"Why me?" Tae asked of the group gathered in the king's chambers. "Why was this gift of renewed life bestowed upon me? Others with higher ranks and more experience died. Why did Talonia choose me?"

"We all have theories. Kelan, Hesher and I have discussed it at length. We believe it involves your hatred of war. Though you despise it, you willingly fought for Talonia and its citizens. You aided in the building and manufacturing of our weapons. You saved an alien stranger from the clutches of the enemy. Shara and I had premonitions of problems to come, but it was your urgent warning and prodding that spurred us into action. Without you, the nuclear weapon would most likely have found its mark. You and Eveline listened to our world and understood its plea. For that, Talonia rewarded you," the king answered. "We will call upon you again, and I know you will courageously come forward to defend us."

"Kelan, we remain in your debt for the sojourn to Earth. It resulted in our victory over the Savra. Your weapon designs and the remedy for our atmosphere gave us the upper hand," the king continued.

"I told you that I cannot promise the remedy will hold," Kelan repeated.

"It is giving us time, which we will use wisely. Hesher, I am going to address your actions now. Twice you have disobeyed my orders. What should I do with you?" the king asked.

"Whatever punishment you deem necessary, I will take without question or regret. I disobeyed, and it caused the deaths of my soldiers. I will not make the mistake of questioning your orders ever again," Hesher replied.

"I sincerely hope you do not mean that," the king shocked him by saying. "Yes, we lost soldiers, but you did the right thing. I gave the command in anger and fear. That was the real mistake. I make mistakes just as much as anyone else. King is only a title. I am as imperfect as everyone else. You were able to look past your anger and use compassion for what you considered to be innocents at that time. Without compassion, we would be just as evil as the Savra proved to be. No one could have foreseen the use of women and children in war. Kelan's disobedience gave us the gifts of Michelle and Keshel. Tae's gave us Eveline, who has proven her connection with our planet. Yours kept us from becoming monsters. Keep questioning my orders. It is vital."

"Now, I must speak of the real reason I brought all of you here." His eyes roamed over Tae, Eveline, Kelan, Michelle, Hesher, Daer, and Shara. "In the past weeks, I have come to know you all as friends. True friendship is a prize that a king seldom receives. In honor of your trust, I will speak frankly. If the Savra found us, others will as well. For eons, Talonia has been hidden, but it will inevitably come to the attention of other worlds. The shock waves from the Savra explosion will call attention to this portion of the universe. We cannot greet every ship that comes near with a laser blast. Not all worlds are evil. We are aware that humans are now exploring the far reaches of the skies. Kelan and Michelle brought us information and more has been discerned from intercepting their satellite feeds. They are not exploring our sector as yet, but someday they will. Change is happening all over the universe. We cannot remain static. We have to bend with the times. For as long as possible, I wish us to stay anonymous to allow this planet to heal. When we are found, those who wish us evil will be destroyed, but those who are not must be asked to keep our secret. I am intelligent enough to realize our secret will come out. I have high hopes of making alliances with other worlds to protect our home and theirs from the evils that are out there. I will require the advice of each of you, even if your opinion disagrees with mine." The king took a breath, smiled, and added, "Enough of the speeches and doom. Daer wishes to say something, and I believe it is more cheerful in nature."

Daer took the floor. "I do indeed have something more cheerful to say. Actually, it is a question. My closest friends have been suspicious for a while, giving me a hard time with their teasing. Today, I will end their misery. Shara, my beautiful, rare dragon, I love your kind heart and mysterious soul. I want to bring our treasured relationship into the light. I have already spoken to your father and received his blessing, so now I seek yours. Will you make it official and become my eternal mate?"

The always elegant and calmly controlled Shara shocked them all by jumping out of her seat and throwing her arms around Daer. She shouted, "Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!" Then, she planted a kiss on Daer that had him blushing outrageously.

Cheers and congratulations rang out. Everyone was pleased and excited for their dear friends. It was a happy ending to a long and complicated meeting.

"Let us forget war and the possibility of discovery for a few hours," Tae asked of Eveline. "My life was not renewed to simply worry every moment. Joy must be a part of it as well and you, my love, are the joy in my world. Come with me. I made a promise once, and as you are already aware, I keep my promises."

"We've been to the waterfall. We even went to give thanks for its gift after you healed. What promise are you talking about?" Eveline inquired.

"I cannot believe you have forgotten! What a shame. I guess I do not need to keep a promise that you do not even remember. So, we will go home instead," Tae teased.

"Don't you dare do that to me!" Eveline laughed. "I may not remember it, but if you promised, it is surely something special and important. Tell me what it is!"

"It would be better if I showed you. First, though, we must see to it that my family has moved. Their new home was readied, and I wish to see them settled."

"I made cakes and pies to celebrate. It's Jax's eleventh birthday as well. One of the cakes is for him. No candles like on Earth, though. I would guess they would look ridiculous considering dragon fire," Eveline replied.

"He would adore anything you made for him. He is devoted to you. Too soon he will be able to transform, and his training will begin," Tae exclaimed.

"He will do fine. After all, his big brother has set an excellent example, and I'm confident you will continue to help train the young ones once your punishment is over. Did you know your sister has a suitor? Don't panic! I can see the shock in your eyes. He's a good man and suits your sister well. He has agreed to wait a year or two to mate, giving her time to be on her own after she finishes school in a few days."

"We will see about that. I will have a long talk with him," Tae declared.

"No, you won't. No one interfered with us, and you won't do it to her. Trust her choice. She was raised well. You all were. Honor and truth run deep in your family. Let your siblings make their own decisions. Save your interference for when our children are born," Eveline demanded.

"There is plenty to go around," Tae argued. "However, I will let today be a celebration."

