She's A Natural

Mia knew she wasn't normal.

She was just trying to get people off of her back. Instead, they gawk at her unnaturally golden eye color and lithe, beautiful body. Let's not forget to mention that she can control all four of the elements with a flick of her wrist or fluttering her eyelashes. She might get thrown into the loony bin if people knew about that, though. Just maybe.

On her eighteenth birthday, after the oh-so-wonderful present her foster home gave her of slamming the door in her face that was now officially an adult's, a mysterious man thrusts money into her hand and tells her to get on the midnight train. Confused but not having anywhere else to go, she follows his instructions.

She didn't realize that she would end up at a protection school for supernatural creatures. She didn't realize she was needed to fulfill a stupid prophecy some witch lady chanted a thousand years ago.

And she definitely didn't realize she would meet her mate, whatever that was. All she did realize was that he was hardheaded, possessive, and a dragon.

_____________________________________________________________________

This is the thrid and final book of my Supernatural Series! It can be read seperately, but I would encourage you to read the other two first. It might make some of the other stuff make more sense. I go into way more detail with the vampire and demon stuff...

So yeah, copyright and all that. This book is mine. The ideas are mine. I seriously try to be as original as I can be, so please don't steal my ideas. Thanks guys! :)

Um... Read on!

Killian's P.O.V.

I was the last one of my kind. I watched my mother and sister be slaughtered right before my eyes after they were raped. Repeatedly. My father was forced to watch as well. I was next, but I outsmarted them. They should have known better than to try to outsmart a dragon. We were clever creatures. I pretended to be dead at the precise moment, slumping to the floor dramatically and heaving a deep, "dying" breath. I was already covered in blood, so the idiots couldn't see my wounds healing miraculously. Even my broken bones and torn ligaments realigned themselves, and the tissue molded back together as if embracing old friends.

The one time I truly regretted my enhanced hearing was that night. My father was beaten and chained like an animal so he couldn't fight back. Not that he didn't try. He believed that he had to live to find another woman he could at least share a companionship with-since he would never love someone as deeply as my mother ever again-and birth another son that would hopefully, by some miracle, carry the dragon gene. It was almost impossible for the child of non-mates to inherit any kind of power. The bond the two had with their mates rejected passing down any kind of benefits to the child.

He fed off of his anger, hissing and roaring at the death of his mate and children. They killed him eventually, after hours of trying to get close enough to hurt him. Cowards.

I listened as they cheered at his dead body, hanging limply in his chains. They boasted of their strength and bravery at murdering the last of the dragon race.

You think you are brave? I wanted to scream at them. You think you are strong? You shackled us! We were defenseless! You used spears and guns against our nail and tooth! You are nothing!

Instead, I stayed silent.

Then came the question of what to do with our bodies. They decided to show us off to their friends for proof, then skin us to keep as prizes. We were all in our dragon form, our most basic image, changed from our human form due to our defense mechanisms when we had first saw them. They put their weapons away to carry us better.

Bingo.

I really don't have emotions to speak of while I was attacking them. My vocabulary was reduced to simple commands. Bite. Tear. Rip. Claw. Burn. Kill. Nothing but death and destruction was thought of.

Kill. My monstrous claws ripped through the man's chest, the soft skin giving way easily.

Burn. I roared, bringing a wave of fire up my throat and out of my mouth. The attacker turned to nothing but ash.

Kill! My teeth sunk into three men, tearing into them like a starved animal does to their wounded prey.

When I shifted back into my human form, exhausted, I saw blood and ash. Nothing else remained of the people that harmed my family. I looked back at them, whimpering pitifully. My sister, so young and fragile. My mother, sweet and caring who didn't know the meaning of merciless. My father, strong and proud. All of them dead.

I promised myself, in that moment, that nobody I loved would ever be harmed again. I refused to fall like my father. I would be stronger than that. I would protect my mate and our children. I would build up the dragon race once again with her. We would be superior, crushing any obstacle in our path.

No one would hurt her. I would protect her with my life, and in return, she would honor me with strong sons and graceful daughters. I would love and cherish each and every one of them, showing them how to defend themselves so that our race would be unbreakable like it once was. My mate would show them compassion and understanding to make them blossom with elegance and care.

Something shiny caught my eye, interrupting my inner soliloquy. I maneuvered meticulously among the bodies of my family, carelessly sloshing through the ashes and blood of the others. The blood created a sticky ooze that attracted the dusty ash, and soon my feet and calves were black and red rather than my natural tan skin tone.

I squinted when the sunlight reflected off of the mystery surface again, glinting into my eyes. I dug through loose stones and rubble to uncover the most prized possession among us dragons: my father's crown. I held it carefully, dusting it off with the soft pads of my fingers. It was gold and littered with jewels that possessed brilliant luster. Elaborately carved, legends say that the man who made it didn't finish it in his lifetime and had to pass the job down to his son, who completed the glorious project when he was an old man. It took two generations of meticulous work to produce such a headpiece.

