Chapter 20.
"Elodie! Elodie!"
She wakes up in pure darkness. Standing in front of her is her dead uncle. "Jebeem, am I dreaming?"
"Something like that. You need to overcome this."
"How? I feel so weak."
"I need you to focus your energy. Don't let him win this way. Close your eyes." She does as he says. "Focus on those around you, the people who are still alive and need you."
"I see them."
"Now open your eyes."
She opens her eyes and finds herself back at the Aelon house. She jumps up to wake the others, pulling them up to their feet, out of Morgan's mindlock.
She rushes over to Jonah, who's seated on the floor. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, thanks to you and that device you made me."
"Is anybody else hurt?" Elodie asks.
"I think..... I think everybody's okay." Sasha nods.
"Not everybody." Abe puts his phone away, goes to the television and turns it on to the news.
"Oh my God. Morgan killed the Seattle Mayor."
"That's not all." He turns the channel to one of Morgan speaking.
"This is your one and only warning. Humans, bow down to your new king.... or perish. Any reluctance will be met with death by fire. Your human weapons are of no match...."
She turns the TV off. "I've seen enough. He's waging war on us and the humans. Now's the time to fight back."
"Elodie..... who is Maria?"
"Maria? She was another servant and our friend."
"When Morgan had control of our minds, I kept seeing images of her being held captive somewhere."
"No.... he must've found her! We should've never left her behind." Desmonda sighs.
"It is not your fault. If Morgan is as powerful as he comes across, it's going to take all of us to fight back."
"Then we leave in the morning. Make any final arrangements. Say your goodbyes, just incase. If Morgan wants war, let's give it to him."
~W~
The next morning, she's curled up on Jonah's chest watching the sunrise on the beach. "I'm afraid this might be the last time we get to do this."
"Jonah, don't say that. We're going to have plenty of sunrises to watch when this is all said and done."
"But if this is the last one, we should make it special." He uses his finger to lift her chin up so he can kiss her lips.
"What did you have in mind?"
"Something a little better than the Sex on the Beach drink....." he pulls his pants off and gets on top of her, kissing her neck down to her collarbone, then traces it with his tongue.
"Mmm...."
"Should I keep going?"
"You should definitely keep going."
Jonah continues to lick down to her naval, then peels her clothes off like he's starving for her. "Baby, I love your body."
"And my body loves your tongue."
"Is that so?" He brings his tongue down to her clit. He draws circles to moisten it then starts sucking.
"Right there!" She grabs clumps of sand, but before she can catch her bearings, he shoves his thick cock inside her, making her back arch up.
"Do you feel that?"
"It feels so good." He slowly strokes for what feels like an hour, rhythmically and precisely until they both come. Jonah holds her until the sun is fully up.
When she looks into his eyes, she can see the sun reflecting in them. "What?"
"If this is our last time together, I want you to know I love you and I always will, in a place where there's no space or time."
"I love you too."
~W~
A couple of days later and they've finally made it to the recruitment center.
"That trek felt like a million years." Abe groans.
"It's only been a few days, Abe."
"We haven't left Bermuda in a long time. Anything beyond 5 miles is a journey for him."
"Quiet."
"Guys, stay focused."
"I am focused, but I was just saying!"
"What is the plan then, smart guy? Do you remember?"
"I'm going to explain the plan only because you seem to have forgotten. We got a rescue group and an attack group. You and Queen Jebel are rescue rangers, while I am in the warrior group."
"I'm going with you to make sure things to according to plan."
"Don't lie, Jebel boy. You just want my protection."
"Does he ever shut up?" Jonah looks to Sasha.
"No, he doesn't."
"If we're all ready, let's get this done. Can't leave Maria waiting."
Everybody agrees they're ready. Just as they separate and move in different directions, Jonah grabs her arm and pulls her back. "I need one last kiss." She nips his bottom lip with a smile. "Oh, don't tempt me just before battle."
"Just giving you something to come back to." She pulls away and catches up to Desmonda.
Using her shifter senses, she tracks the hostages to a cave just outside of the recruitment center. There's a couple of guards pacing back and forth in front of the entrance.
"There's three guards over there. What should we do?" Desmonda asks.
"Take them out."
Elodie turns to see Abe behind them. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I thought you guys might need some help. If we attack the guards and take them out head-on, we won't have to worry about them later."
"I don't know. We shouldn't bring too much attention to ourselves. We should distract them and sneak inside."
"Bah!"
"Elodie, you decide. What's the plan of action here?"
"I think we should fight the guards and rescue the hostages."
"Yes! I knew you'd be on my side. And who's going first?" Abe asks.
"You are." She breaks the plan down and after a moment, Abe walks over to the guards as if he's drunk.
"Hey, who are you? What're you doing here?"
"Uh..... I was looking for the bar. This isn't Cheers?"
"No, it isn't......"
Desmonda knocks the guard over the head. The other guard squares up. Elodie taps him on the shoulder. He turns around and she punches him so hard, he collapses.
