“I’ve seen you before,” he murmured.
She grinned, pleased that she’d been able to reach him across the divide of their universes.
“Yes. I’ve been trying to contact you for centuries. I was finally successful.”
He looked over at her. “You’ve been in my dreams.”
“Yes.”
“All that other stuff … the blood, the death … are you responsible for that?”
She stared at him a moment, hesitant to answer. The images she’d shown him had been gruesome, but she had wanted him to understand the importance of finding the Moonstone and the toll its disappearance had taken.
Thankfully, Gloria entered the room before she could answer, and Tirvu focused on the woman.
“I can’t wait to hear about this,” Gloria said as she set down the tea tray on the coffee table and then took a seat in one of the high back chairs. “Lay it on me, Tirvu. Why are you here, and what can I do to help?”
6
Gloria wasn’t giving him the kind of response he expected. He truly felt he was on the verge of losing his mind, yet she sat down with this strange woman and offered her a cup of tea.
He took the cup given to him in hopes it would have a calming effect on his nerves. The warmth seemed to relax him, and as he sipped the brew, his stomach also settled.
After a few gulps, he found himself ready to hear what Tirvu had to say, despite the fact that the only way this night made sense was that he had been drugged. If this shit was real, he didn’t know what he’d do or exactly how to process it.
Tirvu and Gloria said everything he’d seen had been true. If that was the case, how did he protect himself from a demon? Or a vampire? Did he need to find the local church and steal some holy water? Or were vampires killed by silver? A wooden stake? Garlic fit in there somewhere. Usually a self-reliant guy, the situation had put him so far out of his element, and he had no idea what to do. Just to be certain he wasn’t dreaming, he pinched himself in the calf and winced as the pain traveled up his leg. Wiping the sweat from his brow once again, he tried to focus on what Tirvu said.
“As I said, I am a dragon shifter,” Tirvu began, her stare on him.
Okay, so say she could turn into a dragon. What did that mean? What did she look like when she did? And if she shifted, did she remain civil and polite, or did she look for the nearest human drumstick? She was also gorgeous as a human, but she was also naked. Well, except for that tiny loincloth.
“I’m here for only one reason. To collect the Moonstone.”
“What’s that, honey?” Gloria asked, her green eyes bright and intrigued.
“The Moonstone is a spiritual relic of my people. It is believed that it carries the hearts of the first member of our species, of our creators.”
He set down his cup and stared at Tirvu. “You mean to tell me that you think there’s a rock here with two dragon hearts in it?”
This had to be some type of joke.
However, if it was, the whole town would have had to be in on it, and as visions of the woman with her throat ripped out by the vampire played before his eyes, his stomach sank.
That would be one elaborate set-up, one he didn’t think could be pulled off without intricate planning. No one had known that he had been coming, so that scenario was blown out of the water.
Gloria tilted her head, as if having this sort of strange conversation was something she did every day. “Why is it here?”
However, considering she said she talked to the dead, maybe this was pretty normal for her.
“Three hundred years ago, this exact Event happened. The planets aligned along with a total lunar eclipse. The universal seals were broken, and beings from every plane ventured out to see what it meant, what would happen if they explored other worlds.
“Unfortunately, my people were unprepared. We had no intention of going anywhere, as we were happy in our realm. We had no desire to explore the lands beyond our own. When the demons invaded our world, we discovered too late that they were simply looking for treasures to steal.”
“What happened then?” Gloria asked, her eyes wide as if she were a small child listening to tales of visits from Santa.
He had to admit, Tirvu had sucked him into her story, as well.
“They took our most treasured possession, the Moonstone.”
Eric sat back against the cushions. He didn’t really have any religious beliefs, but he had come to the conclusion that there was something bigger than him responsible for creation as they knew it.
However, a rock that held the hearts of two dragons?
Give me a break.
“Well, why is it so important for you to get it back?” Gloria asked.
“Our world is broken into two factions. There are dragons like me, who are white, who rule the forests. There are others, who are black, who rule the skies. We are different, but we all prayed to the Moonstone. It is the one thing that kept us together. When the demons stole it, only one person knew what truly happened, and he chased the demon to try to retrieve it.”
“What happened to him?” Gloria asked. “He obviously wasn’t successful.”
Tirvu shook her head as she closed her eyes, her face grimacing as if she were in pain. For a moment, it seemed as if she struggled to breathe.
Finally, her gaze turned to him. The depth of agony in her stare caught him off guard, his own chest aching as if her pain had become his.
“No, he wasn’t successful. The seals closed, and he was trapped here on your plane. He died here.”
A cold draft caressed his back and sent a chill down his spine. He glanced over his shoulder to see if a door had been opened, his stomach twisting and turning when he realized it had been Tirvu’s words that had caused the reaction.
He looked back to her.
“Before the seals closed, he said he had located the Moonstone,” she continued. “He had a firm fix on it, and I rejoiced. Yet, the seals closed, and he never told me where it was. By then in my land, those of the forest accused those of the sky of stealing the Moonstone, and visa-versa. I tried to stop the arguing. I tried to stop the war, but no one would believe what I had to tell them.”
