Ronny watched the crowd. He’d been watching them for an hour, trying his best to get as much information about them as he could, when this little pisser came out of nowhere and tried to rob them. Who the fuck tried to rob someone in broad daylight in a fucking mall?
The mall cops hadn’t any idea what to do, that much was obvious. On top of that, the woman who the kid had tried to rob seemed to have a better handle on things than they did. She was giving orders like she was a cop, not some old broad that had it all. Ronny sat at one of the dining chairs and waited. He was curious to see what happened next.
The men showing up had him moving himself to a table further away from the hoopla. There was something so very still about them, like they had this and a great many other things under control and weren’t going to take any shit. And when one of them picked the chick that had done the deed off the floor and held her, Ronny had a sudden premonition that he was going to be fucked when he got to them.
“You should really back off now, if you know what’s good for you.” Ronny started to turn to the voice and was stopped. He knew that it was either a very strong finger or a gun touching his head. He’d bet anything that it was a large enough gun that he’d never feel it penetrating his skull. “Don’t go messing things up for yourself. If you turn and see me then I will kill you.”
“Who are you?” He told him he was a fan of his. “Really? I had no idea that I’d done something so fan-worthy. Why don’t we have a seat and you can tell me about it?”
“Why don’t you shut the fuck up and listen to me?” Ronny wanted to run more than he wanted to turn, but he sat where he was when he felt something sharp touch his back. A knife too? Who the fuck was this guy? “The world is so different than it was in my time. I couldn’t go out as much as I wanted once people figured out not only who, but what, I was. It prevented me from being social. I don’t even care for being out with people, but when you feel you can’t, then you want it in the worst kind of way, don’t you? But I did find that it wasn’t all that special once I did.”
“What are you? And why would you say you’re a fan of mine? I don’t think I’ve done anything at all that would make people notice me.” The man laughed and Ronny felt his balls tighten up in fear. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“You haven’t done anything right, either. The fact that you think you deserve to find the jewels leads me to believe that you don’t have a working brain cell in your head.” He started to turn to confront the man when the gun to the back of his head became painful. But the blade was gone now, and for that he was thankful. “This is just what I mean. I told you not to turn and here you are thinking that’s all you want to do. Just sit right there and listen to me. Those women there, they each have a piece, did you know that?”
“Yes, I know what pieces they have too. There is an order, and I’ve figured it out.” He asked him if he was brain dead. “No, I’m not. Why the hell do you ask me a question then tell me something like that? I know a great deal about the legend and what it means for these people. There are some that claim there are dragons. Who the fuck believes there are—?”
“There is no set order to them, you moronic fuck. And they are dragons. Every last one of them. They get them when they find the pieces that belong to them. The women, they find the pieces, and then they’re compelled to bring them to the men, that’s how it works. Once there and they’re mated, the dragon will get a bit stronger.” Ronny asked him if he really believed that there was a dragon. “There is. Trust me. I’m just not sure how he fits in all this. I mean, I know that he’s somehow leading them here, but how he’s doing it without being seen is beyond me.”
Well, that made no sense whatsoever. There were dragons? Sure there were. And they were leading people around…women around so that they’d come here with a piece of his jewelry. This was the stupidest conversation he’d ever had. Even beyond what that old fart at his mother’s house had talked about.
“I thought the jewels were to bring riches to the family; I don’t remember seeing anything about a dragon being a part of it. And I’m pretty sure that would be something pretty difficult to hide, don’t you? Damn. That’s some fucked up shit, if you ask me.” The man behind him assured him that he’d not asked. “I think you need to do some more research, buddy. The jewels are always found in a specific order. Ring first, then—”
“Why do you think they failed before?” Ronny said nothing. “They didn’t just let the jewels come to them, they looked for them. In order, or in an order they had in their heads. There is no order.” His voice carried a bit, and two of the men turned and looked in his direction. Ronny started to move on but the man told him to wait. “I have us covered. They see nothing that I don’t want them to see.”
