by C. D. Gorri
“You are saying you are my Alameda?”
“Yes! And no, my liege. I am the grandson of your last footman. I was but a child when my father showed us the paintings and told us tales of the Dragon King who called the mountains of Rio his home! I never thought I would live to see you wake!”
“What year is it?” Rei said unable to maintain his fury at so open and honest a man.
“It’s 2019, sire.”
“I’ve been asleep for over a hundred years?” Fury and wonder fueled his disbelief. A hundred years gone. Why, he’d never done such a thing! A third of his life taken from him. But how?
“Yes, sire,” the old man nodded.
Rei closed his eyes. So much time. He had much to do. A century to catch up on. And there was no time to waste.
“Is Castle Dorado still standing?”
“Yes, though it has fallen into disrepair. I am sorry, sire, I am old now and had but a daughter to follow my line.”
“A daughter? The Alameda line has always bred many true sons.”
“Yes, sire, but I guess things change,” the old man smiled revealing several more gaps in his teeth.
“I have a grandson though. He is a computer whiz. Let me call him for you. Severino! Severino aqui!”
Pounding footsteps sounded from the upstairs room and a young man came racing down the carpeted steps. He did not even glance at Rei.
The Dragon King looked down his nose at the unlicked cub. His intention was to impress upon the surly and wiry youth that he was in charge. Master and commander of all he surveyed.
The painfully thin youth rolled his thick framed eyes at Rei, almost laughing at his makeshift kilt while pushing his lenses back onto his snub nose. He lacked the proper respect, but he wasn’t outright rude. Yet.
That was good news for him as Rei wasn’t sure he could keep his Dragon from reacting should this boy display his disrespect openly. He smelled of flowery soap, a womanly scent for sure, and Rei wondered if the youth was with a female?
Oooh a female. He scolded his Dragon. A woman was what got him in this mess in the first place.
“Avo? Grandpa? Are you alright? Who is this guy?”
“Yes, of course. I am old, not dead! Do you remember, Severino, the stories? The ones I used to tell you of your Great-grandfather?” He grabbed his grandson’s hands and squeezed them gesturing to where Rei sat.
“Sure, I do,” the young man sighed and wiped his eyes, “but they are just stories and I am working, Avo. You need your rest. Tell your friend here to go. I will be able to pick up your medicine later-”
“The stories are true, look, look, filho!”
Rei stood calmly assessing the situation as grandson and grandfather spoke. So, this was the next heir to the Alameda line? Hmm.
The young man was too papery thin, too arrogant, too ready to dismiss his elders. Hmm. He would have a lot to learn, Rei smiled at the thought. He would enjoy teaching the boy for certain.
Only at the last minute did young Alameda relent and turn to find all six and a half feet of Rei, although be it absurdly clothed, standing in his doorway.
“Who, who are you?” He stuttered and backed up a step.
“I am Rei Dorado, King of the Golden Flame,” his voice reverberated in the almost bare room.
He maintained eye contact until the boy gulped, as he should in the presence of such awesomeness! Yes. I am a mighty Dragon!
Looking around, he saw the home was neat and clean, not quite the hovel he took it for when he’d barged in.
“Severino is it?” At the young man’s nod, he continued, “I have just awakened from one hell of a long sleep, young Alameda. The world is different than I remember it. It is louder, dirtier, filled with people where there were none. The men in your line have served me for hundreds of years faithfully-”
Rei straightened to his full height, his too long hair billowing about him in the seaside breeze like a black cloak, “I am asking you, Severino Alameda, to continue to uphold the original vow of your five times removed grandfather. Will you do it? Will you serve me?”
“Serve you? What the hell are you talking about?”
Rei growled at the insubordinate young man, taking no pleasure when he cowered from him. He was no bully. He did not like using his size and strength to intimidate, merely to impress. The older man interrupted.
“Severino, hush!” He walked forward with his weather-beaten hands wrapped around a scarred old cane and something pulled on Rei’s heart. This man had honor. He would reward him well.
“Yes, yes, my lord, we will both serve you. I will help educate my grandson in his duties.”
“But Avo, we don’t know him! How can we trust what he says?”
“When I was a child, Severino, we visited the huge house on the top of the mountain. We had clothes and food and money. We never wanted as we do now. Understand it is our blessing, our destiny to serve the king,” the older man smiled and nodded.
Rei could feel the grandson’s reluctance. He hated to admit it, but he needed the young man. Needed him to get acquainted with the modern world.
“I vow to treat you well, young Alameda. I swear if you do your duties and serve me well you will be rewarded. And yes, you can leave whenever you wish.”
“Anytime?”
“Indeed. Anytime.”
“Fine then. We can take my car to the old house, if it makes it there,” he mumbled.
Rei nodded. He did not know what the young man meant by car, but he would soon find out. A few minutes later and Rei knew exactly what a car was.
“That thing is a death trap! A beast from hell!” Rei raged as he walked alongside the metal animal that young Alameda had insisted on taking to the top of the mountain.
