Chapter Eleven
“Hey, devil spawn, are you hungry?”
Molly popped open a can of cat food and held it out enticingly. She’d gone over to her mother’s house before class and found Lucifer hunched underneath the leather sofa watching her through slitted green eyes.
He howled in response.
“Come on, you’ve gotta eat.” She walked into the kitchen where his food dish was to see if he’d follow her and Lucifer did, padding silently on the linoleum.
His movements were measured and cautious. Usually, he was aggressive, getting into her space, and trying to intimidate her.
“Are you okay?” Instinctively, she reached for him, and he hissed, and spat. “Right, sorry, my bad.”
“Oh, good morning.” Leslie walked into the room, wearing a pair of plaid pajamas, even though she preferred nightgowns.
Molly nearly dropped the cat food. “Mom, your back. I thought your flight didn’t get in for a couple more days.”
“I decided to head home early, and I got in during the wee hours of the morning.” She flashed a distracted smile and poured herself a glass of orange juice.
Leslie wore a pair of gaudy spherical metal earrings. Molly didn’t even know her mother had pierced ears. When she wore jewelry, it was always a necklace. And why was Leslie wearing them when she wasn’t dressed?
“Are those new?” she asked, pointing.
“Oh, yes, I picked them up in Europe.”
When she walked by the cat, Lucifer snarled a low, dark, deep growl in his throat, and then sprinted out of the room, and down the hallway.
“What’s gotten into him?” Lucifer adored her mother, and the feeling was likewise, but the cat acted like she was a stranger.
She shrugged. “I’ve no idea.”
“Aren’t you going to check on him?”
She babied Lucifer, buying him expensive treats, and toys, spending endless hours brushing him. Molly often thought he was a child substitute, something she could love, and baby. And yet, she didn’t seem to care about his unusual behavior.
“Why?” She frowned. “I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
Odd.
Since her mother didn’t rush over to embrace her, Molly held out her arms.
“Well, welcome back.” They had an awkward hug, while Leslie hung there limply.
Maybe she was still upset from their talk. Now that Molly knew the whole story, she’d have to cover it up with a strategic lie.
“Did you change your plans because of me?” Molly felt guilty. Her mother had been looking forward to the trip for months. “
“No, Molly, why would I?” There was a slight hesitation before Leslie said Molly’s name, as though she’d somehow forgotten it.
“Because you were concerned. You thought I might be losing it, but I don’t want you to worry, and I’m sorry about dodging your co-workers, but I don’t need to be supervised.”
She took a sip of juice. “You appear well to me. Aren’t you?”
“Yes, but you weren’t convinced.” It’s almost like Leslie didn’t care anymore.
“I am now.”
“Can we talk about my findings?”
“Findings?”
“Yes, about the DNA.” If she’d known Leslie would be home, Molly would’ve brought the results with her.
“Can I examine them another time? I have jet lag, and need some sleep.”
And yet she didn’t appear tired, there were no bags under her eyes, and Leslie seemed bright, and alert.
“Sure, I’ll bring the results over so you can see them. Are we going to have a Netflix night?”
She winced. “I can’t. I have a lot of work to catch up on, but we’ll do it sometime soon.”
“Sure.”
“Well, I’ll be in touch. Have a good day.” With a polite smile, she headed down the hall to her home office.
Weird. It’s almost as if her mother couldn’t get rid of her fast enough.
Molly reluctantly left.
A thought popped into her mind, and Molly couldn’t shake it.
That’s not your mother.
***
“Shall we?” Blaze asked.
Blaze and Crispin stood in the side yard, ready to do battle. The alchemists had embedded smoke swords in a tattoo on their forearms, so they always had a weapon at the ready. The spell dissolved the metal and welded it to their skin. It was a part of them, like the drake blood in their veins.
“Your spirits have lifted.”
“Well, I’ve been seeing Molly.” Blaze couldn’t stop smiling. He was looking forward to seeing her again this evening and intended to take things even further.
“Congratulations, brother, you’ve earned some happiness.”
Blaze swallowed. “Yes, well, she’s not my mate, it’s a passing infatuation.”
“I seem to recall Faro saying the exact same thing and look how it turned out for him.”
“You know I can’t get emotionally involved with her, brother.”
“Do I?”
“Yes, it wouldn’t end well for either of us, besides I’m a cad, and lose interest quickly.”
“Hmm, I hear fear talking.”
“I’m not afraid.”
Crispin raised his arm, and the sword dissipated into so much smoke, settling into his skin once more.
“Very well then, no blades, we shall use fists instead.”
“I don’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“You bloody well know why not.”
“You have much more self-control now.”
“And you’d stake your life on it?”
“Yes, I would. Favian’s death was tragic, but it was an accident and not your fault.”
“Then whose fault was it, if not mine?” Blaze didn’t deserve or want their forgiveness, and he wished his brothers hadn’t absolved him of his crime. “He was my twin, my other half and I killed him.”
The Drakeborne Knights had a deep bond and Blaze loved all of his brothers, but he’d bonded deeply with Favian. They’d shared the same womb, the same crib, walked on the same day and developed their own language as children.
