A batch of heart-shaped cookies stirs the imagination of the dragonlings and their friends when Carmen shares a magical tale of love. It will take a very special Valentine, a few mischievous dragonlings, their best friends, some clueless warriors, and two enchanting Goddesses to help a lonely woman find the dragon who loves her.

 

Love is in the air and not even the mighty warriors of the Valdier, Curizan, and Sarafin are immune to the power of celebrating their feelings for the women who have changed their lives. Hearts, glue, and glitter abound when the warriors help the dragonlings on their quest to assist Cupid in this delightful tale of love, hope, and happiness.

Chapter 1

“Mommy, can I have a cookie?” Phoenix asked, peeking above the table after she crawled up onto one of the chairs to see what her mom was doing.

Carmen turned a soft, loving gaze to Phoenix and nodded. “Yes, but just one, I don’t want it to spoil your lunch,” she said with a smile.

Phoenix scowled and shook her head. “I can eats lots of cookies and still eats lunch. My dragon is always hungry,” she replied with a serious expression. “Did you makes hearts? I love hearts!”

“I know you like hearts, that’s one reason I made them in this shape,” Carmen chuckled and tapped Phoenix’s nose with a fingertip covered in frosting. “Oh my, you have red frosting on your nose!”

“Frosting? Is that the yummy sweet stuff?” Creon growled, stepping into the kitchen and sniffing in appreciation before looking at Phoenix when she turned her head and grinned up at him. “I think I need to lick that off!”

Phoenix’s eyes widened and she released a squeal of laughter when her dad came at her with his hands up, growling like he was going to eat her up. She slid off the chair and took off for the living room with Creon playfully snarling and chasing her. Carmen laughed when she heard Spring’s dragon’s delighted roar when she came to help protect her sister from the Daddy-monster.

Carmen smiled and shook her head, enjoying the sounds of giggles and deep masculine laughter coming from the other room. She refocused on decorating the cookies. She added the words ‘Be mine’ on one of them.

She shook her head and her lips twitched when she heard Creon’s startled howl of pain. Spring must have been successful in sneaking past his defenses. Her dragon was teething and Creon was her favorite chew toy at the moment.

Carmen glanced up when she saw Creon walk back into the kitchen, rubbing his ear. She raised an eyebrow at Creon as she picked up the cookie she had just finished and placed it on the rack for the icing to set. Warmth filled her when he walked up behind her and slid his arms around her waist before resting his chin on her shoulder.

“I hope you told Spring that she isn’t supposed to bite,” Carmen murmured, picking up the next cookie and placing it on the rack with the others.

“Of course – not,” Creon replied. “I had Phoenix trapped and Spring wanted to protect her sister. Besides, she didn’t bite me all that hard.”

Carmen tilted her head back and glanced at his ear. “You’re bleeding,” she stated. “Baby dragons have very sharp teeth. It doesn’t matter if she bites hard or not, it is going to draw blood.”

Creon reached up and touched his ear. He scowled when he looked at his fingers and saw the tiny smear of blood. He released Carmen and walked over to the sink. He dampened a disposable cloth and wiped the small cut before he tossed the cloth into the trash disposal and washed his hands. Carmen saw the mischievous grin curve his lips when he turned his gaze to the cookies she had finished.

“Don’t you dare,” she warned, but it was too late. He had already snagged two off the rack before she could stop him. “Between the girls, and you, I’m not going to have any cookies to take to Paul and Morian’s tonight.”

“Why do you have words on them? You did not write on the other cookies you have made,” Creon observed, gazing at the words written in red frosting. “I like them.”

Carmen glanced at him with an amused smile after he took a huge bite out of the cookie and moaned in pleasure. Unable to resist, she leaned closer to him. She gazed up into his golden eyes before bending close enough to flick her tongue along the corner of his mouth where a tiny smear of frosting was stuck.

“You had some yummy sweet stuff there,” she whispered, her gaze growing hot when she felt his reaction.

“I will never be able to thank the Goddess enough for bringing you into my life,” Creon murmured, pulling her tight against his body. “I love you, Carmen.”

“Is you going to kiss her? Can I have your cookie if you do?” Spring asked from behind her mother.

Carmen rested her head against Creon’s chest and giggled. It never failed. Now that the girls were older, every time they tried to sneak a moment alone, it was like a neon sign going off, and one or both of the girls would appear. She felt Creon’s hand move. Spring’s delighted giggle told her he had given her the cookie he was holding.

“Share it with Phoenix,” he ordered, sliding his warm hand back over the curve of Carmen’s hip.

“I will,” Spring promised, turning and disappearing back into the living room. “Phoenix! I gots another cookie.”

Carmen looked up at Creon again. “That was bribery, you know,” she murmured, sliding her hands up his chest and wrapping her arms around his neck so she could tangle her fingers in his hair.

“I know,” Creon retorted in a low voice. “Now, where was I?”

Carmen melted against Creon when he captured her lips in a kiss that tasted of cookies, frosting, and pure male. She returned his hungry kiss with one of her own. It didn’t matter that they had been together for over four years and had two children, her heart still thundered when they kissed.

She reluctantly pulled away from him several minutes later and rested her head on his shoulder. Her fingers slid down to play in the opening of his shirt so she could touch his warm skin. She sighed happily and she looked up at him.

“Thank you,” she whispered, lifting her hand to run her fingers along his cheek.

A confused frown creased Creon’s brow. “For what?” he asked, caressing her back.

“For loving me, for being there, and giving me two beautiful daughters,” she murmured.

