by Eve Newton
We both turn around as a wind rushes up behind us. We step back together in utter disbelief at what our eyes are looking at. I blink and look at CK, “Do you see…?”
“Yes,” he breathes.
I am comforted only by the fact that I’m not delusional and that we are, in fact, staring into the massive green eyes of an enormous black Dragon.
Whoa mama!
We stand stock still unable to move out of the sheer awesomeness of Her. She must be at least fifty feet tall and probably twice that wide with Her wingspan. She has ducked Her head to peer at us from Her gigantic green eyes that are the sideways cat eyes Devon and I saw in mine. Snorting in a breath, She transforms suddenly making us step back again.
I draw in a breath as we are now staring at… me!
She steps closer, peering at us curiously, and inclines Her head.
We follow suit and She smiles then. “Welcome, Aefre. It is nice to finally meet you in person. I am Tiamat, Empress of the Dragon Realms and Underworld.”
Empress? That’s impressive. No wonder She wields such Power.
We are both speechless and staring, so She continues, “I have waited a long time for you to take your rightful place, my daughter. Constantine, I was most disappointed that you weren’t the one to fulfil her destiny. I had such high hopes for you.”
Daughter? Huh.
Recovering first, not unexpectedly, CK says, “Yes, I have to say I am most disappointed myself.”
She laughs. A beautiful sound and probably nothing like my own.
“It is nice to finally meet you, Your Imperial Majesty, The Power behind Aefre has been quite the mystery,” he says smoothly.
“Please call me Tiamat,” She tinkles at him, clearly smitten, and he inclines his head in acknowledgment.
“Tiamat. Babylonian in origin? Yes?”
She simpers. “Why, yes, it is.”
“Mother of Life if I’m not mistaken.”
“Indeed!” She says, clapping Her hands. She is delighted with him.
Okay, smarty pants, you can stop showing off now. There again, at least he is talking. I am still in shock, silent as a mute.
“Aefre,” Tiamat addresses me.
I snap my attention back to Her, me, Her. “Yes,” I croak.
She raises Her eyebrow at me but says kindly, “I understand you must be in shock. This has all been a bit sudden.”
Pulling myself together finally, I answer, “Just a bit. There is a lot I still don’t understand.”
She relaxes somewhat now that I’m talking. “I’m sure. Corinne and Ahmed will be there to help you when you need them. All you need to know now, Daughter, is that you have been chosen to unite the Underworld. We have all lived as strangers for too long. It is time to bring all the supernatural creatures together.”
“How do I do that?” I ask in panic at the mounting pressure.
“They will come to you. Choose who you trust very carefully to make your council. The rest is up to you.”
“You call me Daughter. Am I?” I ask boldly.
She smiles gently at me, “Yes, Aefre. You are mine.”
“So, does that mean I am part Dragon?” I ask further. Even CK leans in now intrigued to learn the answer to that.
“Yes, my child. You have always had the ability to Shift, it probably never occurred to you to change your species,” She says and laughs.
My eyes bugging out, I look at CK, “That’s why I’m the only one!” The realization finally hits me, I add, “It’s not a Vampire Power, it’s a Dragon Power.”
Tiamat nods. “Yes. All of your new abilities are Dragon Powers, my dear. You have mastered the basics of, I believe you call it Astralling, and being able to bring things to you. You have been given a special gift with the armory. Use it wisely. You will become even more Powerful as you find those you can trust.”
Now burning with curiosity, I ask the question that I have been dying to know for nine hundred years. “Is the Shifting passed on to my Vampire charges?”
CK raises his eyebrows at me.
“Sadly, no. Vampires are not able to harness that kind of Power.” She smiles apologetically to CK for the implied insult.
“So, no ordinary Vampire at all,” he says with pride. Although the dynamic of our relationship has changed dramatically, he still takes responsibility for me.
“You now have access to your true Powers, Aefre. Be careful with them. Do not allow them to corrupt you,” Tiamat warns me.
