by Aidy Award
Cage growled low in his throat. "Geshtianna then. Portia was under her control when she... when I gave it to her."
"I think Ciara's on to something." Strengthen the bond. Maybe the midwife meant more than the bond between Azy and Cage needed to be fortified. The shard of Cage's soul she wore, that marked her as his mate glowed warm against her skin. "I think if we find that damn ring and get married it will help."
Cage grinned at her like a fool. "I fucking love how your brain works. I swear to you we will find your Wyvern mate’s ring. We will create an unbreakable bond, you and I."
He sounded so sure, a new confidence she hadn't seen in him before. It was damn sexy.
"I know." She grabbed Cage's arm intending to give him a little squeeze, but another pain shook her. The intensity was threefold of the last one and she grabbed onto his hand hard. Ow, ow, ow. "Cage, something's wrong."
"Az? What is it?" He swooped her up into his arms and her body was wracked by stabs radiating through her so intense she cried out in pain. Cage's face lost all his color. "First Dragon help us."
"He can't help you now, dears. He doesn't know nothing 'bout birthing no babies." Señora Boh floated into the room. "Good thing you called me when you did, Azynsa."
Ow, ow, double ow. It was too soon for her to go into labor. Even if her children were growing at twice their rate, like Señora Boh said, there was no way they could be full grown. "Are the babies okay?"
Señora Boh took one look at her and signaled to Cage. "Come. Bring your mate. Let's see if we can talk your new little warriors into staying put a bit longer."
Uh-oh. The midwife had totally avoided the question and that air of calm that she usually pervaded was uncomfortably absent. She was all business now. Not good. The aches tugging at her from the inside out were nothing compared to the one in her heart. If anything went wrong, if her babies.... well, she was going to fuck that Black Witch's life right up.
Cage shifted into his dragon form and flew out to the treehouse, their sanctuary. Señora Boh followed behind like a weird flying nun. Another sharp pain shook Azy's body just as Cage set her down in the bed. He shifted and crawled in with her, sitting behind her and wrapping his arms around her. She leaned into his chest drawing on his warmth.
He cradled her, nuzzling her neck, doing his best to keep the fear out of his own voice. Azy heard and recognized it. "My heart, I love you. No matter what. You're mine and you're going to be fine. Okay?"
More pain shot through her and she grabbed Cage's shirt, pressing her face back into his shoulder. "I'm scared, Cage."
"Now, now. There's no need to get crazy, you two. We're not going to let anything happen." The midwife crossed the room and placed her hands on Azy's belly. A white light, like the ones her babies had produced in defense against the Black Witch emanated from her hands and soaked into her skin.
The babies wiggled and a huge sense of relief washed over Azy that they were alive and kicking. It was the only thing that kept her from screaming when the next pain pulsed across her midsection. Azy gasped, the agony of it stealing her breath away. This one was the worst yet. The midwife closed her eyes, concentrating and the white light grew, surrounding them, pushing its way into her. It burned, so hot until she was covered in sweat and her vision tunneled. A ringing grew in her ears and her skin tingled like a thousand needles were skimming up and down, pricking, poking.
"Azy, hold on, baby." She could hear his frantic tone, but barely understood his words. "Stay with me. Stay, my love."
Where did he think she was going? Cage's voice disappeared into a whisper coming from someplace very far away. His arms were still around her, but his touch felt like nothing more than a feather. All she could see, hear, and feel was the light.
"Señora, save her. If she dies--"
Azy didn't hear the rest of what Cage had to say. The light was so loud, or maybe that was something else rushing through her ears. It did have a whoosh whoosh sound. Plus, that voice. Not Cage's, not Señora Boh's, yet someone she knew was calling her.
"Azynsa," the soothing voice sing-songed her name. It was so familiar, like a long lost friend. Someone she missed and hadn't seen in a long time. "Just where do you think you're going?"
