The Fly House (The UtopYA Collection)

by Misty Provencher

  The blast of the sheathen's flame erupted, accompanied by the crack of Steven's gun.

  Heat ripped across Diem's back. The flesh rose in boiling lumps across his back as he breathed in Maeve's scent. He heard the anguished screams beneath him, around him, inside him. The heat peeled his skin. He could do little more than close his eyes on the misery that trapped him. He would take more, if his body was shielding Maeve and Karma and keeping them safe. But he had no way of knowing. The screaming became one deafening, deep voice that sounded just like his own.

  The burn was so deep, the only thought left in Diem's mind was a prayer for freedom.

  ***

  The heat burned her feet, but Maeve was pinned. Karma screamed beside her, the sound of Diem, gnashing his teeth, was in her ear. The ground jumped beneath them, tossing them centimeters in the air. They landed hard and Diem's muscles relaxed over Maeve's body, trapping her beneath him like rubble.

  "Diem," Maeve said, pushing her shoulder against him. No answer. "Diem!"

  No answer, no movement. Karma's panic turned to shrieking as both women wrestled their way out from under him. Face down in the dirt, Diem's arm was thrown over his face. His entire back was scorched black.

  Maeve twirled, looking for help. Looking for anymore danger. The huge mound of Diem's dragon had collapsed in the opposite direction, Forge's broken wing distended at an odd angle over the ground, but her eyes were open, blinking, at Diem. Trust was huddled by her side.

  Phuck was curled like a burnt, baby shrimp near the edge of the spindlings.

  Maeve turned and caught sight of Steven, laying flat on his back in the dirt beyond them, his clothing charred, the gun lying at his side. Maeve saw the weak rise of his chest.

  "Help him!" Maeve shouted to Karma and the girl, in shock, scuttled obediently to Steven. Maeve put her cheek to the ground beside Diem. She lifted his arm gently from his face. He moaned. "Diem!"

  He moaned again.

  "He's alive!" Maeve shouted to Karma.

  The shadows of dragons dusted over them and Maeve's blood went cold. She peered up at the sky and saw the sparkling snowflakes of an underbelly. It took her several blinks to recognize that they were not the hideous glinting plates of a Gall, but the shimmer of the Cirrus dragon's plates instead.

  The Rhas landed their dragons, one by one, within the confines of the small clearing.

  "We saw Forge's flame," Span shouted. He was quickly at Maeve's side, kneeling down beside Diem, assessing the fallen Rha. Span jumped to his feet, shouting to the other two Rhas, "We must hurry! Make a sling! We need to return him to Fly House immediately!"

  The men went to work, gathering. Maeve stepped back as they wrapped Diem painstakingly in massive shorb leaves and secured them with strips pulled from the trunks of spindlings. Diem groaned and Mark apologized as they tied together the crude stretcher.

  Span turned to instruct Maeve and she narrowed her eyes, trying to absorb every word despite the shock of it all. "Take him to the Fly House. Your dragon will carry the ends of the sling in his claws, but you must hover the dragon for them to remove him!" Span turned and pointed up at the massive trees surrounding the clearing. "You must have your dragon lift higher right away! The weight of the sling will be awkward and he can not bolt straight into the sky, or he will drop the sling. He must rise on an incline and lift with all his might or he will never make it over the tops of those spindlings!"

  Maeve nodded, whistling for Trust. She seated herself on his neck as she heard Karma shout at Impulse. The girl was still kneeling beside Steven, supporting him in her arms.

  "We will take all of them!" she roared at Impulse. "Phuck too! He was not aware that 1295 was hiding in the black hole of his face! He is not at fault and he is still alive...I will not leave him, or Steven, or my brother's dragon!"

  Maeve adjusted her seating on Trust and whistled for his ascent. Karma would take care of the rest. Maeve guided Trust into the air on an incline, feeling the heathen's exhausted body working to lift as he climbed toward the infinite, peaceful sky. They crested the trees and burst into the early light of day like a single, tenacious streak of hope, winging their way toward salvation over the liberated surface of the Earth.

  EPILOGUE

  In the days and months and years that followed, the landscape and the work remains relatively the same, but the human race has changed.

  Diem missed the surge of the initial celebration, but as he recovered from his burns, Maeve sat with him and together, they watched the antics of happiness and freedom rattle on from his bedroom window in the Fly House. The celebration of independence lasted for an entire season. Diem and Forge and even Trust's doused condition were all healed by the time it was through, so their recovery heralded a whole new celebration that extended for several weeks more.

