by S. E. Smith
“I… know,” Emma replied, looking up at Sara, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I just… want to… go… home. My mom….”
Sara heard Emma’s voice fade and watched as the young girl looked toward the long, narrow window outside of the bedroom. Reaching out, Sara wrapped her arms around Emma and pulled her close as they offered strength and solidarity to one another.
“Perhaps one day,” Sara murmured.
She released Emma when the other woman nodded and pulled back. Emma reached up, pushed her hair away from her face with a shaky hand and gave Sara a rueful smile. The haunting sadness in Emma’s eyes caused Sara to realize, deep down, that she was losing her.
“I have to fight. We have to fight. We can’t give up, Emma. We didn’t when Cuello held us prisoner and we won’t now. This is different, we may be far away from home, but that doesn’t mean we’ll never see it again. Carmen left it and came back once, so can we.”
Emma stared back at her for a moment before she nodded in agreement. For the first time, Sara saw a glimmer of hope reflected in Emma’s eyes. It was small, but it was there.
“I’m… glad… you are here, Sara,” Emma said.
“Me, too,” Sara responded with a sigh. “Try to get some rest. I’m going to find that room Jaguin showed me. I’ve never liked being cooped up.”
Emma nodded again before she turned and silently walked to her bedroom. Sara quickly changed into the jeans, shirt, and boots that were given to them. Picking up the dark brown leather jacket, she pulled it on. Twisting her hair into a messy bun, she glanced around for a way to hold it in place. A startled squeak escaped her when a ribbon of gold dissolved and turned into a large hair clip.
“Just like I was thinking,” she muttered with a shake of her head as she reached out for it. “You might come in handy after all.”
She turned when a movement by the door caught her attention. The larger form of the symbiot was sitting in the doorway. Resting her hands on her hips, Sara scowled down at the oversized golden sloth.
“Too slow, I think a jaguar would be better,” Sara stated with a raised eyebrow.
Within seconds, the sleek form of the cat found in the jungles of South America stood in front of her. Sara released a soft whistle. She really needed to do some closer observations on the symbiot. It had pulled the image from her mind and transformed almost simultaneously.
“I really have a lot to learn about this new world,” she muttered, stepping through the doorway.
*.*.*
Jaguin’s dragon stretched before releasing a shudder of contentment. He could feel his dragon’s pleasure and excitement at being free for a while. He wouldn’t have much time before heading down to the room where he hoped to see Sara. It was the only time he had with her each day and he cherished each moment.
Enjoy your time, my friend, Jaguin encouraged.
Mate like me, his dragon grumbled.
She has only seen you once. Creon cautioned that the humans are not used to dragons. We need to give her time to accept us, Jaguin insisted.
She accept me, his dragon replied with a snort. She touch me.
Yes, when she was ill, Jaguin retorted. She might not remember much.
You just jealous. She like me better, his dragon snorted.
She does not! Jaguin snapped hotly. She falls asleep in my arms.
His dragon released a rumbling laugh. You one who falls asleep, his dragon chortled.
I… Jaguin’s growl faded when the door to the room opened.
She here! Mate come!
Jaguin would have shifted if his dragon hadn’t overpowered his demand. He was so shocked by his dragon’s refusal to bow to his will that he was speechless for a moment. Never before had his dragon absolutely refused to listen to him. Curious, he decided to see what his dragon would do – and how Sara would respond.
She like me better than you, his dragon insisted, climbing down from the perch it had climbed up onto.
She does not, Jaguin mumbled in a grouchy tone. If you scare her, I’m not letting you back out.
Humph! His dragon responded with another snort.
Both of them watched in silence as Sara entered the room. She looked around for several minutes before a delighted smile curved her lips. It was the first, natural smile that Jaguin had seen in her eyes.
She beautiful, his dragon breathed, staring in delight at his mate.
Yes, she is, Jaguin silently agreed.
