RomanticSynonymous

Year of Dragonfire

2012-01-23T22:49:00.000-08:00

The fire surrounding him reached toward the moon and her icy light, and caused him agony at first. It was the well-known agony of rebirth, of generation after generation of rising on this lost-paradise world.

Only now the fifth dimension beckoned as foretold in the ancient prophecies, as held in the bosom of the Hopi people. Soon the Blue Star would arrive, and many in the world would shake in terror.

Phoenix. Dragon. Firebird. Names for his various forms, for his supernatural ability to shapeshift from rainbow-tailed phoenix to flame-snorting dragon to a bird with blazing feathers.

Once the daggering pain lessened, he writhed, his impatience to rise, to live again nearly as agonizing as the towering blazes birthing his corporeal form. A woman's name whispered through him -- Alexis... Alexis... Alexis... she must be the One.

With his sinuous essence only degrees denser than the tornadic bonfire, he concentrated on absorbing the blistering heat. His scales emerged, and began to harden. He felt the faint throb of his heart, the timid trickling of his blood.

He knew not where on Earth his resurrection occurred, where his pyre had been placed this time by those who had first bred his kind -- accomplished by means of frequency magic and the use of chimera genetics. Originally, the Creators had loosed their Dragonfire beasts in the four corners of the world to watch over humankind, mere fledglings in the grand universe.

Later their mission had been to cleanse the world of the fallen ones. That mission had not yet been fulfilled. But the time had come for the final battle, and the final salvation.

To his knowledge only he remained on Earth. This, because of his love for the flora and fauna paradise planet. And, because of his heart-bold fondness for the human race. Because he desired that these children of the goddesses and gods live free, breathe free.

The cyclonic fiery winds of creation spun him fully into existence, then ceased, and he soared high. Around him, the night sky sparkled with the stars he adored, and with the new stars he would come to know.

He sensed one who had been his ancient enemy, one he had defeated in several savage battles yet been unable to destroy. With the moon bright to his new eyes, he seared his gaze over the celestial dome, looking... expecting.

An immense shadow blotted out a section of the starry sky, and surged in his direction. Unhurried yet deliberate, the leviathan winged toward him, keeping his form transparent.

Already evil found him.
~~~~~~

Happy Year of the Dragon!

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

The end of the beginning...

2012-01-21T06:39:00.000-08:00

...or the beginning of the end?

"They won't come"
"They will. They must."
And so it began, the for-almost-forever ritual - the mother disclaiming, the daughter affirming, a habit so long-ingrained that neither even looked at the other as they slid into the familiar pattern.
"They won't."
For once Alexis did look at her mother. It was an instinctive thing. Her gaze wrenched from its study of the long road that twisted out of sight beyond the trees and settled on Kallyn's seemingly quiet and composed folding of the laundry. She seemed wholly herself, and yet...
Did I imagine it? Just for a moment she sounded... anxious?... hopeful?... relieved?
Finding no physical evidence to confirm the odd inner resonance, Alexis turned once more to the window. Suddenly impatient, she thrust it wide, catching her breath as the cold blast of air caught her unawares.
"You'll catch your death, child," Kallyn chided gently, but Alexis pulled the rug from the window seat and wrapped herself warmly, then leaned out on the wide sill.
The wind was rising, it's breath an icy bite on her cheeks, and promised, perhaps, an early snowfall.
"The moon is nearly full." That seemed important somehow, though she couldn't think why. For years, ever since she could remember, she'd sat at this window, her eyes tracing the silvered promise of the road beneath the rising moon. Seasons had come and gone, moons had waxed and waned. Why should this one be any different?
"So it is." Her mother spoke with an edge of quiet humor, but she paused in her housekeeping and moved to stand beside Alexis. "It's beautiful."
Alexis shivered. There it was again... a subtle sense of something beneath the quiet surface of her mother's calm. She stole a sidelong look, caught a brief, wistful expression, a ripple of disquiet, a...
"What are you thinking?"
The question asked itself, and in an instant the old calm, the habitual control, had returned.
"That it's getting late."
"You're tired. Go to bed, I'll sit a while." And watch. And wait. As I have done all my life.
"You don't have to do this, Alex. They won't--"
"They will. Maybe not tonight, maybe not tomorrow or next week or--"
"You don't even know who 'they' are."
The protest seemed impatient, infused with all kinds of layers of meaning that wouldn't pause long enough to be grabbed hold of. But, in that moment, a startling truth blazed with undeniable simplicity.
"But you do." She caught her mother's hand. "You know, don't you?"
"I..." For a long while mother and daughter stared at one another, shared a look that spoke all yet nothing, that whispered secrets and longings and fears and... Then Kallyn drew her hand away, and turned to look at the silvered roadway snaking into the distance. "Perhaps I do. But my time has passed. I tried to protect you... spare you... I--"
She turned and with a swish of skirts was gone.

Free Read - The Neverending Story Part 1

2012-01-21T05:31:00.000-08:00

All posts in "Part 1" have been compiled into a single book, now downloadable as a free read. But the saga continues, with some of our authors staying the course and new ones joining us. All round, we're set for a wonderful journey of romance, mystery, fantasy and intrigue... don't go away!

No, I'm Done

2010-06-17T00:31:00.000-07:00

No, I’m Done
by Savanna Kougar

Kallyn raced behind Odric for several strides. Then, she simply stopped.

“Kallyn,” he shouted, spinning around to her. “Come on!”

“No, I’m done running.” Stubbornly, she folded her arms. “At least, for now.” Even though Odric’s urgent gaze begged her, and her own heart pleaded with her, Kallyn ignored it, remaining resolute. “What good is being powerful, if I can’t use that power for some time off?”

Whipping around, Odric fastened his gaze on the ominous amoeba-looking cloud that spread over the heavens.

“Kallyn, time off?”

“I n-e-e-d time off.” She felt her chin jut out.

“Do you know what that is?” Odric appealed to her with his caring, loving voice.

Kallyn eyed the disgusting ugliness above her. “Some type of portent of what is about to hit Earth and the people on Earth.”

“You’re saying we’re not in immediate danger, then?” Odric stepped closer and cupped her shoulders between his warm palms. His love for her shone with such a deep intensity in his eyes, Kallyn swooned inside.

“We’re always in danger. But not ‘immediately’ from that. I want to go dancing.” Kallyn thought for seconds. “Salsa dancing.” Even as she spoke the massive cloud shroud covered most of the night sky. “Look, if humanity doesn’t get its act together, and soon, the gathering evil,” Kallyn pointed upwards, “is... well, it’s going to do what evil always does. Be terrifically nasty and horribly nightmarish.”

“People need to say ‘no’, don’t they?”

“With a collective and unyielding voice. Yes, humanity needs to say ‘no’ more.”

Odric smile. His countenance provided the light that let her see his smile. “Let’s go dancing, my love.”

“Yes.” She leaned toward her Odric and stroked along his strong, gorgeously muscled arms. Before her mind’s eye, she pictured Salsa dancing with him. Kallyn blinked, her magickal signal to herself.

Around them, sultry Latin music throbbed, blazing her blood. Sweeping her hard against him, Odric swung her among the other dancers. “Where are we, my Kallyn?”

“A nightclub in Miami, Florida, my darling Odric.”

“Shall we dance the days away until the oil arrives?”
~~~~~~

Have a Wonderful Summer...

