“My name is Xarothar, and I am your familiar.”
I froze, my heart skipping a beat.No way.The words echoed in my head, refusing to make sense. Familiars weren’t meant to be dragons. Witches were forbidden from bonding them; they were too powerful and amplified our magic. It was known to be rare for dragons to choose us because of this. If anyone found out about him, about us, I’d be marked for execution. I was already running from those who wanted me dead. I couldn’t afford to add another to that list.
“You’re panicking,”Xarothar's voice echoed in my head. His tone was calm, almost amused, as his head rested on my knee.
I blinked rapidly, trying to collect myself. “Well, duh. Do you have any idea how much trouble this could cause? The high coven…”
He interrupted me with a heavy sigh,“Of course I do. But aren’t you already running? Hiding? You’re more than what you seem, you already know that.”
The weight of his words pressed into me, and I shifted uncomfortably. He was right, I was already on the run, living in the shadows, trying to find a way to unlock my magic. But a dragon as my familiar? That was a whole new level of danger. What if the power inside me was too much to control? A dragonamplifies a witch’s magic; that’s why they stopped bonding with us all those years ago, before they were wiped out.
Xarothar let out a low growl as if he was sensing my hesitation and raised his head to meet my gaze.
“Panicking isn’t going to change it.”
I swallowed hard, trying to steady my nerves. “I’m not sure if I’m strong enough to protect us both. For so long it’s just been me, and I’ve done a damn good job myself so far, but now I have you.”.
He blinked slowly as if considering my words carefully.“You don’t have to be ready. We just have to survive together.”
I stood up, my legs stiff from sitting too long, and slowly made my way over to the stairs. The wooden steps creaked under my weight as I paused halfway, turning back to face Xarothar. He lay on the floor as he stared at me, slowly blinking and his tail twitching.
“I’ve survived for twenty-three years, seven of them by myself,” I said, my voice rough, the words tasting bitter as they left my lips. “That’s all I know. Surviving is all I know.”
The last part came out quietly, almost like a confession I wasn’t ready to share. Xarothar didn’t say anything at first. His gaze remained steady; his head slightly tilted as if considering my words.
I let out a short, dry laugh; however, no humour existed. It felt empty, as if it were just a noise to fill the silence.
“It’s getting tiring, you know? Being alone, not knowing what it’s like to have fun, to be safe, or even to be loved. What kind of life is that?”
“You’re a survivor, that’s why I chose you.”His voice was calm but firm,“I want to help you be free.”
I bit my lip, feeling the familiar heaviness that came with his words. Could I ever be free? I didn’t think so. My mother couldn’t save me after everything we’d been through. We spentthe first sixteen years of my life on the run together, always looking over our shoulders, never knowing when the next threat would find us. And now… it was just me.
“Not anymore.”He interrupted my thoughts, his tone sharper now. I noticed how his head turned suddenly, his eyes narrowing as he stared toward the kitchen window, his body tensing.
“Somebody is here.”His voice was low, laced with urgency.
A chill ran down my spine, the weight of his words settling in my chest like lead. I didn’t need to ask who it could be. The fact that he was alert meant trouble was already here. I darted across the room to the hidden corner of the living room, my heart racing as I clicked my fingers, activating a secret compartment on the floor. A faint shimmer ran across the wooden boards as they split, revealing my dagger. I grab hold of it, the deep purple blade glowing faintly, silver stars etched through the middle of the blade all the way to the tip of the handle. The magic infused in the dagger was powerful beyond anything else. I could feel it whenever I touched it. One stab, and it would drain the life out of my enemy in an instant. The weight felt familiar and comforting in my hand as I turned towards Xarothar.
“Go upstairs to my room,” I ordered, my voice steady despite the growing tension. “It’s warded, no one can see or sense you in there. Stay hidden, and don’t make a sound. I’ll be back.”
He gave me a silent nod, his movements fluid and careful as he climbed the stairs, not a creak in the floorboards. I threw open the back door, the morning air rushing in, cool yet crisp against my skin. The scent of dew-covered grass and damp earth filled my lungs as I stepped outside, the woods beyond the clearing bathed in soft sunlight. The peace of the morning was unsettling in its silence; the usual chirps of birds and rustle of leaves were nowhere to be heard. I closed the door softly behind me, the old wood creaking under my careful steps.
Stepping down the wooden steps with my bare feet, the soft earth beneath me felt damp, grounding me as I moved forward. The dagger was gripped tightly in my hand, the cool metal a reminder of the danger that lingered just beyond the tree line. A burn started deep in my chest, the familiar feeling of magic humming beneath my skin, but still, there was nothing. There was no sign of life, no movement, just the eerie quiet of the woods in the morning light.
I scanned the surrounding trees, every instinct screaming that something was off, but the woods remained still. The air was quiet, and its weight pressed in around me. My heart pounded harder, each beat echoing in my ears as I waited, feeling the tension build with each passing second.
The sharp crack of a branch behind me snapped through the air, and before I even registered the movement, I reacted on instinct. In a fluid motion, I spun and hurled the intruder over my shoulder, his body hitting the ground with a loud thud that echoed in the silent woods.
He was up in an instant, faster than I could blink, his speed blurring with the force of his movement. Without hesitating, he lunged toward me, his body a blur of motion. I barely had time to raise my arm before I flicked my wrist, the black dagger slicing through the air. It met flesh with a satisfying, sharp noise, and the vampire hissed, a guttural sound of fury and pain. It didn’t slow him down; he only seemed more enraged. Before I could react, he was on top of me, pinning me to the ground in a flash. His cold, dead weight pressed down on me, his hands strong and merciless as he hovered above, his blood-red eyes glowing with hunger. A malicious grin curled across his face as his inky dark hair fell into his eyes.
I could feel his breath, cold and deathly, but his scent was intoxicating, blood orange with a hint of honeycomb. His breath ghosted over the skin of my neck as he aimed for the pulse. Panicsurged, but my body was already moving, a deep, instinctual power rising within me. My hand shot out, fingers splayed wide, and with a sharp exhale, I thrust my palm into his chest, releasing a gust of wind so fierce it sent his body flying.
He hit the tree with a sickening crack, the bark splintering and falling away from the impact. The vampire staggered, disoriented but unfazed, slowly rising to his feet with a grin that had me tightening the purple blade in my hand. He was fast, dangerous, and relentless. I scrambled to my feet, watching him with narrowed eyes as he straightened up.
“Not bad for an elemental witch,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he stepped forward. His blood-red eyes were fixed on me, studying me with a dangerous, almost amused glint. A slow, unsettling smile spread across his face, revealing his sharp teeth—though they weren't quite fangs.
Is this guy for real?
