The guards had taken one look at the creature she found and snarled but Ariel had hushed them and made them stand back. The creature was about the size of a racc.o.o.n back home but looked more like an overgrown gerbil. It had small rounded ears on the sides of its head, huge black eyes with long lashes, and orange and black stripes on it. There was a long cut on its back leg and several puncture wounds along its neck and back. Ariel had removed the jacket she was wearing and after several attempts was able to bundle it up. One of the guards wanted to just kill it. He took a hasty step back when Ariel glared at him fiercely. Precious moved over the creature, healing the wounds while she held it gently in her arms whispering nonsense to soothe it. When Precious was done, she bundled it up in her arms refusing any help in carrying it and returned to Mandra and her living quarters. There she bathed and checked it over carefully.

"Thank you, my friend," Ariel said leaning over to give Precious a kiss on the top of its golden head that was resting on the arm of the chair she was sitting in.

Warmth spread through her in answer. Ariel turned to look back out at the storm. There was so much she didn't understand. Her visit with Abby seemed to have given her more questions than answers. Abby told her, Trisha, Cara, and Carmen that she could turn into a dragon. Ariel wondered if that was what was happening to her. She had enjoyed her visit but it had left her more confused than ever. She wanted to understand the voice in her head and the tingling feeling she had been getting, for one thing.

She was also concerned with how her sister had fared with Creon, for another. Mandra told her Creon would take care of her sister but she was worried how Carmen would handle that. She had been amazed when Carmen actually laughed and joked with them this afternoon. It was the first time in three years that Carmen actually seemed a little like her old self. There had been something different about her sister. A light rose color tinted her cheeks and there was a light in her eyes that Ariel didn't remember her sister having even with Scott... a sense of wonder, confusion, and even a touch of fear.

Ariel could understand the fear. She was feeling a little of it now. How could her body be changing? How was it possible to change into another creature? It was something like out of a comic book series. A bite and ... Her eyes widened as she began piecing together some of the things that had happened between her and Mandra. He bit her. He said something about a dragon's fire. That was when she began getting that tingling feeling under her skin, like something was there trying to get out.

That is me. I want my mate, a soft voice murmured.

Are you real? Ariel thought silently not sure what in the h.e.l.l she was doing.

Of course. My mate call to me. He want me. I want out to be with him, the soft voice responded.

Ariel sat frozen for a moment until the small creature in her lap pushed at her hand again with its head trying to get her to stroke it again. What did it mean 'it wanted out'? What would happen to her when it did get out? This was confusing as h.e.l.l.

What...happens when you get out? What...happens to me? Ariel asked hesitantly.

A soft chuckle washed through her as her 'dragon' picked up on her fear and curiosity. You always there. Inside me. We are one. I am in you and you are in me. We together forever. But, I need my mate as you need yours. It is the way of the G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses. They make magic for us.

I... Ariel began when a soft knock on the door caused her to start. Don't go anywhere!

A soft giggle was her only answer. Ariel placed the striped creature down on the chair, smiling softly as it curled into the warmth from where she had been sitting and made her way to the large doors. She opened them and stood back in surprise. Kelan stood in front of her waiting impatiently. She wondered what was going on. A guard had been around earlier asking if she was alright, what she had eaten when she had been with Abby, and if anything unusual had happened while she was there.

"Kelan, is everything alright? Has something happened to Mandra?" Ariel asked raising a hand to her throat at something happening to the big lug.

Kelan shook his head. "May I enter, Lady Ariel?"

"Oh, yes. Just call me Ariel. What is wrong? You look upset," Ariel said stepping back so Kelan could enter.

He stopped just inside the door and turned to look at her for a moment before he took a deep breath. "Trisha has disappeared. I need to know if you know where she is. She knocked one of her guards out and escaped out the back doors of the palace. We have searched everywhere for her in the palace and the city but cannot locate her. I need to know what was said that could have upset her."

Ariel studied Kelan noticing how upset he was. This guy really cared about Trisha. If Trisha was half as confused as she was right now she knew exactly where her friend would go. She would disappear until she could deal with it. Each of them handled things differently. Trisha would disappear into the wilds where she felt the most comfortable. Carmen would close down and pull away from everyone. Ariel, well she had a tendency to strike out and run.

"We found out Abby could change into a dragon today. Will Trisha be able to change into one too?" Ariel asked wanting to know the answer for herself.

Kelan glanced at Ariel before looking away. "Yes. She is my true mate. She survived the dragon's fire. Her body has gone through the transformation but it is not complete. Her dragon grows stronger each day inside her and it will soon become impossible for her to deny it. When that happens she will transform."

"Don't you think you guys should have told us about this before you just decided to do this dragon's fire thing?" Ariel asked angrily. "We should have had some say in it. Do you have any idea of how frightening this is for us?"

