**Chapter 47 – The Dragon in Human Skin**
– Monday, October 14, 2028 – third period PE**
He walks into the gym like the air itself bows.
Tall, black hair that looks wet even when it's dry, eyes the color of storm clouds right before lightning.
Captain of the wrestling team at his old school (somewhere in the Carpathians, nobody's story matches).
Transfer senior. Perfect record. Zero social media.
Lucian Dragomir.
And the second he steps onto the mat, every supernatural nose in the room catches it: ozone, brimstone, and old mountain caves.
Remy's hackles go up so hard his jersey ripples.
Kayo's tails threaten to pop out right in front of the freshmen.
Seras (who is supposed to be spotting me on the climbing wall) actually drops the belay rope and whispers, reverent:
**Seras:**
"I'm in love."
I almost fall twenty feet.
**Celeste (hissing):**
"You don't even know him!"
**Seras (eyes literally glowing):**
"I know he smells like thunderstorms and dragonfire and my soul just did a backflip."
Remy growls low enough that Coach thinks there's a dog loose in the gym.
**Remy:**
"Dragon.
Old European storm-drake bloodline.
Very controlled."
Rowan appears in the doorway wearing the world's worst "volunteer coach" whistle, takes one look at Lucian, and his silver mug actually cracks in his hand.
**Rowan (quiet, deadly):**
"Carpathian thunder-dragon.
House Dragomir.
Thought they all went dormant after the 1700s."
Lucian's eyes flick straight to me (like he heard every word).
He smiles.
Not cocky.
Polite.
Terrifying.
Then he bows, just a fraction, like he's greeting royalty.
Coach blows the whistle for partner drills.
Lucian ends up paired with Remy.
The entire gym holds its breath.
They circle.
Remy is fast, Remy is strong, Remy is dire-coyote royalty.
Lucian is… inevitable.
One palm on Remy's chest, one twist, and suddenly Remy is on his back staring at the ceiling, completely unharmed and completely confused.
Lucian offers a hand up.
**Lucian (soft, accented, amused):**
"Good balance, coyote prince.
We should spar more."
Remy takes the hand, eyes narrowed.
**Remy:**
"We will."
Seras is literally sparkling.
**Seras (whispering to me):**
"He's perfect and I'm going to die."
**Celeste (whispering back):**
"Pretty sure he could make that literal with one sneeze."
The bell rings.
Lucian walks past me, close enough that the air pressure changes and I smell lightning on cold stone.
**Lucian (voice low, only for me):**
"Storm queen.
Your reputation precedes you.
I look forward to earning mine."
Then he's gone.
The crew meets at my locker five minutes later like it's a war council.
**Kayo:**
"Carpathian storm-dragon.
They used to guard the old sky-gates.
Thought the bloodline died out."
**Rowan:**
"Apparently one woke up.
And enrolled in high school."
**Remy (arms crossed, still salty):**
"I don't like him."
**Seras (floating an inch off the ground):**
"I like him enough for all of us."
I watch the hallway where Lucian disappeared.
The crown above my heart gives one slow, curious spin.
**Celeste:**
"He knows exactly who we are.
And he's not afraid."
**Seras (dreamy):**
"He's perfect."
**Remy & Kayo & Rowan in unison:**
"No."
Senior year was supposed to stay normal.
Looks like normal just grew wings, scales, and a Romanian accent.
And Seras is already halfway gone.
This is gonna be interesting. **Seras**
The Dragon I'm Definitely Not Obsessed With (Yet)**
**Monday, October 14, 2028 – lunch period**
My full name is Seras Himuari Nakamura, but nobody uses the middle part unless Mom is mad or I'm filling out official demon-banishing paperwork.
Today I'm glad I have it, because I need every ounce of ancestral fire to not combust on the spot.
Lucian Dragomir just looked at me and the Blazing Wukong in my soul did a full kowtow.
I am seventeen,and 100% Japanese 100% walking solar flare, and I have never once been rendered mute.
Until now.
He's sitting there, eating fries like a normal senior, except every time he blinks the overhead lights flicker and the air smells like Carpathian pine and lightning.
I march over before my friends can stage an intervention.
**Seras (voice only shaking a little):**
"Lucian Dragomir, right?
Seras Himuari Nakamura.
You just put Remy on his ass like it was choreography, and I think my heart just filed for citizenship in your general vicinity."
He looks up.
Storm-cloud eyes meet mine and the temperature in the cafeteria jumps ten degrees.
**Lucian (slow, rumbling smile):**
"Seras Himuari Nakamura.
Daughter of sun and volcano.
