Blue Skies on Fire

by Zenina Masters

  She chuckled, Mak waved them off and she headed upstairs to show Andor what she could do with a bit of magic and some incentive.

  She heard herself whining helplessly as she got closer and closer to release. Andor was under her, focused and sweating, his hips rising as hers thrust downward.

  He reached between them and stroked her clit, smiling in relief as she screamed a few minutes after he rubbed with a hard circular stroke, and he followed her into release a moment later.

  The power that they generated pooled in the room before leaving through the focus that she had created. The fiery magic streaked out through the window and headed for the woods.

  Teebie dropped onto Andor’s sweaty chest with a grunt. She mumbled and he chuckled, stroking her hair.

  “What?”

  She lifted her head. “I need a nap and a shower. I am not sure in what order.”

  “Let’s try the nap first. I like you where you are.”

  “Just think, only two more days until we can balance and then see what kind of damage we can wreak with the shared power.”

  “I shudder delightedly at the thought.” He stroked her hair and her back until she dozed.

  * * * *

  Dira looked up and stared at Mak. “Did you feel that?”

  “Yes, love. I am not dead. That was them?”

  “Yes. Come on. I need to check out that scrying pool.”

  “Don’t you have to do the dishes?”

  “Teebie did them while I was puking. Come on.” She checked the spot on the map and went striding off into her domain.

  The trees moved aside when she spoke to them, and Mak was at her side as she looked into the water. She saw her life, her parents, her sisters, finding her sister dead, fighting the other, taking the children to their father’s people and never finding their father. Watching her blue family grow until Teebie was born and her family’s rejection of her for looking like their ancestors.

  Dira saw her meeting Mak, their first exchange in shifted form, and it spun forward to her sitting with a little girl on her lap with piercing green eyes and long blonde hair.

  Dira jerked back. “She wasn’t kidding.”

  Mak shook his head and rubbed his eyes. “I saw everything and then a little girl.”

  Dira nodded. “Me too. There is no guarantee that this pregnancy is that little girl. It might not make it to term.”

  Mak looked at her softly and stroked her cheek. “You have waited long enough for your own children. Teebie is finally starting her own life. You need to, too.”

  Chapter Nine

  Teebie smiled at Andor from across the Y-shaped platform. She placed her hands flat on the podium, and she waited for Emira.

  The mage looked at them in turn and nodded grimly. “Right. Give me a moment.”

  One of the local lads rushed forward, and in a moment, Emira was wearing the gear of a catcher at a baseball game.

  “Let’s do this.”

  Teebie laughed. It was quite the beginning to the ceremony. The rest of the questions and answers were standard, but she was still grinning when her magic was drained and it swirled in the middle to be met by Andor’s.

  Their families watched as the power blended and flowed back into them. Teebie felt the fire as it coursed through her veins, but it wasn’t until Emira said the words to seal the balance that the release of energy happened.

  A cascade of blue fire left Teebie’s body and knocked Emira over. The rest of the guests were just below the level of the wave.

  Balanced and sealed, Teebie walked to meet Andor at the centre of the platform. Her embroidered and bejewelled robes dragged, the long slit tunic underneath rustled.

  Andor was dressed in the practical garb of his mother’s people, and the tooled leather he was wearing made him look like an ice elf, which he would have been if he had been born to her.

  He was also wearing a crown of diamonds and enough of the jewels to topple any human country.

  He wrapped her in his arms, and she did the same. There was no static shock as they kissed, but the heat flowed more quickly between them. Teebie fought a smile. That was unanticipated.

  The applause rose to a roar of approval as they turned to greet their well-wishers.

  Teebie had hosted every wedding and baby shower since she had arrived and every one of those women were here with their mates today. The balanced fey and shifters looked amused to be back, but they also brought gifts for their previous host.

  It was enough to make her blush, but she couldn’t.

  Dira looked at her and grinned. “You are looking pale, Teebie.”

  Teebie looked at her hand, and it was fading from blue into a soft peach. “What?”