Azy couldn't feel her body, didn't understand if her mouth was moving producing words or if it was her thoughts. "I, uh, I don't know. I don't want to go anywhere."
"Then don't, silly fish." The form of a beautiful woman and an extremely good-looking but fierce young man wavered on the edge of Azy's vision. "You need to help bring us back into the world."
The name calling came off more like a term of endearment from them. How did she know this couple? She certainly didn't know anything about bringing anyone back to life. She wasn't a witch, good or bad. She was just a girl from the south side of Chicago with a mermaid for a mother. "I do? I don't think you have the right person. I do know a few witches, maybe they can help."
The woman smiled and shook her head while the man remained very stoic, reminding her of Cage when they'd first met. A sadness emanated from them both. For the first time a deep male voice permeated into Azy's head. "No, you and Cage are the Gold Wyvern. You're chosen. You're the only ones who can make the hard choices to come. She's been hidden away for far too long. They can't protect her any longer and It's time for me to rejoin the battle."
Damn, she should know who these people were. The woman's identity was a smidgen out of reach, on the tip of her tongue, on the edge of her peripheral vision. There was an incredibly familiar feeling about them both. Like someone she'd known for a long time, like family. Which didn't make sense. Azy didn't understand much about families. She'd only ever had her dad. "Who are you? Do we know each other?"
That question made the woman's sad smile turn into a bright happiness and the young man glow with a colorful aura around him. "You'll see soon enough."
Together, they wrapped Azy into their soft but strong energy, like an ethereal hug. "I'm sorry we've put you through so much stress these past few months, but we had to hurry so that Ereshkigal and Jara didn't have time to sense us and figure out our plans. You've been so strong. I know you can be for just a little longer."
Whoa. Did this woman know more about what was going on than the rest of them? Maybe she could get some intel from her to bring back to Cage. Not that she understood where she was at the moment or how to get to Cage. She only knew she needed to. She'd had some other weird experiences since her life had become intertwined with the dragons and every time her bond with Cage, had pulled them through. She had no doubt, only complete faith that it would again. "Ereshkigal was just here. Did she do this to me?"
The couple's form faded a bit and they retreated. "No. We did and I'm so sorry. I promise it won't be for much longer, but you have to hold onto the Gold Wyvern, let him anchor you to the world. He's the one who can pull the Wyrs together. The combined power of all six is more than any Wyr individually. It's the only way to defeat the black magic of the witch and... the dragon."
Cage. Yes. He was her anchor. Azy pictured him in her mind and the white light surrounding her turned gold around the edges. Gold like Cage's scales. The pain in her belly started to fade until every last little twinge was gone, and Azy opened her eyes.
"Azynsa? My love. Holy shit, don't ever do that to me again." Cage looked down at her, his eyes swirling with the gold of his dragon, fear, relief, and love shining in them.
"I'm not going anywhere," she croaked out. They had work to do. Together. Some important people were coming.
Señora Boh wiped a strand of hair from her sweaty brow. There was more worry on the midwife's face than Azy expected. “Azynsa, listen to me. The babies are in distress. I need to help them get into the world, now. If I do not, they will die.”
Time stopped, the air froze, and the sunlight faded from the room, but just for a second. Everything was going to be okay. “I - I think they're ready.”
She touched her hand to Azy's belly again looked to both her and
Cage. “Yes, they are. But they won’t let me help them. Such little warriors they already are. They are each trying to protect the other, but it’s keeping them from joining our world.”
Azy reached out her hand and Cage caught it up immediately, lending her his strength. She met his eyes and took a deep breath, making the hard decision and trying to tell him with her calm tone that everything would be all right. "Cut me open to get them out. Babies are born by Cesarean all the time. I’ll heal.”
Cage growled but didn't say no. He knew they would have to make this sacrifice too.
“No, we don’t need to cut you. I can bring them out with magic. But they have to allow me to do it. The two of you need to be shining lights for them. They know you, but there is a dark force in this world trying to keep them from being born and they know it.”
