dragons breath 02 - dancing with flames

by Illene, Susan

  It took me a full minute to process that. “And he knew the slayer gene was inherited.”

  “He did.”

  “That still doesn’t necessarily make him my father. Aidan says there are hundreds of slayers out there—maybe a thousand or more across the world. How can he be sure I’m his daughter?” I asked.

  I didn’t know why the thought scared me, but maybe it was because I hadn’t been expecting it. For all this time, I’d hated my father for leaving me before I was born. The thought that he might not have had a choice would mean that I’d blamed him for something out of his control.

  Earl gave me a meaningful look. “You think I didn’t ask those same questions? He was adamant that he could see your mother in your face and some of him too, which you do share his eyes and nose, along with that mark on your arm.”

  There was no point in telling him that it was just a slayer mark and didn’t mean anything. “So that’s all it took to convince you?”

  “Of course, not.” Earl appeared offended. “I called your mother and made him talk to her.”

  I stiffened. “You didn’t.”

  “What else was I supposed to do?” He threw up his hands. “That was the only way to be sure the man wasn’t lyin’ to us.”

  “Did the subject of slaying dragons come up?” Admittedly, that worried me more than anything.

  He nodded. “There wasn’t much way around it. He refused to lie to your mother about that, though I told him you hadn’t wanted to worry her.”

  I rubbed my face. “So he is my father?”

  “No doubt about it—and you owe your mother a call. She knows you’ve been injured and she wants to hear for herself that you’re alright.” There was a note of apology in his voice. I was rather certain his talk with her was only marginally better than mine was going to be.

  “So where is Wayne now and why isn’t he telling me all this?” I asked.

  Earl shook his head. “He’s out there, watchin’ for dragons, but I don’t think he’s ready to talk to you just yet. It’s kinda awkward when a man meets his daughter for the first time after twenty-two years. Gotta come at its own pace.”

  “He just saved my life, Earl. It’s a little late for being shy,” I said.

  “That’s different.” He gave me a pointed look. “If he let you die, he’d never get a chance to talk to you.”

  I leaned back against the headboard, feeling suddenly tired. “Think he’ll come tomorrow?”

  Earl’s lips thinned. “Wayne said something about as soon as you’re feelin’ better again he’s gotta be headin’ back up to Tulsa. Ain’t no one defendin’ the folks up there against dragons right now, and we’ve got you down here. His words, not mine.”

  “He’s not ready to face me yet,” I interpreted.

  “No, but he will be—in time.”

  “Okay,” I said, not really understanding. It kind of hurt. My father had talked to Earl and my friends but not me. Did he not consider how that would make me feel?

  “Just a minute.” Earl stepped out of the room, returning with the sat phone a moment later. “It’s time to call your mother.”

  “Now?”

  He nodded. “Look at it this way. You can always cut the call short by telling her how injured and tired you are.”

  “Have you met my mother?” I asked wryly.

  He started dialing and handed the phone over once he was finished. “Good luck.”

  “Bastard,” I muttered.

  My mom answered on the first ring. “Bailey?”

  “Yeah, it’s me.”

  “Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been about you? And I have to find out from your long-lost father that you’re a dragon slayer?” She made a sound of frustration. “I don’t even know where to begin!”

  I was fairly certain she’d figure it out. “I’m sorry, Mom.”

  “You better be sorry! Grady has worked himself into a fit and he’s trying to figure out a way to come get you so we can put a stop to this. You’re gonna get yourself killed!”

  As she continued her rant from there, I slumped in the bed. That was going to be a long conversation. I loved my mother, but she could yell for longer than anyone I knew. Hopefully, this didn’t affect her heart. I’d have to figure out a way to pacify her once she stopped long enough to take a breath. Too bad I couldn’t bribe her with ice cream the way I used to do.

  Chapter 21

  Aidan

  No one ever truly appreciates their home until they are away from it. Aidan decided he’d never been more grateful to be born a Taugud than now. This morning he, Falcon, and Donar had been woken by several Faegud dragons and told they’d be participating in a tournament—one that was designed to test the speed, strength, and battle prowess of a warrior. The toriq would not begin negotiations with the Taugud until they proved their worthiness.

  For the first activity, they conducted a race. It required Aidan and his companions, along with thirty-seven others, to fly up to the Red River. Once there, they were to pick up one of the blue stones waiting for them and return to the Jakhal. There were no other rules, so knocking out one’s opponents, taking more than one blue stone, or any other manner of devious behavior was allowed.

  For Aidan, he might have been smaller than most of the other dragons, but he was also lean and fast. Only one Faegud ever got close enough to attack him—in the early part of the race—and he found himself with a torn wing for his troubles. Aidan picked up speed after that and never looked back. As it turned out, there was a dragon ahead of him who must have broken away from the pack early, but that was the only one who’d bested him.

