Dragon Born

by J N Moon

  “Oliver, if Teran is loose, then what’s happened to the Mither O’ Sea?”

  His gaze still fixed through the window, he took a sip of whiskey, “That’s what I was wondering lassie, that’s what I was wondering...”

  To break the silence, Conor interjected, “Well, let’s get unpacked, shall we?” And bustled past Oliver who broke out of his thoughts.

  A wry grin on his face, Oliver bid us well and left, leaving his contact number on the shelf next to the front door, but issued some advice, “I won’t be much help in your battle against that sea god,” patting his stomach, “I’m retired from fighting. I hope you find what you’re looking for, but honestly, the tales I’ve been told, I’d stay the hell away from him. We’re supernaturals, for sure...” And whispering, “But he’s a God!” He left and I noticed a small rucksack he picked up, no coat.

  Peering for a second through the small glass diamond window on the front door, Marcus added, “Yup, he’s shifting...”

  “Bear,” Conor added. “He’s a bear shifter,” and walking into the bungalow I asked, “Did you know that already?”

  “Nope, just know the scent.”

  I wondered how long it would take Elijah and Ava to get here, but for now Sabian and Conor busied themselves with Marcus, whilst Lucius pulled out various strange objects from his bag.

  The bungalow had incredible views across the ocean, perched back from the cliff edge, my stomach was hard and nauseous as I thought of Luke somewhere out here.

  Lucius turned to me, "When Marcus asked me to help, I'll be honest, I was unsure but I've never been one to fit into anywhere. Sabian is a good friend of Marcus's and knowing the kind of terror Teran can wreak, reluctantly I agreed but... he could be anywhere on this island. So I took time before I came to scry and try and pinpoint the area of Teran's lair, this is the closest I could find, though I suspect from what I've already found out that his cave is under the cliffs, possibly only accessible by that ocean." He stopped, looked out the window then pulled a strange black glass bowl from his bag, "This is a dark mirror, made of obsidian, I use it to see, well what we can't see with our eyes."

  Handing it to me, my hand buzzed with energy, it's silky smooth texture on my skin but it held immense power. Relief washed through me, easing the fear knotted in my stomach, I was glad this demon was on our side. I asked him, "So if he's under that, we can use the travel spell you've brought?"

  Rolling his bottom lip, he looked lost in thought, "I hope so Emma, none of us could withstand swimming there, the currents are too strong, even for the Nephilim." He scratched his cheek, "If we can't, we may need to summon those that dwell in the ocean, but I know nothing much about them, only what I've read and it would be even less likely that they'd even help."

  "What if we swam, shifted? Surely a werewolf could withstand those currents?"

  "Probably not, I’m not sure I’d want to try." Conor was standing beside me. "However strong we are, the ocean is far stronger. Don't worry, we'll figure it out."

  I watched as Lucius placed a cloth on the floor, it had an intricate design of a circle, pentagram and many other strange shapes and writing on it, then he placed five candles on it.

  "Is there a reason for five candles," I questioned.

  When Lucius smiled, you never really felt comfortable. I don't think this was because he was insincere, rather more that demons weren't made to be kind, "Five to represent, earth, air, fire, water and spirit. See, incense represents both air and spirit, here I have a piece of black tourmaline to represent the earth. Tourmaline is a particularly good stone for grounding. So I'm doubling up, both candles and tools. Magic is... with magic you have to believe in the outcome before you start, the tools, the rituals just reinforce what you're doing. I could teach you in the future but you'd have to be prepared to read a lot, most of it’s in Latin, I've started making journals translating it."

  "Thank you, I might very well take you up on that, it seems invaluable. Luke is well read, I wonder if he's been able to use any to help him?"

  Lucius rubbed his face, the others came over so we all, including Lucius, sat on the floor in a circle. "Maybe he has, it would be useful if he did, I could find him better."

  Almost squeaking with the idea that popped into my head- embarrassing, "What if... is there some way I can use my power, that light to aid you, though I admit I'm not great at using it, controlling it."

  His eyes grew wide, nodding, "Have you ever used that with Luke?"