And every time he looked in the mirror, Blaze saw his face and what he’d lost. He vowed to never get that close to anyone ever again.
“We were all new to our powers back then and learning. You were little more than a child.”
In his mind’s eye, Blaze could still see his hand around Favian’s throat. His head lolled to the side, his breath coming in pants, blood boiling in his veins. Blaze dimly perceived his brothers’ shouts around them, but he didn’t heed their warning, perceive anything beyond the rage.
“I was 15 years old, almost a man full-grown, and Favian was my best friend.” He sighed.
“Back then, we were all getting used to our powers. Not to mention, dealing with adolescence, and adding volatile drake emotions into the mix didn’t help matters.”
Dragons felt more keenly than humans did, their feelings were close to the surface, always ready to bubble over. Mastering them had been an onerous chore. Truth be told, Blaze still missed the mark at times.
“I think about what I did every day, and the guilt hasn’t lessened.” He supposed it never would and maybe it never should. Blaze had killed another person, not in battle, but through his own stupidity. “I don’t wish to discuss this any longer.”
“Blaze, you need to conquer this fear.”
“No, I don’t. I only unleash the darker side of my power on the battlefield, where it belongs, and I’ll never use it again against my brothers.”
“So this is the real reason why you won’t get involved with the woman. You’re afraid if you care for Molly, you might lose control in the midst of an argument, and harm her. If you don’t care about someone, the risk isn’t as great.”
“What if I accidentally kill her one day?”
“You won’t.”
“You don’t know for sure. You can’t, because I don’t.”
“And what if she’s your mate? You have an obligation to her, and yourself.”
His teeth set on edge. “Are you trying to provoke me?”
“Perhaps.”
“Then we’re done here.” Blaze walked away, like he always did.
“You’ve been punishing yourself, haven’t you? Pretending not to care, drowning yourself in women, and drink. You don’t think you’re worthy of love, do you?”
“I know I’m not.”
***
“Hello, Mydon, it’s so nice to see you.”
“You refused to use your powers.”
Mydon was waiting for Blaze in his room. The man had no respect for boundaries, maybe because it was so easy for him to transcend them. Mydon was an imposing figure, with a thorn tattoo which wrapped around his right arm. He had black eyes, dark-brown hair, and stubble dotting his square chin.
“How’d you find out?” Blaze raised an enquiring brow.
“I was watching from the window.” Mydon stood, and squared his shoulders.
“Did you put Crispin up to this?”
He shook his head. “No, this was his own doing.”
“Did he have a premonition?”
“Yes, although he’s been guarded about the particulars. However, he said it’s crucial for you to hone your abilities, harness them.”
“Why? Would you like me to kill another of our brothers?”
“Don’t be flippant. It’s high time you put the incident behind you and move on.”
Blaze wished he could, but he doubted it would ever come to pass.
“We might very well need the full extent of your powers to complete the mission.”
“How do you know?”
“I don’t, but having options is important on a mission, but this isn’t the only matter I wish to discuss.”
Blaze could sense where this conversation was headed, but he didn’t volunteer any information.
“You’re quite taken with a woman. I believe her name is Molly.” He narrowed his eyes.
It wasn’t a question, so he didn’t answer. Instead, he walked into the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face.
“I thought you’ve never slept with the same wench more than once.” Mydon followed him to the doorway.
“There’s an exception to every rule.” Blaze dried off on a towel and turned to face his brother.
His eyes narrowed. “What makes this one so different?”
“I don’t know.”
For once, Mydon wasn’t barking orders or using brute force. It was unsettling, this calm curiosity.
“And do you believe she’s your mate?”
“I doubt it.” Blaze wasn’t certain, but he feared Molly was. “Have you ever thought…never mind.”
“Finish your thought.” It was a directive, so he had to answer. Blast.
“Perhaps fate brought us here?”
Mydon snorted. “There’s no such thing. The universe is governed by chaos and greed. Those in power make the rules, Blaze. The Earth’s misfortune is Iradia’s gain. Nothing more.”
It was a bitter point of view.
“And you haven’t told her about us?”
“I haven’t.” Not everything, anyway. Mydon hadn’t pushed, so Blaze could lie.
“Keep it that way. I’d hate to make an example of you, too. We scarcely managed to avoid an incident last time, and I won’t tolerate any more problems of our own making.”
“Understood.” Unlike Faro, Blaze never openly challenged Mydon. Instead, he preferred to work around him or avoid the man altogether, if possible.
“Can you guard the mine tonight?” Mydon asked.
“Why? Is Faro busy?”
Mydon smirked. “I found a horrid new task for him.”
It meant he wouldn’t be able to see Molly this evening, because she had a very tight schedule, and they couldn’t meet earlier on in the day. Blaze was disappointed, but he didn’t let on.
He took a deep breath. “Consider practicing your powers. I won’t order you, for now, but we might have need of them. We are a team, Blaze, and it’s important for all of us to function at the highest level.”
“I’ll take it under advisement.” Even though the thought alone terrified him. All he could see was Favian’s glassy eyes staring up at him accusingly, as he lay broken on the ground.
Blaze vowed he wouldn’t let history repeat itself.
