There was no traction to be found in the sand. As if on ice, Beecher tried to turn the tires into whatever was pushing them laterally across the road. Nothing worked. They slid until they were forcefully stopped by a large cactus bush on the opposite side. Dakari yelped when his arm was punctured by the bush upon impact. For a moment there was silence. A sound Aquina had never heard before started low but steadily grew louder. To her ear it didn’t sound like what she imagined a gruppa of weredragons would sound like that was about to feast on a car full of misfits. She had fallen onto the floor of the car, wedged under Katalea, at the initial impact and tried desperately to see what was coming for them. She tried wiggling and found that Katalea too was trying to get herself back upright. Twisting her torso, she was able to see out the window, but only at an angle that told her that the rain had passed. Halfway off the floor, she was looking up, a weak sun was now streaming
The sun had reached it’s peak and nestled amidst the remaining clouds as Beecher signaled for everyone to hide. He knew Hassan could smell them, but he was sure hoping Dakari or Zinnia could help them with that. If they could just find a place to hide. A tiny slip of silver and blue caught his attention, like the spark of a match. He turned and watched a little bluebird flitter between two trees to his right. Behind the bird, there was a dark shadow. Could it be? The shadow was longer than it should be for this time of day. With the sun prominent in the sky, only one thing could cause such darkness. In his experience, a dark hole meant possible shelter. A cave. His heart pounded as he made his way towards it. He signaled the others to follow, but at a distance. The last thing he wanted was to bring all his new friends directly into Hassan’s waiting arms. It was a cave, the entrance partially blocked by the little bluebird's home. “At the moment, that cave looks more i
Eyes widened in terror, Aquina saw Hassan pass by the little tree outside. She backed away slowly and made her way back to huddle with the others. In the firelight, she didn’t see the rock. The heel of her hiking boot caught it and she went down hard. Her bones rattled inside her and she sat for a moment assessing the damage. She had managed not to cry out, but it had been close. The pain started at the base of her spine and ran upward into her neck. She had the mother of all headaches. For a minute, she thought she might get sick.The nausea passed, and she laid back. She knew she shouldn’t sleep, but it seemed like a wonderful alternative to the stress around her. She closed her eyes, and her hands came to rest by her sides. She gripped the stones she found there and willed herself to just let go.The stone in her right hand felt warm. In fact, it felt as if it had a pulse. Wary eyes opened quickly, afraid that she had found a rodent or insect. She sat up quickly and o
She stood in a stance that offered no threat. Her bronze wolf eyes looked at each of them in turn, radiating good will. “This is the form Hassan took when he met me in the streets,” Beecher snarled, his eyes never leaving the wolf’s. “He won’t fool me again.” But something was different this time. He could feel it. Instinctively knowing the truth, Beecher fell to his knees in homage, head bowed in reverence. He was in the presence of the real goddess.“Ashara, is it really you?” His voice quivered as his brain tried to keep up. It had been so long since his mother had told him about Ashara. She had seemed like a fairy tale when he was young, A guardian angel who could grant wishes and keep you safe. “Yes, my child, rise now, and receive your reward,” her voice was melodious and brought tears to his eyes. She was every bit as beautiful as his mother had divulged. He wondered if his mother had ever seen her. He wondered lots of things now. He had been so foolish to turn
They found themselves in a small room, lit only by firelight, still holding hands. A loveseat sat across from the hearth, an open door just to the left. The windows were enormous and open with only a gauzy curtain for privacy. The air was warm and carried the scent of salt water. The sky was dark and filled with stars. When Beecher looked outside he couldn’t see another house, or for that matter, a road. “Where are we?” He murmured, but when he turned to Aquina, saw her looking at him with those intense eyes, all other thoughts vanished. He went to her, reached for her.Aquina, suddenly unsure of herself, tried to think of something witty to say. She knew she used sarcasm to hide her inner feelings, but it wasn’t going to work here. He knew her too well. She kept her eyes on his, darkening with anticipation as he drew nearer.He wondered that he could find her so sweet, so simple after all their banter. He figured she kept it that way to disarm him. It was working.He pulle
They were given only a night, but they made the most of it. They loved on the couch, the floor, and even managed the tiny shower. Aquina had laughed as she discovered a few new bruises from the shower experience. Without warning, they were whisked away from their love nest and delivered onto the terrace in Egypt, just outside the kitchen. Since they had been eating breakfast, they were still in the robes that they had found after ripping most of their clothes to shreds the night before. Beecher had managed to hold onto the plate he had been devouring and now sat, still chewing. He looked around, but his plate of pancakes hadn’t made the excursion. “Thank the goddess we weren’t delivered here thirty minutes ago,” Beecher whispered quietly, raising his eyebrows up and down devilishly at Aquina. Aquina blushed and realized she had been upside down and naked then. That would have been quite an entrance.The look on Katalea’s grandfather's face had been priceless when the two
Throughout the long night, the noises that tore through the estate were horrendous. There was shouting and shrieking followed by wailing and sobs. Then there was nothing. The silence was louder than all the other sounds put together. Finally, there came the sound of a baby’s cry. The five looked at each other in wonder.Upstairs, Dalya lay asleep in the bed. She was heavily sedated and looked peaceful. Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, her face as serene as an angel. Hours prior it had been a different scene. The doctor had come immediately at Katalea’s call. The baby had started pushing to come out before they could get Dalya back into the bed and hooked up to an IV. They tried to stop the pushing with medication, but the baby had a mind of its own. It wanted out.“There there, Agapito. Let me give you something for the pain,” Grandfather cooed. “Noooo, noooo, just get it out!” Dalya shrieked.The contractions were relentless. It seemed to Katalea that one w
Part Two“When the individuals cease, true transformation, family, can begin” ~Odin, god of war and death“There is nothing permanent except change.” ~ Heraclitus“Til Valhalla” ~Norse Mythology~~~~~~~~~~As the birds chorused in the morning light of dawn, Katalea and Dakari made their way back to the house. Smiles of satisfaction radiated from faces slightly muddied by the hours of pleasure taken near the moonlit shore. Hoping to find the house quiet, they crept upstairs to their room, both looking for nothing more than sleep. “There you two are,” Her mother, looking well-rested and energized, stood at the base of the stairs, “Out for a morning run?” They exchanged a surrendering glance and turned as one to face her. “Yes,” Kaalea enthused. “He thinks he can beat me, I have to keep proving him wrong.” Dakari laughed good-naturedly, “I almost had you a few times,” he chuckled. He smiled innocently at her mother, but then sent Katalea a devilish grin, “Well, technically,