"Welcome to everyone watching this. I have had the amazing opportunity to manage a new band that will surprise you. All the members are 15 years old but already have the same stage presence as their seniors. I have already interviewed the other members, and now I would like to interview the vocalist and head of the band, Andrew Slate." When she said my name, I waved at the camera and said 'hello.'
"So, Andrew. You are 15 years old, so you are currently a freshman in high school. Which school do you go to?" Hena asked a simple question, and I told her the answer truthfully. I kept telling myself that she was doing this for us, and that helped me relax a bit.
"Now, I have a bit of a more personal question for you." She started after having asked questions about my hobbies and what I liked doing in my free time. I nodded my head for her to continue. "I couldn't help but notice that your eyes are unique and that you are the only one wearing a mask. May I ask why that is?"
I took a breath before answering. "Honestly, I was expecting this question, but it still caught me by surprise." Saying this, I chuckled a little bit. Taking another calming breath, I took off my mask. Smiling, I flashed my fangs to her and the camera. "The truth is, I'm a Dragon shifter. My father's side of the family held the gene dormant, but it manifested in me when I was born. I get a lot of hate for it at school, so I wear a mask to hide my fangs as much as possible, as well as to block as many scents as possible. It can get overwhelming very quickly."
"Is that where the name Dragon's Blood came from?" Hena asked, her curiosity peaked.
"Yeah, it is. Honestly, the whole idea of starting this band was Josh's idea. Due to how bad the bullying is at school, I never sang around anyone who isn't family. Josh had definitely helped with getting me out of my comfort zone." I was honest with everything I said, and I said it with a smile on my face.
"Well, Andrew, I don't think you should hide or be ashamed of being who you are. The fact that you are different should be cherished, not rejected. I hope, for your sake, that people will learn that lesson quickly and start embracing the unknown." With Hena's last comment, the interview was over.
"Thank you all for doing this. When I get back to the office, I'll upload it to my computer and post it. And Andrew, I really meant what I said. Don't hide the fact that you're a shifter. I personally think that it's the coolest thing ever, and can't wait to get to know you guys more." Hena said as she was packing her things. She seemed nice and genuine, and I couldn't wait to see where Dragon's Blood ended up.
The next day at school, all the students were buzzing. Hena did what she said, and posted the interview on Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and any other platform she could. I had a lot of students come to me and apologize for the way they treated me, as well as congratulate us on getting a manager already.
A lot of students changed their opinions of me, but there were still quite a few who still hated me. I didn't care, since I can't change everyone's thoughts of me. School went better than ever, and I didn't dread it for once. And when Hena put her mind to something, she worked fast. After a month, we already had a gig planned for the Fairway Pub for Rock Night. It was set for Friday night, that way it didn't interfere with school.
The night of the concert arrived, and we had something new in mind. Our set list for tonight was a mix of Disturbed and Dropkick Murphys, an Irish rock band. From Disturbed, we played Down With The Sickness, Mistress, Sons of Plunder, and Land of Confusion. Then, from Dropkick Murphys, we played Rose Tattoo, Flannigan's Ball, The Dirty Glass, and Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya. Disturbed tested my vocal range and my growling, while Dropkick Murphys challenged my singing speed and brought out a slight Irish accent. We had Jacob with us and he used a soundboard with the parts of the songs that we couldn't cover, mainly bagpipes and other instruments. Alex was also with us and she helped us cover the female vocals.
Everyone had a blast and when we were done, the owner, James Fairway, came and gave us his thanks. People had taken videos of our performance and posted it everywhere. The band's bank account also quickly filled with donations from numerous sponsors.
After the gig, our manager came over and congratulated us. She honestly hadn't expected us to gain such popularity so quickly, but we hadn't expected it either. We had agreed to visit Amber and Jacob's home over this weekend, since things had gotten in the way when we originally planned it. When we got home, we packed our bags and got everything ready to leave tomorrow.
The next day, we all drove our vehicles to the address that Jacob gave us. It was a pleasant drive through the forests, and after an hour and a half, we arrived at our destination. It was set up as its own town, and had a very welcoming feel to it. The biggest house was in the center and that was where Jacob and Amber stood with an older man and woman, who I assumed were their parents.
"Thank you for coming. We've been looking forward to this for a while. My name is Jeremy and this is my wife and Luna, Monica." Jeremy introduced him and his wife, and we introduced ourselves as well.
After having stared at me for a while, Monica spoke for the first time. "I'm sorry if this sounds rude, but one of them doesn't feel human." She said in a silky voice, then pointed at me. "It's you, isn't it?"
I looked at my parents to reassure them before stepping forward. "It is an honor to meet the Alpha and Luna of the Blackstone Pack." Saying this, I bowed my head with my right hand placed over my heart. Still bowing, I continued talking. "I meant no disrespect to the leaders of the Pack, but it was for the safety of my family as well as myself." Standing straight, I looked at the Alpha and Luna. "It's true that I am not human. I am an Ayakashi and a Dragon." There was no point in trying to hide my Dual Shifter identity, since they would be able to smell them.
"A Dual Shifter?! How old are you?" Monica gasped out.
"Is that really all? Please don't take us as fools, we can sense that your beasts aren't normal." Jeremy added.