He did not care how many stared at him in his borrowed clothing. Severino had insisted he remove the pink wrap and wear some of his things to blend in.
Rei grunted with distaste at the borrowed clothing. He once wore silks and finely woven linen hand tailored to suit his frame. This century’s idea of clothing left a lot to be desired.
The result of his borrowing young Alameda’s clothes was an outfit that was too tight and short in the legs, waist, and crotch. Not to mention the material of the pants was hard and itchy as all get out. The shirt was loose and made up of light cotton which thankfully covered the fact that his britches were undone.
His cock was just about suffocating in the damn material. Flaming balls! He cursed repeatedly in his mind’s eye. The sandals on his feet were again, too small, but his new footman seemed certain that they were necessary.
Everything in this blasted time was too damn small! After an hour’s hike, he made it to the summit where Castle Dorado sat. Since he could not shift to use his wings but was able to run once they’d made it past the village, he’d managed to get there before the Alameda’s car.
Not as striking as it once was, the old keep was still a sight. My castle.
He frowned deeply as he saw the level of disrepair. One quarter of the Spanish tiled roof had completely caved in at the top and he could smell the mold from where he stood. This would never do.
“Come, Severino, first we shall open the vaults and then we shall see what we have to work with. A few missives to my bankers overseas and I shall have my answers,” determination and pride rose in him like a tidal wave and Rei reveled in the feelings as they coursed through him.
“Can’t we just call them?”
“Call? How could they hear me across an ocean man?”
“With a phone,” young Alameda said and took out a small box with a glass screen on it.
“What is that magic?” Rei said with wonder. Had Witches started selling scrying mirrors to the vast public? Were the sacred laws no longer being followed?
“No magic, it’s technology, look I can search for your bank too. What’s the name?”
“Merlin Banking Solutions,” Rei answered.
CHAPTER 2
Three months later...
“Hello?” She said as she reached the bottom step. Now if she could only make it to her tiny, compact car without incident.
“Cora, it’s me. Won’t you reconsider leaving? What about us?” The sound of a familiar tear-filled voice reached her ears and she rolled her eyes. Why today of all days?
She sighed and closed her eyes. Despite what everyone said, Cora was not one of those women who gushed over men who cried in relationships. Darren was a crier. Not a soulful, teary eyed sexy crier. A snot dripping, mouth open, whiny man baby crier who gave her the heebie-jeebies.
“Darren, for the last time. There is no us. We had dinner. That’s all it was.”
“Twice, Cora, we had dinner twice, and I was ready to move forward, to take you to meet my mother. Doesn’t that mean anything?”
Yes, she thought to herself. It means you’re nuts.
Two dinner dates, one where they split the bill and the other she’d completely paid for when he conveniently forgot his wallet. That wasn’t even what put her off.
She’d realized immediately that behind his big blue eyes was a giant baby man who was looking for a surrogate mother since his decided he should leave the nest at the ripe old age of thirty-eight. Yikes.
“I need to go now, Darren. Please don’t call me again,” she clicked the line over to her own mother before she could even respond to his sputtered wait.
“Cora? Who was that?” Demanded her mom.
“Nobody, Mom. I’m getting in the car now.”
“But what about chewing gum? Did you pack any for the plane?”
“Yes, Mom. I’ll call you when I land, okay?”
“Okay, sweetie. Be safe. And if the client you’re going to meet happens to be nice and single maybe say yes to dinner before you shoot him down?”
She couldn’t resist rolling her eyes at the hopeful notes in her mother’s voice. Matchmaking was her mother’s new favorite hobby and it was driving her nuts.
“Mom, I told you I want to concentrate on my career. Merlin Banking Solutions has been great to me and I’m on track to get a good promotion if I do well with this account.”
“I know, but your father and I were so happy, I just want the same for you,” her mother’s voice took on that whispery sentimental quality like it always did when she talked about Cora’s late father.
Carmen and Viktor Tesouro had a great marriage. Full of love and laughter. They were childhood sweethearts, married right out of high school. Fated Mates.
They’d told her a million times about that special bond that sometimes occurred between two Shifters. Rare and treasured in the supernatural world, Cora understood how lucky her parents had been, but she also knew the devastating effects losing one’s mate could have on the surviving partner.
Her Dad had died at the hands of an illegal hunt ten years ago and Cora’s mother had lived in a comatose-like state for months after his death. She’d clung to life for her daughter alone, but even then it took eighteen months before she had finally left the house. A teenager, unable to deal with her mother’s absence or heal her heartbreak, Cora had been sent away to school.
Now, Carmen was almost back to her normal self, but it was a bit late to be the worried parent. Not that Cora held any grudges against her beautiful, frail mother. She was happy to see her succeed. She just didn’t have time for it all right now.
Besides, Carmen had her women’s groups and Church. And Cora. She fussed and worried over her only daughter to the point of making Cora nuts, but she tolerated it. Just.
Parking her sensible four door sedan in the long-term lot at Newark international airport, Cora locked the doors and grabbed a trolley for her things. She’d packed for a week but knew full well she could be gone for twice that.