Eric’s heart thundered in his chest. Unable to remove his gaze from Tirvu, he waited until she spoke again, the question of why hanging on his tongue. Gloria beat him to it.
Tirvu stared at him a moment longer, then lowered her gaze.
“That is not important at this point,” she said in a soft voice. “What is paramount is that I now have the opportunity to find the Moonstone once again and bring peace to my realm. The seals will close again in seven days, and I must have it in my possession and return it before then.”
Eric shifted in his seat and ran his hand over his head, wishing she’d tell him the full story. He had a feeling she’d left out a significant piece of her tale.
“So what does any of this have to do with me?” he asked.
“You’re Eorricris. The one who tried to bring the Moonstone back to our realm.”
He scoffed and glanced from Gloria back to Tirvu. The girl was batshit crazy.
“You think I’m the dragon who came from your world to get the Moonstone back?”
She nodded. “Yes. I do believe you are Eorricris, Protector of the Sky. It is you who went after the Moonstone all those centuries ago.”
Her declaration sat in the air, heavy with meaning and certainty. She truly believed what she said, and goose bumps cascaded over his skin, almost as if the tendrils of the cold breeze had stroked him again.
“So, what do you need to complete your mission?” Gloria asked, as if talking to a dragon about a rock with two dragon hearts in it was something she did every day.
Tirvu eyed him intently as she spoke. “It would be lovely if Eorricris could remember where the stone was hidden.”
He rolled his eyes and shook his head as irritation washed through him. “I’m not Eorricris. My name’s Eric. Hell, I can’t even spell that! I wasn
’t around three hundred years ago—I was born thirty-five years ago to Paul and Deanna Thomas in Chicago.”
Sitting back against the cushions, he studied both women once again. “You’re both out of your damn minds.”
Tirvu’s gaze didn’t give away any emotion, and he couldn’t help but wonder what she thought of his statement.
“Does this mean you won’t help me?” she asked as she folded her hands over her loincloth. With her white hair covering her breasts and torso, she stared at him intently.
He didn’t want to assist her in any way. In fact, he’d like nothing better than to get into his car and get the hell out of Saint’s Grove. The quiet, quaint little town had shown its true colors, which was a level of crazy he’d never even imagined, and he couldn’t wait to get off this train and back into the real world.
However, as he stared at into her blue eyes, something within him shifted, and the urge to assist her overwhelmed him. Even though he had every intention of leaving Saint’s Grove, the words tumbled from his mouth before they could be stopped. “Yeah, I’ll help you.”
A genuine smile broke out over Tirvu’s face, her electric eyes dancing with appreciation and joy. His chest warmed, and his whole body suddenly felt a bit lighter. Seeing her grin made him intensely happy.
“Do you have any idea where to start, Tirvu?” Gloria asked. “Saint’s Grove may be a small town, but the area surrounding it is mountainous and thick with forest.”
Tirvu tilted her head and turned her attention to the woman. “The only clue that I have is that he had tracked it to a cave.”
Gloria shook her head and sat back in her chair. “Honey, there’s a lot of caves in the woods. The Native Americans used to live here. They carved up their homes out of the rocks. After they were gone and mining took over, they blew up areas all around here, resulting in more caves. You’re going to need more to go on.”
Tirvu furrowed her brow and moved her gaze to the fireplace, as if disappointed in the news, and in deep thought.
Eric found himself wanting to have a solid answer for her, to ease her troubled mind.
“Any suggestions on where to start, Gloria?” he asked.
The woman had lived in Saint’s Grove her entire life, which she’d revealed when he’d checked in. She’d told him some of the legends he’d heard before, such as the story about the werewolves that lived in the forests just outside of the town limits. He’d always dismissed these stories as folklore, but after his experience tonight, he no longer doubted one word.
“I’m not sure,” she mumbled as she glanced around the room.
The silence thickened as he and Tirvu waited for a more concrete answer.
“I think the best thing to do would be to start at the Historical Museum,” Gloria finally said. “They have the Beatrice Saint’s diaries there. She was the wife of Peter Saint, the founder of Saint’s Grove.”
“And why should we study these?” Tirvu asked, her head tilting to the right, a motion he found endearing. It reminded him of a dog being offered a treat.
“Because she spoke of an angel that visited her and told her stories of a battle of Good and Evil that had taken place right here. I’ve glanced through them, and it sounds like the same Event you’re describing, like the one happening now. It’s all documented in her diaries.”
Eric leaned forward, placing his forearms on his knees. “Didn’t she smoke a bunch of peyote, as well?”
Gloria nodded. “Yes, she did. But tonight, I saw Good and Evil fighting out there. I saw demons and angels. I saw ghosts, vampires, and other things I don’t even have a name for. Based on that, I’m saying, try the Historical Museum. Read the diaries. Either the woman was crazy as a four dollar bill, or she had plugged into something that gave her information on the past, and it would seem to me, the present.”
“Thank you for your time, Gloria,” Tirvu said, standing. “It is a place to start.”
Gloria’s gaze raked over Tirvu’s body. “Honey, if you’re going to go about town, it’s probably best for you to get some clothes. I’d give you mine, but they certainly wouldn’t fit.”
