Echo Book 2

6. Dragon Egg

I wake up late the next morning and Ax climbs into bed over me. "My sexy tired woman."

"How late is it?" I stretch my whole body.

"About 10:30. I let you sleep. Thora sent a bunch of swimsuits and clothes for you. They're in that box."

I sit up so fast I headbutt him. "A new box."

He laughs and picks me up. Then he wraps a sheet around us. "Let's get you a shower, and you can fill your new box."

2 hours later, I'm carrying my box around filling it with good stuff. I got some sand, dirt from the garden, seashells, a few rocks, a stick that barely fits, a pineapple, some weird slimy green stuff that was on the beach, leaves, and another stick. Then I find a weird brown rock. It's fairly big. I check the trees and there are more up there. It must grow here. I put it in my box and go back to our room.

Omar, Tim, Eriska, Rye, and Marcus are here.

"Oh damn. The box is back. Who gave her a box?" Eriska peeks in it.

"It was what Thora sent you girls stuff in."

She throws something over the edge of the balcony. "DINOSAUR EGG."

Marcus goes over after it. He turns into a dragon and brings it back. "It's a coconut. Not a dinosaur egg. And it will kill someone if you hit them on the head from the 5th floor."

"Sorry."

"So, I'll be a dragon someday?" I put my coconut back.

"Very good." Omar nods. "She'll be inside you. You'll be able to turn into a dragon as well."

"Will I be able to fly too?"

"Yes."

Marcus winks. "And blow fire."

My eyes must get huge. They laugh. Then Marcus turns into his dragon and blows fire over the edge of the balcony.

I plop my ass in a seat. "I want to do that. Let's do that now."

Tim smirks. "You need to be an adult vampire first."

I give him a dirty look. He's an asshole.

Malax chokes on his coffee. Then he stares at me. "Let's order lunch." He sends the brain off to get stuff.

Eriska nods. "Then we can take new pictures. These colors are sexy too."

"What are the marks on everyone's necks?" The brains set the food down and we eat.

"Mate marks. When you find your soulmate, you will bond with them. Their mark goes on your neck."

I stare at Malax's neck. "Does it have to be the neck?"

"Mostly. There are only certain spots where a vampire can be marked. They're very sensitive areas. They are usually only on the neck."

I check where Marcus's mark is. Then I look at Malax again. I can't see an area on him. I stand up and kiss where I think it is. I nibble it.

He jumps up. "Woman, I will do you right here on this table. I don't care who sees it."

I plop down into my seat and keep eating.

Eriska puts up an eyebrow. "Damn."

Omar nods. "As I said, very sensitive. We should let Ax check her for marking spots, Marcus."

"That's not a bad idea. We'll be able to understand more."

"Like what?"

"A vampire will usually have 1 more marking spot than they have mates. It's not always accurate, but mostly. We usually carry 2 places and have 1 mate."

I nod. "Both sides of the neck."

"Correct. Nadine has 8 spots though."

"Where are they?"

Marcus smiles. "My mark is on her ass cheek."

Omar rubs his face. "They can be anywhere. We will have you drink a potion, and it will make them glow. Ax can take you somewhere dark and see how many spots you have. It will help us narrow down how many mates you'll end up with."

"How do you put the marks on there?"

"Biting during sex."

"Biting?" I shake my head.

"It doesn't hurt when you're a vampire. It would hurt like hell right now. A human shouldn't take a vampire bite. It can turn you into a vampire early, and we don't want that. You need to finish growing up. You're very close."

I nod fast. "I'm 19 here."

"We are aware." Marcus tries not to laugh.

"How old are all of you?"

"I'm over 1,000."

"Years old?"

"Yes. Vampires don't age or get old. We are immortal."

Omar smiles. "I was a human magician before I was a vampire. I am immortal because of that. I'm 1,560 years old."

Tim looks at me. "1,112."

I stare at him. "I'm 19."

He chuckles. "Yea, quite a bit younger."

Tye comes out onto the balcony with us. "The magicians are here. I've also got reports of a dragon falling out of the sky. Know anything about that?"