  "Yes, when I first discovered it Luke helped me, being a dragon shifter, I assumed he'd had a clue."

  Conor grunted but I ignored him, it had been a good move after the nightmare long ago that I had been cautious about Conor.

  "Then I think it could help. So, before I try and find him using the dark mirror, I suggest we sit facing each other and you show me, slowly, what you can do. I'm not sure how, but if I see it, experience it then ideas come."

  As I sat there, willing the light to burn through my hands', I could feel the weight of their stares. My hands trembled, my mind drifted to a faint sound, something ethereal, haunting in the distance.

  "Emma! Emma!"

  Blinking rapidly, my head was dozy, like I'd just woken up but the light in my hands was blinding. I realised that for a few seconds I'd completely zoned out. Gulping hard, I tried to concentrate but again my mind drifted off, like I was dreaming of the ocean, being swept up in the waves and in the arms of a strong man, peaceful as he held me floating in that water, not concerned with the currents or waves.

  For a second, I was vaguely aware of voices around me, calling me back to the shore but it was too late, in bliss I had already given myself to the sea.

  "Argh!" I splattered as I found Lucius gently rocking me from behind. He was crouched over me, calling me, shaking me. In shock I looked him in the eye, "You were drifting," he whispered. "Caught in a spell, a dream..." He held my gaze as he moved and sat opposite me, and spoke even more quietly, "You heard the sound of the Selkie? Selkie are both male and female and unique to Orkney and Shetland, what's interesting is that you're the only one here who heard them, or him I'm betting? How do you feel?"

  He touched my hand; the light had gone and I shuffled, uncomfortably aware of the four men watching me.

  "I'm fine, just tired. Did it work, were you able to use the light?"

  Lucius looked around, got back up and offered me his hand up. I took it and he turned for us to go into another part of the house. "Guys, I think it's important we all hear what you and Emma have to say," Sabian implored.

  "You either trust me, or you don't. You need me so I suggest you start, I've helped you many times, much to the detriment of myself, by the way and for now, now I'm going to talk to Emma in private."

  For a few minutes they were quiet, and we found ourselves in a smaller room overlooking the vast cliffs, daylight was starting to wane now, and the sea was rougher than earlier.

  "I know you heard the Selkie, I could see it, that look you had, I've studied them obviously."

  I sniffed and wiped my nose, feeling a bit run down, the air here was so bracing but indoors it was incredibly warm, even on my feet. The underground heating penetrating through me.

  Shrugging, I asked, "What does it mean? Will they help me?"

  Smiling, he turned to look out to sea, "They might, or they might seduce you and then you'll be bonded for seven years, or so the tales go. Honestly, none of our kind has ever made contact with them, land and sea shifters tend to keep a wide berth, and I noticed that you're the only one who heard them, no one else."

  "What are they?"

  "Selkies, they're shifters. When at sea, they're seals but on land they can shift back to human form, the legend says the Selkie folk come to land and shed their seal skin, turning into humans and if you grab their skin, they can't turn back into a seal. But as soon as they can, they'll retrieve the skin and dive back into the water. If you get their skin whilst they're on land, they are bound to you for seven
years... but you were hearing them, their enchanting laughter, like the chiming of shells in the wind. You may be able to ask for help Emma, it is a risk but it may be our only hope. They, the others here won't like it, too much testosterone you see, but even with your light magic, I'm not certain I can transport you to the cave where Luke is being held."

  He paused and sat on the tiny sofa, this room is what they would call a snug, purposefully small and cosy, a room to hunker down in. I joined him on the sofa, for the first time I noticed his scent, sweet and exotic, his eyes oddly inhuman, I hadn't noticed that before. He seemed to melt into the furniture, touching my hand again with his as we watched the sun slowly dip into the ocean casting red orange shadows that elongated and trickled over the wild waves. So quietly that I almost had to strain to hear, he spoke, "There are creatures that live deep in the sea, they're unlikely to speak to us land dwellers and even less likely to go against Teran, his wrath would be terrible, but yes, they're there, mermen, women and other immortals living in the deep, hidden depths of the ocean. They, like us, survive only by being hidden from mankind, you know by now man destroys what he deems invaluable or doesn't understand. If mankind deems it valuable, he exploits it..."

