by S. E. Smith
“I’ll find Precious and have him meet us over at the refreshment table. The others should be done soon,” Mandra replied.
He sent a message to Jabir’s small symbiot to make sure his son was alright. He had been checking up on him throughout the morning and was happy when he saw Jabir quietly playing earlier. Now, he grinned at Kelan. Jabir was curled up sound asleep.
“Jabir is taking his nap,” Mandra said proudly. “He is such a good boy. Luckily, he is too young to realize what he has missed out on.”
Kelan tilted his head and grinned as he heard another curse escape Vox followed by a loud hiss. “I bet Vox was wishing Roam was too little.”
“I’m just thankful that Bálint and Roam have taken a liking to each other and decided to stay in Vox’s area of the garden and not ours,” Mandra laughed. “Let’s go. My mouth is watering to see if colored eggs taste any different.”
Both men grinned and rubbed their stomach as Precious, Mandra’s symbiot hopped over to where Ariel was sitting under the shade of a huge tree. Mandra’s heart filled with warmth when he saw her peek into the pouch before looking up at him with eyes filled with love and laughter. She had filled his life with so much of it, he felt he must be the luckiest warrior on Valdier.
“I’ve got to go rescue Vox. That poor cat-shifter has bitten off more than he can chew this time,” Kelan laughed, nodding to where Vox was sitting in the fountain.
He slapped Mandra on the shoulder and took off after Trisha who was trying to catch Bálint. His small son was puffing sparks at Vox. Roam was standing on his back legs with his front paws gripping the edge of the fountain. A large piece of his dad’s leather pants hung from his mouth.
Chapter 9
Creon leaned back against the tree. He absently rubbed his ankle where he had stepped into a hole. This entire section of the garden was riddled with the damn things. He had stepped in at least three of them so far. He was going to have a long talk with the gardeners. He didn’t know what type of creature had made the burrows. Whatever kind they were, they were a hazard and he didn’t want to take a chance of one of the kids falling into them.
Want eggs, his dragon growled. I smell them but they not there.
You think I don’t know that? Creon silently growled back.
That was the other thing that confused him, he hadn’t seen either one of his daughters. They had headed off in this direction but the moment they crawled under the bushes it was as if they vanished! He rubbed his forehead and gazed around the area one more time.
His eyes lit up when a splash of red caught his attention. Under one of the bushes, not ten feet from him, was a brightly colored red egg. It was the first one that he had found.
Finally! He thought as he surged to his feet. At least I’ll get one of the damn things.
He strode over to the bush and knelt down. A curse burst from his lips and his eyes widened in shock when the ground under the egg suddenly opened up and the egg disappeared into it. Scrambling forward, he ignored the sting across his forehead as one of the low branches caught him. He fell to his stomach and looked down into the small tunnel that had formed. Bright golden eyes, framed by thick black lashes, gazed back at him.
“Spring!” Creon whispered in disbelief as he stared down at the white, pink and gold dragon.
He watched as Spring blinked back at him and grinned. She slowly uncurled her tongue, revealing the red egg that was wrapped inside it. Closing her mouth to hide her prize, she turned in the narrow tunnel and scurried away leaving Creon staring in horrified disbelief as she vanished.
“Goddesses, help me!” He breathed.
He shook his head as he tried to wrap his mind around the fact that all the tunnels were created by one of his daughters. He quickly scooted back out of the bushes and turned so he could sit up. His eyes frantically swept the area again. He stood up when he saw Spring’s head pop up out of one of the holes twenty feet away. She carefully dropped the egg she was carrying onto the ground and pushed it away from the hole with her nose. His heart skipped when he saw her look around before making a soft cooing sound.
His knees buckled under him and he slowly sank to the ground when a blurred shadow flew down from the tree. The shadow solidified into the shape of a beautiful creature, half bird - half dragon. It scooped up the egg and quickly dissolved again. His eyes narrowed in on the faint distortion in the air as it flew before the creature reformed on the branch of a nearby tree.