  Falcon was attacked several times, being slower and farther behind. He beat off his opponents, picked up one of the few remaining blue stones, and managed to come in twelfth in the race. Donar had never been a particularly fast flyer. When they were growing up, he almost always came in last or very near it. By the time he reached the Red River, all the blue stones were gone except a single one that four dragons were fighting over. What Donar lacked in speed, he made up for in strength and fierceness. He wormed his way into that fight, grabbed the blue stone, and made it a good distance away before the others realized it had been taken. Aidan was rather certain Donar flew faster than he’d ever managed before in his life, barely making it back before the others closed in on him.

  After the race, they were given a light meal and told to prepare for the next event—tunnel digging. This was considered an important event to the Faegud. Aidan understood that, considering their living quarters, but he didn’t much care for doing it as a sport. Shape-shifters never dug unless they were burying the body of a loved one.

  For that second event, they gathered at a field approximately a ten-minute flight from the jakhal. The forty participants were each given a section of land and a direction which to dig so that there would be no crossing over each other. Aidan and his companions were told to make their tunnels go as far as possible in the two hours they were given. Whoever dug the longest one would win, but all participants would have theirs measured and ranked. He, Falcon, and Donar had given each other meaningful looks at this news. There was no way they could compete against dragons that used tunnels as a way of life, but they had to do their best if they did not want their toriq to appear weak.

  Aidan had formulated a strategy for his digging before the contest began. Two hours was a long time to be doing any physical activity and to begin fast would only wear him out too soon. He’d pawed at the ground and tested the soil, waiting for the pendragon’s roar to begin. It wasn’t soft, and he suspected there had been no rain there in weeks.

  When it was time to begin, he started slowly and methodically. Aidan wanted his opening to be just the right size for him to fit, but not so large it would create more work for him. He also sealed the walls with flames as he went so that no dirt could come down on him. During the event, there were several cave-ins from dragons rushing too much and forgetting to seal their tunnels. Each had to be
dug out and disqualified from participating further.

  An hour into his digging, Aidan’s claws were already chipping and breaking. It was painful to keep going, especially once his feet started bleeding. Still, he did not give up and continued at a steady pace until the pendragon roared once more, ending the event.

  Donar did surprisingly well, but as a stone builder he performed quite a lot of lifting and shaping of earth materials that gave him an advantage. He came in ninth out of the forty contestants who started. Falcon ranked eighteenth. With the regular strength and agility training he performed on a daily basis, he had been able to put it to good use. Aidan came in twenty-seventh out of the thirty-five who finished, but it didn’t bother him much. This was not his sort of event and at least he made it to the end.

  They had just returned to the jakhal for a one-hour break, and a chance to clean up before the final event of the evening. It took everything Aidan had not to limp as he made his way to the small creek that ran at the far end of the valley. He was sore, filthy, and tired. There was dirt packed in his scales that would take weeks to dig out if it weren’t for his ability to shift to human form and wash it away—not that he’d have the opportunity before he went home. When Lorcan had warned him the treaty activities would be exhausting, his old friend had not been exaggerating.

  Aidan glanced over at Falcon, whose head hung lower than usual. He, too, felt the strain of the day’s events. The older dragon had several bite marks on his body from the race, and he had lost most of his claws from digging the tunnels.

  What do you believe they’ll have us do next? Aidan asked.

  Falcon didn’t answer right away, appearing to consider it. Something to do with testing our battle skills, I’m certain. It is the one thing we have not done yet—directly, anyway.

  Perhaps they’ll have us impale ourselves to see who can stand it the longest before begging to be freed, Donar suggested, then shook his head to rid himself of some loose grains of dirt. I would not put it past them.

  Falcon gave him a censorious look. Do not be flippant. These events may be tiring and difficult, but we must be proud we’ve done as well as we have thus far. Do you not think they chose their best clan members to compete against us, and that these are activities they likely perform on a regular basis? They don’t expect us to win, but they do expect us to give our best effort. Remember, you are representing the Taugud, and no task should ever be too big or small for your toriq.

  You are right, of course. Donar dropped his head. It was no doubt the strenuous activities and difficult time they had sleeping in the stifling tunnels causing him to behave more irritably than usual.

  There is only one event left for the day, Aidan said as they reached the creek. Whatever it is, we will give it all that we have and hope we represent ourselves with good form.

  Well said, Falcon acknowledged.

  They drank their fill at the creek and rinsed their faces and feet. There was no point in doing a full wash since the next event would likely get them filthy all over again. Aidan planned to have a much more thorough bathing later that night. He might be a dragon, but he appreciated cleanliness as much as any human might.

  On their way back to the staging area for the competitions, Lorcan met with them. He held a long red ribbon in his mouth. The dragon dropped it at Aidan’s feet. This is for you.

  What for? he asked, confused. Dragons might appreciate jewels and gold, but they weren’t much for ribbons or other odd human finery.

  Do you see that female over there? Lorcan pointed his snout across the field where a lone dragon stood. She was roundly shaped with pleasant enough eyes and scales the color of an orange sunset, but she was no warrior. There was minimal muscle on her, and her posture was a little too submissive for Aidan’s liking. He preferred strong females with good backbones on them.

  I see her. Though Aidan didn’t like where this was heading.

  Her name is Felienne. She wishes to give the ribbon to you for luck in the next event, Lorcan explained.