“Why now? Why all this prophecy and Power of One business? Why not just, you know…” I falter, not really knowing where I’m going with this. “Why was I born human and turned into a Vampire?” I carry on as the thoughts start to organize themselves.
She sighs, lowering Herself gracefully to the stony ground. We sit as well, still holding hands.
“I was cursed,” She starts. “Millennia ago. I was cursed to never bear a daughter. To never have an heir, as the Dragons are only ruled by females. However, as curses usually go, it is all in the wording. There was a loophole that, in short, allowed for my heirs to be born as humans. When Corinne was turned, I enlisted her and Ahmed to be my conduits to the Earth Realm. When she had her vision that she came to The Council about, she had come to me first with it and I knew the time was coming that my heir would be Chosen. That she would be turned into a Vampire was however unprecedented. When you came along in 996, I watched you. Watched you grow. Not able to directly interfere, I had to watch your human father pass you off to that monster. I knew your heartache and I couldn’t help you,” She says sadly. “I did the only thing I could, to give you the life you should have had. I had to wait until you were deemed an acceptable age to take on this Power. When you turned sixteen, I learned of the child. I knew I had to act quickly. That child was not destined, Aefre.” She purses Her lips at me, “I had to send you the strongest would-be sire so you could take your rightful place.”
“You sent CK and Gregor,” I breathe. “It was you who sent them.” CK’s hand tightens on mine at this revelation.
“I sent you first,” She says to CK to make that clear. “Gregor was back up in case you failed.”
“Well, for that I am grateful,” CK smiles. “Although, I won’t pretend to be happy about Gregor being there at all.”
“I knew she would fall for you. So handsome,” She pats his hand in a motherly gesture and it is very weird seeing ‘me’ do that. I realize that She must be so much older than even him. Thousands of years old, probably, and I go a bit awestruck again.
“What I didn’t account for was that awful Gregor also seeing you that same day and get jealous of you and Constantine. He told that husband of yours what you were up to. Hateful man,” She spits out. Unclear which one She is talking about, I nod anyway in agreement.
“I was horrified and unable to stop him from trying to kill you. Alas, you were turned in a barn instead of a church and I had to go back to the drawing board, so to speak.”
“Did you know what the numbers meant back then?” I ask.
She shakes her head, “No. After the disappointment in 1012, I had another look and did manage to figure it out, so when 1506 came around, I was desperate for you to make a Holy Union but again unable to directly interfere. When it looked like you and Constantine were going to stay together, I was about to give up hope that you would ever return to me when you two stubborn fools once again managed to destroy your happiness.” She frowns and we glance at each other, contrite at being reprimanded.
“Anyway, as it turned out you found Devon. Such a lovely boy. So clever and fun. He was just what you needed at that time, but once again, you were fooled by those two vile creatures, and again I was left waiting for you.” She sighs.
“So, by the time 1745 came around, I was anxious again and watched you. Oh, Fraser. He was such a good man, but it didn’t surprise me that he refused your request to turn him.” I inhale sharply and She has the grace to look ashamed for Her harsh words. “If I could have protected h
im, I would have. It’s important you know that,” She says then quietly.
I nod, my throat tight.
“Which brings us to this year and Cole. I knew he was perfect for you,” She gushes and this time CK’s hand crushes mine in protest. “I made sure that man at The Council got a copy of the prophecy. I knew it would finally be cracked and that Constantine would recognize the dates and come to you. I had Corinne shield you just long enough for you to be able to follow through. I couldn’t take any chances this time. It was my last chance to have my daughter. And here you are now.”
“You were protecting her? I did wonder why it took Gregor and Eloise so long to turn up. No wonder you wanted Aefre to kill them. Seems they caused quite the problem for you,” CK says wryly.
“Indeed. I’m glad they are gone. There is no room for them in our new World.”
“But I still don’t understand, why all the fuss? Why did I have to have a Holy Union? Why not just have Ahmed give me my Powers when I was turned? Or if I had to wait, why not in Monte Carlo?” I press for an answer to all this.
