“‘Now, you are the greatest creation I have made,’ she whispered.
“The beast purred under her touch, his black talons retracting with each stroke as his enormous wings folded behind him. Terra cocked her head and smiled.
“‘You are not yet perfect, my love,’ she whispered, kissing his lips for a second time.
“Terra closed her eyes and felt the magic flow from her core. The world moved around her, but still she kept her eyes closed until, at last, the dragon’s kiss was no longer cold and harsh. She felt the soft lips of a man as she opened her eyes. Terra’s hands wrapped around her lover’s body. As Terra opened her eyes and saw her creation, she smiled.
“‘Now, you are perfect,’ she whispered to him.
“And so it began. Terra had created her mate, but soon found that one beast alone could not complete her desire for companionship. As the weeks passed, each small dragon that came to her was given the gift of life – the life of a man and the immortality of the Earth. When her work was finally done, Terra looked around at the world she had created. Men and woman milled about, talking in hushed whispers, and eating the wild berries that sprang from the bushes. Terra searched for the original man, wondering where he had hidden.
“Terra followed his scent through the tall trees, wondering where her lover had gone. As she rounded a great boulder, she froze. There, hiding from the view of others, was her original creation. The original was wrapped in the arms of another dragon. His manhood hard as his lover’s body pressed against his core. In a fit of rage, Terra screamed out at them.
“I created you from nothing, and this is how you repay me? I give you immortality, and still you betray me! You will pay for this with your life!”.
She looked past them and saw for the first time a small nest with five large, golden, eggs. Terra’s eyes darted to the two lovers, realization of just how deep the betrayal had gone dawning on her.
The blue sky started to turn dark, clouds taking over the pale sky. A bolt of thunder shot the Earth between the two lovers, and they leapt apart, fear pulsing through their bodies. Terra lifted her hands, a frightening green glow emanating from them. She shot the magic at the woman who had taken her lover, but to Terra’s horror, the red dragon jumped in front of her, taking the blow and falling to the ground. Terra gasped, running to him and dropping to the earth.
“‘What have you done?’ he asked Terra, the light in his eyes starting to dim.
“‘No, I can fix this,’ she said, frantically trying to heal her lover.
“‘Don’t, I have no will to live if this is the life I’m fated,’ he whispered.
“His eyes closed, and Terra felt her sadness turn to rage. Her eyes met those of the frightened lover standing above him.
“‘You did this,’ she hissed.
“She backed away from Terra. ‘No. Please, master,’ she begged.
“Her eyes turned dark as the sky had before. ‘You will pay for this,’ Terra promised.
“The others had gathered around them – she had created seven in all. She started to chant, and as she did, five of the dragons doubled over in pain. A dark laughter slipped past her lips as the Earth started to swallow its daughter.
“‘The spawn that your lover died for will carry on his line, forever cursed to be alone, guarding the creatures that I have made. Each beast will hate the other with all their strength. You will never know peace, you will never die, and when your offspring are grown, they will lose all memory of you. They will turn against you and their brothers as you have turned against me. They will wander the Earth, guardians of the five races. There will never be another dragon shifter for as long as the Earth is moving. Your sons will never know the joy you had.’
“As she melted into the ground, once again binding with the earth, the only dragon shifter left looked around at the group of dragons that she called her family. Terra, the only child of Mother Earth, had created the original races. The shifter, the fae, the lycanthrope, the vampire, and man. As the eggs behind her started to wiggle and hatch, she understood the weight of the curse. She vowed, in that moment, to break the curse and bring her children together; no matter how long it took.”
I was stunned by the story I had just heard, but it felt so oddly familiar. I couldn’t place it, but it was there in the back of my mind. The story seemed to bring up even more questions.
“So, the Federation is the dragons, and they are trying to control all the other races?”
Rhett nodded his head. “It wasn’t the way that Terra had envisioned it. They were meant to be equals, not one species to rule over all of them. This story isn’t a secret. The other species know it as well, and they are getting tired of the Federation running their lives. The Federation is on edge, which is why they are tracking down anyone who might help the other races to overthrow them.”
“What about the humans? Surely, they can’t know about any of this. I mean, I didn’t!”
He shook his head. “No. They may not know what’s going on yet, but times are changing. I don’t know how much longer the fae can keep them in the dark.”
“Isn’t that breaking some agreement though? Keeping them in the dark?”
“That was an accord that was agreed on by all, including the protector of the the mortals. They are a weak species. If they knew what they were up against, then the world would crumble.”
I fell silent, thinking about the story that he had told me. “So, there were five protectors? Then who watches over the dragons?”
Rhett shrugged. “They guard themselves, I guess. That’s why the Federation is there. They took it upon themselves to watch over their kind and all the others.”
“I bet Mother Earth wasn’t happy about that, or at least her daughter wasn’t.”
