A life less normal
Part 1 – Esme
The summer of my thirteenth year started out like I had expected. My twin sister and I were sent off to our grandfather's for a week-long camping adventure. I couldn't have possibly been less thrilled.
Who am I? My name is Adam and I'm a dragon. I'm fairly short, scrawny with light blue scales that I'm told are somewhat rare and wings that will not be able to carry my weight for another five to six years. I'm the skinny kid that the bigger guys in school like to pick on, so I tend to be quiet and stay out of the way.
I have two sisters. My twin, Esme, looks almost exactly like me right down the the soft, pink scales that surround our sex organs. So I've peaked on her in the shower once, sue me. Her eyes are also a lighter green than mine. She annoys the hell out of me, but that's how sisters are supposed to be. My younger sister, Petunia, I call Pet. She's nine right now and is fiercely independent to the point I rarely ever see her, but when I do she's always with that neighbor boy. Whatever, she leaves me alone so I don't mind her.
We were settling in for our first night camping out. It was a warm sunny June day and, as I expected, I had to share a tent with Esme. We did every year and we always hated it. Esme had been very quiet all day. I was worried. The last time she was this quiet around me she had traded my bike for an autographed picture of some silly pop-star guy. I could only imagine what evil thing she had done this time. Grandfather had already nodded off and was snoring loudly in his tent. He was a good guy and really wanted to give us a fun vacation, but he was getting older and just couldn't keep up with us anymore. Esme kept stealing glances at me while I was putting out the fire. She looked away every time I looked back.
“Spit it out, Es.” I said as I poured the water on the last embers. “You've been giving me the silent treatment all day and I know something is bothering you.”
“I... I'm not sure what you mean.” She replied with uncharacteristic shyness. Normally Esme saved her most sarcastic and scathing tones for me. Anything less than pure evil from her was a shock. “I just want to go to bed.”
I just shrugged and crawled into the tent. I settled into the bed of blankets that completely failed to make the ground comfortable. Esme slipped under her blanket without a word. I thought I had known everything about my twin, I mean the annoying twerp and I were born only three minutes apart, so how had I never noticed she smelled like lilacs. For some reason all I could focus on was her scent. All I could think of was her. Oh no... she was in season.
Dragon females go into season every few years, usually starting around thirteen or fourteen. The pheromones they emit can cause a male to lose all control over themselves as the urge to mate overrides everything else. It's not unusual for parents to lock up their daughters when they go into season, but are not yet ready to be mated. It was also not unheard of for this to be the cause of incestuous relationships. Not socially acceptable by any means, but not unheard of.
My eyes shot open wide and I realized I had moved much closer to her. Close enough to hear her quietly sobbing into her pillow. I shook my head and some tiny trace of self-control returned. “Es, why did you come on this trip? Why did mom let you?”
After a moment she finally replied. “Mom doesn't know.” She mumbled something else, but the pillow absorbed it and I chose not to ask.
“Es... I should sleep outside. It's not a good idea for me to be this close to you right now.” God, why did she smell so good? All I want is to run my fingers along her smooth scales. Not good. Not good at all.
I was almost outside when I felt her fingers on my arm. “Stay. Please. I... I came on this trip for you.”
I turned back to look at her completely confused by her words. She was pleading with me, fingers trembling and eyes ringed with tears. “I don't think it's a good idea, Es. I don't think I could control myself if I stay.” It wasn't a lie. It was all I could do to not ravage her right now.
“I don't want you to control yourself.” She pulled her knees in close to her chest, crying again. I had never seen her like this and I had no idea how to react. “I'm here because I don't trust anyone else enough to be with me.” Her voice grew smaller with each word and I realized at that moment exactly how much I loved her. “Please stay with me.”
That did it. My last ounce of self-control faded into a lilac-scented haze and the only thought left in my mind was of those soft pink scales I had only ever caught a brief glimpse of. I fell to me knees, pulling her tight against me. I could feel the warmth of her breath on my neck, the pounding of her heart through her chest and I could smell the wonderful mixture of fear and lust coming from us both. I nibbled gently at her neck drawing a shudder that ran through her entire body and my claws drag slowly up and down her back.
Slowly she unfolds, straightening her legs and returning my embrace. She's terrified. Terrified and looking to me for comfort. It was then that I realized all those years of teasing each other were our way of dealing with emotions we weren't ready for. We had spent almost every minute together since birth even when we were convinced we hated each other we were never far apart. I never wanted to be parted from her. She wasn't just my sister. She was my mate now.
“I love you, Esme.” I had said those words to her hundreds of times, but had never met them the same was as I did at this moment.
“I love you too. I think I always have.” Her lips pressed to mine and we began a new chapter of our lives.
-To be continued