And it was mine now, I realized. My hands rose shakily to place it on my head. It nestled into my blonde hair, fitting perfectly.

I glanced around our cave that had been my family's home ever since I was born, looking along the ground for a piece of glass that would show me my reflection. My parents used to live in a magnificent castle, adequate for the royals of supernatural races. When they accepted the fact that they were being mercilessly hunted, they moved themselves into a cave buried deep in the mountains. We had been guarded for years by the boulders and unstable pebbles among the steep slopes that could send even the most surefooted man plummeting to his death with a single misstep.

As drastic as the change seemed, it wasn't too horrible. We dragons loved the mountains. It brought us closer to the sky, into the clouds where we liked it. Of course, we were reptiles. We liked the ground too, but our wings yearned to be used, to glide through the crisp air without a care in the world. Since we couldn't showcase ourselves, though, we had to settle for our location at the high altitudes, becoming more and more restless every day that we hid our wings.

Dragons were the midpoint of the elemental cross. Rock, water, air, and fire: each one was a part of us. Our reptilian side called to the ground. The scales that covered our bodies, although similar to a reptile's, glided through water as easily as a fish. Our wings allowed us to soar through the air. We breathed the feared element of fire, using it as a weapon like other animals used their lethal teeth.

I was the last dragon, though. My mate would never possess all of these qualities. If she was a mage or witch, she would be able to control a couple of elements, but never as absolutely as I did.

This thought caused a sharp pain to radiate through my chest. Dragons were purebreds. We did not mingle with other species. Our mates, although chosen for us, were always other dragons. My mate would be the single differing scenario. She might even be afraid of me for my powerful qualities.

I finally found a shard of our mirror among the wreckage on the ground. I picked it up, angling it so I could see my face and the crown.

Everything about me was golden.

Like all other species, dragons had a specific color that would identify them, often because of their eyes. Vampires were red because of their eyes. Demons were black due to the shadows that constantly encased their bodies, even in the brightest light, and also their empty eye sockets when they became angry, leaving a single flame to serve as an eye in the otherwise black hole. Dragons were gold, for our superiority and eye color. And I lived up to the stereotype.

My hair shone in the dying rays of sunlight that leaked into the deep cavern, as if absorbing the light greedily. My skin was golden tan, even though I hadn't bathed in days. My eyes, my characteristic trait, sparkled like bottled amber. My crown sat proudly atop my head, gleaming in the last bit of sunlight for all it was worth. When I grinned at my obviously powerful image, my tongue slithered out like a snake's. The thin, forked muscle appeared to be coated in bronze.

I wondered what my mate would think of my appearance. Despite being blonde and tan, I looked nothing short of malicious. Many women imagined the demons when they pictured strong, cruel men. I believed I had overheard that Jonathon and Felicia had birthed a son, Xavier, when I was a toddler. He would be the picturesque insurgent, most likely causing trouble constantly and living up to his malevolent expectations. I had no doubt that I would make him appear as an angel when I stood next to him, though.

My gaze was unintentionally intense, and my nose was crooked from my recent beating. I didn't bother trying to reset it. My body healed naturally, and it would align itself enough. If it was a little crooked, I didn't mind.

My muscles were coiled around my bones thickly, and my broad shoulders and wide chest coupled with my impressive height made my size abnormally large for my age. I would most likely tower over her.

Better to protect her, my dragon side reasoned, ever the voice of wisdom. I agreed with him wholeheartedly.

I wanted to find her as soon as possible. She could be anywhere, though, and I had no idea where to begin my search.

I suddenly had a brilliant idea. I would make her come to me.

I decided that I would give her two things. First, I would share my eye color with her, so she would stand out. No one else would posses such a startling, unnatural iris as her other than me. Second, I would give her my powers. She would be able to control all four of the elements as well as I could. If she grew up knowing of her abilities, then mine would seem ordinary by the time we met. Since I had not felt the mating pull yet, I knew she wasn't ready for me. She had time to get used to my gifts.

She wouldn't turn into a dragon, though. Only a child created by dragon parents would be able to change into their ancient form. The dragon was the very first supernatural creature, and therefore very sacred. I wasn't sure if my offspring would be able to change, but I had to try.

We could always try again and again until we got it right, my dragon supplied. I hissed eagerly at his idea. I had to find her first, though.

I decided to meditate and share my gifts with her once I was settled into a new setting. I had heard of a school built for protection of the supernatural creatures against hunters and enemy supernaturals. I would go there. She wouldn't understand what was happening to her, no matter her race, and would more than likely flee to the school for support and explanations. She would also (hopefully) realize that her qualities were dragon-like and understand that she was my mate.