Ronny didn’t move. He no more believed the man behind him than he did that his momma was going to kick him out of their home. What was she going to do if she did that? He knew that she depended on him for certain things. Like he did go and get her medications the other day. Of course he’d been telling her for days that he would, and when she nagged him again, he’d gone to get them. But he had, damn it.
“I want you to do just what I tell you. And if you can manage to not get yourself killed, I will cut you in on the money that comes to the dragons.” Like that was going to happen, and he told the man that. “Then I’ll kill you where you sit and you get nothing at all. I have no use for you other than for you to be a distraction to the dragons. You can either come to help me or you die. You might anyway, but this way you have a goal. Think of it as a worm on the end of a hook.”
“Why do you think I need a partner? You want to find them as much as I do, right? Well, go ahead, see what you can do. I mean, I’ve done really well on my own.” He asked him how many pieces he had. “I’m in no hurry to get them from these people. Where they are, it’s just fine with me. Why try to get what I know is already within my reach?”
“I see. Well, I have one of the pieces. And I will get the rest with or without your help. It’s up to you. You come work for me and I’ll not kill you. Otherwise, I do hope you have that little mom of yours all set up with any insurance you might have.” Ronny asked him what he got out of helping him. As far as Ronny was concerned, his mom could fend for herself. She wasn’t nice to him of late. “I said you’d work for me, not with me. And what do you get besides the ability to keep breathing? How about I give you some cash? A great deal of it.”
“How much is a great deal? I have expenses, you know.” Ronny tried to think what a good amount was in the event this guy asked him. He had no way of judging what he wore to ask for a lot. A man’s clothing said a lot about how much a man had, Ronny thought. “You give me two million right now and I’ll help you…work for you.”
“Done.” Then the man laughed. “You could have asked for ten and I would have paid it. Ten million is nothing compared to what I will have when this is done.” Ronny started cursing, and when the knife or whatever it was jabbed him in the back again, he wanted to turn and tell the man off. But a leather case suddenly appeared in front of him and Ronny bent to pick it up. “I’ll contact you in two days on what you have to do for me. Sit tight and don’t be stupid.”
Ronny didn’t bother looking for the man when the gun and the blade were no longer touching him. He had a feeling that now that he had the man’s bag of cash that he’d be killed before he could spend it. Pulling the tab on the zipper to see what lay inside, he fell back on his ass when he saw the stacks of money.
Closing it back up in the event someone tried to take it from him, Ronny moved to a restaurant in the mall. He was seated and ordering a meal before he got the nerve to open the case again. He was sure it was going to be all one dollar bills with fifties on the top. But as soon as he fanned out a few of the wrapped cash bundles, he started laughing. It really was all real money.
He ate his dinner slowly. Ronny wasn’t much into eating in fancier places of fine dining, but the steak and baked potato were really good. He kept looking in the bag, testing to make sure that each stack was what it appeared to be all through the meal. By the time he was done eating and dessert was on its way, he had figured out that he’d really hit the jackpot.
Whatever this guy wanted him to do, Ronny was sure that he could get more money from him. Two million was a lot of cash, but there had to be more of it. He was just thinking of what he was going to do with his money when the bill came for his meal. Not even looking at it, he pulled three of the top bills out of his bag and left. It was time to start seriously having some fun.
The first thing he wanted to do was get himself his own place. He deserved it. Then he was going to find the next piece to the jewels. If that guy was telling the truth and he had one, then Ronny thought he should as well. It would go a long way, he knew, toward establishing himself as a game changer. Ronny got himself a paper and headed to the only hotel in town. It was well past time for him to make things happen. To hell with the guy who paid him for sitting around and waiting on him to contact him.
~~~
Gabe sat very still. She’d been asked by Dalton not to make any sudden moves when they’d come out here on the deck, and she was trying her best to do just that. But she was too excited to do it much longer. He was going to shift for her.