They retrieved the sweets and went to Tae's family's new home. Due to Tae's new salary and his sister now working, it was twice the size of their previous home.

Jax met them at the door exclaiming, "I have my own room! I don't have to share it with anyone or sleep in the living area."

"Of course not," Tae replied. "You will be a man soon and need your own space."

The sweets were a hit, especially the birthday cake. It was a new concept for the weredragons. Tae's father kept hugging him and declaring, "I was given the best children a man could ask for. You have exceeded all my expectations." He hugged Eveline as well, "You are the daughter I never imagined, but I cannot see the future without you in it."

Tears of happiness were shed as Tae and Eveline said goodbye. Tae would no longer be living with them or in the military quarters. He would stay in Eveline's tiny home until the day more room was needed. Its coziness suited them perfectly.

"Okay, I've waited long enough," Eveline announced as they reached the outskirts of the city. "Fulfill your promise, please."

"Back away," Tae commanded.

Eveline was confused but did as he asked. Tae began to shift. Blue scales shimmered on his body, wings sprouted, and his size grew tenfold. Standing in his place was the powerful, royal blue dragon Eveline had rarely seen. He laid his head on the ground and lowered his body. Then, she understood. He was offering her a ride. Sobbing, she gingerly climbed aboard. Her legs surrounded his neck, much like she was sitting astride a horse. She grabbed onto the triangular spikes above her seat and held on tight.

A rumble of what could only be laughter came from the weredragon just before his deep voice said, "That is like pulling my hair. It hurts and tickles at the same time. Loosen your grip. I will not let you fall."

His voice was so dear and reassuring that she obliged. His wings spread and she lost her breath as Tae rose into the air. To get them used to the odd feeling of flying together, Tae slowly circled the city. From this point of view, it was a small dot among the volcanoes and waterfalls. Eveline had not realized how vast Talonia truly was.

Tae knew the instant her fear stopped and curiosity took over. Her heartbeat steadied, and her breathing slowed. Braver now, he left the city behind. His destination was to be the fulfillment of yet another promise. Over the waterfalls, where the droplets gave Eveline peace and on into the darker parts of Talonia he flew. As Eveline relaxed, he lost all sense of their separate bodies. He knew she would not fall. They were one. He had achieved the same soul deep mating as Kelan shared with Michelle. It was intoxicating. When Eveline's hands released their grip and her arms reached for the clouds, he knew she felt it too.

The air warmed as they drew near his destination, the largest volcano on Talonia. Its colorful flames heated the area but did not burn them. Tae, because as a weredragon he was born from the depths of this world and Eveline, because she had shed blood in the pool, adding her life force to this alien planet.

Tae landed on the rim, allowing Eveline to slide from his back before transforming into a man. He sucked in the air, and she saw the fire behind his eyes glow. Ashes circled them, releasing strength they had never dreamed possible. Eveline felt it as clearly as Tae. She would never be a weredragon, but she claimed their planet as her birthplace. Earth was a distant memory. She had only begun to truly live once she reached Talonia.

Tae spun her into his arms. His kiss held the fire he could not control. Eveline received it with a passion beyond reason. Their clothes were shredded and tossed into the volcano. Finally, they were free to give and take without restraint. Together, they tumbled to the crusty, volcanic ground. Tae held her hands over her head while he lavished her heated skin with kisses. The future was a shadow that did not matter. This moment in time was encapsulated for their pleasure.

Eveline writhed in ecstasy as Tae suckled greedily at her tender breasts. She bit down on her bottom lip to stifle a demand that he join their bodies. She wanted to become one with him, yet she found she enjoyed the slow and avid attention he was giving to her just as much. Since she couldn't use her hands to touch his sleek, sweat-soaked muscles, she decided to use her feet. Their soles slid over his thighs and up to his rounded backside, where her toes dug in. His hard muscles clenched in response and she discovered how much he liked it as his member grew and pulsed.

"Let me touch you," she begged.

"You are," he answered, his breath blowing gently across her taut nipples.

"My hands, please," she clarified.

He let go, and she quickly took advantage. Rising slightly, she flipped him over, taking control. Her tongue flicked over his small, darkened nipples sending shivers through him. She laughed with the power surge it gave her. She kissed the small scar leftover from the bullet wound. She moved lower, and he began to shake. Her lips met the tip of his hardness. An earthquake went through him, and the volcano rumbled its approval. She licked off the droplet that had formed, before opening her mouth and pulling him into its warmth. Tae tensed and the cords in his neck strained. He was holding on to his sanity by a thread. What sorcery was this? He growled, and dragon fire shot into the air. Wrapping her tightly in his powerful arms, he traded places with her, impaling her at the same time with the member she had taken to its breaking point.

Eveline didn't shy away from his rough treatment. She reveled in it. She knew it meant he no longer saw her as the helpless, injured woman from Savra. He saw her as strong and equal to himself. She rose to meet his thrusts, and as they climaxed together, embers rained down from the volcano, and she felt a stirring inside her. Another gift had been bestowed on their union: actually, two gifts. They would remain Eveline's secret for a short time.

Tae and Eveline got on their knees and thanked Talonia for the second chance it had given them. Their foreheads touched the scorched ground as they repeated the funeral chant, with a different conclusion.

"Energy and peace from the waterfalls are taken.

Strength from the volcanoes must not be forsaken.

Lifeforce to our world we choose to return.

For its graces and gifts, we could never earn."

Tae became a dragon once more. Eveline climbed on without fear this time. They soared over the land as one. Gifts of great value had been bestowed by Talonia, but none so great as the deep abiding love they had discovered on their own. Whatever the future demanded of them, they would see it through together. What had been joined would never be parted: beware anyone who tried.