Hammer and Anvil: Chapter Three

The Hammer and the Anvil
Book One of Forging the Bond

Chapter Three
Running Home

Amanda started awake in a strange bed. She hurt, the pain medication having worn off, and groaned. Before she could move a figure was at her side and a large, calloused, but extremely gentle hand rested on her shoulder.

“Are you alright?” Mark asked.

“Yes,” she answered, though she was still confused. As she looked around, she realized she was in the first aid room at the retreat. Mark must have been sitting on the couch next to her for him to get to her so quickly. It was kind of him to make sure she was alright, but she wasn’t sure what to think about it. He was confusing her.

Slowly she levered herself upright and moved her legs to the edge of the bed. Before she could put her feet down Mark had grabbed her and lifted her into his arms. A war of annoyance and adoration raged in her for several seconds before she spoke.

“I can walk.” It was a token protest at best, but she had to try.

“It’s less painful if I carry you,” he answered, setting her on the edge of the bathroom sink. “You got it?”

“Um, yeah,” Amanda said, blushing furiously.

As soon as he was gone, she put her hand to her chest and felt the staccato rhythm of her heart. Her whole body felt hotter than normal and between her legs she was hot and damp. No one had ever made her feel that way so quickly. Or intensely.

Amanda hurried through using the restroom, then stood in front of the sink and ran cool water over her face. A soft knock sounded at the door and a moment later it opened. Without a word Mark lifted her back into his arms and carried her back to the bed. Still silent, he brought her a dose of her pain medication and a drink, then sat on the couch next to her.

Biting her lip, she turned onto her side and stared at him for a long moment. She wanted to thank him but got the distinct impression that if she did, he would be offended. There was no logical reason for her to feel that way, but she did. Instead, she reached out and touched his hand, giving him a smile when he met her gaze. She didn’t speak a word, but the message was clear.

Mark nodded, then leaned his head back on the couch and closed his eyes. His hand turned under hers and he intertwined their fingers. Unsure what to do, Amanda lay there in the dark room and watched his chest rise and fall.

The silence didn’t seem suffocating. Not like it had when she was growing up. Something inside her calmed in his presence. She felt safe, even without a word spoken. Not really understanding, and hating her confusion, she closed her eyes and let herself drift back to sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Mark watched over his mate throughout the night. She woke several times, either to use the restroom or because she was in pain. Once she got to her feet before he could reach her and nearly collapsed. His heart nearly broke for her. It was obvious she was used to taking care of herself. That she’d had no other choice. And that was sad.

It felt like his whole world was changing. In the space of a heartbeat, when he’d heard her scream, Mark had discovered what it felt like to connect to his soulmate. Not completely, and that was terrifying. How was it she had passed puberty without knowing who and what she was?

Twice the young woman tried to convince him she was fine to use her crutches, but the thought of her pain stabbed at him. Instead he carried her, basking in her closeness, her already familiar scent. She was so small, so tiny in his arms. He vowed he would protect her, provide for her.

Unfortunately, Mark had an uphill climb. First, he had to tell her who she was, and after that he needed to convince her to stay with him. He would find a way. One day she would be his.

When the grey light of dawn filtered in through the window Amanda stirred again and Mark sighed. In total she’d probably slept six hours, though she’d fallen asleep well before dark. It wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough.