"Elodie? You came back for me!" Maria runs out of the cave, unable to control her relief.
"Of course, we did. I'm so sorry we left you behind, but we don't have much time. We need you to take the rest of the hostages to the hotel. Don't leave until we come back for you!"
"I will. Bless your heart!" Maria gives her and Desmonda a hug and runs off with the other hostages.
She feels an eerie sensation in the back of her neck. "Something is wrong."
"What's wrong?"
"We need to find Jonah, now."
Elodie and the other Aelons race to the woods to find a war waging. Everyone's in dragon form clawing, scratching, breathing fire and flying through the air. Then she sees Jonah being double teamed as two dragons claw at him. Before she can get to him, another dragon drops in from the sky for her. She leaps to the left, missing the dragon as it nearly crashes into her.
Desmonda quickly helps Elodie back to her feet. "Are you okay?"
"Thankfully, yes. We need to split up. Are you good to fight by yourself?"
"I think so. Go help my son, I'll help the others."
She nods. "Be careful. If you see Morgan, hide. Do not confront him by yourself."
"What if I can talk some sense into him?"
"Desmonda, what if he kills you?"
"He wouldn't kill his own...mother."
"He tried to kill Jonah and already harmed you with a mindlink. It's possible."
"Okay. I'll wait for you." Queen Desmonda runs off to aid the other Aelons in the fight. She looks into the sky to find Jonah fighting. One of the Jebel dragons impales Jonah with his teeth. The dragon consumes her body until she's nothing but scales and wings. "Jonah!" She flaps into the air, going faster than a Boeing jet. With no time for planning or strategy, she rams her whole body into the Jebel dragon. "Get off him!"
With Jonah free, they go back to back and exhale flames, lighting up the Jebels who are shifted on the ground. The screams from their burning bodies quiet to just whispers until silence. With one more dragon loose, they fly windmills around him until he loses altitude. "This is your end!" Jonah knocks him to the ground, then she burns him to a crisp until his scales mutate into burnt flesh.
They both land and turn back into human form. The quiet is quickly broken with an unearthly scream, echoing from inside the recruitment center. "Let me go!"
"No, Mother!" Jonah bolts inside. Her stomach drops in fear.
"We can handle everything out here. Now, go get the queen!" Sasha shouts.
She runs after Jonah. Inside, fire and smoke fills the air. She squints through the smoke and sees Morgan holding Queen Desmonda by the neck, holding her in the air.
"Morgan, you don't want to do this."
"You don't know what I want, brother."
"Morgan, are you really going to kill your own mother?"
"If it comes to that. You all need to bow down to your new king."
"This isn't the way, brother." Elodie puts her hand around her blade. All her rage comes bubbling to the surface; thoughts of her parents, of Jebeem. "Elodie, wait..."
"Jonah, he needs to be stopped."
"I know what you're feeling because I feel it too, but he's still my brother."
"Barely!" She shouts.
"Just give me a second. Maybe I can still talk him down." Jonah slowly walks toward Morgan, who snarls at him, but doesn't move. "Listen to me. It's not too late to walk away from this. Let mother go, call off your threat to the humans. Leave this place and never come back." Morgan's grip loosens. Queen Desmonda savors a precious breath of air. "Let's end this here and now."
Morgan thinks about it for a second. "You're right, Jonah. I should end this here and now." Dragon claws come out of his other hand. He grins, winding up to shred Desmonda.
"Morgan, no!"
Elodie knows Morgan is too far. She takes a beat and mindlinks with him, freezing him in his tracks. "Wha-what did you do, brother?"
"That's not me."
Morgan's fingers loosen until he drops Desmonda to the ground. She runs over.
"Jonah, Desmonda.... I'm sorry."
"Do what you need to do." Desmonda sighs.
Fire burns through Elodie's body until she turns into a dragon. "Morgan, say your goodbyes. It's time you join my parents and Jebeem in the afterlife."
Morgan looks over to Jonah and Desmonda, a glimmer of guilt on his face. "I'm....sorry." Flames eject from her mouth and consume Morgan. She turns back into a human and watches him keel over, dead. With Morgan gone, Jonah helps them out of the burning building. Once outside, she takes in the chaos around them. But strangely, she feels at peace.
~W~
Days later, the remaining Jebels who've sided with Morgan are rounded up and sentenced.
"It's finally over."
"I can't believe it is. I didn't think we'd ever beat Morgan."
"Without you, we might not have."
"Without me. But also without Mino, without Jebeem, without Sasha and Abe and Maria and the Queen."
"Their sacrifices will not be in vain, especially not....." he trails off, his cheeks infused with color.
She tilts her head, grinning at him. "It's not like you to leave your sentences unfinished. What's going on?"
"I want to ask you something. Something on behalf of all of us."
"Should I be worried?"
"That depends. Does a coronation frighten you?"
"A what?" She studies Jonah's expression. He's deadly serious. "A coronation...."
