Fuse by E.L. Todd
Fourteen
Cora had never beenin love before, but she realized she’d fallen deeply into its throes.
The bed made of straw was the most comfortable thing she’d ever slept on. The sheets were soft and cool, keeping her body at the perfect temperature. Never in her life had she slept so well.
It could only be love.
The door to her bedchamber opened, and Flare walked inside.
Jolted by his unexpected presence, she hiked up the sheets over her body and covered herself. “Damn, you scared the shit out of me. What are you doing?”
Flare shut the door then came to the bed, a wicked grin on his lips. He was particularly amused. “You doing something nasty?” He lifted up the sheets and tried to take a peek.
She pulled the sheet back down and gave him a merciless glare. “Excuse me?”
“You know…giving yourself a treat.” He winked like an arrogant bastard. “And I bet you were thinking about me.”
She still had no idea what he meant. “I assure you, I wasn’t doing whatever it is you think I was doing.”
“I don’t know…people only jump like that when they’re hiding something.”
“Or maybe I just didn’t expect you to walk in here without knocking.”
“If you’re worried about that, why not just lock the door?”
“There’s a lock?” She couldn’t find one when she tried to lock it before she went to sleep.
He chuckled. “Let me give you some advice. Always lock the door before you touch yourself.”
Touch herself? “Flare, get out of my room. And don’t walk in like that again. Knock first.”
He cocked his head to the side, his eyes lit up with interest. “You don’t know what I’m talking about, do you?”
She wasn’t sure if she should admit to it or not. “It’s late and I’m tired. Good night.”
A chuckle escaped his lips. “I’ll take that as a no. And that means you’re really missing out.”
She lay down again and pulled the sheets to her neck. “I don’t really care, Flare.”
“I’m talking about masturbation. You’ve never done it?” He sat at the edge of her bed and leaned over her. “I can teach you. The women tell me they love it.” He waggled his eyebrows at her in a sleazy way.
She rolled her eyes and turned on her side so she wouldn’t have to look at him. “Goodnight, Flare.”
“Come on.” He shook her shoulder gently. “Don’t be such a prude.”
“A prude? I don’t even know what that is.”
“It’s a woman who denies her sexual freedom. And believe me, that’s no way to live.”
All this talk of sex was making her uncomfortable. “Is there a reason you came in here?”
“Actually, yes.” He glanced at the fireplace. “You want me to start a fire for you?”
She wanted to kick him right between the legs. “If I wanted a fire, I would have made one myself. I’m not one of your typical damsels in distress. I’m perfectly capable of doing things on my own.”
“Except touching yourself…”
She turned over and smacked him hard in the shoulder. “Get out, Flare. I mean it.”
He rubbed the area and chuckled. “You’ve got one hell of an arm.”
“I wonder if your nose will think the same.” She pulled her right arm back and aimed.
“Whoa, hold on.” He grabbed her arm and pushed it down to the sheets. “I’ll play nice.”
She lay down again and waited for him to leave. “Will you let me get some sleep now?”
“In a minute. I wanted to talk about something.”
“Can’t it wait until the morning? You know, when I’m rested and less irritated.”
“Less irritated? I think that’s arguable.”
She prepared her right hook again.
He laughed then pushed her arm down. “Man, you’re feisty.”
“I just value my sleep.”
“Or you’re lazy…”
“That’s it.” She sat up and grabbed him by the front of his shirt. “I’m kicking your ass right now.”
“Oh, really?” he asked with a laugh.
“Yes, really.” She didn’t care that she was just in a t-shirt. She was too pissed to care about being conservative.
Flare gripped both of her wrists then pressed his mouth against hers. Immediately, she stopped moving. His lips were warm and soft, not callused like she assumed they would be. His scent washed over, the distinct smell of man. The scruff along his jaw rubbed against her delicate skin slightly.
The whole thing happened so quickly that Cora could barely process it. She’d never kissed a man before, never come close to it. And now, her first kiss was with an arrogant man who insulted her every chance he got.
She gave him a hard shove. “What the hell are you doing?”
“What?” he asked innocently. “It works on the other girls.”
She wiped her mouth with her forearm. “Well, I’m not like the others. Don’t do that again.”
Now he looked truly offended. “You didn’t like it?”
“Why would I?” She was told her first kiss was supposed to be magical. If the chemistry was right, her lips would burn. But that was simply unwelcomed and rushed.
Flare couldn’t wrap his mind around what she said. “It’s just… They always like it.”
