Rhia stared up at Dáithí. "I don't understand," she said quietly. "How does Nolan getting turned into a vampire make it so you don't have to listen to the dragons?"

He sighed heavily and looked up at the canopy of trees. They were beginning to thin out now that they were closer to the edge again. A sky filled with twinkling stars and only a faint sliver of the waning moon danced above them.

"You have to understand that this was a different time." his voice sounded very far away. "Ancient and mortals were far more integrated than they are now. The dragons themselves were well known and prominently involved in politics. The kin were more widespread and weren't so rigid in their traditions. The territories were far less defined, and we weren't seen as these aloof creatures that keep to themselves. We were peacekeepers in many cases. And the idea that one creature, even a human, could be turned into another didn't exist even in creative works. No one could quite believe that it was possible. No one wanted to believe it was possible. I didn't believe it until I saw him myself. And then all hell broke loose.

"When Soleil confirmed it, he went ballistic. It was the first time anyone had ever seen him so angry. He went for Constantine's head. Luna stood in his way. The fight between them is legendary amongst us who remember. The destruction they caused made new landmasses and eliminated others. Soleil was stronger, but Luna knew he would never actually hurt her. She refused to let him kill Constantine. The dragonkin implored her to reconsider. I fell on my knees and begged her to kill him herself. What was this creature, already known to be parasitic in nature, compared to a yfeerie? She refused. It broke our whole faction.

"They had been mates at the time, Soleil and Luna. Her choosing Constantine over his yfeerie was a betrayal in his eyes. Not just his, either. Many of us saw her chose a vampire over one of the most loyal kin, a descendant of one of the greatest wyverns who ever lived. Many abandoned her for one of the other dragons. A few, like me, broke our bonds. If Luna of all the dragons, could turn her back on us, and if Soleil would just let her get away with it... what was the point of serving those who would not protect us?"

Together they stepped out of the trees. The contrast between the regular, arid desert east of the city and the lush pocket of magical forest was bizarre. "After all of that," Rhia stared out towards the road where her old Fiesta was waiting for her. "After all this time... Why does Nolan still work for Constantine?"

"I don't know."

She looked up at the male. His yellow eyes were heavy with the events of the past. "Come with us." She said quickly before she could change her mind. "You said it yourself, you're the only one who can help."

"And what? Be your bodyguard?" he snorted and turned to retreat back into the trees. "I don't think so."

"Wait!" Rhia rushed after him and planted herself between him and the woods. When he tried to step around her, she put her hands on his chest and pushed him as hard as she could to make him stop. "Please! I don't know what else to do!"

"You can leave him." he shrugged. "His life is tied to Constantine. Yours doesn't have to be."

"And be another person to betray him? I can't do that to him."

"He's been betrayed by more people than you've ever met. Even if you do have magic in your blood, it's not likely you'll live long enough to find a place in his memories. Leave him now before either of you get attached."

When she tried to stop him again, he shoved her aside so hard she almost stumbled to the ground. "You turned your back on him too." She seethed. He froze. He was so still it looked like he wasn't breathing. "You have a chance to make it right."

He was so still for so long, she actually thought he might reconsider. "Good luck, little bird." He said softly and started walking again.

The already cold night dropped a few more degrees. With nothing else to do, Rhia headed back towards her car. She fought the tears welling up in her eyes. It had always been a long shot. She had nothing to offer Dáithí except simplistic human platitudes. After tossing her bag in the vehicle she leaned heavily against the doorframe. "What's our next move, Rhia?" she said quietly to herself.

If she expected a magical answer to just come to her, she was sorely disappointed.

She stood up straight and rolled her shoulders. Tomorrow was a new day. She would get a good night's sleep, go to work, and be a regular human for a few hours. And when that was done, she would finally talk to Nolan and get everything off her chest. They would figure something out together.

