The Blood of Three

Chapter 10

Dylan pulled up to a clothing store and parked the car far away from the door. We stepped out of the car onto the black asphalt. The pink shutters contrasted with the light green exterior on the small, aged building. Large lettering hung over the double glass doors, spelling "Courtney's Clothing Boutique" and a neon sign hung in the window flashing the letters O-P-E-N.

"Terran gave me two hundred dollars, so go crazy," Dylan told me as Aidan and I followed him inside the store. It was bigger than it had looked from the outside. It had three fitting rooms, multiple registers and dozens of racks filled with varying styles of clothes.

I didn't bother looking around too much. I picked out some long-sleeved T-shirts, a few sweaters, jeans and a new pair of sneakers.

After I was finished, the three of us walked up to the register. "Will this be all for you today?" the cashier asked. Her short, strawberry-blonde hair was dirty and matted, and her red lipstick was faded and splotchy.

"Yes, ma'am." I nodded, giving her a kind smile. As she slowly scanned all my items, she continually glanced up and stared at me for long moments at a time. When she was finished, she handed me my bags.

"Thank you."

"No, but thank you." She smiled. Only then did I notice the long, slender tongue in her mouth.

I looked at Dylan, whose eyes were wide and focused on the being in front of us. He grabbed my wrist and bolted for the door. Making it to the door first, Aidan pulled on the handle, but found it locked.

"What do I have here?" she asked, walking from behind the register. "Three demigods?" she hissed. She suddenly began to change form, shifting into a giant three-headed serpent. Her scaly skin faded to a dark green with yellow highlighted marks and her eyes morphed into a dark, sickening yellow.

Dylan and Aidan protectively stepped in front of me. Dylan drew his golden sword, while Aidan grabbed the bow off his back and pulled out an arrow. The shaft of the arrow was black and the head was green. It was a toxic arrow, holding poison in the tip.

"A drakon," I announced as my eyes scanned the monster in front of me.

The monster's eyes focused on me. "You know, Riley, I'd be given great rewards for having you." She smiled, showing her sharp, pointed teeth.

"Why?" Dylan asked raising his sword.

Aidan lifted his bow, pointing an arrow at her center face. "And how do you know her name?"

She chuckled. "You don't know who her father is?" She looked at the three of us and laughed harder when none of us answered. "All of you are in for a treat then."

"Why is it so important?" I stepped in between Dylan and Aidan.

"Where's the fun if I have to tell you?" She slithered closer. "Let's just say you can do us a great favor."

I scrunched my eyebrows. "Who do you mean by 'us'?"

Suddenly, her three heads darted toward me. Aidan released the string he was holding and an arrow connected with the center head, traveling right through. The head immediately faded to a black mist as did the rest of the body a moment after. The mist completely disappeared, leaving no trace of the monster that had stood before us.

Aidan smugly lowered his bow. "That was easy."

"Drakons are weak. It doesn't take much to kill them," Dylan informed him.

"That was killing it? It turned into a black mist."

"That's what happens when they die. The same thing happened to the griffins; don't you remember?" Dylan said. I nodded, recalling it.