LUKE

"Nod if you understand," Ernest instructed Luke, who obediently nodded.

Still holding his waiting wound, Luke got up and Ernest pushed him towards the door. Luke just focused on his breathing, giving his heart medication a glance at the bedside table. That wasn't happening. Taking a deep breath, Luke went down the stairs and he knew the way to the storage was down... but Luke walked out the front door. His bare feet touched the porch and Ernest grabbed his arm, yanking him back.

He fervently whispered, "Where are you going?'' He squeezed, bruising his arm on top of everything else. "What part of you have less than fifteen minutes do you not understand—?"

Luke ripped his arm back and motioned towards the woods. He made his arms go wide as if there was something so important out there, like he could spot the end to the rainbow. Insisting again, Luke did his best to sell it. He didn't know much about creatures like wolves, vampires, and witches. Especially dragons.

He didn't know what inherent abilities of someone like Ernest... he just prayed they couldn't sense it when someone was lying.

"Go then," Ernest sighed and motioned Luke to continue. "Show me whatever forest hut Iris constructed to hide her shit."

Luke nodded and stumbled forward, his nerves tangling and fraying. He walked deeper into the woods with nothing in his corner but being armed with hope. Since Iris passed and Luke came back home, he didn't enjoy leaving it. It was easy to leave with Cassian before... It felt normal. Nothing has been normal in so long, but it was right. Cassian had felt safe.

"What the fuck is that?" Ernest asked.

Following Ernest's look, Luke sighed out of relief and flinched at the collar tightening. Basically, standing plain sight behind a tree was Harry, the Sasquatch. Luke mouthed the words, "Help me."

Brows narrowing, Harry's face twisted in disgust as his whole body trembled with anger. He opened his huge maw full of yellowed gnarly teeth and unleashed an insane scream that rocked Luke backwards into Ernest. With a yelp, Ernest shoved Luke to the ground and Luke heard him running. Harry slammed his fists into the ground like giant boulders and it must've punched holes in the ground, rattling the forest.

Harry.

Nearly twice as big and tall as Luke initially thought. Harry rushed past him with the force of a speeding train, whipping Luke's hair and clothes around as he passed. The ground shook again and Luke dropped, smiling that maybe Cassian at least heard that. He watched in half horror and amazement as Harry quickly caught up to Ernest and grabbed him by the top of his head and threw him up into the trees.

Pushing himself up, Luke started walking towards the house. He got so close; he could touch the light shining onto the grass when a sharp pain went right through Luke. A warm pool of wetness formed in his stomach and spilled down his front and down his legs in a rush. Luke felt ice cold. Went numb like static in his muscles. The ground underneath Luke was ripped from under him. He hit the cold grass and tried to focus on his breathing, but even that was painful.

"Luke! Luke!" One of the pixies, Starla cried out. Her little blue body were blurring in and out. "What happened? What's on your neck?"

Another pixie shouted, "Go find a faerie! Quick!"

"Where's the dragon?!"

As the world turned, Luke did with it, turning to grab onto his side. He stared up at the house, thinking home might be a nice thing to see, if it was going to be the last thing he ever saw. The light left on in the kitchen, Luke could swear he saw Iris washing dishes at the sink.

The world opened up and sucked Luke into the earth.

When I could see the light again, I was sitting on the bed with my mother. I couldn't quite see the room. Couldn't quite remember the furniture, but the walls were light blue, and the curtains were linen, light pouring through them. I remembered my mother's long golden hair. Her blue eyes. The freckle on her chin. She had wrinkles already because she was always smiling.

"Mom," I had asked out curiosity, but more so to get out of my homework. "Why does dad have a different last name than us?"

"Because your daddy believes in curses." She whipped out a t-shirt before folding it and holding it to her chest. "I wanted his last name, but he wouldn't give it to me."

"So, you don't believe in curses?" I let my workbook fall onto the carpet, rolling onto my back to stare up at her.

Setting the laundry to the side, my mom folded her legs and twisted around to face me. "I believe the cat is listening to me when I talk and answers when she meows. I believe the moon is following our car when I drive." Her smile turned a little mischievous, her blue eyes twinkling. "I believe in magic. I believe there are pixies in the garden that keep taking your dad's left socks. and if you believe in something, it exists."

My brow furrowed. "So that means the curse exists too, right? Because dad believes in them?"

