Merna I got out of bed barely remembering how I got here. Placing my feet on the floor, I aimed for the bedroom door. As I reached the handle a vision entered my head. Hulting my feet I allowed the scene to play out in my mind. Exiting my room I aimed for the kitchen. I did not get there before the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I knew that there was a visitor … something powerful and most likely unwanted. Passing the kitchen I aimed for the living room ready to attack whoever it may be. I turned my head to the left once I entered, instinct on high alert. Sadragon and my eyes locked on one another! “You are a neruppu paravai!” Sadragon lowered his dagger. “What the hell are you doing here?” I hissed not wanting to wake up Pierre. Sadragon pointed in the direction of Pierre, “Remember my mate!” I placed my hand over my heart, huffing and puffing, “You scared the crap out of me!” “You have reasonable skills … for a Neruppu paravai!” “Why do you keep on calling me firebird? I am not a firebird!” I exclaimed my truth as I went into the kitchen to make coffee for Pierre and myself. “You could have fooled me!” Sadragon followed me, “Blue flames are linked to the ancient race of fire birds. They are essentially birthed from the suns!” Sadragon watched me intently, “I was told tales of firebirds as a child … many believed they to be no more than stories now. Deep down I always hoped it was just a lie and not the truth!” I started to chuckle, “I do not understand what you are talking about? If such a thing was true … Pirapancam would have already told me !” I thought about it for a second then remembered our latest fight! I had a dream of a battle so great that it destroyed the location that I was viewing. Dragons, Birds, Elementals, the Fae and species that could change forms at just a thought. Even with the thought of the dream, dread filled my body. The ferocity of what I had seen was unspeakable. Each side matched with skill and power. In the end … this destroyed the landscape! Leaving nothing to salvage. “Do you not know what you are?” Sadragon asked me. Glaring into his eyes, it was a genuine question, “I am not sure what you are talking about my dear brother in law … I only know that I am a monster! Pirapancam will not say it … but!” I exhaled deeply as I brought the cup of coffee to my mouth and took a sip. “I have seen enough of my past lives to know … no one wants me! I am a monster that destroys everything in my way! And regardless of what I do … I am doomed for heartache and loneliness!” Sadragon watched me as I sipped on my coffee. “Do you know what a mate is?” I nodded my head up and down, “The term means spouse!” Sadragon hummed, “Do you understand the importance of a mate to us? Not your physical world but ours?” I glared at Sadragon and blinked several times not understanding what he was meaning. I hoped he would fill in the blanks as I did not answer his question. Both Sadragon and I had been so engrossed in our conversation that we did not hear Pierre coming our way. Pierre cleared his throat, “I can feel that Sadragon is here!” I nodded my head once to let Pierre know he was right. “Would you like me to place my hands on your temples so that you two may have time together?” I offered my services. Getting himself a cup of coffee, “No!” I was put off, I was sure that he would want to take up my offer. Continuing, “I can hear him if he is close! If Sadragon touches me, I can see him in my mind and hear him clearly. There is no need to cause you a migraine.” Pierre played the cup to his mouth and started to drink his hot drink. Both of us carried our cups to the living room to sit and relax. I began once I was seated, “Last night!” Pierre raised a brow, “we will not speak of it! You kept your promise! No harm came from last night's event!” I knew he was saving me from having to relieve my emotions. Something I was never great at expressing. “You said you had a plan!” I reminded Pierre. “Ah yes!” Pierre took a sip of his coffee, “you have to marry me!” He said as if nothing mattered. I spit my coffee out of my mouth, “WHAT?” I choked on the remnant of what remained in my throat. Pierre was glancing over his coffee cup at me, “Sadragon and I discussed the whole thing … he understands where I am coming from!”I gave both Sadragon and Pierre the stare that told them both that one of them better talk and they better do it fast! Sadragon placed his hand on Pierre’s shoulder. Glueing my eyes on Pierre’s I could tell the two of them were having a private conversation. “No!” I finally said. “I will not marry you!” A grand smile lit Sadragon’s face. “For our plan … you will have to!” Pierre placed his hand over where Sadragon was touching him, “we can not without a guilty conscience leave you with nothing to support you. That is why we are going to make everything legal. That's why when … you know what happens! You will inherit all of my physical belongings. On top of this …” Pierre and Sadragon linked sight, “Sadragon told me of a cottage that is for sale. It is close by so you can visit whenever you are not busy! This also allows us to keep an eye on you as well.” “You are going to buy this cottage?” I raised a brow not believing a word that was going on. Pierre inhaled loudly, “Yep and you are going to help make things move faster!” I sipped on my coffee while I thought about things, “What money?” Pierre gave me the cocky grin he always loves to give me when he knows something I do not! “Do not worry about the money! We are going to make a few of the legal things happen today!” Pierre tilted his head to the side. “While this is all going on … you are going to place a call to the owners of the cottage! Make them an offer of eight hundred thousand dollars in cash! They are asking for seven but I will up it by one hundred thousand! If they accept our offer. I can deliver the money in cash before the end of this month. In the meantime … pack your things! Do not bother handing in your notice, they will never be able to follow you here. We will bring your things here one load at a time.” Pierre sounded sure of himself. “And I am to follow you because … ?!” I was not convinced. Pierre crossed his arms in front of his chest, “I am your brother!” Getting up, “I need another cup of coffee to deal with this horse shit!” I stomped my way to the kitchen. “What if something does not go as planned?” I yelled from the kitchen. “We are engaged … have been for a while!” Pierre started with his tale. “For living arrangements you have stayed where you are because you do not like the thoughts of sleeping at a place where my ex’s have been. We finally found a place that meets our needs for a hopeful family future. Everything will be placed in your name! As my beneficiary and no one to contend with my riches … you will inherit everything. This house … cottage … bank accounts … and money that the government does not know about! All you have to do is say ‘I do!’” Pierre smiled as I sat back down in my chair.