by Lucy Fear
Rhi was holding the sword in her lap inside its scabbard. She pulled up on it to reveal part of the weapon, which she touched with a finger to check. “No, this thing’s as sharp as sharp can get. Let’s just hope you don’t have to use it that way. Poor snakes.”
“Poor snakes?” he repeated. “What about me?”
“You have the intelligence to avoid them, that’s what,” she reminded him. “Okay, we’re here. Do you think you can get out on your own? It’s dangerous for either of us to get out to help you.”
“I can do this,” he said with a determined frown. Then he reached back and opened the door behind his head, dragging himself out of the car backward until he was free. A rattlesnake struck at his face, and he blocked it with one hand as he flipped himself over using the other, managing to get to his feet. He slammed the back door so another snake couldn’t get in, then accepted the sword as Rhi passed it out through the window.
“Good luck,” she told him. “I love you.”
“Love you, too, babe,” he said. “Stay safe until I can get in there too.”
***
Sending Brendan out to lure the snakes away worked like a charm, but just as Margot had expected, the gatekeeper was unable to open the way, so they had to abandon the vehicle and use the manual gate to walk inside. The road leading up to the building seemed deathly quiet, and the two women grasped hands as they began to advance.
“How long has it been since anybody came out here?” Rhi asked worriedly.
“I have no idea,” Margot admitted. “I haven’t gotten any reports from this office in years, and as far as I know, no other division was making use of the place either.”
“So, what you’re saying is…”
“If it’s been infiltrated and made use of, just about anybody or anything could be in here.”
“Great.” Rhi sighed. “Let’s just hurry up and get inside.”
They were nearing the door when they heard the low, ominous growl.
“What is that?” Margot whispered urgently.
“We probably don’t want to know,” Rhi whispered back. “Unfortunately, we’re about to find out anyway.”
“Lycanthrope!” Margot gasped.
“Shit!” Rhi grumbled. “Too bad I gave Brendan that sword. I could have used it for this.”
“Grab that branch and fend him off,” she suggested. “Give me a chance to unlock the door.”
“Looks like it’s unlocked already,” Rhi pointed out, indicating that the door was no longer on its hinges.
“Get inside, we could barricade it from there.”
“Brendan still needs to get inside too,” she protested as they ran.
“Forgive me if I’d like to save my own hide and worry about his later,” Margot shouted back sarcastically.
They reached the door in record time, pulling it open at the hinged side instead and slamming it shut against the clawed creature in hot pursuit of them. Rhi held the door shut while Margot ran over and started to shove the heavy reception desk until she got it to the door. Rhi moved quickly aside as she shoved it into place, effectively blocking the door.
“What the hell is that thing doing out there anyway?” Rhi demanded hotly.
“I’m not sure,” Margot hedged. “There were experiments going on here involving werewolves, but none of the subjects should have managed to get outside. If they were to discover a way outside the fence, we could have some real trouble around here.”
“I just texted Brendan with news of what’s happened here,” said Rhi. “He says we should stay put. He’s on his way.”
The werewolf’s howl unnerved the two women as he broke one of the tiny windows to one side of the door. Margot said, “We need to move now. Tell him we’re headed for a lower level looking for a room that’s clear of unwanted company. Let’s move out.”
“Fine,” Rhi sighed. “But you’d better not get him killed.”
“My goodness, you’re fierce when you’re sentimental,” Margot smirked. “Don’t worry. Your man knows how to take care of himself.”
***
Brendan was surrounded by so many rattlesnakes it was insane. The main difference between now and the last time, however, was that Rhi was not nearby. There would be nothing to stop him from letting his dragon come out to aid in his escape. As he transformed, the armor fell away, and he gathered it all up to carry with him as he flew away. Knowing full well that the perimeter of the building was covered by at least one undesirable attacker, he landed on the roof, three stories above the ground floor and well out of reach.
Transforming again, Brendan determined that putting the armor back on would not be a bad idea. Fully ready, he burst through one of the windows to get inside. He was in an office that looked to have been looted. A corpse lay with its head on the desk. It looked like it had been there quite some time.
“What the hell happened around here?” he grumbled as he moved the body aside. Opening the desk drawers, he had a look inside. The file in the top drawer looked like it might actually answer the question he’d just posed. He read a few pages and gasped in surprise.
“This file is about me,” he muttered as he brought it with him and headed for the door. When he opened it, he cautiously glanced outside. There was a dragon sleeping out in the hallway. Brendan sneaked past it and tiptoed down the stairs. He texted Rhi as he went, letting her know what he’d found.
Another dragon? Here? she replied.
*
While they were waiting for Brendan to arrive, Margot suggested that Rhi make an attempt to look for Todd once again. “You don’t need any of his objects to hold. You’ve known him a very long time. Just see if we can get some sense of the direction to take, and then we’ll let Brendan know.”
“All right,” Rhi agreed as she found a comfortable position on the carpeted floor. She became calm, reaching tentatively outward again. The hallways and rooms of this place were filled with shifters and supernatural beings, but most of them did think anything of her mind touching theirs, and she moved on. Down, down, down, to the very bottom of the facility she went, where even the psychic realm was cast in shadow.