*.*.*
“This is fantastic,” Sara murmured, stepping along the path.
She stretched her hand out to lightly touch a thick leaf. It looked like it had a slightly fuzzy texture. Her fingers passed through the leaf, drawing a startled hiss from her. It was just an image.
Bending down on one knee, she examined the plant closer. The underside was smooth and shiny. The veins running through the leaf pulsed with a light yellow luminescence. It was incredible to believe that the leaf was just a three-dimensional image.
“It looks so real,” she murmured to herself, reaching up to touch it again.
Sara shook her head before rising to her feet again. She glanced over the large area, wondering just how large it really was. It was slightly different from the last time she was here from what she could remember.
She giggled as she ran her hand through the plants. Some glowed brighter while others folded into themselves. She wondered if they did that in real life. Something told her that they did. Deep down, she could feel the excitement of the new discovery course through her, revitalizing her. This is what she loved. This is where she belonged – among the plants.
Sara walked slowly down the path that appeared almost like magic before her. Jaguin’s symbiot padded beside her, gazing around in curiosity. She instinctively lowered her hand and rubbed its head when it lifted it toward her.
“You know, I think you need a name. I’ve never heard Jaguin call you anything but ‘my’ symbiot. Do you have a name?”
The golden head shook back and forth violently before the creature sneezed. A soft laugh escaped Sara and she took the movement to mean that the symbiot did not have a name. She stopped and tilted her head, gazing thoughtfully down at it. She folded an arm around her stomach and balanced the elbow of her other arm on it as she tapped her chin.
“Mm, let’s see. Your gold and you can change. You remind me a little of the Little Honey Oakleaf Hydrangea, also known as the Hydrangea Quercifolia. That is a bit of a mouthful, so how about Honey? I’m not sure if you are a male or a female or both, but I like the sound of it, what about you?” Sara asked after several moments.
The sleek jaguar shivered with delight, sending a ripple of colors over its body. Sara laughed in delight when it raised one paw and licked it. She swore that it looked like it was licking honey off of its paw.
“You even look like honey when you do that,” she chuckled. “So, Honey, are these plants like the ones on your world?”
The jaguar tilted its head and gazed back at her. Sara drew in a startled breath when vivid images filled her mind. For several breathtaking moments she was lost in another world – Jaguin’s world. She could see the mountains that he told her about and the numerous waterfalls.
She closed her eyes and focused. Her body swayed as she found herself soaring upward over the tall trees, then back down to skim along the tops of the sea of purple grass. Her hand moved to her stomach, touching it to see if it was real.
In the distance, a path opened up into the forest. A second later, she swept through the entrance between the thick trunks and into the shadows. Her lips parted when she felt herself land along the trail similar to what she was walking on.
Colorful veins with vivid flowers, some the size of a large dinner plate, glowed in the dark recesses of the trees. Once again, her hand reached for one of the plants. Disappointment swept through her when all she felt was empty air.
Sara opened her eyes and blinked rapidly to bring the room back into focus. Her mouth snapped shut and
she took half a step back in surprise when she found herself staring at her own reflection in a pair of glittering gold eyes.
“Jaguin!” She breathed before drawing in another breath. Her gaze turned from surprise to confusion. “At least, I think it is you unless you call your dragon something else.”
Her eyebrow rose when the large silver dragon in front of her suddenly sat down and sneezed. An amused smile curved her lips when the dragon opened its mouth and gave her a toothy grin. Sara slowly walked forward, curious to see if what she remembered was real. Lifting her hand, she carefully ran her fingers over one nostril when he lowered its head to her.
“Just as soft as I remember,” she murmured. “I wasn’t expecting you here. I guess the other room would have been a bit crowded for this form, huh?”
The dragon rubbed its cheek against her outstretched palm. Sara took that as agreement. Stepping closer, she studied the dragon. It was even more beautiful than she remembered. It looked much like the ancient dragons from mythology. She vaguely wondered if perhaps at some time in history one of the Valdier spaceships had landed on Earth and they were spotted by humans in their dragon form. It would explain where some of the drawings and paintings had come from.