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Save the Planet!

2010-05-28T16:22:00.000-07:00

The planes shot on past them, past the Alien invasion of space ships, out, out and up, cleared the clouds and now they could see them shining in the sun.

“Bombers? Drop bombs on Alien space ships?”

Kallyn spun around in Odric’s arms until she could see his handsome face in her thoughts.
“They aren’t stopping to attack. They’re going right up the sky.”

“They aren’t anything I’ve seen before,” Odric admitted. “They look like bombers but they move like rockets. There’s something shooting out of them. Mist? Steam? No, wait, look!”

And while they hung suspended in their cloud, Odric’s astral body wrapped around her as warm as sunlight, moving her away from the dense fog swirling around the Alien fleet.

One by one the Alien space ships began to come apart, slowly, like candy melting in the sun, until they were reduced to millions of tiny black dots.

“What on earth?”

“Acts like one of those chemicals they use to break up oil spills,” Odric said.

The air currents caught the dots and carried them out over the ocean and Odric followed, carrying Kallyn. They heard the Earth fleet scream by, swinging in a U turn.

“I once saw an airshow of the Blue Angels. They flew like that in formation and at unbelievable speeds,” Kallyn said.

“Perhaps they were training for this very mission.” Odric hovered above the sea and they watched the dots, no larger than pebbles, sink slowly into the deep waves and disappear.

“Have we just seen our world saved?” Kallyn asked.

Surprising her, Odric hugged her tightly and the face she couldn’t see in the shimmer of his astral form came down until his warm lips touched hers. Between kisses he whispered, “And if saving the world doesn’t deserve a vacation, what does, my darling?”

Hours later, stretched on another warm beach in another part of the world, they clung to each other’s earthly forms and gazed up into the night sky, counting stars.

“The moon on water, is there anything more beautiful or peaceful?” Kallyn asked.

“Beautiful, yes, but I am not sure about peaceful. Kallyn, do you see that white shimmer coming out from behind the moon?”

“Umm yes, I think so. Is it moonlight reflecting on a cloud?”

“I wish!” Odric cried. Jumping up he grabbed her hand and shouted, “Run, Kallyn, run!”

Phoebe Matthews
Photo by Phoebe

Time for Disclosure

2010-05-08T15:15:00.000-07:00

Pic from ~ http://darkbird18.wordpress.com ~

Odric twined his astral body around Kallyn and shot them skyward until they hovered above the shadow mass. Not shadow, but an armada of alien craft.

“Omygawd, they look like a mile’s long swarm of flying beetles,” Kallyn uttered in mindspeak. “Talk about a plague of locusts.” She paused, struggling to overcome her shock. “So, not funny,” she added about her own words.

“No, not funny. The invasion has begun.” Odric drifted them higher, aware there were sensor instruments that could detect their energy presence.

“Invasion?” She’d asked the obvious, but Kallyn had a real nasty hunch she already knew the answer.

“Invasion, yes, but not like the typical Hollywood version. This is a demand that the truth be told. It’s time for disclosure.” Odric merged them with a friendly cloud, one that was frothy enough to let them observe the slow-moving armada that kept it’s storm-cloud covering. For now.

“Disclosure. You mean it’s time for governments to fess up, or come out of the closet and tell what they know about the Aliens living among us.” Kallyn settled herself in Odric’s loving embrace. Funny how the sensations were so similar, almost as if they were back in their bodies.

“That’s what I mean, my beloved.”

“And, what happens if THEY don’t?”

“I don’t know all the strategies of the Federation. Though, sightings of UFOs will increase dramatically. And, the various swarms as you’ve called them are in position all over the planet to present themselves as an invading force.”

“Why that tactic?” Kallyn shivered with the very thought. “That seems counter-productive. Won’t it just cause wide-scale panic... people throwing themselves off bridges, going nuts... you know what I’m saying.”

“I do. And that type of panic is likely to occur, if... if the pretend invasion occurs. But it’s also a message to Earth’s shadow government.”

“Oh God, what message?”

“We’re bigger, badder and our technology makes yours look like a tinker toy set.”

“Oh.” Kallyn stared as the beetle armada formed into one huge colossal triangular shape.

“There are certain alien members of the Federation that have grown tired of the oppression on Earth. They don’t want it spreading to their sectors of the galaxy,” Odric explained.

“I can understand that.” Kallyn quaked inside with the future possibilities facing the people of Earth. “Yeah, I know NASA is merely the candy wrapper on a Mars Bar. As I understand it, the real space program already has a presence on Mars and flies the solar system.”

