Title: Dragone Tales: The Lizard Dragon King Returns
Author: Bj Jones
Rating: M
Summary: Paul Mallory finally takes the trip to Mod Clan
Sylum Timeline: April 2019
Author’s Note: Norma – this was in the works but this is counting as your ‘story of one of the new Dragons’
Master David made sure his staff was caught up with everything, had the schedule set for the next couple of weeks, went over all the back up plans, and made sure they knew the many ways to reach him – but only in case of an emergency. Like the House was being raided or on fire – type of emergency.
Joshua checked in with his staff, they gave him a thumbs up, and with a salute he left them to do their thing.
They were finally, after years of avoiding the issue, taking Paul to Mod Clan.
During their stay in India, to be with their injured Mate, they had a long talk agreeing it was time they all stopped avoiding the situation. Especially, considering that in the middle of an Op, Paul picked up two Komodo Dragons, who became his bodyguards. Craig informed them that just before rescue, the two lizards had taken down henchmen like they were nothing, had moved from one to the next, and didn’t stop until Paul called them off.
Gwen and Arthur ended up staying in India as they weren’t allowed to leave the country, but Masrani assured them they were safe. Paul received weekly updates. He won’t admit it, but there may have been facetime calls with the protective dragons.
When they returned home, David called M, and told her they needed time to take Paul on a vacation. She demanded information, he ignored her. They were both very stubborn. In the end, she asked for suite privileges then told Paul he was taking time off.
Paul rolled his eyes at everyone’s antics.
The driver had packed the car, as they waited for Paul, who was making sure Blue knew she wasn’t being left behind, and he would be back soon. Joshua checked the car for Houdini Jr., just in case. They had lost the original Houdini the year before while Paul was away, it had been a frantic call to Dr. Charles Evan to find another ‘Houdini’ snake, who still laughed while telling the story of their anguish!
The new snake was worse than the first, if they found it in his cage, it was suspicious. David just started using it in ‘Adam/Eve’ and ‘Slytherin’ scenes. Paul wasn’t happy his snake had become a sex prop. As far as David was concerned, if the snake stayed in his cage, he wouldn’t be a sex prop.
“So does Builwyf know why we’re coming or are we doing the tourist thing?” Paul asked as they settled into their first-class seats. “And tell me Hannibal somehow hasn’t found out about this trip.”
“I sent Don some new toys, Hannibal should be distracted.” David snuggled into his Mate. Ignoring Joshua’s glare from across the aisle. “You can have this seat on the way home.”
“Or you two can go play Mile High Club and let me nap.” Paul suggested, laughing at his Mates sly smirks. Like he didn’t know they had something planned, he just had no idea how Joshua fit into one of those tiny bathrooms.
“And for your information.” Joshua gave them both a wink. “Builwyf knows we’re visiting and has an idea of why. I wasn’t even sure how to explain it, but he seemed to get the gist, saying they’ll have one of the dragons nearby.”
“One?” Paul and David looked over at him. “How many does he have?”
“That was my question! But he didn’t answer.” Joshua shrugged, then grabbed his travel pillow, fixed it up, and promptly went to sleep.
“Even after all these years I’ve known him, I have no idea how he does that!” David shook his head as he settled more in his seat. He took Paul’s hand and squeezed it. “I know you’re nervous, but we’re with you all the way.”
“I never even knew there was a lizard thing, until Hannibal. He was the one who pointed out the lizards always came by or would listen to me. Charles pointed out that Blue was always attuned to wherever I was in the house, and the reason the snake always escaped was to be with me. I’m not even sure what this thing is. I already have a mutation so to speak with the family metal capabilities I don’t need something on top of that.”
“Nothing is wrong with you.” David assured him, his tone indicating he wasn’t going to be ignored on this. “Because of both of these skills you have come home to us, and that’s the most important thing.”
“What do you think it means?”
“I think it means you’re special.” He kissed his Mate’s cheek giving him a soft smile. “I think Draco knows more and isn’t telling, hence the trip. Maybe we’ll unlock some mysterious past life, or we’ll find out if Norwegian lizards like you.”
***
It wasn’t a long flight, but enough for Paul to get his nap. Joshua used his height to get them through the airport, spot their luggage at baggage claim, and get them through the crowds towards the pick-up areas. Builwyf stated he would send someone, but the two men standing by the waiting area had Paul’s hackles up instantly.
“Melvin Purvis.” The darked haired man stepped forward with his hand held out. “Ignore my Mate, though if he tries to pick-pocket you, feel free to break his hand.”
The Mate smirked and tipped his fedora. “John Dillinger.”
“I deal with King Arthur. One would think these things would stop being shocking.” Joshua shook his head, then purposely moved his wallet to the inside of his coat pocket, eyeing the famed American criminal.
Paul gave Dillinger a side-eye, the criminal winked back.
Causing both Joshua and David to get in between their Mate and the criminal.
Purvis ignored the lot of them.
Master David gave both men a hard look, then followed them out of the terminal to a waiting SUV. The Clan home was a decent drive from Oslo, so it had been decided that they would stay a few nights in the city before heading out.
The Smugglers’ Key was everything the travel sites claimed. David was impressed with the hotel, and the hospitality of the staff. Ike had made sure his staff understood his guests were to be provided with anything they wanted.
David ordered food and settled out on the balcony overlooking the bay, Joshua decided to take advantage of the spa, while Paul claimed the bathtub – as his was usually occupied by a reptile, and he didn’t mean Hannibal. They enjoyed the quiet afternoon apart, and then dinner at the hotel’s Michelin rated restaurant tucked into a back booth able to be themselves.
It was early the next morning when Paul sat down with Harry Hole. The two sat in the back of the Starbucks enjoying a latte, discussing family. The Inspector would’ve stopped by the night before, but was wrapping up a particularly nasty case, which was one of the reasons why Purvis and Dillinger were in the area. A lot could be said about the gangster, but Dillinger was good at hunting down like-minded individuals.
“I’ve not met many of the family.” Harry sipped his coffee, glancing out the window to see Ike leaning against the Front Desk talking to employees yet keeping an eye out. “Callum and Aguilar, mostly. You seem calmer.”
Paul snorted. “Considering those two menaces, most of us look calm.” That got Harry to chuckle. “Brandon, who lives in Brazil, is very laid back. To the point I’m not sure how he’s part of the family. Except he’s got the looks, snarky commentary, and damn good at manipulating the market.”
“Not been much out of the area. What brings you to Norway? Ike didn’t mention much, just that you had two Mates, who are now talking to mine, and they’re trying to pull off that casual watchful thing.”
Both glanced over at their Mates, all of them smiled back, leading to some massive eyerolls.
“I have a peculiar skill set.”
“The metal one?” Hole asked, having witnessed Aguilar. The man’s abilities with knives was disturbing, and awe inspiring.
“Well that one.” Paul sipped his drink, then sat back down twisting it around in his hand. “But this is different. Seems that lizards, all different types of reptiles like to hang out with me.”
Harry tilted his head for a moment in contemplation. “Like a lizard whisperer?”
“Well sadly I have a friend who calls me the Lizard King because of it.”
There was a chuckle and grin. “So, you’re going to visit Hiccup and Toothless.”
Paul set down the coffee cup and stared across the table. “Are you telling me that two animated characters are real … wait why am I even asking. Purvis and Dillinger are roaming around here somewhere. I met Draco, so I knew Dragons existed, but had no idea who I was meeting.”
“Hiccup’s a good kid. Very noble, has a sense of honor, can be sweet, maybe naive, but don’t let that fool you, I’ve seen him fight. Toothless is adorable, likes scritches, also not toothless – has a vicious bite.” Harry had a soft spot for both, along with Gran, who had helped him through some of his rougher moments after being Turned. “Look I’m considered an expert at Serial Killers, and at times see dead people. Because of this some have called me a Serial Killer whisper and not in a good way. The Lizard thing isn’t bad. Though there’s not many lizards in Norway, sadly I think there are more Serial Killers than Lizards.”
Paul heard what Harry was telling him and took the information to heart. “Now that I’ve met more family, if you need my help … ” he paused for a moment catching Harry’s gaze ” … let me know. I’m sure a Double-O could be useful on occasions.”
Harry nodded, accepting the information and trust. “Seriously with this family.”
***
Paul spent the rest of the day playing tourist with his Mates, feeling better after talking with Harry. They ended up taking time out to see the Holmenkollbakken Ski Jump to watch the jumpers – especially after Harry’s tale about the Snowman. Which really proved that the members of this family were all insane.
By morning, they were back in the SUV with Dillinger and Purvis on the way to the Clan Home. Joshua took the opportunity to ask questions about the famous FBI Agent and Criminal. Paul was interested in how someone like Dillinger ended up a Hunter, and how he used his criminal tendencies to hunt down bastards.
“It’s in the family.” Purvis commented when David asked what it was like to be Mated to someone, he spent years chasing to put behind bars. “My second cousin or something, ended up Mated to the man he was supposed to deliver to Yuma Prison. Dan’s Mate is Ben Wade, and well we have a rule that the two can’t meet, and for me the main blessing is the fact Dillinger isn’t a Meridius.”
Paul glanced over to Joshua when David started asking more intimate questions. Purvis blushed, while Dillinger started laughing, yet had no problem answering any of them. Joshua explained what David did for a living, and by the time they made it to their location – David had put them at ease and both were willing to have more in depth conversations privately.
