Jaguin's Love: Dragon Lords of Valdier Book 8 (6 page)

“Oh, shit. I’ve not only fallen down the Rabbit’s hole, I’ve ended up in bloody Narnia,” she groaned, closing her eyes and shaking her head. “All I need now is a group of enraged Dwarves looking for their palace of gold.”

The sudden image of the silver dragon actually rolling its eyes at her comment had her biting her lip to keep from laughing. Another wave of warmth swept through her. She opened her eyes and stared out at the dark space.

“This is still better than Cuello’s compound,” she whispered to herself. “It is strange beyond imagination, but… beautiful. I just wish I knew how it was going to end. I don’t know what to do.”

Sara started to move when she felt the strange sensation against her skin. She released an exasperated sigh when she recognized it as the symbiot. Shortly after she woke up in the medical unit, she discovered she was once again draped in the living jewelry. No matter how much she had argued with the creature, it had refused to dissolve again.

Sara softly groaned. If anything, she was wearing even more of the delicate pieces. When she had snapped at it impatiently, the symbiot had given her such a woeful look of hurt and distress that she had finally given up.

“You really don’t fight fair, you know that, don’t you?” Sara demanded in a soft voice. “None of you do. Something tells me that my life is going to become even more complicated very soon.”

A barely audible giggle of amusement escaped Sara when Jaguin’s hands tightened around her, as if in agreement. She realized she was well and truly stuck for the time being. She felt her exhaustion pull at her.

Maybe, just maybe, Jaguin and his strange assortment of alternate personalities could keep the nightmares at bay,
she thought as she fell into a deep, restful sleep.

Several days later, Sara woke with a start. She looked frantically around the room, trying to get her bearings. She was in the cabin they gave her a few days earlier. It was connected with Emma’s cabin next door. Her gaze swung around and connected with Emma’s worried blue eyes. Sara gave the other woman a rueful smile and relaxed back against the pillows.

“I was yelling again, wasn’t I?” Sara murmured.

“Yes,” Emma replied in a barely audible voice before she gave a haunted smile. “You were cursing, too.”

Sara shook her head and pushed herself up into a sitting position. Emma had finally begun to talk again, but only to her. It wasn’t much, but it was a little.

“I was dreaming that I was back at the compound again,” Sara admitted, glancing at Emma before she drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. “I thought I was getting better.”

“You are, when you are with… him,” Emma forced out.

Sara glanced up again. A sardonic smile twisted her lips. She knew who ‘him’ was – Jaguin. It seemed like the only time she really fell into a deep sleep was when she was with him, or at least it appeared that way from the last two nights she had woken from a nightmare and escaped to the quiet room so she wouldn’t disturb Emma who liked to leave the door between their rooms open, only to find Jaguin there waiting for her.

Three times now, the first night and the last two, he had wrapped his arms around her and held her close. He told her a little more about the beautiful hidden falls, the vast mountain meadows, and the bountiful plants and animals that lived in the mist-covered mountains before he fell asleep.

“Argh, I hate this,” Sara moaned, dropping her head against her knees.

Sara’s eyes burned with tears as she felt Emma’s soft touch run over her hair. She hated – absolutely hated – feeling out of control. With an annoyed sniff, she rubbed her nose against the covers and lifted her head. Her jaw tightened in determination. She wasn’t going to become dependent on anyone. It was time she started taking control of her emotions, instead of the other way around.

“There is a room on the fourth deck that Jaguin took me to,” Sara said, staring back at Emma. “It has all kinds of plants in it. I want to start learning more about them. Do you want to come with me?”

Emma quickly shook her head and scooted off the edge of the bed. Sara watched as her friend glanced around the room in panic. Throwing the covers back, Sara slid out of the bed and walked over to where Emma was standing with her arms wrapped around her waist and her head bowed.

“They aren’t going to hurt us, Emma. I just know it. Just look at Audrey and Carmen. They have the men on this ship wrapped around their fingers. The guys – they aren’t like Cuello and his men,” Sara said.

“I… know,” Emma replied, looking up at Sara, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I just… want to… go… home. My mom….”

Sara heard Emma’s voice fade and watched as the young girl looked toward the long, narrow window outside of the bedroom. Reaching out, Sara wrapped her arms around Emma and pulled her close as they offered strength and solidarity to one another.

“Perhaps one day,” Sara murmured.

She released Emma when the other woman nodded and pulled back. Emma reached up, pushed her hair away from her face with a shaky hand and gave Sara a rueful smile. The haunting sadness in Emma’s eyes caused Sara to realize, deep down, that she was losing her.

“I have to fight. We have to fight. We can’t give up, Emma. We didn’t when Cuello held us prisoner and we won’t now. This is different, we may be far away from home, but that doesn’t mean we’ll never see it again. Carmen left it and came back once, so can we.”

