Loving Two Dragons (Awakening Cycle Part 4) (BBW Dragon Shifter Paranormal Romance) (5 page)

Chapter nine

Jennifer

"We need to distribute the blankets," I say.

The young woman curtsies before hurrying off. I look down the list on my clipboard then up at the next person. Everyone is busy sorting the shipment of supplies. I'm not strictly needed but my presence is helpful to morale if nothing else and I like to be hands on. I can't stand the idea of ordering others to do things I'm not doing myself.

"Lisa," I say.

The older woman looks up from the pile in front of her.

"Can you make sure we have plenty of bandages? With the King's return we need to be prepared to deliver first aid."

"Yes my Lady," she says dipping her head.

"Ladies, keep up the good work. Archer and I appreciate it. Soon we'll be able to return home and it'll be in large part due to your efforts. Every bit as much as the blood our men will spill to retake what's ours."

They smile and applaud at my words. My blood pulses with pride and something more as I look at them all working and preparing. I remember this. We've done the same before, preparing for war, though I don't recall the stakes ever being so high.

People rush up and down the halls as I make my way back to where Archer and Logan are questioning their captives. It's no longer a simple matter to walk somewhere as different people run up to me with questions or to report completions. I make it a point to take time with each of them, even just a moment. They need to know they're appreciated and that their work doesn't go unnoticed.

I hear Archer and Logan talking as I approach the door though I can't make out the words. It doesn't sound like things are going well. When I walk in my stomach ties into a knot as a cold chill runs up and down my limbs. Archer and Logan both have blood on their clothes, their knuckles are battered and bruised, not the condition I left them in.

"Remy it's not working, you'll have to use magic," Archer says.

"There are two of them, that will limit the risks," Remy says.

"Risks?" I ask cold fury burning in me.

The three of them turn and look at me. Logan at least has the decency to look ashamed, meeting my eyes for only a moment before he stares at the floor. Archer purses his lips and Remy, as always, is impassive and unreadable.

"Yes," Archer says. "Magic is dangerous. One mistake and we could lose the asset."

"The asset?"

Archer nods calmly. My cold fury erupts into hot flame. I want to strike him. Knock him out of this cold, calculated attitude.

"Yes," he says.

"Is that how you make it work?"

He looks confused. "Make what work?"

"De-humanizing them. Making it okay to do what you're doing!" I point at the blood on his shirt then at his hands. "You don't call them by name or even refer to them as people! They're an asset. Transition them into a number and a thing!"

"Jennifer, I don't expect you to understand-"

"Understand! Understand? Are you serious. Tell me Archer, tell me any of you, how are we any better than Marathe? This is what SHE does! WE are not her!"

"We're at war!" Archer yells back at me his face flushing with anger. "In war you do what you have to do!"

"Not at the price of your humanity!"

"At any price!"

"No. We're better than this and if we're not then we've already lost."

"Bah," Archer says waving his hand dismissively. "What do you know of war? We've already lost. We cannot ride the moral high ground and expect to win. They will not tell us what we need to know. What, would you just ask them nicely?"

His tone is dismissive and he turns his back towards me. My skin feels like it's on fire. A tingling sensation runs around my head, my limbs shake, and then something snaps like a lock clicking into place.

Memories flood through me. Millions of moments all return.

I stagger back, my stomach lurches, and I think I'm going to be sick as my mind opens to all that has come before.

I remember. I remember everything. Every moment, every touch, every kiss, every fight, and every death. Every time I've been killed.

Through it all we've maintained our high ground. In all of our time together I've never seen him stoop to this. Torture. She has. Our enemies have but not us. We've always been better.

My heart rate increases until it's pounding and it feels like my chest might explode. Power floods through me, coursing down my veins making new pathways as it burns out until I feel like my fingertips crackle with energy. Logan's looking at me with his mouth hanging open, Remy stares, but Archer still has his back to me heading back towards the door to the prisoners.

"You will listen to me," my voice echoes in my own ears, maybe in the entire room, it booms out of me.

Archer stops in his tracks turning slowly towards me. His eyes widen and I know he sees something new.

"Jennifer-"

"No! You will not Jennifer me. We're better. I'm the Queen of the Gold. Their heart is my heart. I am the Heart and will of the people and our people don't do this."

His mouth works as he chews the inside of his lip. I stare at him waiting to see if he will disagree with me. When he says nothing I storm past.

