by Lola Gabriel
“I don’t understand,” Brooklyn murmured, the tail nowhere in sight. She looked up at Audrey, who was equally perplexed.
“Where did it go?” Audrey muttered, and Brooklyn realized she had seen it when Audren was born. That was why she had stared after him, why she had been so hesitant to tell Brooklyn that he was okay.
They exchanged a long look, and the new mother rewrapped the baby, her heart pounding.
“Why is he like that?” Audrey finally asked, voicing the question to which everyone had probably wanted the answer. Brooklyn gulped and stared at her friend.
“I changed my mind,” she whispered.
“About what?”
“I want to find his father.”
Maddy, Stella, and Christine showed up an hour later, but Brooklyn was already packed up and ready to leave the hospital when they arrived.
“What are you doing?” Stella demanded.
“I have to get out of here,” Brooklyn told her in a low voice. “And you guys have to cover us.”
Maddy scowled at Audrey.
“Is this your brilliant idea?” she snapped. “She just gave birth! She can’t go anywhere until they are both cleared!”
“Please!” Brooklyn begged. “We don’t have much time. I have to get Audren out of here. You have to trust me.”
“Go,” Stella said immediately, as if she could sense the desperation in her voice. She turned to Audrey. “You better call us later, okay? And keep a really close eye on her.”
Audrey nodded. Together, she and Brooklyn headed toward the door.
No one is getting their hands on my son, Brooklyn thought, a strange prickling shooting down her spine.
As Audrey ensured that the coast was clear, Brooklyn caught a glimpse of herself in the washroom mirror. The light was off inside the washroom, but the brightness from the room illuminated Brooklyn’s matted blonde head.
But her face wasn’t her face. In its place was the sleek jawline of a dragon, her skin glistening like soaked leather in a violet hue, her eyes glowing amber. She gasped, her huge jaw parting to expose a thousand gleaming razors.
“What’s wrong?” Audrey whispered, and Brooklyn whipped her head to look at her, expecting Audrey to scream. Instead, her friend grabbed her arm and led her out into the hallway. Audrey hadn’t seen what Brooklyn had. Was she going crazy? Had she really seen any of it at all? On Cass or on Audren or on herself?
No, she wasn’t going crazy. The doctor had seen the abnormalities on Audren, and so had Audrey.
I need to find Cass, Brooklyn thought, and give him the chance to explain all this to me.
Brooklyn wore Audrey’s long trench coat, a sleeping Audren in the folds as they hurried toward the stairwell. They could not risk being seen in the elevator, though Brooklyn knew they could not stop her from leaving, even if it was against medical advice. She was terrified that her baby would be taken away to be poked and prodded. The idea of that happening was too much for her to bear.
They stole down the stairs and into the parking lot, where Audrey had already strapped a car seat for Audren on the backseat.
What would I have done without Audrey? Brooklyn wondered. How would Ryan have handled this? She almost smiled at the idea of Ryan’s reaction.
“What can you tell me about this guy?” Audrey asked as they drove away from the hospital lot. “What is his last name?”
It was a question Brooklyn had asked herself many times over the last nine months, but she was no closer to having the answer now than she had been before.
“I don’t know,” Brooklyn sighed. “I don’t know anything about him except that he was very wealthy and in town for a short period of time. He had a strange accent…”
“A strange accent?” Audrey repeated, looking over at her curiously. “Like…?”
“I don’t know. British, maybe? Australian? I couldn’t really place it.” Audrey laughed, and Brooklyn groaned.
“I know,” she muttered, craning her head back to look at her son, who was awake and staring blankly ahead. “I don’t know anything about him.”
“No,” Audrey chuckled. “I’m laughing because I was thinking, imagine if you got knocked up by Cassius Williams.”
Suddenly, Brooklyn was in the back of Cass’s town car, catching her breath on the way back to her house all those months ago. The driver had called him “Mr. Williams.” His last name was Williams!
