I will own your SOUL {Kyle}

[Carlotta Blavia]

Carlotta had never been happier in her entire immortal life.

Lying on her back in the wide expanse of her bed, the witch smiled at the various dragon skulls that littered the rafters. Her little hide out deep inside an abandoned mine wasn’t exactly ideal- she was used to at least the hint of blue skies- but after some very commendable work done by the remaining slaves still loyal to her, she’d carved out a nice little nest for herself. Sure, it was dark, damp and smelled suspiciously like almonds, but…it was home. For now.

And the best yet, she shared it with her one true love. Finally…after so many years of yearning for him, watching him, hunting him; he was finally hers. It was almost too good to be true!

Back in the shabby little establishment in town, Carlotta had had her doubts. The dragon seemed to be stuck to the annoying prophet’s side like glue…and oh, that didn’t even COUNT the happy puppy expression on his face! He’d been so gentle with her and even she could smell his need to touch her, whenever she wandered away. At first, the witch had been amused, knowing that the bloodthirsty dragon inside of the warrior would grow tired of such a fragile little thing. The beast within him was built for strength; for war. That stupid little cow of a human was capable of nothing but canon fodder! So, she’d watched, waited; bided her time for the perfect moment.

…But it had never come. Each day that her spies came back with magicked images of the two together, she’d grown more and more concerned. Why, it almost seemed as if the dragon loved her, as well as the man! Jealousy had almost eaten her alive, followed quickly by rage. How dare he love another woman! How dare he touch her with those strong, capable hands! Those were HER hands! A body, a soul, a heart that belonged to her, Carlotta Blavia. The one TRUE mate of Kyle Aodhagan. Deep down in his heart, he knew that truth. He was just too damn stubborn to realize it.

Finally, however, he seemed to learn his place. She giggled, pressing her fingertips to her swollen lips. The kiss that he’d given her in the bar had confirmed her beliefs; she’d been right all along. The prophet had just been a passing fancy; he’d always been loyal to her. She’d been a bit irritated when she hadn’t been able to kill the cow as she’d planned, but she’d taken it out on his body and he took it like a pro.

He was hers, once again. Hers to use, hers to hurt, hers to love. Ooh, just the thought of those eyes, that body, made her own warm and tingle once again. Flinging the blanket of furs off of her, she hopped out of the bed and padded through the winding tunnels until she reached his room.

The door was heavy, and moved on its own as, with a whisper of power, she willed it open. Just as she’d left him, her love was on his knees, naked, magical chains wrapped securely around his neck and wrists, holding him upright. The rest of the room was securely warded, in case he tried something unthinkable and she smiled widely at the sight of him. Her gossamer nightgown left nothing to the imagination, as she knelt down in front of him.

”Oh, my love, just look at you! I bet you’re thirsty. Here. Drink,” Water poured itself into the cranium of a once human skull and floated over to them. Tilting the clear liquid up, she offered it to him with a fond smile, her free hand trailing over his shoulder, his arm. Her voice was a low, sultry purr as she pet his sweat slicked skin.

”I’m so sorry about leaving you like this, dearest, but you have to understand; I have to be absolutely sure that you love me. You do love me, don’t you? say it for me, my strong, strong warrior. Tell me that you love me.”

[Kyle Aodhagán]

As if had been years since he’d seen his mate, the dragon was a mere shell of the male he was only hours before. Desperate to save the ones he cared for so completely the shifter had forced him self to ignore the flames that begged release in order to feign love for the one who would so easily harm them.
It was the only way…
He had resisted the urge to drown in the sea blue eyes of his lover, ignoring her supplicating gaze as he drew the witch to his chest. The hands wrapped around Lottie burned where his skin made contact with hers, but still he held on; devoid a plan but acting on instinct. Take her away from them. Far, far away from them.

Carrying her higher into the sky and further away from his family Kyle had hoped that the searing kiss would distract her from their departure. Fortunately it had worked, for as soon as he was done with the poison kiss the witch had directed him elsewhere; the place that she called her home and was soon to become his prison.
The escape would not go unpunished however. Carlotta was a wicked being and thus, served her sentence in ways that would do the most harm. She had made him suffer with physical disciplines that had torn up and bloodied his tawny skin, but the beating was far better than her latter punishment.

Using his body in ways she had done when he was her prisoner centuries before the shifter had been required to abandon his mind, reacting to her touches instinctually; an animal answering the call of a needy female body.
He dared not picture his woman’s face during the act; too afraid that in such a desperate state he might be more zealous than he intended, and so it was with a cold detachment that Kyle let Carlotta make love to him over and over and over again…

The caged beast had been broken again; the form of the chained and kneeling shifter a mirror image of the one from long-ago. Kyle’s eyes were closed and he drew in dank, stifling breaths in order to reign in the frenzied beast of his mind. It was clawing at him, urging him to shift and flee, but the man within knew better. He would suffer this torture a thousand times if it meant protecting his female and offspring.
If he could only bide his time until he found a way to destroy the sorceress; then he would finally be free.

Kyle lifted his blank cobalt stare as the heavy iron door came open, showing no sign of life even as the dark haired witch slithered toward him. He swallowed a growl when her hand came down on his tawny skin, an unbidden shudder vibrating his body not from desire, but pure loathing.
He did as was directed, taking the water into his mouth simply to satisfy her and doing his best to ignore the sting of her fingernails etching the skin of his bicep.
Swallowing the liquid heavily as if it were a toxin Kyle cleared his throat and bid the words she had requested to escape his parted lips.

