Dragon Protectors

by Kristin D. Van Risseghem

  We head inside. Manny and McQueen are up. Both grin at us like they know we’ve been kissing. Their eyes drop to our linked hands.

  “Morning,” I say.

  “Yes it is, Babe.” He winks.

  Manny nods.

  “We were about to wake you to see if we can find Sean, so we can get today started.” I straighten my shirt with my free hand.

  A knock on the door silences us from divulging any more details. Manny goes and opens the door.

  Declan stands there. “Hello,” he says. “Did everyone sleep okay?” His eyes lock onto my hand holding Staten’s and then to everyone’s bare chests. He doesn’t comment. “I’m here to escort you to breakfast. And then after, Brooklyn, you can go meet with my dad.”

  We make Declan wait while we change clothes, then follow him back down the hall and up a flight of stairs into a massive kitchen. It’s by far the largest I’ve ever seen. It doesn’t blend with the old world feeling of the rest of the house. The black stainless-steel appliances and black marbled countertops are a stark contrast to the cream walls and honey-colored flooring.

  A dozen other people are seated around the dining table. On it are platters and bowls filled with various foods from eggs to meats to waffles. The aroma of coffee and bacon immediately grab my attention.

  A hush descends on the room as my party enters. All eyes follow my movements around the kitchen. I notice right away I’m the only female in the room. My safety is not a concern, though. Declan is in front of me, Staten still holds my hand, McQueen is on my other side, and Manny follows behind.

  The PL’s son pulls out a chair near the head of the table and motions for me to sit. He sits next to the head position. My boys take open seats to my right. Eventually, quiet chatting resumes as Declan passes me dishes. My Pride eats in silence, observing the others.

  I’m about take a bite of breakfast when the Irish dragons stand as one. A door opens and in walks Sean. He gestures for everyone to sit. He does have them trained well. They each bow their heads toward their leader, a sign of respect or a non-verbal good morning.

  Declan slides his hand under the table and pats my knee. The movement startles me and I jerk. My Pride glares at Declan, their expressions softening when they confirm that I’m okay.

  “What happened?” Staten asks.

  “It’s nothing,” I say to him, turning my attention to Sean. “Declan and I would like a moment of your time after breakfast.”

  The PL nods and continues eating. When he sees that everyone is about finished, he says, “Everyone. Please hold on for a moment. I’d like to introduce our guests.” He waves in our direction. “This is Brooklyn Bryer from the New York Pride. She and her ...”

  “Protectors,” I say.

  “She and her protectors have my blessing for the duration of their stay. Please grant them the respect that you show to me and my son.”

  As one, the Irish dragons bow to us and leave the room.

  I open my magic to my boys and ask them to leave the room, too. They comply immediately. Staten is the last to leave and squeezes my hand on his departure. I wonder if he’s thinking of our bond. He hasn’t left my side since, and normally he doesn’t have the need for constant physical contact with me.

  “I gather you two have discussed the matter?” Sean asks after the doors click shut.

  “We have,” I say. “I will accept your son as my second in command. We can announce that publicly when you want to. But before we tell anyone of our engagement, I need to find a fourth member of my protectors. He was taken before I came here. It’s imperative that we find him. We believe that the Slayers have him and are holding him hostage in exchange for something. Probably myself.”

  “After her protector is found,” Declan says, “and after she finds out what the Slayers want, there will be an announcement of the engagement.”

  “We will leave tonight to go back home, find Bronx, figure out the Slayers’ next move, and I’ll return here. That is the bargain. Do we have a deal?”

  “I am hearing rumors of the York Academy using drones to find the dragons,” Sean says. “They are equipped with lasers, and when a dragon is found in the sky, it scans and records the body to identify it. They want to know our numbers, identifying markings, etc., all being downloaded someplace to be analyzed.”

  What the boroughs? How does he know that?