She rolled her eyes and got back into bed. “Maybe you aren’t as good as you think you are.”
“Or maybe there’s something wrong with you.”
“Doubtful.” She lay down again and waited for him to leave. “So…goodnight.”
He grabbed a chair from the corner and dragged it to her bedside.
She groaned under her breath and wondered what time it was. She should be enjoying every moment of sleep before she was traveling across the land again. Her body would be pushed to the limit.
“I’ve been thinking about our conversation earlier, about our plan.”
At least it was something relevant. “Okay.”
“I’m not sure if it’s the best idea for you to see the elves.”
“Why not?”
He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “I don’t trust them, Cora.”
“You don’t trust anyone.” The only time she saw him truly relax was around Bridge, his old friend.
“For good reason.” His attitude completely changed now that they were being serious. “I know you’re strong and capable, but sometimes, that’s just not enough. Not every opponent you face can be defeated.”
“I’m not going to challenge the elves to combat. I just want to talk.”
“Well, maybe they don’t.”
It really didn’t matter what might or might not happen. She still needed to travel to their realm and at least make the attempt. “Not going isn’t an option. And you can’t send someone else. I’m your best hope.”
He massaged the knuckles of his right hand, his eyes following his movements. “You know what I think?”
“Hmm?” The sooner this conversation was over, the sooner she could get to sleep.
“I think your real motivation is your lineage. You hope you’ll see your parents again—or at least find out what happened to them.” He slowly lifted his head and met her gaze.
She looked away because she couldn’t deny the allegation. “I admit I’m curious to see where I come from.”
“You’re approaching a treasure chest expecting to see gold and jewels inside. But when you open the lid, there will be only cobras.” He didn’t sugarcoat his thoughts, getting right to the point. “If you were abandoned outside a village that’s a week’s ride away, it can only mean one thing. For whatever reason, you were not safe in Eden Star.”
She didn’t want that to be the truth, but she didn’t see how she could deny it. Her parents left her in the street because they didn’t want her or couldn’t keep her. What did she hope to find in Eden Star?
Flare didn’t take any joy in being right. The same sadness in her heart shone in his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
She knew he meant it, somehow. She was beginning to understand him more than ever before. He was covered in layers, superficial walls to hide who he truly was. But as she peeled them away, she saw the extraordinary man beneath it all. “I know…”
“For what it’s worth, I know what it’s like to have parents that let you down. I know what it’s like to hope for love but only receive disappointment. You aren’t alone.”
It was the first time he’d voluntarily revealed something personal about himself. When he said he didn’t trust anyone, that was a lie. Slowly, like a blooming flower in the spring, he was beginning to trust her.
“I still want to go,” she whispered. “Even if I’m only met with disappointment, I have to try. I’m our best chance of convincing them, simply because I share their likeness.”
Flare nodded because he couldn’t deny that truth. “But you don’t have to. If you change your mind, we can figure out another way.”
“I won’t change my mind.” She was certain of that. Whether she met her end or was exiled from Eden Star, that was okay. She knew she would regret it far more if she didn’t even try.
Flare didn’t try to change her mind again. This time, he let it be. “Your guardian truly loves you.”
The thought of Dorian made her heart convulse painfully. She missed his cheerful face, those playful eyes. Even when the rest of the village whispered behind her back, he defended her. And she wasn’t even his daughter. “I know he does.”
“I could sense it in the air when he was near you. It was powerful, blinding.”
“Because of the dragon?”
He nodded. “I’m susceptible to vibrations and emotions. Like I said before, I can’t read minds. But I can definitely sense moods.”
“That must come in handy.”
“Sometimes.”
She sat up in bed and pulled the covers with her. It didn’t seem like Flare was leaving anytime soon. “Why is this important to you?”
“What?”
“Freeing the dragons. It’s a huge undertaking, and it doesn’t sound likely that it’ll ever work. So, why are you willing to risk everything, including your own freedom, to change things? Couldn’t you just find the island and live the rest of your days there? Why fight?”
The expression on his face was strikingly similar to the one the dragon possessed. It was unreadable, like a solid wall. He didn’t even blink. All he did was stare, the cogs in his mind turning furiously. “When you’re connected to a dragon in this way, you become a single person. I feel what he feels. Seeing the rest of his glorious species used like machines is heartbreaking. It pains him every single day that passes, and for an immortal being, that’s a long time. I need to right all the wrongs that were committed—for him.”
While that was noble and selfless, it left her confused. “If the dragon wishes to be free, why is he fused at all? Why does he continue to remain connected with you?”
