by S. E. Smith
“So, what do the younglings want us to do?” Vox asked later while the men were cleaning up the kitchen. He quickly scooped up the last cookie before Cree could, and popped it into his mouth. “Roam was telling me I had to help him make something.”
“They want to make Valentine’s Day cards for each other and their mothers,” Zoran said.
“Is that like the heart that Carmen gave you, Creon?” Mandra asked, turning around to glance at Creon where he was wiping down the counters.
Creon nodded. “Yes, Carmen and the girls were making them earlier,” he said, tossing the cloth he was using to Kelan.
“What does it look like again?” Trelon asked, leaning back against the counter.
Creon pulled the glitter and lace heart out of his shirt. He carefully unfolded it and held it out for the other men to look at. The large group circled him and peered down at the heart with a frown.
“I could replicate it,” Trelon suggested, looking up at the other men. “It would be easy.”
“No, you can’t,” Paul replied with a shake of his head.
“Why not? It would be simple,” Trelon said, looking at Paul with a frown.
“Do you love your mates?” Paul asked, leaning against the counter and folding his arms across his chest.
“Of course,” the men murmured in slightly exasperated tones.
Paul carefully looked at each man before he spoke. “Then you need to give her a card and a gift that comes from your heart. That is what Valentine’s Day is about. It is a way to show her she is the most special woman in the world to you and there isn’t another one who can fill that spot in your heart,” he explained.
“What will you do for Dola?” Zoran asked.
Paul smiled. “I’ll make a Valentine’s Day card and write a special message in it just for her. I’ll give her flowers and take her and Morah out for a picnic. If I can find a special piece of jewelry that she might really like, I’ll buy that for her as well. Most of all, though, I’ll let her know that she is the most beautiful woman in the world to me and how much I love her,” he explained. “I’ll also give Trisha one that tells her how much I love her and how proud I am to have a daughter like her.
“That is all?” Kelan asked with a frown. “You make a card, give her flowers and maybe jewelry, and feed her?”
“It’s a lot more work than you realize,” Paul chuckled. “But, it is worth every second.”
“So, we make these hearts and give our mates a special gift. We can do that… with your help,” Mandra said with a nod before he grinned at Paul. “We could meet tomorrow in the workshop downstairs. I am sure the women would enjoy a chance to go shopping together.”
Cree glanced at Ha’ven. “The last time the women went shopping, Alice took our daughter,” he muttered with a wary expression.
Ha’ven waved his hand. “We will be there with the younglings this time,” he said before he grinned. “Admit it, you both had a good time, and Hope was perfectly safe.”
“I liked the balloon fight the best,” Calo agreed before grunting when his brother elbowed him in the stomach. “What?! We won!”
“It took weeks to get all the shining flakes out of our hair,” Cree reminded Calo.
“Yes, but Melina thought it was pretty,” Calo defended.
“Warriors are not pretty,” Cree reminded his brother.
“If it helps, Calo, Amber and Jade thought I was pretty, too,” Trelon laughed, slapping Calo on the shoulder.
Paul chuckled. He wondered what new adventures tomorrow would bring when he brought the materials for making the Valentine’s Day cards. He remembered doing it one year with Trisha, Ariel, and Carmen. He had been exhausted, the house had been a wreck, and there was gold glitter paint on the ceiling of his kitchen until he redid it ten years later. He had gladly turned the event over to Ariel and Carmen’s mom when she volunteered the next year.
“I’ll gather all the materials and meet everyone before lunch tomorrow,” Paul suggested with a grin. “It might be best since I’m the only one besides the women who knows what Valentine’s Day is.”
* * *
Chapter 4
* * *
Several hours later, Creon and Carmen had said goodnight to the others, arrived home, and wrangled Spring and Phoenix into and then out of the bath, gave them another bedtime story and several goodnight kisses, and now the girls were finally asleep in their beds.
“Watch over them, Harvey,” Creon whispered.
The gold symbiot softly snorted and padded into the room. Harvey settled down on the area rug that was littered with toys. One last glance at the girls showed Phoenix, Spring, and their smaller symbiots tucked in their matching twin beds.
