Rise of the Phoenix

Chapter 1: Emmi

It’s like there’s something inside me, trying to get out. Sometimes, it’s simple and I can let myself relax and let it, the shifter, or whatever it is, out. At other times, I fight it. Fight her.

There’s definitely a feminine feel to the animal that has formed inside me. But it scares me, the power that I feel when she tries to push forward. I don’t know if it’s dangerous, if it will change me like those horrible hybrids that bit me and the others over and over. They don’t seem to be affected like I am. They’ve had some problems, but nothing like what I’ve had. And no one has the headaches that I have.

“Can you tell me more about your headaches, Emmi?” Dr. Everett asks me. He’s a very nice man and he’s trying to help me, but so far, he hasn’t been able to do anything for my headaches, or the feeling that something is inside me, trying to claw its way out.

“It’s like something is screaming in my head. It feels like my head is going to explode,” I tell him.

He watches me, never questioning what I tell him. He accepts everything I say, not making me feel stupid or silly. It’s made it easier to work with him. I just wish he could figure out what I am or what they did to me. And I really wish he could get rid of these headaches.

“Is that why you cover your ears and close your eyes? Because of the screaming and feeling like your head is going to explode?” he asks.

I nod. “I feel like I’m holding myself together and mostly I feel like I’m not doing a very good job at it,” I say, my voice breaking at the end. I’m so tired of hurting.

He smiles at me kindly. “I think I hear someone coming down the hall who can help you.”

Sunshine. The name comes unbidden to my mind.

“Emmi!” Ajax says walking into the room. The term sunshine fits him. It's like everything becomes brighter when he walks into the room. And brighter still when he smiles his beautiful smile at me. Ajax is everything that I ever hoped to find in a boyfriend. He’s so attractive, so strong, and so kind.

“Hi, Ajax.”

“How are you doing?” he asks me, then glances at his father, his adoptive father, Dr. Everett.

“I’m not sure. How am I doing?” I ask Dr. Everett.

“Well, we haven’t been able to figure out where your headaches are coming from, but besides that, how are you feeling?”

I look at Ajax. His sweet smile warms something deep inside me.

“I feel pretty good,” I say, and his smile grows. He sits down across from me, his eyes on mine.

Dr. Everett looks at his watch. “It’s almost lunch time. Why don’t the two of you have lunch and then I’ll be back,” he says.

“Oh, Ajax probably has something else to do,” I say, not wanting him to feel trapped here with me.

“I’m in between classes,” he says. “And I’d love to have lunch with you.”

“Okay,” I say shyly.

“Okay,” he says, his hand twitching as if he wants to reach out and touch me.

“Since we’re farther away from the main house now, it’s not as easy to get food. You’ll have to call over Ajax, or go pick it up,” Dr. Everett says.

“I can do that,” he says, watching me with an intensity that I love but also makes me blush.

“I’ll be back to check on you later, Emmi,” Dr. Everett says before walking out of the room.

Ajax hasn’t looked away from me. “What are you hungry for, Emmi?”

I’ve been alone all my life, preferring to spend my time in the forests with the animals instead of the humans at school. So, I have no idea why I get an image of Ajax, completely naked, beckoning me to come to him. I’m not even sure how I know that his eyes are dark with desire, but somehow, I do. I quickly look away from his intense gaze.

“Emmi, you need to eat. I know you don’t always feel like eating. I know that extreme headaches can make you feel nauseous, but you have to eat,” he says gently, reaching out and putting his hand on my knee.

“What are you having?” I ask him softly, still not looking at him.

“Well, I’m probably eating a lot more than you will,” he says, laughing at himself.

I turn back to look at him, and he winks at me. “I am a dragon, after all.”

“And human and elf,” I say, having no idea how I know that. But I do. I know that I’m right.

“How did you know that?” he asks me.

“I don’t know,” I say.

“Hmmm, it must be because you’re intuitive as well as beautiful,” he says flirtatiously. “But you’re right. I am part elf and part human, although I feel like I’m starting to forget that part of myself. The dragon part of me is very strong. I think the elf part, the part that they injected me with in the laboratory was merely a lucky break for me. It helped the dragon part attach to my DNA and make me into an earth dragon.”

“You have a beautiful dragon,” I tell him. It’s true. I think he’s more beautiful that Avani and Avani is a true earth dragon.

“You’ve seen my dragon?” he asks, looking pleasantly surprised.

“I have. You’re beautiful in that form. Well, your beautiful in any form,” I say. My cheeks burning so hot that it feels like I’ll burst into flames.

“You’re pretty spectacularly beautiful yourself, you know,” he says.

I giggle at his words. “I’m not sure I’m that attractive.”

He leans forward. I can feel the heat of his body against my legs. I look at him and his bright green eyes capture mine.

“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life. And considering that we live among dragons and shifters, I think that says a lot about how utterly gorgeous you are.”

It’s by far the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me, and I can’t look away from him. I can tell by the look in his eyes, his intense gaze, that he means every word he’s saying.

“So, what will it be?” he asks me softly.

“What?” I ask, not knowing what he’s talking about. I’m too mesmerized by his eyes. I swear I can see the dragon in his eyes, shifting around so he can see me more clearly. The greens, browns, and golds in his eyes shift and move, making it seem as if the dragon is forward, watching me as intently as the human is. But I know from listening to the others around me that dragons aren’t separate shifters. They are always dragons. Although, I’m not sure how that works for Ajax and the other hybrids. They were humans first. Maybe they are more like Kenna and the other hybrids that were born in a human body. Although, she too seems to be a dragon first and a human second.

“What do you want to eat? Is your stomach upset again? I can see what kind of soup they have and bring you some crackers?”

“My stomach feels fine right now,” I say. It always does when he’s around. I always feel so much better when Ajax is near me.

He smiles, as if my words are the most perfect thing I could have said.

“How about I get several different things. You can try them and decide what tastes good and what sits well in your stomach?”

“You’re going to stay and eat with me?” I ask him.

“The best part of my day is having my meals with you, Emmi.”

I smile as he stands and winks at me. I watch him walk out of the room and listen as he begins jogging over to the main house where the kitchens are.

The best part of my day is having my meals with him too.