by S. E. Smith
Edna chuckled. “I’d better skip tonight. I love my kids but, damn if they don’t tire me out. I want to see this piece you’ve been hiding from me and get Gloria and Bo back home before it gets dark, if I can.”
Abby chuckled slipping her shoes on. The three of them walked down to Abby’s workshop. Edna was impressed with Abby’s latest masterpiece. Edna told Zoran about how proud she was of Abby and how special she was. Zoran just grinned as he watched Abby blushing and trying to get Edna to hush up. Zoran was unable to stop himself from grabbing Abby during one of her blushes and kissing her – deeply, right in front of Edna who stood there grinning.
“Zoran.” Abby protested huskily. She could feel the fire burning inside her. Whenever he touched her she seemed to ignite into flames.
Edna laughed. “I don’t think you two will mind if I call it a night. Zoran, can you give me a hand getting the trailer hooked up and getting Gloria loaded. Abby, I know you need to get your piece packed for transport. I’ll send Zoran back down to help you when I’m done with him.”
Abby took the hint. Abby stay, Zoran go. Edna wanted him alone for a few minutes. Abby gave Edna a kiss and hug telling her she would see her later in the week when she went into town. Edna hugged Abby tightly. She had a feeling it might be the last time she saw her precious little girl. She fought back tears at the thought. She didn’t know why she felt that way, she just did.
Brushing Abby’s hair back, Edna gave Abby one last kiss on her forehead before looking her deeply in the eyes, “You know I love you, baby girl. I’m glad you finally found the man to complete you. Be happy.”
Abby fought back tears. “I love you too, Edna.”
Abby stood by the door for a few minutes watching as Edna and Zoran walked back up the path towards the cabin. Taking a deep breath, she turned and began the tedious task of packing her creation.
Edna waited until they were far enough away from the workshop Abby wouldn’t hear what she had to say. She was determined for Abby to find happiness, even if it meant her moving far away. She couldn’t put her finger on it but she knew people. It had been her job for over thirty years in the entertainment business to know how to read people and Zoran was like no person she had ever met.
“Who are you?” Edna turned looking at Zoran. “And don’t try to bullshit me. I know people and you are not like anyone I have ever met. I need to know you aren’t going to hurt Abby. I’d kill you myself right now if I thought you would. I just need to know my baby girl is going to be happy.”
Zoran stood for a moment looking at the old woman standing in front of him. Looking down at the determination in the woman’s face, Zoran knew he could not hurt her or Abby by taking Abby away without the woman knowing Abby would be alright. Staring up at the path to the meadow, he made the decision to let Abby’s friend know just how much Abby would be loved and cared for. Reaching down, he took Edna’s withered hand in his and nodded.
Edna was nervous as Zoran led her up the path to the meadow. She had been to the meadow hundreds, hell, maybe even thousands of times, over the thirty plus years she had known Abby’s grandparents. Bo ran ahead of them used to the direction they were going now. Edna was beginning to grow concerned until she stepped into the meadow and saw a large golden ship appearing out of thin air. She trembled as Zoran led her inside. He waited patiently for his symbiosis to accept her as a friend of Abby’s.
Turning to look at Edna, Zoran said softly, “I am Zoran Reykill, Leader of the Valdier and High King.”
Edna’s shaky hand went to her throat as she slowly sank down onto a seat that formed for her. “Oh, dear. You really aren’t like any man I’ve ever met before, are you?”
Zoran smiled gently, “I highly doubt it.”
“How…?” Edna began. “How did you meet Abby?”
Zoran’s lips curved into a soft smile, “She found me. I was captured by another species. I was injured and landed here looking for a safe place to heal. Bo actually found me. Abby took me into her home and cared for me and my ship.” Zoran said, waving his hand to the golden ship they sat in.
“You’re going to take her away, aren’t you?” Edna whispered, her eyes filling with tears. “When you leave, you plan to take her.”