“I am the one who should be doing the thanking, Carmen. You have filled my life with warmth and love. It is a gift any warrior would cherish,” Creon replied, slipping a hand under her chin to brush another kiss across her lips. “Why are you making cookies with words on them?” he asked again, turning to look at one. “’Be mine’… What does this mean? You are already mine.”

“We celebrated a holiday on Earth each year called Valentine’s Day. It’s a time to show your affections for those you like and those you love,” Carmen explained, deciding to make it simple instead of going into the history of the saints, and the religious and political causes that created the holiday. “When we were kids, we would exchange Valentine’s Day cards with all kinds of images and words on them. My favorites were the princess ones. I kept those for years.”

“You are a princess,” Creon stated matter-of-factly.

Carmen wrinkled her nose at him and laughed. “Trust me, I never expected to become one, and it is much different than what I was expecting.”

“Different in a good way or a bad way?” Creon asked with a touch of concern.

“In a good way,” Carmen assured him, leaning up to brush a kiss across his lips. “In a very good way.”

“This ‘Valentine’s Day’, it is something you miss? It is something the girls would enjoy?” Creon asked.

Carmen chuckled and nodded. “Yes, I miss it, and I know the girls would love it,” she replied, turning and picking up the tube of frosting. “It was fun.”

“Then we shall have a Valentine’s Day… once I know what we need to do,” Creon replied, picking up another cookie. “Any holiday that has cookies with yummy words is good enough for me.”

“Out!” Carmen ordered, shaking her head and laughing. “Go pick on the girls while I make more cookies.”

“In that case, I’ll need a few more,” Creon said, grabbing three more cookies before he darted around the table when Carmen grabbed the dish towel. “Girls! I have captured more cookies for us.”

“Yay!” The girls yelled from the living room.

Warmth flooded Carmen when Creon shot her a boyish grin before disappearing into the living room to play with the girls. Her hand fluttered to her throat at the raw emotion of love he sent her. Even her dragon wasn’t immune to the promise in that grin.

Harvey babysit tonight, her dragon muttered.

“Oh, yes, I definitely think a night out is in order,” Carmen agreed with a sigh. “For both of us.”

I tell Harvey, her dragon responded with glee.

Chapter 2

Later that evening, Carmen leaned back and listened to the other women talking about the different things the kids were getting into – both big and small. Sometimes it was hard to believe that they were all there, on an alien world, loved by men who were larger than life.

For a brief moment, a wave of sadness washed through her. It was so intense, so painful that she rose to her feet and walked out onto the balcony of Paul and Morian’s living quarters. Carmen gripped the stone railing and looked up at the stars.

Paul Grove, her best friend Trisha’s father, and Morian, the mother of Creon and his four brothers, found love after losing someone, just as she did. She vaguely wondered if they still felt the overwhelming sadness and pain that came with the memories.

A soft smile curved her lips when she felt Creon’s hands slide around her waist. He wrapped them tightly around her and pulled her against the warmth of his body. She relaxed against him and continued to look up at the stars.

“I felt your pain,” he whispered, rubbing his chin against her short, blonde hair before bending to press a kiss against the faint mark of the dragon on her neck. “I am here for you always, Carmen.”

“I know,” she whispered, tears burning her eyes at the love in his voice. “Sometimes, it still hits me hard; thankfully, not as often as it used to. Having you and the girls has helped me to heal.” She turned in his arms and gazed at him. She lifted her hand and laid it against his cheek. “I can’t forget him, Creon – either of them.”

Creon turned his head and pressed a kiss against her palm. She savored the warmth and the gentle touch. Her love for him swelled inside her and she slipped her hand up to tangle her fingers in his hair.

“I would never ask you to forget Scott or the child you lost. I only wish I could shield you from the pain,” he murmured.

“You do,” Carmen replied, meeting his lips when he bent to kiss her.

It was true, he did shield her from the pain. When she first arrived on the planet, it had been unbearable. The murder of her first husband, Scott, and losing their baby due to the severe injuries she sustained had broken her. In her grief, all she was able to think of was revenge. It took several years, but she finally found closure. It did not come by her own death, as she expected, but in finding love again – with an alien male who had refused to give up on her.

A shiver of need rushed through Carmen when Creon groaned and pulled her tight against his body. Her hands tightened in his hair and their breaths mixed, growing more demanding with the heat of the dragon’s fire.

“I’s told you they would be kissing. They does that whenever they thinks we aren’t looking.”

Creon’s muffled laugh shook his frame and he reluctantly released Carmen’s lips. He rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, breathing deeply to calm his aroused body. The girls had become pretty observant, even asking a couple of times why Daddy’s pants grew in the front and theirs didn’t.

“What do you need, Spring?” Carmen asked, tilting her head to look around Creon’s shoulder.

“It’s story time,” Spring said, gazing up at her mom and dad. “You said we could haves cookies with the story time.”

“We’ll be right there,” Carmen promised. “Go ask Aunt Ariel if she can pour the milk.”

“Okay,” Spring replied in delight.

“What’s wrong with your daddy?” Jabir whispered, glancing back at Creon with a frown.

“He’s waiting till his pants don’t grow no more,” Spring said. “They does that when he kisses Mommy.”

“Oh,” Jabir said, staring at Creon’s back. “Mine’s only does that in the mornings.”

Carmen turned her face into Creon’s shoulder to smother her laughter. It was too much. The image of Creon’s face the first time the girls saw him in the morning flashed through her mind and she melted into uncontrollable giggles.