  I knew enough that even if I got help from the sea shifters, it couldn't be tonight, even if the Selkie had come ashore. So my poor Luke would have to endure one more night. Whatever they said, and maybe it was stupid but I sank into Lucius's side letting my head rest on his shoulder and closed my eyes. I felt safe with him, after earlier I didn't want to be alone. He wrapped his arm around me like a brother, stretched out his legs and I fell into dreams of my dragon man, sea shifters and my demon by my side.

  Waking up to the sound of roaring surf below the cliffs, fighting winds, rock stacks, the sun glistened like spun gold through the window and in the distance, I saw the rock stack, casting a massive preternatural shadow onto the ocean below.

  Lucius looked so innocent sleeping, it was hard to believe he was a demon. Carefully I untangled myself from him and got up to look out of the window. It was hard to realise this was all real, those early morning waves thrashing and the sounds whispered gently in my ears, the Selkie were singing, or laughing. I crept quietly to the bathroom, the other three must've gone to bed, I hoped nobody would wake up. Splashing warm water on my face helped, after the cold yesterday my skin was still flushed. The wind, even though I'd only been out for a number of minutes had really bitten into my bones, now that was hard to remember. As I went to the kitchen, relieved that there was some food, I grabbed a banana and a glass of milk, I wanted coffee but at the same time I didn't want to wake the others. Then I rummaged in my bag for another fleece to put on, my woolly hat, pulled out my gloves and my massive lined waterproof jacket. Finally, sunglasses, the sun was bright and the reflection would be blinding, then I snuck out content that no one knew.

  The wind nipped and bit every bit of flesh I had exposed, which was only the top of my face. I'd wrapped a scarf around my neck and lower face, but the glasses helped to keep it from making my eyes stream. Bracing to say the least, I stood and followed the eyeline of the cliff looking for the path leading down, slowly wandering. Not close to the edge, I saw a sign near a wild bush that indicated it was about five hundred yards further. The whole landscape has a harsh beauty, few trees grow here on the island, making the breezes more intense but it was so clean and thick with salt.

  The path was treacherous, the wind never let up and I had to lean back and watch carefully, one foot then the other down. No handrails or anything to grab, I wondered if I'd die just trying to get to the shoreline. But their voices, carried on the gust were mesmerising, instantly I felt like I was walking in a dream, but as the path clung and veered, I couldn't yet see them. My heart started to race, would they be in human form, how would they react to me, they'd know surely by instinct that I wasn't human and as Lucius said, I was the only one who could hear them last night. I had to see them, to speak to them and without the four other men scaring them away or trying to talk me out of it. Every minute was precious, shuddering at the thought of Luke with Teran doing God knows what, and wrapped in a heady haze of the song of the Selkie, I somehow stepped up my pace.

  Finally stepping lower down, I scanned the area but the tide was too high to walk near the sea, my body froze with that wrath of nature before me, but in the distance on the skerries, the little rocky islands, I could see figures. Standing still in shock of what my eyes perceived and the might of the ocean were indeed people but their skin glistened under the morning sun, silver grey like the seals. Their voices louder now, it was like walking on clouds, though I was wasn't moving, their sounds embracing my soul, high and soft like chimes in the wind, long hair sweeping back from the gusts as slowly one by one they jumped into the water. No! I thought, but however hard I tried, opening my mouth no noise came out, like I was muted. Small sheen of sweat broke as I saw my chance to help Luke slip away, unable to reach them without risking death and yet unable to speak. I needed to think fast, to do something but the sea... I have a great fear of it and here especially. Bracing myself, would I die for love? Wasn't that the right thing, I stepped off the safety of the dry land and jumped into that icy torrent of ocean.

  The Legend of the Selkies.

