She’s been gone too long. She is ours. Not theirs. Not theirs. They can’t keep her. Bring her home. Bring her home!
He hadn’t stopped all day, pacing in my head. Screaming. Always fucking screaming. I thought I was sitting but when I finally opened my eyes, my movements were much like his in my head. He had been on edge for the past week. Audrey was in second grade and going on her first field trip, which she had told us about a week ago. I didn’t like the idea of her going but she was so happy. She looked so happy.
Why the hell would they be doing to make her so happy? I can make her happy, she is ours. She is mine. She needs to know that I am the only one who matters. I am her family. HER ONLY FAMILY.
When he screamed in my head I flinched. I couldn’t take it anymore—he was too loud, crowding me. My space felt too small. I felt like my mind was always ready to explode. He was pushing, and I couldn’t control him anymore. Holding him back was too much.
You’ve ruined everything. We have lost our only family. He loved us, Coy loved us, Audrey loved us. They all left you, they all left. She can’t leave us. I can’t lose her. I won’t.
He broke free.
●●●
Dragon
Audrey returned home late that night. Another parent had offered to drop her off since they were coming this way. I didn’t readily accept but she had looked so hopeful, he had allowed it. I didn’t want to allow it.
I twitched my head. He was fighting for control again. I couldn’t let him have control. Not yet. He didn’t know how to control her. She was ours and I wouldn’t let anyone take her away from me. Never again. When she bounded over to me I opened my arms and caught her. I hugged her tight and she gasped and tried to wiggle out of my hold. I couldn’t have that. I pulled her away a little and growled. She stopped her struggles.
“How was your day?” I asked. My voice rasped; it was different than his. She knew this. And she looked at me with those intelligent eyes.
“I met a new friend! We were buddies all day. He said that he wants to have me over sometime, Dada.” Her eyes were wide with excitement and I was sure if she was on the ground she would be bouncing up and down. My skin crawled, anger making my blood boil. I growled at the thought of her leaving us. She is mine.
I had to make it known that she was mine.
I was helpless before. I watched as they destroyed my mother and my father. I watched everyone take what belongs to me. I watched as Drake pushed away our mate. I watched as she died, in our arms. I would not allow my only treasure left be taken from me. I would not lose her.
She came home smiling. Her little face lit up with the excitement of a new adventure. She spoke of a boy. Mine. I could smell others on her. I could smell her body tainted by their scents. She was all I had. I would not give her up. Mine.
I had to mark her. I had to make sure everyone knew. They would not steal something that belonged to me. I had to brand her. I had to keep her safe. I would. My child. My treasure. Mine.
Treasure I had hoarded over the years in the past I would lay upon, my blood had been poured onto it, it kept other paranormals away. Coy I had marked with my scent through mating. There was only one way to brand the child as mine. Mine forever.
I pulled Audrey into the kitchen. I set her on the table and stood in front of her. I waited until she looked up at me. She was still smiling, her eyes wide and bright. I could feel Drake in the back of our head. How he was fighting my control. Too long had he allowed me to be free, only to endure our suffering. Too long had I not had control over what needed to be done. He would not stop me this time.
He would not interfere. This time I would make things right. I would make sure nothing would ever go astray again. I half shifted our arm, I looked down at the scaled, claw tipped arm. I looked to our daughter. Her Dragon was there, buried deep, so I knew this would never kill our child. Just enough to brand her. No one would ever mistake her for anything other than mine.
“Be brave, my little treasure.” I moved quickly, raking my claws down the left side of her face. The blood flowed under my claws, warming them. I could see the muscle tear, and sickly sweet sound of skin ripping open. It reminded me of the kill. Oh how I relished those days. The ones where I savored the deaths of my enemies. But she was not my enemy. I pulled back looking at her. The blood coated her face. She had let out a bloodcurdling scream, and now she slumped forward unconscious from the pain. I tipped her back and laid her on the table. I looked at the damage that was done. Three slashes length from forehead to chin, the fourth was a little smaller. I could see the muscles starting to stitch back together. She would take longer to heal, but her Dragon was closer to the surface now. I could feel her.
None would mistake her for anything but mine now. I released my hold on Drake. He would see what I had done. He would thank me in the future. For now he might hate me, but this was for the best. She was marked. She was ours for life. Nothing could take my treasure away.
●●●
All I remember from that night was that blood coated my hands. I felt so violently sick that I couldn’t bring myself to even look in her room. She healed faster than humans, but she was only a child and wouldn’t heal as fast as I could. That night I ripped my back trying to rip out his wings. He should have something taken away from him that was precious. He had destroyed her. When I went into her room I couldn’t look at her straight. I did my best to patch her up, she was still passed out and I hoped like hell she would stay that way until I found her pain medicine.
I went to the nearest hospital I could find, hoping it was a paranormal-friendly hospital. Arriving at the front counter I scented the air; my knees almost gave out in relief. The receptionist was a vampire and she was staring at me sort of strange. I didn’t have time to explain, though. I asked for what I needed. She didn’t ask questions and went to retrieve what I needed.
The vampire returned in record time. She handed me two bottles and explained to me how much I should be using. When I asked her the amounts for a child, her eyes shot to mine. I almost let out a growl but she looked around and told me. I could barely focus, but I did get the information I needed. I headed back toward the exit. I saw a small gift shop, there was nothing in there that could ever make up for the deeds of my Dragon but I had to do something to make her feel better. I grabbed a black dragon stuffed animal, knowing that she may never love my other form ever again, but she used to. I remembered the smile that spread across her face the day I told her I would take her to the meadow.
And he ruined it.
I shook off his thoughts, I couldn’t let him consume me again. I was breathing hard trying to keep him under control. I breathed in. I needed to get home. I had to get back to Audrey. I grabbed the stuffed animal and paid as quickly as I could and headed home.
When I arrived home, Audrey was still asleep so I tucked the Dragon under her arm and kissed her uncovered forehead. I looked at the bandage. My stomach dropped to my toes. I had lived through years of torture, had seen things and done things that should have sickened me to my core, but nothing, nothing made me feel as sick as this.
I should take her to Xavier. He would be able to keep her safe and he would protect her. He would never have allowed this to happen. He loved her. I felt my entire body slump as I sat next to her bed.
I had done this to her. My child. I had to do what was best for her. The best thing to do for her was to place her with the person I knew who would keep her the safest.
You’d take her away from me? You would let her go? She is ours. OURS.
The pounding in my head exploded as he broke through any wall I had ever placed between us. He took complete control, shoving me back. He checked over Audrey once more before taking us out of the room.
The next few days he and I fought, Audrey woke three times, once a day; each time she refused to eat, but she drank and took the pills. She clutched tighter and tighter to that doll. My Dragon and I fought nonstop. In the end, he won. He was right—Xavier had willingly left Audrey behind, and he wouldn’t know how to take care of my child. No one would be able to take care of my child.