About to reply, Odric buried them deeper inside their cloud. Around them, the sound of the thunder trembled the skies. From every direction stealth bombers streaked toward the Aliens.
~~~~~~

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Beam me down, Scotty!

2010-04-22T13:09:00.000-07:00

Dull aluminum. Utterly massive.

“A space ship,” she whispered.

“Got it in one,” Odric’s astral form whispered back.

“But what do they want? Odric, what’s happening? Are we time travelling? Is this the future?”

He was nothing more than a shimmering form but she knew that baritone voice anywhere. “No, the creatures in that ship are the space travellers. They are trying to extract souls to study. The idea of a soul is new to them. Now that you are on the astral plane, they can’t find any life signs in your body.”

“And where is your body?”

She felt his misty form weaving around her and it was strangely sensual, as they drifted through each other. It was as though she could feel his breath on her skin, although neither of them was any more substantial than a cloud. Interwoven with her, he guided her back to the space ship. They floated through portals and walls until they reached a room filled with glass cases. Each one contained a human who appeared to be sleeping.

Pausing before a case, he said, “When they can’t wake you, they will bring you here.”

She peered through the glass and saw Odric, her Odric, tall and strong and darkly handsome, sleeping in a container that reminded her of the glass casket in the Disney version of Snow White.

“My God, Odric, it’s you! How do we get our bodies back?”

“We can’t. Not for a while. I’ve been watching these creatures and they follow a set pattern. They work through four days and nights and then they all fall into a deathlike sleep for forty-eight hours. This is day three of their waking cycle. When they sleep, we can return and reclaim our bodies and try to free the others.”

Was there no end to this madness? “I don’t understand,” Kallyn thought, her thoughts touching his mind. “Who is Adrian? Where is Cecily? What was that beach?”

“These creatures prod our brains in their research. And they touch our stored memories, both real ones and imaginary memories that we build out of stories we’ve read or films we’ve seen. Adrian and Cecily are memories. But the beach, well, come along, love, it isn’t far from here and it is very real and we have a whole day to waste before these monsters sleep.”

Spinning her around in his cloud embrace, he shot through a porthole and up into the heavens and rose and dove and danced them both across miles of shining sky until she could smell the ocean. They sailed above it until he swung her around toward the shore and they glided down slowly to a warm stretch of sand.

“Let’s spend the day lying on the beach,” he murmured. “We deserve a rest, my love. And we don’t even need sun lotion because we can’t burn.”

Kallyn felt the sand as gently as she felt Odric’s nearness, soft, gritty, sun warm. Nearby she saw children playing and heard them laughing. And above the beach she saw a row of brightly colored beach houses.

“This is paradise,” she agreed.

And then a shadow, as dark as night, blocked the sun. She stared up at the impossibly black cloud above them and screamed.

- Phoebe Matthews

You Need to Die

2010-04-14T03:05:00.000-07:00

Aunt Cecily’s cackle sounded like a distant echo. Only it grew stronger, closer, more hideous with every passing instant. Barely aware of her own existence, Kallyn blinked her eyes. Or she thought she did. Black and more black. All around her... black.
Was she in a cave? If so, where were the distinct odors?
Did she dare even speak? Would that bring her evil aunt to her exact location... wherever that was?
Kallyn tried to think beyond the cacophony of sinister laughter. But that seemed impossible
Focusing only on her own breathing, she opened her mind and searched her surroundings using her sixth sense. How she knew to do this, she owned not a freaking clue.
A room. A prison. Isolation. Someone kept her prisoner. Someone tortured her, using her aunt’s wicked laughter.
“Don’t move,” a disembodied voice whispered. “They’ll know you’re awake.”
Truthfully, Kallyn wasn’t certain she’d heard the words she thought she’d heard.
Still, some part of her decided not to move. Besides, why move? Exhaustion claimed every last cell of her body.
“She’s not responding,” a doctor-type voice reported.
Kallyn streamed her awareness toward his voice. Once she floated outside of the black room, she saw only sterile-looking corridors. They were arranged like spokes on a wheel.
“Be careful,” the disembodied voice encouraged. “Don’t react to anything you see.”
Spying what appeared to be a series of large observation windows, Kallyn moved her awareness in that direction. “Oh, god.”
“No. Don’t react.”
Calming herself, Kallyn flowed from window to window in her astral form. Creatures she’d never seen before were inside the rooms. The horrific part... each one of them resembled her in some way when she shifted to dragoness.
“What have they done?” she asked as neutrally as she could.
“Stolen your DNA. Tried to clone you. But they can’t. Not yet.”
“How do I escape?” she asked as if she merely asked the time of day.
There was a pause. “You need to die.”
“Isn’t that a bit drastic?”
“Leave your body. Soar away from here. Now...”
“SHE’S FULLY AWAKE! YOU FOOL, TURN ON THE ...”
Kallyn shot her astral body upwards. Sunlight blasted her. Blue sky welcomed her. Free, she halted, looking downward. The complex shone like dull aluminum. Utterly massive, it was almost beyond comprehension.
Slowly rotating, Kallyn wondered where in the hell she was, actually. Nothing, absolutely nothing looked familiar.

~~~~~~

Happy Reading!

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

A Step Back

2010-03-26T21:35:00.000-07:00

Kallyn froze. Odric jerked her arm. “Run, Kallyn! We have to run,” feared washed across his beautiful features.

She stared at him briefly them followed his gaze back to the beach where she’d imagined the man Adrian. She wasn’t sure what was real and what was imagination. The air on the beach had become heavy. She gasped for air as her legs gained weight with each breath. Her feet felt like she wore cement shoes. What was happening to her?

“We’ve got to go now, Kallyn.” Odric’s sensual baritone voice oozed over her. She felt the warmth and love she’d come to associate with Odric, but she just couldn’t look away from the beach.

The air became heavier until a form began to appear then lights began to flicker and spark within the form. Was this Adrian, or was this something or someone else? Her head began to hurt as the light became brighter and brighter.

“Kallyn, come back to me….please, come back to me,” The voice was vaguely familiar. A man stepped out of the light and started toward her. Pain shot through her brain.

“No, stop! Please stop!” She collapsed to her knees. Tears poured down her face as she stared at the man running toward her.

“Concentrate, Kallyn,” Odric ordered as he came back to her side, and knelt down beside her. Placing both hands around her face, he made her stare into his eyes. “Concentrate, you CAN do this.”

The crashing sounds of the surf, the slapping noise of footsteps in the sand along with the heat from the sun engulfed her tiny form. Then pain…horrible, gut-wrenching pain overwhelmed her from head to toe. She looked at her hands, and her fingers now sported long claw-like nails. She glanced down and filmy silk adorned her abdomen and hips. Her shoulder began to burn as large wings ripped through tender human flesh as her hair caressed her shoulders in long black tresses.

“Oh, just great!” she stared at Odric, and he began to change as well.

“No, Kallyn…you are human. Say it, Kallyn…You ARE human. This is in your mind,” she could feel the pain in his voice as he screamed at her. He said his name was Adrian, yes…Adrian. That was his name.

Odric stroked her face once more. “Trust me, Kallyn…only me.” His soft voice caressed her mind. She was certain his mouth didn’t move. Adrian was almost at her side. Odric still held her face in his hands, but they weren’t hands anymore. She stared into his beautiful eyes then the darkness claimed her.

By Barb Starmer--The Truth Makes Me Strong**Love Makes Me Invincible!

Parallel worlds?

2010-03-20T22:09:00.000-07:00

Wasn't that a favorite science fiction theme?

Kallyn scrunched across the sand, loved the heat of it under her feet and at the same time she hated the glare of the sun in her eyes. That’s what her life seemed to be turning into, one big glare with nothing making sense. Shading her eyes, she stared out across the water. As long as she wasn’t looking at him or touching him, she knew Adrian wasn’t a real part of her life. He was a plant, a man put there to mislead her.

And what did that make her? The center of a worldwide plot or simply a decoy? Why was it that when she was with Odric her life seemed logical and where was he, anyway?

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw nothing but empty beach. That Adrian didn’t have much staying power. Kallyn sank to her knees and began drawing designs in the sand. Doodles. Anything to keep her hands busy while her mind faltered.

And then he sank down in front of her. She didn’t look up. She watched his hand draw a tic tac toe pattern.

“You first,” he said.

“What do I get if I win?”

He did that familiar laugh. “Me.”

“Do I want you?”

“Don’t you?”

Lifting her chin, she stared into his eyes. “Odric, what I want are answers. I don’t know what’s real and what isn’t.”

