“He’s late,” Chaz said, as he absently wiped down the dark, lacquered bar surface. This is my bar, ‘The Queen of Spades’, right off I40 in Asheville. Chaz was huge, topping out at almost 7 feet tall, and built like a linebacker, with shoulders almost too wide to go through most doors and arms bigger round than my thighs. His completion was almost charcoal black… with a red hue when the sun hit it just right. Bald head and a VanDyke beard completed his appearance, as he stood there in a black t-shirt that looked about a size too small.
“Yeah,” I said, sitting in one of the booths, sipping on water… watching the front door. The tables and booths are the same stained cherry wood color of the bar, and the speckled carpet that was supposed to be green and brown but look more like mud splotches than anything else. I can’t complain. The renovation cost me little, and with the original owners just vanishing… The property and business came to my possession really cheap.
I’ll take a moment to tell you about me and mine… since I’ve recovered, which seemed to take forever, though I was only bedridden for about 3 weeks. Getting my fractured mind whole again and getting the steel out of a major organ does wonders for your pain levels, I assure you.
By the way, I currently go by Jacquelene Tannin, and no I am not human. Chaz isn’t either. I’m a dragon… crazy, right? And literally…as in a scaly winged flying lizard that is older than dirt. How old, you ask? I was a child when Nukhu or Noach took up his hammer and started on the ark… and I mean that ark. People refer to him as Noah now. Strange how languages change in 5 thousand years.
This body I now enhabit, Xochil, was a lover before her people chose to ritualistically give her life to the gods. I’ll tell you how I saw her for the first time. She stood like the goddesses they worshiped as almost 4 cubits tall. Today’s terms have her at 173 cm, or 5”8”. Her skin glowed like copper in the setting sun, and her waist-length hair was like a sheet of midnight sky, glittering with stars. Her waist and hips curved like a delicious river, while her breasts sat upon her chest like luscious fruit, larger than my hand and sweeter than ambrosia.
Although I turn a lot of heads, I don’t mess with a lot of humans. I find the scent of human testosterone quite unappealing to my libido. I have been known to enjoy the entertainment of a human woman from time to time, fancy that.
I matched Chaz’ outfit, with my black t-shirt and curve hugging black jeans, as I looked at the door again. “This is annoying. Has Jeriel called yet?”
“No,” his soft voice reverberated. “She’ll call when she lands... So calm down you damned lizard.”
“Shut it handle-head,” I chuckled as I looked at him. He smiled, his eyes glowing red briefly. Chaz is a demon, after all… although besides the fact that he doesn’t reek of sulfur, I honestly don't know too much about him. So why have we been close as thieves for the last three hundred years ? We share a common enemy… the angels. After almost being wiped off the planet every million years since the birth of the planet and our transplantation here.. It gets old---fast. Soon after the birth of the humans, one of the angels showed us how to take these frail forms and hide our scales. It pissed them all off...bad too. They kicked him and those who agreed with him from the heavens. They called it a rebellion. Before you go saying, ‘Hey, that’s not how the story goes!’ just remember… history is written by the victors.
Before Chaz could return the snide remark, John and a short woman entered the bar. The detective looked almost stereotypical in his khaki trench and blue slacks, while the woman, who was in what appeared to be rags, snuck to the bar, almost trying to hide from the detective. This woman was named Emily. She was actually a cute woman… 5 '4 " with short brown hair and eyes so dark you could get lost in. She had just a tad of curvature to her small frame, with her small breasts sitting high on her chest. Today she looked like she had been in the same clothes for a week. She reeked of sweat, sex and burnt plastic. I watched her body tremble as she sat silently on a bar-stool at the far end of the room.
John seemed to ignore the woman as he made his way over to my booth, passing an ‘All firearms must be checked in at the bar’ sign posted on a support beam. He read it, shrugging as he slid in across from me. “So this is your place…”
I nodded. “It is. Now check your piece at the bar. No firearms but mine here. Says so on the sign.” I pointed. He ignored it.
“There’s no way in hell you’re going to hold the police department to a weapons check.” he said, as a smirk crossed his lips.
“Don’t think so? Watch me. Done it before… This used to be an old Hell’s Angels hangout. I don’t take shit here.” I gave him another look, and noticed stubble on his face that brought back memories of our first meeting. I chuckled and said, “That dull razor you have finally give up? Bad detective, no doughnut.”
