Chapter 23

Chapter

Twenty-Three

H awk was sitting with his book on his chest, dozing, when he heard Cosmo's frantic call.

Hawk! I need you!

He sprang to his feet, tearing into the hallway, where he collided with Corbin. "Where is he?"

Corbin held his head, hands over his ears, tears on his cheeks. "I don't know. I heard him, but it was such a weird, echo-y sound."

Cullen staggered toward them. "I heard him."

Hawk knew they weren't going to help him choose a direction, so he closed his eyes. Where are you?

He sent the call as loudly as he could.

There's a tunnel in the basement.

Hawk took off to the basement, his instincts telling him to hurry. He didn't bother to stop for supplies. He could make his own light, if need be.

When he reached the tunnel where he could scent his mate, he found Cullen and Corbin with him, so small and fast in their dragon forms.

The tunnel is blocked , Cullen said after zipping past him. There's been a cave-in.

Let me try to move it! Corbin also squeezed by him, claws on the rocks, his earth energy pulsing around them.

Corbin looked back at him. I can't.

Move out of the way. Hawk didn't think he could shift in this tight space, but his power wasn't dependent on his form any more than the trips' were.

He focused on the rock, finding the heat inside it, which there always was. The fire that had created it was always still a spark in the earth. Always. Rocks exploded into shards, and he protected the other two from them with his body, half shifted and ready for anything.

More rocks are falling. He could hear Cosmo. The mental voice seemed weirdly confused and off-center. I have to take the twins. I have to run. There's more rocks falling.

This wasn't going to work. We have to find another answer. This isn't going to work. I'm causing more cave-ins.

All right, we'll go the other way. They had to have gotten in some way. You just have to go find them. Corbin nodded once, firmly. And we can get the rest of the dragons to help. The boss will help there. Their dads have to be frantic. Come on, let's go.

Hawk followed without a question, racing behind the trips, and as he left the house, he shifted to his dragon form so he could fly after them, calling all the while to his mate.

Cosmo! We're coming. Where are you?

I don't know! We're running. I'm bleeding and the twins are scared.

They flew straight into an ant hill of hysterical dragons, all calling out and searching for the lost children.

When they saw him, they roared.

He roared back, because no one was keeping him from his mate, and Cullen flitted in front of him, easing everyone back. Making it clear he was there with Cullen and Corbin, he thought.

You need to stay still as soon as you're safe. I'm coming for you. He started examining the rocks and crags that rose sharply behind the houses for a way in.

Please. I'm a little worried. I don't have water…

We need to gather food and water. They don't have any. He snapped it at Corbin, who wouldn't get his feelings hurt, and who could coordinate with the dragons already here. Then he found a place to get into the mountain and had to shrink himself to zip inside.

He ran as if the hounds of hell were after him, and he heard Cullen following and reporting back to Corbin about where they were, how far they had gone. It got tight in places, but Hawk just muscled through, following his instincts and Cosmo's calls.

Two dragons he didn't recognize traveled with him. They didn't get in his way, for which he was eternally grateful, because his mate was down here, hurt, pregnant, and lost.

One of the dragons had to be the father of the twins because he could hear the panic in the roars echoing through the mountain.

The other dragon was just fast.

Large.

Focused.

Together, any boulders or obstacles they found they shoved out of the way, clearing a path.

We found it. We found the pool of light that the kids were talking about.

Good, good. I'm glad. He wasn't sure what that meant, but it didn't matter. Cosmo sounded happier.

What is this pool of light?

It's just exactly what I said it is. There's obviously an opening up in the ceiling. Way up higher than I can see. A shaft of light comes straight down and hits this water, makes it glow bright blue.

It's lovely and it smells sweet, but I'm not going to let the kids drink unless I don't have a choice. There is still stalactites and stalagmites down here. So it's a natural cave, a natural cavern.

Ah. That actually helped a great deal. Hawk was familiar enough with cave systems to know that if there was a pool, he needed to follow the water. The first part of the cave they had entered had been dry, which meant it had been in use by some sort of creature long enough to kill the rock. But now they were where it was damp, the sound of water dripping loud as long as the roaring stopped.

"I need to hear," he barked. "We must follow the water."

