Dragon's Isolation - Miranda Martin Page 0,39

me far enough away our eyes meet. His jaw is tense, his eyes alight with passion and more.

“Never,” he says. “Mine.” It makes me cry harder. He hunches down so we’re eye-to-eye. “Love. Eternal.”

“Oh Shidan,” I say, shaking my head I touch his face.

There is no forming words past the lump in my throat.

“The fog,” he says, speaking with more clarity than he has in some time. “It’s… eating the past. Harder to control… emotions. Nothing changes. You, me… our son.”

He wipes the tears from my cheeks with his thumb. More fall to replace them. I swallow and nod.

“I love you,” I say. “I can’t do this without you.”

“Always,” he says. “This disease… we’ll find cure, but it doesn’t matter. I know you. My love for you cannot be taken.”

I throw my arms around him again and jerk myself against his chest. We hold each other until I run out of tears and then a bit longer still. He doesn’t let me go until at last I step back and we kiss. A simple kiss, an affirmation kiss. This isn’t the kiss of rising passion but the kiss of soul mates. A kiss but more a symbol. Signifying love eternal. Sealing our place in each other’s hearts for all of time.

I open the door to let Addison and Melchior in. No one says anything. The four of us stare at each other waiting for someone to make the first sound, say the first words.

“I’ll go to Rosalind,” I say at last unable to stand the heavy silence.

“Good,” Addison says. “I’ll keep working.”

She glances at Shidan but doesn’t say what’s on her mind. She doesn’t have to, we’re thinking the same thing. I can’t take him out. One he’s a known carrier but two he’s already attacked Melchior in a fit. What would he do out there? What if we ran into, well anyone?

“I will stay,” Shidan says, seeing our dilemma and in his way handling it for me.

My heart swells with my love. Addison nods her agreement.

“We should have you stay…” she trails off looking at the other door in the room.

The one that the banging sounds have come from, the door that leads to the lock up where she’s keeping the ones who are losing themselves to the virus. I open my mouth to object. I can’t let him be locked up like that. It’s too much like writing him off, giving up, but reality hits as fast as the thoughts occur.

It’s the only answer. Shidan nods his agreement and we follow Addison through the door.

On the other side is a long white hallway. A single, dim, flickering light illuminates the hall causing long shadows to dance along the walls and floor. It’s the perfect setting for most any horror vid. All I need now is a long moaning sound.

BANG! BANG!

I jump back, raising my hands defensively. Shidan throws his arms wide, wings spread, and tail straight up behind his back.

“It’s Ladon,” Addison says. “I’m sorry, he’s trying to break out. It comes and goes.”

“Can he?” I ask.

“No,” Addison says.

The sounds stop and we walk down the hall. A door is on the left with a small window in it. Something slams against it jolting me again. Ladon’s face presses against the window. He growls his face contorted with rage.

Bile rises in my throat. We have to help him. Addison moves quickly past as do Melchior and Shidan but I linger behind, staring. This is what I’m fighting. An almost silent killer that won’t even leave him dead. It’s worse, in ways, as if he’s being turned into a zombie and there is nothing to be done.

I’ve never believed in impossible. I was the only female fighter pilot on a ship where they said a woman couldn’t do the job. They said it was physically impossible and I proved them wrong. The impossible is what I do.

As the door closes on the love of my life the image of him staring out of that dirty glass window sears into my memory. My resolve redoubles. He was my savior before, now I will save him.

10

AMARA

“No,” Rosalind says.

“What do you mean, no?” I yell.

“Amara,” Rosalind sighs. “You know I can’t allow what you’re asking.”

“I’m asking for a chance to save the damn day. It’s time to be big damn heroes, and I don’t see anyone else stepping up to the plate.”

Rosalind’s calm face is pissing me off. How can she sit here behind her big fancy desk and do nothing? I