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Chapter 79 - Tagan
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Circle of the Stars Chapter 80 - Hollyn
On that grim note, the doorbell rang. I jolted at the unexpected sound. My chuckle was a little strained. I think the jolt was the least of the available options and I was pretty proud of myself for being so restrained. It wasn't every day I received the news: Hey, kill your psychotic, incestuous, rapist uncle or unleash a living hell on Earth. But hey, no pressure or anything.I shook off the negative voice inside me. I could do this. I snorted mentally. I would do this. I had to. Not just for me. But for my men. Drace and Finn and their thunder. For Ari. For my mom. I had to do this and I had to win. By any means possible. Grumpy cleared his throat. "Um, cheeks, clothes. Now."I looked down. Sighed. My magical clothes had disappeared again and I had no idea when."Thank the bloody gods," Finn whispered as I walked by. I hunched my shoulders. Magical clothes weren't quite second nature yet, spank me. Jeez, it wasn't like I was trying to flash Finn and Drace. I sighed.
Circle of the Stars Chapter 81 - Thane
I looked at Drace. "Are we good to go with Castleworth?" I still couldn't believe the man was a dragon shifter. His business skills were legendary. They were taught in my MBA classes. He was an example in my ethics seminars of professional conduct and sound judgment. Drace smiled. "Yeah, he's coming. He should be here by nightfall if he can travel with the setting sun."I tried to keep the smile off my face. This was not Christmas, and I was a grown ass man. Getting to meet one of my professional heroes should not make me want to jump up and down like a little kid. Or Stretch when she finally took her clothes off at the end of the day. "Wonderful. Then let's gather what we will need for training," Ari said. "I have not been able to locate a garden here. Gardens are necessary for magic."I shook my head. "We were going to get one put together for Hollyn, but we've been a bit busy. What do you need?"Ari's smile was a bit toothy. "I'll make you a list. I'll bring some clippin
Circle of the Stars Chapter 82 - Hollyn
I could feel them. As if each of my guys was rubbing his power against my mind and heart, I struggled to pay attention to Ari. I nodded as I watched her speak, but everything inside me was tucked up close next to my men. "Granddaughter, if you are not going to pay attention, will you at least stop with the moony sighs?" She sighed heavily. "You're very distracting."I felt my cheeks go red. "Sorry, Ari." I turned to the living room. Saw them all grouped together like old friends. Once again, I was the one singled out. Left on the outside yearning to be included. Ari's hand covered my own. "You are not alone, garinion. You have bonded, you have mated. You create the base of your inner circle. They are simply out of arm's reach. Simply call out and they will come to you."I looked at her. Her pure blue eyes watched me steadily. She nodded. "Star Mistresses are always set apart. Had you grown up anywhere but that wretched Valley, you would know your worth. Know that you are w
Circle of the Stars Chapter 83 - Hollyn
I wrinkled my nose, coughed around the burn in my throat. "What is this? Fire water?" I clunked the glass back down on the slightly sticky table. I shook my head. "How the heck do people drink this? Why do they drink it?"Drace rocked to my side. She'd downed at least three of the little glasses full of pale amber liquid before I'd even taken my seat fully. "Cuz they like the effects, not the taste, corcra." Her shoulder bumped into mine as her fiery breath grazed my cheek. Ari smiled as she sipped from a bigger glass. The beautiful crimson liquid in it was a little mesmerizing as it dipped and flowed under the low lights in the bar. "Drace, why do you allow Finn to get under your skin?"Drace jerked upright as she tossed back another tiny drink. She narrowed her eyes at my grandmother. "Under my skin? The bastard owns my heart, don't think he doesn't.""He's your mate?" I asked. She shook her head. "No. He's promised to another, the fecking reptile. But I'll not be the tal
Circle of the Stars Chapter 84 - Toven
I glared at the clock again. How? How has it only been two hours? It felt like a full freaking year has gone by with Hols gone. Finn slapped the back of my head. "Focus." I glared at him. "On your dragon, not your mate," he said drolly. I flipped him off. "Easy for you to fucking say."He snorted. "You've no idea what you're talking about, boyo, so best be careful of the next words from your mouth."My eyebrows winged up. "What does that mean?"He shook his blonde head, sighed. Scrubbed a hand down his face. "It doesn't matter. Not unless your girl is a miracle worker." His head tipped to the side. "Or Ari. I guess if anyone could talk sense into her, it would be Ari." He shook his head. "Doesn't matter. What matters right now is getting familiar enough with your dragon that you can protect your mate and our Star Mistress. So get your head out of her -"I glared at him. He smirked. "Pants, you perv. And focus on your training."The floor trembled under our feet
Circle of the Stars Chapter 85 - Hollyn
I forced the last bite of the steak between my lips. I figured my stomach could make room for it somewhere, because I certainly wasn't leaving it on the plate. I moaned as the perfectly seared and seasoned beef's flavor exploded on my tongue. "Mm, so good," I sighed as my eyelids fluttered closed again. It was like I'd never eaten anything this delicious in my life. I hadn't. That was the problem. I was going to make the guys buy me steak everyday if it tasted this good. I opened my eyes as I swallowed. Ari and Drace were just as lost in their own meals. I'm pretty sure Ari was swaying side to side slightly as her face showed her glorious rapture. Apparently, garlic parmesan chicken breasts were just as tasty as my steak had been. Drace forked up the last bit of her baked potato. Something else I'd never had before. We'd eaten potatoes in the Village, but they were either sliced up and fried in a vat of animal fat or boiled. I was not a fan of boiled potatoes. But these. Th
