Chapter 13
Chapter
Thirteen
“Again?” Anon groused. “Dear me. You’re going to ruin your eyes, gnome.”
Rhaz watched in amusement as Anon sat beside Basil on the couch in the living room. “Do you even know what you’re watching?”
Basil scowled up at him. “Of course I do. I’m spying on what happens at the Townsend Agency. The master of angels sends his assassins out on missions, and they do all his bidding.”
Rhaz cocked his head as he approached. Caelen and Quill had tried to explain television to him the night before. Basil had listened in and was now glued to the flat screen, as Quill called it. It looked like a small rectangular portal of some sort.
Basil tried to snatch the remote from Anon. “Give it back, bloodsucker! The angels were in trouble! I must see what happens next!”
“You’ve been here less than a week, and you’re already binge-watching Netflix.” Anon pried the remote from Basil’s grasp and stood. “You’re a very naughty gnome.”
He marched to the other side of the room, opened a desk drawer, dropped the remote inside, then locked it.
Basil gasped. “Insolent fiend!”
Quill entered the room, took one look at the television, then at Anon’s smug face. “You do realize you left the television on, right?”
Anon stomped one foot. “Wizard!”
Quill shrugged and turned to Rhaz. “He just locked up the remote, didn’t he?”
“I suppose he did.”
“I am triumphant!” Basil shouted. “Now quiet, everyone. The master is finally figuring out that his angels are in trouble!”
Anon rolled his eyes. “The little tyrant is incorrigible.” He marched across the living room. “And I still say you’re going to ruin your eyes. Did you even go to bed last night?”
“What care you, when there is such beauty to be had, bloodsucker?” Basil never looked away from the television.
“Don’t you think Basil is getting a sort of glazed look?” Quill asked no one in particular.
“I think he’s going to go mad if he keeps binge-watching,” Anon said. “Maybe he’ll get tired of them. Now he can’t even turn the television off.”
He pulled the key from his pocket. “I should turn the thing off and take the key to Aaron and Betty’s with us.”
“Is it time to go?” Quill asked.
Rhaz smiled. The Nemthra seemed eager to entertain them. Aaron had called Anon that morning and invited everyone out for something called a barbecue.
He approached the couch. “Basil, are you ready to go?”
Basil gasped. “Go, my prince? And miss what is happening to my angels in the magical kingdom of Los Angeles? Would you be so cruel?” He never once looked at Rhaz.
Rhaz sighed. “You wish to stay?”
“I’m not sure that would be wise,” Quill said. “What if he gets himself into trouble?”
Anon shook his head in disgust. “Look at him. He’s enthralled. I don’t think he’s moved since breakfast.”
“At least he took the time to cook breakfast,” Rhaz pointed out. “Basil, do you truly wish to stay?”
“Yes, my prince!” He still didn’t look away from the television. “Oh! Oh! It is the angel Jill!” He leaned closer to the screen. “Ohhhhhh. How lovely.”
Anon made a gagging sound. “If he must stay, then command him to behave himself and stay out of trouble.” He glanced upward. “You’ll keep an eye on him, won’t you?”
Rhaz’s eyebrows shot up. Who was he talking to?
The walls groaned.
Anon rolled his eyes. “It’s not that difficult a task. Just keep him inside.”
The floorboards rattled.
Even Basil cast Rhaz a worried glance. “What was that, Prince Rhaziel?”
“That was your babysitter,” Anon announced. “If you so much as think about leaving this place, it’ll bury you in the basement.”
Basil stood on the couch and looked frantically around the room. “You have a magical abode?”
“I do,” Anon said. “And it does whatever I say.”
The entire house rattled.
Anon rolled his eyes again. “Very well, we have a mutual agreement.”
Basil slowly sat back down, his eyes darting around the room. “I will do as my prince commands.”
“You will behave yourself?” Rhaz reiterated. “You will stay in the house?”
“Haven’t I done so thus far, Your Highness?”
“Yes, you have. Continue to do so.” Rhaz turned to Anon. “He will be fine.”
“Hmmm. I’m still not sure I should give him the remote back.” Anon crossed the room again, unlocked the drawer, and retrieved the remote.
He returned to the couch and handed it to Basil. “So you can turn the television off when you’re done.”
Basil glared at him. “Fine.” He snatched the remote and clutched it possessively.
Anon sighed. “As for the rest of us, let’s go. Caelen and Dandy will meet us there.” He headed for the kitchen.
