Chapter 8
Twenty-five years later
Fowler liked being king of the other world.
It also afforded him the ability to go back and forth to his home realm as well.
He loved going there to see his parents, who had decided to stay in the earthly world so they could see the children.
There were plenty of them to see nowadays, what with all his brothers but for Melbourne having them.
He could even be counted on to be the fun uncle once in a while.
He had six sons to raise of his own and one daughter.
She was the youngest of the children and the seventh female child born of a seventh mother just like Storm had been.
She’d have magic, as much as her mother did, and Storm was the strongest being ever born.
“What are you doing out here?” He looked around to see who William could be talking to and saw his daughter, Celesta. “Haven’t you been told to stay indoors when I’m outside? I don’t want you making any noises either. I don’t like you.”
He started to go to his daughter’s defense, but was stopped by Morning, Celesta’s great-grandmother. William was her mate and had only been back from the fade for a little while. He’d been causing trouble since, and he’d about had enough of him.
“I don’t like you either. You’re a wiener head.
” He nearly laughed at the expression on William’s face, but caught himself in time.
Then he drew back his hand to no doubt hit his daughter.
“You let that swing, and I’ll turn you into dust. You know I can do it too.
I’m that powerful, and you’re not. No one would even miss you if I were to do it too. ”
“You lie.” She lifted her chin up and glared at the other man. “You think you’re all-powerful? Well, I know for a fact that you don’t have shit.”
“Then try me. Go on. Try and slap me. It’ll be the last thing you ever do, too.
I already don’t like you; killing you won’t be a problem at all for me.
I could have your head removed in a heartbeat.
” He could see the hesitation on William’s face.
“You touch my brothers again, and I will end you. I might be small yet, but I’m more powerful than you are.
Stop hitting them, and I will allow you to live. ”
“You gonna tell on me? For hitting them? They need to be disciplined sometimes. Your parents certainly aren’t doing anything.” Celesta said nothing but stood her ground. “I’m going to catch you one of these days, and that will be the end of you. I don’t care how much dragon you are.”
“I’m all dragon with just enough vampire in me to know where you are at all times.
Remember the last time you tangled with me?
I do. I was able to draw first blood. Now I have you in my sights, so you’ll never be able to hide from me.
You’re nothing but a pisser, and I can’t stand you.
” William looked afraid. “You’d better be thinking about what I told you about not being around us anymore.
I’m going to keep an eye out for the other kids, too, now that I know you like to hurt little kids. ”
“You’re full of shit.” Celesta just laughed. “I hate you as well. Those other kids will learn that I’m the king about here and—What did you do to me?” He watched William as he bled from his neck. “You little shit, I’m going to kill you.”
William never moved, nor did his daughter. But William was suddenly gone, and Celesta was still standing next to the flower garden. She turned and looked directly at her great-grandma.
“He’s dead.” Morning nodded. “He’ll not bother you at all again, either. Had I known what was in his head, I would have killed him sooner.”
“You’re only six. You’re not supposed to be able to do that.” Celesta asked if she was mad. “Mad? No. Confused, but that’s nothing unusual for when I’m around you.”
“You’re the dragon slayer, aren’t you, my dear. The one that will deal out punishment for your kind.” Fowler looked at his daughter, then at Morning before she answered.
“Yes. I’m much more too.” Celesta turned then and looked at him. “Hello, Daddy. I knew you were there. Are you mad at me?”
“Never.” He didn’t know what to think about his daughter being the dragon slayer, but it had to be right. She’d just killed a powerful being without moving. “Did you remove his head?”
“I did. He’ll be no more. Did you know that he was beating on my brothers and cousins? He was a bad man and hungry for power.” Fowler said he’d not known that he was doing anything like that. “He also tried to kill Momma. She’s smarter than him.”
“She is at that. Are you going to be the real dragon slayer for all time? Will you be held accountable for the deaths that you take?” She told him that she would not, as she was the one who judged them. “You’re so young. How long have you known about being the slayer?”
