by Honor James
“That sounds perfect. Let’s clean up first and then we will head out. Deal?” At his nod she grinned and they all headed for the sink so that they could get everything cleaned up.
* * * *
They were lazily swinging on the hammock, Violet between the two large Draygons and relaxing. “Okay, boys. I need to pee.” She patted both of their bellies. “How about you let me up so I can run in and use the bathroom off the side of the kitchen?” That way she wouldn’t be far from them and they could continue to relax.
Ladon rolled off the hammock, catching it as it swung away from him and held out a hand. “Be quick,” he said. Helping her off, he brushed his lips to her ear. “He’ll freak if you’re gone for more than a couple of minutes. So will I, but it sounds better when I put it all on him.” Grinning at her, he gave her a wink and let her loose.
“Don’t worry, I only have to pee really quickly.”
Once she had finished what she had to do and washed her hands, she walked out of the bathroom. She stopped up short, however, when she saw the woman standing there. “Alberta?” She whispered in horror. “No. It’s not possible.” She felt sick. “You are dead.” There stood her aunt, the woman who had cursed the Draygons. A woman that she was certain was dead. That everyone felt was dead. What in the name of Hell was happening?
“Obviously not, child.” The woman shot her a derisive look as she shook her head. “You really haven’t gotten any brighter over the years. Your mother had such high hopes, too bad she was so wrong.” Her tone was smug, her words condescending, and the look on her face victorious.
“Oh, I’m sure that I’m a little brighter than you might think.” She saw her mates on the outside of the home, beating upon a spell that had been cast over the home. “I’m not the child that I was when you were supposedly killed.” She cocked her head to the side and felt her magic cloaking her. “How did you manage to escape that, by the way? Just a little curious.” Violet knew that this was it. Her heart beat in rapid staccato, and she hurt from the knowledge that she was going to die before her mates’ eyes.
“Ah yes, the need to delay the inevitable. To buy your mates time to come to your rescue. Please,” she said with a snort. “We all know how this will end. You will die, and they will follow, because they cannot live without you. The Draygons will forever remain cursed and eventually perish. As to how I faked my own death”—she gave a titter of laughter—”There is a wonderful saying on Earth. The rumors of my demise were greatly exaggerated, I believe is it. A little of this, a lot of that, a few people scared out of their pants to spread the tale, years for it to grow, and voila. My great ending. Hell, I wasn’t even there!”
Violet frowned and shook her head. “I think that you will find that I’m not as easy to kill as you might think,” she said confidently. She allowed her magic to unwrap from her and begin to work on the dark magic shell that was wrapped around the building. She knew she was going to die, but she had to give her mates a way to get in to her before it was too late. “So you had help from Earth, that’s what I’m taking from it? Who is it that would have helped you?”
“Who wouldn’t, when offered ultimate power?” she countered. “Or, in some cases, who wouldn’t, for a way to ensure that the Races suffered? There are so many little humans who have a great and very passionate hatred for the Races. They did like to play with them before they finally took their pitiful little lives. It was quite enjoyable to watch as that light was eternally snuffed. Oh, for the love of the Gods, child, quit trying to pull my shield down. They won’t get in until I’m damn good and ready. You see, you have a couple of huge weaknesses. One of the weaknesses being your love for those two buffoons. The second being that you think only good, unlike myself who has dabbled in everything there is. You can’t win against someone that is willing to risk everything to destroy you.”
“But you see, I can and I will,” Violet said confidently. “And even if you manage to kill me, they will destroy you before you are able to take another breath. They will not rest until you are dead, dead by their own hands and not another’s. They are like that, you know. Love is something that’s in my favor, something that you’ve turned your back on.” She felt the lift of the shield, even the slightest inch that she got, and relaxed a bit. “So, you are the one who told the humans how to destroy parts of the shields, as well as how to capture and hold the Races so that they could be tested upon?”
“Of course.” She smiled. “Good flexing there, sweetheart. You should use your knees, though, not your back. Yes, I even smuggled in the little humans so they could plant their devices and destroy the stations. Told them right where to put their little blocks to ensure the maximum damage. Unfortunately a couple got a little sloppy and ended up dead, but the effect was still worth it.”
