Isaak
Isaak sat on his sofa, his teeth gritted, fists bunched on his knees.
The fight might be over, Bain might be on the terrace, securely bound by the fire hose wrapped around his arms and legs, and Magnus might still be unconscious on the living room floor, but that didn’t mean he could yet find it in himself to relax.
Adrenaline still coursed through his body. The sight of Bain pointing a gun at Josie played over and over again in his mind. If he’d been only a second slower, or if he’d looked away at just the wrong moment...
It’s okay. That didn’t happen. I’m here. I’m safe.
Josie’s voice in his head was like a soothing balm. Her gentle presence by his side calmed him, her warm hand coming to rest on his arm.
I know. Thank God.
And you too, Isaak.
It seemed strange to him, how quickly he had become used to communicating with Josie in this way. It seemed... natural, somehow.
But that didn’t mean he didn’t have a lot of questions about it.
Drawing in a deep breath, he looked up at the young woman sitting across from him.
She was barely more than a girl, really – she looked about nineteen or twenty, but Isaak supposed that looks could be deceiving.
And speaking of deceiving...
How could they know who this woman really was? Sure, she had helped Josie, but after everything that had happened over the past few days, Isaak wasn’t sure how much trust he wanted to place in mysterious strangers.
“So tell me again,” he said, looking the woman in the eye, “who exactly are you?”
If she heard the suspicion in his tone, it didn’t seem to bother her. She grinned. “Like I told you – my name is Darklis, and I’m from the Novak Dragon Clan. I’ve traveled a long way to find you.”
Isaak shook his head. “I don’t understand –”
“I know, I know, it’s a lot to take in,” Darklis said, leaning forward, her green eyes shining. “And... believe me, not all of what I have to tell you is good. But to finally find you! To know that not all of us were wiped out after all... it’s... well, it’s amazing. And I can’t wait for you to meet the others!”
“Others?” It was Josie who spoke up next. “You mean, other dragons?”
Darklis nodded. “Other Novak Clan dragons. You see, Isaak – we’re your family. You’re a Novak. Just like me.”
Isaak blinked. He wanted to say he was surprised, but... her words rang true. Just to look at her, he could see their resemblance to each other. She looked like the sister he might have had, if he’d stayed with his biological parents.
But then, the other words she had spoken came back to him, and he felt a shard of ice enter his heart.
“Wait. Did you say... wiped out?”
Darklis bit her lip, as if she had misspoken. “I... yes. That’s what I said. And... and this is what I meant about not everything I had to tell you being good.” She took a deep breath, looking into her lap. “We Novak dragons... we used to be a powerful clan. There used to be a lot of us, and we had a huge territory in the desert. Our hoard was almost unrivaled.”
“Your... your hoard?” Josie’s voice was quiet. Isaak glanced across at her to find her looking down at the sapphire ring on her finger. After a moment, she held it up. “Do you mean like... a dragon’s hoard of gold and jewels?”
Darklis nodded. “That’s exactly what I mean. A dragon’s hoard is like... well, it’s like a source of energy for the clan. Dragons are connected to their hoard almost the same way they’re connected to their mates. Without it, they lose their powers – sometimes stop being able to shift, even. But coming into contact with it gives them energy, heals their wounds, and makes them even more powerful.”
Isaak stared at the huge sapphire glittering on Josie’s finger. He remembered the way the feeling of power and energy had surged through him when he had touched it, throbbing in his veins like a living thing.
Could that be why? Is the sapphire... part of my hoard?
Perhaps so. But right now, he had other questions.
“If the Novak Clan was so powerful... what happened to them?” he asked. “Where did they go?”
Darklis swallowed, and Isaak saw tears shining in her eyes. Suddenly, he found himself almost overwhelmed by a wave of grief and sadness. “It’s... it’s a long story,” she said at last. “But... dragons aren’t always nice. There’s a lot of things about dragon society that are still pretty... well, medieval, to tell the truth. And blood feuds are one of them.”
“Blood feuds?” Josie’s shocked voice sounded from beside him. “Is that what it sounds like?”