“Not until today.” He nodded, and she came to him for a pick up.
Holding her in his arms, he wondered what he’d do now with her being so young and having such a great responsibility.
“I won’t have to kill anyone for decades and decades now.
People will fear me because I’m so good at what I do.
He was a bad man, Daddy. Nothing like you. ”
“I should hope not.” She laid her small head on his shoulder, and he reached out to Amy. Telling her what had happened, she told him that she was on her way to see to her. “I don’t know what you can do, love. She’s the dragon slayer and will be forever. I’m slightly afraid of her myself.”
“So long as we don’t do anything wrong, I suppose we’ll be all right.
” Amy laughed. “I’m going to have to have a talk with her about this new job.
Do you suppose she’ll be all right with killing her great-grandfather?
I mean, yes, he was a terrible person, but she killed him by removing his head, and you said that she didn’t move. ”
“I don’t want to think about it.” She laughed again. Taking Celesta to their home, he laid her on her bed and stood over her for several minutes. “She’s powerful, love. We’re going to have to tell my mom. If she doesn’t already know.”
“She more than likely has known since before she was born.” More than likely, he thought.
His dad more than likely knew as well. “We’ll need to have more juice around for her.
She’ll need it if her magic depletes her like it does me.
Also, and this one is a biggy. Do you suppose we’ll have to talk to her about not killing her brothers when they tease her? ”
“I don’t think we will. She seems to know what she’s about and won’t lord it over them either.
She said she’d not have to kill for decades again, people would fear her.
” Amy seemed to think that was a wonderful thing as well.
She joined him in the room. “I’m going to watch over her for a while.
You should, too, and we’ll try to put some perspective on this.
Do you suppose my grandda was hurting the others?
Why didn’t they say anything if he was?”
“Would you have had you been a young child?” He told her that he might well have not. “Then you have your answer. She looks so peaceful there. She said that she read his mind. I didn’t even know she knew how to do that yet. I’ve only just mastered it myself.”
“She’s known what she has to do for a while now.
Celesta might not have known what she was, but she knew that she had to take care of him before it got out of hand.
” She asked what Morning had to say. “Nothing. She just walked away when she started talking to me about what she’d done.
Do you suppose it will say in the book that the dragon slayer killed him for deeds untold, or will it say that he’d been taken out by his six-year-old great-granddaughter? I think I’ll have a look to see.”
“It’ll say, dragon slayer. And I’m betting if we were to look, it would say that she is what she is, too.
That she’s going to be taking care of us for the rest of her life.
” He thought about how calm she’d been when she’d killed William.
How it had happened in the blink of an eye, and he’d not even seen her move.
That was a great deal of power, and he was slightly afraid for her. “What are you thinking about?”
He told her. “And not to mention, she’s going to need to take a mate one day. That’ll make her more powerful than she already is. Mom will love it.” They both laughed, but it was a nervous sort of laugh. “I’m going to my office. I’ve had enough excitement for one day. How about you?”
“I’m going to watch over her. She’s my darling baby girl, and I want to make sure she doesn’t have any nightmares from what she’s done.
” He didn’t think so and said as much. “I believe you’re right, but I’m still going to watch over her.
I don’t want anyone to try and harm her because of what she’s done. ”
“No one will touch her. I will kill them myself.” He wandered to his office and sat down at his desk.
He had planting schedules to go over as well as the list of new flowers that needed to be planted soon.
All he could think about was that his little girl was going to be killing rogue dragons for the rest of her life.
Fowler was suddenly very proud of his daughter. She was going to do a great job, too.
After working for an hour, he decided that he’d gotten about as much done as he could.
There were still schedules to be finished up, but they were always going on about new schedules when there was no place to plant them.
Getting up from his chair, he watched his children playing with the unicorns in the yard and noticed that there seemed to be no tension around.
How could he have missed William hurting his children?
Had he known, he would have…he didn’t know what he could have done, but it would have been something.