Page 15 of Omega Captive of the Golden Dragon (Alpha Dragons #3)

VARIK

I jerked awake to a loud sound. I’d been sleeping on the couch again, a routine I had fallen into. Caylen lay curled on the mattress before the fire. I realized a log had fallen. Orange sparks flew up the chimney.

I got up and softly made my way around his sleeping body, kneeling beside him to build the fire back up.

Caylen turned over and opened his eyes. Through a yawn, he spoke. “What’s wrong?”

“Fixing the fire.”

“Okay.” He rolled onto his side and watched me rearrange the logs and throw a fresh one on top.

“Go back to sleep.” I didn’t mean for it to sound like an order.

“Planning on it.”

When I finished, I got up. “Going to the kitchen for water. Need anything?”

He sat up, plumping his pillow. “Water, please.”

I brought back the water, but Caylen had already curled up and gone back to sleep. I set it next to him.

I settled back on the couch. A surprise smile crossed my lips as I remembered how Caylen had gone to the front window earlier, after I’d dimmed the lights, and peered out. He’d turned with a grin.

“He’s still out there.”

“The snowman?”

Caylen nodded. “He’s guarding the front door.”

The front door didn’t need guarding. I had ample security devices to do that. But I let the sentiment slide.

Now I sat back and watched the fire. And Caylen.

You thought he’d be such a bother when he first came here. But he isn’t.

“He’s okay.” Caylen had been through a lot of change, but he had not been any bother to me. He demanded nothing except to sleep by the fire. Such a small thing.

I noticed a text had come in and looked at it. Val, of course.

Valcor: Great to see you out building snowmen with Caylen today. Guess I didn’t fuck up after all?

Val had always done everything right by me. Had I not shown that to him over and over?

Varik: No. You didn’t fuck up.

There. Let him stew over that. I wasn’t going to have that conversation with him. Not tonight. I wasn’t quite ready.

Finally. You’re so stubborn.

It was more about trust.

I set my phone on the coffee table and lay back, bringing the blanket over my still-dressed form. At least Caylen wore pajamas to sleep. I had them but was too lazy to go upstairs and put them on.

I like this arrangement. Like we’re all almost sleeping together.

I turned onto my side, my knees hanging off the couch. Why did I put myself through this? I really needed to get up and go to my own bed which I actually fit into.

Then you wouldn’t be near him.

“It’s the fire I like,” I mumbled.

Sure. And you can always buy a bigger couch.

I’d packed away the new figurines and jewelry to give to Val when he next showed up. I needed to come up with some new projects. In truth, I didn’t need to. Money was always plentiful. But I wanted to. My art kept my heart beating.

I entered my studio, turning on the lights, pulling back the curtains from the tall windows.

My workspace was tidy, the way I liked, but far too sparse right now. Materials were running low.

Eh, I know what that means.

Slowly, I began to undress. “Whatever you shed is fine.”

You know it’s never enough.

“We’ll see.”

Humph. I’m not even itchy. Maybe in one spot.

“Then that will have to be enough.” I took off my pants and socks and shoes. Even my jewelry. When it was all neatly set aside, I stood naked in the center of the big space.

“Your turn,” I said softy.

Varikan began to come forward. Everything became a blur. Finally, the room came into focus through a golden filter.

My dragon took up most of the space. He was considered quite large. At least, that was what we’d been told. We hadn’t known other dragons, except Val, to compare ourselves with. And as far as my parents’ dragons, I tried never to think of them.

Time to shimmy.

Varikan’s sense of humor had always been much higher than mine. He made a dance of it this time, starting with his tail. It swayed slowly at first, then faster. Then he shook it hard. His hips followed, then his back. His wings unfurled and lifted up as the massive shaking reached his shoulders.

I heard tiny clinking sounds. Scales rubbing against scales. Next came the deeper intonations of metal hitting the floor. One. Two.

I waited. There were no more.

Varikan started over, shaking himself from tail to shoulders, aiding the natural shedding of his gold. He stomped his four feet. He lifted his wings. But no more sounds of falling scales echoed through the room.

“Damn.”

Damn.

Our voices mingled to a single disappointed chorus.

Two scales might last you a week. If you work slowly.

I spoke into his mind. “It’s fine.”

Not.

“Well, it’s going to have to be.”

Varikan made a hissing sound of disagreement. He loved my art. Encouraged it. It kept his heart beating, too, or so he’d told me. He wanted to help, but his way of helping was… disturbing.

The room spun as he swung his head around fast and jammed his shell-hard snout into his side. His wings fluttered above, nearly lifting us off the floor. He groaned, then opened his wide maw, exposing long fangs. With a grumble and a sort of pinched squeal, he ripped into his side.