But they would no come.
No matter how hard he tried to speak the untruth, the words refused to leave his tongue. Instead he hoped to distract her, buying time until he could force the lie from his lips.
Going forward the dragon bent his face into the crook of her pale neck, inhaling deeply of her heady perfume.
“The mere smell of your skin melts my will…” He answered hoarsely when he finally found his voice. “I am ever yours…as it always has been. Forgive the weakness that has driven me away from you all these years.”

Drawing back the dragon looked back and forth in her emerald eyes and prayed that she would not hear the falter in his voice. His visage was a mask of impassiveness; acting the cold and soulless warrior that he had transformed into when first he had become her hostage, and he believed the man she had grown to adore.

“Here now, on my knees I am but your servant and lover. I will do all that you request of me my Queen.”

[Carlotta Blavia]

Oh God, those words…those beautiful, wonderful words. They made her insides flutter and her heart expand; feelings and signals that she hadn’t felt in a long, long time. That was how it was, when she was around her dragon, her lover. She forgot about the past and the hunger for power gnawing at her brain, her soul. She was beautiful, when he looked at her; forever unscarred by time or experience. She was Carlotta Blavia. His Queen. His mate.

And he was hers.

With something akin to awe, she watched the thick muscles in his neck work as he drank the offered water. He was power incarnate; every move, every breath, a testament to his strength. A part of her was curious as to what kind of power she’d gain, if she cut out his heart and fed on him, but she knocked the thought aside. She had much bigger plans for her dragon lover.

Petting his cheek with a happy purr, the witch set the cup down on the floor beside her. She practically shivered in delight at the words that flowed from his lips, a loving gleam in her eyes as she leaned in and stole another kiss.

”That’s my good dragon,” She cooed, resting her cheek against his chest. ”Oh, I’ve waited so long to hear your voice again, my love. I’ve missed you so much. You don’t know how much it lightens my heart, to hear you understand your mistakes,” Coyly, she let her hand run over his heart, then lower, until she reached the part of him she enjoyed the most. ”I don’t blame you for being distracted by the human. They’re enthralling, in their fragility. But you’re mine, Kyle Aodhagan. Mine, forever and always.”

Hitching up the gauzy sleeping gown, she straddled his waist and bent down to kiss his lips. As always when she was around him, the simmering need inside her flared up and she gave into the need to touch him, to feel him around her, inside her. The walls shook with the excess power that swelled around them, as she sated her desires. It had been much too long, since her little pet had been hers to play with. It was understandable that she’d feel a tad…insatiable.

Much later, Carlotta stood absently in the doorway of the dragon’s room, watching her slaves flitter around the hall. They were good little diggers; making extra compartments and storage rooms to house all the trinkets she’d found in the other worlds. Magic, objects of power; they practically sang to her, with every brush of air that ran through the tunnels.

Almost absently, she let a hand drift to her belly. What would it be like, to carry the dragon's child? The human woman had done it; why couldn't she? Whispers of the past tugged at her mind, and she could almost remember what it felt like to feel that first stir of life inside of her; hear her son's happy coo, as she held him close.

But the image flitted away and she shook herself with a frown. Suddenly, she motioned for two of her slaves, in their human form, to come over.

”I want to show you what you’ve been missing, my love,” She said to Kyle, nodding at the chains that held him. With curt instructions, her minions undid the chains and let him drop, though the manacles around his neck and wrists remained. The magic that surrounded them should keep him docile enough, she thought with glee.

Without ceremony, one of the enslaved dragons hauled Kyle up and pushed him toward the door. Excited, Carlotta led the way, down the tunnel until they reached the end; a small balcony overlooking a larger room below. Like little ants, her minions bustled around, carrying rocks or the larger magical objects that couldn’t fit in the storage. In the middle of the room was a large stone structure; a circle in shape, with various runes and other carvings etched around it. To the naked eye, it would seem like a random sculpture, but to one who understood magic, it would be obvious. Carlotta was building a corporeal portal.

With a flourish, she motioned at the commotion downstairs with a wide smile, turning to her love. ”Isn’t it grand? I must say; the dragons you’d released is making production a tad slower, but we’re moving along just fine. At this rate, I’ll be ready to show the world what my little toy can do.”

She knew that Kyle would understand her reference to the shard. Pride, excitement and desire hovered in her eyes, as she sauntered over to him, sliding her arm around his waist. ”You’re going to be King of the world, Kyle,” She said with a happy sigh. ”And I will be your Queen. Just as it should be.”

And while the sorceress fondled her plaything, a pair of curious eyes watched the larger figure intently. Staying in the shadows, the little dragon took everything in, waiting for her chance to sneak closer.

[Kyle Aodhagán]

The beast clawing within Kyle’s belly would kill him. Rip him apart and leave hollow in body as much as he was hollow in soul. Fury was a fire that would not be extinguished. While the shifter had become empty within the heart from the misery that had drained it, the warrior had come back to life. His anger had awaked it. The mighty solider had purpose, and its face was uglier than the reptilian beast that hissed to be free of the brittle human body. Inhaling sharply as her lips came down upon his lips, the dragon bit back the need to expel the fire; a clarity coming to his mind even as she devoured his kiss like a starving wild creature. Her passion was a tangible thing. Kyle could taste it. Her desire for him, even after all of these years, was rich and heady on her tongue. A weaker man may have been persuaded by it; but he was no man.

