Coming a second, third, then fourth time, Rachel couldn’t breathe. Her heart ached, it was racing so hard. As soon as Finn came again, she knew neither of them would survive this if they did this often. Giggling a little when he collapsed on top of her, she closed her eyes and fell under the spell of darkness. Just for a moment, she told herself.
Opening her eyes when someone said her name, Rachel didn’t know where she was at first. Opening her mouth to ask what he was doing, Finn put his hand over her mouth and pointed to her right. Looking at what he’d pointed out for her, Rachel couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“They’re new hatchlings. I’ve never seen them before.” Nodding, she watched the three little dragons tumbling and falling all over each other. “They’re learning how much strength they have. It’s difficult for little dragons to realize they can, even at their current size, knock over a house. These three were born of dragons. You can bet Mom and Dad aren’t far away.”
“Will they hurt us? Oh, Finn, we’re—we’re not naked. How did you do that?” He told her about the magic every dragon had once they could shift. He told her she had it as well. But here, with the hatchlings, he had dressed her. “Thank you. But will their parents harm us for being here?”
“If they had a problem with us being here, the hatchlings wouldn’t have been able to come this close. I would bet they can smell that I’m a dragon. Also, more than likely that I’m a nephew of the king. Everyone knows of Uncle Cooper. Most even know him.” She’d forgotten Cooper was king of all dragons. “Look over there, Rachel. You can just make out their parents hidden in the trees.”
It took her a moment to see them. It wasn’t until one of them moved, a slight adjustment, she thought, that she knew what to look for. Almost as if they knew they’d been seen, both of them came out of the trees, careful of knocking them over, and bowed before the two of them. Their hatchlings stopped playing and looked to their parents.
“Sit up slowly with me, and they’ll come to allow you to touch them now. They won’t harm you, not so long as I’m here. And now you have my scent on you, you could be here alone, and the other creatures of the forest and beyond will come out of hiding.” She put out her hand and watched as the little ones came toward her. Checking, she noticed to make sure their parents were all right with them moving toward the two of them.
“They’re cold. I thought because they were fire breathing, they’d be very warm.” One of the small creatures climbed up on her lap, then settled in the crook of her arm. “I think he likes me.”
“I would imagine they all will.” Soon it was mayhem. All three of them were wrestling to sit on her lap to be held. “They’re trying their best not to hurt you, but they’re young, so be careful.”
It was fun, playing with them and watching them vie for her attention. When a loud clicking noise began, all three of them got off her and Finn and looked in the direction their parents were. Rachel looked as well, holding her breath as one of the large dragons came toward them.
“Finn?” He told her it would be all right. “Christ, she is huge. Much larger than you, and even bigger than I could have imagined. What is it she wants from me?”
“In human speak, his name is John. He’s a pureblood dragon, as is his wife. They have been hiding away for decades to keep their children safe.” The large male dragon moved close enough to them she could feel his cold breath. “John said you’re the first human his children have come in contact with, and he was happy it was with you.”
“How do I thank him?” Finn told her she could bow before him. Standing up, she bent to her knees and lowered her head to the ground. “That’s not what I meant, but you’ve pleased him greatly, Rachel. He has a gift for you.”
“No. Tell him it was gift enough for me to be able to touch his hatchlings. I loved being able to be their first contact too.” Finn laughed. “What did I do now?”
“Nothing. He said you were a very lucky female to have such a kind dragon to keep you safe. I told him I was the lucky one for having your love. Jon said you’re the kindest creature he’s ever met.” She sat up on her knees and looked at the dragon. “Jon said if you speak to him, he will understand you.”
“Can he shift into a human?” Finn told her he could not. He was only a dragon. “A magnificent dragon. His mate, too, is the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.”
The female came toward the two of them as well. As she laid her head onto the ground, Rachel stood up to go to her. It was then she noticed her right eye was missing. The scar running across the opening was dark with age. Rachel touched the scar, which was longer than she was tall. She spoke to the dragon.
“I don’t know who would do such a thing to such a beautiful creature. I’m sorry to the depth of my heart you were hurt this way. If it was a human who harmed you, I hope his guilt put him into an early grave.” The female didn’t move, so wrapping her arms around her as best she could, Rachel told her again how sorry she was. “I hope your hatchlings grow up to be as kind and as beautiful as their parents are. Please be safe and love your children more with each passing day.”
Hugging her, Rachel felt her eyes fill with tears. She wasn’t sure why she was crying, though her heart did hurt a little for what had been done. Moving away from her to wipe at her tears, she looked at the female’s mate.
“You’re a good dragon, sir, for allowing me to meet your precious family. I’ve never been more happy than I am for the experience you’ve allowed me to have.” She bowed once again, and he laid his head on top of his mate’s. “I don’t know what help I could offer you and your family, but if you ever need anything from me, you shall have it if it’s within my power to get it for you.”
“Rachel, he wants you to take his gift. He also wants you to come here often so he might go home with a lighter heart like the one you have given him and his mate this day.” She nodded at Finn when he continued. “The gift being given to you is something he’s never bestowed on any living thing in his life. He is giving you the gift of sight.”