“That’s his name!” Brooklyn gasped. “Cass Williams!”
Audrey snorted and laughed louder.
“Funny,” she said. Brooklyn didn’t understand the joke.
“Why? Who is Cass Williams?”
Audrey’s smile faltered, and she gaped at her best friend, slowing the Mustang onto the shoulder.
“You’re serious, aren’t you?” she choked, reaching for her cell phone.
“I think so,” Brooklyn replied uncertainly. “Who is he?” Audrey furiously typed something on her phone, and she shoved the device into Brooklyn’s hands.
“Is this the guy?” she demanded.
Brooklyn’s eyes bugged from their sockets as she stared at the picture on the article Audrey had found. “Yes! Holy shit! He’s a… he’s a billionaire? A real estate genius?”
“Hot damn!” Audrey hooted. “You’ve hit the jackpot of baby daddies!”
But Brooklyn didn’t share her enthusiasm. After all, would a man this famous want his secret exposed? Would he want a love child? Of course not. But what would he do to protect himself?
Brooklyn realized she didn’t care. She wasn’t afraid—not anymore.
She had a son to fight for, and fight she would.
16
The turret perched above the drawbridge had always been one of Cassius’ favorite spots in the castle. Once upon a time, it had served as a lookout spot for the enemy, but over the years, it had simply become a stunning vantage point from which one could take in the beauty of the north English countryside.
They had just spent Christmas Day pouring over his father’s twisted plan, examining maps, debating strategy, and detecting weaknesses in their enemy.
Cassius was exhausted, the need to escape almost insurmountable, but he knew their discussions were far from over. It seemed that the longer they talked, the more excited the group became, and Cassius fully understood mob mentality in those hours. On the other hand, he couldn’t focus on anything other than what Ruby had said.
I am faced with an impossible task, he thought, his head swimming. Where could I ever find him a baby dragon?
It seemed so farfetched, and yet Cassius could see the method in Ruby’s counsel. The kind had always needed someone to regard him as such. Who better than an innocent to do so? It would keep his father entertained for a few years, at least until the child was of age to think for himself.
But how?
He remembered Ruby’s parting words.
“I would not have mentioned it if it was not within the realm of possibility,” she had told him.
It was not until Cassius was back on his private island, deep in the Coral Sea, that he had remembered he had not learned how they could be killed. He had considered going back before thinking better of it. Maybe he didn’t really want to know. After all, would he really have it in him to kill another? Especially one who shared his blood?
That would have to be some sort of Plan D. Now Cassius needed to figure out Plans B and C, since he didn’t have any convenient dragon grandchildren in hand.
“I thought I might find you up here,” Anders sighed as he poked his head up around the winding staircase. “It seems to be the only place not overrun with madness.”
“I don’t know,” Cassius replied hotly. “You’re here now, so I can’t see that as being true.”
His brother winced. “Cassius—”
“Spare me the sanctimony,” Cassius spat. “I’m not in the mood.”
“I wasn’t going to give you any rhetoric,” Anders said shortly.
“I would prefer you lea
ve me in peace. I’d rather not sit with the unabashedly cruel unnecessarily.”
Anders snorted and strode toward him, his arms folding against his chest.
“Why are you here, then?” he demanded. “You are just as bad as any one of us.”
“I am forced to be here!” Cassius snarled. “Why else do you think I’m here?”
“Then I am right,” Anders said quietly. “You are in the same boat as the rest of us.”
Cassius stared at him, and for a minute, his heart stopped.
“Indeed,” he murmured.
Anders glanced back at him suspiciously. “What are you thinking? I don’t like the expression on your face.”
“If we all leave, he won’t go through with it,” Cassius said, his voice growing excited. “We all need to walk out and go back to our lives.”
Anders raised an eyebrow.
“That was the original plan,” he reminded his brother. “And it didn’t work out too well.”