“I think having daughters is much more difficult than I anticipated,” Creon finally said in a rueful tone.

“It will only get worse,” Carmen retorted, drawing in gulping breaths between her laughter. “Poor Ariel, I can just see her face when Jabir couldn’t understand why he was poking out the first time.”

Creon’s shoulders shook as he chuckled again. Carmen loved listening to his laughter. She reached up and brushed another kiss across his lips.

“Are you ready?” she asked, gazing at him, her eyes twinkling with mirth.

“Yes, but I’ll warn you, we are sneaking out tonight. My dragon is in the mood for some playtime,” Creon replied, reluctantly releasing her and stepping back.

“I think that can be arranged,” Carmen murmured, brushing her hand across the front of his pants with a seductive smile.

“Great! Here I go again!” Creon muttered, glaring down at the front of his pants which was bulging once again. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

Carmen laughed in delight and nodded. She glanced over her shoulder at Creon when he turned to stare up at the stars in an effort to cool his body down. This is what she needed to pull her out of her melancholy memories: new memories filled with laughter.

Chapter 3

Carmen stepped back inside and glanced around the living room. She smiled when she saw all the kids seated at the miniature tables Paul built for them. Her gaze softened when she saw Riley and Vox. They were each holding a little girl in their arms. It reminded her so much of Creon and her when Spring and Phoenix were first born.

Their twins were identical with matching heads full of blonde curls and dancing blue eyes. When they smiled, dimples appeared like mirrored reflections on their cheeks. Vox was going to have his hands full when those two grew up. They were going to be gorgeous.

Their son, Roam, sat next to Bálint, Trisha and Kelan’s son, while Ariel and Mandra’s son, Jabir, sat next to Zoran and Abby’s son, Zohar.

“Are Cara and Trelon coming?” Carmen asked, glancing around.

“Yes, they were waiting for Emma and Ha’ven to arrive. Trelon has a new gadget he wanted to show Ha’ven. Plus, I think this pregnancy is slowing Cara down a tiny bit,” Abby explained, sitting down on the couch next to her mate, Zoran.

“Only because she is either eating or throwing up,” Trisha replied dryly.

“Here they are,” Morian replied, rising from where she was sitting when Amber and Jade, Cara and Trelon’s precocious twins bounded into the room in their dragon form.

“Oh, my! I totally love the nails, girls,” Riley breathed, staring at the row of tiny claws painted red and pink and decorated with miniature hearts. “I want mine done like that.”

Cara grinned. “I created a nail machine. The girls and their dragons are going through a stage where they want a different design every day,” she explained.

“Can I get one?” Riley asked with a hopeful grin.

“Please tell me this was not what you wanted to show Ha’ven,” Zoran replied with amusement.

“Of course – not. Well, maybe. It was more for Emma and Alice,” Cara replied with a grin. “Emma was telling me about Alice’s fascination with colors lately.”

“Nice nails, Trelon,” Mandra laughed.

Trelon lifted his middle finger to his older brother. It was painted purple with small colorful balloons on it. Carmen chuckled along with the rest of them.

“How’s the new litter of Grombots, Mandra? I heard you have about a hundred of them now,” Trelon retorted.

Mandra’s face darkened and he shot his wife and son a quick glance. Carmen shook her head. The evening was well and truly about to get exciting if she didn’t start the cookie and story time.

Once a month, the family gathered to have dinner, spend time together, and share dessert and story time. Carmen had drawn the card to read or make up a story for the kids this month.

Carmen loved these gatherings because Vox, Riley, Ha’ven, and Emma always came. She was hoping that Tina, Viper, and their son, Leo, were able to join them , but Leo had a cold which he gave to Viper. Tina said that Leo was fine; it was dealing with Viper’s grouchiness that made her about ready to scream.

Tonight, the twin dragons, Cree and Calo, their mate, Melina, and daughter, Hope, came also. Carmen loved watching Melina with the two huge warriors. She definitely had them wrapped around her fingers.

She bit her lip to hide her grin when she saw Cree and Calo glance uneasily at Alice when she came over to tickle Hope’s foot. It had taken a few days, but the story of what happened while the women were on a girls’ night out this past Halloween had spread through the palace. Creon told her about how Alice took the babies away from under their parents’ noses in order to prevent them from being taken by the Queen of the Demented Symbiots. Carmen hoped her story tonight would not cause as much chaos as some of the other stories told by Abby and Cara!

“Okay, does everyone have their cookies?” Carmen asked, stepping in front of the children and looking down.

“They’s hearts!” Amber exclaimed in delight.

“And they’s red and pink likes our nails,” Jade added, sliding into the open space next to Alice and Morah, Paul and Morian’s daughter.

“Yes, tonight’s story is about love, hope, and happiness, in honor of a very special Earth holiday called Valentine’s Day,” Carmen said, clasping her hands together in front of her.

“Looooove,” Zohar said with a wiggle of his nose. “So’s it’s got kissing? My mommy and daddy does that all the times!”

“Ours does, too, only it makes Daddy’s pants grow, so he can’t do it in front of us too much,” Spring announced.

“That happens to my daddy, too,” Bálint added, leaning forward to stare at Spring with a frown. “Mommy says I’ll understands when I gets older.”

“O…kay…, story time,” Carmen hastily interrupted before the kids could say anything else amid the adult laughter. “This is a Valentine’s Day story. Valentine’s Day is a day where you share the love you feel for someone. That love can be for a dear friend or for someone who means a lot to you. It is a very special day. This story is about a woman with a beautiful heart, who was very lonely, and about a dragon warrior who had forgotten what it felt like to be loved…”

* * *

Arilla turned to the balcony and waved to her sister to hurry. Arosa had taken her sweet time getting here tonight. She glared at her sister.