  “Some fly during the night hours, while others are launched during the day,” he continues. “Their second phase is to equip the drones with titanium tracking or some poison-tipped darts to capture the dragons. They are using magic and embedding it into the technology. The possibilities are endless once they get a handle on exactly how to mold the magic and get it to stick.”

  If that’s true, we need to be really careful. And I need to confirm this with Noelle and Danzel, but it feels correct. How many more of us must die before we can have peace?

  “I got them to agree to giving the New York Pride land, and I’ve expected them to renege on that promise,” I say. “My parents are working to find out information and to assist in any way they can.”

  “Yes, I heard that, too. You showed them your dragon form,” Sean says.

  I nod; there’s no use denying it. Besides, I told Declan that last night anyway.

  Sean continues, “Allister is a power-hungry man and will do anything to keep that power. He does want to kill all the dragons, so he can add that title to his resume. He’ll go down in history as the one to cull the earth of the beasts.”

  “He’s going down in history all right. If I have anything to do with it, he’ll be wiped off the face of the earth. He’s allowed too many of us to die. Even when I was a slayer, he was reckless with our lives. No more. It ends. One way or another.”

  “Spoken like a true leader.” Sean stands. “Speaking of, Declan, would you please see to our guests? I believe they left their belongings at a hotel. They’ll need to go back and check out. Return here and assist them in making arrangements home.” Declan nods and leaves us. “Now, Brooklyn. Come walk with me.”

  Sean is dressed again in a pressed gray suit. He stands tall, exuding power even when walking. I’m not short by any means, but I barely come up to his shoulders. He leads us out of the house and onto a walking path.

  Now seeing the property in the daylight, it confirms my suspicions. The landscape is breathtaking, green as far as the eye can see. Trees, tall grasses, and wildflowers bloom everywhere. The lawn near the house is kept trimmed. Cars line up near the main door.

  “We use this property like the slayers use Columbia University. While the main and upper floors are kept for the tourists, the level below we have remodeled for our own use. There are many months of the year where ‘renovations’ are being done to certain rooms or floors, so we can have more access when we host Pride gatherings.” I assumed it was like that. “There is no secret, really, to being the PL,” Sean continues. “It’s a matter of believing you are and having direct control over your dragons, which in a sense you do. You’re connected to them, correct?”

  “Yes. When I finally acknowledged what I am, their voices flooded into my mind. Staten had to show me how to block them out.”

  “He’s the tallest of the three, correct?” I nod. “Yes, I can feel his power. I’d keep him around and close to me if I were you.”

  “We’re magic and life bonded, so that won’t be a problem. If I hadn’t taken Declan as my second, it probably would have been Staten.”

  Sean stops walking and gazes down at me. “Excuse me? You’re life bonded with him?”

  I swallow. “Yes.”

  “But he’s not your mate?”

  I shake my head.

  “That’s very interesting.”

  I don’t mention that I have a life bond with another. “May I ask you something?” It’s his turn to nod. “How come you’re not surprised that I’m a dragon?”

  “Oh, trust me, when I heard the rumors there was finally a female in our midst, I was su
rprised. I’m curious as to why none of the other Prides reached out to you to strike a bargain of sorts.”

  “To use me as a weapon?”

  “Possibly. But to show the others that they have something that they do not.”

  “Is that what you’re doing?”

  “No. I’m looking out for my son. He will not be the PL after I’m gone.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “I’ve foreseen it. We are a small pride, much smaller than yours. It could be because we’ve been kept on the island, or that times are changing. Our numbers are dwindling. Some of the dragon couples are no longer having children, for whatever some genetic reason. Sons are not being born but females are. But you are the first to actually be a dragon, so there is hope for us after all. Maybe there is hope for the girls yet. They could be late bloomers.”

  Now, that is sad. I hadn’t expected him to say that to me. He’s very open about matters. Maybe for the ones closest to his heart.

  “Did you foresee me?”

