When Eben flew in through the balcony, he changed in the air, so that
the first step he took across his bedroom floor was on human feet. He didn't
bother with clothes, not with the naked bounty that waited in his bed. He
stopped and stared at the two of them, Ladon and Morgan entwined across his
sheets.
Morgan’s dark hair and cream skin gleamed like pearl in what was left of
the night. Draped over Ladon, it contrasted with golden skin and the shimmery
bronze hair that wrapped around her. She was so small wrapped in his arms.
The curve of her hips and arch of her back so very female in comparison to his
muscled form. They looked so perfect together that he hesitated to join them.
Not you too.
Morgan
laughed in his head, even as she opened her eyes and smiled at him.
I
should be the insecure one in this trio.
She looked pointedly at his
perfectly formed male body.
You are far too beautiful to need reassurance
from a puny human.
If you could
see yourself through my eyes Shameaa. You would not doubt it.
Morgan was going
to snort her disbelief but then remembered. Her teasing smile disappeared.
You
went to war without even a kiss good-bye. You could have died out there.
I was never in
any danger.
He said, sitting beside her on the side of the bed. It was so
big he would have to crawl all the way on just to reach her.
The blood
mages have no magic that works against dragons.
She sat up and
wrapped her arms around her bent legs.
So far. If they are working with a
dragon that could change. Don't let your arrogance get you killed.
He reached across
the bed and grabbed her ankle, pulling her down the bed while she made a little
"eep" sound and struggled for balance. Eventually he had her
breathless and spread before him. He laid full length over her until he could
feel every inch of her softness against his own hardness.
I would have my
kiss now.
I just bet you
would.
Morgan said, smiling and grabbing his ears none to gently she
pulled his head down to kiss his forehead.
There. Happy now.
Beyond
description.
He said drily making her laugh and Ladon roll over to his
stomach and shove his head in the pillow.
Any other time
I would just join you but I feel like I haven't slept in weeks, so could you
just kiss him, then fuck so we can cuddle and sleep?
Young dragons
have so little stamina.
Morgan laughed at Ebens quip, but then he shifted
so that his body was a caress all along her own and it had her sighing in
pleasure.
But his plan is a sound one. Come Shameaa let me have your mouth
again.
What does
Shameaa mean?
He took her hand
from where it rested on his head and pulled it over the heartbeat on his
chest. "My heart." He said aloud his voice a rough growl and his
eyes bottomless.
It took what was left
of Morgan’s breath. She rose up and kissed him. The playfulness was gone and
his hands were spread down her sides as he took her mouth, their tongues
dueling and twining. His hands moved back up along the curve of her body until
he cupped her breasts, his thumb caressing each nipple, spearing heat through
her before his lips left her mouth to trail down her neck and nip. Then he
kissed both breasts, held one up like an offering while he pulled her nipple
into the heat of his mouth.
While he laved attention
on her breasts, one after the other she twisted and moaned. Her hands finding
all of him that she could reach. Her pelvis tilting trying to get pressure
where she needed it most. But his big body held her in place. Then he was
moving lower and he opened her legs and used his shoulders to hold her open
while he palmed her pressing the heal of his hand in such a way that she was
arching against him.
"More."
She said. Grabbing his hand with both of hers and trying to push him harder
against her. Then he parted her seeping folds and pushed one of his fingers
inside her while he caught her clit with his mouth and sucked. That was all it
took. She was airborne, even before he started in with his tongue. She came
again screaming and then he reared up and replaced it with his cock. He
plunged in, out of control and hard with it until the pleasure was mounting
once more. Then he came, biting down on her shoulder and the primal pain
seared heat through her. She felt Ladon in her thoughts then, knew that he had
joined them in pleasure from across the bed but she was too tired to turn and
look.
Was it good for
you?
He teased in her thoughts; his own filled with sleepy satisfaction.
It made her laugh. She fell asleep held in the strong arms of one mate while
laughing with the other. It was a good ending to a long day.
***
The next morning
came too quickly. So when the door burst open they were all struggling to wake
and it was only Ladon that had the presence of mind to throw the covers over
them all. Rhune was bouncing on the bed a moment later forcing Eben to swallow
back an angry bellow before he could set fire to the bed. Since she was
wrapped up in both Ladon and Eben, she couldn’t have moved fast enough, if she
had been awake enough to attempt it.
