Chapter 5 Part Four

Jax found a movie on the television and I closed my eyes for a few minutes as I lay back on the couch. Five minutes later I felt a small body land on me and I groaned. Hannah had a way of hitting me exactly in the solar plexus, driving the air out of my body.

"I'm sorry," she said softly in my ear, and I opened my eyes to look at her.

"It's okay, Princess," I said and smiled.

"You smell like oranges and coffee," she said.

"You smell like roses and cotton candy," I said as she slid off me and sat down next to me as I moved up to make space for her.

"Okay, Shakespeare, what're the plans for the rest of the weekend?" Jax asked me as I wrapped Hannah's hair around my fingers.

"Money collections and sleep," I said as I closed my eyes again.

"You promised me a tea party," Hannah said and folded her arms across her chest.

"And a tea party," I added and I knew she was smiling.

"You can come too, Rev," she said sweetly and I turned my head to see him nod.

Rev had a very soft spot for Hannah although he never talked, we had caught him multiple times watching Disney movies with her while she played princess or had tea parties and he sat quietly with a tiara on his head.

"Breakfast's ready you mongrels," Martha shouted from the kitchen and we all jumped up.

We spent the weekend collecting money from various local businesses that we controlled and I deposited half into our accounts and locked the other half in the safe in my bedroom. The safe door itself worked on my fingerprint and retina scan, whereas the door that hid the safe had a combination of my fingerprint and a twelve digit pin.

I wasn't paranoid, I just wasn't taking any chances. We had a shitload of cash in the house, in case we needed to use cash only, and if we had to run for some reason. There were a set of fake ID's for each member of the house as well, because you never knew when shit could hit the fan.

I was still exhausted from the previous night's ceremony and I spent the weekend at home, dozing off in front of the television and the ringing phone woke me early on Sunday morning.

"This is Lucas," I answered with my eyes still closed.

"And this is Jesse. Are you awake?" he asked me as I smiled.

"Just about," I said to him.

"We'll be there in an hour," he said to me and I could hear he was driving.

"We?" I asked him.

"The Elders are following behind me, they are ready to share your ceremony with you," he said. I had forgotten about that.

"I'll be waiting in the meeting room," I said and he ended the call.

I showered and dressed in a suit again. This was how you met with Elders and I sighed as I looked at my reflection. I was still a bit pale and I felt tired, I had no idea the ceremony took so much out of you but I also felt strong and confident.

"What do you think they're going to tell us?" I asked Baz.

"They'll tell you what they found out about me, you know we get reincarnated," he mused.

"So why don't you just tell me," I said.

"I remember when I'm supposed to, halfling, don't judge me," he said and I saw him expel smoke from his nostrils.

"Sensitive much?" I asked him.

"Get your ass downstairs," he said to me and turned his back on me.

I had just finished my first cup of coffee when the front door opened. Jesse never knocked and I didn't expect him to either. I heard his voice as he led the three Elders to the meeting room and Reeves opened the door for Martha as she came in with muffins, pastries, and coffee.

"Thanks Martha, you're the best," I said to her.

"Of course I am, dear," she said with a wink and left the room as I stood up to welcome our guests.

"Morning Elders and welcome," I said as we shook hands and they took their seats.

"There have been a few interesting developments," Elder James said as he reached for a cup and they all helped themselves to the tray on the table.

"About my dragon?" I asked him.

"Yes, we haven't seen a gray dragon in nearly four hundred years," Elder Gareth exclaimed.

"Shit, you're old," I said to Baz.

"That will be Sir Baz to you then," he said and laughed in my head.

"So I take it that a gray dragon is exceptionally rare," I said, prompting them to start talking.

"The only mention of Bazzoit was recorded in the late sixteen hundreds, he was paired to a Sire of the Grey family," Elder Peter said.

"And now to me... does that mean anything?" I asked them.

"It means that your dragon is one of the oldest in history and therefore probably one of the strongest we've encountered in a long while. He will be able to tell you about his abilities as you both settle with each other," Elder Gareth said.

"And that's a problem, why?" I asked. I don't know why I said that but the thought just occurred to me.