“That’s because we didn’t stand firm,” Cassius replied, a new sense of resolve filling him. “If Father thinks that we are going against him, he won’t attack America.”
“You don’t know that for sure,” Anders pointed out. “He and the others seem pretty enthusiastic about going through with this.”
“At what cost?” Cassius asked. “We all have businesses and people we care about—” He abruptly stopped talking, realizing he had said too much. Unfortunately, his words were not lost on Anders.
“You have someone you care about?” he asked softly. “A mortal?”
Cassius clenched his jaw as he thought about Brooklyn. As soon as he had the clearance, he would fly to Los Angeles and warn her, even if she had married that cheating bastard. Even though his stomach bubbled with the idea of her being in someone else’s arms, he still cared about her, and he wanted her to be happy.
We gave ourselves one night, he reminded himself, and we honored that.
“It doesn’t matter, does it?” he asked sourly. “The world as we know it will be flipped upside down, and we still don’t know what will kill us.”
Anders ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know, Cass…”
“You would rather go to war than stand up to Father?” Cassius asked incredulously, and Anders hung his head in shame.
“No,” he agreed. “Of course not. If you lead, I will follow you.”
Cassius exhaled, almost overcome with relief.
“Good,” he said, rising from his spot at the window. It was bitterly cold, with the December wind whipping through the stone walls. Cassius knew that he couldn’t fly himself to California in such weather—he would need to take his private jet. But first, he needed to end this charade once and for all.
“You swear you will back me,” he said to Anders, and his brother nodded earnestly.
“Yes,” he promised.
“And you’re certain that the others are only indulging Father’s whims?” Anders nodded again.
“I believe so,” he replied. “As you say, all of us have our own reasons for wanting to keep our secret well hidden. Something like this will only ruin different aspects of our lives.”
Cassius felt a surge of hope, his brother’s assurances giving him a renewed sense of faith.
“Come on,” he said urgently, heading back down the slate steps toward the grand hall. “Let’s put an end to this once and for all.”
Cassius flew as fast as his wings could carry him, his heart hammering wildly as he fought against the harsh winter winds. Despite his enormous frame, he was being blown back in several different directions, and no matter how hard he tried to steady himself, he could not keep his bearings.
I must make it back home, he thought, panic overwhelming him, but he forced himself to remain calm, his scaly form diving lower as to not be caught in the swirling turbulence of the clouds. Fly, dammit! Fly!
He pushed himself faster, trying to escape the scene he had left behind, a mass of baleful eyes watching him leave as he refused to partake in the impending war.
Anders had enough decency to lower his gaze, but Cassius had felt his betrayal all the same.
“If you do not join us,” Rui had bellowed, “you will be destroyed! One way or another, we you are a prisoner of war!”
“I imagine you’ll have to find a cage strong enough to hold me,” Cassius had retorted.
It was too late to back out, his mind made up as he bolted from the castle, sprinting into his majestic beastly formation and leaving Misty Woods in his wake. All he knew was that he had to find Brooklyn and bring her to safety before the next world war exploded on Earth.
As he crossed down the equator, the temperatures rose, and the winds settled, but he did not slow his belting wings, steering himself toward the remote hideaway of Pendulum Island. He landed gracefully on the north dock, his reptilian legs becoming well-shaped calves as he bolted toward the estate.
“Mr. Williams!” Kirra gasped when he ran through the rear of the house, his eyes wild with panic. “I—”
“Tell Miro to get the plane ready!” Cassius gasped, running his hand across his sweating face. “We’re leaving immediately.”
“Mr. Williams, there’s—”
“Now, Kirra, now!” he screamed, his tone clearly startling her. After all, he rarely raised his voice, and never to his staff. “It’s an emergency!”
Kirra stared at him, her lips parting to protest again, but Cassius was already running through the halls, yelling for his staff. They gathered at the sound of his voice, their expressions all equally worried.
