Chapter 2: Chapter 1
10 Years Later
Jackie's Apartment: Nashville, TN
Jackie
Jackie sighed in agitation as she flipped through the channels on the television There was never anything good on these days. She turned her glare to the empty half-gallon of icecream that now sat forgotten on the coffee table. Nor were the ice cream cartons big enough. Jacqueline wrinkled her nose in disgust. She really needed to get out more, seeing as she hadn't been anywhere since Daniel had left all those years ago. Danny… She thought, Where in the seven suns have you disappeared to?
No. Jackie told herself firmly, even as she simultaneously pulled her legs up and a pillow into her lap. Don't think about him. He's probably forgotten all about you by now. But that doesn't stop me from missing him, now does it?
"Reneslan." Jacqueline growled the draconian curse. "You are pathetic." She spat another expletive in her native tongue and clicked the television off before rising from the couch she occupied most evenings after work. "Gods!" She complained to her lonely apartment. "There's nothing to do and I don't feel like flying. I haven't done any recreational flying since he left."
Jackie was so absorbed in her brooding she missed the sound of the latch to her balcony door click open. A faint summer breeze blew in; and with it, a strong male body.
Daniel
Jacqueline was standing with her back to him, contemplating her refrigerator. He smiled maliciously. Oh this can't possibly get any easier. Daniel's strong, lean fingers gripped his blade loosely, surely. Confidently. He had waited so long for this moment. Ten long years of grueling, and relentless training of the Transanya Vaniel. Daniel had endured the trials of the Hunters Rite to ensure he would be strong enough to fight and annihilate the dragon before him. Jacqueline would not be his first kill. No that was over two years ago now. A Stralunsky clan prisoner his parents had captured was the first in a long line of the hated beasts he hunted. Daniel smiled, recalling the metallic sweetness of the worthless creature's blood as it had washed down his throat and moved through his body to bestow the gift of longevity that kept him and his kin at their peak physical condition. Yes, many more had followed since that first kill. And Jackie was probably not going to be the last, either. The man's grin turned wicked as he silently rushed to Jackie's turned back, his asrac at the ready.
"It's been a while. Daniel whispered into her ear, pressing the golden blade against her neck; simultaneously snaking his arm around her upper body, effectively pinning her against him. Jacqueline stiffened in his arms and hissed at the touch of the poisonous metal. "I've come to add your hide to my collection, bitch." He felt her shudder slightly at the deep timbre of his voice. "What's the matter, lover?" He sneered, chuckling as he began stroking the opposite side of her throat. Old memories surged forward of the two of them. His fingers finding the sensitive area he knew would drive Jackie crazy. "Don't you remember me?"
She sighed, her body beginning to react to his touch. Daniel felt the dragon fight her urge to press closer to him. Even after ten years apart, he still felt her siren's pull and could feel his own traitorous flesh come to life.
He ceased his soft caress. "Ah…So you do remember me after all. Jackie nodded,careful of the golden dagger that held her to him. Her luscious hair rubbed against his collarbone; and the vanilla cream scent wafted towards his nose. Daniel found himself dragging in more of that delicious fragrance, inhaling deeply. And it felt as though his lungs had been deprived of oxygen all those years. Focus. He hissed inwardly.
"Why?"
Daniel growled. "Why what?"
"Why are you doing this? Why now? What the hell happened to you, anyway? Where in the seven suns have you been?" Jacqueline whimpered, shifting against him nervously. Daniel nearly groaned at the feel of her pert ass rubbing against his hardening-
FOCUS! Danny's fingers tightened around the hilt of his dagger. Causing it to sink into the tender flesh of her throat. "Silence, dragon." He hissed into her slightly tapered ear. "You no longer have the right to my personal business.
"It's not -" She gasped in pain, "not that…I've- I've been so worried abo-about you. I've missed you s-so much, D-Daniel."
