16. Nicodeamus

CHAPTER 16

Nicodeamus

After all these years, I finally have my little girl. She is everything I have dreamed of and more. Though I must admit, she took after me so much. She has my white hair and silvery eyes, but her face and build are all her mother's. And her Lycan has some distinct dragon qualities to it—for example, her talons and the white scales. Her Lycan's muzzle is far longer and broader than your run of the mill Lycan. It killed me to have to sit back and feel her battle without me. Even though I knew she would defeat the challengers without an issue. The draw on my power had been intense, and she's far more potent than I could have ever imagined possible. When I walked out and saw her Lycan standing there without fear, it made me beam with pride. She trusted me completely even though she didn't know me, per se. We stood against the alpha together, and it warmed my heart that she was there with me.

Now we move slowly through the tunnels to come out somewhere near where Aurora's truck and guardians are waiting for us. Aurora is ahead of me between Sebastian and Dominik, with Dom in the lead. The other twin, Jayce, is still with the brother we left in charge of making sure the transfer of power went smoothly. I think I'm more anxious about being free after all this time. I haven't seen the skies in over two hundred years.

We approach the sealed passageway, and Aurora looks back at me, sensing my unease. She breaks loose of her mates and comes to my left side to wrap her arms around my waist. "I've got you, Daddy... no worries, I'll protect you." Her smile is infectious and warms my soul. I'm Daddy to this grown woman. It brings tears to my eyes, hearing her call me that.

"Thank you, little one. I love you, baby girl. I always have and always will." I kiss the top of her head and nod to Dom to open the passageway. I squint my eyes as the first rays of light flickers through the opening. It feels like forever since I've seen the sun or smelled the fresh air. I move slowly with Aurora, looking outside, amazed by how little this area has changed since my imprisonment.

Dimitri and Andre come rushing over, seeing Sebastian exit first. They immediately start asking about Aurora. She steps out next while I remain in the shadows for a few moments, just taking it all in. She is smiling and laughing as Dimitri hugs her and spins her around in a circle. The next moment he's shaking a finger at her as she tells him about the new body count. His head whips to the opening, then back to her quickly as he processes what she's told him. I still live. Andre and Dimitri come running over to the passageway and drop to their knees before me.

"M'lord," they say in unison, still looking at the ground waiting for me to speak.

"Rise, my friends. You've done a glorious job with raising Aurora. I am forever in your debt." They both look up at me, astonished. It's now that they finally notice I'm missing my left arm. Andre looks like he's ready to cry, and Dimitri isn't sure what expression is appropriate at the moment. "I lost my arm the night of the invasion. The now-dead alpha was the one that took it. With the help of my daughter, I got to take his life tonight. It's been a very good day." I smile at them, and they look between Aurora and me several times. I guess my daughter is more like me than I realized.

Aurora moves to my side and snuggles in close. She was choosing me over her three mates; it truly soothes my soul. In all the years I dreamed of my child, I never pictured the strong female before me. When I would dream walk to teach her in her sleep, her animal never revealed their gender or even their fur color. It was very protective of her even in her slumber. Perhaps her Lycan is more dragon than I first suspected.

Dimitri is the first to approach and kneels before me. His bear surfaces as he looks up to my daughter and I. "M'lord, if I had known you were captured, we would have come for you sooner." His head lowers, and he looks to the ground. I guess, in a way, he blames himself for not knowing.

"Dimitri, do not blame yourself. You carried precious cargo; my daughter, last of her name. You performed a great service to our people and me. I am forever in your debt." I gently place my hand on his shoulder. "Rise, old friend." Aurora moves off to the side and into Sebastian's waiting arms. Dimitri slowly stands, and I can see clearly now that he is starting to age.

Whatever magic that has extended his life is fading slowly. I move forward and hug Dimitri, bringing the big old bear in close. I missed having my trusted guardian at my side. Few from the past still live, yet those that should not be here are still alive. My eyes find Andre; he is another that has outlived his species lifespan. "If there is anything I can do for you and Dimitri, name it and it shall be yours."