  Upon arriving back at the Fly House, Karma tended to Phuck herself. She insisted upon it, as she was the one who had directly witnessed Phuck's courage in saving her from 1295. Phuck had come looking for Karma initially, but when they crossed paths on the way back from signaling the Hold House of the attack, 1295 had overtaken the overseer's body. Steven had aimed his gun and 1295 had grabbed Karma as a hostage. It had taken all of Phuck's inner strength to overpower 1295 and release his grip so that Karma could escape the singeing by Forge's flame.

  He recovered and re-constructed his human face, sans black hole. Phuck remains acutely aware of his being left behind by his planet. He was elated, until he was stuck watching Karma and Steven's relationship bloom. He pined for Karma for a long, long, long time. Some say he still does.

  Phuck finally found his value in the human community. He maintained connections in the Hope Market and helped to build a dragon empire in cooperation with the humans. He finally achieved the independence he had desired. Even after the true meaning of his moniker was revealed, he also opted to keep the name. He felt that the name Phuck was pretty badass.

  Karma tended to Phuck, but she had spent the majority of her time at Steven's bedside, encouraging his recovery. He was a hero like she'd never known. It was Steven's precisely aimed gunshot that killed 1295 and prohibited him from breaking back through the wormhole before Forge's flame was able to seal it completely.

  At his bedside, Karma watched over him with a certain obsession that Steven could appreciate.

  Karma and Steven were Linked, at the end of Cold Season 6. He was obsessed with her and she with him. Some say they'd never seen a couple so enchanted with one another. Steven became the dragon trade's chief accountant, tracking dragon sales and inventory. Karma became a midwife, delivering babies in the flourishing human community.

  Span took the position as chief overseer for all of the Earth's security forces. An avid protector of women in particular, he is known to show no leniency in cases of violence toward women. It is said that he wears a spindling locket around his neck with a lock of his daughter's hair within. He oversees all alien trade with Earth.

  Eon became the Earth's leading dragon salesman. He is a master in his profession, bringing great wealth to the Earth from his savvy transactions. During the last Cold Season, he also revealed himself proudly as shebele and was inundated with several male suitors.

  Casper married his studies of the environment. He continues to discover dozens of natural substances for use in everyday life. Everything from inks, to roof tars, to hybrid spices that the Hold House now grows to add to food for a variety of new tastes. He also successfully revived several animals from the Archive coffers, including mosquitos and cows and dogs. No one is happy about the mosquitos and the dragons keep eating the cows.

  Amber and Amy Linked with guards from the wall. All four became part of Span's security force, policing the Houses and maintaining the peace. Break, of Hold House, has joined with them to excavate tunnels beneath the ground that allow for food storage, travel, and enhanced security. The tunnels are also a brilliant precaution against any further alien attacks.

  Blink eventually came to. He was a
little loopy ever after.

  Flesh became head of the ground security. He lost 90 pounds, as did his dragon. They are now stealthy and accomplished fighters. Flesh offers dragon training for the coming-of-age and has been hailed as the Earth's most eligible senior bachelor.

  Impulse retired as Rha and began a new career as a culinary artist. He cooks for crowds who gather around his fire. He gained notoriety for popping pinches of spice into his food while shrieking, blam! The crowds love it.

  Shown settled comfortably into his position as grandpa. His House continues to prosper in peace. Mark branched out, handling all sky perimeter security with the help of his trusty dragon, All, whose tail has grown back beautifully. He and his brother, Break, have bets on whether or not the Plutians will ever find another wormhole back to Earth.

  Nearly Dead Dave got a new lease on life. Rejuvenated by the gorne, he has become Earth's gym coach, teaching recreational sports to the children from all five Houses. He and Eon plan to have a Linking ceremony during Hot Season Four.

  Pizant, the Hold House overseer, was drunk at the time of the battle. As of this writing, he still is. Pizant lives blissfully unaware of any change among the humans.

  Breathe and I are the volunteer grandparents to any and all children of Earth. We have developed a recipe, much like our archaic fudge that brings children to visit us daily. We also raise and domesticate hampigs, dogs, cats, ratfish and other animals as pets.

  The dividing walls were knocked down on the first day of Hot Season One. The Houses have expanded slowly, and the human race is busy, redesigning and re-growing their whole new planet.

  Diem and Maeve were Linked immediately in a ceremony attended by every human, Plutian, and dragon on Earth. They are known for training the finest dragons in the universe. While their techniques are incorporated in other planetary training programs, the Earth's dragons remain the standard of quality and are in highest demand.

  Maeve has also started a line of badass boots that are all the rage on Earth and Neptune, as well as the Cartwheel, Cigar, and Sombrero galaxies.