Darklis nodded. “Yes. And that’s what happened to the Novak Clan. Another clan, the Lukich, declared a blood feud against us, and made it their mission to wipe out every last Novak from the face of the earth. And they almost succeeded, too. There’s not many of us left, now.”
Isaak stared at her, numbly shaking his head. “But... but why?”
Darklis’s face distorted in anger. “It was because of a lie the leader of the Lukich told his clan. He claimed that we killed his daughter, but it wasn’t true. We were pushed to the brink of extinction because he was a madman.”
“Is... is this man still their leader?” Josie asked, her voice quiet with shock.
“No!” Darklis said vehemently. “No. Once the truth was uncovered, he couldn’t stay their leader. His clan made sure he saw justice.”
Isaak swallowed, feeling his nails cutting crescents into his palms. “Then... dragons aren’t just monsters?” he asked quietly. “They... we... have laws? Justice?”
Nodding, Darklis leaned forward. “I grew up around dragons, so this all seems... very normal to me,” she admitted. “But I can see how for a dragon who was raised amongst humans...”
Isaak looked up. Which leads me to my next question...
“Why?” he asked. “Why was I raised by humans? How did I... if the Novak Clan was wiped out...”
Darklis shook her head. “I don’t know. I have some guesses, but maybe some of that stuff would be better coming from Stefan and Holly.”
“Stefan and Holly?” Josie asked. “Who’re they, exactly?”
Darklis grinned. “Stefan is my brother, and Holly is his mate. They’re our clan leaders. They should be here soon! I just came first, because I’m the fastest. And once I sensed you might be in some kind of trouble... well, I came as fast as I could!” She looked over to where Bain was still scowling on the terrace. “I just didn’t realize what kind of trouble. Dragon hunters! The Novak are supposed to have a treaty with them.”
Isaak felt his head beginning to spin. Novaks, Lukiches, dragons, dragon hunters...
How much could he take in in one day?
He was jerked out of his thoughts by the sound of massive wings beating the air. Immediately on the alert, he stood, fists by his side, just in time to see an absolutely huge red and gold dragon landing on the terrace. A blonde woman sat astride his back, her golden hair streaming in the wind.
Beside him, he heard Josie gasp. “Is... is that –”
“That’s Stefan and Holly,” Darklis said, laughter in her voice. “They finally got here!”
Isaak stared as the woman – Holly – slid from the dragon’s back and onto the ruins of the terrace. Somehow, he could tell immediately that she was human, even if the fact she had been riding on a dragon’s back rather than simply transforming herself hadn’t told him.
As he watched, the dragon – Stefan – began to shift, his massive scaled body quickly shrinking down and becoming that of a human man.
Once again, Isaak was struck by the family resemblance between himself, Darklis and Stefan. Anyone who looked at them could have told they were related at a glance.
Does he have the answers I’ve been searching for? Isaak wondered, as he walked out onto the terrace to greet them.
“Isaak!” It was Holly who spoke first, her blue eyes lighting up as he emerged from the house. “I can’t believe it – you really are a Novak!” She looked to Josie as she came to stand by his side. “And you must be his mate. It’s so amazing to finally meet you!”
“You know my name?” Isaak asked uncertainly.
Stefan nodded as he walked toward him. “Even though you were only a baby when you were taken to safety, your name was still recorded on the Novak Clan family tree,” he said. “Isaak Novak. We know you. You’re our family.”
Isaak swallowed, not sure what to make of this. “Perhaps... but Nikos and Adriana raised me. They were... I couldn’t have asked for better parents than them.”
Stefan nodded. “That’s true. I wouldn’t ever dream of denying that. And believe me, I am beyond grateful to them for taking you in when the Novak Clan had to go into hiding. Please don’t think this is about denying your adoptive parents.”
Isaak released the breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. He owed everything he was to Nikos and Adriana. He had no intention of no longer thinking of them as his family – his parents – just because it had turned out he was also a dragon.
“I imagine you have a lot of questions,” Holly said, turning her smile to Josie. “And trust me, we’re going to do our best to answer them. But first...”
She turned to look at Stefan as he began making his way over to where Bain lay, his face twisted ferociously, arms and legs still securely bound with the fire hose – the only rope-like material they’d had to hand.
