Four years later
"We'll see you when you get back from your date, lad," Dave told Spencer. The young man was now 18 and his mate Ari Westhaven, had proven her trustworthiness over the preceding four years. Spencer was now allowed to go on a date by himself and could take himself there since he could now drive. Dave had bought him a very nice car when he got his driver's license, though the young man had protested. Dave was beginning to think it was time to tell Miss Westhaven his secret. She had proven she could be trusted to keep one over the previous years.
"You tell your date that she's welcome here anytime," Dave told Spencer, which was a concession he had never made for anyone outside the family, but if Ari had her way she would be family soon enough and so long as that was what Spencer wanted then he wouldn't object. He would in fact be happy for his honorary nephew. Since the two of them were always cooing at each other Dave didn't see his honorary nephew objecting to his girlfriend becoming his wife.
"I'm sure she'll be shocked and pleased to be invited back to my home," Spencer joked. "I've always met her somewhere before, even if you or Aunt Liana drove me there for the first couple of years until I got my driver's license."
"Probably," Dave admitted. "I think it's time."
"Yes, it is," Spencer agreed smiling a little. "She's been very patient and yes, I know complete trust is very hard for you and Aunt Liana. I don't blame you for that. Your species was nearly wiped out after all. I would certainly be cautious to considering what happened. Come to think of it, I should be very cautious because my kind of supernatural was believed to be totally wiped out as well and in fact, I am the only one that we know about still remaining."
"That's true," Dave reflected. "Invite your lady love back after your date and tell her it's time. She'll understand."
Spencer blushed when his uncle called Ari his lady love, but it was true nonetheless.
"There is no reason to blush, lad," Dave gently teased him. "Being genuinely in love should not embarrass you so. It's a beautiful thing to love someone so much that you would do anything for them, even die if necessary."
"Can't help it," Spencer muttered his blush fading.
"I know it and I also know I shouldn't tease you," Dave admitted. "I just can't help myself sometimes. I never imagined I'd have a family to tease or to shower my affection on. Now, you had better go before your date starts to worry. Make sure you're home by 9 though."
"Yes, uncle," Spencer agreed, before he almost fled his uncle's presence still mildly embarrassed at the gentle teasing. He knew that it was just a sign of his Uncle Dave's affection for him. He truly wished he didn't embarrass so easily, so he suspected he would always blush rather easily, as he just had that type of personality. It was what it was.
~~~Dave and Liana~~~
Ari listened to what her mate was telling her feeling a little thrill, race along her spine. Finally! Finally! It was time. To be invited back to the Rossi home meant that David Rossi finally trusted her completely. It had been a long time in coming, but still, Ari understood the man's caution. She was likely going to find out what kind of supernatural David Rossi was, though she was sure that the man would still extract a promise from her before he told her. If there was one thing she had learned was that David Rossi was the most cautious man she had ever encountered in her 37 years. She knew there must be a reason for that. Likely a very good one. Something that would likely be the death of him and his family if it was discovered by the wrong people.
"Well, let's enjoy our date first," Ari suggested with a calm she in no way felt.
"And here I thought you'd want to go talk to my uncle right away," Spencer suggested with a dazzling smile. "You certainly have more control than I would have if I wanted to know an important secret and the person who had it was finally going to tell me after nearly four years. I'd want to know right away."
"I do want to know very badly," Ari admitted. "But I suspect this is a test, a test to see if I can be patient and wait until the appointed time. I'm not going to ruin my chances by being impatient, not now, as it's only a few hours. I've waited nearly four years already so a few more hours should be a piece of cake."
Spencer considered that and then realized it was just like his uncle to give his mate a final test and if she failed, then he wouldn't be surprised if his Uncle Dave wouldn't tell her anything important.
"There is a very good chance you're right, as that sounds like my Uncle Dave," Spencer admitted with another smile. "I don't know for sure of course, but it seems like something my uncle would pull if he felt he had to. A final test, to test your patience I suspect. Just be glad it isn't a week."