He chuckled. “How did you… what did you…? Wow, I’m shocked at how you’re night and day different from when you were in the hospital.” He stopped a moment, looking my face over, flabbergasted. “Damn, the last time I saw you, your face was hamburger. I’ve never seen someone heal this fast. It is good to see you healing well, all jokes aside.” He slid into the seat across from me. “So… anything else you can tell me?”
I placed a clear pill bottle with two bullets in it on the table in front of him. “Here are the slugs Jeriel pulled from my body, as you requested.” I said.
He looks at them intently for a moment. “They look like 9mm rounds.. steel… that have had grooves etched into them. Any clue what that white stuff is embedded in the grooves?”
“Jeriel told me there are traces of salt in those grooves.”
“Salt?” he asked, his brows furrowing.
Chaz, from the bar, answered his question. “Salt is used in certain rituals. The Catholic Church is fond of blessing everything. Wiccans use salt too, but I seriously doubt it was a witch. If you’re looking for this Budala… I’d start looking at the church.” His normally melodic voice was now hoarse and scratchy.
“So, did your attacker think you were a devil or something?” John said as he rattled the pill bottle Chaz growled and walked to the back. “That was a joke… who knows what goes through the mind of a hit man. I’ve been asking around about a new player with this M.O. Hopefully ballistics can give us some answers, okay? I’ll come by If I have any new info. Anything else?”
I chuckled as I placed 2 handguns on the table. One was a Glock and the other was a Beretta, and was heavier than the other “Oh, here. Maybe you’ll head to my rules next time.”.
“How in the hell?” John said, patting his underarm holsters, finding them empty. “You know the trouble you’re in? I should arrest you!!” He was obviously pissed. Good. Maybe he’ll listen to me now.
“And I said no firearms in my bar. At least I let you keep the knives and the taser. I’m not going to leave you unable to defend yourself. We spent damn near a month fishing out bullets and patching the holes in the walls. So unless you want to pay me for any potential damage you might cause… I have every right.”
I watched crimson flow up his neck, and into his face. I didn’t expect him to be this pissed off. I needed to diffuse this a tad. “So… how does that Beretta handle? It feels a bit heavy.”
He looked at me for a moment, completely caught off guard. That in itself made me chuckle. The anger drained from his face as he fell into the talkative gun owner stance. Good.
“It is a tad, but I had some work done to it. If you make it to that range over on Busbee View, I’ll let you squeeze off a mag or two.”
“I know the place. I got a guy there to rebuild my Sig and I take it up there occasionally. Chaz has an Autorevolver that he carries. Need to get him up there and get him better.”
“I can shoot, woman,” he growled, walking back into the room..
“Taking 6 rounds to drop someone does not say that you can shoot.”
John chuckled, holstering his weapons. “An Auto revolver?”
Chaz replied, “Yeah, Italian. Mateba makes it. I have the .357 model. Jac had some work done to it too.”
“Yeah, I had one of the recoil springs replaced so it could handle .38 special rounds… but he is a fan of the .357…”
Interesting.. an Auto revolver… well that’s news to me.. And I know my guns.” He stood. “I’ll hafta ask some of my buddies back home about it. So you carry a Sig?“
“Yeah the p220.”
“The .45 or the 10 mil?” he asked, giving me his full attention.
“The early P220 was a 9mm. I picked up a crate of them for a song, all legal of course. They’re all on file somewhere in your station. It's called being responsible and reading up on what to do.”
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
He nodded, shaking his head with a smile on his face.. I see, I see… busting my chops. Well anyways, if you can think of anything. “Until then…” he said, sliding out of the booth, dropping a business card on the table. He walked to the door, securing his weapons on his way out.
Emily quickly walked to the table, her trembling transferring to the table as she leaned on it.. “Miss Jackie… Can I talk to you for a moment?” She had a sweat sprinkled on her forehead and she was biting her lower lip slightly.
“I get you cleaned up and off that shit and you show back up like you haven’t changed clothes in a week? And back on Meth no less? Now why should I help you again? I was looking for you to come back the day I was shot. I need a server to actually get this place running like I want to, but this makes me want to find someone else.” I crossed my arms loosely over my upper chest.
“You were shot Miss Jackie? That’s why you weren’t here…” A tear slid down her grungy face. I looked at her response, and that’s when the scent hit my nose. I could smell blood just under her skin, right under her ribs. I growled softly.
“Did Raziel do this?. I told him if he laid a hand on you again… he’d have to deal with me.” My voice had raised, and more of the dragon’s growl mingled with the words. I was furious.
