Looking Back

Chapter 91

Owen

When Avery and Luke vanished, Cliff halted his movements and then fell to the floor as Sang began to comfort him. After a bit, Cliff explained that he had sensed Luke's repressed dragon and it made him feel challenged. Then he talked about mates and marks and I was completely lost along with most of the rest. Not surprisingly, Kota was readily prepared to help translate. I guess all those years of being a science fiction and fantasy geek were paying off.

When we all stepped into that grove it was unnerving. Being told that Luke was a dragon was far different from seeing him as one. He looked like something out of those fantasy movies and the air of power came off him in waves. When Cliff called him sire all of us were confused, except Avery. Once Luke had left I stepped up to her as she leaned against North. "So, my lovely wife, just what are you and Luke not telling us?" She gave me an innocent look as North chuckled.

"No one's buying that look, baby," he told her. "Now spill it."

She craned her neck around toward Sang and Cliff. "I'm glad to meet both of you finally. I've heard a lot about you and I also want to thank you for your help with Sean as well as recently." She pulled out of North's embrace and stepped toward them.

Surprisingly, Sang also moved forward and they both quickly embraced each other. Sang softly said, "They've waited so long for you. I'm glad you all found each other finally, and congratulations on the twins. They're beautiful!"

Avery's eyes glistened with tears, "Thank you. I know Cliff waited a few hundred years for you as well." Then she whispered into Sang's ear. Sang's eyes lit up and she ran toward Cliff sharing the words Avery had spoken. He began to choke up and looked at her. "Th...thank you, My Lady. This is an honor as well as a gift we can never repay. I only wish we brought better news in return."

Avery's eyes darkened a bit and she nodded. North waved his hand and the grove filled with chairs and a table with lemonade. Sean and I placed Avery between us as Cliff began. We all picked up on her stress as he spoke.

"So you're telling us we can't change what Mab predicted? One of us is going to die?" Sean asked finally. The tears spilling down both Sang and Avery's faces spoke volumes. The final blow was Cliff's response.

"The creature will use one of you as a sacrifice to open the gate. This isn't a normal challenge like those before the Lady have faced. Every ancient scroll we have found says that shadow will pass to open the gate."

Sean looked at me in horror as I'm sure Victor was looking at Gabe. We were the two that were shadow-touched. One of us was going to die and apparently, we couldn't do a damn thing to stop it.

"You are not opening that gate to save us, do you hear me, Chaton?" Gabe's voice was tinted with rage. "I said it once and I'll say it again, one of us is not worth the world - worth the lives of our children."

"But..." she started to protest, but this time I cut her off.

"Gabe's right. If one of us is killed, then so be it. Let it end with us. I'd rather die and know all of you are alive, that our children are alive than to be selfish and watch you all suffer." I saw Sean's shoulders drop in resignation. He knew we were right, they all did. "Now that we have settled that, would one of you care to explain why Cliff referred to Luke as Sire?"

"You don't know?" Cliff sputtered.

"Your arrival triggered his first shift as well as unlocking his memories," Avery said. A soft smile broke through her tears. "Luke is their King. The concept is similar to reincarnation. Luke's soul is from the original line of dragons. When they arrived, it triggered his dragon to awaken. Once we, um well, yeah, and then he marked me, all of his memories unlocked. All dragons will recognize him in dragon form. In human form, he can hide his true identity if he wants." Her blush ran from her cheeks down to her chest.

I gave in and pulled her into my lap, burying my face in her neck and whispering in her ear, "I want nothing more than to place you on that table and ravish you as they all watch." Her grip tightened as her breath caught and I chuckled softly. "I do believe you are in so much trouble once our guests leave, my love."

As if sensing my words, Sang cleared her throat, "I think it's time we left. Although, I'm glad I got to see all of you again." Avery slid off my lap and gave Sang another hug, then shook Cliff's hand. We each did the same as Mab led them away.

"So what exactly did you tell Sang that had her and Cliff so shaken?" Nate asked.

"I explained that if she would allow Mab to perform the spell needed, Sang would be able to mark Cliff. At that point, she'd be able to conceive."

"You mean they can't have kids unless she marks him in return? Does that mean Luke can't have kids with you until you mark him?" Kota questioned.

Avery nodded, "Before his transition, we could have, but not now. Now the dragon part of him is stronger. But don't worry. I don't need a spell," she grinned, "Sang is completely human. After my visit with Master Serpent, I'm much more Fae than human now."

"Yes, what exactly did he do when he pierced your heart?" Sean ran his hand over her chest with a concerned expression. With a mischievous smirk, she lifted her sweater and threw it to the ground, then unclipped her bra, also throwing it to the ground. A series of hazy lines had formed over her heart, twisting around her breast and part of her torso. "Does it hurt?"

She took his hand in hers, "No, Sean, I'm perfectly fine. Better than fine actually. Much like Luke's transformation, and Nate's first shift opened them up to their magic, this did the same for me. I keep asking what it means to be a banshee, and no one answers fully. Until he pierced my heart and gave me his venom, I didn't realize that the reason they don't answer is because they can't. I'm not a typical banshee. My magic pulls from all of you along with Faerie. It is innate and flows through every inch of my body. I understand that now. I know what I have to do, and I'm also starting to realize what roles some of you will play." She leaned forward, kissing him soundly, "Now, my lovely healer, would you like to give me a checkup before or after you fuck me?"

He grabbed her and pulled her against him muttering, "After," then crashed his mouth to hers.

North chuckled and snapped his fingers. Chairs were replaced with beds and all of our clothing vanished.

Author's Notes:  Smut ahead...then darkness.  This is your tissues warning.

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