He felt the cold plip of a tear hit his wrist. Danny had only known this wo-DRAGON- cry twice in the life he had known her. Both times, he ended up being the cause. Daniel growled and shoved her away from him. Jacqueline cried out at the impact of hitting the floor just as he roared with frustration and fury. "Why the fuck would you care?! I was only ever just your slave! Never worth the flaming dirt you walked on!!"
"That isn't true!" She protested, tears flowing steadily now.
"You only say that because your scales are about to grace my trophy room!" He shouted, taking a menacing step toward her. "YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT YOUR SCORCHING SELF!" He roared, pulling a gun from the holster on his side. A maniacal laugh escaped his lips as he watched the flaming bitch scoot back in panic when he pointed the gun at her.
Jackie
"Daniel, please calm down. You don't want to do this...Think about it. What do you know about me?" She waited for a few paralyzing seconds while her heart drummed like a trapped hummingbird. "You know I've never intentionally hurt anyone! I am Telen Aragashen, a Guardian to the Gods for crying out loud. A protector of humanity! I'm -"
"A Dragon." Daniel snarled on a threatening growl.
"That's not a good enough reason to kill me though, Danny!" Jackie protested as the hammer deafeningly clicked in the silence. It dawned on her that this could be the end of her life. That this man before her was no longer the awkward young boy she fell in love with. Jackie could now see the crazed determination in him. One she had hoped to avoid the rest of his life with her. The Daniel before her now was a Hunter. A being who captured, tortured, and slain innocent dragons just for who they are. She had heard rumors about a particular Hunter who was the reason behind the Dragon Relocation. The cause of the dragons going into hiding. And why they had gone into hiding. Looking upon the face of her beloved Guardian, Jackie knew that this was the newest face of the slayer's ranks. Ruthless and deadly. The one they call "Keshlen."
The Executioner.
Jackie cringed at the thought. It can't be. Danny has always been so sweet and gentle.
"Gods know the world will be far better off." An evil smile bloomed amongst the hatred on his heartbreakingly handsome face. As he took yet another step closer.
"Ashlun." Jackie sobbed quietly, shaking her head. The keen sense of her Draconian vision hyper-focused on his quivering trigger finger.
"The only question now is this…" He was stalling, she realized. "Shall I do this by heart?" Daniel touched the Asrac's golden blade he still held in his hand to his chest briefly before moving it to his temple. "Or by head?"
"You do realize that even with a gold bullet in that contraption you won't kill me with it. Only slowly poison me to death even if you hit something major. Right?" The bravado in her voice was overshadowed by the fear and panic she now felt.
Daniel
He knew the dragon bitch was trying to be valiant. "Oh i know. That's the point." He cooed in a low, whispered voice that would send shivers down her spine. Daniel could feel his cock jump as he watched her eyelids flutter and those luscious lips parted to reveal perfectly white teeth and a pale pink tongue darted out to lick those plump reh-
Daniel shook his head to clear the images from his mind. He knew better than to allow his thoughts to stray. Countless times during the training had taught him the cold hard truth: If one would become distracted, a dragon would most certainly use that to its advantage.
"Then where would ye be?" The distant memory of his great-grandfather's voice boomed in his mind. "Ye'd be flat on yer back bleedin' yer goots out, tis where! Now get back up and finish that cursed thing off Lest ye would rather bring shame upon the O'Shea family name." Thomas' voice sounded more distant as Daniel swam back from the past and right back into the present. Jackie had smartly remained where she'd fallen, eyes still widened in terror.
He instantly squelched the regret that gripped his heart at the sight of her like this, and growled. "Stand up, dragon." He continued to keep the gun trained on her as she obeyed.
Jackie
Jackie did as she was told and stood. Her body ached with the need to shift into her draconian form and defend her home. Her territory. But she dared not to. Jackie was unaware of how many hunters were here with him, but knew he would have at least one or two. She couldn't afford to try anything. If she so much as flicked a wing wrong; she'd be dragon chum in a heartbeat. As she gazed upon the face of her long ago lover, Jacqueline noticed the maniacal smile didn't hardly reach his eyes at all.
