What are you?

Chapter 5: The Dragons Blood Fever

Leo read the article through and through.

" do: offer food and drinks, offer clothes, offer compassion. Don't: get close, be around for too long, or tamper with. This includes sitting near.

"While dragons are mythical creatures. They, like many animals go through a heat. However, they first have a blood fever. The dragon will spend and hour or so being aggressive, after that hour... they go into heat where anyone or anything will smell a distinct scent of a fireplace. Just like all animals, their heat should be soothed. However if it is not, they could potentially stay in heat longer the next time around.." the article read.

Leo sigh.

"AI, move this to important documents. I'll need this later.." Leo sigh sitting on the couch.

Ace emerged from his room, fully dressed and in a panic.

"Is she ok?" He asked.

"Blood Fever. How does she normally handle it?" Leo asked full of concern.

"She has her own personal stuff I think. I don't look into it, it's kinda personal. I can tell you are worried. Wanna crack a beer and chat?" Ace asked.

"Day drinking? We are gonna be best friends man.." Leo chimed.

The two cracked a few cold ones, continuing to chat.

"I know what you're thinking, and while this is super personal.. she'll be ok. It shouldn't take more than a few hours. She's got her own ritual of sorts that helps her." Ace said cracking another one.

"It's just, we were making music. She came up with some lyrics on the spot and then we started implementing the drums and then she asked me to sing and I told her I'm not very good but hen she mad me prove it and then she started falling and I was so worried and still kind of are.." Leo said crushing his now empty can.

"I hear ya man. The first time this shit happened, I was just as worried and scared as you are. Only I didn't have any machine to tell me what to do. But, now that you know what to do and everything.. we should be able to tackle this issue." Ace began.

"The article I read said its best for them to have an hour to themselves and then they will smell like a fireplace when their heat catches up with them. It's kinda like a dog's heat but with a few extra steps." Leo explained pulling up another article.

"When a dragon is nearing the end of their heat, the fireplace smell will go away, and it will then smell like cedar wood. While this is very confusing, sometimes it will vary for the type of dragon. Sometimes their scent will become their own over time. So it's important to stay clear until the blood fever is over. If not it could result in your ultimate death.." Leo read aloud, trailing off.

"You were around her when her blood fever kicked in? How are you in one piece?! I was literally almost ripped in half!" Ace asked with a worried tone.

"Maybe the article can explain.. hold on.." Leo said skimming through it.

"The dragon hostile as he/she/they may be, wont harm their soulmate. They will fight it and try to get away. Although they shut out their soulmate, they couldn't harm them even if for some reason they wanted to. Them lashing out in their fever will result in a glow from the body, often purple or pink, their eyes will also change to purple.." Leo read aloud.

"She always did fall in love very fast.. did the light thing happen?" Ace asked.

"No.. I think she got to her room just in time." Leo said gripping his chest. He thought for a moment.

"Her eyes, they did change to a purple color.. but I couldn't catch a good enough glimpse. She didn't want me in there, which I get.. I wouldn't want anyone near me either, especially if there's a blood fever." Leo reasoned.

"It'll all work out. She will eventually come out of her room and then we can get ready for the show. And if not, we can just go on and leave you with her.. because she doesn't want to be completely alone." Ace said crushing his can against his head.

"I just hope she gets better. I hate to see her so vulnerable and in pain.." Leo began.

"It's not- well.. it's not like a bad pain.. it's more of an inconvenience is what she told me. It's like spells of being homicidal followed by another three hours of feeling really horny." Ace explained.

"She was open about it or you read her mind?" Leo asked.

"A bit of both... she was embarrassed about it." Ace sigh. He began cleaning the sea of beer cans and sigh.

"Getting drunk is fun until you become an alcoholic. Well, I don't have an actual problem per say.. I just have a really lengthy tolerance." Ace sigh tying the bag closed.

"I know how that is.." Leo said throwing away the four boxes the beer came in.

"We should build a taproom.." Leo concluded.

"Well, we have our hands tied with shows. But if you want to I won't stop you, that sounds like a great idea." Ace said sitting back down.

Leo's head swirled with ideas. He looked at parts and ordered them with his AI.

There was scratching at D's door. The place smelled of burning cinders. D scratched at the door harder,

"L~Leo-" D cried.

Leo stood outside of her door.

"D are you ok?" Leo asked.

"Water-" She said in a raspy, dehydrated voice.

"Alright, I'll get you some water!" Leo said almost sprinting to the fridge. He grabbed four water bottles and some granola bars. He sprinted back to the door and saw it was cracked.

"D, I brought you some water and some snacks.." Leo said nervously.

"Please just bring it in here, I'm not naked or anything.." D sigh.

Leo pushed the door open and sat her stuff on the nightstand, opening one bottle for her. He caught a glimpse of her and before he knew it, he was tackled into the door. D loomed into him, smelling him. They both started glowing purple.

"Purple- I've never seen that before.." d sigh. Her legs shook violently.

"D you should really lay down, you are really feverish-" Leo began.

"D, let him go! Dont force him into something!"Ace screamed from the other side, beating it with his fist.

D collapsed into the floor clutching the carpet.Her breath hitched and she shook in the floor weakly.

"You- I mean.. your smell, it helps.." D said through breaths.

Leo took off his shirt and gave it to her. Leo put D back in her bed and walked out of her room, closing the door behind him.

Ace stared at him.

"You are very brave Leo.. she could have ripped your head off!" Ace cried.

"I promised her I'd take care of her. And her skin is really hot. That whole fever part was no joke.." Leo said with a nervous sigh.