Duron watched from
the rooftop as the courtiers and wealthy entered the Imperial Manse. Tonight was the Thousand Scales Ball. He had been watching for days seeing how the
guards come and go. His best bet was to
penetrate the walls of the immense building as a guard. The ball was starting and the guards would
change in twenty minutes. Until then he
would watch and wait.

           Cala
had gotten to the window without being seen.Â
The princess was just inside.Â
Tonight was the night. Every
Dragon-Blooded and House member was here in the manse. Now was the night to exact her revenge, all
she needed was a disguise. Princess O’na
of the House Ragara would do nicely.Â
Cala looked exactly like her, same muscle tone and hair. Cala’s skin was darker, but in the ill-lighted
ballroom who would notice. The princess
left the main room and headed for the bath now was her chance. Without a sound or flutter Cala entered the
room. She undressed and immediately
found suitable attire lying on the bed.Â
Not much of an outfit. Two pieces
of dense, fine linen for a skirt that draped down from an ornate belt that tied
at her hips. The top tunic was tight on
Cala but hung just below her chest. Gold
and jeweled anklets, bracelets and necklaces made he look like a flittering
peacock but she had to play the part.Â
The final piece was a royal head band with the markings of the
House. Now she looked like a
princess.Â

           Duron
snuck down from the roof with some difficulty, his two daiklaves didn’t help
much either. Five minutes. Across the way and under the tall tree
outside the wall. Three minutes. He climbed the tree with great accuracy and
vaulted the wall. He landed with a thud
on the ground. Two minutes. He darted pass the gardens and pressed
himself against the building wall.Â
There, his entrance, two meters to his left. Seizing the opportunity he made a break for
it. Fifteen seconds. He closed the door behind him and released
his breath. Well done he said to himself
now to find the armory and a place to stow his swords till all was completed.

           The
princess walked back in to the room.Â
Cala had barely enough time to hide herself behind the door. Well so much for stealth. A little blood goes a long way. Cala sprang and seized the princess’
head. The small bones cracked at the
quick twist and her last breath escaped her lips. A pity, the princess would have made a great
bargaining chip if needed. Cala donned
the one necklace, headband, bracelets and anklets. She opened the door with as much dignity as
she could muster, walked down the hall to the great ballroom.Â

           He
slunk down the hall garbed in officers’ dressage. Blue armor with tassels, ornate sword used
more for show than a fight, white tunic underlay. The things he had to do in the name of
righteousness. The door to the ballroom
had been left open. Not being one to
blend well, he stuck out like all the other guards, blue spot in a sea of red
and white. The lay of the room swirled around
him. Music, entertainers, people dancing and laughing, wine it was enough to
make any normal man dizzy, but Duron was here on a mission. Destroy the building that stood on the manse
and liberate the city and the Realm of all dragon-blooded. That was why he had penetrated this building,
trained for so long, and honed his skills…wait what was that? He had been standing at attention trying to
look like the other guards. He looked
and saw her. Black hair braided to her
head and down her back. Imperial
markings all over her and she seemed not to fit in. He turned his eyes back to the front for only
a fraction of a second but when he looked again she had vanished.Â

           Cala
had been seen, she was sure of it. She
had mingled with the crowd matching step for stance, the exact mirror of the
imperial family, and yet the guard had watched her. Maybe he was checking out the action of the
night. No such luck, buddy. He’d sooner have one of her arrows in his
heart than her in his bed. Besides the
dagger she had concealed was for a soldier higher up the food chain than his
peon of a sentry. There he was standing
like a man with no conscience, the snake, the villain, MURDER! Cala could feel
her rage swelling. She needed to calm
down. There wasn’t enough room her to
perfectly aim the dagger and run. She
would have to get close to her target. Very close. Oh
father, forgive me, but this is the only way to put your spirit to rest.