It was late afternoon when they arrived at the house. As they stepped out of the vehicle Gran greeted them as if they were grandkids who had finally come to visit. She assured them that there were no judgements, and no one thought anything was weird. The whole Clan was odd, as far as she was concerned. She made Dillinger take their guests’ bags to their room and sent Purvis to let Dolores know the guests had arrived.
“Now boys there’s nothing to worry about. Ahmed is home, while Builwyf would’ve gladly been here, but called into business in Stockholm, he’s hoping to be back before you leave. Hiccup is here, and they’ve reached out to Thorin, but he hasn’t got back to us. We’ll figure out this lizard thing, after all we have plenty of the big versions!”
Joshua adored Gran instantly, reminding him of his own grandmother. “We were told about Toothless, but didn’t realize there was another?”
“Oh yes Smaug … “
“MOM!”
Paul barely had time to respond before he was engulfed in a tight hug. His first instinct was to twist out of the embrace and lay the assailant on the floor, but something inside of him reacted in the opposite direction. Instead, he shifted, pulled the boy closer, soothing his distress. “Hello Hiccup.”
Joshua glanced at David, who had the same bewildered expression. There are a few select people Paul will let touch him: his Mates, the Double-O ‘family’, Charles Evan, Blue, and Hannibal. He’ll tolerate a few on the periphery entering his very large personal space, but a stranger holding as tight as the boy was – would be on the floor bleeding if not dead.
“Hiccup!” Gran called out in shock, not used to seeing their Lead Hunter act like this. She glanced over at Dolores, who had the same expression. “Honey…”
Ahmed stepped into their large entrance room, taking in the situation with a few glances. “Hello. I’m Ahmed and welcome to Mod Clan. I’m sure there are a lot of questions, so please step into our grand hall while Dolores gets everyone drinks and some food, especially after a long trip.”
The Caretaker smiled brightly as she addressed David and Joshua. “Is there anything specific you would like to drink, my dears?”
“Tea and coffee would be great.” David answered, his hand reaching out to Paul wanting to pull him away. “Alfred stated that we should ask about your kladdkaka, he said it was exceptional.”
“Alfred is a charmer, but he’s right.” She gave him a wink then headed back into the kitchen, grabbing Helga as she came down the stairs to see what was going on. “I could use some help my dear.”
Helga waved as she was dragged into the kitchen, demanding to know what was going on.
Ahmed gestured towards the great room, giving Gran a side-eye hoping she would pull Hiccup off the poor young man. At first, he thought they were going to be stuck in the front entrance, but their Lead Hunter finally stepped back, staring at Paul in awe and shock.
David took the opportunity and grabbed Paul practically dragging his Mate away, only to stop inside the entrance to take in the warmth and beauty of the room. It was huge, there was a large fireplace that a man could stand in at one end, which was lit giving the room warmth and a natural glow, along with the natural chandeliers that at one time likely held candles but now were modernized with lightbulbs. There were chairs, couches, and tables scattered around the room, making it easy for Clan members to congregate with others or settle by themselves. Along with two sets of staircases one at the main entrance, and one next to the fireplace, that led to the kitchen. The second floor looked down into the great room, where a few doors could be seen. David wondered if they were rooms for Clan Members or visitors.
But the most amazing sight was the black dragon that was sitting in the middle of the room. It wasn’t as big as he imagined, but there was something innocent yet dangerous about the creature. It stood about six feet high and was likely twelve feet long. It had its head tilted as if contemplating the situation, tail twitching slightly showing its nervousness.
Joshua stepped next to David, hand touching his lower back getting him to keep moving into the room. Paul followed hesitantly, his focus completely on the dragon. Without hesitation he walked up to the creature, smiling softly as reached out and scritched a spot just under the ear, the dragon shifted and flopped onto its side twitching happily.
“You always did know where to find that one spot.” Hiccup walked over to Toothless giving him a quick scratch before helping the creature back onto his feet. “Look Toothless, mom’s back.”
Toothless stepped forward sniffing Paul, then began prancing around excitedly.
“Hey, watch the furniture!” Ahmed sighed but couldn’t help the smile at the antics of the Dragon. He hadn’t seen Toothless this excited in a while, last time was when Draco had flown up to visit. The Night Fury was a very social creature, and Smaug wasn’t – so he enjoyed the times he got to play.
“Hi!” Joshua waved from behind Paul. “I feel as if we’re missing something. I’m Joshua Faraday, these are my Mates, David and Paul, who you seem to know?”
Hiccup blushed lightly, then ran his hand through his dark locks. “I’m sorry that was rude of me. I just … I wasn’t expecting to see mom standing there. I mean I knew you guys were visiting, as Builwyf told me about it, so you can meet Toothless, something about dragons and Lizards. I had wanted to prep you for seeing Toothless, as not many meet a real live dragon. Instead, I got a shock.” He paused for a moment looking back at Paul, then the two very protective Mates. “But you’re not dad.”
Joshua glanced at Paul, who was too quiet. “No. Am I supposed to be?”
“I had always thought my parents were Mates, but I guess not.” Hiccup gave them a small smile. “A childish dream, I guess. Especially as dad had mourned mom, for so long thinking the dragons had killed her, only to discover she was their queen practically. And he still loved her and understood why she let him think she was dead. They had only months together, before he died protecting me … I guess I just wanted them to be happy.”
David stepped forward smiling softly at the kid. “I’m pretty sure we’re not what you expect as Mates for your mom, but we love Paul dearly.”
Hiccup glanced at his mom, noticing finally how different Paul was from Valka, yet still held himself in the same way. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“I’m fine. Let’s just be happy my mother instincts kicked in before the defense mechanisms.” Paul gave him a shy smile. “Holding you brought it all back. And you’re right I loved your father, he was everything to me, but I belong with them.”
Hiccup hugged his mom again, then stepped back. “Sorry.”
“Come here.”
Paul laughed when he got Toothless and Hiccup at the same time, landing him on one of the oversize couches. The Lead Hunter and dragon snuggled in and refused to leave.
“I guess today is let the dragon on the couch day.” Dolores shook her head and set a tray of tea and coffee. Helga setting another set down filled with deserts. “Well, I guess we’ll allow it, as it’s a special occasion.”
David sipped his tea, and the cake was quite delicious, Alfred hadn’t been exaggerating. He kept an eye on Paul, while Joshua watched the rest of the Clan Members. This was exactly what they wanted, yet they were completely out of their elements.
***
The room they were given was simple, comfortable, and soft. The bed was big enough for three, and they still had a small sitting area, along with a table they could work and eat on. The bathroom was a good size, it was best if only two of them were in there at a time.
The one thing David had done after Paul joined them, was upgrade their bathroom back at the house, so they all had room. At first, they had converted a small room for Paul to have a place of his own, in time they rebuilt the old fishing cabin into a getaway, the porch had been turned into an atrium for Blue. It was a perfect spot for Paul to get away from the noise of the House, especially when he was recouping from his job. And it was also a retreat for the three of them, where they didn’t have expectations.
Paul was quiet and had excused himself to the bathroom to take a shower. Joshua decided to unpack their things, taking inventory of the room, checking the windows and door for security. He didn’t hesitate to put his gun into the left bedside table, adding Paul’s into the opposite stand.
He hung up his coat, slipped off his shoes and sat on the bed. “What the hell just happened?”
David had grabbed his laptop and set it on the table, to check in with the staff just so he could have something to do, he hated feeling not in control of a situation. “I’m not entirely sure. Draco said Paul was a dragon Speaker, that was why he was able to commune with the little guys.”
“I think he left a few things out.” Joshua laid back on the bed. “He’s obviously connected to Hiccup, who seems a tad upset that we’re not who he thinks we should be.”
“I have a feeling he’s come to a very horrible realization about life, and his whole world perspective just shifted. I’ve seen that expression on many people who have walked through my door.” Master David stated, closing the laptop deciding his Mates needed him to be focused. “I’m honestly terrified right now, Josh. Ever since Paul walked into our lives I’ve been slightly off balance and today I feel as if I’m going over the edge.”
“I’m not going to do anything drastic like join a dragon Circus.” Paul leaned against the bathroom door, freshly showered, and wearing a pair of jogging pants. “M would kill me for one.”
Joshua sat up admiring the beauty of his Mate. “How are you handling this? We’ve got no idea what to do, and I’m sure this is even weirder for you.”
Paul made his way across the room, hand held out for David, who stood, and cuddled up to his Mate. “I may have had an internal ‘Oh my GOD it’s a Fucking dragon’ in my head for a moment there. And that’s after I met Draco.”
Joshua chuckled as he got off the bed and wrapped his arms around both Mates.
“But what honestly freaked me out, was it all came back to me. All of it, it was like someone opened the door and this whole other life just popped into my head.” He clung to both of his Mates, still coming to terms with his ‘memories’. “How about you two enjoy the nice shower, then we can curl up in this really big bed and I can tell you about Cloudjumper.”
David pulled him down into a soft kiss, stepped back and smiled as Joshua did the same thing. “Sounds like a great use of our time in a large bed.”
Paul rolled his eyes, laughing lightly when David gave him a sassy wink before stripping out of his clothes and making his way to the bathroom. Josh gave Paul a contemplative look, taking another quick kiss before heading for the shower.
