Draconia World Series. The Complete Urban Fantasy Collection: Twisted Fate, Hatched, Burned, Lost, Reborn

Chapter 1

D ara, open the damn door. Now! I know you're inside. For Qesborth, do it now or I'll ram it through! I shouted, then pounded my fists against the old wooden door, making a hell of a noise.

My friend Dara was pretending that she wasn't inside her apartment, giving me the silent treatment. We had known each other since we were little girls, so that bullshit didn't quite work with me.

I waited several long seconds, allowing her to decide if she wanted to spend money on a new door or not.

Then I heard heavy footsteps; it sounded like someone was dragging their feet across the floor. Her dark shadow appeared under the threshold, so I took a few steps back. She began unlocking the mass of hooks, muttering unintelligible words under her breath. She was pissed, but I didn't care anymore. I tapped my foot and saw a few ants scurrying around along with a few spiders that were bigger that I expected. Moments later, the door finally opened, but only slightly. A pair of deep purple eyes were staring back at me. One of the chains remained in place.

Go away Francesca, this isn't good time. I don't feel so well, she told me, hiding her face in a mass of brown locks.

I call this a pile of horse shit, Warden, and you know it. Open the door and let me see what we’re dealing with, I barked, pushing the door with my boot, trying to snap the damn chain. She had too many locks anyway.

Dara hated when I called her Warden, but right then I was too wound up to think about her feelings. The past several days was hectic, and I should have visited her sooner.

Dara signed loudly, shut the door and finally unlocked it, letting me through.

What's that noise all about? snarled another voice down the hall. I didn't have to look up to figure out who it belonged to. It was Mrs. Partich from number eleven; the noisiest resident of this shitty townhouse. The woman had seventeen children (mostly all grown now) with ten different men. No judgment, but to me, that explained a lot about her range of issues.

Despite her mature age she was still very sexually active—every night she had a different guy in her apartment. Apparently, none of them managed to satisfy her.

I was ready to march over to her and tell her exactly what I thought of her, but somehow, I restrained myself. I couldn't believe that she dared to complain about the noise when night after night she screamed at the top of her lungs, keeping everyone else awake. I called bullshit.

It's none of your damn business Patrich, so get back inside and keep your mouth shut, I shouted back, and slammed the door a second later, telling myself to keep it together. The entire floor shook, and a few bits of plaster from the ceiling fell on Dara's floor. This was pretty much normal, the condition that my friend lived in was pretty shocking.

Dara wasn't actually lying to me when she said that she wasn't feeling well.

I could barely recognise her as she sat on the old broken chair shivering, trying really hard to smile at me. Her whole apartment stank of vomit and sweat. It was stuffy inside and the windows needed to be opened to let in some fresh air.

Dara was one of the most outgoing and bubbliest of warden’s that I knew. She was also very beautiful and had those cute little dimples on her cheeks. Unfortunately, at that moment, she looked like she was ready to pass out right in front of me.

I told you this wasn't a good time, she mumbled, and started coughing really badly.

I waited until she stopped so I could ask her what was wrong. This took a while; she coughed for a good ten minutes. I knew because I kept staring at her old clock on the wall. She tried to hide the blood on her tissue, but I saw it anyway. Silly Dara, she knew that nothing could get past me.

I had been busy lately and now I was feeling guilty that I hadn’t stopped by to see her sooner. It wasn't an excuse anyway. Dara was my best friend and I had never let her down before.

Her apartment was filled with piles of rubbish. A stack of dishes filled the kitchen sink and there were food containers strewn about the place. Dara didn't have much furniture, and only one room where she slept and ate. It was basically a slum, but it was the only thing that she could afford in this part of Draconia. The city was expensive as hell and I knew that my own place was only a tiny bit better because of my connections.

How long have you been sick and why didn't you say something sooner? I asked her, folding the sleeves of my shirt up, and touching her head. For Qesborth, you're burning up! Come on, we need to get some fluid into you.

She shook her head, trying to pull away from my grip, but I forced her to stand up. When I finally took a good look at her, I was shocked.

Dara was pale, and her skin had turned a strange yellowish colour. Her normally thick, healthy hair was now greasy and thin. I assumed that she must have lost at least twenty pounds since the last time I saw her and that was wasn't very long at all. My gut feeling told me that there was something seriously wrong with her.

A second later, she rolled her eyes at me.

Yes, it's blood and I'm fine, really. I just didn't want to worry you. We both know that you panic instantly, then get yourself into trouble, she said, trying to brush it off like it wasn't a big deal, but I knew that she was bullshitting me.

I was a warden myself from a lower class, blessed only with only a tiny bit of magic. Draconia was the city located in the Lower World where most wardens lived. Jobs were available; of course, there was never enough for everyone, but most wardens always got by somehow. The housing situation wasn’t any better. I knew people who waited years to get a flat the size of the shoe box. And yet, Draconia was the centre of the universe—the place where everyone wanted to be, where the most magic existed in the entire Lower World. I moved to this location a while back after doing some research on the area. I knew that rich wardens lived on the other side of the city, so it was a deal breaker. There were also The Dark Ones: highly skilled magicians that ruled over wardens. They lived in the underground or high up in the Gorgu mountains.

I frowned, brushing my thick black hair away from my face, and grabbed her wrists.

