Adventures in Summoning

Epilogue

When the ball of darkness coalesced into Quin's smiling form once more, I thought my heart might burst from happiness. I quickly stood up from where I had been seated while doing the summoning and ran to her, almost tackling her in my haste to make sure she was really here and not just in my imagination. Well, that and in my tipsy state I may have tripped over the stone foot of my aunt, so grabbing her was my only option to stay upright.

But she was here.

She was real.

She was in my arms and kissing me, holding me, squeezing me like a toddler with a stuffed bear and I didn't care how many ribs she broke doing it. It was all worth it. "I thought I lost you forever!" I sobbed into her neck as she lifted me into her embrace.

"I thought I lost you too, my mate. But I think the universe has decided it wants us together," she murmured back to me.

"Come on you two, there is food to cook upstairs, and we can all catch up together," Helen suggested.

"You don't think you could give us a few hours together first?" I pleaded.

"No!" She laughed. "You can rip all the clothes off tonight, but we have a lot to discuss.

"I have waited this long to be with you, just having you near me is enough for now," Quin smiled down at me. She was right, just knowing she was back with me should be enough, but damn did I want her.

Hand in hand, we made our way back up to the kitchen where all the breakfast food still lay uncooked, other than the bacon. I was able to grab one more piece before Quin got to it, making it disappear in seconds.

"Sorry, I've had nothing but fruit for days," she apologized with a shy grin.

"Well, then let me get you a bunch of food!" I offered, as I staggered about the kitchen.

Helen chuckled at my condition, while Dee just shook her head at the sight. "Quin, does your healing help when someone is intoxicated?" Helen inquired.

Quin quickly stood and took me back in her arms, sliding her hands up to the side of my head and closing her eyes. My mind was engulfed in a soft white light, and the fuzziness quickly lifted. If she could bottle that we'd make a fortune!

Half an hour later we were settled in around the kitchen island, devouring the waffles, scrambled eggs and a second pound of bacon. Hearing about Quin's mother was as confusing as losing my Nana. As horrible as she had acted, giving her life to heal Quin's wing was an unexpected twist. I felt better that she had been able to reconnect with her, even if only for a few moments. It seemed like the dragons were in good hands with her little brother as the new leader. Although he would have a lot of rebuilding to do, now that there was no war, they should be fine.

I was contentedly chewing on a piece of toast when I thought about all that had transpired. "You knew!" I yelled at Helen.

"Of course, I knew. I told you we'd all make it home, and we did," she replied, taking a sip of her orange juice. She didn't even look guilty!

"Why didn't you say anything?" I didn't understand why she couldn't have put my mind at ease over it. I could have at least been happy knowing she would be back!

"The gift doesn't work that way. I know what I know, and I know when I can tell it. If I had told you early, you may have been impatient and done it too soon, or you might not have had the drink, or any number of other variables. This way, you're happy and you're with Quin and for the love of all that is holy, get your hand off her thigh at the table!"

I swiftly lifted my hand from where it had lightly been grazing Quin's leg, and blushed. "Fine, you're forgiven."

Dee burst into giggles at the sight. "Justin, you can put your hand back, you think she isn't just as bad?" The table all burst into laughter at that, and we went back to enjoying the food for a bit.

After breakfast, Dee and Helen left the house. They claimed that it was for a shopping day, but my bet was that it was because I had never got around to sound proofing any rooms in the house since my mind was stuck in limbo without Quin being with me. As soon as they were out of the house though, Quin slung me over her shoulder and marched up the stairs. I gave her quick directions to my bedroom where she promptly tossed me onto the bed.

"Wait!" I cried out. "Let me just take the clothes off before you rip them all, or I'll constantly be buying new ones," I slipped off the jeans and tee shirt quickly and saw Quin eyeing me hungrily. It was times like this that reminded me that dragons were indeed predators. I would have helped her out of her clothes, but they were almost rags at this point, and she just ripped them off instead of ripping mine. She lowered herself onto the bed next to me, gently running her hands over my body as I let mine touch hers, remembering all the curves and dips that I had missed exploring. She let out a throaty growl and I pulled back. "I never got around to making the house soundproof, so we may have to be a little quieter today," I apologized.

She smiled, and then closed her eyes briefly, I held her body as she changed, the wings disappearing, and her shape shrinking till she was the same height as me, though I had little doubt she could still bench press me all night. "I think I'll make a little less noise in this form," she smiled, leaning forward to kiss me again as her hands worked their magic. I closed my eyes, letting my hands see for me as hers did the same. It was wonderful, I'd never held her in this smaller form, so it was like discovering her again for the first time. I almost jumped out of my skin when her tail slid up over my thighs though. "I seem to remember you liked the tail quite a bit, so I kept it for you."

"I missed you so much my mate." I murmured into her lips. "I love you so much."

"And I love you, my mate," she smiled right back.