Paul settled into the middle of the bed, grabbed his phone, and checked a few messages, smiling slightly at M’s rude yet concerned text messages. There were a few from James, as he was feeling Paul’s fluctuation of emotions. He let them know that everything was fine, and promised to update when they got home.
He was not surprised that his Mates took their time in the bathroom. David needed to gain some semblance of control, and Josh knew how to give it to him. There were moments he felt like an outsider in their relationship, but most of the time he was okay with it. As there were things Joshua and David knew what the other needed in ways Paul could not provide.
Just about an hour later the two emerged from the bathroom, looking relaxed and centered. They made themselves comfortable on the bed, Joshua settled against the headboard next to Paul, while David settled at the foot of the bed, wanting to be next to both.
“Hiccup is your son from a past life.” David started the conversation with the information they had. “So, when Draco said you were a dragon speaker, he meant it.”
“Draco had called me Valka, at the time it didn’t mean anything. But that was who I was, along with being married to Stoick, who was the Chief of our village Berk, the tribe was known as the Harry Hooligans. I beg of you never to repeat that.” Paul was still coming to terms remembering a life he lived, or she lived. “The animated movie got some of it right, we did have a plague of dragons, but it was mostly because Berk, despite being in the middle of nowhere, was ample with food and livestock.”
“How does it feel to know this?” Joshua asked, watching Paul intently. “I mean it sounds nothing like you, I mean it’s not you, but I guess it is. I’m totally not making any sense at the moment.”
“It’s odd. I remember Stoick as a geeky teenager, who turned into a strong warrior. When he started to court me, I thought he was a brute at first, my parents on the other hand were thrilled, he was the Chief’s son. Stoick was persistent, but he didn’t demand my hand, instead found time to get to know me. His courting gifts were specific to my likes, dreams, and he understood my fears. I fell in love. He waited until I was a master of my own craft, before asking for my hand in marriage. It was his way of showing to the village and our families that he saw us as equals. It was a beautiful spring day when we got married, and I thought I was ready for marriage. Boy, did I have a huge learning curve in what it meant to be a Chieftain’s wife. The responsibilities, expectations, and demands. When I didn’t get pregnant the first year we were married, his father was disappointed, after five years and still no heirs, it became difficult.”
It was an odd conversation to have with his two male Mates.
“Did it cause problems?” David asked, it was something he had seen many times.
There was always a couple in his office asking about fertility, seeking information outside medicine that could be helpful. David would get them to talk about their fears, wants, and at times the cold hard truths. Sometimes all it took was some new techniques, positions, and locations. Sadly, there were couples who were desperate not to believe what the doctors had told them. He had seen couples become stronger, and others separate, the grief too much.
“Not from Stoick, he held me every time my period came, he argued with his father when I was laid up after I miscarried for the fourth time. The tension in the village got worse, after his father died. Stoick was Chief and there was no heir. Stoick made his position clear when he announced that if he caught anyone speaking ill of his wife, for any reason, they would be exiled. Ironically, nine months later Hiccup was born. Our miracle child. He was tiny as a baby, we were all fearful he wouldn’t make it the first month, but he grew strong.”
Joshua couldn’t help the smile, he could imagine Paul holding a baby, terrified he would drop it, yet at the same time kill anyone who dared hurt it. Paul would tell them he would make a terrible parent, but they saw how he was with Blue.
“He was a year old when the dragons attacked searching for food. Buildings were on fire, a distraction for them to get into the storage sheds and snatch our poor sheep. I was trying to save the livestock when I heard Hiccup crying. I ran into our home to see a dragon standing over the crib. I grabbed my sword and stood between it and my son. Except he never tried to hurt us, looked more curious as if trying to figure out why Hiccup was so small.”
David reached out and touched Paul’s leg sensing the turmoil in emotions. “Was it Cloudjumper?”
“Yeah.” He had a blinding yet sad smile. “I knew then, deep instinctual, that the dragons weren’t bad, they were hungry. They needed our help, not our scorn. Stoick wouldn’t understand, he was stubborn to a fault. As far as he was concerned, they were hurting his village, his people, it was his duty to protect them. I was pulled towards the dragon, they needed my help, that this would just continue until all of us were dead. I glanced at my son, the one I so desperately prayed for. If I didn’t do something, nothing would change, and he would be fighting the same battles. I reached out to Cloudjumper, he sniffed my hand, then rubbed against my side. The next thing I knew I was flying. For almost twenty years I lived among the dragons, learned everything I could, hid them away. And then one day, I was shocked to see my son riding a Night Fury, one of the few dragons that wasn’t in my sanctuary.”
“He took after his mother.” David shifted to sit up a bit. “I guess we should ask him how much of the film is accurate.”
“I always regretted never going back, but I couldn’t leave them, especially Cloudjumper, we were deeply connected, he didn’t speak, most of them didn’t. But Cloudjumper understood me, sensed what I wanted, we flew with ease, fought side by side. In some ways he understood me better than Stoick. Though even after all that time I still loved my husband, and when Hiccup re-introduced us, I was sure he would never speak to me or worse try to kill me for protecting the dragons.”
Joshua grabbed a box of tissues, snagged some for himself then handed a few to Paul.
“Hiccup was more like me than I had realized and changed not just Stoick but the village about their view on dragons. When I showed him the sanctuary I had built, he was astonished and proud. He admitted he never stopped loving me, and though I only had him for a few months before he was killed, I was blessed to have him back in my life. Stoick died protecting Hiccup. Toothless always felt guilty, as he should’ve been there, but had been sideswiped in the battle, and with his disability he couldn’t get to Hiccup.”
“What happened to Cloudjumper?” David grabbed his own tissue, dabbing his eyes.
Paul shook his head. “I have no idea, not really. After Stoick’s death, Hiccup became Chief, married Astrid. We took care of the dragons, but by that time despite being protected by Berk, they were disappearing. There were only a handful left when I was on my deathbed. I remember Hiccup and Cloudjumper at my side.”
Joshua wrapped his arm around his Mate, not liking the idea of his death. Despite knowing he was talking about Valka, and her death meant in time he was born as Paul Mallory, their Mate, the very idea wasn’t sitting well with him.
“Hiccup informed me that one day Cloudjumper just disappeared.” He ran his hands over his face. “What do I do with this?”
“Well first off, we’re obviously going to be visiting Norway more.” David sat up moving his way in between them. “Hiccup is now family, as is Toothless. At least the dragon is more civilized than Hannibal.”
Paul laughed openly. “Oh God he’s not going to let me live this down.”
“Do you want to tell him?” Joshua brought up a good point.
“He’s an asshole, but he’s my best friend.” Paul could hear the jokes from here, along with the outrageous Mother Day gifts, but he was also going to be the one who will learn everything about dragons and pick up his phone at 1 am to listen to Paul ramble about missing his Cloudjumper.
“Are we sure he’s not Stoick?” David wasn’t sure if that would be a good or bad thing.
“I don’t know, but I guess we’ll find out next time I see him. Poor Hiccup if he is.” There was no way the boy was ready for Hannibal to be ‘dad’. “And let’s hope not, because the sex jokes will just get worse.”
Joshua sighed heavily at the thought. “It does explain your connection to Blue, and all your other friends. We should encourage it more. It may help ease the loss of Cloudjumper.” Besides getting Paul to Norway more, maybe visit India and see Arthur and Gwen.
“I can’t believe I’m going to suggest this, but should we get Blue a sibling?” There were a few ideas running through David’s head.
Paul had an intense job to put it mildly, and he wasn’t going to retire anytime soon. He was also very reserved, holding himself at times in a very formal fashion. Over the years he loosened up with them, smiled more, let himself relax and just be. There was a particular soft smile, that David enjoyed as he knew Paul was content, and when he saw it – it felt like victory. They had only heard him laugh freely a few times. The joy came from the fact they were able to provide an environment he felt secure enough to put his guard down to laugh that openly.
“I still have a job that takes me away from home. I don’t want to burden you two by taking care of more lizards, especially with Houdini.” Paul sat up a bit, leaning forward to give David a quick kiss. “But thank you for thinking about it. Honestly, we all know I need more time between jobs, and well trips up here or even to India may be a good idea.”
“I think so. I know all three of us can’t always go because of commitments but shouldn’t stop you or two of us to go. We’ve only been together for almost seven years and have lots to learn about each other.” David glanced at Joshua who was nodding and smiling.
“Didn’t Gran say something about another dragon?” Joshua suddenly remembered her mentioning one before Hiccup latched onto Paul and wouldn’t let go. “Maybe talking with other dragons can help. Spend more time with Draco?”
“How many dragons do you think are around?” David wondered, he crawled over Paul to grab his phone, wiggling his ass slightly only for it to get slapped by Joshua. He sat back down with his phone, typing a few notes out one of his secure apps. “We should talk to Hiccup about other dragons and setting up playdates. Valka seemed to have the ability to communicate with them, maybe it would help.”
Paul shook his head as he shifted under the covers. He was suddenly exhausted from everything. “We can talk to them at breakfast, right now I just want to sleep.”
“Do you want the side or middle?” David asked, gauging Paul’s need and comfort.
“Middle. I don’t know what the night will bring, but waking up alone likely wouldn’t be a good idea.” It wasn’t often he slept between them, as it felt too restricting. David usually took the middle spot, enjoying the feel of both of them surrounding him.