Brushing at something on her arm, she fluttered her lashes. “I’ve always enjoyed watching the Draygons scream. The Luhpynes, too. They think they are invincible, but they bleed the same as everyone else. And when they break—” She closed her eyes as she let out a shuddering breath. “Gods, it’s orgasmic to hear them as they beg for their worthless lives.”
That’s when it hit her. “You were there,” Violet whispered. “The last day that I was on Earth. You were there with the Luhpyne, weren’t you?” She’d felt the dark energy in waves at that moment and felt it once more now with her aunt standing before her. “Why? Why is it that you were with a Luhpyne? Was he helping you as well?” Surely not. The Races had all but demanded Alberta’s head on the proverbial platter after she killed a village of women and children. To all of the Races, she was a monster.
“Him? Hardly,” she scoffed. Wiggling her fingers, she frowned down at her nails, turning her hand one way, then the other. “Damn, I have a hangnail. Well that just won’t do in the least,” she muttered. “No, no. He was there against his will. He thought he was helping a friend when in reality he was nothing more than a pawn. I got a lot out of him before he finally died. Too bad his mates will never know what became of him. I have learned it’s best to ensure there is no evidence left. Such a tragedy, being caught in a house fire, don’t you think?”
“You get off on this, don’t you?” Violet was in shock. She just couldn’t believe that this woman was her mother’s sister. “None will allow you to live. You know this, right?” She asked softly. “No matter what happens this day, you are going to die. Even if I die as well, so, too, will you.” She felt the build-up of her aunt’s magic, felt the darkness in and knew that the moment was here. She looked to her mates, a tear tracking down her cheek and her sorrow clear. She turned once more and looked to Alberta. “I will kill you along with you killing me. If I don’t, my mates will.”
“They can try, they may even get close, but they will not.” She picked at a nail before flicking her fingers slightly. “Better. No, you seem to think that I’m so foolish as to have come alone! Really, my dearest niece, how could you so underestimate me?”
She smiled and stretched her arms over her head. Bending, she touched the floor and then did a series of lunges. “One must always stretch before doing any sort of magic. So few realize what a toll it takes on the physical form.” She stopped and stared off to the side. “Where was I? Oh, right, time for you to die you little darling. Say hello to your mother for me will you? Let her know that I will be taking very good care of the Spiryte Realm for you both.” With an angelic smile and with absolute madness in her eyes, she thrust her hands out to shoot a ball of energy straight at Violet’s chest.
Violet fell backward when the magic struck her. She gasped only a moment, and when she hit the ground, she was dead, no longer able to chip away at the magical shell that surrounded her home. Her last thought was one of love to her mates and the utter trust in them as well. Death came to her on the fastest of wings, so quickly she couldn’t process the pain, couldn’t process what was happening. Death took the Spryte Queen from the Draygon Realm she was in, even as her mates broke through the final dark barrier that
her aunt had thrown over the home.
* * * *
“Violet, Violet! Damn it, open your eyes, woman,” a familiar voice called to her. “That’s it, sweetheart. Take in that air, yes, just like that. Good girl. Get her some water, she’s going to need it.” Gentle hands stroked her cheeks lightly, a definite tremor to each touch.
“Here,” another familiar voice said.
Her head was lifted, which made everything in her body lurch, then cool liquid brushed her lips. “Open up, little mate. Take a sip for me. Come on, Violet. Please.” Viper, that was Viper talking to her, pleading with her, his voice shaking so horribly.
Violet felt her mouth open. She hurt. Gods she hurt so badly all over. She had never had such pain in her entire life. The liquid slid down her throat and eased the pain. “Viper?” She whispered his name, pain lacing every single letter she spoke. “Ladon?” She couldn’t open her eyes, they were far too heavy and seemed to be forever glued shut. “Where? What?” She felt the heat of both of her mates then, both of them surrounding her. She heard others. She had no idea who was there, but her mates surrounded her, kept her protected and she was happy with that. “Alberta,” she whispered. “She’s alive. Have to stop her.” She was shaking, her entire body began to convulse, and only Viper’s tight hold kept her from shaking out of his arms and away from him.
