by S. E. Smith
“I see she hasn’t improved much,” Orion said.
“Orion,” Jenny chided. “Carly was never graceful when she walked. I can’t imagine how hard flying must be, especially carrying little Roo.”
It took a moment for Mike to remember what Jenny had told him about Carly being able to turn into a dragon. His gaze moved to the small dragon clutched against the dragon’s chest. This one was smaller than the first two who had been on Drago’s back. Even from where he was standing, Mike could see two pink bows attached to the pair of tiny horns on her head.
“Bows?” Mike chuckled, amazed by the sight.
“She is adorable!” Marina breathed out in delight.
Mike glanced at Marina’s grinning face before turning back to the dragon who was landing beside Drago. A swift shaft of desire to see Marina holding their child struck him hard. The image shook him.
Since when have I ever thought of having kids? he thought in surprise.
He took a quick breath when he saw the dragon shimmer before changing to a woman whose face he had only seen in photographs. He took a step forward, then another two, stopping three steps down when he was positive that the woman was really who he thought she was.
“Carly Tate!” he exclaimed.
Carly turned to look up at him in surprise when she heard her name. Unfortunately, so did the large male dragon. His head whipped around and he took a step toward Mike. The dragon bared his teeth and moved his body in front of Carly and the little dragon she was holding.
“Drago!” Orion warned, stepping down a step and positioning himself between Drago and Mike.
“Who is he, and how does he know my mate?” Drago demanded with a snarl.
“He is from Carly and Jenny’s world. He has been searching for them,” Orion said.
Drago’s lips curled and a long, rumbling growl of warning reverberated through the air. Mike’s fingers twitched. He’d feel a hell of a lot better if he had his gun out—though he wasn’t sure it would be very effective.
“Well, he found her. Now, he can return to his world. If he tries to take my Carly, I’ll kill him,” Drago ordered.
A small, strained chuckle escaped Mike at the familiar threat, and he shook his head. “That is a pretty common theme around here,” he commented, looking directly into Drago’s glowing eyes. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told Orion. My job is to make sure that the missing women—in this case, Carly Tate and Jenny Ackerly—were found and are safe. If they want to return to our world, that is entirely up to them. I just need to know they are not being held against their will or need help.”
Drago shifted. Mike decided the tall, broad man with the long black hair and piercing golden eyes, which had the flicker of flames dancing in them, was just as much of a threat as the damn dragon! Staring unblinkingly back at the man, he waited for the man to respond.
“You’re the cop that Jenny told me about! I’m Carly,” the woman said, holding out the dragon in her arms to Drago as she passed him.
“Carly…,” Drago said in exasperation, taking his daughter.
“Detective…,” Mike corrected with a reassuring smile. “Ms. Tate, it is good to see that you are alive and—well, alive.”
Carly laughed. “I don’t know about that. Little Roo is teething. We thought she had a cold, but we discovered another tooth last night when she bit Drago. When Drago got the invitation to come, there was no way I was staying behind,” she said.
“I wouldn’t have left you alone anyway,” Drago replied. “Did you forget that you were supposed to stay behind me until I ensured everything was safe?”
Carly rolled her eyes at Drago. “Of course it’s safe! We’ve been here dozens of times, and do you see a lack of guards anywhere?” she demanded with a wave of her hand.
Drago started to growl, but the sound died when the little dragon in his arms grabbed his hand between her front claws and began chewing on his finger. The growl turned into a wince. He pulled his finger free and inspected it.
“No bite, Jen,” Drago said.
“Grrr. I no Jen, I Roo now,” the tiny dragon growled before showing off her shiny new tooth.
Carly shook her head. “We’ve been calling her by her middle name ever since I discovered Jenny was here. It saves us from the confusion, and she loves it,” she said.
Jenny laughed. “Why don’t we take the boys to the playroom. Dolph and Juno are thrilled that the boys are back, and Roo can play with Lucy after I feed her,” she offered.