When the witch drew back to spew words from her lips instead of kisses, Kyle locked his eyes in her glowing jade ones and used them as a fuel on the fire. It should be his woman touching him like this. It should be Lillie stroking his length; making him rigid and drawing a reckless hiss from his throat.
They were lies. All lies. He had never been hers. Never. His heart beat for but one woman. Diverse in name, face and time period, but always the same. His Lillie.

And so even as Carlotta mounted him and the room shook with the intense corporal power of their mating, the ancient shifter was reflecting on a plan. He would use her lust and fanatical adoration for him to bring her to her knees.
The sorceress cries of passion crumbled bits of wall in his cell, but Kyle clenched his jaw, bidding his body to hold back the surge that threatened to spill out of him. It was not for her and it never would be, no matter how many times she tried or how long she kept him here. Once before she had created an army of his kind by forcing him to plant his seed in helpless slaves, in turn who birthed the reptilian offspring, but he would die before he allowed this to happen again. Whether he survive or perish this war, he would not allow the world of his child to crumble in ruins. Lillie and his young would not only survive, they would thrive.

When the deeds were done Kyle allowed himself a moments rest, waking to the feel of strong arms lifting him and willing him forward. Steeling his back the shifter stood tall and proud, holding his head even as his hands were bound before him and he followed the witch as if he were a lap dog.
The scene below caused a heavy weight in the dragon’s usually iron gut. He realized as soon as he heard her words and saw the construction what the witch was planning to do.
She wasn’t just using the shard to cut holes in the veil between earth and the other world; she was creating a massive gate that would likely unite the dominions, and thus, the end of man kind as they knew it.

Dragging his tongue across his bottom lip to moisten it Kyle willed an arrogant curve to his lips; his sapphire eyes dancing with satisfaction.
“I would not have it so.” He told her in that ancient tone, thick with Celtic Britain. He turned his body towards her, slowly thrusting himself against the hand that was still groping despite earlier activities and bending his lips close to her ear. Hot breath brushed across the fragile lobe, and he paused there, resisting the urge to take it between his teeth and rip flesh from cartilage. “I would not be satisfied until I rule this world and the other, as well as heaven and hell.”

When he pulled back his pupils were mere slits from the top of his iris to the bottom, and the blunt human teeth had sharpened to points. “When?! When will it be ready my Queen?”

How long do my humans have before you break their world in two?

His true question. He hoped he would have enough time.

[Carlotta Blavia]

Good Gods, but if he kept talking like that, she’d have to bring him back to his bedroom. Shivers ran up and down her spine when he leaned into her touch, and joy blossomed in her chest. Finally, he was with her again, after so long! She’d felt so empty, so despondent when he’d left her, that she’d considered killing him for a long while. How DARE he spurn their perfect love? How DARE he think that any other woman was worthy of his touch, his devotion? She’d been angry for a long, long time and had even made a few delightful devices that she planned to use on him, when he was with her again.

But this…the way he touched her, with so much obvious passion; it cooled the rage inside her and replaced it with love. It had been so very long since she’d felt such emotions and she reveled in its warmth…even though it galled her. The last time she’d felt like this, her husband had run off with some cheap little harlot and left her cold in her bed. Her touch became biting as the memory surged through her; her nails raking along the flesh they had formerly caressed. Kyle wouldn’t leave her, not again, and certainly not for the stupid little cow of a human he’d found. That cockroach…how had she found her way back to the land of the living, after she’d put her ten feet under ground? It was a mystery that she was very willing to solve, and use for her own gain. In any case, the human woman would be hunted down and taken care of. Neither her or her get would survive, in her new world.

But enough of that, she thought with a little sigh, tapping her finger playfully against his breastbone. It was so much more fulfilling to love than to hate, she thought absently, as she pressed herself closer to him. She was finally whole, now that her mate was there with her. Finally at peace.

And thirsty for power. A wide, enthusiastic smile came upon the sorceress’ lips, then, and she pulled away to lean slightly on the balcony. Her fingers still itched to feel that tawny, scarred flesh beneath them, but the need to share her triumph with the dragon was too much to withstand. ”My, my, you’re so eager,” She purred, delighted. ”You make me so proud. If our children keep on working as hard as they have been, the portal should be open in less than a week. Think of it, Kyle! Not just this world, but other worlds; ours to rule, to conquer! It will be glorious.”

Stars danced in her eyes as she looked down upon the magical creation below them. And that wasn’t even half of the plan she’d concocted, she thought with malicious glee. But she wasn’t about to give her entire plan away. Not yet. While her dearest dragon had been quite attentive in his affections, she didn’t pretend to completely believe his devotion. It was still too soon; that bitch human’s hold was still on him, she just knew it. Call it a woman’s intuition, but there was a nagging feeling in her gut that warned her against revealing too much. She would give him a taste, for now.

Soon, he would be hers completely, she thought with a happy sigh.

Whirling, she focused narrowed eyes on the halfbreeds miling about. None of them were even half as powerful as their sire, and the sight of them disgusted her. Especially those who were more mutations than human; muscle and tissue bunched in science’s way of disciplining her need to create more dragons. Spotting one of the smaller ones hiding in the shadows, she snapped her fingers.

”You,” She barked, satisfied when the skinny thing jumped. ”Fetch wine. We have much to celebrate; my King and I.”

A moment later, she grasped the golden goblet that was handed to her and saluted her warrior with it, before taking a sip. Then, she turned back to her creation, aglow with pride.

