Page 50 of The Black Dragon
But I know how to create as well. I’m not totally destructive. Summoning all his power, Justin aimed magick at the scorched area and the blades of grass sprouted up. Everything was thesame.
Except it wasnot.
Justin turned to the other Mages. “No harm done.Sorry.”
The father with the baby glared at him. “You need to leave here.Now.”
Awkward. He knew where he was notwanted.
People pointed and whispered. The father handed his daughter to a petite, scared-looking woman. Then he swaggered up to Justin. Big guy, barrelchest.
“We don’t want your kind here. You’re dangerous.Violent-tempered.” The Mage’s gaze hardened. “I have a wife and child to protect and if you get nearthem…”
Same as ever. Men with families, especially young ones, didn’t like him living in the same vicinity. They feared his temper, the aura of darkness and violence clinging to him likeskin.
“I’ll go soon,” he said quietly, not glancing atAriel.
“You’ll leave now,” the Mageblustered.
“Ralph, cut him some slack,” the petite womanchided.
Ralph joined his wife, stroked her hair with a loving gesture. But his gaze remained iron hard as he looked atJustin.
“Go, before we kick you out,” hesaid.
Parker smirked again. “You see, dragon? You’re not wantedhere.”
But as he turned to Ariel, Ralph eyedher.
“You told Vern that thisJustin would give us the secrets of the dragons. Not causedestruction.”
Justin felt as if someone had punched him in the gut. Now he did turn to look at Ariel. “What secret? Ariel, what did you promisethem?”
No answer. He raised his voice. “Ariel, damnit, what the hell did you tellthem?”
She didn’t look at him. Parker slid an arm around her shoulders. “Leave heralone.”
And then it all fell into place. Damnit, what a sheer fool he’dbeen.
“You took me here because you wanted to reveal the secret of the dragon cave. You used me, same as you did last year when you stopped me on the road and your father capturedme.”
Ariel shook her head. “No, Justin, it’s not the same! He’swrong.’
“It is the same.” He felt betrayed all over again. Bythe same woman, who had captured his heart. Justin could barely breathe. He clenched his fists and tried to control histemper.
“I should have known not to trust you. Guess deception runs in thefamily.”
“Don’t go. At least let me explain, Justin. I didn’t deceive you. I was waiting for the right time to tell you.” She tugged at his arm, the plea in her eyes breaking him. Damn hewas such a dick. But he couldn’t stay here. Not with her, or thesepeople.
He didn’t belong to either. Oranyone.
Freedom of the open beckoned to him. No ties, no one to mock him or stare or back away in fear. Because eventually Ariel would discover his real nature. Maybe he hadn’t killed the lumina creatures in the lake, but the darkness lurking inside him couldn’t be defeated.It lingered there, a disease he had accepted long ago. It was part of hissoul.
A dragon can’t change his wings and I can’t change who and what Iam.
Justin shrugged off her hand. The only way to get rid of Ariel for good was to hurt her and make her seereason.
“What makes you think I want a life with you? You’re a Mage. No real magick. Only cheap parlortricks.
Thehurt stamped upon her face assured him he’d driven her away forgood.
Justin stretched out his arms and called upon his dragon magick. He shifted into a dragon. They hated him, so let them fear him as well. Fear was better than scorn. Screams and criesfollowed.
As he flapped his wings and rose into the air, he felt his heart harden into stone once more. Justin looked down, watchingAriel become smaller and smaller until she was a tiny dot. Then he flew away, and looked nomore.
