Fianna the Gold

by Louisa Kelley

  Miriam needed to ensure no one else would discover the most fantastic, and potentially profitable, event of her life—a woman turning into a giant, winged beast, and then, even more incredibly, turning right back again—and she wasn’t even counting the magic blue powder. She didn’t care what it might take to get this creature under her control. She had wondered before how far she would go in her pursuit of success. She couldn’t imagine putting limits on herself now.

  Her business acquaintances knew her as a ruthless, cold woman, and she had never minded their dislike. Her killer instincts had served her well, until the last few financial disasters. Now she had found a woman who changed into a beast, and there were no rules for that one. As far as Miriam was concerned, the ends, especially in this case, justified the means. How would she catch, and then keep, such a creature? Her mind spun, already working on the problem, sorting and rejecting various ideas with ruthless efficiency. She could hardly wait to get started. Tomorrow, she decided, she’d go on her own hunt, as soon as she confirmed, in her usual thorough manner, that the two men were still undergoing care at Dr. Habile’s clinic.

  a

  Fianna schooled Abbie in what to say to Sandy, how to explain her delay in getting home, and then made her repeat it a few times. Abbie pressed on the dracophone’s big crystals exactly as Fianna told her and lifted the oversize receiver to hear the sound of nothing, until Sandy’s voice boomed into her ear. Startled, Abbie choked out a greeting and plunged into her explanation.

  “Yes, got lost but found help, be home tomorrow,” and so on. Her wide, brown eyes had an incredulous look as she spoke. She mouthed, “I can’t believe this,” at Fianna.

  Conversation over, Abbie pressed the left crystal and breathed a huge sigh of relief. “There. Sandy will let my roommate know, too. I doubt she would notice I’m gone, but maybe. No sense in taking chances, right?” She gave a tired grin.

  Oh, the girl was adorable beyond belief. Fianna smiled and they locked gazes in another lingering look. Fianna remembered that brief moment when Abbie’s lips had softened under hers. She heard Abbie’s breath shorten. The moment drew long and then there was a polite cough.

  “You need to make the call to Dracan,” Guin said. Her lips tilted with her knowing look. Everyone liked the new dragon with her crafty, fledgling fire. After a brief tussle, their sister-selves agreed Fianna held the ace. She kissed her first, so she got the girl.

  Fianna yanked her attention back to business. She had to call the Council, which included Queen Nareen, the thought of which made her stomach jump. After Fianna broke the news to the Elders, Guin and Orla would fly to Abbie’s campsite and check the area for clues about the men. In the meantime, she had to figure out how to manage Abbie, who needed to agree to go to Dracan—forever. The fact that Abbie didn’t truly have a choice loomed heavily on Fianna’s mind. What if she said no? Why didn’t the Council offer training on how to handle such an issue? What else didn’t they explain in the rush to get her to Portland?

  Fianna strolled away from the group for privacy, leaving them sprawled near the cabin on bedding pulled from the wreckage. Her neck prickled with a new tension. Their predator natures needed to hunt and she didn’t like the distraction of her tight, itchy skin and her growly sister-self. And what about their vegan dracling? Hunt and kill might not go over so well. Yet another problem. She mulled over a rudimentary plan. Guin and Orla would scout the campsite, taking advantage of the chance to hunt, then head to Portland for recon at Forest Park. Who knew what their magically enhanced senses might pick up, even after three months? Maybe there were still trace energy signals linked to Abbie and the mystery cell phone woman. However, no one was making a move until Fianna called the Council.

  Fianna sighed and pressed the crystals in the precise manner required, holding the large black hand piece to her ear and waited for the unexplainable sync-up of the two parallel existences.

  Marcus answered her ritual greeting in a cool tone. “Tell us,” he demanded. “The disturbance of energy coming from your direction is clear to the entire Council. Where is the dracling?”

  Fianna steeled herself, and in as few words as possible, conveyed their current circumstances. She knew the assembled Council heard clearly both sides of the conversation. Her announcement that the mission was a success and the dracling had been found, brought murmurs of approval. Then she had to explain there had also been worrying developments, including the dracling shifting in public before they had found her, and the fact that they had a confirmed witness. The bang of Marcus’s heavy wooden gavel echoed through the phone as the Council erupted in loud voices, and questions came fast and furious, too many to answer at once.