The small figure was solid black like his dragon only instead of having scales, she was covered in silky black feathers. Even her wings and tail were feathery. She had the head of a dragon, fine boned with a long jawline. His throat worked up and down as he watched her turn to look down at him with solemn dark blue eyes. It was almost as if she was silently asking him if he accepted that she was different.
“Phoenix,” he whispered in awe. “My beautiful, beautiful little girl.”
He knelt frozen on the ground, staring up at his youngest daughter. It wasn’t until he felt a slight nudge on his arm and Spring’s soft nose that he looked down. The tiny white, pink and gold dragon pushed at his arm again until she could slip under it and into his lap. Creon wrapped his arm around her and hugged her close before turning his eyes back to where Phoenix was sitting high above him.
A frown creased his brow when he saw her looking over his shoulder. He turned to see what held her attention. Behind him, Carmen stood, frozen. Her fist was pressed tightly to her mouth and silent tears glistened in the sunlight. His heart swelled with love when she opened her arms wide and called to Phoenix.
“Come here, sweetheart,” Carmen murmured. “Come to mommy.”
Creon rose from the ground, holding Spring close to his chest as Phoenix launched herself off the branch. She disappeared for a fraction of a second before reappearing right before she landed in Carmen’s outstretched arms. The moment Carmen had a good hold on her daughter, she wrapped her arms around her and buried her face in Phoenix’s neck.
Creon carefully shifted Spring so he could hold all three of his girls close to his heart. A wave of protectiveness, more powerful then ever before, sped through him. He closed his eyes and held tightly to Carmen when he felt the shudder of emotion run through her.
“It will be alright,” he murmured. “I’ll protect all of you. I swear. I’ll protect all of you.”
Carmen reluctantly pulled back when she felt tiny fingers touching her damp skin. Phoenix’s small lips puckered and she pressed a kiss to her mother’s wet cheek. Spring, not to be outdone, did the same thing to Creon.
“Mommy,” Phoenix giggled.
“Dada,” Spring laughed.
“Oh my,” Carmen and Creon whispered together before they both melted to their knees in the soft grass.
“I’m beginning to feel a little...” Creon started to say looking at Carmen with a touch of panic.
“Overwhelmed?” Carmen giggled. “Me too.”
Creon stared at his mate’s glowing eyes. Unable to resist, he leaned forward and pressed a hot kiss against her lips. He released Spring when she began to wiggle so he could wrap his arms around Carmen’s slender waist and pull her closer. They broke apart and started laughing when the girls, thinking it was playtime, started crawling on top of them.
“I love you,” Creon breathed out as he stared up into Carmen’s eyes. “Thank you.”
“I love you, too,” Carmen whispered just before Phoenix and Spring poked their heads between them and started giving daddy lots of sloppy, wet kisses. “So do the girls.”
None of them saw the golden figure sitting high in the tree holding the Easter basket filled with colorful eggs. Aikaterina held up a bright pink egg. With a wave of her hand, the shell disappeared. She studied the slightly pink egg for a moment before popping it into her mouth. Her eyes widened in pleasure. Glancing down at the happy family, she blew a kiss to Phoenix when she glanced up at her and winked before disappearing.
Chapter 10
Riley sto
od glaring at her wet mate. He was splashing water on Roam and Bálint who decided it would be fun to play in the water with him. She knew he wouldn’t be getting out in his current condition, not unless he wanted to show everyone his bare ass.
“What? I wasn’t the one who started it,” Vox said defensively as he caught Roam as he crawled up his back. “Besides, he’s just like you. He doesn’t fight fair. I’ve got half a dozen teeth marks in my ass.”
Riley shook her head as Roam grinned at her over Vox’s shoulder. “You two are a mess. Come here you little rascal,” she laughed, reaching for Roam when he held out his hands.
Her loud shriek echoed through the garden when Vox reached out and grasped her hands instead. With a jerk, he pulled her over the edge of the fountain and into his lap. He held on to her hands tightly when she started to pull away.
