Dark Carousel (Dark 26)

Charlotte looked carefully around her, scanning for people, for enemies, for anyone in the vicinity that might witness her shifting. She'd practiced shifting often because she loved that she could do it. Loved that she could fly. Loved that she could always touch her children and know they were safe. Liv was still in the ground healing. Charlotte, Tariq and Val took turns giving her blood, but then sent her back to sleep. Charlotte wasn't quite as good at that as the other two, so she made certain Tariq reinforced the command.

"That's good, Charlotte. You've got scanning down very well," Blaze said.

Charlotte sent her a quick grin. "I love being Carpathian. I've been working on Emeline, telling her all the benefits. She seems interested."

Blaze exchanged a smile with her. "I'm happy that she's letting you into her life."

"It's slow. She doesn't like me in her house. She likes to sit outside on the porch with me, but she always comes out when I visit, which is every night now. Genevieve comes with me most times."

"She's still getting headaches," Blaze said, her voice expressing worry.

Charlotte understood. She knew Emeline was getting the headaches, but she had indicated that Vadim had left her in peace since the attack on the compound. No one knew if he'd given up on acquiring her, or if he was too far out at sea to reach her. Tariq didn't believe Vadim would give up, but like all of them, for Emeline's sake, they hoped so.

"I know. And the headaches are bad. When I visited her before we left for the club, she was in tears. I asked her to allow Tariq to help ease them. She hesitated but then agreed, which is so rare for her I almost fell over. I'm hoping that means she's coming to accept Tariq and Maksim into her life as brothers."

Blaze nodded. "She's definitely more comfortable with them. Thank you for being so kind and patient with her. I love her as a sister and seeing her so broken has been really hard, especially when I've been unable to do anything about it."

Charlotte sent her a conspiratorial grin. "Between you, Genevieve and me working on her, we'll get her to come over to the dark side."

The two laughed together, and then Charlotte did one of her favorite things. She put the picture of an owl in her head, paying attention to the smallest detail, just as Tariq had taught her. She couldn't wait to work with Liv on shifting. She knew the child would love it. It was getting easier the more she practiced and when Liv was awake, she planned on the two of them practicing everything together.

In moments she was spreading wings and stepping off the roof of the nightclub. Tariq, as a rule, would never have let her go by herself, not even with Blaze, but Maksim had persuaded him. Charlotte knew he would know she was up to something and he wouldn't waste any time coming home.

The two owls made their way through the night to the compound. She loved flying and she took the longer route, flying over part of the city, looking down on the lights. Cities could be beautiful, lit up as they were. Then she was over the lake and the water gleamed under the moon. It was a cold but very clear night and stars were out. Perfect. A perfect night.

Her little owl settled on the back of Liv's green dragon and she shifted right there, so she was sitting on its back. She's fine. She whispered the reassurance. The green color had dimmed without Liv's interaction. Although she found it strange that a rock dragon would be worried or sad without the child, she believed it was so. She's coming to you soon. When she does, I expect you to take good care of her. To entice her to stay in their world. She was certain when Liv rose from the soil, the terrible things that had been done to her would be with her worse than ever. She'd been taken from the safety of her home. What would it take to make her feel safe again?

Like Tariq and Val, she worried that conversion wouldn't be enough for Liv to stay with them. The child had been so traumatized and when she woke and had to face what she'd done--allowing the enemy into their compound--she would feel more guilt. She wasn't responsible, but she wouldn't see it that way. Charlotte intended to find a counselor for the children, one maybe among the Carpathian people so Tariq would give his consent without reservation.

Danny was the first to spot her. He'd come to accept her a lot faster than she'd anticipated. She was certain that was due to Amelia. He gave her a quick grin. "Bella and Lourdes are going to freak when they see you. Lourdes wants you to take them for a ride on the dragons."

She sighed. Of course the two little ones had learned the dragons could fly. They had been told in no uncertain terms by Tariq that they couldn't fly without an adult. Genevieve was not comfortable flying on the back of a stone dragon so she adamantly refused to take the two girls.

"You'll take them." Danny made it a statement, grinning at her, knowing she rarely refused the little ones. He clearly wanted to fly as well. "I'll call Amelia. She's with Genevieve over by the swings."

Charlotte could hear the delighted squeals of the two little girls as Amelia and Genevieve pushed them on the swings. She loved that sound. Normal. Tariq and Charlotte were trying to give the children as much normal as possible. They'd let them have a couple of days off from their studies and then gone right back to their normal routine.

"Have you checked on Liv?" Danny asked as he moved away from the dragons in the direction of the play yard.

"Of course. She's fine. Tariq said another couple of days. He's being overly cautious, but we're hoping it helps heal her mind as well."

"I can't wait to see her. Amelia cried when she didn't think I was looking. She's worried about her."

"I'll talk to her," Charlotte reassured him.

"Bella! Lourdes! Amelia! Charlotte's here. We're going to fly." He bellowed it across the distance.

Charlotte winced and exchanged a grin with Blaze, who was sitting on the orange dragon. "He's a boy," she explained.

Blaze nodded, her smile widening. "I got that."

The children came running, Genevieve trailing after them at a much more sedate pace.

"Want to come flying with us, Vi?" Charlotte asked, sliding off the green dragon to sit on the blue one. She leaned down to help Lourdes on as the blue dragon extended his wing to the child.

Genevieve gave an unladylike snort and shook her head.

Blaze sat behind Bella on the red dragon. Bella continually petted the neck of her dragon, talking seemingly without taking a breath. The dragon turned its head almost backward to rub along Bella's lap. She giggled and leaned down to kiss the massive wedge-shaped head.

Danny all but leapt on the brown dragon, something he'd clearly practiced because he was very good at it. Still, like the girls, he rounded the dragon's neck with his arms and leaned down to whisper in the stone animal's ear.

Amelia was graceful as her orange dragon politely extended its wing to her. She swung her leg over and then rubbed and scratched at the scales just like her dragon preferred.

Come fly with us, Charlotte said to the green dragon. When it didn't respond she played her trump card, using her firmest voice. You are wasting away without Liv. You need to be in excellent health to carry her on your back during flight. She'll be with you in a couple of nights and I'm not about to take a chance that you might be too weak to carry her.

The green dragon raised its head and glared at her. She had to keep a smile from her face. Instead she turned away from the creature and signaled to the blue dragon that they were all ready. Immediately he extended his wings and flapped them ferociously, stepping out away from the others to give himself room to take off. Then they were airborne and Lourdes was laughing, pressing back against Charlotte. The child's eyes were bright with wonder as they flew over the lake and skimmed the water.

Behind them came the others, Blaze and Bella, Danny and Amelia. And the riderless green dragon. They spent an hour riding the dragons in the sky, careful to stay away from populated areas, but between Blaze and Charlotte they shielded the sight from any watchers.

Good practice for you, Blaze said. You learn so fast.

She was learning to fight as well. She didn't ever wan

t to face a vampire, but she was certain it was inevitable, given that she was lifemate to a hunter and this would be their lives. Watching the children grow. Keeping them safe. Educating them. Teaching them how to fight vampires.

She loved spending time with the children. Tonight she wanted them worn-out. Genevieve was in on the surprise for Tariq, although she hadn't given them details. She blushed, thinking about Genevieve rolling her eyes and fanning herself. She knew. But along with Danny and Amelia, they were all willing to help her.

The children were back inside the house, and Genevieve and the two teenagers had brought out board games, pizza and snacks as well as movies. The movies were all in 3-D, something Danny particularly loved, so he was willing to watch animated children's shows with Bella and Lourdes.