“Food!” Roo demanded, suddenly shifting to a chubby little girl with wide golden eyes.
“We will wait for the others to arrive,” Orion said with a nod.
“Others? Is Uncle Ashure coming?” Stone asked with a hopeful look.
“He is not your uncle,” Drago began before Carly elbowed him, and he grunted. “Well, he isn’t. Ashure isn’t even a dragon.”
Mike pursed his lips together when he saw Drago grimace and a stubborn expression settled on his face. It appeared that Carly Tate was not in the least bit intimidated by the large man. Drago handed Roo to Carly when she held out her hands.
“He’s a pirate!” DJ, Drago’s oldest son, exclaimed, pulling a wooden sword from his side. “Attack, mates!”
“Come on, you scurvy dogs,” Carly ordered before she leaned up and brushed a kiss across Drago’s lips. “Be nice to Ashure.”
Mike turned and stepped aside to allow Carly, Roo, and the group of boys, who were now planning their creation of a pirate ship, into the playroom behind him. The excited chatter quickly died away as Jenny, Carly, and the children disappeared inside. Slowly walking up the steps to stand next to Marina, Mike once again felt like he had awakened in the matrix of a bizarre world.
“I don’t know why the boys think being a pirate is better than being a dragon,” Drago muttered.
“Dolph and Juno think the same thing,” Orion admitted.
“I could turn him into a burnt pirate with one breath,” Drago stated.
“Well, don’t. For some unknown reason, both Jenny and Carly like the man,” Orion said with a long sigh. “Speaking of which, he has arrived.”
Mike watched the arrival of a large carriage being pulled by a dozen horse-like creatures that would make a Clydesdale back home look like a Shetland pony. The creatures were blue with black strips. Their red eyes flashed as they tossed their heads. Ornate silver armor covered their foreheads and chests.
“Is that fire coming out of their nostrils?” Mike asked.
“Nali’s going to kill him,” Drago and Orion said at the exact same time.
“Nali?” Mike repeated.
Mike swallowed when he felt the hair on the back of his neck suddenly stand up. He swore he could feel the electricity in the air. The thought had no sooner flashed through his mind when he heard the rumbling of thunder. Looking up from the fire-breathing horses, he frowned when all he saw were blue skies.
“I’ve only heard about her and the mythical Thunderbirds that power her ships,” Marina murmured.
Mike could feel his jaw slowly open wide as a futuristic ship came into view. There were four massive birds on each corner of the ship. Threads of electricity ran through their wings, snapping and popping. On the bow, holding onto a long rope, a tall, dark-skinned woman wearing a blood-red blouse and black trousers rested one booted foot on the low railing and stared down at them.
“Holy shi…,” Mike started to say when she dove off the flying ship almost a hundred feet in the air.
Long wings suddenly appeared from her back, and she soared downward. She pulled up just before she reached the carriage and landed on the roof. The wings on her back folded and disappeared as she knelt on one knee and braced her hand against the carriage roof.
“I’m going to love watching this. I bet half a gold piece that Nali wins!” Drago said, rubbing his hands together.
“Who is that?” Marina asked, shielding her eyes and looking back up at the ship when a rope dropped down.
&
nbsp; “Koorgan,”Orion replied.
“He’s a huge son-of-a-bitch,” Mike muttered.
“He should be. He’s the King of the Giants,” Drago replied.
“Only Nali could talk that hard-headed giant off his Isle,” Orion commented.
“He refused to help us when the Queen sent a missive,” Marina bitterly retorted.
Mike threaded his fingers through Marina’s and squeezed her hand in reassurance. The man looked down and waved his hand to a group of guards. Kapian turned and shouted out an order. The guards quickly retreated, clearing an area about the size of a basketball court.
“What’s he doing?” Mike asked.
Orion pursed his lips. “Ruining my courtyard,” he retorted.
Mike frowned at Orion and looked back up. His breath caught when the man casually stepped off the flying ship. A fall from that height would kill a normal man. The protest that started on his lips once again faded when the man began to grow and grow and grow and grow….
