“What happens if Asim finds them?” Jabir asked with a worried frown.
“He’ll keep them warm and safe for you. The eggs will be fine. I want to talk to your Grandpa Paul about them before I mention them to Asim. He might be able to help,” she chuckled.
“Grandpa Paul knows all about eggs and animals,” Jabir replied, happy again.
Pearl watched as Jabir glanced at the small mound of grass in the back stall. Her heart swelled for the little boy who was frantically trying to keep his secret. She and Ariel had discovered a week ago that Jabir had done a little exploring and scavenging when he and the other younglings crossed through a portal to Earth created by Phoenix, one of the twin daughters of Creon and Carmen.
The dragonlings’ adventure had started with a simple Valentine’s Day story and ended with the younglings traveling across the galaxies to find the lonely woman who could heal a dragon whose heart was turning to stone. The dragon, it turned out, was none other than Jarak Draken, the surly Chief Security Officer aboard the V’ager, while the lonely woman was Sandy Morrison, the sister of Paul Grove’s childhood friend and attorney, Chad.
The fathers had followed after the younglings. While they were on Earth, the men learned how easy it was to do online shopping and Jabir had discovered the eggs in one of Paul’s barns. The return trip had them bringing back a wide range of exciting items – and Jabir’s hidden bounty of eggs.
Pearl didn’t understand how Phoenix could create a portal that connected the two worlds. There were a lot of things she still didn’t understand about this world, even three years later. One thing she did understand was that Phoenix was special – even by alien standards.
She touched by Goddess, her dragon softly murmured.
I already figured that out on my own, Pearl reassured her dragon. So, how are we going to keep this little secret from Asim? You know we can’t lie to him.
No lie. Just don’t tell him, her dragon shrugged. What he not know, not hurt him. It make Jabir and Ariel happy.
Pearl chuckled. I guess we girls do have to stick together.
Especially if men take Jabir pets away, her dragon snorted.
Yes, well….
Pearl didn’t add to that point of view. She and her dragon didn’t quite agree that it was time to ship the latest batch of Grombots and Marrats off, but Ariel had grudgingly acknowledged that they were better off on their home world than on Valdier where they were considered a delicacy by the dragons. Of course, tears had flowed down both Ariel and Jabir’s cheeks while the men were loading the animals onto the transport.
Mandra and Asim had huffed and puffed, but Pearl noticed that the men secretly kept two pairs of each animal for Ariel and Jabir. The sets included the runts of the group and the ones most unlikely to survive if they were released into the wild. Mandra talked to a local animal doctor who would make sure they couldn’t reproduce.
Of course, there were bound to be a collection of more strays from the universe by the time Mandra and Ariel returned from the palace. Pearl came to the conclusion that Mandra must have made a lot of enemies over the years. It seemed like a new creature in need was appearing on the mountain retreat almost weekly.
“Jabir! Time to get ready to go,” Ariel called.
“I’m comings,” Jabir replied.
Pearl set the little boy down and stood at the door of the barn, watching as he ran across the open area to his mother. She chuckled when he struggled to climb the stairs. He finally gave up, shifted into his dragon form, and used his wings. Her gaze moved to Mandra. The huge Valdier prince had stepped out of the house onto the deck and opened his arms for Jabir.
“When that boy finally has his growing spurt, there are going to be a lot of surprised people,” Pearl chuckled, shaking her head in wonder.
She had a lot to do before she and Jabir left to go to the palace in a few minutes. They were leaving a few days early so Jabir could play with his cousins. This would also give her a chance to spend time with Riley, Tina, and her new great-granddaughters, Sacha and Little Pearl, as well as great-grandsons, Roam and Leo.
A smile curved her lips when the small family turned and disappeared inside the house. This world was truly an incredible place compared to Earth and was one that the St. Claire women could call home.
“It is hard to believe I spent most of my life on another world when this one feels more like home,” Pearl reflected out loud, gazing around.
