“We all discussed the matter of your recent incarceration,” he replied. “It seems that your sole encounter with my people was not exactly an endearing one.”
Shamira felt a little chill in the deepest parts of her mind. “I spend a lot of time trying not to think about it.”
“And I am remiss again at bringing it up. My greatest regret, besides what you endured, was that the elf responsible did not face our justice. I assure you that we are not a barbaric race.”
“Hey, Jonas and Lacroix were both assholes, but it’s not like I hate all vampires.” She clapped him on the shoulder. “So no hard . . . what the fuck?!” All of Shepherd’s bodyguards had surged forward while Shamira took a step back. “Lay off! I wasn’t –”
“No one lays a hand on the Shepherd!” on guard shouted, moving between the two with a gun drawn.
“Shamira!” came a shout from behind her. It was Arthur, and he sounded really nervous. “Baby’s awake!”
Shamira’s stress had apparently gotten through to the Thorn-Tail, who had awoken scared and angry and prepared to defend his nest. The Lesser Dragons swarmed around it, slowing it down a little but not looking too thrilled about it. One of the guards raised his weapon, and Shamira’s protective instincts kicked in.
She didn’t even bother removing her robe before she began to shift forms, placing a full sized Moon Dragon right in the middle of the upcoming squabble. All elvish guns were pointed upward, all the dragons looked genuinely pissed off and agitated, the weres were trying to figure out what was going on, and the Shepherd was plastered against Shamira’s scaly chest.
“STOP!” the Alpha yelled at the top of his enormous voice, then let out a long, bone-chilling howl. He stepped into the fray, shoving guards and dragons and just about everything else out of his path . . . until he came face-to-snout with Shamira. Neither was about to back down, much to the Alpha’s credit, considering he was outweighed by several tons by an opponent who could breathe fire.
“That –“the Shepherd sighed, “– was not how I pictured that conversation going.”
“Shamira, what happened,” Shane asked. He left out “this time” and “What did you do?” which Shamira appreciated. She was pretty sure that this was NOT her fault.
“Lady Shamira placed her hand on me without letting me know in advance. My bodyguard reacted.”
Shane shook his head, containing a shit-eating grin. Shamira really did not mean to do these things. “Shamira, you never lay your hand on a member of the Tribunal unless you are ALSO on the Tribunal or unless he or she has granted you permission.”
* Well hell, how was I supposed to know that? He just walked over and talked to me! *
“Everyone, lower your weapons!” the Alpha growled.
The Shepherd turned around and nodded to his people while Shamira sent a mental command to the dragons. Even the little Sea Serpent was poking its head out of the pool and looking vexed.
The first guard to have pulled its gun was making evil eyes at Katar, probably because he knew he was not going to stare down Shamira. “Lesser Dragons finally grow some backbone now that the big ones are back,” he mumbled.
Shamira ducked her head and glared at him. * They are smaller, but not lesser, * she sent, her thoughts as cold as deep snow.
“That will be enough,” the Shepherd said, his look letting the guard know that he was in for a world of punishment later.
Shamira gave a mental sigh. * I apologize for the transgression, * she projected. * I meant no offense. As Lord Stapleton can attest to, I am not exactly up on all the rituals and protocols. * She had to pause while Shane covered his mouth and coughed an agreement into his hand.
“I try not to take offense where none is meant, and I would be hard-pressed NOT to call the inheritor of the power of Shadow Wing an equal to any on the Tribunal.” He looked straight up at her. “Actually, if you don’t mind –” he started, reaching his hands forward. Shamira settled onto the ground and he placed a hand on his scales, and his eyes filled with a wonder she would not have expected. Several of the elves did the same.
“Magnificent,” the Shepherd murmured, then bowed and walked back to the Alpha and the Representative.
Shamira shifted back. “What the hell was that about?” Shamira asked as Shane handed her another robe. Shane shrugged, but Archimedes had something to say on the matter.