“Hurry up and get
out of bed Morgan.” Rhune yelled, bouncing between each word. “I’m hungry and
no one can find the food.”
“Rhune, you can't
just run into every room…Oh goodness.” Melly’s voice trailed off. Then
frantic. “Rhune get out of there right now.”
“You’ve got a
really big bed.” Rhune said in all innocence. “It’s way bigger then Melly’s.
We should all sleep here tonight.”
“Rhune! Come out
of there at once!”
Rhune breathed a
deep aggrieved sigh. Then bounced once down to his butt and then off the bed.
“I don’t see why you can yell when you tell me I have to be quiet.” Then Melly
was making some wordless panicked sound and dragging him out the door.
For a long time
there was silence. “Please tell me that did not just happen?”
“You mean the part
where your brother and sister walked in on you in bed with two men or the part
where we’re all going to sleep together in the big bed tonight?” Ladon asked,
spooning her from behind, his face pressed into her hair. “Because I’m going
to have to say it was the second that concerns me.”
She reached back
and slapped his shoulder, then had to laugh. “It’s not funny.”
Lying across Ebens
chest as she was with his arms around her she felt when it started to shake.
“It’s not funny.” She tried again as she covered her face with her hand and
tried to burrow into his body, laughing and embarrassed all at the same time.
“Good Lord. Poor Melly.”
That made Ladon
chuckle too.
“It seems I need
to make a few adjustments to our home.”
“You mean like
bolts on the doors?” She asked through the hand still covering her face.
“At the very least
we’re going to need a cook.” Ladon offered, snuggling his morning erection
against Morgan’s soft ass.
“Not to mention a
kitchen.” Eben added dryly. That made Morgan laugh again.
“In the mean time
we will have to see to feeding the hatchlings before your brother decides to
come back and bounce upon the bed some more.”
That had Morgan up
like a shot hopping over Eben while he grunted at the impact and leaving Ladon
floundering against the pillows.
“Morgan.” Ladon
growled, even as she was disappearing into the bath.
“Don’t just lay
there. Get up!” She yelled. “He could be back any minute.”
Ladon growled
again and Eben sighed. “Perhaps a small misdirection spell on the stairs to
our chamber?”
“And a three
headed dog on the landing.” Ladon added shortly.
***
After taking care
of her morning routine as quickly as possible Morgan left the bath to find the
men already cleaned and dressed. Eben was in his customary black tunic
trousers with knee boots and Ladon in a brown tunic with gold edgings and some
kind of supple leather pants in knee boots. They looked like pure fantasy come
to life.
Morgan shook her
head at the sight they made. When she was dressed in another simple day dress,
this time with embroidery on the scoop collar and slippers that matched; they
headed downstairs.
Her young siblings
were in the great room. Melly admonishing them not to beak anything as they
explored.
They all stopped
moving completely when Eben began to conjure a dining room table and chairs.
Then a feast was added of breakfast meats and porridge. Soft fragrant breads
and fruit of all varieties. In under a minute there was enough food there to
supply a village feast.
“That was
amazing!” Rhune whooped heading for the table at a run. “Do something else.”
“Rhune!” Morgan
admonished as soon as she could speak over her own wonder. “
Attempt
to
be a gentleman.”
“But did you see…”
“Rhune.”
“Very well.” He
said will ill grace. “Thank you for breakfast Lord Dragon.”
It made Ladon
laugh, and had Morgan rolling her eyes.
“You are welcome,
Lord Mage.” Was all Eben said. It made Rhune giggle. They all sat down.
Clare and Melly both looked at the food as if they had never seen it before.
At least they had never seen so much at one time. Morgan thought. Though they
had never truly starved, they had gone hungry a time or two. It made her both
sad to remember and anxious that their new good fortune wouldn't last.
While the blood
mages had been defeated, there were still so many things to deal with to keep
everyone safe. The council. The prejudice against humans here and they still
did not know who wanted Ladon dead or why.
Shameaa. You
are not alone with your worries any longer. The hatchlings will be safe.
She blew out a
calming breath.
I can’t seem to help myself.
“Perhaps after we
eat you would accompany me on a tour of my lands.” Eben invited everyone. “It
would be good if you knew the boundaries and the dangers.”
Dangers?
Morgan
thought, even as the others agreed to the outing with enthusiasm.
What’s
dangerous to dragons?