“Brace yourselves,” Orion said.
Mike wrapped his arm around Marina and pulled her tightly against his body. The tall man had grown into a giant that stood close to sixty feet tall. The man bent his knees as his feet finally touched the ground. Mike expected the impact to create a thunderous quake. The ground did tremble, but it was more of the rolling effect of a 3.0 quake instead of the catastrophe he was expecting.
Koorgan stood up and grinned. Nali rose to her feet on the roof of the carriage and placed her hands on her hips while another elegantly dressed man leaned out of the carriage and clapped his hands in applause.
“Bravo, Koorgan, bravo. Splendid entrance, my friend,” the man in the carriage called from the window.
Koorgan’s laugh sounded like thunder. The fire-breathing horses danced and nervously kicked their prancing hooves. Mike watched as Nali snapped her fingers, and the horses instantly settled down.
“Nali, my beautiful Empress. I can explain…,” the man warily began, twisting around to look up at the woman standing on the roof of his carriage.
“I swear Ashure, I should slit your thieving throat and be done with it,” Nali threatened.
“She won’t,” Orion assured Mike.
Drago glanced over his shoulder. “I’d almost pay a gold piece to see that,” he said, refocusing his attention on the scene in front of him.
“Would that be dragon’s gold or sea gold?” Ashure asked.
Mike shook his head while Marina giggled at the antics between the different rulers. He was too fascinated watching the giant Koorgan shrink down to a large man and Nali’s graceful flip off the roof to pay attention to anything else. Ashure grimaced and held out his hands when Nali pulled open the door to the carriage and shook her finger at him in a scolding manner.
“I was bringing them to you, Nali. I stole them off a ship heading to the edges of our world. The poor things were in dire condition, and I’ve…,” Ashure’s voice died when Nali pinned him to the side of his carriage with one hand.
“You are lucky that I love the brandy that you have, Ashure. Two cases—delivered within the week,” she demanded.
“Two bottles and a reward for saving your stallions from the clutches of scoundrels who would have harmed such magnificent beasts,” Ashure countered.
Nali gave Ashure a suspicious look before she released him. “One case and I won’t charge you for the use of my stallions,” she said, releasing him.
“Dapier,” Ashure called.
“Aye, your Majesty,” Dapier replied.
Mike could appreciate how Ashure casually adjusted the sleeves of his dark brown jacket. The man was cool and calm considering that a woman with wings had just held him up by the neck with one hand. Mike decided that he would have to be very cautious about who he pissed off here. If they didn’t burn you to a crisp or step on you, they could rip you apart with one hand.
“Please unload my luggage, return the carriage to my ship, and inform Captain LaBluff to have three bottles of my finest brandy delivered to….” He paused and raised an eyebrow at Nali.
“I’ll send several of my Cyclops to retrieve the stallions and the ‘case’ of brandy,” she said.
“You are killing me, Nali,” Ashure groaned.
“Aye, your Majesty. The stallions and a case of your finest brandy,” Dapier replied, climbing down.
Chapter Seventeen
Marina stood near the wall in the large room. Orion had escorted the group into the room after determining that no one else would be arriving. Nali had shaken her head when Orion had quietly asked if she had been in contact with the King and Queen of the Elementals.
“No. Either they have shrouded their Isle or something else has happened. I was unable to locate it,” Nali explained.
“I told you Ruger had floated his kingdom away,” Ashure said, wiggling his fingers.
Marina giggled and leaned close to Mike. “I like him. He is funny,” she murmured.
“He’s a pirate,” Mike retorted with a shake of his head. “Talk about stereotyping! He could be straight out of the movies. The only difference is, he is a lot cleaner.”
Marina bit her lip when the Pirate King turned and winked at her. She squeezed Mike’s hand when he shot Ashure a warning look. Mike turned to gaze down at her with a wry grin.
“Another new experience for me,” he confessed.