Moving slowly, cautiously, the dragon girl approached the chained male. He was huge; larger than even the biggest, meanest dragons in the makeshift ‘keep,’ in his human form. What was he like in scales? Though curious, slanted eyes, she looked up into his face and handed him his cup. But, before he could take it away, she tightened her grip and twitched her fingers slightly.

The movement jarred the sharpened piece of metal hidden under the base, beneath their fingertips. She looked into his eyes again, her own dark pools of resignation and strength, then stepped away. Without a word, she bowed to her mistress and disappeared into the hall behind them.

[Kyle Aodhagán]

Kyle didn’t want to fathom the reflections going through Carlotta’s head when her sensual touch upon his tawny skin became bitter and her gem-colored gaze grew distant. The ancient shifter was not dense, but neither was the witch. Obsessed, malicious, but never dim; Lottie’s mind was always working; always devious and clever.
No matter his act, the dragon realized the sorceress did not really trust him, even as her words and her body spoke otherwise.
The dance they were doing was a dangerous one; their feet a breath away from the edge of a never-ending abyss.
The fleeting worry that the witch’s thoughts were on his mate yanked at his shattered heart, and absently Kyle lifted his palm over the place where the organ lived, clenching his fist tightly. The flood of pain did not end, but he erected a damn. Such thoughts would only distract him from the task at hand, and as long as he had Carlotta here with him she would do no harm to Lillie.

When Lottie regained focus and drifted backwards to lean on the lanai Kyle felt he could take a breath, and greedily took in air that was not poisoned by her aura. Her smile was wicked as she confessed her satisfaction, and the phrase ‘our children’ assaulted the dragon as much as a tangible weapon. It flayed his gut and made him nauseous but still the shifter remained stoic; the embodiment of a granite warrior.
He followed her stare back down to the threatening construction and narrowed his heavy gaze; blue orbs shifting quickly over the machine to commit it to his memory. Every machine had a weakness, and he meant to find it and destroy the thing before it was used against the unprotected human race.

He had to get word to Wulf and the Counsel. There was no doubt in his mind by now they had been notified of his volunteered capture and were planning his liberation, but more importantly a plan of defense needed to be put in place. The sacrifice of his life would have to be made if it meant saving the human realm.

Kyle waited patiently as his ‘Queen’ barked orders at her minions, inwardly wishing that the first sip of wine would be her last; poisoned by a rebellious underling.
He watched her smile and his shoulders fell a little when she did not drop, but the wish had been ridiculous anyway. Looking towards the broken army the witch had left, he found them to be the weak-minded and the weak-bodied. He had left her nothing but scraps.
His mouth did curve up into a whisper of a smile at that thought, but it was gone as soon as it had appeared; the approach of a female slave stealing his momentary gratification.

He took the goblet without pause, immediately feeling the sliver of metal in his palm as she pulled her hand away. Kyle’s gaze shot up to one filled with intensity, and he gave a brief nod of understanding before the female bowed and took her leave.

Lifting the wooden chalice up to his mouth the dragon shoved the sliver between his lips as he took in the wine, hiding it in the pocket of his gums with a quick thrust of tongue.
Carlotta turned her gloating stare back on him and he took another heavy pull from the drink, wiping the back of his chained hand across his crimson moistened lips.

Suddenly his head was swimming and he knew he had been drugged. Kyle let out a snort of acknowledgment as his lids grew heavy and his body teetered drowsily.
“Tucking me in for the night, my queen?” The callous accusation escaped the shifters lips just as the muscled guards from before made reappearance, grabbing him simultaneously underneath the arms.

He growled low in his throat at the arrogant smile that traced the sorceress’ mouth just before the drug’s clawed talons took hold of him completely. The bitch knew if he was drugged, his mind would be no use to him. Normally, even staking rest he was able to think; plan. Like this he was all but useless.

The dragon men dragged him back to the cell and threw him into the wall, chaining him once more spread eagle and exposed.


His dreams were a heavy, heavy thing. Kyle could not focus; the fog was so thick around him. It clung and pulled on his limbs this way and that way, and every step sent him falling into an invisible chasm.
Where was his Lillie-love? Why had she not yet come to him here? Carlotta may have him prisoner here, but he was free in sleep. She could not control him there…

[Jack 'Boogeyman' Valenze]

“Are you sure he can help us?”

Moving through the hallway, he paused, listening to the faint hum of voices from the living room.

“I mean…he’s just so…intimidating. What if Vincent can’t control him? Or he forgets the plan? I don’t know about this, Ilani.”

A snort echoed and the psychic’s voice piped up, ripe with reassurances. “Baby, I’m sure everything will be fine, alright? Vince might be an ass, but he’s fuckin’ awesome when it comes to the people he hires. If he says this ‘Jack’ guy can help us, Jack can help us. Alright? So calm down, before you go into contractions again. I am NOT cleaning Nicky’s puke off the rug again. Your brother has some serious issues, Lil.”

Pushing himself forward, he entered the room and reveled in the silence that immediately fell between the two women standing there. The pregnant one seemed to shrink back in distrust; wary about the presence of the strange man across from her. The other one, with the short cropped hair and quirky clothes, just leveled an eyebrow at him and crossed her arms over her chest.

All in all, this was starting out to be a very interesting day. When he’d first got a call from Vincent Montegue, he’d been expecting something involving political intrigue, or a business deal gone bad. He was used to those kinds of jobs; the ones concerning the rich and famous, and the people who jipped them. He’d made walking into their dreams an art form, and had made the local nut houses quite popular.

