Azians POV
My eyes were stuck on my gorgeous little mate, her long blond hair trailed her back as she put it in a ponytail, before turning around throwing that smile that shifted feelings inside me. I couldn’t take my eyes off her, she was something of a blessing to me. I watched her approach us, climbing onto the bed before straddling me. My hands traveled up her thighs, her body shivering with the slight heat I was producing on my fingertips, “you’re staying with me tonight right?” I asked, my tone needy. I wanted her beside me. I knew that sleeping beside my mate would make me feel better.
I was looking forward to having her in my arms tonight. I wanted to have a good night's sleep for the first in forever and I knew from whomever deep within me my mate would provide the exact comfort I needed. These past few days ever since I found my mate my nightmares had become a lot worse, and I had a feeling it was because my dragon wanted his mate beside him all the time, being away from her didn’t ease us at all. I wanted to be around her all the time, but she was yet to take me home. She said she wanted to wait to tell her mother but I didn’t. I wanted to be able to visit my mate all the time, however, I had no choice but to respect her wishes. My mate was everything to me.
My hand reached out brushing a strand of loose blond hair from her face watching her giggle, pressing light kisses in the palm of my hand. The texture was light and bright reminding me of the sun. “Yes, tonight I will stay by your side,” she replied rolling over to my side. I grunted at the loss of skin contact, I moved to bring her up flash against me, pressing soft kisses up her neck. Everything about her was perfection but I really disliked the perfume she was wearing, with my dragon sense it was thousand times more powerful, which completely blocked out her natural scent I was so desperate to feel.
I pulled her close, grunting as I buried my face in her hair, I was so tired and this was the perfect place to rest, knowing tomorrow for the first I would be fully restored. The thought alone excited me. I groaned to a question she asked, but I didn’t hear as sleep overcame me, feeling her fingers trail up my arms in a way that lulled me to sleep. Finally.
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Fire.
Everything was burning except me. Everything was breaking to pieces except me.
Screaming.
I turned around the burning school hall, looking for the sound. Walking through the flames I knew could not do anything against my dragon skin, I spotted a little girl standing a few feet away, her back towards me. She looked familiar.
Her long curly brown hair blowing in a breeze I didn’t know existed. She slowly turned to face me and my eyes widened, recognizing her immediately, her golden-brown eyes glowing. She was the girl in the subway. She smiled and I froze something stirring inside of me when I looked at those familiar eyes, I had seen them before, somewhere…recently. I just couldn’t put my finger on it.
Her eyes suddenly widened, fear laced in them, and at that moment I felt angry. I wanted to know why she was afraid, who had the audacity to cloud those beautiful golden eyes? She took a few steps back and I moved forward eyes widening when I saw she would step back into the fire that burning furiously behind her, “Stop!” I yelled, and she did almost immediately, though her frightened eyes only pointed to something behind me.
My eyebrows drew together turning around at the sound
 A growl erupted from nowhere and I turned to see two hell hounds spaces away from me. I took a few steps back, my fists clenching, an angry fire burning within me, my eyes turning to ultra as they stalked towards me, their flaming eyes set exclusively on me. they began to run and I held my position knowing I would banish them all back to the depth of hell, releasing a battle cry as they got nearer, running to meet them in the middle when they pounced.
Over me.
I turned in complete shock, a blood-curdling scream filling my ears when they dragged the little girl into the hot flames. Everything slowing down before me a hundred times slower, her hand reaching for my eyes wide.
Eyes, those eyes. The scene flashed momentarily to those eyes, only this time they were staring down at me from the bleachers in the gym, they flashed again to those eyes looking at me only a breath away, her back to the lockers, then flashed again to those eyes that were screaming at me from the front screen of my car, before flashing back to those eyes in the train, smiling down at me, then back to those eyes about to burn, getting lost in the red heart of the unforgiving fire.
All this time I was oblivious to myself screaming, “NO!” I screamed falling to my knees, feeling myself rip apart in the darkest pain known to man, supernatural and natural like I had lost everything.
I let everything burn,
 I let myself burn, combusting from within.
