Endangered Ch. 06

"It was easy," Annabel explained. "I think I like her."

***

Michelle thought things were going well. She'd been on her own for a full two and a half days now and nothing had eaten her or even gripped her heel from the shadows as she descended any of the open stepped staircases in the Compound.

Her job involved a lot of sitting and listening. Listening to immensely powerful creatures voice their insecurities and problems about being exposed in broad daylight to humans. It was ironic, they were scared of the very people they looked down on as inferior. Perhaps it was always the way with the individually powerful and the masses.

It had gotten better and better since that first emergency Synod meeting at least. Now there was less unconstructive fear mongering or bickering and more discussion of real issues.

How would the general populous be managed to avoid widespread panic?

How would Beings mesh into human society and what rights and laws would apply to them?

How would they convince governments around the globe to go ahead with a worldwide revelation without one of them spilling the beans or outright declaring war?

These were the big questions. Michelle brainstormed, scribbled, and took notes furiously whenever they were the focus of the conversation.

She'd been with Reyla for several days now, had gotten used to the dark elf's moods and so far managed to avoid her permanently simmering temper. She did seem a little subdued since Chris had received that nasty burn a couple days ago, though.

They held video conferences twice daily for several hours. During which she would be called on occasionally to give opinions or suggestions but mostly she was trying to record what it was that Beings hoped to gain from this. What terms would make the Revelation acceptable to them?

She also talked extensively with members of the growing team working on the human end of things. Helping to organise the initiation of the Being Interaction Agency was one of her main duties. Yes, there were plenty of jokes about its acronym but somehow it was sticking. As well as that, filling in some of gaps in human knowledge or quashing misunderstandings when it came to Beings was a vital part of her role, one she was uniquely qualified for.

The rest of her day might be taken up with researching and educating herself about Beings in general. Reyla sometimes helped but tended not to have much patience so Michelle turned to whoever was available, mostly Timothy Garrill.

The head of security had taken her under his wing and escorted her around the compound whenever she needed a guide. It was convenient for both because he liked to be present for most of the meetings that went on and he could conduct most of his duties over the phone if he was helping Michelle in the library or answering her questions.

They'd grown to like each other quickly, recognising dutiful professionalism and a passion for the good morals behind the law. The elemental was astounded that she'd acclimatised to life as a familiar so quickly, it was obvious she had dedicated herself to seeing the revelation through and making sure it was a success for both sides.

Michelle enjoyed her independence but the massive hotel suite seemed empty at night. Things tended to catch up to her in those lonely nights. The death of her team, her friends, at the betrayal of a Being she'd once called an ally. She even had trouble sleeping, tossing restlessly as her mind refused to shut down and let her rest, keeping her up an extra hour or two every night with a simmering rage that made her throat feel thick and clogged.

She missed being able to talk to Susan and Annabel candidly in the relative privacy of the suite. She especially missed the dragon, being able to take comfort from his presence and strength and know that he was there to support her, to back her up like he'd done in her integration just days ago. Even having him hover near her, assuring himself she was okay or that she didn't need anything.

That feeling of dependence was a shock in and of its self. She considered herself, at least previously, to be a strongly independent person. It was strange that she now had someone to lean on even if it was a forced arrangement, it was even stranger that she liked it.

At night, she tried to rationalise these feelings into something that made sense to her analytical mind. Perhaps being thrust into this new world and bound to him as a familiar had actually changed her. Honestly, she knew better. With what she'd learned about dragons recently the answer was obvious. It was his magic. But what could she, a mere human do about that?

Whatever her emotions and their origins were, she recognised that she was now in the right place to do the most good, for both sides. She could be thankful for that at the very least.

On the afternoon of the day everyone was due back from Laramie, Michelle was quite nervous. That morning there had been a full video meeting of available Synod, territory leaders, human government officials, and pertinent staff.

The president was there as well as the prime minister of the U.K. and the German chancellor. They'd discussed many issues, making good progress on setting up infrastructure around the globe to deal with the revelation.