Her gaze locked on her mate and she chuckled. Asim was currently arguing with Ariel’s newest acquisition, another Pactor. This one had been injured in a mining accident that left it partially blind. It had been abandoned when Ha’ven’s brother, Adalard, discovered the poor creature during one of his journeys and shipped it to Mandra as a present.
Pearl had noticed that Mandra and Adalard had a growing competition to outdo each other when it came to gag gifts. Mandra’s last gift to Adalard was a pair of Tasiers – a small, round furry creature that could reproduce exponentially if they were not controlled. By the time they arrived at Adalard’s home, the two had already multiplied to eight. By the end of the week, Adalard was threatening war against the Valdier again. Of course, the next day the Pactor had arrived to even out the score.
Asim’s loud curses floated through the air along with the sound of thuds on the ground coming from behind the animal. The new medicine Asim was giving the Pactor was helping, but it also made it have loose stools. Her heart melted when Asim reached up and stroked the Pactor, murmuring to soothe it, before he walked over to where he had left the shovel and pail.
Turning, she returned to her own little bundle of whatever Jabir had brought home. She wasn’t an expert, but she suspected the large, avocado-colored eggs were some kind of bird. Since he had retrieved them from Paul’s ranch back on Earth, she wasn’t too concerned that they would be dangerous. The eggs reminded her of the ostrich eggs she once saw at the Denver zoo.
“Ostriches aren’t too bad. Mandra can always have them shipped back to Paul’s ranch, though he may have to fight with Ruby over them first,” she decided with a laugh.
Checking on the eggs once more, she was satisfied they would be safe. Ruby was sleeping on top of the pile. She chuckled softly as she shut the door to the stall. She could just imagine all of the men’s faces if they were to catch a glimpse of the huge eggs that she, Ruby, and Jabir were fretting over. They would go ape-shit over them.
Pearl never could have imagined that a dragon would go nuts over hard-boiled eggs – especially colored ones! She reckoned it was a combination of their competitive nature and their avarice for pretty things. Personally, she just didn’t get it.
Pearl closed the door to the barn and looked around for Pokey. The symbiot was sprawled on the house’s deck, soaking up the sun. Pokey rolled to his feet when Mandra came out carrying Jabir. Ariel followed with a small suitcase and a backpack in the shape of a dinosaur.
Pokey shook and jumped to the ground. Pearl watched in fascination as the golden body shimmered and transformed. The living metal creature was stretching and curving until a compact, golden transport hovered slightly off the ground waiting for her. She couldn’t keep the smile from curling her lips when she thought of what else that living metal could do.
Yes! Her dragon hissed in delight.
You are a horny bitch, you know that, don’t you? Pearl silently chuckled.
You the one that likes on top, her dragon retorted.
Yes, I do, Pearl agreed, smiling.
She walked toward where Asim was working. Leaning against the railing, she silently waited for him to finish what he was doing. Even though she was only going to be gone for a few days, she knew that she was going to miss him. While she had spent most of her life alone, she had quickly adjusted to having Asim’s quiet presence in her life and now couldn’t imagine having it any other way.
“What are you smiling about?” Asim curiously asked, looking up to catch her expression.
“Sex. On top, on the bo
ttom, dirty dragon style,” Pearl quipped, knowing it would start the fire in Asim’s eyes.
“Goddess! You mention that to me now when I can’t do a thing about it? You are killing me and my dragon, Pearl!” Asim cursed, holding a shovel full of Pactor dung.
Asim dropped the dung into the wagon and walked over to the fence. He propped the shovel up against the rails and pulled his gloves off. Placing them on a post, he leaned forward and brushed a kiss across her lips.
“I’m going to miss you,” she said with a sigh.
“I could always fly back and forth each morning and evening,” Asim suggested with a smile.
Her eyes glittered with mischief. “With all the kids around…? We’d never have any peace; and you know that I’m talking about the big kids, not the little ones,” she chuckled with a shake of her head. “You have enough to do here. It will only be a few days and I’ll be spending time with the girls.”
“A few days is too long,” Asim replied with a mischievous expression. “We could always meet half way.”