Circle of the Stars Chapter 86 - Tagan
I felt my dragon pushing at my skin. Only the fact that we were out in public kept me from losing control and shifting. Cheeks, answer me, I demanded.Silence. Cold, brain-numbing silence was my answer. We bolted around the last corner as the light show ended. How thousands of people weren't standing around with their cell phones pointed at the alley, I didn't know. And right now, I didn't really care. I screeched to a halt. Cheeks wasn't there. Ari and Drace were holding each other up, tears running down their faces as wrenching loss infused the air like a full face of pepper spray. I reached out for her with my mind. Cheeks. Answer me, dammit.I waited for what felt like ten years. Stillness, an open void where her voice should have been. Soul rending stillness. "What happened? Where the hell is Hollyn?" Tove asked, his voice hard and piercing. Ari and Drace jolted. Turned towards us. That these two independently powerful women were essentially quaking had my drago
Circle of the Stars Chapter 87 - Hollyn
Agony ate at my brain. As if every single nerve in my body was singed, my body couldn't figure out which pain to listen to first. Even my eyelashes hurt. How do eyelashes hurt?Oh. Right. Get sucked through a magical vacuum thingy attached to a human stain and pulled through dimensional rifts. Or whatever the heck had happened. A familiar sigh sounded. "Hollyn, I know you're awake. Stop moaning and groaning," Lucinda, head bitch priestess said. I shuddered. Felt my soul crumple inside me. I was back. In the middle of my nightmare that never allowed escape. The Village. Easing my eyes open, I saw that I was back within the four walls that had been my physical cage for so many years. The only place in the room long enough for me to stretch out fully was laying at a diagonal from corner to corner. No windows. But the leaky roof did provide some measure of light and breeze. And rain when the gods blessed us with it. My grandmother's voice rang through my mind again. Do not li
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Circle of the Stars Chapter 138 - Epilogue II
Eleven Months Later"Give me my babies, Grumpy. I carried them. I get to hold them." I held out my arms. My tired and noodley arms. I didn't care if I could barely hold them up. I was going to snuggle with my three girls until we all fell asleep anyways. He slid the one wrapped in purple into my arms. "So bossy, cheeks." He kissed my sweaty brow. "I love it. But I'm still the boss." My daughter's blonde hair and dark purple eyes were a startling combination. Her dusky skin made her even more exotic looking. I blew a raspberry at him. "That's what you think. We've got you outnumbered now."Tove carried over the little girl snuggled in pink. "Yes, you do. We're all going to be wrapped around your fingers. Hell, I already am and I have no problem admitting it." With her citrine eyes and black hair, she was just as pretty as her sister. Thane smiled. He laid the little bundle of yellow on my chest. "I'm right there with you. They're perfect, Stretch. Just like you." Little Miss Sun
Circle of the Stars Chapter 137 - Epilogue
One month laterI looked at the little computer screen. Squinted. When that didn't help, I rubbed my eyes. Blinked. Looked at the screen again. "Are you sure?" I asked. The nice dragon smiled at me. "Very sure, my lady."I grimaced at the name. But no matter how many times I told people not to call me that, they continued to do so anyways. I shook my head. "I still don't believe you.""Cheeks, you're pregnant. You can't tell me all the crazy mood swings and eating us out of house and home has been lost on you," Grumpy snapped at me. His face was basically plastered to the little screen. I glared at the back of his head. "If that's so, maybe I should go live with Drace and Finn. They won't bitch at me."He turned with a snarl. "Try it and see what happens."The dragon healer chuckled, the sound a little uncomfortable. "Perhaps we could all calm down. New mothers, especially dragon carriers, need to be calm and happy." I raised my eyebrows in victory at Grumpy. "Yeah. No m
Circle of the Stars Chapter 136 - Hollyn
"Where is she? Where's my granddaughter? Hollyn, he was lying. He was lying, baby!" Ari raced up. Tears and fear soaked her voice. "I would never do that. Not ever. You're mine. Just as your mother was mine. I don't trade one for the other. I'd never do that." I looked up at Tove, his blue green eyes smiling down at me. "Think I should talk to her?"He nodded. "You know you want to. I can tell." He gave me a cheeky wink. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Watch it, mister."He smacked his lips to mine. "You just smashed Merlin into light particles. I'm pretty sure you can handle a discussion with your Grams."I smiled hugely. I had smashed Merlin into light particles. His bitchass was no more. My eyes widened. "Shit!" I pushed Tove off me. "We've got to get out of here. Merlin's gone. The Valley could collapse at any second."Ari crushed me into her body. "He was lying. He was lying. I swear to you he was lying." She kept saying the same thing over and over again, her eyes wi
Circle of the Stars Chapter 135 - Toven
I still rushed forward. I would do whatever was necessary to help her win this. To get her back. To bring her home. Literally blind, I plowed into someone. She gave a hoarse oomph as we smashed to the ground and rolled. "Batman," she whispered. Then she settled her lips on mine. Two more heavy bodies crushed down on us. She inhaled sharply. "Can't...breathe."With a grunt, I forced myself to my hands and knees. Made a cage of protection over her. My brothers rolled off to the sides. "Sorry!" Tag said as he popped back up."Damnit, Tag," Thane snarled. "You good, sweet girl?" I whispered. She nodded. "As long as you're all here, I'm better than good."Soon, she was in our arms in another Hollyn burrito.