That was all well and good. What made Michelle nervous was a suggestion by one of the president's staff that as part of the effort to maintain calm and help put the public's mind at ease, they should prepare in advance, media packages portraying real Beings in a positive light. These dossiers could then be released however it was deemed appropriate. Someone even suggested television advertisements and detailed interviews or documentary miniseries. When the time came, it was hoped that this would raise awareness without promoting panic or hysteria.

Someone even thought that after the revelation, having certain Beings available to the public would be vital to help connect the two societies. They would create opportunities for humans to see Beings or access information about them in a controlled manor, so that misinformation and rumour didn't run too rampant.

The few media experts present loved these ideas, perhaps seeing dollars signs already as they had the scoop on what was going to be the biggest event of the millennia. The problem was, they latched on like rabid terriers and it appeared they wouldn't easily let go.

In fact, everyone seemed to like the idea, and so did Michelle, until the President piped up and said that Chris would be his first choice as the subject of such a campaign.

"An upright, good looking, young American like Christopher is perfect for the role. He's a dragon too, which I understand makes him likeable, if not loveable," were Robert Falconer's exact words.

There were several smirks about that.

"I don't know if that is such a good idea," John Guthrie had replied reasonably. "He is very young and it would put him under a lot of pressure, let alone expose him to further potential dangers. He is the future of our race after all."

"Nonsense," the haughty Fairy Queen rebutted, her tiny calculating smile could easily be seen across the video connection. "He is a perfect candidate. Have you not been spouting that older beings are the most problematic, having lost touch with humanity?"

John Guthrie could not counter that point easily for he had indeed, with good reason, expressed his concerns about older, generally more powerful Beings taking to the terms of the Revelation less easily.

However, Michelle remembered that the fairy representative had seemed to be one of the most indignant Synod members when Chris had effectively overridden their authority only days before. Her concerns were only validated when a blond elf, her least favourite Synod member, spoke in support Chris' nomination. The same elf who had lobbied for destroying her mind after her initial interrogation.

It had then been quickly agreed upon and Reyla had ignored a concerned, meaningful look from Michelle, leaving her unsure of the drow's intentions towards the dragon. Before she could muster any real protest, the job of informing Chris of his involvement fell heavily in her lap.

As his familiar, of course she was the best suited to break the news to him they'd reasoned. As she'd looked around the video screens for any form of help, only Lord Guthrie gave her an apologetic look through the connection.

Michelle had to admit though, he was perfect for it.

Young and only recently a Being, he still connected strongly with his human roots and could relate to modern humans in ways that some of the ancient Beings could never manage. He was kind, only a little introverted, generally happy, and yes, he was good looking. It seemed like he had no desire for fame, which made him even more suited to the role.

Her mind mulled this over on her walk 'home.' The thing was, this could actually work in Chris' favour.

Therefore, as she approached the apartment at the end of the day, expecting to find that they had arrived back already, she was a fretful about breaking the news of his predetermined involvement.

When she stepped out of the elevator however, the activity at the other end of the hallway took her attention. Her training instantly kicked into assessment mode. It appeared someone had moved into the other guest suite; the new occupants were in the process of leaving to go somewhere.

As she continued down the hall towards the door to Chris' apartment and the women approached from the opposite direction, her suspicions grew. The timing was too fortuitous and these beautiful ladies seemed to match the general description she'd been given by Timothy. A mature, tall platinum blond and a young athletic redhead; both with refined, stunning features and perhaps an air of coolness or distance.

But if they had moved in next door already, that meant...

"Hello, Michelle," the young redhead greeted her as Michelle held her key card at the ready.

"Hi, ..."

"Claire, Chris told us about you," Claire supplied. "This is my Mom, Petra."

Everyone shook hands.

"I see. And you've taken the other room... so that means?" asked Michelle tentatively.

They didn't seem cold or aloof, in fact they both seemed to be vibrating happily, perhaps it was because they knew she was his familiar.

