Out of the Ashes

I woke gasping for air. My lungs felt like they were on fire and I shot upright. A sheet that had been covering my face slide down to my waist leaving me bare-chested. I felt goose bumps all over my skin as I realized I was lying naked on a metal table. Where the fuck was I?

I looked around. It wasn’t a morgue. But it still had the same sterile look of a hospital, yet on the other side of the plate glass window I saw a rock wall. I kicked my legs over the edge of the table and faced the window. I reached for my power and felt it’s comforting warmth settle around me. It felt different but still that same comforting warmth, I added heat to the air to reduce the chill I had. I grabbed the sheet and hoped off the table and wrapped the gauze like material around my body.

I noticed a strange mark on the underside of my arm, when I turned it over to see I saw a flower petal peaking out. I twisted my arm and saw there was a flower on my skin and it seemed to breathe with my skin. It moved with infinitesimal movements, I almost didn’t perceive but I knew it was. The patterns shifted just a little. The flower was connected to a vine that wrapped around my arm. I followed the vine around my body. What the fuck? I moved to the plate glass window and used it as a mirror the reflection was faint but I let the sheet drop to the ground as I looked at the vine and flowers covering my body. There were small thorns running along the vines. It felt like they were just touching the skin, pressing into the flesh but not breaking through.

A woman passed by the plate glass window. She blushed at first and then she screamed. I couldn’t understand a word she said as she rushed off shouting Italian. I assumed that was what it was. Did that mean I was still in Italy?

The strange tattoo wasn’t the only change, where the vampire bit on my forearm had been clean unscared skin pressed against a tight muscle. My chest was unmarred so was my leg. The remnants of Dragon’s fire from a human mouth no longer maring the shape of the calf muscle. I turned to look at my back against the reflective window but no matter how hard I tried to turn I couldn’t really see, but it looked like the scars on my back were gone. What the fuck!

The door burst open and Ant stood there staring at me. I could feel the skeptissm through our bond. Something I’d never done before. Ryan came in skidding into Ant’s backside and laughed. “Was he checking himself out?”

Ant looked at Ryan like he was seeing a ghost and Ryan laughed. “You’d think seeing someone come back from the dead would be common place for a vampire.”

Ryan whistled. “Damn fine!” His fingers ran down my back and I froze but the sensation was different. I shuddered and tears welled up in my eyes. Ryan chanted, “And rise from the ashes a fourth.”

My blonde friend picked up the sheet and handed it to me. “Let’s get you someplace warmer and less open.” He looked at Ant and frowned. “I think you broke him. He wasn’t looking forward to telling Sage and the others you were dead.”

“How long have I been dead?” I asked.

Ryan glanced at a clock on the wall. “We left London near sunrise. It’s almost sunset.” So not even a day. 10 hours maybe?”

“I healed death in 10 hours?”

Ryan laughed. “Vampires usually wake in a few hours. When I die a recoverable death it takes longer.”

“You say that like it’s a normal thing.” I said.

Ryan laughed, “It is. We fight to the death when we spar.”

“So shit, does this mean I’m really immortal – even fire can’t kill me?”

“You are a Dragon, fire can’t kill a dragon.”

“Dragon’s aren’t immortal, they just live really long lives.” I said.

Ryan shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t think anyone really knows.”

Ant finally moved and when he did he wrapped his arms around me so tight I couldn’t breathe. I almost passed out from lack of oxygen when Ryan touched Ant’s shoulder, “Let him go.”

Ant dropped his grip on me and I saw the tears falling from his cheeks. I grinned at him. He hauled off and hit me in the shoulder. It bruised. I watched as the purple spot instantly healed. “That’s new.”

Ryan put his arm around my shoulders, “Let’s get you some clothes.”

“I’m kinda starving. You think you can have a cow delivered. I’m in the mood for steak.”

Ryan laughed. “Do you want to cook it, or can you wait until we get to New York, I know this awesome joint.”

“I can wait for steak, but I need food.” My stomach growled as we walked into the hallway. Ryan laughed. Ant stood in the hospital room staring at the metal table I had been laying on. “He going to be okay?”

Ryan shrugged. “You tell me, he’s your Chevalier. He thought you were dead. He felt you die. I’m surprised no one called. They had to feel it.”

I sighed. “I think they did. Wait, why are we going to New York?”

Ryan sighed, “I’ll explain while you eat.”

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