Page 44 of Lahaina Noon (Modern Legends of Dragons & Shadows #1)

Chapter 44

B ridget threw her arms out to embrace the night air. It was glorious as the heat of the day had burned off, and the cooling effect from a rain shower earlier made the sky feel like silk on her skin. She leaned over Drake’s neck as they flew north, patting the scales and enjoying the strong feeling of them. She didn’t know if she’d ever get tired of flying with him this way. For a brief moment, she thought of telling him to keep flying and not to stop until they were far away from it all. But she knew she couldn’t do that. She had her son and her family to think about. Quite a few things to think about, really. She sat up and watched the world pass by below them, the traffic and homes thinning out as they left the bigger cities behind and closed in on the lake.

Soon, Drake’s wings flared up to slow them as they descended to his island.

As they settled into the sand, she spread the blankets out while he changed. She was bent over, looking for his clothes, when his arms went around her waist. She straightened and spun around into his arms. He kissed her with desperate passion, and she knew dinner would be delayed. They laid down on the blankets and made love as if they never would again. When they were both spent, he lit a small fire to keep her warm.

They sat by the fire, eating and talking about anything and everything except the coming battle. He was almost able to forget it was looming. After dinner, they lay wrapped up in each other, staring up at the stars, just enjoying the quiet and being together. He was right; the whipped cream was worth it.

As the morning sun filtered through the gaps between Drake’s wing and body, Bridget woke, more rested than she’d been in a long time. This was exactly what she’d needed. No other people, no planning, no discussions of prophecy or magic, just being with the man she loved. She looked up at the giant scaly head next to her. Dragon, she loved, she smiled. Drake was still sleeping so she settled back into his body and dozed. She knew he hadn’t been sleeping well lately, although he tried to hide it. He deserved the extra rest.

She was not going to admit it to Vaughn, but she was terrified. The risk was enormous, but the reward was too. She wrapped her arms around herself and listened to his breathing, warm and safe. She felt his side twitch slightly and knew he was rousing. She got to her knees and blew gently on one of his ears. It wiggled, and she gave a soft laugh. She started scratching the soft spot behind it, and a rumble came from him, as he tilted his head and leaned into it more. She giggled, and one eye opened, then winked at her.

As they were flying back, Bridget leaned forward and kissed Drake on top of his head. He chuffed to let her know he was aware. Thank you for bringing me a brush and a bandana for my hair. Now, when we land, I won’t look like I just lived through a tornado !

A rumble sounded, and she knew that was all she was getting from him. He’d been strangely silent for most of the morning. She knew he was anxious about the days to come. She decided to just enjoy the flight and the gorgeous morning.

As they got closer to home, she glanced down at the traffic backing up for miles; it was rush hour. Ha! So glad I’m not stuck in that. This is the only way to commute. You’re like the DART, Dragon Area Rapid Transit!

Drake turned his head back to look at her best he could and rolled his eyes.

She laughed so hard she had to tighten her grip so she didn’t fall off.

After they landed back on the roof, Bridget sat in one of the chairs and studied the buildings around her while Vaughn changed to his human form and dressed.

He quietly sat beside her and took her hand. They sat together for a while before he sighed and stood, indicating it was time to go in. He held the door open for her, such a gentleman. SMACK! He whacked her on her butt.

She whirled, her mouth hanging open in surprise.

He was grinning.

“What was that for?” she demanded.

“That last joke, I’m not a metro transit service,” he replied with a wink.

She stared at him in mock fury until she couldn’t hold it together and laughed. She turned around and started down the stairs. She was almost to the bottom when she heard him laugh under his breath.

“DART. ”

They walked in the front door, and as expected, there were people everywhere. Bridget made a beeline for the kitchen; she smelled bacon, and she was suddenly starving.

Liam was cooking breakfast for an army, literally.

“Hey, Bridget!” he called and waved her over. He handed her a plate full of eggs, bacon, and some tortillas with salsa.

She tried to tell him she could wait; others were already in line, but he told her the Wielder of Prophecy didn’t wait for breakfast in her own home. She blinked at him. She hadn’t thought about it much, but she guessed this was her home now. She felt a wave of sadness wash over her at the thought of her house and the memories that had been reduced to ashes. Her shoulders drooped a little, but she reminded herself the most important thing was she, Gabe, and the cats were safe. She chewed a piece of bacon as she walked to the table to sit.