  He shakes his head. “I do know of the dragon with four Protectors, though. That was foretold centuries ago. I just never thought it would be a female.” He smiles. “Continuing on with the lessons, to be a great leader, you need to put the Pride first. Listen to them. I don’t mean the petty stuff, the real concerns. Let them know that you truly care for them and hear them. They must feel that you would do absolutely anything within your power to help them.”

  “I would.”

  “Then show them. Not with words, with actions.”

  “May I ask you something?”

  “Yes, go ahead.”

  “When Declan saw my jewelry, that’s what caused him to stop fighting. He said that power emitted from them. Is that why he decided to allow us to come see you?”

  Sean doesn’t look at me but instead gazes out over the fields. He takes a long time, as if gathering his thoughts. So long that I don’t think he’ll answer my question. Finally, he says, “It takes immense power to infuse inanimate objects with magic. You don’t even need to tell me that it’s Staten’s magic in those earrings because I can see it. The necklace, ring and bracelet have a bit of him in there, too, so he must have helped the others. They still pulse with it. It’s also why I know you and he are magically bonded.” He stops and turns to me. “Have the others given you magic items as well?”

  “Why?”

  “Not only is powerful magic used to do it, but the recipient of the items also must wield enough to invoke the magic that was infused with the object. You did so when it blasted out. Declan said it was nothing like he’s ever seen. It feels like a stun but more forceful. Depending on what was used, the outcome of protection could be different. It’s very old magic, and not a lot of people know about it. But apparently your protectors do, and you are strong enough to use it. Another rarity. So I don’t think I really need to teach you it. It’s already inside of you. You just have to unlock it, hone it, and use it.”

  Sean and I walk around the grounds for a few more hours. He tells me things I already know or at least can guess. He runs his Pride like a company. He’s president, CEO, and CFO. The second does all the technology related items, so I guess I’d call him the CTO. And even though Declan isn’t his second, he has shown great interest in the technology area. Apparently, he’s got a knack for it.

  He advises to keep my protectors around me at all times and keep the current Council intact so that the Pride has stability. Like I’d send my boys away. Two of them are literally a part of me now. Make small changes at first. Get them to see the benefits before doing anything drastic.

  Well, I can do that. I’ll show them and talk with them. The whole trip kinda feels like a waste and we could have been rescuing Bronx. But I have learned a lot and sometimes it was things I needed to hear from a third party. Sean said the secret of being a leader is that there is no secret. Rule with a good heart, and the rest will fall into place.

  First order of business will be to call a meeting after Bronx is safe.

  By the time Sean and I are back in the house, my boys have returned from checking out of the hotel. I find them in Declan’s room booking us a flight home. Leaning against the door jam, I listen to their conversation. I need them to get along since we’ll be bringing Declan into our tight knit group.

  “As far as we know, we weren’t followed here, so we can take a direct flight back,” Staten says.

  “Okay, but just in case,” Declan says, “I’ll pay for it, and you can just transfer funds into our accounts.” Staten nods and swipes his phone to move money around. “I assume that you’ll all want seats close to each other?” Manny nods. “Okay. Shouldn’t be a problem.” He continues keying in information and after a few more minutes, he says, “We’re all booked. The flight is leaving in three hours from now. I need to get packed, and then we should head out.”

  “We?” I ask.

  “I’m going with you. I’m your second now.” Declan’s head tilts to the side. “My father will make a formal announcement. He’s called all of us back to the dining room in twenty minutes.”

  “Okay, I’ll go shower and change and meet everyone there.” I turn to my guys. “Is my luggage in the bedroom?”

  “Yes,” Manny says. “I’ll come with you.”

  “Thank you.”

  We leave Declan’s room and find our way back to ours. Manny pushes the door open for me.

  “You life bonded with Staten this morning.” It’s a statement. “McQueen and I felt it.” He hangs his head.