Her eyes widened as she stepped back. With a soft voice she mumbled, “Raze is in jail. They found a key of coke in the trunk. It wasn't his, I know it wasn’t! . Miguel was supposed to step up but this new guy put him in the hospital and took over. He had me on the street for the last few days. My sister came looking for me and I snuck off between johns. I had her bring me here, cuz no one messes with you. She’s still outside in the car. Want to talk to her?”
“In a bit,” I said, with a sigh, as I fought to cover my face with my shirt. I could not only smell these offensive scents, but I could taste them as well. The more it made me want to hurl, the more it angered me.. “Chaz… “
“No need to call Twinkletoes, he’s almost here.”
I turned around to look towards the bar. Chaz was on his phone, texting away.
“Good. Head outside and tell Emily’s sister to go get her a couple changes of clothes and bring them here.” I looked back to the woman still quaking. “Now.. you know your way to the apartment. Go get yourself cleaned up. I’ll send Alec to look over your bruises when he gets here.”
“Alec…? Will he go sparkly again?” she asked almost excitedly
“You witnessed that?” I asked. This might not be the best idea, come to think of it.
“I did. Reminded me of the sparkly vampires…” She almost swooned.
“Well… damage is done I guess. He’s going to have to. I need that shit out of your system.” seeing the suffering that she had gone through calmed me down a tad, as I spoke to her in a soothing voice. “Go child. Miss Jackie’s got you now.”
“Yes ma’am. Thank you Madrecita.” She took my hand and kissed it softly before heading back towards the bar. Behind a false counter was a set of stairs that lead to a lower level. The previous owners of this place used the first sublevel as a VIP area, with a bandstand, some pool tables, and a second bar. They also used it for club business. I had it renovated into a livable space, with a kitchen. Living room, bedroom, and a decent bathroom. I stay here during the week. My house is about 45 minutes by air from downtown. I can’t fly out during the day… so having a place to crash in town was a good idea.... Right?
I stood, walking behind the bar to grab a wet towel to wipe down the tables. Anger fed my draconian hunger, and I couldn’t go hunting in broad daylight. A bottle of Oban Scotch called out to me, so I grabbed it as well, breaking the seal and turning it up as I went to work.
“So he DID remember…” I mused, smiling slightly, as I looked at the now empty bar.
---V---
I could see the remnants of the setting sun dipping below the layer of clouds as I sat on the roof. I heard scraping behind me as I wrapped my arms around my knees. I spend most of my evenings on the roof here… it helps me clear my mind.
It was Alec who was climbing up to me. He could have flown up here. Alec is Fae. They were brought to this rock about the same time the dragons were, but the angelic court liked them at first. I can still hear my mother cursing the fae for all they were worth, until the angelic court betrayed them too. ‘Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows’ or so some old human writer once said.
Alec was just a tad bit taller than me, but lean like a track runner. His skin normally had a pale blue hue to it, and his shoulder length hair was bright green… almost neon. Glamour magic made his skin look human… but he kept the hair… a good dye job is hard to find.
“She’s sleeping..,” he said softly, as he sat down beside me. “…Finally. I had to dust her twice before she’d go down.”
“She was that strung out?” I asked, softly.
“Among other things. She had a broken rib that had started to set wrong. I had to fix that too.’
“I’m gonna kill whoever let that shit happen to her.” I balled up my fists and slammed it against the shingles under me. Tiny pebbles of shingle dust flew into the air, settling back down.
“This is way worse than when we got her from Raziel last time,” he sighed softly. “...But I think she’ll be okay.”
I turned to him. “Did she eat?”
He nodded. “Oh did she…” he laughed. “I used up the groceries you had on hand. I’ll get some tonight. You need to tell me when you get low. A private client who isn’t well informed isn’t worth their salt.” He frowned jokingly, wagging his finger at me. I laughed. “Oh, more information for you.”
“More information?” I looked at him, puzzled.
He nodded. “I just remembered. A Mister Stevenson called while you were in the hospital.”
“Is he going to stop letting me hunt?” I asked. Bill Stevenson is a cattle farmer that lets me fill my dragon belly for a fee… no questions asked. It keeps me from getting spotted in town.
“Oh, nothing of the sort. I mentioned to him that we were opening the grill. He said that he and his accountant could get together with us to set up a merchant account. I made an appointment for tomorrow morning for that.”
“Good. Can you handle it without us? Chaz and I have business to handle.”
“Yes, my sun-hued Mrywnae… I’ll be here early anyway to check up on Emily.”