He looked past her and grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet and shouted, “Kallyn, run for your life! Come on!”

Phoebe Matthews

Lost in Reality

2010-03-11T08:47:00.000-08:00

Slowly the pain subsided as she tried to make sense of what real and fantasy. Warm rough hands caressed her skin bringing her back to herself. Could it really be real and everything else a dream? Odric nothing more than a figment of her mind? She slowly looked at the man holding her. The pain in his eyes too intense to be disbelieved.

"Adrian.." She whispered. Her throat threatened to close as she searched his face. Hot tears streamed unimpeded down her cheeks. "What happened? I'm so confused."

"I know, it's alright." Wrapping his arms around her, he pressed her cheek to his shoulder. "The doctors said this could happen. You have periods of disorientation where you are convinced you're not you. That you're living another life and even the rules of physics don't apply. Your brain is still adjusting and when you come back to me it's like you're waking from an intense dream."

Kallyn was quiet as she searched her brain for the truth.It was obvious he cared about her and meant what he said, but the other time was more real. This was the dream it had to be. What if they were both real? What if Odric was somewhere looking for her?

There had to be more to this. It must be some trick. Some evil plot created by her Aunt to undermine her power. Maybe she was locked in a prison disguised as paradise to keep her complacent.

"No, this isn't real. You aren't real." Kallyn pushed away, struggling to her feet. It was hard to ignore the soft sand beneath her feet and the pain in Adrian's eyes as she moved away. She had to find a way out. She turned in a circle, trying to decide which way to start. Picking a direction she forced her attention from the man sitting in stunned silence at her feet.

"Kallyn, please listen." He jumped to his feet, grabbing her arm. "We are vacationing as you recover from your injuries. There is no other world but our very real one. You have to stay here with me. I need you."

She turned, her heart thumping in her chest and her stomach clenched. What was happening to her? He was familiar yet foreign to her. There was no way this was her reality. It couldn't be. There was so much for her to do.

"I love you, baby. Please remember."

Kallyn leaned forward, kissing the corner of his soft lips. "I'm sorry but this isn't real." Letting go of his hand she walked towards the water.

Cat McMaster
catsplaceforwriting.blogspot.com

Memories

2010-01-27T13:57:00.000-08:00

The sun intensified and relaxed her muscles until they were almost mush. It felt so good to be free of the pain.

“Odric, where are you?” She managed to whisper.

“He is gone, my love. You are with me here on the beach as we have been so many times before. Try to remember, Kallyn. Try to remember for us.” Pain resonated in his voice as a single tear fell and warmed her skin.

Kallyn sat up and touched her near naked body. She wore a bathing suit, she had two legs, and her hair caressed her shoulders as the wind from the ocean tossed it casually around her shoulders. Things were finally looking up. Slowly, she studied her hands as if they weren’t attached. She wiggled her fingers then touched her head.

“It’s hair, blonde curly hair,” she laughed and collapsed back onto the soft sands of the beach.

“What did you expect? It is what you truly are, Kallyn. Do you remember the accident, what it did do you?” His bright green eyes fastened on hers.

“You look so familiar,” she placed her human hand over his and felt safe. She stared into his eyes and became lost in his pain. Did she cause it? She ran her hand down the hard chiseled features of his face then his well-muscled shoulders. He was familiar, very familiar. She’d hurt him. Why couldn’t she remember? Kallyn groaned in frustration.

“I’m sorry, I don’t…” He placed a callused fingertip to her lips. The action was intimate and very familiar.

Slowly he brought his lips to hers. His warmth and love surrounded her. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and opened her senses to all that he had to offer. Images flashed in her mind. Naked bodies on the sand making passionate love, the bright colorful wings of the para sail floating like a flying dragon over the crystal green warmth of the ocean, the twinkling lights of a ballroom with her body entwined with his swaying to soft sultry music flashed into her memory.

Pain then pleasure washed over her until she couldn’t breathe. She broke the kiss and stared into his eyes. Was this possible? Had it all been a nightmare or a fantasy? She had to be losing her mind. Was this man Odric? No, he was Falcon—

“NO, not Falcon!” She screamed and grabbed her head. More images bombarded her fragile mind until she collapsed to her knees.

“Adrian--You are Adrian! ”

by: Barb Starmer

BW Starmer Creations-Not Just Romance Any More!

None of us are Flipper

2010-01-21T00:41:00.001-08:00

Rays of sun saturated her skin suddenly.

‘Don’t open your eyes yet,’ the man crooned inside her mind. ‘It’s too bright.’

Kallyn figured she felt too damn weak, anyway. He still carried her, flying with her. What kind of dream was this? If it was a dream why the freaking hell did she ache all over this bad?

Moments later, the salty refreshing smell of an ocean filled her nostrils. “Beach,” she murmured, surprised she could speak at all. The rawness of her throat hadn’t abated much.

‘You’re about get wet. Pretend you’re a mermaid.’ Again the man’s deep resonant voice sounded inside her head.

‘Wet?’ If he could telepathically talk to her, well, why couldn’t she do it, as well?

‘Here we go. Flipper is waiting.’

‘Flipper!’ Not a second later, they slipped below the ocean’s surface.

The warm delicious water surrounded her and Kallyn had thoughts of panicking as they sank lower and lower. Truthfully, she was still too weak to move much. If she was about to drown... all of a sudden strength surged into her limbs. To her utter astonishment, the urge to swim compelled her to strike out and she felt the man’s arms free her.

What happened next confounded Kallyn even more. One moment she sliced through the heavenly dark turquoise of the ocean ecstatically enjoying herself, and now she swam as a dolphin. The naturalness of her change staggered her, yet she felt so comfortable and so alive, Kallyn didn’t take the time to question. Memories of the hospital and her pain faded away.

Seeing a pod of dolphins, she rolled partially on her side, aiming toward them. ‘Flipper,’ she called out mentally.

‘None of us are Flipper. You are welcome among us for a time of play.’

For what seemed like the most exquisite eternity, Kallyn leapt and splashed and learned their Dolphin games.

Then, in a blink of time, she lay on the beach as her human self, sunning. A man held her hand fondly. Somehow, she knew the strong sunbeams striking her mostly naked body, aided in healing her fully. Certainly, the luxurious feel of the cushioning sand made her sigh and relax muscles she never knew she had.

Already flashes of her life had begun...