It didn’t take long before lights were off, phones on silent and all three curled up with each other sound asleep.
***
Paul was the first to wake, never one to sleep in late. He easily moved out from between his Mates, watching as David instantly snuggled into Joshua seeking the warmth. Paul took a quick shower, pulled on some clothes, and went looking for coffee.
He found Dolores in the kitchen wearing the most hideous pink pajamas and robe, yet she pulled it off spectacularly. The two didn’t talk much, she fixed him a carafe of coffee, added some morning treats and a bowl of fruit, then sent him back up to their room.
The two were still asleep when he got back. He poured himself a cup of coffee, nibbled on the treats as he started doing research on dragons on his phone. Ever since he got the phone it had extreme abilities to learn from what he was searching and making accurate suggestions. The fact he was getting information about Asian dragons made him wonder if he should stop by Shogun.
He glanced at the bed, realizing his Mates were awake and enjoying the quiet morning. He sat the cup down, ready to settle in to watch when he heard scuffling coming down the hallway. “As much as I would enjoy this moment, we’re likely getting a visitor, one that doesn’t knock first.”
Joshua tossed back the blanket with a strangled moan, biting back a cry of pleasure. He slumped into the bed, arm over his eyes breathing heavily. “Thanks for the warning.”
David crawled out of the covers, wiping a hand across his mouth, then gave Joshua a wink before glancing at the door. As it opened, he shifted off the bed and headed for the bathroom, laughing when he heard a yelp from Joshua and Paul yelling for Toothless to get off the bed.
***
Paul had spent the last couple of days talking with Hiccup, learning what happened after Valka’s death. His own Turning, the loss of Astrid, and then the disappearance of his son. As for Berks’ dragons, the only surviving one was Toothless, the others had disappeared or curled up next to their human’s grave never to leave. As time progressed Builwyf with help of good lawyers, mostly Malfoy, had got Berk labeled as a protective island, so no tourists or scientist would accidentally find any dragon bones.
They never found Valka’s sanctuary, even today with GPS Hiccup can’t locate it.
Berk wasn’t the only section of land the clan protected. Erebor, a village further up in the mountains of Norway was also protected, not just by law but by another dragon. It had taken Paul a while to get his head around the idea that Smaug was an actual dragon, an asshole but not the ‘bad guy’ as in the book.
So far, he hadn’t met the other dragon, nor his caretaker, Thorin. Hiccup tried to talk around it, saying that the Hunter had business in England. There was something more going on, but he was smart enough to leave it alone.
He watched Hiccup and Toothless fly with pride and envy. Hiccup explained he was still trying to find a way for the Night Fury to have his tail permanently fixed and not reliant on Hiccup to fly. They had many good options, but nothing permanent. Right now, 3D Printing was working the best, even if it had to be reprinted monthly, it was worth watching Toothless fly on his own.
“You can ride him,” Hiccup offered.
“No, I can’t.” Paul shook his head. There was only one dragon he would be willing to fly with, and Toothless, as adorable as he was, was not him.
The Night Fury leaned against Paul, demanding scritches. The two of them had a long talk about Stoick, and that the dragon should stop feeling guilty for his loss. It was only the fault of the bastard who tried to kill Hiccup.
Paul gave the dragon pets, smiling at him while listening to Hiccup ramble about everything. David had been right, finding out ‘mom’ was not Mated to ‘dad’ had sent his boy into a tail dive, as he just assumed his parents were Mates, which meant Astrid was his … and now he was wondering had he missed connecting with his Mate because it wasn’t Astrid?
He had been wandering around most of the day feeling antsy and had no idea why. Usually, when he felt like this an Op would spectacularly go wrong or one of his Double-O brothers was up to no good. Paul paused in the open field, far enough away from the Clan home, but still visible. It was the dragon ‘landing pad’ as the clan jokingly called it, though it had taken a bit for Paul to realize it was an actual runway.
Suddenly, Toothless stepped away and crouched down as if anticipating a threat, Hiccup sensing his dragon did the same.
The sound was familiar, a particular break through the air, there was only one thing that could make it. Paul turned on his heel just as Cloudjumper landed in front of him, without hesitation he wrapped his arms around the strong chest, sighing happily when both sets of wings wrapped around him.
Joshua found himself hanging out with Grug in the great hall. The two talked about their lives, finding moments of similarity yet completely different. The TV had been on most of the day, though Joshua couldn’t follow half of it as he didn’t speak Norwegian or Swedish. Grug had told him about an app called Duolingo. It was very helpful, and Josh was determined to at least learn how to say hi, find the bathroom, and ask if the dragon was available for a chat.
David borrowed the study and was talking with Dillinger and Purves. This was their second talk, and despite the blush Melvin had been sporting, the talks seemed to be helping.
They’ve both taken time to get to know Hiccup, who was happy to tell them how he accidentally shot down the most famous of dragons and then befriended him with a fish.
‘Yes, the hand thing did happen. When Toothless is feeling needy he’ll put his snout into my palm.’
Josh glanced at the TV, frowning at the images. “What is going on? I’ve been trying to figure it out for the past few hours.”
Grug watched for a few moments, then shrugged. “There was an earthquake up in Antarctica, or some type of seismic shift. The problem is that the researchers can’t locate the center point, and the only thing they were able to find was a crack in the ice which looks to lead to an ice cave. It’s got the scientific community going nuts, and some whackos screaming that the aliens have landed.”
Joshua snorted, then quickly stood up when he felt something from Paul, he wasn’t even sure how to name. When there was a loud thud, causing the building to slightly shake, Grug was right behind him, calling out for Ahmed.
David was out of the study, followed by both Hunters who had their guns drawn.
“It’s likely Smaug.” Ahmed tried to calm the guests, gesturing for the Hunters to put down their weapons. “He likes to be annoying. By the way he’s a thief, the whole horde shiny things is very accurate.”
They made their way out of the building and towards the open field, they were not quite sure what was happening or what they were witnessing. “That’s not Smaug.” Grug stated the obvious.
Ahmed glanced over to his Lead Hunter. “Care to explain?”
Hiccup was staring at wonder at the dragon, he glanced over at Toothless who was prancing around, desperate to get into the hug action, and he couldn’t blame as he wanted in on the hug action also!
“It’s Cloudjumper.” He finally answered, his smile bright despite the tears in his eyes. “I thought he had gone off to die, yet here he is. I mean how did he even know! This is … oh come on I want a hug!”
Paul was finally released by the dragon, who stepped back to get a look at his rider. The large head cocked slightly, while the intelligent eyes took everything in. It settled onto the front wings, while he moved around sniffing Paul, then rubbed against him, making a few noises that almost sounded owlish. Paul let the dragon take everything in, then reached out to run a hand down the owl-like face. “Hello my friend.”
Cloudjumper stepped back, body shaking in excitement. There were more soft hoots. He shifted sideways, motioned for Paul to get on, so they could go for a ride. He took a breath, but didn’t hesitate, and climbed onto the dragon’s back letting himself settle into the best spot, as he was taller and heavier than Valka. Cloudjumper knew exactly when Paul was ready, and with a heft of his wings lifted into the air. He took the time for both of them to adjust, and before anyone could speak, they were gone.
Joshua was pretty sure his jaw had hit to the floor. He glanced over to David, who for the first time since they arrived didn’t look bewildered. “Did you figure something out that I haven’t?”
“Did you not see his expression?” David was digging through his contact list trying to figure out how to make this work. “Don’t you feel it.”
Joshua stepped closer to his Mate, expression slightly questioning as he cataloged what he was feeling. It was pure unadulterated joy. He had never felt that with Paul.
“There was a reason we aren’t able to fulfill that section of his soul.” David looked at him with a smile on his face, despite the implications. “Because it always belonged to Cloudjumper.”
“Are you saying we have a dragon for a fourth Mate??” He was sure his eyebrows were somewhere past his hairline.
“No. Our Mate has a soul bond to a dragon, and now he’s whole. We just have to figure out how to make sure the two are together.”
“What, like building an atrium?” Josh waved his arms around. “Did you see how big it was? Just the front body was twice the size of Toothless, hell I think Toothless fits under its wing!?”
“Until we know, Cloudjumper is a him.” David corrected with a look, especially as through all of Paul’s stories the dragon was referred to as him. It was rude to refer to an intelligent being as an it. “We have Blue, who is going to be a jealous bitch, and Houdini Jr who will likely be the dragon’s new best friend, and now Cloudjumper.”
Josh paused, realizing that David wasn’t kidding. “Okay. So how do we house a dragon? Hell, what do you feed a dragon? Hiccup we need info!?”
***
It took some adjusting, but after a few mishaps that he’ll never tell his Mates, Paul settled into the flight. After standing for a few moments, he settled onto Cloudjumper’s back and let the dragon soar. The wind through his hair was exhilarating, though after a while it was getting quite cool, and understood the use of leathers.
They flew for about an hour, and Paul had no idea where they were, and hoped Cloudjumper hadn’t kidnapped him, he was going to have to explain about Vampires and Mates. He wasn’t quite sure how to tell a dragon that he was a spy!
There was a tight turn, a long dive, and then a glide before landing on a lush green area that had the most amazing waterfall. Paul recognized it instantly, he slid off the dragon, and walked around in awe.
It was Valka’s Dragon Sanctuary.