She smiled. "For him, maybe, but not me. Promise me, Luke that you'll believe in magic, you'll believe in love, but never believe in curses..."

A few months later, Darren Whitlock and Emily Aster died in a fatal car accident. At their funeral, Luke was sitting alone in the garden, checking for pixies, and heard someone say, "It's the Whitlock curse."

And then, Luke broke his promise to his mom.

He believed in curses.

#

CASSIAN

"Wake up! Wake up!" A tiny shrill voice woke Cassian as more than evil little pixies pulled up his covers and yanked his hair almost out from the root. "Get up you useless dragon!"

"Ouch, get away," Cassian grumbled and waved his hands around to push them away, but they came right back.

"Get up, dragon! Luke is dying!"

Eyes popping open, Cassian sat up right and rubbed his eyes. "What—?"

"Go to the garden! The garden!"

Cassian bolted down the stairs and hardly touched the ground, uplifted by heated air pressure and Cassian was propelled across the porch. His skin was smoking, scales rising to the surface. He heard the Sasquatch. The closer Cassian approached the forest's edge, he could smell the blood.

"Luke!" Cassian roared. His wings expanded, ripping through his shirt and Cassian took off. "Luke!"

Cassian came upon the Sasquatch with Luke nestled inside his arms. The gigantic creature was crying, making a low rumbling noise as he swatted the pixies away. Too much was going on at once. Bright orbs hovered by the flower beds, and Cassian could see a flicker of more inside them. Something human shaped.

"Dragon!" One of the pixies cried, one he recognized who liked to hang around Luke the most. She was so mad, the flush in her face was turning her purple. "Dragon! Tell this beast we're trying to help."

It was impossible for Cassian to look anywhere but at Luke. His bright halo of white light was dimming, and the fire inside Cassian kicked up, threatening to burst. He would burn these woods down if he thought it might help Luke.

There was more than one smell of blood. Luke's and another he did recognize. Ernest. That human. "What happened?" Cassian looked to the pixie, dodging another swing from the Sasquatch. He roared, his voice rattling in the most sorrowful tone as if he was suffering too as if he was bleeding out.

"We don't know! We don't know! We just found him like this—!" She shrieked and Cassian glanced at quivering faeries. "Then, the Sasquatch came rumbling! And grabbed him! We can't get him to set Luke down long enough to let the fairies check on him."

"They're too scared to get close!" Another pixie shrieked.

Taking a breath, Cassian steadied himself. He told the horde of fae, "Back off the Sasquatch."

"What?"

"Back up. He's just scared." Cassian drifted back to the ground and raised his hands to show he came in peace. Folding his wings back, Cassian tried to keep the wild heat away, but he couldn't help but flicker and burn as his scales prickled and bubbled to the surface. But he did everything he could not to at least out of his mind.

That fading aura.

That fading aura.

Cassian knew once that light went out, the whole world would be encased in darkness.

Keeping his hands raised, Cassian spoke slow and gentle, "It's alright." Deliberately, Cassian shook his head as he met the Sasquatch's eyes. He had to see it in Cassian's face that he wanted to help too that they wanted the same thing. "I'm not going to hurt him. I'd never hurt him, okay? You can trust Luke with me."

He took a step towards the Sasquatch, who pulled Luke closer to his chest. Cassian stopped moving and had to steady himself again. Dragons were not gentle creatures by nature. Everything they had was taken by force and protected with violence. They did not love softly like long, elegant fingers on a piano, like blonde hair feathering across a forehead, or a small shy smile. A dragon's love was barbed wire, like a shove out the door.

Cassian gave everything and controlled himself to make his voice soft as he begged this creature. "You don't have to go far. Just let us help him. You've saved him." Keeping his hands up, Cassian dropped to his knees. "You like Luke? Well, they do too. The pixies like Luke. The fairies like Luke. Astrid likes Luke. Kostas, the guy who gave you the seashell, he likes Luke."

This sasquatches' eyes were shiny black orbs. No other expression than his tears to give Cassian any clue what he was feeling. Cassian looked right into those eyes and said, "I like Luke and I promise to take very good care of him, okay?"

Whimpering, the Sasquatch's shoulders relaxed and slowly and so gently, the Sasquatch handed Luke over to Cassian and Cassian nearly collapsed from the relief.