Emma stared back at her for a moment before she nodded in agreement. For the first time, Sara saw a glimmer of hope reflected in Emma’s eyes. It was small, but it was there.

“I’m… glad… you are here, Sara,” Emma said.

“Me, too,” Sara responded with a sigh. “Try to get some rest. I’m going to find that room Jaguin showed me. I’ve never liked being cooped up.”

Emma nodded again before she turned and silently walked to her bedroom. Sara quickly changed into the jeans, shirt, and boots that were given to them. Picking up the dark brown leather jacket, she pulled it on. Twisting her hair into a messy bun, she glanced around for a way to hold it in place. A startled squeak escaped her when a ribbon of gold dissolved and turned into a large hair clip.

“Just like I was thinking,” she muttered with a shake of her head as she reached out for it. “You might come in handy after all.”

She turned when a movement by the door caught her attention. The larger form of the symbiot was sitting in the doorway. Resting her hands on her hips, Sara scowled down at the oversized golden sloth.

“Too slow, I think a jaguar would be better,” Sara stated with a raised eyebrow.

Within seconds, the sleek form of the cat found in the jungles of South America stood in front of her. Sara released a soft whistle. She really needed to do some closer observations on the symbiot. It had pulled the image from her mind and transformed almost simultaneously.

“I really have a lot to learn about this new world,” she muttered, stepping through the doorway.

*.*.*

Jaguin’s dragon stretched before releasing a shudder of contentment. He could feel his dragon’s pleasure and excitement at being free for a while. He wouldn’t have much time before heading down to the room where he hoped to see Sara. It was the only time he had with her each day and he cherished each moment.

Enjoy your time, my friend
, Jaguin encouraged.

Mate like me,
his dragon grumbled.

She has only seen you once. Creon cautioned that the humans are not used to dragons. We need to give her time to accept us,
Jaguin insisted.

She accept me
, his dragon replied with a snort.
She touch me.

Yes, when she was ill,
Jaguin retorted.
She might not remember much.

You just jealous. She like me better,
his dragon snorted.

She does not!
Jaguin snapped hotly.
She falls asleep in my arms.

His dragon released a rumbling laugh.
You one who falls asleep,
his dragon chortled.

I…
Jaguin’s growl faded when the door to the room opened.

She here! Mate come!

Jaguin would have shifted if his dragon hadn’t overpowered his demand. He was so shocked by his dragon’s refusal to bow to his will that he was speechless for a moment. Never before had his dragon absolutely refused to listen to him. Curious, he decided to see what his dragon would do – and how Sara would respond.

She like me better than you,
his dragon insisted, climbing down from the perch it had climbed up onto.

She does not,
Jaguin mumbled in a grouchy tone.
If you scare her, I’m not letting you back out.

Humph!
His dragon responded with another snort.

Both of them watched in silence as Sara entered the room. She looked around for several minutes before a delighted smile curved her lips. It was the first, natural smile that Jaguin had seen in her eyes.

She beautiful,
his dragon breathed, staring in delight at his mate.

Yes, she is
, Jaguin silently agreed.

*.*.*

“This is fantastic,” Sara murmured, stepping along the path.

She stretched her hand out to lightly touch a thick leaf. It looked like it had a slightly fuzzy texture. Her fingers passed through the leaf, drawing a startled hiss from her. It was just an image.

Bending down on one knee, she examined the plant closer. The underside was smooth and shiny. The veins running through the leaf pulsed with a light yellow luminescence. It was incredible to believe that the leaf was just a three-dimensional image.

“It looks so real,” she murmured to herself, reaching up to touch it again.

Sara shook her head before rising to her feet again. She glanced over the large area, wondering just how large it really was. It was slightly different from the last time she was here from what she could remember.

She giggled as she ran her hand through the plants. Some glowed brighter while others folded into themselves. She wondered if they did that in real life. Something told her that they did. Deep down, she could feel the excitement of the new discovery course through her, revitalizing her. This is what she loved. This is where she belonged – among the plants.

Sara walked slowly down the path that appeared almost like magic before her. Jaguin’s symbiot padded beside her, gazing around in curiosity. She instinctively lowered her hand and rubbed its head when it lifted it toward her.

“You know, I think you need a name. I’ve never heard Jaguin call you anything but ‘my’ symbiot. Do you have a name?”

The golden head shook back and forth violently before the creature sneezed. A soft laugh escaped Sara and she took the movement to mean that the symbiot did not have a name. She stopped and tilted her head, gazing thoughtfully down at it. She folded an arm around her stomach and balanced the elbow of her other arm on it as she tapped her chin.