           He
saw her again; the clothes, the hair, definitely a princess. She would be his target. If she lived here
than he knew where the room to the furnaces were, if not then there was one
less dragon-blooded to worry about. She
was leaving! He had to catch her. But he
couldn’t leave; it would cause too much commotion. Suddenly the crowd surged to the walls
pushing Duron back against the door. He
spilled out into the hall. There she
was, walking briskly but not hurriedly.Â
This was almost too easy.

           Cala
had to get out, a side entrance, secret passage, something. There at the far end of the wall, a small
door. Concentrating on concealing her
anima she enveloped herself in her wings.Â
Hurriedly she made her way to the door past the royal guards. Once in the hall she let her cloak fall and
she padded of quickly down the hall. No
one was supposed to be in the halls, then why did she have the distinct feeling
of being followed. She stopped, looked
down as if checking her shirt. She
pulled the dagger out from the hidden sheath under her shirt, three, two, one…

           Duron
saw his chance. He had tailed her to the
end of the hallway, he pulled the short sword from its scabbard, it may not
have been for fighting, but it would frighten any pampered princess. She stopped.Â
Quickly and as quietly as he could he crept up on her. His hand reached for her shoulder…

           Cala
felt him extend his hand before it touched her shoulder. She grabbed it and threw her assailant
against the wall. A loud CRACK echoed
down the hall just as thunderous applause erupted from the ballroom so no one
bothered to investigate.

           Duron
felt the shock wave hit his body through the armor. It shocked him for only a few seconds. The sword he wielded was pressed against her
slender bare stomach. Her dagger was
pressed against his now exposed throat.Â
His helmet lay a few feet from him.Â
A princess that could defend herself, that wasn’t something he counted
on. She stepped closer and he slid the
sword deeper against her soft abdomen.Â

           “I
wouldn’t if I were you.” The woman’s voice was pure silk laced with poison, an
almost hypnotic look in her pale lavender eyes.Â
He had heard the voice before, he was sure of it.

           “And
why not?” came the deep baritone from the man, more mocking her than in
fear. Where had she heard that voice?

           “Because
I will slit your throat so fast you won’t know you are dead until you see the
underworld.” His milky-blue eyes studied
Cala’s face for a moment, he smiled.

           “Why
are you smiling?” The question was more
out of annoyance than shock. Had he gone
delirious at the realization that he would die in a pool of his own blood? Men, who knew.

           Duron
smiled, this was too easy, and this pampered kitten hadn’t the gall to follow
in on her threat. Without hesitation his
hand shot forth grabbing and wrenching her around he dislodged the blade from
her hand.Â

           “Now,
now little princess, lets not be so hasty,” the voice held more warning this
time and sounded mean. He meant to scare
her.

           Little
PRINCESS!? Cala was insulted. She may
have dressed the part but she was no pampered palace pet. He stole a kiss on her cheek. Infuriated she twisted a piece of his flesh
with her free hand. He tried not to
scream in pain but he let her go. Cala
grabbed her dagger from where it had fallen and pointed at the would-be
killer.Â

           “Don’t
follow me,” she said carefully weighing each word, wanting to them to sound as
acidic as possible. With out a backwards
glance she tore down the hall at breakneck speed.

           Don’t follow? Of course he would. He took off running. Damn she was fast and
the skirt did not hide the taut muscles in her legs. He heard behind him the ballroom doors
open. He swore beneath his breath and
continued to follow. He saw her duck
into a room and sped up to grab the door before she locked it.

           Cala
ran as fast as a deer, vaulting over chairs and rugs. She had been caught. Damnit, now she was never get her
chance. The room lay ahead, she wouldn’t
bother changing, and she could steal clothes if she needed it. She closed the door behind her only to have
it burst open, the guard had followed her. She fell to the floor but rolled to
stay out of his reach. Her bow would do
her no good in a close combat situation; she would have to rely on her blade
and martial arts charms. The question
tugged at her mind, how had he stayed on her trail? No mortal man could catch her.

