Chapter 10 #2
The three made their way through the house.
When Apollo stopped and told someone that he was taking Misty out for a bit, Maya took in their surroundings, and she learned a bit more about the shifter who had kept her from permanently dying.
If the red-eyed woman was to be believed, it had been far more difficult than Maya had anticipated.
Her eyes took in decor, and she realized that it was large, but very much a home.
All of the places she had lived in were more like museums than residences.
Even the Strifes had hard rules about toys and cleanliness.
Apollo’s house wasn’t like that at all. While it wasn’t messy, and toys weren’t strewn about the place, there were signs in every room that a child lived there.
She looked at the walls, noticing the many pictures of Apollo and people who she guessed were his family judging by how similar they all looked.
She also noticed Cosmo in several of the pictures, looking just as mischievous as she remembered.
So he actually won Naomi over, huh? That will be an interesting relationship to watch.
I guess I should start planning her wedding.
There’s no reason to wait for her to realize it’s needed.
Knowing her, she’ll be afraid that asking for help is a burden.
Maya sighed as they exited the house and moved out onto an expansive backyard.
Her eyes widened as she took the place in.
The idea that Apollo had any need to use her for anything suddenly seemed utterly ridiculous.
He clearly had money, and he definitely was not the kind of person to seek power.
She turned to look at him as he watched his daughter.
Maya was startled when he looked at her. “Are you sure you will be okay to go somewhere?”
“Um, yes.” She licked her lips and took a step away from him, her body already feeling much stronger, more like it was when she’d left the wedding.
He didn’t look sold on the idea, but he didn’t argue with her. Instead he turned to his daughter. “Misty, honey, you are in charge of helping Maya, okay?”
“Yes, Daddy. I’ll keep her safe.” The look of determination on the kid’s face was precious, and Maya could see a slight resemblance to Apollo in the look.
Apollo stepped away from them as Misty hurried over and took Maya’s hand.
They both watched as his tall, muscular body started to shift.
Unlike her own, his transition was entirely smooth and very quick.
One second he was a handsome man standing in front of them.
The next, he was a large yellow and gold dragon with eyes bigger than her head.
Maya stared at him as Misty pulled her hand forward.
“Come on, pretty lady. I want to paint.”
Maya looked down at the little girl. “Oh, yes, of course. I’ve just … I’ve never seen your father as a dragon before.”
“He’s very pretty. I wish I was sunny yellow. It’s much better than gray.”
Without missing a beat, Maya replied, “You are beautiful as you are, Misty. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Okay?”
“Okay,” Misty said, twisting her mouth a little as she looked back at Maya. Then the child brightened up. “I want to paint.”
Maya smiled, “I know, kiddo. Come on. I need you to show me how to climb onto your father because I haven’t ridden a dragon in a very long time.”
“You are probably a really pretty dragon too, huh?” Misty walked over to Apollo, who had lowered himself to the ground. “Like this.” She grabbed some scales and pulled herself up onto his back.
“That must be a really strong kid,” Maya said, not sure that her body had recovered quite enough for that kind of exertion.
Without warning, something knocked her backward, and Maya felt herself hit something very boney.
Then her body slid down, and she hit Apollo’s back, her hands reaching out to grab whatever she could so she didn’t slip off of him.
Then she realized that she was nowhere near the edge of the dragon.
She was at no more risk of falling off his back than his daughter had been.
Misty was clapping. “Daddy let you ride his wing!”
“Yes, yes, he did,” Maya said, scooting up close to Misty, the shock leaving her a little unsteady. She felt a mixture of excitement and anxiousness as Apollo’s wings went up. With one powerful downstroke, he launched into the air. “Whoa!” Maya said, wrapping her arms around the little girl.
“Weeee!” Misty cried, sticking her arms in the air. “Humans like to do this! But not on dragons. They do it on roaring coasters.”
Maya looked at her, not wanting to correct her, a wide smile on her face at the little girl’s words. “Yes. They do love their roaring coasters.”
Compared to her portals, the ride took a little longer, but it was far more enjoyable.
As Apollo started circling over her shop, Maya looked out over his wings, noticing the way they shone in the dying light.
