CHAPTER 33
~ Brass Tacks and New Alliances ~
“It’s a lot to digest in one go,” Logan Montgomery admits with that slow western drawl which probably appeals to many women, but Callie knows she’d quickly grow impatient with the man’s seemingly laid back attitude and country mannerisms. After five incredibly intense hours of training to fight with weapons and magick, Callie doesn’t have a great deal of patience for heaps of minutiae nor for the Beast Realm Alpha’s apparent indolence when she’d much rather be spending time with her child and her mates.
Not that the Alpha of the Beast Realm is a negligent or lazy man. Nope, the laid back cowboy routine is just that, a routine. In fact, the opposite is true. Logan Montgomery is most certainly a type A personality who expects everyone around him to function at the same level. His speech and mannerisms, while appearing laid back on the surface, belong to a powerful male who is supremely confident in his own abilities to get any job done with a minimum of effort. He is also a male who is comfortable in the belief that anyone below him will succeed at any task he sets before them just because he expects it of them.
Callie closes the file she has been reading and lays it upon the tall stack of files before her and then she looks back at the computer screen. Wow, who knew Kazar had such hidden talents? It turns out the male is a computer geek. He easily set up a safe way for Callie to conference with anyone via Skype without fear of the signal being traced back to their location. Her vampire had started to explain how he had set up a network of randomly alternating servers throughout the world, and setting up dummy IP’s, and lots of other things Callie is utterly clueless about, when the very wise, ancient Egyptian realized all of this clever work, while appreciated, was totally going over Callie’s head.
Callie’s saturated gray matter is rattled a bit when she realizes the Alpha just asked her a question and she was lost in thought of her loved ones. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”
Logan chuckles. “Yep, it seems you have reached your limit for one day.” The handsome male with the tawny hair smiles a smile that no doubt makes Mara’s panties drop in a nanosecond before apologizing. “I was simply so impressed at how well you were taking this all in and comprehending the complex structures of mixed shifter societies that I am afraid I got a bit carried away.” This smile is a bit less sexy and bit more self-deprecating. “I honestly planned to stop before we covered even half of the material we have already dealt with today.”
“Good to know,” Callie says with a tired smile. “I was afraid my capacity for grasping this stuff was sub-par or something.”
“Nope. Nothing sub-par about you, Callie Boyd. I got a feelin’ once you get your feet under you, you are gonna make one helluva a queen.” He grins broadly and confesses; “I, for one, will be damn glad when the day comes I can hand all of this off to you and your court of kick-ass lady dragons.”
Callie blushes and laughs softly. “From your lips to God’s ear, my friend.”
“Do you have any questions, your majesty?”
“Ugh! Drop the honorifics! I despise them, truly.” The Alpha simply nods. “But yes, I do have a question.” She reaches over to pat the tall stack of files before her. Val had flashed out to New Mexico to retrieve the two cases of documents which Logan insisted Callie would need to familiarize herself with before re-opening the Queen’s Door and meeting her eager subjects. Sadly, during this three hour conference call, they have only worked their way through a third of the first box. Obviously, there are many more Skype conferences with the Beast Realm Alpha in Callie’s future. “Have all of these groups sworn fealty to the Beast Realm?”
“Not all,” Logan admits with a slight shake of his head. “Many are valued allies. They’ll back our play in nearly any circumstance, but have no desire to be ruled by an outside force.”
“Hmmm,” Callie says thoughtfully. “And just how exactly do they expect that relationship to continue once all of the Dragon Queens are awakened?” She sits up a bit in her chair. “I mean, historically speaking, monarchies are not known for allowing their subjects, those expecting to be protected by the crown, to simply align themselves with the rulers as it suits them. They tend to expect direct fealty.”
Logan chuckles dryly. “That is true. And I will be the first to admit, your majesty, that five awakened dragon queens will constitute a whole new can of worms for the mixed shifter and magickal clans in the human realm.” He leans back in his massive leather office chair before staring at Callie long and hard for several tense moments. “However, I do not believe you will allow the Western Dragon Péntearchy to rule as was common practice before the Dark Ages. Surely, you too realize the days of all powerful warlords and fiefdoms have long passed.” When Callie simply snorts noncommittally, Logan smiles knowingly.
“Your various incarnations have taught you a great deal about different cultures, loyalty, betrayal, and various styles of rule…” Callie nods to encourage Logan to continue. “And in this life time you are a modern American woman… One whom I was given to understand majored in Ancient World History, of all things.” Again Callie nods as she wonders where he is going with this line of thought. “And I have it on very good authority that the other four queens will all be found in this area as well, so it is reasonable to assume you five ladies are likely going to be very likeminded and forward thinking.” Logan shrugs as though it should be obvious. “New age, new type of kingdom, and new rulers.”