“He’s here,” she confirmed. “I know where we’ll need to go.”
***
Brendan managed to reach the room where the two women were hiding, two levels below the ground floor. None of the various creatures he’d spotted during the descent had noticed as he’d crept past them. That was the advantage of being alone. Now, however, with three people, any further movement was likely to be a problem.
“Do we have any idea what to do now? This place is crawling with some pretty interesting individuals who would all love to have us for lunch.”
“Rhi and I have sensed a bit more while we were waiting for you,” Margot said. “Rhi, tell him what you found.”
“Todd is in this place somewhere,” Rhi confirmed. “But we’ve got to go lower, to the very bottom floor. He’s down there, but I can’t quite get a sense of his surroundings, or why. It’s a sure bet we won’t have any of those answers just staying put in here. I vote that we go.”
“And so do I,” added Margot.
“Well, if you’re sure, I suppose we’d best head out,” Brendan replied. “The sooner we get out of this place entirely, the better I’m going to feel.”
“Go ahead, Brendan,” said Margot. “You lead the way.”
***
“It would be nice if the lights were still working in this place,” Margot complained as they traversed a particularly dark hallway about ten floors down. “I can’t begin to guess what’s three feet in front of us with this stupid makeshift torch.”
“That’s because the thing is almost burnt down to nothing,” Rhi pointed out. “We’re going to need another rag and chair leg.”
“Allow me,” Brendan offered. He ducked into one of the rooms and they heard the distinct sound of another chair being slammed on the floor so hard it shattered. When he returned, he only had the leg. “Well, it mak
es sense they didn’t need any drapes down here, but it sure doesn’t help us wrap the thing in fabric so we can burn it. I wonder if armor chafes if there’s no shirt underneath it.”
“Why are you still in that get-up, anyway?” Margot asked. “You’ve got to be burning up in this heat.”
“I’m a dragon. Go figure.”
“Well, dragon, lose the shirt so we can get back to it,” she grumbled. “As you so aptly pointed out, we can’t get the job done by standing around.”
“I’m amazed that we haven’t run into any adversity all the way down here,” Brendan commented suspiciously. “It’s almost as though everyone’s been ordered to let us reach the bottom. That’s not something that instills me with confidence, I’ve got to tell you.”
“He does make a really good point,” Rhi agreed. “They must know that we’re here, and yet they’ve done nothing to impede our progress. That means either an ambush or a plan to battle at the bottom.”
“Maybe they won’t choose to battle at all,” Margot pointed out. “Say, Brendan, I was meaning to ask you, why did you decide to sell magic secrets to the masses anyway?”
“Actually, I only sell those things to generate more interest in the subject,” he explained as he tore his shirt into strips. “I want more people to find the fulfillment of magic in their lives. I want to help people, to teach them the old ways, and to ensure they are doing them in a proper and respectful manner. There are too many of these so-called neo-pagans who have been taught wrong, who could truly benefit themselves and others by learning the correct way of castings and rituals and—well, all of it.
If there was a way for me to help all those people without the need for money, I would do it, of course. But it costs money to maintain a household, or a school, or hold a seminar. It has to come from somewhere.”
“So, you’re not really doing it just to show off, or to disrespect the old ways at all?”
“No, though I understand why someone might make such an assumption,” he said as he slid the top of the armor on again. “Well, let’s see that torch. We can light this one off it.”
“Sure,” she agreed. “And so you know, the twelfth level will be the last, and we’ve just reached the stairs for the eleventh. If there is going to be trouble, it’s likely to be on either this floor or the next. Hand that torch to Rhi and keep that sword ready.”
“Yeah, I tend to agree.”
***
Much like the other sub-levels, the eleventh and twelfth floors were pitch black and seemingly abandoned. Rhi got the feeling that in addition to going deeper, these last few floors had also been expanding in size, digging into the rock bed and aquifers far beneath the city proper. Her suspicions were somewhat confirmed by the distinctive sound of dripping water and the increase of moisture in the air.
“This last floor isn’t anything like the others,” Margot warned. “You’ll find that the last set of stairs actually goes down into caves deep in the bowels of the earth. It’s quite hot, and there are pits of magma here and there, but these are cooled by a natural spring that falls into the area from somewhere far above. The air is thin and stale here, too, and with the ventilators not switched on to help, I can’t guarantee we’ll even be able to breathe at all.”
“Then we’d best hope this Todd character is within easy reach,” Brendan grumbled.
“Don’t be silly, of course we’ll be able to breathe,” Rhi scoffed. “How would Todd be down here so long without any air? He would have to be dead, otherwise.”
“She makes a good point,” Brendan agreed.
“We’ve reached the final set of stairs,” said Margot. “Are you ready?”
“As ready as we’ll ever be,” said Rhi, sighing deeply. “The attacker’s presence is really strong here, and definitely separate from Todd’s. I feel like we’re very close to him now.”
