the beggining

chapter 2

My eyes fluttered open only to see a large pair of jacob eyes staring back at me. he was just making sure i was okay as usual.

Right now he was in his favourate form, a giant wolf.

Jacob is a shapeshifter like me, but instead of a dragon, he is a dog. But he prefers to be called a wolf because it sounds a little more menacing, but mostly he can change into anything k9 including mixing breeds. He has been my best friend ever since id helped him a long time ago when he was outnumbered in a fight.

I wanted to look for the boy from the night before but Jake was standing above me, his huge paws and strong front legs were on either side of my head just above my shoulders. He had me pinned so i couldnt move, i looked in his deep brown eyes. Our mind bond was always stronger when we were together, i thought 'move please' he obeyed.

I sat up and looked at the boy still sleeping on the couch beside my bed. I got up still wearing my skin from before, but that didnt matter, i always wore it.

It was created when i first phased fully, all human-like shapeshifters had one. It provided cover when human, but if we needed to phase in a desperate situation, as opposed to tearing apart your human clothing and being nude later it formed to the shapeshifters body becoming part of the skin.

He was still sleeping deeply, just not as deeply as before. Numaria was lying at his feet, her hypnotizing snake-like cat eyes focoused on me.

'Good morning' she thought, purring,

'morning' i said back just to not be rude, my main focous was the sleeping boy.

I glided to him silently, stood over him, and examined him.

He had slightly shaggy brown hair, clear skin with a small bit of a tan, high cheekbones, muscular, and a bit taller than i am (i'm about 5'10"). Over all a very handsome young man, i studied his face for a long time with the strangest feeling of deja vu, but i just couln't place why he looked so familiar.

Then my stomach growled, breaking my trance.

I sniffed the air hoping to smell Artemis' omlet which i loved, but all i could smell was cologne. The rancid stench filled my nose and gave me a headache, i leaped back to get away from the smell.

My sudden movement made both Jake and Numaria snap to attention. Both were up on their feet in the second it took me to escape the dreadful scent.

Jakes eyes were fixed on me with concern and alertness, Numaria with the same expression. I nodded letting them know i was okay, then Jacob started making a hearty sounding bark, he was laughing at me. The intensity in Numarias eyes dulled and she started to purr. My muscles slowly relaxed as i calmed down and i smiled.

Numaria hopped off the couch with a quiet thud and started towards the door telling me

'Artemis is downstairs with your breakfast '

then in a flash of fur she was gone. She never really spoke or interacted with us because she is always out hunting, but whenever she is home she is polite and respectful, with a hint of authority.

After she was gone i looked at the boy then mischeviously at Jake, in a millisecond we were racing down the stairs.

I ran down the short hallway and bounded down the stairs laughing, Jake was happily trotting close beside me with his large tougue hanging out of the side of his mouth.

Just seconds later we were downstairs aproachng the huge mahogany dinner table and sitting in the velvet chairs. I looked over at Artemis who was making my eggs as usual.

"So who's the boy?" he asked glancing back slightly

"im not sure, honestly i was beggining to hunt him".

He laughed "so hes one lucky son of a bit-"

I glared at him, he corrected himself.

"gun, son of a gun, there, happy?"

Artemis wasnt fond of trying to not swear but, being with humans most of my life, if your always apearing angry it attracts attention, also humans are less open to having you near them.

Besides, i'd convinced him that even with nicer language humans wouldnt openly aproach him. Even i wasnt used to his evil apearence.

Artemis has curly orange hair. He is tall and slightly muscled, so he is a large and fit looking man, almost handsome untill you get a good look at his face. His face and the rest of his body are covered in scars from hundreds of fights and attacks he has been in throughout history. He has small yellow-ish, intelegent eyes that shone in the right light and appeared asthough they could read you thoughts. His eyebrows were almost always pulled together because he's always thinking, working things out, and asking himself strategic attack and defense questions.His lips curved up slightly to look like he is almost smiling. All together he looks like a guy who likes hurting people.

Humans don't let themselves believe in what they call myths, Artemis is the perfect example of this. He is a vampire and he cearly looks like a vampire but they think nothing of it, just keeping their distance from the scary man. Pathetic i think, they live and walk with monsters of the night every day.

I went to school for five years starting in grade six, ending in high school knowing that i was a dragon shapeshifter and nobody suspected a thing! It amazes me how oblivious humans are to their surroundings.

I continued to let my thoughts wander while i ate silently