  “I’m sorry.” I hadn’t realized that they would feel it. Knowing them, they’d want to have the bond with me, too. “Why didn’t you say something after Bronx? If you already knew when that happened. I didn’t think ... I know you would bond with me if I asked you. We just haven’t had the chance to. An opportunity presented itself when Staten and I were alone.” I press my finger to his chin, forcing him to look at me. “I understand what it means to you, Manny. And I’m asking you this now—not as a second choice or third, but because I truly want you to. I am asking you to life bond with me.”

  “Of course, I will.” He smiles. “And not because I asked about it, forcing you to ask me. I know you’d ask me at some point. But I want this now. Life is too short to wait. It’s time I went after what I want. And that’s you.” His magic instantly appears in his palm, white mixing with his dark green. He presses it into my chest as I jerk back. His strong hand grips my shoulder to steady me.

  I feel his magic floating around inside my body, and then it settles near my heart. The slivers of Bronx and Staten greet Manny’s and lock together like another puzzle piece clicking into place, my soul relaxes into a peaceful and steady rhythm.

  Manny drops to a knee. “Thank you. I am your servant. Anything you desire is yours if it’s in my power. I’ll protect you until my last breath.”

  I sink to his level and kiss him, so he knows how much he means to me. We’re both kneeling and wrapped in each other’s arms. Before things can get carried away, I pull back. “I love you, Manny.” I lightly kiss his lips again. “But I need to shower and change, so we can get to the meeting and leave.”

  “I know. Bronx is on my mind, too. We’ll find him.”

  He stands and helps me up, ushering me into the bathroom where I quickly change and shower. By the time the water stops, there is a knock on the door.

  “You about ready, Brooklyn?” Manny asks.

  “Yep, I’ll be right out.” I quickly run my fingers through my hair, throw on jeans and a clean T-shirt. “Let’s go.”

  We are the last to arrive to the dining room. Sean waves me to his side. Declan is already there. I suck in a breath as Manny walks me to the front. He stops where his brothers stand, so I continue the few remaining steps by myself.

  “Thank you for coming so quickly,” Sean says. “Sit.” Everyone does. “I have some great news to share. Our guests from New York are leaving shortly, but Ms. Bryer has agreed to certain conditions.” He turns
his head to me.

  “Thank you, Sean, for your hospitality.” I nod, addressing the room. “I am the leader of the New York Pride, and I name Declan O’Dell as my second in command. He’ll be leaving with us.” Chatter rises throughout the room about my naming one of their own as my second. But I think it’s more about me being a female dragon. Sean quiets them with a clearing of his throat. “There are some other things going on at York Academy that must be addressed before further announcements are made. But rest assured that I, my protectors and Pride, will treat my new second with respect. I will lead by example and vow that no harm will come to him by my own hand or claw.”

  “I know we sprung this on most of you,” Sean says. “If you’d like to say goodbye or wish Declan well, do so quickly as he’ll be leaving shortly.”

  The room bursts in voices. A line forms on the side of the room where Declan is standing. Many want to express their well wishes. A couple of guys hug him and tell him to call often.

  A few strangers come to shake my hand and offer us goodbyes as well. Seeing the Irish Pride behaving like a loving family, this is what I want for New York. I want us to quit the squabbling and inner attacks and be there for each other. They need to listen and stop doing stupid things that will for sure get themselves killed. I guess I do have my work cut out for me.

  Eventually, Declan is ready to go. He gives his dad a hug. “Remember what we discussed,” Sean whispers in his ear.

  Declan nods and steps away. He turns and smiles at me, holding his hand out. My eyes drop to his waiting palm. Slowly, I take it. He lifts it up and squeezes my fingers. Shouts of praise rise throughout the room.

  We walk through the house and out the front door. A large SUV waits to take us to the airport.

  “What do you think that comment was about?” Staten asks me.

  “I don’t know, but I will find out.”

  THE FLIGHT BACK TO New York City is long. Declan and I sit together, while all three of my boys sit across from us. Needless to say, none of them are happy about it, and Declan refuses to switch seats with any of them. I tell them to let it be. They can listen in and watch me from across the aisle.