“Yes.” Zoran said firmly. “She is my true mate. I have marked her as mine and neither of us can be with another.”
“She doesn’t know, does she?” Edna asked sadly. While her heart broke for her own loss, she couldn’t help but be happy for Abby.
“No. She thinks to stay here.” Zoran said.
“What if she doesn’t want to go? Surely, she has the right to know, to make the decision...” Edna began. Her voice faded as Zoran shook his head.
“We can’t be apart, to do so would mean death for us both.” Zoran said. “Edna, you need not worry. I will do everything in my power to make her happy. I love Abby very much. She is my other half.”
Edna smiled through her tears. Nodding her head, “I believe you. She is very special. She deserves to be happy. Just keep her safe and love her. That’s all I could ever ask.”
Zoran leaned forward and gently cupped Edna’s cheek. “I will, I promise.”
Zoran watched as Edna drove slowly down the drive, Bo’s head hanging out the window with the green tennis ball held tightly in his mouth. He turned and walked down the path to Abby’s workshop. Tomorrow, two of his brothers would be here. Unknown to Abby, he would not be staying any longer than it took for her to return to him. Then, he would never let her go again.
Chapter 11
Abby bit her lip as she drove down the highway trying not to start crying again. Zoran had been very reluctant to let her go. After he came back to the workshop last night, he helped her finish packing her creation. It took both of them to get it into her truck. She hoped whoever came to pick her up wouldn’t mind helping her load it on the jet. Afterwards, they walked back to the cabin where Abby fixed them a light meal. After dinner, they sat outside talking about Abby’s clients and how far New York was from California. Zoran hadn’t said anything but Abby could tell he wasn’t pleased. Unable to deal with his disapproval of her leaving, she kissed him, the fire of desire burning in her blood. They spent most of the night making love before Abby fell into an exhausted sleep not long before daybreak.
Breakfast was a quiet affair. Abby finally noticed the mark on her neck in the shape of a dragon but didn’t say anything to Zoran. Even now as she drove down the highway her fingers lightly traced the pattern. It looked like a combination of a tattoo and a birth mark. All she cared about was it was a piece of Zoran. It marked her as his and his dragon and no one could ever take that away from her.
Abby pulled into the airport parking lot. The terminal was just a single, one story building not much bigger than her workshop. Mrs. Patterson’s husband, Harry, was the lone airport personnel and he did that as a volunteer. He was a retired Air Force pilot and traffic controller. Abby liked the way he used to come up to the mountain to talk with her grandfather, especially after her grandmother died.
“Morning Abby, I just got a call that your ride would be landing in the next fifteen minutes. Need any help with your crate?” Harry said gruffly.
Abby smiled, “Morning Harry. If you don’t mind holding the hand truck steady while I slide it down, I would appreciate it. I have this thing packed so tight I could probably air drop it down the Boswell’s chimney and it would be fine.”
Harry laughed in response. They spent the next twenty minutes talking about different things while they waited for the jet to finish taxiing. Abby was surprised when two women climbed down from the jet.
“Good morning, I’m Trisha Grove and this is my co-pilot, Ariel Hamm. We are to assist you in any way you need and escort you to the Boswell’s home in New York.”
Abby looked at the two young women. Both were dressed in black form-fitting uniforms that flattered their figures. She had never seen a plane like the one they were flying. The jet had a slick design and Abby could
tell it was made for speed.
“Hi, I’m Abby Tanner. Thank you for coming all this way to get me. I can’t believe the Boswell’s are flying me all the way to New York just to deliver this.”
Ariel laughed. “They spare no expense plus this is a write off. This is a new design for business jets and we get to test it out. Both of us were Air Force test pilots so this is one of the perks of the job. The jet is very safe and handles like a dream. They just wanted to test fuel efficiency and speed cross country. We were happy to volunteer for the trip.”