You're lying to me and I can sense it. We both know it, so why don't you skip the crap and tell me what’s really going on? I asked. Why didn't you go to see a healer? Their supposed to be free for everyone in the city, right?

Dara was like me. She didn't have any other family. She grew up on the streets of Draconia too, mostly begging for food and trying to survive from day to day. A few months back, after being on the waiting list for years, she received a letter from the council. They offered her this shit hole. It was better than nothing, and after living rough for years, she took it.

I begged her to move in with me once I got my apartment sorted out, but she wouldn't accept my help. She was too proud and the more I pushed the more she refused.

She stared at me for a second, then her eyes wandered off to the window. Every pure-blooded warden had very intense rainbow-coloured eyes. That's how the Dark Ones recognised each one of us. Mine were deep yellow, but some people argued that they were golden. I mostly ignored them, only sometimes making a huge deal about it.

I went to the healer a few days ago. They sent me home and told me that there was nothing that they could do, she admitted, chewing her bottom lip.

They shouldn't have sent you home. What kind of crap is that? I'm going to march over there and tell them what I think—

It's Dragon Fever, Francesca, and I'm dying. That's the reason they sent me home, she answered, cutting me off. For a second I thought that she was fucking with me. Dragon Fever wasn't a new disease and surely, she couldn't have been infected with it.

Well not according to the papers, but apparently in the past decade there had been a worldwide epidemic. Only recently, more and more wardens in Draconia had been getting it too. The symptoms included: high fever, cough, vomiting and explosive diarrhea that eventually eased after a day or two. After a week, the symptoms started to disappear and the skin of the infected individual would slowly begin to turn green. It was hard at first, with a scale-like surface, that's why they called it Dragon Fever. At some point, hallucinations would follow. Death was inventible, and it typically occurred twenty-four hours after the individual refused to eat or drink anything. The Dark Ones; the council members who were the most powerful magicians in Dragon World, were trying to find a cure for this terrible disease, but without any success so far.

I was staring at my friend Dara in complete shock. She had always been like my sister, so I was having trouble processing what she was saying.

Then an image of us together when we were teenagers began moving in front of my eyes.

Don’t worry, Fran. Victor was a total douchebag. This break up will be very good for you trust me, Dara told me, placing her hand on my arm and squeezing it gently. We were sitting in the back of a dark alley and I was crying like a baby. My only boyfriend, Victor, told me that he didn’t want to be with me anymore.

Apparently, he never really loved me and I kept ignoring the signs. We only dated for about two weeks and I thought that it was love at first sight. Our lame relationship ended before it ever began.

I didn’t know what to say to that, tears were dropping down my cheeks and I felt so stupid and useless. The pain in my heart was unbearable. Dara had plenty of boyfriends at fifteen, so she was much more experienced than me.

I think I might be in love—

Oh, come on. You only knew him for like five seconds. Don’t be stupid and get yourself together. He used you and you’re better than that. All men are arseholes, she said, raising her voice and I wiped my tears away.

She was right. Victor wanted to sleep with me, and I didn’t know how to say no, so I gave in. It was no surprise that he left me straight after that; he didn’t even try to show me that he was sorry.

Dara shook her head then reached out for something in her bag. Seconds later, she handed me a cream cake. It was fresh and my mouth watered instantly. I had no idea where she got it from, but I knew that she must have spent her last dragon credit to pay for it.

I was staring at the huge smile that was breaking through her radiant face, thinking that she was the best friend in the whole world. She instantly knew how to make me feel better.

Where did you get this from? I asked, wanting to just devour it. The cream cakes were delicious. It was my favourite desert of all the time. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I had to pull a favour. Eat it Fran, I know you want it, she told me and placed it in my hand. Warmth travelled down my spine and now I wanted to cry again, not because of Victor, but because I realised that Dara would always be there for me. I didn’t get emotional, and it looked like today I was making up for lost time.

Okay, I said, and before I ate it, I divided it into two pieces and handed her one.

She looked shocked, but we both knew that she couldn’t say no to a cream cake. We polished it off within seconds. It tasted better than I imagined it would.

See, you stopped thinking about him already. Good girl, now let’s go and see if we can find you someone more decent.

I was back in the room, staring at my friend in shock as that memory slowly began fading away.

Then, the shock was quickly replaced by a spike of anger so powerful that I felt static electricity rush along the surface of my skin.

Dara couldn't be infected with Dragon Fever. It was impossible, but no one truly knew how the disease was spreading. Many people believed that it was contracted through the air, but the Dark Ones swiftly denied these rumours. Some wardens were just getting it randomly without even being exposed.

I had to get up, had to start moving again because I suddenly felt like I was going to throw up. No, I refused to believe it. Things like this just didn't happen to wardens like us.

No Dara, this can’t be Dragon Fever, maybe it’s some sort of flu and they made the wrong diagnosis, I was shouting now and I had no idea why. It wasn't Dara's fault. A tendril of panic began seizing my chest.

Fran, stop it. They’ve given me the proper diagnosis and said that I only have a few days left—a week the tops, she added, and her purple eyes filled with tears. This was really happening, and I knew that she wasn't lying to me.

I hated the fact that she didn't tell me about it sooner, and that she had been suffering alone all this time.