“I haven’t been called one of those in centuries… beats being called a ‘damned-lizard’.”
We would both chuckle. “My question is… How long till we can full-open?” I asked, turning back to him.
“We still need vendors to get stock and supplies. I can try to get that ball rolling tomorrow. Mr. Stevenson might have someone he knows. Keeping things local might add to the allure. Once the meeting’s over, I’ll start showing the humans the ropes. We need one more in the kitchen at least though. A week or so… maybe sooner?”
“Sounds good,” I replied as he stood.
“I’m going to go check on her one more time before heading home, if that’s okay with you.”
“Of course, Alec, be careful heading home.” He waved me off, as he leapt off the roof.
I found myself alone once more.
As I watched the final rays of sunshine bleed into darkness, I found myself tired. I guess three weeks in a bed wasn’t enough to fully heal this shell. I hadn’t seen my wings since the attack, and, even though I was tired, I still had enough energy to take my original body.
Shifting between forms is like swimming to the surface from the bottom of a pool. It can be tiring if either are too weak, but I as a rule make sure that never happens. I closed my eyes, pushing my conscience towards the other side. I felt the air warp around me, and opened my eyes in my scaled, dragon form.
But this time, things were different. Reality looks different through the eyes of a dragon. I can see thermally, and my sharpened sense of smell helps this highly evolved brain image odors as well. Jeriel said dragons have 4 brain sections, compared to a human’s 2… nice huh?
I have the ability to see mystical, arcane energies in this form as well. Doesn’t help a lot as a human, but being a magical entity that can see ‘Mana’ as the humans call it is indispensable.
“My love,” I heard my humanoid body say, as we both stood in the void.
“Xochil,” I purred, nuzzling my snout against her stomach. “How did this happen? I have spent over a millennia hoping to hear your voice again.”
“When we were hurt, I thought I was losing my mind. It had been forever since you talked to me. I think it was because of the damage to our heart. My body was forced to fight for itself, and without you at the reins, I awakened.” She stroked her fingers through the scales on my face.
“I did not know. In all of the bodies that I had been blessed with over the ages, nothing like this has ever happened.” I sighed, cherishing her touch. “But, do you see? I have kept my vow. I will keep you with me forever.”
“The joy of spending eternity with my friend… my lover… my queen… the Gods could not have blessed me more.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. A glowing light enveloped us both as the slight scars and imperfections in her face faded to flawlessness.
“I can now have my wish…” she whispered into my ear.
“What wish?”
She chuckled as the glowing started to fade. “...that the Gods allow me to see the world through your eyes as you fly, as you see the earth through mine…” She then walked away, as I saw my golden forn, and another.
When I was younger, I spent time in northern Europe, what would be Nordic lands. I had a special someone who was also a dragon, and a little younger than me. We stumbled upon a mated pair of wolves, who had been attached and their litter killed. Humans had done this. We fed the wolves our blood, trying to heal them. Their fur color changed. It became more snowy, allowing them to hide more freely in the frozen landscape, and they lived longer. They pair gave their lives protecting a human child from a bear. To honor their sacrifice, my friend and I held a private ritual for the animals. We found that afterwards, we were able to use them as a shell, like the Nephilim bodies.
Though the Luna-Wolf looked awfully tempting, I needed some “me” time. Stretching my gold-scaled wings, I felt the building shift, the building yielding an audible whine as two and half tons of gold shifted off the roof.
It was alec’s idea to have the top floor of the bar and the roof reinforced with steel beams and joists. He told the workers it was in case of a flood, so that it could hold a lot of people… but mainly it was to make sure it could hold my heavy, scaly ass.
It was more of an ungraceful jump, as I flapped my wings to help me glide to the ground. I can take flight from a dead standstill, but it takes a lot of energy, and I don’t want to actually damage the roof of my bar. Landing behind the building, I curled into a circle, letting my relaxed wings drape over me like a blanket.
“I can’t believe I have to surrender my bed, again, to that harlot.” I mused aloud. It sounded like a low growl, but I don’t care. I could have shared the bed with Emily… It’s not like I don’t know her well enough. Emily was injured, and coming off a chemical high, as well as a dust-high. Alec’s fae dust has healing properties, but is euphoric as well. I don’t like being with someone who is dust-high unless I can ride the high as well.
I settled onto the ground, letting my muscles and joints relax, one by one, as I listened to Emily’s heavy breathing as she slept. Yes, dragon hearing is that good. Once I finally relaxed, I tucked my snout under my left wing and joined her in slumber..