by S. E. Smith
Paul’s eyes followed hers. His eyes dimmed as he saw several of the gold figures standing near the empty pillar of their fallen. Grief welled in him that he had not been able to stop the death of one of the creatures who gave life to this world.
He turned his head and looked at Aikaterina. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save your friend,” he said quietly.
Aikaterina bowed her head in acknowledgement of their loss. Her eyes followed the other figures as they began to move around the cavern making soft sounds that woke the symbiots that had hidden during the battle. Her eyes lit with delight as she watched their playful antics as they emerged. They were young and would soon go to a strong warrior. She turned back and smiled at Paul and Morian.
“Do not feel sad,” she said to Paul before turning to look past him. “Another has been born to take Aminta’s place. You must let her be who she is. It will be difficult for you to accept that at times. She is meant to bring two worlds together,” she said looking at Creon.
Morian looked puzzled as she saw Creon stiffen. “Who?” She asked, her voice fading even as she remembered the look in her newest great-daughter’s eyes. “Phoenix,” she breathed.
Aikaterina bowed her head to Morian in acknowledgement.
“No!” Creon’s sharp denial echoed loudly. “She …..” His voice faded as he fell into a defiant silence.
“Has been reborn, warrior,” Aikaterina said in a lilting voice. “She is like the Phoenix of her world. She is a warrior. It is her destiny to lead with a warrior who is as strong and fierce as her. Let her discover her powers. Be there to guide her and accept her,” she advised before she raised her hands and clapped them together. “Till we meet again, warriors,” she said before turning and ascending the steps of the platform again. When she reached the top, a doorway appeared. Through the open door, thousands of star systems swirled.
Paul started as he heard twin giggles as Arilla and Arosa came up to him and Morian. “We will be checking up on you and your family,” they both said at the same time.
“I knew he was the one for you,” Arosa said with a sigh as she looked at Paul with amused eyes. “I just didn’t realize he would take so long to be born.”
“Nonsense, sister,” Arilla growled playfully. “I was the one who saw him first,” she said with a twinkle in her eye. “We will be back soon.”
“Where are you going?” Paul asked with a frown as they started up the staircase to follow the other figures.
Arilla laughed and shook her head. “There are many star systems out there that still need to be explored,” she replied with a raised eyebrow.
“But this one will always be our home,” Arosa added before she and her sister faded into the shape of twin dragons and flew through the opened doorway.
*.*.*
As soon as the last figure left, the cavern began to dim again. Morian looked around before she released a sigh as Crash came up to brush against her. It was time to return home. She looked around the cavern one last time knowing that the Hive would not be here once they left. It would move to another location. Crash would take her to the new location when it was time for her to know.
Perhaps when it was Phoenix’s turn to learn the ways of their people and the Hive, she thought with a warm glow.
“I want to go home,” Morian murmured turning to look up into Paul’s eyes. “To my hidden home where I can have you all to myself,” she added with a smile.
“But….,” Zoran started to say before Paul shot him a dark look.
“Unless you want me to open a can of whoop-ass,” Paul muttered darkly. “The answer better be ‘have fun’.”
Trelon started chuckling. “I personally have enough on my hands! Between Cara and the twins, I get my ass whipped every damn day!” He laughed. “Have fun, Paul. Dola, I love you and will see you when you return.” He leaned forward, slapped Paul on the shoulder, kissed Morian on the cheek and shifted into his dragon. He had a wife and two daughters to try to catch.
Zoran cleared his throat and looked at Paul before holding out his hand. Paul looked at it before he grasped it and pulled Zoran into a brief bear hug. No other words were needed though Zoran did mutter a quick ‘have fun’ under his breath before he shifted and flew off as well in search of his own wife and son.
Creon stared at the platform where Aikaterina and the others had disappeared. A worried frown still creased his brow. He started when Morian laid her hand against his cheek to bring his gaze down to her.