~*~*~*~*~*~
It had been an awful night. Amanda had woken several times in pain, or because she had a bladder the size of a raisin, as she’d often complained to her friends. When she tried to stand, Mark was there instantly, and grabbed her before she could hit the ground. He carried her to the bathroom in spite of her insistence that she could manage. There was a small part of her that wanted to bite him, just to show she had teeth, but she avoided that by clenching her jaw.
Even though he was a bit high-handed, carting her around without really asking, she knew it came from a place of concern, perhaps even caring if his odd behavior said anything. Amanda tried to be a good patient, but she hated the meds she had been given, she was in pain, and she was grumpy and had no one to blame for it.
The grey light of early morning filtered in through the window, waking her shortly after the sun. She nearly decided to reclose her eyes and go back to sleep, but between her bladder and a rumbling stomach, Amanda knew it was time to get up.
Strange noises were coming from outside, and Amanda wondered what new horrors awaited her co-workers. She was sure she would be given a pass. She never wanted to spend more than a minute outside again. The thought made her want to curl even deeper into the blankets and hide.
Amanda turned her head and was again caught by the gorgeous icy-blue eyes of her rescuer. Mark was lying on the couch beside her, his hand still wrapped around her own. He looked uncomfortably cramped squeezed into the small loveseat, but he had stayed with her the entire night.
She became acutely conscious of herself as soon as she noticed him. She knew she looked awful, wearing part of her clothing from the day before, now mixed with the navy-blue sweatpants, cut up the leg, that the nurse had given to her. Her hair was probably full of knots and she was wearing no makeup.
Mark groaned and sat up. Amanda copied him. She was not happy to be so uncomfortable. She wanted to go home and curl up in her favorite comfy chair with a heating pad and a stack of books. She didn’t want to stay at the retreat where she would only be in the way and remain a burden to the gorgeous hunk sitting beside her.
He moved, standing unsteadily for a moment, then reached out a hand and helped Amanda off the bed. She stood, mostly on her good leg, leaning on his arm for support. He smelled wonderful, even after a night spent on the couch.
“Hi.” It was almost a whisper. Amanda wanted to smack herself, but let it be. There was nothing she could do about it now.
He grinned in reply, and in that moment, the world seemed to expand. He was absolutely gorgeous, but it was so much more than that. She knew she didn’t fully understand what was happening between them, and that terrified her. “Hi yourself,” he said softly.
“What time is it?”
Mark’s only answer was a shrug as he made sure she wouldn’t fall. Then he looked into her eyes. “Hungry?” he asked.
“Starving!” Mark helped Amanda with her crutches, and she leaned heavily on them for a moment before remembering the instructions she had received the day before.
“My sister probably has something set aside.”
“That sounds great,” Amanda told him, enthusiastic about the idea of a full stomach.
After a quick trip to the bathroom, where Amanda washed her hands and face with a pretty smelling vanilla soap, Mark led her out to the main room of the retreat. The young woman Amanda remembered rushed over, blonde hair swinging around her shoulders as she hovered until Amanda was safely ensconced on the couch.
“I’ve got a plate waiting for you. I didn’t want to wake you up before you were ready. Pain medications tend to knock me out, so I figured I would let you wake up whenever. Mark here didn’t leave all night. His dog was not happy.” She fluffed a pillow, pulled Amanda forward, and placed it behind her without ever stopping her train of thought. “Mark, I took Jinx out already. Anyways, I have breakfast for you, like I said and,” she trailed off. “I’m nattering again. Nervous habit.”
Amanda was enchanted. “Not a problem,” she said softly, reaching for the other young woman’s hand. “Thank you for helping me. And for the food,” she added with a grin. She looked around wondering where the woman had hidden her plate.
“This is my sister, Jennifer,” Mark said into the sudden quiet. “She does most of the day to day running of the business.”
Amanda looked at her closely. She was beautiful. Her blonde hair was undyed, and she had gorgeous green eyes that reminded Amanda of emeralds. “Hi Jennifer,” she said softly, watching her move toward the counter.
“Just Jen,” came the muffled response as she bent behind the main counter and opened a small door. “Should still be warm enough. It was under a heat lamp.”
Mark walked over to grab the two plates from her. They were piled high with pancakes and sausage. He grabbed a folding table on his way back, and with a practiced moved, opened it and placed the plates on top.
There was a clatter as Jen filled glasses with orange juice and mugs with coffee. She piled everything on a tray and brought it over, setting it on a side table. She immediately plopped down onto the coffee table in front of Amanda and started talking. She spoke so fast Amanda could hardly keep up. It was difficult to imagine this talkative woman was Mark’s sister. Sure, they looked a bit alike, but they were so different in personality.
Amanda put her sausage on the rim of her place before smothering her pancakes with syrup. Mark took the bottle and covered his pancakes and the sausage too. He gave Amanda a grin and shoveled a bite into his mouth.
Laughing, Amanda took a bite of her own and groaned, amazed at the taste. She was more interested in Mark’s version of eating, however. He barely took a breath between bites. She had never seen anyone eat so fast, and though she wanted to ask him about it, she was distracted by Jen’s constant questions.
“So, how are you feeling? Better with a bit of food, I’ll bet. Did you get any sleep at all?”

