“I was wondering when you would ask,” Draakar replied with a smile. “Tonight, I will show you how to use more of your powers. How to focus and control them. They are second nature to you, and the more you use them the easier magicks will come. Tomorrow when the last two have arrived I will tell you all what is going on and what is expected of you.”
Chapter Ten
Maya pushed the door to her bedroom open. She had been the first to turn in. It had been a long night and an even longer day. A lot to absorb in a short period of time. Already she could feel the changes in her body. An awareness and acceptance of newfound knowledge and memories crowded her mind. Memories imprinted in her blood before her birth and shared by all brethren. Her legacy. So much to learn; too much for her brain to process at once. It had to slowly be revealed but it would be there when she needed it.
The brethren race had an unbelievable past. They had already been driven from their home world once. Now they could lose it again, and what of her own world, Earth? Draakar hadn’t said exactly what he needed them to do. Maya had already pledged to help save their world in anyway she could, as well as her own. Anyway except what instinct warned her Draakar wanted. She would not allow him to use her that way. She would not become some sort of concubine in his harem.
Her body tingled. She raised her hands above her head to stretch. Her dragon blood hummed with her magicks. She opened her soul to the energy pulsing through her veins all around her, rising up from the Earth surrounding her like a warm blanket. How could she not have felt this before? She is me and I am her. Maya smiled. The voice inside belonged to her. She is the dragon.
She tested her newfound powers by using her mind to dim the lights in her room, giggling when it worked. Heading for the bathroom she decided to take a shower before bed. She hadn’t had a chance to shower this morning, not with Draakar breathing down her shoulder while at the inn. He always managed to be right beside her. She barely had time to wash up and change her shirt. Still, instead of feeling grimy by now, she felt refreshed. Her magicks might be at work there but she would enjoy the feel of water striking against her skin. She found it invigorating.
Mmm, did you know dragons love water? There are many waterfalls on Akgon.
A stunned Maya straightened up. Do you mind? Get out of my head!
I can’t.
Then let me help you!
Suddenly, blessed silence, but she could feel Draakar’s reaction to the mild shock she sent to him through their link. Maya wasn’t sure how she did it, only the result. Whether she wanted them to be or not, they were linked and he had the power to slip into her thoughts. At least, for a while, she had got him out of her head. She hadn’t hurt him, not really. Just gave him something else to think about. Before she shut him out, she sensed his amusement more than anything else.
Draakar rubbed the side of his cheek and smiled, not surprised by what Maya had done—sending the physical equivalent of a slap across his face or in this case a love tap. He wanted to join her in the shower. Then again, he could. Payback time.
Time to show her not only did their telepathic link work both ways, but what else it could do. By the time he stepped into the shower room mirroring Maya’s, his clothing had vanished. Naked, he placed his head under one of the multiple showerheads and his hands flat against the warm wet tiles. The water fell hot and steaming against his sensitized skin, but the sensation did not cause blood to pool in one spot within his body between his thighs. One woman did that. He closed glowing eyes reflected off the polished tiles and projected his image to the woman on the other side of the wall.
His mate.
Maya had just put shampoo in her hair and turned to look around. She could have sworn something or someone stood behind her, but she remained alone in the shower. Nothing but the wet tiled walls. Shrugging slender bare shoulders, she allowed the dual showerheads to beat a soothing rhythm against her skin. “Must just be this place,” she mumbled to herself. Shutting her eyes, she placed her head under the falling water, and saw him.
On some shared psychic plane, he stood right in front of her, live, up close and personal. Behind closed eyes, she worshipped a body sculpted like a painting of Thor, the Norse god of thunder, she’d once seen. Except where Thor flashed golden lightning, Draakar raged all dark storms. “Oh Mama!” she whispered reverently, frozen in place. Did the sound of thunder rumble from the vicinity of her heart?
He stood in his shower facing away from her. His wet hair glistened, covering his back like an onyx-colored curtain, ending at the top of the most perfectly defined ass that ever walked on this realm or any other. The man might have long thick beautiful hair but absolutely nothing feminine existed about it or the rest of him. Male strength and power radiated off him in waves. His long legs were spread apart and flawlessly shaped, and his thighs…Lord have mercy, they were formed for riding.
Maya felt torn between wanting him to turn around and mortified he would and find her standing there, gawking at him. No, not gawking; outright drooling with her mouth wide open, tongue hanging out, and saliva dripping from her chin to mix with the other moisture running between her legs.
His biceps flexed and his hands pushed against the wall as he lifted to rotate his head. Her eyes snapped open and the vision, no, not a vision disappeared but Maya could swear she heard the echo of rich male laughter mixed with thunder, or a playful roar. She quickly finished her shower, not once closing her eyes again.
She put on the robe she’d left on the vanity bench then towel dried her wet hair. Normally, she slept only in boxer panties but as long as she stayed in this house, she’d wear pajamas to bed. Her suitcase lay on the quilt and she opened it, not quite ready to wear any of the gorgeous clothes in the closet, and pulled out her own t-shirt and clean underwear. It might seem stupid, but she felt better knowing something stood between her skin and his, no matter how flimsy the something. His physical presence in the room with her appeared to be irrelevant. The laws of physics did not apply to him.