Dimitri backs up and hugs onto Andre. His eyes dart to where Aurora is standing with her three mates. Slowly his eyes return to me, and I can see a sadness deep within their depths. "I fear we will not be able to serve in the final battle as we are now." Andre begins to sniffle and hides his face against Dimitri's chest; he fears death. Dimitri looks down at his faithful companion and sighs. Perhaps there is something this old dragon could do.

"We can try something; it's old magic and might not even work for long." I look down, staring at my hand as I shift it, looking at my snow-white scales and long, white talons. Even after all these years, it is odd to only have one arm. My dragon's eyes lock onto Dimitri before I look up and over to Aurora. "Daughter, I need your assistance." Aurora and her mates look plenty puzzled by my request before they come running over without question.

"Yes, Father?" She cants her head to the right looking up at me. Her Lycan surges to the surface, sensing my dragon's urgency. Her eyes fall to my shifted hand and arm, then back up to my eyes.

Our animals are in deep conversation that even I'm not privy to. Aurora's hands shift quickly, and then plucks two scales off my wrist. She turns and promptly plunges her talon into Dimitri's chest and sinks the bleeding side of my scale into his skin. She repeats the process even faster, with Andre knowing how sensitive the bird is. Once her task is complete, her hands begin to glow with frost. Her eyes lock onto the scales, and she presses both frozen palms over the scale transplants, cementing them to their new hosts. She draws in a deep panting breath then collapses from the exertion. Dominik is the one to catch her before she hits the floor. He cradles his greatest treasure against his chest, rocking her gently.

"I'm not sure how much more time my scales and Aurora's frost will grant you. But for now, it will slow the process that has already begun." I speak truly; I'm honestly not sure how long it will give them. For Aurora's sake, something is better than nothing; she will need their guidance and wisdom to train the troops. They both look down at their chests then over to Aurora, who is still sleeping. "We need to get moving. Dominik, do you or your brother have transportation? As we are not all going to fit in that." Motioning to the black truck that isn't far from where we are standing.

"Yeah, we have a couple of vehicles we can take. Where are we headed?" Jayce is the one who answers and now looks to Sebastian—apparently, he is being recognized as alpha while Aurora is incapacitated.

Sebastian moves forward and sniffs the crown of Aurora's head, then kisses it before turning to me. "We'll head to my birth pack. My mother will be most pleased to see that you live, my king." He bows slightly to me. Too alpha to fully submit, yet smart enough to show ample respect where it's due.

"Sounds like a solid plan. Let's depart as soon as possible. It will be nice to have a bath and sleep in a real bed again." I turn to Dimitri and smile. "I'll ride with you, old friend. We have a lot of catching up to do." Dimitri nods and starts heading towards the giant black monstrosity that they call Aurora's baby. Baby? An odd thing to call a structure of metal—it doesn't live or breathe. Nor does it resemble my daughter in stature or scent. Andre notices my puzzlement and moves closer.

"Aurora calls the truck her baby because she loves it. It's her most prized possession, besides her guitar." Ah, she has placed a term of endearment and possession on a lifeless object. So much has changed since my capture. Like I'm supposed to ride in this metal beast. Dimitri hops behind what looks like a wheel and does something that makes it roar to life.

Black smoke billows from the beast, and in that moment, I feel at home. Perhaps it is part dragon? I decided to pace around the loud metal beast. I touch it, and its scales are more rigid than my own. I sense no life from it, yet it makes noise. What other wonders will I find now in my newfound freedom? After my second lap around the smoking beast, Andre opens it up. I peer around what he is calling its door and see two rows of what appear to be soft seating. It's like a carriage, but there is music playing in it, and the wind blows out of holes in the front.

"Have you captured tiny musicians and frost sprites to have music and cold air?" I stare into the slotted holes, looking for the beating of the sprite's wings. I hear muffled laughter from Dimitri, and Andre is holding his breath, trying not to laugh. "I demand to know what's so funny!" I turn and stare at them both in turn. "Has my daughter wrongly imprisoned sprites and tiny musicians?" I attempt to cross my arm over my chest and wait for a sound explanation. "Oh, and the dragon whose smoke comes from this metal beast, how dare you let her capture and imprison her kin!"

