Death and Howls Part Sixteen: The Key of a Brother!

“Sorry about the way I told you about our situation.” Acer apologized sincerely through his glass ball, a metal wall capturing my sharp eyes. “The city went under lock down. No one can enter or leave. The research took a hot minute. Sorry again, Dar.” Breathing a long sigh, that was all he had to say in the first place. Rolling my eyes, it proved hard to return his nervous smile. So betrayal wasn’t in his cards at all. 

“Do you think you could find the key to unlock the damn thing?” He asked politely, a sinister grin dancing across my lips. “What the hell is with that damn smile!” Leaning forward, the bastard owed me. Like it or not, we were put in a peculiar situation. Letting out an evil chuckle, the color drained from his face. Swallowing the lump in his throat, the bit had gone on too long. 

“Get me three dinners and we will call it even.” I suggested lightly, a smirk twitching on his lips. “That is all. Nice to see you can’t take a joke all the time. Consider that key found. Shoot me all the information, brother.” Softening upon the word brother, his fraying nerves relaxed enough for him to shoot a sarcastic comeback. There’s the Acer I knew. Sending a map through magically, the connection broke. Sitting up in my bed, Luna snuggled into my chest. Shivering with pleasure through her flurry of kisses, her fingers danced up to my cheek. How was I so fucking lucky to have her?

“Go win the day so we can go home.” She growled while hovering inches from my lips, a tender blush rising to my cheeks. “A treat comes with it!” Rolling on top of her, her breath hitched with mine. Nothing could describe her beauty in the moment, our desires taking us over. A couple of hours passed, ruby painting my cheeks as I stepped out of the room. Fixing my hair, Phantom stopped me in the hall. The elf twins caught up to us, my boots sliding on with ease. Making our way to our dragons, the day was young. Helios placed me on his back, the other dragons doing the same. A large gust blew the trees back with our takeoff, the lead falling on me. Three x’s glowed on the map, the one conclusion being that the key was split into three. Zooming towards the first x, a small cave came into view. Landing in the biggest opening, Helios nudged me forward. Plucking my scythe from my back, no one knew what lay ahead. Poking my head in, a strong wind sounded like music in the hollow tunnels. Mor and Torg leaned onto my shoulder, Phantom stepping up to my side. Shuffling had us spinning on our heels, Felina waving at me. Fighting the urge to yell at her, this behavior was getting dangerous. Must she be so wild, something seeming powerful about her. Unable to put a finger on it, my lips pressed into a thin line.

“Please let me come.” She pleaded with puppy dog eyes, her leather jacket swaying with mine. “I kept having a dream about this key!” Pressing her palms together, a necklace from Melda floated into the air. The clear maple leaf crystal floated into the air, everyone agreeing to protect her. Felina leapt onto my back, her infectious smile almost making me forget my annoyance with her. Cold orange rock met our boots, a healthy amount of fear growing in my head at the future anger from Luna. 

“Felina!” Her voice shouted furiously, Luna marching up in a pair of knee length black skirt and frilly ivory blouse. “Must you be like your father!” Too late for that, I guess. Shrinking back with Felina, Luna’s eyes darted towards the glowing necklace. Breathing out a long sigh, a horse neighed in the distance. Pulling a dagger from her garter belt, Luna took my side. Ready to fight, the memories of our crazy adventures had me flashing her a flirtatious grin.

“Perhaps if you insist on being so insistent, then you will have to deal with me.” She huffed impatiently, her hand ruffling the top of her head. “Nice to see ya, honey.” Shivering with pleasure at her words, all of me wanted to take her right there. Hiking through an endless sea of tunnels, the quietness was alarming. Rock crumbled underneath our feet, my body covering Luna and Felina. Rocks bashed our bodies on the way down, bruises forming on the spot. A rushing river came into view, Luna holding onto my scythe so it wouldn’t float away. Splashing into ice cold water, more rocks beating me up further. A blast of wind shot us onto a pile of gold, intense heat drying us off instantly. Sensing a dark energy, a toss of Felina had her clinging to Luna quite hard. Sprinting off in the other direction, the boys crashed after me. A scaly monster clambered after us, the twenty foot length throwing me off. Where the hell did that fucking thing come from!

“Keep that thing away from my family! Am I understood!” I commanded boldly, our speed picking up. Violet scales caught my eyes, bright green eyes bearing into my soul. What the hell was a Nightmare Lizard doing in here! Dodging its glob of venom, the silence made sense. They weren't called silent killers for no reason! Stomping my boot once, golden ice spread out from my boots, everyone crashing onto me. The lizard smashed into us, rock crumbling onto us. Popping to my feet first, bright green eyes twinkled with delight. Offering my gloved hand, its scaly head rubbed against my palm. Drowning it in a bear hug, the tongue flicked out a couple of times. Fishing around my pocket, a nearly rotted apple rolled into my palm. Gobbling it out of my palm, the darn thing was running from something or someone. A familiar energy struck fear in my heart, Mor and Torg hiding in the shadows. Phantom stood tall with me, Mortimus laughed maniacally while stepping out of the shadow. Of course the fucking idiot wanted the key, a limp Luna and Felina dangling off of his arms. Reaching out for them, he wagged his head. Give them up before I rip off your head, damn it! No one hurt my family and survived!