“Gather your families and valuables,” he told them. “Get somewhere safe and hidden. Find caves, find deep forests, find any place that cannot be easily spotted from above. You don’t have much time, but you must trust me.” A loud murmur erupted through the crowd as they began to discuss what he had said. “Where is Miro?” he demanded, looking from face to face.
He needed to find Brooklyn and get her to safety. Only then could he return to deal with his father.
“Mr. Williams!” Kirra yelled, and he whirled to stare at her.
“This is a matter of life and death for you!” he told her. “Listen to what I am saying!”
“Cass?”
He spun again, his head growing weak as he saw the woman he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about standing before him, as clearly as he had the night on the dock.
“Brooklyn?”
Brooklyn nodded her head, her eyes widening in disbelief. Cassius took a step forward, and he would’ve run to her if he hadn’t been suddenly overcome by the exhaustion and emotion, falling to his knees.
“Cass!” Brooklyn yelled, rushing toward him. “Cass, look at me!”
But Cassius had already fallen unconscious.
17
“What was that all about?” Brooklyn asked Kirra as they lay Cass on his bed in the stunning glass bedroom, high atop the sea. The housekeeper seemed uncomfortable in the huge room as darkness enveloped them.
“I have no idea,” she said shortly, and Brooklyn gestured toward the door.
“You can go,” she said. “I’ll look after him until he wakes.”
“I don’t know,” Kirra replied. “I am not sure how I feel about leaving you alone in here with him.”
“Maybe you should call for a doctor,” Brooklyn insisted, pulling off his shoes and socks. “And I’m not leaving his side.”
“No need for a doctor,” Kirra said. “This happens all the time.”
Brooklyn’s head jerked up, and she stared at her. “This isn’t normal. He needs to be checked.”
Kirra smiled frostily. “Nothing about Mr. Williams is normal.”
Their gazes met in the dark, and Brooklyn suddenly understood what the woman’s words meant. She nodded slowly.
“It’s true, then,” she muttered to herself. She crawled upward and lay her head on the pillow beside Cass as Kirra finally turned to leave. Brooklyn’s fingertips glided over the lines of Cass’s f
ace, as if trying to memorize him by touch.
She had arrived at the secluded island only hours before, brought ashore at gunpoint.
“This is private property,” a tall, brawny man had informed her, waving his semi-automatic weapon in her face. “You have no right to be here.”
Fury had washed over her as she gestured at the sleeping infant in her arms.
“I am here to deliver this child to his father,” she’d snarled, looking at Audrey, who was silent for once in her life. “There is no need for the gun.”
The guard had spent a few moments determining what to do. They’d tried to reach Cass on his cell phone without luck. He was not at his office nor in the house. They’d had no idea what to do with the uninvited guests and their newborn.
Finally, Kirra had stepped in, agreeing to keep the women and child under her watch in the house.
“You better not go anywhere other than the suite I provide for you,” she had said sternly. “I will send for you when Mr. Williams arrives.” She had paused to look at the women. “If you are not who you say you are, there will be no record of you having ever been here.”
Fear and anger had swept through Brooklyn.
“You would hurt an innocent baby?” she’d spat, and Audrey’s eyes had bulged. Kirra’s own dark eyes had grown smaller as a half-smile formed on her lips.
“On second thought,” she’d said, “you may have free reign of the house. I will have someone give you a tour.”
Brooklyn had been too tense to analyze the sudden change of heart. She had just been happy they had not been shot.
“You need to wake up,” she whispered now, her lips brushing against Cass’s ear. “You need to wake up and meet your son.”
Her attraction to him was still as acute as it had always been. It was as if they had never been apart. There was no escaping it.
“Wake up,” she pleaded. “Please, Cass, wake up.”
Brooklyn buried her face on his neck, smelling the sweet scent of his aftershave. Her hand fell along his cheek, gently curling around his throat. She relished the way his chest rose and fell to the rhythm of his even breaths—at least he was only unconscious. At least it seemed like nothing had happened to him.