Creon quietly closed the door. He glanced at Carmen, his eyes glittering with promise. His eyes widened with surprise when Carmen pinned him against the door and kissed him with a passion that left him craving more.
“Last one to the far meadow is on the bottom,” she whispered before running her hand down the front of his pants and turning away.
Creon blinked, his body still humming from the kiss when her words sank in. He strode down the hallway and into the living room just in time to see a flash of Carmen in her dragon form leap over the railing. He growled deeply and sprinted toward the balcony, shifting the moment he was clear of the doors. In a flash, the black dragon was in pursuit of his beautiful mate.
I like her on top, his dragon grumbled.
I do, too. We’ll almost get there first, Creon promised.
Phoenix lifted her head and rolled onto her stomach. She glanced at the door before turning to look over at Spring. Her sister grinned at her and nodded.
They both heard their parents sneak out.
“Come on,” Phoenix whispered, pulling back the covers.
Spring giggled and slid out of her bed so she could climb into bed with Phoenix. They each received their own beds after the first of the year, but they still preferred to sleep together. Once she scooted down, Phoenix covered her sister up before looking around for Harvey. The golden symbiot did not need a second invitation. Both girls giggled when the bed sank under Harvey’s weight. The symbiot walked around in a tight circle before lying down with his head partially between them.
“Good Harvey,” Spring whispered, stroking the massive head. “Phoenix…?”
“Mm?” Phoenix answered around a huge yawn before she laid down against the pillow and blinked sleepily at her sister. “What, Spring?”
Spring rolled onto her side to look at Phoenix. “What’s going to happen to you?” she asked in a hushed voice.
Phoenix was quiet for several minutes. Unsure of how to answer Spring, she reached out and threaded her fingers through Harvey’s mane. Her symbiot lifted his head and blinked at Harvey before settling down again. Spring’s symbiot was sprawled out on her bed, snoring.
“I’m not sure yets,” she whispered, looking at Spring again.
“I don’t wants you to ever leave me,” Spring whispered, laying her hand over Harvey so she could touch Phoenix’s hand. “We’s sisters. We gots to be together.”
“I know, but… I’m not sures I can always be here, Spring. I sees things I don’t understand,” Phoenix admitted.
“Are they bad things?” Spring asked in a trembling voice. “I’m older than you. I have to protects you from bad things.”
Phoenix’s gaze softened. “I loves you, Spring. We’ll always be together in our hearts, just like Mommy and Daddy says,” she whispered.
Spring sighed and yawned. She released Phoenix’s hand to tiredly rub her eyes. Her hand searched once again for her sister’s when she was done.
“What’s we going to do about the dragon warrior? If he doesn’t find the lonely lady, he won’t be ables to fix her heart likes Daddy fixed Mommy’s,” she mumbled, half asleep.
“We’ll talks to the others tomorrow,” Phoenix replied. “We’ll figures out what to do.”
“Okay,” Spring softly replied
before she fell asleep.
Phoenix was almost asleep when she felt the gentle brush of a hand against her hair. She rolled slightly onto her side and blinked up at Arosa. Her lips curled into a smile.
“Will you helps us find the lonely woman and dragon warrior?” she asked, fighting to stay awake.
“Yes,” Arosa whispered.
“How?” Phoenix asked with a frown.
“She lives in the yellow and white house on your mommy’s world,” Arosa said with a thoughtful expression.
“But, how is the dragon warrior going to find her if she’s on my mommy’s world?” Phoenix asked, struggling to sit up.
“He is already there. He just needs to find the house,” Arilla whispered.
“But, what if he can’t find it? My mommy says the lonely woman is afraid of the dragon warrior. What if she won’t talks to him?” Phoenix asked.
“Well, he is a bit of a grouchy male,” Arosa muttered in a thoughtful tone.
“His dragon isn’t very cooperative either. I can see where he might scare her,” Arilla replied with a sigh.
“Can’t you tells him to be nice? His dragon and symbiot would have to listens to you, wouldn’t they?” Phoenix asked, yawning again.
“We can’t…,” Arilla started to say when her sister shook her head.