This was one of the perks of her job as an account specialist. Traveling around the globe on the company dime! Not that she took advantage. Cora had worked hard to earn her position by utilizing her mastery of mathematical algorithms to help keep the bank’s customers accounts happy and healthy.
After a few years in the pits, as they called the first two floors where lower level employees worked, she’d been promoted to specialist. Travelling to far off destinations she’d never have the opportunity to visit otherwise was something she had only ever dreamed about.
Now she did it about once a month. At first, she’d taken a job in their London office, but after realizing she’d be globetrotting, she decided to keep the states as her home base. So far the things she’d seen and places she’d visited had been awesome.
Last month, she had gone to Romania to help a recently revived Ancient, a Vampire who’d been asleep for over three hundred years, get his accounts in working order.
He was a wonderful older gentleman and she’d thoroughly enjoyed working for him and getting to know his grandchildren. The three youngsters were coming into their Vampirism and needed guidance since their parents had perished in a plane crash caused by a terrible engine fire.
Vampires were nearly indestructible, but with her limited knowledge, she knew fire was one of the few things that could permanently kill the reclusive supernaturals.
Gregor Lazar’s grandchildren had followed his instructions for his reawakening to perfection. They were surprisingly kind and not at all out for their grandfather’s money as she’d suspected upon her arrival.
After teaching him to use the highly advanced computer system, with all its magical firewalls courtesy if Draco Fortis, Mr. Lazar was able to access and control all aspects of his vast fortune.
The trip had taken all of the expected seven days she’d designated. Cora had left with that satisfied feeling of a job well done. It was the coming home to an empty apartment that was getting tougher to swallow.
Leaning back into her business class seat she opened her laptop and started perusing her emails. Mrs. Grayson, her coworker, had been late in sending her the files she’d needed to acquaint herself with her new assignment.
Not that she minded. No one could be angry with Mrs. Grayson! The half Sugarplum Fairy was a delight to work with. Always friendly and encouraging. She’d been with the bank for going on two centuries at least. There was nothing she didn’t know about the comings and goings of Merlin Banking Solutions’ top clientele.
Sighing, Cora flipped through the emails downloading the documents to her tablet. It would be easier for her to read them on there. A loud ding sounded from her laptop and she grimaced as she turned down the volume.
A new email from her old roommate Stephanie. That was odd. She had not heard from her in a long while. Four months to be exact.
Cora’s frown lines gave way as she recalled her time at Mrs. Parker’s School for Girls, the small, private institution in nowhere Pennsylvania had been her home for all of her high school years. Followed by college at Penn State with her two BFFs, Stephanie and Leandra.
She clicked the email, eager to hear from her normally shy friend. Her eyes bugged out of her head as she read the following words, surprise and concern at war within her:
Dear Cora and Leandra,
Hello girls!
It has been such a long time since we last talked! I miss you!! I have so many wonderful things to share with you!
First, I’m sort of, well, kind of, okay, I AM ENGAGED! As in to be married!
He is the most amazing man. I know you will love him! We’re going to be on vacation for a few weeks, but when we get back, we want to have you both over with his grandmother for a small, private ceremony!
Please say you’ll come!
Love you both to bits!
Xoxo,
Stephanie
OMG! Cora sat up straight and blinked her eyes a few t
imes trying to comprehend the news. Her best friend since high school was getting married.
Stephanie Decatur is engaged. Her shy little normal best friend was going to get married. Whoa.
She sent a reply for more info. Like what was the guy’s name? His stats? Where they were going to live? Stuff like that.
Eek! She hit send before she could talk herself out of it. She was happy for her friend. Truly she was.
Then why am I frowning.
Growling to herself she powered down the laptop and stored it under her seat. Taking her tablet in hand she began to read the notes on her client.
Better think about work and forget about why you’re jealous of your bestie, the sound of her Lynx inside her mind’s eye was common, but Cora ignored her inner beast. She was so not jealous of her best friend.
Besides it was easy for Stephanie. She was a normal. She didn’t have to worry about Fated Mates and what that meant for a rare Shifter like Cora.
She was better off alone. Determined, she took notes and began pouring through the long and complicated accounts of one Rei Dorado.
Hmm. Nice name.
CHAPTER 3
“We’ve spent months getting permits, hiring crews, trading in bars of gold and gems for useful currency and still my Castle is not finished, and I can’t find the wretch who cursed me to sleep for so long!” He raged.
Yes, his keep was finally looking something along the lines of where it had once been. But he was not satisfied with how slow everything was moving.
After he’d contacted Merlin Banking Solutions and set them to the task of getting his accounts current, he searched his vaults.
Ransacked. Well, the one’s inside the castle had been. Those buried further in his mountain were too well hidden for normal and Shifter alike.
In his piles of documents and folders, Severino had uncovered several accounts with Merlin Banking Solutions. Some he’d opened long before he’d gone to sleep. Famous among supernaturals for being founded by one of the most powerful Witches in history, despite the normals tales of Wizards, Lutecia Merlin had been a force to be reckoned with.