“Shh,” he whispered against her temple. “One thing at a time, Violet. You don’t need to worry about her, not now, not ever again. Right now I want you to focus on the moment. We’ll explain everything later. For now, just breathe for us, know that you are safe here with us.”
Violet nodded and cried out as the pain hit her. She felt Viper tighten his hands around her, and she bit her lower lip. “At least I am alive.” She hurt like hell, so she had to be alive. If she were truly dead she wouldn’t hurt, right?
“It’s over?” She asked quietly and felt the nod of her mates close to her. “Did we fulfill the prophecy?” She prayed that they had, because she didn’t think she had it in her to die again.
She felt his laugh as he gave her a squeeze. “In a big way,” he whispered. “Fucking hell, woman. You scared an easy couple of centuries off my life with what you did. By the Gods, I can’t believe you. You were amazing, but never again. You hear me? Never again, Violet.”
“You’re fine, we’re fine, everyone is fine,” Ladon said on her other side. “Just rest for now, Vi. Tomorrow will be soon enough for explanations. We have healers here to look over your wounds. Go to sleep if you can, sweetheart. Know that we are beside you all the time. We won’t be letting you go anywhere alone for a very, very long fucking time.”
“Okay.” She didn’t know what she had done, but she was alive. That’s what was important. “Don’t leave me? Okay? Even if I have to go pee, I’m taking one of you with me.” She didn’t think she would be able to be alone for a very, very long time. She would just have to have them turning their backs to her while she did her business. Gosh damn it. “I love you both. Sleep is good.” She sighed and nestled closer to Viper. “Just don’t let them push too hard, okay? Because they will, you know it as well as I do.”
“It’s fine,” Viper said softly. She could feel him brushing little kisses to her cheeks and over her nose. Ladon was nuzzling her throat on her other side as they held her close. “We have a lot of them here, they will balance the load. Sleep now, love. You need to sleep so that they can do their work. We will be right here, through it all, and when you wake we will still be glued to your sides.”
“Okay, I can do that,” Violet whispered to them and sighed. She felt the nuzzling and touching of her mates and allowed that to fully relax her. She soaked up the feelings of her mates against her and shortly dropped off into a deep sleep, a healing sleep that she desperately needed to complete the healing of her body.
Chapter Fourteen
Strong hands caught her wrists in a tight, yet gentle hold. “Violet, it’s Ladon, easy. You’re safe now, sweetheart. You’re alive and in bed recuperating. Take a breath, that’s it. Relax, little mate. Nobody can get to you here. Slow your breathing down more, Vi.”
Vi did just that. She took a deep and calming breath. She began to breathe along with Ladon, her heart beating along with his. She nodded and licked her lips. “I’m alive,” she whispered with a smile. “That is awesome. We survived. How?” She asked with a frown. “How did you bring me back?”
“We got seriously lucky,” he said. He let her arms go and sat back on the bed. “First, though, how are you doing? You’ve been asleep for days, except for the occasional flailing about. You nearly gave Viper a black eye,” he told her with a smirk. “Fucking funniest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“I’m sorry.” That would explain why she was so thirsty and hungry. “I’m starving,” she said suddenly. “Think that we can get something to eat?” She asked with a smile. “Better yet, why don’t you help me up so that we can go downstairs and eat?”
“You sure?” he asked. He had a skeptical expression on his face. At her nod, he eyed her for a time before shrugging. “All right. We’ll need to put some clothes on you, though. We’ve kept you naked except for the bandages so we could clean you easily. Let me grab you a shirt, and then we can head downstairs.” He paused, like he was expecting her to change her mind, before getting up and going to the dresser. Ladon returned with one of Viper’s large shirts, and helping her to sit up, slid it over her head and arms.