  Fianna interrupted the chaos. “Why didn’t the Council realize the human dracling had already shifted? Or, at least, why didn’t Marcus, as his blood line is connected to the dracling?” Fianna bit her tongue, but it was too late. No one challenged the Council Leader so directly.

  “You dare question me?” Marcus roared. Fianna jerked the dracophone away from her ear and stammered an awkward apology. She strained to hear if the Queen herself responded, but she was unusually quiet. Fianna decided to hold back the possible unwelcome news of Abbie’s rare combo of gold eyes and blue scales. Marcus didn’t need any further reason to be displeased with her.

  Fianna didn’t understand the complex, labyrinthine relationships of the Council members, and she wouldn’t put trickery past the old, power-hungry dragon. But for now, she needed to appease Marcus, especially if she couldn’t get a read on Nareen.

  She steeled herself and continued the narrative, going on to describe what had happened when Abbie inadvertently shifted in the cabin. The line went very quiet, then bursts of unexpected laughter echoed in the phone. Encouraged by the response, as it was always a good thing to amuse dragons, she explained her plan, relieved she actually had one.

  “Orla and Guin are going to Portland to investigate,” she said, pushing authority and confidence into her voice. “We intend to track down the woman who witnessed Abbie shift. There’s also a couple of men we need to find, who had an encounter with Abbie on the mountain recently, and witnessed her shift as well. We suspect they work for the woman.” She mumbled the last bit very fast, hoping no one heard her.

  No such luck. Chaos erupted again over the fact the dracling had been seen not once, but twice. She waited in a knot of anxiety and tried to gauge the mixed response. Marcus wasn’t exactly jumping in with offers of assistance, although maybe that was a good thing.

  Nareen’s melodious, regal voice broke in. “I will take care of the cabin.”

  Fianna sagged in relief. The Queen’s “fixes” were legendary. Help was coming.

  “I’m also sending additional powers to your Gemstone,” the Queen continued. “In light of your current circumstances, I suspect they may be needed to clean up the situation. Fianna, bring the dracling home as soon as you can.”

  “Is that wise?” Marcus asked, questioning Nareen, much to Fianna’s shock. “The witnesses should be dealt with first.”

  “Are you authorizing Council interference in Fianna’s redemption mission?” Nareen asked.

  No! Fianna gripped the phone. Please, no.

  Marcus coughed. “No, of course not, Your Majesty,” he said in a nervous tone. “Rather premature, I would think, with Fianna in the middle of the situation. She should carry on, exactly as you say My Queen.”

  “Mind you, follow the rules,” Nareen warned Fianna. “And ask our dracling to try not to destroy anything further.”

  “Y-yes, My Queen,” Fianna stammered.

  “And, Fianna,” Marcus said, back to his imperious voice. “Be warned, my agreement is of short duration. Do not blow anything else up. Report to us within twenty-four hours. We will be watching.”

  The connection went dead. Fianna stared at the dracophone, uneasy. Nareen did not say bring Abbie home immediately, she’d said “as soon as you can.” That could have been crafty dragon speak. Fi
anna tried to read between the lines. Something itched, just beneath the surface and she couldn’t quite put it together.

  Marcus had been about as helpful as stinkwood, but at least he hadn’t insisted they come home yet. Her dragonly instincts warning of subterfuge pinged like crazy. Something was up with Marcus and not in a good way. Her sister-self growled agreement. She heartily disliked his brother-self, a sentiment she’d never expressed about any other Draca.

  Fianna mused over the call as she meandered back to the group. Once she got there, it proved difficult to explain. She left out her misgivings for now, although for what reason, she wasn’t sure.

  “If I’m understanding the mysterious minds of the Council and our illustrious Queen, we just got the approval to stay for a while longer and sort out the situation, on behalf of my mission.”

  Cheers erupted. “Also, help is on the way for our living conditions via the Queen’s special delivery, and she’s sending more spells, in case they’re needed.”

  “Excellent news. This is going to be good.” Orla grinned. “I can’t wait to see what Nareen will do this time.”

