12. Chapter Eleven
Chapter Eleven
Ionus
“Brother, do you hear me?” The concern in Caro’s voice drew me back.
“Yes, brother. Sorry. There was a negative shift in my mate’s emotions then it faded.” Feeling what another did, aside from my siblings, was quite different. Alexander and I had much to discuss and learn about each other but the sense of contentment that now coursed through him halted my rush to return to his side. “What do you think the glowing of the stone could mean?”
The faceted amethyst gemstone was illuminated, pulsating with an audible hum while the others remained as they were. Why had only mine done this?
“Ionus,” Quint pointed to my chest. “Your heart.”
I glanced down and a near mirror image of what lay in front of us was tattooed upon my flesh. The light pulsated beneath my skin and my heart itself was now amethyst in color. “Brothers?”
“It’s time we pay Emerson a visit.”
Caro was right, but first I must dress and find my mate. I’d darted down at their call in nothing more than my boxers. Depending on their emergency, if my dragon was called forth, shifting was of the utmost importance and clothing only hampered that.
Caro, Quint, Mattias, and Odem followed me back up the tunnels and into my home.
Our home.
Yes, Dragon. Our home.
I need not call out to Alexander as I could sense his presence in the library, as did my brothers. While I took the stairs up to get ready, they moved toward the room which he was in. Hurriedly I dressed, not so much in worry as to what my errant siblings would say, but more over the mate bond and what it may’ve done to him.
“Is everything okay?” I was surprised to see Raven here and found her presence a bit unnerving.
“Appears your mate is full of curiosity since consummation.” Caro’s words had Alexander’s face turning an unstartling shade of red.
“Caro, be nice,” Raven scolded. “Alex and I have bonded over books and knowledge, and I recommended a few from Ionus’s library to him. Nothing wrong with that.”
Alex had a new friend and one I trusted with my own life.
“That’s excellent.” I kissed him. “My love, may I ask a question?”
“Of course.”
“Could you lift your shirt, please?”
“Excuse me?”
“I can leave if you need me to,” Raven rose, “though I have a feeling this is something I should be privy to?” Her questioning gaze was right on target.
I raised my shirt first and Alexander gasped. “Do you bear the same marking?”
Alex lifted his and revealed the same, though on a smaller scale.
“Oh my,” Raven gasped. “What does it mean?”
“Great question and one we’re hoping Emerson has the answer to.” How I wished Raven held the knowledge we sought, but since she didn’t a trip into town was unavoidable.
“Ionus?” Alexander shut the book he’d been reading. “Should I be worried?”
“No, I’m sure it has everything to do with our mating.” And nothing to do with enemies on the prowl. I hoped…
I sense a change in the winds.
As do I, Dragon.
I was thankful to find the direct connection to my dragon had remained unchanged. Alerting Alexander of our concerns wasn’t wise. Not without concrete evidence to support it.
“I’ll get the car.” Quint headed toward the underground garage where our car collection was kept.
“Whoa. That is one expensive lot of metal muscle.” Alexander whistled as he scanned the various models, and our dragon puffed up.
Errant beast.
Pfft, you’re just jealous.
Of what? He’s ours. Cars can be replaced while mates cannot.
That shut the cocky dragon up.
“I’m not missing this for anything,” Raven skipped beside us, her skirts flowing in the wake. She was far too excited for this adventure and as our mage, one I readily agreed she must attend.
We had two custom-built oversized vans for just such occasions, that comfortably housed five large dragons plus a couple of humans. The windows were blacked out and the seats were comfortable captain’s chairs that rotated in 360-degree directions. The leg and head room made the pricy custom vehicles more than worth the investment.
“You guys have the coolest shit, I swear.” I loved how in awe of everything Alexander was. His wide-eyed wonder was quite refreshing and his youthful exuberance as he spun in his chair lightened the mood.
“Okay, who is Emerson and why do we need his help?” My mate didn’t miss a beat. He may come across as slightly aloof, but I guaranteed he was anything but.
“Emerson is the dragon historian and archivist. If anyone will know what’s going on, it’s him.” Considering I was the first of us to find their mate after all these centuries, the aftermath of the bond was Greek to us. Though I did speak Greek along with a plethora of other languages.
“He’s a genius at hunting down dragon lore, even things we didn’t know existed.” Caro shook his head. “Total bookworm. If he doesn’t know the answer, he’ll find it.”
Even to his own detriment, in my opinion. Emerson was an omega long past his prime. I hoped he didn’t endanger his heats as my mate once had.