“The Prophecy was foretold, my dear. Due to the nature of your conception, you had to be powerful enough to handle these responsibilities. As a human born Dragon with no Powers and nothing to activate your birthright, the Fates required you to be something more. The only species to be ‘made’ and not born is a Vampire. Your Union had to be pure and strong.” She shrugs as if it is obvious. Well, maybe it is to Her, seeing as She has had centuries to figure it all out. But I’m a slow on the uptake. I can see CK nodding as if it all makes sense to him and think, yes of course it does. Clever SOB.
“As for the Power of One rites, you had to be tested, my dear. I needed to make sure you were capable of wielding the Power, it was like a trial run you could call it, and of course every ruler must earn the right to be respected. You are so strong. You have made this transition easily. Much more than I could have hoped for. You will be a great leader,” She says proudly, and I blush.
Tiamat stands and we copy. “Well, story time is over now, I’m afraid. You need to get back to your Realm. Time moves differently here, and your boys will be worried.”
“Wait, how do I get back here? If I want to see you again.”
She moves to stand in front of me and traces Her hand down my face. “You can only get here in your natural form, my daughter. You have only been allowed here today as it is a special circumstance.”
“Natural form?” I query. “I am in my natural form.”
She chuckles, as does CK, clearly in on the joke. “I think that Tiamat means your other natural form, my sweet.” I stare at him not following and then up, as he points directly above us to the swooping Dragons that are circling.
“Oh,” I say, feeling foolish. “How do I do that?”
“Same as you would normally do,” Tiamat says simply. “There is a place in the Sahara, go to it and Shift. You will be directed here.”
“Where?”
“You will know it when you find it. Goodbye now, Aefre. I am delighted to finally have you where you should be.” With that She steps back, Shifting at the same time into the enormous black Dragon we started off with. Stretching Her wings, She takes off with a screech nearly knocking us over with the force of Her wing beat, Her sides shimmering in the orange glow like black crystals.
Watching Her go, my mother, I’m suddenly overwhelmed, and my knees give way. CK catches me before I fall. “Talk about parental issues. Who knew I’d have some of my own at this stage of my life,” I say weakly, trying to make a joke.
Cradled in his arms, CK just smiles at me. “How the Hell do we get out of here?” he asks me. “I can’t leave. You try.”
I try to Astral us out and sure enough, we leave the Dragon Realms, arriving safely back in the hotel room to a very agitated Cole and Devon, who look like they haven’t slept in days, descending on us.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE
C K fights his way through the boys and places me on the sofa.
“Calm yourselves,” he snaps, as they bombard us with questions and accusations, at the tops of their voices. They both glare at him but shut up.
Then Devon asks, “Lizzie, where the Hell have you been? We were worried sick.”
“How long were we gone for?” I ask, remembering what Tiamat, my mother, said.
“Two days,” Cole snaps more out of worry than anger.
“Two days? Shit. It only felt like an hour where we were.”
“Which brings me back to my question, where were you?” Devon growls.
CK and I glance at each other and he says, “The Dragon Realms.”
A long pause.
“The what now?” Devon asks.
“Dragon Realms,” I say. “We went to see my mother.”
“Your mother?” he asks slowly. “Going to assume not the one from eleventh century England.”
“You’d be correct,” I say. I launch into my tale of Tiamat and all She has brought forth.
“Whoa. That is…intense. Seriously, Lizzie, that’s amazing,” he says, big on the support as usual.
Looking at Cole, who just looks back at me blandly. “Your mother? You have a mother. Christ. I have to say I never thought I would have in-laws with you,” he jokes, embracing me tightly.
I chuckle. “Well, rest assured, She approves of you. Of all of you.”
“And for that I am grateful,” CK says. “Fuck me, that woman has Power.”
“What do you mean?” I say to him.
He looks at me as if I have just sprouted with the last rainfall. “You didn’t feel it?”