Rhaz and Quill followed. So long as Basil was occupied, he wasn’t going anywhere.
In the kitchen, Rhaz turned to Quill. “This house, is it truly magical?”
Quill looked around carefully. “Due to an accident involving powerful magic, the house is now sentient. Be nice to it, and it’ll be nice to you.”
Rhaz’s jaw dropped. He’d thought the noises the house made earlier were the plumbing. That was what Anon had told him when he’d asked about the odd sounds he occasionally heard.
He’d never heard of such a thing. Apparently, Basil had. The gnome didn’t seem overly concerned, merely a little wary.
Rhaz would have to ask him about it later. Right now, they had somewhere to be.
They gathered outside in front of the same conveyance, which he’d since learned was called a van, that had sped past the bakery on his third day in town. The one he’d followed but eventually lost.
So his senses hadn’t been as addled as he’d thought. He really had been sensing other supernaturals.
Everyone climbed in. Anon drove. Rhaz sat beside him while Jackson, Hana, and Quill took the back seat.
They drove through town and eventually left it behind. Rhaz took in the dense forest surrounding them and stared at the towering trees. Hana called them evergreens. The green dragons would be jealous. They’d probably want to plant some in their kingdom.
It wasn’t long before they turned off the main road and onto a smaller one. From there, they followed a narrow lane winding through the trees before rounding a bend.
A small lake came into view. Beside it sat a cottage, an outbuilding, and a smaller structure near the water.
“Here we are. Aaron and Betty’s humble abode,” Anon announced. He parked the van beside a car Rhaz assumed belonged to Betty.
As soon as they stopped, Aaron came running out of the house with his arms spread wide.
Anon and the others laughed.
Rhaz smiled. “He seems happy to see us.”
“He is always happy,” Jackson said. “And I, for one, am glad for it. Aaron makes this place bearable when I miss my pack.”
Rhaz turned in his seat to look at him. To his surprise, Jackson wore a somber expression, sadness lingering in his eyes. “You miss your home.”
Jackson met his gaze. “I worry about them. I am their alpha and responsible for their safety and well-being. All one hundred and fifty of them. What must they think, Prince of Dragons? I vanished into thin air as far as they know.”
Rhaz swallowed hard. “Indeed, Alpha.” He gave Jackson a heartfelt look. “I will do whatever I am able to get you all home.”
Aaron stood outside the van. “Why do you not get out? Is something wrong?”
Rhaz turned toward him. “The Nemthra too, if I am able.”
“I have a theory about that,” Quill said as he opened the side door. “I’ll tell you all about it at dinner. For now, Aaron wishes to play with a dragon.”
“I do!” Aaron jumped into the air and laughed. “Come out, Prince Rhaz! I want to show you something!” Without waiting for an answer, he took off toward the lake.
Anon smiled and wiped at one eye.
Rhaz studied him. Was the vampire... crying? He walked around the van while everyone headed toward the water.
Once they gathered at the shoreline, Aaron stood at the edge of the lake. “Prince Rhaz, I made this for you!”
Rhaz smiled as he approached. “What is he doing?”
Aaron backed into the water. Everyone smiled at Rhaz but said nothing.
Anon stepped beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Prepare to be amazed.”
Rhaz had heard stories about what a Nemthra could do. Powerful things. Terrifying things. But Aaron was so innocent, playful, and childlike.
He stood knee-deep in the water and scanned the area. “Jackson, are we alone?”
Jackson sniffed the air and nodded. “Yes.”
Aaron beamed, closed his eyes, and simply stood there.
Rhaz watched the water. Nothing happened. “What is he trying to do?”
“I don’t know,” Anon admitted. “Just wait for it.”
So they waited. Several seconds passed. Then the water behind Aaron began to churn.
Without warning, a massive funnel of water shot fifty feet into the air.
Rhaz took an involuntary step backward as he watched the column surge forward until it stood directly behind Aaron. “Is he going to be all right?” Rhaz called over the noise.
“Yes!” Anon shouted back.
Then, just like that, the water took shape, and a dragon emerged from the spinning column.
Rhaz’s jaw dropped. And then he laughed.
Not a polite or amused laugh. This was the sort of laughter that erupted when awe and amazement married and gave birth to joy. He knew exactly what he had to do next.
Rhaz shifted.
Aaron must have sensed it. He opened his eyes, took one look at Rhaz in his red dragon form, and laughed much as Rhaz had.