Kelan flushed. "We do not have a choice. It is impossible to deny this part of ourselves when we find our true mate."

Ariel bit back a retort. This was not a conversation she should be having with Kelan but with Mandra. He was definitely going to get a piece of her mind when she saw him. Instead, she focused on her friend.

"Trisha would disappear for days, sometimes weeks into the mountains by herself. Her dad used to track her to make sure she was okay, but Trisha wised up to it one time when she was about fourteen," Ariel told Kelan about some of the things that happened as Trisha was growing up before pausing to look out the window. "If she is gone, she would have headed for the forests and mountains. It's where she feels the most at home," Ariel turned to look at Kelan. "You won't find her unless she wants to be found. She's good, really good at disappearing. I honestly don't think even her dad could find her if she didn't want him to."

"Why? Why would she run from me?" Kelan asked confused.

Ariel smiled sadly at Kelan before softly replying. "You were changing her without giving her a choice. Trisha seems tough on the outside but inside all she has ever wanted was to be accepted for who she is. She's tried to be the perfect son for her father, the perfect daughter for her mother, the perfect friend, the perfect wife but it never seemed to be enough. Now, she isn't even just Trisha anymore if what Abby told us is true. We are doing the best we can to adjust to everything that's happened to us. Some of us are just better at it than others. Trisha needs time to accept what is happening and accept who she is becoming."

Kelan looked at Ariel with a warm light in his eyes. "Thank you for all you have done for my mate. She is very fortunate to count you as her sister."

"Just bring her home to us. Bring her home, accept her, and love her. That is all she ever wanted," Ariel responded with a watery smile.

"You have my promise," Kelan said before he turned to leave.

Mandra ran a weary hand through his hair. He met with Kelan before he left to find his mate. These females continued to amaze him and worry him. Kelan cautioned him to be careful with his tender-hearted mate. Mandra had stared at him in surprise at the sudden change in Kelan's att.i.tude toward Ariel. Before, he acted like he would happily return her to her planet without a second thought but his words before he left with the trackers held a note of caution.

"Talk to your mate before you make the same mistake I have," Kelan grunted out as he packed the items he would need on his search. "She is a remarkable creature."

Mandra walked quietly into his living quarters. It was late and he was exhausted. He moved through to his sleeping quarters only to stop when he realized the bed was empty. He felt the low growl rumbling deep in his chest at the thought his own mate had decided to run again. He called out to his symbiot. It responded and Mandra breathed out a frustrated sigh of relief. He was in deep s.h.i.t with his mate again. She was asleep in one of the guest rooms. He took a quick shower before walking naked down to where she was sleeping. He opened the door and entered. His mate was curled up in a small ball along the edge of the bed. Shaking his head, he gently scooped her up fighting a smile as she snuggled closer to him. She might be mad at him when she was awake but asleep she still sought out his warmth and scent.

"Soon, my little warrior," Mandra whispered as he pressed a kiss against her forehead. "Soon, we will talk and put any fears you have to rest."

Mandra carried Ariel back to his larger bed. He covered both of them and pulled her close with a deep sigh of satisfaction. She would learn that no matter how angry she got with him, her place was by his side as his was next to hers. He heard her mumble in her sleep and fought back a chuckle as she turned so her head was in the crook of his arm with it resting on his shoulder.

"I will have to remember to ask you what that means," Mandra murmured as his eyes closed.

He never felt the little bundle of fur that jumped up onto the bed with them and burrowed under the covers. He also never felt the weight of his symbiot as it moved quietly up to lay down on the end of his new bed. If he had, he would have known his life was definitely changed.

Mandra rolled over the next morning and smiled. A soft whisper of a tongue gently touched his and he could feel his c.o.c.k grow hard. He was glad his mate was feeling better this morning. He moaned at the tongue teased his lips. His lips parted slightly and he slowly opened his eyes.

"Son of all the G.o.ds!" Mandra roared out as he jerked back so fast he fell out of bed on the opposite side. Loud expletives exploded out of him as he stared at the black-eyed creature in his bed.

"Ribbon! Did you wake up, daddy?" Ariel said as she came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped securely around her. "I told you to be good, sweetheart."

"Daddy! I am NOT the father of that creature! What is it doing in my bed?" Mandra demanded rolling to his feet while wiping a hand across his mouth.

The d.a.m.n thing had stuck its tongue in his mouth. This was not the way he wanted to wake up. He looked down at his deflated c.o.c.k. It was not happy to find a striped mongrel instead of its mate either.

"Ariel! I do not want rodents or any other creatures in my bed but you!" Mandra started to say when his eyes lighted on his symbiot.