"I'll handle this."

He steps out of my way as I go through. The two women are bound to chairs with their backs to each other. The signs of torture are clear, blood runs from their noses and mouths, their faces are bruised and swelling. I walk across the room to a small sink where I moisten a cloth then I go to each and tend their wounds. Once I've finished I throw the door open.

"Logan go to Lisa. She's working the supplies. Have her bring me aspirin, ibuprofen, and bandages. Also a splint, one of them has a broken arm."

Logan moves away fast without a word. I glare at Archer before I slam the door shut and return to my patients. When the supplies arrive I dismiss Lisa and finish my ministrations. The women look at me grateful but haven't said a word. I turn their chairs so they're both facing me. Standing in front of them I stare for a long moment gauging them.

"I'm sorry for what you've been through," I say at last. "This isn't our way. My King is desperate. You have made us so but there's no excuse for this behavior. None."

They glance at each other then stare at me. My heart swells and aches. Almost I feel as if I can feel their pain, their mistrust, and even their fear. Instinctively I reach out with this feeling then it's like I touch them both. I see it in their eyes that this is more than my imagination. Their faces change, fear fades, ease is followed by what I would judge to be respect.

"Thank you Queen," one of them says.

I nod. "We need to know things from you. We're aware of your Clan's plan to awaken the Ancients."

I see an island and a massive stone in the ground with symbols etched into it. Rising from the edges of that stone is a massive arch also engraved with symbols. Circling that island is a dragon then I glance down and see I'm riding a dragon.

"Yes," they say as one. "It is time for the Cycle to be turned. We are the Prophets, the first female shifters. The signs are complete."

I cock my head listening to them. It's odd to hear two people speak in such unison but when they speak there's a hollowness to their thoughts. I don't know exactly how I know but it's in their words and it's in the images that form in my mind as they talk. My chest aches with sadness well beyond what I felt at what had been done to them.

I reach out with my heart, I feel for them and as women we connect. I don't understand it but I don't have to. As I reach, I feel their hollowness and look into it. There, beyond, I see more, something. It comes clear to me and as I see their memories tears stream down their faces.

They're strapped down to tables. Magics play across them causing excruciating pain. I hear them screaming, writhing, they're being changed. The torture that Archer and Logan did was nothing in comparison to what was done by their own people. My cheeks are wet as my mind clears. I rush forward and wrap my arms around them, pulling them close. Their tears soak my shoulders and they shudder.

"No more. There will be no more pain," I say rising.

I try to untie their knots but I have no knife and they're too tight.

"Archer!"

He opens the door standing stiff staring at me. "Your knife. Untie these women. They will tell us what we need to know."

Shock is apparent on his face. Surprise wars with relief. He's a smart man though and says nothing. Drawing a knife from his side he rushes forward and cuts their bonds. The two women rise rubbing blood back into their limbs. They look at each other then at me. The two of them kneel with their heads bowed.

"Queen," they say.

Gently I touch the back of their heads. "Rise. You are among family and friends. You are welcome among the Gold. Renounce those who have done this to you."

Archer's face reveals nothing but I know him. There will be words. I lead the women out the door. Remy stands with Logan at his side and they don't bother to hide their surprise.

"Take these two women to Lisa. Ask her to find them beds and make sure they're issued supplies."

The two men take off as ordered. I turn back to Archer.

"My Queen?"

"Archer, they're not shifters. They were magicked. Tortured, brainwashed to believe they were. White used them as justification, to prove that the time to awaken the Ancients is here. They're twisting the prophecy to their own end."

"I see," he says. "How did you..."

"I am Queen of the Gold. And yes I am your Queen. As such it falls to me to remind you of your own heart. Of the heart of our people. No man can be expected to not go too far without his heart. I am that."

"Your memories?"

"Restored. Fully."

Unshed tears rest in the corner of his eyes. "Welcome home, love of my life."

I barely have time to smile before he's taking me in his arms and spinning me around laughing and kissing me.

Chapter ten

Logan

"I know the location, I saw it in their memories." Jennifer says.

We stand around the massive oak table in Archer's office. Maps are laid out and she digs through them until she pulls out one of South America. She points to a small speck off the coast of Peru in the South Pacific ocean.

I lean in close to see it. Barely of note, which makes perfect sense as a place for an artifact from the dawn of time. Even shielded by magic, you still wouldn't want to park it on the crossroads of humanity.