“Vox, you…” Her voice faded as he kissed her.
Roam and Bálint snorted, deciding the grownups weren’t any fun anymore. Instead, they started splashing and yelling as they wrestled with each other. The sounds soon drew the attention of Amber and Jade. They charged across the garden and scrambled over the side.
“Oh my,” Cara laughed when she saw Trelon stagger out of the brush. “What on Earth happened to you? You are filthy! I think you need to join the girls.”
Trelon shot Cara an exasperated look before his eyes darkened and an evil grin curved his lips. He laughed when Cara started backing up, shaking her head at him. He reached out and swept her up in his arms.
“I think you are right,” he murmured as he turned and headed for the glittering water. “Why don’t you join us?”
“Trelon… NO!” Cara squealed. “Oh, that’s cold!”
Abby, Ariel and Pearl laughed as they watched the girls splashing and playing. Trisha and Kelan had given up trying to catch Bálint. Instead, they both sat on the side with their feet in the water, kicking and splashing as well.
Ariel stroked Precious who was sitting beside her. She smiled up at Mandra when he came up to her. A shiver went through her when he pressed a hard kiss to her mouth.
“So, how did you do? Did you find any eggs?” She asked with a secretive twinkle in her eyes.
“Kelan and I found a pile of them,” Mandra boasted as he sat down next to her. “We put them in Precious’ pouch. Poor Jabir didn’t find any,” he said looking around with a worried frown. “Where is Jabir? I thought he was with you.”
“Nope, he was with you and Kelan the whole time,” Ariel said cheerfully.
Mandra quickly stood up and glanced frantically around. “No he wasn’t. His symbiot showed him playing then taking his afternoon nap.”
Ariel finally took pity on Mandra as he paled and looked shaken. She reached out and touched his clenched fist. She rose when he pulled her up and wrapped her arms around his waist.
“He is fine. He should be awake any moment,” she assured him as she rested her cheek against his thundering heart. “He’s safe, Mandra. I’ve known where he was the entire time.”
“Where…?” He started to ask.
Jabir’s soft babbling drew his attention. Glancing down, he watched in disbelief as Jabir’s head popped up out of the golden pouch on Precious’ stomach. A half-eaten egg was clutched in one color-stained hand while the other one held him upright.
“See, I told you,” Ariel laughed. “He was with you and Kelan the entire time. He has really enjoyed the eggs.”
“Son of a…” Mandra started to say before Ariel pulled his head down and captured his lips.
“Damn, I swear these have got to be the horniest damn males I’ve ever seen,” Pearl said with a shake of her head. “How in the hell does anyone get anything done?”
“Excuse me,” a deep voice said from behind her.
Pearl turned to make a sarcastic comment but the words died on her lips as her eyes froze on the huge male standing a few feet away. She swallowed as her eyes moved up his muscular frame. She hadn’t seen muscles like that in… ever. Her eyes followed the path of exposed tanned skin until she stopped at a set of blazing gold eyes.
“Who the hell are you?” Pearl blurted out, standing up.
Asim’s eyes narrowed on the slender figure of the female. He liked the way the black leather trousers fitted her long legs. She was wearing a dark blue, silk blouse tucked into the waist. In his mind, he was already pulling it free so he could run his hands up under it to her soft skin. Her pure white hair was spiked on the top making it look like he had already been running his fingers through it.
A low growl escaped him as his dragon jerked to attention. He recognized she was his mate at the same time as his symbiot answered his dragon’s call. The golden creature swept into the garden, landing a few feet away from Pearl. None of them were about to lose her. They had spent too many centuries looking for her.
“Mine!” Asim growled as he began to shift.
“What the fuck?” Pearl said startled as golden bands formed around her wrists. “Who the hell are you talking about?”
“You are mine, female,” Asim’s guttural voice snarled before he released his dragon.
“Ah shit!” Pearl cried out as a dark grey tail wrapped around her. “Where’s my fucking gun when I need it?”