  “I thought that might happen. You got half of Andor’s power. Apparently, that half involves controlling your skin. You would have to be able to or the fire would burn.”

  Dira’s gaze focused over your shoulder. “And here come your in-laws.”

  Teebie turned, and she saw her skin resuming the blue hue she was used to. Andor was grinning. “Teebie, this is my mother, Meridith, and my father, Kyrok. Mother, Father, this is Teebie.”

  To Teebie’s surprise, Meridith came in for a hug. Her long blue hair was studded with diamonds, and she smelled like the first winds of winter.

  “Welcome to the family, Teebie.”

  Teebie blinked and smiled shyly. “Thank you.”

  When Meridith let her go, Kyrok came in for a hug. “Welcome to the family, Teebie.”

  He was huge, shared most of the blond and gold colouring that Andor had, but his eyes were diamond white. His body hummed with very old magic, and his strength was carefully held in check as he hugged her.

  “Thank you, Lord Kyrok.”

  Andor cleared his throat. “Enough hugging, Father.”

  The dragon slowly released her, standing back with a slow smile. “You are still changing colour.”

  She nodded, and Andor removed his father’s hands from her before sliding his arm around her waist. “She will continue to shift until we finalize the bonding.”

  Kyrok nodded. “Get to it, then.”

  Teebie snorted. “Not with this crowd. It can wait a few hours. If I grab him and fly off, the time is up.”

  Meridith smiled and pulled her mate back. “Kyrok will keep his mouth shut on the subject.”

  Emira came up and hugged Teebie. It was a bit of a shock.

  “Congratulations, Teebie.”

  “Thanks, Emira. You did a good job. Nice call with the padding.”

  Emira grinned. “I thought it was a nice touch.”

  Teebie made the introductions, and Kyrok looked to his mate with a smile. “Would you like to balance our powers?”

  Teebie kept Emira in the circle of her arm. “You would have to ask her for her agreement. The spell takes a lot out of her.”

  Emira grinned. “Not yours. For the first time, I got more back than I gave.”

  Meridith inclined her head. “Lady Mage, would you bind us as equals?”

  “I will. Hop up on the stage, and we will do this.”

  Teebie let Emira go and clung to Andor while his parents stepped up on the platform.

  She didn’t want them to be dressed in their standard clothing, so she sent mist to them to redo their garments. A flare of fire that made both parties jump, they were suddenly wearing new clothing studded with gems, and they looked like a royal couple, which Teebie supposed that they were.

  Her sister came up to her and gave her a hug. “Hello, Lekiadra.”

  “The family is delighted with your union. Congratulations, sister.”

  Teebie hugged her, and the feel of djinn skin against hers made her smile. “Did anyone else come?”

  “No, no one else could manage the trip.” Lekiadra grimaced.

  “Ah. Right. Well, Lekiadra of the Golden Sands, this is my mate, Andor, Phoenix of the Frozen North.”

 
Andor extended his hand and Lekiadra extended hers. He kiss the back of her hand politely. When he stood, Lekiadra looked a little dazed, her pale-blue skin showed pink patches on her cheeks.

  Teebie snuggled against Andor’s side when he reached for her again, and Lekiadra snapped out of it.

  “I wish you joy and many children.” Her sister grinned.

  “I wish you magic and laughter.” Teebie smiled. “Thank you so much for coming.”

  Teal and Tony waved at her, and she looked to Andor. “One last thing. Formal signatures.”

  “Anything to bind you to me, love.” He chuckled.

  They walked over to the table, signed the contracts and then spent the next hour meeting and greeting all their guests. It was more hugging than Teebie was used to, but by the time they were done, she was ready to explode.

  Andor was looking drawn around the mouth as well, so she said her goodbyes, walked up to him and put her arms around him as she generated her roiling mist. The mist was shot with fire; it looked like they were riding on a thundercloud.

  * * * *

  The reception carried on long after the happy couple had flown off.