The d.a.m.n thing had the nerve to stretch before laying back down. It was curled up on the edge of the bed with the striped Dagu hiding against it. Mandra growled as he started toward the bed.

"Well, that is fine since I won't be sharing your bed any longer. I don't know where you get the idea you can just pick me up and put me in it anyway! I chose the bed I wanted to sleep in and Ribbon, Precious and I were perfectly happy!" Ariel growled back.

She walked over to the panel and began pulling out some clothes. She was still p.i.s.sed at him for not telling her what he was doing to her. It was one thing to buy an expensive toy or a car or any number of other things but you didn't just change someone without asking them first.

Maybe he was more like Eric then she thought, Ariel thought savagely.

Eric tried changing her but it was not into some other species! She could fight back against what Eric did because it wasn't permanent. This... this was something on a whole new level of change! It wasn't something she could just walk away from or undo if she didn't like it.

"What are you doing? I want you," Mandra said watching as Ariel got dressed.

Ariel swirled around in disbelief. "You want to have s.e.x?! After everything you have done?" Ariel snapped out before picking up a small statue on the dresser.

She weighed it in her hand. She now understood exactly how Carmen felt sometimes. Was that all he wanted from her? If so, he could...

"You can just go f.u.c.k yourself!" Ariel said furiously. "I am no longer available."

"Ariel, mi elila. Let us talk," Mandra pleaded as he started around the side of the bed.

"Come one step closer and you are going to feel intense pain in places you don't want to," Ariel growled pointing the small statue at him menacingly.

Mandra paused. "Ariel, animals do not belong in the bed with us," he tried to explain gently.

"Oh, they don't, do they? Wow, I would have thought a dragon was an animal. Since you don't like animals in the bed then I guess that leaves you out of it!" Ariel said stalking toward Mandra as she bit out each word. "Just a word of warning Mandra, if you want to change who someone is, tell them about it first! I don't appreciate you changing me without me knowing about it. I happened to like who I was and I don't appreciate having something crawling around inside me and talking to me in my head. I feel like I've got some kind of weird disease and am going nuts at the same time and it isn't much fun!"

"You are my true mate! It is the way of my people," Mandra ground out in frustration.

"Well, it's not the way of mine. You are worse than Eric! At least what he did wasn't permanent!" Ariel retorted turning away from Mandra with tears in her eyes.

Mandra could smell the hurt coming off of Ariel. He raised a hand to lightly run it along her arm but she jerked away from him and wrapped her arms around her waist. He never thought about what the changes would do to her. He looked on in frustration not understanding.

The females of his world would be rejoicing at having a true mate and being able to transform, he was not aware of muttering those words out loud until he heard Ariel's soft reply.

"I'm not one of your females and I'm not from your world," Ariel glanced at him before walking toward the door leading into their living quarters. "Just leave me alone, Mandra. I just want to be alone for a little while. I need to come to terms with everything that has happened over the last few weeks."

"Mi elila...," Mandra started to say.

Ariel shook her head. "How would you feel if you were ripped away from your world into mine? How would you feel to lose everything you knew? How would you feel if you suddenly lost having a symbiot and your dragon? How would you feel to be totally dependent on someone else for your survival? How would you feel if you were under the control of someone else in a strange world where everything looks and feels different?" Ariel asked looking at Mandra with large, sad eyes. "It is a lot to deal with. Is it too much to ask for a little s.p.a.ce?"

Mandra closed his eyes and his mouth tightened as each word pierced his heart. He never stopped to think about how it would feel to be suddenly ripped away from everything he knew and thrown into something so strange and foreign as his mate has had to deal with. He remembered Zoran telling him that Ariel's world did not know life existed outside their own small solar system and they did not even have intergalactic s.p.a.ce travel yet.

Opening his eyes, he saw that he was alone. My mate is sad. Your mate does not want her. I need my mate, his dragon mourned.

Give my mate time. She is confused. She will learn, Mandra responded hoping he spoke the truth. If not, it could have devastating results.

Chapter 15.

Ariel spent the next week trying to avoid Mandra as much as possible while she tried to sort out all the confusing emotions running through her. She fell asleep each night in the guest bedroom and woke each morning in his arms back in his huge bed. He never said anything about Ribbon and Precious being in bed with them. Ariel took Ribbon out to the garden and released her but every time she turned around, the little Dagu was back in their living quarters. She quit trying to figure out how it ended up back inside and just enjoyed having the company of both of the creatures.

Abby and Zoran were gone. There had been a dinner a couple of nights ago and some of the men started coming onto Abby big time. Zoran's brothers and Ariel, Trisha, Carmen, and Cara had huddled around Abby and Zoran until they could escape. Mandra explained Zoran decided to take Abby away for a little while.