About five seconds into the conversation, however, he’d known this one was going to be different. Intriguing, even. ‘Ol Montague hadn’t even finished his proposition, when Jack had accepted the offer and drove to the address he’d been given. So…one of the most powerful Dragon Shifters in the country had gone missing, leaving his pregnant mate alone in the world. How poetic.

“So…are you gonna stand there and stare at us all day, or what?” The psychic’s voice piped up, jerking him out of his reverie.

Giving her a nod, he tried to make himself look less daunting, if only for the pregnant woman’s comfort. But, given the fact that he was three times her size and carried an air of death about him…he doubted anything short of his painting a happy face over his own would suffice.

“I just need something of his, and somewhere quiet where I can work,” He said softly, addressing the mate. Without a word, the woman led him up the stairs and into a quaint looking room. It was feminine; flowery wallpaper spanned the walls and the vanity was filled with little tubes and perfume bottles. Was this her room?

“This is Kyle’s,” Lillie said softly. She approached him warily, holding out a neatly folded tshirt, her arms far away from her, as if she expected him to bite them. “He wore it a couple of times, before…will it help?”

He noticed the catch in her voice, and bit back a sigh. Damn, if she started crying, he was going to forget all about his curiosity and head on home. “Yeah, this’ll work. Give me the room, okay ladies? Let’s get this party started.”

The woman hesitated, her eyes locked on the shirt in his hands. There was so much emotion in her face, so much pain, that he was almost relieved when the psychic urged her to leave. He locked the door behind them, and put the little vanity chair across the room against it, securing himself inside.

A demi-god trained to assassinate people couldn’t be too careful, after all.

Settling down on the bed, Jack took one more look around the room. It was so strange…a big, powerful guy like Kyle Aodhagan, living in a place like this? It was strange; unrealistic. He was expecting something manly, something dragon-like. But, instead, there were just flowers and the happy birdcalls from the half open balcony windows. Damn, talk about weird.

Rolling his shoulders, he cleared his mind and placed his hand on top of the tshirt, now resting in his lap. Enough mental gymnastics; it was time to get to work. The familiar words whispered themselves in his head, as he leaned back against the headboard and closed his eyes.

Ten, nine, eight…clear your mind, Jack.
Seven, six, five…you’re floating now, Jack.
Four, three, two…enter the Dreamscape...careful now, Jack.
One. Kill them all.




A sharp intake of breath echoed in the shadowed place that surrounded him. With a whisper, he opened his eyes and glanced around, frowning at the barren landscape. Had he made it? Had he found what he was looking for?

Somewhere on the horizon, a light bobbed; inviting him to move along. Slowly, he answered it’s call; putting one foot in front of the other, as he made his way toward it. Everything was quiet, serene…almost eerily calm. He hated this part of the ride, when the darkness taunted him, invited him to stay. If he lingered long enough, he could slip into death’s sweet arms and never return. It was so tempting…so very tempting.

But Death didn’t pay as well as Vincent Montague. So, on he went.

The sunlight blinded him as he took one last step and emerged from the dark shadows. Shielding his eyes, he growled in discomfort, and instinctively looked down. Grass and winding foliage twisted itself around his shoe, and he frowned. He was in a…field, of some kind. The sky above him was a clear, luminescent blue and if he wasn’t mistaken, he could smell the bitter tang of salt water on the wind. Interesting.

Cautiously, knowing that a dream could change at any moment, Jack moved onward. The dreamer had to be around here somewhere, he thought, tromping through a few dead patches of grass. The dream centered on the dreamer; everything else was supplemental to him or her, only a backdrop for whatever was on their mind at the time sleep claimed them. He paused, cocking his head as the faint sounds of wind chimes sang.

There. Over that hill; that’s where he needed to go.

The tall, powerful form of a man stood looking out over a glistening lake. He was still, almost contemplative. In the background, off to the side, stood a simple log cabin. Smoke rose from the chimney, and the wind chimes sang again, accompanied by the sounds of a woman humming.

“Well…this is definitely homey,” He called out. It probably wasn’t wise to scare the dreamer- especially a DRAGON dreamer- but what the hell. He wasn’t in the mood to appreciate the scenery. “I would’ve expected a man like you to dream about…blood and glory. But nope; you secretly long for a hidden cove and a cabin. How boring.”

Standing at his full height, the demi-god crossed his arms over his chest, stopping a few feet away from the dreamer. “I’m Jack, by the way. I’ll be your Dream Walker, for today. Your wife- your REAL wife- says hi.”



((Ick. Will edit later. XD ))

[Kyle Aodhagán]

The mist and darkness attempted to confuse him. It was as if even in sleep the witch had some kind of hold on him. Kyle clenched his jaw and his fists at his sides, inhaling deeply of the damp, unfamiliar dream world around him. Closing his sapphire eyes the dragon held that breath, thinking back to another reverie; one that he had shared with his mate and their offspring. One that never failed to push aside the clouds so the sun could shine through.

Opening his vast gaze the dragon began a slow gait down a tall hill. The haze became more lucid as the vague outlines beyond started to take shape; the smell of familiarity finding his nostrils and easing Kyle’s mind gradually. Soon he was standing before a shimmering pond and beyond, the same cabin he had seen before; where he and his wife would live with not one, but two children. Unbidden, the corner of his lip lifted into the rumor of a smile. Wind chimes from the porch sang a pixie chant and the sound of woman humming from within soothed his aching heart.

