empty life trying to find some semblance of happiness but this, it feels like he’s happy. Excitement over seeing her again tonight awakens something he thought long dead inside him, hope.

Kayda’s fangs are still out, she needs blood within the next day or two or she’ll get sloppy and seek out any source. She decides going to the party tonight is her best bet to get a couple drops off from one of the humans there. Kayda is also excited about seeing her new friend and hopes that the two of them can talk. It’d be nice to learn more about humans, Kayda has been raised as a dragon with few others around her besides those her mother trusts. Her mother has told her humans are not to be trusted at all and has kept her away from anyone but dragon kind that can keep their secret. Tonight Kayda was going to have a human’s night out. Her mother was going to the dragon council meeting in Asia and wouldn’t be back for a few weeks. She knew she could try out this new human lifestyle and maybe learn a few things about what it was like to be a human. In the back of her mind Kayda thought about the man with piercing green eyes. He looked into her soul and she did his. Not sure what to call the feeling she sat in awe wondering if she would ever see him again.

Andrei arrived early to the party, he hadn’t arrived early to anything in at least 50 years so it was a shock that the doors were still locked. He was anxious and unsure what to do with all the nervous energy but sat and waited until the doors opened. Inside he didn’t see her and figured he just had to wait and hope that she would walk through the door. He planted himself at a seat within clear line of sight to the door and ordered a triple shot of bourbon to ease his nerves. After an hour of waiting in, she walked. She fidgeted and seemed so out of place but still remained the most beautiful thing he’d ever laid eyes on in his centuries of life. He decided to sit back and watch her because he knew his approach would be over anxious and clumsy.

I wore the blue dress with hints of purple because it accented my hair. People think it’s a dye job in the human world but it’s actually a symbol that I hold all 4 elements at my command. My eyes also have hints of purple around the brown but it’s subtle and I don’t get around people much for them to really look at me too many times to notice. The heeled shoes are pretty and because of my agility it’s not an issue to walk around in these things humans call stilettos. My feeding is on my mind. It’s starting to become a problem as I see veins pulsing in the humans around me. I’m looking around to find a donor, someone who can give a few drops and blame their absence of mind on the alcohol. But as I scan the room, my eyes lock on him. There he is the man from earlier. The man I wanted to see and at the same time didn’t want to see. Who is he? What is this draw to him? Is this a human thing that I just don’t understand being raised by a dragon?

Andrei saw her eyes lock on him and knew it wasn’t just him that felt the connection. He slowly got up and walked over to her. She seemed stuck in her spot staring at him and he couldn’t do anything but make a straight path towards her. Once he was in front of her their eyes met and words seemed to pass between them. She had a need, she was in pain. He didn’t understand what it was but he would give her his soul at this moment. He pulled her to the side behind a dressing room curtain and said take whatever you need from me. Her fangs pierced his skin and she pulled blood from his veins. Past a couple of drops she kept going and couldn’t seem to stop. Suddenly she got ahold of herself and heard his heartbeat slow. He was almost unconscious. She knew her blood had many properties, so her mother told her to protect it. She hoped healing was one of them and punctured her wrist. She placed a few drops of blood on his lips. He took in what she had offered. His breathing returned to normal as did his color. Kayda knew he’d be okay but she had to leave. She made sure he was comfortable and left the party to retreat to her home. She would have liked more time with him but really after attacking and almost draining him of blood what hopes did she have at another meeting.

Andrei dreamt of a small child in the woods crying in a horrific display of death. A dragon saving the child and taking it on as its own. Andrei saw teachings of how to use elements and fast escapes with terror he knew not his own. He saw a longing to learn what being human was but a constant to know what it meant to be a dragon. He dreamt of solitude and isolation as well as dreams of friendship and longing to be a part of something more. Andrei dreamt of a narrowing escape with dragons close behind. He woke up thinking he was escaping the dragons from his dreams so he shot fire from his hands, something he had never done before. He had heard it was possible for the dragon bonded but that was his mother. He was given a long life, agility, and quick healing from her but none of her elemental gifts were passed on. This was something new, this was something that the girl from last night had to have passed on. He quickly put out the fire and went to his home so he could figure out his next move.

Kayda’s mother sent her a message that she was going to be gone another month. The council had information that a dragon bonded was still around and she needed to stay to help them (or in reality deter them) in finding the dragon bonded. Kayda really needed to talk to her mother and figure out what was going on. She was coming out of her skin wanting to be next to a man she barely knew but at the same time seemed to have access to every memory. What to do next she had to decide for herself and without her mother’s council. Kayda decided the logical thing to do was to go to the library in the haven. Her mother kept many ancient texts in the treasure room. Dragons rarely let anyone enter but Kayda was of course allowed access to all her mother had. She searched the books for days, reading about histories of dragon bonded children. Kayda stumbled upon a text that talks about mates. After reading she learns that dragon bonded children also have mates. One true person who is meant to share all that they are. Reading more she knows that this person has to be the man from the store. She continues to look through the archives with images of all dragon bonded children from centuries ago until she came across someone she knew from “his” memories. Thirza Solomon, dragon bonded child of Opakaiva. The text read that the woman was sentenced to death with all dragon bonded due to the pact agreement. The woman left behind a family that was not considered a threat because they were not bonded. The children would most likely live an extremely long life but without the bond of a dragon they would not have access to the elemental magic. The entry was from almost 200 years ago and if she hadn’t seen this woman in her mind from “his” memories she wouldn’t have believed it was his mother. Now she knew she needed to find him, she couldn’t keep herself away and decided to set out back to the store, the only place she could look.

At the store Kayda’s new friend is working so she decides to hang out at the store and talk to the girl in between customers. She helps Mariah put away merchandise and do something called price checks. The store is closing soon and Kayda has lost hope to see him today until the bell rings on the door. Before she looks up she feels him enter the room. When their eyes lock it’s like a feeling of home. “Um the store is closing so I’m going to have to ask you to come back tomorrow” Mariah says breaking the silence. Kayda speaks before even thinking “will you come with me to my home?” Andrei can only nod he has this feeling of being at peace and extreme elation to even begin to talk. The two begin to walk until Kayda takes his hand and says “I’m going to need you to trust me”. A moment later Andrei’s feet leave the ground. Fear overtakes him but when he looks at her, he knows he is safe, he knows he is home. The two make it back to Kayda’s home.

Inside the two stare at each other and suddenly they are no longer staring. Andrei grabs Kayda by the back of the head and presses her to him. He kisses her deeply and she lets out a sigh of relief and passion. Somehow clothes are no longer between them and Kayda feels a need to have this man inside her. Andrei is worried about her lack of human knowledge and takes things very slowly. He uses everything he’s learned over the last 200 years to make sure she is ready for this moment. As he’s trying to go slow Kayda reaches down and pushes him inside her. So much for going slow, she seems more animalistic right now than human. She claws at his back and then her fangs grow and she pierces his neck. At that moment Andrei is undone with pain and pleasure. He finishes with spasms as Kayda’s own body spasms against his. They both lay there until the walls begin to shake. Quickly they both get up and get dressed. Kayda has had this happen a handful of times and knows it has to be the dragons. They have to leave. Before she can figure out a plan a hole in the wall is open and talons reach in to grab her. She screams as she is pulled away from Andrei and taken by the dragon to what will most likely be her death and the death of her mother.