***
Gasping, Molly sat up in bed.
Somehow, Molly knew she wasn’t alone and yet when she peered into the darkness surrounding her, no one else was there, but she felt another presence all the same.
“Hello?”
“Don’t be frightened, Molly.”
“Who are you?” She clutched the covers tighter, as though somehow they could protect her.
“Axion, the Feckless, at your service.” And then a figure stepped into the moonlight filtering into her room. He bent over at the waist, as though bowing on a stage and expecting applause. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
The man was tall, although shorter than Blaze and the rest of his brothers. He had the look of a poet or a pirate with his black leather pants, leather boots, and crisp linen shirt which revealed a muscled chest with a sprinkling of black hair.
Axion, if that was his real name, had dark eyes, and hair. Stubble dotted the sculpted lines of his jaw. His mouth was full and sensual. If Molly didn’t have a thing for Blaze, she’d find this figment of her imagination devastatingly handsome.
Molly swallowed. “Am I dreaming?”
“No.” His eyes danced with mischief. “I’m really here. Molly.”
She opened her mouth to scream, but he darted over to the bed in the blink of an eye and pressed a fingertip to her lips.
“Hush now, don’t spoil the game.” Axion sat on the edge of her bed. “Don’t be frightened, I’m not going to hurt you, I only came to visit. Would you like to chat?”
“Yes.” And somehow, Molly lost the desire to call for help.
“You’re wondering why you aren’t afraid, am I right?”
“Yes.” Molly felt strangely calm, even though an otherworldly being was on her bed. Axion hadn’t said so, but Molly doubted he was a native.
“It’s called sway. I suppose some people would consider it mind control, a mild form of it anyway. However, I prefer to think of it as persuasion. I can’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do, but I can coax you.”
Hadn’t Blaze mentioned Mydon’s power? Didn’t he have the ability to bend other people’s wills?
“Ah, you’re thinking of the grumpy one, aren’t you?”
She nodded. “If you mean Mydon.”
“I do. Sway is much more civilized, don’t you think? Why shout when a whisper will do?”
For some ridiculous reason, Molly found herself smiling at him, and she stopped immediately.
His lips curled in devilish amusement. “I imagine you have many questions.”
“How do you know my name? Why are you here? And, er, what are you?”
“I’m a Maelstrome. I assume Blaze has mentioned the Maelstrome in passing?”
“Yes.” The Maelstrome were supposedly fearsome, but she found Axion charming, and a touch annoying.
“And as for your other questions, I’m here to gain information, although I’ve been watching all of you for weeks. I’m something of a voyeur actually.” He winked.
“What kind of information?”
“We’ll get to it in a moment.”
“Do you know Blaze?”
“It’s more accurate to say, I know of him, as well as the rest of the Knights.”
“Oh.”
He studied her face. “You’re very pretty and clever, too. I can see why Blaze is so taken with you. While you aren’t my type, I can appreciate beauty when I see it. You might consider me a connoisseur.”
Axion stood, and then paste a circle around her room. “Nice place you’ve got here and by place I mean planet.” He laid a hand on his chest. “Then again I made it, so what do you expect, other than perfection?”
Evidently modesty wasn’t one of his virtues.
“What are you saying? You’re God?” Molly thought her head might explode. This was far too much to take in.
“Of course not, I’m much more powerful.”
“Come with me, I have something to show you.” He held out his arm, and Molly placed a hand on it.
The next thing she knew, they were hovering in space, drifting. An inky blackness surrounded them, interrupted only by winking stars. The view was breathtaking and disturbing, all at the same time.
“How is this possible?” She exhaled, and a puff of air escaped her lips. “How am I able to breathe? And why am I not freezing?”
Space had even colder temperatures in Alaska. And here she was, drifting in her nightgown, Molly should be frozen solid, like a Popsicle, if she hadn’t suffocated first, from the lack of air.
“You’ll find with me, anything is possible. In other words, don’t try this at home.”
“Like I could.”
“Now where is it?” Axion inspected the area around them.
In the distance, she noticed a bright ball of light, hurtling through space. It was moving so fast, she had to turn her head, to keep the object in view.
“Ah, there it is and still going full steam ahead, I see.” Axion pointed to the ball. “It’s a comet called Nex-88.”
For some reason, he seemed annoyed with it, which was bizarre. Then again, so was everything else about this interlude.
“Beautiful isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is.” She’d never seen a comet up close before.
“But deadly.”
“Did you bring me here to do a little sightseeing?” Molly still wasn’t fully convinced this wasn’t some sort of exhaustion-induced nightmare.
He shrugged. “Perhaps I was bored, and I wanted some company? Or maybe I’m testing you?”
“I don’t understand.”
“You will, soon.”
All of a sudden, they were back in her room once more.
Only now, Molly was lying in bed, and the covers were pulled up to her chin, and she was so exhausted, Molly couldn’t keep her eyes open. They kept drifting shut as though weighted down by some unseen force.
“You don’t want to remember this, do you?”
“Hmm? No.”
Axion kissed her forehead. “Good night, fair Molly, sweet dreams, and thank you for keeping my secret.”