“So beautiful,” Sara murmured, running her hand over the long snout and over a ridged eyebrow. “Do you mind if I touch you? I’d like to look at you more closely – if it won’t offend you.”
Sara’s breath caught in her throat when the dragon bent its head and nudged her. Taking that as a yes, she returned her attention to where her hand lay. She swallowed as she ran her fingers up along one ear. It twitched and a low rumbling purr escaped the dragon as if it was trying to smother a laugh.
“Are you ticklish?” Sara asked with a curious smile.
She scratched the dragon behind the ear and a low moan filled the air. Scratching a little harder, she bit her lip when his back left foot began to thump against the floor. Leaning forward, she couldn’t resist whispering in his ear.
“I used to have an old hound dog that did the same thing when I scratched him there,” she shared before pulling back. “He was my best friend when I was ten. I grew up in the lower mountain region of the Appalachian Mountains. My mom had me when she was young, though that really shouldn’t have made much difference. She dumped me on my aunt who was already raising her own kids and a bunch of others. I was the only girl. My aunt said she had enough of taking care of her sisters to know that she didn’t want any more girls in the house.” Sara paused for a moment; her hand rested on the side of the dragon’s neck and her fingers absently traced the scales as she thought back to her youth. “It wasn’t the best way to be raised, but it could have been worse,” she continued in a soft voice. “I learned to fight and I learned what I didn’t want my life to be like. But….” A small smile curved her lips and she turned to look into the golden eyes watching her with a fierce intensity that made her self-conscious. She released a derisive laugh and shook her head. “I also discovered what I did want. I loved running through the mountains and exploring the different plants that grew there. I became more fascinated about the plants when I learned that they could help heal. I cut my foot and it quickly became infected. My aunt was not the best mother, but she knew the medicinal properties of the plants. I watched and learned. Then, when I was fifteen, one of my teachers opened my eyes to the power of a good education. I left home at sixteen and never looked back. My aunt didn’t think an education was necessary for living on the mountain. I was expected to marry a miner and have a bunch of kids. I wanted more than that. I wanted to explore the world, and I wanted to find a cure to help prevent common diseases and infections from turning fatal. My best friend died from the flu.”
She fell silent, lost in her memories. She thought of her best friend from kindergarten through fifth grade. Delilah Rosewater had been shy, but had a heart of gold. She didn’t make fun of Sara for wearing her cousins’ hand-me-downs. When the other kids called her Tom for wearing boy’s clothing, Delilah scolded them. She shared her lunch with Sara when one of her cousins stole her sandwich.
Delilah had been the daughter of the local librarian and a coal miner. She helped Sara learn to read and brought her books from the library. She even invited Sara to her birthday parties.
Towards the end of their fifth grade year, a deadly flu virus swept through the mountains. Sara had a minor case of it, but Delilah’s had worsened. Sara went with her aunt down to the nearest town. She sat on the front porch of Delilah’s house and listened to her aunt and the doctor, from the next town over, argue over what medicine to give Delilah. In the end, none of it worked. The infection weakened Delilah and an unknown heart defect took her friend’s life on a rainy May morning.
The town lost five children that year, but the one that Sara cared about the most was the smiling little girl who loved her for being her. She stood on the outskirts of the cemetery in a dress she found in an old trunk in the attic. It was the first and last time she ever wore one. After the service was over, Sara sat down on the grass at the end of the fresh grave and cried. She held a bouquet of sage, peppermint, and eucalyptus in her hands from the small garden that she had planted in the woods.
Sara lifted a hand and wiped her damp cheek. She bowed her head and sniffed. She didn’t know why she remembered Delilah now. It has been almost twenty years since her friend’s death.