Sometime later, she rose back to her feet, her face going a little green and threw up into the bucket sitting next to her. When she was bending, her shirt raised a little and I saw the bluish-green coloured, hardened skin covering the side of her ribcage.

Another shockwave tore through me, but I had to keep it together, at least for her sake. Dara wasn't going to die on me, I refused to accept it. Death wasn't even an option. We were family, well the only family that I had. Now I was pissed at myself even more, furious that I hadn't gone to see her sooner.

Silence filled the room, now and again it was broken by her heavy breathing.

I'll find a cure, Dara. You're not going to die. Do you understand what I'm saying to you? I told her through gritted teeth. I kept swallowing my tears, forcing myself not to break down in front of her. Dara smiled lightly. She never cried, she was tough like that. Even when the Dark Ones threw her in a prison cell, she resisted, never allowing them to see her emotions.

We were both thieves, and that's how we had been surviving on the streets of Draconia all these years. Everyone knew that it was almost impossible for the lower class of wardens to get a proper job, to make any kind of living. We weren't proud of it, but we just weren’t blessed with enough magic to find work. To the Dark Ones, we were no one—we meant nothing and were expendable.

There isn't any cure for Dragon Fever, Francesca, and we both know it. I have no idea how I got infected, but it's a done deal now. Please don't try anything because it won't work. I’ve accepted the fact that I'm going to die, she told me. After that I couldn't keep it together. Tears began streaming down my cheeks.

Damn it Dara, no. What’s wrong with you? Of course, there’s a cure and I'm going to get it for you. We can’t give up. I won’t let you die, I said, sobbing. She had never seen me cry like that, and when I did break apart, it was only when I was alone. It's not like I didn't get emotional—no this wasn't like that, but other wardens knew me as someone who got the job done. I never allowed anyone to see me sweat, thinking it was a sign of weakness, but Dara was my best friend—my family and the thought of life without her crushed me.

Dara was everything to me and right then I was having a tough time digesting that soon enough she might be gone forever if I didn’t find that cure.

Fran, just leave it. I want you to promise me—

Fuck that, I won't be promising you shit. I'm going home now, but I'll be right back. Don't bloody do anything stupid, I cut her off, trying to push away the pain spreading inside my body like a poison. I knew what I had to do. It was a hell of a risk, but at that point I was willing to try anything just to keep her alive.

Her pupils dilated and I saw magic rushing across them for a split second. Dara was right, she didn't have much time. The disease had already progressed further than we both wanted. She was expected to die in a matter of days.

Please Franny. Let me die with dignity. You’ve been a good friend and you can't change the future, she told me when I was just about to leave.

She was giving up, but I wouldn't let her. She had to fight until the very end. Recently, I read somewhere that a person’s nutrition made a huge difference in how long the infected individual could survive. Dara needed to get some decent food into her.

Apparently, Dragon Fever had been killing wardens for years, but no one had ever died from it in Draconia, at least not until recently. The Press was silent on the subject and I didn't understand why. I knew that there was a cure but I also knew that the Dark Ones weren't willing to heal the lower-class wardens.

Please Fran, Dara continued begging me, but I refused to listen.

I shook my head and then left her apartment. My thoughts were racing and I ran, passing dark corridors, rushing down the stairs, taking two at a time. Once outside on the street, I threw my head back, letting go of a painful scream. No doubt, people stopped and stared at me like I was crazy, but I couldn’t care less what they thought about me.

Deep inside I was devastated, filled with aggravating pain.

I kept telling myself that this wasn't the end. Seconds later, I started walking, passing crowds of people, ignoring other wardens who were staring at me, and their judgmental looks. No one could understand what I was going through—no one could understand the pain that I was experiencing.

My friend was dying, and I refused to just let her go.

Chapter 2

The streets were very busy. It seemed like everyone decided to go out at the same time and walk along the same damn pavement. I’ve been living in Draconia all my life, so by now I should be used to the narrow streets and crowds, but not today.

I felt like my head was just about to explode.

Draconia was a multicultural city, because most parts of the Lower World were filled with people from all over. Everyone could agree that the city was overpopulated. More and more wardens were arriving here every day from different parts of the country. I was born in the Lower World, but ever since I was a little girl I heard that there was another world beyond the one we all knew—a different kind of universe filled with non-magical human beings.

I didn't want to believe in these kinds of stories, but a lot of wardens were convinced that the Dark Ones were able to cross over to this parallel universe and then return. I never cared about that other world until today—until my friend, Dara, told me that she was dying.

I couldn't think straight, couldn't focus being in the crowd. Later, when I reached the market, my hands finally stopped trembling. The next few days were going to be tough and I only had enough dragon credits on me to pay my rent. Blood was pounding in my ears. I was ready to fight, to do anything in order to keep her alive. I could get evicted, but right now that didn't really matter. Dara was always there for me when I needed her the most. The entire twenty years of my existence it had always been the two of us. I didn’t have a single childhood memory without her in it.

The wardens from the lower class weren't allowed to cross over to the other areas, but lately the Dark Ones weren't patrolling the city as much as they used to. People were acting like real arseholes today, pushing and walking into each other. The first thing I did was head straight to the stand with fruits and vegetables. It didn't matter that I had to spend half of my rent on organic products—this food would buy Dara some time. Extending her life was worth more than a million dragon credits anyway.

