I was furious with him. I couldn’t believe that after everything we had been through he still didn’t trust me. “Yeah,” I muttered again, “You can leave now. I’m tired of this bullshit. You ask me to be honest with you, so I am, but you still can’t tell me a damn thing about yourself. Jeeze, maybe I should wonder if you are the spy .”

“Clara,” he started to say, but I held up my hand .

“No, until you tell me just who the hell you are, I’m not going anywhere else with you .”

He sighed. “Fine. But you won’t like what you hear .”

“I think I can be the judge of that,” I said as I sat down and crossed my arms. I nodded my head and sat down .

“My mother was the queen. She was married to the king of our people, but he was murdered and a doppelganger took his place. Midris was the man who Zaruv overthrew, and he was my father. An Infernian who was trying to take over Dragselian. That is my secret, that is who I am. The son of the biggest monster in our species’ history. I am half Dragselian, half Infernian. An outcast and not at home anywhere .”

I swallowed hard, trying to come up with words. We all knew the story of the doppelganger. It was even taught at Vaxvia schools to teach children the dangers of Infernians. Suddenly, his warm skin and red eyes made more sense. The comments from the man at the bar worked now too. Still, it wasn’t his fault his father was a traitor and by all accounts, he was one of the best men I’d ever known. I didn’t give a damn about his parentage .

“That’s it?” I said carefully. “Your big secret is that your father was a dick? Welcome to the club, honey .”

His shocked expression made me laugh. “A dick? He was a killer !”

I shrugged. “Yeah, but the real question here is, are you ?”

“Well,” he said awkwardly. “No, but — ”

“Then stop taking the blame for what your father did. Mine stole from my mother and shortchanged his crew, but that doesn’t mean that I go around apologizing for his actions. You can’t help who your father is or what he did. I don’t see you as an ‘Infernian bastard’ as you call yourself .”

He hung his head. “Then what do you see in me ?”

“I see a man who takes care of his mother, who loves his home and helps anyone in need,” I whispered as I took his hand. “I see a man who goes out of his way to stand up for what’s right and takes down those who are wrong. Your father doesn’t matter, your heritage doesn’t matter. The only thing I care about is the man that I see, the good man with a pure heart .”

Nothing else needed to be said, he pulled me closer to us as our lips crushed together and fire pulsed through our bodies. He was the man that I had been waiting for and I wasn’t going to let him go again. I wanted him right there in my small apartment, but approaching footsteps outside broke us apart. I stifled a groan, we couldn’t seem to have a moment’s rest from the chaos of the last few days .

“You hear that?” he whispered. “That sounds like militia boots .”

I nodded. “Quick, grab my computer and we can sneak out the basement .”

He looked surprised. “This place has a basement ?”

“Yep, it was used when the Federation held this place. I know the area well. People would sneak out of the city this way because the man running it was a real piece of shit. It will take us into the ally then we can get to the car .”

“Leave it,” he whispered .

I gave him a confused look, but didn’t wait around for him to explain. He grabbed my computer and followed me to the small kitchen where I pushed aside the fridge. Behind it a door creaked open and we slipped into the dark tunnel. It had been years since I had first found the tunnel, but I’d never used it. I only hoped that it would put us far enough away from the militia so that we could make a break for it. Whatever his plan, I hoped it was a good one .

“They’re in the house,” he whispered as we jogged .

“How do you know?” I asked. “All I can hear is the street above us .”

“I can smell them. My father did leave me a few good traits to inherit .”

“It won’t be long before they find the tunnel and the car. We need to get out of here .”

The door came into view and I stepped aside as he pummeled it. The brittle metal collapsed under the pressure and we moved into the empty street. This section of town hadn’t started to be redeveloped yet. People rarely went to it and even then, never during the night. There were still a few Federation loyalists that we needed to avoid. They didn’t come out during the day, the militia was still hunting them down at every chance .

“This area isn’t safe,” I whispered. “I know that we can fight, but any commotion might bring the militia this way and that won’t work .”

He smiled at me and took me in his arms. “We won’t be fighting, my love .”

The heat reverberated out of his body, much like when we were making love. As his arms started to grow, fear washed over me for a brief moment before I realized what was going to happen. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on for dear life as he started to shift into a dragon. The only time I’d ever seen it done was in movies while in school. It was a stunning, yet terrifying sight to behold. I felt the wind on my face before my feet started to life up off the ground. I had to close my eyes, I couldn’t look down .

