by Brenda Trim
Shedding her coverup, Izzy hurried into the water in her bright lime green swim suit. Donovan dove into the waves along side her. Together they swam out to meet Phineas.
“You guys ready?” Phineas asked.
“More than ready,” Izzy told the Stoorworm King.
“Activate your charms and follow me,” Phineas instructed before he disappeared below the waves.
A tail that was a fascinating swirl of green and blue flipped out of the water as she tapped the crystal around her neck at the same time as Donovan. At first Izzy didn’t think anything happened, but when she concentrated, she noticed there was less humidity as she breathed in.
“C’mon,” she instructed her best friend with a happy squeal.
Bending in half after Donovan nodded, Izzy dove under the waves and saw Phineas’s massive sea dragon. The creature was stunning. Easily the size of a large airplane from Earth, Izzy watched the sea dragon king glide below them.
She marveled at the way Phineas’s large form moved easily through the water. The overhead sun reflected off his purple, blue, and green scales. Izzy couldn’t decide what he resembled more. A dragon or a large fish. He had broad dorsal fins and webbing between his talons, as well as, a flat tail resembling the fluke of a whale only without the pointed edges.
More like a dragon she decided. Aside from having no webbing, the Cuelebre dragon’s tail was very different with a pointed, spiked club. Otherwise, their bodies were fairly similar.
As they moved their arms and legs and swam deeper, Izzy realized there was an actual bubble of air around their heads. A tiny orange fish was swimming toward her but bounced off the invisible barrier and turned over and over as its momentum sent it flying backwards.
Chuckling, Izzy held her hand out and wished the fish would swim closer again. When it disappeared into the depths without returning, Izzy continued to make her way to Saqara.
Donovan swam to her side and grabbed her hand. “Look,” he pointed. “I think I saw a mermaid.”
Her gaze followed his finger but all she saw was a tail fin. Pouring all her strength into her strokes, she swam toward the reef, hoping to catch site of the fish. An eel slithered out from a cave as she passed.
Her movements startled all manner of fish in the area. Suddenly she was surrounded by countless small fish of all colors. It tickled as they fluttered against her skin.
Staying as still as possible, she enjoyed the way they swarmed around her and seemed to be playing with her. “This is unreal,” Donovan called out from her right.
“Incredible. Remind me to thank your mom again,” Izzy told her friend. After a few seconds, she looked around searching for a sight of the possible mermaid but found nothing.
“I don’t see anything. Phineas is waiting for us,” she told Donovan. “We can ask him if he can show us mermaids.”
Together, she and Donovan swam toward the sea dragon king. Izzy kept her feet together and pushed downward with a dolphin kick. She truly felt like a mermaid as she swam through the water.
It was so much better than flying because she wasn’t being carried by someone else. Well, she considered the feeling of air flowing through her long curls. That was pretty freaking unbelievable. The experiences were equally as appealing in different ways.
Donovan laughed as he watched her swim around him. Phineas was several meters in front of them, but not right on top of them which made Izzy love him even more. The light at this depth was dappled and the water wasn’t as clear, but it didn’t seem to affect the marine life. They surrounded them and seemed to have as much fun as them.
“Come on you two. Follow me,” Phineas sent them using dragon mind speech.
Smiling, Izzy started kicking her way toward Phineas with her arms joined and pointing over her head. Donovan shot past her in a flurry of bubbles. No way was she going to allow him to beat her to Saqara, so she put on a burst of speed.
Her forward momentum was halted a second later as something tugged on her leg. The instant she realized she was no longer moving pain exploded in her left foot, forcing a scream from her lips.
On instinct she kicked out with her right foot as she tried to get her left one free of whatever was clamping around it. Arms thrashing, her breaths came in pants and her heart raced in her chest.
It was impossible to determine what had hold of her. A dark grey dorsal fin caught her eye, sending her heart into a sprint. All she could think was shark. She had no idea if there were even sharks on Khoth.
“Izzy,” Phineas’s mind yelled into hers. “Stop thrashing. You’re inciting his primal drive to kill prey.”
The second her movements slowed a little red clouded the water around her, sending her panic into overdrive. The shark was thrashing her leg in its mouth and she felt the sharp teeth slice through her muscle and skin. She was going to lose a foot and because she was still a stripling, she would not regenerate the limb. Fatigue laced with pain made spots dance in her vision.
Donovan swam past her as her agony took over, stealing all rational thought. She should do something, but she knew there was no way her powers would work to transport her to safety when she was in this state.
Don’t give up, she ordered herself. No, she couldn’t give up. No way would Donovan or Phineas let her bleed to death, even if she did end up passing out. A foot was nothing compared to her life. As she mustered her resolve, she watched Donovan’s fist punch forward and sink into the shark’s eye.
Phineas’s massive sea dragon was beside them before Donovan removed his hand from the shark’s eye. “Donovan, as soon as I release her foot grab Izzy and start swimming her to the surface,” the Stoorworm King ordered then grabbed ahold of the shark’s upper and lower jaw as Phineas jerked his talons in opposite directions.