I point at Eriska. "She threw a dragon egg over the edge of the balcony."

She shakes her head. "It wasn't a dragon egg. It was a dinosaur egg."

Marcus swallows his food. "It was a coconut and I retrieved it before it killed someone. You can send the magicians in. We're testing her for marking spots."

Tim motions for the brain and says something. I don't hear it.

"How old are you?"

"405."

Eriska nods. "We're 17."

"They're stuck on the age thing, Tye. We're making progress though."

He chuckles and walks out.

The magicians come in and smile at me. "We don't know if you'll have marking spots as a human, sweetie. They may come out after you're turned. But the potion won't hurt you, so it's fine to try."

Another magician hands me a cup. "Plug your nose and drink fast."

I do what they say. Then I stand up and gag. It's not sitting well and it tastes horrible.

Tim jumps up and grabs me. He puts his hand over my mouth and tilts my head back. It feels like tingles and fireworks shoot off inside me. "Calm down and relax. Sip this." He hands me a coconut.

It takes me a second to remember where I am. It's a strong fruity drink. It tastes good but has a lot of alcohol in it. "That tastes better."

"Figured it would."

Eriska takes it and tries it. "I know what we're drinking later."

Half an hour later, Malax leads me to our bedroom and makes it dark. I get naked and spin in a circle for him.

He kisses my neck. "You are perfection, babygirl."

"How many?"

He moves my hair and checks my back. Then he kisses my neck. "3 baby."

"So, I'll have 3 mates? Are you ok with this?"

"I have no idea how it works. We can talk to Omar. And I'm fine, babygirl. I have you and that's all I care about."

"I love you so much."

"I love you too." He helps me get dressed. "What was that look you gave Tim?"

"What do you mean?"

"That wasn't your normal annoyed look. Something happened." He hooks the top of the swimsuit on my back and grabs a coverup dress for me.

"I heard some rumors. I'm not keeping him as a mate."

"Rumors are everywhere. We know this already. We don't listen to them."

I roll my eyes. "Eriska can play them for you."

He opens the door. "ERISKA, GET IN HERE. BRING YOUR DAMN PHONE."

"YOU'RE NOT NAKED, RIGHT?"

"NOBODY IS NAKED."

"FINE."

Rye and Eriska come in. "It's weird you would have 2 teenagers in the bedroom with you, Ax. I'm here to prevent rumors."

"Do you care, baby?"

"No. He already knows."

Eriska shuts the door. "You didn't even make it 1 day without telling him."

"He knew because of my face. I can't help what it does."

She laughs and plays the recording from yesterday. It starts with Eriska saying, "Tell me the drama. I only caught part of it." And ends with her saying she'll give him 1 week to tell me.

Malax nods. "I'm going to need you to forward that to me."

"Now?"

"Yes." His phone dings. "You're free to go to the water park. No coconut drinks until later. They have a lot of alcohol in them. And nobody is camping in the bush tonight. Go enjoy the slides and see the resort."

Eriska pulls my arm. "Remember to tell Tye how amazing his pool is, even if it sucks."

I nod and we go downstairs.

His pool does not suck. It's amazing. I jump right into a lazy river and float. I go through an aquarium with a huge fish in it. It has massive teeth. Then the aquarium starts breaking apart. It turns to rapids and I get spit out in another lazy river.

Dipak is standing there laughing at me as I jump all over. I get out and shove him in. "YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS TOO."

Mason comes up to us as we ride around the calm part. "Interesting swim attire, Dipak."

"I wasn't given a choice."

"GET ON A TUBE."

"COME SEE THIS SLIDE."

"TUBE FIRST."

"FINE." Eriska grabs a tube and rides with us.

2 hours later, we have done everything 30 times. Every slide, pool, and ride. I stand by a pool and try to keep my eyes open. I want to do the big slide again. I feel myself trying to pass out. An alarm goes off as I hit the water. Tye grabs me in the water and gives me to Dipak.

I yawn and point. "That slide." Then my head lands on Dipak's shoulder.

They burst out laughing.