Submitting to the Dragon

Chapter 3

The night seemed darker than it had before near the manor. The deeper I got into the woods the harder it seemed to keep my bearings. Ive never had a problem with the dark but it felt like this was alive. A pulse seemed to come from the ground and a heartbeat filled the darkest places of the forest. 

I shook my head. What does that even mean? The stress of the last couple days must be getting to me. 

Finally, the Grove appeared in front of me and I sunk to my knees in the soft moss. It was usually a place so foreign and scary but tonight it was my haven. I covered my face with my hands and let myself cry. I was so tired of being hurt and scared. 

A soft step instantly alerted me of another presence in the Grove. Thinking somehow Robert followed me I jumped to my feet and began to run careless of the branches slashing my arms and face. The world came to a shocking stop. Darkness flooded the forest covering it completely and a roaring silence engulfed me muffling even my steps. 

Soothing words floated in the air surrounding me and comforting me. I felt the weight of all my burdens suddenly slide off my back and fall away. What language is this? Why do I feel this way? 

“Isabele? Why are you running from me?” A soothing male voice said 

Familiarity washed over me but it made no sense. “Im not Isabel. You have the wrong person.” I felt the space in front of me to find a way out of the darkness. Maybe if I kept it talking I could get out of this situation alive.

The voice came closer “You are Isabel. I named you myself. I held you when you were born. You are my blood. How could I not know my own child?” A figure began to slowly materialize in the darkness.

I gasped “I have no idea what you are saying. Please stop just stop this!!” I covered my face but found that it didn’t stop my vision. I could still see him clear as day appearing in front of me.

“Your body is still in that stand of trees back there and covering your face will not stop you experiencing this moment. You are utilizing your gifts. Only a true desire to separate from this moment will allow it to happen.” Cold hands gently grasped my wrists and brought them down to my sides. “You are the daughter of Carmela. Yes?”

I nodded mutely.

“You have not been accepted into her family though. Is this true?”

At my nod he continued. “Then you are truly the child I have been searching for all these years. The bastard kept you hidden under his very hand this entire time knowing I would never look in his home.”

The darkness thickened and swirled around him and his form became more dense. A face began to appear through the darkness. A face that seemed so familiar. “Who are you?” I asked my voice nothing but a whisper.

The man didn’t reply as he continued to materialize, but when he stood before me as solid as my own flesh I could see tears in his eyes. He reached out to me and the darkness flashed away. We both stood together in the Grove as I grasped tightly to his hand. 

“I know who you are I think.” I said not waiting for him to answer me “I feel it. Somewhere inside me I knew the minute I heard your voice.” Tears were welling up in my eyes.

He grabbed me and held me tightly to his chest. “Yes. You are my daughter.” 

A love I’d never felt washed over me. The security and assurance of that embrace filled my heart and the years of loneliness seemed so small. After a while he pushed me away from him and lead me to sit on the moss again.

“I never had the chance to keep you with me. I swear to you I have spent your whole life searching for you. Your mother trusted me to care for you and I failed her. I don’t deserve your love and I won’t ask for it. You fell out of my grasp and I will never forgive myself for it. When my court heard rumors of your existence I immediately sent my men to find you. After all these years I couldn’t believe it when they said you were in the Realms of Light.”

Fear niggled at my heart. “You are not from this Realm?” 

He cast his eyes down. “I hope that you will still accept me. Accept who you are. You cannot believe what these evil people say about us.”

The fear grew more inside me threatening to spill over. “I’m not human?”

“Yes! You are a very rare type of human. You have the blood of both races. Its very rare because most of the our races do not meet much less have children together. Your mother was someone very special. I see her in you.”

Numbness overtook my body. “Im a demon? You are from the Realms Below? How—“

His hands grasped mine again, still cold but more warmed in his fully physical body now. “I want you to come home with me, but you will not survive the cold. Let me teach you to survive in the realm. Its in your blood but your demon side was sealed away to keep you safe as a child. There are only a few of us who know that you are a mixed race child. It won’t be easy.”