When Flare looked down, it was clear this was a question he didn’t want to answer. It crossed the line into personal territory.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to pry.”
Instead of him snapping at her or storming off, his voice came out quiet. “I know. Flare and I fused a long time ago. It’s been so long now that I don’t even remember when it happened.”
She hugged her knees to her chest and hung on every word. She knew this information was important, even groundbreaking. He was confiding something deep, something he wouldn’t tell anyone else.
“I…” It was the first time he’d ever faltered in his speech. He had the confidence to say what he needed to say without hesitation. But now he wasn’t himself. He was practically weak. “When Flare and I fused for the first time…I forced him to do it. I broke him down until he was at his weakest point. Then I infected his mind and made it mine to mold.” He wouldn’t meet her look, the shame etched into every feature of his face. “I controlled him for years.”
Cora squeezed her knees, her hands starting to shake. To hear such horrific words escape his mouth left her speechless. She assumed he was one of the good guys, one of the rare people who actually respected the dragon species. But now she knew he was just another monster.
“One day, I realized just how horrific it was. Being linked to his mind for so long forced me to understand his suffering. He was a captive in his own body, unable to do anything else but pray for the sweet release of death. That was when everything changed. I grew to love the dragon, and somehow, he grew to love me.”
She tried to keep her breathing quiet so she wouldn’t disrupt him. Every word was vital, and she didn’t want to make a sound in case he stopped.
“I decided to free him and unfuse. He deserved to be free after all the things I’d done to him. But when I attempted the transition, Flare wouldn’t allow it. He kept me bound there, refusing to let me go.”
The dragon didn’t want to unfuse? She didn’t know such a thing was possible. “Why wouldn’t he release you?”
His eyes were glued to the thick blanket on top of the bed. He didn’t make eye contact again, too ashamed to face her head on. “Dragons are immortal, while humans are not. This is something you already know. But when you’re fused, you retain that immortality. Just as the dragons live forever, so does the human. Since my life-span had come and gone hundreds of years ago, I would die if we unfused. My body would quickly accelerate through the aging process, and then I would become dust in the wind. I accepted that fate freely. It should have come long ago. But my dragon wouldn’t allow it.”
It was the sweetest and saddest thing she ever heard. “Because he loves you…”
Flare nodded. “He’s agreed to release me after I repair all the damage I’ve caused. Once the dragons are free and the world is as it should be, he’ll allow me to go.”
Agony ripped through her heart like a knife. “You want to pass on?”
He nodded.
“Why?” She remembered Flare mentioning this in the past. Long life might seem like a blessing in the beginning, but as the years wore on, it became a curse. Elves took their own lives just before they became insane.
“I’ve done a lot of evil things in my life. Flare isn’t the only dragon I’ve tortured. I was directly responsible for a lot of things that happened during the Great War. In fact, I was instrumental in it. Just because I feel differently now doesn’t excuse my previous behavior. I deserve a gruesome death. It’s wrong that I’ll go so quickly and peacefully.”
Without Cora realizing it, her eyes had welled up with tears. The story was heartbreaking to hear. He captured the dragons with his bare hands and imprisoned them, and now he was their savior. “I don’t think you deserve death.”
“Why not?” he said coldly. “There’s not a single person who would agree with you.”
“Not even Flare?”
“Person. Not dragon.”
“What about Bridge?”
He shook his head. “He doesn’t count.”
“You may have done terrible things in the past, but you aren’t that person anymore. Flare wouldn’t love you unless you were a good person.”
“He’s been with me for too long. Love the one you’re with.”
“There’s more to it than that.”
“Maybe you think so.” His voice was barely above a whisper. “There’s nothing left for me to live for. If I destroy the castles of Anastille and return the power where it belongs, I’ll feel better. But that won’t heal me.”
“Maybe you’ll feel differently when that time comes.”
“Doubtful. I’ve felt this way for a hundred years now. I doubt anything will change in the next hundred.”
She eyed his hand on his thigh then grabbed it with her own. Even though she wasn’t a dragon, she could sense his sorrow. It was heavy like a rain cloud about to pour. She should hate him for what he did, but she simply couldn’t. She saw the light shine through him as well as the remorse. “Everyone deserves a second chance.”
He eyed their interlocked fingers. “Not me.”
“When this is all over, you’ll feel differently.”
He brushed his thumb across her fingertips. His skin was dry and cracked from gripping the pommel of a sword. His hand was twice the size of hers and twice as warm. “Maybe. Or maybe I’ll hate myself even more.”