“It’s okay,” he whispered, though his lips didn’t move. “I won’t let you go .”

I trusted him more than I’d ever trusted anyone in my life. As we touched down back at the manor I stumbled away from him, still trying to catch my breath from the adventure. He shifted back into his human form and grinned at me, his naked body even more stunning from the glow of the moonlight reflecting off his red skin. It started to fade and return to the way it looked every day, but before it could, I placed a hand on his chest .

“You are beautiful,” I whispered .

“Right back at you, doll,” he said .

Someone cleared their throat from behind me and we both spun around to see his mother. “Am I interrupting something ?”

He laughed. “Nope, just taking a flight around town .”

“Well, dinner is going to get cold if you two don’t hurry up. You’ll have to tell me all about your trip to town when you come. But first, maybe some pants, son? Have some decency .”

Rizor laughed and I knew that she was playing around with him. After she went inside, I turned back to him. “Why didn’t you tell her what we were doing? Are you worried it will give her more anxiety ?”

He shrugged. “It’s not the anxiety I worry about so much. She seems to be better. I don’t want her to know that the Federation is gaining ground. It will destroy her after everything she lost to get here .”

“You are a good son. So, do we go to dinner first or do we connect the dots ?”

“I think she is really excited about spending time with you. As long as it’s okay with you .”

“Why not?” I said .

I followed him into the house where a servant was waiting with clothing for him. I had to wonder how often this sort of thing happened that they knew to have clothing ready for him. He was buttoning his shirt just as we got into his mother’s apartment. It was different than his, far more modern. The elaborate table was set for three. The smell of delicious food wafting up to meet us as my stomach growled. I didn’t realize how long it had been since I’d last ate .

“Wow, everything looks wonderful,” I stammered as we sat down .

Briana reached over and patted my hand. “It’s so nice to have some company. Not that Rizor isn’t a wonderful companion, but it’s nice to see a woman here for a change. One can only talk about car motors and old furniture for so long .”

“Well thank you for having me. I am starving,” I exclaimed .

“Then dig in! Before this one gets it all,” she said with a playful smile .

We ate in silence for a few minutes until I was almost full. I slowed down and knew that Briana was waiting for me to say something. “Everything is delicious .”

“I’m glad that you like it. My cook has been with us for many years. He knows just how to prepare things the way I like them. So, Clara, Rizor tells me that you are a freight pilot? How do you like that line of work ?”

“Until recently, I really enjoyed it, but now I’m worried there is a spy on my craft .”

“Oh? What do you do in that sort of situation ?”

I shrugged. “Its new territory for me to be honest. We are going to try and figure out who it is so they can be brought to justice though .”

A loud noise came from the front of the manor, followed by the sound of breaking glass and a hovercraft pulling away. Rizor looked at me and slowly stood up. “Stay here .”

I rolled my eyes and followed him out the door. We jogged down the steps to where the servants were gathered around an object, covered in broken glass. It didn’t take long for us to realize a heavy rock had been thrown through the window. On it, one single word; ‘traitor .’

“Clean this up quickly,” he muttered. “I don’t want Mother to see this, it won’t do her any good .”

“Yes, sir,” said the man who’d handed him clothing earlier. “And the stone ?”

He glared at it. “Get rid of it, I have no room for lies in this house. Clara? We might need to cut dinner short. I don’t think I need to tell you whose work this is. He must have known you would come out here since you weren’t home .”

“What a bastard,” I hissed. “Adams has gone too far this time. Let’s find the spy and put this whole ordeal to bed .”

“Bed?” he said as the servants scattered. He pulled me close to him and whispered in my ear, “That’s the best idea you’ve had tonight. Think the spy can wait just a little bit longer ?”

I laughed. The matter was pressing, but I could feel something else pressing against me that seemed far more urgent. It had only been a day since I felt his shaft inside of me, but I needed it again. He was like a drug that I couldn’t get enough of .

“If we make it quick, I think I can fit you into my schedule,” I said back .

“Oh,” he said as he pressed his member against my body. “I can make it fit .”

I groaned with desire and didn’t stop him when he picked me up off my feet. As a servant passed by, he stopped and turned to her. “Please let the queen know that we have been delayed. She was looking fatigued .”

“Yes, sir,” she said back with a slight bow .

I could get use to this .