“She will be fine,” Morian promised her youngest son. “Just love and accept her for who she is and guide her in who she is to become.”
Creon drew in a shuddering breath before he nodded. “I fear she will be like her mother,” he admitted.
Paul stepped up and placed his hand on Creon’s shoulder. “If she is,” he said. “Then you have nothing to worry about.”
Creon smiled as he looked into the eyes of the man who knew his mate better than anyone other than himself. He nodded his gratitude to Paul. Before he turned to look at his mother. She was glowing with beauty. His eyes softened as he stared down into her eyes. Emotion choked him for a moment and he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.
“I love you, Dola,” he admitted softly in her ear. “You have given me strength. I know you will help guide my daughter,” he whispered before pulling back and brushing a kiss across her cheek. “Have fun,” he said before he stepped back and shifted.
Morian drew in a shuddering breath and impatiently brushed the stray tear that escaped down her cheek. “Damn!” She laughed, embarrassed. “Why is it when your child says thank you or tells you that they love you that it tears you up?”
Paul laughed and pulled her into his arms. “It doesn’t matter which world you are on, they all have the power to do that. But, you know something?” He asked teasingly.
“What?” She asked huskily.
Paul put his hand under her chin to raise it so he could look her in the eye and brushed a kiss across her lips. “They all said to have fun. What do you think?”
Morian giggled and pulled back. “I think you need to teach me about what it is like to be tagged,” she said before she shifted into her dragon and rose into the air.
“Oh baby,” Paul said as he gave the small, delicate white and gold dragon a slight head start. “I can’t wait to tag your ass,” he growled out in a low voice before he started running.
Jumping onto a low rock, he shifted into the larger gold dragon and took off after his mate. This was one pursuit he was looking forward to, because when he tagged her, he was making damn sure he never let her go – ever!
Chapter 23
Paul shook his head as he stared at Trelon. Morian looked horrified at her son. She opened her mouth but close it again because she didn’t know what to say at first. They arrived back at the palace after taking a three month ‘honeymoon’ as Paul called it. She hadn’t known what a honeymoon was at first but decided she wouldn’t mind being on one for the rest of her life. It had only been the frantic pleas for help from her sons that forced them away from her hidden mountain home. Now, they were standing at the entrance to Trelon and Cara’s living quarters wondering what had happened.
Morian looked at Trelon again. She reached out to touch the side of his head where his hair was a little shorter than the other before reaching up to touch a part that looked like it had been burnt. She shook her head before looking at him with a combination of exasperation and horror.
“What happened to you?” She asked, fighting back laughter. “You look like you’ve been in a battle.”
“I have,” he growled as he tried to run his fingers through his damaged hair.
“With who?” Paul asked, sliding his arm around Morian’s waist needing to touch her.
He knew he was being irrational but he had thoroughly enjoyed their three months of seclusion and he missed having her in his arms. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head as she leaned back. His eyes taking in the evidence. His
lips twitched even as Trelon shot him a murderous glare.
“Amber and Jade,” he admitted. “Cara went to fix them some food this morning and put them in bed with me. Amber had already gotten into some of the Gumtree sap. It wouldn’t come out so I had to cut it out,” he said in a disgruntled voice as he stepped back to usher them in. “The only way she could have gotten into it was if she had help or …..” his voice faded as he shook his head. “She must have had some help.”
“Are you telling me two infants did this to you?” Morian asked in disbelief.
“Infants! I… they…. I …..,” Trelon threw his head back and roared in frustration. “Before my mate, I was in control of my life. I could fight any warrior and defeat them,” he muttered hoarsely. “Now, I cannot even keep up with two younglings in diapers!” He growled walking further into his living quarters just as a small head peeked out from under the coffee table.
“I think you mean dragonlings,” Morian said with a delighted laugh as she walked forward and knelt down next to the low table.
“Dragonlings?” Paul asked puzzled.
