Abducting Abby (Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 1) (12 page)

Abby fought back tears at the idea of them leaving her when Zoran left tomorrow. She knew they couldn’t survive without being near him and the mother symbiosis. She felt a single tear track down her face at the thought of losing him. She didn’t know if she would survive it. Closing her eyes, she drifted off to sleep as exhaustion swept through her.

Zoran paced back and forth in frustration. He was going out of his mind without Abby near. It took every ounce of willpower he had to let her go this morning. His dragon roared and clawed at him in fury. He had to get out of the cabin. Her presence and scent were everywhere. The sheets still held the scent of their lovemaking, making him ache to hold her. He strode up the path to the meadow and his ship. Maybe if he focused on what was happening back home and with the plans to attack the Curizans he would be able to take his mind off of Abby for a little while.

He ran his hand over his golden ship murmuring soothing words as he walked inside. The ship shuddered at the knowledge it would soon be able to transform into another shape soon. It missed the freedom of Valdier.

“Soon, my friend, soon you will be able to roam free.” Zoran said as he sat down. Calling up the view screen, he turned to his brother Trelon.

“Trelon, how goes it?” Zoran asked grimly.

“Well, we are within orbit of the planet. There are a number of satellites we have to redirect so their signals do not recognize anything out of the ordinary. The inhabitants of this world clutter their air space with a lot of junk. It is almost amusing to see how primitive they are. It is as bad as being on the hunt planet without the city complex.” Trelon said with a glimmer of amusement on his face. He loved anything to do with old space junk. He collected it just to take it apart and see what it was used for.

“I’ve been monitoring their communications. They have many entertaining programs. Did you know there was a group of people shipwrecked on an island? And this yellow thing lives on the bottom of their ocean and cooks on a grill. How can a grill work under the water?” Trelon continued looking puzzled.

Zoran gave Trelon a frustrated look. “Have you heard from Creon recently?”

“He is being very secretive, but you know Creon, he is always that way. He doesn’t want to say anything until we join him back home.” Trelon replied. He hesitated before continuing. “Zoran, can I ask you something personal?”

Zoran looked up distracted. He was trying to reach out to the symbiosis on Abby but she was too far away. “Yes.”

“Is it true you were able to complete the mating? I mean, a true mate, with the female from this planet?” Trelon asked quietly for once totally serious.

Zoran sighed. He knew many would be interested in his mating with Abby. The sign of the dragon’s mark on her neck would show she had mated with both him and his dragon. The sight of his symbiosis on her would show she was totally accepted as his true mate. This was something all males craved as it meant total satisfaction on both a physical and mental level. He had found his other half, he was finally whole.

“Yes. I have found my true mate. Abby not only accepted my symbiosis but me and my dragon.” Zoran replied softly.

“Is it true what they say, about the dragon’s heat? That it is truly an incredible experience to finally be sated.” Trelon asked tentatively.

Zoran’s eyes flashed for a moment before he realized his brother was not asking for details, he just wanted to know if everything they had ever heard as they grew up about the dragon’s heat was true. That for once, the constant ache, the constant hunger was finally sated. The nagging discomfort was something they all accepted they would always feel until their deaths.

“Yes. While I ache and hunger for Abby, it is not the same. I miss her on a physical and mental level. Something I have never felt before. But the steady ache and hunger that clawed at my insides is no longer there. Only with her do I feel complete.” Zoran said looking at his brother with tears in his eyes. “I love her, Trelon, both as a man and as a dragon.”

Trelon smiled sadly. “I am happy for you, brother. I can only hope one day the rest of us can find a true mate like yours.”

They spent the next several hours talking about life back home. The other diplomats were furious over Zoran’s capture and had voted on an embargo of Curizan until the forces responsible for his capture were brought to justice. The city complex on the hunt planet also received a warning that such an event would not be tolerated and it would be fined for not maintaining security as it promised. A new commander of the city complex was installed and a full investigation was underway to find out what happened.

