10
“Damn, that’s one hell of a story! Awful lot to take in all at once…” He was looking at her and marveling at the guts it took to do what she had done. “You have enormous courage woman, I don’t know if I’d have the balls to do the same.” He bent his head and scratched his chin and looked at her. “And you think there is still more to come? And you really believe there is a higher power at work in all this; at least that’s the feeling I get.”
“Yes, it’s the way I have always lived.” She was very animated about it, gesturing with her hands,
“I couldn’t imagine God abandoning the human race. Cleansing it maybe, but not totally abandoning it.”
“Well, I can tell you that you’re not the only one who had dreams. For two years I’ve been dreaming about riding a Silver Dragon named Queenie. She flies next to Jake, and you are riding him. This all fits, it all makes sense now. Another thing, years ago when we first went into a cavern after the dragons had left, one of my men, Lester, thought he heard a small child calling for help. He almost went nuts looking for him. Now we know what it meant.”
Daniel closed his eyes and concentrated, so Jake do you have anything to add?
Yes Daniel, hurry up and get your strength back so we can go and get more eggs. I am very anxious to meet my Queen. And since you are to be her rider, we cannot do anything until you are completely healed.
Daniel smiled and continued, by the way, if I didn’t say it before, ‘Thank you’ for saving me. I’m pretty sure I would have died if it hadn’t been for you.
Do you really think that I would let anything bad happen to the rider of my Queen? Jake asked indignantly.
Of course not, I was just expressing my gratitude. Daniel answered in defense.
Accepted, Daniel.
As Daniel sat on the back porch he looked out on the field to his left. It was partly obscured by a small stand of trees. It was then that he noticed the shadows were moving. He watched as Jake rose up to his full height. Oh Sweet Jesus, you are unbelievable!
Of course I am! Jake chuckled.
All right you two, enough with the love-fest. Jake, why don’t you hang around here for a few days? Lady Jennie can keep watch for the camp. And you can indulge yourself in a sunbath. I know your weakness for spreading out your wings on the top of the center and soaking up a few rays.
If you are attempting to bribe me My Lady, you have succeeded! If you should need me for anything, just call.
With that he took to the air and flew off to the center and his own private spa. She turned to face Daniel and saw he was watching Jake fly away. He had that ‘look’ on his face; everyone gets it when they watch Jake rise up and fly.
“Well you’re looking much better. Your strength will start returning quickly now. We just have to be careful not to overdo. Would you care for a short walk?” She watched him carefully. “You’re going to need to get some things for winter. It’s very cold up there in camp during the winter months.”
“A walk, sure, I’d love to stretch my legs a bit.” He turned towards her, and now those grey eyes were looking at her differently. “My energy seems to have come back now that I have some food in me. But I’d like to shower and clean up properly first,” he smiled.
“Of course, everything you need is in your bathroom upstairs. I’ll meet you down here when you’re through. Take your time we’re on no schedule here.” She smiled sweetly at him and he began to see a different person.
She was lounging out on the back porch when he returned a half hour later. She had changed into jeans and a bright yellow tee shirt. He came bounding out onto the porch all fresh and ready to go. He was looking mighty handsome she observed. He had on a pair of the jeans and a white tee shirt. He asked where they would be going.
“Well, I would drive you, but we don’t have a car here. There are a couple of trucks at the center, but I haven’t been able to get them to run. And the dealership in town is no better. I’m not sure, but I think a magnetic pulse hit this area,” she explained.
“You may be right. I know that we used everything in our arsenal against the dragons. In the end they even used nuclear - to no avail. They just ended up polluting the planet. The monsters all seemed to have settled on the west coast. It’s nice and warm, no snow or damp cold winds to contend with, all in all a perfect place for them.”
She got up and went inside and grabbed two windbreakers and a rifle from the mantle over the back door. As she came out onto the back porch, Daniel reached for the rifle as naturally as if he was reaching for the windbreaker. He swung it around on his left shoulder and leaned on the cane she had given him. They left the back porch and followed a stone path that led to the front of the house.
“This is really a nice place; the house design was carefully laid out. A lot of love was put into it. I’m just surprised to find it way out here.” He was looking at the outside of the house now, “even from the outside the house still has a sense of warmth about it.”
He turned around and looked at her. He could see himself with her - here in this house. She smiled at him, and for some reason he felt himself blush. What the hell, I don’t blush; I make other people blush.
“Look, how do I get on the right track with you?” He had stopped and was facing her. “I admire your strength, and what you have accomplished. It took a great deal of courage to do what you did. I keep trying to get to know you, but I find myself tongue-tied when I’m around you. I open my mouth and promptly insert my foot.” He was looking at her waiting for an answer.
“You just did it Daniel.” She smiled at him, “I was waiting for some kind of natural response from you. I know I can be a little intense sometimes, but this is a very serious situation. The rules of the world as we knew it have changed. I doubt it will ever be the same again.” She pointed to the right indicating they were to go down that way. “I just wanted to be sure you were the one. The one Jake has been waiting for all this time.”
The twins began barking up ahead and were running back and forth.
“Would you like to take a look in the dealership and see if you can get one of the cars going?” She asked him sweetly, changing the subject.
“I’ll give it a try, but you have to help. That way you can teach others.” He was smiling at her and he saw her blush bright red.
“Look, let’s get this out of the way right now.” Now it was her turn to speak what was on her mind. “We both have been having these dreams. Jake tells me that you and I are to be mates. The dreams say the same thing. I’ve been wrestling with that bit of information for some time now, Daniel. It has been a long time, since I have been with a man. I don’t count what happened to me four years ago. I was never very adept in that area. And now these dreams say that we are to be together.” He noticed that she seemed upset by this, “well you will have to forgive me for not doing a back flip and spreading my legs over the whole idea. If I am too blunt for you, sorry, but I believe it’s better to know up front where we stand on this issue.”
“Whoa! Rest easy woman, I have no intention of bedding you like some animal. I have never taken a woman who wasn’t willing. I don’t care what Jake or what the dreams show; we are still free to make our own choices. Maybe we could just start out as friends. That would take the damn pressure off both of us.” He turned and faced her, he wanted to make this easy on her. “Agreed?”
She faced him and looked into his eyes for a bit, and then she nodded and held out her hand. He took it in his and they shook on it.
“Say, just where are we headed?” he asked to change the subject.
“To the dealership, it’s just around the next corner,” she pointed up ahead. “I don’t know much about auto engines.” She had picked up the pace and was out in front of him by a few feet.
One of the twins came bounding out of the brush and just about knocked her over. He was barking and would not let her pass. On closer inspection, he was standing between her and a rattler, curled up tightly on the sidewalk.
“Now you know why Michael left them here. They watch out for us and keep us safe.”
“Well, they’re doing a bang-up job.” He was smiling, trying to put her at ease.
“Reckon’ if I use this cane I can get him to move?”
“Most rattlers strike distance is twice their length,” she informed him. “Saw that on the Discovery channel. Let’s go around him,” she said shaking her head. “I forgot that with no people around, this town is basically wide open to anything that’s out there. We’ll have to be more alert.”