"We're with you." The huge dragon was calm, and he kept the other one steady with a hand on his shoulder. "Just lead on."

The caverns and tunnels twisted and turned, and on occasion, he had to crawl. This was wild, caving like he hadn't done in centuries, since he was young and full of piss and vinegar. That must have been how those children felt, as if they were exploring, like they were grand adventurers.

He would bet they were very sorry children now, or, if not, they soon would be.

Call to me, love. I need to hear your voice.

Everyone is getting a little fussy, Hawk. Including your baby. We're hungry.

I'm almost there. Somehow, he knew it in his soul. The internal compass that would always lead him to Cosmo was pinging like mad.

He tried to breathe, but the air was like soup, and he knew he had to get Cosmo out of here. The way narrowed, but all he had to do was crouch, the big dragons behind him doing the same. He could hear them breathing, but the children's father had quieted as if he also knew they were about to come upon their quarry.

Call out to me aloud.

"Hawk?" The cry was still faint, but he heard it, and it gave him direction when the tunnel he was in split into two directions. He pushed a sizeable rock out of the way. The children would have been able to climb over it, but Cosmo's belly would need more room.

"I hear you!" he shouted, and he could feel the relief across the bond with Cosmo. Yes. Almost there.

He staggered when he burst into the cavern that held the pool of light, his vision graying out with the terrible brightness of it.

"Hawk!" The joy in Cosmo's voice was a palpable thing, and he was almost bowled over when Cosmo ran to him, flinging himself at Hawk.

"Papa!" He heard the cries of the children as they ran for their father.

"You came for me." Cosmo kissed his cheeks and chin.

"Of course I did, love." He pulled back enough to look critically at Cosmo, assessing his health. "Are you well?"

"Tired. A little wet. And hungry." Cosmo's belly rumbled as if to emphasize the point. "And a rock pinged off my head."

That explained the dried blood.

"We brought some provisions." The big dragon came up behind him, voice wry.

"Hey, Boss. Cool. Thanks for coming with Hawk."

"Rescues are my specialties. Hawk. My name is Gavin. Pleased to meet you."

"And I'm Eagan. These are my twins." That came from Papa Blue Dragon, who was holding onto the little ones like he'd never ever let them go.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you. Was anyone marking our path?"

"I did." Corbin popped into the cavern, looking relieved. "Thank the goddess."

"Yeah." Cosmo sniffled. "Sorry, now that you're here, I'm a little wigged."

"You have every right to be, love." Hawk checked Cosmo over again, but aside from his bumped head, he seemed well. He put a hand on Cosmo's belly, sending a little call to the baby there.

Papa! The happy little thought suited him to the bone, and it was so much clearer than before.

He beamed at Cosmo. "Let's get you someplace safe, hmm?"

"Yes. But we need to explore in here later."

Much later, was his thought.

"No exploring. None." Eagan's growl was furious. "No children without adults in the caves. Do you two understand?"

"Yes, Papa."

"We're sorry."

"So sorry."

"Good. I mean it."

"Yes, Papa." They said it together, and they sounded truly contrite.

"Corbin. Can you fly up and see where the light is coming from?" Hawk asked.

"Of course." Corbin zipped up. Minerals. The light is coming from the west, it's flooding in and reflecting off the crystals. I'll keep going, but they're beautiful.

Don't go too far. I don't want us to be separated. I just wanted to know if that was a way out.

Doesn't look like it.

Then come back, please? " Looks as though we walk," he said.

"That's good. We need this clearly marked, and then sealed off," Eagan rumbled. "Thank you for finding them, Cosmo. You're my hero."

"You're welcome." Cosmo chuckled, but he felt the tension in that rosy body. "They called to me."

"You are the guardians." Eagan sighed. "Come on, you two. Let's go home."

"Okay." The twins meekly followed Eagan. Cosmo trailed after them, and Gavin smiled faintly at him.

"I'll take the rear just in case."

"Okay. This is—" The veil.

I'm sorry. Cosmo buried his face in Hawk's neck.

For what? You're staying with me. It wasn't a question.

I will. Forever.

Then it doesn't matter. Hawk really had no idea what any of this meant, but so be it. Wherever they were, they were mates. They would make it work.

They would raise their son in joy and community. No matter what.