“Delilah developed pneumonia,” Sara sniffed again and looked up at the sky overhead. She knew it wasn’t real, but it gave her a sense of peace to see the blue sky and white clouds drifting by. “Her parents didn’t know that she had a heart defect. By the time they realized it, it was too late. The doc from the next town over wouldn’t listen to my aunt. He said that all her potions would do was make Delilah worse, but I knew better. My aunt knew her plants and their healing powers.”
“How old was your friend?” Jaguin’s deep voice asked.
Sara looked down to see her hand pressed against Jaguin’s broad chest. Her fingers instinctively curled into the fabric of his shirt. She could feel the warmth of his skin through the material.
“Ten,” she whispered, reaching up to brush another tear away only to pause when she felt his hand against her cheek. “She was so young.”
“So were you to lose so much,” Jaguin murmured.
Sara slowly lifted her head toward him. She stared into his eyes for several long seconds before her lips parted. Her fingers uncurled and she carefully ran her hand up his chest to his shoulder.
“Jaguin,” she murmured, leaning closer to him. “I want to kiss you.”
Jaguin reached for her other hand and pulled it against his chest. Sara glanced down at their joined hands. Hers looked so much smaller in his, yet she didn’t feel afraid. Looking up at him again, she parted her lips and rose up onto her toes. She paused a brief second before sealing his lips with a tentative kiss that held a touch of hesitant wonder.
Chapter 8
Jaguin studied Sara’s face as she gazed down at the leaf. He could see the dark circles under her eyes. She had another nightmare. He instructed his symbiot to share them with him, but the symbiot refused his request. At first, he was angry, but he quickly understood that it was loyal to Sara.
Still, if she continued to have them, he would have to insist that it comply with his wishes. If he was to help his mate, he needed to find the monsters in her dreams and slay them.
I wish we had just a few brief minutes with the bastard before Carmen killed him, Jaguin murmured heavily.
Me, too, his dragon agreed. I go to her.
Wait… Jaguin started to order before he released a frustrated groan.
I no wait. My mate need me, his dragon snorted in response, already beginning the climb down from the thick platform that looked like a large tree.
One of these days… Jaguin muttered.
That what Cree and Calo say to Carmen, his dragon retorted. She just laugh at them.
I know that is what they say, Jaguin snapped
before he strained to focus on what his dragon was gazing at.
Jaguin was a little perturbed at his dragon. Its continued resistance to his control concerned him. He never had this issue until recently. A part of him wanted to force his dragon to obey while another part was curious to see what it would do.
He silently lowered himself down to the floor and crept through the dense imagery of the holographic foliage. They both watched as Sara turned her face up toward the ceiling. Fascinated, he stepped out onto the path and took a step closer to her, mesmerized by the peaceful expression on her face.
He paused, one foot lifted to take another step, when she opened her eyes and turned her head to stare at him. He heard her swiftly inhaled breath and froze, unsure of what to do. His dragon trembled in anticipation of shifting should she appear scared.
I no hurt her, his dragon whispered.
I know, my friend, he replied in a soothing tone. Give her time to get used to you.
His heart pounded when he saw Sara take a step away from them. He could see the fear in her eyes, but he also saw curiosity. She tilted her head and stared at him for a moment.
“Jaguin! At least, I think it is you unless you call your dragon something else,” she exclaimed with a hint of confusion in her voice that changed to amusement when his dragon suddenly sat down and sneezed.
What are you doing? Jaguin asked in surprise at his dragon’s behavior.
I give her time, his dragon stated, grinning at Sara with a goofy smile only a dragon could pull off.
A hiss escaped him when she stepped closer and raised her hand to touch his dragon. Her soft murmur teased his senses, washing through him and sending a wave of hope and excitement through him and his dragon. A moment later, he groaned in mortification when she started scratching him behind the ear and his dragon’s leg thumped in response.
How are we supposed to impress her with you thumping like a Grombot with an itch? Jaguin muttered.