Rhett winked at me. “And that is why we have fun little creatures like you. I believe there are also more of you. You remember we talked about balance, right? I believe that humans like you are Mother Earth trying to restore the balance. She never wanted dragons to have all the power, but they took it anyway, and now we have humans – mere mortals – popping up with powers that they shouldn’t have otherwise. The Federation is scared, so they are sending their henchman to eliminate your kind as soon as they appear.”
I swallowed hard, his words finally hitting home. “There are more people out there like me? There are others that have the same powers that I do?”
“I couldn’t begin to know, to be honest. I can only assume that there are more. The way that the Federation is locking down on outsiders, it’s the only answer that makes sense. I wouldn’t venture to say that there are others just like you, but there are probably others that have some sort of magic to them.”
I took a deep breath. “Well, where do we go from here? Is Mikhail in danger with the Federation?”
Rhett snorted, “Your guess is as good as mine. Even with my powers, I can’t infiltrate the Federation, not that I have ever tried, though. Until now, they haven’t really been my problem.”
“And now?” I asked.
“Well, now it seems that I have been pulled into this circle whether I like it or not.”
I frowned and stood up. I couldn’t sit there like a useless lump anymore. It still felt wrong to be in my parents’ home, but it felt even more strange to be hiding in the basement.
“I need a drink,” I muttered.
I started up the stairs, and I was immediately assaulted by childhood memories. The house, though no one had lived in it for weeks, still smelled like my mother’s freshly made bread. It was like stepping back in time. The dull morning sunlight poked through the sheer curtains, bouncing off the pale-yellow walls. Pictures of me as a child through my high school graduation scattered the walls. I shuddered thinking about the past few months. I had lost so much, and no one knew. I wanted to get away from this place as quickly as possible.
“It’s so sweet,” muttered Rhett.
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t get too attached. As soon as we hear f
rom Mikhail, we are leaving and not coming back. The realtor has showings this week, and I don’t want to be around for them.”
“Your parents are selling? Why?”
“I am selling it, and I don’t want to talk about it, so drop the subject, okay? Now, help me find where they kept the booze.”
“You grew up in this home and you don’t know where they kept the booze?”
I shook my head. “I’ve never touched the stuff until now. Alcohol messes with my head in a way that I don’t like.”
Rhett went to the first cabinet and started looking with no luck. As we looked, my mind traveled back to Mikhail. I didn’t like that we hadn’t heard from him yet. I felt like something wasn’t right. He wouldn’t stay out of touch for long.
“What can you tell me about Mikhail?” I asked.
“Nothing that he wouldn’t willingly tell you if you asked him yourself.”
“But I’m not asking him. I’m asking you,” I shot back. “You seem to know him better than anyone else.”
“That’s not true. You know him better than anyone. You can look into his soul. It’s actually quite perplexing for me. I don’t even have that kind of power.”
I did my best to focus on looking for a bottle of wine, but it was no use. Repeatedly, Mikhail came back to my mind. I knew that we were linked together in some mystical way, but I couldn’t explain it. Something kept nagging at me from the corner of my mind. It was right there, like a word on the tip of your tongue that you can’t quite reach. There was something going on. I sighed and slammed my hand on the counter in frustration.
“What is it?” asked Rhett, suddenly concerned.
“I don’t know. I was thinking about Mikhail, and I suddenly got this feeling of dread, like something is really wrong, but I don’t know what.”
“I don’t like the sound of that. Forget the wine. We need to try and get ahold of Mikhail right now.”
“Why? What is going on?”
“It’s your bond. He’s trying to tell you that something has gone wrong. It’s probably the only way that he has to communicate with us. That means that whomever was coming is still there.”
“Bond? Listen, I admit that I like him, but I don’t know that we have some weird bond. What are you doing?”
Rhett was sitting on the floor of my living room, his legs crossed underneath him and his hands folded in his lap. “I don’t have time to go into details, he needs us right now, so please sit down.”
“Fine,” I muttered.
I sat down on the floor across from him and closed my eyes. “What now?”
“See Mikhail and try to connect with him like you did before.”
I frowned. How did he know about before? There wasn’t time to ask. I could sense that Mikhail was in danger. I felt like I was searching through an open field for him. I focused harder, and finally, I could hear him. It was faint, but I would know the voice that sent chills down my spine anywhere.
My eyes flew open. “Rhett, you have to get me back to him.”
“What’s going on?”
“His father is there. He is going to kill him.”
Chapter Five: Mikhail
“What are you doing here?” I asked, my shock barely hidden.
My father pushed past me and looked around the safe house. “I was sent word that you might need help with your mission. I should admit, I was surprised to get the call. Where is the human?”
I gathered my strength. “I told the Director, sir. I already took care of her. There is nothing more here for us. I was just going to stay overnight and make sure that there were no problems before returning home.”
“Really? Well then, this should be easy. Where is the body?”
“The body? I actually disposed of it into the black sea,” I replied.
“That isn’t protocol, you were given orders to bring the body back to the Federation. Why didn’t you comply? There will be repercussions. You’ll need to find the body and retrieve it. We should go now.”
