"Ralphie! I was so worried about you while you were gone!" Mae exclaimed, holding her little boy tightly. It was a moment before she noticed Kayzer, because she was far too consumed in hugging her son after the exceptionally long separation period she had endured. After she had all but squeezed the life out of Ralph, and Ralph done the same to her, she turned her attention to Kayzer.
"Ralphie, who is this that you've brought? And why is he carryin' around blue rocks?" Mae asked, giving Kayzer a once over before turning her gaze back to her son.
"This is Kayzer, mom. He's the guy I was taking to the mountains, the guy that was hurt by the carnival. Thing of it is, when we were going to the mountains, I was just too sad to part with him. We kinda developed something special together when we were going," Ralph explained, trying not to spring too much on his mother at once.
"Something special?" She asked. "You mean you like this guy? Like, like him, Ralphie? A bit sudden, don't you think?" Mae asked, skeptic about this. Still, she wasn’t yelling, nor was she glaring daggers at Kayzer like Ralph had expected, which meant that things were going well so far.
"Yeah. I do like like him, and in the course of our trip together we ended up getting tangled up together, and we had something special happen. See, those ain't rocks he's carrying. They're eggs," Ralph explained as delicately as possible.
"Ralph! Don't be stupid! Humans don't have eggs!" Mae replied immediately, offended her son would tell such a total lie.
Kayzer wasn't sure if he should say anything or not. He just looked to Ralph for some sort of sign to go ahead and tell his mother the truth, or if they were just going to make up some story about how they found the eggs.
"Um, Kay, it might be best for you to explain. Just be honest," Ralph said. It was easier for Kayzer to explain seeing as it was his body, so Ralph was leaving this to him.
"Okay. Well, ma'am, I'm not actually a human. I'm a dragon. We have the capability of changing to a human form, it's why I'm like this now. These eggs are ours. I didn't think it was possible for a human and a dragon to produce eggs but it seems I have been proven wrong. To my clan, these eggs are an abomination. They will destroy them if I go to them. We want to protect them and give them a good future. You are a mother, I'm sure you understand," Kayzer spoke softly, trying to be blunt and straight to the point. These eggs were not safe in the dragon world, but they could be safe in the human world until they were able to fend for themselves in the wild.
"A dragon? You're a dragon! There's no way in hell--" Mae began, overwhelmed by what she was hearing here. Her son had mated with a dragon? There was no way that could have happened, much less the man before her really be a dragon! She would much rather go on believing that her son had found a friend who just liked to carry around rocks than actually accept the story that was being given to her.
"Ma, he really is . . . I'm sure you've heard talk around town about the dragon escaping from old Barnabus, and it's true. I helped him, because they beat him and treated him awful. Then we got a little frisky on our way to his tribe, had the eggs, and his mom and dad tried to crush them," Ralph jumped in. "I'm sorry for lying and saying I was helping a person escape, but I didn't think you would approve," he explained.
Mae went quiet at that for a while and considered what she was being told. "And your family would really try to kill your children?" She asked Kayzer solemnly.
Kayzer was quiet for most of the conversation, but he nodded when Mae asked to question. He could see the look of disgust and hatred in his father's eyes. The dragon would have destroyed the eggs right in front of them if Kayzer hadn't ran off when he did.
"Yes, my father demanded that the eggs were to be handed over to him and destroyed, so I took them and left as fast as I could. I don't want to lose my hatchlings. They’re all I have now. The carnival stripped me of everything, and my entire tribe has abandoned me because I mated with Ralph.” Ralph blushed a little bit at Kayzer so brazenly mentioning that they had had sex together, but at least their story was straight and hopefully his mother would take pity on them both of what had happened with Kayzer’s tribe.
"As stupid as I think you boys are for having kids just right as soon as you met, I'm not going to stand by and let something terrible like that happen," Mae said. She had empathy being a mother herself, so she wanted to protect Kayzer here. "You and your children will be safe under my roof."
“Thank you so much ma!” Ralph said, taking his mother into a big hug.