She wondered picturing wild beasts and bottomless
pits.
Nothing so
scary as all of that.
Eben assured her, even as she felt his humor.
I know you’re
laughing at me.
She warned.
How come you can hear my every random
thought and I just hear what you want me too.
You project
very loudly, Shameaa. Eventually you will learn to keep me out, but for now, I
am enjoying the advantage it gives me.
And we
definitely need every advantage we can find to keep up with you.
Ladon
interjected.
“I’m done.” Rhune
suddenly bellowed, making everyone but Eben jump. “Can we go now?”
“Rhune!” Three
female voices sounded at the same time in the same exasperated tone.
Perhaps we can
try that misdirection spell on the front doors while we’re outside exploring.
Ladon
joked in an aside to Eben.
Or the three headed dog.
I suspect that
we would only turn to find Rhune riding him up the castle walls.
Just because I
can’t hear the conversation you both are having doesn’t mean I don’t know
you’re having one.
Morgan interjected.
I was just
remarking how good it is that I built this castle with dragons in mind.
Eben said drily.
Your brother would have a normal dwelling crashing down
around our ears within days.
Morgan sighed long
and loud.
That's the honest truth.
“Can we go yet?”
Rhune asked, bouncing up and down in his seat. “I want to see the dangers.”
Eventually they
went.
***
They spent a good
part of the morning flying the boundaries of Ebens territory. Ladon in his
dragon form road herd on Clare and Rhune in their flying forms. Clare as a gos
hawk and Rhune a baby dragon. Melly rode with Morgan on Eben and they all
laughed at the antics the other three got into.
Eventually there
was a messenger who showed up looking for Eben and they were forced to land.
He chose a valley beside a flowing brook. As soon as the women disembarked, he
changed so that he could read the missive and speak to them all at once.
“I have been
called to council.” Eben shared, motioning to the young dragon knight who had
landed and watched them all so curiously, still in his dragon form.
“This is Balin.
He is messenger for the council. Balin. My mate Morgan, and her sisters Melisande
and the hawk is Clare. Her brother is the small dragon who keeps spitting at
you. Though I think he is just attempting to speak in his altered form and
means no true insult.” Eben turned back to Balin. “Please inform the council
I will be there momentarily.”
Balin the dragon
bowed and then turned and launched himself back to the sky.
“Balin.” Ladon
said shaking his head. “For a messenger he never seems to have very much to
say.”
Eben hugged Morgan,
understanding she was worried without her having to say it. “Stay here and
enjoy the sunshine. I will be back in a short span.”
“Shouldn’t someone
go with you?”
“They have
questions about the battle. General Solan has also been summoned. There is
nothing to fear.” He kissed her forehead and then stepped away. “Enjoy the
valley. I’ll be back before you have time to get bored with it.”
The day was a
lovely one. In Dracon where the magic floated on every breeze, the sky seemed
to shimmer it was so bright a blue. Morgan was lying with her head in Ladons
lap and watching the few clouds go by. He was twining his fingers through her
hair and watching the hatchlings play hide and seek. It was especially funny
because they had agreed to use their powers. Right now Clare was a large red
wolf sniffing the ground on the hunt for Rhune, who had changed into a hedge
mouse and hid among the brambleberries.
He could see the
wind swirl about where Melly was attempting to confuse the wolfs nose by
fiddling with the air around her.
Ladon chuckled
when a particular strong breeze wafted dandelions into Clare’s sensitive wolf
nose and had her chuffing.
Morgan smiled
softly whenever he laughed, but otherwise just watched the clouds. Then they
started forming shapes that had her gasping. "Did you see that?"
She asked with excitement. "It turned into a flower." She pointed.
"See, now a bird."
"What is it
now?" Ladon asked just as the clouds reformed into a dragon with the most
lascivious look on his face.
"Ladon..."
She warned, laughing at the trick. "You're impossible."
As she watched, it
transformed into a man with a really big...
"What are you
looking at?" Clare called having transformed back into her normal form.
She looked up, but just like that the man disappeared and a wolf was in its
place.
Morgan was going
to scold him but he had the most sheepish look on his face. She burst out
laughing instead.
I forgot.
Serves you
right for teasing me anyway.
"Hey there's
another dragon." Clare’s voice had barely trailed off when Morgan felt a
spike of pain in her chest. She gasped and looked for Melly. She found her in
the middle of the clearing head back as wind and light swirled around her.