A moment later, his confusion was cleared up as a brilliant red and pink dragon about the size of an eighteen pound butterball turkey crawled out from under the table into Morian’s lap.
“Dragonlings!” Trelon whispered faintly as he stared wide-eyed at his daughter.
Paul wondered which twin had learned to shift. His question was answered a moment later when a tiny purple and pink dragon crawled into the room dragging Trelon’s empty sword sheath in her mouth while furiously growling.
Trelon fell onto the couch in stunned silence as Paul walked over to pick up the tiny bundle, leather sheath and all. He held the squirming dragonling in his arms for a moment before she let out a loud sneeze, dropping the sheath and blowing sparks. Fortunately, he was holding her wrapped in his arms with her back against his chest otherwise he would have the same scorched hair as Trelon.
“Oh Gods,” Trelon groaned as he touched the section of his ruined hair and looked at his mother. “What am I supposed to do now?” He asked in bewilderment.
“Paul …. Morian, I didn’t know you were here!” Cara said excitedly as she walked in carrying a plate with sliced fruit on it. She stopped with her mouth hanging open when she saw Paul holding a small purple and pink dragon. Her eyes moved to where Morian was sitting on the floor with a red and pink one on her lap. “What…. Where…. Oh. My. God!” She giggled as she quickly set the tray on the low table and turned to reach for the tiny dragon in Paul’s arms.
“Trelon, aren’t they adorable?” Cara asked as she swung the little dragonling in her arms with a laugh. “You are so beautiful!” She told the tiny dragonling.
“Beautiful!” Trelon said with a grin sitting back and shaking his head. “I think this answers the question as to how my hair got fried this morning when I was still sleeping,” he add drily watching as Amber climbed out of his mother’s lap and headed for the plate of fruit.
She shifted back into her two-legged form so she could pull herself up. She babbled as she reached for a piece of the fruit that resembled an apple. She fell back onto her butt and laughed up at her daddy. Jade opened her mouth and whimpered as she saw her sister eating.
Cara set the tiny dragon down next to her sister and watched as she tried to reach the plate without shifting. She snorted angrily and began whimpering again in frustration. A small symbiot the size of a large mouse shifted into a bird and flew over to the plate. It picked up a piece of the fruit in its mouth before hopping over to the edge of the table and dropping it into Jade’s open one.
Trelon shook his head and leaned his head back against the back of the couch. “Now you know why we called you,” he said with a grateful grin. “I had no idea they could shift already.”
“Our young develop very quickly but I don’t remember any of you ever shifting this early,” Morian mused as she watched Amber tackle her sister who was opening her mouth for more fruit. “Normally, younglings don’t shift until they are around two or three years of age.”
“It must have something to do with the fact Cara does everything at hyper speed,” Trelon joked as he looked at his tiny wife who made a face at him.
“Hey, don’t blame this one on me. I’m not the species that could shift,” Cara laughed as she leaned over to give him a peck on the cheek. “And I don’t do everything at hyper speed,” she whispered in his ear.
“Maybe I need a reminder,” Trelon growled back before he jerked Cara down onto his lap. Her squeal of surprise and delight attracted the attention of Amber and Jade who had been wrestling on the floor together, both now back in their dragon forms. Within moments, the two tiny dragons were trying to get to their parents. “I give up!” Trelon laughed out as they both grabbed a pant leg and began pulling as Cara started tickling him.
Paul reached down and helped Morian stand up. “I think they will be fine,” he murmured as Trelon slid off the couch onto the floor where all three girls could pile on him. “Let’s go check on the others. I want to finish the visits so I can get you to myself,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her neck before leading her to the door with a promise to return later. The four on the floor never heard them leave, there was too much laughter and squealing going on for them to hear the door closing.
*.*.*
Morian giggled and shook her head as they made their way to their next stop. Abby ushered them in and led them to the small dining table set up near the windows. Zoran and Zohar were wrestling on the floor while Abby was working on a sketch for a new stained glass mobile that she was making for Zohar’s bedroom. She offered them some tea that she had just made as she talked about how Zohar was doing better about not waking up as much at night anymore.