“Odric?”
~~~~~~

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
May your brightest, most romantic dreams come true ~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance

Jell-o, anyone?

2010-01-14T13:34:00.000-08:00

“And wake me with a kiss,” Kallyn mumbled.

“What? Are you finally awake? I thought you’d never wake up.” He had a low, sexy voice.

Wherever she was, someone had wrapped her in a cloud of warmth. There was a prince and a wall of briars all around the castle, and she had heard him chopping with his sword. Now he was finally at her bedside, leaning over her.

“You are supposed to wake me with a kiss.”

“Not bloody likely,” another voice said, not so low, not so sexy, in fact, high and cranky.

Kallyn’s eyes popped open. She wasn’t in a castle at all and the face staring down at her was no prince. It was an extremely agitated nurse in a stiff white dress. While her mind slowly cleared, Kallyn stared back. Nurse, White ceiling. Bed with rails. Heated blankets. Oh.

“What hospital am I in?” Kallyn managed to ask. Her throat felt raw. Was she losing her mind? She had a confused memory of flying and of breathing out great streams of smoke and fire.

“This is a private hospital,” the nurse said and why did she sound so angry? If they had ever met before, Kallyn couldn’t remember it.

“Give her that lunch tray and then go away,” the man’s voice said.

Kallyn turned her head on the pillows to see him. He sat in a chair in front of a bright window, a dark silhouette. She couldn’t see his face. All she could make out was the white cotton jacket, the sort of thing doctors pulled on over their street clothes.

The tray slammed onto the over-bed table. “Oh yes, and leave you two alone. Don’t bother phoning tonight. I won’t be home.”

The next slam was the door.

The man sighed. “Getting you out of trouble, Kallyn dear, somehow always seems to get me into trouble. Have you noticed that?”

“Do I know you?” she whispered.

“Oh, I hope so,” he said. “I’d hate to think I was going to all this bother for a stranger.”

Odd memories began to form at the edges of her thoughts. “Red shoes. Red diamonds. Sequins everywhere. A ballroom. And somehow I was flying and spitting fire.”

“You’re a spitfire, all right. Always have been.”

She heard him walk across the room toward her and then there he was, kneeling by the bed, his elbows resting on the blankets, his face almost on her pillow, his gorgeous eyes gazing at her.

“I’m sorry. I suppose I know you but I can’t remember.”

“You got quite a bump on the head. All right, up you get because we have to get out of here before anyone else shows up.”

Kallyn thought about sitting up. She ached all over. Even lifting her head from the pillow took more effort than she could manage.

“It’s like that, is it? Once again, I must do all the heavy lifting.” His words were a complaint but his voice wasn’t. It was as soft as a caress, so gentle, so filled with love, she didn’t protest when he slid his arms beneath the blanket and lifted her up and out of the bed and carried her to the window. “Hold on. Wrap your arms around my neck.”

He carried her to the window and pushed it open and stepped onto the sill and before she could open her mouth to scream, he leaped out. Automatically, she wrapped her arms around his neck and clung for dear life.

-Phoebe Matthews

The Bubble Horde

2010-01-04T09:45:00.000-08:00

Before Odric could answer, Kallyn found herself surrounded on all sides by dragons of varying shape, size and color. No matter how long she spent in this crazy, magical world, she would still be amazed by the wonders around her.

Kallyn twisted around trying to see behind her. What was she supposed to do now? A blast of energy flew past her shimmering wing, the heat nearly curling her claws in pleasure. Did they really think heat would be a deterrent to a dragon?

“Get you bearings, Kallyn. You’re the answer. Only you can banish your Aunt’s dark forces.” Odric coached, his emerald wings brushing hers in a gentle caress.

“Are you out of your mind? What do you expect me to do? The only thing I can control is my fire and they obviously have that to spare.” She retorted.

Pain radiated through her skull as she tried to focus on the dragons around her quickly becoming engulfed by the slimy iridescent bubbles closing in around them.

“Direct your frustration towards the demons otherwise all will be lost.” came Falcos response from her opposite side. His lavender scales shimmering with each flex of his wings.

Kallyn swung her head from one gorgeous dragon to the other, knowing they were right, she took a steadying mental breath. If someone would have told her she would miss her boring old life, she would have laughed in their face. Now realizing she must face yet another life or death situation, she would never neglect her quiet existence again.

With a quick nod of her head, and a forceful push of her wings she pulled ahead of the flock doing a quick u-turn. The few remaining dragons pulled to either side of her, Odric and Fallon closest.

The pain in her head made her eyes water as she attempted to focus her frustration and anger at the evil minions closing in. Warmth trickled from the tip of her tail and the ends of her wings, growing in intensity. The throbbing in her head increased to a deep bass rhythm. She pictured the pain leaving her body, directed towards the creatures speeding towards them spewing foam.

Ripples formed before Kallyn’s eyes, wavering beyond the tears trailing down her cheeks. With a great push that threatened to split her skull in two she directed the waves towards the coming hordes. The bubbles restraining the other dragons burst from the percussion blast as the energy barrelled towards her adversaries.

With all her power tapped out, she felt cold air across her now human flesh, her body quickly descending towards the ground far below.

"Kallyn!" cried Odric telepathicaly, just before she lost consciousness.

Cat McMaster- Happy New Year

http://catsplaceforwriting.blogspot.com

A Sun's Worth of Light

2009-12-20T14:35:00.000-08:00

Kallyn stared at the beast of a man who now strong-armed her back as if she’d become his mail order bride... or so she’d read in all those western romance novels she was particularly fond of. Not that he actually looked like a beast, certainly not the dragon threatening to claw it’s way out of her at any given moment.

As he lumbered her into a whirl, she considered loosing the dragon, then watching his flesh shred, his blood spill and fly, splattering on everyone and everything. Somehow, though, the idea of ruining such a lovely place didn’t sit well with her.

“Yours?” she defiantly demanded. Okay, one of her hands had transformed to useful dragon claws at his high-handed assertion.

“Oh, yes, baby, scratch me,” he growled. “I always liked it when we lusted as dragons.”

“It must not have been a highlight in my incredibly colorful life, since I have no memory of you, nor of dragon-lusting with you. Care to tell me the truth before I turn my scorch on and burn you beyond all recognition?”

Beast man bellowed a laugh, yet somehow kept lurching them around the dance floor in time to the music. Rapidly becoming tired of being manhandled in a manner that felt ugly to her body, Kallyn figured now was the time to devour him, as she’d had a ferocious need to do, mere minutes ago.

“Don’t do it,” he warned.

His tone was so soft, Kallyn glanced at him in puzzlement. “Tell me one good reason not to.”

“You’ll never see your precious Odric again. I’m his only salvation.”

It seemed utterly preposterous. Yet, Kallyn knew he spoke the truth. Scowling, she whispered, “Explain.”

A flash as bright as walking on the sun filled the room. Kallyn instantly shifted and soared free and fast. Her dragon wings beat against the strangely composed air that felt like a dance of soap bubbles. She possessed no idea where she traveled, definitely a huge concern.

“Odric!” she screamed in her mind, wanting to contact him mentally.

“Behind you,” she heard as telepathy. “Keep flying, Kallyn. We’re all following you. It’s the only way we can escape from your Aunt’s horde of conjured demons.”

It so figured her Aunt would send soul-sucking demons after them. Though, how Aunt Cecily managed to create so many without using the power of the red diamonds... well, that was something Kallyn would have to find out. Plus, who in all creation had exploded a sun’s worth of light around them?

Kallyn strongly flapped toward a pinpoint of red light. ‘I’d so rather be dancing right now’, she muttered in her mind. ‘Tripping the light fantastic in those red stilettos or those fabulous boots.’

“Who is ‘we’?” she telepathed Odric.
~~~~~~

Have a Splendid Holiday Season...
May your most romantic dreams come true...