Abby sighed with relief as the last guest for the evening left. The Boswell’s did everything big. There had to have been over one hundred guests, all incredibly rich. Her piece was placed in the Boswell’s own private gallery and Abby received numerous compliments, a few a little more personal than she liked, and a couple of promising prospects for additional work. She didn’t push anything as she was just too sad and tired to do so. All she wanted to do was get back on the plane and head back to California. Unfortunately, it would be early tomorrow morning before she could leave. Mr. Boswell explained they were waiting for a mechanic to show up from one of their facilities to accompany the flight back. Some of his managers wanted to have the pilots test a few things and the mechanic was supposed to test the engine afterwards. There would also be another passenger but Mr. Boswell didn’t say more than that. Abby really didn’t care as long as they left as soon as possible. She missed Zoran and tomorrow might be her last day with him.

Chapter 12

Abby let out her breath in relief. They took off later than planned due to a weather front moving through the center of the country. It was dark as they neared the little airport in Shelby. The weather here was clear and Abby could see the stars glittering out the window of the small jet. Their mysterious passenger spent most of the time with a sleeping mask on in the back of the plane. Abby never got a good look as the woman had already been on the plane. She talked quietly on a cell phone until they began taxiing for takeoff, then she slipped the sleeping mask on and Abby didn’t hear a sound out of her again. The mechanic who sat next to Abby snoring softly turned out to be the total opposite. The mechanic turned out to be a little thing. The woman, which surprised Abby, had to be about five foot two and probably weighed a hundred pounds wet. She had a head full of dark auburn hair with streaks of purple in it. She had a scattering of freckles across her nose and a ready smile. She was perky while sipping one of the largest cups of coffee Abby had ever seen. As the woman talked up a storm and checked every nut and bolt on the plane, three times, Abby decided the woman shouldn’t ever drink coffee or any other beverage with caffeine in it. She was like a bouncy ball let loose in the small space. She finally crashed about two hours ago after saying she hadn’t slept in over seventy-two hours. Even in her sleep she seemed to be working as her fingers moved back and forth like she was taking something apart.

The symbiosis on Abby fell in love with the woman as she talked and petted them. Abby didn’t know how on earth the woman seemed to know about them but she had taken one look at them and talked to them as if she did it every day. They behaved themselves, staying quiet while on Abby but Abby knew they wanted to play. Once the woman fell asleep, they turned into little birds and flew over to her, flittering around her face as she blew out little puffs of air.

Abby’s pulse quickened as Trisha’s voice came over the intercom to ask that everyone buckle up for landing. Cara Truman stretched out her arms and legs, shooting the little gold symbiosis on Abby’s wrists a wink as she sat all the way up.

“So, how long before we land?” Cara asked looking out the window. “Cool, not a cloud in sight. Man, this is a little bitty place, isn’t it? Looks like the town I grew up in.”

Abby laughed in excitement. “Yes, it is small but its home.”

“Looks like you have a reason to be back. Is he cute? Does he have a brother?” Cara asked mischievously.

“Yes, he is and yes, he has four brothers.” Abby replied distracted before she realized what she had just said.

Laughing, Cara stretched again. “Busted! Well, if they are cute point me in their direction. I’m always looking for a good time in a small town.”

Abby couldn’t help but laugh. Cara had the kind of personality that anyone couldn’t help but fall in love with. She was a ball of energy. Even sitting still she moved around.

Cara saw Abby’s amused smile and couldn’t help the rueful grin that curved her lips, “I’m a little ADHD. I couldn’t sit still if my life depended on it and only sleep about four hours a night if I’m lucky. Drives everyone nuts but I get a lot done. I have an IQ out the kazoo. Needless to say, most people and all men can’t stand being around me for more than five minutes. Oh, but I do love to drive them crazy first.”

Abby chuckled. “Well, you haven’t driven me crazy yet and I have thoroughly enjoyed your company.”

Ariel’s voice came on to say they would be at the gate in just a few minutes, thanking everyone for flying Hamm Air, the only airlines where pigs did fly. Abby and Cara looked at each other before bursting out laughing. Both Trisha and Ariel had a very dry sense of humor.

