Pierre Driving down the highway, I look in my rearview mirror at Merna's car. Droplets of rain hit my windshield, and in two minutes I had to turn on the wipers. The rain did not help the mood I was experiencing. In the back of my mind, all I could think about was the entity named Sadragon. Last night at the cabin, I could hear whispers in my ear. Over and over I could hear his voice begging me to stay with him. That I was his mate! I stared at the ceiling listening to him speak to me. At one point I started to drift off to sleep. But not before I felt the bed dip and the body of my mate crawling onto the bed with me. I tried to focus on the road but now I am left with the thoughts of my mate! Torn between my best friend and the one I am growing fond of each moment that passes. How could I make a decision like this? It was dark by the time we drove into my driveway. Once Merna stepped out of her car I could tell she had been crying while driving. Closing the truck door, “You should have told me you needed to pull over and take a break!” I strolled over to her, embracing my friend. “I have to talk to you!” I said. Leading Merna to the front door, unlocking it, we both strolled into a cold dark dwelling. I could see my breath as we stood there, “I thought I left the heat on!” Was the first thing that came to my mind. Merna’s eyes were locked onto the wall that was ahead of her. “You did! You have a visitor!” Shocked, “Who?” I glared at Merna and then toward the location she was staring at. Above a whisper, “He is here!” A tear rolled down Merna’s cheek, “You are going to leave me!” Her voice showed signs of stress. I watched Merna take a step, “Merna!?” I could tell Merna was trying to control her breathing, “I am going to take a shower. Then I am going to go to bed!” She continued to motion her feet towards the bathroom. I tossed my hands up in the air trying to understand this moodswing of hers. I knew that would be hard for her but I did not expect this. Letting the air out of my lungs I decided to go and gather our bags. I knew that Merna was going to need something to change into. By the time I came back from getting my things, Bronke was in a ball, fast asleep, near the fireplace that I am sure Merna had started. Where I had placed Merna’s belongings, she was rummaging around it with my favourite robe on.“Do you need a drink?” I only needed to look at her once to know that Merna had been crying more. I needed to talk to her but I also wanted to know why she had been crying so much. There was more to this than I was understanding, this was out of character for her. Glaring at the article of cloth that was in her hands, “I need to go and get dressed!” Merna stood up and went to the room that she used while she was here. It was not a yes, nor was it a no for wanting a drink. I decided that she would want a drink, if not I would drink hers as well. Heading into the kitchen. I took out two cups and started to make a Coke and rum, our personal favourite of poison. Strolling back into the living room, Merna was not out yet. Sitting Merna’s drink on the table, I sat in my favourite chair. I listened to the sound of Bronkes snoring while there were rustling noises in the room Merna was in. I could hear Merna blowing her nose before she opened the door and came out. Soft footsteps were heading in my direction. I did not look at Merna, “Your drink is on the table!” I saw movement out of my peripheral vision, turning my head. I thought I had seen a shadow, at the same time as Merna walking in front of it. I cleared my throat, “Is my visitor still here?” I did not dare to glance in the direction I thought I had seen the shadow. Sitting in the chair, Merna brought her legs up to her chest. Looking in that direction I had seen the shadow, “Yes!” Merna’s bottom lip began to quiver. Clearing her throat a couple of times, Merna locked her eyes on me. “You are going to leave!” Tears started to form in her eyes. I did not think twice, I placed my drink down, rushing over to Merna and I embraced her. Rocking her back and forth I rubbed her back. Tears flowed down her face as wailed. Something that I had not heard her do since the first time we crossed paths on that dreadful night on the bridge when she was seventeen. I remember that night clearly as if it happened tonight. I had been driving by when I saw a young female on the edge of the bridge. I was about to continue to drive past her when I noticed she was on the wrong side of the railing. Turning my truck around, I jumped out of the truck and ran to her. I do not know why I spent the time talking her out of jumping into the cold water but that is what I did. Once she was over the railing, I told her that there was help for people like herself. To my utter shock, Merna wailed more. Telling me that I did not understand, no one could help her. No one would help her! A week after she was hospitalized I felt compelled to check up on her status. As I had predicted, I was not allowed to see her, though a month later she got a hold of me. She thanked me for aiding her in a time of her lowest point. I had asked her a few questions to find out, she was not getting the help she required. Her problem was not depression. Though thinking back on it, it most likely was something that could lead to depression. Questioning her, I could tell she was lying to me! I was relentless in wanting to know. Once she showed me, I was a believer. Merna found solace in my company. In time I would find out that her family believed she was behaving like this to gain attention. In time of need, I gave Merna a shoulder to cry on, since no one was there for her, I would be. Over the years, our friendship became stronger. We fed off each other's company! Bringing myself back to the present, I waited for Merna to calm down before. The atmosphere around us started to change. There was a mixture of sympathy and anger. I felt a large hand on my shoulder as Merna tried to gain control of herself. I wanted to join Merna in crying, her pain was becoming mine! “I have a plan!” I announced once I saw Merna’s red swollen eyes. I wiped the tears off of her face, “I just need you to go