Aaron’s water dragon held together as he left the lake and made a beeline for Rhaz.
When he reached him, he stopped short. “You are so red!” He blinked. “And... big.”
Aaron backed up several steps, his eyes growing rounder and rounder as he took in all seventy feet of him.
“Look, everyone! It’s Rhaz!” He hurried toward the dragon’s enormous head.
Rhaz lowered his head until he was eye level with Aaron and snorted a puff of smoke.
Aaron laughed and backed up a step. His head snapped toward the house.
So did everyone else’s.
Betty hurried down the porch steps. “Aaron!” She rushed toward the group, giving Rhaz a wide berth. “What... what...” Her eyes widened. “Oh.” She openly gawked. “Is that Rhaz?”
Rhaz swung his head in her direction and nodded.
“That is so freaky!” Betty smiled. “Goodness, he’s bigger than a house!”
“Make that two houses,” Anon said as he stepped forward.
He walked right up to Rhaz, patted him on the snout, then began measuring him with long strides all the way to his tail.
Rhaz hoped Jackson was right and that no one else was nearby. The property seemed secluded enough, and he smelled no one beyond the little group gathered at the lake.
Aaron suddenly laughed, ran at Rhaz, and tried to wrap his arms around his neck. His dragon’s neck was far too large.
“You are marvelous!” He released him and stepped back. “Betty taught me that word today.” Aaron turned toward his mate. “Don’t you think he’s marvelous?”
Betty studied Rhaz, her eyes round as saucers. “He’s magnificent.” She looked at the others. “I can’t believe I have a dragon in my front yard!”
Rhaz shook his head and made a chuffing noise. If he’d been in human form, he would have been blushing. But he had to remember that none of these people had ever seen a dragon before.
Not even the supernaturals. They’d heard of dragons, certainly, but he doubted any of them had ever interacted with one.
“I measure at least seventy feet!” Anon called as he returned to the group.
Aaron’s mouth dropped open. “Seventy?” He turned toward Rhaz. “Is that big for one of your kind?”
Rhaz cocked his head and held up a wickedly sharp foreclaw. He waved it back and forth, then sat back on his haunches. Pointing at himself, he held his forepaws apart about the width of his chest.
Aaron frowned in concentration. “You?” He pointed at Rhaz. “This is how big you are?”
Rhaz nodded.
“Will you get bigger?”
Rhaz nodded again and spread his forelegs wider. Then, to make his point, he unfurled his wings.
Aaron’s hands flew to either side of his head. “Betty, look!”
Anon gaped. “Good heavens. Look at that wingspan.” His eyes widened. “Are you saying you’ll grow much larger?”
“Oh. My. Gosh.” Betty grabbed the nearest person. Unfortunately for Hana, it happened to be her. “Tell me he’s joking.”
Aaron gave her a broad grin. “Do not worry, Betty. He would never hurt us.” He ran up to Rhaz and patted him on the stomach. “Come swim with me!”
“Oh dear,” Betty said. “Now Aaron, I don’t think that’s such a good idea. You can’t swim very well yet.”
“The water will carry me.” He dashed over, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her. When he finally released her, he turned and ran for the lake.
Rhaz watched him splash into the water and keep going. He looked at the others, shrugged, and followed.
One did not refuse a Nemthra.
He entered the lake, sending waves rolling across the surface. For a moment he lost sight of Aaron. Then he spotted him rising from the water until he stood knee-deep in it.
“Come, Prince of Dragons! Swim with me!” Aaron vanished beneath the surface.
Rhaz cast the others a concerned look before submerging completely and swimming after him.
He used his wings to propel himself through the water and spotted Aaron immediately.
A soft blue light surrounded the Nemthra. His magic.
Rhaz wasn’t entirely sure how close he should get. Would the lake think he was attacking Aaron and refuse to let him surface for air?
It seemed possible.
Aaron moved toward the center of the lake. Rhaz followed, surfacing once to breathe before diving again.
It felt good to swim in his dragon form. He hadn’t done it in years. The water was cool and refreshing, and for the first time since arriving in Moon Creek Falls, he felt completely at ease.
Too bad Basil hadn’t come. The gnome was missing the second most spectacular thing that had ever happened to his dragon prince.
Swimming with a legendary Nemthra. Who in all the dragon kingdoms could make such a claim? Too bad he could never tell anyone, not even his father. It was the only way to keep the Nemthra safe.