Amanda had no idea which question to answer first. She was looking at her expectantly though, so she swallowed quickly. “I’m okay, I guess. I just want to go home.”

Jen frowned and bit her bottom lip. “I think when James gets back, he can arrange it.” She smiled again. “But until then, I can keep you company while my brother goes and takes care of his dog.” Jen gave Mark a hard look and he finished his food and stood, carrying the plate to the sink behind the counter.

“Be back,” he said as he was leaving. Amanda wondered where the rest of his sentence had gone. He really was a man of few words. It was almost as annoying as it was adorable. Honestly though, he was carrying the strong, silent type ideal a bit too far.

Before Amanda could say anything, Jen caught her attention and pointed at her plate. “Eat something.” She insisted.

Amanda took another bite and looked around. On the mantelpiece there was a statue of dragons. There were five of them, two small ones just erupting from eggs. There was another, obviously a juvenile, being taught to fly by two adult dragons. It was the most beautiful statue she had ever seen. She wanted a closer look.

Meanwhile, Jen was still talking. Except when she was looking down at her phone and typing on the small on-screen keyboard. “James should be here soon. He was out with the horses earlier, but he’s driving back now.” She noticed Amanda looking at the statue and went to grab it.

“This is a representation of my family. “Me and James,” she pointed to the two babies emerging from the eggs. “This one is Mark. And mom and dad.”

“It’s beautiful!”

“Thanks. I know though. One of our cousins made it back when we were kids. That was before mom and dad died. Now Mark is the family boss. He is only three years older, but you’d swear he was fifty the way he acts sometimes.” She laughed, and when she did, she looked beautiful. Amanda was jealous of her gorgeous eyes. Hazel eyes sucked, especially on a red head. Everyone assumed redheads should have green eyes.

The door opened, and Mark came in with the biggest dog Amanda had ever seen. She didn’t have a second to be afraid. Before she could blink the big, white, furry dog was on the couch with her, on his back, staring up at her adoringly. She hadn’t ever really been a dog person. She’d always liked cats because they mostly took care of themselves. But it was instant love. His big eyes, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. And he was soft. She couldn’t help petting him.

“This is Jinx,” Jen said by way of introduction.

Jinx licked Amanda’s hand as she petted him. He rolled over and sniffed at her cast and let out a short yip. She couldn’t help laughing when he gave Mark a look. It was almost as though the dog was telling him off. Within a few minutes the overgrown puppy had Amanda sneaking him treats.

James came in shortly after Mark, who was still standing near the door, looking slightly bewildered. Jen was laughing, and Amanda couldn’t help giggling at the antics. James was shorter than Mark, and his eyes were emerald green, identical to Jen’s. He was by far the most beautiful of the three, but Amanda’s heart was already lost to Mark. Not only had he saved her, and held her hand, but he had stayed with her during the night.

Within a few minutes James had everything arranged. He’d called a taxi company, and had a driver sent out. He asked Amanda several times if there was anything she needed, to the obvious irritation of Mark. She assured all three of them she wasn’t the litigious sort, but that only seemed to annoy Mark further. She sat on the couch, watching his face as his brother arranged the transportation and his sister explained that she wouldn’t even need to sue. It looked like he was ready to scream.

“I can drive her,” Mark said suddenly, looking almost shocked that he’d spoken.

“You have work to do,” James said, raising his eyebrows.

For a long moment it looked like Mark was going to argue. He took a step closer to me, one hand moving like he wanted to reach for mine. Then he stopped at a sound from his brother, turned to the door, and went through, pulling it closed behind him with enough force to rattle the little dragon statue on the table.

After the door slammed behind him, James promised they would pay any medical bills. Amanda thanked him, and he left. She decided he was handsome, but not very talkative. The brothers were similar in that way. Jen however, talked constantly until the taxi arrived. Amanda couldn’t really remember what she said afterwards, but it was nice to be talked to. Mark had insisted she take one of her pills with breakfast and she knew she was drifting.

It was Jen who packed up Amanda’s things and helped her into the taxi when it arrived. She complained about how long the drive would be and reminded the driver several times to take it easy on the roads. “I wish I could just fly you back myself. It would be less than twenty minutes that way.” She laughed and closed the door on Amanda’s startled look. Jen was just full of surprises.

