by Opal Thomas
We talked, my Draco and I.
Keep her safe...
Of course.
Be patient.
Of course.
In time, she'll recognize you as her mate, if she hasn't already...
How could she? We've only just introduced her to her own nature? Surely, she'd confuse all that comes with her awakening to any sort of attraction? Right?
Trust her, she's wise beyond her years. Only a little confused. She recognizes you.
Recognizes me?
Yes..
I flew on, over my home and sensed her inside. The dragon spark in her was strong. A vibrancy that foretold what we all knew. Except for Amelia. She had the strength and power of several of her kind. Just like her Mother, Ruth. Which made her unique. A target. A very valuable target for the dark mages who hunted and plotted against her.
* * *
-- Jerau --
I was in the library, reading and searching. The legends had foretold the Witch-Queen's return for millenia, but none had ever indicated her patriarchy. Her matriarchy, we knew. But her Father had always been a secret. A well-guarded secret. One that I'd been working on for two decades now.
As it was, little was known of her Mother and even less about who was possibly her Father.
I sipped at my coffee, grumbling to myself.
"Any luck," Tazora asked as she entered the private library she allowed me to use.
"No, nothing new or useful. How was the reading with Anya?" I asked, wishing I had more for my own Queen.
She approached and stood in front of me. "She's met her mate. Is likely in love or about to figure it out," she shared, looking like the cat who'd gotten her claws into the canary. "It appears that destiny has l'amour on the brain..." she said in a half-laugh.
"This pleases you, I see. I'd have thought it would distress you," I said, noticing the body-clinging, leather attire she wore. Pulling my gaze away, I swiveled on my stool and pulled out another parchment from the shelf behind me. Then placed it on the table.
Jerau came closer, her scent intoxicating me. She sat down across from me and leaned in, hovering over the parchment. Her cleavage revealing itself, making me squirm in my seat.
"Don't you see? She has a vulnerability. Her lover..." Tazora explained, eyes big with excitement.
"I do... I do... any other insights?" I asked, worried that my love for her had been revealed at the hands of Anya, her favored human psychic.
"Sadly, no. But it's enough for me to work with. Now I just need to figure out who the lucky man is."
"...or woman," I quipped, interjecting my own desires into the chat. At my own peril...
Tazora raised her eyebrows, "Listen to you... Who'd have thought? Hmmm... It's a possibility I hadn't considered."
"Well, there's a small chance she might have sexual preferences for women. I like to keep all my options open. Would hate to fail Venom again."
Tazora placed a soft hand on mine, sending a thrill through my body. As a mage-succubus, she had sexual talents that most only dared dream about or watch on expertly filmed porn. "Fear not, I've assuaged his bad mood for now. He grows weary of his title. I'm beginning to think he's recruiting her so he can train and teach her. To take over!"
I let out a chuckle, cherishing the contact and attention from my Queen. I'd do anything in the world for her and her touch had renewed my love for her. My eyes raised from our hands to her eyes and I wondered if she could see the silent suffering I lived, day in and day out, for her.
"I'll tarry on, my Queen. Having that new info might help. As those bonds tend to come down through lineage more than once. If I review the history, I might even be able to narrow it down..." I said, feeling more hopeful that my talents at scouting, searching and finding would be put to better use.
"Try the internet. You seem to have good luck there sometimes, right?" Tazora suggested.
I nodded, "Of course."
* * *
-- Devon --
I pulled the car into Aiden's driveway, expecting to find him waiting for me. I'd seen him in the sky, doing a lap around the perimeter of his property on the drive back. Worried it might mean trouble, I dashed from the my car once I had it safely parked out of sight in the garage.
"Is everything okay," I asked as soon as I entered Aiden's home, expecting to find them worried. Instead, it was quiet except for Sherry who was having tea at the table.
"Yes, everything is okay, Devon. So good to see you," she said, a spark in her eye. Before her, on the table was a reading. "Aiden is circling the perimeter, on a run I believe," she said, quickly scooping up and piling her cards.