“You’re welcome . . . But you two had better pull your own weight! Don’t think I’m giving out handouts due to your lack of judgement and common sense!” she said. “I mean, I always wanted to be a grandmother, but this is ridiculous! You’re springing this on me out of no where!”
“I’m sorry ma! I didn’t mean to!” Ralph said, excusing himself rather lamely, but he was just glad that his mother accepted them. He hadn’t expected things to be so easy, but then again, seeing as his children were almost killed by the dragons, he could see why his mother was quick to jump in to the rescue for them.
“No problem! I will pull my weight, I swear!” Kayzer said, giving his new mother in law a hug. “Thank you for letting me keep my family!”
“Everyone deserves to have their children be safe,” Mae said softly, returning the hugs of both of the boys and smiling. She was just glad everyone was home. She could tell the boys had been through a lot, and though she wasn’t necessarily in favor of their decisions, she was glad they were home safe and sound . . . Even if it did mean the headcount in her home was going to be three more than she was used to. The thought of having a big, happy family mitigated her worries.
Deep Dragon Desires
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Chapter 1
Time was a thing that Rasenth rarely concerned himself with. To a being over one thousand years old, time was an impermanent and arbitrary concept for the most part. However, now that two hatchlings were added to his tribe, and food was becoming scarcer than ever in the Madrigal mountains, the clock was ticking.
Ice capped mountains were a paradise for ice dragons in theory. Challenging an ice dragon in their home environment was akin to committing suicide, and only wind dragons could manage to fly sufficiently alongside an ice dragon in the perilous icy gusts, and so ice dragons were completely protected from enemy barrage when in their icy fortress. However, they couldn’t feed on the ice that protected them, and mountain goats were becoming ever rarer, as were human caravans passing through.
Rasenth felt the desperation of the situation ever growing, and he increasingly started to look towards the fertile fjord to the south. Sometimes he’d spend hours looking at it--surveying it. He had to find a way to overtake it for his clan.
On such a night when he took to looking out from his icy cave to the fertile land of the south, he heard a strong female voice come from behind him. “What are you thinking, Rasenth?”
It was Lyshara, the second most powerful dragon in the clan, and the “big sister” of the lot. She took care of the domestic affairs, and was the chief aid for Rasenth in procuring food for everyone. She was also the only one brave enough to approach him while he was so obviously lost in thought.
“That I should kick you out of the cluster of caves my chambers resides,” Rasenth replied bitterly, growling lowly. When he got no response, a silence fell upon them for a time, but if he were to tell his plan to anyone, Lyshara was a good candidate. “I was thinking about the history of the clan.”
“Oh?” Lyshara asked, taking tentative steps towards him. Her hair was cropped and spiked up, the whiteness of her locks making it seem as if frost was growing from her head. She certainly wasn’t the most beautiful, but she was strong enough to earn her keep, and even Rasenth’s respect.
“When I was only a few hundred years o
ld, just finished growing really, the clan occupied the valley. No one had to go hungry there,” Raseth said. “Unfortunately, we had three elders in our clan, and disputes broke out about who belonged as the alpha. Then, during a sweltering summer, the Inferno clan drove us out to the mountains, and the clan split up in all different ways.”
Lyshara took a few steps closer to Rasenth, so she could look down on the fjord as well. For her, she felt safe in the mountains. Even an ice dragon on an empty stomach could fend off any attackers without issue here, but she could tell that Rasenth wasn’t of the same mind as she was on that issue.
“That fjord is indefensible, and the summers are too warm for us. We’re safer here,” Lyshara said.
“We can be safe from enemy claws, perhaps, but when we’re nothing but scales and bones, safety won’t seem as important,” Rasenth said, making Lyshara wonder what exactly they should do. Winter was upon the fjord, so overtaking it from the fire dragons would be possible, but maintaining it would be a different question altogether, and that’s what gave Rasenth pause. “The question is how we can take the fjord’s resources without having to defend it come summer,” Rasenth said, half to himself and half to Lyshara.