“I do not want to know how you came across the money that the government does not even know about!” I took a sip of my coffee, “You do realize that even if we go to the courts to get married … it will take weeks even months to get this … a done … deal … seal … right?” I glared at the two males. Giving me a cocky grin, “do your thing and speed things up … like this time last year!” Pierre leaned forward, “speed things up like you have done in the past!” I placed my cup on the table, leaning forward! I could tell that Sadragon had no idea what was going on here. Clearing my throat, matching Pierre’s mood, “I thought you told me that it was ill mannered … immoral … to play the system with my powers? That it goes against everything that should be!” I reminded Pierre of his words from when I was a teenager. Tosing his arms in the air with a smile on his face, “Fuck it!” That was all he said! “I want my mate … I want to make sure you are safe as well!” “What about your house?” I questioned. Giving me a cocky grin again, “Place this up for rent, this will be your source of income! From there … what you do is your business! When I am officially considered dead by our laws … sell the place for all I care! Though I think keeping it as a money maker is the better idea!” My next question is, “Bronkes?” “I assumed you would care for the old man! He will not live much longer … but he has always favoured you when I am not around!” I tipped the cup to my lips allowing the hot liquid to go down my throat, “Done!” “I was expecting more of a fight!” Pierre was being honest with me. I placed the empty cup on the table. Glaring at him, trying to make sure I do not cry, “I would never … in this life or the next … wish on you the agony that I am going through! I want you to be with Sadragon!” My lip gave way to my emotions, “The pain I feel! No one should endure it … but it is what it is! So … if I can see your happiness … I will make it be!” Both Pierre and I turned to the sound of my phone vibrating. Sadragon pulled out his sword ready to kill my phone. Getting up from my seat, “Explain to your mate what a cell phone is … please Pierre!” Going to my jacket I pulled out my phone which was close to being out of battery power. Not recognizing the number I answered, “Hello?” It was an elderly man who answered me, “Hola! Mirna! Mirna hija de la hija de Pirapancam?” I could tell that the male knew my creator and was speaking Spanish. “I am sorry I do not understand a word you are saying?” I was about to hang up. Knowing that my creator had found a new way to get a hold of me. “¡Que que! Piscis, ven aquí, tengo a Mirna al otro lado del teléfono!” I heard an elderly male say. On the other line, I could hear movement going on. Part of me wanted to hang up the phone. My intuition told me not to and to listen to what had to be said. “Hola Mirna! My name is Pisces! You and I do not know each other nor my father, Cancer has asked me to speak to you.” His English has a heavy Spanish accent but I could understand him. “Why are you calling me?” That was all I wanted to know. If I heard anything on the line of my life being endangered I was going to hang up and block the number. “Mannel y Parppavar te persiguen. ¡Saben dónde vives! ¡Salir ahora!” The young boy reverted to his native tongue. “Sorry?” I glanced over at Pierre and shrugged my shoulders. “Mannel and Parppavar know you are at a cottage! They are hunting for you now!” The boy panicked. Pierre had gotten out of his seat, heading towards me, “What is going on?” Pierre asked as he saw my face drop. Holding the phone speaker to the side, “Pierre … they know we were at the cabin!” I could hear Pisces speaking, “you are not there?” I shook my head no as if he could see me, “no we left yesterday!” Pressing the speaker button so that Pierre could hear the conversation as well. “Padre... ¡Mirna no está en la cabaña!” I heard Pisces yelling. Whispering, “He just said that we are not at the cabin!” Pierre translated for me. Patting Pierre on the shoulders, “thank you master translator!” With a mocking bow, “at your service!” I gave the Canadian bird to Pierre! Which only made him chuckle! I could hear the older man say something to his son, which he translated, “my father tells me to warn you not to go anywhere without the gladiator! He will protect you until you are on sacred grounds.” Pierre gave me a dirty look! I on the other hand understood everything that was said. “Is there anything else I need to know?” I asked Pisces. Again I heard the boy speaking in his native tongue. “Father told me he will visit you soon! It will come as a dream … do not push him out! What he has to tell you … is private! There are eyes and ears everywhere!” Pisces said before he hung up the phone. “Well … that was strange!” Pierre commented! I glanced at Sadragon, “The gladiator is your mate!” I set my sight on Pierre, “The sacred ground is close to Chaos!” I exhaled as a wave of agony swam around my body. “Chaos …” I tried to breathe, “He is the sacred ground! He was supposed to protect me!” A slur of profanity came out of Sadragon’s mouth followed by, “Here we go again!” Swirls of blue energy erupted from my exposed skin, “Neruppu paravai!” He muttered.