Isaak could see the tense set of Stefan’s shoulders as he walked, the way his fists were balled at his sides. He was clearly furious.
“You,” he said, his voice low and angry. “What’s the meaning of this? The Novak Clan has a treaty with the dragon hunters. You know that. Why did you attack one of us?”
In answer, Bain let out a scornful laugh, before spitting on the ground at Stefan’s feet. “A treaty? That’s what I think of your treaty. You can’t have a treaty with a pack of beasts.”
Isaak frowned as he listened to the fury in Bain’s voice. He wasn’t just angry – he sounded unhinged.
“The Loric Coven signed the treaty,” Stefan said, his voice low and steady. “Have you gone back on it, then? Are we under attack?”
Bain’s mouth twisted. “That treaty was a betrayal by our leaders. We should never have signed it! Never!”
“Then you’re acting outside of your orders,” Stefan said. “Is that what you’re telling me?”
Shaking his head, Bain laughed again. “If I am, then I’m the only sane one left in our coven. Did you really expect me to just accept a treaty with a bunch of slavering animals?”
Isaak watched as Stefan shook his head, as if resigned. “If that’s what you truly think, then it’s not my place to convince you otherwise,” he said, his voice sounding slightly strained. “I’ll leave it to your coven leaders to deal with you.”
For the first time, Isaak saw a hint of fear enter Bain’s expression. “I did what was right – I was defending myself,” he said. “He attacked me first! I only –”
“That’s not true!” Josie’s tone was shocked and indignant. “I was there – I saw everything. Bain was the one who attacked us. And... and he wanted to put some kind of collar on Isaak, to control him or something like that. He said it would give him more power.”
“That’s right,” Darklis said, coming to stand beside Josie in the doorway. “He already had one controlled dragon – I broke the collar myself. He was forcing him to attack Isaak when I arrived.”
Stefan frowned. “Is the dragon all right?”
“I think so,” Josie answered, turning to point to where Magnus lay in the living room, unconscious.
“His mind would have felt a huge amount of pain when I broke the collar,” Darklis said, as Stefan walked by her to kneel down beside Magnus. “But I think he’ll be okay. It would have been better to do it another way, but I had no choice at the time.”
Isaak watched as Holly and Stefan knelt down by Magnus’s side, Holly checking his pulse while Stefan rested a hand on his shoulder.
“I think he’ll be okay,” Stefan said, after a few moments. “I can sense his mind. It’s... it’s damaged, but it’s intact. He may need some help when he comes round. But I won’t wake him right now.”
Despite himself, Isaak felt relieved. He hadn’t wanted to hurt Magnus, which had put him at a disadvantage during their fight. He could tell that the other dragon was being controlled by Bain. He wasn’t acting of his own free will.
Stefan stood, turning to face Isaak again.
“But for now, I want to answer the questions I know you’ll have for me.”
Isaak nodded. “Darklis already told me about the blood feud, and about how the Novak Clan was... wiped out. But how was it that I survived?” He licked his lips. “And are my biological parents still alive?”
Pain flickered across Stefan’s face. “No,” he said, shaking his head slowly. “At least... I don’t think so. The older generation of dragons... they’re all gone now. My parents, my uncle, all of their cousins and mates... there’s none of them left. They were well known to the Lukich, and they tried to fight. They were all killed.”
Intense pain sliced through Isaak’s chest. He was suddenly filled with powerful grief for these people he’d never known, never met...
But they were my clan, he thought. Perhaps he hadn’t known what that meant until today, but still, in his heart, he knew it was true.
These people had been his. And now they were gone.
“But I... I was put up for adoption,” he said softly. Things were beginning to fall into place for him now.
Stefan nodded. “To hide you – to give you a chance to survive the blood feud. Maybe it was only supposed to be temporary, until your parents could come back for you. But clearly, they never got the chance. So you were raised amongst humans, not knowing your true heritage.”
Isaak hadn’t realized he had sat down until he felt the sofa beneath him. Josie was by his side in a second, her hands on his shoulders, her warm, soft breath on his cheek.
Are you okay, Isaak?
