Never wake a Dragon (on hold)

9. part III - dreams

The old castle loomed above them in the fading darkness, four stories high and decorated with details of 15th century architecture. He knew some parts of the castle dated back to medieval times, but it had been refurbished to accommodate the then rapidly growing coven. Most of the many windows were dark, announcing that dawn was fast approaching.

Gravel crunched beneath Nev's shoes until he ran up the steps, only halting to look over his shoulder. "I think they're all asleep. You won't have to meet anyone until tonight."

Adeem nodded, adjusting his backpack even though he would remove it soon enough. "Let's get inside." He didn't want a chance to change his mind.

The hinges whined as Nev opened the heavy door, its sound shivering down Adeem's spine. He'd never been inside the castle, and if given a choice, he would never have entered. Vampires were pretentious creatures, cold and proud with little patience for those they deemed beneath them. Nev was the exception from the rule.

He had expected someone to stand behind that door, ready with a message that the coven had changed their minds about him, but the hallway echoed with emptiness. The whitewashed stone walls were barren all the way to the stairs that led up to the second floor. It felt like walking into a tomb although they were still above ground.

Nev waved for him to follow, thankfully keeping silent. He would rather their entry remained a secret for now. Up they went, treading carefully on the stone steps until they reached the third landing. The air smelled of lilies and blood, a combination that reminded him too much of death.

"My room is at the end," Nev said, walking past a row of lit candles and closed doors. Adeem imagined a sleeping vampire behind each one, counting in his head until Nev suddenly stopped. There had to be at least ten rooms in this part of the castle alone. Ten vampires sleeping right next to them.

Nev searched his pockets and found an old-fashioned key, smiling tiredly while unlocking the door. The room seemed devoid of any kind of personality, empty apart from a desk and a narrow bed.

"I'm sure we can find another mattress for tomorrow," Nev said, looking unsure.

"It's okay." It was uncertain what he thought was okay. He doubted he'd get much sleep on the floor. The room didn't even have a carpet.

Nev began to unlace his boots, avoiding the slight awkwardness until he no longer had a choice, standing straight with a frown on his forehead. "Ehm. So I guess we can both sleep on the bed."

"Alright." The options were limited after all. He doubted Nev had ever slept close to anyone since his transition. Hopefully, Nev wouldn't blast him with an attack while asleep if he happened to get in contact with the vampire's skin.

He dropped his backpack in a corner, allowing Nev a moment of privacy while he rummaged through his things looking for nothing in particular. A toothbrush perhaps. The process had taken no more than a few minutes, but when he turned around, Nev had fallen asleep beneath the cover, more or less hugging the wall.

Taking his sweet time, he brushed his teeth inside the miniature bathroom and tried to come to terms with the situation of his new accommodation and everything else. Too much had happened since Kyung had taken over from Kellerman, but he had a feeling they all stood at a crossroads, about to begin their journey into the unknown. He snorted, regretting it instantly as toothpaste bubbled up far too close to his nose. It took several rounds of rinsing until he felt comfortable enough to approach the bed. Nev slept soundly, even letting out soft snores.

Keeping his clothes on, he settled on top of the cover beside his friend and kept still, staring up at the plain ceiling. Exhaustion hovered close, but he worried that he'd stay awake for hours to come. There was too much to think about, too many potential pitfalls to explore. Having Astrid on their side was one thing, but so far she'd been difficult to trust. After the incident in the dungeon, he trusted her even less. She'd been cornered and attacked, but he was fairly certain she'd wanted to kill him. That was a bad way to build trust. Kyung was another wild card, a powerful one. Although he'd been able to fight back during the night, he couldn't be sure it would work a second time. He'd taken the dragon by surprise.

Nev stirred beside him, turning around in his sleep. They ended up cuddled close, and he didn't have the heart to scoot away. Perhaps they needed proximity for a while. The vampire had deep shadows beneath his eyes, exacerbated by smudged eyeliner. Nev must have been too tired to mind the mess.

* * * *

"Hello son."

Adeem sat up straight in the bed, numb and disjointed as if he'd been submerged in slick layers of oil. His mother smiled from where she stood at the center of the room, her arms crossed. He remembered the sensation too well, the inability to move at will. She had him in her clutches, asserting her control like she'd done in the past.

She pulled him closer with a move of her finger. "You've grown up, but you'll always be my son." Her voice sickly sweet. "I thought it's time to have a little talk."

His jaw moved, his tongue formed words. "Sure, Mom." He walked to her side, turning toward the bed only to see Nev's sleeping form. Nev. He should never have stayed in the city. He should have left when he'd still had the time to at least save Nev from his parents' wrath.

"You seem to like the vampire."

He struggled to lie, or at least keep silent. "He's like a brother."

She let out a soft laughter. "Oh, we can't have that, now can we? We're your family. That vampire is nothing."

He couldn't breathe.

"Why don't you destroy him for us. He's been a very naughty vampire-colluding with those Nighters. They want us dead, didn't you know?" She touched his arm, spreading a wave of terror that swiftly reached his core.

His nature pulsed alive, roaring with the urge to lash out against the only person he'd ever allowed close. No. Please no.

"Do it," she whispered into his ear.

He screamed without sound, fighting against her with everything he had. Shaking with fear and rage, he resisted, closing his eyes with tears streaming down his cheeks. His skin grew cold, colder than ever before. Ice fought against his fury, sending him into a spiral of unknown sensations.

Rattled, he opened his eyes, choking on sobs. Nev hovered above him. He was still in bed.

"Adeem." Nev's voice.

He gasped, freezing cold. The room was empty apart from the two of them. She wasn't there. It had all been a dream-but far too realistic.

"Adeem. What's going on? Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

Nev must have used his powers.

"I'm... I'm not... I'm okay." They were both still alive. His mother wasn't here. "A bad dream."

"I didn't know what to do. You wouldn't wake up." Nev's voice wobbled.

"It's fine. I'm not hurt." His teeth kept chattering, but that was a small price to pay. "You did the right thing."

"I didn't want to hurt you."

"I know. You didn't."

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah. I'm sure." The horrors of that dream would remain a secret. He never wanted to think of it again.

Nev more or less fell on top of him, hugging him in a way that spoke of desperation. He placed his arms around Nev's thin body, trying to find a way to calm his fear and the nagging voice that whispered of days to come. Some sorcerers could see into the future, so he knew it was possible. He could only hope that talent would never be granted to a demon. He prayed it wasn't so.

Nev's breathing slowed, his muscles relaxed. The vampire trusted him, a precious gift he wasn't sure he deserved.

The tears dried on his skin while he waited for Nev to fall asleep again. His brother. His true family.

He'd fought his parents before, and he would do it again if they ever came close to Nev. He would protect him with his last breath, the last beat of his heart.

A/N So, I have a feeling you might have wanted to kill me there for a bit. Sorry about that. Pretty tense!

So, the thing is, I've set up a goal to write 1000 words per day this week, if I can. And, so far I've ended up writing a bit more, finishing a short chapter. This won't go on indefinitely, though, just so you're aware <3

xox