Maia walked into the hotel suite, feeling more confused than ever. She wished that Zephyr would just forget about the mating analysis and give in to their longing. If they were humans, none of this would be an issue; they would just do what they felt was right. At least, that's what she had come to understand about the human race. At first, she’d felt a bit sorry for them. But now she felt sorry for herself. After the sun and sand at the beach, she gave Waverley a bath and put her down for a nap.

Zephyr was cloistered in his bedroom, so she decided it was best to leave him alone. After a shower and a change of clothes, she set down at the computer to do some more research on human courtship rituals. Maybe Zephyr was right. Maybe they were just fooling themselves because they both wanted so much to find their mates. Maybe her own mate was still out there somewhere.

She looked at a human dating website and then quickly turned it off. The whole process made her cringe, and she knew more than ever that she wanted things to work out with Zephyr. Her inner dragoness was sure than she had ever been. Her feelings weren’t wishful thinking. If the mating analysis couldn't prove she and Zephyr were mates, then the mating analysis was broken. At about dinnertime, Zephyr stepped out of his room, looking blurry eyed and tired.

“Were you sleeping?”

"I've been doing research. The vaccine seems to be spreading to animals. The vampires are going to become desperate without anything to eat.”

"What will they do?”

"My simulations suggest that the vampires will only be able to survive for a few weeks. Then they will be forced to go into stasis sleep or die.”

"That's good news, isn’t it?”

"It depends. It is very likely that they will strike back against dragons and humanity.”

"What will they do?”

“The vampires have a great deal of power in the world: wealth, and weapons. They could do anything from blow up half the world to crash the stock market. Perhaps sending out the vaccine was a hasty move on our part."

“But you had to.”

"Even now, the spread of the vaccine has changed their behavior. The disappearances and murders have stopped completely. But the humans are increasingly suspicious. Human behavior has become chaotic and there is civil unrest across the world. The humans may destroy themselves without any help from the vampires.”

"Why don't you tell them the truth now?"

"We decided to wait until after the vaccine was dispensed before doing so. Hopefully that will weaken the vampires enough that they can't do anything too destructive." He walked across the room and sat down in a chair across from her, folding his hands in his lap. "I continue to receive requests from dragons, asking me to find their fated mates. And I've had to explain to them that I can't do that. Not yet.”

“Why not?”

"I don't have a way of matching up the dragon DNA with human DNA.”

"What would it take to do it?"

"The truth is that writing the code would be a fairly simple process. If I got Cato and Penelope to help me, with Flora to advise us on the genetic components, I think as a team, we could probably create a program in a few days. But it hasn't been our priority until now. And it still isn't, to be honest. We have had much bigger problems to solve."

"But if you found the mate of the Prince of Tides, then he would have to let me go.”

"I hadn't thought of that. When I get back to the House of Storms, I will discuss it with the others and see what they think.”

Maia couldn’t help but be excited by the prospect of Current finding his mate. She and Waverley would finally be free. She believed in her heart that all Current needed was to find his own mate. As soon as his inner dragon responded to the sight and scent of his fated one, he would have to let Maia go.

“Mortar will send a pod down to pick us up in about half an hour. Yuki has devised a way to make a shuttle to look like a human vehicle. Easier to make the trip back and forth this way.”

"That is ingenious."

"It is simply a shift in the cloaking shield’s program."

"I will get my things and prepare Waverley for the journey.”

Maia went about packing her things with new hope in her heart. A hotel porter came up and helped them with their bags as Maia wheeled her child in the contraption called a carriage down to the first floor of the hotel. She would always think fondly of the time she'd spent here. She wished they could have stayed longer. Maybe someday, when she and Zephyr were able to live their truth and be together, they could return. She could wear one of her new dresses, and they could spend the night laughing and dancing and swimming.

But for now, she had to find contentment in her freedom and safety of her child. When they made it out to the car, Maia found that Prince Mortar himself had come down to escort them back to the ship.

They all climbed into the large vehicle and pulled out onto the streets. They took a turn into a secluded road, shifted into stealth, and hopped into the sky.

"We've dispensed the last of our particle bombs carrying the vaccine. Now that we are done with this mission, the House of Stones is going to find a new home. We've been discussing where we would like to live, and we've decided that we like the state of Colorado. Maia, you are invited to come with us, or we can return you to the House of Storms.”

"But what about the Prince of Tides?"

“He’s been out dispensing his own bombs."

"And my brother?"

"We have made some subtle inquiries about the Duke of Tides and it is our conclusion that he is safe for now.”

"I must return to the House of Storms to complete my work. There is a great deal at stake at this moment in time.”

"You are more than welcome to join us in Colorado, Dragoness Prime."

She looked from the Prince to Zephyr and then at her child. Maia was at a loss as to what to do. Her inner dragon was screaming that Zephyr was hers. She didn't want to be separated from him. He had to return to the House of Storms to complete his work; work that could forever free her from the Prince of Tides.

“I will go with you to Colorado," Maia decided.

“We can drop Zephyr off at the House of Storms before we go.”

Her presence still being a secret, Maia retreated to her rooms. Feeling a mixture of hope and sadness left her in a state of melancholy. When it was time for Zephyr to leave, she walked with him to the door and unconsciously reached out to embrace him. It was such a natural gesture that it was almost impossible not to do it. But she felt him go rigid between her arms before he relaxed into her embrace. He took a long inhale of her scent in the crook of her neck as he held her close.

"I will get a new implant. We can speak through the mental link." She stepped away but still held his hand. They gazed into each other's eyes for a brief moment before he let her go.

“Yes. We should stay in touch."

“Inform me me as soon as you have conclusive data from the mating analysis." A tear formed in the corner of her eye.

"Of course." His voice was low as he turned away.

Zephyr stepped outside and disappeared behind the sliding door. Maia sucked a shuddering breath into her chest.

"I have come this far believing in love. I will continue to believe in it no matter what the circumstances.”