The cab ride was long. Several hours long. Amanda stretched her leg out across the back seat and slumped against the door. The driver was a talkative man who looked to be in his early fifties. His hair was a curly mess, and his glasses were massive things that looked like something out of the eighties. For all that, he was a welcome distraction. Amanda drifted in and out a bit but couldn’t fully fall asleep. No matter how she twisted or turned she couldn’t quite get comfortable. Worse, she felt lonely, which had never been a problem for her before. She rather wished Jen had come along to chatter through the drive.

~*~*~*~*~*~
“What is your problem?” James hissed the moment he came through the front door after Mark. He’d known James would follow but had hoped to avoid a speech. His little brother liked to think he actually knew something about women.
“Don’t even start,” Mark warned.
“Friggin’-A Mark,” James snarled. “You’ll scare her off before you even have a chance. Do you want to end up waiting years before you can be with her?”
Brought up short, Mark turned to look at his younger brother. “She isn’t safe in Portland,” he said softly. “If I drive her, I can find out where she lives and keep an eye on her.”
James snorted. “And why do you think I said you had work to do you big dolt?” He laughed when Mark rolled his eyes. “Just follow the taxi. Make sure she’s safe. Hell, take a day or two and look around the area. You might need to rent an apartment there if you’re going to start dating.”
Frustrated at how quickly his brother and sister seemed to think a relationship would form, and slightly afraid in spite of his own longing for a mate, Mark paced up and down the porch, half-way to running back inside just to make sure Amanda was alright. “I don’t understand any of this,” he huffed. “I don’t even know her, but I do!” He ran fingers through his hair in an irritable wave. “It’s like I’ve always known her, and yet I know absolutely nothing about her.”
“That takes time. Which means dating,” James added, wiggling his eyebrows.
“Don’t be a doofus,” Mark said, falling back into old patterns. Patterns from before the day their parents had died, and he had taken on the responsibility of being their guardian. The thought made his heart clench.
The crunch of tires on dirt and stone made both their heads turn. Mark could have cursed himself for taking so long to realize someone was approaching. Most of the time he would have known when someone came within two miles of their property. He hoped he hadn’t missed anything else that was important.
Ed waved as he came around the last bend and Mark had to sigh with relief. He was glad it was Ed and not his son Jake. The kid was an alright driver, but he was still young and inexperienced, and hadn’t been as far as Portland before in the cab.
“She alright?” Ed asked as he climbed out of the vehicle.
“Yeah,” Mark said, motioning for Ed to lower his voice. “She doesn’t know anything yet, so keep the talk touristy for now,” he warned.
“I got it, I got it,” Ed waved his hand and shook his head. “You think I haven’t been around newbies before?” The older man chuckled. “I’ve been doing this near thirty years kid.”
Mark had to laugh. He knew he was being obnoxious, but the idea of a mate was still very new, and the fact that his was hurt already terrified him. He clapped Ed on the shoulder in thanks. Adjusting his glasses, Ed peered up at him under bushy blond eyebrows.
“You okay?” he asked, his voice lowered.
“I have no idea. How could she not know?” Mark still couldn’t get his mind around the fact that his mate had never even flown once.
“Bet she’s one of them escapees we heard about a few years back.” Ed leaned back against the car and wrapped his fingers around his chin in contemplation. “Now you know about the three families of course.”
Mark nodded. Of course, he knew. It had been among the first lessons his parents had taught him, and his siblings when it came time. The three families were all that remained of a long line of nobles that had hunted dragons and other magical creatures to near extinction. It had been the reason the matriarch of the dragons had turned to the witches in the first place. That had begun the change, and the Bonding. So long ago that only the oldest among their kind remembered it, the story of the three families and their continued danger to Dragonkind was legendary.
Ed continued as though he hadn’t been expecting an answer, for which Mark was grateful. “Welp, me and the boy were out with the oldest McKinnon brother, looking for that stray wolf pup. Found ourselves not just a wolf pup, but a dragonling as well. Almost three years old. All she knew was the pretty lady had saved her and a bunch of other children from something she called the ‘dark place.’”
“What happened to her?” James asked, looking sad.
“Her parents had reported her missing three months before that. They’re among the German dragons that moved over into Washington state. How the little girl came to be on this side of the country, we couldn’t guess, but one of the families has a small estate in New Hampshire. Stupid bastards,” Ed spat in emphasis.
“We got her folks on the phone pretty quick. Didn’t find out much for a while, but in all three of the other communities like ours dragonlings were found. Some kids never did come back. We figure there are still twenty-four missing in all. Could be your mate is one of them.”
“Why didn’t we know about this?” Mark asked, confused. He wondered why they hadn’t been told. It almost seemed as though it was common knowledge.
Ed frowned. “I suppose we assumed you already knew. I think we all forget how young you were when you took on your brother and sister. I passed on all I knew to my son and daughter. It must be hard not having your folks around.”
Mark nodded. He saw James clench his jaw. The terror they had felt in their parents last moments would never leave them. But they were alive, and had a huge support system, including a couple other young dragons who lived around the town.
“Sometimes,” was all he said as James took the opportunity to head inside and get Amanda. Mark nodded to Ed to follow him in.
Within what seemed like moments, but must have been longer, the taxi was pulling down the gravel path. Hurrying into the woods, Mark made his way to the clearing he had made years before when they’d purchased the property. He shed his clothes and put them into the net bag he always carried when he went flying. Then he knelt on all fours and pulled his arms tightly against his chest to give himself clearance.
The warmth of transformation felt like a bath at perfect temperature. It was soothing and safe, not remotely painful as shifting was always depicted in the movies. It had been designed to be as natural as breathing, and it was. But Mark was a rather large dragon, hailing from the Scottish branches of the family. In moments the magic transformed him and in the place of the six foot man knelt a forty-three foot dragon from nose to tail tip.
Quickly he ruffled out his mane and crept up the rocky slope to the top of a massive hill. His leg muscles bunched in preparation before he leapt for the sky, his wings unfurling all at once with a snap that would echo through the forest below. Thankfully, Jen and James would have found something to keep their guests distracted. As he moved through the air, the wind brushing over his scaled skin, Mark automatically opened his mind to the now familiar mental voice of his mate. He was careful not to listen to her thoughts, which would have been unfair, but he used it to locate the taxi and then flew straight up, using the sky itself to hide in.
If someone had been looking from below, they might remark on the dragon-shaped cloud moving across the sky. Marks scales were a mix of blue, silver, and white that was meant to give that impression. It was the perfect camouflage. Some of his brethren were very unlucky and had to carry charms to go unseen, or they had to fly at night or within protected areas.
Even from more than two miles above the ground, Mark had a perfect view of the cab, which had been specially marked for just that reason, using a form of gold powder. Dragons of all families could locate gold from miles away. It showed in their vision glowing, even if only particles remained.
Mark followed the taxi across the miles, and wondered what Amanda was thinking. He wanted to know more about her, but he wanted it to happen naturally. He would call her the next day and see what he could do to make her consider him as an option.
~*~*~*~*~*~
When the driver, who had introduced himself as Ed, pulled up in front of Amanda’s apartment and she sighed heavily in relief. Soon the man had her out of the car and had carried her bags inside and put them near the door.

