Sunset Coven 5

I think I've given you something to work with. I could have went on, but I decided to stop before I went too far.


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“Isn’t it nice of Toren to join us on our little track back across the country?” Jime said to Suri as she flicked her shades on.
“Fantastic,” Suri replied monotonously. It was everything but nice and Jime knew it. She just liked to ruffle Suri’s feathers all the time.
“Now you’ll have company when I’m...you know, getting my beauty sleep.”
Suri snorted. Good thing she knew how to ruffle Jime’s feathers in return. Not much could get a rise out of Jime, but she was a tad bit possessive where family was concerned. “How splendid of you to leave me alone with the Dragon King for countless hours.” She looked over her shoulder at Toren. Those alluring clear eyes of his brightened. “Isn’t this your mating season?”
Steam floated out of his nostrils, his eyes became even more bright and narrow. “It’s mating season whenever you’re around, Beautiful.”
Suri fought the blush that was rising and swung forward in her seat. “I have to disagree with you Tia.”
“You always disagree with me, but what for this time?”
“Dragons might not read minds and have no seducing tricks, but have your ever saw a Dragon’s scales?”
“Nope. Can’t say I have.”
Suri tsked. “You’ve been around as long as the Earth and you’ve never wondered what a Dragon’s scales look like? Shame on you Tia.” She dropped her tone low and husky. “It’s hypnotic. It’s mesmerizing. The way those scales ripple across that solid, muscled skin.” Her breathing became shallow and rapid. “Especially when they’re wet. They appear almost holographic. Those beautiful colors. It’s the reason I’m no longer a virgin.”
The car filled with steam and Jime swerved Jack, the car, off the road kicking dirt into the air. She whipped around towards the back of the car, pulling her shades off in the process. “You lay a finger, a single finger, on my baby niece and I’ll rip every single of one your scales out and throw salt on your wounds.” Her eyes flashed red. “Do you understand me?”
Toren slid up on the seat. He trailed one finger up Suri’s arm, slowly. Wickedly slow. “I think Suri’s old enough to make her own decisions.” He trailed his finger along her collar bone and flashed a grin at Jime, something only someone sure enough in his abilities would do, when Suri shivered at his touch.
Jime’s fangs elongated.
“Oh look! The sun is rising,” Suri said before either of the two made another move and someone ended up dead. More than likely that someone wouldn’t be Jime. And there was no way she was going to let her aunt kill her dragon bef...No. Not her Dragon. The Dragon Warlord. Definitely not her Dragon. She wouldn’t let Jime kill the Dragon Warlord and start another war. They needed allies, not more enemies. “Shall we?” she said to Jime and opened the door.
The tension between them didn’t lessen. “One finger. One single finger.” Jime opened the drivers door and exited, slamming it behind her.

At the trunk of the car, Suri tapped the hood. It opened, revealing a small cramped space full of random nicknack's. They came with the car. Apparently, Jack, the real Jack, wasn’t the kind of person who kept is trunk organized.
"Aluna," Suri said with a wave of her hand. The cluttered trunk was no longer a cluttered trunk. It was a clean, dark, black silk lined nest, large enough for Jime to sleep comfortably.
Shooting one last death glance at the Dragon, Jime swung into the trunk. "I'll rip them out. Now you see them. Now you don't."
"I think that's my line. You know, with me being a witch and all."
A slow smile spread across Toren’s face. A smile that made him eerily handsome. Suri found herself enthralled. She wanted to reach out and glaze her fingers over his lips. When she realized that’s exactly what she was doing, she snatched her hand back.
“Don’t worry. I won’t lay a single finger on her,” Toren said to Jime. “There are plenty of other things I can do that I don’t need my hands for.” He slammed the trunk shut.
The car rattled with Jime’s effort to get out. It didn’t matter. As strong as she was, the spell Suri placed on the trunk, so that no one could open it and attach Jime when she was predisposed, was stronger.