An unbidden thought ran through her mind as she took in his dragon form.
He’s absolutely stunning in every form. He could easily find someone if he wanted.
Being his mate would be like winning the lottery.
“Come on, pretty lady!” Misty said as soon as his feet touched down. Without waiting, she slid off of his side.
“Misty! What are you doing here? And Cousin Apollo?”
Maya looked over the side and saw Cullen and a couple of other kids standing outside of her shop. “Misty wanted to paint, so I brought them with me.”
Trying to be brave, Maya moved to the edge as Cullen called out, “I got everything set up to make the two dragons with their two necks forming a heart. I made sure to study the heads and neck since that part looked particularly intricate.”
“Very good thinking, Cullen,” Maya called down. “Why don’t you guys go ahead and go inside? I’ll be there in a minute.”
Once the kids were gone, she relaxed a little, the obvious problem giving her pause. “How am I supposed to get down?” she murmured to herself.
Suddenly, the solid feel of Apollo’s back literally shifted under her, and she found herself free-falling.
And then landing in his arms. He was smiling as he said, “We are going to have a very long talk about this, Maya.”
“I understand, and I’m sorry. However, I didn’t really have much of a choice.
If we had gone another day or two, it would have created a time paradox that would have rippled out and killed people.
If I could have waited, I would have. But at best, I just get a gut feeling when time starts to run short. ”
He looked at her. “So, on the day of the wedding, you manipulated time so that Cullen and his siblings could give his brother and new sister-in-law a present?”
“Yes. He looked so earnest in wanting to help, but there was literally nothing left that he could do. I figured giving him something to do that would give him a new skill would be far more valuable than some mindless chore that no one would notice.”
Apollo shook his head, but the smile was a bit bigger.
“Your reputation does not do you justice. There is a heart in there somewhere.” He then put her on the ground, keeping an arm around her waist. She considered telling him that she could walk, but for some reason, Maya kept her mouth shut as he started guiding her forward.
Half joking, he said, “We had best go make sure that we don’t break time. ”
“Break time?” Maya laughed, then put a hand on his bicep and leaned toward him. “We can’t do anything to time that it won’t fix on its own. At most, we can give it a superficial scratch that will just ensure our own destruction.”
“I have no idea how to respond to that. You are laughing, but the words are terrifying, if true.” His smile and teasing made her giggle as she felt a warmth spreading throughout her.
“Oh, and you find that funny too. I’m glad you are amused because we are talking about things that are well outside of my depths. ”
“That’s pretty much how most people feel when they talk to me.” Maya smiled up at him. “I don’t take it personally.”
“That sounds like a challenge to me, and, as I told you, I am rather tenacious. Perhaps I will one day understand you.”
Maya looked into his earnest eyes, a flipping sensation in her stomach catching her attention. She placed a hand on her belly. “That’s so strange.”
His amused expression morphed into concern. “Are you hurting? How can I help?”
“No, it’s not painful. Just … I don’t know what it was.”
Apollo stopped walking. “Can you explain it?”
She rubbed a circle around her stomach. “It felt like something was wiggling around here. I have nothing to compare it to.”
“Do you mind?” Apollo was crouching a little and held his hand near her belly as he looked up at her.
“Go ahead.” Maya watched as he gingerly touched her, part of his hand touching her scar. Warmth spread through the area under his hand, and the feeling happened again. “There! It happened again.”
Apollo frowned. “I’m not feeling anything abnormal.”
Maya paused, lost in thought. “That’s so strange. Usually I …” She finally noticed what had been tugging at the edges of her mind. “I’m not bending time around it!” Her hands flew to her scar, as if she needed to hold it together.
Apollo had moved away a little but was still crouched.
He reached out and took both of her hands.
“You don’t need to do that anymore, Maya.
” A loud noise came from inside the shop, and he quickly rose, his attention focused on the building.
Without asking, he lifted her off the ground and hurried to the door.
The strange sensation rumbled around in her belly again, but Maya didn’t want to bring it up again. Apollo seemed anxious and concerned as he raced to the door. His movements were smooth, and she didn’t feel jostled at all as he grabbed the door.
“It’s okay, Apollo. They can’t get hurt.”