She waited for more of an explanation, but none came from Finn. As soon as the two adult dragons stood up, Rachel wanted to beg them to come back to her. The male bent again. This time he didn’t lay his head on the ground but turned his massive head, so his sharp horn like appendage was close to her body.
“If you want to accept his gift, you need only to touch the tip of his impale. That is what dragons call part of their armor. It is very sharp, so you need to be extra careful when you touch him.” Rachel noticed her fingers were trembling as she moved toward the offered horn. “Gently now.”
The touch was as soft as she could make it but still painful. When she was moving her hurt finger to her mouth, the dragon clicked at her. When she stopped, he licked the wound, as well as the rest of her body. Laughingly, she thanked the big dragon.
The dragons left soon after, taking the little dragons with them. As soon as they disappeared into the trees, she realized they were more than likely still standing within the treeline. They blended into the trees and other forest around them because of what they were—dragons who could camouflage themselves. She turned to Finn and asked him if she was right.
“You are, as a matter of fact. Dover is a pearl dragon, the same as they are. As his dragon, he needs only a few seconds to make himself disappear into whatever is around him so no one can find him. I think it’s saved his ass a few times over the years.” It excited her that she’d figured something out. Then she asked him why Dover was different than his brothers. “We’re all different in some way. I’m a red dragon. Theo and Hadley are diamond dragons. It means they can cut through anything with their breath. While they still have fire, the ability to change their breath when needed is what makes them special.”
Leaving the mountain top was difficult. She thought she could have stayed there for the rest of her days. Climbing up onto Finn’s back after he changed into
his dragon, she was less terrified than before, so she could look at the scenery below and beyond her.
They were flying fast, she realized. While she could see houses and cars below her, the scenery changed with every flap of Finn’s massive wings. The snow on the mountain would give way to the lakes and ponds of a city. Larger homes were easy to spot, but smaller ones were just tiny dots on the ground. There wasn’t any way for her to look at people. She knew they were down below her, but much too small for her eyes to make out.
Landing where they had started from, their back yard looked boring to her now. There wasn’t a dragon lurking in the trees. No babies playing in the soft grass. They did have a lovely and large back yard, but it now seemed to have lost a great deal of its luster. Realizing what she was thinking, she turned to Finn to thank him for such a wonderful day. However, he was staring off in the distance, along the same boring tree line she’d been complaining about. Rachel turned back slowly to see what had Finn looking so tense.
“Rachel, I don’t want you to move from this deck. I’m not kidding. Don’t take a step off of here until I return.” She said she’d stay there, then asked if he would return. “I will. Something is in trouble. I’m not sure what it could be, but it’s calling to me for help. I must go.”
“Of course. Just be careful.” He promised her he would at all cost. “See that you come back to me all in one piece too. Or I’m not going to be happy with whatever is going on.”
“I promise.”
Kissing her quickly on the mouth, he moved down the stairs. Before she could begin to think about how he was going to help someone, flames of white hot fire engulfed him. I’m all right. This is my human battle mode. I’m not hurt, but I can protect myself better.
“I’ll be here when you return.” He nodded and moved toward the trees. All she could think about was that he was going to be hurt, and she’d be all alone for the rest of her days.
Chapter 7
Finn saw Shadow before she heard him coming. Letting his fire go, he waited until he was cool enough to approach her. He didn’t want to scare her. The little cemetery was something he’d not noticed before. The bench that Shadow was sitting on was older than the marker in front of her.
“I know you’re here, sir. I may be grieving, but I am still aware of my surroundings.” He moved out from behind the shadows of the woods and approached Shadow. “I found my way to where the home was that I shared with my sisters and our children. It’s gone. Even the buildings, stone walls, are now back to the earth we’d dug them from.” He told her he was sorry. “As am I. I had hoped at least my daughters’ children would be here. Or close by. But they’re all dead. All of them have died, with only these stone slabs marking their life. I missed them all.”
“Do you know what killed them, Shadow? I can find out if that is your wish. I would very much like to be able to ease your heart from this pain. However, since I cannot take away your pain, I can try and give you comfort in knowing how they died.” She told him it might well be terrible too. “Yes, I suppose it might be. I can find out or not, but it’s entirely up to you. The dates on this marker, I can only assume it may well be your sister?”
“Yes. It is her. She was brilliant when it came to casting spells. Caroline. We had no last name to speak of, so that is what all who knew her called her. She died so young for a witch of her kind.” Finn put his hand on the stone marker and knew just what the woman had died of. “Influenza, wasn’t it? She contracted it and died from it.”
“Nay. She died in labor. The child also passed in his struggle to be born. I’m so sorry.” Shadow nodded at him, knowing he’d not lie to her about something so painfully close to her heart. “There are others here with no last name. Shall I tell you their stories as well?”
“My daughter first. I gave her all I had when I knew I was dying. I should well have lived for decades more, but the humans came to see us for potions and left behind their sickness.” Finn asked her what it was she’d died from. “A man, ungrateful for the magic he paid for, came back and cut me nearly in half with his ax. My daughter was well hidden, or he might have gotten her too.”