           Duron
fell over himself as he burst through the door, catching himself he spun around
before she had a chance to stick him. He
locked the door but as he turned he saw the real princess on the ground dead.

           “Who
are you?” he asked. He was amazed at her
skills and abilities. She fascinated
him. The woman looked ready to kill him
at all costs.

           The
question startled Cala. Why was he asking, did he not care that his death lay
not more than ten feet from him?

           “I
am no one to be trifled with. Let me go
and I swear I won’t kill you or any family you have.”

           “You
clearly are not the princess, SHE is lying there. You are an assassin. Who and why you are trying to kill is beyond
me, but you are very skilled that is obvious.”Â
He tried to get her off base, falter if need be. Duron pulled a chair out from under a table
and sat.

           “Sit,”
he said motioning to the bed, but Cala wouldn’t sit with an enemy in the room.

           “Or
don’t it’s all the same,” Duron said it mockingly; the woman was clearly not
trusting of anyone.

            “Why are you talking to me,” Cala asked. The seeds of her anger died in her. This man meant her no harm, but why was he
trying to be her…friend!? Cala finally
sat.

           “Good
now we can talk. My name is Duron.” He waited for her to answer. It was almost comical to see the dumbfounded
look on the young woman’s face.

           “Uh…My
name is…uh…O’na.” Cala finally recovered to say a name but why did it have to
be the one of the dead princess. What
was it about this man that seemed so familiar and why did he make her question
her senses?

           “No
its not, ‘O’na’ is her name,” Duron said motioning to the body lying on the
floor. It was half scolding half
playful, he needed to find out who or what this woman was and how she had
become so strong.Â

           “Your
name has spirit behind it, so are we going to be truthful or do we have to sit here
till the real guards come and find us?”

           REAL guards, so he wasn’t a guard. The question almost made Cala laugh but
instead of she smirked. No harm in
revealing herself to this man. If he wanted
to talk to death, let him.Â

           “Cala,
my name is Cala,” she said in her soft voice that sounded like a purr more than
a human voice.

           “Good
now I know your name and you know mine.”

           By
the gods, she was beautiful. Those pale
lavender-gray eyes that glowed like the moon, that brilliant small smile on her
pretty lips, her long, silky black hair.Â
Beautiful but deadly. An elegant
predator sat before him and her clothing did little to hide the power her body
contained. Her gaze made him aware of
himself and he cleared his throat hoping to ease the rising heat in his
body. What was happening?

           “OK,
so do you mind explaining how you kept up with me in the hall? I am faster than any man alive.” She had him.Â
He was after all human. His gaze
flickered up her form. He was almost
drooling. Cala smiled inwardly.

           Duron
stood and turned around, this was hard.Â
He felt his cast mark burn through the headband. He felt his heart skip a beat as he heard her
shift off the bed. This had never
happened before. He had seen beautiful
women but none like this, he had to know, a part of him had to know. Turning he found her almost at the window.

           “STOP,”
Duron said, a little louder than expected.

           Cala
turned and faced him. Well she almost
made it. “Yes?” The purr again this time
it was soft and vibrant.

           Duron
controlled himself enough to walk over to her.Â
He ripped the headband from her forehead. There beneath the royal fabric lay the mark
he was hoping to find.

           Cala
jumped the bed, grabbed her bow and arrows from their hiding spot. How dare him
and now he would pay with his life. Her
body infused with essence, she laced the arrow making it sharp and sure. She turned and aimed right for his evil
heart. But the look on his face and the
way he stood caused her to stop. Her
eyes traveled up to his brow. Duron had
pulled back his hair revealing the golden disk that burned like the sun. His body ignited in a blue flame and his eyes
shown through the light.

Cala was
speechless; her weapons fell from her hands.Â
Another Chosen, it couldn’t be but it
was. Her exalted soul rejoiced at the
sight of him not knowing why.

Without a word she ran to him and
he engulfed her in his arms. He felt
like he had found a long lost friend.Â
The joy overwhelmed them both.

