Her kitchen smelled of grease and burnt toast. Unwashed dishes sat along the counters and filled the sink. Though tempted to wash up for her, I decided not to. Finding paper anda pen in a drawer, I wrote down my new address and added my cell number. Leaving the paper on the empty kitchen table, I walked back to Roxanne.
“I hope you’ll let me help you,” I said.
Roxanne didn’t reply. I shrugged and left her sitting there with her smokes and her empty bottles of whiskey.
***
My new home didn’t feel like home.
Unwilling to go back to my apartment right away, I drove to the coast and a public beach. The moon cast a golden glow over the velvety black sea as I parked and got out of my car. The rolling surf soothed my inner turmoil, its ceaseless energy washing over my sneakers while I walked along the sand.
It did no good to figure out why Roxanne busily drank and smoked her way into oblivion. Just as it did no good to expect Alaric to love me. Or to wonder why he didn’t. I could control only myself and my actions, not those of others.
Soon, Alaric and Willow would depart for their homeland. Roxanne could very well drink herself to death, or she might seek help before that happened. As I ambled along the shoreline, I hoped she would find the help she needed. Even if it didn’t come from me.
Gazing up at the stars, I felt tempted to pray to Lanokota. Does she really exist? Does any god or goddess exist?
Dragons certainly exist. I’ve experienced that for myself.
“My Lady,” I murmured, closing my eyes. “If you’re really there, if I truly have your favor, help me out here. I don’t know what to do about Alaric. Why doesn’t he love me? What’s wrong with me? Why is my sister turning into an alcoholic? I know you don’t, or won’t, answer directly. But maybe you can show me a sign? An omen? Something?”
Feeling utterly silly, I walked on. I passed other beach walkers, and no few romantically inclined couples making outnear driftwood campfires. A jogger ran past me, going in the same direction I walked, making me think I needed to resume my exercise routine.
Soon, I left the public beach behind, and entered the realm of the seaside McMansions and condos. Lights from the homes glittered onto the sand while dogs barked at my trespass. Thinking I’d walked far enough, I turned to head back to my car.
The moonlight vanished behind a shadow.
It made a brief reappearance before vanishing again.
I froze, staring upward.
No, no, no, no one knows where I am. Not Alaric, not Fiona, not even Roxanne.
Still, two dragons just flew over my head.
A burst of flame illuminated a muzzle, a pair of fierce eyes before winking out.
I started to run. Running back the way I’d come, I heard the whoosh of wings from behind me, felt talons scrape at my shoulders.
Instantly, without thinking, I dropped to the sand.
“Shit,” Fiona yelled as she banked skyward.
Getting up, I ran on, my feet pounding the sand, running fast, trying to look up and behind me.
A black shadow passed between me and the stars.
“Hey, girl, stop running, we only want to talk.”
Damon!I recognized his voice.
I ran on, my breath clawing at my throat as I ducked and dodged, seeking the protection of other people. The pair of dragons chasing me cannot let themselves be seen by humans. Among my own kind, I’d be safe.
Or so I let myself believe.
“What the hell was that?”
I heard people shouting, yelling, rising from their campfires to also flee, to escape the massive fire breathingpredators flying over them. Flames erupted in the air as Damon roared, his wings buffeting the sand, the running people.