“But, you could!” Arosa replied with a smile.
Phoenix frowned. “How can I talks to him?” she asked.
“You could talk to the lonely woman,” Arilla said.
“The dragon warrior could follow you to her house,” Arosa added with a nod.
Phoenix shook her head and laid back down against the pillow. “But… How do I get to my mommy’s world?” she mumbled.
“You could go through the mirror you make,” Arilla replied, soothing Phoenix back down.
“Oh! I forgots I can do that,” Phoenix exclaimed with a sigh. “Can I ask my daddy for helps this time? He says that we aren’t supposed to goes off by ourselves.”
“Of course,” Arilla and Arosa said at the same time. “Sleep now, child.”
Phoenix sleepily smiled at Arosa and Arilla before closing her eyes. Her soft sigh brushed the air. She rolled over, her tiny hand searching for her sister’s. Only when they were holding hands did she relax and fall into a dream-filled sleep about a lonely woman and the dragon warrior whose heart she touched.
* * *
Chapter 5
* * *
“Arosa and Arilla says you just gots to show the dragon warrior where the lonely woman lives? And, we’s got to make sure she isn’t afraids of him? How are we’s suppose to do that?” Spring asked, tilting her head to stare at her sister the next morning.
“Yes, yes, and yes. I’m goings to make one of my mirrors and helps the dragon warrior find her, but first we are going to finds her and talks to her so she knows dragons aren’t scary,” Phoenix explained.
“I didn’t knows you could go through your mirror to different places. I thoughts we could just plays in it. Can I goes with you?” Spring asked with a hopeful smile.
Phoenix nodded. “Of course. We’s got to tell her about the dragon warrior,” Phoenix explained.
“What about Harvey? Can he comes with us, too?” Spring asked, threading her fingers across Harvey’s golden coat.
“I guess so. We better takes our symbiots, too. Daddy says we are suppose to haves them with us all the times. Arilla and Arosa said Daddy can comes too. I told them that we’s don’t want to get in trouble,” Phoenix explained.
“He and Mommy are still sleeping, though. Maybe we can goes for just a little while. I want to see where Mommy lived,” Spring said, turning a pleading look on her sister. “We won’t be gones for very long and we’ll have Harvey and our symbiots. We’ll just take a small peek.”
Phoenix looked at Spring with an expression of uncertainty. She finally nodded in agreement when Spring stuck her bottom lip out. It was still really early here. If they weren’t gone for very long, their mom and dad would never know. Besides, they would have the symbiots with them. They were the bestest babysitters ever!
“Okay, but only so we knows where she lives,” Phoenix said, pushing the covers back and sliding out of bed.
“Yay! Come on, Harvey. Come on, Little Bit. We’re going on an adventure. We gots to go find the lonely lady before Mommy and Daddy wakes up,” Spring softly squealed in delight.
Spring’s symbiot tried to burrow back into her pillow, but Phoenix’s symbiot, Stardust, pounced on it, rolling the small, golden Werecat over onto its back. Soon the two smaller symbiots were wrestling under the covers.
“I’m going to needs more room,” Phoenix said, looking around their bedroom.
“We could do it in the garden,” Spring replied with a thoughtful look. “What about the others? Do you think they should comes with us? This way we would have more company and really not be alone.”
Phoenix thought for a minute before she nodded. “I thinks that would be a good idea,” she said.
“Yay! I’ll gets the talking box Amber and Jade gave us,” Spring exclaimed in delight, throwing the covers back and sliding out of bed.
Twenty minutes later, Phoenix and Spring waited in the lower courtyard garden. Harvey walked around the perimeter, sniffing and exploring. Phoenix glanced up at the sky. It was still dark enough to see the stars.
“What’s wrong?” Jabir asked, yawning and rubbing his eyes. “I was still sleeping when Spring wokes me up.”
“I’m here!” Alice announced, suddenly appearing with a bright smile that faded to confusion when she saw Phoenix, Spring, and Jabir still in their night clothes. She was dressed in dark brown pants, matching boots and cape, and a bright red shirt. “I didn’t knows we were supposed to stay in our pajamas.”