Now, it is Callie who leans back onto her not so comfortable chair and looks thoughtfully at Logan Montgomery’s face on the laptop screen. “So, you are basically telling me it will be up to the Dragon Queens to shape what type of ruling body we will become as we move forward?”
“Mara and I have worked hard to create the foundations for a governing body which guards knowledge of the supernatural from the mundane world, while it meets the needs of its subjects and allies. We have tried to do this without going back to the bad old days where subjects were bound to their rulers by blood oaths and had little say in their own destinies.”
Callie suppresses her smile when Logan straightens his shoulders and leans into his computer’s camera in what could be construed as a domineering manner. This is a man who is accustomed to being heard and respected – at all times. Her smile widens because so far, she agrees with everything Logan is saying but finds it highly entertaining that he feels the need to play the Alpha card simply because she posed a few simple questions.
“Those ancient and corrupt styles of governance will not save the outcast shifter races or individuals, nor will it promote peaceful growth.” He smiles coldly at Callie and she’s well aware that many likely falter under such a look, but even without an awakened dragon spirit, Callie would have met Logan Montgomery head on in this moment. “I think that you and the other queens would have to be utter idiots to even imagine that modeling your rule after the ancient Dragon Queens would lead to anything but complete and bloody disaster.”
“Indeed. I heartily agree.” Callie intones airily before reaching for her coffee mug. She can’t help her wide smile when the Alpha visibly relaxes. “We shall endeavor to learn from our predecessors’ mistakes.”
And the job ahead of Callie and the other queens is daunting. The pair have been reading over files and discussing the fifty odd clans of mix breed shifters that have sworn allegiance or formed an alliance to the Beast Realm in the last ten years, and Callie finds the vast scope of the job ahead of her thought provoking, but certainly worth doing everything possible to do it right from the very beginning. The only comfort she finds is in the fact that Logan and Mara will not actually step aside until all five queens have been awakened and have come into their full powers.
That knowledge should sooth Callie’s concerns, but Logan has repeatedly reminded Callie that she needs to present herself as the High Queen in Teleióti̱ta, the Dragon Homeworld, sooner rather than later. The clans need to see her for themselves, instead of just hearing a few rumors here and there. With Nyx’s bad seeds and their supporters working at cross purposes to every established immortal ruling body in the human world, things will surely get much worse before they get better. Callie understands Logan’s position on this, and even agrees with it, but that doesn’t mean she’s eager to jump in ass deep in a tank filled with alligators. Logan chuckles when she literally says as much.
“Don’t you think I should eliminate Dysnomia from the equation before I gather everyone at the Queen’s Door?”
Logan emphatically shakes his head and leans forward. “Callie, I understand that you want to take the fight to Dysnomia. Under normal circumstances, I would agree. In your shoes, I’d be out for blood, as I am sure you are. But let me tell you something, my mate investigated Nyx for many years before we managed to capture her on the Assyllian Plain. Do you understand why we had to draw the Queen Bitch to us instead of going to her?” Callie simply shakes her head no. “Because Mara could not find Nyx, just as we cannot find Dysnomia and her horde today. Mara has long believed that Nyx and her vile brats have created their own homeworld, probably in a dimension of their own creation. One hidden to all but their closest allies. These are gods and goddesses we are talking about here. You just do not understand the kind of power they can wield.”
“But…”
“No buts about it, your majesty. You will be, hell, you already are, a true bad ass as Dragon Queen, but trying to take this fight to Dysnomia, her goddess bitch of a mother, and the rest of her vile kin before you have all of your ducks in a row is a mistake. Possibly a fatal misstep. Establish your own stronghold. Gather your allies, develop your abilities, and by all means be ready to bite that cunt Dysnomia’s head off when she finally shows up! Got me? She will be back to take another swipe at you and yours. You’ve just got to be ready for her and take her down.”
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Callie’s swollen, irritated eyes squint in the light over the kitchen sink before glancing over at the stove’s clock. She sighs softly when she sees that it is only half past two. Despite her exhaustive training today and some truly memorable and sweet loving from her mates, Callie finds that she cannot sleep. Her mind simply will not shut down. Logan’s advice and Morrígan’s repeated admonitions to work harder so that she will be prepared to take Dysnomia out are running through Callie’s mind on an endless loop.