“You were gone a long time,” Arilla hissed under her breath. “You almost missed this month’s story.”

“I had to check on her,” Arosa defended.

“She will be fine,” Arilla promised.

“Maybe we shouldn’t have taken her memories, Arilla,” Arosa muttered as she landed next to her sister.

“We did the right thing. I know we did. Now, come, I don’t want to miss the story,” Arilla said, growing transparent.

“Whose turn is it tonight?” Arosa asked, following her sister.

“Carmen. She is going to tell about a holiday called Valentine’s Day,” Arilla replied before she vanished through the doors.

Phoenix scooted over on the small bench, and Arilla and Arosa floated over to sit next to her. A soft smile curled Phoenix’s lips as she quietly took two cookies off of her plate and placed them in front of the invisible Goddesses. Arilla leaned over and affectionately brushed a hand over Phoenix’s dark hair.

* * *

Creon’s gaze shifted to his young daughter when he saw her slide over on the bench seat. He frowned when she smiled and patted the seat, as if waiting for someone to join her. A moment later, she carefully placed two cookies side-by-side on the table next to her.

A shiver of unease swept through him when he saw her hair move, as if someone was stroking it. His gaze moved to the doors of the balcony, but there was no breeze tonight. Concerned, he called for his dragon and touched the gold threads around his wrist.

What do you sense? he asked, returning his gaze to Phoenix.

The Goddesses are here, his dragon murmured.

Are they here to take Phoenix? Creon demanded with a tortured thought.

No… not yet, his dragon replied.

* * *

Carmen cleared her throat and stepped in front of the kids. She had been working on the story for the last few days. She rubbed her hands against her jeans before she began, to hide her nervousness.

“Once there was a woman whose heart was broken so badly that she hid away from the world. In a meadow deep within a large forest, this woman lived in a small, yellow and white house that she had lovingly painted because she hoped to raise a family there. But, it was not meant to be, so she lived alone in her house. Bereft of love, her heart was filled with a deep sadness,” Carmen began before she paused when Bálint’s hand shot up.

“Yes, Bálint?” Carmen asked with a small smile.

“Does she like the forest?” Bálint asked.

“Yes, she loves the forest very much. It's peaceful and quiet there,” Carmen replied. Almost immediately, Jabir’s hand rose. “Yes, Jabir.”

“Does she have any animals?” Jabir asked. “Like Precious or Grombots? Daddy says animals make a house feel full. He’s always trying not to steps on them. Daddy, cans we takes her some of our animals to visit? They will makes her happy.”

“I…,” Mandra began before he gazed at Carmen with a hopeful look. “How many Grombots can I unload on her?”

Carmen laughed. “I don’t think Grombots would be a good idea. They don’t have them where she lives,” she said. “She did have a stray cat that came to keep her company for a few months, but even it moved on one day and left her alone. Now, if I’m going to finish the story, you have to listen so I can tell it to you.”

“We interruptings her too much,” Spring announced with a scowl. “You can tells us the story, Mommy.”

“Thank you, Spring,” Carmen replied dryly. “One more question, yes, Zohar.”

“Why does she live alone in the forest?” Zohar asked.

Carmen shook her head and chuckled. Out of all the kids, she had honestly expected Roam, Amber, and Jade to interrupt her the most. The only reason they did not interrupt her was probably because their mouths were full of cookies. With a loud sigh, Carmen pulled up the stool behind her and sat down.

“The woman was alone because her mate died,” Carmen said softly, looking up to stare at Creon. “She was so sad and in so much pain, she didn’t want – didn’t think – she could live.”

“Oh, no!” Each of the children whispered, staring at each other.

“But, her symbiot healed her, right?” Jade asked with a bright smile.

Carmen shook her head. “No, sweetheart. You see, there are no symbiots to heal us on Earth. Even with one, I don’t think it could have healed the damage done. There is only one thing that can truly heal a broken heart.”

“Cookies?” Roam asked between a mouthful of cookies. “Cookies can heal a broken heart. They tastes yummy.”

Carmen laughed. “No, not cookies, but something close.”

“My mom and daddy can fixes a broken heart. They’s can fix anythings, can’t you?” Amber asked, turning to look up at her parents with an adoring smile.

Carmen shook her head. “No, not even your mommy and daddy could fix this broken heart. It would take a very, very special dragon warrior to do that. A dragon warrior who thought he didn’t have a heart to give to the lonely woman. The trouble was the lonely woman couldn’t see him. You see, she was blind. The lonely woman was terrified of the dragon warrior when she first met him because he was different.”

“Different like me?” Phoenix whispered, looking up at her mother. “Would the lonely woman be afraid of me because I’m different?”

Carmen rose off the chair and knelt in front of Phoenix. Her hand brushed along her daughter’s cheek. Creon rose as well and walked over to kneel next to Phoenix’s side.

“No, she would never be afraid of you. You are so beautiful that no one could ever be afraid of you,” Carmen said in a husky, fierce voice filled with emotion.

“But… she can’t see me. How will she knows I’m beautiful?” Phoenix asked.

Creon looked at Carmen before glancing down at his daughter. “She would feel it in her heart, just like the dragon warrior did when he first saw the lonely woman. He could sense her pain. He could feel her sorrow,” he explained. “The woman tried to hide it from him, but he looked not with his eyes, but deep inside himself, and his soul could see that her heart was broken.”