“The piece of the key for your family.” He uttered icily, another tap of my foot freezing his boots in place. Pushing off the ice, my arms curled around my family. Dissolving into a muddy goo, horror rounded my eyes at a wet sound. His blade slid through my stomach, inky blood pooling at my boots. Shit, illusion magic must have been child's play to him. Choking on the rising blood in my throat, the smiles of everyone flashed in my head. A shadow reached into the memory, anger twisting their features. Begging for it to stop, words of hate flooded into my head. What the hell was this! His inability to shut up snapped me out of it, the haunting effect striking me where it hurt.

“Such a weakness.” He hissed with a sick grin, a twist releasing a loud fuck from my very lips. “Death can’t escape the one who carries it.” Blood cascaded from the corner of my lips, a coughing fit painting his face. Invisibility claimed Phantom, his sword dragging along the rock. Popping up behind him, a splash of blood soaked my boot the second he ripped out his sword. Stumbling into Torg’s arms, the twins went to work on mending me enough to get back to the house. Phantom and him became balls of light, Mor dumping a bunch of herbs together. Rock spun over me, time stopping upon Felina skidding underneath their feet. Flipping a dagger in between her fingers, a flick of her wrist sent it straight into his throat. A flash of fur announced Luna, her teeth scooping him up. Whining to Mor, his hand ruffled the top of her head. 

“Don’t worry, Miss Luna. Dar is in good hands with me.” He assured her with a million dollar smile, his jet black armor glinting away. Offering her his palm, a scratch tore his palm open. Dripping it into the bowl, a smoke butterfly fluttered around him. Pouring it onto my wound, tissues weaved itself together. Coughing up a fountain of blood, skin sealed into a nasty scar. Spitting out the final glob of blood, Felina climbed into my arms. Kissing the top of my head, her palms presented the top of a maple leaf key. Tucking it into her coat pocket, her lips parted in protest the moment I caught a passed out Phantom. Laying him down next to Mor, my turn to fight had risen. Golden lightning crackled to life around my arms, my hair floating up. The shadow of death towered behind me, his powers flickering out for a quick second. 

“Don’t you remember who runs the powers coursing through you?” I barked hotly, my scythe spinning over my head. “Like hell, I will let you harm my family. Acer may be your brother but he is more of my brother than he will ever be to you. Get the hint!” Slamming the tip of my trusty weapon into the rock, golden lightning traveled along the walls. Stopping short of him, sickly green smoke curled around his body. Ripping the tip from the rock, decay threatened the foundation of the space. Where the hell did that power increase come from?

“Time to go!” I shouted over the chaos, rocks crumbling away. Smashing the end of my handle into his skull, his body collapsed into a heap. Noting the weakened rock around him, I lifted my leg behind my head. Slamming my heel into the weakest part, a shadowy hole devoured him. Luna scooped me up, Felina clinging to me. Dashing through the tunnels, a wall of rocks blocked our way out. Sensing his energy, we needed to get back into the safety zone of Phantom’s childhood home. Torg shattered the pieces with a wave of ruby water, a new hole coming to fruition. Bounding into the purple rays of twilight, his ragged form charged at us. 

“Helios! Bring the other dragons!” I called into the sky, a unified breeze knocking him back. Scooping us up, chilly air lashed at our cheeks. Cursing underneath us, his decay narrowly missed us. Clouds cooled us down further, Luna shifting back. Swinging my coat off of my back, her shaking hands buttoned them swiftly. Clutching them close to my chest, Helios sent a smoke heart into the sky. The mansion came into view, a couple of circles granted the dragons a smooth landing. Breathing a sigh of relief, that idiot couldn’t step foot on purified ground. Decay was a new thing, something seeming different than the last time. Almost as if he had a god of his own within him, curiosity had me sliding off of Helios. Catching Felina and Luna in my arms, the cat had to be killed later. Remembering the dark emotions from his powers, the ability to create nightmares frightened the shit out of me. Luna pecked my cheek, light killing the darkness infesting my mental state. Fighting by Luna’s side reminded me of why she was my one and only wolf, her forehead pressing against mine. Pressing her lips against mine hungrily, a passion had been stoked in between us. Remembering that nothing was underneath that coat, the temptation grew that much worse. A tug on my sleeve directed my attention to a shaking Felina, her forehead warming up my cheek.

“What a brave girl today!” I complimented her, a groggy Phantom stumbling in behind me. Rubbing his head before entering the house, a quiet smile assured me of his well-being. Excusing myself for a moment, the twins straightened up at the sight of me. Yanking them into a bear hug, their strengths laid in the medical department. 

