Blood of the Rock

SUMMER

The purple and orange of the setting sun made the sky look like a painting.

I’d chosen this section of the mountain as my own little haven.

Trees shielded it from the wind, while the cliffside offered a perfect view of the expanse of forest and hills.

It was ideal for thinking through problems or just getting some fresh air.

Dane and Aneurin had been cold and rigid since the meeting with Storm. I knew that they had worries about joining with the Requiem horde.

I could understand why.

Maddie was always so sweet and thoughtful. When she visited the Dusk camp, it was like a breath of fresh air. Her mates, on the other hand, both seemed like devils incarnate.

I heard someone approaching and felt a presence on either side of me.

“Hey, there, gorgeous,” Dane said.

“We thought you might be here,” Aneurin added.

I gave them each a kiss on the cheek as they sat down on the bench next to me.

“I was just trying to gather my thoughts,” I admitted.

The brothers nodded without saying anything.

We turned our attention to the fiery orb of the sun as it continued its slow descent.

“I wish tomorrow would never come,” Dane said.

“Same,” Aneurin agreed.

This was the most they’d said since the meeting with Storm.

I wrapped an arm around each of their massive shoulders. It wasn't much help, but it was the least I could do.

They both leaned in closer, and I suddenly felt like some horny teenager at the movies, trying to hit on two dates at once.

But I didn’t want them to leave. Their presence only made this fantastic moment more perfect.

“I’m terrified,” I admitted. “Nothing about this feels right. We’ve only just met, and already our future together looks uncertain.”

Dane’s fingers gently touched my jaw and turned my head toward him. He kissed me on the lips, and I felt a million little sparks ignite throughout my body.

Aneurin kissed my neck, and I was overwhelmed with carnal passion.

I turned my attention to Aneurin and kissed him, allowing Dane to take his turn kissing my neck.

Summer

I don’t want to lose either of you.

Dane

No matter what happens, we are yours.

Aneurin

Nothing can change that.

Summer

Promise me that everything will be okay.

Dane

I promise.

Aneurin

We’ll never let anything hurt you.

I continued to kiss them as the last rays of the sun were extinguished below the horizon.

Their words gave me hope, but I knew it was only that—false expectations.

No matter how many promises they made, nothing was certain.

And I wasn’t worried about anything happening to me. I’d lived my whole life being an abnormally healthy human being.

My extraordinary powers made more sense once I realized I could heal dragons…

But if tomorrow really was the beginning of an all-out war…I wasn’t so sure my powers would be able to help…

XANDER

My footsteps echoed off the tile.

Scientists, doctors, and interns all nodded as I passed by.

All of my years of hard work were finally coming to a head. It had felt like ages ago that I had first set off on my journey as a dragon slayer.

Many young lives had been taken since the inception of Xander University. Many more would be lost in the coming days.

I entered a small room and smiled at the specimen sitting on the examining table, waiting for me.

“Xythor,” I said. “It’s so good to see you.”

Xythor looked at me with amber eyes as warm as the sun. I could understand why Zayda was so smitten with him—he was a beautiful being.

More so now that I’d given him an upgrade.

“It’s good to see you too, master,” he replied in a stoic tone.

During the processes of resurrection and reprogramming, I’d managed to add a few extra alterations.

Programming him to recognize me as his master was one of the best ones.

“I’ve heard all about your recent exploits,” I said. “You really did a number on those Dobrzycka brothers.”

I watched his eyes flash with rage upon hearing their names. Xythor had already held a particular disdain for Loch and Hael. All he needed was a few tweaks to make the thought of them nearly unbearable.

“My mission was to kill them, and I failed,” he replied.

True, although it wasn’t entirely his fault.

Up until the wedding, he had been programmed not to leave the university grounds. I’d set him free in hopes of learning how well he matched against real dragons.

In that regard, he did not disappoint.

If it weren’t for Maddie and Zayda, he very well might have beaten them. While a living dragon grows tired over time, robot Xythor would not.

I moved to a nearby freezer and opened it up, releasing a puff of cold air. My eyes found the murky, red vial, and my fingers carefully removed it.

