Dragon Talons (Indigo Apocalypse Book I)

Chapter Thirty-Two: Reina Makes The Worst Declaration Ever

HUNTOR:
    I sat between my mate's legs, her fingers just finishing the last braid, sweeping it down my shoulder. "Perfect Sydney." Sarah chirped excitedly. I stretched, and, fluidly, rose to my feet. "I still wanna be able to move like that." Sarah grumbled. "But oh well." Sydney rose, a broad smile on her face as she watched her handy-work, literally, move around. Sarah, who was helping her work through my hair, just clapped her hands and said, "I think I deserve a thank you too." I turned toward her, her near knee length hair in a tail. "Ok, come here." I said with a vicious smile. Sarah shook her head. "Oh hell no, you are not gonna trick me like that brother." Sydney laughed. The sound was beyond gorgeous, a beautiful alto bell that rang out across our bedroom. A laugh, that became more pronounced these passed few days, well, passed week. Even though our world was trounced in darkness, light could always be found, in the oddest, of, times. Sarah laughed too, her laugh a more soprano that filled my stomach to bursting, at least, until Sarah started coughing. Then I said, "Calm down Sarah, I'm not doing CPR on you." "Rude asshole." She choked out. I ran a finger through the many braids, now near to my elbows. Sydney massaged her fingers, and said, "That was, a, lot, of work, but satisfying in the end, rather than cheating with telekinesis." Sarah giggled sheepishly. A week, it was a week since the return, since we returned home. Returned to chaos never before seen. First off, the government and scientific community tried to find logical reasons to explain the sudden darkness across the entire globe. Through that week, the new twelve leaders and myself, well, we'd debated harshly, almost crudely about what the hell to do, how to tell the world that everything they believed was false, at least, somewhat. Intensely, for three days, we'd debated for hours, Sydney, even Sydney tossing out ideas.
    In those three days, we came to one conclusion, that no matter what, the world needed to know, needed to know that monsters and demons were real, not just demonic spirits, but demons with actual bodies, and that had specific powers or abilities depending on the creature. That, no matter what, they needed to know, in order to join us to defend the world we all shared. Sadly, when we had, more chaos erupted like a long awaited volcano blast. Rosa Gardener, our faithful reporter friend tried to help, tried to do what she could to ease the tension. Her and other news outlets, but, still, it wasn't enough. Both the scientists and government just didn't wanna believe a bunch of children, or so they said, even with the proof right in front of their eyes. So, we had to go around over and under them. We had allies in congress, allies who swore on their blood that they'd do everything they could to help. So it seemed while I was away, Kitana and Briella did their jobs well. We had countries on our side, countries who swore to fight along side us in exchange, we'd train their citizens in defending their own, and raising their young ones into becoming indigos. The problem was, there usually weren't any. For some reason, indigos only grew in the beloved U.S. of A. Shawn, down in the center with his partners, declared that the reason was in the balance of indigoism in the country, that there was a high concentration of indigoism that was here, somewhere, and it was the reason for the indigos rise in the first place, starting with me. He'd asked, "Do we go on a search for it?" "No." I had said, and that was that. There was no point in going on a scavenger-hunt for some lost talisman or artifact, not when we had more pressing problems on our hands. "We need a conference though." I had told him. "A conference with the representatives of these countries, and our congressmen. One that cannot be detected." "Huntor, Huntor my friend." He'd said slyly. "Who are you talking to again?"
    That next day, way early in the morning on our side, we had that conference. Congressmen from both the democrats and republicans were there, and representatives from each country and some subsidiaries, for what, I neither knew nor really cared. They offered translators, but since we indigos had a natural ability to understand many languages, thanks to a lost life who knew how many years ago, Emma's lost life. The idea of her still made me ache inside, along with many others who were killed off when the indigo rose. But no, translators weren't needed, not anymore. The meeting wasn't brief, but it was intense. Kitana, my general and the Symbol's direct leader, presided over the meeting with the power and strength of her foremother, her true foremother, Hiquanna. At the very beginning of the meeting, we had asked for everyone's respect, and their understanding, because though they might have seen us as children, we were a hell of a lot wiser and had more experience than most if not all of their soldiers. When they'd promised, we told them everything. First Kitana told them about what her duties were as a Symbol leader, and her second, Briella, told them her's. Together, they described what they were doing for the few weeks before sunfall, before the sun fell for it's final breath. Then, I told them what I was doing, where I and my court went. No one interrupted, no one said anything. Then, Sydney spoke, told her story, the hardest and heaviest story of us all. When she was born, her first true memories, then, when the torturing started. When we were done, everyone was silent, and everyone's faces were pale with shock. Then, a representative from Japan asked, his accented voice carrying even through his holographic image, "So, it is true uh-then? You, that is to say, indagos, are saviors of this world?" "Don't think of us as saviors." Briella said gently. "Each indigo is blessed, or cursed with their gifts or powers. It is up to them to do with it as they will. We are not beings who are set upon Earth as workers to a queen, or king, we do not have a god or goddess that we admire. We are semi-divine beings who make their own paths and do what they wish, good, or bad." The representative sat back in his holographic seat, pale and shaky. "This is why," Kitana cut in. "We need you, each of us are powerful enough to band together, our sun dragons can summon indigos to fight, but it is the indigos' choice whether or not to answer that summons."