"I am," Ari agreed with a dazzling smiling. "Though I would wait that time if I had to. Let's just enjoy ourselves, shall we?"
"Alright," Spencer agreed relaxing.
He knew his uncle had been right nearly four years ago, right to gently prod him into at least giving Ari a chance. After that first date, which had been nerve-wracking, he had relaxed a little and then by the fifth or sixth date he had let go of all his nervousness. Now, he knew he was completely and totally in love with Ari Westhaven. Of course, right now, he was still in college, but was home for the summer, but he'd be done in a few years and then he and Ari would likely be married...That was for later though and was several years away at least, so there was no need to worry about it right now. He would love children with her, but he wasn't even sure that half vampires could have children so he'd ask his uncle and if Dave didn't know then he supposed he'd have to ask his mate herself. If half vampires were possible though, then it should mean that they could have children, but since he was still getting a handle on the supernatural world, even after over a decade, he wasn't completely sure of his theory.
The two talked softly, as they walked while holding hands. People who looked at them knew that this young man and a older woman were very much in love and that was as it should be.
People of the supernatural world didn't really care whether one person was much older or not, so long as both were legal. People basically minded their own business unlike in the regular world. Still, people smiled, as it was obvious as the nose on your face that the man and the woman were very much in love only aware of each other.
~~~Dave and Liana~~~
"Welcome," David Rossi greeted the pair cordially as soon as they stepped in the door at precisely nine o'clock. "You're right on time."
Ari looked around the hallway, and thought it was nicely decorated. There were photos along the wall, of what Ari assumed was the family. Some of them looked like David Rossi, so she assumed that they were his children. There was also an older woman, though still young, that was very pretty standing in another photo with Rossi himself, that wasn't his wife Liana, since Ari had met her. Maybe it was a child, that he'd had before he met his wife, Ari speculated. If that was the case she didn't look a thing like Rossi, so she must look like the mother.
"Why don't you escort your girlfriend to the library, Spencer? We might as well be comfortable. Liana already has some snacks prepared, as it's probably going to be a long discussion."
"Yes, uncle," Spencer agreed calmly. "This way, Ari."
Ari followed her mate to the library, which was massive. The library was as tall as the house itself, which was three floors and filled with books of every description. Really, it was only about a quarter full, but then, the Rossi had only been here less than 15 years, so it wasn't surprising.
Ari would love to start reading some of these volumes, but it would have to wait for later.
"Welcome to our home," greeted Liana. Liana Rossi was average height, and slimly attractive with warm brown hair. "Dave should be along in just a moment."
Liana wasn't completely sure that this was the right action to take, to tell this half vampire the truth. On the other hand, if Ari and Spencer were going to mate in a few years they had to tell her eventually anyway. This Arianrhod Westhaven had proven herself able to keep a secret to her husband who was very cautious, with good reason to be so. Liana knew it was doubtful that her nephew's mate would betray them because that would hurt Spencer himself, something she didn't see happening, so she was probably worrying over nothing. Still, she couldn't help but worry a little. Worrying was only natural when you loved the people the secret concerned Liana knew.
"It's nice to see you, Mrs. Rossi," Ari said offering her hand which Liana shook cordially.
"It's just Liana, as you're going to be family soon enough. I've told you that before," Liana lightly scolded.
"We're not really formal around here," Spencer added.
"Definitely not," Dave's voice said, as he entered the library. "I wanted to make sure the children would not disturb us."
Dave and Liana shared a look and Dave nodded smiling softly making Liana relax.
"Why don't you take a seat, honey," Dave gently suggested.
Liana did as asked, still looking faintly worried, though nobody who didn't know her well would be able to tell.
"Now, Ari, what I'm about to tell you must not be revealed unless I give you permission to do so. You have proven yourself trustworthy to my satisfaction over the last four years, so I want you to swear that you will not reveal, even under pain of death or the death of Spencer here, what I am about to tell you."
"Please, Ari," Spencer told his mate urgently. "You'll understand why my uncle makes this request in a few moments, but believe me, it is necessary."