“I’m so very sorry for your losses, Shadow. Let me have a look at your daughter’s stone.” Finn and Shadow moved between the old markers, looking for the one with the name Serendipity on it. “Here she is. Her marker is nice, don’t you think?”
Someone had taken the time to carve the stone into a heart. On it was simply the name with no other dates like there might well have been today. He touched his fingers to the stone and felt the warmth. It was something he rarely ran into when touching the stones of the dead. Serendipity was well loved.
“She was happy in her years before being settled here after she passed. There were no children of her. Nor did she find a man she could love. While happy with her lot in life, helping others to get well and to live longer, she was lonely. She missed you.” Shadow asked who had done such a good job on her marker. “The townspeople paid a man to carve it for her when she passed away. Serendipity was not just a good witch, she was a teacher of adults to help them read and write, including the town’s mayor. Your daughter was very old when she passed away in her sleep, Shadow. Hundreds of years old, and well thought of.”
Sitting on the ground, Shadow sobbed until he thought her heart was going to break in two. He didn’t intrude on her sorrow but watched the surrounding area. Someone could come up on her now, and she’d be in no shape to save herself. It wasn’t until his mom and Rachel came out of the trees’ darkness that Shadow tried to regain control of her emotions.
“I’m sorry for your loss. I don’t know how I would feel to know that my child was gone from this world.”
Mom helped Rachel steady Shadow as they moved to the bench again. Rachel stayed with her as his mom came back to him. He could hear them both speaking but didn’t interrupt them.
“This is a very lovely cemetery. How did you know it was here?” He said he’d felt the sorrow and worried about who it might be. “I’m glad you came to her aid. Also that you told her the truth of their deaths. It would have been more painful for her had you lied and given her a better story.”
“I told her in the way I would like to have been told something terrible like this.” Mom wrapped her arm around him, and he put his arm on her shoulder. “Mom, I’m not rushing you, but when are you going back home? There are a few things I’d like for you to do for me before you leave.”
“I’ll do just about anything for my children, and you know it.” Kissing her on the forehead, she smacked him on the chest. “What is it you need to have done?”
“I know who and what Rachel is. I’m just worried how she’ll feel when I tell her who her parents are.” Mom asked him why. “I don’t want to say right now. I have to look up some things on my own to see if anything I think is real or not. I could be wrong, and if I am, what I have to say will hurt a lot of people. I want you to be there for Rachel when I tell her. Not that I couldn’t be. But you’ll be better at helping her cope with the news than I will. I fear she’s going to be hurt badly from this.”
“I’ll stick around then. When are you planning to tell her?” He told her soon. “I hate that this is going to cause her trouble. She seems to be so happy all the time now. Don’t you think?”
“I do. I don’t know if it will make her sad or not, but it is going to change things for her. And more than likely, her brother as well.” Mom asked him what else he needed for her to do. “Ah, this is a good one. Can you talk to her about dragons? Not just myself and what you know, but all dragons?”
He told his mom about the encounter they’d had today, and the gift the larger dragon had bestowed on her. Finn told his mom he wasn’t entirely sure what the gift of sight would be, but it might help Rachel to have a better understanding of dragons in general.
“I would be honored. She’s going to be a good addition to the thi
ngs you have going on here. I hope this thing with her sister-in-law can be settled soon enough. She’s in jail still? If you want, I can make sure nothing comes from her again.” Mom wiggled her brows and laughed when he did. “No one will ever know I was there.”
“How about we use your idea as a secondary plan. I don’t want to have to replace an entire jailhouse because my mom got overzealous with her magic.” She laughed with him. “Mom, I never in all my life thought I could love another woman as I do you. You were great role models, you and Dad, and I don’t think anyone could have taken care of us the way the two of you did.”
“That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.” She hugged him tightly. “Oh, Finn, whatever am I going to do while you’re on this end of the country? I miss all my boys. All of you have grown up much too fast for me.”
“I don’t think any of us tell you this often enough, but I love you, Mom. With all my heart.” He looked over to where Rachel was sitting with Shadow. “I thought for a time Rachel was going to be Shadow’s daughter. I haven’t any idea why that popped into my head, but once it was there, it sort of kept reminding me to figure this out. For the two of them.”
“I’m glad you’ve done this for her. But I’m really frustrated that you won’t let me look.” He reminded her that he was a grown man. “Not to me. You and the others will always be my baby boys.”
He noticed Rachel stood up and hugged Shadow when she did the same. They were both visibly upset. When they reached him, Rachel laid her head on his chest. Wrapping his arms around Rachel, he asked Shadow if she was going to be all right.
“Yes. I believe I will.” Her smile was the first one he’d seen on the woman. “Your mate is smart. She’s offered to help me find a job so I’d not be so lonely. In that, I asked if I may put in a shop for wizards, warlocks, and witches. That’s what I’m calling it. I don’t know how much need there is for such a shop here. I do think I’ll have fun talking about my trade.”
Finn: Xavier’s Hatchlings ― Paranormal Dragon Shifter Romance (Xavier's Hatchlings Book 1) Page 10