“Maybe we don’t take the fjord at all, but we work out a trade with the Inferno tribe?” Lyshara proposed. The Frost clan was a very wealthy clan, and if the Infernos wanted to trade or barter, it was possible for a relationship to prosper between them. The only problem was that most of the Frost’s wealth was holdovers from Rasenth’s youth, in which he was an adventurous dragon, happy to pillage anything in sight. Now the wealth wasn’t exactly pouring in anymore, and the Frost’s would have to find a new source of wealth to tap into if they wanted the relationship to last.
“That’s fine to start, but it would be hard to keep up, unless you want to start pillaging. It’s a dangerous enterprise, but not impossible if you want to try it,” Rasenth replied.
“We’ll find a way,” Lyshara replied. The least they could do is try to meet up with the Infernos and strike some sort of deal.
“I wish I could be as optimistic,” Rasenth said quietly. “Go now, I am tired,” he said, and Lyshara followed his order. Tomorrow, they could visit the Inferno clan, but there was nothing to be done tonight. So Lyshara retired to her chambers, and Rasenth to his. He rose earlier than anyone, however, and he set off towards the fjord.
Chapter 2
Rasenth flew from the mountains in his fierce dragon form. He was a large dragon, unrivaled by size by any in his clan, and only matched by one of the fire dragons that he was going to meet. His body was nearly covered in lethal weapons to use in combat, and that was all notwithstanding his powerful freezing breath. Along his back were razor sharp spikes of ice going from the crown of his fierce head to the base of his mace ball tipped tail; on his pointed face a pair of curved, scythe shaped tusks of ice on either side of his mouth, and row upon row of fearsome teeth. Then, of course, his jagged icy claws that could hold anything fast in their grip unless Rasenth chose to let it go. He was an elder dragon, a creature to be feared. However, even as an elder, he recognized his vulnerability moving into enemy territory by himself, and so once he was about a mile from the territory that the Inferno clan claimed for itself, he changed into his vulnerable human form and approached the grounds cautiously, trying to send the message that he came in peace.
Some sentries in their dragon forms caught his approach and flew down, but they were both adolescents who could easily see that they shouldn’t pick a fight with the man in front of them--not to mention he gave them no reason to. So, they turned into their human forms as well and approached him.
“Why are you here, Rasenth?” a boy, probably no older than fifty, asked. He was a spring chicken as far as Rasenth was concerned, but he was coming here on good faith, and so he would have to conduct himself respectfully.
“I would like a council with Tazour,” Rasenth replied. The two sentries shot each other a glance, as if asking what they should do in this situation. Rasenth waited a moment, but they seemed flabbergasted. It was quite obvious they weren’t used to having an ice dragon in their midst.
“If you would like, I will remain here until you can make contact with Tazour and tell him that I request an audience,” Rasenth said. “I would like to speak with him about a trade agreement,” Rasenth said, as he figured that would pique Tazour’s interest.
“How can we trust you by yourself here?” one of the sentries asked, a bit skeptical of leaving a powerful ice dragon in their territory.
“Because if I did try to attack, your clan would easily be able to kill me. I’m alone, and your clan has twenty dragons--five of them full grown and one an elder, if I recall. I would have no chance,” Rasenth replied, and his point was duly taken. The two sentries flew off to talk to their elder, and Rasenth sat down on the snow powdered grass and allowed himself to relax and enjoy the cold until the sentries returned.
“Tazour says you may come, but he doesn’t want you in your dragon form,” the younger of the sentries said the Rasenth, and he simply nodded and continued his approach while the sentires ascended and began circling the skies of their territory.
Though it was a rather long walk, Rasenth entered the village of the Inferno clan and was lead to the wigwam of Tazour.
In his wigwam, Tazour was sitting cross legged, his back to the entrance where Rasenth was standing. In front of him was a large branch which he was skillfully carving into a ornate ornament. It was a hobby he had taken up in the last two centuries which allowed him to focus his energy, and to keep his infamous temper under control. Tazour was a creature whos fury was best left sleeping, if one wanted to keep their life.