"Good," Archer says resting his hand on hers.

For the first time in, well ever, I don't feel a stab of jealousy alongside my happiness. I feel content. Jennifer looks at me and I see the love in her eyes as well as Archer's. I feel a part of a trio, not a third wheel. It's like a massive weight is lifted off me and I'm filled with a sudden urge to sing so I laugh. The two of them look at me confused but I'm laughing so hard I can't stop. In moments they're laughing too. I'm laughing so hard my eyes are watering.

"Well, we'll need to go explore that," I say. "So off to the jungle with us!"

"Jennifer," Archer starts to say but she shakes her head.

"I know, I'll have to stay behind. It's fine. I don't like it, but it's my duty."

Love overwhelms my heart. I admire her as well as love her. Running my eyes over her full curves my body starts to respond so I decide to move things forward before I pull the three of us to the waiting bedroom.

"Remy's ready and waiting," I say. "Let's do this."

Archer kisses her then I do. The three of us stand a moment, Archer and I to either side of Jennifer as she holds our heads close to hers.

"Come home soon, my hearts," she says softly then we're off.

***

Remy shifts to dragon form as soon as we hit the island and does some grand magic that I don't understand but purple beams shoot out and around then right there in front of us is the massive etched stone with the arch we came here expecting to find. It's just the three of us investigating the site, we're too short handed to risk a bigger mission.

Remy walks over to it, the island shakes under the weight of his dragon form. I wonder for a moment if he might crack the earth and send us all into the ocean but it seems to hold. The arch is large enough that he could pass through it in full dragon form. Remy shifts back to human to examine the etchings.

"I thought there'd be some resistance," I say.

"So did I," Archer replies warily looking around with his sword still drawn.

"What resistance is necessary when only the most powerful of magics can reveal it?" Remy asks.

"Well I don't know, seems everything else we've been dealing with has had resistance whether it needed it or not," I say.

Remy snorts and shakes his head. I grin knowing I get on his nerves. Screw it, Archer loves me and he can deal.

"Can you determine where it goes Remy?" Archer asks.

"Of course I can."

"Well that's grand. Care to share?" I ask.

"The moon," Remy says running his hands over the symbols on the arch.

"Huh, well, I'm pretty sure I didn't hear that right. Did you say the moon? As in the massive satellite orbiting the earth?" I ask.

"Yes," Remy says.

I look at Archer and shrug. "Well, that happened."

"Why would there be a portal to there?" Archer asks.

"The Ancients often traveled there, or so records I've read say," Remy says without taking his attention off the etchings. "It was of no import to them. Any of us have mastered the ability to bend space when in our true form so we can travel faster. It is merely a matter of scale."

"Scale he says," I snort. "Well Archer, I knew we'd been thinking entirely too small this entire time. Taking over the world? Why not the entire flipping universe."

"It would be feasible," Remy says.

I throw my hands up. Sarcasm is absolutely lost on the man. Archer grins at me then turns back to Remy. Remy does something, I'm not sure what, but there's a deep rumble through the island then the arch shakes, and suddenly a glowing field pops into existence filling its opening.

"You'll want to shift," Remy says over his shoulder as he begins to shimmer. We shift forms and then follow. I take a deep breath before stepping through the portal.

The moon. Seriously.

I step out onto gray dirt that puffs up under my feet. It assaults my nostrils and an urge to sneeze overcomes me. Before I can stop, it happens and I'm inhaling cool, fresh air. I look around confused having fully expected no atmosphere. The sky is mostly dark and there above us hangs the earth so we're definitely not in Kansas anymore. Archer is following Remy towards a large building that was obviously designed for dragons. Just behind it I notice a shimmer that must be some kind of magical dome sealing air into this space.

I race up behind the other two. When we get within fifty feet of the building we're suddenly engulfed in streams of fire that shoot out of two dragon mouths that I had thought were stone. Pain clouds my vision, this fire actually hurts! Remy roars and breathes out his Black weapon. Archer and I do the same. As our breath weapons touch the stone they stop spewing the flames. The air is filled with the awful scent of burnt flesh.

We look at each other then continue our progress into the building. The interior is a big open area. Columns line the walls creating a walkway along the edge too small for our dragon forms. The center is dominated by a fountain of two dragons facing away from each other. Water spouts out of their upraised mouths pouring down into a pond around their feet. I lean over and see carp swimming.