Donovan’s arms wound around her the second the pressure was released from her ankle. Izzy weakly moved her arms through the water trying to help him swim. Unfortunately, each movement sent pain ricocheting through her body and dark spots danced in her vision.
“Thank you, Van,” she mumbled before darkness swallowed her.
“Crap,” Izzy complained as she shifted on the soft bed.
Everything hurt, which was no surprise. A shark almost claimed her foot for lunch, and she wished her mom was there to make her feel better. Pema, Isis, and Keira were being wonderful and helping take care of her, but it wasn’t the same as having her mom there.
“Here, let me help you,” Troy offered as he hurried to the head of her bed. Donovan was right behind him and both males tried to help her sit up straighter.
“Can I get you anything?” Donovan asked.
“A magic pill to make the pain go away?” she requested for the hundredth time over the past two days.
“Och, where’s my Princess,” a familiar voice asked from the hall outside her room. In her excitement at hearing her father, she levered herself up on her elbows and cried out.
As sweat beaded her brow and her skin went clammy, her mother and father were running into the room. “Here, take Cian,” her mom told her dad.
Tears filled her eyes and blurred her view of her father holding her little brother. He looked so much like her mom it was crazy. She didn’t know why they were here, but just seeing them made her pain dissipate.
“How are you, sweetie? We came as soon as we heard. We were already planning to come visit and bring Cian to meet his big sister,” Elsie commented as she wrapped Izzy in a wa
rm embrace. The familiar smell of her mom’s perfume washed over her, and Izzy took a deep breath.
She closed her eyes and relished her mother fussing over her. Elsie brushed the hair from her sweaty forehead, and caressed her cheek. It was home to be in her mom’s arms again.
“I’m really glad to see all of you,” Izzy stated as she looked to her dad and baby brother. “I’m so excited to be a big sister. He looks so much like you, Mom.”
Izzy snuggled into her mother’s side as she sat on the bed with her back against the headboard. It amazed Izzy that her parents were traveling so soon after her brother’s birth. Given how little he was and the slight bulge still at her mom’s waist, she doubted he was more than a few days old.
“He’s such a good baby, just like you were. But, you can’t avoid my question. I imagine you feel awful given that you almost lost a foot,” Elsie murmured as she wrapped her arms around Izzy’s shoulders.
The feeling of love and safety she got from that simple embrace made Izzy realize how much she’d missed her parents during their time apart. For her years had passed, but for her parents it was only a few months.
“It hurts, but everyone is taking great care of me. I’ll be healed in no time.”
“You have a very brave big sister,” Donovan told her little brother. Cian stared at him with wide, alert eyes. He was the cutest baby she’d ever seen. Her heart filled with joy having her family around her and made living without the love and security of her parents worth every second. “You’ll have to ask her about the time she survived a shark attack when you’re older. I know you’ll be as amazed as I was.”
Izzy glanced at her best friend and smiled. “I’d say punching through the piercing black eye of a massive shark is far braver than me screaming and thrashing,” she countered.
Zander, the Vampire King, sat heavily on the bed and held her brother close to his chest. Everyone saw a dominant, commanding male when they looked at him, but Izzy saw a protective, affectionate father she loved beyond words.
A tear escaped her control and Izzy found herself reverting back to a younger age with her parents there to support her and make sure nothing bad happened to her. She was nearly eighteen years old and thought she was well beyond being a small child needing to be taken care of.
“I canna believe this happened,” her father muttered. “Why wasn’t Phineas there to stop the attack?”
“He was there, Dad. Thanks to him and Donovan I didn’t lose my foot,” she informed him. “You aren’t allowed to come here and get mad because I was hurt. It was no one’s fault. And, getting into a fight with your allies over this will not do us any good. They have all sacrificed to take care of me, keep me safe, and teach me to control my powers. Now, can I hold Cian? I want to give my brother love before you guys leave again.”
“Shite,” her dad cursed as he gently laid her brother into her arms. “I am grateful. But your mamai and Cian are no’ coming back with me. They will stay here with you.”
Frustration sizzled through Izzy but having baby Cian in her arms was like a drug. Despite being pissed, Izzy’s emotions remained level. “No. They aren’t staying here. Mom and Cian need you, and I’m sure Aunt Cailyn and baby Liam need mom, too. I’m fine here. And, before you start arguing, remember. I’ll be transitioning before you know it and returning home.”
Elsie squeezed her close, and the movement jostled her body. Pain radiated throughout her leg, and Izzy swallowed her gasp as she lowered her lips to kiss her brother’s fuzzy head. She refused to let her parents know how much pain she was feeling. If her mom found out, she would never leave, and guilt would wrack Izzy over the time Cian lost with their dad.
