Ever Cynical

Chapter 56- Call Me Uncle Tenjing

Kieran POV

I could feel both Erik and Anais' agitation through our bond. It totally wiped out the sense of content we'd felt since mating and inducting Erik into the pack. What are you supposed to do against someone or something that just wants your destruction without any kind of logic behind it? It seemed like so much effort for nothing. I mean a few thousand years wasn't just a long game, it was an infinite one. I'd like to think there are not so many individuals out there that enjoy the plight of others, but there is a reason that anti-bullying policies exist, and that is just the tip of some people's depravity.

I know, calling it depravity when I'm in a relationship with two mates that most would cringe at, seems hypocritical. I would make the argument that we aren't hurting anyone. It's what our fate was meant to be, and we are happy to live that way, and leave others to their own ways of life. If all these greedy bastards could mind their own business and tend to themselves, nobody would probably even know. Both my pack and Jacob's were pretty isolated, and Anais had lived as quietly as she could pull off. We were not the enemy.

"Your parents, Anais, have a third mate. But he chose to become a recluse as a result of the political upheaval this dark witch, whose name is Therosia Zonara, caused. She wanted to mate him, apparently. Probably still does. Your parents mated him, but he was not marked. She interfered with their ceremony, threatened to kill innocents." He said gravely. "At least, that's what was reported to me at the time."

"That's it then." I exclaimed, and all eyes swiveled to me. "That's the reason. Rejection because the man she wants belongs to someone else." I rolled my eyes. "What is it with people just not being able to take no for an answer? While I'm annoyed with the situation we are in, good on him for standing firm." Tengjing nodded in agreement. There are many out there that would consider giving in fi they thought their sacrifice would save their people. I was holding hands with one right now.

"The problem is, in order to, well, eliminate her influence in the form of her corporeal body..." Tengjing drifted off. Why such an ancient being had trouble stating the word kill was beyond me. I'd expect him to be more primal than we were.

"You mean, kill her." Erik said wryly, also amused at the elder's avoidance of the K-word.

"Yes, well. In order to kill her, as you so eloquently put it, we need the Immortal King and Queen mated to their third, which in turn makes the female Luna Queen... of all supernaturals, mind you... able to do it. It requires a special blade only you can use." When Anais produced a moon blade, his eyebrows shot to his hairline. "How is this possible?" He whispered as he stared at the iridescent, transparent blade in wonder. She shook her head.

"It's not complete, my wolf says. Nearly, but you are probably right. Who is their third?" She asked. Tengjing cleared his throat.

"A dragon." He whispered, looking a bit like the cat that got the cream. Something in his tone had me think he indeed, knew the dragon personally.

"A dragon?" She gasped.

"Actually, my brother. He was to become king, but his being Beta of Celtic Moon and subsequent seclusion made that impossible." He sighed. "We have not heard from him since around the time you were born." He grinned at her. "It means, on some level, you're family, girl. In fact..." He sniffed, his eyes turning reptilian yellow. "I'll be. You my dear, are a hybrid. Bet your dragon is itching to be discovered. I don't know how they managed that, honestly, but you've got all of their scents." He grinned, leaning back and crossing his arms. Anais' mouth just hung open. I squeezed her hand, and Erik kissed her cheek.

At least now I knew where the Royal Beta had gone off to all those years ago. How nobody had taken note that he was a dragon was frustrating. These were rather important details, because it meant that we did indeed have the possibility, all this time, of having non-Immortal mates. If that's the case, how much of the Immortal genes could be shared was truly unknown.

An example of shared genes sat across the desk from me in the form of my Luna.

The poor girl's brain was probably going to explode.

Anais POV

As I sat there in shock, I could feel something different in his presence. I realized it was familial recognition. Totally foreign to me, I'd not immediately realized what it was. I had three more parents out there, likely still alive. From all the information they'd given, the dangerous circumstances had probably forced them into deeper hiding than I was. Dark Witches were some of the worst beings to deal with. Humans were often more sadistic, but they didn't have the same power.

Claire... Do we have a dragon? I asked her, hesitating. I could feel her guilt.

Yes, ma Cherie, she whispered woefully.

What the heck? Why didn't you tell me? I grumbled. I need to know all of these things!

I know, but she said it needed to wait, Claire reasoned.