Harry’s eyes lit up when Ariel mentioned their Air Force connection. A half hour later, both women were promising to give Harry an update on their flight when they returned Abby early the next day. The Boswell’s planned a reception for Abby’s new creation and wanted her to stay the night for their dinner party. Abby was reluctant but knew it would be pointless to protest since the Boswell’s connection could mean more contracts for work.
The flight to New York was uneventful. They made a brief stop in Nevada to refuel as Shelby didn’t have the jet fuel they needed. After their brief stop, Abby leaned back in her seat staring down at the passing landscape. She already missed Zoran so much she hurt. She could feel her dragon mark burning as if it was protesting her being so far from him. She absentmindedly rubbed it gently with her fingers. Leaning her head back, she smiled down at the two gold symbioses on her wrists. They were weaving into different designs like they were trying to make her feel better. They both turned into the shape of a dog chasing each other. Abby giggled as she watched them running around her lap. Her eyes widened with wonder as both suddenly took the shape of little dragons and began flying around. She watched as they chased and played with each other for almost an hour before settling back down onto her wrists with a warm, contented feeling. She raised each one to her mouth, gently pressing a kiss to them.
Abby fought back tears at the idea of them leaving her when Zoran left tomorrow. She knew they couldn’t survive without being near him and the mother symbiosis. She felt a single tear track down her face at the thought of losing him. She didn’t know if she would survive it. Closing her eyes, she drifted off to sleep as exhaustion swept through her.
Zoran paced back and forth in frustration. He was going out of his mind without Abby near. It took every ounce of willpower he had to let her go this morning. His dragon roared and clawed at him in fury. He had to get out of the cabin. Her presence and scent were everywhere. The sheets still held the scent of their lovemaking, making him ache to hold her. He strode up the path to the meadow and his ship. Maybe if he focused on what was happening back home and with the plans to attack the Curizans he would be able to take his mind off of Abby for a little while.
He ran his hand over his golden ship murmuring soothing words as he walked inside. The ship shuddered at the knowledge it would soon be able to transform into another shape soon. It missed the freedom of Valdier.
“Soon, my friend, soon you will be able to roam free.” Zoran said as he sat down. Calling up the view screen, he turned to his brother Trelon.
“Trelon, how goes it?” Zoran asked grimly.
“Well, we are within orbit of the planet. There are a number of satellites we have to redirect so their signals do not recognize anything out of the ordinary. The inhabitants of this world clutter their air space with a lot of junk. It is almost amusing to see how primitive they are. It is as bad as being on the hunt planet without the city complex.” Trelon said with a glimmer of amusement on his face. He loved anything to do with old space junk. He collected it just to take it apart and see what it was used for.
“I’ve been monitoring their communications. They have many entertaining programs. Did you know there was a group of people shipwrecked on an island? And this yellow thing lives on the bottom of their ocean and cooks on a grill. How can a grill work under the water?” Trelon continued looking puzzled.
Zoran gave Trelon a frustrated look. “Have you heard from Creon recently?”
“He is being very secretive, but you know Creon, he is always that way. He doesn’t want to say anything until we join him back home.” Trelon replied. He hesitated before continuing. “Zoran, can I ask you something personal?”
Zoran looked up distracted. He was trying to reach out to the symbiosis on Abby but she was too far away. “Yes.”
“Is it true you were able to complete the mating? I mean, a true mate, with the female from this planet?” Trelon asked quietly for once totally serious.
Zoran sighed. He knew many would be interested in his mating with Abby. The sign of the dragon’s mark on her neck would show she had mated with both him and his dragon. The sight of his symbiosis on her would show she was totally accepted as his true mate. This was something all males craved as it meant total satisfaction on both a physical and mental level. He had found his other half, he was finally whole.
“Yes. I have found my true mate. Abby not only accepted my symbiosis but me and my dragon.” Zoran replied softly.
“Is it true what they say, about the dragon’s heat? That it is truly an incredible experience to finally be sated.” Trelon asked tentatively.