Things were going to be tight for me over the next several weeks, but worst-case scenario I could ask my other mates for help. I didn't want to think about it right now because I had a lot on my plate. I ran a few rounds through the market, bought some meat too, then headed back to Dara's place. She let me in the second time without any major drama. After I made sure that she had some fresh fruit, I started cleaning her kitchen. The whole place was disgusting; the floor was riddled with insects and the pipes were blocked. No wonder Dara got sick in the first place. The condition that she lived in was horrendous. During the entire time that I was there, she coughed, continuing to spit out a lot of blood. She only had a tiny toilet and I could hear her every time she threw up. In the end, I decided to stay with her throughout evening and night. I cooked her nutritious meals that would last her for several days. She didn't want me to clean and we fought about it, but I wasn't going to let her live like that anymore. By the end of the night, she fell asleep on the old couch near the window.

I tried to find the most comfortable position, but I wanted to stay up to keep an eye on her. It was difficult not to break apart, especially when she was obviously in a lot of pain. I aired out her flat and left early in the morning before she woke up, leaving her several options for breakfast. I didn't sleep at all.

My head pounded loudly when I headed back to my place, walking swiftly through the streets of Draconia. The jobs that I booked several days ago were going to have to wait. I really needed to get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. My partner, Roger, was going to be pissed, but he wouldn't give me shit. We both knew that I was the most skilled thief out of the two of us, but taking care of Dara was much more important than anything else right now.

In comparison to Dara's shit hole I considered my flat a luxury. I had made a good deal with the old warden in order to secure it. The neighbourhood was decent enough, and with my business I needed to be in a central location, which had proven to be a challenge in the past.

All right, so the flat was very dark and most days it stunk of cooked cabbage, but I didn't have to share it with anyone. Now, the problem was that I had spent half of my rent on good food, hoping that it would buy Dara some time. As always, I would just have to figure something out later when the time came. The higher risk jobs could bring me more dragon credit and more recognition, but the chances of getting caught were much higher too.

Two Dark Ones were standing on the street opposite my building when I headed home from an old underground tunnel. Many wardens from the lower class could only dream of living in this area because we were so close to the city centre. A lot of my neighbours were middle class wardens who worked in the steel factory on the outskirts of town. Apart from a few areas in the city, the underground was the place where everyone wanted to be. Down there, the job market was much more diverse, middle and upper-class wardens could demand higher pay, but only individuals blessed with a lot of magic were able to relocate below ground.

The Dark One on the right glared at me for more than thirty seconds when I struggled with the lock. I felt like he was literally trying to burn a whole in my back with his eyes. My palms were sweaty and it took me longer than necessary to open the door and get inside my flat.

The Dark Ones were the god's of Draconia and most of the time their faces were covered with long hoods. They had the power to execute any warden on the spot if they wanted too. Their magic was extraordinary, conflicted and pure. Wardens knew that they needed to keep their distance from them. The Dark Ones had always been the rulers of the Dragon World.

I went to the kitchen and opened my empty fridge. There was only one jar of peanut butter inside and nothing else. The bread was old and stale, but it had to do for now.

After I ate, I took off my clothes and went straight to bed. New thoughts were racing through my head as I tried to settle down and just sleep. I loved Dara. I never told her that, but she was like my true sister. I didn't think I could carry on living without her.

At some point, I must have finally dozed off, telling myself that she was a fighter and I wouldn't let her die.

I woke up six hours later with a bad headache. Sweat was dripping down my face. For a second I thought that maybe Dara had infected me with Dragon Fever.

Then I realised that I always got headaches when I stayed up all night.

My chest was tight, but that had nothing to do with my physical health. I was worried about Dara and her future.

Then my fingertips started to glow which was strange. I stared at my hands for several seconds, trying to breath at the same time. This happened from time to time, but it never meant anything. I was still pretty much the lowest class warden with barely any magic.

.

The clock on my bedside table was showing three p.m. When I went to the bathroom a few minutes later, I saw several insects crawling along the tiles. I wasn't bothered too much, but the flat had been infested with them lately. I had to sort something out sooner rather than later.

Both of my parents had abandoned me when I was just a baby. Even now, I still didn't know the reason behind it. They probably discovered that I was born with very little magic, so they didn't want to keep me. It was only an assumption. I never tried to look for them, maybe because deep down I was too scared to learn the real truth behind my past.

This had never really bothered me, only the fact that I was blessed with such mediocre magical ability. Being a lower-class warden was tough.

You have a job to do Fran, so just get on with it, I told my reflection in the mirror, then slapped myself hard.

It was the wakeup call that I needed. There was no point thinking about the worst, I needed to focus on the positives.

Once I was done with my usual routine, I put on an outfit that I had stolen from a rich warden a couple of years ago. It fit me perfectly and I believed that it must have belonged to one of his daughters or someone very petite like me. I liked it, so I took it along with other important artifacts.

Half an hour later, I left my basement flat and headed towards the East side of the city. I was taking a risk even showing up in that area, but right then I couldn't worry about getting caught. Dara needed me and I was willing to try anything to keep her alive.

I had to catch a ride with one of the wardens who was riding an old school steam bike. I didn't want to waste time walking through the underground again. We knew each other from way back and he liked me more than he was willing to admit.