Rasenth stood at the entrance until he was invited in, and frowned when he saw there was a fire in the center pit of the dwelling. Too much heat made him feel rather ill, not to mention weakening him. Then again, considering he was a possible enemy, that was in all likelihood done on purpose.
For the moment, Rasenth pretended not to be bothered by it, but he was somewhat surprised when he saw Tazour facing away from him. He thought it spoke a little to the famed arrogance that Tazour was known for--which was only second to his strength. Still, Rasenth was not going to let himself be stalled by the strange welcome, and so he took his seat across from Tazour after bowing briefly in respect. He allowed Tazour the first word, of course, as it was only right to allow the owner of the dwelling to have the first word. Rasenth was at Tazour’s mercy in a way, though he would endeavor not to show it. A little respect was still very much warranted though.
As Tazour elegantly swept his carving knife back and forth along the wood, his biceps bulged and retracted. It certainly showed off his powerful arms. Even in human form, Tazour was dangerous. He has a large man, with a well a robust phsyique, but it showed many of the scars from battle. There were scars running along his arms, his back, and one very prominent one on his face, which he wore proudly.
Tazour was a dragon of few words, and that was the way he had always operated. He wasn’t one for idle chit chat, and even with another clan leader, he was blunt and straight to the point. Such attitude may have been considered rude, but Tazour was a dragon of war. He was a warrior. Diplomacy was not his strong point, he simply fought to protect his clan and rarely acknowledged negotiations. He was stubborn that way.
“What do you want, Rasenth?” The chief asked coldly, merely taking a moment from his carving to push back a few strands of brittle red hair from his eyes. His head was shaved at the sides, and his hair was entangled in dreadlocks which ran down to his shoulders. He certainly wasn’t a neat, well kept man, but he did his job well, and that was all that mattered.
Rasenth was quite the opposite of Tazour, being a tall and lean man. His muscles weren’t nearly as impressive as Tazours, though still refined and toned. His hair was a silky white mane that went halfway down his back, but was typically tied back out of his way in a pony tail. Where Tazour was rough around the edges and
clearly a no nonsense chief, Rasenth’s demeanor was much more tamed. He was cold and calculating, to be sure, but if he inspired fear, it was not because of his physique.
“I’ve come for a simple offer to trade. Elk are migrating this season, and I would like to ask permission to hunt some for my tribe, or if you’d prefer I don’t encroach upon your land, then I would buy them directly from your people,” Rasenth said, as it was evident that Tazour’s clan wasn’t a wealthy group of people, though they got along all right on the land. Rasenth assumed that his people would be happy to see a little commerce in their village, or at least that was what Rasenth was counting on.
"If you can't sustain your tribe, then maybe you best get up go somewhere you can survive. Your starving clan is of no concern to me," Tazour replied, still not even giving Rasenth the grace of looking at him. As far as The Inferno chief was concerned, he looked out for his own dragons, noone elses. If they starved and died, that was their problem, not his. He had no real desire for riches. He felt more pride in having land, and his tribe happy and safe. They had all the food, water and space they needed to thrive, and that was all Tazour cared for.
“I plan to soon, but circumstances prevent me from leaving right now. If you we could make a deal for just five years, I will leave for a better hunting ground,” Rasenth said. He couldn’t travel with the two new hatchlings just being birthed. Moving around hatchlings was a risky business, as they were quick to fall ill at the slightest exposure to germs, and they were very fragile until their hard scaled could develop, so Rasenth couldn’t move his clan at the present time. “It wouldn’t be any loss to your tribe, and having a treasury wouldn’t hurt,” Rasenth added. He really hoped Tazour wouldn’t deny him such a simple request, seeing as it would be a season of plenty for now, considering the migratory patterns of the elk.
AFRICAN AMERICAN URBAN FICTION: BWWM ROMANCE: Billionaire Baby Daddy (Billionaire Secret Baby Pregnancy Romance) (Multicultural & Interracial Romance Short Stories) Page 131