"Yes! We're mated," Claire emphasised with an excited bounce on her toes. Her fiery ponytail bouncing around as well as other body parts.

"She's pregnant too, but we're keeping that under wraps for a few days," Petra leaned closer to whisper conspiratorially.

"Pregnant!" spluttered Michelle before her hands reached to cover her gaping mouth. "Oh, sorry... Pregnant? Already? Annabel said it takes years for you to... you know."

"Yes! That's why this is so wonderful," Clair said. "Come on, let's go in so we can talk. I want you to fill me in on your life. Chris said you worked for the NSA and now you're involved in the Revelation. I'd love to hear all about that."

"Give her a break, Claire, it looks like she's had a long day," said Petra.

"It's okay," Michelle assured as she swiped the card and opened the thick, heavy door. "It's nice to have someone to talk to and perhaps you two could help educate me a bit more about Beings. I've been told I'm doing well for having only been truly exposed to your world for a few days now but sometimes it feels like I'm floundering."

She held the door and the two dragons stepped inside before she shut it and checked the lock.

"Of course, Michelle. Ask me for help any time, you're doing a huge service with your involvement," Petra replied.

"I don't know about that," Michelle was a little embarrassed.

"Nonsense," spoke Chris from the end of the foyer. "She's been great."

There was an awkward moment when Chris and Michelle approached each other. For a moment it looked like they might shake hands but Chris opened his arms tentatively and Michelle eagerly took his invitation to a hug.

"Was everything fine while we were gone? I was worried about..."

"Chris," Michelle interrupted him. "Do you remember when I arrested you with a S.W.A.T. team?"

"Well, yeah, of course," he didn't get where she was going with this.

"I can look out for myself, though I appreciate the sentiment."

"You have a point," Chris smiled, releasing her and giving Claire and Petra a nod of acknowledgement. "You'll have to hear that story in full some time, I'm still sure Michelle was tempted to clock me."

"Is that stir-fry I smell?" Michelle's nose provided a timely distraction.

"Yes," Chris replied, "Annabel and Susan are teaming up for dinner so it should be great."

"Now there's something I actually missed while you were gone, good cooking," Michelle threw back at him.

"I know," Petra agreed. "Annabel sure can cook and Susan is no slouch either."

They all sauntered into the kitchen, congregating around the kitchen bar while the two cooks busily scuttled around each other and fragrant steam belched from the cookware they worked over.

Petra explained that she was pleasantly surprised with their guest accommodation, and while it wasn't as lavish as their home in San Diego, it would do nicely.

This made Chris feel his country roots strongly for a moment, to him, Reyla's guest quarters were classier than anything he'd ever experienced. What must the two dragonesses have thought of the farmhouse they'd just left? Hopefully, it didn't fall anywhere lower than being described as "quaint."

He was soon distracted however when Claire sidled up behind him were he sat watching his two lovely cooks at work. She wrapped her arms around him, sniffling against his neck and letting out a contented, animalistic croon that was somehow both a little disturbing and incredibly arousing.

Claire rubbed herself against him like a cat, savouring his lovely scent and meeting his lips with her own as he turned to look at her. She kissed her mate passionately, feeling her heart swell and her core moisten as their tongues teasingly met in her mouth.

"What about you? Are you happy to get back to civilization?" Chris asked as she bit her lower lip provocatively after their kiss.

"Yes, it's nice to be back in a decent city but your farm wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It was just too quiet all the time. I guess I'm just a city girl at heart. But, what I'm not happy about is that I have to settle for living down the hall."

"Well Michelle needs a room and Lillian and Susan have the other two, I don't really see a way around it, sorry, Claire."

"Mmmm," She smiled, perhaps he didn't realise she was toying with him. He was so cute sometimes. "I could sleep on the couch, or on the floor but maybe you're right... It could be best if I'm in the other apartment, I'll just have to steel you away to my lair in the middle of the night while Annabel's asleep."

