“That’s a chopper?” Brendan finally spoke.
“A helicopter to be precise, but yes, that’s a chopper,” I nodded. “The propellers and engine keep it in the sky.”
“You don’t want to be in that damn thing in a storm, though. Get blown right into the sea,” Seth added on.
“You have to fly above storms,” Brendan said matter-of-factly.
“Can dragons do that?” Seth asked.
“Obviously,” Brendan said walking towards the chopper. “Alpha, can I see inside of this thing?”
Seth shrugged his shoulders at me as if to say, ‘I warned you finding your true-mate isn’t what it’s made up to be.’
I pulled open the door on the chopper and Brendan climbed inside without waiting around for my help.
“What are all these things for?” He sat down and pointed at the buttons.
“To navigate,” I said as I climbed into the other side of the chopper.
For a moment we sat in silence, but it didn’t last. Soon, our inner beasts put their two cents in.
“We’re not going to dig up the island for profit,” my wolf spoke first over our mating link.
“You’re not digging up my island for any reason. The island belongs to my family. It’ll belong to our eldest omega hatchling next. It stays with egg layers, because Alpha’s can’t be trusted not to sell it off or something. Alpha’s can just up and leave. Egg layers must stay with their nests,” Brendan said.
“You think I’m going to leave you?” My wolf stood up in my chest.
His irritation washed over me leaving a sour taste in my mouth. The argument belonged to me and Brendan as much as it belonged to our inner beasts. Reaching under the seat, I pulled out the bottle of brandy I kept stashed for emergencies.
“Pour me one too,” Brendan huffed.
“Really?” I arched a brow.
“I don’t know about wolves, but omega dragons can handle our liquor just fine,” he crossed his arms.
“No cups,” I said taking a swig from the bottle and handing it off to him.
He took a long swig, cringed, shook his head, and handed it back to me.
“I’m not going anywhere without you,” I said and took another swallow.
“Guys, can you decide where to build your white picket fence later?” Seth climbed inside next to me. “I gotta job coming up. If the boat’s not running, I can’t get anywhere.”
“He’s not going to shut up about that boat, is he?” Brendan laughed.
The brandy did its job.
“You did wreck it.” I smirked.
“Yes, but that’s because he smelled like you. Besides he was the first person we saw since Corden cursed us!” Brendan said.
“You didn’t have to wreck the damn thing! Try asking next time!” Seth growled.
Turning to face him I growled back.
“Don’t growl at my mate, brother, or your face will match that Frost-damned boat of yours. Yes, he wrecked it, but we’ll fix it. I paid for the damn thing in the first place.”
“And I paid you back every cent you invested!” Seth growled.
I took a swig of brandy and handed him the bottle. He was right. Brendan shouldn’t have wrecked the boat. The human part of me understood and sympathized with him. The primal side of me said a boat was nothing to compared to a mate and he shouldn’t growl at mine.
Seth handed the bottle back to me and I passed it off the Brendan. He took a long swig nearly polishing off the bottle before handing it back to me.
“Let me go see what we can do about the boat,” I said to Brendan and then added. “I’m not going anywhere so we can finish this conversation after Seth is out of our fur.”
“Scales,” Brendan said.
“Is that a dragon curse?”
“No, I have scales not fur.”
“Sorry, mate,” I said and climbed out of the chopper.
Brendan stayed inside while I walked down to the beach with Seth to examine the damage done to his fishing boat.
“I know he’s your mate, but you have to admit this is fucked up,” Seth said.
“He was desperate. What else was he supposed to do?” I asked.
“You should have brought the brandy with you,” Seth said.
“Nah, I left it for Brendan, so he doesn’t roast you alive,” I chuckled. “What’s really bothering you? This isn’t the first time we’ve had to fix this damn boat in a pinch.”
“I miss Stacy,” Seth shrugged.
We finished the walk down to the shore in silence. Stacy’s name left both of us without anything else to say. Nothing we said would bring her back from the Other World. Seth managed to get the boat on shore, so the tides didn’t drag it out to sea. Huge splintering chunks of the bottom were knocked out and part of the hull was bashed in on a rock.
“Clear out what’s left in there and I’ll go find the best trees the island has to offer,” I told him.
“Is this a special boat or will a replacement do?” Brendan asked swooping from the sky and landing next to us.
The sun kissed his face and danced on his lashes. I wanted to pull him into my arms and remind both of us what we waited so long for.
“Why?” Seth asked.
“We have ships or at least we did before the war. I bet some of them are still waiting to meet the sea.”
“Don’t you think they would have rotted by now?” Seth huffed.
“Dragon metal doesn’t rot and no it doesn’t sink either, before you ask!” Brendan turned on his heels and grabbed my hand. “Come on, I’ll show you.”
This time he waited for me to walk instead of pulling me along behind him.
“He’s just realizing his strength,” my wolf chuckled. “We’ve been talking. There are still things to work out, but I think we’re on better ground.”
You two can talk without us hearing you?
“Only when you aren’t paying attention. I’ll catch you up on it later. There are somethings I don’t have the answer to. Digging up the past is your expertise, not mine.”