Savanna Kougar

~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Heat Wave

2009-12-18T00:26:00.000-08:00

Heat Wave

Kallyn stared into Odric’s bright eyes sparkling with anticipation. A slight frown crossed her delicate features and the warmth of the slippers seemed to spread throughout her entire body. She should have been afraid, but it felt so right…so comfortable like an old worn pair of jeans. She took a deep breath and let the magic of the diamonds and the warmth of the slippers over take her small frame.

The lights flickered in cadence with the music and Kallyn began to change once more right before their eyes as she whirled across the dance floor. First, she was human then a dragon, and now she could feel her face changing as well as her body.

“What is going on?” She stopped in the middle of the floor and stared in Odric’s now confused eyes. She glanced at her feet again and the ruby stilettos were now green sequined-covered black leather boots encasing her legs all the way up to her thighs. The near-nothing shimmering gown had turned to a tight leather mini skirt with a low-cut, sheer green, silk basque that floated over the soft sensual leather. Her breasts grew larger and firmer as she watched. The contrast between silk and leather beckoned her to touch.

“Well, finally something worthwhile during this whole ordeal,” she muttered under her breath as she stroked her perfectly shaped body and stared at her cleavage. Her now silky strawberry-blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders when Odric touched the bare skin of her arm, sending shivers through her entire body.

“You must control it, Kallyn. You are the keeper of the red diamonds. Concentrate or we shall all be transformed.” Odric pulled her tightly into his arms letting his breath caress her neck as they moved closer to the other side of the bandstand.

Every pore in her skin seemed ooze with some overwhelming need to possess and conqueor what she touched. Odric was not immune as he pulled her tighter into his embrace. Every inch of his body belonged to her and she wanted more.

Odric whispered into her ear. “Breathe, Kallyn. You can’t control anything if you die.” The tension and confusion in his body was completely gone, replaced by something stronger, more primitive, and she noticed immediately.

“Oh, yeah…I just feel so hot and I need…”

A strong hand touched her bare shoulder from behind. The warmth in her legs became a burning flame inside her as she was wrenched from Odric’s embrace.

“You are mine now…It is as it should have always been.”

by Barb Starmer
http://www.starmercreativeminds.com/

The Dance

2009-12-02T07:09:00.000-08:00

Kallyn stared at Odric's outstretched hand, unsure of how to proceed. However, the pulsing sensation continued thrumming through her feet and the urge to move them wouldn't be denied. She slid her hand into his, marveling at the warmth of his body compared to hers. Must be the magic sizzling through his body just under the surface. She felt it spread across her body as he pulled her into his arms, as if it were another layer separating them.

"I don't know what to do." She confessed, as their bodies fit together like the missing pieces of a puzzle. His firm muscles against her soft curves caused goosebumps to erupt across her bare skin.

"Just follow my lead and the slippers will guide you. We'll get out of here before you know it." he replied softly. Odric's smile softened as his other hand slid to her waist.

Time seemed to stand still as her attention focused on the beautiful man before her. Her body glided across the floor on its own as her hands crept up his broad shoulders, settling around his neck. She felt safe for the first time since arriving in this crazy, mixed up world and dancing in Odric's confident embrace was enough to make her forget what she had come here for.

Odric continued spinning her around the floor, the others in the room slowly separated, allowing them to progress through the throng. Occasionally Kallen would get a glimpse of yellow feathers standing immobile. She was no longer amused by him, as her heart thudded in her throat and the realization struck her. What if she couldn't prove her worthiness?

As soon as she began to lose hope, the magic stilettos began to heat. She looked between their bodies to her feet moving seamlessly to the music. The shoes were glowing brighter than she though possible and although they were warmer, there was something comforting about the sensation.

The crowd gasped as Odric spun her away from him, still gripping her hand in his. Kallen looked at him with wide eyes.

"What are you doing?" She whispered.

"Trust yourself. You're more powerful than you realize."

Odric nodded encouragingly, giving her the strength and confidence to let go and let the shoes do their thing.

The Magic Slippers

2009-11-21T07:40:00.000-08:00

“Stay back, I said,” Odric shouted again and held both hands out toward the advancing crowd.

“Kallyn has the power to destroy this place and all of you. Do not frighten her or you will pay the consequences.” Odric glared at the angry mob and planted himself in front of Kallyn.

What is he saying? Is he nuts. I don’t have any power unless the red diamonds are working again. Then again, maybe it was a bluff. Kallyn, wobbling on the ill-fitting four inch heels, managed to scramble to her feet and stand behind Odric.

“Nice bluff,” she whispered into his ear.

Falco stepped up behind her. “He is not bluffing, Kallyn. You possess the red diamonds and in here you are the most powerful creature alive. Do not let your thoughts turn ugly or you may kill us all.” Fear touched the features of Falco’s face as he backed away.

A man dressed in a bright yellow feathered costume with green sequins glued on the edges stepped forward and took charge of the crowd. He turned and raised his arms to quiet them. He looked like Big Bird flapping his wings and she couldn’t control the giggle that burst from her lips.

Odric twisted his head and glared at her until she placed a hand over her mouth to stifle the laughter. Big Bird began to speak. Odric lowered his hands and stepped back to Kallyn’s side.

“Just what proof do we have that she has the right to wear the red diamonds? Why should we believe you about her power. She cannot even stand on the treasured ruby slippers, let alone do what is required of her to rule our kingdom. Prove she is worthy!” Big Bird stated calmly and crossed his arms over his chest to wait.

Odric turned to Kallyn. “You must prove you have the power. If you don’t, we can never reach the other side of the ballroom.” He pointed to the over-sized, sequin covered high-heels she wore on her feet.

“Use your power and we shall dance our way across the room, and escape to the other side of the bandstand.”

“What power? Are you out of your mind? I can’t hardly stand on these prissy elevator shoes, let alone dance.” Kallyn looked at the shoes briefly noticing the shimmering glare from the sequins.

“I can’t take this any longer. I’m not one for torture in any way shape or form, so these puppies have to go.” She leaned over with the intention of removing the stilettos from her feet.

The glare from the sequins in the shoes washed over the red diamonds in her necklace causing the room to burst into a gigantic ball of light then diminished to small red dots that flickered across the wall in front of her in a rhythmic cadence. She stared in awe as the light began to dance around the room alternating in colors from red to violet then green to orange.