“Your dragon is stuck on the dirty dragon style, isn’t he?” she teased.
“Just a little – so am I,” Asim retorted with a wicked grin.
Pearl tilted her head back and laughed. She loved it when they teased each other. It didn’t matter what she said, he was able to think of a comeback. Of course, on the few occasions when he couldn’t, he used his lips and body instead.
“I’ll send you a location for later tonight,” she teased, brushing a kiss across his lips with a little suggestive tongue to go along with it.
“Pearl, I ready!” Jabir called out behind her.
“I have to go,” she said with a sigh.
“Later tonight,” Asim vowed. “Dirty dragon style first.”
“You’ll have to catch me first,” Pearl replied with a wink before she turned and walked away.
10
Asim watched his symbiot rise off the ground. Mandra and Ariel were waving to Jabir who was frantically waving back at them. His gaze was fastened on Pearl. She turned and blew him a kiss before Pokey rotated in the air. A moment later, the symbiot transport was just a faint glimmer in the sky.
He blinked when Hobbler, the Pactor he’d threatened to return to Cree and Calo but never did, nudged him. He reached out a hand to calm the beast. He shook his head, retrieved his gloves and the shovel, and finished his chores.
“I swear that woman loves to drive me insane,” he told Hobbler as the creature followed him back to the wagon. “So, what do you think of your new friend? Have you accepted him yet?”
Hobbler stretched out her neck and rubbed her forehead against his hand. Asim was going to take that as a yes. He dumped the last shovel-load of poop into the wagon with a sigh. The more he thought about his conversation with Pearl, the funnier it sounded to him. Before long, his shoulders shook with mirth and he had to stop and lean on the shovel.
“Goddess, but I love that woman,” he told Hobbler and the new Pactor. “I don’t know anyone else who could make me want to laugh while shoveling shit.”
Humming under his breath, he finished mucking the corral and lay fresh warm grass in the covered stalls. Hobbler had moved closer to the half-blind beast Jabir had named George. Asim nodded in satisfaction when both Pactors stopped at the feed barrels. It would take a few months, but George would fill out like Hobbler had.
He cleaned up the tools and walked to the outer barn. It was empty now that he and Mandra had shipped off the majority of the Grombots and Marrats. Pearl had volunteered to clean it up so it would be ready for any new arrivals that would eventually find their way to the mountain refuge for lost, orphaned, and mistreated beasts.
He pushed the small wagon over to the equipment shed and rinsed it out before doing the same with the bucket and shovel. There was a latch on one of the stalls that wasn’t working properly and he wanted to check all of them before he forgot. There was nothing worse than having a new beast loose and wreaking havoc.
He opened the door, leaving it slightly ajar to bring in some natural light. Solar powered light panels along the ceiling turned on as he walked along each stall, testing the doors. He frowned when he reached the last one. He could have sworn it was the one that was broken.
Opening the stall door, he tested it several times before he grunted. It looked like it was working now. Glancing around, he noticed that fresh warm grass was piled in the corner instead of spread out. Perhaps Mandra had forgotten to spread it when he fixed the door.
He walked over to the pile and bent to pick up a handful of warm grass. A movement out of the corner of his eye startled him and he jerked back a step. A dry chuckle escaped him when he saw Ruby flap her wings at him.
“I wondered where you moved to. You don’t like me gathering all your eggs, do you? Well, I have to say it is your fault. If they weren’t so tasty, we dragons wouldn’t want to eat them.” He yanked his hand back when Ruby pecked at him. “You are lucky you belong to Pearl’s granddaughter or you would be in a pot and then into my stomach,” he threatened.
Ruby tilted her head and clucked at him before scratching at some loose warm grass near the small dish of feed that was set out for her. Perhaps this was why Jabir kept sneaking out at night. Mandra said he’d caught the little boy more than once trying to sneak out to the barn when he should have been in bed. The little boy had been pestering his father to replicate the chicken. Jabir really wanted to have a pet chicken like Leo. Of course, neither he nor Mandra were opposed to the idea if it meant they had fresh eggs to go along with the bird.
