Captured By The Dragon
Episode 59

Dylan

The moment we entered the city I could feel how off it was from the rest. It pulsed in my bones and reminded me that I was somewhere I didn’t belong. My body tried to convince me to turn back and get as far as I could before hell broke loose.

But I couldn’t.

I was never one to run away in my life. Not from battles or danger. The only thing I ever tried to escape was the horrible feelings inside me. And yet—I still couldn’t escape that either. Patara was proof of that—my parents were proof of that.

They all left scars on me to remind me that it was impossible to run from. Now I had a new scar to chase after—only I hoped to save this one before it became a bad one. I knew if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be the only one that would have to live with the pain and that killed me more than anything.

My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as if I was already strangling the people that had my child. A dark part of me wanted to rip them all apart until they were nothing. One by one, I would make them regret ever taking part in what they did. I would make them regret taking innocent children just because they were shifters.

If they wanted to rid the world of shifters—they could start with me. I’ll give them the fight they all so desperately wanted to hide from like cowards. That was the only reason they targeted kids, because they knew they didn’t have a chance against a full grown shifter.

The sun was going down fast. The entire day was gone and some how it felt like it lasted years. My misery wouldn’t end until my family was put back together and we were safe on the other side of the border again.

And this time, no one would come steal Patara away from me. I didn’t think I could trust her when she assured me—but I did.

My misery only felt worse the further we went in. People still wandered the streets but looked as if they were hurrying home before the darkness could catch them.

It was a much darker city than the one Patara was from. Dirtier and grimier. It was the sort of city that left you afraid to walk even with a group.

I couldn’t tell if it was overpacked, or empty of what it could be. All I knew was that I didn’t want Patara to be caught out alone in those streets. There were worse fates than death—she perhaps knew that better than anyone.

I couldn’t tell if it was overpacked, or empty of what it could be. All I knew was that I didn’t want Patara to be caught out alone in those streets. There were worse fates than death—she perhaps knew that better than anyone.

I followed the cars ahead of me that led us into this rotten hole. I tried not to get too close in case it looked suspicious to the outside eye. I doubted that any of these people would realize what was happening. They looked too far gone in their own minds to see what was right in front of them.

It was the perfect place to keep children underground. It didn’t surprise me at all that the location was here—I only had to find where exactly.

“This is the town. We haven’t been able to find an entrance to the—prison or whatever you want to call it. We only call it that because that’s what they always make them look like.” Anna said. She tried to speak gently, but Patara still trembled beside me just from the mention.

“I might be able to find it better if I walk the streets.” I said. Patara snapped her head towards me when I said that.

“You’re going out there? Alone?” She asked.

A small smirk pulled at my lips when I looked over at her. “They should be more afraid of me than I would ever be of them.”

“I know—I just… it looks dangerous out there.” She whispered as she turned her wide eyes back out the window to observe the life she had never witnessed before.

“He’s right, that might help us better.” Anna said. She leaned forward and pointed to an empty space on the side of the road. “You can park there. I’ll drive around. Text me your location if you think you’ve found it.”

I pulled off to the side of the road and slipped out of the car. Anna placed an older phone in my palm as she passed me to take my seat. I went around to Patara’s window.

“I’ll message them when I find it. Don’t worry about me.” I said before I leaned forward to k**s her. She leaned into me a little more before pulling away.

“Be careful.” She whispered. I touched her cheek before I put up my hood and disappeared into the shadows. When I glanced back, they were already pulling away from the curb.

The city smelled like rotten trash and urine. It was hard for me to get my head straight when there was so much happening around me. Drug dealers eyed me as I passed and shady people bumped me hard when I turned a corner.

All it took was one look at my face for them to back off and hurry away before they learned what my wrath was.

I walked for over an hour before I finally felt the tingle I was waiting for. It felt like a line had planted itself in my skin and started to tug me towards it. My body always wanted to be with my own kind, I knew that it was stronger because one of the shifters was part of me.

I followed the line down dirty streets. It pulled at me roughly the closer I got. I never felt this pull in the shifter world since I was always surrounded by my kind. It was only in the human world that it flared when I was far from home. It always let me know that other shifters were nearby.

I began to run when rain started to fall from the sky. Light sprinkles of water turned into thick drops that almost blinded me as I hurried to the pull. My heart knew what waited for me at the end, and I only pushed myself faster to get there.

I couldn’t shift into a dragon without letting an entire block know that a shifter was among them. I knew it would be easier to get him if I let my power free—but I also knew that I could lose him forever if my presence was alerted before I could get to him.

I stopped short when I saw large black vans in front of an abandoned construction site. I hid behind a wall and peered over to watch large men try to cover up bags that they carried to the middle of the dirt lot.

If I had come from any other angle, I wouldn’t have seen the ground open up and allow them in. It snapped closed the second they were out of sight and I knew that I had found it—I found where they were keeping my son.

I raised the phone and sent off my location immediately.