He was home. He need only to cross that liquid expanse to feel her arms around him…

The sound of the male’s voice was like the crack of lightening, and Kyle tensed, turning to face the stranger. A vicious growl crawled out the dragon’s throat and seemed to shake the dream trees that lined the lake.
Already the cabin was fading back into a misty, barren landscape. The presence of the unknown had distracted the dragon enough so that he couldn’t hold onto the vision, or the memory which always triggered it. Gone was the warmth that had begun to spread through the ancient shifter, leaving him once again cold, shaking, and exposed.

“I have tasted so much blood that it is a persistent tang on the back of my tongue. I have seen so much war and death the image is burned eternally into my eyelids. I need only close them to see it…to feel it…” The response came out of him as a fierce rumble before he had the mind to realize the stranger’s latter words.
Once they had taken seed to grow within his mind though, the raging pyre that lived within him was relit, and Kyle leapt at the stranger as fangs burst forth from his gums and angry, leathery wings ripped open his shoulder blades, circling the male like impenetrable shield.


“What have you done to my wife?!” Kyle snarled, immediately assuming the dream walker had been sent as a spy by Carlotta. His heart was breaking all over again, and he was here, helpless to stop anything that was happening beyond the foggy veils of sleep.
“She is innocent! INNOCENT!”

[Jack 'Boogeyman' Valenze]

Even though every instinct screamed that he either take cover or prepare to defend himself, Jack remained relaxed and nonchalant before the enraged dragon. The dream started to roil, losing most of the peace the scenery had afforded it, as the dreamer began to react to the emotions that had surfaced. He had to tread lightly here, or he was in danger of being forced out of the dream.

It was a hazard, in his profession, and one he’d learned to dance around. Like any foreign antibody, the dreamer’s brain was always trying to force him out, knowing that he didn’t belong. Strong emotion tended to send him careening back into his own body, and if the emotion were strong enough…well, let’s just say that he wasn’t a fan of walking in Limbo for the rest of his coma-laden life.

So, he kept himself outwardly calm and held out his hands in an ‘I surrender’ pose. ”Buddy, do you really think I’d be in here if I hurt your woman?” He asked, lips quirked in an amused smile. He should probably keep his face deadpan, but aside from the need to keep the dreamer calm…he was just too damn proud to show his uneasiness. Give ‘em a step and they’ll take a mile; that was his experience. ”I think I’d leave that for the crazy ass witch who took you. Calm down, dragon. Your Lillie sent me here. She wanted me to find out where you were, so they can come bring you home.”

Looking around, he took in the scenery once again. Damn, but he’d forgotten grass could be so green. Was the world really this beautiful, back in the day? What he would’ve given to have seen it in all of its glory. After a minute of letting the new information settle in, he turned back to his current ‘client.’

”She’s one helluva looker, by the way. You’re a lucky guy. But anyway, let’s get back to business, yeah? I don’t have all century to listen to threats from a dreaming man. Tell me…do you know where you’re being held? Is there anyone sympathetic to you, or any way for you to get out?”

[Kyle Aodhagán]

The moist earth beneath Kyle’s feet began to feel as quick sand; the hues in the sky blending and undulating like watercolors on a canvas. He wanted to fall to his knees but he held his ground, stretching his wings out to give himself balance lest he drop before this stranger from the very pain that surged within his breast. When a smile came across the male’s face and his hands came up in surrender, the dragon let his wings fold down against his back as he receded a bit; desperate to hear news that his mate was well, but afraid to expect it lest the disappointment of hearing otherwise send him over some final edge. The Fates decided to extend Kyle the hand of tranquility this day, for report that his woman was well washed over the ancient shifter so completely, the sky broke open and the angels wept; cold, crystalline rain falling from the sky. The rain seemed to cleanse the dreamy backdrop of its muted colors; the green of the grass like emeralds, the blue of the water sparkling sapphire. The dragon allowed himself but an ephemeral moment of inward respite before letting his mind drink in the stranger’s declaration, and the following inquisition. Covetousness prickled the dragon’s skin and unbidden the pupils of his eyes narrowed into reptilian slits, but he ignored the possessiveness in order to let duty consume him. Any distraction, corporal or within the mind would only hinder his undertaking. “She must not be allowed to join the rescue party.” Kyle said foremost in a firm, but compliant tone to convey the fearless spirit of his female. “Lillie will attempt join them, but she must be left behind. My concern lies with her safety. See to this and you will gain an eternal ally of me, as well as a brother.” The great dragon bowed his head in respect and then stood strong with the beaming sun against his back. It was if his dream absorbed his determination, solidifying where as it had been melting before. He relayed what he remembered of his journey to the dream walker; lost to a lot of the details due to an enchantment the sorceress had put on him, but shook his head at the latter inquiry. “I alone stand against the witch.” Kyle told the man tightly, but a flash of a pale female face and an exotic gaze invaded his memory. “Wait. There is one.” Kyle remembered the sliver of metal and the determined look etched across the visage of the little dragon. A delicate gossamer thread connected them; he and this modest rebel, and he realized that there was more than one dragon to free from captivity. “I have a way out of my cell, but the fortress is heavily guarded.” Kyle became the man he once was millenniums before; the leader of an army against a great foe. “I will fight my way out, and you should be prepared for a battle as well. She will not let me go easily.” He nodded to the man and extended his hand. “I would not see your breath forfeit for this cause, but if you are victorious we will be as brothers. Together we will see her dragon army shudder, and after, we will celebrate this conquest with drink and war cries." [bg=#1C1C1C][atrb=border,0,true]