  The two are expecting their first child next month, to be delivered by Karma.

  Oh, and everyone curses. Happily.

  THE END

  <<<<>>>>

  SPECIAL THANKS

  God, it’s always about you and how you fill my heart. I am grateful.

  Thank you, Mom, for being my mom, and for sharing your genius. The moment you said, We all fight our dragons, only proved again how brilliant you are.

  Huge thanks to my beautiful daughter, Sydney, for the incredible artwork she did for The Fly House. Your creativity takes my breath away. I love you more.

  Thanks to my Lifelong Squeeze, Pook, and my favorite son, Nolan. Thank you for getting the take-out, watching TV somewhere else and working your lives around the writing of this book. I could never do any of this without you. I love you more.

  Warm hugs to “my Carol”, Carol Kunz. Thank you for your tireless support, your warmth, and most of all, your friendship. I adore you. Oh--and Peckers Up!

  A fifty-dragon salute to my incredible Beta Team: Candace Selph, Megan Bracken-Bagley, Lisa ‘Pisa’ Ammari, Kathryn Spells Grimes, Heather Love, Jackie McPherson, Kathryn Paquette, and Mindy Minz Janicke. Your comments and suggestions and conversations and WTFs? helped to make this book much stronger than what I could’ve done on my own. I am so grateful to have had the advantage of all your insights and brilliance.

  Thanks too to Amber Bradshaw and Amy Z for donating to the charity for the family who had lost their father in a motorcycle accident. Your hearts are huge.

  Huge hugs and sloppy kisses to my uber-supportive, Bad Ass Readers in Shining Armor: Amber Bradshaw, Kelly Schwertner, Colleen Blackstone, Shelley Bunnell, Dani Morales, Amy Laster Gagnon, Vanessa Jackson, Kelly Nagy, Kim Borochaner, Claire White and Kim Bond. Nothing’s more lovelier than you!

  Thanks to Amy Miles & Starla Huchton whose honest opinions helped me to create a cover I hope others love as much as I do.

  Thank you to all of the UtopYA staff, the readers, the bloggers, and the authors that I met at UtopYA. You know who you are! Its rare to feel so many connections all at once, but I was blown away with good feelings. I can’t wait to see you all again!

  GET YOUR EYES ON MORE OF MISTY PROVENCHER:

  THE CORNERSTONE SERIES

  (#1 Cornerstone, #2 Keystone, #3 Jamb, #4 Capstone)

  Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy

  Nalena Maxwell, nicknamed the Waste due to her mother’s paper hoarding, learns that her mother’s ‘problem’ is part of a much larger picture that encompasses the evolution of mankind.

  A young adult series that adults also love, these books offer clean and truly romantic romance, page-turning adventure, a bit of mystery and some metaphysical spice that will definitely enchant you.

  HALE MAREE

  New Adult, Contemporary Romance

  Living off welfare with her alcoholic father, Hale Simmons has a plan to crash out of her impoverished life by going to college. But, one night at the bar, her father witnesses something that changes both their lives forever. Hale’s dreams and schemes and future must now fit around an arranged marriage.

  Readers love this steamy and unexpected romance.

  FULL OF GRACE

  (companion book to HALE MAREE)

  New Adult Contemporary Romance

  Hale & Oscar’s wedding brings Best Man, Landon Grace and Maid of Honor, Sher Traifere together in more ways than one. Landon realizes a few months later that some one night stands need more from him than one night.

  Told from a male point of view, this book has received rave reviews for its humor, sizzling romance, and authentic male voice.

  MERCY, A GARGOYLE STORY

  New Adult Urban Fantasy

  After facing severe tragedy in life, Madeline assumes her death will be easy. But angels do not come to take her to Heaven. Instead, what retrieves her is a gargoyle.

  You’ve never read about gargoyles this way before. This dark fantasy is an intriguing morality play with an uplifting message.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Once a high school drop out and runaway, Misty Provencher became a college grad, and is now a full-time novelist with a close knit family. She doesn't do labels well. While she can ride a motorcycle, knows how to Karate chop, and has learned enough French, Spanish, and Sign Language to get herself slapped, Misty's life is the ruse she uses to connect with people. She is totally enchanted with them and spends her days trying to translate the soul bouquet of her muses into words.

  Misty Provencher lives in Michigan.

  Email her at TheFlyHouse2095@gmail.com

  Knock on her internet blog door at: http://mistypro.blogspot.com/

  On Facebook and Twitter as Misty Provencher

  Facebook Author Page: Misty Provencher’s Books