“Did you stay here?” He asked, amazed at the beauty of the place. The memories didn’t do it justice. It was lush, full of life, and beautiful.
Cloudjumper shook his head, then settled into the grass reaching out to pull Paul close. He ended up sitting down in front of the dragon, leaning against him, their breathing slowly becoming synced. “I didn’t think I would see you again.”
There were a few hoots, warm air across his hair.
Paul leaned his head back and looked up at the dragon, then reached up and gave a pat on the chin. “Things have changed since Valka, as you can tell I’m not female for one.” The dragon tilted his head to look at Paul closer, nodding slightly. “The world’s changed, it was dangerous for you then, even more so now.”
Cloudjumper wrapped his front wings around Paul.
“I can’t hide with you either. I have a job that protects people, and I also have Mates. Kinda like Stoick who was my husband, but this is different.” Paul went to explain about Vampires, which led to the dragon giving him a more thorough examination. It took the spy a while to calm the dragon once he realized that technically he was dead. After even more detailed explanations about Vampires, Mates and just everything in general, Cloudjumper settled but still refused to let go.
“We do have to get back to where Hiccup and Toothless were located, then again they likely followed … ” He glanced up to see Hiccup wandering around staring in awe. “Never mind.”
“I figured the best way to make sure you were alright was to follow you.” Hiccup settled into the grass across from mom. “I could never find this place again, after mom died. It’s still awesome!”
“How’s David and Josh?”
“Mixed between not surprised, losing their minds, and plotting.” He shrugged, reaching out to touch Cloudjumper’s wing. “How are you doing? And where have you been?!”
The larger dragon rumbled, then looked at Toothless who wiggled under his wing. The black dragon gave a grin full of teeth, making the other roll its eyes or at least the dragon version of it.
“He wasn’t here.” Paul stood still leaning into his dragon. “Wait. There’s been news coverage of the quake in Antarctica…”
Cloudjumper shrugged, then pushed into Paul. “You hibernated.” Some soft hoots and rubs. “How did you wake up or know where to go?”
The dragon lifted off its front wings, sitting up and watching both humans. The bright eyes stared at Paul, almost conveying the story to him. That the first inkling of wakefulness was years back but took time to wake fully. It was the bond that snapped into place that had him moving from his cave to find his rider.
“I hadn’t realized it was there, it’s taken time for the memories to fully settle, but now that you’re here, I can feel it. Like a nice warm blanket next to my Mates.”
“How’s he doing with the Mate idea?” Hiccup slid up to mom then rushed in for a hug from Cloudjumper who sighed and nuzzled the kid. “That’s better.”
“I’m not sure, but it’s something we’re all going to have to deal with.” Paul gave the dragon a good scratch, then laughed when Toothless demanded the same. The Night Fury ended up on his back wiggling on the grass, tongue hanging out. “Likely to be visiting Norway more …”
Hiccup snorted. “I think you’re underestimating Cloudjumper and your Mates. There is no way he’s being left behind.”
“You won’t fit in an atrium.” He gave the dragon a pointed look, who ignored him completely. “You also can’t go on assignments with me!”
The eyes shifted, giving him a clear annoyed expression.
“Cloudjumper you can’t.”
“He still wants to be next to you, and I doubt you’re moving to Norway anytime soon.”
“Not helping!” He glared at his kid.
“Well, your Mates seem to have a plan.”
“What?” Paul turned towards him, with a look that would’ve never graced Valka. Instead, it was the look of a very serious Vampire that could kill him with a pen.
“Hey, don’t glare at me, talk to them!” The Hunter was smart enough to hide next to Cloudjumper. “Though remember they are doing it for you.”
“What the hell are those two idiots planning!?” Paul glanced at his dragon. “Time for a ride back. Before we leave, go eat.”
Toothless popped out from under a wing, prancing towards the water edge for some fish. Cloudjumper wandered off, going on a hunt for his dinner. Paul glared at Hiccup, who wandered off after Toothless more like made a run for it.
***
Matthew Thompson rolled over in the bed, blinking at his phone. There were a few people who had the gifted privilege of their number passing through ‘sleep mode’. He sat up and blearily stared at the face looking back at him.
He smacked Richard before answering the phone, ignoring his Mate’s snorts and growls. “The House better be on fire, and you desperately need a repair crew, for you to call me at three in the morning.”
‘The House is fine, but I do have an emergency situation that needs your skill set.’ David sounded calm and rational, yet slightly on the stressed side.
Matt had never seen or heard him stressed, ever. “What’s going on?” He was more awake, and glanced at Richard who was intently watching.
‘How fast can you get to Oslo?’ It was amazing how it was asked, as if he was needed to go to the store.
“Oslo, Norway?” He clarified just in case there wasn’t a random Oslo in the states. There could be somewhere, considering immigration populations.
‘Yes.’ There was a pause. ‘I’ll pay for the flights, but I really need your skills. And I’ll give free access to the House for future use.’
Matt’s eyebrow went up slightly. “We just finished the latest season of Kitchen Angel three days ago, and arrived back in Denver last night, I think. Give us time to wake up, shower, pack, and find flights. The moment we’re at the airport we’ll call.”
‘Thank You.’
Matt hung up the phone, tossed it onto the bed, then rubbed his hands over his face. “I have no idea so don’t ask. Go grab a shower while I find our passports.”
Richard leaned over and kissed his Mate on the temple. “Well at least this time I get to come, the last few times you ran off to Spain I was stuck with idiotic restaurant owners who whined about their chicken parmesan.”
Matt chuckled but made a mental note to check in on the status of the Abbey for Aguilar. He had talked to the count a few months back, who was settling in the house with his Mates. He got out of the bed, put on the fuzzy slippers, and headed down the back staircase to Richard’s office. The plans for his cookbook were scattered over two walls, the Chef Wars belt was tossed over one of the chairs, along with one of his Iron Chef cooking jackets. Matt made it over to the bookcase, bent down and opened one of the doors to reveal the safe, quickly got it open and snagged their passports, along with Richard’s papers. He then grabbed Richard’s travel bag along with his laptop and set both on the kitchen table, before heading back to their room to take his own shower.
By the time he got out, Richard had Matt’s backpack with laptop, sketch books, and phone ready. Plus, a carry on for each. The bags were downstairs on the kitchen table, next to them were travel coffee cups and two warm muffins.
“I’m so glad I was too strung out to sleep when we got home yesterday and baked some muffins.” Richard muttered in between bites. “I warmed up some blood, we both haven’t had enough time to recoup.”
Matt nodded, kissed his Mate, stole a bite from the muffin and then downed the blood before washing both mugs and put them away. “Flights?”
“We have a direct flight to Oslo, Norway that leaves at 8 am. We’ll have to leave the truck at the airport, as I couldn’t get car service out here that fast.” Richard grabbed his coffee mug, laptop bag, carry on and headed for the door.
“How expensive were those tickets?” Matt asked, shoving the muffin into his mouth as he snagged his own bags.
“Two grand each, David is going to regret dragging us up at three in the morning! I booked us first class. I need the leg room.” Richard chuckled darkly, then shivered as the cold air hit them. “Fuck it’s cold.”
Matt tossed his bags into the back, set his mug in his cup tray then got behind the wheel of the truck. “What the hell is in Norway?”
“Vikings.” Richard shrugged putting his own coffee down then settled into the passenger seat. “By the way there are two Oslo’s in the US. One in Minnesota, the other Florida.”
“Thank you, I so needed to know that.” He really didn’t roll his eyes despite what Richard said.
***
Matt had no idea what time it was when they landed and was introduced to Melvin Purvis and John Dillinger. He didn’t blink, just snagged the coffee they were holding out. He remembered following Dillinger’s story in the papers including his death. Had a vague recollection of seeing an article in the paper when Agent Purvis died. Somehow it wasn’t surprising to find out they were Vampires, nope not at all.
“You don’t seem that shocked.” Dillinger leaned over the front seat and stared at their passengers as they headed out onto the road.
“My Mate hangs out with Rooks.” Matt shrugged, sipping his coffee. “A known bank robber hiding in Sweden, not nearly as shocking as some of the weird shit I’ve seen. Mated to the FBI Agent who hunted, interesting but not shocking.”
“Mel, I’m losing my touch!” John winked at his Mate, who ignored everyone.
“Why are we here?” Richard asked hoping to get more information, but somehow doubted the two Hunters were going to divulge anything. “Or maybe I should ask, why is my Mate here? Hell, why is David here, opening a branch in Oslo?”
“I hope so!” Dillinger grinned.
“You’ll find out soon enough.” Melvin gave his Mate a side-eye, though had to admit if Master David did open a ‘House’ in Oslo it wouldn’t be that bad. “It’s another few hours before we get there, get some sleep.”
Three hours into the drive, Matt couldn’t contain the ironic laughter, of having flown over 3000 miles to Norway, driving to a hidden Clan home in Sweden, yet finding himself eating a Nordic version of a Sausage McMuffin from McDonalds.
Due to some construction, which caused traffic delays they arrived at the Clan Location just after noon. They were escorted into the main house, introduced to Ahmed the Co-Leader, it would seem Builwyf was still stuck in Stockholm, and pissed he was missing all the drama.
They barely set their bags down when a black dragon ran over to Richard and started prancing around, sniffing at his pockets.
Matt gave his mate a side-eye. “Care to explain?”