"I saw him in the sky, on the way in. Was he worried about intruders?" I asked.
"No, I don't think so. He said he needed to go on a run and think."
We looked at each other knowingly.
"You've figured it out too?" I asked.
Sherry nodded in a grandmotherly way. Over the last century, she'd become more of a Mother Hen with us and we loved her like a Mother. She had served faithfully at Aiden and Tracie's Mother's side for centuries before she'd passed into our care when their Mother had expired. By choice.
I thought back on the bond between their parents. How powerful it was. Realizing that a new and equally powerful bond was burgeoning now, between Amelia and Aiden. It seemed everyone around them could see and detect it, but no one knew yet if they had admitted it to their selves, let alone to one another.
"Well, then - join the club. I wonder how long this will take to meet the light of day," I said, sighing while taking off my coat which Sherry quickly picked up and put in the coat closet.
I meandered to the bar and poured myself an amber liquid that shined with intoxicating possibilities. So much had passed over the last few days. We were all on edge and the liquor promised to calm my nerves.
With Aiden distracted, I was taking on the brunt of the work at the office, doing what I could to fill his shoes in his absence. As it was, the company was thriving and growth was an ongoing task with the success we'd been having. Money was no longer a problem as it might have been in the past. Something that we'd all worked very hard at over the decades. But with success, came challenges. Challenges that my brother-in-law Aiden thrived on.
"Ice?" Sherry asked, filling up the small ice bucket and carrying it towards me.
"Yes, thank you," I said, plucking a couple of cubes and plopping them into my tumbler. "Would you like a drink?"
Sherry nodded and I poured her a drink. "A penny for your thoughts. Do we just break the boil and get it in the open or wait patiently?" I asked.
"Wait. Patiently. Out of respect," she said.
I nodded, grinning. "She'll learn fast that there are no secrets amongst us, won't she?"
We both chuckled, knowing that the lack of privacy was something humans struggled with. But Amelia was no more human than we were. Soon enough, she'd understand more about our ways. How we were open books with our benevolent kind and closed books with our malevolent brethren.
"What secrets?" I heard her voice, from up at the top of the stairs, leaning over the hallway staircase.
"Hello, Amelia. How are you?" I asked, deflecting the question and turning to meet her gaze. Burning with curiosity.
"I'm well, just doing homework, getting hungry. Thought I'd come down and get a snack. Didn't mean to overhear your conversation," she said a bit sheepishly as she came down the stairs. "Thought I might workout in the gym first - if I can find it."
I smiled and admired her curvy physique. She was in a workout bra and yoga pants. I prayed for Aiden's sake that he didn't return until after she finished her workout. "Let me show you the way, by all means."
"Want a protein bar or drink?" Sherry asked. "There's water and Gatorade in the gym fridge too."
Amelia nodded, "Yes, thank you," she said, gathering the protein bar that Sherry pulled from the pantry closet.
"Let me lead the way," I said, motioning for Amelia to follow me d
own the hall to the last room at the end. I opened the door and turned on the lights.
Following me, her face lit up in delight. "He has a lap-pool?!"
I nodded, "Yup. Barely uses it. He's more of a land and air animal when it comes to physical fitness..."
"...and I'm a water animal. I don't like to sweat," Amelia shared. "Only problem is that I didn't bring a swimsuit."
I glanced over at the clothing rack in the corner of the room. "Take a look in there, Aiden's girlfriend likes to swim. There might be a spare swimsuit or two," I said, purposely using present-tense to gauge her reaction.
"Girlfriend?" Amelia asked plaintively, a crushed look on her face.
"Ex-girlfriend. Did I forget the ex?" I said, teasing her.
Her eyes narrowed. Then she walked over to the rack and pulled out a swimsuit. "This will work perfect. Thank you."
"Sure thing. Dinner will be in an hour, so that should give you plenty of time to get in a swim. Need anything else?"
"Music?"