Suri stepped away from the rattling car. In a few moments, Jime would be out like a light. She always was. She chanced a glance at the Dragon. His eyes a soft glow raked over her. “So” he drawled out. “What’s next?”
Slowly, she stood in front of Toren. “Ever been to the Tavern?” The Tavern was a bar underground, accessible only to those lore creatures who knew how to access it or those who could find a portal.
“It’s been about a century. Not my crowd.”
Suri simpered and walked her fingers up his chest. “Will you go out with me...to the Tavren, I mean.”
Toren inhaled sharply. “It’s dangerous there.”
“I’m a tough girl. I can tie my own shoelaces and all.” Her cowboy boots were lace free. “But if you want, you can be my escort.”
Toren nipped at her shoulder. “Fine. I’ll escort you.”
Suri jumped back. “Scales,” she said, reminding him of the threat. She trailed her fingers over the area he bit. He didn’t break skin. Good.
“Not a single finger, Sweetness.” Toren reached around his neck and took off a chain. He beckoned her forward. Suri hesitated but moved closer. He stepped behind her and clamped the necklace together.
Suri fingered the necklace. A locket. “What’s this for?”
“If I’m going to escort you, I need to make sure you can always find me.”
Suri stopped fingering the necklace and looked around. There were no cars coming in any direction, and the car was parked on the dirt next to the woods. “This seems like a good enough hiding place to me.”
“Hiding for what?”
She didn’t respond, just walked over to the car and placed her hand against the cold metal frame of Jack. “Difido.” Jack disappeared. No passerby would know what a car was parked there. A car containing a vampire. Even if someone else happened to stop in the very same location, no mortal would be able to detect the car. Not even a creature of the lore. At least, none have ever found it so far.
She turned and surveyed Toren. “Now that just won’t work.” She gestured at his outfit. She snapped and Toren no longer wore the faded jeans and leather biker jacket. He stood before her now looking as menacing as a warlord could be. And that was pretty damn scary. Another snap and her outfit changed. No longer did she wear shorts, a tank, and cowboy boots. Head to toe she wore black leather. She even added a bit of dark makeup to her eyes. “What’s with the outfit?” Toren asked. “Not that there’s anything wrong with it, I assure you. You look like black licorice.”
“Is that suppose to be a compliment?”
“I love black licorice.”
“I don’t.” The gothic was to make her appear as threatening as she could. She may be the most naturally talented witch in the lore, which made her a threat in and of itself, but she also lacked experience. Granted, her skills have increased since she joined Jime’s little folly, but the beings who frequent the Tavern were far older and far more experienced than she was. Some were even older than Toren, but no one liked to piss of the Dragons. Not even those mangy mutts.
“Let’s go.” She placed her hand on Toren’s shoulder. “Kedol fil amo.”

********

Suri never liked the underground. She would never even think of visiting there alone. The last time she was here she was with Jime, and the time before that was with her father. No one wanted to cross an unbalanced Vampire or a Warlock whose talents lie in the dark arts.

Despite it’s name, the Underground wasn’t underground at all. It was a small town that had portals accessible through the world. And by small, it was no New York or Beijing, but it was about the size of Rhode Island. Considering the amount of traffic it received a day, the place was small. Suri brought them to the edge of Regel Street, the entrance gate of the bar area. Shadows casted around because the sun had yet to rise completely. It was just creepy.
“Exactly why are we here?” Toren whispered so that they weren’t overheard by the patrons on the street.
“You mentioned that He isn’t really a were, right?”
“Right.”
“So what exactly is he?”
“That I do not know.”
Suri sauntered down the street towards the Tavern. “Well, there is only one who might know exactly what He is. Or at least how to find him.”
Toren matched pace beside her, surveying there surroundings for any sign of a threat. He nodded to Dion, a shape-shifter who takes the form of a large overgrown panther, an ally, a spy. Dion flashed his fangs. When a satyr dared to trail his eyes all over Suri’s leather clad body, he let his eyes glow, a sign to back off or die. Suri noticed none of this, or if she did, he wasn’t sure. She let nothing on. Just kept walking, those heels clicking against the concrete. “You mean the Oracle?”
“Yep.”
“Just one thing. The oracle is harder to find than He is. He comes out. She doesn’t.”
“That, my lovely fire breather, is a rumor.”
“Oh!”
“When you speak of the Oracle, you’re speaking of a person. A woman.” Blame it on modern day paranormal work that depicts oracles and seers as women or some insane object such as an eyeball. Mortals can display such stupidity and narrow mindedness at times. “This is the lore and nothing is ever what it seems. It’s only ever what it is.”
“You’re saying that the Oracle is not a person but a type of creature.”
“And they say men can’t be taught. That’s exactly what I’m saying. Think about it.” They turned the corner. “It’s common known that the Oracle knows all. Which must mean what?”
“That the oracle has many eyes and ears .”
Suri looked at Toren and smiled. “You really are a quick study, aren’t you fire breather?”
“I’m also a patient teacher as well.”
Suri let the innuendo slide right pass her. “Yeah. Sure. I’ll remember that.” She rolled her eyes. “Anyway, right now we’re running on nothing. No clue to where He is. All we know is what you’ve told us, that he had a meeting with the Sinn-Jammers a few weeks past. He could be who-knows-where by now. I doubt Jack will be all that incline to assist us either. We did steal his car and all...Jime, not me. Besides, I don’t know what kind of history those two have, but there was certainly fire blazing between them when we last met. Not the good fire either. So, I think the Oracle is a good place to start.”
“Yeah. One problem. We don’t know where the Oracle is.” They stopped in front of the Tavern. Even from outside, the music and commotion could be heard clearly. The Tavern always reminded Suri of an old western saloon. That was the thing about the underground. It really was the city that never sleeps.
A slow, wicked smile spread across Suri’s face. “You’ve forgotten one thing, savvy.”
“What’s that?”
She held her hands out. “I’m Captain Jack Sparrow.” With that, she opened the door and walked into the bar.
“Well, well, well. Look at what we have here. The witch bitch and her pet dragon. Just the girl I want to see. Thought you sold out on us.”
Toren snorted, a stream of smoke flowing from his nose. “I told you I would get her here.”