The Mates of Dragons

One Moment Without Pain

"He's a dull human, let him be for now." He said and the dragon turned and scampered up the man's arm to sit on his shoulder and glared down at the two of them.

"I see that you have traded down and work with demons now instead of just humans." Kendra narrowed her eyes at his observation.

"I had nothing to do with that. They brought him on and I refuse to work with him." Kendra said defensively. He could think what he wanted, it didn't even really register that she should be doing something. She felt angered at the personal attack, who was this man that he kept doing this to her? He didn't really know her.

"Whatever you say, human lover." he looked down at Derrick. "Your heart is beating very fast. I would calm it or you might damage it." Clearly making a jab at them both.

"Sorry, this isn't my normal situation." Derrick said. Kendra was right, you could feel the power around this man, like a moving thing. It wasn't just that he was powerful, it was like energy or power if you would, was just flowing around him. He didn't get that with the dragon, he felt like the physical power instead.

"You surround yourself with weak humans. Does it make you feel better about yourself?" He asked Kendra. Where did he get of judging her and why suddenly did his opinion feel like it mattered.

"What's it to you, you and your dragon there isolate yourselves in a cave. What do you care whom I or others mingle with?"

"Because you could pick much better things. At least the others that I talk to are proud of what they are, they don't wish they were human. I don't think that you are such a lost cause yet, you have great potential I see it. I don't wish to be rid of races." Xerxes glanced toward the doors. Well he really hoped because since talking to her the last time he had this desire to see her again. He felt antsy and he tried hard to hide it from Zani. Though the past day Zani was starting to question him.

'I think you're lost, like you said. Human lover.'

"I am not a human lover!" She shouted gripping the edge of the table, one fist hitting it. Her eyes flashed a brighter blue for a moment. Derrick was taken aback by her shout and the two of them seemed a bit startled for a moment and the man gave a smile. Like he was incredibly happy to hear that.

"See, she is still salvageable. It would be a shame to lose you to the humans," His eyes moved to Derrick, "When we would make a place for ourselves in the world."

"If you want a place, why don't you try to come to some kind of agreement with us then?" Derrick asked. The dragon snapped his jaws together, and a bit of a blue spark showed. Though Xerxes was looking back at Kendra. He just could not help looking at her, each meeting made it worse.

'Liars, cheats, you kill your own kind for the fun of it, and toss mates aside like trash. No deal can be made with ones such as you.' The dragon had actually grown a bit in size and had a clawed hand digging into the man's chest as it leaned down and toward Derrick a bit.

The man reached up and touched the dragon's back and seemed to say something privately to him. Kendra felt the anguish that ran through the dragon a moment later, and then replaced by anger. She actually moved toward it needing to touch it, to soothe that anger and pain. She felt it like her own and her throat closed a bit. Her curse or gift depending on how you looked at it. Kendra stopped reaching as she figured it would not be well received. It looked at her hand and then hopped down and moved over to sit in front of her again. Kendra wasn't sure what he was doing.

'Please take it away. You said it is what you do, what drives you at times. She was shocked that he knew, that he would ask. Then again when she'd touched this man... this dragon had to be the other presence. Clearly they were connected and he knew her ability to soothe and take away emotional pain.

'Zani'. Xerxes said solely to him via mind 'it doesn't work like that.' Zani was still not fully back to normal after last week. He was hurting and it grew worse, he knew that this female might be able to take it away for a moment.

'I know, I just want for a bit. I was okay until a few minutes ago.' Xerxes looked toward the front of the store. No one had noticed them yet, and the old man and waiter were still talking. He looked back and down at Zani who let the woman touch him. They were just giving a final warning, but once more this woman seemed to draw them.

She would be the first person that he let touch him besides Xerxes, or Demetri and it said a lot of the turmoil going inside of him. Xerxes felt the instant relief for his own. It was like a weight had been lifted off his chest and Zani was so relieved to have the pain leave him as well he nearly fell off the table trying to get closer to her. She was kind with her touch, gentle and Xerxes could see her eyes water with tears taking the pain on for Zani. She was special wasn't she? What a desirable female.

'Bless the stars it feels so much better. I can focus.' He said and jerked away from her a moment later moving back onto Xerxes shoulder and wrapped his tail loosely around his neck.

"Why would you be in such..." She glanced at Derrick. He just made a gesture for her to go on.

"Seriously, mouth sealed. I like my limbs were they are, and my throat to stay intact. I'm listening to the warning really really strongly.." Besides the two of them were no match for these two anyways, what was the point of even trying something?

"Such heartache." Kendra felt choked with it when she'd touched him. She got the impression that he was waiting for something that would never come. Like someone watching a loved one waste away to nothing and being unable to do anything about it.

"We are the last as I'm sure you already know." The man said and looked at Derrick. "Humans took everything from us, so it's our turn to return the favor." He looked back at Kendra. "We simply came to make sure you knew that the moment they make a move on us we will consider it war and remove them. Humans will never change." With that he turned and moved to the side door and went out of it.

"That was quite possibly the most nerve racking thing I have ever dealt with." Derrick said using a napkin to wipe the blood from his chin and neck. "Was waiting to get severely owned right there."

"I think that was the point, he was making." Kendra said moving to get up. "They could have, and they didn't. They also know about the demon that we have." Kendra's heart was racing, he was leaving again. No, he couldn't leave yet. She needed to follow him for some unknown reason.

"Yeah and he didn't seem too worried about it." He said. "Do you think he knows what can happen?"

"If not, it's a bonus for humans. If he does then I'm sure he already knows how to combat it and then they are shit out of luck."

"You're saying they."

"Yeah?" She said glancing at him.

"Are you seeing humans as different?" She was quiet a moment, as they moved to leave.

"Shouldn't I? They don't see me the same. Riley simply shouted at me for being in the way. He never apologized for it."

"He said you jumped in front of the arrow..." She turned and shoved him angry. He was caught off guard and stumbled back.

"He shot me!" Kendra shouted. "It fucking hurt and just because I wasn't going to die didn't mean I was fine! I'm not a fucking pin cushion! Why is that the first concern? That I defended something, that it was my fault! That Riley was with in his right to shoot me Derrick!" She said and turned storming to the door leaving Derrick standing there looking upset and he gave the waiter payment and followed her out.

"Kendra!" He called and regretted his words. He did not mean it that way. He never wanted to see her hurt. He cared about her greatly. Derrick felt he should apologize and tried to catch up to her.