I nodded to the sound system and she headed for it, likely grateful to turn the other direction, her back to me, hiding the blush on her pretty face. She turned on a Pandora station and then headed to the adjacent bathroom to put on her suit.
"See you at dinner," I said, an amused smile on my face. It would be a while before she realized why I was teasing her. I knew it might be somewhat off-putting but I had to keep her at arm's length for now.
I left the gym and went back to the main room and kitchen. "Well, that clears that up. All I had to do was mention his girlfriend, forgetting to include 'ex' and it showed plain as day on her face."
Sherry grinned. "Well then, there's that. My lips are sealed."
"As are mine. As are mine..."
CHAPTER FIVE
-- Amelia --
It was a surprise to see the lap-pool in the gym room. I hadn't anticipated that I'd get to keep doing my preferred type of exercise while staying here. A god-send, swimming for me was a form of therapy, meditation and exercise all rolled into one.
As I swam, I thought about the blunder Devon had made, about Aiden's ex-girlfriend. Innocent enough, I felt he was testing me and meant to leave out the 'ex' part on purpose. Was he gauging my reaction?
Somewhat frustrated, I pushed through and swam for forty-five minutes, then showered. I knew, could feel that Aiden was back. I sensed his presence, that he was near. Which was startling as I hadn't ever really been that way with anyone before. Was this part of my awakening? My senses and intuition heightening?
Leaving the gym, I heard them talking. Entering the room, they were all at the dining table, discussing business.
"Welcome, Amelia. Let me prepare a plate. I hope you like Shepherd's Pie?" Sherry asked.
I nodded, taking a seat next to Tracie, opposite Devon and Aiden. "I do, sounds great. I've worked up an appetite."
"How was your swim?" Aiden asked, peering at me closely.
"Very nice, thank you. It was a pleasant surprise to see you had a lap pool. Wasn't expecting that," Amelia answered.
"The swimsuit fit okay?" Devon asked.
"Yup. Sure did. Good thing Aiden's girlfriend left a couple here that I could borrow."
Everyone fell quiet for a moment with funny looks going around the table.
"Ex-girlfriend," Aiden said flatly, with an emphasis on 'ex'. A surprised and miffed look on his face as he glared at Devon.
"Oh, okay - ex, then," I said, winking at Devon.
"My bad," Devon said. "My mistake. Sorry about that, Aiden."
Aiden and I looked at one another and then we both burst our laughing. I couldn't explain why it was so funny, but it was. As if we were all in on some secret that wasn't a secret any longer.
Tracie just smiled bemusedly and Sherry poured wine into our glasses, winking at me. We all continued eating at the same time, with everyone going silent. Somehow, I knew that everyone was aware of the dynamic developing between Aiden and I but was being respectful and not alluding to it. Yet.
"How was the perimeter? Quiet as usual?" Devon asked Aiden, breaking the silence.
Aiden nodded, "Well, it was quiet but we are definitely being scoped out. Two of Venom's goons were parked far East. I couldn't make much sense of what they were talking about but apparently their Queen is determined to spread the word that we have Amelia now."
"You can hear them?" I asked.
"More like I can read their minds, when I'm close enough. Something they don't know. That's why I don't mind getting close to the Den family on occasion. I get tidbits of info. Sometimes it's useable, sometimes it isn't," Aiden explained.
"Cool, I want to learn how to do that..." I murmured, then taking a fork-full of the yummy Shepherd's Pie that Sherry had made. "This is delicious, Sherry," I said, after swallowing.
"Thank you, Amelia. It's one of Aiden's favorite dishes. His Mother used to make it for him and Tracie all the time when she was still with us."
I glanced around the table, wondering what had happened to their Mother. "May I ask, what happened? Why she's no longer here?"
Tracie nodded gently, "Our Mother was a warrior. Very gifted. She died when we took you into our care. The Den captured her and rather than forsaking you, she opted to end her own life. It's part of our family's vow, we protect your kind and family to the death if need be."
This stunned me, "I'm so sorry to hear it. My condolences," I said, growing quiet.