Just be careful, Fran. There were a lot of Dark Ones hanging around this area yesterday, he warned me when he dropped me off by the Irvin Place in the back of a quiet alley. The streets were only a ten-minute walk from the main square and that suited me well. Everyone in my kind of profession always knew someone with a dark past.

Diego was a middle-class warden with adorable red eyes and spiky dark hair. He had been trying to ask me out ever since I could remember. He had tonnes of dragon credits, but money was never important to me. Besides, I didn't believe in true love anyway. I had trust issues and wasn’t sure if would be able to be with someone again, especially after the last arsehole.

They can kiss my arse for all I care. At this point, I'm not even that bothered if they catch me or not. Some things are more important and worth the risk, I stated, tossing my thick ponytail behind me and started walking through the alley, not waiting to hear anything else Diego had to say. The Dark Ones couldn't tell straight away if I was supposed to be in this area or not. They were sensitive to magic, but I just needed to keep my distance. If any of them came close enough, then yep, I would be in trouble.

I knew that Diego was watching me walk away until I finally disappeared in the alley. Herand—that was the name of the Dark One who I was heading to see. I heard that he had broken the mage code and was exiled from his underground life forever. I wasn't sure if he was willing to help me or not, but I at least had to try.

I started walking fast, moving through the back alleys. Goose bumps appeared along the surface of my skin. This part of the Irvin Place was known in the whole of Draconia. It was the place where the worst scumbags in the city lived and ruled. Yeah, even life in the lower-class and other areas were much better than here.

His address was discreetly given to me by one of my old friends. I stopped abruptly, seeing a black cat cross my path causing my heart to race away. Then someone screamed out in agony in the building opposite me. I kept going, telling myself that it was too dangerous to stop. Over the years, I learned to ignore stuff like that. Most of the time, it was a set up that was meant to lure pedestrians into a trap.

Several dodgy and dirty individuals walked past me when I was near the entrance to the building. I noticed that one of them was bald and his eyes were pure white when he stopped right in front of me, purposely blocking my way.

I have some magic for sale. I can share it with you for a little kiss, he whispered, trying to touch my neck, but I quickly backed away. This was to be expected.

Save it and keep your distance. You don't want to be infected with Dragon Fever, I hissed at him.

I’d never seen anyone run so fast in my life. He literally sprinted all the way to the other alley, not looking back.

I kept going from there, giggling to myself. Seconds later, I saw the name of the street that I’d been looking for. The door to the old town house was ajar, and my heart instantly kicked me in my chest.

This was it, the home of the Dark One who had fallen—the one that was going to help me. I wanted to believe that he had the information that I needed. The bottom line was, that I didn't plan on leaving his place without any kind of answer or directions.

Even if that meant that I had to sell my soul to Qesborth himself—Dara was going to stay alive.

Chapter 3

The corridor was dark and smelled of mould. I swallowed hard and started climbing the old squeaky staircase, passing several floors. The odour of sulphur and burned rubber wafted in the air.

I couldn't complain too much; Dara's place smelled much worse in comparison.

For some reason I couldn't stop thinking about her. We had always been extremely close, and I couldn't imagine life without her. In my head, her situation just wasn't adding up. At least now, her shitty apartment was clean and she had food prepared for the next few days.

I climbed all the way to the sixth floor, ignoring the nervous butterflies in my stomach. This was my chance to make something right and I didn’t want to screw it up. I sensed odd vibrations of foreign power everywhere, humming over the surface of my skin. My magic was normally silent, so this felt completely out of place.

After I reached the top floor and located apartment number thirty-six, doubts started creeping into my mind. When I stood in front of the old wooden door, I shook my hands out to the side and told myself that I could do this. There wasn’t any other way.

Everyone that I had spoken to before, told me that Herand rarely left his place or allowed anyone inside, because many people expected it. He had been exiled from his special world, and even after so many years, he still knew how to use a warden to his advantage.

He didn't answer when I knocked, but I wasn't just about to walk away. I knocked again and waited another ten minutes, tapping my foot on the wonky floor. Herand was testing me, most likely playing games with me.

It took him another ten minutes to finally open up. The door was slightly ajar and no one was on the other side. I walked into the dark room, noticing that all the windows were shaded. My heart pounded in my chest extremely fast. Deep down, I knew that I could be walking straight into a trap, but in situation like that there was always a risk. As soon as I was inside the room the door slammed shut behind me. I jumped back, startled, then attempted to look around at my surroundings.

The whole apartment was huge; it spread over several square meters. There were lamps scattered around, but I could barely see a thing. I tried to locate him, or at least figure out where he was hiding.

Finally, my eyes rested on an individual sitting on a comfortable looking vintage sofa that was situated in the middle of the room. A wave of magic rose around me, and I sensed it crawling over the furniture, almost infusing the air with its spicy odour.

I felt a little pressure around my chest when a strong, deep voice echoed in the room.

What are you doing here, girl? I don't like visitors.

His question threw me a little. He didn't really have to open the door if he didn't want to see me. He must have been intrigued by me somehow.

Moments later, a few main lights came on, blinding me a little. I was more than shocked when I took a good look at him. All magicians, at least the ones that I had seen before were always older; most of them were only accepted by the council when they came of age.

The Dark Ones always hid their appearance under thick, heavy cloaks and it was difficult to see them, if ever. They weren't allowed to take them off. No one knew the reason, but most of the tome wardens just accepted these rules.