“Go on with you, I have work that needs to be completed,” Asim chuckled.
He bent to spread the warm grass, but stiffened in surprise when his fingers touched something hard under the straw. Pulling his hand back, he studied the pile of warm grass for a moment before he gently brushed it aside. Perhaps Ruby had left some of her delicious eggs for him and Pearl. His eyes widened and a loud curse exploded from his lips when he saw a very large, dark green egg. This was not one of Ruby’s eggs.
He straightened, staring down at the egg with a frown. He had never seen one like it before. Muttering under his breath, he carefully went through the pile of warm grass, counting the eggs he found.
“Six,” he said with a shake of his head. “Where in the galaxy did Jabir find these?”
The little boy must have found them somewhere and snuck them into the barn. His eyes widened again as another thought dawned on him – Pearl. She must know about Jabir’s stash! She had been adamant about cleaning the barn on her own shortly after the Dragon Lords and the younglings returned from their adventure on Earth. She even insisted that Pokey could help her with the heavy items if she needed it. There was no way she could have cleaned the barn without knowing about the eggs.
Asim quickly covered the eggs again. He would need to research them to see if he could determine what they were. He turned to leave, but paused when he saw the corner of a sack partially hidden behind the handle of a rake. Pulling the rake aside, he saw now the familiar language of Earth’s people. He also recognized the symbol of Paul’s ranch on the bag. Lady Ariel had shown him the design once.
“Earth…,” Asim murmured before his eyes widened. “Jabir! That boy is going to get himself in trouble one of these days.”
Asim wrapped his fingers around the top of the bag and stared out of the barn door. Jabir must have recruited Pearl. That would explain why they had been so secretive lately and kept chasing him out of the barn when he asked if they wanted any help.
His gaze moved back to the pile of eggs. They were larger than any he had ever seen – including the Grombot eggs. He would scan one of the eggs and run it through the database, but he would be surprised if they were even listed.
Perhaps Paul would know what they were; after all, they must have come from his ranch. Satisfied that he would get to the bottom of the mysterious eggs, he started to replace the bag on the hook when he realized there was something still in it. Curi
ous, he glanced inside. A frown creased his brow when he saw it was one of Jabir’s books.
Asim was surprised the little boy had left the book in the barn. He loved the storybooks his father purchased for him on Earth. Reaching in, he pulled it out and paled.
On the front cover were creatures Ariel called dinosaurs. Several of the beasts were standing by large nests filled with eggs. Asim’s gaze moved back to the pile of fresh warm grass. He remembered that Jabir had a fascination with the beasts and wanted something called a Tyrannosaurus Rex for a pet.
“Dragon’s balls!” he whispered, his eyes growing wide. He quickly thumbed through the book until he reached the page that showed a T-Rex, as Ariel and Pearl called the beast. The massive dinosaur was standing over a nest filled with broken shells from at least a half dozen eggs. Under the creature, small miniature versions of herself were snapping at the dead beast hanging from her jaws. “Jabir has found Earth dinosaurs! These T-Rex dinosaurs will eat him!”
Asim looked down at the bag in his hand. He needed to get rid of them, but how? Jabir would be heartbroken and Pearl would kill him for breaking the little boy’s heart – not to mention he would also end up upsetting Lady Ariel.
He needed someone who could help him dispose of the eggs quickly and quietly. He could deny any knowledge – no, no, Pearl would know he was lying. He would just say he found them and gave them to one of the princes – but not Mandra.
Who else could he ask? He needed someone who could handle the mission. Someone no one would suspect. Asim glanced down when Ruby strutted over to him and pecked at his boot. A slow smile curved his lips. He knew the perfect accomplice to recruit.
11
You want me to do what?” Vox asked, gaping at Asim on the view screen with a confused frown.
“I need you to dispose of something for me,” Asim quietly explained.
“You’ve done it, haven’t you? You’ve finally killed Riley’s grandmother? I don’t blame you, but I’m not touching her dead body. The woman would probably come back to life just to haunt me,” Vox warned.