The Familiars [Book 1]

Chapter 5

                  

Artemis stayed curled up against the wall but little did she know that she had awoken something hiding in her and was slowly turning.

(Eldrax POV)

I threw Marcus into the cell and closed the door and locked it. I watched him for a moment then he woke up. 'What!? Where!? Artemis!!' yelled Marcus standing up. But when he saw me his eyes went black and he roared at me. 'Where is Artemis!!!???' roared Marcus. 'You're going to regret what you have done Marcus!!' I roared at him and he went silent. Then suddenly there was a roar so loud, that the bars to the cell shook. 'Who was that!?' gasped Marcus. I sighed. He had done it without realising. I shook my head in disbelief. 'Close your eyes Marcus' I said. He snorted. I would never....' said Marcus before I cut him off. 'Just do it!!!!' I roared at him and he closed his eyes and he gasped. 'No. We...' said Marcus as he opened his eyes. 'You have awoken her dragon powers. I knew you would do this but I didn't expect it so soon!' I yelled at him. 'Why am I the one that awoke it??!' yelled Marcus. 'Your shadow magic, it can bring back memories and dispel spells on a human' I roared at him. Marcus thought about it for a second then he went pale.

'I have to get up there and help her!' yelled Marcus as he gripped the bars in his hands and shook them with all of his strength but failed. 'No! If she sees you, it's just going to hurt her more!' I growled at him. Then all of a sudden we could hear Artemis scream. 'I have to get up there!!!!!!' roared Marcus. I walked over to the door and unlocked it. Marcus looked at me and then ran.

(Marcus POV)

I had to hurry. Then there was another scream and that made me run faster. If I didn't hurry, she could possibly die.

(No one's POV)

Artemis couldn't take this pain anymore. She wanted it to stop. And she knew the only for it to stop was to release it all but a spell was still holding some of it back and it was slowly killing her. Marcus on the other hand, was running through the caves to Artemis's room. Artemis looked at her arms and saw scales spreading up her arms. Her nails turned into silver talons and she felt her teeth change into fangs. What was happening to her?! Then suddenly Markus burst into the room. He ran over and knelt by Artemis's side and took the hand that wasn't burnt in his. And almost instantly, Artemis felt the pain subdue and the seal started to unravel. 'Marcus....' Gasped Artemis. She collapsed into his arms and he held her bridal style in his arms. 'Shhhhh. It's ok. Everything is going to be ok. I'm so sorry your majesty' said Marcus sadly. 'Marcus......' said Artemis softly as she reached her hand up and placed the palm of her hand on his cheek.

'Don't call me that. Call me Artemis...' whispered Artemis as the electricity from earlier began to flow between them again. Marcus gasped in pleasure. He had never felt the pull of his hunger this strong before. He tried to fight against his instincts but he was too hungry.

Marcus snuggled his face into the nape of Artemis's throat. He was a starved animal but he didn't want to hurt Artemis. 'Artemis.... I'm so hungry.... please I need to eat...' begged Marcus. Artemis felt a happiness grow in her mind. She felt powerful. 'Yes...' whispered Artemis as her eyes closed and she tilted her head to the side. Marcus held in a growl from deep in his throat. If he was going to feed from Artemis, he make sure he kept his hunger under control. Marcus nudged the hair on her throat off and he breathed in deeply. She smelled of damp leaves and, him. Of course she would smell like him. He had been watching her in her room sleep and holding her here and now. Marcus brought his lips down onto Artemis's throat gently and trailed his lips down till he got to where her lust and life essence mixed together. Marcus gently ran his fingertips down Artemis's cheek and she moaned. Her moans were doing Marcus in. On more and he'd probably feast upon her very soul. Marcus couldn't take it anymore and he sank his fangs into her throat.

He feasted on her life essence and lust but suddenly Marcus lost control of his hunger for a second and began to feed off her very soul. But he managed to pull his hunger back in place before he could do her any real harm. He wanted to kiss her. Show her that he would and could look after her. But inside, he knew that Eldrax was going to find her a different mate.

He didn't want that to happen and plus, he was feeding off her life essence and lust. Only the true mate of a dragon could do that. If another tried, he'd be repelled by the bonding spell that was created when the pair fed from each other. So she was basically his now, and no one else could take her from him. Marcus retracted his fangs out of Artemis's throat and she suddenly wrapped her arms around Marcus's throat and drew his lips down onto hers. As soon as their lips touched, fire blossomed between them. They were true mates, no denying that. Marcus held her tighter in his arms and she held onto him tighter.

Then he suddenly felt the spell in Artemis dissipate and all of her magic flowed through her body. Her back arched as the magic surged through her veins. Marcus saw the scales on her body spread all over and he had to quickly lie her on the floor and move out of the way. And just as he moved away she grew and grew. A tail grew from her back and wings sprouted from her back. Horns grew on her head and she kept growing until she was a perfect black dragon. Her scales glinted in the light as she looked around slowly adjusting to her new senses. All of her senses had grown 100x better. She could see, touch, smell, hear and taste so much more than before. She looked down at Marcus and he was almost toppling over. She was a shadow dragon like him. And he thought there was only the three shadow dragons left. But her magic was different. She could still do what he could do, but she could do other things with her magic.

Then she glowed and transformed back down into her human form. Marcus ran over and knelt beside her. 'Everything is so much different. Even you smell a hundred times better...' smiled Artemis as she took a deep breath, breathing in Marcus's scent that was making her high. 'You should rest. I'll help you get back into bed' said Marcus softly as he helped Artemis stand and walk over to her bed and slip under the covers. Artemis watched Marcus with a sad smile. 'I could hear your thoughts when you were feeding off me Marcus. Is it true that Eldrax wants me to mate with someone else?' asked Artemis. Marcus sighed and nodded. 'Yes. The shadow dragons aren't royalty. We're just the dragons who are the best warriors in a war. We just destroy anything in our path. You could call us the rubbish of all dragonkind' said Marcus sadly. He stood up to walk away but Artemis grabbed his hand suddenly. 'Don't go...' whispered Artemis. 'I should Eldrax is' said Marcus before Artemis cut him off. 'I order you to stay' she said firmly with a hint of a laugh playing on her lips.

'Well if you put it like that...' said Marcus with a smile. Marcus then realised something. His shirt was all torn and ripped and the room was starting to get cold. And when he looked at Artemis, she was shivering. Marcus pulled his shirt off and slipped under the blankets with Artemis. Her eyes were wide for a second, then she closed her eyes and snuggled against Marcus's chest. Marcus wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Everywhere there skin touched, it buzzed with power. And I realised that if our skins stayed together like this, her burnt arm would be healed in at least two hours but quicker if more skin touched. But he wouldn't push her. She needed rest. And he would give that to her. Marcus splayed his fingers on the small of her back and he felt the current flow freer into her body. Marcus closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep as well.