“Don’t forget to give the Lavoie’s a call if you need anything. Or you can call me.” He gave her a smile and a wave and before she knew it, he was in his car pulling away. He hadn’t mentioned a fare to her, and Amanda remembered James had said they would cover the costs. She was exhausted and her brain seemed to be running on fumes.

Glad to be home, Amanda struggled with her crutches, excited at the thought of her couch. Her purse nearly knocked her down when it fell off her shoulder and pulled at one crutch. She stumbled, but righted herself, and carefully made her way to the side table and put it down. Then she cluncked her way across the living room and crawled onto the couch.

She didn’t stop to check her messages or to make sure the coffee maker was set. It was a blessed relief to sit. Her leg was throbbing, although it already hurt less than it had that morning.

It seemed like more a year since she had been home. Much more. She felt changed, somehow, though she still didn’t understand it. She didn’t know what to think, or what to expect. Nothing had happened except breaking her leg and meeting Mark, but it felt like she was a completely different person than she had been when she left.

Amanda grabbed the remote off the coffee table and turned on the television, but her eyes drifted closed before she could even change the channel. She dreamed of flying. Not flying in a plane, but soaring about the clouds, a feeling of comfort and companionship overwhelming her as she glimpsed a blue and silver dragon in the sky just below. She also dreamed of ice blue eyes, wide lips, and passionate kisses.