“Mm, let’s see. Your gold and you can change. You remind me a little of the Little Honey Oakleaf Hydrangea, also known as the Hydrangea Quercifolia. That is a bit of a mouthful, so how about Honey? I’m not sure if you are a male or a female or both, but I like the sound of it, what about you?” Sara asked after several moments.

The sleek jaguar shivered with delight, sending a ripple of colors over its body. Sara laughed in delight when it raised one paw and licked it. She swore that it looked like it was licking honey off of its paw.

“You even look like honey when you do that,” she chuckled. “So, Honey, are these plants like the ones on your world?”

The jaguar tilted its head and gazed back at her. Sara drew in a startled breath when vivid images filled her mind. For several breathtaking moments she was lost in another world – Jaguin’s world. She could see the mountains that he told her about and the numerous waterfalls.

She closed her eyes and focused. Her body swayed as she found herself soaring upward over the tall trees, then back down to skim along the tops of the sea of purple grass. Her hand moved to her stomach, touching it to see if it was real.

In the distance, a path opened up into the forest. A second later, she swept through the entrance between the thick trunks and into the shadows. Her lips parted when she felt herself land along the trail similar to what she was walking on.

Colorful veins with vivid flowers, some the size of a large dinner plate, glowed in the dark recesses of the trees. Once again, her hand reached for one of the plants. Disappointment swept through her when all she felt was empty air.

Sara opened her eyes and blinked rapidly to bring the room back into focus. Her mouth snapped shut and she took half a step back in surprise when she found herself staring at her own reflection in a pair of glittering gold eyes.

“Jaguin!” She breathed before drawing in another breath. Her gaze turned from surprise to confusion. “At least, I think it is you unless you call your dragon something else.”

Her eyebrow rose when the large silver dragon in front of her suddenly sat down and sneezed. An amused smile curved her lips when the dragon opened its mouth and gave her a toothy grin. Sara slowly walked forward, curious to see if what she remembered was real. Lifting her hand, she carefully ran her fingers over one nostril when he lowered its head to her.

“Just as soft as I remember,” she murmured. “I wasn’t expecting you here. I guess the other room would have been a bit crowded for this form, huh?”

The dragon rubbed its cheek against her outstretched palm. Sara took that as agreement. Stepping closer, she studied the dragon. It was even more beautiful than she remembered. It looked much like the ancient dragons from mythology. She vaguely wondered if perhaps at some time in history one of the Valdier spaceships had landed on Earth and they were spotted by humans in their dragon form. It would explain where some of the drawings and paintings had come from.

“So beautiful,” Sara murmured, running her hand over the long snout and over a ridged eyebrow. “Do you mind if I touch you? I’d like to look at you more closely – if it won’t offend you.”

Sara’s breath caught in her throat when the dragon bent its head and nudged her. Taking that as a yes, she returned her attention to where her hand lay. She swallowed as she ran her fingers up along one ear. It twitched and a low rumbling purr escaped the dragon as if it was trying to smother a laugh.

“Are you ticklish?” Sara asked with a curious smile.

She scratched the dragon behind the ear and a low moan filled the air. Scratching a little harder, she bit her lip when his back left foot began to thump against the floor. Leaning forward, she couldn’t resist whispering in his ear.

“I used to have an old hound dog that did the same thing when I scratched him there,” she shared before pulling back. “He was my best friend when I was ten. I grew up in the lower mountain region of the Appalachian Mountains. My mom had me when she was young, though that really shouldn’t have made much difference. She dumped me on my aunt who was already raising her own kids and a bunch of others. I was the only girl. My aunt said she had enough of taking care of her sisters to know that she didn’t want any more girls in the house.” Sara paused for a moment; her hand rested on the side of the dragon’s neck and her fingers absently traced the scales as she thought back to her youth. “It wasn’t the best way to be raised, but it could have been worse,” she continued in a soft voice. “I learned to fight and I learned what I didn’t want my life to be like. But….” A small smile curved her lips and she turned to look into the golden eyes watching her with a fierce intensity that made her self-conscious. She released a derisive laugh and shook her head. “I also discovered what I did want. I loved running through the mountains and exploring the different plants that grew there. I became more fascinated about the plants when I learned that they could help heal. I cut my foot and it quickly became infected. My aunt was not the best mother, but she knew the medicinal properties of the plants. I watched and learned. Then, when I was fifteen, one of my teachers opened my eyes to the power of a good education. I left home at sixteen and never looked back. My aunt didn’t think an education was necessary for living on the mountain. I was expected to marry a miner and have a bunch of kids. I wanted more than that. I wanted to explore the world, and I wanted to find a cure to help prevent common diseases and infections from turning fatal. My best friend died from the flu.”