“Met him when I was in Holylock, a fish stealer.” Richard gave the creature a hard look, before reaching out to give him a scratch. “His caretaker, also a fish stealer, just preferred it cooked.”
“Oh man, still the best fish and chips I’ve ever had!” Hiccup smiled at the chef. “Though I would be happy for your cooking, but for some reason I seriously doubt you’ve come all this way to feed me.”
“I called them.” David came down the stairs in his typical elegant fashion. “Thanks for getting here as fast as you did, though my credit card took a hit.”
Richard shrugged, not even apologizing. “What’s going on? You dragged my Mate over 3000 miles, and I’m pretty sure you want him to build something.”
“It helps that he’s really good at it.” David smiled, then gave Matt and Richard a hug. “I had no idea the two of you had already encountered dragons.”
“I met the fish stealing one during the war.” Richard glanced over to his Mate, who was his typical stoic self. “This one met Draco, there was some repair work that needed to be done, after the war.” Richard didn’t comment on the amount of Clan related builds Matt, and in essence 4th Division, had done over the past six decades. He was pretty sure his Mate knew all the secrets, and a few he wasn’t even telling Richard about.
Joshua came down the stairs settling next to David. “This particular build will be a challenge.”
“Introduce me to the dragon.” Matt dropped his bags next to one of the oversize couches, admiring the great room, it was well designed. He particularly liked the large French Doors that could be folded back and have outdoor living mixed with indoors. He grabbed his digital measuring tape, sketchbook, and a packet of pencils. “Where am I building this new den?”
David shouldn’t have been surprised that Matt went with the situation without much of a thought.
“The man-made lake behind the house.” Joshua added to the conversation. “The place that used to be one of those follies, well we’re going to need to make it look like one.”
Matt nodded, glanced at his Mate, who leaned over and kissed him quickly then went looking for the kitchen. Cooking was how Richard calmed his nerves and he knew Matt was going to be hungry. Hell, he was likely hungry now, so snacks would be first order of business. He was expecting to have a confrontation, as he usually did when entering someone else’s kitchen, hence since becoming an Iron Chef, he would wear the ‘uniform’. Surprisingly the Clan Caretaker, squeed at having an Iron Chef in her kitchen and set out to help.
As Richard disappeared into the kitchen, Ahmed handed Matt a folder with schematics and documentations. “Toothless is small enough to be inside, we’ve got oversized dog beds all over the place, and Hiccup’s section has a secondary room attached, as a kennel/playpen for the dragon. Smaug though is not nearly as small. He’s not always here, since his cave is located in the mountains of Norway, where he has most of his stash. In time we did have to build him a ‘cave’, as we had to make sure he had a safe place.”
“Smaug as in the Fire Drake who stole Erebor then destroyed Lake Town?” He had read that story when he was stationed in England, it was something that had moved around the barracks. He had been excited to see the story continue when Lord of the Rings was printed in the 1950’s. The schematics showed that they had built an aircraft hangar and blended it into the surrounding area. “Do I need to worry about being burned alive?”
“Not today he’s up north.” Ahmed said with a straight face, only a slight smirk on his face.
Matt gave him a look, before heading outside. “What about this new dragon, is he staying in Smaug’s place while he’s away or is there a territorial issue?” Questions he never thought he would be asking in complete seriousness.
“Territorial issues.” Ahmed answered, not even wanting to think about Smaug finding out another dragon was near his stash. He barely tolerated Thorin, and they were the ones with the pact. “We have him in camouflage at the moment.”
“How did you get the hanger built? The permits look to be for an actual hangar, not that you could put down Dragon Den.” Matt glanced over at the Co-Leader, realizing he was the one with the most knowledge on these dragons.
“We hired locals, who were loyal to the Clan, but they had no idea about Smaug. There’s a reason it looks like an aircraft hangar, because technically it is. The Dragon Landing area is an actual runaway, and we have a section marked out for Helicopters. We have a private plane, which we keep at the local airport, but on occasion have landed here, to keep up the premise that it’s a private landing strip. Builwyf has a pilot’s license as does Nobel. Fili is the one who flies helicopters, and we keep it near the hangar. It’s the nets we use to cover the helicopter that is covering the newest guy.”
Matt stopped in front of the hangar, and it was exactly what it was supposed to be. If anyone walked up to it, they would assume there were small private planes or Cessnas inside. He turned around to see the ‘Dragon Landing Pad’ and it was an actual runway, even with lights. The helicopter pad was on the far edge, and he could see the camouflage nets being held up by a variety of poles. It wasn’t the best built system but at the moment seemed to be doing the job.
“Is there any way I can see the inside?” Matt asked.
“Smaug, has it secured.” Ahmed frowned slightly, running a hand through his dark hair. “Have I mentioned the hoarding part?”
“I’m guessing elements of the book are based on the dragon, so he likes to sleep under all the gold?” Ahmed nodded, as if talking about a fictional dragon was part of an everyday conversion, which for him it likely was and discussed at the dinner table. “How big is the new dragon?” He glanced over at Joshua and David, who had been following them to the hangar. He couldn’t help but wonder how exactly they were involved with this. “And more importantly how did the two of you end up with a dragon?”
“Oh, it’s not ours.” Joshua cringed slightly, realizing they had left a huge section of the story out. “It’s Paul’s, our Mate.”
Matt stared at the two of them, he really wished he brought a tool belt so he could store his gear and cross his arms and glare at the two Vampires. “When did you get a third Mate? And does that happen often, getting a surprise 3rd Mate?”
“Come to find out, yeah.” David sighed, then looked over his shoulder towards the makeshift tent. “We found Paul about seven years ago. He’s got a gift, well two, but more to the point Draco stated he should come visit Mod. We got here and discovered that he has the soul of Hiccup’s mother who was the Queen of Dragons.”
“And he’s now the King of Dragons?” Matt asked following their gaze to the area, this time he caught a glimpse of a man, who was wearing jeans and a cable knit type sweater, he was talking softly to the dragon that was still out of view. “Is he related to Aguilar?”
Joshua and David were now staring at Matt.
“What?”
“How do you know Aguilar?” David was curious, considering they only met him a couple of years back.
“Built something for him. It’s how I meet anyone these days,” Matt shrugged.
Half the reason he knew shit he shouldn’t know was because he ended up building a section of it. Richard still doesn’t have a clue about the ‘Red Belt’ Society as Matt took to calling it, though he was pretty sure Jake was going to send his Mate to the ‘Abbey’ for training someday. And of course, he hasn’t mentioned who ended up in the Blue Room at St. Michael’s Mount.
“Your new Mate now has a dragon as a pet and you need a hidey hole for him behind the House.” Matt just wanted to clarify he was getting everything right. “Which leads me back to, can I see the inside of the hangar or is Smaug going to roast me? I can build something big enough to hide him, but I need inside dimensions for wings and comfort. It’s going to be a den not a kennel.”
“It’s locked, and anyone who could open it is not in the area. Thorin, and the boys are off doing something, which usually means Bilbo is with them,” Ahmed explained. “But I can tell you, it basically looks like a typical hangar, it’s just filled with shiny things and not planes. After they built it, Thorin and the boys fixed it up, so it looked more like a cave on the inside, and even found these fake flickering torches. It was Kili’s idea to make it look like Erebor from the movie.”
Matt refused to discuss the line of Durin and a hobbit, so stuck to the dragon side of things. “Can I meet this newest guy just to get measurements? I have the schematics, which gives me some idea of space needed. I just need to know if he’s bigger or … ” He paused when the tent was pulled away and a beige yet brown dragon emerged, its coloring would easily blend into a desert surrounding, not necessarily the green hills of England. It took him a moment to realize as it walked closer that its front ‘feet’ were actually the knuckles of a set of wings, yet he could see another set laid against the long-ridged back.
“Hello.” Paul held out his hand to Matt. “I’m Paul. I’m hoping the Mates updated you on everything. They kind of gave me a quick rundown on who you are.”
“They let me in on the information a few minutes ago.” Matt glanced over to the dragon who was calmly perched next to Paul, its head tilted watching the situation with very intelligent eyes.
He had met Draco a couple of years after the war, helped rebuild some of his cave after it was damaged by Nazi bombardments. When the ladders wouldn’t get him high enough, Matt had found himself standing in Draco’s palm as he nailed new shelving and other storage sections. The two talked about the oddest things from the best flavor of sheep to the latest technological advances in radar.
“Do you mind if I take measurements?” Matt directly addressed the dragon. “Do you have a name?”
“His name is Cloudjumper.” Paul answered, admiring the fact the builder, who David swore was the best option, asked the questions directly to Cloudjumper.
When he landed back at the Clan home, the first thing they all tried to figure out was how to hide Cloudjumper, and it was Hiccup who came up with the idea of using the nets that covered the helicopter to make a tent, once the dragon was settled, he ended up back in his rooms with his Mates.
“What are you two planning?!” He gave them both a hard look, arms crossed over his chest.
Both knew they were seeing the Double-O, who was already in defense mode, and seconds from going on the offensive.
“Trying to figure out the best option for everyone.” David held his ground against his irate Mate. “We’re not moving to Norway, and it’s obvious Cloudjumper isn’t staying here without you.”