Finally, Ari nodded sharply seeing that her mate was very serious and had a slightly worried expression. Whatever this secret was must be very serious indeed.
"Alright, I give you my word, my word as a Westhaven," Ari swore. There was a flash of light that faded quickly and Dave nodded in satisfaction.
"Thank you for that," Dave said. "I know you been wondering over the last four years what kind of supernatural I am. I have told only a few people over the decades, because if word were to get out I would be dead before I even knew anything was wrong. I might put up a terrific fight, but I have no doubt that men would surround me stopping me from escaping. All these men would have to do would be to threaten my family and I'd comply hoping to escape."
Ari wondering what the big buildup was for, but she was still surprised when the answer came.
"I am a species that is believed to have died out hundreds of years ago," Dave continued. "I am a dragon, one of the last ones remaining."
Ari stared at Dave blankly in disbelief, but she also knew that he had no reason to lie. Dragon's were supposed to have died out quite a long time ago way before her time, but apparently a few had survived.
"I'll give you a demonstration later," Dave promised. "This room isn't big enough for my dragon form or at least I'd end up knocking over bookcases and half destroying the room, something Spencer would object to I'm sure."
"Yes, I would," Spencer said lightheartedly helping Ari get over her shock. "To destroy such a wonderful old library is sacrilege."
That Spencer wasn't shocked at the news made Ari return to herself.
"So does that mean Spencer is a dragon as well?" Ari asked.
"No," Spencer answered immediately. "As I'm sure you probably suspected I was only adopted by Dave and Liana. I was an orphan and Dave found me in an alley near his jewelry store looking around. I was only a child of seven at the time, through I didn't look more than five or so."
"There is a reason I took him in," Dave added. "One of the reasons I wanted that oath out of you. Spencer is very powerful as you know I'm sure."
Ari nodded sharply confirming Dave's suspicions.
"When Uncle Dave found me I had no idea where I was," Spencer explained. "I had somehow transported myself from Las Vegas Nevada to Glasgow Scotland. I hadn't even realized I had done so, because where I come from supernaturals are nothing more than comic books, graphic novels and movies."
Ari caught on immediately, as she knew something of other dimensions, though not much. She had always figured that it was just a theory and that no one had ever travelled to one.
"You came from another dimension," Ari said and Spencer nodded.
"I was desperate to get away from my father," Spencer began to explain. "I had seen my father push my mother down the stairs. They were arguing, one of the worst arguments I had ever heard. I was just coming back from the bathroom and witnessed this, though neither one saw me. I knew that without my mother that my father would likely try to find a way to get rid of me, as he didn't like me, his son, because I was too intelligent.
"A crime in his eyes. I think he felt threatened by my superior intelligence. I figured living on the streets was safer than staying with dad, as weird as I know that seems. Mom and dad were arguing about me and dad believed I should act more normal, hide my intelligence, while mom was trying to tell him that I shouldn't have to dumb myself down, unless I wanted to of course. At seven I didn't have any sense of self preservation and now realize that perhaps if I had acted not so intelligent my dad would have accepted me better."
Spencer went on to tell the high points of his past history in chronological order and Ari listened intently.
"Your father is a bastard," Ari said, as calmly as possible. He really wanted to go to that dimension and teach Spencer's birth father a lesson he wouldn't soon forget.
"Yes he is," Spencer said in amusement not at all offended.
"Spencer, had no idea what he had done," Dave said, as he gently putting an arm around his nephew's shoulders. "I, of course, recognized the portal for what it was, as I've traveled to other dimensions before, though not in a very long time. I prefer my original dimension, as I've seen things that would give more delicate souls nightmares. This dimension has its evils, but it is much better in a lot of ways, at least the supernatural potion. At least I am familiar with the evil it contains, but the same can't be said for another world."
"But if Spencer came from a dimension that had no supernaturals how could he have any type of power?" Ari wondered.
"I have a theory about that," Dave admitted. "There is no way of telling whether or not I'm anywhere close to the truth with my theory, but it does fit the facts."
"What is your theory?" Ari asked, still trying to absorb what she had learned.