I felt nothing at first. The scales were hard and thickly laid, one over the other, protecting the hide. He kept tearing and ripping, and then the pain hit. His fangs had caught the edge of one and tore it from his skin.

Moans filled the studio space. The stone walls caught the tones, and they echoed back to his finely-tuned ears.

Pain stabbed through us, like being run through by a sword. Or worse. When scales were peeled away from the skin, it was like being burned. Pulling scales from a dragon’s hide was never a clean break. Flesh stuck to the golden disks that fell. With one yellow eye, I saw blood drop onto the floor.

Varikan moaned again, haunting and horrible.

“Stop now.”

Not enough.

He ripped into his side again and again, sending us both into white, blazing agony. His cries mingled with my own inner weeping. Memories spiked of being chained to the floor while heartless men crawled over me with sharp tools to yank the scales from my back.

“Varikan! No!”

The panicked voice came from outside both of us.

Varikan swung his head about searching for the source. We both stared at the terrified omega who stood just inside the open doorway.

Caylen had both hands over his mouth. His eyes were as big as dollar coins.

Hot tears streamed down his cheeks as he ran forward.

Confused, Varikan dipped his head lower.

Caylen came up beside Varikan’s big head and stretched out his arms to encircle his neck.

His hands didn’t meet from either side, but the hug was real.

Voice shaking. “Please don’t hurt yourself. Please!”

“Let me out,” I pleaded.

Varikan ignored my command to shift, leaning into Caylen for a moment. Our blood went hot, then cold, then hot again as Caylen, silently crying, held on.

“Now Varikan.”

As I shouted the order into his mind, I blinked once to find myself naked on my hands and knees. The floor was hard, digging into my kneecaps. Caylen’s weight leaned into my back.

Immediately, he stood up and stepped away.

I lifted my head and surveyed the mess before me.

Scales stained with raw flesh littered the floor.

Blood drops were scattered everywhere. I stood up and strode to my pile of clothes, throwing them on as fast as I could.

When I finally turned to face Caylen, he was rubbing the tears from his face. The panicked look had not left him.

“I told you to stay out of my studio.” It was a testament to my discipline that I kept my voice level and low.

“I heard screams. The door was unlocked.”

Well fuck. Varikan chirped the final word.

I thought I’d locked it. “Weren’t you sleeping?”

Still staring, he didn’t reply.

I went to my table and grabbed some rags, then bent and began wiping the blood from the floor. I’d have to get a mop later to finish the job, but there wasn’t as much as I’d thought there’d be.

I tossed the rags aside and began to collect the glimmering scales. These were the largest Varikan produced. They grew in on his sides in healthy perfection. There were two naturally shed, and six giant ones torn away. Quite a feat.

Behind me, I sensed Caylen’s presence still in the room. I set the gold on my worktable and again faced Caylen.

“You can leave now. There’ll be no more screaming.”

His arms wrapped around his small frame. His mouth opened to a shocked O.

“I said leave.”

“He’s so beautiful.” It was a loud whisper that filled the room. “By all the gods, how could you make him hurt himself like that?”

“I didn’t.” A surge of anger and hurt shot through me. “He does it himself.”

“But… why?”

“He wants me to always do my art.”

“I didn’t know he was so… so golden.” Caylen boldly stepped forward, staring at the dirty rags on the floor. “I didn’t know dragons had red blood.”

“Not all do. It’s another oddity. Now leave.”

“Can he hear me talking right now?”

“Of course he can.”

“Varikan, please don’t hurt yourself. Not ever. Please.” He swung his arms out, hands pressed together. “You’re too special. Too good. You should never hurt again.”

Nice speech. I like him even more now.

Caylen looked up at me. “Did he respond?”

“No.”

Liar.

“Can he heal? I mean inside you? How long does it take? Does he need medical attention?”

“He heals quickly. The rest is none of your concern.” I sat down to put on my socks and shoes. I’d shower later to get the rest of Varikan’s blood off my body.

I got up and approached Caylen, who still looked shocked.

I gestured for him to leave. “Go on. Out. This is my space.”

“Please don’t let him hurt himself. You can buy the gold. Tell him that.”

“He knows. His is purer, the most beautiful. He knows that, too. Vanity is a formidable enemy.” I gestured again. “Now out.”

He finally took a hesitant step back. Boldly, he said, “Can I meet him again?”

Yes.

“No.”

“What does he say?”

“No.”

If you continue to lie to him, I’ll shift again and tear all my scales off.

“I’m not lying.”

Caylen frowned. “What?”

“Nothing. Now you were leaving?”

Slowly, Caylen trudged from the room, but not before turning one more time to address me. “Are you sure he’s okay?”

“We’ve been doing this for years. The scales grow back quickly.” I moved to the door, practically pushing him out, then slammed it. This time I remembered to lock it.