“You coming, brother?” I looked back over my shoulder at Seth.
He cursed under his breath and ran to catch up with us.
The island was larger than it looked from the chopper. The island was littered with ruins and battlefields. I kept my eyes on Brendan and didn’t let my mind wander to what secrets of the past they might hide. Though, my career began as a way to find Brendan, I wasn’t sure if I could give it up altogether. There was something about digging up the past and piecing it together. Solving the mystery of where we all came from and bringing forgotten people, places, and rituals back into sight was a high. Though, what happened when someone from the past didn’t like the idea of being dragged into the light? For a moment, I considered leaving my modern life behind. The ancient Moonscales and Hemlocks used magic for many things modern humans used electricity for. They conquered the worlds of reliable indoor plumbing long before the Romans thought to build ravines throughout their cities. They didn’t even have public baths to spread their diseases from person to person.
“We’re almost there,” Brendan said bringing my thoughts back to the present moment. “See that cave mouth up there? On the other side of the cave is where we keep the ships.”
“Why hide ships? Were you afraid someone would run away?” Seth asked.
“No. They were a backup in case we needed to escape the island,” Brendan explained looking down at his feet.
“Then don’t you think they’re gone. I mean, wouldn’t everyone have left the island when Corden started his shit?” Seth asked.
My wolf stood up and I put a hand on Seth’s chest to keep him from going any farther.
“Why don’t you wait out here while Brendan and I checkout what’s going on,” I told him.
“Whatever you say, brother. I’m just being realistic.”
“He doesn’t mean to be a jackass. He comes by it honestly,” I told Brendan over our mating link.
“A
n asshole and a graverobber,” Brendan shook his head.
“I’m not a graverobber. The field’s more interested in finding artifacts people used while they were alive,” I told him as he led the way into the cave.
“I don’t want to talk about it right now. I believe you won’t dig up the island, but what about the other islands? What about other people’s families?” He shook his head.
“You do know without archaeology we’d never have met, right?” I stopped just inside the cave and asked him.
I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth. They were true, but Brendan’s face fell three levels and his frustration twisted my stomach. He dropped my hand and turned to face me.
“Okay,” he nodded. “Fine.”
“I’m not saying it’s right or wrong. I’m just saying that some middle ground exists. We’re not digging for buried treasure. We’re trying to discover where we came from and understand who we are. For a long time, anything discovered about shifters humans pushed aside. They believed it was just ‘misunderstood’ or ‘planted’ as a hoax. Now, with their backwards governments out of the way we have a real chance to understand how we evolved. How our ancestors lived.”
“Well, don’t dig up my island. I’ll tell you how we lived. More than that I can show you how we lived just like you showed me climate change.”
“The rest of the world will never believe me,” I laughed.
“Why do you care about the rest of the world?” Brendan asked.
“Good question,” my wolf joined in.
“Don’t they have the right to know?”
“About my island?” Brendan threw his hands in the air. “Do you know how this island survived so long? By not letting the world in on the secret!”
“Fine, we don’t have to tell anyone!” I balled my fists in frustration. “I wasn’t looking for this damnable island. I was looking for you. Am I curious what the ruins hide? Yes! Anyone would be! What if you found the remains of an old settlement Frost and Juda lived at? Wouldn’t you want to explore it?”
“Not if someone still lived there!” Brendan growled. “And what about your brother? Who’s he going to tell?”
“He’s a recovering addict! No one would believe him if he walked up to the new prime minister and told her everything! Even if he did, I’m not the one who dragged him here!”
Brendan took two steps away and stopped.
“Are you coming or not? It’s annoying when I’m too far away from you. I miss you. I just met you and I miss you if I can’t feel the warmth of your body. It’s annoying. Everyone says it’s a lovey-dovey mate your brains of time, but it’s annoying, Rhett. I don’t even know why we’re fighting!”
“Because everyone is dead,” his dragon finally roared over our mating link. “Everyone is dead, or they ran away and left us stuck here! And eventually, sooner or later, you will too!”
Brendan looked down at his feet and a tear drop plopped into the dirt.
“Hey,” I grabbed his hand. “Is that how you really feel? You think I’m just going to take off and leave you? I’d have to be crazy to do something like that! I spent way too long searching for you to do that! Do you know what’s more aggravating than missing someone you just met when they’re out of arm’s reach? What about missing someone you’ve never met? What about missing someone that sometimes you aren’t even sure exists? So, no, I’m not going to take off and leave you. The thing about true-mating responses is they go both ways.”
“They’re gone,” Brendan looked around. “This place should be full of black smiths, apprentices, and ship makers. Hatchlings should be gathered four thick around the cave opening watching them work!”
As he spoke, I saw the world he once knew. My heart ached for him. I opened my mouth ready to say that we’d find out what happened to them. That maybe some of them left and were alive somewhere else. The Moonscales were still around so someone made it out alive. My wolf clamped my mouth closed.
So, I shut up and quit trying to fix the problem to which there was no solution and pulled him into my arms. Heavy tears rolled down his cheeks onto my shredded shirt. I hadn’t bothered to change back at the chopper, because I only brought one extra.