But the real kicker was those damned photographs in the files sent over by the Beast Realm Alpha. Callie sighs and plants her hands on either side of the sink and stares off into the dark night outside the farmhouse. Image after image of the devastation facing earth bound supes and the poor humans who had simply gotten caught up in the supernatural unrest is truly more than Callie can process. So many graphic and grisly photos that had been taken after every single massacre unleashed on helpless humans and mixed heritage shifter/immortal groups across the Americas. If nothing else convinces Callie that Nyx and her vile offspring need to die, it was those fucking pictures of slaughtered females and children. Victims who had obviously been violated, fed upon and then savagely murdered. Males who had died defending loved ones and territory. But these males were often not even allowed the dignity of an honorable death on a battlefield. Oh hell no, Dysnomia’s blood hordes apparently likes to take prisoners. Males, females, and even children. Captured and used for food and entertainment. Later, the bodies would be found, boldly displayed for maximum shock factor. No doubt, the primary goal of such gruesome exhibitions is to tie up the resources of enforcer bands like the Twin Ravens MC who work tirelessly to guard paranormal secrets and protect humans from dangers they cannot even fathom.
Callie’s stomach flops as she recalls the obvious signs of torture and mutilation. She honestly had to stop reading the forensic files on the victims, in a futile attempt to salvage a small portion of her own peace of mind. But that doesn’t mean seeing those images, and the cold, clinical words in those reports, did not leave an indelible mark on Callie’s psyche. Her futile horror over the senseless bloodshed and suffering has her dragon spirit rocking at a dark simmer. Ready in an instant to boil over, to explode and take the blood horde and its leaders straight to hell… any of the hells. Just so long as the evil doers suffer for their crimes against the innocent. Amid all this futile dragon rage, her human mind wonders how the mundanes have remained so blissfully unaware of the bloody war raging right under their noses.
Exhaling slowly, she looks at the clock to realize almost forty-five minutes have passed. Nearly an hour, and she has done nothing but stand here at the sink of her temporary home to stew and torment herself with atrocities which she cannot undo. A dire threat which she doesn’t yet have the knowledge nor skills to neutralize. Without any further thought, Callie fills an ancient kettle with water before lighting a burner. Once the water is heating, Callie trudges into the tiny parlor where Kazar had set up her makeshift office. She gathers up her laptop, and the boxes of files to return to the kitchen. Making a cup of tea, she sets up a temporary work station at the old formica table and sets to work. Surely, between the information amassed in these files, and perhaps some searching on what Logan referred to as the supernatural dark web, surely, she can find some information to help bring Dysnomia’s reign of terror to an end?
Three hours later, Kazar found her at the kitchen table, drowning in the darkness that is Dysnomia and her blood horde. Without uttering a single word of the obvious reproach and worry Callie sees in her lover’s eyes, he scoops her up and carries her to their bed. Once there, he helped her enter a deep meditative state, where her mind and body could finally find some rest. Eventually, soothing, healing sleep overtake her traumatized mind.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Shortly after noon the next day, Nyle is gently shaking Callie awake. “Aingeal mine, wakey, wakey. You have visitors and our daughter is tired of her Daddies and wants Mama.”
Slowly, Callie arises from the sweet embrace of her healing sleep to smile at her beloved wolf. “Hey there, my wolf,” she murmurs before stretching languidly as she squints at the bright sunlight filling the bedroom. “What time is it?”
Nyle laughs and replies; “Just a bit after noon.” When she shoots up in the bed with a frustrated expression on her face, Nyle simply smirks in return. “Yeah, don’t even think about bitching at us for allowing you to sleep in. Kazar told me about your midnight foray into the horrors of the Dark One’s minions. You needed that time in meditation and sleep.” He smiles sadly. “The mind can only process so much without shutting down or going batshit crazy.” He chuckles. “Kazar said you needed to reboot your heart and mind.”
“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Callie admits sheepishly. Leaning over to plant a chaste peck upon the lips of her lover and mate, she smiles sweetly. “You mentioned visitors?”
“Oh yeah,” Nyle replies with an evasive air. “Special visitors.” Callie clambers out of bed and giggles when Nyle lands a playful smack on her boy short covered behind. “Hit the shower, little dragon, and I will have lunch ready when you get out.” After delivering another chaste kiss, her ginger biker strides out of their bedroom like a man on a mission.
Joining everyone in the kitchen about fifteen minutes later, Callie is delighted to find her friend Susie, of all people, helping Nyle prepare food in the farmhouse’s outdated kitchen. “Susie Q!” After greeting each other as though they had not seen each other in weeks or months, instead of only a matter of days, Callie demands; “How did you talk Blood into allowing you to come to our ‘Safe House’?”
Susie giggles sweetly and casts a secretive look at Valgullveig who is happily sitting at the tiny kitchen table with a content Clara sleeping in her arms. “Let’s just say that I am persistent when I really want something, and I am wise enough to garner support from those who can help me achieve my goals.”
Val smiles widely and inserts; “She means she played me like a finely tuned violin.” She rises gracefully to her feet. “Once she got me, the Raven, and Glory on her side, poor old Blood didn’t stand a chance. Besides, her reasons for wanting to come are valid. You need an assistant. Susie has a bit of time on her hands and is more than capable of helping out.” She looks down at the sleeping child in her arms. “I’m going to put this little angel down for her nap, and then I will return to enjoy some of that delicious food they are preparing.”