           “We
have to leave, now,” Cala said urgently.Â
Duron nodded. He also had to get
his swords and get out of this monkey suit.Â
She collected her quiver and bow when she stood; Duron had a puzzled
look on his face.

           “You
aren’t going to change out of those,” he said pointing to her clothing.

           “No,
I stole them, I stole the ones I had on and I’ll steal another pair if I need
it.”

           Her
carefree attitude amazed him. He went to
the door and looked out into the hall.Â
No one, good this would be quick.Â
He started to inch his way down the hall he turned to see if Cala was
following him. She was right there at
his side matching his speed with her own quite steps. The armory was one floor down so they needed
to find the stairs. The stairs were big
and open not a good place to hide a big guy like himself. Cala saw his hesitation and asked what was
wrong.

           “My
daiklaves and clothes are in that room but it’s to open, someone will notice
me,” he whispered.

           Now
it was her turn to show her anima. With
careful concentration she felt her body become light as the wind. Her body was washed in silver light. Her anima wings unfolded at her back. With equal amazement Duron watched her become
invisible and almost fly down the stairs not a sound could be heard even when
the heavy wooden door was opened.

           Cala
looked and saw the two big swords in the back.Â
When she picked them up they were weighty but felt secure in her small
palm. Pulling the scabbards over her
head she found his clothes. Tempted she
breathed in his scent. He smelled earthy
and warm. Her head spun at the pleasing
smell. Cala made her way back to the
door, checking right and left no one in sight.Â
She hauled herself and the weapons up the stairs still making no sound
not even to breathe. When she reached
Duron he lifted the swords off her shoulders and took the clothes from her.

           “Now
we can leave.” Duron left the armor in the hall and dressed as he ran. There was a window open and Cala looked
out. It wasn’t far to the ground. She vaulted to the earth landing close to the
wall. Duron landed with a loud thud a
few feet from her. They scaled the wall
and jumped to the ground below. Once in
the street Cala led him to where she was staying, a large room with windows
which were easy to get in and out of.Â

           “Do
you ever use the door?” he asked as they clambered into the lamp lit room

           “If
it is daytime,” Cala said laughing.Â
“It’s not much but it’s fine for now.”

           For
now, he echoed in his mind. He watched
her place the jewelry in a bag and then sit down in a chair. The fabric did little to conceal her legs.

           “What,”
she asked, amused at the color that reddened his cheeks. He was embarrassed how cute. Cala knew fully how she was dressed and how
she looked to him. But knowing that did
not make it easier for her to not notice the muscles underneath his shirt. Â It was all she could do to not rip his shirt
off or for that matter his pants. It was
all she could do to keep her own color from reddening.

           Duron
sat on the bed and began to tell his story.Â
Maybe if he talked he could get the image of her body out of his
mind. But looking into those watchful
eyes, knowing they saw every muscle and minute expression that passed across
his face, did not make them any less seductive or any less inviting. How was it that she made him feel uneasy and
comfortable at the same time? He
searched his soul only to come up blank.Â
As his story ended he looked and watched the laughter and smile dance in
her eyes. When she smiled, his mind was
floored.

           Cala
could feel the heat rise in her face as he looked at her intently. His long dark messy hair, his strong arms and
body, her own body ached to feel it against her again. His eyes, oh those beautiful light blue eyes,
she felt as if he could see to her very soul.Â
She turned her head and reached for the locket in the drawer of the
table.Â

           “Now
it’s my turn,” she said playfully watching as his hands brushed back his hair
and then lay firmly on the bed. He was
all ears to her. He laughed at the funny
parts, his laugh was brilliant. It
radiated through her soul like nothing ever had before. His face saddened at the murder and
brightened at how she became exalted.Â
When she finished she held his gaze, wanting to linger in those pools of
blue peace. His face was alive with
light and passion.Â