I sighed, giving my parents and sister a royal, proper burial before descending the mountainside and heading towards this protection school. Only the thought of my mate made me squish my natural pride down and ask for protection from the hunters until she arrived. I knew it's what my parents would expect me to do. I would protect myself and my mate so that I could carry on the dragon species. I had to protect my mate twice as well as my father protected my mother. I had to keep her safe.

I nodded determinedly. There was no way she would ever leave my sight once I found her.

____________________________________________________

So? What do you guys think of your first taste of Killian?

Are you guys excited for this story? I know I am!!! :)

Vote, comment, and fan! Let me know how the beginning of this is turning out!

I love you guys!! <

Bear with me. The fun part is yet to come, trust me :)

_________________________________________________________

I was born like everyone else. There was nothing extraordinary about me until one fateful day when I was seven years old. I haven't been normal since then.

I guess I should start my story by saying that I didn't know my parents. Never have. And apparently, they had no interest in knowing me. The fact that gave me up for adoption when I was two weeks old was my first clue to figuring that conundrum out.

I sat brooding in my room that I shared with three other girls. I did that a lot, brood. I used to like doing other things: going to the lake hidden in the woods behind the adoption agency building, playing with the other girls my age, keeping my grades up in school. Then I came to the realization that it was all pointless. I was too queer.

I tried to move past my cursed eye color and powers. I attempted to fit in for a long time, almost a year. Whenever I had to do a project in school, though, my partners would barely peep a word, too engrossed by my strange golden irises. At least they didn't know the weirdest part about me. If they did, I had no doubt that my mere presence would send them running for the hills.

"Mia!"

I glanced up from my lap, where I was absentmindedly playing with my fingers.

"Yeah?" I answered halfheartedly, trying to decide if I would actually pay attention to what Mrs. Britt had to say to me.

"Happy birthday, dearie!" she squealed, throwing her arms around me. I chocked on her strong, too sweet perfume, trying not to breathe in too much of the overwhelming stench.

"Thanks, " I coughed. Then in my usual monotone, "Did you need something?"

Her eyebrows furrowed together. "I can't just come to see you, Mia? Honestly, child, sometimes I wonder if you really believe that the whole world is against you."

I wanted to retort, Well, I have yet to find someone who has proven me wrong. My parents and friends all abandoned me. You'll probably kick me out as soon as you can, too.

My mind clicked in realization as my eyes widened. Today was my eighteenth birthday. I was an adult. That meant...

"You're kicking me out?!"

She sighed. "Now, honey, we all knew this day was coming. I didn't want to be so blunt about it, but you will have to move out tonight. Why don't you stay for dinner, at least? I would have made something special, but little Tommy begged for macaroni 'n' cheese."

I narrowed my eyes at the mention of the little brat. Tommy was too innocent of a name for such a devil spawn. He not only thought he was King It around the adoption agency, he also had a malicious obsession with hair: pulling it, sticking gum in it, cutting it in the middle of the night. Not his own, though. No, of course it was never his own.

Mrs. Britt's mention of him only fueled my anger towards her. She flinched instinctively at my intense glare, no doubt intimidated by my glowing bronze orbs. "No, that's alright. I'll just pack my things now."

"Mia-"

"I understand, " I cut her off. "Please leave."

She nodded, looking relieved that my short temper hadn't snapped on her. She hurried out of the room, glancing back at me nervously once she was at the threshold.

"This is for the best, Mia. You'll get to see the world, meet new people, enjoy life, and all the while learning some responsibility while you do it."

"Not to mention, I'll be out of your poofy hair, " I muttered under my breath, seeing her wild hair dart down the hallway, leaving behind an unsettling scent of hairspray and perfume.

I sighed, dragging out my single, huge suitcase from under my bed. I smacked the top a couple of times, stirring up clouds of dust that had created a thin film over the plain black case. I waved my hand in front of my face, turning my head away with a sour expression.

I called on the practically nonexistent air currents to come alive once I opened the suitcase. They did so willingly, collecting my clothes and toiletries in gentle gusts and setting them in my bag. I gathered my few books that I'd stolen from the school library and some notebooks where I'd made my notes about my powers.

Nodding in approval, I zipped up my life and trudged out of the room that was never really mine. I looked over my shoulder at the single bed with one pillow and pale pink sheets. There were four, one bed in each corner. The white walls and wooden floors hadn't been cleaned for years. A small wooden nightstand with a lamp stood faithfully next to each bed.

I didn't feel any remorse leaving this room behind. It was as if I was renting it for my childhood, because I honestly had no right to come back to it. Someone would replace me, and then someone else would replace her. It was a never-ending, pitiful cycle of empty, hopeless illusions that we belonged here.

I walked down the desolate hallway with a stoic expression on my face. It didn't look so bad in the morning with girls in pigtails and half-dressed boys running around. Without any children, though, it was glaringly bare and plain. Not even a single photo added any kind of decoration to the walls or a carpet to add color to the worn floors that desperately needed polishing.