  Aidan let out a snort. I do not need luck, and I am not interested.

  My friend, it would be wise to take the ribbon. Lorcan gave him a plaintive look. Felienne comes from a rich family with a considerable horde of treasure and two of her brothers are great warriors. It is an honor that she has chosen to show an interest in you. Many a male has attempted to gain her attention and failed.

  Aidan swished his tail in annoyance. But she is not a warrior herself?

  Well, no. Her family never wanted that for her.

  Of course not. Dragons might respect strength, but many males liked their females soft and biddable, which was likely the way Felienne’s family raised her.

  Do you suppose her interest has anything to do with my being a pendragon’s son and a shape-shifter? Aidan asked, though he already suspected the answer.

  A flash of guilt reflected in Lorcan’s eyes. Those elements may have factored into it.

  Even if I did show an interest, we could not mate and live at the Taugud fortress. It is not designed for those who cannot shift to human form, Aidan said. This was a ridiculous conversation, and one he didn’t appreciate having during his brief break between events. He would have preferred to rest for the little time he had left.

  Lorcan blinked. She is aware of that. Felienne is not looking for a permanent mating, but rather one of a temporary nature. She only wishes for you to give her a child. It would be raised among our clan, though you could visit whenever you wished.

  Aidan blanched. He’d heard of such arrangements happening, but not in recent memory. Was the Faegud pendragon really so desperate to gain more shifters in her toriq that she would ask her females to make such advancements? This did not bode well for the upcoming negotiations. Most males in his clan preferred to raise their offspring, not leave them like Lorcan suggested. In Aidan’s case, any children he had would be eligible for pendragon once they became old enough. It would be an easy entry to gaining power in his clan if the Faegud played it right.

  I think not, he said firmly.

  Lorcan let out a heavy sigh. I will tell her this is not the right time for such a gift, but that you thank her for it.

  Fair enough. Aidan would have preferred to deny Felienne outright, but he had to remember he was here in a diplomatic capacity and could not risk offending anyone.

  What is the next event? Falcon asked.

  I suppose you could describe it as a brawl of sorts. Lorcan pawed at the ground. His claws were clean since he had not participated in any events and instead stood on the sidelines judging them. We will divide the participants into two teams, and you will battle each other for half an hour. Whichever side has the most members still standing wins.

  Falcon flashed his sharp teeth in the dragon version of a smile. Excellent. I look forward to it.

  Aidan was actually interested as well. Their clan did something similar every year on the pendragon’s birthday, except they used three teams and it lasted for an hour. Their method required a bit more strategy so it wasn’t all fighting, but also making temporary alliances to finish one of the teams off quicker.

  If you’ll go that way. Lorcan raised his paw to gesture across the field. The humans will mark you with paint to denote your team.

  Aidan, Falcon, and Donar made their way in that direction. Most of the Faegud had turned out to watch the final event, and several of them were already betting on how many would still be standing at the end. They kept their communications open, filling Aidan’s head with countless conversations. It was beginning to give him a headache. Shape-shifters tended to be more private when speaking telepathically unless they were engaged in battle. Of course, in human form they had the ability to speak aloud, rendering the point moot.

  Do you think they’ll put us on the same team? Donar asked.

  Aidan guided them to the end of the line of dragons waiting to be painted. I have no idea.

  It would be better if they did not, Falcon said, taking up the rear of t
heir group. This way at least one of us will be on the winning side.

  Donar made a grunting sound. If we were all on the same side, then we’d surely win.

  Never assume anything. It is as much up to our teammates as us to fight well, Falcon replied.

  They moved to the head of the line, and a human man painted a white circle around Aidan’s head, laying it on thick over his scales. When Donar came up, he got a bright yellow one. He scowled, but said nothing. Falcon got a white circle.

  Best of luck, cousin, Aidan said, meaning it. No matter which team won or lost, it was important they all remained standing at the end.

  Donar bowed his head and then left to join his team. Each group had a section where they were being directed to gather. Aidan and Falcon headed toward their team on the opposite side of the field. The terrain the Faegud had chosen for the brawl was mostly flat and had little vegetation. It didn’t leave much for strategy. This was going to be an ugly fight and the only rule was not to kill your opponent. Aidan suspected he would be more than a little tired and sore once they finally got to the negotiations part of this visit.

  Lorcan came to stand in the middle of the field between the two teams. He looked to the designated leader for each, waiting until they acknowledged their side was ready. Aidan joined the others in a loud roar, his heart beginning to race with excitement. He might be tired from the previous events, but his dragon was not.

  Do you wish to take over for this, Aidan asked his inner beast. He’d never made such an offer before. Either he kept complete control, or they worked together. It wasn’t until the other day with Bailey that he realized he could let go of his control.

  With pleasure. The beast purred in his head.

  This was going to be more than a little interesting. Aidan took a deep breath and then concentrated on receding to the back of his mind. It wasn’t easy, but he knew where to go now that he’d been there before. After a minute, the dragon came to the forefront, and Aidan became a spectator. He could no longer control his movements or even his breathing. It was more than a little unsettling.