[Jack 'Boogeyman' Valenze]

Gods, but this guy had a flair for the dramatic, Jack thought with a frown. When the wings came out and were spread, and the dragon started looking like his intestines were being torn out from his middle, the demi-God couldn’t help but look around, as if expecting something to be…bah, he didn’t know. Attacking them? This might be a dream, but nightmares and other ‘spirits’ that liked to inhabit the sleepers’ minds were normal, in his experience. Not to mention that the poor guy was in the ‘evil clutches’ of some witch. Who knew what enchantments or amusement park-fun nasties she’d try to send into his dreams?

See, THIS was why he should’ve requested hazard pay…

“Ah, with the rain…fuck. I hate wet socks,” Came the irritable mutter, as the dream-sky opened up and started to ‘piss on him,’ as he liked to think of it. Sure, he wouldn’t wake up as drenched as he felt, but it was still annoying. Really annoying, actually; he was half tempted to morph the dream into something a tad more fun.

Maybe…moving floors and neon flowers? No, no, he thought with a slight shake of his head. He hadn’t been hired to drive someone insane in their dreams this time. He was supposed to be helping; gathering intelligence, making sure the dragon was alright and blah, blah. There was a pregnant lady waiting for him back in the real world, who had a friend that was frikken scary.

Even he, an ‘all powerful demi-God,’ knew that there were things worse than death. And pissing off a necromancer was not how he wanted to spend his afterlife. Hades would be so disappointed.

Jack couldn’t help but feel a bit…fidgety, under that gimlet stare. And when the offer of brotherly acceptance was made, he couldn’t help it; his jaw dropped and his eyes widened in surprise. Holy shit, did he know what kind of promise he was making? Indebting himself AND siding with a freaking…with him?! Guy must not know who he was talking to and the kind of shitstorm he’d bring on himself and his wife if he sided with the dream stalking demi-God. He’d have to save him the trouble and bring the little woman along, now. Oh well.

“I can’t make any promises,” He said, after clearing his face of all expression. “That little lady of yours has one helluva grip.”

Settling back on his heels, he then took to memory the information he was being told. Hot damn, but the dragon was good at knowing his location from the sky, he thought with a respectful nod. He basically just drew them a freaking treasure map! Damn, this was going to be easier than he thought. Maybe he’d even have some time left over to take that job in Tunisia…

Rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably, he gave the dragon a similar look and nodded. “Yeah…sure, brothers. Whatever. Give us until sunset to get to your position. I’m guessing you’ll know when that is, even though you’re underground. I’ll let the others know. Right now, there’s a little standing army, waiting for the word to come get you. You’re a lucky dragon, having so many friends.”

With another little nod, he backed away and looked up at the sky. In his mind, he saw the dream morphing ever so slightly; creating a little black hole that would send him back to his body. “When I leave here, you’ll still have the dream; I wouldn’t take that from you. I know how it feels to need to escape.” He looked back at the warrior once more, his eyes flickering with some old memories. “A word of advice? When the witch comes for you next…kill her. Don’t give her any mercy. You’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

And with that, he faced the hole and propelled himself upwards. Like a dragon, he soared…if only for a little while.


Jack opened his eyes with a deep breath and blinked at the faces currently peering over him. With a howled ‘shit!’ he leapt from the bed, sending the psychic and the dragon’s wife stumbling back with identical squeaks. Hell, hadn’t he shoved one of the huge dressers in front of the damn door?

“Well, what’d you find?” The psychic demanded, having recovered the quickest. “Did you find him? Where is he? Stop fucking staring at me and tell us where Doobie is!”

And, because she was a paying customer, he did as he was told. There was a little dance of joy going on between the ladies, which totally confused him, because the dragon in question was still a prisoner, then the room filled with various people. The pregnant lady’s brothers, the CEO who’d hired him…and if he wasn’t mistaken, that was a werewolf over in the corner, rolling her eyes. Holy shit, he was kind of jealous, here. What a…screwed up, yet loveable family.

The day had flown by after that; a whirlwind of preparations and rental cars that smelled like feet. Despite everyone’s protests and even Pat’s handcuffing her to the cast iron bedframe in her bedroom, Lillie- he was getting their names, albeit slowly- somehow managed to sneak into the trunk of one of the vans and tag along. Ilani had almost driven the damn thing off the road, when Lil popped up with a grin and presented them all with the baseball bat she’d brought along, but Vincent had saved them just in time. It was almost funny; seeing the suited man in jeans and actual boots. Not to mention the extremely uncomfortable look on his face. He had to wonder what strings Ilani had to pull to get him there.

The van was stopped about a mile away from the entrance to the abandoned mine and everyone filed out. Most of the people there had been called in by Ilani or Vincent; there were two vampires, one in a suit and the other…twitching like he was in need of a fix. There was that same werewolf, some bald dude with a definite attitude problem, something Lillie called a ‘shifter’ eyeballing everyone warily and some other human dude with a weird accent. All in all, he had a feeling everybody was gonna die, but he managed to keep his mouth shut.

Moving ahead of them all, Ilani turned to face her little troop of Confederates, standing at attention in front of her. “You guys ready?” She asked, keeping her voice low, as if the dragons inside could hear her. At the emphatic nods, she smiled. “Do me proud, boys. Go find Kyle and let him know we’re coming.”