The Dark One—the man who was sitting right in front of me on the sofa, was young, very young, and I was surprised to see that he was attractive too. A soft buzzing started ringing in my ears and I suddenly forgot that he had asked me a question.

I need your help, and yes, I'm from the lower class of wardens, I answered and instantly wished that I didn't mention my status.

This was irrelevant after all, but for some reason I was acting nervous around him.

I’ve never been nervous around men—none of them ever intimidated me before. However, Herand was changing my entire body chemistry. I felt like he was seeing through me.

And the funny thing was that his eyes weren't even that nice. Usually the eyes of other wardens were a crazy colour, but his were simple; they were brown, although it was difficult to tell from where I was standing.

He had dark hair and wore a tailored suit. I mean, who wears a suit in his own home, and in the early afternoon, unless he was planning to go out? My friends were certain that he rarely left his home, and he supposedly didn't mix with other wardens, so I was a bit confused.

On top of that, the apartment was finished in the highest of standards. It was almost as if he paid to live in luxurious conditions. He had expensive carpets and lovely vintage furniture.

His eyebrows kissed his hairline, then he smiled revealing very white teeth and my insides warmed instantly. That's right, there was something wrong with me, because no one had ever made me feel that way.

I don't take walk-ins and what could you possibly offer me in exchange for my help? he asked. Moments later, he picked up a glass filled with yellowish liquid and took a generous gulp from it. I switched my weight to the side, straightening my back, attempting to look confident.

Don't you want to hear what it is that I need from you first? I answered with a question. For some reason, I used an arrogant tone of voice. I just couldn't help myself, the guy was so over the top. He had magic, yes, but I wasn't sacred of him, only a little intimidated. I could sense his magic drifting around the room, influencing me. I had to close my eyes for a second just to breathe in—the energy was so intense.

Right, not so much, but do go on beautiful. What is it that you want? he asked, swallowing another sip from his drink and watching me with a mixture of pity and anger. No one had ever called me beautiful before. I felt heat rushing to face. I had to stay focused and couldn't allow myself to be distracted by him.

My best friend, another warden, has been infected with Dragon Fever. I need to find a cure to save her life, I blurted out, not wanting be cute and shy anymore. He looked at me like I had just appeared through the cracks from the other world.

Moments later, he stood and walked toward me.

There isn't such thing, my dear. I'm sorry about your friend, but your gonna have to let her go. It's already too late. The sooner you realise it, the better, he told me, standing only inches away, but I was already shaking my head. No, he was wrong. Dara wasn't going to die.

"You're a Dark One, and I don't care about your opinion in this matter. There is a cure and I'm going to find it. My name is Francesca and I'm one of the best thieves in the Lower World. Trust me. You need me, I said, clenching my fists and ignoring the smooth sensations that began rolling through my stomach. She's everything that I have and she can’t die. Please, if you want me to beg, then I’ll get down on my knees."

My voice was vibrating and my heart was jackhammering in my chest. This entire situation was fucked up and the Dark One could easily screw me over.

Then, the corner of his lips curved into a smile.

Thief? Hmm, that's interesting. Yeah, I suppose you could owe me a favour, but what if there’s no real cure for Dragon Fever? What I know is only speculation, not fact. Even if I could send you somewhere to get it, I doubt very much that you would survive. You barely have any magic inside you, beautiful, he explained.

I chewed my bottom lip, trying to ignore the fact that he was right about my nonexistent abilities. Either way, I had to push my emotions away and concentrate on my survival skills. Dara needed me and I was willing to try anything to get my hands on a cure.

I grew up on the streets and I can fight. Just tell me what I need to do or who to see. My friend doesn't deserve to die, I snapped, losing control, knowing that I was right.

For a long moment his eyes were studying me, and I couldn’t read anything from his expression. My chest kept rising and falling in rapid movements. The silence was stretching for longer than I expected. I wanted to believe that he knew how to help me—that there was a real cure out there. There’s a place in Draconia. An abandoned house in the tunnels, right beside the underground world. There’s a creature there that feeds on warden’s blood. This creature has been surviving for years, and apparently its blood is precious. It can heal anything, he whispered, leaning closer, and brushing his lips over my ear.

My pulse sped up and warmth began spreading over my body. I had a sudden urge to throw myself at him. I had no idea where this attraction was coming from, but I needed to restrain myself one way or another.

Right, let me get this straight. Are you saying that if I somehow manage to get this creature’s blood, then I can save my friend? I asked, just wanting to be sure that we were on the same page. Herand smiled and nodded.

Pretty much, but remember, you’re going to owe me a favour and I can claim it at any time. Do you understand me, beautiful? he asked, then I turned to face him.

Hope flickered through me. I extended my hand, ready for anything.

Fine, you got yourself a deal, Dark One, I agreed and we shook hands. He had smooth palms, and I bet he had never done a day’s work in his entire life. Either way, it didn't matter, because I finally knew how to find the cure. I suspected that in the future he would call me up on that favour. I didn’t mind stealing something for him. It was my job after all.

Great, but remember the blood sucking monster is dangerous and there’s a huge possibility that you won’t come out of the tunnels alive, he said. I ignored his warning, knowing it was a risk that I was willing to take. I wasn’t a bad fighter. Living on the streets had taught me a few useful things—I could take care of myself. Anyway, if by chance you manage to survive this dramatic experience, I’ll come to collect my favour.