Morgan jumped up and started searching for the danger.
"Clare!
Change now and hide with Rhune!" She called. Clare didn't argue, knowing
that when Melly was wind called it meant trouble followed.
"What is she
doing?" Ladon asked standing up and following to stand with Morgan.
"She's wind
called. The last time this happened the villagers tried to burn Rhune at the
stake." She looked him in the eyes. Deadly serious. Then she pointed to
the north. "Do you recognize that dragon?” In the distance, but coming
fast, was a red dragon.
When he was close
enough to recognize Ladon growled.
'"Bochus."
Melly fell out of
her strange trance and fell to the ground. Morgan ran to her, collapsing
beside her and pushing back her hair. "Melly? What did you see?"
She asked gently but with insistence.
"He's
poison." She gasped out, tears falling from her exhausted eyes.
"He's going to kill him with poison."
"Who? Melly
is Bochus going to kill Ladon?"
"One or the
other. She gasped out. "One or the other will die. The Dragons will
fall. The beginning of the end." Melly grabbed her arm so hard it would
hold a permanent mark. "Morgan, stop him! He's too young! Poison...” Then
she passed out.
"Melly!?"
Morgan shook her trying to revive her. "Who will die? Who's too young?
Melly?!" But it was no use. She looked around for Ladon but he was
across the meadow looking very tense, talking to Bochus. Morgan prayed, even
as she ran towards them, that she could get to Ladon before it was too late.
Eben!
She
sent out the mental call as loud as she could.
We need you!
***
Morgan was almost
to Ladon when he spoke through their bond.
Stay back Morgan.
He is up to something.
Poison!
She
yelled in her head.
Melly said he's poison.
"It was you!”
Ladon turned with a growl. "You betrayed me to the humans. Stole my
blood and gave it to a blood mage."
Lord Bochus looked
from him to Morgan who stood a few feet behind him. Then he smiled. That
smile said more clearly than the rant that followed he was insane.
"I had to,
don't you see. The prophesy said if you took your place of power I would die.
It was self-defense. Now you would destroy dragon kind with this human. No! I'm
not the traitor here. You are."
"You gave his
blood to the blood mage. Why?" Morgan called the question.
"That was the
price, for the potion that made him weak enough to kill. But I couldn't strike
the blow myself. If a seer were to search out his fate, it must look as if he
played games with the humans and died for his foolishness. That was the price
I paid." He was so excited it had to be unnatural. "The blood was
the price I paid."
Is he drugged?
I'm not sure
but he is most certainly crazed.
"Why are you
here?" Ladon asked moving so that he blocked the line of sight to Morgan.
This had Bochus
blinking. Confused and then his face cleared. "To kill you of course.
It's the only way."
"If you
wanted to challenge me all you had to do was wait for the new moon. Why
now?"
"They can't
see." Bochus looked around furtively. "They won't understand."
"Understand
what?"
I'm almost
there. Keep him talking.
The sound of Ebens words had relief pouring
through Morgan.
Bochus laughed
then. "I had to be able to win." Then he was transforming into his
dragon. Only it was something different that he became.
He retained his
red color but he had grown to twice his normal size and his skin was mottled
and black in places. A spike formed on his tail and his dragon talons morphed
to curved weapons. He had two black horns on his head and his spittle hissed
when it dribbled to the ground between razor sharp teeth.
Get out of here
Morgan!
Ladon called before he transformed into his now tiny looking
dragon between them.
Get the others to safety.
Bochus swung his
spiked tail forcing Ladon to fly out of the way just as it crashed into the
ground where he had stood.
Eben Hurry.
She
called then yanked the earth out from under Bochus so that his talons flew up
and he was rolling back away from Ladon.
He roared his rage
and then flew up belching fire towards them. Morgan called the wind sucking
the air away so the fire never reached its intended target. Ladon gave his own
war cry before launching himself at the bigger dragon and using his slighter
form and speed to get behind him and bludgeon him with his own tail.
Bochus went
tumbling again with a wild shriek but came back fast. Trying to grab for the
much smaller dragon as Ladon flicked around him scraping him up with flashing
claws. Then with a flash of gold Ladon called his great sword and swung going
for a neck shot. But it was as if he was hitting stone. It just made Bochus
madder and madder.