“Are you kidding me? I am not going back there to find a body. The Federation will just have to take my word for it that she is dead.”
He shook his head, and my hackles rose. There was something going on that my father wasn’t telling me. My father wasn’t just here to find the body or to offer me help. He never left his office unless he was given direct orders from the Director. I could understand him sending a couple of lower lever workers to aid me, but not my father. He wasn’t just here to help, he was there to make sure that I came back with him.
“That won’t do, Mikhail. You need to tell me what happened. What is really going on here? There is more to this than what you are telling me.”
“Father, the situation is under control.”
“No!” He boomed. “It is not under control!”
I jumped at the sound as it shook the house. “What is your problem?”
“You lied to me, you lied to the Director, and now we have to go clean up this situation. Tell me where the girl is.”
I shook my head, falling back in a chair. “I can’t tell you. I don’t know where she is at. I lost her trail, but I will find her.”
“Stop playing games. Do you have any idea what is going to happen if the job isn’t completed? This isn’t just your reputation. This could jeopardize everything that we have worked for at the Federation. Your missteps on this could dissolve the treaty we are signing between the fae.”
“You mean my arranged marriage?”
“If I remember correctly, you are the one who set the entire thing up. So, why cold feet now? Is there someone else?”
I shook my head. “No. I just wanted a little break before jumping into married life.”
“Then tell the Director that and ask him to have someone else take the mission. Why all the cloak and dagger of it?”
“Father, if you want to call the Director and talk to him, then be my guest. I have said everything that I’ve wanted to say. Now, I have things to do, so either arrest me or leave.”
He shook his head. “It’s not that simple. The Federation thinks that you’ve been compromised. I was instructed to bring you back, and that’s what I plan on doing.”
I glared at him and rose slowly from the chair. “No. I won’t come with you. You don’t know what’s going on here. Hell, I don’t even know what it is. All I know is that Veronica isn’t what the Federation thinks she is.”
“Veronica?” he said with an amused look. “My God, you have affections for this mortal, don’t you?”
“I just want to make sure that I am doing the right thing, okay? Since when did that become such a big problem?”
“Since you stopped following orders and started going rouge. It’s not your job to think about right and wrong. It’s your job to do the mission and not ask questions.”
“I refuse to accept that, and I won’t go with you until I know what’s going on.”
“Then you leave me no choice,” he said with finality.
His eyes started to change. The grey turned to a deep maroon, and I knew that he wasn’t playing around. I had no choice but to shift, or at least allow my body to harden into its dragon form. I had been challenged, and there was nothing that would stop me from restoring the honor of my name. I wouldn’t make the first move, though; I wouldn’t attack my father unless he lunged at me first. He crouched down. I could smell his age and knew that taking him down wouldn’t be a challenge, but my heart ached at the thought of killing him.
“Stop!” screamed Veronica.
I was caught off guard. As I spun around, my father lunged at me. There wasn’t time for me to be easy on him as I slammed him against the wall. He was stronger than I gave him credit for. Shoving me backward, I stumbled and crashed through the antique coffee table in the middle of the room. The shards of wood pierced my skin, but I didn’t notice as I pushed back against my father. He moved away from me to get a better grip, and I slipped past him.
“No!” she screamed.
&nbs
p; This time was different. This time, a vibration shook the room, and I went flying to the opposite side as my father. A force that I couldn’t see held me in place as I tried to break free. My father had dried blood dripping down his head, and for the first time, I realized that he was being pinned in the same position. He wasn’t the one doing it. I looked at Rhett, but he shook his head and held up his hands. Rhett wasn’t the one doing it.
“Veronica?” I said.
She had her eyes closed, but her hands were raised, one pointed at me and one at my father.
“Veronica, let us go. Please,” I begged, her magic crushing my chest faster than my body could repair it.
Lowering her hands, she fell to the floor. I ran to her side, my father no longer my main concern. I wrapped my arms around her as she tried to catch her breath.
“Veronica, are you okay? Just breathe,” I whispered to her.
“You see, Mikhail? She is dangerous to all of us, and you are going against your people and your family for her. You are going to let the Federation fall for this?”
“The Federation? Is that what this is all about? I will have you know that I don’t want anything to do with them,” Veronica hissed.
My father glared at her. “Say what you want, but I know your kind.”
She stood up and returned my father’s angry look. “My kind? And what exactly is my kind? Are you talking about us pathetic humans, or maybe those of us who have powers?”
He took a step closer to her, but I jumped up and stood in his way. “What do you mean, ‘us?’ Are you telling me there are others that have your unnatural gifts?”
Veronica stopped talking rather suddenly. I was just as shocked as the others in the room to hear the silence. It couldn’t last, though; it was Veronica after all, and if I’d learned anything about her in the past day it was that she didn’t take things lying down. She would never let anyone stop her from doing or saying what she thought was right.
“I’m not telling you anything,” she whispered. “You should leave now. You aren’t wanted here.”
The Guardian Mikhail Page 4