“He’s a dragon …”
“He’s part of your soul.” David countered the argument for it began. “We all know our relationship has been tricky, and not because none of us has tried. We all have been willing to compromise, learn new things, take the time to be with each other in all different ways. Your job takes you away, and I’ll never ask you to stop because you do what must be done. My job puts a distance between us sometimes as it’s not something you are comfortable with, but you don’t ask me to stop. Honestly for three guys from three different worlds, with a wide range of sexual preferences, I think we’ve done good building a life together.”
Paul relaxed, arms dropping to his side. “I never wanted to change what you two had before me.”
“Hey, you haven’t.” Joshua slid next to Paul, arm around his shoulder. “David is right, we’re still working on things, and will be working on it for a while. Severus, Galahad, and Draco still have times of adjustments, hell Mates with just a boring two in it, have moments of adjustment in their relationships. The darlings of the Vampire society – Nico and Warrick – have even had moments where they had to remind themselves of their relationship.”
“You two accepted Blue and Houdini, built me a small cottage so I can have space and now you have to deal with Cloudjumper, it’s not fair to you.”
“It’s not about being fair. He’s part of your soul.” David reached up and cupped Paul’s cheek. “The moment you laid eyes on him something snapped into place, and our Bond singed. It was what was missing all this time. So of course, we’re going to do what needs to be done to get our boy home.”
“He’s a dragon.” Paul pointed out just in case they missed it.
“Yes, and we know a builder who can do weird shit and not ask questions.” Joshua added to the conversation. “He built your sanctuary, and likely stuff we have no idea about. Right now, he’s working with his Mate, who is an Iron Chef by the way, on a show called Kitchen Angels.”
“Do you trust this guy?” Paul was deadly serious.
“When you meet him, you’ll understand.” David assured him, then pulled Paul close, giving him a soft kiss. “We wouldn’t do anything to harm you or Cloudjumper.”
Paul pulled him closer, deepening the kiss slightly. “I have no idea what to do about this.” He chuckled, leaning against Josh’s strength. “Blue is not going to be happy.”
“Oh, she’s going to lose her lizard mind.” Joshua was sure the iguana was going to find a way to try and have Cloudjumper assassinated. “We can only hope Houdini will hang out with his new bud and leave us alone.”
He had been watching the four talk by the hangar, a damn good disguise as he had never thought it was a dragon hideout. Cloudjumper refused to go near it, having smelled the other dragon. Paul figured it was time to introduce himself.
Matt ended up being exactly what his Mates described him to be. The man took everything with ease and didn’t let anything weird get to him. He quietly talked to Cloudjumper as he measured, and asked questions about how he slept. Paul explained that Cloudjumper at times liked to sleep like a bat hanging by his feet, wings wrapped around him. He nodded, took notes, then asked if swimming was an option, and wanted to make sure if the den needed to be dark with hordes of gold, or brighter filled with plants.
Cloudjumper danced around slightly at the mention of sunlight and plants. Paul explained what the sanctuary island looked like, and that the dragon’s favorite spots were either napping by the waterfall or hanging upside down in one of the caves.
Matt took more notes, and measurements. “Odd question, what about food? Is he going to get his own or should there be like a trough where food is placed and how big should it be? When I talked with Draco he’s near the sea so can go hunting easier, the House though has a lot of property and still has other residences nearby.”
“We’re working on some ideas, mainly to let him go hunting when need be. Once full, dragons can settle up to weeks if not months until their next meal.” Paul had been going through Hiccup’s books, plus trying to pull out the information Valka had collected over the years.
“I got some ideas.” He ended up sitting on the ground sketching out plans, pencils scattered around him. He barely even looked up when a dish of food was set next to him, instead just grabbed the treats, and popped it into his mouth. “Thanks love.”
“That should tide you over, I’m doing up a fish fry for later.”
“Oh Richard, this is Cloudjumper.” He waved his hand up to the dragon who was looking over his shoulder. “This is my Mate, Richard – he’s the best chef in the world as far as I’m concerned.”
“Hey.” Richard waved at the dragon, who gave him a nod. “Make sure he eats.”
Matt gave his Mate a smile, then downed at least two more of the finger foods. He then held up the sketch book, to the dragon. “What do you think?”
Cloudjumper gave a few soft hoots and grumbles, then nudged Matt. “I hope that means you like it.”
Paul and Joshua settled next to him, the cowboy snagging at least one of the treats knowing full well they were good. “Care to show us humans?”
“He gets first dibs, it’s his house.” Matt muttered then handed over one of the outside sketches. “We’re going to have to bring in a major crew for this, I’ll assign William as the Manager. He’s a Chosen One so will likely think it’s just some odd Clan thing. Once it’s finished then Cloudjumper can fly down, there is no way to hide him in the area, well unless he wants to hang with Draco.”
“It took a bit of convincing, but he’s agreed to stay here until it’s ready.” Paul gave the dragon a pat. “How long will it take?”
“I’ll get William down there to do soil samples, and start getting permits in.” He looked over at Joshua, noticing that David had disappeared. “David will need to be polite to a few government officials. Might make it easier with the permits, and not have too many questions.”
“Nothing new there.” Joshua was looking over the plans. “Is this a hobbit hole?”
“I was inspired.” Matt shrugged as he handed more sketches. “From a distance it will look like a small hill with a hobbit hole. Up close the door is a lot larger, but not hangar size. The main entrance will actually be in the back, which is the mouth of a large cave that opens to a magical forest. Add a lot more trees and plants, plus put canopies over the tops to camouflage any dragon sunbathing. Anyone flying by will only see green tops and an enchanting forest, it will get labeled as something an eccentric Manor owner would do in his backyard.”
“This is actually amazing.” Paul held up the sketches to Cloudjumper who showed his pleasure with happy grumbles. “And you build kitchens?”
“That’s a side hobby.” Matt laughed, explaining how they worked up the concept of the show to make sure they were able to stay together instead of being separated all the time. “I’m really good at renovations and unique style projects.”
There was a commotion by the house, they could hear yelling and in the midst of all of it was a familiar voice.
“Hannibal.”
***
David stared at his Mate’s best friend with joy and contempt. “What are you doing here?”
“Paul asked me to come.” He glanced around the large room, not looking at all concerned that Hunters who were pointing guns at him. “When Don gets new toys for me to try, by the way the Colosseum Lego set was awesome! I know you’re distracting me, which is fine Paul needs time with his Mates. I get it. But he’s also my friend, my best friend.” He took a deep breath, letting Don’s touch calm his scattered and tired brain. “I had a bad feeling, so I called.”
‘You, okay?!’
‘Hannibal?’ Paul glanced at his phone to make sure who was calling and saw the smiling face of one Hannibal King.
‘Yes, the hot one, not the one who rode elephants. What’s going on?’ The Hunter was not backing down on his questioning.
He hesitated for a moment, then realized he really needed his friend. ‘Can you come to Oslo?’
‘As in the frozen ass end of Norway, not the hellhole in Florida?’
‘I do not want to know.’ Paul laughed lightly. ‘I’ve learned a few things about myself and the lizard thing.’
‘I’m there. Give me time to pack, kidnap Don, and hijack a plane.’
Hannibal hung up, and Paul wasn’t sure if he had been joking or not.
“And here I am. I have no idea what time it is or the day, but I’m here ’cause my boy needs me. I pulled a few of my own contacts and found my way out here. Now what’s going on?” Hannibal glanced down to see a plate of food on one of the tables. “Oh food.” He took a couple of the potato ball looking things and moaned in pleasure. “Dude, your chef, love them.”
“He’s an Iron Chef.” David answered still not sure what to do with Hannibal, but weirdly thankful the man was that good of a friend to Paul that he hopped on a plane when asked. “Paul asked you to come, which means he trusts you.”
“Hey, I know I’m an annoying arse, but I will not jeopardize Paul or anyone here. I get the need for secrecy, whatever it may be, even if it’s a black dragon that’s trying to blend into the oversized dog bed.” Hannibal glanced over at said dragon. He paused for a few moments, eyes narrowing as if trying to remember the last time he saw this image.
“Hannibal?” Don reached out and touched his arm. “Are you okay?” He wasn’t sure what he was feeling from his Mate. Hannibal felt deeply, and over the past years Don had been able to catalog the variety of emotions, but this one was something new.
David closed his eyes, wondering if what they had contemplated was true. “The dragon is named Toothless.”
Hannibal glanced at David then back at the dragon, he took a few steps forward and held out his palm. “I know you.”
Toothless reached forward and put his snout into the palm leaning into the touch.
“Well, this is going to suck.” Paul walked into the room, petted Toothless, then smiled at Hannibal. “Thank you for coming.”
“You call. I bring weapons.” He pulled his friend into his arms holding him tight.
“Don’t think about touching his ass.” Don commented from the side, grinning slightly. “Master David will let Joshua shoot you.”
“But that’s half the fun!” Hannibal stepped back giving his Mate a wink. “But I wouldn’t let you suffer for my carnal lusts. What’s going on with the Lizard King?”
“That title will be changing.” Paul was just contemplating taking Hannibal outside and introducing Cloudjumper, as he seemed to handle Toothless, but he wanted to verify a suspicion first. “Let me introduce you to …”
“Dad?!” Hiccup stared at the man standing next to mom. There was no way. Hiccup waved his arms at Hannibal, glancing at Paul. “How?”