“Yes, I can feel it, too,” Brendan confirmed. “But is it just me, or do you feel that the anger has changed? I don’t quite understand.”
“It has changed,” Margot said as they stepped out into the cave at the bottom of the steps. “It’s changed because your actions were not selfish in nature, as he first supposed them to be.”
“Wait, what?” asked Brendan, casting her a confused stare. “How would he know that?”
“Simple,” she scoffed as she began to transform. “You’ve been traveling with him all along.”
*
Standing where Margot had been a moment before was Allen Fuller, grinning wryly as the two of them stared.
“But how?” Rhi gasped. “How did you do it?”
“I pretended to be Margot to get inside the Agency, then orchestrated our meeting and made certain that all events after that would lead us down here. Originally, I was simply acting at the behest of the Ancient One, who wants to fulfill the prophesy concerning you, Rhi. But now that I’ve spoken to Brendan at length, I realize I’d rather help you two, instead. Come with me.”
“What, just like that?” Brendan scoffed. “How do I know I can trust you?”
“Put it this way,” he said, smirking. “What choice have you got?”
“He does make a good point,” Rhi said.
“Fine,” Brendan grumbled. “But when we get through here I’m shoving a rattlesnake right down your pants—er—skirt. Whatever!”
“Yes, clothes don’t transform along with the person,” Allen shrugged, looking at his blouse and blazer with a shrug. “It can’t be helped right now. This way.”
They traveled down the length of the long, narrow cave, eventually turning off into a well-lit, rather large cavern. At the center of the cavern, two glass cages contained Todd and the real Margot. These were surrounded by lycanthropes who appeared to be tied up so they couldn’t leave the circle.
“What’s all this?” asked Rhi, her disgust obvious. “You’re treating them like lab animals.”
“No more than they deserve,” said a melodious, feminine voice from somewhere behind them. Rhi and Brendan both spun around, but where Rhi’s face was filled with confusion, Brendan’s registered recognition instead.
“Old one? You’re here in California?” he asked in surprise. “I thought you intended never to leave Carpathia.”
“Plans change as time changes,” she excused herself. “Once, I promised you that the one you love would be mine. At the time, I did not even understand the prophecy myself, but now it is made plain to me. Thanks to your teachings, my dragons have all managed to find people to meld with, and I am the only one of my kind left without a human to sustain me. So, Rhiannon Woods, I must ask you one thing. Do you believe you are worthy to meld with me?”
Rhi stared in stunned silence at the beast, roughly three times her own height, who cast her such a hopeful stare. “Um—were you not supposed to be the one who was judging me?”
“It’s true, I texted all of the others thoroughly before I let them meld, but I’ve been watching you for so long, I feel as if I know already that we will suit.”
“Just how long have you been watching me?” Rhi wanted to know.
“Since you were about the age of two,” she explained. “You see, dragons are able to look into the future, and I foresaw the day Brendan came to me. I also foresaw the woman that he would love in that vision, though at the time I had no idea that was why you were significant, only that it was my fate to meet you someday. All that I have seen comes full circle, right now, and in this place. All that I have witnessed makes perfect sense now. All that remains is the decision of whether we should join, or simply remain the same.”
“I went through weeks of training to prepare for you,” Rhi said, straightening her shoulders and looking the creature in the eye. “I would prefer it if you made certain I am what you were hoping me to be. I would like my trial, please.”
“Very well, then,” said the dragoness. “Come with me.”
Without further preamble, the Ancient One snatched Rhi up and tossed her between her wings. Rhi held tight with her le
gs as the creature took to the sky, leaving Brendan and Allen behind.
“Don’t just stand there; let’s follow,” Allen complained. “They’re going to need us to witness.”
Both men became dragons and flew after the departing pair. The cavern grew larger as they went, so that by the time they reached their destination it was big enough to contain a small mountain with a castle on top, where they all landed with relieved sighs.
“What is this place?” asked Rhi curiously as she looked around.
“This is where I make my home these days,” she explained. “This castle is occupied by one hundred melded dragons and their human counterparts, who are here to care for me. Should we meld, you would have the ability to come here immediately from wherever else you may be—a skill I would willingly bestow on Brendan as well. In this way, you could live your human lives as you desire, but also be directly involved with everything that goes on down here, too.”
“And what do you intend to do with Margot and Todd?” Rhi wanted to know.
“Are they dear to you?”
“Not especially, but I am very much a person who believes in causing no harm to other creatures without a good reason.”
“Have no fear, Rhiannon, neither of them is going to remember this little adventure,” said the dragoness with a smirk. “While your compassion is admirable, right now you need to concentrate primarily on you.”
“In all fairness, you need to know you’re suggesting a meld with a pregnant host,” Rhi added. “Is that going to pose any problems?”
“Not at all,” she smirked. “In fact, I suspect it will be helpful if anything.”
Rhi cast her a confused look, hearing that. “And the child won’t be harmed by the meld either, correct?”
“Her health with not be endangered,” the Ancient One agreed.
“You know already this baby is female?” she asked, surprised.
