Dragon Marked_ Supernatural Prison #1(25)

Mischa didn’t react, but I couldn’t stop from gasping. I raised a shaky hand and covered my suddenly dry lips. “What?” My voice was a strangled whisper. “You’re mistaken. I’ve never seen the mark.” Yeah, stupid seemed to be falling from my lips today.

Mischa’s voice hardened. “Wait, what’s a dragon mark?” She had her hands on her hips as she leaned her upper body forward.

I liked that she had some fire. It made me think she might actually be my sister … uh, twin.

I started to explain. It was either talk or go quietly crazy in my head. “It’s a legend in the supernatural community,” I said. “Like a thousand years ago some crazy ass dragon shifter tried to rule all five races. He gathered a dragon army and a major war erupted.” According to the history books it had been bloody. “When they finally captured him they found out why he was so powerful – he was a hybrid sorcerer and dragon-shifter.” I cleared my throat. “Just before his head, and the heads of many of his followers, were removed, he cursed the supernatural world. He said that the dragon marked would rise and they would finish what he had started.”

Jonathon added more details. “Nothing happened immediately, but our history records indicate that within a month of the kings death, supernaturals of all different races started to be born with the mark. They have been killed off ever since.”

This was also why dragons were so rare. Many dragons died in that long ago battle, and for years the rest were hunted. Kind of like the human witch trials, but supernaturals targeted dragons. Thankfully, that shit had halted a few hundred years ago; otherwise I wouldn’t have my Braxton. Well the dragon slaying part had halted; the dragon-marked on the other hand were still hunted.

Lienda hugged her arms tightly around herself. “Any child born with the mark … they were taken from the family and never seen again. We would not let that happen to you two. Jessa was born first, and the moment we saw the mark we knew we had to hide it. Then Mischa came next and she also bore the mark. It didn’t matter that your father was a council member, they would have taken you … killed you.”

Jonathon rubbed at his temples. “We pretended Jessa was the only one born – twins are thoroughly examined for the marks, since almost all twins have them. A very close friend of mine – a sorcerer – spelled the marks, and Lienda disappeared with Mischa. Everyone thought she ran away because she didn’t want kids, and I did nothing to discourage the rumors.”

At some point during this conversation, tears had started running down my cheeks. I’d hated my mother for so many years, cursing her existence and her abandonment of me and my father. But she’d run to save our lives. I should have known this story. I was half sad and half pissed off. I hated being kept in the dark. I slapped at my cheeks, removing the traces of moisture.

“Why is it okay for us to return now?” Mischa asked, her voice husky. She had a few tears too.

Lienda walked forward and wiped a tear off her daughter’s cheek. “You turned twenty-two last month. The spell keeping your wolf contained is due to wear off soon.” She turned, and with the slightest hesitation gently wiped at my cheeks also. I closed my eyes at the feather-light touch. “You need the community to help you, you need a pack.” She glanced at Jonathon. “We figure most of the danger of detection has passed.”

Not to mention that anyone with eyes and a heart could see that she and Jonathan could not stay apart any longer.

Jonathon moved to her side. “Your wolf will break free, Mischa, but don’t worry about the spells muting your marks. They are much stronger, and should last your lifetime.”

I wondered then if the dragon mark had something to do with my demon. Could the mark be something I felt inside just waiting to explode? Was it only the spelling to hide and mute its energy keeping it contained?

There were still so many things I didn’t understand. “Why did you announce that we were sisters?” I knew why he hadn’t said twins, but it might have been better to pretend there were no familial ties.

He bestowed a gentle smile on me, a familiar twinkle in his blue eyes. “Because there was no hiding your similarities, we decided to stick as close to the truth as we could. But no one knows that you’re twins. Mischa is twenty according to her identification.” Jonathon moved even closer until the four of us were in a tight circle. “I told the council that I left Stratford once and found Lienda.”

“And that from our union   came Mischa,” Lienda added. “They think Jonathon didn’t know of the second pregnancy, and that’s why he didn’t demand I return. I’m a pariah in the community but I don’t care. As long as you two are safe, it’s all worth it.”