“I’m not sure what I’ll look like. I don’t even know if I can do it.” Gabe nodded, knowing that he was stalling. “You might be disappointed.”
“I doubt that. Even if you’re only as big as the little ones that came to me that day, I’m not going to be disappointed. Not in you, not ever.” He kissed her. “Come on then. Just change or whatever it’s called.”
She should have known he’d not do anything by half measures. Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, there was a large dragon in front of her. And he was as beautiful as she thought he’d be, too. The really strange part was, she wasn’t the least bit afraid or worried that he’d hurt her.
“Oh Dalton, he’s gorgeous. You’re gorgeous. Don’t move. I want to take your picture.” She picked up her cell phone and started taking pictures as she described him. “Emma said that you’d have blue on you somewhere. You’re all blue. Your eyes are as blue as the oceans. I’ve never seen a blue like the blue of your body, and your scales are opaque. I bet if you were to stand next to a tree or something you’d not even be visible. And you’re hot, like oven hot. I can feel it even from here.”
I’d like to fly. Would you enjoy coming with me? She told him not this time. Don’t you trust that I won’t drop you?
“It’s not that. Okay, maybe just a little. But I want you to be free in this. Your first time shouldn’t be with you worrying about me.” She sat down and waved him off. “Go. Take to the skies so that I can see you.”
His body was made for being upward. As soon as he took to the sky, just moving his wings a few times to be lifted up, she was jealous that she couldn’t join him. Be right up there with him when he did the most breathtaking moves, almost as if he’d been born to it. In a way, she supposed, he had been.
He was having fun, she could see that. Gabe knew that he’d be good at his first flight. Dalton was good at everything he did. But seeing him there, high above the house, she was thrilled for him. It was a sight to see, one that she had never thought to see in her lifetime. A dragon in the sky. And as she was watching, two more dragons joined him, then a third. The brothers had come to play, it seemed.
She should have known that the wives would show up as well. And for as much as she’d hated hospital functions before, she loved these women as much as she did anyone. When Aisha joined them as well, Gabe asked if they wanted to stay for dinner.
“Of course. I’ve already taken it upon myself to help you out as well. What with Dalton cooking all the time now and you working a great deal helping Kenton, I’ve gone ahead and hired you a cook.” Gabe thanked her. “I thought you’d put up a fuss. I’m sort of disappointed, actually.”
“No. I knew that we should have one coming in. But like you said, it’s been a little hectic around here. Also, if you know of a good housekeeper, that would be great too. I’m a slob when I get home from work.” Emma said that she knew a couple of women that were looking for work. “Great. I should have asked sooner. I want to not be exhausted trying to keep up. This house is more than I ever hoped for.”
As they watched the men flying—not too high…they didn’t want to attract any kind of attention—she thought of something else. She hated to bring it up now, they were so enjoying themselves, but she needed to know.
“The other day, when you were with me in the studio, I pulled your dragon. Have any of you tried to do it again? I mean, I hope I’m not the only one that can do it.” Harper said that she’d tried to pull her own, but it didn’t move. “It might be because it’s yours. I don’t know. But we can try now if you want. All I did was just think of them, and there they were.”
Emma put out her hand and touched the dragon that was on Harper. She knew that it would rise up to press against her fingers if she touched her, and Gabe thought it was kind of weird that she could also feel its thoughts when she had touched Grady’s arm later that day.
“Wait.” They all turned to Jasmine. “I want to test this, I really do, but they’re flying. Grady is too. What if we pull the little one from him and Grady falls? Or any of them, for that matter?”
Emma snatched her hand back so quickly it was almost comical. “I don’t want any one of them hurt. I agree. Until we know what it does, we’ll just wait until they land.”