Dave told her and she nodded.
"It does make sense, your theory," Ari admitted. "It's probably exactly what happened too. So you believe he is a magus, who was supposed to have died out even longer ago then dragons."
"Yes, and as far as I know, except for Spencer and his mother they did," Dave said. "That doesn't mean a lot families don't have the gene, one that is just inactive. If their are other magus around they're keeping it very, very quiet and if that's the case, I can't say I blame them."
"I don't think any of us can," Liana said speaking for the first time. "The government would just hunt them down and demand they work for them or throw them in prison for the crime of being too powerful. If that didn't work they wouldn't have any problem in just killing them."
"Cynical much, Aunt Liana?" Spencer asked his aunt who simply smiled grimly.
"I have a right to be nephew," Liana told Spencer with a cynical smile. "Let's call it life experience, shall we? The government is hardly benevolent. While I can understand not wanting anyone too powerful to be free to cause havoc, the way they only give them three options for their life is not right in any sense of the word. I understand hunting down rogues and even approve of that, as they might reveal us, but to do that to somebody who's powerful, but has caused no trouble..."
"Is just wrong," Ari finished.
"Yes, it is," Dave agreed.
"I can now see why you didn't tell me about yourself until now," Ari said gazing very intently at Dave. "This is a very big secret. I have no doubt that dragon hunters would emerge from the woodwork if they learned that dragons had survived, as a species."
"Why do you think that my family is always so careful?" Dave inquired with a cooly raised eyebrow. "Caution has been my byword for hundreds of years now. It's kept me alive. It's why I didn't let you into my home until now, and why I never let you know where it was. I will never put my family in danger. It took me too long to meet my mate. I am only one of a handful that escaped. 40 or 50 survived altogether, from different clans. While I'm sure that number has increased a lot over the centuries I have no doubt our numbers are still low."
Ari knew the word mate very well and remembered vaguely that dragons also had mates just like vampires, so that meant that Liana was Dave's and Ari couldn't blame either one of them for being so careful. If one of them was to die it's quite possible the other would soon follow.
"Why would you believe that?" Ari asked confused.
"Because dragons can only have children once every 300 years," Dave explained. "For me, that was right after I met Liana. If a dragon hasn't reached at least 300 by the time they meet their mate then they can't have children until they are. Our fertility lasts for a decade before we can't have anymore children for another 300 years. Liana gave me two sons and two daughters in that ten years and unlike my brothers and sisters that were killed hundreds of years ago those are the first children I had ever had. My whole family was killed during the time of the dragon hunters except for myself, even my nephew who was only 50 years old and had never harmed a soul. That might seem old, but we aren't considered fully mature for at least 500, even if we look it."
Ari stared at him, but now understood Dave's previous comment.
"We got complacent and only a very few saw the danger. I know the other dragons felt that surely we would never be knocked off it any great numbers. Sure, a few were here and there. Mostly ones that were young and stupid and hadn't learned caution or ones that had turned bad, ones that kidnapped maidens and destroyed villages. My people learned much to their deterrent that yes, they could be killed off in great numbers if the magic was powerful enough and if they were caught by surprise. Warning them would have done no good as my species as a whole could be stubborn. They would have figured that their skin was so tough, so magic resistant that there was no way they could be killed off, except once in awhile and due mostly to stupidity or carelessness."
"And because of that belief the whole species was nearly knocked out," Ari said.
"Yes," Dave said with an ancient sadness in his eyes. "I was more perceptive and could see the danger that was approaching and others saw what I did as well. We fled when it happened and the dragon hunters came upon our species in great numbers. They found our caves and our homes. Unfortunately, we are very valuable as potion ingredients. Our blood is particularly valuable unfortunately. Get enough of our scales and you can make a suit of armor that will make you very hard to kill, though it won't make you invulnerable to everything. Still, you'll be very well protected."
"I am truly sorry that happened to your race," Ari said sincerely.
"It's not any different than what happened to magi, not really," Spencer said.