I sat up in bed breathing harshly, my body a sweaty mess. Dropping out of bed, unable to think as I dragged myself towards the window opening it to let in some fresh air, the sun a mere line in the distance signifying the beginning of a new day. My muscles ached and my whole body felt like it was run over a thousand times, brain was in a splitting headache. I gasped, running a hand through my blond hair, my finger shaking remembering what I had seen in my dreams. My heart kept pounding and I knew at that moment I had lost everything. I didn’t know why but I knew it.
My heartbeat slowly decreased as I let the fresh cold air run over my body, leaning against the windowpane, straying down to my bed. Khloe was still fast asleep in bed, and I glad I hadn’t woken her up. I stood up straight, running a hand through my hair, throwing a blanket over her half uncovered form, a thought lingering in the back of my mind.
How did she sleep through that?
Walking out of the door, I made sure to close it gently so I didn’t wake her up. I moved down the stairs imagining what a cold drink of water would do for me, trudging my heavy form that felt weak in so many ways. Abigail was in the kitchen, I could sense her aura and her scent as I descended down the stairs almost falling because of how drained I was.
I made my way to the kitchen stopping by the door, to catch a breath, able to see Abigail busy in the kitchen, probably making breakfast. She was an early bird that was for sure. She suddenly froze and I could tell she had sensed my aura, spinning around in my direction, eyes wide when she saw my state. Abigail was one of the only ones that could see through my glamour, only she and Edwin could in this realm.
“Azian!” she gasped, dropping the dishes she had been doing rushing to my side. I grunted as she helped me take a seat, leaning forward over the counter, her voice a worried tone, “ it’s getting worse isn’t it?” she huffed rushing to the sink  grabbing a glass cup pouring some water in but I shook my head, “cold.”
She nodded, rushing to the fridge pouring me down an ice-cold glass of water. I took it gratefully gulping it down as she watched me, her worried eyes never leaving my face. I placed the cup on the table, leaning forward, feeling much cooler, and my throat less dry. She pushed her long brown locks back taking a seat opposite me, “come on,” she huffed, showing me her hands.
I glanced at her for a second before shaking my head, “no,” I replied, declining her offer. I swore not to do this ever again.
“You need it Azian,” she replied, her tone authoritative with added finality, “Don’t be stubborn.”
“No, Abigail,” I grunted stressing my point, I could go through this alone. I hated taking from her. My eyes' sight darkened for a moment when my eyelids threatened to shut, but I kept them open even if it was taking all my energy.
“I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t think you needed it. You can’t even walk properly. It’s worse this week,” she replied. I didn’t spare her a look and she sighed, “do you really want Anna or Alessia seeing you like this?” she huffed.
My eyes trailed back to her at this. Anna was a worrywart and Alessia would never let me live it down, even though I know I would see genuine concern in her eyes. She pretended not to care much about a lot of things but she was the gentlest one of us all. She was like a sister to me and even without her saying it out loud, I could read her aura like a book. She looked up to Edwin and me.
Abigail gave me a knowing look offering me a soft smile, “ come on, this won’t help you as much as it used to, your aura is much stronger than mine but it will do just enough,” she replied holding up both her arms towards me. I took one look at them, breathing out slowly before my eyes trailed back up to hers.
Sighing I placed both my hands in hers, engulfing her small ones easily. She chuckled when she saw this, “I remember a time I could fit both your hands in one of mine,” she joked and I managed a short painful chuckle.
She closed her eyes, breathing out, her chest falling as she relaxed. I watched her transfer her energy into me, studying the subtle changes in her expression as she did. I could feel it transfer to me, my breathing deepening, feeling better though still drained, my eyes never leaving her face.
I knew I wed the world and beyond to her.  She filled the place of my mother to the best any woman could. I would be forever indebted to her. She finished, but her hands still held mine, taking in short breaths and I knew she was trying to compose herself, to make it seem she was alright like she always did. But I wasn’t a kid anymore, energy transfer was not an easy task, t took a piece of your life form with every try, small but substantial especially when it was being transferred to someone like me, a being who needed all the energy in the world to function. If a normal witch tried this on me, I could have drained her to death but Abigail was a mother witch, her magic had a little bit more substance and she could control just how much she wanted to give.
She opened her eyes, meeting mine. After a few seconds she smiled, “See, easy as pie,” she grinned.
I nodded, taking my eyes off her, it bothered me when she made it seem like I didn’t owe her anything.
