Shadows

Liana looked to and fro. There was no mistake that Draco and Damian shared a striking resemblance. The hairline, the jaw, and even the way their eyebrows moved were similar. As Liana stared she could see that the olive in their eye sparkled with the same hue. 

"You can see it, can't you? " Draco pulled Liana closer as she looked up, puzzled as to what she ought to have seen. 

"See what? You mean... " She was about the mention the unquestionable similarities but as usual she was cut short by him. 

" The mark. The Dynasty Marking. You can see it, right? " Liana had no clue what Draco was implying but she felt an urgent need to get away from his iron grip. The way his hands held her at the middle of her spine made a constant tingling sensation run around her core and belly. She looked up into his eye, one last time, in an attempt to correctly answer his question so he would let her go. 

There was a distinct spiral in the iris, around which was wrapped a serpent-like something. But it had scales, and limbs and eyes that burnt like flames. It looked like the shapes Liana had noticed in Damian's starry eyes as he gazed innocently at her for hours. She hadn't paid it much attention, thinking it might have just been a birthmark mark but now that Draco mentioned it, it didn't after all seem very random. 

"The spiralling beast do you mean? " Liana just uttered these syllables when he exclaimed," I knew you could see it. " But instead of letting her go, Draco bent over, sniffing Liana at her collarbone. He traced her shoulder blades and neck with his nose, as she shuddered from the feel of his hot breath against her pale skin. He sniffed like a wild dog sniffing its prey. 

"What do you think you are doing? " Liana tried pushing once more as she tightened her grip around Damian. 

" I knew you smelled different, " But before Liana could ask him anything more, Draco moved at lightning speed. He wrapped Liana and Damian in an invisible wing and flipped like a spinning wheel. In what seemed like an instant they were standing on top of the highest tower in the city. 

Liana grabbed tighter this time. She was extremely scared of heights. 

" What on earth are we doing? " Liana grabbed around Draco's neck as he took Damian into the sky. He unwrapped his clothes as the baby hung mid-air. But Liana was too scared to protest, let alone of any help she could be. But Draco seemed unfazed. He kept unwrapping the cloth around Damian till there was a silvery glimmer emitting. 

A silvery cloud engulfs the baby. 

Liana panicked. "What exactly are you doing? Will you just let go of me? " she kept hitting Draco right at his chest. Though it would have been much easier for him to shove her off like a fleece, he seemed to prefer to ignore her for the time being. 

Draco kept his eyes fixed on Damian till he was completely shrouded in that silvery thing. He turned towards the dangling Liana after he was done and ripped her hands-free. 

Liana screamed in fright as Draco flashed his unholy smile. 

" You wouldn't, " Liana looked at him with dread and dare as he rolled his eyes and smirked as he did. 

" Didn't you ask me to let you go just a moment ago? " Draco looked into her eyes with glee. 

" What did you do with Damian? " Liana asked, as it was no use reasoning. 

Draco pulled Liana towards him again and shoved the silvery-cloaked Damian in her side. She caught him promptly, trying to find his face and check for his breathing signs. 

"You can still see him? You seem like a very interesting specimen indeed. " Draco whispered in Liana's ears as he looked for something across the horizon. 

" You dare... " Liana was about to yell but he placed his hands inside her mouth. Liana gulped at the sudden impact as her teeth dug into his skin. It didn't seem as hard after all as it had appeared in the beginning. 

"Ahhhmmmm! ... " Liana was still trying hard to protest, however Draco blew a strict, " SSHHHHHH, " in her ear that instantly made her regret. 

" They are headed this way. Keep your volume down. " Draco instructed as his eyes morphed to a different shade and his eyebrows constricted into a deep frown. 

"The Shadows. They are here. They had dispatched The Shadows to track Damian without my knowledge. That is the only reason I had to come down in this mortal world myself, "Though Liana understood that Draco was trying to explain himself, she was unable to convey that she needed translation to make anything out of the explanation itself. 

" It seems that they had the Shadows doing the rounds before this as well. But since they were not able to track you both down, I think I am sure about you as well. " He continued as he carefully retreated down the roof of the structure they were on. " But it's the Shadows we are dealing with, that too in the mortal world. His Aura should stay hidden for a while. " he said pointing at Damian, " As for you, you will be alright till I am by your side. "

They jumped and landed on the first floor of the topmost storey in the structure which was perfectly deserted. Liana finally breathed as Draco pulled his hand out of her drooling maw. 

"What are the Shadows? I thought you were a king? Why are we hiding here? What is that thing? " Liana instantly started bombarding with her question machine as she wiped her face and trailed him from behind. 

He turned towards her with a jerk stop that almost sent her flying, but the table behind her made her stop. Draco placed both his hands on either side of the desk, as dust rose making her cough. 

" Listen, human, I have been paying you much more respect than I actually can. As you can see, there is a world here beyond your ignorant competence. Just stay close if you want to make out of this place. "