Dimitri is the first to compose himself and turn to face me. "M'lord, a lot has changed since the last time you walked free. We are sitting in what is called a truck. It does not live; other than us, there is nothing alive in it." He motions to each object as he names it. "The air blows cold because of an invention called an air conditioner. This right here is a radio, and it allows us to find all different types of music. No one is needed to be awake or present to hear the music." I nod along slowly as he explains the wonders I am witnessing.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine any of these things before me. I still stare, puzzled at the knobs and buttons that are before me. Each one does something… what will they think of next? Dimitri pushes buttons on the thing he calls a radio, and soon, the sound of an orchestra fills the vehicle.

I smile; it reminds me of the last time I was happy and free. "Thank you, old friend, this is a gift." I reach over and pat Dimitri on the shoulder before leaning back to listen to the music. A rumbling that you can feel in your chest destroys my peace. A sleek-black, metal beast comes straight for us super-fast. I was getting worried, but Dimitri starts laughing when the car suddenly turns and covers us with dust.

Aurora jumps out of the left side of the vehicle and walks over to Dimitri's door. "Hmm, I cut it a tad bit too close. I got my baby dirty. We're gonna head back to Sebastian's pack, so try and keep up!" Before I can get a word out, she hops in through Dimitri's window and flips down a panel, hits a few buttons, and the sound of the vehicle changes. "There, just woke up a few extra ponies so the beast can keep up with the harlot. Hi, Daddy!" She smiles at me before popping back out the window and running back over to the car.

"Is she always like this?" I watch my daughter jump back into what Dimitri called a HellCat and take off, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake. The beast is far away, and we can still hear it clearly. It makes me remember the days when dragons flew free and were the lords of the skies. My eyes lock on a metal bird overhead—what I wouldn't give to go back to when it was simpler.

"Yes, she's always like that. Free as a bird and reckless, with an obsession with speed and power." Dimitri's eyes lock on the switch box Aurora had fiddled with, then shakes his head, dismissing it.

When his foot hits the pedal, he quickly figures out what she had meant. The truck launches itself forward much faster than any of us had anticipated. "Holy shit!" he screams as his knuckles turn white, holding onto the steering wheel. I watch the numbers in the middle of the dash get higher and higher, and we gain ground on Aurora at breakneck speed.

I lower the window and stick my hand out, feeling the wind rush over and around my fingers. It feels like I am flying again. Without a second thought, I stick my head out the window to feel the wind in my face. I was robbed of flight, so this would have to do for now. I hear Andre yelling at me to get my head back in as he panics over my safety. At least some things didn't change; he's still a worrywart. I resume sitting in my seat when Andre leans forward and ties me to the chair with a strap. "What is the meaning of this, Andre? You dare to restrain your king?" My dragon makes his presence known as his slits burn through my silver eyes.

"It's called a seat belt, M'lord. It's to keep you safe in case of an accident." He looks quite sheepish, having to explain it to me. I look down at the offensive belt, then back to Andre.

"Fine, it can remain for now. Next time, warn me before you decide to restrain me for my own good." I breathe out sharply, and a frosty mist escapes my nostrils. I wasn't thrilled, but he did have my best interest in mind, so I couldn't stay completely mad at him.

I drum my fingers on the windowsill as I watch the miles fly by me. We've been on the road for several hours already, and they said we still have a few hours to go. Being terrestrial is the worst fate ever. I could have already been at our destination if I still had both of my wings. I could have carried everyone. It was a lifetime ago when I last had the wind in my face. There's an odd ringing noise in the truck, and the music stops playing, and I see my daughter's image on the screen in the dash. "How is my daughter in the truck?" I point at her picture and inadvertently, unbeknownst to me, answer the phone call.

Her image is now gone, but I can hear her. "Hey, guys, time to stop for food. We're at the diner about five clicks north of your position." I tilt my head to the side and stare at the screen.