Violet waited for Ladon to pass her a shirt and help her into it. She relaxed once more, her body already exhausted after the short time with just getting dressed. She let out a breath of a sound. “Okay, I think that you are going to have to help me more than a little. Sorry, but I am going to have to lean on you a bit more than I had expected.”
“Whatever you do, don’t overdo it, love. If you do, Viper will kill me for letting you out of bed.” Tossing the sheets back, he grabbed a robe before helping her to stand. “Let’s get you in this, and then I’ll carry you downstairs. We’ll get you into an armchair so that you can be comfortable.”
“Sounds good to me,” Violet told him softly and then lifted her arms to wrap them around his neck and pulled him close. “Okay, this feels very good,” she said with a smile. “Having you holding onto me like this. I think that I could become very accustomed to you carrying me around everywhere.”
Laughing softly, he tucked the robe around her and scooped her into his arms. “I like carrying you around, but it would suck after a while, I’m sure. You are quite independent by nature. So this, the whole carrying you about, would likely get old quick. Besides, if I carried you around all the time, how would you ever get any time with Viper in?” He asked that with a huge grin on his face, then dropped a kiss to her lips.
“Hurm, good point,” she said with a grin. “I guess then that I will just have to have him carrying me around from time to time as well.” She liked that thought, a lot. “And no, I wouldn’t want to be carried around all the time, either. I do like this, though. From time to time would be nice.”
“What the hell is this?” Viper bellowed. He was at the bottom of the stairs, glowering at them both. Ladon had stopped dead in his tracks at Viper’s voice. “She is supposed to be on complete bed rest for the next two weeks, no excuses. That does not include jaunts through the house on a whim.”
“She made me do it,” Ladon said, nodding furiously. “Sorry, love,” he muttered out the side of his mouth.
“Highly doubtful, given the state she was in no more than two hours ago.” He turned his glower on her. She noted that it softened a little as he looked her over. “I’m guessing you’re hungry?” he asked in a softer voice.
“Yes, I’m hungry, and yes, I asked Ladon to bring me down,” Violet told Viper with a grin. “I wanted to get up out of the bed. I wanted to come down and see you,” she said honestly. “I just needed to move out of bed. I promise I am not going to do anything aside from eating, okay?”
He didn’t look happy, bu
t he did finally nod. “Get her into a chair and covered up. We can’t have her getting chilled on top of everything else. I’ll get you something to eat. It will be light, promise.” Viper shot Ladon another look. She caught concern in his gaze, though, before he turned and stalked off, muttering under his breath about stubborn women.
Violet grinned at Ladon and winked. She whispered her love to him and then shifted slightly in the chair. “Ah, this is very nice.” She said and turned her face to the sun that streamed in through the windows. “I love the sunshine.” She missed so much and couldn’t believe that she had been in and out for days. Not good, at all.
He draped a blanket around her, tucking it under her legs. He also put some pillows on either side so her arms were up at a comfortable height. Throwing a glance over his shoulder, he sat down on the ottoman. “That is what I’ve been living with since you finally conked out to start healing. I am ever-so-glad you’re finally awake. It’s been the longest nine days of my fucking life, Vi.”
“It’s my hope that I never, ever do that again. I never want to lose time with either of you, not again,” she said softly. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know that would happen. I’m just happy that you figured out how to bring me back. I’m so damn sorry. I really am. I knew when I felt the shield around the house that was the moment, that she was going to kill me. I did all that I could to open her shield so that you could both come in and get me. I knew that there would be no other way.”
“Well, you did enough. Drakos had a Spiryte with him who was able to cram a wedge into the opening you made. It allowed us inside to get to her, and to you.” Ladon shifted on the ottoman and shot a look to the doorway. When he spoke again, his voice was really quiet. “Viper tore her throat right out. She won’t ever be coming for anyone again. He got to her in just the nick of time, too, she was trying to take us all out with the same thing she nailed you with. Singed Drakos right good, he was seriously pissed off. She hit Viper twice, but he was so fucking angry at that point I don’t think he even noticed. Once she was down we focused on you and…” He gave a shrug.