Circle of the Stars Chapter 134 - Hollyn
I saw his smug stupid face as he smiled up at me.He raised a hand. The energy crackled like pale pink lightning in his palm. His lips moved. The stores of my magic that had been topped off with Chaos' boost bubbled and writhed as I filled them with starshine. There were no longer any stars in my bright Autumn sky. None. Save for one. The sun. Using a thread of Chaos' magic, I linked up to the shining orb that rested high above our globe's heavens. The power shivered and danced through me. An unbreakable link that let me see far beyond what my eyes were capable of. The hint of pink shot from Merlin's hand, straight at me. I steadied myself. Prayed that my magic would hold me true. That I wasn't going to be the reason everyone in my life, in this fucking Valley, died. Just as the spinning, crackling sphere of pure energy neared me, it burst into a rainbow of motes. I hurtled towards the earth and an idea began to form. I had no idea if it would work, but I was out
Circle of the Stars Chapter 133 - Toven
He dies. Right now. I was torn between screaming in victory and yelling at my girl until I ruined my voice forever. Either way, I was out of time. As we raced up the final small hill, I saw her dart down from her spot in the sky. We thrust through the line of Wardens as she angled herself like an arrow at the man who had caused all of this. "You shouldn't have told me my men were dead." Her voice was in my head, but I could also hear it as if she'd whispered it to me. Shit. I poured on the speed.
Circle of the Stars Chapter 132 - Hollyn
I gritted my teeth. Tried to convince myself it was a lie. He wrapped a hand in my hair, yanked my head back. With his free hand, he displayed another screen of some kind. "Watch, pet. Watch with me as you realize your doom." A picture wobbled and then steadied in front of me."My daughter, Hollyn's mother, crying out for me," Ari said as she turned to look at someone.Grumpy. She was with Grumpy. They were both wearing the clothes we'd arrived in. The backdrop of the picture showed the hollowed out remains of the Village. Body and pieces of creatures dotted the ground."She's gone. You said yourself that she was gone. Cheeks told us." Grumpy squeezed her arm. Ari's gaze darted over his shoulder, back to his face. Her blue eyes were wide, scared. She shook her head. "You don't understand.""NO!" I screamed and thrashed against his hold. My heart stuttered in my chest. "No!" She was just like everyone else. Only using me for my power. For what I could give her. She wanted
Circle of the Stars Chapter 131 - Tagan
I sliced through the last zombie that stood in front of me. Wiped a hand over my brow. I hadn't thought there were that many people in here the last time. But I guess if Merlin could raise one, he could raise all the dead people here. Time wouldn't really be a factor. Ari yanked her sword back, spit on the corpse that still twitched at her feet. "And stop touching my shoes!" She hacked off the creature's hand. I snorted, causing her to look up at me. A blush rose over her cheeks. "Sorry. That wasn't very goddess-like."I shrugged it away. "Honestly, I liked it better than the goddessy parts you usually show. A bit more real."She smiled as she looked around the Village. Dead bodies littered the ground like trash in an abandoned alley. "Where is everyone else?" She looked at me. I pointed to the right. "Apparently there were a lot coming in from the standing stones. I'm guessing these were the old Villagers?" I shrugged. Oh well. They'd deserved to die for treating my Sweet
Circle of the Stars Chapter 130 - Hollyn
I bent my knees to keep my balance as I soared on Drace's back. I hadn't really been thinking about anything but destroying Merlin when I launched myself towards the sky. Luckily, my bestie had my back. Although...I think I might have been able to fly for a little bit there. I focused as huge, gleaming balls of pure energy were launched into the sky. He's throwing magical grenades, I announced to the dragons. Hold on, Mistress, Drace said. She started dipping and dodging, weaving and winding in the sky as she tried to miss being hit with the missiles of unadulterated power. I lost my balance and landed on my ass between her spikes. Luckily, they felt like feathers instead of the sharp knives of Thane's scales the first time I'd hit those. I clenched my hand around the one directly in front of me as I held on for dear life. I'm going to swoop down and let you off. You're nothing up here but an easy target, corcra. Just make sure you stay alive down there until I can come and