A lot had happened to her in a day. Maya lay in bed thinking about everything she had learned tonight and unconsciously sent her mind reaching outward through the castle. She touched each of her fellow brethren, just briefly. They were all as wide-awake as she, thinking about everything they too had learned. Both excited and in awe of Draakar and—of her. She immediately pulled back from their thoughts, refusing to think about why they would feel that way.
Why should they not be in awe of you? Draakar sent, once again stealing into her thoughts. You are very powerful. Your power is second only to my own.
You are so full of yourself, Dark One. I promised to help, but I will not be their queen. I will not be your queen.
We shall see.
She sensed again he’d been blocking something from her all night, even stronger now. What else have you not told us?
Changing the subject?
Not at all. There is nothing to see, but there is something more you are not telling us…something that may not be clear in our shared memories. I know you said the brethren on Akgon are in danger, but you also alluded to a threat here on Earth.
There is a threat here on Earth but it is not the same threat. At least, I do not believe they are related. Tomorrow, after the last two I have summoned arrive, I will explain everything.
She rolled onto her side and stared at the heavy beige curtains over the window. Everything?
Everything you all should know. When you, Maya, are ready to hear the rest of what I have to say to you alone, then I will tell you everything.
You owe me no explanation, Dark One. There is nothing you can say I don’t already know.
You only think you do.
You have a son. He has a mother. That is all I need to know.
Maya didn’t bother giving Draakar a chance to respond. Oh, he tried but she wouldn’t let him back in. Finally, Maya fell into sleep, albeit a restless one. She dreamed. She dreamed of a dragon, so dark, no light reflected off its hide. She wa
tched as it attacked another dragon. A silver dragon which seemed to absorb all light around it until it remained the only source of light, and the dark dragon got lost in the brilliance of the light. Maya came awake abruptly, breathing heavily and automatically reached out through their link for Draakar.
Maya, what it is?
Nothing. It...just nothing. A bad dream.
What did you dream about?
Dragons…not surprising considering.
She could hear his low chuckle as though his head lay right next to hers on the pillow. Not at all surprising.
What color dragons did you dream about?
Why?
I merely wondered if you dreamt of me.
Conceited, aren’t you? She smiled even though he couldn’t see her.
But of course, now stop stalling. You said you dreamed of dragons…plural. Were they the same color or different colors?
There were just two, a dragon so dark it was devoid of all color and one of such pure light it appeared silver.
And what happened?
The silver dragon sucked up all the light until the dark dragon simply disappeared into the remaining darkness. What does this mean?
It was just a dream Maya.
Do not lie to me, Dark One! I am no fool. You are the dark dragon. I do not know the silver one, but it was a male and he hates you. It is a portent of things to come.
The problem with the future is that until it comes to pass we do not know what it is.
You play with words?
No. I merely speak the truth.
If it comes to power, I will fight by your side. If you are to be destroyed it will be by my hand. Now let me rest, Dark One. I still have much to learn.
She felt Draakar’s grin into the silence of the night. Goodnight, Maya, be at peace.
Not quite yet.
By the Claw she had such strength and had blocked him easily. Either that or she was extremely pissed, probably a combination of both. He sighed. He had his work cut out for him. Another long day awaited him tomorrow. At least the balance on Akgon would hold for a while, even without him there, but eventually he would have to return with Maya. He meant what he’d said. He would never leave her again.
The powers he now drew on were fueled by Mother Earth, but they were temporary. She could not sustain him alone, but being near Maya also helped draw forth some of his own powers. Hopefully, his borrowed powers would last long enough for him to do what he must to protect Earth. Still, he had to mate with Maya in order to have full access to his own magicks. She held the key to open up all of his powers, and only if she came to him willingly. Their joining must be based on one all-powerful factor—love. He snorted. Fat chance of anything happening between them anytime soon, even if he was already halfway in love with her. How could he not be? His truemate, created for him alone. He needed her. All brethren needed her.
Draakar rolled onto his back. His thoughts were not only of her. He also needed to find his son, and see his son’s mate protected until she came of age. The Stones were still conveniently silent as to the exact whereabouts of either.
The weight of his responsibilities lay heavily on his shoulders this night, but at least he had found Maya. Hope existed for them where there had been none before. Together, he and Maya would be able to restore the balance on Akgon until Talon could cede him. First they had to save Earth from this old threat, and the sooner he found his son the better. Draakar already had a private investigator, who possessed a little brethren blood, out looking for him. He had the man searching for Talon in the States because his young mate lived there. Draakar had been able to glean at least that much from Mother Earth.
Chapter Eleven
Maya thought she wouldn’t be able to sleep after their exchange, but she rolled over and the next thing she knew, a sliver of sunlight had slipped through a break in the closed curtains. She must have slept after all. Morning had come.
Good morning, golden-bronzed one. Hurry up. I am waiting for you.
Good grief, already! Could that designation be any longer? At least let me get up and have a cup of coffee before you begin to harass me!