“What is that?” she asked, tilting her head to look up at him.
“Jealousy,” he murmured.
Marina drew in a swift breath when he bent and captured her lips in a possessive kiss. She turned into him and threaded her fingers through his hair while returning his kiss.
“Looks like you missed another one, Ashure,” Nali commented.
Ashure grinned. “It is the history of my life. I find an enchanting woman, and she is already taken—except for you, my beautiful Empress,” he retorted with a wicked smile.
“Oh, Goddess help me,” Nali groaned, turning to look at Orion and Drago. “Please—tell me where I can find a woman who would put up with this thief.”
Koorgan laughed. “Is there such a woman?” he asked.
Ashure gave the group a pained look and walked over to the bar. He picked up several bottles and examined them before he chose one and walked back to the table with it. Pulling off the glass stopper, he poured himself a glass before sitting down.
“I believe we were asked to attend a meeting here for something more serious,” he prompted with a lift of his glass toward Orion. “I would hate to come all this way just to lose my fire beasts and an excellent case of brandy.”
Orion nodded in response, turned, and signaled Marina and Mike to step forward. Each ruler settled down around the table. Drago leaned over, grabbed the bottle of liquor in front of Ashure, and poured two glasses. He then pushed them toward Marina and Mike.
“Marina, please explain to the others what you have shared with me,” Orion encouraged, waving for them to sit down.
Mike pulled out a chair for Marina. She gave him a grateful smile before sitting down and nervously wrapping her hands around the glass of amber liquid. She took a deep breath and released it before slowly studying the face of each person at the table.
“My name is Marina Fae. I am a witch from the Isle of Magic, and I have come to beg for your help,” she began.
Over the next half hour, she shared everything that had happened to her people and herself. Mike reached over and gripped her hand as she impatiently wiped a tear that coursed down her cheek as she told them about what happened to Geoff and the sacrifice her grandmother had made for them to be there.
“Please help us. King Drago, you know what it feels like to lose those you care about. She is slowly killing my people the way she killed yours,” Marina forced out in a trembling voice.
A muscle ticked in Drago’s jaw. His expression was hard and his eyes cold. Marina wasn’t sure if she should have mentioned the loss of Drago’s people, but she wanted him to understand the hopelessness s
he was feeling.
Drago turned to look at Orion. “I’m going to kill that bitch,” he announced.
“Drago… remember what I told you before,” Nali cautioned.
Drago slammed his fist into the table. The wood snapped under the force. A long crack appeared and the glasses and bottle of liquor began to slide toward the center when the table started to cave in. Marina splayed her hands over the wood and spoke to it. Her magic flowed through her, healing the fractured wood. Each of the rulers had risen when the table began to collapse. Mike laid his hand on her back. A surge of magical power flowed through her, stronger with his light touch even though her magic was not impeded on this kingdom.
“I love the power of magic,” Ashure replied with a sigh.
Marina blinked and glanced around those standing by the table. “My powers are mostly with wood,” she said.
Orion scowled at Drago. “The next time there is a meeting, we are having it on the Isle of the Dragons. Between Koorgan putting giant footprints in my courtyard and you almost breaking a thousand year old table, I’m about ready to ban you both from my home,” he snapped.
“What about Ashure?” Koorgan said with a raised eyebrow.
“What have I done?” Ashure demanded, glaring at Koorgan.
“The silver dagger on the tray,” Koorgan chuckled.
Ashure grimaced and pulled the silver dagger, which he had picked up off of a tray sitting on the meeting room bar, from his pocket. He balanced it on his finger for a moment before twirling it and placing it on the table. A crooked grin curved his lips at Orion’s exasperated expression.
“I wouldn’t have kept it,” Ashure retorted.
“Boys! I swear none of you have grown up since I first met you as children,” Nali said with a shake of her head before she turned to look at Marina. “I will help you free your people. The black evil inside the Sea Witch has been spreading out to seek other hosts. We must stop it before it is successful.”