He turned and
swiped with his mutated talons. He was going to connect. Morgan knew it, knew
too that Ladon would die, even as a black shadow appeared between them and Eben
took the swipe into his own side. His black talons dug into the abomination
Bochus had become, and with six thousand years of dragon power behind him, he
ripped off his head.
He dropped what
was left of a twitching Bochus to the ground. Turning first to look for Morgan
and then seeing her standing he turned to check Ladon. But Ladon was looking
at the wound across Ebens flank.
Poison.
Ladon said meeting his eyes. Eben felt the energy draining out. He would have
dropped to the ground if Ladon had not grabbed him and lead him down.
Morgan came
running as they landed. She gasped seeing the black stain spreading across his
iridescent scales.
"No!"
She yelled falling to her knees beside him just as they both shifted to human.
"Eben no." But she knew. She could feel the poison spreading.
'One or the other
will die
.'
Melly had said. Morgan assumed she meant Ladon or Bochus
but what if she meant this?
"Eben."
She whispered, her hands going to either side of his face so she could look
into his eyes. "Don't you leave me."
His pulled her
hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. "You worry about the silliest
things Shameaa. There is no poison that can harm a dragon." But his
words were slurring and his eyes going unfocused.
"Arrogant
dragon." She cursed through her tears. "Always think you know
everything."
"I have
called for a healer." The voice was too deep and had Morgan looking up
through her tears. She hadn't even noticed General Solan arrive until now. She
looked at him through sightless eyes. Then beside her, she heard Rhune.
"He's dying,
isn't he Morgan?" Too serious and too knowing for such a young boy.
"I can see it spreading." Morgan looked from her brother to Eben who
was now gasping for breath.
"The healer
won't be in time." Ladon said from the other side of Eben. She looked
across and saw the same devastation on his face she knew she was wearing on
hers.
Shameaa.
His
voice in her head was weak.
You may have been right...this once.
"I don't want
to be right!" She cried. "I want you to beat this, like you beat
everything else. Please Eben. Fight!" His hand found her cheek, pushing
into her hair and wiping her tears with his thumb.
"I would not
give up the light so soon after discovering its warmth." He said, and she
grabbed his hand to hold it to her face as agony shook her. He reached his
other hand to find Ladon and they clasped hands. "You will look after
each other. All that is mine is yours.”
"You don't
have to ask."
“Solan."
"Here."
Came the gruff voice.
"You will
bear witness that all these here belong to me. I claim them as dragon mage of
the house of water."
"I will so
witness."
"Then he
looked at Morgan. "Shameaa..." Then he closed his eyes.
"No! Where's
the healer?" She yelled, feeling him slipping away. "Fight! You arrogant
dragon. Fight!" She shook him as hard as she could but there was
nothing.
Then he jerked and
Morgan looked up. A white light was swirling around him, the black shadow
wound started to shrink and she blinked not understanding until Clare screamed.
"Rhune!"
She looked down
Ebens body and saw Rhune with his hands on the wound. "What are you
doing?” But she knew. She had seen her mother heal enough wounds to know when
someone was healing with magic. Only Rhune had never had that power. Until
now.
Even as she
watched the shadow wound was leaching out of Eben...and into Rhune.
'Morgan stop him.
He's too young!' This was what Melly had been warning her about! This!
"No."
Morgan yelled knocking Rhune away from the wounded dragon. "Hold him
away. It'll kill him!"
General Solan
Picked up Rhune and turned so that he was away from the body. Rhune was
struggling and yelling but he was no match for the Dragon General.
Morgan turned back
to Eben. The shadow was smaller but it wasn't enough. Rhune could have saved
him but he was too young, he would have died unable to fight off the poison.
He was a healer.
Like their
mother.
‘Blood or sex,
Morgan. That's how you restore a fading dragon. Blood or sex. But only use
it when the need is most dire.’
Morgan reached
over to the sword Ladon had dropped and slashed her hand against it.
"Morgan!"
He yelled reaching for her, but she already had her hand pressed between Ebens
lips.
"Fight
Eben." She whispered pushing Ladon back when he would have taken her hand
away. "Fight!" She yelled it directly into Ebens face.
Just when she
though it wasn't going to work, Eben latched onto her hand with sharp teeth.
She cried out but it wasn't the pain. She watched as the shadows shrank with
each gulp of blood he downed.
"It’s
working!” She heard someone say right before she passed out from blood loss.