"No, it's really not," Ari agreed looking pensive. "It might have happened to the vampires to if we didn't basically live in the Shadowlands. We are a law onto ourselves. We govern ourselves. Who knows if someone would've try to knock us off like they did the dragons or the magi, if just anybody had access to the Shadowlands other then those we allow."
"We're the ones that started the rumors that the last dragon had been killed," Dave added. "It worked better then the few of us that remained hoped. We've been very careful ever since."
"I think that was pretty smart personally," Ari said. "It probably saved those that remained. Rumors have been known to be exaggerated over time and they also tend to spread like wildfire."
"We were desperate, as I'm sure you can guess," Dave said.
"I'm sure vampires would be too, if there were only a few of us left," Ari said.
"Dave," Liana murmured, gently putting a hand on Dave's arm and kissing his cheek. "I think it's time to put the past back where it belongs."
Dave seemed to come back to himself and shake his entire body, looking as if he was waking up from a dream.
"Thank you, sweetie," Dave told Liana softly in a tender tone.
"You're quite welcome," Liana said smiling, a smile that was for her mate alone and Dave responded to it by smiling back and kissing the back of Liana's hand causing her to blush. Spencer knew it was the affection of the gesture, not the gesture itself that made his aunt blush like that.
Spencer watched this smiling. This tender, touching moment was quite frequent between his aunt and uncle. They truly deeply cared for each other, which was pretty unusual between couples.
"So I've learned all about Dave so what about yourself?" Ari asked Liana.
"Go on, honey," Dave gently suggested, with a reassuring wink.
Liana relaxed at her mate's wink Ari noticed but she said nothing. She couldn't blame Liana for still being rather wary of trusting anyone. Secrecy was what had kept her husband alive for centuries after all.
"I'm a witch, a very powerful one," Liana explained finally. "Much more powerful than your run-of-the-mill witch. I don't need a lot of the tools that your ordinary witch requires. My mother was as well, but unlike me she was careless."
Liana went on to explain the highlights of her past history.
"So this Templar hunted you, because he suspected you were just as powerful," Ari said enraged.
"Yes," Liana said. "I survived on the streets for years, because I had no other option. I didn't dare go into foster care. I had no idea how long Templar's reach was, at that time I didn't even know his identity. I was afraid that if I went into foster care, it would be the death of me and also my foster parents or any other foster children or their own that they had. I might have been young but I wasn't naïve or at least not much. I had always known my mother Yolanda was running from something. Well, one day, Templar's men found us. I was 12 at the time. They killed my mother on accident, as their orders were to bring her back alive, though I didn't know that at the time. They were ordered to capture me once Templar learned that Yolanda had a daughter, as he figured that I was bound to be just as powerful, or at least that was the likely possibility."
"So how did you survive on the street?" Ari asked. "The streets are a rough place and very few survive for very long and not just because of the weather, though that is certainly a major factor."
"I became a thief," Liana admitted. "It was the only way for somebody my age to survive with no adult around. Mom had begun teaching me magic and potions, though she was always extremely cautious when she taught me magic, as it was her carelessness that got Templar onto her in the first place. She revealed to the wrong people how powerful she was. Also, I have the gift of sensing peoples intentions, their emotions, which helped me avoid those that would have done me harm."
"She became quite good at it," Dave said. "She could slip in and out of the place most times without being discovered."
There was a hint of pride in his voice, causing Liana to blush. It was nice to be admired, especially by her mate who she deeply loved.
"It wasn't something I wanted to do, but I had no choice if I wanted to eat," Liana added. "I didn't dare trust any adult, as I feared that they would either turn me into the authorities or turn me over to Templar or someone like him."
"Templar might've been a relatively small criminal boss, but that didn't mean he didn't have a long reach. I have no doubt that he would've captured her and she had dared go to any adult," Dave told Ari who nodded solemnly.