Her legs began to tingle then she felt the shoes move and caress her swollen feet until they became a perfect fit. Music softly echoed and bounced around the room following the cadence of the light. The urge to move her feet overwhelmed her.

“It has begun,” Odric smiled and offered his hand.

Barbara Starmer-BWStarmer Creations
www.starmercreativeminds.com

Two men on the moon?

2009-11-20T09:40:00.000-08:00

Liquid Diamonds, two men on the moon, a weird location that maybe wasn’t the moon, and now a big round chamber inside a cave and OMG, was this a gag?

“Who spiked my drink?” Kallyn demanded.

In front of her was a ballroom, all sparkling glass chandeliers and marble pillars and a bandstand and everyone dressed like Dancing With the Stars. Kallyn did a quick check of herself. Right. Feathers and sequins.

With the brothers on either side of her, she marched in, stomping on four inch heels. Fortunately, they were on either side, or she would have fallen over. With both of her elbows in firm grips, she managed to enter.

“Look down around your neck,” Odric whispered.

She did and at first all she saw was the low cut costume and what was keeping it from falling off?

“Is this thing glued to me?”

“Not the dress, the necklace. Look at the necklace, Kallyn.”

Diamonds. Her red diamonds, mounted in a gold chain.

“What’s going on here?” she muttered. She was afraid to turn her head and look at him because unless she kept her eyes straight ahead, she knew she’d fall off the damn shoes.

“We’re walking through a time warp. It’s returned the diamonds to the way they were. All we have to do is get across this room and past the bandstrand and we will be out of here.”

“Right. And do I get a better outfit on the other side?”

Odric laughed. Kallyn remembered how much she’d loved his laugh. Not meaning to, she turned her head and oh my, she’d forgotten how beautiful he was. Tall, dark, in a tailored suit and a blue shirt that brought out his coloring, wonderful!

And she tripped.

Fell. Landed on her butt, feet in the air. Everyone in the ballroom turned to stare and someone shouted, “The jewels! She has the diamonds!”

Odric pointed at the crowd and shouted, “Stay back!”

Someone shouted, “Or what? Are you planning to shoot us with your finger, big guy?”

- Phoebe Matthews

Have the red diamonds been corrupted?

2009-11-17T12:17:00.000-08:00

Kallyn was both confused and frightened. The sight of the bats heading toward her with obviousx murderous intent made her cast about frantgically for a place to hide. But where? No place seemed safe? And here in front of her stood not one but two men who it seemed were linked with her mentally and sexually. Odric and Falco. Dark and light. But could she trust them? She'd been lied to so many times in the nightmare of an adventure that she didn't know who or what to believe any more.
"Hurry," Falco said, reaching out a hand to her.
"Yes," Odric reinforced. "You must come with us now."
Kallyn stood indecisivelt as the bats flew ever closer. Finally, knowing she had no other choice, she took the two outstretched hands and immediately the three of them morphed into hawks. She'd known Odric had the power, but now it seemed not only did his brother but they had transferred it to her.The pouch with the diamonds was now handing around her neck, but the weight seemed heavier than before. Rather than the faint tinkle as they bumped together there was the sound of liquid shifting.
Her heart rate accelerated as the three of them flew over the treetops and soared high into the air. If the diamonds had been corrupted, she had no power to stop Cecily nor did she have the authority they gave her to rule The Kingdom.
"Don't worry." Falco's human words rolled from his hawk's mouth. "We will have you in a safe place shortly and we will examine the diamonds. We have an elder here on our home planet who will be able to help you."
Was that true? Was there someone who could really help her combat Cecily's evil?
She heard the awful squeaking as the bats drew near. Just when she was sure she was doomed, Odrice exhaled a great gust of breath, shrubs parted and they flew into the mouth of a hidden cave. The moment they were inside, the shrubs returned to their normal position, hiding them, and they morphed back into human form.
Kallynopened the pouch.
"Oh, no! She's liquified the red diamonds. Just what I fear."
"It's all right," Odric told her, taking her hand. "As Falco said, we have an elder who can help with this. His power is stronger than Cecily's ever could be. Let's go to him."
The three of them walked deeper into the cave, further than Kallyn though they could go. Then suddenly there was light and the sound of many voice. They entered a huge round chamber, her eyes popping at what she saw.

Getting to Know the Moon

2009-11-14T15:40:00.000-08:00

Stunned to her core, Kallyn instinctively felt for the pouch of red diamonds. Oh no! Something was wrong? Had Aunt Cecily managed to corrupt them? The pouch felt liquidy or gel-like.

Kallyn would have looked, but the black triangular craft had slowed, yet still seemed headed toward her. Whipping around in a full circle, she looked for any place to hide. Uncertain about how her powers would work on the moon, she figured escape was her best option at this point.

“They won’t hurt you, you know.”

Kallyn almost jumped embarrassingly at the sound of the squeak-edged voice. Instead, she managed to look downward. A three foot high, lavender-shimmery lizard regarded her. He had one sort-of-a-hand planted on his slender hip. Oh yeah, he stood upright all right, his elongated head tilted in an attitude of study.

“How do you know?” Kallyn decided to play along. What the freaking hell, she was probably on the moon, even though, so far, it appeared to be nothing like she’d been taught.

“Simple, Earther, they’re your kind.”

“Sorry, but that means nothing back on dear Earth. My kind don’t get along real well. I’ve already been... never mind. I’m Kallyn. What’s your name?”

“Falco, that’s my name.” If a lizard could look smug, then Falco certainly did. “No, not plain ordinary humans. Your kind, an Eviarius. Or, in your parlance, a fancified witch with super powers.”

With the name, Eviarius, on her lips, Kallyn suddenly stepped backwards because Falco’s body twisted. Morphing into a spiraling dense mist, he then transformed into a beautiful lavender fog. His change enthralled her when it probably should have alarmed her.

Moments later, a man stood before her. Where Odric was dark in coloring, he was light. His hair gleamed, golden blonde in color. His skin was a light shade of caramel. Kallyn stared, awed, and couldn’t help noticing how much he resembled Odric. Still, her anger surfaced like an incoming tide and lashed at her insides.

“Who are you?” Kallyn felt her own scowl, the deep furrows contorting her brow.

“He’s my brother.”

Kallyn spun around, her body floating slightly. Odric stood there, dressed in the same manner as Falco. They both wore short togas made out of a strange glistening material that definitely showed off their warrior-muscled physiques.

“Welcome to our home base, my gorgeous beloved Kallyn.” Odric presented his arm. “We need to leave quickly. Even now your Aunt Cecily is marshaling her own evil forces to find us.”