Chris looked a little poleaxed for a moment before frowning and realising she was probably winding him up.

"Well, either that or I just sleep with you and Annabel," she laughed. "Think about it."

"Dinner's ready!" Annabel called, having overheard only snippets of their conversation but judging by the blush on Chris's face, she knew Claire had discovered one of her own favourite hobbies... making him squirm. She shot a tentative smile at the stunning redhead, who returned it eagerly.

Annabel was still coming to terms with having Claire fawning over her future husband but over the last few days on the farm, they'd developed a genuinely friendly and sometimes even playful rapport, united in their devotion to both the purple dragon and the slightly dorky, caring young man.

Susan bustled them all into the dinning room and took her place at what was quickly becoming a more and more crowded table.

Dinner was indeed a spicy delight. Annabel's tender beef and crisp fresh vegetables simmered with a perfect blend of garlic, ginger, and sesame had the compliments flowing and several asking for seconds. Instead of adding traditional chilli, Susan insisted that Annabel incorporate a small amount of fireroot that she'd brought back from their trip home to the farm. It magically attuned itself to be however spicy the eater desired after a short incantation on the witch's part.

Susan had also made a delicious berry cobbler for desert and while they ate, Michelle filled them all in on the latest news about the Revelation. Perhaps the biggest was that there had indeed been a few incidents where Beings had breached the bridging regulations put in place by the council just a few days ago.

As Lillian had predicted, vampires were the offenders.

Michelle said that the Synod had been angling for several hundred years imprisonment but the vampire representative had insisted that execution was the only way to make a firm example, given that three humans had lost their lives to the stupidity and disrespect of a couple upstart vampires. An example needed to be made.

Michelle wasn't entirely sure how the humans took this news but there could be no doubt that the Synod acted swiftly and with a heavy hand. It was clear that their resolve to meet the human's conditions for equality in the value of life was firm, at least when it came to the lives of their lower subjects. Perhaps it was more about flexing their own muscles and making sure Beings knew they were serious.

Waiting in the wings of the ensuing conversations about vampire hierarchy, Michelle finally worked up the courage to broach the subject she was dreading.

"It doesn't really matter if you believe all life has equal value, Annabel," Lillian explained. "Despite the moral flaws and pitfalls you come across in discussing the value of life, let alone when you add ancient, powerful Beings to the equation. A Vampire of less than 100 years is more a wild animal more than a person. None of you can understand how severe the cravings can be and how seductive the beast within us is. Only the strongest learn to control their instincts and even then we live balanced on a knife edge sometimes. The girl Amanda's attack on Chris is a perfect example of this. All vampires must be treated with a heavy hand, for deep down, that is all our inner beast understands.

Everyone was a bit sobered after that explanation and in the thoughtful silence that followed, Michelle pounced.

"Well, on the human side, today some of our media guys brought up an interesting idea. They want to prepare media packages portraying real Beings and humans positively together and have them ready to go when we're all set for the reveal. Short clips for TV add slots, detailed interviews, and even documentaries."

"Ooo, that sounds like a great idea," Annabel enthused. "People will gobble that sort of stuff up, even if it is a little propagandaey, especially younger people. They will just want as much information as possible."

"Yeah, the idea could work well in theory," Michelle continued with a nervous glance towards Chris who was thankfully busy with the last of his dessert. "There was even talk of having limited meet and greet opportunities for the human population to interact with Beings in a relatively controlled environment. The President really likes the idea. Of course, he says you need to get the right Beings involved."

A loud clatter from the head of the table startled most everyone momentarily as Chris' spoon dropped onto his bowl and a morsel of cobbler executed a lazy flop onto the table top. Chris sat frozen bolt upright, hand half way towards his moth.

"What's wrong, dear?" Susan asked.

He ignored her as he pierced his latest familiar with a surprisingly steely gaze.

Michelle tried not to squirm but after a few seconds she couldn't help a little fidget escaping her hips, then she couldn't stop herself look away.

Damn those eyes of his!