Jack and Jorrie came over with plates as well and sat with her. Jack pointed at his plate and said, “Brother of Wielder of Prophecy privileges.”

Jorrie rolled her eyes and kicked him. “I helped cook so I grabbed us both plates,” she confided. She studied Bridget’s face. “I’m glad you two were able to escape last night; you look positively radiant today. You’re glowing!”

Bridget thought about it, “I feel radiant today. I just have a really good feeling about this. We are going to pull this off, get rid of the Shadow threat, and then you two have a very important task.”

They looked at each other and back at her.

“You have to help me plan my wedding! ”

Jack leaned forward, “Okay, but which one of us is going to be your maid of honor?”

Jorrie kicked him again.

It was almost go time. Bridget took a deep, steadying breath. She ran through her mental checklist one last time. She practiced some of the hand movements Siobhan had taught her. She rechecked her gear for the tenth time. Finally, she had to admit everything was ready. She walked back to the room Liam and Gabe were sharing. Liam wasn’t there, but Gabe was.

He was lying on the bed, throwing a tennis ball at the wall and catching it. His expression was thunderous.

She sighed; she knew he was upset that he wasn’t going with them this time. “Gabe,” she said softly.

Thump. Thump. Thump went the tennis ball.

“Gabe, baby, please.”

Thump. Thump. Thump.

“Gabriel Ridgeway, you sit up and talk to me right now.”

He sighed and set the ball down, sitting up. He didn’t look at her, though.

“Honey, I know you are upset, I know how much you want, maybe even feel you need to come, but it’s just not safe. I can’t do what I need to do if I know you are there somewhere, unable to defend yourself.”

Gabe turned hurt eyes full of angry tears on her. “I can take care of myself!” he declared .

Bridget shook her head, the mantra of all teens. “I know in a regular situation you could, you’re super smart and very fast. But Gabe, this isn’t a video game. These are real weapons, real teeth and claws, deadly magic, and real shadows. I need you here, where I know nothing will take you away from me. I couldn’t stand to lose you too,” she said softly but firmly so he knew she was serious.

He stood and clenched his fists. “I know that!” he yelled at her.

She was taken aback, he’d never even so much as raised his voice to her before.

“What if something happens to you? What happens to me then? Do you have a plan for that? Don’t leave me, Mom. Don’t leave.” Suddenly, he threw his arms around her, sobbing into her shoulder.

She wrapped her boy in the tightest hug she could and held on.

Vaughn stood in the doorway, watching the heartbreaking scene in front of him. He couldn’t imagine what the boy was going through. He’d lost his father, and now his mother was going off to do something extremely dangerous with no guarantee she would return. He knew that pain as well, having seen his own mother cut down in front of him. His father, well, that was a whole can of feelings he was not going to open just now. He walked in silently and wrapped his arms around them both.

He tousled Gabe’s hair, like he’d seen Bridget do, and began speaking softly. “Gabriel, I swear, I will do everything within my power to get your mother back to you. Even at the cost of my own life.”

Both mother and son looked at him, protesting. Gabe grabbed Vaughn in a hug, saying, “No! Don’t you dare. I need you, too. ”

Vaughn stood there, with his emotions at war as he struggled not to breakdown with how much that moved him. He hugged him back. “You got it, Gabe. We will both come back to you.”

Jorrie walked in and added herself to the hug, Jack right behind her. Jorrie added, “You better bring Jack back, too. I don’t want to lose my Margarita buddy.”

They all laughed, which broke the tension.

Jorrie would be staying behind with Gabe and Bunny. She wasn’t super happy either but recognized that she was safer here as she had no magic, or claws. She didn’t have fighting skills like Jack, either. Before they walked out, Jorrie grabbed Vaughn’s sleeve and indicated he should stay. As the other voices faded down the hall, he looked at her quizzically.

She looked down for a moment and then spoke quietly. “While we are making requests, I was wondering if I could ask that you please bring Liam back to me as well.”

Vaughn kissed Jorrie tenderly on the forehead and nodded. “I know, I love him too.”

In the dining room, Vaughn paced the floor. He’d been waiting on a few people to show up that were uncharacteristically late. He was uneasy. With the attacks from the Shadows getting stronger by the day, he’d sent a small team to shore up the warding at Cloud Warrior headquarters. He glanced at his watch again and pulled out his phone to call Killian. As if he’d summoned him with his thoughts, the phone lit up with Killian’s name. Vaughn sighed in relief and answered impatiently, “What the hell is…” He trailed off, hearing sirens in the background.