    Ming-Tin, a representative from Hong Kong, said, "I will take this to my superiors, however, I am well aware of your history Huntor, and know it to be fact, you have all of China's support no matter what." The one from Japan nodded, and said, "Yes, as you do from here, Japan." The Prime Minister from England said, his two specially chosen representatives with him, "As do we, the current Queen's daughter takes a fancy to you, we'd dishonor her to refuse your call for aid." I could not, truly could not hide the smile that crossed my face. "Great, I have competition from some prissy princess." "Wouldn't be the first princess." I commented through our bond, thinking of Veevuqui, hoping she was ok. "Whether or not we join isn't the problem," Said a representative from Russia. "It's how to tell out citizens, plus, you still haven't given us a way to defend our people should these supposed demons and monsters come knocking on our doorstep." Before Ming-Tin or any of the others could intervene, it was Kitana's commanding wolf voice, her, who said, "We have given you a way," She held up a hand, and black fire swirled around her fingers. "Though they were all holograms, every representative and congressman flinched away. Then, down the long table, Wenzi also raised her hand, and burning flames engulfed her fingers. "They fear fire." Kitana said shortly. "Fire is the surest way to fight against them. There is no true magical or indigo way to destroy them. These things are creatures of darkness, they feed on the light, unless you use it against them." "How could they feed on the light if they fear it?" The Russian asked harshly. "Using a more powerful source of light will stop them, like fire." She closed her fingers and the black fire faded, as did Wenzi, her own flames winking out. I smiled at the Russian, letting my fangs glint slightly. "I know what you're asking, we all do, you want a way to fight us, but see here, we don't give people weapons to use against our kind. We, police, our, own. We don't want you abusing that privilege." "Privilege." He spat, rising from his seat. "I'll have you know, we could blow your country to pieces with the press of a button. We could destroy everything you own with the press of a button." "And I hope you know, that if you were to do so, we, could defend against your weapons with our power, that they'd have no effect against indigoism." The Russian spat on our table, a useless gesture since he was a hologram. Then, he winked out with a snarled, "We reject your offer." I shrugged, sitting back. Shawn and a few of his friends sat around their consul, Shawn watching me. "You knew that would happen?" The Prime Minister from England asked. "I figured it would be Russia who'd get greedy and ask, well, demand for more than what we were offering. They have the essentials, they can defend their people, that is truly all they need."
    "Is there anything else we need to be aware of?" I nodded. "There were some details I kept because I wanted to know which of you I could trust. It goes to show that Russia, is not, one of those. But just because their government may be greedy, doesn't mean all of their people are so bad." I sat forward, taking everyone's attention from Kitana and Briella. "These demons and monsters are being lead by a queen, a dark queen, who has been locked away for centuries, who, has been planning during all that time. She wants to rule the indigo world, but that's not enough for her. She wants our world, Earth. She may or may not already be here." I remembered that distant island in a mist filled bay, storms surrounding it. May or may not was accurate. "She has a human form, a human form of a boy, about twelve or thirteen—"Excuseme." The representative from Japan said, running the two words together, "But, you say, he, she, she is a boy?" I nodded, and explained the rest of my story, how the Dark Queen intended to use Sydney's body, but was thwarted by my indigos. Then, intended on using her own children, Arachne and Arachnid. "Yes," I added. "She named her children after the ancient spider, we believe she, the Dark Queen, is an incarnation of the spider." I continued, explaining how the queen intended on having two forms, along with her original spider form, a male, and female form. But yet again, was thwarted and now has only the one form. By now, many of the congress and representatives vomited, unable to stomach, literally, the horror that was unleashed. I explained how Sydney and I became the sun dragons, and how, only us, how, only we, can forever restore balance and put away the queen. How Wenzi and Kitana, Death's lieutenant and one of the rare IndoDragons, could possible assist in stopping the queen and her dark forces. When I was done with that part, everyone was silent for several minutes, then, "We truly are living in the dark ages now." It was Ming-Tin who said it, who spoke with terrible silence, as if afraid the queen would overhear. "Yes." I answered. "We can light the darkness, can rid the world, but we need help, need our own army, because, this is not just our world, it's your's too, and we need your help to keep it that way." Sydney's voice flowed over everyone like molten rock, like the lava she controlled, and everyone came to their verdict. "We will join you."