Several hours later, she finally pulled into Nolan's driveway. She dragged herself into the house. Nolan was in the living room on the couch, his head back on the cushion and staring blankly up at the ceiling. He raised the bottle of tequila. "Drink?" he slurred.

She flopped on the couch next to him, took the bottle, and relished in the burning liquid. He blinked several times, trying to focus on her. "How much does a vampire have to drink to get drunk?" she wondered aloud. He nodded to the kitchen and she followed his gaze. Five empty bottles scattered the counter. "Rough day too?"

"Too?" he narrowed his eyes. "What have you been up to?"

"Something stupid."

She sighed and leaned heavily against him. He took the bottle back from her and stared blankly at the label. "Tell me something good?" he breathed.

"What?"

"Tell me something good. Anything. I can't handle more bad today."

After a minute of thought she said; "I got my dress for the gala today."

His mouth curved upwards, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I bet you look beautiful."

"It kind of looks like a wedding dress." She couldn't help laughing. "We really shouldn't have gone with white."

"I'll make sure to pick up a matching tux and a ring." He winked.

She poked him in the ribs and he squirmed. They relaxed into each other and the couch and relished in the comfortable silence. Rhia looked down at her hands. "We need to talk about yesterday." She said softly.

He shook his head. "Not right now." he pleaded. "Please... not tonight. Tomorrow when you get home."

"Okay."

Home. He meant here with him. It scared her how much she loved that.

~

Rowan watched Tom spread the blanket out across the dining room table. It draped over the short edges and came to sit a few inches from the long end. It was beautiful but seemed too large to be a baby blanket. "Are you sure you want to do this." Tom asked nervously, running his hand across the blanket.

"Yes." Rowan assured him for the hundredth time. "I want to give her something. Anything."

"Why? You don't know her. You don't owe her anything. I get that she had a rough first few years but come on. Thousands have had a rough childhood and you don't risk your life for them."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not risking my life. Sanity sure, but who needs that these days?"

She hoped that would make him smile. She needed to see him smile. It always calmed her before doing something stupid like this. Delving deep into the history of a personal object was dangerous for her. She could get dragged down a different history and get stuck.

He didn't smile. His frown grew deeper as he looked back down at the blanket. "There is magic woven into the very fibers of this thing. Multiple kinds... from multiple species... Dwarven, fae... I think there's even elven magic. It would have cost a fortune. Who would pay for something like this just to abandon it and the child it was made for?"

Rowan didn't say anything and let him ponder the million-dollar question. Well... actually it was a zero-dollar question. They weren't getting paid for this thanks to her. Things were going to be tight next month, but she had a feeling that this case would be worth it. There was just something about Rhia. Or Rhiannon according to the file and the blanket. Maybe it was how deeply she seemed to feel things for others. The whole time in the office, while she had been present and cooperative with their questions, her mind and heart had been on her boyfriend, Cameron's father, of all things, and the troubles that came with being with him.

That's why Rowan had sent her to Dáithí. Dáithí could help her, considering his past with the vampires. While he would never say it aloud, he harbored a terrible guilt for his part, or lack there of, in Nolan's life. This was a chance for him to change that. He need only reach out and take it.

Tom finally let out a breath and looked at her again. "Please be careful." he begged. "This much power... You could get lost."

She smiled brightly. "I'll be okay, Tom. Trust me."

He didn't really have much of a choice. She was going in whether he liked it or not. He pulled out his chair and sat in front of the laptop, ready to take notes as she dictated them. "Ready when you are."

Rowan took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She reached out and pressed her hands into the soft fabric, using it as a guideline to its inception. She wouldn't be able to see anything, but she would hear the voices around it.

Instantly she knew something was wrong. She felt like she were freefalling in the blackness of space. She reached for anything. There was always something to grab onto. She thought she heard Tom shout her name just before her body suddenly grew hot and she could hear murmurings in the background. She relaxed a little and focused to solidify her hold.