I assured him that I had no interest in getting myself killed. After that, he began explaining where I needed to head to next. He also kept reminding me that there was no guarantee that the blood sucking creature could help Dara or even do as much as cure her. About a half an hour later, I knew exactly where I needed to go. We didn’t talk about anything else. I wasn’t interested in his shady past or hobbies. I knew that Dara wasn’t going to be pleased with the fact that I made a deal with him. For now, I was planning to keep my mouth shut and just get to that creature, regardless of the danger involved. My heart was thundering loudly in my chest.

Yes, the risk was high, but I was willing to do anything just so I could keep Dara alive. Soon after I left Herand’s place, I quickly got back to the main road. It was dark, and I noticed a full moon. This wasn’t a good sign, but I tried to remain positive.

Twenty minutes later, I reached the tunnel in the area that I was never supposed to enter in the first place. The tunnels led to the underground where other cities were located and most wardens couldn’t access them. Herand gave me clear instructions, and I knew that I had to take a left, then when the tunnels began split, turn right. The end of the very narrow tunnels was supposed to take me through another set of stairs that led directly to the basement of the abandoned house. The blood feeder lived there, apparently for years and no one had ever dared to face him.

The Dark One didn't have an actual name for this creature. I knew that I had to be careful. During certain times of the day, the Dark Ones passed through these tunnels. On top of that, the temperature was dropping and it was getting cold. After about ten minutes, my teeth were chattering so badly that I was afraid that someone may hear me. Luckily so far, I had managed to move through the tunnels undetected.

I only had my old knife with me and I was hoping that my fighting skills would turn out to be useful. Finally, after another long half hour I reached the end of the tunnel and saw the stairs leading upwards.

Just get on with it, I told myself and started climbing. My breathing was laboured, and my heart was jack hammering in my chest. I reached the top, seeing that the door to the basement was ajar.

Herand didn’t tell me much at all and I had to rely on my intuition. I walked inside and then headed up towards the main part. Silence rang in my ears when I entered the large kitchen. The house must have caught fire at some point, because everything was burnt and covered in soot. A mouldy and rusty smell wafted into the air. All the windows were covered from the outside, and I believed that part of the house was somewhere in Draconia, because I could still hear the busy street in the background. I assumed that this creature liked the darkness and avoided light. My heart skipped a beat, and I took several steps towards the front of the house. I was sensing that someone was watching me or maybe it was just my paranoia. I had to get my hands on that blood no matter what. Herand gifted me a small flask, but deep down I knew that he didn’t believe that I would actually succeed. My steps were light and as soon as I left the kitchen, I found myself in a long corridor. I saw pictures of young and pretty women hanging on the wall, and they were all preserved well. I couldn't tell if they were wardens or not. It seemed that the fire had only reached parts of the house, because the corridor seemed to be untouched. Moments later, I walked into the living room and a sudden hissing sound filled my ears. Then something or someone launched itself at me, and my scream died in my throat.

Chapter 4

Icrashed to the ground, and hit the back of my head hard. Sharp pain exploded in my temple and my limbs failed to work. The world was spinning around me, and I realised that I lost my freaking knife too. More excruciating pain lanced across my left side and arm. Someone held my feet and a second later I was being dragged across the wooden floor. I kept bumping my head over books that were scattered around and that must have knocked me out for a several seconds. When I started coming around again, the world continued to spin around me.

You shouldn't have come, many have tried, but no one has ever succeeded in taking my blood, a deep raspy voice hissed somewhere in the background. He must have taken me upstairs, because now I realised that we were in the large room, and I was lying next to an old bed.

All the windows were covered with thick blankets, so it was difficult to see anything. I had the sudden urge to rip the covers away and let the rest of the light shine through the room, in hopes that it would burn him. My eyes seemed to be stuck together. I was beating myself up over the fact that he got to me first. Fear slipped into the deepest and furthest part of my soul when I realised that this creature was most likely planning to rape me. He kept creeping his icy fingers higher up my thigh until my whole body went stiff.

Get off me, you twisted son of a bitch, I shouted, trying to lift myself up, but he pushed me back down on the floor and I hit my head again. Seconds later, I felt his fingers around my neck and I saw him for what he truly was—a dead monster.

Half of his face was black and the other pale, like he had been badly burned in the past. A pair of red, crimson eyes was staring back at me. His pupils were black and terrifying. He squeezed his grip around my throat and in that moment, I began to realise that Herand was right. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I could have never defeated someone who fed on the blood of the living. I kept breathing in, trying to get some oxygen into my lungs when he finally let go of one hand. The other was still around my throat. He touched my thigh again, and my pulse skyrocketed. He smiled, yeah that arsehole was filled with euphoria because he was seeing panic in my eyes. He knew that I was scared. He could smell fear rolling off me in waves. The tiny voice in my head reminded me that he was getting turned on thinking about raping me. Your blood is going to taste amazing after I fuck your brains out first. My touch will warm it, so it will taste divine when I’m done. After I sink my fangs into your neck your blood pressure will slow. You will feel like you're walking in a fog, touching the sky, but then you will fully belong to me. It's going to be wonderful for me of course, maybe a little distressing for you. It doesn't matter, because Herand sold you out. He sent me a message telling me to expect you, that it was his present from him to me.