           Duron
watched her face, expressive and beautiful.Â
He longed to touch it, to feel the softness beneath his fingers. He longed to kiss her, to breathe in the
sweet scent he knew lingered on her skin. He was entranced. Before he could stop himself, he was standing
over her, his hand cupped her cheek. She
nuzzled her face to it feeling the warmth of his skin on her cool face. Her skin was silk beneath his calloused hand.
She placed her hand over his and kissed his palm. Duron couldn’t help but feel a twinge of
jealousy for his hand. He brought his
face down to hers and found her lips full and welcoming.Â

           He
tasted incredible, the energy and power.Â
The passion, in a simple lingered kiss.Â
Cala placed her arms around his neck and he pulled her up and hugged her
close to him. She traced his face and
neck kissing him where her fingers touched.Â
He felt amazing, so much strength and fervor in his arms. She laced his shoulders, the force that she
sensed in those muscles. She felt
fragile and small in his embrace. He
held her as if she were a priceless piece of glass, strong and delicate. She kissed him again but more fiercely and
deliberately. He returned her kiss with
equal passion savoring every inch of her mouth with his tongue. His hands made a path down her back mapping
every subtle curve. Holding her with one
arm he traced her leg with his finger tips.Â
Her hands went beneath his tunic tracing every crease and muscle on his
abdomen and chest. He moaned softly at
her touch. She pulled at his shirt
violently throwing it across the room till it met the wall. He saw in her eyes a wild passion, which he
could not deny that he felt himself. He
wanted her and she wanted him just as much.Â
He pulled her to the bed holding her beneath him. Cala smiled and laughed at the rush of
emotions, she wanted him alright and would do anything to make him just as
crazy as she was. She kissed him
intensely and moved to the head of the bed.Â
Smilingly slyly she waved her finger at him in a come-and-get-me gesture
and Duron was more than happy to oblige her.Â
He was on top of her in an instant and she laughed at the wildfire in
his eyes.

           “You’re
laughing at me,” he said, trying to sound as hurt as possible.

           “No,
never,” she said stretching her hands above her head, knowing that he was
getting a full view of what was to come.Â
“I’m laughing because you may not want to leave after this.”

           “Who
says I was going to?” Duron pulled her close to him feeling every curve of her
body with his. He heard her moan as he
deepened the kiss, his body pleading to be next to hers. He laid a breathless Cala back to the
bed. He showered her face with kisses,
moving to her neck where his tongue pressed against her sweet pulse. Her hands etched his back and her sighs of
pleasure fueled his exploration. His
hands traveled down her sides moving to the front of her shirt. His fingers untied the string that held the
shirt and drew her into kiss as he shed the offending article. He was not disappointed. Two full, firm mounds greeted his gaze and
Cala giggled at the look.

           “I’m
glad that you like,” she said huskily with the same deep purr as before. He smiled and kissed her fervently. She slid her hands down his chest reaching
for the belt around his waist. She felt
his hand at her wrist bringing her hands above her head. Cala looked at him in surprise but he shook
his head and pressed his mouth to her trim neck. He heard her gasp in delight as he pressed
his free palm against her breast. His
mouth moved from her neck to the other firm mound and he sucked and pressed his
tongue in turn on her already hard nipples.Â
Her moans and sighs beneath his mouth made him want her even more, so
bad that his body could barely stand it.Â
He moved to her stomach savoring each kiss as her hands combed through
his hair. His fingers found the tie of
her skirt and slowly untied it as he pressed a hand slowly to her hip. She cried out in uninhibited passion as the
skirt found the floor. He looked up and
gazed upon her body drinking in the beautiful woman who lay before him. Cala could feel his tender eyes on her, her
mind swirled in a sea of desire. She
looked at him biting her bottom lip, wanting so much for him to take her
now. Duron sat up, gods he was hard. He wanted to feel her around him, in him,
coursing through his veins.Â

           She
sat up and moved to him, her long black hair brushing his skin. She kissed his shoulders and neck running her
hands down his bare chest.