Mrs. Britt was too cheap for polish, though. She'd rather spend the money on perfume and hairspray.

When I walked past the dining room, everyone stared. The younger ones had curiosity and slight wonder in their eyes, amazed that I was going to leave the orphanage and face the world on my own. When I was their age, I couldn't imagine leaving either. I knew better now.

The older ones, like Tommy, smirked in satisfaction. They would get more food on their plates thanks to my now permanently empty seat.

The ones my age stared in marvel at the odd looks, probably not even registering the suitcase in my hand and the fact that I wasn't coming back. I didn't bother snapping at them like I usually would have. They might as well look at me for the last time. Even so, they leaned unconsciously back in their seats, always slightly afraid of the power in me that they could sense but never understand. I didn't blame them. They would have to be crazy like I was to understand.

And I am crazy, I mused as I mindlessly walked down the concrete steps and started aimlessly along the sidewalk. I had no one to explain my sudden abilities to me, and no kind of information could be found on the Internet, true or fictional. Not that I would know if what I was reading was factual. I only had my own experience to base my research on, and even that was limited. It wasn't like I could showcase my powers in the middle of a classroom without being sent to the loony bin.

A sudden gust of wind that I had nothing to do with whipped my black hair around my face, creating a curtain of darkness that obscured my vision. I hastily swept it back into a sloppy ponytail, tugging my hat down to conceal my eyes. I didn't need to freak anyone out tonight, when it was dark and I was all alone. The weakly flickering streetlights were the only source of light to guide anyone brave enough to wander the streets at this time of night, and I was getting jumpy from the ominous atmosphere myself. I could only imagine if I unleashed my unnerving gaze on some poor hobo.

I stuffed my hands in my pockets, trying to thaw my tingling fingers. My breath clouded in front of my face, and my nose had to be turning pink. It felt frozen already.

Just as I was debating if I could flirt my way into getting a free meal at McDonald's, since I had no money, I noticed a man running my way. I thought he was just going to pass by and continued racking my brain for cheesy pickup lines that a gullible, horny teenage boy might fall for.

Maybe I'll have room for your Big Mac if you can sneak me one right now, stud.

Or maybe...

Can I get a Big Mac? Oh, your name's Mac? Well, I'm sure you're big too, but can I just get the burger for now? Maybe later, hot stuff.

That would work, right? I would say just about anything for some food right now. That macaroni 'n' cheese wasn't sounding too shabby after all. My stomach rumbled in agreement. Dang it, why did Mrs. Britt have to tick me off? Why did Tommy have to smile so smugly when I was leaving, and I had to get out of there before I socked him? The orphanage was only a few blocks back, but I was too prideful to go begging for some food.

I was jarred out of my internal grumbling when the man didn't run past me. In fact, he stopped directly in front of me, holding his knees as he wheezed.

"It's..." he gasped, "...you!"

"Yes, " I responded slowly, unsure of his motive and how he thought he knew me. It's not like I was his long lost niece or something. That's why I was in an orphanage. I had no family.

He muttered some gibberish under his breath in a language that sounded like Swahili, but I couldn't be sure. I wasn't very fluent after the word "simba."

The Lion King was the best.

I was about to ask him what he was saying-and if he was indeed speaking Swahili-when he grasped my shoulders and shook me gently.

"I've found you. You must go to him." He spoke quickly, as if panicked.

"You must have me confused with someone else, " I said tersely, trying to walk around him.

"No! Wait! Come back, I beg of you!" he called, easily catching up to me. I cursed his stupidly long legs.

"Look buddy, " I sighed, "I'm not in the mood for whatever game you're playing. You're looking for some other chick, okay? Leave me alone. I have a date with Golden Arches."

"You must not date!" he gasped, gripping my arm much rougher than he had before. "You belong to him. He has been waiting for you for many years."

"You're insane. Let me go before I-"

"I can prove it to you, " he interrupted. "You've always wondered how your eyes changed color and you were gifted with powerful abilities years ago, yes?"

I paused at that. How did he know...?

"Get on this train at midnight, " he urged, shoving a train ticket in my hand. "You will be protected. He will always protect you."

"Who are you talking about?" I demanded, getting frustrated that this guy seemed to know more about my life than I did. I mean, come on! It was my life!

"Get on the train, " he insisted. "You will have all the answers you seek soon enough. Take care, my queen."

I stared after him as he disappeared into the night, becoming swallowed in the hungry shadows.

I glanced down at the flimsy paper in my hand. It fluttered in the breeze, and I gripped it tighter. Where else would I go? What purpose did I have to stay here?

I sighed, trudging to the train station that I didn't know would take me to an entirely different life.

___________________________________________________

Let me know what you think! I love your comments! <