along with this plan!” Shifting her sight over my shoulder, “Do you remember me?” I could tell that Merna was looking at Sadragon. Covering her face with her hands Merna began to cry again, “Sadragon does not remember me!” Crying for an additional five minutes Merna was able to again calm herself. Backing into the chair, “It hurts so much! It feels as if my chest is being stomped on while my heart is being ripped out of my chest and thrown into a shredder.” I backed up, “Talk to me!” I glared at Merna, “what have you not told me?” Merna directed her hand out and pointed to where Sadragon was standing, “your mate does not remember me, but I remember everything!” Merna’s lip was quivering again. “How could Chaos allow me to remember and endure this pain? It is agonizing torture! Stripping me of a piece of my being while he exists as nothing has happened! How dare Chaos do this to me!” Merna began to wail again, “I loved him!” She squeaked out. “I know what Merna is speaking about!” Words were whispered into my ear, “The Master would not do this! A mate bond is sacred …” Sadragon paused. His hand was still on my shoulder. “Get your friend to tell the story over again! Tell her to speak what she remembers!” I was about to tell Merna what had been told to me when she spoke up, “I can hear you just fine, Sadragon!” It came out bitter and cold. “Merna!” I was about to chastise her but felt the grip tighten for a second. “I am sorry Pierre! I thought I could handle all of this but … but I can not handle what Chaos has done to me!” Merna covered her face with her hands, “HE threw me away like I was garbage!” Between sobs, “Ashur did too!”I was starting to connect the dots, ‘Merna is mated to Chaos, who is the master. When Merna said Ashur did too! Was she implying that Ashur, whoever he was, is her mate as well?’ “She is not lying, I have seen many men who have lost their mate … it is painful! It has killed many that I have known!” There was a low growl that came from Sadragon, “they would not do this! A mate bond is the most sacred thing, especially when it comes to dragons!” “Why did Chaos do this to me?” Merna screamed as she clenched her chest with her hands. I gathered Merna up in my arms carrying her over to my chair. I started to rock her back and forth as she let out all the sadness and pain that she was feeling. Over an hour I soothed Merna! “I think she has fallen asleep!” I heard, “You should put her to bed!” Sadragon had picked up Merna! Her head fell to the side laying on what I would assume to be Sadragon’s shoulder. If this was any other time, I would have been freaking out! Watching my friend being taken away by an unseen force. Carrying her to the bed that she would be sleeping in. I saw my bedroom door being open, “Merna does not sleep there!” I said, “She has her own bed!” I could hear the confusion in Sadragon’s voice, “She is not your human born mate?” “No!” I chuckled, “Merna is my platonic sister!” I could hear a sigh of relief coming from Sadragon. I may not be able to see him fully but I could tell that this bit of information brought him a great deal of relief. After Merna was covered up with a blanket and the door was closed, I went to the sitting room to finish my drink. After this evening, I needed to have a drink or four. Sitting in my chair, I could see that the chair that Merna was in, curved a bit. “Tell me what she told you!” Sadragon asked me. I recited what Merna had told me! “The problem is Merna does not remember everything, each morning she has something new to tell me!” I began. “What Merna believes happened is that she was sent back to the Earth realm after Chaos placed an amulet on Merna. She believes that it was meant to take her back before everything was to begin. I am gathering that erasing of the memory was meant as well! What Chaos did not know was how strong that woman’s mind is. The second she took off the amulet, bits and pieces of the time in your world started to flood her mind.” I took a large gulp of my drink, “she told me about you and how happy we are together and …” I paused as I glanced at an empty cup, “I cannot leave Merna! Not until I know she is taken care of!” Sadragon grunted! “She should be coming with you as well! It is very apparent to me that you Merna is the Master’s mate … she can not deny it nor can my Master! And I am going to suspect that since she mentioned Ashur’s name, he is her mate as well!” “I came to that conclusion as well! To think the woman that I know … who hates everyone equally, has not one but two mates. I wonder how this will work out?” I began to chuckle, “For coming with me … If I know Merna as well as I claim, she will not do that! After what I saw today … the next emotion Merna is going to display is rage!” Getting up I placed both cups into the sink. Turning on the water I washed both glasses. I could feel Sadragon standing over top of me. breathing into the crook of my neck, light nips and kisses followed. Smiling, “Merna and I have a special bond! She has alway protected me from my demons as I have for her. A friendship is too weak of a word to describe what we have together.” Letting out a moan, “You two are kindred spirits! It is a bond that is as strong as a mate bond. It means that no matter where you two are … you will feel and know without knowing what the other is going through.” Kissing my neck I could feel a cool breeze tickling my neck. I motioned my feet towards my room knowing Sadragon would be following me. Taking off my clothing, and dropping it into the hamper, I crawled to the middle of the bed. I waited for the mattress to dip knowing that would be my mate joining me. Exhaling, I glared up at the ceiling. As I had predicted, Sadragon soon joined me. Blinking, “Merna’s memory is a jigsaw puzzle, she has to wait and put the pieces together.” I felt an arm being placed over my body. “I feel responsible for her safety and well being!” I could feel Sadragon guiding his body to be pressed up beside mine, “We will ensure her safety and well being together. She is no longer just your responsibility, she is mine as well. I will speak with the Master … I will find out what is going on!”