“Damn,” Alexander gazed around. “This is one nice ass van. I’ve stayed in yurts that weren’t this nice.” And just like that, he chased another squirrel down the rabbit hole. Such a curious human.
The warehouse for which Emerson worked and lived wasn’t far from the police station. The books and documents he housed were priceless and while wards were in place, one could never be too safe, which is why long ago we’d chosen this location for him.
“This is it?” Alexander was less than impressed with the building. “I guess I expected more of a library type place.”
“No anonymity in that,” Odem clapped his shoulder. “Come on, let’s get inside and figure out if you’re gonna turn into a human glowstick.”
“Not helping, Odem.” Tact was not Odem’s gift. Alexander’s concern flowed through our connection and while he outwardly played it off, internally I felt his fear of the unknown.
Trust me, my love. All will be well.
Alexander’s eyes darted to mine as this was the first time we’d spoken through our connection since mating.
I do trust you, but you don’t even know what it means.
True, but I sense no negative presence from it. We just merely seek clarity today, that’s why we’re here.
Fingers and talons crossed.
As soon as we stepped up to the entrance, the retinal scan display appeared from the panel on the wall. Emerson knew who was here, the cameras showed him that much but security was a high priority, and we still had to appease the usual channels.
“Who is the human omega with you?” Emerson’s voice came over the speaker.
“My mate and the reason for our visit.” Would he deny Alexander access or trust my word?
“He’ll require a full body scan. Please step away.”
I did but still stayed within arm’s reach and watched as lasers worked over Alexander’s body.
“Hmm, interesting. You may enter.”
“What was interesting?” Alexander asked as we stepped inside.
“I wondered the same thing.”
“To what do I owe the pleasure of having all five protectors in my space?” Emerson straightened his glasses and stared us down. Someone was snippy today.
“Emerson, this is my mate, Alexander.” Emerson eyed him curiously. “Upon our mating something interesting happened.”
“Interesting as in he’s carrying your eggs?”
“Wait. What?” Alexander paled and I wrapped a protective arm around his waist, fearing he may faint.
“Yes, you are with eggs. Young ones, but eggs none the less.” The manner for which Emerson replied was so nonchalant. Had he not realized how hard he just rocked our world?
“I-I’m pregnant?”
Emerson rolled his eyes. “Yes, do you have challenges grasping the English language?” I growled and neared Emerson, our dragon on full alert. “My apologies, it’s early and I need coffee.” Emerson backpedaled.
“You just scanned me, won’t that hurt the babies?”
Alexander may have asked the right questions but his pale skin and shaking hands alluded to the fact that he hadn’t taken this news well.
“On the contrary,” Emerson’s finger pushed his glasses farther up the bridge of his nose. “Dragons aren’t phased by the laser scan plus the shell provides an additional layer of protection. But why would you bring him to me and not a midwife to determine pregnancy?”
“That’s not why we’re here, Emerson.” Caro stepped up, shoulders rigid. “Ionus, Alex, please raise your shirts so we can get on with this.”
Our mate is pregnant!
Dragon didn’t bother to keep his excitement to our personal connection.
Our dragon is happy.
Yes, my love, as am I. We’ll celebrate at home later.
But it’s only been a day, two at the most. How can he tell already?
Scanners.
What a way to find out you’re with egg, or eggs in this case by the sound of it, than by a stranger who wasn’t a midwife. Emerson had about as much tact as a bulldog after a bone.
Alexander and I raised our shirts and Emerson’s eyes widened. “How curious. Does it burn?” We shook our heads no. “Hurt?” Again, we responded the same as he poked at the areas.
“Personal space, Emerson,” Caro growled. “You must ask permission first.”
What was it about Emerson that brought this angry dominance out in Caro? Was there history between the two or a run in I hadn’t been privy to?
“Yes, my apologies. I’d read of this before,” Alexander visibly relaxed at Emerson’s admission. “But I’d yet to see it firsthand. Very interesting indeed.”
Emerson rolled a large metal door open, one akin to what you’d find in a commercial building and stepped inside. Before we lost him to his research, as would happen if you didn’t keep him on task, we followed behind him.
“Whoa, that’s a lot of books,” Alexander’s wide eyes took in the vast space filled to the brim with ancient tomes. The value of this room was incalculable due to the rareness of these antiquities. If there was a desk in here it was buried under hills of paper and text books but the system worked for Emerson, though my OCD would be off the charts.
“Yes, yes, here it is.” Emerson drew a file folder from one of the cabinets in the center of the room. “Now, while none of this directly supports the protectors or the stones... Oh, yes, did anything change with your stone?”