The airport was dark except for the few lights on some of the nearby hangers and the airport terminal. Harry had gone home hours before. Since it was so late, Abby didn’t have the heart for the four women to head back across country. While she wasn’t sure about what to do, her grandparents always stressed good manners as she was growing up. Abby bit her lip wondering how Zoran would feel about her bringing home some new friends for the night. She could always let them use her grandfather’s truck to drive back the next morning and work with Edna on getting it back.

“It’s really late for you to head out tonight. Would you like to stay at my place for the night? It’s a little ways up the mountain but it is really beautiful. I have an extra bedroom if you don’t mind doubling up and an oversize couch that makes a great bed.” Abby looked nervously wondering if the women would be offended.

“Sounds great to me!” Cara said stretching. “I’d go bonkers if I had to get back in that tin can tonight. I’d love to meet your man. You said he had some brothers? Any chance of meeting them between tonight and tomorrow morning? I love meeting new guys. I’m trying to break my record of driving them off. I think the longest any have put up with me had been ten minutes.”

Trisha and Ariel laughed. “Ah Cara, I think that Danny guy lasted twelve. What do you think, Ariel?”

“Oh, at least twelve maybe even thirteen minutes.” Ariel said added.

Cara laughed out loud. “You two are nuts. You were so drunk you can’t even remember his name. It was Douglas. Not, Dougie.”

The three women burst into laughter. “Oh yeah, good ole Dougie. How could we forget? Unlike some people we know, Ariel and I both need at least eight hours of sleep more than once a month to survive. We would love to take you up on both of your offers.”

Abby frowned, “Both of my offers?”

“Yeah, bed and brothers.” Cara, Ariel and Trisha smirked.

“I appreciate the offer but I think I’ll skip. I had transportation delivered earlier. I think I’ll head out as I slept most of the trip.” The woman from the back of the plane said quietly as she came up as if out of nowhere.

“But, Carmen…” Ariel began huskily.

“I’ll call. I promise.” Carmen said quietly cutting Ariel off. “I need more time.”

Ariel looked at the woman with tears in her eyes. “Yes, but how much? It’s been three years.”

“Enough, Ariel. I said I’d call.” The woman grabbed her backpack and took off across the tarmac.

Abby watched quietly. She could almost feel the woman’s pain. Her symbiosis must have, for she could feel them moving restlessly around her neck and wrists. She gently reached under the sleeves of her jacket and rubbed them.

Zoran reached out again for Abby. He had been trying all day to connect with her through the symbiosis. He just needed to know if she was alright, if she was on her way home. His brothers and two other men had transported down earlier that morning. He met them in the meadow. It was good to see them but nothing would compare to when Abby returned safe to his side. He felt a warm glow as his symbiosis responded to the call from Abby’s. He felt a shiver run through him. She had returned.

“Zoran, all is well?” Trelon asked noticing his brother’s sudden stillness.

Zoran looked at Trelon as if coming out of a daze. “She has returned.”

Kelan and Trelon grinned at their brother noticing a difference in him already. Zoran was not the only one impatient for his mate’s return, his dragon fairly roared with the desire to see her as well.

Zoran looked at both of his brothers with a grin. “Soon you will meet my true mate.”

They laughed and teased Zoran and his dragon with all the things they wanted to do to keep him occupied so he couldn’t be alone with his mate. Zoran growled playfully at his brothers rough-housing with them as they walked back to the cabin. The other two men would take his mother ship back to the warship where she could change form safely. He, Abby, and his brothers would use a transport beam to return. He ached to show Abby the wonders of his world. He was just commenting on that fact when he felt Abby reach for him.

Stopping, he frown for a moment before looking at his two brothers. “Abby will not be returning alone. There are three females with her.”

His two brothers looked at each other with a mischievous smile. “Perhaps she brings our true mate to us.” Trelon teased. “I, for one, am not ready but perhaps Kelan, Mandra, and Creon might appreciate having one. I still have much to taste before I settle for one female.”

Kelan laughed grabbing Trelon around the neck. “You believe yourself a bull dragon to satisfy so many females. It takes that many because none could ever put up with you for long.”