“He’s waving at all of me.” Hannibal gave the kid a hard stare, only for a flash of memory to slide across his mind. Him a much bigger and hairier version yelling at a young kid waving his hand around, the boy looking devastated and resigned ‘your waving at all of me, dad’. “Hiccup?”
“I knew I should’ve put money down on that.” Joshua stepped next to David, who looked resigned that Hannibal King was never ever going to be out of their lives.
Hannibal without a thought pulled the kid into his arms, holding him tightly, then stepped back taking in everything. “Oh my god, look at you all grown up. Don this is like my kid but from another life, he was a total geek, the good type who showed up his dear ol’ dad. Oh, and Toothless, how could I forget you.” He knelt next to the dragon making sure not to scare him. “You’ve taken care of him all this time?” The dragon nodded. “You are such a good dragon.”
Don glanced at Hiccup who gave him a shrug. “I’m Hiccup, Lead Hunter here at Mod Clan. Seems that it’s been a week of weird epiphanies. First Paul as mom and now well dad.”
Don glanced at Paul who also gave him a small shrug. “This is going to suck for you.”
Paul laughed, there was a reason he and Don got along. “Just remind him Mother’s Day in England is different from the US.”
“You really think he’s going to settle for one?” The detective pulled out his phone making sure to add a few notes to the calendar. “Okay, so what do I need to learn and how quickly?”
“Valka.” Hannibal stood and smirked at Paul, once again pulling him into his arms. “My dear wife.”
“Hands off the arse.” Paul held tightly just for a few moments. “I will shank you.”
“You could then.” It was more of a Stoick comment, but still very Hannibal. “Oh god the Lizard thing it’s from the Dragons.” He glanced at Toothless then back at Paul. “How many?”
“Only Cloudjumper.”
“He was very loyal to you.” Hannibal followed Paul out of the room, towards the back door, when he glanced at the TV. “Shit is that Notre Dame and tell me it’s not on fire!”
***
The rest of the evening was spent around food, discussion about dragon dens, and watching the drama unfold in Paris. Prayers were sent for the firefighters, while hoping not to see the old Cathedral collapse.
Hannibal was caught up on the now Dragon King, and was introduced to Matt and Richard, the Iron Chef. He contemplated stealing Richard, but decided to flirt with Matt. When the ‘chippy’ as he started to calm him didn’t respond, he only smiled and gave the poor guy a hug then ran before the chef tried to kill him.
Relief was felt across the group when the fire for the famed Cathedral was out by 9 am the next morning.
By that time Matt and Richard had already left, wanting to get to London and start the project. David assured the builder he would make a few phone calls, so things would be easier for him once they filed for permits. Matt knew with it being Easter Week, there was no way any of that was going to get done fast, so his main goal was to get William up to speed, check the project schedule they already had, and figure how to move men around, and which teams would work best on this type of project.
His goal was to crash when they got to the Rookery then start the next morning, but as it always happens, nothing ever goes to plan with Jake and Evy Frye were around.
***
Don sat next to his Mate they had spent most of the day learning everything they could about dragons. Don was staying calm for Hannibal, but he had to admit the whole idea of dragons had his inner five-year-old screaming ‘It’s a Fucking Dragon!’.
“Are you okay with this?” Hannibal asked, glancing over at his Mate. “I mean I’m barely okay with this, I’m sure you’re either freaking out internally or going to lose your mind when we get back to New York.”
“Both.” He answered honestly. “Am I surprised that you and Paul have a history, no. I mean you two fit and don’t at the same time. He’s suave and you’re obnoxious. He’s sophisticated and you’re brute force. But at the same time the two of you work seamlessly, and both have dropped what you’re doing to help the other. That’s a friendship people hope for – the Ride and Die type. To find out at one point you two were married. Two stubborn people who raised a sensible and charming kid – not shocking too much.”
Hannibal chuckled lightly. “I’ve never seen him this happy. I mean when he Mated with the sex workers, he seemed calmer, more content. He had found a home. But now with Cloudjumper it’s like a part of him that was missing is back. I’m kinda jealous my boy didn’t come back, but then we were good war buddies and didn’t have a bond like Valka and Cloudjumper or Hiccup and Toothless. My family, the dragon talkers.”
“Does this make me a stepdad?” Don shifted until he was leaning against Hannibal. “I’ve already added birthdays to the list.”
“And Mother’s Day!”
“I’m pretty sure Paul’s plotting Father’s Day.”
Hannibal giggled, then wrapped his arms around Don. “By the way you’ll make a great stepdad, a hot one. I totally dumped the ex for your gorgeous ass.”
Don couldn’t help the laughter, burying his head into his Mate’s shoulder. “I hate you so much.”
“You know we need to find out if there’s a National Dragon Day.”
***
Cloudjumper sniffled at David, ruffling his hair, then headbutted Joshua. They were taking time to get to know the dragon, as he was going to be part of their lives.
“Duolingo does not have Dragon Speak.” Joshua complained as he went through the app. “Can learn Elvish but not Dragon.”
“He’s very commutative.” David patted the expansive chest. “His eyes speak volumes, and the boy can rock a disgruntled side-eye.” He laughed when the dragon gave him a side-eye then pushed into his hand, indicating he would like a scritch. “Do you think that some of those paleontologists got it wrong about dinosaurs and birds, that it’s more about dragons and birds?”
“There’s a lot of owl type features, maybe we should talk to Dr. Grant.” Joshua suggested, he had been reading Hiccup’s books.
Paul had found him a few hours later crying.
‘So many of them are gone.’ Joshua handed the book over. ‘Because people are stupid.’
‘I know.’ Paul climbed onto the bed and curled close to his Mate. ‘I tried to save so many. Only to find out there’s only a handful left.’
‘I’ll protect Cloudjumper with my life. No one is hurting our boy.’ Joshua kissed the top of Paul’s head, sealing the vow. ‘I still think we should see about other dragons. Maybe there are more, and they need to see the King of Dragons.’
‘I think Matt would lose his mind if we had to make a series of dens.’
‘Nah, he would just build a giant Hobbiton for dragons. And that’s a statement that I never thought I would say!’
David walked in on the two laughing hysterically. ‘I need to be in on this!’
“Paul has put some phone calls to Shogun, it seems they have one.” David was starting to not be surprised at this type of information. “He hadn’t really been at the Clan Home so had no idea, and in typical Clan fashion Shogun was hiding him.”
“It’s good thing he has strong ties to Shogun.” Joshua put down his phone and focused on the dragon. “Do you think we should get some of those enrichment toys, we have a few for Blue.”
“Where do you think we would buy them?” David gave his Mate a look, though it was a good idea. “Maybe Matt could build a few.” He glanced up at Cloudjumper. “What would you like?”
“A big giant ball isn’t going to do him much good.” Paul smiled at the two of them as he settled in between them. “Flying will be the best option, we’re going to have to learn the flight patterns in the area, plus how much radar will pick him up. Hiccup stated Toothless likes to watch nature shows, and just got off the phone with Nathan at Shogun. It seems Mushu is a Chinese Dragon but is one of the few that can speak. So, he has a tablet and Bluetooth to help control it.”
“We could get a good entertainment center, maybe audible type books.” Joshua grabbed his phone to make more notes. “Also sent a message to Matt about security, but something going down with the Rooks as he sent a few emojis and not all of them were polite.”
David frowned but refused to pick up his phone. “We promised to be as limited on our phones as we could.”
“Which is why I haven’t done anything.” Paul had itched to find out more information, but right now his focus was on Cloudjumper and his Mates. “I was thinking, and I talked it over with Cloudjumper and he’s willing.”
David and Josh looked between the two of them.
“How about a flight, take you to see the sanctuary. You can totally do the naked lost in the jungle thing.” Paul winked at both of his Mates, who looked terrified and excited all at the same time. “I promise it’s safe, Cloudjumper wouldn’t do anything to harm me, which means protecting you two.”
Joshua stood up his smile wide and full of joy. “I’m up for it. You guys came with me to go hiking in Yellowstone, even rode horses so I can do this.”
David glanced at Cloudjumper who gave him a small shrug. “Okay. I’m totally going to expect hot jungle sex.”
Paul reached out and patted the dragon, muttering softly. Cloudjumper shifted then dropped down onto the ground allowing both Paul and David to climb on. David settled easily but let Joshua pull him close, hoping to feel more secure. They realized there was some rope secured around the body of the dragon so they could hold onto. Paul climbed up and took his spot just at the base of Cloudjumper’s neck, settling into his position.
“You’re not going to sit?” David asked in a tone indicating he didn’t like this at all.
“This is how we ride.” Paul was still contemplating getting some leathers, he would need to talk to Hiccup about where he got his. Without a word or command, Cloudjumper slowly rose off the ground, making sure to account for the extra weight, took off to the skies.
Oh, very cool. Also… Poo. No Smaug! But hurray for Hiccup!
Wow! This is totally cool and unexpected. Of course Hannibal was Paul’s husband, they so well together. So hopefully they will be off to visit Mushu and all the other ones. Wonder how one extra possessive dragon will try to ‘protect’ his hooman?
Beautiful! The way David, Joshua and Hannibal care for Paul is so lovely 🙂
Ooooh, some dragons! I love it, thank you so much. I like the dragons in the Star Wars universe too, they are a bunch of really server ones though.
But seeing Cloudjumper (I haad to look him up at goggle 🙂 ) He’s rather stunning, isn’t he?