Water Touched - A Dragon Tribe Origin

Chapter Twenty-One - Darien

When he stepped into his bedroom, he was petrified by what he saw. Tai slept in the bed, her skin pale and her breathing shallow. The sourness of fear and the mustiness of sickness combined into one disgusting smell. He approached the bed slowly, not wanting to startle her or frighten her worse. She wasn't going to die on him. He would not allow it. She could throw a fit about him invading her space, but if it would keep her alive, he'd do it.

Tai's eyes slowly drifted open as he grew nearer to the bed. "Are you actually there? Or am I hallucinating?"

"I'm here," he whispered, but he wasn't sure if she could hear him. He could barely hear himself. "I came home as soon as Katelyn told me." He paused and knelt down by her bedside. "You look awful."

"Gee," she mumbled with a small grin. "Thanks a lot."

"You know what I mean," he said with a weak smile, then shook his head. "I should have gone with my instincts and waited to make love to you even though you thought you were ready. I should have thought everything through more. I didn't want to do this to you. I didn't want to hurt you. At least if you loved me too, we'd be more prepared. This is all my fault, blindsiding you with everything and—"

"Brought this on myself, remember? I couldn't keep my hands off of you." She chuckled. It would have been a welcome sound if it wasn't so tired. "You've been everything I could ever want in a boyfriend." She swallowed and licked her lips. "In a husband. Don't like how it happened still, but you, personally, aren't the problem. Darien you're—"

He shook his head. "Please don't feel like you owe me some kind of an explanation right now. You don't owe me anything." He reached out to grab her hand, but he hesitated and instead just let it hover over hers. The transition was a huge mystery. His touch had an equally possible chance of making it worse as it did of making it all better. But I won't know if I don't try. I have to.

"You need to focus on resting," he said, and grabbed her hand with his. He felt his magic flow out of him and into her.

She gasped and her eyes closed as if she were in some kind of ecstasy. "Focus? On? What you're doing now? Because it feels...wow."

"Being well," he choked out. He bowed his head low, not even able to look at her face anymore. After a few seconds, he let go of her. The breaths she took were steadier. It was a step. He raised his gaze to her body lying under the thick blanket covers. "Stay with me. I can make you better if you'll let me. I'll make you happy. We don't ever have to be something you don't want to be. Just don't die."

"I don't..." Tai took in a deep, slow, breath. "...want to die."

When he looked up at her face again, he saw tears streaming out of her eyes—what little tears she could muster at least. She was probably dehydrated. Her entire body was shutting down and rejecting the parts of her which made her human, and without his help her body would never recover from them changing to the DNA of the dragon.

"Then I won't let you die." He gave her hand another squeeze and he felt a stronger surge of magic jolt through his body once more. She looked at him with large, hopeful, teary eyes.

"Me. I'm the cure," he explained.

"I don't—" Understand.

He tried to find the words to help so that she could. "They say that when two people, um." He bit his lip. "Make love, they become as one flesh—one spirit. The transition is you becoming like me, becoming one of my kind so we can someday, maybe, have children. Your body is replacing certain DNA blocks with my own so that we're now the same species. You're becoming a dragon. Because you're becoming like me by way of my magic, it will help ease the process along." He waited for some kind of reaction. The only thing he saw was how tired she was. "My brothers always told me their transitions were bad too, maybe even like this, but they said they stayed by their wives' side. I think if there's a way for me to give myself to you, that will help." I hope.

"You mean," she began and once more had to finish through thought. You want to sleep with me again? As much fun as the first time was, can't say I'm in the mood.

This time Darien chuckled. It was all he could do to keep the mood from wallowing in doom and gloom. "However much it takes to make you better, however much you'll allow, that's what I'll give," he whispered. He put his other hand to her cheek and turned her face to look at his own. He felt another burst of magic go into her body. "This is enough. Just tell me I can touch you."

"You already are." She swallowed.

"I need to touch you more. It doesn't have to be like a lover's touch. I'll save you even if you try to push me away, but it'll be easier for us both if you let me." He gazed into her blue eyes, noticing how the light in them was starting to fade. "Please."

Tai's gaze wandered over him for a moment. After a long, and painful, few seconds of silence she finally nodded.

"You can lay by me," she said with a bit more strength. "And you can touch me."

A small sigh of relief escaped his lips, and he eagerly went to the other side of the bed. He crawled in and gazed down at her. "This might seem like a weird request, but can you strip down to as little clothing as you're comfortable with?" He gave her a shy smile, hoping the request didn't freak her out. Then he added quickly, "It doesn't have to be a lot, but skin to skin would be more effective."

"Why do you want to save me so badly?" She sniffled softly. "You've admitted it yourself. I'm not nice to you. This would be an easy way out for both of us."

"I meant it when I said I loved you," he whispered, tenderly brushing her hair from her neck. "Nothing is going to make me stop. Even being mean, which isn't a good reason for anyone to get a death sentence. I don't want you to die any more than you do. I don't want to replace you with anyone else. Only you Tai, you're the only one I want."

Tai frowned as she started to pull open her nightshirt. Darien averted his gaze away, not wanting to be disrespectful. No matter how much he may have wanted to see her body naked, it was definitely not the right time to look. She'd tell him when it was. Then he noticed she had on a tank top underneath her shirt and he exhaled slowly, relieved. He then stripped off his own shirt followed by his jeans, keeping his own clothing to a minimum. Tai was glancing over his body while he changed on the bed, and he could see her cheeks flush along with a rush of different thoughts. Trying to be polite, he blocked them as best as he could and only caught a handful of words. Something told him he'd be blushing too if he knew what it all meant.

"I—"

"Don't say anything," he said, climbing under the covers next to her. He put his arms around her shoulders, pressing her as close to him as he could, then buried his face into her shoulder. Hesitantly, he planted one simple kiss on her skin before closing his eyes. "I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry. Sleep. I won't leave. I promise."

"But I want to tell you in case—"

"There is no in case. You'll be fine now. I promise. I won't let anything happen to you." Darien sighed, feeling tired and drained from the magic pouring out from him. "We can talk in the morning when we both feel better."

"Both?"

"Sleep, Tai. It'll help."