Hanging my head, I answered both of them. "Yes, I'm a Dual Shifter who's 15 years old and already went through the "inheritance" process. My Ayakashi is named Nightmare, and he's the Ayakashi King. And my Dragon is called Magnis Rex, and he's the Dragon King." Lifting my head, I looked at the leaders of this Pack. "I do not think you guys are fools, but please understand where I'm coming from. For most of my life, I had to hide what I was because of different people trying to kill me and my family. By now, it has become a habit, so I apologize if you guys were offended." I put as much sincerity as I could into my voice, so they knew that I was being truthful with them.
Jeremy and Monica looked at each other and smiled. They walked forward and placed a hand on each of my shoulders. The rest of the Pack placed a hand on the shoulders of the Alpha and Luna, and formed spirals around my family and myself. I looked at Jacob and Amber because I didn't know what was happening, and they smiled and nodded, showing that everything was okay.
In his powerful Alpha voice, Jeremy spoke. "Let everyone know that this young man and his entire family are accepted in this Pack. Anyone who causes trouble for them will answer to us. Actions against them will be considered as acts against us." A reverberating 'Yes, Alpha' rang through the crowd, and my eyes widened in shock. Jacob and Amber had shit-eating grins and I couldn't help but look at my family. They also had shocked expressions but when they saw me looking at them, they also smiled.
After the crowd gave us some room, Monica turned to me. "If it's not too much to ask, could we see your Ayakashi and Dragon? That way, our warriors can familiarize themselves with your beasts and not accidentally attack you?" It was a simple request and I had no issues agreeing to it.
"Of course, Madam Luna." I said, addressing her by her honored title. However, she wouldn't have it. She quickly waved her hand and told me to call her by her name, and Jeremy told me to do the same with him. So, walking a little bit away so I had room, I let the shift take over. The sound of bones snapping rang through the air, and soon Nightmare was standing before everyone gathered. There were gasps of surprise all around. Nightmare was a good three times bigger than their biggest warrior, so it was to be expected.
I decided to lay on my stomach and let my tongue hang out, letting them know it was okay to get closer with my body language. They came three at a time to pet my fur and familiarize themselves with my scent. When they were done, I stood up and shifted into Magnis and then they repeated what they did with Nightmare. Jeremy and Monica said the Magnis's name fit him perfectly, since he was huge. My family had to warn them not to touch my spikes because they were poisonous.
After everything was done, the sun was already beginning to set and it was time for the feast. We were accepted into the Pack with open arms and everyone had a good time. When the feast was over, I went outside and shifted into Nightmare. I shrank my size a bit and started running. The borders of the Pack were clearly marked, so I knew how far I could go. It was nice, being able to shift without fear, and Nightmare enjoyed it as well.
When I got back to the Pack House, I was told that the Alpha and Luna wanted to talk to me. Feeling apprehensive, I was directed to their office and was told to enter. Walking in, I waited for them to speak.
"Please relax Andrew. There's no need to be so formal, you're not in trouble." When Jeremy spoke, I did relax a bit. Sitting in the chair in front of his desk, I kind of felt like I was called into the principal's office.
"I was told that you wanted to talk to me. Is there anything I can do for you?" Feeling nervous, I spoke to prevent an awkward silence from forming.
"We wanted to know more about the different people who you said wanted to kill you. Could you tell us more about them?" Monica was the one who asked the question and I was surprised by it. I should have known that they would ask about it, with having to keep their Pack safe. However, I wasn't expecting it to be so soon.
I nodded my head in understanding. Then, I explained to them my past and everything I knew about those that wanted me dead. I even went as far as to show them my scars. Those took them by surprise, since it takes a lot of damage to cause a shifter to scar like the ones I bare. I saw sadness and concern in their eyes. It's usually a look I didn't like, but it felt different coming from them. What Jeremy said next almost made me jump from my seat.
"Well, you're safe here. If someone tries to come after you or your family again, you can always come here. Our Pack is also protected by a powerful witch and Oracle. If you would be willing, we would like to take you to her tomorrow." Jeremy's offer was an honor. A Pack is normally hesitant of outsiders, and there's usually a process to go through to be accepted. And if a Pack has a witch or Oracle, it was an even bigger honor to meet them.
"Thank you. It would be an honor to meet them. What time would you like me to be ready?" I was taught to be respectful of the customs of different shifters and to be respectful to different leaders. So, even though they told me not to be so formal, I couldn't really help it.
"We'll leave after breakfast tomorrow, which is at 8:30. She lives separately from us, so it'll be a bit of a hike." Monica was the one who answered and that worked out well for me. I usually got up by 5:30 to go on a run, so that gave me more than enough time to get back and take a shower to get ready. After I left the office, I went to the guest room that was given to me.
By 4 in the morning, I was still awake, so I decided to go on my run earlier than normal. I got a few looks from the patrolling warriors, and one of them asked if I was okay. When I explained that I had insomnia, they understood and let me be. I don't know how big the perimeter of the Pack was, but I kept running it until 8 o'clock. After I got back to the Pack House, I took a long shower and got ready for the day. I was finishing the style for my hair when I was told that breakfast was ready.
My outfit was black cargo pants with chains on the belt loops, a Disturbed t-shirt, combat boots, and all my piercings and necklaces. For my hair, I left my bangs hanging, but I slicked the rest of my hair back into a tight ponytail. I left my room and headed to the dinning hall to eat. Breakfast was set up as a buffet with different food and drink options. I grabbed a plate and put mixed fruit, a waffle, some sausages, and yogurt on it. For my drinks, I got black coffee and orange juice. Eating in silence, I quickly finished my food and went back to my room to brush my teeth. When I was done, I met up with Jeremy and Monica by the front door, then we left to see the witch.