Daniel
He didn't want to do this. But almost every flamed instinct of his screeched at him to shoot the creature where she stood. Even though his heart constricted painfully at the prospect. For the first time in so many years, Daniel Malone O'Shae - the most powerful and respected Hunter in his community - stood completely still: confused. Both sides of his soul were battling each other as if they were living creatures.
Realizing this, Danny decided now was the time to take his leave before something unsavory happened. He had the bitch's blood stored within his blade. So even if she did decide to do something stupid like leave, he would be able to track her.
Jackie
Jacqueline watched in stark surprise as Daniel slowly disarmed his weapon and turned to leave. "Where are you going?" She murmured quietly.
"I am allowing you to draw flame another day, dragon slut. I have more pressing matters to attend." The Hunter snarled begrudgingly, "Until then…" Daniel gave a nonchalant wave of farewell before swiftly disappearing through the balcony door.
Jackie stood in shock not believing that she had come face to face with the Keshlen...and lived. She let lose a trembling breath. Nor could she scarce believe the man she just saw - was threatened by - was none other than her Daniel. Ten years ago, he was a scrawny thing fresh out of his teenage years. Now he just appeared out of nowhere a big strong hunk of a warrior. Unfortunately for her, Daniel was now against all of Dragon-kind. Everything he had once stood for; including the love between them seemed to be gone. And she had been the one to push him away all those years ago. All because she was too afraid to tell him of the strange friendship from her past. If only because she had been too surprised that the person in question still lived after almost sixty years of distance and time between them.
Jackie bit her lip and forced trembling legs to the balcony door; locking it, before turning towards her bedroom. She was still having trouble reconciling the image of her sweet gangly Avatar with the hulking brute whose scent still lingered in the air of her small apartment. Her emotions were in turmoil as she hugged herself and stood awkwardly beside her bed. She really should start packing again, but Jackie couldn't bring herself to do so just yet.
Jacqueline swiped at her tears, biting back a scream of frustration and anguish before sitting atop her purple satin comforter. She would decide what to do in the morning. Surely after the way he had left, Daniel would leave her in peace for the rest of the night.
Daniel
Daniel was still fuming when he reached the street where he had parked his Harley. From the corner of his eye, he could see most of the civilians eyeing him warily. One growl had the lot of them averting their gazes and slinking away like the common city rats they were. Just as well. He thought. I really don't feel like dealing with these fools tonight.
As he pulled his keys from his pocket, a soft chuckle captured his attention. Daniel didn't need to face his cousin to know who had been following him. "What do you want, you lazy sack of shit?" He snarled at the new-comer, turning to face him.
"A scrawny, know-it-all, twenty-something stood before Daniel in ragged, dirty clothes. "Aw. Is that how y'all treat kin now-a-days?"
Daniel sniffed. "No. It's how I treat everybody. Especially scruffy knuckle-draggers like yourself, Peter. What the hell do you want." He reiterated.
His cousin came closer and propped a hip against Daniel's motorcycle, a lopsided grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. "Catch your dragon yet, cuz?" Peter asked in a smooth southern drawl.
"Feeling things out." Danny answered simply, crossing his thick arms across his chest and glowering at Pete.
"Thought you said she was an easy target."
"She's changed her lifestyle since I left."
"Yeah," his cousin sneered, "I'm sure she's changed quite a bit. We all know the his'try 'tween ya'll, cousin."
"As well as my current reputation." Daniel sneered. "You need something, Pete? I'm a little busy here."
His cousin gave a sniffed and then shrugged. "Naw. Jus' followin' orders."
Daniel stiffened at the words. "What orders?" He growled.
Peter dismissed the question and lazily moved from his position propped against the bike. "I'll catch you later, Danny-boy." He said with a wave before wandering down the street and out of view.
Danny stared after him before turning to mount his motorcycle; Peter's words milling about in his mind.
End Chapter 1
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