  Abbie’s eyes were wide. “Can someone explain what’s going on?”

  Fianna slung her arm around Abbie’s blanket-clad shoulder. “Soon.” She was running out of excuses for not giving full disclosure.

  “So, what’s the downside?” Guin asked with a knowing look at Fianna.

  “Not sure. I suspect things will become clearer if we just stay the course.”

  “Of course. Right.” Guin nodded, and so did Orla. “We should go.” There was a silent understanding between the sisters-Draca.

  “Do you remember the name of your campsite, Abbie?” Fianna asked. “And the names of the closest roads?”

  “I think it was called Cedar Stands. It was a few miles off the main Hood trail.”

  “Guin and Orla are going to check it out. Maybe we can pick up some info on the two men. Afterward, they’ll pay a visit to Forest Park and Portland.”

  “But how?” Abbie sounded frustrated.

  “We have our ways,” Orla said with a cheeky grin. “Plus, I’ll bring a few special spells.”

  Guin rolled her eyes. “Goddess help me.”

  “Are you ready, then?” Fianna pointed at the sky and Guin and Orla caught the hint, waved cheery goodbyes and started down the path. They’d fly to the campsite, then hike to where they’d hidden a car.

  Fianna’s mission was not over just because things were getting complicated. The Council was letting her work this out. Meanwhile, she and Abbie had important things to do, and conversations to have, while her team hopefully brought back new information. Fianna would stay on the mountain, give Abbie her first flying lesson and teach her control, something she urgently needed before she went into town again. Then, they would hunt, and after, Fianna would broach the subject of Dracan.

  She mustered a fierce determination, feeling the weight of responsibility for everything on her shoulders. Exactly as it should be. She was going to save the day and her reputation. She eyed Abbie, whose slight scowl, head of wild, black curls, and dirt-streaked face did ridiculous things to Fianna’s heart.

  All right then, Fianna thought, with a stir of dragonly arousal. First things first.

  Chapter Seven

  Dragon on Fire

  Fianna brought her precious charge to their favorite launching meadow on the other side of the hill from the cabin. The grasses were tinged with brown from the unusually hot summer, and scattered yellow leaves carpeted the ragged break in the trees. Ahead was the diving cliff, miles up from the valley floor. The cool fall air flowed like silk on Fianna’s skin, and she caught the scent of blackberries along the stream behind the cabin. They were predators, animal as well as human, and her very nature craved the natural mountain environment. She inhaled with pleasure.

  “Mmm, smells so wonderful.” For a brief interlude, Fianna could forget about the disaster stalking them, and simply revel in the beauty and power of her nature and her bond with the elements.

  Abbie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Oh, you’re right. I can smell so many things now, so sweet and grassy.” Her dark brown eyes sparkled, and the shuttered, panicked expression was gone. A golden glow of shape-shifter magic encircled her.

  “This is a magical place,” Fianna said, enjoying Abbie’s pretty sparkles. Did Abbie see hers as well? “We’re under protection. No human can see us. We’re in a bubble of invisibility.”

  “Invisible?” Abbie’s eyebrows arched.

  “Yes. And we’re going to have so much fun. Watch.” She stepped back a few paces. “You’ll want to give me space,” she said with a grin. “Or rue the consequences.” Fianna pulled her wool sweater off, then the blue tank underneath and tossed them to the ground. Abbie’s eyes widened as she followed her moves.

  Fianna pulled down her jeans, which left her in flowered red bikini underwear. She silently thanked her new fondness for human lingerie. Doing a striptease before shape-shifting…what could be more delicious? Her sister-self, wide awake, offered a noise of approval.

  “If you keep your clothes on,” Fianna said, “your stuff will simply shred to pieces or disappear. And that will be that. You learn, usually the hard way.”

  Abbie laughed. “Yeah, never did find my clothes.”

  “Like I said.” Fianna stepped out of her panties, lifted her arms to the sky and tilted her head back. “Ready?” she called.

  “Yes!” Abbie’s happy voice rang out.

  Fianna shut her eyes and whispered the sacred words. Pulses of energy shimmied up her spine, and fully awakened, her other-self flowed into being, taking over their shared body in a rush of power.