"Thank you," Cassian said, and the pixies descended on the thing around Luke's neck, and it broke off, dropping into the grass. Cassian examined Luke again, Luke's body, soaked by his own blood and ice cold to the touch. His lips were ghost white and Cassian wished he could unsee the horror. But he couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

From the flowers, the fairies whirled around Cassian and Luke, circling until one landed on Luke's head, another on his knee, and the final one burst into a bright light and suddenly, a full fledge glowing purplish pink woman was knelt on the ground.

Everything about her existed in a cloudy beautiful haze. Underneath all the magic, she was just like any girl in jeans and plaid with a buzz cut. She whispered as she placed her hand over Luke's wound, "We can repair the physical wounds..." Her hand brightened, a purple deep as her wings. Lavender flowers grew between her fingers until the strands would burst and the petals would fall onto the grass, but more would grow.

"The tougher wounds remain deeper than skin," she said as Cassian watched Luke's aura brighten and his eyes opened, blinking back into consciousness.

"Thank you," Cassian said again. He thought he was an eloquent man, but all he could do was keep blubbering the same words of thanks over and over again.

She nodded and brightened, disappearing back into her orb of light and Luke glanced around as he came out of his daze. His long, elegant fingers touched Cassian's face, grazing over the scales. "Cass?"

"It's me," Cassian said. "It's me. You're alright—"

Luke pulled himself up and put his arms around Cassian. He held on tighter and tighter. Cassian held him back and just measured the warmth back onto his skin. He listened to his breath, to his heartbeat. He pulled back, holding Luke's cheek, and checking for the life in his eyes. Luke stared back. Both searching each other's eyes when Cassian leaned in and pulled Luke back into a hug. Luke stirred, trying to get to his feet, but Cassian's arm moved on its own. He couldn't let him go. Not yet.

#

LUKE

With a groan, Luke squeezed his eyes before he could bare to open them. It was so bright, too bright, and someone covered his muscles in concrete. He twisted, hating every single movement, when he felt his covers resist. Finally, he looked out and Luke wasn't in his bedroom. Someone put his mattress in the middle of the sunroom with all the furniture pushed to the side.

The walls were made of windows and outside, in the morning light, the Sasquatch, Harry was sleeping on his side and Luke watched his chest build up and compress as he breath fogged up the glass. Luke's bed was littered with pixies and in a chair by Luke's side. He looked around, searching for Cassian, but he wasn't there.

Luke glanced behind himself when he had to do a double take outside. Out in the yard, Luke saw a black dragon curled towards the sunroom like a wall keeping the outside world away. Carefully, Luke put his feet on the ground. He picked up his T-shirt, but the stab wound had vanished. Someone had changed him out of his bloody clothes.

Not wanting to wake anyone, Luke crept outside out the side door. The grass was wet with morning dew, and it almost felt nice to stretch out as he approached Harry. "Um..." Luke swallowed nervously and reached for his hero. "Um... Harry?"

Gently, Luke shook his shoulder and Harry's eyes popped open, jolting awake. He looked around in a panic, but Luke lowered to the ground and shook his head. "It's okay. It's okay. I'm okay..." Luke's hand hovered in the air as he gained the courage to touch Harry's face. His fur was soft, and his warmth was a kind relief. "I don't know your real name. I'm not even sure you can understand me but... but thank you. You're my hero."

Behind them, Cassian shifted, and a puff of heat swept the yard and Luke knew he was transforming. He looked back to Harry as he slowly, but surely patted Luke's head. He was so careful; he barely even touched the top of Luke's hair.

As Harry got up, Luke turned to Cassian walking out of the smoke as his black wings were still fanned out and scales traced the edges of his face. He held his hands out, looking at Luke like he was absolutely insane. "What are you doing up? Are you joking? Get back in bed."

"I wanted to thank— Whoa! Hold on!" Luke yelped as Cassian put his arm around Luke's back as he was bending down, threatening to scoop Luke up. Panicked, Luke smacked Cassian's shoulder. "Hold on!"

Actually growling, Cassian forced himself to stand back up, but the hand on Luke's back remained. Luke thought his touch was going to set his shirt on fire. Luke's hand didn't move from Cassian's shoulder either. His eyes couldn't stop moving, studying Cassian's scales and gold flecked the red of Cassian's eyes. Luke said, his voice an unavoidable whisper, "I wanted to thank Harry.

Shaking his head, the tension in Cassian's brow relaxed. "I do hate being wrong, but... you were right you should've definitely made friends with the Sasquatch."

Luke smiled. "That's very big of you to admit."