  Dira was talking with Mak, Kyrok and Meridith when a wave of fire crossed the sky.

  Kyrok looked up. “What the hell was that?”

  Mak grinned. “Them. They literally make magic together. Dira has been looking it up through the archives, but there is no record of it. This is the first time that a djinn and a phoenix have gotten together.”

  Kyrok looked worried. “Are they safe here?”

  Dira nodded. “Safer here than anywhere on the earth. We will protect them. She is my family after all.”

  Meridith looked a little uneasy. “Love, I think there is something wrong.”

  Kyrok’s attention was on his mate, and he blinked. “Dira, may we stay here for a few days?”

  “Of course. What is wrong?”

  Meridith’s features began to shift and white scales covered her skin. Kyrok let his wings emerge, and he caught her in his arms, flying her away from the gathering before she shifted into a dragon in front of everyone.

  Dira leaned against Mak. “Does that tempt you into a balance ceremony?”

  The mage who had made it possible had three cups of punch next to her and four empties on the other side.

  “Not until you have had our child and your body is not under any additional strain. Even the thought of becoming a dragon won’t make me risk you.”

  Lee and Jim came over, their daughter held proudly in his arms.

  Dira smiled at the little girl and whispered, “No risks.”

  More fire shot overhead. Dira giggled. Mak looked impressed.

  If the blue sky was on fire, magic was coming. Dira had a task now, and it was to find out what to do with all of that extra energy. Perhaps the expansion plans could be accelerated.

  There were lonely creatures out there who needed their chance. The Crossroads was just the place to let them do it.

  Dira felt herself turn green, and Mak was at her side.

  He murmured, “You were feeling smug again.”

  She made a face. “Maybe a little.”

  “Calm down. Think of Teebie and starting a family. Keep breathing.”

  She focused, and the nausea receded. “That is going to get really old.”

  “The result will be worth it.”

  Dira looked around and leaned against Mak. “I already got more of a result than I could have hoped for.”

  * * * *

  The pavilion that Teebie had created on the top of the falls was appointed with everything they needed for the next few days, including a huge tub.

  Andor lay under her and toyed with her hair. “You spoil me.”

  She smiled and pressed a kiss to his chest. “You inspire me.”

  “Excellent. We will get along fine.”

  Teebie heard the flapping of heavy wings and a screech of surprise.

  Andor asked. “What was that?”

  “My guess is that it was a midair dragon mating. Your mom now has a dragon form. Did you want to go look?” She lifted her head and gave him a cheeky grin.

  She laughed at his appalled expression.

  “We will just stay in here then. I think we have plenty of things to keep us busy.” She ran her hand down his belly and over his hip.

  “We do indeed. I am loving that your colours shift to dark blue when you are aroused.”

  She blushed and ducked her head, nipping his chest with her teeth.

  She had noted that her skin got darker the closer she got to orgasm. Having different involuntary shades was going to take some getting used to. She was sure that Andor would be with her as she adapted to her new colouration. He had his own issues to manage for now.

  He was looking forward to the life of a proprietor, and he had told her that he had plans for the garden. Plans for the future were a new concept for her, but she was willing to give it a few centuries.

  Who knew, one day the shifters might come out to the human world. That would be a very interesting day indeed.

  Author’s Note

  Whew. Teebie’s story. I think it came out all right. Dira, Mak, Teebie and Andor will all be in future books as time and the Crossroads march on.

  We are getting nearer to having some aquatic shifters and fey involved.

  Yay!

  Thanks for reading,

  Zenina Masters

  About the Author

  Viola Grace (aka Zenina Masters) is a Canadian sci-fi/paranormal romance writer with ambitions to keep writing for the rest of her life. She specializes in short stories because the thrill of discovery, of all those firsts, is what keeps her writing.

  An artist who enjoys a story that catches you up, whirls you around and sets you down with a smile on your face is all she endeavours to be. She prefers to leave the drama to those who are better suited to it, she always goes for the cheap laugh.