"Aurora, baby how are you in the truck and the diner? What witchcraft is this?" I look frantically between the screen and Dimitri; who, by the way, is laughing at me again.

"Daddy, it's called a telephone. Dimitri's phone was answered when someone touched my picture on the truck's screen. It's safer than taking your eyes off the road to fiddle with the phone. I'm sitting on the hood of Dom's car talking to you at the diner." She was so helpful. I look around the truck and see her picture on the rectangle object in the cupholder.

"I think I found that thing you call a phone. It has your picture on it. Did a witch make this?" Aurora and Dimitri start laughing at me now. I'm starting to get mad about being laughed at. "Why must you laugh at me? I swear I'm ready to set things on fire if this continues." Soon as the words leave my mouth, everyone goes silent. I look around and see the diner in the distance.

"Well, we know where I get my lovely temperament from!" Aurora giggles before the line clicks and the music returns.

I look at Dimitri. "What did she mean by that?" I was honestly puzzled by my daughter's statement. I feel I was relatively calm. I used to burn things and then question the survivors. I fully believe that my temperament has improved quite a bit. I guess I came off a bit smug, evidenced by Dimitri's eye roll.

We pull up next to the Hellcat, and the truck stops and becomes quiet. Hmm, that little black thing makes it move and makes it stop. I'll have to question my daughter later about what it is. Andre comes and opens my door; I go to exit and am suddenly stopped. The evil belt he put on me is still in place. How do the others tolerate this horrid thing? It most certainly gets in the way, but I see its possible uses. My daughter is surrounded on three sides by her mates. Sebastian is being incredibly dominant and possessive of Aurora. Out of the three, only two have been fully claimed by her, but Sebastian seems to have problems sharing.

"Everything okay?" I look at each one of them in the eyes. Sebastian and Dominik can maintain eye contact for a decent amount of time, whereas Jayce can barely raise his eyes. Hmm, two potential alphas and one omega. This is definitely going to lead to problems down the road.

"I believe so, M'lord," Sebastian answers me first. "Dominik just needs to learn what being chosen as the first mate means in our family." Sebastian's wolf flairs to the surface and emphasizes his point. Ah, now I understand what's going on. A soft growl escapes Dominik's lips at the end of Sebastian's statement.

"I see..." I state plainly. My eyes find Aurora's; she's mildly distressed by all of this posturing these young pups are doing. "The first mate's role is to help their queen make levelheaded decisions. It's not to rule or dictate the direction of the pack. The last king that did that ended up losing his kingdom and his mate and pair bonds." My eyes churn liquid mercury to accentuate my point. "I've already seen a first mate destroy a pack. I will not let it happen with my daughter." I motion for Aurora to join me.

Swiftly she untangles herself from the guys and snuggles into my side. When she looks up at me, I see her mother's eyes so clear and pure. It makes my heart ache to see those eyes again. I have to remind myself this is our daughter and all I have left of my beloved Anca.

"Thank you, Daddy." She squeezes me tightly again as she begins to move us towards the diner's entrance.

At the door, a woman stands dressed like one of the serving girls we had in the castle. She asks how many in our party, which thankfully, Aurora answers her with seven. "Why was she asking about a party when we are just passing through?" I furrow my brows because to be quite honest, I am puzzled. Aurora just shakes her head and guides me to the table, pushing me to the side closest to the wall. Ah, I see what she did; she's protecting my left side. Something here has her on edge, and I can feel her animal bristling near the surface.

Jayce slides in next to Aurora and begins to rub the back of her neck. Slowly she begins to settle down. I wonder what set her off. "Let's get some food in you, sweetie. You'll feel better with a full tummy." Jayce speaks to her so lovingly, and she instantly responds to it and rests her head on his shoulder. Her beast settles as well, once the other males join us finally. Jayce continues to pamper Aurora throughout the meal, distracting her from the petty, childish bullshit that Dominik and Sebastian are portraying.

At this point, I am quite thankful that at least one of her mates has his priorities straight. Aurora's eyes find Dimitri, and he kindly orders for the table. I have a feeling this is going to be one very long and exhausting journey.