But there was little humor in Cassian's face. With his free hand, Cassian touched Luke's neck, caressing the spot where the collar broke skin. "I'm okay," Luke whispered, but Cassian didn't look convinced. His chest tight, Luke took Cassian hand from his neck and led Cassian to his stomach, letting Cassian's warm hand creep underneath his shirt. Luke held his breath, letting Cassian explored the damage.

Cassian stared at his hand through the shirt and Luke felt compelled to tell him something, "My name is Luke Aster."

Cassian's eyes flicked up, meeting Luke's.

"My father didn't want my mother and I to be a Whitlock, so the curse couldn't get to us..." It was almost impossible to speak past the swollen lump in Luke's throat. These words cut like razorblades. "But the curse took them both at the same time..." Luke had to pause before he could go on. "I didn't... I didn't immediately go to stay with Iris, did you know that?"

"No," Cassian softly said.

"I stayed with my aunt, Taylor Aster."

Luke's chin trembled as the tears broke the dam and burned the edges of his eyes. He shook his head. "I was with her until she was diagnosed with lung cancer, and she didn't survive the first year." Tears were spilling down his cheeks, but Luke still tried to fight it, shutting his eyes. "The curse doesn't care about names. It knows your family..."

Cassian cupped Luke's cheeks, wiping the tears away, but Luke couldn't stop crying. He whispered, "When I arrived here, everyone just kept calling me Luke Whitlock and I didn't want to correct them. For half my life, I belonged to Iris and I just..."

"I understand," Cassian whispered, bringing Luke against his chest. He gathered Luke up, holding him so tight, his arms so secure with one arm crossing his back and the other holding Luke's head, leading into the crook Cassian's neck. Cassian was so warm. So warm that Luke could melt here, listening to the rhythm of Cassian's heartbeat.

"I'm just wondering how many chances I get until it's my turn—" Luke whispered, and the last word broke him. Cassian hushed him, rubbing the back of Luke head as he clung to his shirt so tight, Luke's nails still dug into his palm.

"Shh," Cassian whispered, and they stayed like that for a while, his cheek resting against Luke's head. He said, "This is what we're going to do... We're going to go back inside and wake the pixies because they'll want to know you're okay. We're going to call Astrid and ask her how she's enjoying her holiday. I will be making you breakfast. I'm going to ring a doctor to make sure the faeries did the job."

He leaned back, touching Luke's cheek again. "We're going to keep going."

Closing his eyes, Luke leaned into his touch, his hand running up Cassian's arm to reach his hand. As if by instinct, Cassian's thumb grazed across Luke's lip but quickly, he moved his hand away. Luke looked up at him and watched Cassian hide his wings and lose the rest of his scales. The silence was thick. The tension could bring a normal man to his knees, but Cassian was not a normal man.

Luke whispered, "Actually. I don't think I can move. I will take that ride."

Cassian smirked. "Thought so."

And like that, he swept Luke off the ground. Luke quickly tried to erase the tears and the misery from his face before they reached the house where he was greeted by Starla and the other pixies, nagging at him to be more careful. The rest of the day was just as Cassian planned. Then, once the doctor was done, Cassian told Luke would be doing the rest of the day. He unburdened Luke of all decisions and just filled his day with distractions.

It was when Cassian admitted he had never seen a single Twilight movie, Luke jumped up. He wouldn't stop pestering Cassian until he agreed to a marathon. They started on either side of the couch, but slowly they drifted closer and closer until Luke was lying against Cassian, wrapped up in a blanket and laughing at Cassian's commentary.

With him, for a moment, Luke could forget everything else. He could enjoy the peace Cassian offered, despite never being able to offer the same. The only thing he could do was make sure to find Cassian's ring. He owed him that at least.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I know I say it every time, but this is so enjoyable to write. I hope you guys are enjoying it too! when it comes to my books, my top three are probably (at this moment):

1. Til Death

2. The Golden Rule

3. A Dragon's Treasure

Not that I play favorites. Lol. I love all my children equally, haha. But anyways! Let's get to the questions! Did you expect Luke to go into the woods to find the Sasquatch? And the pixies came to the rescue too!! And we've had a few revelations~ Cassian "likes" Luke and Luke's real last name is Aster! Thoughts?? 

And! if you like this book, check out my many others! I have recently created a playlist for my books that put them in "Chronological" order, if you wanted to read them for the first times or do a fun reread <3