Dragonet

Chapter Twelve

Dragonet, Theresa when in her ‘home’, herself was wondering the same thing as she sat on her favorite pillow, a hot mug of tea cupped in her hands. Patricia lay on Theresa’s bed, her head wrapped in damp towels in an attempt to keep any fever down since Theresa’s limited medical knowledge was already stretched to the limit. She’d made a stupid mistake not just calling the police then leaving the girl, but leaving her would have meant that she would probably have died. Something about her though... “Stupid mistake” she cursed. “Redheads... I always go dumb around redheads.” Sipping at her tea she waited since there really wasn't anything else she could do, at least not until nightfall. Slowly she slipped into a fitful, memory filled sleep.

It was late evening when she woke again. As always when Theresa woke she stretched slowly, wings three times her body size billowing out, sending tiny signals of complaint along their length as long idle muscles were woken. All this she took in stride, still becoming accustomed to her new bodies needs. Sitting up in her small nest of pillows she yawned, her odd thin needle fangs glinting in the chambers dim light. Looking over to her real bed she noted her visitor was still asleep. Moving as quietly as she could Theresa removed now near dry towels, replacing them with fresh cool ones. Patricia moaned softly, her plump lips opening slightly, the tip of her tongue barely visible between them. It was an effort of will for the ex-policewoman to turn away from the invitation. Quietly Theresa walked to the home-made door in her water tower. Outside it was starting to darken, more rain had fallen and a grey day apparently was going to become a cold wet night. Once, when she was Detective Theresa Mendez, she’d loved the rain. Loved storms and cold nights. Now it slowed her, made her want to sleep. ‘It’s the reptile in me I guess’ she told herself, remembering her school days.

Cold days tended to make reptiles, cold blooded animals, lethargic. That might explain some things except this new body was still warm blooded. That much she’d already proven to herself with nothing more than a simple medical thermometer. No.. It was something else. Absently she fluttered her wings, settling their folds and it hit her. Her wings, of course, they had to be radiating a great deal of her body heat when she flew. Warm days it wouldn’t matter but cold days... “Winters gonna be hell. If I can’t find a way around this” she said to herself.

“Why?” a women’s voice, weak, asked her.

Turning around Theresa studied her visitor. “Because I’m not human anymore” she answered. “What’s your name anyway.?”

“Armine. Patricia Armine. Why are winters going to be hell, why I here and who are you?”

“You’re here because I made a stupid decision” Theresa admitted. “I always go stupid around redheads.” She moved closer to her visitor, settling down on her temporary nest of pillows. Patricia’s eyes were still covered she noticed so she couldn’t see what Theresa had become. At least not yet. ‘Best to work her into it slowly’ she decided. “I arrived just after that man did his best to crush your skull. I dealt with him, he won’t do it again but you were bleeding badly, not breathing and dieing. So I did what I could and stupidly I brought you here to my home. If you can call it a home.”

“No hospital? I could have died.”

“I know” Theresa admitted with a sigh. “I was wrong, I know better. It was a gut reaction. You... You reminded me of someone at first. It shook me, now you shouldn’t be moved until you heal. When you can be moved I’ll take you to a hospital as soon as I can.”

Patricia tried to open her eyes but even the chambers dull gloom was too much at the moment. “I’ve got a concussion. Don’t I.”

“Yep. I’d bet dollars to donuts you have a doozy. I’ve had a couple myself and I remember what the doctors did. After twenty-four hours it was bed rest and quiet. Speaking of which we shouldn’t talk much until your better. It’s been more that twenty-four hours though and your still breathing so even though you probably wish you wouldn’t, you’ll live.”

“Who are you?”

Theresa worried that question before answering. “I call myself Dragonet now, it’s not my real name.”

“You said your not human anymore. What are you? A White slaver? Murder? Rapist? Aluminum can?”

Theresa laughed at that last question. “Far from it Patricia. In fact I was quite the opposite but I was experimented on against my will by a madman. It changed me physically. I can’t go back to what I was. I can’t even go home but I can still be what I was..”

“Your ugly?”

“Not my face” Theresa admitted. “I don’t look like I did so I know I can’t be recognized, but even I have to admit I’ve got a really sexy face. It’s my body.”

“Scarred? Burned?” Patricia asked weakly.

“Uh... no. I’m changed, I don’t even look human. I’ve umm... I’ve got scales. Wings and a.... tail.”

“You are kidding me right? This is like, Twilight Zone or something? You’re a Succubus or something?”

“Oh I wish” Theresa admitted. “Or Candid Camera. Tell you want, I’ll show you. Close your eyes first okay?” She stood, moved next to the prone woman and gently lifted the cloth, then backed away. “Okay, don’t scream because I’m really out of Asprin right now. It’s dark enough now so you should be okay.”

Patricia opened her eyes a slit, though the light hurt it wasn’t daggers in her brain anymore just random needles of near white hot pain. Opening them further she looked towards Theresa’s voice, her eyes barely able to focus without her thick glasses. “Oh God” she whispered, seeing the truth even without her glasses. Theresa stood slowly, then spread her wings just as slowly. “Oh my dear god” Patricia gasped, then slipped back into unconsciousness as her strength failed her.

“At least she didn’t scream” Theresa told her silent walls. Carefully covering the women’s eyes again she went back to work securing her home. Several weeks work had proven useful, if not quite as successful as Theresa had hoped. She'd finished shoring up the entranceway, along with that she'd built a large low platform that kept her somewhat above the concrete’s cold damp. It wasn't a professional job, but every bit of work had been done as well as she could and it did show. Where she'd started after studying the stolen 'handyman' books, it was a little odd. Visibly improving in quality as she learned. In the middle was her bed. Around it were piled stolen pillows and a chemical toilet. It wasn’t her old apartment but it served, now if she could only find Shadow Woman or better yet Master Mind. “Or should I just contact the department again. Maybe they can help” she asked her towers concrete walls. Like the best of advisors they remained silent. With a shrug Theresa began fixing breakfast.

Freeze dried soup.