“How did he fix it?” Jade asked, looking back and forth between Carmen and Creon. “How can he fixes it if he didn’t thinks he has a heart?”

Carmen stood up and reached into her shirt. She pulled out a red heart. There was lace and glitter on it. The sounds of the kids ooh’s and aah’s echoed in the silence.

Carmen cradled the heart tenderly in her hands, and gazed at it as she continued the story.

“It took a little while, but the lonely woman realized that the more time she spent with the dragon warrior, the more alive she felt,” Carmen lifted her gaze to Creon, her eyes blazing with devotion. “She was no longer lonely or sad when she was with him. She felt safe – complete. And so, she did the only thing she could to keep the dragon close to her forever, she gave him her heart,” she held out her cupped hands towards Creon, smiling at his intense, loving expression. “For he had healed the broken pieces and filled them with love – a love she never thought was possible, and she asked him to be hers, forever.”

Creon stood and stepped close to Carmen. He cupped his large hands beneath hers, stroking her wrists with his thumbs while the heart sparkled between them.

“What did the dragon warrior say?” Phoenix asked.

Creon smiled and scooped the heart out of Carmen’s hands and slid it into his shirt, over his own heart.

He held his hand over his heart as he said, “He told her that he was hers, forever and always, and he would never let her go,”

He slid his arms around Carmen’s waist. “For she had given him a treasure beyond measure – something he thought he would never find,” Creon said, his voice deep and meaningful. “and he asked her to be his, forever.”

“She said yes,” Carmen replied, gazing up at him.

“Is this the kissing part where his pants starts to grow?” Jabir asked with a frown.

Creon closed his eyes and released a deep chuckle that soon had the entire room laughing. Carmen gazed up at him for a brief moment, relishing the happiness on his handsome face, before she raised up on her toes and brushed a kiss across his lips. His arms tightened around her and he stared down at her.

“I love you, Carmen,” Creon muttered. “I will always keep your heart safe next to mine.”

* * *

“So, what do the younglings want us to do?” Vox asked later while the men were cleaning up the kitchen. He quickly scooped up the last cookie before Cree could, and popped it into his mouth. “Roam was telling me I had to help him make something.”

“They want to make Valentine’s Day cards for each other and their mothers,” Zoran said.

“Is that like the heart that Carmen gave you, Creon?” Mandra asked, turning around to glance at Creon where he was wiping down the counters.

Creon nodded. “Yes, Carmen and the girls were making them earlier,” he said, tossing the cloth he was using to Kelan.

“What does it look like again?” Trelon asked, leaning back against the counter.

Creon pulled the glitter and lace heart out of his shirt. He carefully unfolded it and held it out for the other men to look at. The large group circled him and peered down at the heart with a frown.

“I could replicate it,” Trelon suggested, looking up at the other men. “It would be easy.”

“No, you can’t,” Paul replied with a shake of his head.

“Why not? It would be simple,” Trelon said, looking at Paul with a frown.

“Do you love your mates?” Paul asked, leaning against the counter and folding his arms across his chest.

“Of course,” the men murmured in slightly exasperated tones.

Paul carefully looked at each man before he spoke. “Then you need to give her a card and a gift that comes from your heart. That is what Valentine’s Day is about. It is a way to show her she is the most special woman in the world to you and there isn’t another one who can fill that spot in your heart,” he explained.

“What will you do for Dola?” Zoran asked.

Paul smiled. “I’ll make a Valentine’s Day card and write a special message in it just for her. I’ll give her flowers and take her and Morah out for a picnic. If I can find a special piece of jewelry that she might really like, I’ll buy that for her as well. Most of all, though, I’ll let her know that she is the most beautiful woman in the world to me and how much I love her,” he explained. “I’ll also give Trisha one that tells her how much I love her and how proud I am to have a daughter like her.

“That is all?” Kelan asked with a frown. “You make a card, give her flowers and maybe jewelry, and feed her?”

“It’s a lot more work than you realize,” Paul chuckled. “But, it is worth every second.”

“So, we make these hearts and give our mates a special gift. We can do that… with your help,” Mandra said with a nod before he grinned at Paul. “We could meet tomorrow in the workshop downstairs. I am sure the women would enjoy a chance to go shopping together.”

Cree glanced at Ha’ven. “The last time the women went shopping, Alice took our daughter,” he muttered with a wary expression.

Ha’ven waved his hand. “We will be there with the younglings this time,” he said before he grinned. “Admit it, you both had a good time, and Hope was perfectly safe.”

“I liked the balloon fight the best,” Calo agreed before grunting when his brother elbowed him in the stomach. “What?! We won!”

“It took weeks to get all the shining flakes out of our hair,” Cree reminded Calo.

“Yes, but Melina thought it was pretty,” Calo defended.

“Warriors are not pretty,” Cree reminded his brother.

“If it helps, Calo, Amber and Jade thought I was pretty, too,” Trelon laughed, slapping Calo on the shoulder.

Paul chuckled. He wondered what new adventures tomorrow would bring when he brought the materials for making the Valentine’s Day cards. He remembered doing it one year with Trisha, Ariel, and Carmen. He had been exhausted, the house had been a wreck, and there was gold glitter paint on the ceiling of his kitchen until he redid it ten years later. He had gladly turned the event over to Ariel and Carmen’s mom when she volunteered the next year.