“We will stay until your foot is healed and then head home. The realm will be okay that long,” her mom insisted. “I refuse to leave when you need me. Don’t argue with me. You’ve grown up and I haven’t been here for far too much, so I am going to be here now.”
Nodding, Izzy swallowed as her throat tightened. Sounded like a perfect compromise to Izzy. Turning to her side, Izzy snuggled her little brother close to her chest on the bed and closed her eyes. She had been so damn tired since she was injured. For the first time in years, Izzy fell asleep knowing her parents were nearby if she needed them.
* * *
Chapter 9
Stopping next to the fancy restaurant, Finn took a deep breath and tried to banish the lingering fatigue that threatened to drag him under. As his gaze landed on the sign above their heads, he questioned his sanity in taking Talysia to Titan’s Fall.
The restaurant held some of his darkest moments. The blackest were when he discovered his parents dead in their home in the jungle, but he felt awful when Cyril managed to infiltrate their culture and date Cambree. The Unseelie King was nearly able to reverse the Tuya blessing.
The Cuelebre dragons were recently coming back from the brink of extinction thanks to the return of their king, Angus. The Cuelebre King was the only being capable of calling on the Gods to bless females with the ability to bear dragonettes. That was who the Tuya were. And no one, not even female dragons could bear dragon babies unless they were blessed as a Tuya.
‘That’s depressing date conversation.’ Finn silently scolded himself. Refocusing on his date, he twined his fingers with hers and pulled the door open to the establishment.
“Are you sure you’re up for this tonight?” Talysia asked as they entered.
Finn told the hostess he had reservations for two before turning back to his date. “I’m positive. Besides, we’ve been cooped up too long. And, from what I remember, the food here is fantastic.”
Giving him a wide smile, Talysia seemed to vibrate with excitement. “If you’re sure. I know I talked about this place over the past couple of days and I was worried I came across like I was begging.”
Finn’s heart hiccupped hearing her words. Soft emotions weren’t something he was familiar with. Sexual encounters and attraction were the scope of his experiences with females. Caring and softening towards Talysia was as foreign as technological engineering to him.
“I know you were trying to distract me from my recovery. Have I said thank you for taking care of me?” he muttered as he gazed into beautiful turquoise eyes.
Tal’s cheeks turned a bright shade of pink, making him want to kiss her full lips. He saw her vulnerability as he stared at her. It made him want to run in the opposite direction, and stop pursuing her. She obviously wanted a real, lasting relationship, and he had no idea if that was what he wanted.
Talysia was sexy and sensual and he enjoyed spending time with her but finding a mate or getting seriously involved with a female never crossed his mind. He was a Maahes and his position was full of danger.
Like most other knights, Finn concentrated on the latest fights and keeping the realm safe and secure. Everything else was pushed to the back of his mind.
“I enjoyed taking care of you. And, I was trying to distract you; but I don’t know much about your realm yet, so I used what I had,” Talysia said with a shrug of her shoulders.
“Not many females would have taken the time. And, it was nice,” he began and paused when they were shown to their table. Once they had ordered a drink, he continued. “It’s been too long since anyone was there to nurse me back to health. My parents were killed nearly twenty years ago. I’ve been on my own ever since. I forgot what it was like to have someone there to bring me a drink or
snack and allow me to rest and recover.”
“I hardly did anything except keep you company. And, there is no need to thank me. You deserve the praise way more than me. You keep us safe. If it wasn’t for you and your fellow knights those things would have attacked people like me that don’t really have a way to defend ourselves. I honestly don’t know how you do it.”
The waitress appeared a second later and took their order. Great timing, Finn thought. He was dizzy and his heart was racing, making it difficult to concentrate on the conversation. After placing their orders, Finn decided to change the subject. He wanted to hear more about Talysia.
“You mentioned that you have three sisters. Are they all here with you?”
Shaking her head, Talysia glanced away like she was thinking about something. Waiting for her reply, Finn took the opportunity to appreciate her beauty.
There was a mole above the left side of her lip and one of her eyes seemed a shade lighter than the other. And, her hands were so tiny compared to his. Stunning, he thought to himself.
“No, my younger sisters are still on Calypso with our parents. The twins, Tavie and Tuana, weren’t ready to be away from Mom and Dad.”
“You didn’t want to stay with your family?”
The corners of Talysia’s mouth pinched and her gaze dropped to the table. When Finn caught her tapping one finger on the table, he wished he’d left it alone. She mentioned leaving the realm because she was different.
“I miss my family more than anything, but I couldn’t stay there and continue being the scapegoat for all the hateful sirens in my city. I told you they didn’t like me. Well, they ostracized me because I’m not a full-blooded siren. No way did I want to hear how I was tainted and would be the ruin of all siren kind for one more second.”
“Just because your father is an ice demon doesn’t mean you are any less of a siren. Many Cuelebre have a mother from another species, but the children aren’t any less dragon. In fact, I’d say it makes them stronger. More versatile.”