"It will make you a target, as well as your family, being so young with such a strong beast will make people envy you and they will try to destroy you before you become more powerful. Remember our dragons grow with us, become stronger as we unite with them and it takes months sometimes years to realize your full potential," Elder James said.

"You should ask Bazzoit if he can camouflage himself," Elder Peter suggested.

"Can you, Baz?" I asked him.

"Perhaps," he said and stared at me.

"Yes or no, beast. This is for our own protection," I said to him.

"Yes I can, you're no fun," he said to me and I sighed.

"He says he can," I told them.

"You already seem to have a strong connection to him, may we speak with him?" Elder Gareth asked.

I felt Baz perk up at the mention of that and his thoughts reflected that he very much wanted to come forward. I felt him as he shifted to a more comfortable position and he flapped his wings once before folding them away.

"Speak Elder," Baz said through me as my eyes changed from green to yellow.

"You are quite magnificent, Bazzoit. What do you remember?" Elder James asked him.

"My memories are for me and my halfling alone, you should know your place, Elder," Baz said as he looked him in the eye and mentally I facepalmed myself at his disrespect.

"Forgive the intrusion, but you should do well to remember that you are merely a beast," Elder Peter said to him in an irritated tone of voice.

"Pfft, you may be an Elder but you are no match for me," Baz said and their eyes widened.

I felt Baz pushing forward taking control completely as he pushed himself out of me and I felt a tearing sensation as his soul tore from mine. My eyes changed back to green and Baz stood proudly next to me, the claws on his wings scraping the ceiling. My jaw dropped as I looked at him in his full glory and I could feel the sudden fear radiating from the Elders.

"I am the dragon," Baz said as he glared at them. "Know your place, halfling Elders."

"Baz," I said to him and he turned his head to look at me.

"Fine, but now they know not to push me," he said and I felt him merge with me after making a small grumbling sound in their direction. When he had left my body I had felt empty and that feeling of being whole and complete came back as soon as Baz merged with me again.

"What the hell was that?" Jesse asked as he looked at me with wide eyes.

"How did you do that?" Elder Peter asked me.

"I don't know, I just felt Baz move," I said honestly.

"You aren't supposed to be able to do that for at least two more years and not without training," Elder Gareth said.

"Baz is pretty impressive," I said and I saw him roll his eyes. I wanted to laugh because he looked ridiculous doing it but I kept my demeanor respectful.

"You should camouflage your beast whenever you leave the safety of your house and the less people know about your true dragon the better off your family will be. We don't mean to disrespect your dragon as I can see he is quite fierce and strong-willed, but if you want to survive until you've reached your full potential, then that is what must be done," Elder Peter said.

"I'll speak to Baz," I said as they all nodded.

"Should you need further assistance, don't hesitate to contact us. This meeting never took place and according to us this gray dragon is no different than a violet dragon, that is the official message that will be sent out. No other lair has ever had a gray dragon so nobody will know the difference or question what we say, we serve the Grey lair and have done so for a few hundred years, keep your secrets quiet," Elder James said.

"So basically you're telling me to reign my beast in and pretend not to be as strong as I really am," I said.

"Exactly, choose your battles wisely, the time for Bazzoit to be revealed will come and then you will have the element of surprise on your side," Elder Peter said.

They stood up and we shook hands again as Jesse showed them to the front door. I remained seated at the table and mulled over everything they had just told us. I wondered if Baz would start remembering now that he had been fully awakened.

"Did you really have to do that?" I asked Baz.

"People should know their place and I really don't like being underestimated," he replied.

"I think one of them might have peed a little," I said and he laughed out loud and rolled onto his back.

"I like you, halfling," he said after a while and I grinned to myself.

"Good Baz, seems like we're stuck with each other," I said and he sat upright again.

"Oh, Lucas, we're going to have so much fun together," he said.

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not," I said as he flapped his wings again.

"We are meant to dominate, Lucas. Soon I'll show you how we control others," he said to me.

"How the hell is that possible?" I asked him and he smirked at me.

"Easy, because we're stronger than Sired Violet dragons," he said.