He listened then in stunned silence as Killian shared terrible news with him. Tears streamed down his face unchecked, and he whispered, “No.” From the corner of his eye, he saw Bridget enter the room with concern on her face. She’d sensed his distress. He hung up with Killian after softly instructing him to hurry back.

He filled Bridget in through their mind link, the actual words being too painful to say out loud. “I have to tell them. I don’t know if I can do this.” He saw her eyes fill with tears as well; he knew she would also feel this loss deeply.

She cupped his cheek and kissed him gently. “Just do it. They deserve to know before someone else finds out and they hear it that way.”

He nodded, “Let’s go find them.”

In the living room, only their closest friends and family were assembled. Liam looked up at them and grinned, “Hey, Drake, where’ve you been? We were…” He trailed off, seeing the grief plain on his Godfather’s face. He leapt over the chair and slowly made his way over to stand in front of Vaughn.

“Drake? Vaughn, what happened?” His face looked much younger as fear traced across his features. He held out his hand and felt his sister take it, her grip hard and clammy.

“Vaughn?” The normally prickly woman whimpered as she looked at her brother for reassurance.

“I’m so sorry Liam, Siobhan. Brady and Joanna were with Eric, shoring up the warding at Cloud Warrior. They were ambushed, and, well, Eric was the only survivor. I’m so sorry.”

Liam broke the stunned silence that followed, roaring loudly, his voice full of pain. As the others looked on, he and Siobhan dropped to the floor, holding each other, openly sobbing.

Bridget walked over to Siobhan and Liam. There were waves of green radiating around them, their grief visible to all. She looked back and saw the rest of the family following her to surround the siblings in love and comfort.

Liam gave Bridget a pain-filled stare, at a loss for what to do. He clearly wanted to put on a brave face to support his sister, but he didn’t know how. Bridget had been that person for Gabe when Brian had died. Now, she could be there for Liam and Siobhan. She hoped anyway.

She settled a hand on Siobhan’s shoulder and whispered, “I’m so incredibly sorry. Your parents were very brave. I know it doesn’t seem like it now, but we will get through this. All of us, together.”

Siobhan was full of rage and needed someone to explode at. “Yeah, you’re so sorry, aren’t you? We lost our parents. Our parents !” she yelled. “Our parents are dead. Do you understand that? Dead because of you!” She stood nose to nose with Bridget, her chest heaving, her fists clenched.

Bridget nodded slowly. “I do understand, Siobhan. I appreciate their sacrifice. I know what it’s like to lose someone you love that much. My husband was killed by the shadows eight years ago, and there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him and feel his loss. My parents died when I was young, too. Gabe and Jack are the only family I have left. I just want you to know that your other family is here for you when you need us.” She stepped back then and turned to Liam .

He came to her and hugged her tightly, burying his face in her hair, sobbing.

She could hear Siobhan’s rapid breathing behind her. Suddenly, Liam’s arms were ripped away, and she was shoved back.

“Don’t touch her!” Siobhan screamed at Liam.

He looked shocked. “Shi,” he said tenderly.

“No!” she shouted, whirling on Bridget again. “She’s the reason Mom and Dad are dead. Oh, she talks a big game; she lost her husband. I bet she doesn’t think about him at all when she’s fucking Drake. They’re after her. It’s her fault!” Siobhan was gathering herself to leap at Bridget when a deafening roar shook the room, followed by a burst of flame that narrowly missed her face.

“ Enough! ” Vaughn bellowed, standing next to Bridget, flames in his eyes. He looked terrifying. “Do not speak to my mate like that,” he ordered in a ringing voice.

The girl jerked back like she’d been shot, then shuddered. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, Bridget, I know you didn’t kill my parents. I know it wasn’t your fault. I’m just so angry and I took it out on you when you were just trying to help. Please forgive me,” she sobbed, covering her face.

Bridget smiled softly. “Honey, all is forgiven. I know that anger, come here.”

Siobhan nodded and wrapped her arms tightly around Bridget before they sank to the floor.

Liam sat down and added himself to the hug, needing comfort, too.

Gabe, who had been sitting quietly throughout the situation, crawled under his mother’s arms and hugged his friends, whispering his understanding to them as well. Soon everyone had joined them on the floor, and the group comforted the siblings late into the night.