“Did you take a shower last night Azian?” she asked walking toward the sink, I didn’t reply as she continued, “your aura is dripped in Khloe,” she chuckled,
“Khloe spent a night.”
She spun around, eyes shifting from me to upstairs, “what?!” she whispers yelled stomping towards me, “you mean she’s up there now?” she dragged, pointing up the stairs.
“Yes.”
“Her hand slapped to her forehead, “oh for the love of Erania!” she cursed, his tone lower when she said, “Alessia’s bedroom is right across your room, Azian, what were you thinking!”
I raised an eyebrow at this, leaning in, putting things into a clear perspective. “You think I would mate with Khloe in this house?” I asked in disbelief.
Her eyes widened at this, before relaxing slightly, running a hand through her brown locks, “okay,” she trailed off, “just please ask permission next time. I do not want you traumatizing Alessia and I believe me so would Anna.”
I poured myself another glass of water, fighting the drained feeling inside me, “I would have, but you and Anna weren’t home last night.”
She sighed, “Council meetings,” she trailed off, something sparking her eyes, looking at me intensely, "Khloe is asleep?” she echoed my previous statement.
I froze at this knowing exactly what she was getting at.
“You were having a nightmare sleeping next to your mate and didn’t even notice it.” She stated rather than asked.
My gaze dropped to the counter, my grip on the cup tightening. I shrugged, “she was very tired last night.”
She looked at me, eyes reading me through and through.
'You know she should have felt something.' I heard her voice in my head. I shook my head.
'I know.' I replied looking up at her. Abigail was the only mind I could read, or talk with. It was something not even Edwin and I could do. And no one else knew of it except us. It was because of the bond she and omega had formed over the years as she taught him her magic.
My eyes settled ahead taking a deep breath in, switching the conversation,“ the girl I told you about on the train,” I began, speaking out loud this time, feeling Abigail’s eyes on me, “she’s my possession.”
I could feel her freeze at this reveal, my eyes finally trailing back to her. I saw them widen, shifting a little, “the one Alpha first talked to?” she asked quietly.
I nodded.
“A-Are you sure?” she stuttered, eyebrows drawing together.
My jaw clenched as pieces of my nightmare flooded through my mind, replying solemnly, “A dragon never forgets.”
She paused at this as if taking it all in. I knew she was thinking, this was more than a coincidence. But before she could say anything we both looked towards the stars. Khloe was coming down. We sensed her aura way before she revealed herself, dressed in some sweatpants and one of my dark shirts. She paused when she saw both of us in the kitchen, her eyes trailing between us, before Abigail suddenly smiled, “good morning Khloe, I see you spent a night.”
She glanced towards me and I sighed, still feeling tired. Abigail’s lectures weren’t helping either.
“Yes, I hope you don’t mind,” she replied, offering Abigail a smile as well.
Abigail hummed in reply and I shook my head at her behavior, “just keep it PG,” she grumbled. Abigail was yet to warm up to my mate. Actually, the only ones that had accepted her fully were Edwin and Alessia. Edwin liked everything I liked basically and Alessia was thrilled to finally have a female friend. As for the other witches, I could see they were yet to adjust.
They had trust issues, and I couldn’t blame them. Trust was hard to find especially when everyone was out to get you, I should know. But they had to start believing Khloe was going to be around for a long time. I was bound to her for life. She was my life. Khloe giggled heading towards me, and I made for her, pulling her in my laps, her kisses immediately taking center stage.
“PG!” Abigail yelled over her shoulder as she did the dishes. I chuckled into Khloe’s shoulder at this as I held her close, breathing in her scent. It seemed she had sprayed another layer of that perfume. But I’ll be damned if she thought that would keep me away.
I looked up at her and she cupped my face, her green eyes looking down at me and I could feel her study the deep drained circles around my eyes. “I see someone had their beauty sleep,” she grinned.
I froze at this, didn’t she see through the glamour?
“What?” I asked her softly studying her face.
She giggled, “You slept in a middle of a conversation last night, I figured you were tired. You slept like baby,” she chuckled, “and now you look brand new,” she grinned placing a kiss on my forehead.
Alpha suddenly growled from deep inside me and I side glanced towards Abigail, noticing she had frozen with the dishes in her hands, slightly turned, having had heard our conversation.
'Khloe can’t see through your glamour.' She thought to me.
'I know.' I replied.