It was a long moment before he could answer.
I’m... I’m okay. I just...
It’s all right. I understand. You don’t need to tell me.
Isaak felt a wave of gratefulness was over him. Of course Josie understood.
She’s my mate.
Suddenly, he knew it with a force that was stronger even than before.
She was his. And he was hers. And nothing would ever separate them.
The others, too, seemed to be able to sense that he needed a moment to himself to collect his thoughts.
Isaak wasn’t sure how much time had passed before he looked up again, but when he did, he found Darklis, Holly and Stefan watching him with pensive eyes.
“I can’t imagine what it must be like to find all this out now,” Stefan said slowly. “Believe me... I was overwhelmed enough when I found out Darklis was still alive. For twelve years, I believed I was the only Novak left in the world. I thought I was alone.” He reached over, taking Holly’s hand in his. “But then I found my mate. And after that...”
Isaak took a shaky breath as he looked across at Josie’s beautiful face.
I know the feeling, he thought as he stared into her deep black eyes. Once I found Josie...
“How was it that you survived?” he asked, forcing himself to turn away from Josie and look back at Stefan.
“My mother hid me,” Stefan answered. “She took me to a remote forest, along with some of our hoard. I lived there alone for years. I was old enough to know what I was, and I could still shift since I had the hoard to give me power. But I was alone.”
Isaak frowned. “So... a dragon needs to have contact with its hoard to retain its ability to shift?”
Nodding, Stefan pointed to the ring on Josie’s finger. “That’s right. I’m guessing that’s why you could shift now. And it’s how we knew you were still alive.”
“But how?” Josie asked. “And... and why was my grandmother’s ring part of a dragon’s hoard, exactly?”
“The hoard wants to stay together,” Holly explained. “Once it’s claimed by a dragon clan it... well, it becomes connected to those dragons. I don’t fully understand it myself,” she laughed. “But it’s a mystical bond. Even if the hoard is broken up, as the Novak Clan’s hoard was, it still keeps that bond. So when you, Isaak, claimed your mate...”
Isaak found his mind turning back to the nights he had spent with Josie.
Is that what happened, then? he thought, recalling the way his dragon had risen within him, urging him to crown his mate. I was... I was claiming her?
Holly had turned a little red, but she continued on. “We could sense that you were alive. The hoard knew. And it helped us to find you.”
“Oh,” Josie breathed, as she stared down at the ring. The sapphire glistened, dark blue and beautiful, upon her finger.
“You said it was your grandmother’s,” Holly said. “Do you know where she got it from?”
“No,” Josie replied, shaking her head. “I didn’t even know it was valuable.”
Stefan nodded. “That’s the Blue Moon Sapphire. It’s been in the Novak Clan’s hoard for generations. It’s one of the most powerful jewels of the Novak hoard. Obviously, since it could help Isaak to shift for the first time all by itself.”
“But how can a jewel be powerful?” Josie asked, sounding somewhat bewildered.
Holly laughed. “You’re getting way back into dragon shifter lore there now,” she said. “I’m still researching that. Thankfully, dragons tend to be... a little obsessed with their own history. It means everything gets written down, but it also means there’s a lot of things to look through when you’re trying to find the answer to your question.”
“But then... there are answers, then?” Isaak asked, feeling his hands involuntarily clench into fists. “Answers about my biological parents? About my family? About... about who I am? What I am?”
“Yes.” Holly’s voice was gentle, and she smiled as she spoke. “There’s answers to everything, I promise. Just as soon as you want to know them.”
Isaak closed his eyes, his shoulders sagging. Josie’s hand was on his shoulder, warm and gentle.
I know what I am.
At last, he understood himself.
He understood why he had always felt different from everyone else.
He understood the beast that he had lived with inside him all his life.
It had never been a monster or something to be frightened of.
It had been his dragon, trying to tell him who and what he was – trying to come out and show itself to him.
And he understood his connection to Josie – why it had been that she had spoken directly to his soul, from the very first moment he had laid eyes on her that morning on the dock.
She’s my mate. My precious, perfect mate.
And in the end, Isaak wondered if that wasn’t the only answer he needed.