“I’ll gather all the materials and meet everyone before lunch tomorrow,” Paul suggested with a grin. “It might be best since I’m the only one besides the women who knows what Valentine’s Day is.”

Chapter 4

Several hours later, Creon and Carmen had said goodnight to the others, arrived home, and wrangled Spring and Phoenix into and then out of the bath, gave them another bedtime story and several goodnight kisses, and now the girls were finally asleep in their beds.

“Watch over them, Harvey,” Creon whispered.

The gold symbiot softly snorted and padded into the room. Harvey settled down on the area rug that was littered with toys. One last glance at the girls showed Phoenix, Spring, and their smaller symbiots tucked in their matching twin beds.

Creon quietly closed the door. He glanced at Carmen, his eyes glittering with promise. His eyes widened with surprise when Carmen pinned him against the door and kissed him with a passion that left him craving more.

“Last one to the far meadow is on the bottom,” she whispered before running her hand down the front of his pants and turning away.

Creon blinked, his body still humming from the kiss when her words sank in. He strode down the hallway and into the living room just in time to see a flash of Carmen in her dragon form leap over the railing. He growled deeply and sprinted toward the balcony, shifting the moment he was clear of the doors. In a flash, the black dragon was in pursuit of his beautiful mate.

I like her on top, his dragon grumbled.

I do, too. We’ll almost get there first, Creon promised.

* * *

Phoenix lifted her head and rolled onto her stomach. She glanced at the door before turning to look over at Spring. Her sister grinned at her and nodded.

They both heard their parents sneak out.

“Come on,” Phoenix whispered, pulling back the covers.

Spring giggled and slid out of her bed so she could climb into bed with Phoenix. They each received their own beds after the first of the year, but they still preferred to sleep together. Once she scooted down, Phoenix covered her sister up before looking around for Harvey. The golden symbiot did not need a second invitation. Both girls giggled when the bed sank under Harvey’s weight. The symbiot walked around in a tight circle before lying down with his head partially between them.

“Good Harvey,” Spring whispered, stroking the massive head. “Phoenix…?”

“Mm?” Phoenix answered around a huge yawn before she laid down against the pillow and blinked sleepily at her sister. “What, Spring?”

Spring rolled onto her side to look at Phoenix. “What’s going to happen to you?” she asked in a hushed voice.

Phoenix was quiet for several minutes. Unsure of how to answer Spring, she reached out and threaded her fingers through Harvey’s mane. Her symbiot lifted his head and blinked at Harvey before settling down again. Spring’s symbiot was sprawled out on her bed, snoring.

“I’m not sure yets,” she whispered, looking at Spring again.

“I don’t wants you to ever leave me,” Spring whispered, laying her hand over Harvey so she could touch Phoenix’s hand. “We’s sisters. We gots to be together.”

“I know, but… I’m not sures I can always be here, Spring. I sees things I don’t understand,” Phoenix admitted.

“Are they bad things?” Spring asked in a trembling voice. “I’m older than you. I have to protects you from bad things.”

Phoenix’s gaze softened. “I loves you, Spring. We’ll always be together in our hearts, just like Mommy and Daddy says,” she whispered.

Spring sighed and yawned. She released Phoenix’s hand to tiredly rub her eyes. Her hand searched once again for her sister’s when she was done.

“What’s we going to do about the dragon warrior? If he doesn’t find the lonely lady, he won’t be ables to fix her heart likes Daddy fixed Mommy’s,” she mumbled, half asleep.

“We’ll talks to the others tomorrow,” Phoenix replied. “We’ll figures out what to do.”

“Okay,” Spring softly replied before she fell asleep.

Phoenix was almost asleep when she felt the gentle brush of a hand against her hair. She rolled slightly onto her side and blinked up at Arosa. Her lips curled into a smile.

“Will you helps us find the lonely woman and dragon warrior?” she asked, fighting to stay awake.

“Yes,” Arosa whispered.

“How?” Phoenix asked with a frown.

“She lives in the yellow and white house on your mommy’s world,” Arosa said with a thoughtful expression.

“But, how is the dragon warrior going to find her if she’s on my mommy’s world?” Phoenix asked, struggling to sit up.

“He is already there. He just needs to find the house,” Arilla whispered.

“But, what if he can’t find it? My mommy says the lonely woman is afraid of the dragon warrior. What if she won’t talks to him?” Phoenix asked.

“Well, he is a bit of a grouchy male,” Arosa muttered in a thoughtful tone.

“His dragon isn’t very cooperative either. I can see where he might scare her,” Arilla replied with a sigh.

“Can’t you tells him to be nice? His dragon and symbiot would have to listens to you, wouldn’t they?” Phoenix asked, yawning again.

“We can’t…,” Arilla started to say when her sister shook her head.

“But, you could!” Arosa replied with a smile.

Phoenix frowned. “How can I talks to him?” she asked.

“You could talk to the lonely woman,” Arilla said.

“The dragon warrior could follow you to her house,” Arosa added with a nod.

Phoenix shook her head and laid back down against the pillow. “But… How do I get to my mommy’s world?” she mumbled.

“You could go through the mirror you make,” Arilla replied, soothing Phoenix back down.

“Oh! I forgots I can do that,” Phoenix exclaimed with a sigh. “Can I ask my daddy for helps this time? He says that we aren’t supposed to goes off by ourselves.”

“Of course,” Arilla and Arosa said at the same time. “Sleep now, child.”