Aiden was looking at me and I could feel his gaze. "Don't fret over the past Amelia, we can't change it. She made a decision and any one of us would have done the same."
"But I don't like knowing that I'm the cause or the reason for death," I said, then taking a big gulp of wine. "Especially because she was your Mother..."
"Naturally, but that is the way it is. That's why we need to get you trained. Acquainted with self defense and your magical powers," Devon said. "We are very judicious and only tolerate a self-sacrifice when absolutely necessary.
I gulped. "Okay, then. I need to start straight away. Tomorrow, Aiden - it's time to teach me self defense."
Aiden looked pleased.
"Amelia, we like your attitude. The now is all we really ever have. It's also where all of your power is. You can magically connect to any of your other nows, forward and past to bring power to that moment. In a sense, re-writing the past and changing the future. Does that make sense to you?" Tracie asked.
I nodded, "Yes, it's very zen. The present. The now."
"Exactly," Devon said, looking relieved.
"I meditate when I swim. I have ever since my teens when I took classes from a retired Olympian swimmer. For three summers in a row," I shared.
"Impressive," Aiden said.
"It's therapy too, I work through problems, allowing my passive mind to bring forward solutions. I do it when I'm stuck with my homework too," I explained.
"She's smarter than she looks!" Devon teased, winking at me. Which made me realize that Devon had a playful side to him. I liked that about him.
* * *
-- Aiden --
The dream woke me up, a yelp in throat as I came to. Confused, I threw my blanket off and sat up in my bed. As the memory of the dream drowned my mind, I shook my head. Wondering and worried.
In the dream, I'd been captured and was being tortured by the Den leader himself. He'd been relentless, psychically attacking my mind with an advanced technology that made it hard to defend myself. But he could only do it if he got near me and I had shifted form, my dragon throwing fire balls at him.
A war of wills, he'd insisted that I kneel to him and then he would release her. I knew better, and fought, refusing to kneel.
I walked to my bathroom, still deep in recollection. I took a shower, willing myself to remember any details from the dream. How it had started, what my surroundings looked like, if there were any dark symbols being used against me. What the Den leader looked like. What his demeanor was like.
All of which I would tell Tra
cie later.
Showering, I thought about Amelia and the way she'd figured out Devon's trick about my ex-girlfriend. The way we'd just started laughing, like we were already sharing inside jokes. It had come so naturally, and her beautiful face had lit up with pure amusement. A good quality.
With everything feeling so serious since her arrival, she'd magically burst the bubble with her jovial nature. Which I was certain there was more of. I needed to draw it out of her, more often. Make her feel better about her new situation and circumstance.
I was glad my architect had convinced me to put in the lap pool, something I hadn't necessarily wanted but he'd reminded me back when my house was being built that it was a nice touch for guests. I'd relented and now I needed to send him a thank you card. It meant that the person who was beginning to matter to me most, was happy for the first time since we'd taken her in.
I quickly dressed, grabbed my phone and headed downstairs for breakfast. Amelia was in the kitchen drinking coffee, leaning against the counter, talking with Sherry.
"Morning," I said, grabbing a mug out of the cupboard.
"Good morning," Amelia said quietly, her gaze lingering.
"You're up early," I teased.
"Yes, I hope you're up for it. I have a ton of homework to do later, so I figured early would be better. You good with that?" she asked.
"For training?" I teased.
She punched me in the arm. "Yes, for training," she said, then blushing.
"Who's training you? Me or Tracie?" I asked, pretending I'd forgotten the conversation from last night.
"You are," Tracie said, trailing me into the kitchen. "I've got work to do. Need to head to town. What's for breakfast?"
"Pancakes, eggs, sausage," Sherry said.
"Smells good," I said.
"Ditto," Tracie said.
"Where's your better half?" Amelia asked Tracie.
"He woke up early and decided that a game of golf was his only goal for the day. He goes several times a month. Get's him in the moment. In the present. Do you golf?" Tracie shared.
Amelia let out a cute laugh, "No... But maybe I should learn?"