"We will protect them." Cage snarled and gripped her even tighter in his arms. "The other Wyverns and their mates have pledged to help us. No evil will keep our children from living."
Oh, how she loved his fierce protectiveness. "Tell us what to do and we'll do it. Help us help them."
Señora Boh nodded and rubbed her hands together. She closed her eyes and the white light glowed from between her palms. “Focus all your energy, the power you yield over the elements, the light in your souls into the babies. Together you can block the darkness and I can bring them out into the light.”
The witch swirled her hands and the light over Azy’s belly forming an oblong ball of light, like a golden egg of magic, energy, and power. The babies moved inside of her and she squeezed Cage’s hand tighter.
"I love you, Azynsa. You are my life and, "he swallowed, "while I am scared to death that there are evils out there in the world that we may not be able to keep from our children, I am so excited to have a family with you. I cannot wait to see them at your breast, watch them grow, teach them the ways of the warrior, train our first born to become the next Wyvern of the Gold Dragons."
There was so much emotion in Cage's words and Azy felt the beautifully strong power and energy he poured into them. "I never thought I would have a life like this. I'm so happy it's with you. We've already faced tough times and I'm sure there are more ahead. Where you go, I go, Cage. I love you so much."
Golden swirls of magic floated through the air around them. The babies pushed against her and Azy had never felt so safe in her life. Her babies would be okay. She and Cage had so much love and life to look forward to.
"It's not enough." Señora Boh frowned and her voice was strained. She even had sweat beading over her top lip. "We need more magic. I’m losing them."
What more could they give? She and Cage were already sharing every bit of love they had.
"Kiss me, Cage. Let me feel your love, let them." She tipped her face up to his and brushed her lips across his. This kiss wasn't filled with their normal heat, it wasn't about lust, but being together. It was so beautiful, Azy was sure she heard music.
Cage broke the kiss and rubbed his nose against hers. "Do you hear that?"
From below, down on the beach, three voices lifted up in song so beautiful it brought a tear to Azy's eyes. Her mermaid sisters were singing a lullaby. One that Azy was sure she'd heard long ago, but their voices weren't the only ones.
The Mami Wata had barely been friendly to her, but they had taken her in. She’d never thought of them as family. Yet here stood three of them, here in their time of need.
How had she ever thought she didn’t have a real family?
She’d thought it would always be just her and Cage, the two of them against the world. But it never had been.
The world hadn’t been against them from the beginning. It had been conspiring for them.
Against all the odds and evils put in their paths they had found the way to each other.
At each step, each challenge the dragon warriors, the amazing women they had mated, and even the mermaids had been there to help overcome the forces trying to stand between them.
That’s what a real family did. Family was a powerful force, forever. Family was forever.
Forever.
Was it? Hers hadn’t been. Her mother had left her and then died before she could even know her. Her father had been killed when she was only eighteen.
Her life was completely different now and she knew the answer. For the first time in her life, she knew it in her heart. Even if her own parents weren’t here now, they were always with her. Just like she would be for her children. No matter what. Forever.
"I know what to do to fill the babies lives with all the magic we need."
United
Cage was sure as shit glad Azy was calm and collected because, while he was the warrior, the leader of his Wyr, and maybe more, he needed her to keep him from returning to that place of fear he'd been living in the past few months. He'd feared for her life, for the lives of every dragon in his Wyr, that he was not going to be the leader they needed to rebuild after the attacks, and deep inside, his worst fear, that he wouldn't be the kind of father his twins needed.
He'd kept all of that bottled up inside, not wanting to put the burden of those worries on her or ask his brother Wyverns for help. They'd done enough. Except already today he'd learned they were all more powerful when they worked together and shared the weight of the world and its battles with each other.
Looking down at his beautiful lover, the woman who held his soul both literally and in her heart, Cage knew he was lying to himself. His real problem lie rooted in the knowledge that Azy, the other Wyverns, his Wyr, and his children would think he wasn't fit if he was scared. So he'd hidden those worries by wrapping them up in a disguise of control. He hadn't let anyone see his dirty little secrets.
