Thirteen

Thirteen - Chapter Four

We played Just Dance for ages. Scarlett was amazing and Candace moved so elegantly it was unbelievable but she only won occasionally. I didn't even match up to their scores but I didn't mind.

    I also noticed that I'd just met Candace and Scarlett and they were already treating me like family; as if we'd known each other forever. I felt like I belonged.

    I was... home.

    When we were swapping the game to Mario Kart after Scarlett got bored Naida came in looking for me. When she saw the Mario Kart menu pop up she got distracted and started paying more attention to the game. She glanced over at Scarlett and smiled sheepishly at the spare Wii remote.

    "Go ahead" Scarlett gestured vaguely, never taking her eyes off the glowing screen. Naida grabbed the remote before anyone could change their mind and started struggling to get it into the wheel. While I watched her I only realize then that she was still in her Water Nymph form and that she barely noticed when Candace looked up and raised an eyebrow. But she was probably only looking at Naida because she was grumbling and growling at the controller not going into the wheel case.

    She finally got it in and jumped about in triumph, making Scarlett giggle at how excited she was. As the game loaded Naida kept jumping all over the place, unable to stop or even sit down. I wasn't sure if she was excited about being able to play with us or about how big the TV was.

    When the character selection finally appeared I had to sit down when they started arguing over which character they were going to be. I 'd already chosen and no one had a problem with me being Toad.

    "Could you please get them to stop arguing?" A deep voice complained from behind the sofa. I didn't want to take my eyes off them in case they started fighting so I turned my head to the side slightly.

    "Nope. They'll be like that until one of them wins. And then the other two will be left to quarrel about the other winning" I sighed. Hot air blew my hair forward as the voice sighed as well.

    I froze. What was behind me?

    Naida heard me gasp quietly and turned around but froze too when she saw whatever was behind me. Scarlett glanced back and rolled her eyes at me.

    "Hey Abraxas" Candace smiled brightly. I slowly turned and covered my mouth to stop myself from screaming when I saw what was freaking Naida out.

    It was huge dragon! It's deep purple head was about the size of half the sofa, its long neck making its head almost hit the ceiling, and it's long lilac body curled around the back of the sofa, twisting at the end and wrapping it's spiked tail around the leg. Its claws were crossed at its chest, sharp and pointed enough that just looking at them made me feel intimidated, and its gigantic faded blue and violet ragged wings were tucked safely away, the tips also having sharp talons on them.

    I fell very unladylike off the sofa backwards onto the floor, my legs dangling on the cushion, from the shock of seeing a dragon just sat behind me so causally. I heard Scarlett giggle.

    "Dani, this is Abraxas. Abraxas, Dani," She paused for a moment before adding, "She's new" Abraxas nodded his head and lowered it to the floor, a thin trail of smoke spewing out of his nostrils as he sighed contently. I scrambled onto the sofa and sat cautiously. Scarlett, Candace and Naida went back to arguing, though Naida kept taking nervous glances in my direction.

    I heard Abraxas lift his head and held my breath. "Why are you scared?" His wise voice emerged from behind me and it took everything I had not to stiffen up. I slowly moved myself round to face him and raised an eyebrow.