After that they talked about the charity ball that was coming up in two weeks while waiting for the men to come join them. It was nice, really, having them all sitting around like old friends, Gabe thought. Aisha lit up when Gabe asked her how things were going, since it was so close to the final days of it. She told her that things were going wonderfully. Gabe, like the other women, could hear the pride in her voice.
“You should see the things we have had donated already. Expensive things too. One of the companies that we contacted donated dinner for four at their restaurant. And Gavin, oh my, he’s been such a wonderful help. I think it’s the way he can look things up on the computer, but he has given me so many ideas.” Gabe told her that if she thought of anything she could do to help out as well, just to let her know. “Oh yes. I need some help with getting the tables set up. If you could help me with that, I’d be ever so grateful. We started out with just about ten tables of ten, and now, with all the new things we’re offering, we’ve exceeded our expectations by nearly four times that amount. I’ve had to rent a bigger hall and order so much food. It’s going to be wonderfully successful. Just in table sales alone, we’ve made well over a million dollars. We also could use some help with picking some of the other things up. There are companies that have no way of getting some of the heavier things to the hall.”
Emma said that she’d get some of the pack to help out. Perhaps, she thought, they could have a nice cookout to kick things off. Aisha thought it was a wonderful idea and started writing things down to remember. Gabe was pretty proud of her. The woman could move mountains if she set her mind to it, she thought.
“I went to one at the hospital a few years ago. It was the most boring night I’ve ever had,” Gabe told them. “There were casino like tables that no one knew how to run. They ended up just closing them down about half way through the night. Some kind of silent auction, but there were only things like scrubs and a gift card to a shoe place. Very lame. The larger auction during dinner was such a flop too. They had such high minimum bids on things that no one wanted to bid. However, I did get a really good deal on a massage package, but I never used it. The place was a dive, and about a week after I tossed the certificate in the trash, the place was raided for drugs.” She laughed. “The only good thing about the dinner was the open bar. I think they actually lost money on that. Come to think of it, after that, I heard that the bar was cash only. That could explain why no one went.”
“We’ve had a couple of people say they would donate their time to run the bar. It’s cash only, but reasonable. Wine and beer mostly. And soft drinks. We decided that since we had all the water bottles donated too, we’d just give them to people who wanted them.” Aisha grinned as she continued. “I think, since most of the people coming are close, we might not have too much in the way of drunks on the road afterwards. And there is the taxi service that is willing to take them home should they become too…too loose, I guess you could call it.”
After the men had had enough, they all stood in the yard to see about the dragons, and how to call them forth. They knew that the little dragons wouldn’t come out for simply no reason…Gabe had tried calling to one of them when she’d been at home alone one day just to see if she could do it again. But this was different. This was a test. As Grady and Harper were standing side by side, Gabe stood up first.
“I’m actually kind of nervous. What if it comes out thinking that there is trouble and kills us all?” Kenton told her she had a very scary mind. “You won’t think so if that thing comes here and burns your ass off.”
“Okay, you have a point.” Kenton looked at her. “What do we do? I mean, I know you just had to ask for help, but we don’t really need it. And like you said, we don’t want to become human tartare either. How is it you did it when you needed them?”
She was slightly embarrassed. “I said, ‘Come to me, my babies.’ I don’t know if that worked—”
They were there, the two of them as they had been before. The larger of the two bowed to her, then to Kenton. But for him, he didn’t rise. The female flew up and landed on her shoulder.
The dragon wasn’t heavy, not like Gabe thought she’d be. Her body was longer than she remembered. But at the time, she’d been more focused on the men trying to kill them than how the dragons looked. It was the strangest thing that she’d ever had happen to her in all her life, to have dragons standing before her.
You have questions? Kenton nodded and asked the dragon to rise. I cannot, my lord. I must keep my head lower than your knees. Perhaps if you were to sit, then I could stand to talk to you. Even though you have asked me to rise, you are forever my lord, and I cannot show you any disrespect.