“He killed everyone and he’s coming back for me.”
I pushed Brendan’s hair out of his face and pressed my forehead against his. I didn’t have an ancient wonderland to show him, but I shared my search for him. Every false lead and broken hope. The long nights spent reliving my journey to the Other World and the words the shaman spoke. If my words weren’t enough to assure him, I’d fight for him and never leave him alone, maybe showing him my search would bridge the gap his grief left between us.
“I’ve trespassed. I’ve fought robbers and governments to go on my digs. I’ve stood nose-to-nose with Clarence Moonscale himself to follow a lead to find you. I’m not going to leave you or let anyone hurt you. I’m no wizard or magi, but I am a wolf. We’ve survived against the odds by relying on cunning and kinship. Whatever fight comes our way we’ll face it.”
Brendan opened his mouth but dissolved into tears again. He buried his face into my chest, and I lowered us both to the ground to sit down. Seth peeked inside the cave, but I shook my head at him. His boat would have to wait a bit longer.
Chapter Fourteen
Brendan
My dragon’s wailing cries echoed around my skull as I held onto Rhett for dear life. He was my lifeline. The world smelled familiar and warm, but cold ate away at me from the inside out. I needed to pull myself together. I was Brendan Moonscale descendant of Frost and Juda. I faced challenges head on and won. Well, usually won. Corden beat me with a curse.
My dragon wailed long after my tear ducts ran dry. The world receded and only Rhett’s new warm scent resided with me. He held me tight and whispered words I couldn’t make out above the cries inside my heart. Dragons needed their flight. We were like scaled birds leaning on each other and pulling close during times of chaos.
“I’ll kill him for you. I’ll hunt him down to the ends of the earth and the Other World and I will kill him no matter the cost.”
The words came across our mating link. I wasn’t sure if they belonged to Rhett or his wolf, but it didn’t matter. Just as my dragon and I were one in the same, so were they.
“I’m patient. I waited and followed dead leads hundreds of times over. Maybe thousands of times over to find you. If he hasn’t moved on, we’ll find him and have revenge, if that’s what you need.”
I fell asleep while Rhett murmured soothing words. Sleep was the last thing I wanted, but I was weary on a soul level. Sleep was my only sanctuary.
My dreams were broken pieces of the past mingled with the information surge from Rhett’s memories. Ancient castles and busy city streets crossed paths. Boats, cars, and planes all circled the island like sharks waiting for a stranded man to die on a raft. Corden’s stormy eyes danced behind every scene as if he were a puppet master pulling all the strings. Rhett’s scent was everywhere, but no matter where I searched, I couldn’t find him. My parents danced in the ruins of the castle courtyard. They didn’t glance at me when I passed by. They’re somewhere else now anyway. The world, my world, at least, was populated by ghosts and phantoms.
“We should wait,” Rhett said from somewhere outside my dream. “We don’t know what sort of magic the dragons have on the ships if they’re still out there.”
“I’ll take my chances. I have less than forty-eight hours to make it back in time to take that job. I need the cash, baby brother. I can’t wait around for Brendan to wake up!” Seth growled.
“He’s been through hell and back! Shut up and let him sleep!” Rhett hissed.
“He’s gotten enough beauty sleep to last him a lifetime! I’m going to see if there’s even a damn ship left out there!” Seth growled.
I blinked the fog of sleep away from my mind and sat up in time to see Seth about to cross the barrier and leave the cave. He didn’t press the secret safety but
ton. Rhett was hot on his heels.
“WAIT! ALPHA!” I shouted.
Rhett looked over his shoulder as the boulder began to swing from the high ceiling. My wings sprung free from my back and I glided across the room knocking him to the ground and catching Seth by the leg to take him down too.
“What the fuck?” Seth growled.
The boulder passed over head scraping against a long patch of my left wing that I didn’t move in time. Pain seared through the wing and down my spine. Rhett twisted under me looking to see what happened, but I held him in place. The boulder passed over us again, but this time all my body parts were out of the way.
“What the hell was that?” Seth asked.
“That was what I tried to warn you about!” Rhett growled. “Brendan! Are you okay?”
“It just scraped my wing! I’ve had worse! It’s no worse than how my ass felt after romping in the cave,” I lied. It was definitely worse than that, because there was no pleasure to make up for the pain.
The boulder swung by again slower this time. I turned to my side and held up an arm to stop it. With its momentum spent the amethyst boulder was easy to stop.
“Let me see your wing,” Rhett wriggled out from under me.
I stood up and tried to fly the boulder back up to the ceiling where it belonged. Pain seared down my wing again.
“Broken. Needs set soon,” my dragon said through gritted teeth.
“Seth, I should take you out to sea and drown you!” Rhett growled, but didn’t leave my side after hearing my dragon’s announcement.
“Don’t worry, Alpha,” I gritted my teeth. “Just set it. Dragons heal quickly.”
“What the hell was that?” Seth demanded.
The Sleeping Omega Prince Page 7