She? I asked, knowing my tone was a bit testy. The moon goddess? The cryptic deity had playing least-in-sight, and I while I trusted her on some level, I wasn't too thrilled about how hands off she'd been with all of this.

No, your dragon. Xinglong. She said you needed to process the wolf part first, Claire elucidated.

Wait, does that mean we're not fully mated?

No, no, ma Cherie. I mean, I'm sure the boys would love to play with her in beast form. Claire giggled. But the marking is in human form either way. She'd probably like to participate sometime too, if you know what I mean. It's going to be instinctual, especially given how long she's waited, just like me, to appear.

Goddess, Claire. Can she talk to me? I implored.

Of course, Claire said gently.

Hello? A dark and raspy but very feminine voice came through.

Xinglong? I questioned carefully.

Yes, Anais, I am here, Qīn'ài de. Suddenly, I could see her coiled in the back of my mind. She was massive with obsidian scales and golden eyes. I chuckled as I thought how much she reminded me of Kier's wolf. My mates' eyes snapped to me. Oh boy, I did it this time. They were going to ravish me later, I jsut knew it.

Can they actually, errr... I didn't want my dragon left out of the beast fun that we all had. It just wouldn't be fair.

Mate me in beast form? She laughed smokily, delighted that I thought to ask her. I always forget they know everything I think. Silly, but true.

Yeah. I replied breathlessly, mentally crossing my fingers.

Of course they can. I look a lot bigger in your mind. It's more about length than height in terms of my size, really. Not sure human to best will work with me though, I'm willing to try anything with our delicious mates. She licked her lips as if she was a hungry glutton, then winked. Oh my. Well. We can get better acquainted later though, Qīn'ài de. Our uncle has much to say. She said and settled back, letting me know she was done speaking for the moment.

"What just happened, Ana?" Keir said as he gripped my hand, and Erik's hands tightened on my waist. So caring, these two.

"Um, my dragon just introduced herself." I said sheepishly. Their eyes widened, and then they grinned, canines popping out as their beasts both fronted, probably hoping for a glimpse. Goddess dammit. I knew what they were thinking. My uncle just looked way too pleased with himself. "Do you know where my parents have gone to?" I posed to him. It was time to be more direct. Enough of fluffy old stories, it was time to face the future. I could not search for one of my fathers without knowing where the other one and my mother had disappeared to. If we needed them for what was coming our way, the first step was to locate them. He steepled his fingers.

"I only have theories at this point." He was quite the cautious man, never saying things for sure. "They were in Asia shortly before you were, but I was on pilgrimage at that time, and Tianlong was distracted with his ascension to king, so I'm sure he missed your scent and theirs. Ekezeic knew all of this, but I'm sure was sworn to secrecy, probably asked to watch out for you if he met you. Lady Hijikata probably suspected, with her nose, but she has never met my brother."

"So what is your theory, Uncle?" He smiled in delight that I called him by his familial title. Probably tickled pink to be the uncle of the Luna Queen, too. It certainly added to his prestige, of that there was no doubt.

"The council administrators." He whispered, eyes darting as if he expected them to somehow suddenly appear next to him.

"What about them." I was getting impatient with his need to draw things out. He tsked.

"Nobody knows who they are, but I think it's your parents." Kieran growled lowly, still upset at what he perceived to be abandonment. "Shush, pup. I know your pack feels that they were forsaken, but you must understand how delicate this whole situation is. It was the only way they could keep the focus off of Celtic Moon... to disappear with their prophesied daughter."

"Prophecy?" Erik growled out. We all knew prophecy in the supernatural was not usually good. Even if it was a happy prophecy, there was always someone out there to stir up trouble. Either bad people didn't want you to do the good thing, or they wanted to use you for their own purposes. In the end, the result was usually the same. Possibly death and destruction, on a tragic scale.

"Yes, cute bear, a prophecy. The Luna Queen is to mend our world and restore balance." He intoned, clearly channeling every actor that ever had a monologue or speech. Family or not, he was a lot to deal with. I wonder how Tainlong puts up with him.

"I sense a but in there somewhere." I said and Kieran giggled. I glared. "Mon coeur, I normally love your sense of humor, but now is not the time." I grumbled at him. My alpha wolf just shrugged. I know he was thinking that you have to have fun somewhere in all this bullshit. I turned back to my uncle. "Well?" He sighed.

"You're right of course. Should you fail, the banished will come to power. And that, my dear, is not a good thing at all."