“All right. I can understand that. But should you ever have the need to talk to me about something important, I do hope you will forgo the protocol and just speak to me. I don’t want my family to be harmed while I have to get you to stand and tell me.” The dragon said that he would do that. “Good. All right, let’s settle so we can talk. I’m assuming that since you are speaking to me through our contact, the others can hear you as well?”
I can make it so. Kenton nodded and she knew when the others could hear as well. But if I need to speak to you alone, sir, then it will be just the two of us.
When all of them were seated, the female stood between her and Dalton. She never spoke, but did watch the rest of them like she was protecting her Gabe from them. Gabe wasn’t sure if she should or not, but she put her hand on the dragon’s back and ran her finger down her length to her tail. She jerked her hand back when something pricked her skin.
You have marked us both, my lady. Gabe asked her what she meant. By sharing your blood with me, we will be better equipped to speak. I belong to no one but you, my mistress.
“Shouldn’t that be Emma?” The female looked at Emma then back at her, asking why her. “I don’t know. She’s the queen, from what I understand.”
Nay, she is not. She is the first mate of the eldest, but the queen is yonder. They all turned to Aisha. She is the queen of us all, of all dragons.
“Oh no, I can’t be queen. I can’t even talk to Caelin. I can’t be queen.” The female flew to Aisha and bowed her head. Then before anyone could guess her intent, she dug her claws into her arm. The scream from her had them all jumping up. “I’m not hurt. I was…it just startled me. I swear, I’m not hurt at all.”
There was a small mark, no bigger than an inch, on her arm. But as they watched it heal over, it changed. The dragons, two of them circling her upper arm, seemed to resemble the black and white symbol of yin and yang.
“What’s your name?” The female turned to Emma when she spoke. “Both of you, I’m sure you have them; what are your names? We’d very much like to call you something besides little dragon and big one.”
I am Roderick, male to the female dragon holder. My mate, she is Lyna, and the counterpart to the male holder. Grady asked why they were not male to male. A balance, my lord. There must forever be a balance for dragons. Same with yourself. Female to our males. It is what makes us stronger.
They went around the circle and introduced themselves, each of them telling the pair their mates as well as the jewelry they had. The dragons seemed to understand how the pieces worked, so they didn’t have to explain that part. Dalton told them the ones of the family that were missing.
Vance. Roderick stood up straighter as Dalton nodded. He is away much. We will talk later, I am sure.
“All right. How did you know that he was missing and his name?” He told Dalton that Roderick and his mate lived with them, so they could hear all manner of things. “Okay, I guess you do. But you…you know our voices, but not who we are. I get it.”
We can hear many things, as I have said, but much is…. It’s all very strange to us. It is the first time we have been awakened in more years than I can remember. The lady queen, Prisane, she put us to sleep when the necklace was broken. No one has been able to awaken us since.
No one said a word. The implications of what he was saying, that no one had gotten as far as they had, was terrifying. Gabe had heard the story about the jewels, the queen, and the dragon, but to think that they were the first to come this far…? Well, she felt sorry for all the lost souls before them and all that they had lost.
You wish for us to show you what we can help you with? Gabe explained what they were doing. You need only to think of us to have us come to your aid. But with Lady Gabriela, we can do more.
“Why?” She felt her face heat up. “I don’t understand why I’m so different than them. I mean, they’ve been here longer than me. Shouldn’t one of them be able to have all of you?”
You have called us first. It is only fair that we should help you more. She understood the reasons, but that didn’t mean she had to be happy about it. Shall we show you?
“Yes, please. What is it you can do for us?” She watched him nod and knew that he understood that she was as nervous about this as she was excited. She didn’t want special treatment, and she was pretty sure he got that too. “When I called you before, you took care of men that were going to kill us. What did you do?”
We killed them. They’re dead, as you know, but we also made sure that there was nothing that would come back to haunt you. He looked at Lyna. I believe that is the correct wording. Am I right? At her nod, he turned back to Gabe. We are here for you, and for all McCades.