As our archivist, Emerson was privy to the nature of said stones.
“Yes, it’s glowing as my chest is and vibrating with an audible hum.” Thank the Goddess that wasn’t happening to our bodies. The sound alone would drive me mad.
“I’ll add that to the notes. While these don’t match your event exactly, there have been many matings in which matching tattoos appeared in the exact locations on each mate. Given you five are the exception to most rules, I’d venture on the side of this being normal. I must ask, do any of you recall your mother bearing a similar glowing mark?”
I racked my brain, as did my brothers but came up empty.
“It’s possible she had but with our father’s passing perhaps the light died with him.” As it had in her, which led me to believe they too likely bore similar markings.
“Interesting for sure.” Emerson continued to jot down notes as he spoke.
“Wouldn’t it be more productive to type that into the computer rather than handwriting it?” Caro asked. Thankfully Emerson ignored his cross words and continued.
“It had been written that as each of your father’s brothers passed, the illumination of their stones did, too. When one protector dies, it weakens the others. Have your stones ever illuminated before of their own volition?” He glanced up from the notes from which he read.
“Not that we’ve seen. I would think they’d call to us if they did as the hum had today.” Though it was my stone, I was… occupied and missed the calling. Now, I couldn’t rid myself of it. Thankfully it wasn’t annoying to the point of insanity.
“Well, knowing what we do from history, I’d say as each of you find your mates…” Emerson paused and wiped his brow. Was he sweating? The room wasn’t warm by any means. “This will continue to happen. It’s almost as though you’re breathing life back into them and thus increasing your power by fully mating.”
I felt for Emerson. As a half dragon, half human, he was born without the ability to shift. I believe that was what drove him to research, his need to find a way to reverse that curse.
“Only time will tell us that, but having found my mate, hope has returned that my brothers will as well.” Though why the fates chose this time in our lives for this to happen left me to wonder if something bigger wasn’t on the horizon.
How does he find anything in here?
The place was an OCD nightmare.
I guess there’s a method to his madness.
It’s madness, all right.
Glad to know my mate didn’t operate the same as Emerson. Can’t say my library would handle the chaos well, nor would I.
Emerson mumbled to himself as he wandered around the room, clearly in his element, though watching him was exhausting. He’d head in one direction only to correct himself and go back the way he came. He’d draw a book from the shelf, scan it like a speed reader, then slide it back into place.
“Emerson,” I shook my head. “What on earth are you looking for?”
“Your mate, is it possible he’s not one hundred percent human?”
I glanced down at Alexander, and he shrugged. “I think Gramps would’ve told me if I wasn’t.”
Would he?
Possibly.
Think we could get him to come visit?
Maybe.
“Who is this Gramps person?” Emerson popped out from behind a stack of papers and appeared in front of Alexander whom I immediately moved to protect. “Down, Dragon. I would never hurt your mate.”
“Gramps is my grandfather, the one who raised me after my parents died.”
Should I be worried?
No, mate. Emerson may be a bit off kilter, but his questions are with reason. His mind is a truly amazing thing that runs a mile a minute. I believe it’s called ADHD in the human world.
Ah, yes. Makes total sense.
“How did your parents die?” Emerson’s eyes were glued to Alexander. What was it he searched for?
“Climbing accident.”
“We need Gramps, and Odren.”
Now, Emerson’s words set my scales on alert. Why would we require the healer mage?
“Raven?” I barely gasped out her name. My throat was barren, and my dragon clawed to the surface.
“On it.” Raven stepped outside the iron clad room to reach out to her fellow mage. Phone service inside these Kevlar walls was nonexistent.
“Emerson, use your words.” Emerson shivered at Caro’s command. There was something more between these two. For that I had no doubt. But dealing with this brewing issue that involved my mate must come first.
“Yes, yes. Of course, my apologies, protectors. The pieces aren’t adding up. I believe your mate, Ionus, may not be fully human and may have dragon blood. It could be buried centuries deep, or I could be wrong. I’d like Odren to take his blood and perform a revealing spell on it.”
“Oh.”
Oh? That’s all you’ve got. Oh? My entire life as I know it may not be as I’d known, and you say oh?
Sorry, my love. This isn’t a bad thing, though. We do need your grandfather here plus with the pregnancy it would be good to have him here with you.
Alexander huffed. “I’ll be back.”
Follow him.
Our dragon wasn’t thrilled with any of this and had I ignored his request we would have destroyed Emerson’s archive room when he shifted, and that I’d not risk.