".... for us, both of us. To be sworn in, as King and Queen of the united Aelon-Jebel clan. It's what Jebeem wanted, what your parents wanted, what Desmonda wants. To end the blood feud, forever."
"What about the Aelons?"
"They were the ones who suggested it. Making this union formal."
"Jonah, I'm not sure, but let's give it a shot." She shrugs.
~W~
Weeks later, there's a coronation ceremony.
Elodie and Jonah are to be sworn in as king and queen of the united Aelon-Jebel clan.
"I can't believe this day is actually here....."
"Jonah, am I really fit to do this?"
"Of course, you are! This wouldn't have been possible without you. We're fated to be together. To rule over the Aelons and Jebels and keep the clans at peace. I, as their king. And you, as their queen."
"Their queen? I like the sound of that."
"But not just theirs. Mine too. Will you be my queen?"
"I will be your queen, Jonah Jebel."
He takes her hand, looking deep into her eyes. "Queen Elodie has a nice ring to it. I can't wait to rule by your side."
"Shall we begin?"
As the ceremony begins, clan members take seats. Members on opposite sides of the chapel blow fire into the air. Musicians wait for her cue to start playing and they start laying the backdrop to Maria singing. Sasha walks up, holding a pillow that carries a red-golden crown tailor-made for her. "Since your parents aren't around, you must choose someone to do the crowning for you, Elodie. Who would you like to crown you?"
She sifts through all of her newly chosen family members. "You, Sasha." He takes her crown with a smile. "I couldn't imagine anyone else doing this for me. I'm so happy to still have family."
"I love you like I've known you our whole lives. This is such an honor." Sasha takes the crown and places it over her head. "Your Highness." Once she's crowned, Abe releases magical doves into the air with flames surrounding them, signifying phoenixes and rebirth. "Today marks a momentous occasion; a day of celebration, unity and the beginning of a new chapter in our shared history." The clan members burst into applause. "How does it feel, Queen Elodie?"
"It feels like a long time coming."
"You've always been a queen in my eyes."
"Any words, my king?"
"First and foremost, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to the members of our clans... whose unwavering belief in a brighter tomorrow has brought us to this moment." Jonah pauses and looks at all of the clan members, Jebels and Aelons alike. "It is your strength, loyalty and resilience that bind us together, forcing a bond that transcends... the boundaries of tradition and clan affiliation."
"Beautifully stated, Your Highness. Beautifully stated." Sasha then turns to Elodie. "My cousin, my queen. Any words to address to our clan?"
"As a matter of fact, I don't really have a speech prepared."
"That's okay, your crown says enough." Jonah takes her hand. They both turn to the crowd. "With humility and gratitude, I offer to you our newly crowned rulers." Sasha finishes.
~W~
An hour later, Jonah carries her into the king's new chambers and lays her on the bed. Silk linens drape across the bed. Candles are lit.
"One minute you're caught in my trap, the next, you're my queen. Life is funny, isn't it?"
"Do you know what's more funny? You trying to beat me in the challenge."
"It was a lucky first try."
"I don't think lucky is the word to use here."
"Well, we can spar again. Right here, right now. We need to get you out of these clothes." Jonah helps to remove her coronation dress with one hand, while his other searches her body like buried treasure.
"You think I don't know what you're doing?"
Jonah cups her breast. "I hope you know exactly what I'm doing." He kisses her neck, then twirls his tongue on it until chills move down her spine.
"Slow down, Your Highness. Let's get you out of your pants." She unzips his pants and brings them down to the edge of the bed. "Somebody's happy to see me already." She drags her tongue across the shaft of his rock hard dick before moving up to kiss Jonah on the lips.
"Whew. You're a tease." He removes the remainder of his clothing. "As your king, I need you to do exactly as I say."
"Yes, my king."
"I need you to lay on your back and spread your legs. I need to see all of you." She does as he says, laying flat on her back and spreading her legs. "Now I need you to-" his words slow to a halt as she rubs her hands on her own body.
She wets her fingers, slowly bringing them down to her pussy and slides them inside. "Maybe you should let me lead."
"I can help you with that."
"I know you can. First, I need you to climb on top of me." Jonah holds his body over her, so close that she can feel his body heat. "Next, I need you to kiss me like you haven't seen me in years."
He connects his mouth to hers, wrestling her tongue with passion. "Like that?"
"You're doing so well. Now, I just need you to come inside of me."
"Now that I can do. It'll be my pleasure." Jonah grabs both of her legs and slides his hard-on inside of her. An electric feeling pulses through her spine. A little moan creeps out. "I need you to be a little louder than that." He gives her longer strokes and builds up speed until she can't help but gasp.
"Ah!"
"Louder for me, baby. I need you louder!" He pounds deeper and deeper. She can feel him all the way in her stomach.
"Ahh! I'm coming!"
"That's my girl. Come for me!" He keeps pounding at the same pace until they both come together. Jonah lays beside her and brings her to him until they fit like a puzzle.