Mission
1349 Words
Drake - POV
Yuri was giving me a headache. It had been three days since we arrived in Orhill town, searching for the human with a dragon bloodline rumored to live here. After three days of fruitless searching, we still hadn't found any trace of dragon blood in the local populace, a sign I could usually pick up on. Our mission felt like searching for a needle in a haystack.
"Have you found anyone with dragon blood yet?" Yuri asked me again as we walked the streets, hoping to find clues.
"Yuri, for the last time, stop asking the same question. I'm warning you," I hissed at her, stopping in my tracks. Her nerves were frayed from our time in the town. I knew she was desperately seeking her biological father, but impatience did not make the task any easier.
"Are you threatening me? What will you do, huh?" Yuri snapped back, jolting me back to reality. I had unconsciously grabbed her hand during our exchange.
"You don't want to know, love," I responded. The words slipped out before I could stop them, eliciting a gasp from Yuri. I expected a glare, perhaps even a curse, but she looked surprised instead.
"Asshole," Yuri muttered, freeing her hand from my grasp. I was taken aback by the emotion I saw in her eyes. Was that surprise? I followed her as she continued to search the town, though her erratic behavior was attracting attention from the locals.
Deciding to take matters into my own hands, I suggested we search elsewhere. "Yuri, how about we look in another place?"
"You're right. We've spent three days here already. Let's head east. I hope the countryside where we could find mix-blood humans," Yuri agreed, exhaustion evident in her eyes.
"You need a drink and some sleep," I suggested, expecting her to decline as she had been doing for the past few days.
"I'll take you up on that offer." We found a nearby bar that served vintage drinks, a detail that pleased Yuri. As I ordered our drinks, an awkward silence settled between us. I knew she didn't like me, and I found her annoying.
"You're quiet," Yuri slurred after finishing a bottle.
"Want to pick a fight with me again?" I murmured, more annoyed than before.
"You think I'm a nitpicker," Yuri hissed. I shouldn't have said anything to provoke her, especially not when she was tipsy.
"I'm not saying that___"
"Whatever, asshole. I think I'd rather spend my evening without you around." Yuri got up from the table and walked to the other side of the bar, conversing with a group of men who had been eyeing her since we walked in.
I tried to ignore her and enjoy my drink peacefully but was interrupted by a soft voice. "Are you alone?" I turned to find a beautiful blonde woman in a stunning dress, her eyes gleaming with clear intent.
Before I could respond, I heard Yuri's voice. "I'm not interested in sleeping with you. Just because I'm being nice doesn't mean I'm interested."
"Seriously? You flirted back. How was I supposed to read that?" the man retorted.
"You're pathetic. Talking to you was a waste of my time. I should get going." Yuri snapped before the man grabbed her hand. Filled with anger, I walked over and freed Yuri from his grasp.
"What the hell are you doing, man?"
"If you dare touch her, I'll break your arm," I threatened. The man recoiled, visibly frightened, and quickly apologized. I let him go, not wanting to cause a scene among the humans. Yuri looked at me, her expression unreadable.
"Yuri, we're going back to the hotel," I said, taking her hand. The blonde woman who had approached me earlier shot us a scowl, which didn't go unnoticed by Yuri. Our fingers interlocked before the blonde woman could make her approach again. The intertwining of our hands sent me a warm, unfamiliar sensation – a flicker of something I couldn't place, or perhaps I was simply drunk.
Hand in hand, Yuri and I returned to the hotel. Realizing our hands were still intertwined, we pulled away simultaneously. "Thank you for having my back," Yuri said.
"You repaid that favor by not letting that woman approach me," I replied.
"I could see you weren't comfortable with her presence before you even had the chance to decline her," Yuri murmured.
"So, you were looking at me, huh?" I teased.
"Weren't you eavesdropping on my conversation too?" Her lips curled into a smile, a sight that unexpectedly drew me in. I quickly dismissed the thought, blaming it on the alcohol.
"We should rest. Tomorrow we head east of Orhill," I suggested. Yuri nodded in agreement, and the tension in the air dissipated. We each retreated to our rooms for some much-needed sleep.
************
A loud knock woke me up the next morning. Groggy and irritated, I opened the door to find Yuri already dressed, her hair still slightly damp. Annoyance flared in her eyes as she pointedly showed me her wristwatch.
"We need to leave, Dragon Breath. You're not even dressed."
"Annoying as hell, you are," I grumbled, shaking off my admiration and getting ready. Yuri sat on the couch, her backpack beside her, while I took time to shower and dress. As I stepped out, I noticed her looking up from the book she was engrossed in. I could feel her gaze on me as I got dressed.
"Are you done gawking?" Her face flushed, and she glared at me defensively. Once I was ready, she swiftly grabbed her backpack and headed towards the rental car we'd gotten from the Night Pack.
"We don't have much time; we need to finish this mission within a week," Yuri muttered, crossing off the west side in her journal. It signified we hadn't found any humans with dragon blood there.
"We still have four days to figure it out," I reassured her. She sighed in response. She took out a device that Solomon had given us to detect mixed-blood humans. Solomon knew I didn't need it with my dragon senses, but Night Pack's Beta, Ted, unaware of my dragon side, had insisted.
"Mac has it easy mission compared to us," Yuri complained.
"What's gotten into you, Yuri? You've been constantly whining and on edge," I said, frustration seeping into my tone. She fell silent, looking out
the window of the moving car. I regretted snapping at her, despite her ability to irk me.
"When you learn that the life you've been living is a lie, told by the person you trust the most, it hurts too much," Yuri murmured, staring out the window. Guilt washed over me.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lash out," I apologized. Yuri turned to me, surprise in her eyes.
"Why are you sorry? I know I've been a b***h these past three days," she admitted, and we fell into silence again. Glancing over, I noticed she'd fallen asleep. She looked peaceful, the sunlight making her skin glow. I quickly averted my gaze, not wanting to seem creepy.
As we entered the eastern region, a familiar wave of magic tingled on my skin. I knew we were close. Parking the car at a motel, I gently woke Yuri. She blinked, looking around.
"We're here," she mumbled, stepping out of the car. We checked into our rooms and settled in, but Yuri was restless. She burst into my room, insisting we continue our mission without rest.
We walked for hours, not even pausing for a break. Suddenly, Yuri stopped in her tracks. The device in her hand was lighting up. "Drake, can you feel the mixed humans here?" she asked.
"Yes, I sense three people. They're in that large, luxurious house over there," I pointed out. We both felt a rush of anticipation; we were close to completing our mission. Sprinting towards the house, we knocked on the door.
"Breathe, Yuri," I advised. She nodded, trying to calm herself. As the door opened, we were both taken aback by the sight that greeted us.
- Writer