Looking over his shoulder Kallyn saw ten colossal bats winging toward them. Their vampire fangs dripped with what she knew was a poisonous substance meant to paralyze them all.

A Special Note for a Special Group Member

2009-10-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

Our thoughts and prayers go out for Judith Rochelle (Desiree Holt), one of our RomanticSynonymous authors and a very enthusiastic member of this little group. Judith's husband has passed away, and we'd like to just interrupt our sage to extend a hand of friendship and togetherness, to let her know we are here for her and are thinking of her.

Judith, from the RomanticSynonymous team, our heartfelt sympathies and love.

Take care,
Jude

When you see it, say 'Rachel'

2009-10-22T01:51:00.000-07:00

Pic from ~ journeytocouture.com ~

Kallyn flew faster, yet saw nothing ahead of her, except the driving sheets of rain. There had to be a better way of escaping if she was being pursued by an enemy or even a horde of enemies. Taking a chance she angled upwards, determined to wing above the clouds. That is, if the clouds of Oz acted like normal clouds. She’d created a normal storm, but who knew?

Suddenly, the memory of being dressed as a green dragon, with a shimmery fabric belly and her own wings, for a Halloween party burst into her thoughts. She’d been ten years old and she’d spent the two weeks beforehand dancing around, hyper with anticipation.

The party at her girlfriend’s home had been all she could imagine, so much fun she’d hated to leave. Now came the strange part. Kallyn had believed it was her friend’s dad who’d taken her hand to lead her toward the door. Yet, when she’d looked up, finally...

Odric. The man had been Odric. He’d told her something. Kallyn struggled to remember as she plunged inside the charcoal-colored cloud bank. It felt like wading through extra heavy mist and she no longer had any sense of direction. Still, she flapped furiously, maintaining her momentum.

“Where are you?” Odric had asked her, his expression kindness itself.

“This is Rachel’s home,” she’d announced proudly. “Who are you?”

“I’m a friend. We’ll know each other much better later.” Odric had crouched down, eye level with her, his gaze jovial.

“Later?” Kallyn could still hear her child’s demanding tone.

“Later.” Odric nodded. “There’s something you need to remember.”

“Like for a test?” Kallyn recalled being utterly intrigued by the sparkly facets of Odric’s eyes.

“It’s much more important than a test, Kallyn.”

“Hey, how do you know my name?”

“I’m magical. And you’re magical.”

Feeling important suddenly, Kallyn had puffed up. “What do you want me to remember?”

“Remember being a dragon. Remember the bad witch Dorothy destroyed with water in the Wizard of Oz. Remember whatever you do, do not stop the storm. Keep flying. Keep flying toward the moon. When you see it, say ‘Rachel’.

“It’s made of cheese, blue cheese,” Kallyn had hurled the words, then giggled at herself. “No, it’s not. I know. But, it should be.”

Thunder boomed around her, shuddering her dragon body. Cackling shrieks of thunder. It was Aunt Cecily searching for her, attempting to spin her evil sorcery and capture Kallyn. Or, did she only want possession of the red diamonds?

Kallyn struggled onward, the drenching dark gray mass sapping her energy to the point she couldn’t manage any sorcery to alter herself or zap herself anywhere else. With each beat her wings grew heavier. What now?

Frantically, she gazed around until she saw it, a pale glistening outline in the shape of a crescent. Hope soared inside her. Odric, dear Odric, had he rescued her, even from way back then? Using every ounce of strength she flew toward the wavering crescent. Larger and larger, brighter and brighter the shape became. The Moon, it had to be the moon.

“Rachel,” she uttered in dragonese.

Kallyn’s eyes opened, even though she hadn’t known they were closed. No longer in her dragon body, she stood on a barren brown-gray surface. Was she actually on the moon?

She hauled in a breath. Okay, so far, no trouble breathing. Her curiosity wilder than a march hare, she jumped to test out the gravity. Okay, she was sort of floaty before she landed, but there was definitely a strong pull downward.

Slowly, Kallyn rotated around, looking at the spongy-appearing ground. She froze in mid-turn. What the hell? Crystalline dome buildings, three of them sat on the horizon. A black triangular craft rose above them, then shot straight toward her.

Dragons in Oz

2009-10-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

“That’s all YOU know,” Kallyn muttered. “Stay there in the rain, auntie, and I hope you’re getting wet feet and swine flu.”

Flapping her wide dragon wings, Kallyn rose through the wind and rain, circling, listening. True, her present form wasn’t one to send her lovers into waves of passionate desire, but she rather thought none of them were in Oz.

Choices: she could head for the Emerald City and see who was there and probably terrify the citizens, or she could look for creatures similar to herself. If there were any, they might help her.

Closing her eyes and letting the wind carry her, she pictured her own dragon form in her mind. Wings. Hmm, there was a variety of strange birds and a few fairy-like creatures, and oh yes, those horrid monkeys. And then crack!

She saw dragon shapes. They stared into her mind, eyes wide with surprise, a row of startled faces.

“Lead me to you,” she thought to them.

“Yes, please, we are terribly bored,” they said, and sent out their thoughts. Kallyn followed until she reached the side of a high mountain. There was an opening to a wide cave. Cautiously, she peered in.

The row of dragons stared back at her.

“Excuse me,” she said, “can you give me directions out of Oz?”

“Why would we do that? We love company. Come talk to us.”

“I am in a bit of a hurry. Perhaps you could fly with me and show me the way and we could visit on the trip.”

“If we could do that,” they scoffed, “we wouldn’t need company. Mother tied us up by our tails to keep us here until she returns. She’s off talking to some horrid old witch who is stuck in the mud.”

Aunt Cecily? And she was stuck? So that’s why she couldn’t leave. “Is there a way out of this rain?”

In unison they said, “Never rains on the Deadly Desert, we’re told.”

“And where is that?”

They giggled. A row of giggling young dragons was a very weird sight.

One said, “That’s what surrounds Oz.”

“Really? And why is it called Deadly?”

“Poisonous fumes rise from it.”

“If I flew high enough, would I be above the fumes?” Kallyn asked.

“Of course, silly, but why would you want to do that?” More giggling and then they said, “If you cross the Deadly Desert you end up in that dumb gray country and who’d want to go there?”

“What dumb gray country?”

“Don’t you know anything?” they shouted. “Even Dorothy never goes back there.”

Kallyn tapped her claws against the side of the cave entrance and thought back through everything she’d heard or read about Oz. “Do you mean Kansas? But which direction?”

They sighed in unison. “Go far enough in any direction at all and you’ll end up in Kansas.”

“Thanks,” Kallyn said, and pulled her head free of the cave entrance and flapped her huge leathery wings and headed back into the storm.

From behind her she heard the dragons screaming, “Watch out! Danger approaching! Faster, fly faster!”

Illustration by John R. Neill, from Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz by L. Frank Baum, 1908

- Phoebe Matthews