“You don’t have to,” Phoenix said. “We can’t changes like you do.”
“Oh, I can help,” Alice offered. “What do you wants to wear?”
“I want a jumper,” Spring said excitedly. “A dark blue jumper with a white tops.”
Alice’s brow creased and she bit her lip while she concentrated. Within seconds, Spring was wearing a dark blue top and a white jumper. Alice blinked and she shook her head.
“I’m still workings on making things for others,” Alice said with an apologetic expression.
“That’s okay. I loves it,” Spring reassured her, running her hands down the soft material. “Phoenix, what do you wants to wear?”
“I likes my soft pants and pink shirt – with flowers on it. I like flowers on my shirt,” Phoenix replied.
“I like flowers, too,” Alice replied, waving her hands.
She turned to Jabir when she was finished. Phoenix grinned when Jabir backed up and shook his head. He was wearing a pair of pajamas with pictures of dragons all over it.
“I likes my pajamas,” Jabir muttered. “There’s Zohar and the others.”
Phoenix turned and watched Zohar, Bálint, Amber, and Jade bound out of the palace and down the steps. She frowned, looking for Roam. Bálint landed, and Roam pounced out from behind a bush. Bálint dodged and grinned.
“Aww, Bálint, I almost tagged you,” Roam complained, yawning and scratching his belly. “What’s so importants that we had to get up before the sun? Tigers don’t likes getting up before the sun. My mommy says it makes us cran… cranky, whatevers that means. My dad has to gives my mom lots of kisses and coffee befores he talks to her if he wakes her up. My new baby sisters wakes them boths up a lot now though, so my daddy sleeps later.”
“Why’s Amber and Jade gots dirt all over their faces?” Jabir asked with a puzzled frown.
“It’s not dirts. It’s camo-fogging,” Amber announced.
“Yeah, ours Mommy told us abouts it. It helps makes you invisitable when you are on a mission,” Jade said, smoothing her hands down over the black shirt and pants.
“I never heards of camo-fogging before,” Jabir muttered under his breath.
“It’s what Mommy and Grand
pa Paul does when I’s tracking them,” Bálint leaned over to explain in Jabir’s ear.
“Oh!” Jabir replied with a sudden understanding.
Spring cleared her throat and stepped up in front of the group. “Phoenix talked to Arilla and Arosa last night. They’s told her where’s the lonely lady lives. We’s are going to go see her and tells her that dragons are good and nots to be scared. Then, we’s got to find the dragon warrior and lead him to her so that she can heal his dragon’s heart,” she announced. “We thoughts you’d like to go with us to see her. We got to show her that she won’t be lonely no more if she loves the dragon warrior.”
“Where’s the lonely lady? Didn’t your mommy say she lived in a yellow and white house on a world that’s far away?” Zohar asked with a frown.
“She lives in our Mommy’s old house. It’s where all of our mommies came froms,” Spring replied.
Bálint shook his head. “But we nots suppose to go on adventures by ourselves,” he reminded Spring.
“This times is different. The Goddesses told Phoenix she was supposed to go. Besides, we’ll have Harvey, Little Bit, and Stardust with us.”
“I wants Precious to come, too,” Jabir said, stepping forward. “If Harvey can goes, so can Precious.”
“Can Symba come?” Jade asked.
“I thinks all of the symbiots should come with us,” Zohar stated.
“But, I don’t have a symbiot,” Roam complained.
“I don’t eithers, Roam,” Alice said, wrapping her arm through his. “We could be each other's symbiot.”
“I’ll shares Bio with you, Alice,” Bálint offered, shooting a fierce scowl at Roam.
“I’ll sticks with Alice. She can do neats things,” Roam replied with a grin, gripping Alice’s hand in his.
Spring snarled softly and stepped close to Roam and Alice. Reaching out, she glared angrily at Roam and pulled him away from Alice.
“Bálint says he will shares Bio with her. Jabir can shares Precious with you,” she snapped before turning away.
Roam stared at Spring’s stiff back with a confused frown. He shrugged at Jabir before stepping closer to the smaller boy. Precious ran a silky tongue up his cheek.