“But the others, they can call you?” He said that was also correct. “Good. I’d hate to think that when they need you, they have to go through me. So, if you’re ready, you can show us what you can do to help us.”
They took to the sky, not far from them, but close enough that they could see them. First Lyna turned red, the trail she was making getting longer and longer as she flew until it became a circle. Then as she turned white hot, Roderick joined her. His red joined her white, the flames merging together to make a beautiful display of color and heat. Gabe had never seen anything so beautiful yet terrifying in her entire life.
“They’re heating up. See? They’re molten hot.” And they were. So much so that they were no longer blending in colors, but white. She supposed as dragons they could get as hot as they wanted, but it was still a sight to behold. “Watch.”
Separating, they flew to the tree line, the two of them still as hot as they’d been as a whole. Each of them then hit a tree. They were so hot that they bore right through the trunk of several trees without any more effort than it took them to fly. The trees, smoking from the damage done to them, didn’t burn but smoldered slightly. This went on for several seconds. They would fly to the sky, heat up, and then return to the earth to take out even the smallest of the dead fall. The trek to the sky had them turning in the opposite direction; their bodies, Gabe knew, were cooling down
By the time they returned to them, they were still hot, a blue flame now, and cooled even more as they moved their wings back and forth, seemingly reducing their temperature. The trees, amazingly, didn’t fall, but she knew that they would soon enough. Gabe was glad to see that they’d not harmed any of the living trees, only the dead.
“Had that been a human, I’m assuming like the men that you took care of at the studio, they would have incinerated.” Roderick nodded and bowed again. “You killed them by running through them and they just disappeared. That explains the ash in the room. It wasn’t from a vampire, as we assumed, but from their bodies.”
We did not want to leave a trace for others to find. And there are others, as I’m sure you are aware of. Kenton nodded. Then he asked what they could do for Gabe. She must ask us, my lord. I know that you are the ruler here and to all dragons, but as I said, she called upon us. We will serve her and the rest, but she can call on all our powers and share them with the rest of you. But be warned, once you have been given them, there is no way to rid yourself of them. They are as permanent as we are to our hosts.
Kenton looked at her, giving her permission, she supposed, to do whatever it took to bring whatever powers they had to all of them. While it was a good plan, she did notice that no one bothered to ask what it was they were going to receive. She supposed, in a way, none of them wanted to know. It was too…well, scary.
“I’m thinking, like the rest are I’m sure, that we need all the help we can get. Am I right in assuming that this is going to be helpful and not harm us in any way?” Lyna told her that it would never be painful to the McCade dragons. “All right then. Let’s do this. Show them.”
Roderick nodded when Lyna turned to him. Then they took to the sky again. They were higher this time, their trails getting hotter as they flew as one. When they began chasing each other faster and faster, she could not make out one from the other. It wasn’t long until they seemed to be a blue blur that formed into a circle. Just as she was going to ask what sort of magic that was, they became one.
“Christ.” Gabe didn’t know who spoke, but she was pretty sure it was exactly the right thing to say at that moment. No one moved as the dragon flew to the ground.
He was much larger than the two single dragons would have been standing side by side. His wings spread out and the heat from him seemed to touch each of them. Then he turned his head and a white hot flame spilled from his mouth, scorching everything for at least the length of a football field. He looked back at her.
My name is Anton; I am here to serve. When we are as one, as you see before you, we are more powerful than any manmade weapon known to your world. You will come before us, my lady? You and your mate? Gabe had no idea why, but she thought that she could trust him not to harm them. We will not harm you. ‘Tis not possible for us to do so. Your life, and those of every McCade for all generations, will come before ours.
As she got up, taking Dalton’s hand in hers when he rose with her, they stood to the other side of the large dragon and waited. He told them once again that they’d never be harmed. When he asked if they were ready, they nodded. Then the flame hit them…and both her and Dalton were engulfed in the white flame of the dragon.