Each solder saluted and disappeared. It was time to wait.

Inside the tunnels, the ghosts floated; careful to stay away from the glowing sigils on the walls and floors. The dragons couldn’t see them, but they knew the witch could, and they relied on all the strategies they’d learned in life…as well as from the cop shows Ilani let them watch on tv. Down the dark, winding tunnels they floated, whispering for their friend. To the normal ear, it would sound like wind blowing from outside. But to the person they were looking for? It would sound like a plea for an answer.

[Kyle Aodhagán]

To the dragon, the rain was a wonderful cleansing shower that washed away his worry and his fear. It sluiced over his tight muscles and they were relaxed again. The chaos that filled his mind fled and he had wits once more. But the mutter that issued from the dream walker about wet socks drew up one corner of the dragon’s lip just barely, and he found despite the circumstances and the male’s attitude, in this moment he meant the promise of allegiance he had forged. Of course that loyalty wavered slightly when the male would make no pledge to keep Lillie far away and it caused the sky, in all its watercolor like glory, shimmer as if single tear of liquid had fallen into its center. Still, the ancient shifter knew his woman. Keeping her from him was like trying to keep the dragon from his flower. It was like asking the grass not to grow or the streams not to flow. Impossible. The dream walker agreed to Kyle’s vow, albeit unenthusiastically and immediately the dragon was drinking in the male’s plan like water from the tap. Already he was forming his own battle plan; recovering indistinct memories of the twists and turns he’d been led through underground and focusing them into tangible blueprints for his escape. He thought of the young one; the female dragon with dark hair and bright eyes and breathed in deeply, finding in his subconscious the distinct aroma with which he would find her. The mention of friends just before the dream walker’s departure drew his awareness back in, and the dragon found him self filled with an unfamiliar warmth that took the place of wintery emptiness in his fractured, but healing soul. A soul that with Lillie’s love had begun to mend and grow strong as it had been so many centuries before. He could see the faces of his friends in his mind’s eye. Ilani’s quirky smile and the protective, but honorable faces of his mate’s brothers. There were others as well…visages that drew no name to memory but armored his resolve all the same. These friends were coming to help him escape, and he would allow NONE of them to perish in the process. Taking only a few moments after Jack’s exodus to breathe in the smell of the fire coming from within that little cabin and imagine his woman’s crystalline gaze, Kyle then closed his sapphire eyes, visualizing the dream world around him melting like water colors washed away from the canvas until they were replaced by rusted walls and damp earth beneath his feet. The dream held on to him for a few moments longer as if a living entity that refused to loose its only companion. Finally the dragon took in a deep breath and steeled his will, opening his stark gaze to the reality of the cell around him. Finding the little sliver of metal that was passed onto him by the little dragon, Kyle used it to unlock his shackles; immediately feeling a strength surge through him like a gust of wind. He’d known the chains had been enchanted by the witch to keep him passive, but the returning strength was so potent, it had almost taken him to his knees. Casting them aside the shifter flattened him self against the door to the cell, breath seized within his chest as he listened for movement beyond. There were too guards; both probably armed and as large as he, but he was not concerned about them. Kyle used the sliver to pick the lock open, forcing the door ajar and immediately dispatching the sentry. He worked quickly to remove one of their tattered cloaks; pulling it on and over his head before moving on towards freedom. He moved like a shadow through the dim tunnels; keeping to the darkness and using his supernaturally honed senses to track the little one while keeping on the alert for approaching foes. Thankfully the witch had most of her army toiling with the weapon of destruction she was erecting; he only had to engage a few scattered soldiers along the way. Somewhere deep within the cavernous underground prison he caught the newly familiar scent of the young one, and found her in a yawning space which seemed to serve as a place to take wine and repast. With an unwavering expression on his visage, Kyle grasped the female by the wrist with urgency, urging her to come with him. “We have no time. Move as lightening and be prepared for a battle.” He told her, and though the words were harsh (a habit the dragon still possessed) he anticipated that she would understand he was trying to help her as she had done for him. By the time Kyle heard the sound of beckoning spectral voices, an alarm had already begun reverberating through the hallways. He followed the sound of liberation until he found the ghosts, but by now several dragons had met them as well. A skirmish of fang and fist ensued. His dragon progeny were strong, but the ancient one stronger. Overtaking the soldiers that blocked their way, Kyle and the female shifter fought tooth and nail until they reached a breach in the underground tunnel which led outside. As he panted and struggled to remain calm, gem-colored blue eyes scanned the group of gathered waiting until they landed on his purpose. The dragon burst forth from his subversive prison and caught her in his arm; the shared relief and devotion that wrapped around them as tangible as the strongest of shields. He felt the shattered heart within his breast begin to mend itself. The glowing, gossamer filaments that connected her soul to his were as bandages across his broken spirit and the potent aroma of their bond perfumed the air with a rich, heady fragrance. “Woman, you are too stubborn. You should not be here.” But a relieved sigh was loosed from his lips a moment before they met hers in a passionate embrace of soul and mouth. The kiss lasted mere moments, but it was enough to sustain the dragon for a millennia; filling him with a force and perseverance that would come in handy for the battle that was about to begin. Just as he and the female dragon had found the rupture in the prison walls, so had Carlotta’s army. They had begun spilling out of the break like water from a jar. [bg=#1C1C1C][atrb=border,0,true]