Phoenix sleepily smiled at Arosa and Arilla before closing her eyes. Her soft sigh brushed the air. She rolled over, her tiny hand searching for her sister’s. Only when they were holding hands did she relax and fall into a dream-filled sleep about a lonely woman and the dragon warrior whose heart she touched.

Chapter 5

“Arosa and Arilla says you just gots to show the dragon warrior where the lonely woman lives? And, we’s got to make sure she isn’t afraids of him? How are we’s suppose to do that?” Spring asked, tilting her head to stare at her sister the next morning.

“Yes, yes, and yes. I’m goings to make one of my mirrors and helps the dragon warrior find her, but first we are going to finds her and talks to her so she knows dragons aren’t scary,” Phoenix explained.

“I didn’t knows you could go through your mirror to different places. I thoughts we could just plays in it. Can I goes with you?” Spring asked with a hopeful smile.

Phoenix nodded. “Of course. We’s got to tell her about the dragon warrior,” Phoenix explained.

“What about Harvey? Can he comes with us, too?” Spring asked, threading her fingers across Harvey’s golden coat.

“I guess so. We better takes our symbiots, too. Daddy says we are suppose to haves them with us all the times. Arilla and Arosa said Daddy can comes too. I told them that we’s don’t want to get in trouble,” Phoenix explained.

“He and Mommy are still sleeping, though. Maybe we can goes for just a little while. I want to see where Mommy lived,” Spring said, turning a pleading look on her sister. “We won’t be gones for very long and we’ll have Harvey and our symbiots. We’ll just take a small peek.”

Phoenix looked at Spring with an expression of uncertainty. She finally nodded in agreement when Spring stuck her bottom lip out. It was still really early here. If they weren’t gone for very long, their mom and dad would never know. Besides, they would have the symbiots with them. They were the bestest babysitters ever!

“Okay, but only so we knows where she lives,” Phoenix said, pushing the covers back and sliding out of bed.

“Yay! Come on, Harvey. Come on, Little Bit. We’re going on an adventure. We gots to go find the lonely lady before Mommy and Daddy wakes up,” Spring softly squealed in delight.

Spring’s symbiot tried to burrow back into her pillow, but Phoenix’s symbiot, Stardust, pounced on it, rolling the small, golden Werecat over onto its back. Soon the two smaller symbiots were wrestling under the covers.

“I’m going to needs more room,” Phoenix said, looking around their bedroom.

“We could do it in the garden,” Spring replied with a thoughtful look. “What about the others? Do you think they should comes with us? This way we would have more company and really not be alone.”

Phoenix thought for a minute before she nodded. “I thinks that would be a good idea,” she said.

“Yay! I’ll gets the talking box Amber and Jade gave us,” Spring exclaimed in delight, throwing the covers back and sliding out of bed.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Phoenix and Spring waited in the lower courtyard garden. Harvey walked around the perimeter, sniffing and exploring. Phoenix glanced up at the sky. It was still dark enough to see the stars.

“What’s wrong?” Jabir asked, yawning and rubbing his eyes. “I was still sleeping when Spring wokes me up.”

“I’m here!” Alice announced, suddenly appearing with a bright smile that faded to confusion when she saw Phoenix, Spring, and Jabir still in their night clothes. She was dressed in dark brown pants, matching boots and cape, and a bright red shirt. “I didn’t knows we were supposed to stay in our pajamas.”

“You don’t have to,” Phoenix said. “We can’t changes like you do.”

“Oh, I can help,” Alice offered. “What do you wants to wear?”

“I want a jumper,” Spring said excitedly. “A dark blue jumper with a white tops.”

Alice’s brow creased and she bit her lip while she concentrated. Within seconds, Spring was wearing a dark blue top and a white jumper. Alice blinked and she shook her head.

“I’m still workings on making things for others,” Alice said with an apologetic expression.

“That’s okay. I loves it,” Spring reassured her, running her hands down the soft material. “Phoenix, what do you wants to wear?”

“I likes my soft pants and pink shirt – with flowers on it. I like flowers on my shirt,” Phoenix replied.

“I like flowers, too,” Alice replied, waving her hands.

She turned to Jabir when she was finished. Phoenix grinned when Jabir backed up and shook his head. He was wearing a pair of pajamas with pictures of dragons all over it.

“I likes my pajamas,” Jabir muttered. “There’s Zohar and the others.”

Phoenix turned and watched Zohar, Bálint, Amber, and Jade bound out of the palace and down the steps. She frowned, looking for Roam. Bálint landed, and Roam pounced out from behind a bush. Bálint dodged and grinned.

“Aww, Bálint, I almost tagged you,” Roam complained, yawning and scratching his belly. “What’s so importants that we had to get up before the sun? Tigers don’t likes getting up before the sun. My mommy says it makes us cran… cranky, whatevers that means. My dad has to gives my mom lots of kisses and coffee befores he talks to her if he wakes her up. My new baby sisters wakes them boths up a lot now though, so my daddy sleeps later.”

“Why’s Amber and Jade gots dirt all over their faces?” Jabir asked with a puzzled frown.

“It’s not dirts. It’s camo-fogging,” Amber announced.

“Yeah, ours Mommy told us abouts it. It helps makes you invisitable when you are on a mission,” Jade said, smoothing her hands down over the black shirt and pants.

“I never heards of camo-fogging before,” Jabir muttered under his breath.

“It’s what Mommy and Grandpa Paul does when I’s tracking them,” Bálint leaned over to explain in Jabir’s ear.

“Oh!” Jabir replied with a sudden understanding.