“Many of us have been alive a long time,” he explained, walking beside her as she led the Thorn-Tail back to the nest and then went to check on the Sea Serpent. “Once you have lived for a thousand years or so, you begin to run out of things that surprise you. For some of the more long-lived members of the Tribunal, the magic of simply existing has waned. You,” he said, placing a friendly hand on her muscular shoulder, “are a wondrous creature.”
“I could have told them that,” Clara said, kissed her girlfriend on the cheek. She handed Shamira a cell phone. “By the way, your sister called.”
——— —————-
An hour later . . .
——— —————-
“Well, looks like I’m getting a visit,” Shamira said after finally getting off the phone with her sister Samantha. Apparently being able to walk again and turn into a dragon was kind of a big deal. Who knew? She looked over at Kira and Arthur Blanks. “You guys gonna be available to babysit a while this weekend?”
Kira was tossing bits of beef jerky to the Thorn-Tail while Arthur was sitting on the deck of the pool watching the Sea Serpent swim underneath. “Yeah,” he said. “I think we can manage.”
“Katar, do you and yours have to be heading back to South America at some point? I hate the idea of just keeping you here indefinitely if you’ve got things needed doing.”
* The entire flock is here, and this is a momentous time. * Katar directed his next thought so that only Shamira could receive it. * We heard what you said to the elf. We will remember you for defending us and speaking of us as being other than a servant race. *
“I’ve noticed that friends are a lot more likely to bail my ass out of a problem than people who’ve gotten stepped on. Just a thought.”
Shane waved her over to where he, his household, and the members of the Tribunal had gathered again. The elvish bodyguards were noticeably absent.
“Just a few more things to discuss,” Shane said, walking in the circle. “First, I have decided what to do about the territory around Savannah. Currently, we are the controlling authority, and are faced with several possibilities for bringing law to the lawless.”
“Either I could expand my direct control southward, get Lord Mayla of Jacksonville to expand northward, or the Tribunal has given me permission to install a regional sheriff who will technically be under me but will act with more independence than one of my enforcers. I have decided to enact this third option.” He stopped in front of Banshee. “And I have chosen my oldest child to take that post.”
Banshee’s face shot up and her eyes opened. She was a difficult woman to surprise, but Shane had just done it in spades. “What? My Lord Stapleton, surely –”
“Banshee, I know that you have doubted your leadership ability since what happened to Shamira, but that woman,” he said with a smile and a wave in Shamira’s direction, “has shown that even the wisest leader can make mistakes in dealing with those under the care. You are less than a decade away from full vampire status anyway, and it is a natural progression of power.”
“Lacroix and Jonas were lax in their duties while they pursued their own aims of conquest, leaving their lands in chaos. I want order, and the Tribunal has demanded it. Already word has spread of the vengeance you wrought in the name of this household, though few if any know exactly why. You can keep the peace,” he continued lovingly, “better than anyone else I can think of.”
“But –” Banshee looked around, clearly embarrassed and confused, “I do not wish to leave. I serve you.”
“And I ask you serve me now by taking up this task and relieving me of the burden. You would be granted your own house to build as you see fit. Since the Representative’s bodyguard will be at my disposal for a time, I shall lend you some of your brothers and sisters to aid you until you can create fledglings of your own. You will be given a stipend to hire on additional weres or any other races that you feel necessary.” He placed a hand on her shoulder, then wiped a single bloody tear from her eye. “Don’t look at this as breaking up the house, but rather as building an addition. I would not ask this of you if I did not feel you would do me proud.”
Banshee stood as tall as she could. “I will not dishonor you by doing any less than my best.”
“I have a request for you. With the recent addition of a Sea Serpent to look after you, I would request that Shamira travel with you and that you accept her as part of your security team.” He looked at Shamira again. “I did not mean to spring this on you nor does it indicate any unhappiness. But that new dragon –“