“I can’t — I mean I live here. I have my duties and im not a demon. Im a human. I don’t believe this.” I moved away from him feeling that the distance would separate me from a truth I knew in my heart. I felt the truth in every word he said to me. I felt our connection so strongly and an urge that I had never experienced to go home filled my every urge. It scared me. 

He stood up looking awkward. “I don’t want to push you to this. I know its overwhelming. Let me teach you. Let me tell you about your mom and me. Ill slowly show you your history and your future. Your brothers will be so pleased to meet you.”

“Brothers?” I asked in shock. I’d always wished for siblings.

He chuckled slightly “Yeah you have quite a few brothers. Half- brothers though. I was married when I met your mom.” He looked ashamed at his confession.

“Your mom and I were both in arranged marriages. It is no excuse and we both had cut off the relationship but not long after she told me about you. She convinced her husband that you were his at first, but you showed very early promise of being an incredibly powerful Daemon. Your markings came to the surface must sooner than the average child. It was undeniable. And it—“ He cut himself off when he saw my face.

As he spoke all the darkness in the forest, the trees, the bushes, the very night itself drew into him and waves of anger crashed off of him. Paralyzing fear gripped my heart like a hand of ice around it suffocating its very beating. 

“Oh! I- im so sorry.” He sat down on the moss and shut his eyes quickly with a sharp inhale the feeling immediately left. “Im so sorry I didn’t mean to hurt you!” He quickly ran to me and held my body. I couldn’t move the frozen paralysis had gripped my body tightly. 

“You are my child but you have never experienced our gifts. You have no way to protect yourself. Listen closely. Search within yourself and find a small reserve of energy. When you find it push it towards the cold and force it away from you. It will release the grip.”

I did as he told me and the ice melted away. “What just happened?” I gasped.

“Its fear. Primal fear.” He said simply “Its a gift that is passed into our family. You have access to it as well and I will teach you to use it. Only those with a strong mind and a strong spirit will withstand that fear. Most men will fall to it. Humans are always afraid of something and we are adept at amplifying that fear.”

“I can use it?” I thought of Robert and his threats to me.

My father looked at me. “I think you can but it will take practice.”

“Teach me.”

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That night I dreamed of the palace again, but this time the fires were controlled and the people smiled and moved around the room with ease. I moved through the crowd towards the throne and saw a man standing by the throne speaking animatedly with a few others. He turned to look at me and he broke into a huge grin. "My love! You look stunning. Let me introduce you to a few old friends." I let him usher me towards the group but I couldn't stop staring at him.

He was gorgeous. He was everything a man should be and more no doubt. Tall, incredibly muscular and his eyes. Golden eyes looked at me with adoration. I felt the heat of his hand on my back and felt my knees get weak. I turned away from him and smiled to the men. "A pleasure to meet you. My husband speaks so highly of you all!" The men looked embarrassed and flustered at my appearance.

"Thank you, My Queen. I'm sure we have done nothing to deserve this praise."

Queen? What an odd dream this is. Wait. If this is a dream why do I feel everything so strongly?

"Mel? Where did you go?" the man with the golden eyes asked laughing at me. His arm went around my was it and pulled me close to him "You spaced out again. Are you feeling ok tonight? I didn't wear you out too much last night did I?" He asked teasingly in intimate whisper. 

I felt my face flush bright, eyes wide.

"I miss you already. I miss being inside you and feeling your warmth all over my c***." He growled softly into my ear pressing me against him. 

His touch was doing things to my body. I felt a desire so intense. Ive never felt this way about a man before. How could his simple touch cause my mind to completely lose focus. I heard myself answering him "I don't think anyone would miss us for a few minutes."

I could feel his lust through my dress and I felt wetness spreading at my thighs. "I need you too." I whispered back "I want you so much."

He quickly lead me away from the hall and down a side corridor I hadn't seen last time. Last time? Wait last time I had seen a man chained to the throne...

I woke in a rush feeling the heat spreading on my skin. What kind of dream was that?! Who exactly is this man? 

I sat up abruptly. Did he say husband?!

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Karie rushed to me and quickly threw me into our rooms shutting the door. “Where have you been! The Young Master has been an absolute terror. He searched every corner of this place and swore he would rip the flesh of your back for disobedience and for running away. You should not have come back!”