    Now, now, two days later, we'd gotten discrete messages through our CNN allies, telling us that our allies around the world were discretely readying their lands for war, a world war, the war of the worlds. Holding hands, Sydney and I entered the dinner hall. I stared around, I never explained why I suddenly had my sight back, though I was still blind in my right eye. It wasn't that I could see, per se, but that I just, knew. It was like after being reborn, I had an awareness about my surroundings, one even more accurate than echo location, an awareness that allowed me to see far into the distance, to see expressions, read them, and even sense emotions, just like I use to, just with, well, there's not really a way to describe that. So, I could clearly see Reina's eyes land on Sydney and myself, and go right to our hands, and scowl furiously. "We may have a problem." I noted through the inferno. Sydney, who was watching tables, wondering where we'd sit for breakfast, raised her eyebrows. Then, she looked over, and saw Reina's scowl. "Ah, well." Her voice was calm, almost bored. "Let's go sit with Kitana Bri and Camille, Sarah's there too with Lorna." I smiled through the inferno, and we glided over. As we sat, Sarah said, "Oh yay, it's about time, what, did you get lost on your way here? Or did you get busy?" I smiled at her. "Wouldn't you like to know?" "I would, that's why I asked. " I tolled my eye, but Sydney said, "We were contemplating our place in the universe." Her voice was so dry, so serious, that I knew Sarah would fall for it. "Seriously? Sydney you need to get a life." "I have one." She said with equal seriousness, raising her hand, still around mine, and plopped them on the table decisively. Sarah said, "Ohhh," As if the light went off in her head. "I hate you both, I can never tell when either of you are joking or not." "That's kinda the point." I said as Sydney laid her head against my shoulder. Kitana's eyes narrowed, and she looked over my shoulder, and swore. "Oh shit, here comes the drama." "What?" Camille asked excitedly. "Reina." Briella said, voice filled with annoyance. "Oh my," Lorna said. "This cannot be good." She said, making it very obvious. Then, Reina said, "Huntor, I need to talk to you, privately."
    I sat back, and said, "Sarah, would you be a darling dear and get us breakfast?" "Sure Brother, what—"Six pancakes for Syd, extra syrup and bacon." "And Huntor just three, and same on the extras." Sarah was smart not to ask, just said, "Bri, mind helping?" "Not at all." Bri rose and with Sarah dancing, they walked off. "Sorry," I said to Reina. "But we haven't eaten, I'm sure whatever you have to say, can be said in front of my friends." Reina snarled something under her breath, but sat in Sarah's vacated seat. "What do you wanna talk about?" I asked. "First off," She said harshly. "You, you leaving out of nowhere, and, this, this, her, disappearing, running away, and getting captured, then the world going dark and you coming back with her and the others and not telling me a damned thing. That's not to mention you sleeping with her before you left, and you doing things with her behind closed doors and never setting things straight with me." "Excuse you you bitch, but—"Camille." I said softly. She stopped mid sentence. "I can handle this." I turned to Reina, "You and I were never exclusive Rey. I made you no promises, and, in return, you never made me any. Yes, I should've told you I found out Sydney was my mate—"Your mate?" She shouted. "But I didn't, there was never a true chance, and I never thought Sydney would accept that, but times have changed, and I will carry the wrong I gave you, but simply, we were never exclusive. I'm sorry you found out the hard way, but it happened." Reina sat back hard, as if she was slapped. She scowled, snarled, and leaned forward, "I don't care if she's supposedly your mate, I don't care that supposedly, you are bound together by fate. You are mine Huntor, and I'll claim you, one way, or another." I wanted to sigh, to sigh, because, damn it, this was too much to deal with. But it was Syd, Sydney, who said, her voice frozen cold, "If you want him, then, fight, for, him." On queue, Sarah and Briella came back, setting plates in front of us. "I buttered your's and cut them Huntor, just because I could." Sarah chirped. I rolled my eye, but dug in. Sydney, on the other hand, expertly cut her food, and said, "Fight for him, Rey, fight for him." She said her nickname with undiluted undulating derision. "Since you clearly think you have a claim on him, fight for it, you think you can obsequiously chase him around like a puppy, think you can disavow his honor, his relationship, him? Prove it, prove you can chase him and make him your's." There was a deadly challenge in my mate's voice, a challenge that spoke of unfinished things, things that had to be settled. Sydney lifted a pancake to her lips, and ate it with venomous precision, as if it were an enemy she was facing on the battlefield. She ate each piece with that precision, deftly chewing, her gaze never leaving Reina's. "It's on whore-bitch." Reina declared. I sighed dramatically, but around the table, everyone watched us.