           “I’m
all yours,” she whispered softly to him.Â
Her hands moved to his pants searching for a way to remove them. Â

           Duron
pulled her to him, kissing her soundly.Â
He laid her back and stood. He
blew out the lamp, leaving only the stars and moon to illuminate the room. He removed his boots and pants. He could feel her watchful eyes on him
studying, tracing his body in the moonlight, taking in every muscle and
curve. When he finally turned he heard
her breath catch. Cala had never seen a
man like Duron before, powerful and strong in all the right ways. He moved to the empty side of the bed and lay
down next to her pulling her close. He
kissed her letting his hand explore her body once more. Her hand came to rest below his face on his
neck pulling his face close extending the kiss.Â
Down the subtle curve of her neck, across her slender shoulders,
stroking the valley between her breasts feeling each tenderly, lightly touching
her stomach, caressing over her beautiful hips.Â
His fingertips lingered at her legs, slowly moving over her calf and
thigh, in between her legs. As each cry
and moan of passion escaped her lips, his own desire was fueled and he could
feel the intense heat that radiated through him. His hand found her sweet spot,
his fingers playing with her lips, feeling the warm moisture emit from her
body.

           Cala’s
body and mind reeled in the bliss. Never
before had something made her body quake and convulse. Her fingers played on his muscles, making
their way to his groin. He called out in
ecstasy as her fingers traced his manhood, feeling every rock hard inch. She could stand it no longer, “Take me,” she
moaned in half-plea, half-command. Duron
chuckled “Not yet,” he whispered lustily in her ear.Â

           His
lips traveled down to the inner part of her thigh; there he explored her innermost
being with his tongue, slowly torturing her.Â
She called out his name in contentment.Â
He tasted the passion of her body, how it came so sweetly in his
mouth. She was ready, her body so
wanting. He wiped his mouth and moved
her legs slowly apart. Cala moaned
loudly as this small movement increased the electricity coursing through her
body. He set down on his knees in the
gap between her legs. He placed a hand
at her back. Ever so slowly he traced
her with his head, his mind reeling at the new sensation. Unhurriedly he inserted himself into
her. She gasped and moaned at the feel
of him inside her. Warm and swollen his
member found its home. Gradually he went
in the rest of the way, watching her face contort in pleasure and pain. Her eyes rolled back and she called his name
again and again. Her hands raked through
his hair pulling his head down in an impassioned kiss. In and out, in and out, his thrusts were slow
and got faster. Burning with desire,
their bodies matched in perfect rhythm, his hips fitting like a puzzle piece in
the curve of hers. Duron thought his
body would explode from the electrifying surges that racked his body. Sweat poured off of them and glistened in the
moonlight as their hips matched in rythymic movments. Cala could hold back no
longer. She cried his name and moaned, feeling her orgasm inside her swell. She grasped his shoulders as the climax hit
and pulsed against her body. He could not resist her call and let go, feeling
the rush of his passion meld with her body.Â
He fell to his elbows on the bed hearing her gasp for air. He encased her mouth with his, tracing her
lips with his. His body quaked and shook
form the exertion of energy and ecstasyof being inide her.Â
Cala wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. Gently he pulled himself out feeling a last
wave hit from her body. He looked at her
and smiled with shear joy. There were no
words to describe how he felt at that moment.Â
She looked at him with the same unbridled happiness feeling as if the
last years of her life had finally become complete. He pulled the blanket around them, he held
her close. She wrapped her arms around
him and gave him one final kiss. Her
body was exhausted, but she felt safe.Â
Duron nestled her against him and laid his head on the pillow. He could feel Cala’s soft breath as she
slumbered. His own eyes became heavy and
started to close. In the night he was
sure he could see their spirits dancing on the cool breeze. Two Chosen
lovers, long separated by war and time only to be reunited once again. A love, Duron thought as he watched his
beloved sleep, that transcended not only time but death as well