Your reputation scorched the mountains long before you walked into this room."
He stands (tall, polite, ancient), pulls out the chair beside him, and nudges the tray toward me.
**Lucian:**
"Sit.
I brought extra fries.
Dragons hoard treasure, but we share with fire that can burn the sky itself."
I sit.
My flames go full aurora (crimson, gold, and stupidly happy).
Across the cafeteria:
- Celeste facepalms so hard her crown flickers.
- Remy growls loud enough to rattle the vending machines.
- Kayo starts a betting pool titled "How long until Seras accidentally sets the dragon on fire (romantically or literally)."
- Rowan just sighs and orders another coffee.
I steal one of Lucian's fries.
It tastes like ozone and possibility.
**Seras (grinning, flames dancing in my irises):**
"So, dragon boy…
You come here often, or did you just wake up from a thousand-year nap to ruin my GPA with feelings?"
**Lucian (laughing, low thunder):**
"Only for the sun that learned to burn on purpose."
I am so screwed.
And so, so delighted about it.
Senior year just grew scales and wings.
And my full name has never felt more like armor.
Seras Himuari Nakamura is officially in deep.
Let's see if dragons can handle a little phoenix heat.
The Hypocrisy of Best Friends**
Friday, October 25, 2028 – quarry at midnight**
Seras is pacing the dock in tiny circles, literally leaving scorch marks on the wood.
Lucian is leaning against a pine tree twenty feet away, arms folded, pretending he's not listening while pretending very badly.
Remy is beside me, arms crossed, doing his best impression of a disapproving coyote statue.
I finally break the silence.
**Celeste:**
"Okay, I'm calling it.
Double-standard intervention time."
Seras stops mid-pace, flames flaring up to her elbows.
**Seras:**
"What double standard?"
**Celeste (raising an eyebrow):**
"If a coyote shifter and a vampire-blood-wizard queen who once accidentally started a hurricane in a bathtub can fall stupidly in love and tie the knot someday…
then why exactly are you acting like a Japanese fire sorceress and a Carpathian dragon shifter is some kind of crime against nature?"
Remy makes a strangled noise.
Lucian's mouth twitches (he's definitely smiling now).
Seras opens her mouth, closes it, then points at Remy like he's exhibit A.
**Seras:**
"He growled at Lucian for three straight weeks!"
**Celeste:**
"And I growled at you for the first month after you set my favorite hoodie on fire.
We got over it."
Remy throws his hands up.
**Remy:**
"Dragons eat people, Celeste!"
**Celeste (deadpan):**
"So do coyotes when they're hangry.
Still planning to marry one."
Lucian finally speaks, voice like distant thunder and amusement.
**Lucian:**
"I haven't eaten a single person since 1847.
I'm practically vegetarian."
Seras snorts so hard she shoots actual sparks.
I step between all of them, hands on hips.
**Celeste:**
"Here's the deal.
I spent years thinking love had to be safe or approved or normal.
Then this idiot"—I jerk a thumb at Remy—"taught me love is just choosing someone and refusing to un-choose them, even when they have fangs, or nine tails, or can accidentally set the Pacific on fire."
I turn to Seras.
**Celeste:**
"You lit up like a supernova the first time he looked at you.
Same way I did when Remy first smiled at me in that stupid Hot Springs hallway.
Same way Kayo's tails fluff every time she thinks nobody's watching her stare at her phone."
Kayo, floating on a pool noodle in the quarry, squeaks and submerges.
I keep going.
**Celeste:**
"So yeah.
Coyote + blood queen? Works.
Fire sorceress + dragon? Also works.
Love doesn't care about species, Seras.
It only cares if you're brave enough to let it burn."
Silence.
Then Seras's flames settle into soft gold.
She looks at Lucian.
He's already walking over, slow and deliberate.
**Lucian (quiet, to her):**
"I've waited centuries for fire that doesn't fear my storm.
I'm not walking away from it."
Seras's voice cracks.
**Seras:**
"Good.
Because I burn for keeps."
Remy groans dramatically and covers his face.
**Remy:**
"Fine.
But if he eats anyone at prom, I'm blaming you, Celeste."
I grin and lace my fingers through his.
**Celeste:**
"Deal.
Now somebody get these two idiots some water before they set the quarry on fire."
Lucian and Seras both laugh (thunder and wildfire in perfect harmony).
The quarry lights up like sunrise.
And I lean into my coyote, smiling like an idiot.
Love wins again.
Even when it's scaly.
Especially when it's on fire.
Senior year is still perfectly chaotic.
And I wouldn't trade a single spark of it.