Ariel had nodded absently not really paying attention. She was having a hard time keeping her eyes off of Mandra. He looked and smelled so good. That was another change she noticed. Her senses seemed to be stronger than before. Then to top everything off, her dragon had been suspiciously quiet and Ariel got the feeling it was mad at her. Ariel finally decided enough was enough. The only thing pouting was doing was making her even more miserable.

Okay. Talk to me, Ariel whispered to the creature huddled deep inside her. This silent treatment is beginning to drive me even nuttier than I already am.

Why should I talk? You keep me from my mate. I mad at you! The voice growled back with a sniff.

Give me a break! This is freakin' confusing for me. You try discovering yourself in a strange world. On top of that, find out your whole body has been changed into something else without you knowing! Ariel hissed out.

I discover, the soft voice replied. I am born and I hurt.

Ariel's heart melted at the mournful sound of her dragon. It was as trapped as she was and probably just as confused and scared. All it wanted was to be accepted and here she was being a pain in the b.u.t.t and turning her back on it.

I'm really sorry I hurt you. Maybe we can work together to figure this out. I know I could use the help. How is it you know so much about this when you are just being born? Ariel asked hesitantly.

It is imprinted in me. I am born with this knowledge, her dragon said tentatively.

Ariel closed her eyes and focused inward not really sure what she was doing. Her breath caught in her throat as the image of a rose and gold colored dragon unfurled from deep inside her. It was the most beautiful thing she ever saw. It was hard to believe how delicate it looked. Ariel always imagined herself as an overgrown ox compared to Trisha and Carmen but looking at the vision of the dragon inside her, she felt small and fragile.

You are so beautiful, Ariel cooed tenderly.

I am you. We are one, the rose-colored dragon purred in response.

Why do you hurt? Ariel asked.

I need my mate. He calls to me and I cannot answer. It hurts to need him and not be with him.

What happens if you are not with him? Ariel asked hesitantly.

We die. All of us die, came the hushed response.

We die? How... why? Ariel bit her lower lip in worry.

We are one. We need each other. Our essence keeps Precious alive. Do you not feel the need when your mate is near?

Yes... yes, I do, Ariel answered reluctantly.

She thought about how much harder it was getting each day to keep her distance from Mandra. He refused to let her sleep in the other room away from him. Secretly, she had to admit she looked forward to curling up against him at night and waking in his arms each morning. She also noticed the effect her resistance was having on both of them. She wasn't the only one not sleeping well. Mandra looked exhausted. Neither one of them were eating or sleeping very much. Ariel felt silly being mad at him when all she really wanted was to be with him. The problem was trying to deal with him changing her without her knowledge or permission. Totally frustrated, she decided the only way she could know for sure if he was trying to control her like Eric did was to learn more about his world.

So for the past week, she began learning as much as she could about the Valdier culture. She started learning their language during the day and studying their history in the evenings. She became even more curious when she overheard the guards calling her and Carmen the Juuli. She discovered through her research it meant the G.o.ds' Revenge. It had something to do with two sisters from another world and two brothers from this world. She was still trying to figure out why the guards were calling them that and what it meant. She did learn what Mandra meant when he said he had no choice but to claim her. She read in one of the ancient ma.n.u.scripts that a true mate was a rare find and was considered sacred. The male had little control once his true mate was found as it caused him, his dragon, and his symbiot, she was still trying to figure out that relationship, to become very possessive and protective through a chemical change called the dragon's heat.

Ariel rubbed her forehead tiredly. She wasn't feeling good either. She hoped she wasn't coming down with anything. Maybe she should have Precious take a look at her. The gold bands on her wrists moved rapidly as if in answer to her thoughts. She started when she felt Precious nudging her elbow.

"It's probably nothing a dose of apology wouldn't cure," Ariel murmured tiredly. "Sometimes being stubborn is not a good thing. He really wasn't doing all this just to try to control me, was he?"

Precious sent images of Mandra growing up with his brothers, his dream of wanting a mate, and his happiness at finding her. Ariel breathed in deeply as visions of a younger Mandra exploded in her mind. They flowed through her in full Technicolor both startling her and fascinating her at the same time. She could actually hear him talking excitedly with his brothers. Each brother shared their dreams of what they would do when they found their true mates. Mandra boasted about how he would protect and care for her forever. Ariel fought back a cry at the intense loneliness and despair Mandra and his dragon felt as the years pa.s.sed. The awful, gnawing emptiness that ate at them was overwhelming. The images moved through time holding Ariel spellbound until they ended with Mandra's deep sigh of contentment and happiness at claiming her.

See, mate need us, Ariel's dragon mourned rocking back and forth, mates hurting.

Not any longer, Ariel promised silently, I think I understand now.

Good! I not think you stupid anymore, her dragon said with a roll of her eyes.