Zoran’s eyes flashed for a moment before he realized his brother was not asking for details, he just wanted to know if everything they had ever heard as they grew up about the dragon’s heat was true. That for once, the constant ache, the constant hunger was finally sated. The nagging discomfort was something they all accepted they would always feel until their deaths.
“Yes. While I ache and hunger for Abby, it is not the same. I miss her on a physical and mental level. Something I have never felt before. But the steady ache and hunger that clawed at my insides is no longer there. Only with her do I feel complete.” Zoran said looking at his brother with tears in his eyes. “I love her, Trelon, both as a man and as a dragon.”
Trelon smiled sadly. “I am happy for you, brother. I can only hope one day the rest of us can find a true mate like yours.”
They spent the next several hours talking about life back home. The other diplomats were furious over Zoran’s capture and had voted on an embargo of Curizan until the forces responsible for his capture were brought to justice. The city complex on the hunt planet also received a warning that such an event would not be tolerated and it would be fined for not maintaining security as it promised. A new commander of the city complex was installed and a full investigation was underway to find out what happened.
Abby sighed with relief as the last guest for the evening left. The Boswell’s did everything big. There had to have been over one hundred guests, all incredibly rich. Her piece was placed in the Boswell’s own private gallery and Abby received numerous compliments, a few a little more personal than she liked, and a couple of promising prospects for additional work. She didn’t push anything as she was just too sad and tired to do so. All she wanted to do was get back on the plane and head back to California. Unfortunately, it would be early tomorrow morning before she could leave. Mr. Boswell explained they were waiting for a mechanic to show up from one of their facilities to accompany the flight back. Some of his managers wanted to have the pilots test a few things and the mechanic was supposed to test the engine afterwards. There would also be another passenger but Mr. Boswell didn’t say more than that. Abby really didn’t care as long as they left as soon as possible. She missed Zoran and tomorrow might be her last day with him.
Chapter 12
Abby let out her breath in relief. They took off later than planned due to a weather front moving through the center of the country. It was dark as they neared the little airport in Shelby. The weather here was clear and Abby could see the stars glittering out the window of the small jet. Their mysterious passenger spent most of the time with a sleeping mask on in the back of the plane. Abby never got a good look as the woman had already been on the plane. She talked quietly on a cell phone until they began taxiing for takeoff, then she slipped the sleeping mask on and Abby didn’t hear a sound out of her aga
in. The mechanic who sat next to Abby snoring softly turned out to be the total opposite. The mechanic turned out to be a little thing. The woman, which surprised Abby, had to be about five foot two and probably weighed a hundred pounds wet. She had a head full of dark auburn hair with streaks of purple in it. She had a scattering of freckles across her nose and a ready smile. She was perky while sipping one of the largest cups of coffee Abby had ever seen. As the woman talked up a storm and checked every nut and bolt on the plane, three times, Abby decided the woman shouldn’t ever drink coffee or any other beverage with caffeine in it. She was like a bouncy ball let loose in the small space. She finally crashed about two hours ago after saying she hadn’t slept in over seventy-two hours. Even in her sleep she seemed to be working as her fingers moved back and forth like she was taking something apart.
The symbiosis on Abby fell in love with the woman as she talked and petted them. Abby didn’t know how on earth the woman seemed to know about them but she had taken one look at them and talked to them as if she did it every day. They behaved themselves, staying quiet while on Abby but Abby knew they wanted to play. Once the woman fell asleep, they turned into little birds and flew over to her, flittering around her face as she blew out little puffs of air.
Abby’s pulse quickened as Trisha’s voice came over the intercom to ask that everyone buckle up for landing. Cara Truman stretched out her arms and legs, shooting the little gold symbiosis on Abby’s wrists a wink as she sat all the way up.
“So, how long before we land?” Cara asked looking out the window. “Cool, not a cloud in sight. Man, this is a little bitty place, isn’t it? Looks like the town I grew up in.”