I shake my head.
“Aefre, She must be well over four thousand years old, Empress of our World and Her own. The Powers you feel are nothing compared to Hers. One day, my sweet, that will be you.”
I gawk at him. He shakes his head at me wearily. Ignoring him, I stand up, wanting desperately to get out of this dress that Corinne put me in. Summoning a vest top and jeans to my side, I turn my back to the boys out of a false sense of modesty and pull the dress over my head. I hear their collective gasp as I pull on my jeans and step back into my shoes.
“What, now?” I ask, not really wanting to know what the problem is, before I pull the vest over my head. Bringing some pins to my hands, I proceed to clip up my hair, turning back to them. “Hello? Did you not hear me speak?” I query sarcastically.
They just blink at me.
“Err, your marking has gone,” Devon croaks.
“Oh, good. That thing was a pain in the arse. Makes sense though, I suppose, as Ahmed says that the Power of One no longer exists.” I flex my shoulders and feel a weird ripple go across my back. I roll my eyes, “Oh, what now?” I bark at them. “What the fuck is it?” I spin on my heel and stalk into the bathroom, pulling my top back off in the process. They follow, still silent, as I shall soon see for myself what they don’t want to tell me.
With my back facing the mirror, I turn my head to peer over my shoulder, so that I take in what they can see. My shoulders slump.
“Oh, great,” I mutter as my eyes take in the Dragon tattoo etched across the expanse of my back. “Holy crap!” I say suddenly as the thing actually moves, a slow sweep of its wings.
I turn back to the three with a horrified look on my face.
“Nice ink,” Devon says with a smirk.
“It…it moves? What if someone sees it? Am I going to have to wear clothes with backs on them forever now?” I say woefully.
They laugh at me and my sartorial concern.
“Clothes with backs on them, while not necessarily a bad suggestion, is hardly the most pressing concern,” Cole says. “How are we going to explain that your surprise Power of One tattoo is no longer there and has been replaced with… that?” He holds up his hands and motions in a circle.
“Indeed,” CK says. “I think you may have to cover up for a while.”
Huffing in annoyance, I pull my top back over my head and take another peek. Yep, I can see
wing tips.
“What about your markings?” I ask Cole and Devon.
They hold their wrists up to show me the markings have gone. Clearly their use to build my Power is over.
A commotion in the sitting room causes us all to head back that way, tattoo forgotten.
James launches himself at me and pins me to the wall by my throat. A punch to my face momentarily stuns me and it takes me a second for my brain to catch up. He must know about Eloise. I bring my hand up to his and use my superior strength to push his hand away. I turn him, bringing his arm up behind his back and forcing him to his knees. Not unlike his sire’s final pose, I think ironically.
“Hit me again and I will rip your head off,” I snarl as he struggles against my tightening grip.
“You bitch!” he snarls. “What have you done to her?”
That catches me by surprise as I assumed he must know of her demise. My grip loosens slightly, so he takes advantage of that, bringing his other arm up to elbow me in the stomach. I let go of him for a split second, winded, but it’s a split second too long. Almost evenly matched, Vampirically speaking, I still know I can take him with this new Power, as can CK. But Devon, and especially Cole, are hundreds of years younger and therefore sitting ducks.
With a flash of Vampire speed, he makes his move on Cole, fangs and claws at the ready. I move myself forward with my own Vampire speed, but to my astonishment, Constantine beats me to it, knocking him flying across the room with a hand to his chest before he can get his hands on my husband. I smile my thanks and he shrugs, but I’m grateful. Had James gotten a hold of Cole, that would most likely have been the end of him.
It takes several seconds for James to recover after an attack from an Initial Vampire. He stands slowly, hands up with a vicious sneer. “If I could just get you on your own, I could take you.”
“Not likely,” I scoff. “You have no idea who you are messing with now.”
That gives him pause. “Just tell me where she is, and I will leave.”
Glancing at CK, he says, “He is going to find out eventually. Might as well tell him.”