Spring cleared her throat and stepped up in front of the group. “Phoenix talked to Arilla and Arosa last night. They’s told her where’s the lonely lady lives. We’s are going to go see her and tells her that dragons are good and nots to be scared. Then, we’s got to find the dragon warrior and lead him to her so that she can heal his dragon’s heart,” she announced. “We thoughts you’d like to go with us to see her. We got to show her that she won’t be lonely no more if she loves the dragon warrior.”

“Where’s the lonely lady? Didn’t your mommy say she lived in a yellow and white house on a world that’s far away?” Zohar asked with a frown.

“She lives in our Mommy’s old house. It’s where all of our mommies came froms,” Spring replied.

Bálint shook his head. “But we nots suppose to go on adventures by ourselves,” he reminded Spring.

“This times is different. The Goddesses told Phoenix she was supposed to go. Besides, we’ll have Harvey, Little Bit, and Stardust with us.”

“I wants Precious to come, too,” Jabir said, stepping forward. “If Harvey can goes, so can Precious.”

“Can Symba come?” Jade asked.

“I thinks all of the symbiots should come with us,” Zohar stated.

“But, I don’t have a symbiot,” Roam complained.

“I don’t eithers, Roam,” Alice said, wrapping her arm through his. “We could be each other's symbiot.”

“I’ll shares Bio with you, Alice,” Bálint offered, shooting a fierce scowl at Roam.

“I’ll sticks with Alice. She can do neats things,” Roam replied with a grin, gripping Alice’s hand in his.

Spring snarled softly and stepped close to Roam and Alice. Reaching out, she glared angrily at Roam and pulled him away from Alice.

“Bálint says he will shares Bio with her. Jabir can shares Precious with you,” she snapped before turning away.

Roam stared at Spring’s stiff back with a confused frown. He shrugged at Jabir before stepping closer to the smaller boy. Precious ran a silky tongue up his cheek.

“I guesses Spring needs kisses and coffee before the sun comes up, too,” Jabir whispered.

“I guesses so,” Roam said, wrapping his arm around Precious. “I likes your pajamas. I gots tiger ones.”

“Oh, I would likes some like those,” Jabir exclaimed. “Do you have matching slippers?”

Roam looked down at Jabir’s dragon clad slippered feet and nodded. “Yep, only they’s tigers,” he replied.

“Cool!” Jabir grinned.

“I’m going to makes the mirror. It’s better if you are in your dragon forms so you can go through it,” Phoenix said, turning to glance at Roam and Alice. “Roam, you turn into your tiger. Alice….”

“I can cross through, Phoenix,” Alice interrupted with a confident nod.

“I’ll make sure she can,” Bálint added, stepping closer to Alice.

“Okay. Stands back,” Phoenix warned.

Shifting into her dragon form, Phoenix spread her wings and shook her body. Unlike the other dragonlings, her body was covered in a fine layer of midnight colored feathers. Her eyes flared, changing colors until they swirled with the reflection of the galaxies. All of the other children took a step back except for Spring. Hurrying forward, she threw her arms around her sister and gave her a fierce hug before she took a step back.

“You are beautiful, Phoenix,” Spring whispered.

Phoenix leaned forward and ran a tongue up Spring’s cheek, drawing a soft squeal of disgust from Spring. Then Phoenix turned and crouched on her haunches, wiggling her tail before she launched up off the ground. She flapped her wings to gain altitude, then made a sweeping dive back to the ground. Over and over and over she flew in a vertical circle.

“Looks at her feathers,” Alice whispered in awe. “They are glowing.”

“Looks at the circle! It looks like it’s on fires,” Zohar whispered.

Light and dark blue flames danced, connecting to each other the faster that Phoenix flew. Tiny sparks of white, red, and yellows snapped before turning to the varying shades of blue. Phoenix’s body blurred, at times becoming invisible as she focused on creating the portal, or mirror as she thought of it, to the distant world. In her mind, she focused on the yellow house with the white shutters that her mother told them about.

The circle expanded until a large hole appeared in the center. The darkness of space, lit by billions of stars and galaxies could be seen in it.

Phoenix twisted, soaring in graceful turns. Her feathers glowed and changed colors as one image blurred into another. A small, frozen planet appeared and disappeared to be replaced by a larger one with delicate rings of rock, dust, and ice. Next, a giant planet appeared, a massive red storm swirling on its surface before it too was gone.

The other dragonlings, Roam, and Alice watched in fascination as a small, blue, green, and white planet appeared in the distance. All too soon, they had swept past the small satellite moon circling it and were flying over a vast ocean.

“It’s beautiful,” Alice whispered, staring at the vivid pictures speeding by.

“Looks at all the water!” Jade exclaimed. “It’s so blue!”

“Look at the forests,” Bálint whispered.

The images began to slow, not changing quite as rapidly. A large, two-story house with several barns glided by and they saw a road winding along a river bed before it turned and led up a long winding road that cut through a grove of thick trees. All of them caught sight of the top of a silver roof.

Phoenix slowed as the last of the lines connected and the mirror she created glowed with a soft blue haze around the vivid texture of a forest on the other side. She turned, looked down at Spring, and nodded.

“We can go through it now,” Spring said with a happy smile before she shifted into a white dragon with tiny flecks of gold edging her scales and flew through the portal.

“I’m next,” Roam growled with a grin, shifting into his tiger cub with a growl before he leaped after Spring.

One by one, each of the dragonlings and Alice followed. Only when they and the symbiots had gone through did Phoenix do a spiral in midair and follow them through the magical mirror to the thick forest on the other planet.