I was trying to shake my head, not wanting to believe anything that he was saying. Herand wouldn’t have betrayed me like that, we made a deal.

Then before I could analyse what he said, the blood sucking monster sank his fangs in my neck. I felt extreme pain spreading everywhere. I tried to scream, but couldn’t. He was drinking from me and I felt every ounce of my blood passing through his mouth. I didn't know if he was just trying to taste me before he started fucking me. Either way, my worst fears began spreading through me like wildfire. The darkness, the room, everything slowly began fading away.

Even my heartbeat began to slow as he was took large gulps of the nectar that kept me alive. Then his right hand touched the upper side my thigh and I realised what was just about to happen. This creature was going to sexually assault me while feeding, and that made me sick to my stomach. It didn’t matter what I thought in that moment, because the blood sucking monster was most likely planning to keep me alive until he wasn’t thirsty anymore. I didn’t want to just give up, so I tried to fight, but I had no strength. I couldn’t move past the fog until images of Dara's smiling face started flashing in front of my eyes. I saw us meeting on the playground for the first time, then on the streets when she shared her last cake with me. I continued to see more and more flashbacks, drowning me away from the state of oblivion. Despite that, all my cells, all my muscles slowly stopped functioning. The creature was touching my breast, getting hard, but then I heard my friend. It felt like she was in the room, standing next to me.

You have to fight, Fran, just use the magic inside you, she told me. I wanted to be strong for her, so I began imagining him burning alive, along with the Dark One. The fog was descending slowly, and the warmth infused my skin. It began rising from my tiptoes upwards all the way to my stomach where the bloodsucker left his mark. He finally slipped his other hand away and I managed to free my left hand. I had no idea what I was doing. I grabbed his arm, half-drunk from the blood loss. Lights exploded all around me and he screamed, finally pulling away. The room was spinning, but I was taking long deep breaths, touching the wound on my throat. Flames appeared on my arm and in the centre of my palm. Electricity was rushing through my system. My magic was back, humming and circulating around me like a small tornado.

What are you? the blood sucking monster shouted, standing plastered to the wall and staring at me with his black pupils fully dilated.  I finally managed to lift myself off the ground, swaying a little on my feet. I was charged with magical energy, and felt the crackling electricity all around me. Shock riddled me speechless for a moment. I truly had no idea what was going on. I never experienced anything like this in all the time that I had lived in Draconia. I bent my head from one side to the other, stretching the muscles in my neck, not taking my eyes off the monster. My strength was returning and I suddenly remembered that I had a flask in my pocket that the Dark One had given to me earlier on.

No one. Just a lower-class warden who really needs your blood, I said. Seconds later, he launched himself at me again, but this time I was more than ready. As soon as my hand came in contact with his body, my magic exploded. He was thrown several meters across the room, crushing the stud wall. My heart pounded loudly in my chest, bright purple and yellow light burst from my hands and all around me. The old lights started flashing and electricity zoomed around. When I was finally able to see again, the creature wasn’t moving, he was lying in a pile of dust. Smoke was evaporating from his body and I felt my magic still present inside me. It’s like it was part of me. I felt incredible and strong. This was impossible, because most of my life all the magic inside was dormant—nearly nonexistent. I’d been told numerous times that I was born that way and there was nothing that I could do about it. I shook my head, and told myself to keep it together. I still needed this moron's blood for Dara. She was always beside me, and I would have been dead by now if it wasn’t for her. I walked up to him, trying to ignore the tingling sensations in my spine and hands.  When he was lying down in that strange angle he seemed less scary.

I didn’t know if he was dead. I just needed his blood. My heart kept pounding loudly in my chest. There was fresh blood around his nose, so I gathered a few drops inside the flask. Once I had enough, I covered the flask with the cork and exhaled sharply. My own hands stopped shimmering with energy and whatever power inside was slowly beginning to diminish. I didn’t want to believe that my magic had suddenly awakened. There was no way that I could have defeated and successfully killed the blood sucking monster with energy that I wasn't supposed to have. And yet, he wasn’t moving and there was no one else in the house. Moments later, I sensed that someone was near and I knew I couldn’t afford to get caught right now. I left the room and started running downstairs. I made it to the burned kitchen, nearly tripping over garbage strewn about the middle of the floor when I heard movement outside. Their energy hit me like an avalanche and my stomach turned upside down. The Dark Ones. Panic chained me to the ground and for a split second, I had no idea what to do with myself. It was as if I was paralysed from head to toe. I needed to get out of here fast. I knew what could happen to me if I got caught even being in this area. On top of that, there was most likely a dead monster upstairs.

Open up, warden. We know you're inside, the voices shouted. Drawing a shaky breath, I looked around, remembering the basement entrance that I slipped through earlier on. I had to get back to the tunnels, and I only had a few seconds to make a decision. The door shut right after me, but I had kicked the lock with my foot. I jumped down the stairs and started running as fast I could, not looking back. Right at the bottom of the stairs I heard a loud bang and saw a blast of light. My blood ran cold. I knew that once the Dark Ones caught me it would be the end of me. A few moments later, I found myself in the long tunnel, forcing my muscles to move, and ignoring the fact that my magic was dormant again. As the tunnel began turning, I must have slipped over a curb or something because I lost my balance and