“Grandma!” Riley cried out, struggling to break away from Vox. “Let me go! Pearl!”
“You cannot stop him,” Vox murmured as he watched the huge, battle-scarred dragon lift off the ground with Pearl securely enclosed in a golden cage.
Riley watched in disbelief as her grandmother disappeared over the walls of the palace. She turned to look at Vox who just shrugged his shoulders before glancing back up into the now empty skies. It took a moment for it sink in what had just happened. Disbelief still fought with reality before a low giggle escaped her. The more she thought about it, the harder she laughed.
“Payback is a bitch,” she said, grinning at Abby who was still looking up at the sky in shock. “I can’t wait for Tina to find out. She is really going to love this!” She added, referring to her absentee sister who was still back on Sarafin.
Laughter filled the air as the kids, seeing the grownups were distracted, tried to take advantage of the situation by escaping again. Abby turned and smiled at her extended family before she realized that her immediate family was still missing. She closed her eyes and rubbed the gold band on her wrist, seeking a response from Zoran and Zohar’s symbiots. She opened her eyes before quietly slipping away into the garden.
Chapter 11
Abby pulled back a branch and watched as Zoran carefully looked about him before stepping up to the trunk of a tree that had a hole in it. She stepped out and cleared her throat to draw his attention. A knowing smile curved her lips when he flushed a guilty red.
“Hi,” she said, biting her lower lip to hide the grin. “Everyone has returned but you and Zohar. I think Carmen and Creon snuck back to their living quarters.”
“Oh, yes, well…” he said glancing at the tree before turning back with a frown. “What do you mean except Zohar? Isn’t he with you?”
Abby shook her head. “No, I thought he was with you looking for Easter eggs. That’s normally what happens,” she teased. “Unless you wanted to keep them all for yourself.”
Zoran had the grace to look embarrassed. “I…,” he released a deep sigh. “I would have shared.”
Abby laughed. “Yes, you would have. How many did you find?” She asked.
Zoran gave her a boyish grin. “Lots! It was really fun. I… I think it would be fun to hide them and watch Zohar look for them. Do you think he would enjoy it?”
“I think so but why don’t you ask him.” She nodded to the tree. “I think he has been having fun already.”
“What?” Zoran asked turning to look at where she nodded.
His eyes widened and a loud chuckle escaped him. All morning he thought he was being smart and sneaky. Instead, his son had outsmarted him. Zohar’s dark brown and copper head was peeking out of the hole watching h
im.
“You are just like your mother,” he murmured, reaching into the hole and gently pulling the small dragon out. “Smart and amazing.” He brushed a kiss to the smooth head before rubbing his cheek against Zohar’s hair as his son shifted.
“You aren’t so bad yourself,” Abby said, wrapping her arms around both of her ‘guys’. “I love you both so very much. Thank you for giving me such a wonderful day.”
Zoran wrapped his arm around her and pulled her tightly against him. A shudder went through him and his dragon as he thought of how close he had come to never finding her. If he hadn’t crashed on her mountain…
“You are my world, Abby. You have given so much to me and yet you still continue to give more. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the feelings inside me. If anything had happened to you…”
“Shush,” Abby whispered, touching his lips with her fingers. “That is in the past. We have so much to look forward to.”
Zoran pressed a kiss to her fingers and nodded. “Let’s get our prizes and take them back. I think we should share them.”
“Dada, share,” Zohar clapped and giggled.
Abby and Zoran stared at Zohar in amazement for a moment before their delighted laughter echoed throughout the garden. Yes, they had many, many more things to look forward to in the future. Abby wondered how the guys would react to Halloween. She grinned when she thought of them dressing up as ghosts or goblins. There were a few Earth traditions that were going to be fun to share.
Epilogue
“What is that?” Arilla asked as she floated down from where she had been sitting near a waterfall of gold.
“They are called Easter eggs,” Aikaterina said, setting the basket down on the steps inside the Hive.
“What do you do with them?” Arosa, Arilla’s twin sister, asked.