I shushed her “Look. I found out some things. I can’t share them with you, but Robert is no threat to me now.”

It had been two weeks since I ran to the Grove and met my father. I eventually explained how things were at the manor and it had been everything in my power to stop him from terrorizing the manor that very moment. He quickly taught me how to control Fear and began to teach me about our families history. I was still left in the dark about who he is but it was obvious that he was someone very powerful and used to getting his way. He had left only after I agreed to continue meeting with him whenever he called for me. A black butterfly would appear as a signal and if I allowed it the butterfly would transport me to a place with him. It would only carry my consciousness and my body would be left behind vulnerable. It was the best we could do under the circumstances until I was able to embrace my demon side. 

He gave me several things before he left. A pendant that as soon as it was around my neck vanished into my skin leaving a small marking on my breast. A sigil that showed his family name and would be visible to those who were meant to keep me safe. He said several demons would soon appear and guard me. He also provided a letter to my father— I guess he was nothing more than my slave master now. It had been a relief to learn that Lord Valis was not my blood. The letter would inform Lord Valis that I was a freed slave and a guest in his home. 

How a simple letter could possibly change my status was beyond me, but my father had specifically sealed the letter to open to none but Lord Valis. Nasty trick of his knowing I would definitely peek into the letter. I don’t know why he couldn’t have just told me what it said, but I agreed to trust his judgement of this situation. 

“Karie. I came to tell you that things are changing. I won’t be working here anymore but ill be staying as a guest soon. I met my real father and—“ I looked away from her still ashamed of the truth “I found out that my father is a demon.”

Karie gasped and stepped away from me her eyes wide in fear and shock. “Oh no Mel! This can’t be true. You must have had something horrible happen to you. You should never have run away. Let me get you some water and ill call for Ms. Groober.”

I grabbed her hand quickly “No, Karie, this is real.” I closed my eyes and slowed my breath allowing the new found power in me to come out in the palm of my hand. A small swirling cloud of dark mist appeared in my palm and wound its way down my fingers and onto her wrist.

To my shock she shrieked in horror and surprise. “OH NO MEL!”

“Karie! Shush!” I warned her too late. Footsteps were running in our direction. I grabbed her hands. “Look at me do not make a sound. Do not allow them to touch you and they will not see us.” I concentrated my powers and pushed away the light from us. In essence, allowing us to be invisible. Visibility after all is a reflection of light off a surface. It was one of my favorite tricks id learned in the last two weeks but it was incredibly draining to hold for long periods and I had never tried to cover two people before. 

The door to the room swung open and one of the servants looked in “Karie? Are you ok? I heard screaming.” He looked around in confusion. “I could have sworn I heard her yell. I must be going crazy.” 

The door closed again and I sighed releasing the light. The effort took its toll and I sank down to the floor fighting for consciousness. Karie rubbed my back “Mel. Are you ok? How did you do that? Mel. Can you hear me?” She rushed away to get water and forced me to drink some of the cool liquid. It helped. 

“Believe me now?” I chuckled softly

“I don’t know what to say. Just tell me if you are ok?”

“I found out I have a family. That they want me with them. I just have to adapt my body to withstand their Realm. Once I can make the journey I will go to meet them all. I have powers. Its so crazy that they were there all this time. I don’t understand everything that happened yet but my powers were locked away with a spell. My father released the spell and began to train me. Its been an amazing week. I missed you though.”

I stood to my feet. “I have to go Karie. My father left me instructions and if I don’t follow them exactly it may not work in my favor.”

“Did he threaten you!”

“Oh no! Nothing like that. There is just a plan. I agreed to follow it exactly and soon id have all the answers to my questions. I just needed to see you before I did this because I don’t know when ill get the chance again. I just want you to know that you and your baby are always welcome with me. No matter where I am in the world. You will always be my friend and I will always look out for you both.”

Karie smiled but the fear in her eyes was clear to see. The fear and distrust. As if I was suddenly someone she didn’t know. “Please be safe.”

“Goodbye.” I said softly as I left and snuck back out of the kitchens. It was time to begin the plan and if my guess was right then it was about to be pay back for all the years of torment. Im excited to get started.