The Last Dragon Prince: A Dark Fairy Tale
Chapter 5

It’s dark when I am finally able to pry my eyes open. I don’t mean outside, I mean wherever the hell I am, it’s really dark!

I am in pain, everywhere hurts… Aches and pains cause me to groan as I turn on the hard, uneven surface I’m laying on.

Except the bump on the back of my head. I lift my hand and gently press where the dark knot should be, but it isn’t there. I don’t understand! It’s been getting bigger for over a year. How did it just go away?

Something in the back of my mind clicks.

Jericho! He said he could help me… But.. I don’t remember what happened.

I search my mind for the past events. Everything is all jumbled up. I remember mom slapping me, knocking me out. I remember Nichole slapping me. I remember a nurse…

I remember a kiss! I remember how the kiss rocked my entire world, and never wanting the kiss to end. I remember thinking if I died from lack of oxygen, it would have been totally worth it! At least my last seconds on this earth were in ecstasy.

I remember blood. The taste of his blood on my lips was sweet. Not at all like what my lips taste like when someone hits me and makes my lips bleed. His blood was delicious and addicting… Or maybe it was his lips that had me addicted?

I remember that witch threatened Jericho. I told him I wasn’t worth him suffering being stuck with her again, and I still agree with that!

I remember the moment he agreed, I’d never felt so loved and protected, while at the same time, I’ve never felt so much pain! I couldn’t lose him to that backstabbing hussy. Especially because I know he was doing it to save me, not because he was a willing participant.

My heart breaks. Tears leaked down my face. A sob wracks through my body, and I curl up into a ball on my side. Right at this moment, I am grateful for the darkness. I don’t want anyone to see me falling apart.

I know my parents won’t even come looking for me. The only one who actually gave a damn about me was Jericho, and he was stuck with that bloodsucking witch!

Hours pass. My stomach grumbles, but this isn’t the first time I’ve gone without food, so I just ignore it.

At some point I see a crack of light that seems to fill the room, and I am finally able to assess my surroundings.

It seems I’m in an underground chamber, like a cavern, with multiple exit points. I’ve been laying on a huge freaking rock for who knows how long… No wonder I’ve been aching everywhere.

I guess I have a choice to make. I can stay where I am at and just fade away, like it seems the world wants to happen. I could get up and get lost and still fade away, just not at this spot, or I could try to find the exit and escape.

I know I can’t just stay here. If Jericho sacrificed himself for me, that means he didn’t want me to just waste away to nothing. He thought I was worthy enough of his sacrifice. And that right there, made up my mind. I wanted Jericho to think I was worthy of him.

Slowly, I push my shaky body up to my feet.

And the world starts spinning, and I almost immediately collapse again.

But I won’t let that stop me! I crawl over to the rough hewn rock, and pull myself up along the wall. My hands have cuts and scrapes from the rock, but I pay them no mind. I’ve had worse before, and if that is what it takes, then so be it.

I decided to try and follow the light. I guess the saying ‘there is light at the end of the tunnel’ really hits home right now.

It is a slow process, as I keep tripping on the cavern floor, and scraping up my feet and legs isn’t helping. All I know is I have to keep going and get out of this hole.

My heart lightens as the light gets brighter. I’m almost out of here! I know it. I can feel it in my gut, then I can figure out how to get somewhere safe. I still don’t have a way to contact Jericho… I don’t even own a phone. But that won’t stop me.

If I have to, I'll send a message via carrier pigeon!

I finally make it to the end of the tunnel, and I cry in relief.

Which is short lived when someone steps out to block my exit.

“Jason… What are you doing here?”

I am so confused! Why is he here? And why is he blocking me?

“I’m sorry, Heidi. But I can’t let you go, or Nichole will kill me. And if you get hurt, your mate will kill me too… I had no idea you would turn out to be a dragon's mate!” he chuckles, as he shakes his head in disbelief.

“Mate?” I’m not familiar with the term, other than in animals.

“Yeah, I’m not surprised you wouldn’t know what it means. You are just human, after all…”

“What are you talking about? Are- are you a dragon too?” I don’t understand any of this conversation.

“No, I’m a werewolf. As far as mates are concerned… I guess you would call them your soul mate? He is your other half,” he tries to explain.

“How- how do you know when…” I can’t even figure out how to finish that sentence.

I probably should be more disturbed about his revelation of being a werewolf, but after Jericho telling me he is a dragon, I don’t think anything will surprise me, or scare me either. Besides, Jason has never hurt me before, so he can’t be all that bad.

“Let me ask you, do you feel safe around Jericho?” he asks.

“Yeah… I’ve never felt so safe in my life!” I admit.

“Do you feel a pull to him… Like you don’t ever want to be away from him?”

I nod my head slowly.

“And when he kissed you… Did you feel sparks, like electricity running through your body?” he asks with a knowing smirk.

My brain is completely frozen. I remember his kiss. It felt like magic!

“That- that means he-he’s my soul mate?” I ask, shakily.

“Yeah, and it gets better… Or it would if Nichole doesn’t destroy your dragon boy,” he says sadly.

“You are sad?”

“Yeah, actually. If you were just boyfriend and girlfriend, it would be different. But mates- their souls are meant to be together, and if you take them from each other, they will go crazy from the separation. I know, I’ve got a mate too. And when I can’t see her, it physically hurts me. And if dragons are anything like wolves, your boy is in pain right now,” he sighs in frustration.

“Can’t you just let me go?” I beg.

“I really am sorry Heidi. I never did understand why Nichole had it out for you. But if I let you go, she will go after my family,” he explained in frustration.

A growl rocks through the forest and I look up.

There is a beautiful midnight blue dragon headed straight for us.

“I guess your mate found you after all,” Jason said, looking like he was about to wet himself.

“Jericho!” I call out.

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