Beauty in a Beast

Ch. 3 - A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

My body shook as the ... thing under me vibrated. A low grumble seemed to come from the cold air around us. Jeremy barked out a laugh and reached forward, pushing me backward a little, and patted something behind me affectionately. As he sat back again, I turned my head to glance over my shoulder.

Darkness.

The lights of the city were gone. Everything was black.

A small sound of utter confusion escaped me as my head whipped back around to look at Jeremy.

"It's okay, I told you I wouldn't let you fall." His arm was still around my waist and his other hand was resting gently on my thigh. My hands were still locked around his neck. My face heated and I quickly removed them, tangling my fingers in the front of my t-shirt. "Besides," he continued, "Someve has never dropped anyone, she would never allow that record to get messed up."

Another grumble vibrated around and through me.

I opened my mouth to say ... something, but the freezing night air turned whatever it was into an incoherent chatter.

"I should've grabbed some of your clothes before, I'm sorry, I didn't even consider you might be cold up here. I should have a," his voice trailed off as he leaned back, away from me, his arm leaving my waist. Panic clawed at my chest, trying to escape and I latched onto his retreating wrist. "A hoodie," he finished, sitting back up and pushing something into the space between us. His eyes locked onto my death grip on his arm and then moved back up to my face.

Another shiver ripped through me and I released him in favor of putting the garment on. His newly freed up hand mirrored his other, resting on my leg.

The hoodie smelled like him and was already warm, like it had come straight from the dryer or had just been taken off.

"I keep extra clothes in my saddle bags," he said quietly. He sounded unsure of himself for the first time since I had met him a few weeks ago.

"Extra clothes...for all the girls you seduce out into the night?" I asked, the warmth from the hoodie and the adrenaline from the fall giving me back some of my fire. His mouth dropped open and his eyes bugged out, he started to say something, defend himself, probably, but I continued, "what are your plans now? I was willing to fall all the way to the ground, but now we're sitting on your magic school bus thing..."

Thunder exploded around us and I stopped talking. My eyes shot upward, looking for lightning or rain. It wasn't supposed to storm tonight, but it would be just my luck to get caught in the middle of a rainstorm in the cold with no jacket.

The thunder quieted and Jeremy shook his head slowly. Softly he said, "Rachel, Someve is a dragon. And dragons, they get very easily offended if not given the respect they rightfully deserve."

Realization washed through me like fresh water.

"I'm dreaming." I said and stood up. From my new vantage point I could see the city lights below.

"Rachel!" Jeremy's voice was alarmed.

"I get the jumping out the window, I've wanted to do that for a while, and I get why you're in the dream - I mean, look at you, God! But I don't get why there is a dragon. I don't read fantasy. I don't believe in magic."
I shrugged, the subconscious is weird.

And then I jumped.