  “Now!” The words tore out of her throat as the shift burst through her human body, elongating her bones and muscles. There came a few seconds of white, blinding existence, and then…Draca.

  a

  The power of Fianna’s transformation blew Abbie on her rear end. She staggered to her feet and regarded the improbable vision.

  Dragon-Fianna lowered her huge, scaly bulk to the forest floor and sank a large, narrow head to the top of two enormous, clawed front feet. Her red-gold snout curved up to meet the slanted, golden eyes of a predator, glinting with familiar intelligence. Fianna huffed a big smoky breath and sent a spiral of gray smoke rings into the air.

  Ancient knowledge and acceptance poured into Abbie. Dragon-Fianna crouched like a massive, bronze fairy godmother. Abbie trembled at the power of such great, primal pulsing life. The sun shone hot on rows of fleshy golden burnished scales, bat-like wings with end points as sharp as blades folded to twin rust-tinged scaled sides. Her wondrous serpent tail wrapped in coils about her bulky width. Straight out of the fairy tales, the dragon’s beauty and power called to Abbie, drawing her close enough to feel the heat pumping off the great scaled creature.

  Abbie reached to touch the enormous, long neck and traced her fingertips along the edges of triangular scales, and down the generous curves of her side. Fianna’s tail thumped in a friendly gesture, and an obvious snuff of creature satisfaction issued from above her head. Encouraged, Abbie slid her hand farther, into a gentle, tentative exploration of the thick, yet delicate, wing bones. The predator’s eyes closed to little slits and a new sound, like a giant kitty purring, emerged in smoky rolls from Fianna’s throat.

  The beauty of Fianna’s towering dragon form filled Abbie’s heart with so much happiness she wanted to cry. The shocking, profound awareness of her own true nature made her hand shake as she caressed along the lines of Fianna’s glorious scales. After a few minutes, a sudden cloud of sparkles filled the air and Fianna took shape again as a human, gracefully staying upright as she shuddered into her body.

  “What do you think?” Fianna asked with a huge grin.

  “Oh, my God!” Abbie cried. She threw her arms around Fianna, and then, because Fianna was naked and gorgeous and magic, and she couldn’t possibly stop herself, Abbie kissed her with unres
trained enthusiasm. Fianna kissed her right back for several scorching seconds. Abbie forced herself away with a laughing gasp and started tearing off her clothes. “Teach me!” she said. “Turn me into a dragon!”

  Fianna’s sweet laughter rang like bells in the clearing. A golden glow emanated from her body and Abbie realized the same misty color now gleamed from her own skin.

  Must be the magic, Abbie thought, giddily. Fear, distrust, secrets, and Weird Boxes forgotten, she drank in the sight of beautiful Fianna and thought she’d die of pure happiness. “I want to fly!”

  “Indeed,” Fianna said, her eyes hot with a new kind of promise.

  “Help me be a dragon.”

  “You’re going to shift this time from joy, instead of fear.”

  Abbie nodded. Good, no more pissed-off shifting. Joy, not fear, check.

  “We’ll invoke the primal shape-shifter magic connected to the power of the gods of Draca, and a much better sort of change will come over you than before. It will be easier and more controlled, with no pain. I’ll be there to guide you every second.”

  “Gods are real? Do they talk to you?”

  “Abbie.” Fianna gave an amused huff. “Can we hold off on questions for now? Can you trust me?”

  “Okay, right, you’re right. I’m just so nervous all of a sudden.” Abbie bopped up and down on her bare feet, shivering in the breeze. “Anytime, Fianna. Really. Let’s go!”

  Fianna hesitated, as if to say something, then shook her head with an affectionate smile and leaned over to give Abbie a quick kiss, which scrambled Abbie’s wits for a second. Fianna took Abbie’s hand. “Close your eyes. Repeat after me.”

  a

  Fianna’s prayer joined with Abbie’s in perfect grace and power as easily as if they’d done magic together forever. The heavens answered with the bursting, bone-cracking bliss of her dragon self, the ecstatic release matched only by what Fianna’s heart did when she saw the gorgeous little blue dragon gusting smoky breaths of shock and wonder. Dragon-Abbie thumped her tail.