“Maybe you should switch your priorities to the medical side of things. Without you, I would have kicked the bucket today.” I complimented them with every sense of honesty, their auras glowing with pure bliss. “Keep up the good work.” Releasing them, silent tears stained their cheeks. Screw their trauma for breaking them down to this point. Making my way into the house, the welcome pressure of Felina on my back relaxed my fraying nerves. Gushing about her journey today, a soft smile danced across my lips. Coming into the smell of a prepared dinner, Frojo waved us into the dining room. The twins babbled in their high chairs, Luna rushing over to smother them with love. Sinking into our chairs, a lovely pot of venison stew waited for us. Dishing our meals, the guy never looked happier. Getting lost in the conversations around me, Lottie taught me to cherish moments like this. Thank you to the guy in charge for the perfect team in all of this chaos. Finishing up without a hitch, the kids were slumbering in their bed. Luna pinned me to the wall with a devilish grin, her fingers dancing up to my lips. Arching my body towards her, she was a force of nature.

“Someone looked handsome today.” She purred while sliding her fingers down to the first button on my borrowed jacket. “Nothing is under here.” Caving into our desires, the next two hours were a blur of passionate fire. Collapsing next to me, our pants slowed down to our normal breathing. 

“Hard to believe that we have three kids and that you are a damn commander.” She laughed softly, her body rolling over to face me. “Hell, we are married. How did that happen?” Gazing lovingly into her eyes, her presence kept me going during the rough times. Rolling her underneath me, her palms rubbed my bare chest. Never stop showering me in your affection, my dear wolf.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, my dear wolf. The moon couldn’t hold a candle to your beauty.” I flirted playfully, my wink leading her to roll me underneath her. A knock interrupted the moment, the voices of Torg and Mor caused a long sigh to tumble from my lips. Throwing on some pants on the way out, a deep ruby flushed their cheeks. Why was everyone so intimidated by me? Acer would have cracked a joke about me putting on a damn shirt. Missing him greatly, hurt dimmed my eyes. What the hell did Acer do to get me to actually miss him!

“We did the research and you aren’t going to like it.” Torg blurted out awkwardly, his fingertip tickling his earring. The god of decay resides in him. It was implanted within him as a child. Furthermore, Felina has the goddess of repair within her.” Stunned by the news, our meeting was destined. Sneaking into Felina’s room, a silver shadow watched over her. Icy blue eyes snapped in my direction, my own god coming out. What a fucking delight.

“Happiness overcomes me with the knowledge you are raising her. Do you always walk around without a shirt?” She spoke while bowing in my god’s direction, Felina stirring in her sleep. “Misery used to plague her. Thank you for all that you do for her.” Pulling up a chair next to my dear Felina, her breath bathed my palms as I swept her hair out of her eyes. Not bothering to look at her goddess, the icy voice tried to steal my attention away. 

“Cut the shit! I fully intend on her raising her Lottie style. That woman loved me from the start.” I retorted with all intention of taking care of her, the shadow relaxing visibly. “She will never be alone again. Trust me. I used to be her. Fuck off with that bullshit.” Felina rolled onto my lap, my fingers playing with her hair. Felina stole my heart a long time ago, the girl would always be my daughter. Rubbing her back through her nightmares, the babysitter was starting to wear on my nerves. Stirring awake, her god floated back into her body. Snuggling into my shoulder, her tail wagged. Her wet eyes met mine, my hand cupping her cheek. Wiping away her tears, her sad smile broke my heart. 

“Can I tell you something? Lottie bought me in exchange for a few gold coins. My father beat me after my mother died. She came from here. Hell, I came here to find out more about her.” I explained in a gentle smile, her eyes growing wider by the second. “Love from Lottie brought the light back into my eyes. How about when this is done, we can go to a dragon island in my home dimension. They are all so beautiful.” Hopping to her knees, adventure twinkled in her eyes. Smiling serenely to myself, Lottie must have felt like this. Treasuring the moment, a warmth washed over me. Feeling around my pocket, the sleek surface of my communication ball grazed the tip of my fingers. Swiping it a couple of times, Lottie’s face came into view. Felina snatched the ball, the two of them breaking into a bubbly conversation. Lottie waved at me, her casual position spoke of an easy day. Running off to show her the twins, the silence proved to be welcome for a bit. Relaxing into the moment, luck had turned in my favor. Popping to my feet, every footfall felt rich for the first time in a while. Entering our bedroom, Luna waved me over. Jumping onto the bed next to her, Lottie began to brag about how cute the kids were. Blushing a deep ruby, Felina picked up on the situation. Telling the story from her side, the crazy tales of my childhood entertained Felina. Getting lost in her words, Luna’s real smile made it worth it. Bless the god who granted all that I cherish.