Until he'd lost his soul shard to the succubus, he'd never really needed to be a leader. His Wyr followed him because that's what they were expected to do. Not because he was some great warrior.
He wasn't trying to protect them, any of them. He'd been protecting himself. Screwing around with everyone's lives by not living up to even his own expectations of what the Gold Wyvern should be. He was such a dumbass. Azy was a better leader than he'd ever been. Today and for the rest of his life he would do his best to have courage and be the mate she deserved. Starting right now.
"Tell me what you need, mate and I will make it happen."
So much love permeated from her. "Take me down to the beach. We and our babies need our friends, our family, and our elements."
Cage immediately knew where she was going with this. Dragons and mermaids, witches and a succubus, even whatever kind of being Ciara's friend Wesley was - they all brought a special kind of magic and joined together they would be more than enough to help the babies feel safe and protected so they could come into the world. He glanced over at Señora Boh to make sure she was on the same page and she nodded to him. In the blink of a dragon's eye he shifted and carefully lifted Azy into his talons. She wrapped her arms around his foreleg and together they swooped out of the treehouse. In a long twisting glide, they were down to the beach a stone's throw from where the mermaids gathered.
The lilting song the mermaids sang drifted through the air and washed over them. As soon as he landed, Azy's sisters helped her up and guided her toward the water, surrounding her in a circle of feminine mystique. With each step she took, another mermaid's head popped up out of the ocean and joined their voices to the song. Then another, and another, and soon the water was filled with Mami Wata and their lyrical lullaby.
"Cage, I need you too." Azy waded into the softly lapping waves, not transforming her legs to her beautiful tail.
I'll be there, my love. Let me gather the dragons. We're better, stronger, and have more magic together.
She nodded and her eyes sparkled. "Yes. We need them too. Bring everyone."
Azy was happy, not worried, not fearful, but excited that they were bringing everyone together and would soon meet their children. She filled him with so much love he was overflowing with it. He jumped ba
ck into the air, did a flip in the wind and flew up to the villa. The Wyverns and a half dozen gold dragons were gathered in the destroyed dining room.
He glanced around and a warm surprise smacked him in the face. They were cleaning up and repairing the damage done in the attack. An inkling of an idea popped into his mind.
Working together. Not just right now.
Even AmberGris, his second in command was there. That surprised the shit out of him. Cage had left him in Dubai continuing the hunt for Geshtianna, his brother, and Portia.
Cage shifted and approached his friends. "Gris? What are you doing here?"
They clasped hands, greeting each other in the way of friends and compatriots. "I got here as fast as I could when I received your call. Many more will arrive tonight and tomorrow. The Wyr is here for you, Azynsa, and the new children. We will protect them."
His call? Cage had yet to ask everyone for their assistance. Something to sort out later. He hadn't gotten an update on the hunt for Geshtianna and the missing dragon warriors from their Wyr in a while. They were his second priority, right after taking care of his family. "We only have a moment. Tell me quickly. Do you have news of Gris and Portia? Of the succubus queen?"
Gris's eyes went from amber to swirling with black grief and a dangerous anger. "No. The trail we found in Dubai has gone cold. I have lost them."
Cage would not accept that. He clasped AmberGris on the arm and willed him to listen, using his Wyvern alpha's voice. "We will find them. When you have the warriors you need, form a war council. Enough of chasing our own tails. We will call an AllWyr and ask the other Wyvern's to join us in the hunt for the succubus queen and her minions."
"But, my lord, this is a Gold Wyr matter. Only our warriors and my mate have been kidnapped. We will take care of our own." Gris frowned and looked around at the other dragon warriors, their mates, and friends. He too wasn't used to asking for assistance from anyone. The golds had been a powerful Wyr for so long and their money kept them from ever needing much of anything.