"What the hell is this?" I ask.

It reminds me of an Asian garden mixed with a medieval sensibility. The structures and styles clash across cultures and times. Remy shimmers back to human form then leans over the water.

"Don't touch that," he says after a moment.

"Yeah, hadn't planned on taking a drink," I say.

There's a door on the far side of the space that requires Archer and I to shift too. Entering it we emerge into a brightly lit room that reminds me of a New York coffee shop. Small couches and stuffed chairs are arranged into circles for easy conversation. A mahogany bar dominates the eastern wall behind which rests colored bottles.

A door opens. Only a soft click but the place is too quiet so even that small sound captures attention. Ten men walk in. They're dressed in armor that glows with enchantments and have swords drawn. Their intent is obvious by their approach and the grim look on their faces. The leader, slightly in advance of the others who form a V behind him, stops twenty feet away.

"You do not belong here," he says.

Archer steps forward but doesn't draw his weapon. "Peace be upon you. We come seeking information."

"We know why you are here. You are not welcome, it is not the time of the Awakening."

Archer and I exchange a quick glance.

"No, it is not," Archer says. "Which is what we are here to prevent. We know that some are trying to make that time now. Is it your duty to stop this?"

"We are the defenders of the Ancients. She who will come is not yet here, it is not the time. We will not be fooled by your magics."

"My magics?" Archer asks.

The man to the leader's left is twitching. I watch him closely, I see it coming. He's going to jump the gun. The tension in the room builds as Archer and the leader talk. There might have been a peaceful resolution but then the one I'm watching raises the tip of his sword. Time moves in slow motion.

"Archer!" I yell as that tip rises to be in line with him and a green energy erupts striking Archer in the chest.

Archer flies across the room slamming into the wall with a whoof. I rush forward drawing my sword and parry with a twist, disarming the man who attacked. I'm surrounded by the time I finish the move. The man I engaged retreats behind his compatriots who close in. I hear the crackle of magic but my focus is on the four men.

"Four?" I laugh. "Here I thought this might be a challenge!"

I let muscle memory rule the body. My secret to fighting is to not fight. I've trained and honed my skill over thousands of years so my body knows what to do. If I take time to think about it, it slows me down. I observe, process information, and my body responds. Parry, attack, dodge, move high, and then move low. Sword fighting is like a dance with sharp edges. Attack then retreat, flow with the motion and wait for your opponent to make a misstep.

One man falls, then another, and now I'm facing two. I'm not without marks, bleeding from a few cuts but nothing serious enough to stop or slow me down. Anyone who believes they can fight four men unscathed is a fool and in fighting I've never been a fool.

I leap in to an opening left by the man before me but over extend my reach leaving my left side open to the other. Stabbing pain blossoms in my side but the man in front of me is knocked out cold. Instinct tells me to turn right, not left, and in so doing I rip the sword from my opponent's hand instead of turning in where he could slide it free. Now disarmed, he's mine.

I survey the room. We're victorious. Archer stands over the leader with his sword point at the man's throat. The sword remains in my left side and I debate removing it. Remy walks over then bends down and inspects the wound. He grabs the blade with his right hand, holding his left over the wound and mutters as he draws it out. His hand glows purple. Blackness encroaches as the pain peaks but then it's gone and the wound is sealed.

"Thanks," I say breathing heavily.

"We do not want to harm you," Archer says. "We support your cause. The White Clan is trying to rush the Awakening. We need your support, not your enmity."

"We have failed," he says.

"You have not. They are not awakened yet. We can stop this if you will aid us."

The man stares up at Archer. At last he nods and Archer lowers his sword.

"Come with me," he says and leads us past this room and through a maze of passages.

Winding deeper we pass through multiple barriers both physical and magical. I find it incredible that anyone without a guide could make it through here. At last we stand before a huge vault door. The man does several things that he keeps hidden from us then the door swings open.

In the center of the vault, sitting on a pedestal covered in cloth with a soft blue light shining down on it, rests an egg. A dragon egg. It's the size of a man. The shell glitters and sparkles like it's made of a million finely cut jewels.

The three of us look at each other then back at the egg in awe.

"Behold, the Ancient of White, waiting his time to be reborn," the man says holding his hand out towards the egg.

"Son of a bitch," I say.