It was a moment before she heard someone speak clearly. "Why did you bring me here?" The female voice cracked like a whip, harsh, and without any sign of warmth. "Why are they here? They aren't supposed to know about me."

"Would you relax?" asked a second female voice. This one was smoother, calmer. Her voice was drenched in entitlement, like she had never heard the word 'no' before. "They are sworn to secrecy. They know I'll destroy their entire bloodlines if they open their mouths. I just wanted to show you something I've had them working on. It's something for you and your-"

"If you dare insinuate that thing is mine, I will bury you in this mountain."

"Fine," Rowan could hear the eyeroll in her voice. "For my niece. Happy?"

"No. Not even a little. We shouldn't have even gotten to this point."

"For the love of all things magical, Nyx. "The second voice snapped, losing every ounce of grace it had. "Had we known before you shit the damn thing out, we would have been able to have that conversation. We wouldn't have forced you to have it if we knew. But it's too late now. We didn't find out until you went into labor and now, she's here. Get over it!"

There was a tense silence. Rowan imagined two women facing off and glaring at each other. There must have been some kind of non-verbal agreement between them as the second female's voice returned to normal.

"Masters, please. Show us your work so far."

There was some quiet muttering before a few steps forward. A hissing sound, like a pressurized container was being opened. The second voice hummed happily. "First, we would like to thank you for this opportunity to witness your power on such a personal level." came a gruff male voice filled with respect and excitement. "I've never forged a blanket before. If we continue at our current pace, we should have it finished well before the estimated arrival date."

"Were you able incorporate all three of our magics?"

A notable hesitation. "I'm afraid not, great ones. Your magic summons hellfire. It is simply too volatile to mix with the others."

"Good." The first voice, Nyx as she had been called, hissed. "I don't want it thinking I had anything to do with this."

"Is there a name for the babe?" came a third female voice, this one heavily accented. "We may be able to forge the mother's magic into the embroidery."

A second passed. And then a scream ripped through the air, filled with so much pain and fear that Rowan lost her grip on the timeline for a second, shooting her backwards a few seconds. "Sigrid!" shouted the male.

"That was just unnecessary." The second female mused in a bored tone, not at all concerned for the still screaming female. "You know that can cause brain damage."

"Why is everyone so eager to make me a mother." Nyx snarled, sounding more like a beast than anything else now.

"Who said we gave a shit about you being her mother? My brother, your mate, wants to be her father. All his life he's been dedicated to you and you alone, and you could lose him if you don't stop being such a hostile cunt."

"That's rich coming from you." Nyx snorted. "You chose a vampire over your own mate."

"Don't you think I would take if back if I could! That's what I'm trying to tell you. You don't have to accept her, but if you don't accept him, you'll regret it!"

The heat became unbearable. When Nyx spoke again, her voice was deadly and full of threatening promise. "If there is one thing the two of us have in common aside for our love of your brother," she hissed. "We don't regret anything. We don't make apologies. When someone tries to make us feel guilty for our decisions, we double down and burn everything."

The timeline fell apart and Rowan fell into blackness.

Tom leaned against the counter, rubbing his eyes, and holding the phone to his ear. He looked to Rowan. She still stood at the table with her eyes closed. She'd lost control almost immediately into the dive. He'd slid a fresh slab of glass made just that morning under her fingertips, trying to giver her something to anchor to. He had no way of knowing if she would be able to pull herself back.

"Hello?" Cameron's groggy voice finally answered.

"Cameron, it's Tom. Sorry, I know it's the middle of the day."

"Don't worry it's-" he was interrupted by a huge yawn. "-it's fine. What is it?"

"Rowan won't be able to finish the job. She... glitched."

"Is she alright." Cameron sounded suddenly very awake.

"No. Look, I appreciate the work you've been able to send our way over the years. I'll drop off the token and our notes from what we were able to gather in the morning. After that, do me a favor and lose my number."

~