  Emma

  Going down into the freezing darkness, I gasped, fought with the tide, the currents pulling me under. Fear gripped me but I battled the onslaught of those boiling seas. A watery grave, who would help Luke now, what was I thinking but it was all too late. This weird life, I'd soon be joining Ethan, though they'd never find my body. Every time I splashed to stay above, more waves cascaded, pounding down on me, mocking me at my ignorance, down it forced me until he swooped me up so fast, so powerful and before I knew it, I was standing on the ledge of the cliff bottom where I'd been before I'd stupidly thought I could swim to them.

  Shivering, panic clenched me, tears betrayed my strength but his eyes were kind, lips curved a little, "Come!" and he stood wrapping his muscular arms around me so I might take some of his heat. How could he be warm? "Shhh..." and for a time which seemed like hours, I couldn't speak.

  "Well, now that's done it, I have to be betrothed to you for seven years. Foolish... but you're not human. You heard us didn't you, you've come for the dragon?"

  His hair like seaweed fell across his face, huge dark eyes framed by thick brows and long lips, this silver- grey man stood before me now with sadness, looking down to the ground, he sighed deeply. Trying to speak whilst my teeth chattered from the cold, "I did... h... h... hear you. Luke, th... that's right, you know where he is?"

  Turning, he pointed to what looked like a cove in a cliff bottom, impossible to reach unless you're a Selkie.

  "I don't want to... take you from your family, I release you from the bond, I'm s... so sorry, I have to find Luke. Why was I the only one to hear you?"

  His eyebrows knotting, voice raised, "There are others?"

  "Not humans, we're only here to rescue Luke and..." and then I whispered hoping the wind wouldn't carry my words, "To kill Teran."

  Looking beyond him, his family, his community had shifted to their animal form but were watching us, their large sad eyes.

  I touched his arms, "I'm Emma,"

  Raising his eyes to meet mine, "My human name is Kai. But Emma, you need to warm up, look at you, you’re shivering so bad. Had you been human you’d possibly be beyond help now.”

  He eyed me up and down, sniffing, “What are you?”

  “Well... and I don’t want you to freak out, I’m a werewolf but also I cast- if that’s the right word, celestial light, or so I’ve been told. I thought it was fire but...”

  Slowly nodding, he grinned, “Werewolves don’t harm my kind, well you’re the first one I ever met. Not human...”

  “So you see, you don’t have to be bound to me because that only applies to humans, not that I don’t appreciate you. I love another and I would never stand in the way of a man and his family.”
I rambled like an idiot but it was hard to keep it together because I nearly just died and this strange preternatural man who was both gorgeous and naked stood right before me. I maintained eye contact at eye level.

  “Can you get back by yourself? I will help but the others?”

  “Kai, my friends are two werewolves, a Nephilim and a demon but... Lucius is like no other.”

  “Lucius is here, Emma what the hell did you do?”

  Startled, I looked around and Lucius was bounding down the cliff path like it was no problem at all with Sabian and Conor watching from the top.

  Kai instinctively backed away, his arms out, hands splayed then I noticed the slight webbing between his fingers.

  “Kai it’s ok, it’s safe.”

  Lucius spoke quickly and calmly, “Kai, would you be able to get Emma to the cave where he is holding Luke? Listen, Emma what if you used your gift, your light to keep you insulated under the water? We’re not asking you to join us Kai, not at all, just to guide us. I have a spell that will shield us from him.”

  Kai looked at the sea, his friends and family wavered, then looked back to me. “We would be glad to help and we will get assistance. I won’t discuss this now but yes. Low tide is midday, meet me here then.”

  “Thank you!” I hugged him tightly and watched as he sprinted off then turned around and I took Lucius’s hand as he pulled me back up the path, ploughing me with questions.

  Back at the house, I ran a steaming hot bath and Sabian brought me a mug of hot chocolate, which I was grateful. Shivering as the bath filled up, Lucius popped his head around the door knocking lightly at first, “Emma, once you’re warm let me know and I’ll talk you through the spell, I think it’ll work and will help you keep your light burning under the ocean.” He paused, “I think it will also act as a torch, a beacon so you’ll be able to see,” he flashed a smile, his eyes wide. I nodded smiling back then closed the door undressed and sunk into that piping hot water.

  For thirty minutes I lay there not thinking of anything except the heat and drink that my hands cupped.