“Don’t worry about failing,” I said as I swirled the liquid in the tube. “There will be other chances to rip them apart. I have no doubt that you will complete your mission soon.”

I moved to Xythor and gave him a sweet smile. Sure, I already had a son in Mason. But looking at him never gave me the same pleasure I had when I laid eyes on my greatest creation.

I touched Xythor's chiseled chest until I found the rigid outline of a door. I pressed a hidden button, and his chest opened up, revealing a compartment.

A golden glow emanated from inside. The small shard of Dragonstone was still in place and unharmed.

Next to it, however, was an empty vial.

I removed the empty glass and replaced it with the fresh, cold vial. The red liquid inside glowed ominously as the Dragonstone imbued it with golden light.

The Dragonstone alone was enough to give Xythor incredible strength and tenacity.

It was one of the main reasons we were able to bring him back to life.

When coupled with the Vitality Potion Zayda unwittingly helped me create from her blood, Xythor turned into a nearly impenetrable beast.

I closed the compartment and rubbed Xythor’s cheek, feeling the warmth of his regenerated skin.

I couldn’t quite place the feelings that welled up in my chest and stomach when I was around him.

Did I love this Frankenstein monster?

Did it matter? He was my creation and would do anything I told him to.

~Unlike either of my actual children…~

“They’re coming for us,” I said. “They think they can wipe us from this earth. But we will be more than ready.”

***

~Xander!~

~Xander!~

I walked into the university’s church and heard chants of my name echoing throughout the chapel.

The building was filled with students of Xander University. All of them had years of training as dragon slayers under their belts.

And all of them would follow their leader into battle.

I walked down the central aisle and watched as their faces beamed with utter jubilation.

On this campus, I was a god among mortals.

I made my way to the podium at the front and allowed them to bathe me with adulation and praise.

It never got too old hearing my name called out with joy over and over again.

In recent years, the chapel had become too small to hold the number of students that attended the services. Tonight, it was filled past capacity.

I looked around the stage and saw students sitting on the floor on either side of me.

Did they know how lucky they were?

Others would kill for a seat so close to their leader.

We’d placed safety mats on the floor so the students could safely listen to my speech without wading into the hot blood still dripping from Freesia’s Rock. It wouldn’t be good to have my potential soldiers injured from touching the toxic substance.

Over the past several days, the blood had spilled out onto more than half the campus, turning the pristine grounds into a sickening swamp. Although the students had grown worried that the entire university might be flooded, I couldn’t be happier.

It was a beautiful sight that nearly brought me to tears.

~Destiny was upon us.~

I refocused my attention on the throng of students at the front of the chapel and raised my hands.

Their chants died down, replaced by absolute silence.

“It is a pleasure being here with you on this fateful night,” I said.

Despite the mass of students, I could still hear my voice echoing off of the wooden rafters and walls.

“We are standing on the precipice of greatness,” I continued. “The dragon hordes have no doubt banded together in hopes of overtaking us.”

Boos began rose from the students. I quickly held up my hands to quell the disturbance.

“You should be overjoyed,” I said. “The prophecy is coming true. Soon…very soon…the dragons will descend upon the city.”

I heard a few gasps, and they spurred me onward.

“Dragons will land on the outskirts of this campus and try to destroy us, one by one,” I shouted. “But we will be prepared! We will fight until the very last dragon lays slaughtered in a pool of its own blood!”

The students erupted into cheers. Their exuberance was so loud that it caused the entire building to shake.

I heard a commotion behind me. It seemed like the students sitting on the stage were even more overwhelmed than the others.

I turned around to meet their smiles but was shocked by what I saw.

Freesia’s Rock was no longer gushing blood. It was erupting like a volcano.

A few unlucky students were sitting too close and had been touched by the blood.

The cursed blood burned through their clothes and melted their skin. One poor boy’s face was smoking from the acidic liquid.

I would act as if this was all part of the prophecy. The rock must be trying to meet our jubilant cheers with an eruption of blood.

But in reality, I was chilled to the bone.

It meant the dragons were gathering.