Dragon's Blood

Sadice - Nightmares

Moans and jerks roused me from the best sleep I'd had in years. It took me several breaths to remember where I was and that Arden slept against my back. A warm glow suffused me and I snuggled back into her. She was still here.

A low growl and violent twitch surprised me to fuller wakefulness and her hand fell against my skin, almost burning it. I gasped and pushed her hand away from me, but she didn't wake. Another moan and jerk.

"Arden." I twisted to face her and flinched again as her white hot hand bumped against my skin. I lay her arm down her side and her fist clenched. I shook her gently.

No response. Another convulsion. Her hands fell to the cot and smoke began to rise from the canvas. I started up in surprise and shock. Flames began licking up from the bed and Arden still didn't wake.

"Arden!" I yelled and fell out of bed, grabbed the bucket of water and emptied it onto her.

She leaped all the way to her feet in one fluid motion and crouched against the wall in a fighters stance, growling. I stayed on my knees on the other side of the bed and watched her with wide eyes.

Slowly, slowly, she seemed to wake up. Her legs gave out and she fell onto the floor and retched. I crossed the small room and approached her cautiously, avoiding her hands, but placing mine on her forehead and pulling her to me. To my relief, she didn't resist, but leaned into me. She put her head in her hands and rubbed at her face.

"I'm sorry," she said through her fingers. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"It's ok," I said, not sure if it was. "I think you were having a nightmare."

She nodded and lifted her head, but didn't meet my eyes. "Did my hands burn you?"

I blinked. "I don't think so. But they were hot." I wished she would look at me. "Why were they so hot? Why did they set the bed on fire?"

She stared at the far wall so long I didn't think she would answer. When she shivered, I stood to tend to the hearth. While my back was to her, her husky voice reached me.

"We were all going to die at Dragons Mountain. We knew it before that last battle started. I didn't think we would last the day, but when the sun went down, we had made it to the Dragons Den and were able to regroup just outside it. There were so many of them, so few remaining of us. So many friends dead."

She stopped. I poked needlessly at the fire and waited.

"We charged in, led by the king himself. Half of us were gone in that first wave."

She stopped again and swallowed loudly. I would've brought her water, but I'd thrown it all on her and the bed. And I didn't want her to stop talking.

"A rumor had been making the rounds the night before. That if you drink dragon's blood, you gain their powers. The men were betting against each other, wagering which of them would be brave enough to do it. Turns out none of them were. Not even the king."

I had heard that rumor too, and, like the rumors of dragons, had shrugged it off. Now I wondered if I had been wrong about that too. I felt numbing ice crawling up my limbs even though the fire was burning pleasantly now.

"Only I was dumb enough to do it," she said in a whisper.

I turned to look at her and she met my gaze, her eyes black, her hands glowing red hot. Flames started to lick up her arms.

A knock pounded against the door, startling us both.

"Captain Arden? Is Captain Arden here? Healer Sadice?"

I glanced at the door and then back at Arden. The flames were gone and her hands had returned to their normal tan. I tossed her shirt and pants at her and pulled my nightshirt over my head. In a moment she was dressed and at the door. She jerked it open as Lt. Ford raised his hand to pound again.

He saluted quickly. "Sir, reports just came in of Kantians attacking Sangita. They counted fifty, but there could be more."

Arden nodded. "I'll be up there in a moment."

Lt. Ford nodded briskly, cast a quick, knowing smile at me, and turned to leave. Arden closed the door and stood there for a moment, her hand still on the handle.

I went to her, running my hand up her back. She shivered and I flushed with pleasure, realizing Arden was here, present, mine.

Mine. And dragon touched. What did that mean for us?

She turned to me, uncertainty clouding her face.

"You have to go," I told her, thinking she didn't want to leave me here. I knew she would come back. She had stayed. She had told me her secret. She trusted me.

She nodded, but the uncertainty didn't leave. And she didn't move.

I touched her face. "It's ok. I know you'll be back."

She nodded again and then glanced at her hands. "I've changed, Sadice."

I couldn't breath. Was she going to reject me again?

"I don't…" Her face reflected her anguish. "I don't want to hurt you."

I reached up, tangling my fingers in her hair, and slowly pulled her in, kissing her full on the mouth, savoring her taste and smell and essence. She moaned and pulled me in closer.

When she pulled back for air, I met her gaze. "Just don't turn me away."

Apology filled her eyes again and I kissed her in acceptance.

"Now go," I told her. "You're needed."