“We have it much easier than Trelon and Cara or Creon and Carmen,” Abby admitted with a grin. “Zohar is just a sweetheart. He loves watching things, and of course,” she said with a shake of her head at the two figures crawling around on the floor growling at each other, “wrestling. I think he learned that if he was going to survive Amber and Jade’s attacks he was going to have to get better at it,” she added with a laugh.
“Especially now,” Paul murmured.
“What’s happened now?” Abby asked curiously as she poured more tea for her and Morian.
“The girls have discovered their inner-dragon,” Morian replied with a grin. “Trelon was wondering why his hair was a little scorched this morning when he woke up.”
Abby’s hand went to her throat as her gaze went to her son. “You mean…. Will Zohar be able to….,” she turned to look back at Paul and Morian. “This early?” She whispered.
“Abby!” Zoran’s excited yell drew her attention back to the where her mate and son were playing. “Look!”
“Yes,” Morian laughed with delight. “This early,” she said looking at a proud dark brown and copper dragon sitting on his father’s lower back, his tiny teeth pulling on Zoran’s long hair.
“Just be careful if he has to sneeze,” Paul warned just as Zohar leaned back and let go of a loud one. Sparks flew over Zoran’s head. “They sneeze sparks,” he added dryly.
“Oh my,” Abby said in a faded whisper before rising to walk over and kneel by her mate who had rolled onto his back with Zohar sitting on his belly. She reached out and touched the tiny dragonling’s head. A soft purr escaped as Zohar looked up at his mother. “You are so beautiful. I’m going to have to change the design I was working on,” she laughed in a shaky voice.
Zoran reached over and grabbed Abby’s hand, pulling her down next to him. Reaching up, he closed his lips over hers in a brief hard kiss. “Thank you so much for this,” he muttered, unable to look at his Dola and Paul at the moment as emotion overwhelmed him.
Morian pulled on Paul’s hand. He nodded as they both stood and quietly left. This was a special moment for her sons. They had thought they needed help but they didn’t realize they would never be alone again.
They have their
mates now, she thought, not realizing she had whispered the words out loud.
“As I have mine,” Paul said, pulling Morian into an alcove and kissing her deeply. “You fill my life, Morian.”
Morian wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her. “Let’s make the last two visits then I want to go to my – our atrium. I know of this great place where we can be alone,” she murmured.
Paul’s eyes darkened as he remembered the room where he had first made love to her. “Soon,” he promised, pulling her reluctantly out of their temporary hiding place.
They walked in silence, holding each other’s hand as they moved to visit with Trisha and Kelan. Paul’s throat tightened as Kelan opened the door at their knock. This was the man who had not only healed his baby girl but made her dreams come true. They looked at each other in silent understanding for several seconds before he heard Trisha’s voice asking who was there.
“Hey, baby girl,” Paul said walking into their living area.
“Daddy!” Trisha cried out in delight. “Look Bálint! It’s Pops!” She said lifting the small figure sitting on the floor surrounded by toys.
Bálint giggled as his mommy lifted him into her arms. He babbled when he saw his dad. Leaning forward, he opened his arms and lunged for Kelan. Kelan scooped him out of Trisha’s arms with a broad grin.
“He has grown so much,” Paul observed quietly as he held his large hand out to the baby. Bálint looked at it for a moment before he reached out and grabbed Paul’s fingers, trying to draw them into his mouth.
“He’s teething,” Trisha said as she wrapped her arm around Kelan’s waist. “He has been fussy lately too.”
Morian leaned forward and whispered in Trisha’s ear what was happening with the other younglings. Trisha gasped and looked at Bálint before looking with wide-eyes at Kelan. A soft giggled followed as she shook her head.
“Oh man, do I feel sorry for Trelon,” Trisha said with a slow shake of her head.