"I sold to different people, ones who were less honest then Dave. I know I was outrageously cheated, but their was really nothing I could do about it at that time. I never sold the really expensive pieces just the less expensive ones. I always claimed that it was an inheritance from a relative and that I needed to sell it in order to keep eating. Whether those shopkeepers believed my story is debatable," Liana shrugged. "Still, they bought whatever I brought them. I went legitimate as soon as I hit 18, as one can only remain a thief for so long before that kind of life catches up with you. Even after I went legit I was barely surviving, though at least I had a job that paid enough for me to get a one room apartment and to put food in my belly."
"That is so tragic," Ari offered.
"Yes, it is, but she survived and that's all that matters," Dave said.
"So how did you meet?" Ari asked.
"That's thanks to Brigid," Liana said. "She was then and now my best friend. She didn't think it was wrong of me to become a thief and understood that it was the only way I survived my teenage years, since I had no adult support. I didn't learn until years later that Brigid is actually Dave's daughter who had trained her to be accepting of others and find out the reason someone broke the law."
"Your daughter?" Ari asked Dave who nodded.
"She isn't biologically related," Dave admitted. "I discovered her as an infant practically on my doorstep and I took her in. She was only a few months old. I wanted to go after the people that had left her like so much trash, but I figured that there might be people after her or that she might have relatives that wanted her for less than savory purposes. I finally figured it might have been her parents that left her and that maybe one of them was a powerful seer like their daughter and saw that leaving her was the best option for her survival. I never officially adopted her for the reasons I just stated, though I would've loved too. Adopting her officially would've required paperwork though, which could've possibly put both of us in danger because it would have left a paper trail. I had to make some very hard choices about what to do."
"That was really nice of you," Ari said impressed.
"It was the right thing to do," Dave shrugged. "To tell you the truth she helped me with my own loneliness for awhile. I taught her everything I knew and trained her in her gift once it started to emerge when she was eight. This is what made me think that it was likely one of her parents was also a seer once I knew about her talent. That maybe Brigid's parent had seen how it was best option to protect their daughter."
"So you met Liana after that," Ari said.
"Not for years," Dave said smiling. "Liana was 30, like my daughter, when Brigid convinced her to go to my jewelry shop to sell off the last few pieces of jewelry that she had stolen some years ago. Those pieces were much more valuable than what she had sold up until then."
"She assured me that this David Rossi would never turn me in to either the authorities or to the mob boss that was chasing me," Liana said with a wry twist of her mouth. "I didn't know at the time that Dave had raised her from a babe. Brigid kept that very close to her chest."
"With good reason," Dave reminded Liana who nodded.
"What reason?" Ari said.
"Simply, that I was still hyperaware," Liana explained. "I might have gone legit at 18, but that did not mean that I didn't still have a criminal boss after me. I had got me a concealment charm at 20, which was very expensive, so I knew the danger was minimal but still...I was always on my guard, expecting betrayal from everyone. If Brigid had told me at the time that Dave was her father I wouldn't've gone anywhere near Rossi Jewelers and I probably never would've spoken to Brigid again, especially if she had told me we were mates. At that time, I would've seen it as a betrayal. No, she had to just encourage me to go and I know now, it had to do was something she 'saw'.
"I knew that Liana was my mate, because my daughter had warned me, so I was able to control most of my likely reaction. Enough anyway, that she didn't notice anything odd when she finally came to my store several weeks later. Brigid started seeing us together and she knew what that meant, she was very happy about it since Liana was her best friend. She knew I would treat her the way she deserved to be. I had been alone for so long that to finally find my mate, was better than I could have imagined. Sure, I had Brigid and she visited often, but it wasn't the same thing at all."
"I was against really getting involved with anyone," Liana admitted. "I still had Templar after me after all. I didn't want to get anyone else involved in my mess, put anyone else's life in danger. Dave disabused me of the notion that I had any right to make his decisions for him. This was after he revealed that he was a dragon to me, some weeks after we had began dating. Trust was also an issue. Much like Dave, I don't trust easily. I have reason not too."
"I told her that I had a right make my own decisions and that anybody who came after her or me would be toast to my dragon fire. I would have absolutely no problem killing anybody who came after my mate, Brigid or myself and I knew that the government would likely just write them off, because they were working for a criminal after all. Basically, they had chosen their own fate when they didn't get an honest job," Dave said. "Liana, for instance, went straight as soon as she was an adult, even if she still had Templar after her at that time and didn't even get her concealment charm until two years after that."