Ha,ha,ha…I’ll wait for you. Will you take a shower again this morning?
Maya let lose another surge of energy along their link, a little stronger than the first instance. This time he must have expected it because he sent it right back at her, albeit toned down. He’d changed her original energy to a more featherlike caress against the right side of her face.
Oh, don’t do that. I warned you not to touch me.
I didn’t. I merely returned what you sent to me.
Laughing outright this time, Draakar closed their connection.
“Oh, that man! That…dragon!” Maya wailed to no one in particular. “I am so going to make him sorry he did that!” Throwing off her covers, she stomped to the bathroom to get ready to do battle with her nemesis for the rest of the day.
A surprise awaited her when she opened her sitting room door. Ian stood with his hand raised to knock. Maya greeted him with a smile. “Good morning, Ian. Did you need something?”
“Yes, Maya,” he said. “Ah, may I come in for a minute? I just needed to talk to you before you go down to breakfast.”
“Sure.” She stepped aside for Ian to enter, just as Draakar opened his door. A low growl sounded from his throat. He stepped out of his room toward her. She smiled and closed her door in his face.
What is this? Draakar sent to them both.
Not any of your damn business.
Ian! Draakar roared in his First’s head.
Forgive me, Dark Lord, but I must speak to Maya about Cass…uh, Cassandra. I want to make sure there are no bad feelings between my Lady and one of her chosen. Cassandra was wrong to do what she did yesterday and is truly sorry for upsetting her.
Cassandra has nothing to fear from me. However, Maya is her queen and she must answer to her. She should not have upset her, Ian.
I know Lord and she didn’t mean to, she is still much grounded in human ways of ah…attraction.
Yes she is, but that is no excuse. Truemate bonds are life bonds and she knows she is not mine. It is Cassandra who must face Maya, Ian. But don’t worry. All will be well. Maya has nothing to worry about and she knows this. Do not tarry long in her room.
No Lord…I mean yes, Draakar, I will not.
Whatever happened to Draak?
Maya could picture a smiling Draakar as he cut off his thoughts from Ian and headed to the kitchen. But he stayed in her mind. It has been a long time since I have been able to smile so much. Leadership is a burden I have gladly worn but thank you for bringing a lightness to it. Whether you want to admit it or not, you give me hope.
Maya did not respond to his thoughts. What could she say? Instead she chose to continue her conversation with Ian.
“Well, what did you want to talk to me about, Ian?”
Ian shifted his attention back to Maya. “I’m sorry, Maya. I just wanted to ask you to try to befriend Cassandra or Cass, as she prefers. Please don’t hold her initial attraction to Draakar against her. It was no’ her intention to insult you.”
The more nervous or emotional he became, Ian’s brogue grew more pronounced. She immediately put him at ease. “Well, of course I wasn’t insulted. I’m the one who should apologize for acting the way I did yesterday. I was just a little tired and out of sorts. Please tell her she has nothing to fear from me. Draakar is a grown man, eh, dragon. His personal affairs are none of my business. He certainly means nothing to me.”
I heard that outrageous lie.
It is no lie. Maya savagely blocked the link, though each time it got harder and harder to keep him out of her head. The more they communicated mind-to-mind, the easier it became to do so. She turned her attention back to Ian, who watched her with one eyebrow raised as if he too didn’t believe his own hearing.
“He is the leader of the brethren,” she felt compelled to add, “and I’m here to try to help his peo
ple, race. As part brethren, we all must do what we can to help him. I’m sure he’ll tell us what needs to be done after the other two people, ah brethren, arrive.”
“Whatever you say, my Lady. By the way, the last two are already here. I put them in their rooms before I came to see you. Thank you, my Lady. Cass really is a verra bonnie lass and wants to be friends.”
“Please, just call me Maya, and I’m sure Cass and I will get along just fine.” As long as she stays away from Draakar.
By your command. Ian bowed.
“Stop that! Come on,” Maya said opening the door, “I’m hungry. Let’s go have breakfast. I’m sure we’ll have to conjure it up. What are you going to have?”
“You’re right. I hadn’t thought about that. Mmm, I think I have a taste for some of me mum’s white hog’s pudding with tomatoes, and brown soda bread, or maybe baked beans.”
“Hogs what? Baked beans for breakfast!” Maya exclaimed incredulously.
“There’re other things you can have for breakfast besides bacon and eggs ya know.” Ian laughed probably at the look of revulsion on her face. “And the white pudding’s best for breakfast because there’s no blood in it,” he further explained.
“Okay, so I admit I was going to go for a western omelet,” Maya said, “but still hog’s pudding and baked beans…maybe I’ll try the beans for dinner. You can keep the pudding, bloodied or not.”
“Trust me, you’ll love it.”
She raised both eyebrows and stared at him. “I don’t think so.”
By the time Maya and Ian entered the dining room together, they found everyone already seated and two more people at the table, a man and a woman. Both appeared in their mid-twenties and were people of color, but she didn’t know their nationalities. She did know they were brethren, perhaps because of the rush of blood through her body alerting her to the presence of her own kind. They faced Maya and quickly stood, bowing their heads.
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