That is when Callie actually notices the quiet female with the dark hair, dark eyes, and an unmistakable aura of power who is washing pots and pans, of all things, at the kitchen sink. The woman senses Callie watching her, so she halts her to work to smile serenely before drying her hands on a small dish towel. Crossing the room, the stranger offers her hand in greeting. “Call me Nox, and welcome to Lightning Ridge, your majesty.”
Callie nods respectfully and blabbers; “Am I supposed to curtsey?”
Morrígan snorts. “Nay, dearie. Nox may be older than dirt and truly badass, but she’s modernized along with the rest of us.” She chuckles and eyes Callie speculatively before inquiring; “What gives, Callie? You did not seem to be this flummoxed when you met Val. She is a goddess too, you know?”
“Uh… I don’t know. Nox just feels… different.”
Val picks that moment reenter the kitchen. “Of course, she does. Nox is much older and more powerful than me. I’m honestly little more than a glorified Vanir witch. Whereas Nox and her twin were born shortly after the Roman pantheon came into existence.”
Callie gratefully accepts the cup of coffee offered to her by Susie and takes a sip before asking; “But if you are so old and powerful, how come I’ve never heard of you?” Callie blushes and looks down at her cup. “I mean, I majored in Ancient World History. And I made a point of taking a lot of classes which covered the classics. Greek and Roman myths were front and center in my studies. And I read… a lot. But I do not recall a goddess named Nox Fortuna. Simply Nox, the goddess of night. But I had assumed that was just another name for Nyx.”
“Nox is simply another of Nyx’s names,” Kazar supplies. “She is one of those deities who was worshipped by both the ancient Greeks and Romans – but she is a primordial being who came into power long before either pantheon.” He smiles over at Nox. “However, Nox Fortuna and her twin, Atrox Fortuna, are the secret bastard offspring of Jupiter and Minerva. For obvious reasons, namely a rather vindictive goddess wife in the form of one seriously pissed off Juno, The Sisters of Fortune have spent most of their very long lives living separate to the Roman pantheon.”
“Oh, that’s not confusing or anything,” Susie says with a smile. “You know, I thought all along that the Romans simply co-opted the Greek gods, gave them new names and made them their own. But since hanging around the TRMC, I’ve learned that isn’t always the case. I’ve actually met Ares and Mars. Gods of war whom the human world believe were the same mythological being.”
Callie smiles and shakes her head. “This is all more than I have the energy to wrap my head around right now.”
Nyle places a plate on the table and tells Callie to sit and eat, before inviting the other females to sit, eat, or simply relax. “Since the princess is down for nappy time, Kazar and I are going to the barn to work out.” He smiles at Nox before saying “Thank you again, goddess, for setting up the nursery and the workout area in the barn. We are grateful to find haven in your realm.”
“I was honored to give shelter to Ruathar Bànrigh and her consort sentinels,” Nox says without even a hint of conceit. “I will also be honored to support Callie in any way that I can so that she can destroy Dysnomia.”
“So, you’ve seen it then? Callie will overcome Dysnomia?” Nyle asks, sounding rather urgent.
“My sister and I see many, many different paths for Destiny, with a multitude of possible outcomes. However, in this situation, almost all of these paths end in Dysnomia’s well deserved demise. As you know, free will always plays a starring role as fate unfolds. That is why it has taken all these centuries for Callie to finally be born into an incarnation which is fully prepared to take over the reign of the modern shifter kind. There are many choices to be made in the days, weeks, and possibly even months ahead. Decisions which will affect the outcome and timing of Dysnomia’s downfall. It will happen, but we must hope it happens without too much bloodshed and tragedy.”
“Amen,” Susie breathes solemnly. “I got drunk with Gin one night after Odin took her up into the Tree of Life. Some of the possible outcomes for the fate of man and immortal alike are truly too horrible for a mere human like me to even contemplate.” She smiles wanly. “Man, am I glad I am just a simple mortal girl instead of a newly incarnated dragon queen.”
Morrígan and Val both shuffle awkwardly and exchange puzzling glances before the blond goddess mutters, “Yes, well, no one should ever discount their importance in destiny.” She reaches over to pat Susie’s hand resting on the table. “Stop putting yourself down and assuming you are not important. Everyone has a role to play.” Callie is left to contemplate Valgullveig’s vague words and the knowing looks exchanged by her mates before they left the house for their work out.
Nox Fortuna, the Roman goddess of fortune and protection, lifts her coffee mug in a salute. “To lasting alliances and the downfall of true evil.”
“To lasting alliances and the downfall of true evil,” the others intone. Oddly, Callie feels as though she has just struck one of the wisest bargains in history with those simple words.