"It's true the government doesn't really care about those that break the law," Ari said. "If people are killed that are guilty of some kind of crime then they'll just ignore the people who did the killing so long as a bunch of innocents aren't killed as well."
"They probably figured it's one less problem that they had to deal with," Spencer said. This was the first time he had spoken for at least an hour, as it hadn't been his story to tell. "From the way I understand it there is only one prison and it can become overfull I'm sure. The prisons in my own dimension certainly became overfull, so that the government built new ones or gave lesser punishments to some criminals."
"We only have the one prison, but then, we have a much smaller population," Liana said. "It's mostly filled with petty criminals that are released after a few years."
"You know one thing about you getting together with Ari here, is that you'll be protected from the government now," Dave told Spencer. "They wouldn't dare go up against a vampire, even a half vampire, she would have no trouble killing anyone who threatened you. It's just like I told you a few years ago that you'll have powerful protection and so will the rest of us."
"That's very true," Ari allowed her fangs to show briefly. "No government dogsbody is going to take you from me and they will regret trying. You are under my protection and have been ever since we met when you were 14. The minute I realized that you were my mate was the minute that you fell under my family's protection. Of course, that includes your whole family to, not that they need much protecting, since they are well able to take care of themselves, but you never know."
"It's nice to be under that protection actually, as a situation may come up where we need it," Dave said and Ari nodded. "I have nothing against threatening or even killing somebody who threatens my family and I know that Aaron would say the same."
"Aaron? Who is this Aaron?" asked Ari.
"He is the mate of my sister Brigid," Spencer explained.
"He's also a dragon," Dave said. "Comes from a clan in Poland that I knew nothing about until he showed up in my daughter's life. We're quite close actually, as he's a good guy, and an original full blooded dragon, just like I am. He gave me permission to tell you, because you passed every test I set you, even if you weren't aware of it. He knows how careful I am about revealing that I am a dragon to anyone, so he trusts me not to tell anyone that's going to betray us. We've developed a close friendship over the last 15 years or so."
"Well… That's kind of a surprise," Ari said, blinking to show her astonishment. "To find out that dragons didn't die out hundreds of years ago is weird enough, but to find out there are two close by..."
"Yes, I know how amazing it is," Liana said. "Like Dave, Aaron and I are quite close. He treats my friend like a queen, just like Dave treats me. They have two children of their own, as they met several years before the end of Aaron's mating cycle, so that's all they had time to have. It's also lucky that Aaron's mating cycle was basically at the same time as Dave's. A strange coincidence I know, but that's just the way it worked out."
"Still, it doesn't mean I'm not happy to be a grandfather twice over," Dave grinned. "I'm sure she'll have more when the next mating cycle comes around, so I can wait."
The four continued to talk for several hours, until Dave offered Ari a bed for the night, promising to show her his form in the morning and Ari curious agreed. Ari got her own bedroom right across from Spencer's, though Liana offered to let them share, since Spencer was an adult now.
"While I would like that I don't think Spencer is ready for the physical side of our relationship," Ari said. "Once we make love for the first time we'll be connected from that moment on and I want to do it when Spencer is not so tired."
"Well, you being half vampire and all I know you probably don't need as much sleep as us mere mortal beings do. So feel free to stay down in the library and read if you like," Dave said. "I saw the way you kept eyeing the books longingly."
"I might just do that while the rest of you sleep," Ari said. "I'm not really tired, though I do have a lot to think about."
"Yes, you do," Liana agreed knowingly.
"I'll see you in the morning, Ari," Spencer offered his mate a kiss on her cheek.
"It'll probably be late morning," Dave said. "Good night."
"Good night," Ari said and watched as Dave and Liana headed for their bedroom and how Spencer disappeared into his with a yawn.
Ari entered her room and simply lay on the bed deep in thought out what she had learned.
~~~Dave and Liana~~~