Wasn’t that the truth. While Gloria stood about five inches shorter than Tirvu, she was also pencil thin. Tirvu, on the other hand, had curves on top of curves, and he didn’t like the way his body heated when he looked at her. He’d always liked a woman with a little meat on her bones, and Tirvu looked delicious. While trying to protect her modesty, he’d tried not to stare, but found himself failing miserably.
She obviously had no problem walking around with just the loincloth and waves of white hair to hide her breasts, but he wished she’d cover up so she wasn’t such a distraction for him. Besides, the thought of others seeing her naked gave him a bad taste in his mouth.
“Isn’t there a little clothing shop downtown?” Eric asked. “We could go there.”
“Yes,” Gloria said as she stood. “You two better be careful out there.”
“We will leave in the morning for the clothing shop and the Historical Museum,” Tirvu announced. “It will be safer for us to move about during daylight hours. Most of the paranormal creatures prefer the night.”
Fine by me.
The fewer vampires, ghosts, and werewolves he came across, the happier he’d be.
“You can grab a room upstairs, Tirvu,” Gloria said. “Get a few hours shuteye before the sun rises.”
“That’s very kind of you, but I would prefer to sleep outside.”
Eric crossed his arms over his chest. She was going to turn down a pillow for a pinecone? And hadn’t she just said the daylight hours would be safer? If that were the case, why did she want to be outside?
Gloria pinched her lips together as she studied Tirvu. “Well, if you say you can turn into a dragon, I assume you can take care of yourself against the demons, vampires, and all the other uglies out there.”
Yes, there was that. If she could turn into a dragon, he assumed she’d be just fine.
“Yes,” Tirvu said with a grin. “I’ll bathe in their blood if they dare to approach me.”
A jolt of energy ran down his spine as she turned to leave. He recalled the way her voice had deepened, the fangs and the glow of her eyes and body when the demon had attacked. She’d actually said those exact words to it, as well.
He had no doubt that she could take care of herself.
Two hours later, Eric stood at the window in his room and stared down at Tirvu. She lay on the forest floor just a few yards from the house, with her head lying close to her clawed hind legs, her tail wrapped around herself, the tip lying a few inches from her elongated snout. Her sleeping position reminded him of a dog curled up before a crackling fireplace.
Her white scales seemed to sparkle and glisten beneath the moonlight as her ribcage expanded and contracted with each breath, a puff of condensation exiting her nose with each exhale.
How long had he been staring at her? Minutes? Hours? He didn’t know, but he couldn’t seem to take his gaze away. Watching a dragon sleep both thrilled him and frightened him.
The fear came from the fact that everything he’d seen tonight had been real. He’d come face-to-face with a demon, only to be saved by Tirvu, who could change into a dragon. He’d witnessed a bitter battle between Good and Evil with the angel and the demon he’d seen fighting in the bakery.
This was his truth; this was his reality, and reluctantly, he tried to accept it.
However, Tirvu stating that his true name was Eorricris and that he had once been able to turn himself into a dragon was ludicrous. He was a computer programmer, not some dragon shifter.
She must be making up the story about him so that he would feel inclined to aid her. Maybe she wanted him to think she was crazy. He recognized someone in need, and he would have helped her find her stone without having her spew ridiculous lies.
Then why does the name Eorricris sound so familiar?
What he’d said earlier was true. He really didn’t have any idea how to spe
ll it, yet, it seemed to roll off his tongue without effort.
“Eorricris,” he whispered, the vapor from his breath causing a small, round foggy circle to form on the window.
As if she’d heard him, Tirvu’s head rose, and she opened her eyes, staring directly at him. He gasped at the topaz-blue orbs that glowed the same color they had when she’d saved him from the demon.
He wanted to move away from the window, but it seemed his feet had been set in concrete. Their gazes locked, and his breath caught in his throat as his heart thundered in his chest. The room suddenly became very warm, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
She stared at him for a long moment, then rose onto all four legs. He guessed she stood about seven feet tall, the muscles in her body rolling beneath her skin, reminding him of the surf on an ocean shore. Her tail began thick, but then tapered down into a fine point. She flicked it around and stretched as a cat would.
Lying back down, she glanced up at him once more, the curled up again and shut her eyes.
Eric stepped away from the window and laid back down on the bed, his chest heaving as he tried to calm the waves of desire that rolled through him.
He hated to admit it, but seeing Tirvu in her dragon form had become the single most erotic image he’d ever witnessed.
7
The next morning, Tirvu paced the living room, just as Eric had done the previous night. She watched the clock and assumed that each time the small hand passed around once, it would be considered a beat, or the passing of time in her land. If Eric didn’t rise within ten more beats, she would go wake him. Yes, she wanted him rested because one couldn’t be completely effective without proper sleep, but they had an important task to complete, and only six days to do it.
The tenth rotation completed, she turned to the stairs, prepared to climb them and look into each room until she found Eric. To her surprise, he stood on the top landing, rubbing his eyes.
“I feared you would sleep the rest of the day away,” she said with a grin.
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